Arthur's Story: Back to the Pets After Spinal Fusion

In early 2022, Arthur O. started experiencing a burning pain at the base of his neck, seemingly out of nowhere. Before long, the pain began radiating down his left arm and into his fingers, making his work as a veterinarian more difficult.

“It started impacting my work a great deal,” says Arthur, 72, of Clarion County, Pa. “Then it started impacting the rest of my life.”

The long car rides to work at his son’s clinic became harder and harder. By the time he arrived, he could hardly turn his neck or feel his arm. Everything seemed numb.

That’s when Arthur first met Jacob B. Smith, DO, at Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Associates – UPMC in Franklin, Pa. Dr. Smith diagnosed Arthur with arthritis of the cervical spine and degenerative disc disease, which was causing compression in the nerves going down Arthur’s arms. He prescribed once-a-week physical therapy to help stabilize and strengthen Arthur’s neck, plus steroid injections for pain relief a couple of times a year.

This plan worked for almost two years. Arthur’s pain was manageable, and he was able to continue working and enjoying his life.

'I Could Barely Function'

But by summer 2024, the pain had returned — only worse than before. Working, driving, and even sleeping became difficult.

“I could barely function," he says. "I had to sleep in a chair most of the time. I could never get comfortable."

When it reached a point where Arthur could no longer stand the pain, Dr. Smith re-evaluated his situation. He ordered an MRI and then decided a cervical spinal fusion would be the next best option for eliminating Arthur's pain.

“I was so relieved and felt surgery was appropriate,” Arthur says. “The pain was ruining my life.”

Before scheduling surgery, Arthur had to contact his health insurance company, which wanted him to do more physical therapy before resorting to the fusion surgery. However, Arthur was in so much pain that he could barely get through one PT session.

'Dr. Smith Went to Bat for Me'

“That’s when Dr. Smith went to bat for me,” Arthur says. “That meant a lot.”

Dr. Smith called Arthur's insurance company to explain the situation. After some back and forth, Arthur had a successful C5-C7 spinal fusion on Nov. 11, 2024.

When Arthur woke up the morning after surgery, he was amazed to feel so good.

“The numbness, the pain, it was all gone,” he says. “And it’s been a wonderful recovery ever since.”

After only one night in the hospital, Arthur was discharged wearing a cervical collar. He didn’t even need prescribed pain medication to ease the discomfort — only ibuprofen for a few days.

“They treated me very well at UPMC," he says. "I had a lovely experience dealing with everyone there."

Instant Relief

“It was like someone flipped a switch overnight; that’s how good I felt after,” Arthur says.

Since surgery, Arthur’s recovery has been smooth sailing. He’s back to work as a veterinarian and able to perform surgery on small animals without experiencing pain. He’s able to enjoy the rest of his life, too, like tinkering with small engines and spending time with his wife, Nancy, and their two dogs.

At follow-up appointments, Dr. Smith evaluates Arthur's spinal fusion with cervical x-rays.

“Dr. Smith’s staff is very caring and attentive,” Arthur says. “They showed me exactly what was going on, what was compressed, and what he was going to do about it.”

Only five months later, the two-inch scar on Arthur’s neck is barely visible, disappearing just like his pain.

“I can’t say enough good about what Dr. Smith and UPMC did for me," Arthur says. "They gave me my life back.”