Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Rehabilitation >
  • ... >
  • Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation >
  • Conditions We Treat >
  • Program for Spine Health >
  • Patient Stories
Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
About Us
Locations
Conditions We Treat
Brain Injury
Musculoskeletal Pain
Neurogenic Bladder
Pain Management
Pelvic Pain
Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain
Spasticity
Spina Bifida
Spinal Cord Injury
Spine Health
Patient Stories
Sports Injuries
Stroke
Our Experts
Our Partners
Patient Stories
Research
Residency and Fellowship Programs
Treatment Options
Contact Us
Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
About Us
Locations
Conditions We Treat
Brain Injury
Musculoskeletal Pain
Neurogenic Bladder
Pain Management
Pelvic Pain
Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology
Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain
Spasticity
Spina Bifida
Spinal Cord Injury
Spine Health
Patient Stories
Sports Injuries
Stroke
Our Experts
Our Partners
Patient Stories
Research
Residency and Fellowship Programs
Treatment Options
Contact Us

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

UPMC Program for Spine Health Patient Stories

Eileen Scott: Scoliosis

Eileen Scott

Eileen, born with scoliosis, had spent her lifetime dealing with chronic back pain. When her pain become so severe that she could barely walk, she turned to the UPMC Program for Spine Health for help.

Read Eileen's story

Matt Salerno: Neck Pain

Matt Salerno

For years, Matt had searched for ways to relieve his neck pain. Finally in 2021, he was referred to the UPMC Program for Spine Heath.

Read Matt Salerno's story

Meet Stu

Meet Eileen Q.

More Examples of Patient Care

The patients in the following testimonials have asked to remain anonymous.

After being referred to the program by her physician in 2019, CF spoke with our team at the UPMC Program for Spine Health a day later and expressed that she had tried physical therapy, injections, steroids, and surgery in the past to try to help her back pain, but nothing had worked. Given her difficulty finding relief, CF met with PM&R physician Christopher John Standaert, MD. Leaving her first appointment relieved and teary-eyed, CF said, “I’m so happy that someone has finally listened to me and feel like there’s hope now to help my back pain.”

As she continued sessions with our physical therapist, pain psychologist, and dietitian, she became more aware of how her back pain affected her overall health. She fully engaged in her care, learned our strategies, and became motivated to feel better. After moving more easily, experiencing less pain, and finding more energy within herself, CF became independent again and continues to practice positive lifestyle changes by using the skills she learned to stay active and healthy.

After trying several methods to alleviate her back pain, and being unable to find something that worked, MH visited the UPMC Program for Spine Health with a referral from her doctor in early 2020. Upon arrival, she filled out a few questionnaires that are repeated throughout the program to track each patient’s progress toward their goals. As our program prides itself on using motivational interviewing techniques and active listening, identifying appropriate resources for each patient, and making clear how much we care about their health, MH left her first appointment feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time.

“My goal of travelling to New Orleans for Mardi Gras actually seems attainable now,” she expressed (a goal that she did in fact meet). MH met both in person and virtually with her physical therapist and health coach, losing about ten pounds in eight weeks and finding herself well on her way to achieving the healthy overall lifestyle she needed to help relieve her back pain. Today, she continues to practice what she learned to stay energized, motivated, and positive in a life with much less pain.

RC, an active 44-year-old male, developed sudden back pain during the summer of 2018. Caught off guard, RC initially visited an emergency department and later saw a chiropractor and orthopaedic surgeon, tried prescribed injections and opioids, and experienced no permanent relief. After a consultation with the orthopaedic surgeon nearly a year after his initial pain, she referred him to our team at the UPMC Program for Spine Health. Together with Dr. Standaert, director of our program, RC decided that physical therapy with our primary spine provider physical therapist would be best.

RC shared, “I was initially afraid that any movement would cause me more pain, but I quickly developed trust and began making progress. Then I could really see the possibility of playing golf again.” Throughout the program, RC was supported by telemedicine appointments with the pain psychologist and was able to identify anxiety associated with his pain, set realistic goals, focus on acknowledging accomplishments, and decrease negative and self-critical thinking. He also worked with the health coach to develop a plan to increase and maintain his level of activity while prioritizing his spine health. While RC described his back pain as a 9.33/10 in September 2019 when he arrived for his first appointment, he reported a 1.66/10 in June 2020 at his last visit. RC has been enjoying golf ever since and can now carry out what he learned on his own.

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login