"I was told I needed a multi-level fusion. I didn't even know disc replacement existed."

Nick's back pain started in his early 20s. After a discectomy in his mid-20s, he returned to an active life — until years later when severe sciatica came back and began affecting everything from his ability to put on a belt or sit in a chair.

Multiple surgical consultations led to the same recommendation: spinal fusion. But Nick, an active CPA, new father, and lifelong athlete, wasn't willing to accept that as his only option.

In this episode, Nick shares what happened when he pushed for clarity instead of settling for a single answer. Through additional opinions and independent research, he discovered a motion-preserving alternative to fusion, called artificial disc replacement.

That realization ultimately led him to VSI and Spine Surgeon Dr. Ehsan Jazini, where Nick learned he was a candidate for a three-level disc replacement.

Today, he reports zero back pain since surgery and has returned to skiing, running, swimming, weightlifting and living without restrictions.

This conversation explores important questions for anyone facing spine surgery:

• How do you know if you're being told about all your options?
• When should you get a second—or fourth—opinion?
• What is the difference between spinal fusion and artificial disc replacement?
• What does recovery look like after multi-level disc replacement surgery?

If you've been told spinal fusion is your only option, or if you're scheduling your life around your back pain, this episode could change your path forward.

Ready to explore your options? Visit VSIspine.com to schedule a consultation with a spine specialist who can discuss both fusion and disc replacement candidacy.

How do you stay active when pain keeps getting in the way?
If your fitness goals get off track because of pain, you're not alone — and even better, you're not out of options.

Pushing through pain, ignoring warning signs, or waiting to "get better first" often leads to setbacks, frustration, and giving up altogether. Most of us aren't lacking motivation; we're missing a clear plan for what to do before surgery becomes the only option.

In this episode, VSI physiatrist and Director of Regenerative Medicine Dr. Niteesh Bharara and VSI physical therapist Greg Morris deliver a practical, hopeful reality check. Together, they walk through the non-operative path that's often missing from traditional care — what exists between "just wait" and surgery — showing how physical therapy and natural healing work together to address the root cause of pain, support real tissue healing, and help people return to training without the extensive recovery that often comes with surgery.

This episode is for you if:

• You have fitness goals, but pain keeps interrupting your progress

• You've been told to "just wait" or "push through it"

• You want real, non-surgical options to move forward

If pain has left you feeling stuck or unsure of what to do next, this episode shows there is another path forward: one that helps you keep moving, training, and doing the activities you love.

📺 Watch this full episode on YouTube
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Living with chronic back pain often means slowly adapting your life around it. Over time, everyday things – sitting comfortably, traveling, sleeping through the night, keeping up with family, start to require planning, compromise, or avoidance altogether. The hardest part isn't usually the pain itself, but the fear that this may simply be how life will always feel.

After nearly 20 years of back pain and multiple procedures, Rachel, a teacher and mom of two, found herself in that exact place. She describes years of temporary fixes "surgeries that helped, until they didn't," trying everything from lumbar fusion to chiropractors to injections, discectomy and physical therapy, yet lasting relief never came.

Eventually she was told disc replacement surgery wasn't an option for her. Instead, she was warned that her future would likely involve spinal fusion after spinal fusion, each one further limiting her mobility and quality of life. She felt trapped between continuing to manage her pain and facing an uncertain future of additional surgery.

Rather than accepting that outcome, Rachel decided to keep asking questions.

In this episode of Get Back to Your Life®, Rachel shares how seeking another opinion led her to two-level disc replacement surgery with Dr. Colin Haines at VSI®, and how that decision changed what daily life looks like for her today. Her story isn't defined by a single milestone; it instead highlights the return of everyday life… the moments that make life feel normal again… better sleep, greater independence, and the ability to fully participate in activities she had slowly stepped away from.

If you're facing chronic back pain, been told your options are limited, or wondering whether disc replacement may still be worth exploring, Rachel's story serves as a hopeful reminder that being told "no" doesn't always mean the story is over, and that asking the right questions can open doors many people don't realize still exist.

🔗 Find expert resources at VSISpine.com

🔔 Subscribe to Get Back to Your Life® podcast for more real-life patient stories on taking control of your health.