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Back Pain Patient from Florida Spine Associates

Testimonial Of Patient With Spinal Pain | Florida Spine Associates

Patient Testimonial from Florida Spine Associates

I am a 72 year old physician. Like many people I have had intermittent but tolerable back pain my entire life. Despite this I was able to work, garden, golf and go about all my normal activities. However, I overdid it with Hurricane Irma and all the associated lifting and moving. In November 2017 I developed increasingly severe right lower extremity pain with walking and even standing. My first epidural in January 2018 helped immensely but the pain returned in September 2018 and this time did not respond to epidurals. I could not walk a block without severe pain in my right leg. The MRI showed my lumbar spine was a disaster zone. Some said it couldn't be repaired or at least no surgeon would undertake the task. Others warned of the chancy nature of spinal surgery. I have worked with great surgeons my entire career, felt otherwise and sought out Dr. Norton. He talked with me, reviewed my MRI and said this would be one of his less demanding surgeries. I immediately knew he was a great surgeon and human being and was the right man for me. I had my surgery, a laminectomy and L45 fusion on Nov. 7, 2018 and was discharged walking 16 hours post op. I am now able to walk freely thanks to Dr. Norton. I have complete confidence in him and recommend him without hesitation for any spine surgery you may need. I know he doesn't believe this but for me he is a genius as well as a great surgeon. If anyone can help you it is Dr. Norton

I have had spinal pain in my neck, thoracic spine and lumbar spine for the past several years. I tried epidurals but they were not effective. In 2017, I developed cervical radiculopathy; a burning, stabbing nerve pain from my neck, into my shoulder and down my arm into my hand. It was like being electrocuted from the inside. I was no longer able to complete daily tasks. The unrelenting pain kept me in the house for over 6 months. I met Dr. Burroughs first for pain management and through him I met Dr.Norton. My surgery was August 27, 2018. When I woke up I realized Dr.Norton performed a miracle!! The cervical radiculopathy was gone. The excruciating pain had disappeared! I wish I had found Dr.Norton earlier; the surgery went well, maybe one week for the post surgical pain to lessen. Dr.Norton is unique for a surgeon. He explains the diagnosis, the surgical treatment plan and the post recovery period. I have complete confidence in him. So much so, that I am having lumbar surgery with Dr. Norton in January 2019. His partner, Dr. Burroughs takes care of the pain management and there is even a physical therapy component in the practice. He is knowledgeable, highly skilled, approachable, and cares about his patients.

I can not say enough about Dr. Robert Norton. I came to him with severe pains in the back of my thighs. The pain was unbearable. He explained to me, after reviewing my MRI that I needed surgery. He told me exactly what was happening and why I was in such pain. Dr. Norton’s bedside manner is just wonderful. He answered every question that I had!!! I scheduled my surgery for July 1oth, 2017 at Boca Regional Hospital (excellent hospital). Surgery went exceptionally well. I am able to walk again without any pain. Thank you so much Dr. Norton.

February of 2017 Dr. Robert Norton performed spinal surgery on me. L5-S1 was fused and a compressed nerve was relieved with surgery.

Before surgery pain level in my left leg and foot was excruciating making it very difficult for me to walk or sit. I could walk a short distance with the aid of a walker.

Surgery relieved the pain enabled me to walk and sit again. Post operative pain was minimal. I walked the same day as surgery and returned home in 48 hours on Tylenol for the discomfort.

I am thankful for Dr. Nortons skills. Surgery relieved debilitating pain, returned my functionality, and gave my life back to me.

It has been 4 months since I had my Arterial Cervical Disectomy Fusion. From the very beginning I felt that I was in very capable hands, and even though I was extremely worried, proceeded to go ahead with the surgery. I did not take it lightly, but I am so relieved that my husband and I both felt the same way. Dr. Norton you were more than thoughtful and made me feel that you were so very concerned about me, as a person and as a patient. The surgery was successful. We would not hesitate to refer patients to you every chance we can. You are so deserving of this.

Many thanks again for being there and helping me through a most difficult time in my life.

I had been suffering with back pain on and off for several years but from April-August 2016 i began to have severe nerve pain in both legs. I was unable to walk for any distance without pain. After trying physical therapy for several weeks with little positive results, the therapist thankfully recommended Dr. Robert Norton. When Dr Norton checked my MRI and X-rays, he told me exercises will not help remedy my situation and suggested surgery to alleviate the on-going pain. I was not happy to receive that news but he assured me that he would say the same thing to his mom if her spine was in the same condition as mine. My surgery took place on September 6, 2016 at West Boca Hospital. Days before and leading up to the surgery I mentally prepared myself for the operation. Everything went very well, thanks to Dr. Norton and his surgical team. I was without pain and up walking the day after surgery, just as he said i would be. I wore the support brace for one month and continued with appropriate exercises, especially walking. A visiting nurse and a physical therapist visited me 2x/week for the first few weeks that I was home from the hospital so I always felt confident that I was being taken care of. Dr Norton set up several follow-up visits over the subsequent months to continually check on how the spine is healing. I was reassured that I was not alone after the surgery , the months following surgery, and during the whole healing process.

Dr Norton exudes very positive energy, friendliness, confidence, and professionalism. I definitely recommend Dr. Norton to anyone considering spinal surgery.

I’m a new man! After suffering excruciating sciatica for months from a severely herniated disc, I am now completely pain free. At my initial appointment, Dr. Norton read the MRI and confirmed a large fragment in the lower lumbar region exerting pressure on the sciatic nerve. Dr Norton explained various options to address the pain, but suggested that surgery to remove the fragment was the most effective way to treat this condition. He handled all my questions in a very straightforward manner. We scheduled surgery at the earliest possible opportunity and on May 10th, Dr. Norton performed a lamimotomy/microdiscectomy. The sciatica was gone immediately. Afterwards, Dr. Norton explained very clearly that I needed to work my way back to normal activities and he put me into contact with a great physical therapy group. It’s now been just over a month since my surgery and I am almost back to my former, healthy self. Dr. Norton once told me he was ”not a miracle worker.” I disagree. I cannot thank Dr. Norton and his professional staff enough for the care given to me.

Dr. Norton performed approximately 10 hours of back surgery on me March 29, 2016. Prior to my surgery I was living with constant back pain. My quality of life was definitely not the best. Now after 3 months, I can honestly say that I am pain free and living a more normal life. Much better quality of life! Through his excellent surgical knowledge and compassionate care I can now say without his surgical knowledge I would not be writing this testimonial. I highly recommend his surgical expertise to any and all who are suffering with back problems. Your are the best Dr. Norton!

I would like to thank you and your highly professional team for a great completion of Cervical Spine Surgery. I never realized how complicated the procedure was, but you and the team performed a remarkable feat by operating on C3,4,5 &6 without any complications. Your great personality and love of spine surgery certainly helped me in choosing you as my surgeon and allowed a 76 year old man go into the procedure with a lot of confidence. I highly recommend young your group to any hesitant person, it feels great to be without pain. Thanks again Ira.

After several months of increasing and relentless pain in my right scapular area which radiated up my neck, (causing vertigo), and radiated down my arm, my orthopedist referred me to Dr. Robert Norton, who, along with two of his colleagues, had just opened an office in Boca Raton, near Boca Raton Regional Hospital. It was, without question, the most important referral for a serious medical condition I had ever received!

Without going into revealing details, Dr. Norton was not the first minimally invasive spinal surgeon I had consulted. The other surgeon’s office was like a factory, with a waiting room cramped with chairs facing each other, a wait time of 55 minutes, and a surgeon who never once looked me straight in the eyes, as he studied x-rays and MRI scans and took notes, and never once placed his hands on my body in the areas where I had pain. I left his office in a rage, feeling greater pain by his behavior and poor demeanor.

Robert Norton’s practice is the complete opposite of this. After a review of my scans, MRI’s and x-rays, and his comprehensive and unhurried physical hands-on examination, he actually listened to my complaints, asked me questions, and treated me like an individual, and not just another body in his office. He recommended conservative treatment, prescribing oral steroids, and referred me to one of his practice colleagues for pain management, including epidural steroid injection. I approved of this approach, especially since, as a research nurse with more than 40 years of professional experience, I was not eager to be rushed to surgery.

When it became clear that my pain was unresponsive to these modalities, and was intractable, Dr. Norton explained and recommended a partial corpectomy of the C3-C4, with a C3-C4 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Dr. Norton clearly and patiently explained the procedure, the time in hospital (overnight), and the expectations I should have during recovery.

Norton’s demeanor is unusual for many of the surgeons I have ever encountered. He is extremely sensitive, evidencing a genuine concern for my well-being, understood my anxieties and responded to them, rather than dismissed them, and treated me, as well as my partner of 40 years, with respect. He had a calming effect on both of us, which was critical, because quite frankly, I was at a heightened level of anxiety. I am not a sedentary guy, have had a trainer 3x a week for the last 8 years, and did not like the idea of being incapacitated by a diagnosis of severe foraminal stenosis with disc herniation resulting in severe arm pain.

The surgery was expedited and scheduled in less than week, and I was given outstanding attention by Dr. Norton’s surgical coordinator, Jessica, who updated me through text messages on every aspect of the pre-surgery scheduling, and was also available to me, and served as a contact for Dr. Norton, post surgery. She played a critical role in my post surgery recovery, and should be recognized for this, and of course, Dr. Norton should be applauded for having her as a member of his team.

While Dr. Norton may be younger than many of the other spinal surgeons practicing in our area, do not mistake his youth for a lack of clinical expertise. Read his bio, his CV, see where he attended medical school and post doc training, where he engaged in his fellowship training, and yes, look at his published research articles, which are extensive and on-going. As a retired employed of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health in DC, I was exceedingly impressed with the wealth and depth of Norton’s research involvement. He is not ”stale” in his technical knowledge, and is certainly fresh in his approach to the sensitive treatment of his patients.

I am feeling like a new man, to use a cliche, and am confident my recovery will proceed as explained, as I was, and still am, in good hands under the care of Robert Norton, MD.

Since I relocated here from the Midwest in early 2014, no rock was left unturned in hopes of finding a surgeon who specialized in Complex Spine issues. I had been dealing with them stemming from a Birth Defect for over 20 years, resulting in over a dozen ‘Break and Fix’ surgeries done by surgeons in Chicago.

Every one of the handful of surgeon I found here in South Florida ‘claimed’ expertise, but after reviewing my MRIs and X-rays, they all turned me away saying my issues were far beyond what their capabilities were.

Then, when I thought all hope of getting help anywhere remotely near Southern Florida were gone, my pain management specialist, Dr Galante shared with me the new staff appointment and arrival at the new Marcus Neuroscience Institute, right here in Boca Raton!

I made an Appointment immediately with Dr. Robert Norton, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon who specializes in complex spine disorders, and his dream team of surgeons, Dr Houten and Dr Weinstein. He reviewed my tests and showed me vertebrae by vertebrae how each level can be improved with restructuring. I was excited to hear there was hope and scheduled the surgery for December 2015.

He took that which previously was a twisted failing birth defected disaster and transformed it into a near perfectly straight work of art!

I now have an entirely new lease on life and hope for a bright, new, and more functional future! For the first time in forever, I can stand up perfectly straight and without excruciating pain!

What he and his dream team of surgeons performed was nothing shy of a pure miracle for which I am eternally grateful.

I was diagnosed with a synovial cyst in my spinal canal between L4 and L5. The pain was debilitating to the point where I was barely able to walk. I interviewed a number of surgeons and was even prepared to travel until I met Dr. Norton. His insight, patient care and knowledge gave me confidence to give him the go-ahead to perform a lumbar laminectomy. I am extraordinarily satisfied with the outcome of the procedure. I was walking without pain the next day. He was there to answer any questions during the recovery process. In addition I can only rate his staff as first-class. I whole heartedly and without reservation recommend Dr. Norton for anyone that requires spinal surgery.

I am a 51 year old woman who has suffered back ache for the last 35 years. I was diagnosed with Grade 2 Spondylolisthesis 12 years ago. Over the past 12 years I have visited several spinal orthopedic surgeons who wanted to operate immediately. As I was only 39 years old when I was first diagnosed I didn’t want to rush into doing surgery.

I felt uncomfortable with not only the doctors I saw, but also the invasive procedure that they wanted to perform. I made sure that I visited all the top doctors in South Florida. I was told I would need an 8-inch incision in my back and I would have to spend one month in bed and 5 months in a back brace.

About five years ago I had to stop playing golf and tennis, both sports that I love, as I could not take the pain.

Over the last year my backache, which I described as a kitchen knife permanently in my back was getting worse and more debilitating. I had been hoping over the years for the operation to become less invasive. At this time, it was my G.P. that suggested that I pay a visit to a relatively young doctor who came very highly recommended.

I went to see Dr. Norton for the first time about one year ago. I felt so comfortable with his relaxed and friendly demeanor, which had not been my experience with other surgeons. He explained the operation, which would be to done with a small incision through the belly and then two small incisions in the lower back, all done in a minimally invasive manor. This allowed for minimal pain and fast recovery. I really appreciated that Dr. Norton wasn’t pushy and didn’t pressure me in any way. My husband and I researched Dr. Norton through our contacts in both Florida and New York and received nothing but amazing feedback.

I decided to wait until after the summer and visited Dr. Norton again in the fall. As I suffer from high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I was worried about these factors in terms of surgery. Dr. Norton made me feel confident and reassured that these issues wouldn’t affect the procedure.

I had a few more pre-op visits with Dr. Norton where I took my entire family to meet him in order for them to better understand the operation. He was very accommodating to everyone’s questions and concerns.

Dr. Norton suggested I speak to a previous patient of his who had had the same operation a few months earlier. The gentleman patient raved about his whole experience with Dr. Norton and couldn’t believe the backache he had suffered for 20 years was gone. I asked him as many questions as I could think of and only received answers that I could have hoped for.

Dr. Norton gave me the courage to go ahead with this operation. I booked myself in to do the surgery. My operation was done at Boca Raton Regional Hospital in the spectacular new building called The Marcus Neuroscience Institute.

I saw his friendly face for a few minutes before the surgery, which reassured me. I waved and smiled goodbye to my family and felt very confident. I told them that I would see them on the other side of lunch.

The surgery included both Dr. Norton’s and a vascular surgeon’s work. After the operation, Dr. Norton spoke to my family while I was still in recovery and assured them that the operation had gone very well.

That afternoon Dr. Norton came to see me. He also visited me every day during my three days in hospital. It was very comforting to know that he was available for any questions I had.

Recovering from any type of surgery is never easy but just as he had promised me, I was up and walking the next day which was quite amazing. My incisions were a little sore as to be expected but it was nothing short of a miracle that I had NO backache immediately.

As soon as my wounds were healed (2 weeks) I started swimming every other day and have lost 15 pounds already. I look and feel like a new person. I have my waistline back and people compliment me on my posture all the time. Last week, I saw Dr. Norton for my 6 week check up. I had an X-ray taken and everything looks picture perfect.

I cannot sing Dr. Norton’s praises enough. I could not have imagined a better experience with such a kind, compassionate and friendly surgeon. I have a new lease on life; Dr. Norton changed my life.

The best way to describe Dr. Norton is “Excellent ” in all regards . Excellent in skills, experience, and bedside manner. I had surgery with Dr. Norton in June 2015 . It went great with results that removed my neck pain. There is no other surgeon I would ever consider to perform any additional spine surgery.

Dr. Norton is the very best!

It’s hard to imagine myself ever being on the other end of patient care but in November of 2014 I found myself in that exact position. I’ve been a Registered Nurse over 25 years, most recently at West Boca Medical Center now going on 18 years and have never been a patient other than when giving birth to my two boys. This all changed in an instant on November 18, 2014 .

While getting out of bed one morning to head to the hospital, I experienced such excruciating pain in my lower back that it felt like I was being stabbed. I immediately knew I had herniated something in my back it was just a question of what and how badly. I phoned my doctor who had me go for an emergent MRI which showed a major large disc herniation of L5-S1. I knew I would require some form of spinal surgery and I also knew without question who I would allow perform any surgery on me.

I’ve reviewed and witnessed enough outcomes post operatively by Dr. Robert Norton to know he would be my surgeon of choice. His expertise, amazing training, and phenomenal outcomes made it an easy decision during a very stressful and painful time. Dr. Norton took such time with me explaining exactly what type of surgery I would require and all that I would need to expect post surgery. Prior to my micro discectomy I could not take a single step without screaming in agony. My biggest fear was that I would never be the same and I would have to live the rest of my life with limitations. But I also knew if I had any chance of regaining normalcy, it would be with Dr. Norton.

The day after surgery, I took my first step with such apprehension…fearing I would feel that unbearable pain….But the pain was completely gone! I didn’t feel one ounce of discomfort in any area of my back or leg. At that moment I began to cry and told the physical therapist that if there was ever an angel on earth it was Dr. Norton. I placed all of my faith in him and he did everything I knew he would. I was back to work within a week and never felt better!

I’ve been in the medical profession a very long time. People ask me on a daily basis who I use as my physicians. They feel that if I allow treatment on myself or my family members then I must trust their skills and expertise. Well I sure do Dr. Robert Norton. I thank you for not only ridding me of such agonizing pain, but for giving me my life back as I knew it prior to that horrible day! You rock and I’m forever grateful…

Dr. Norton did a TLIF with a bone fusion in July, 2015.

I had been experiencing severe pain in my knee and lower leg caused by a synovial cyst in the L4-L5 area.

The surgery was successful and I am so glad that I made that very scary decision to have this procedure. The recovery process went well with minimal pain and a short recovery time.

From the diagnosis, to the follow up visits, I have been encouraged to ask questions and have never had the feeling of being rushed. In today’s medical environment, this extra attention to the needs of the patient is very much appreciated. I am pleased to say Dr. Norton emphasizes interest in the patient’s needs.

I have complete faith in Dr. Norton and his staff.

Thanks to all for a great experience.

As a board certified neurosurgeon, Dr. Foltz is uniquely qualified to perform all types of spinal surgery. I think patients automatically think that an orthopedic surgeon is the specialist to see for spinal surgery, I now know that this is a misconception. Nerves are always involved in spinal surgery and neurosurgeons are the specialists trained for this delicate challenge. While I was under another doctor's care, a friend recommended seeing Dr. Foltz for a second opinion. She had had difficult spinal surgery several years before and had seen many doctors. She said when she met Dr. Foltz she knew he was the right doctor to perform her surgery. I am so happy I listened to that advice. If you are looking for an outstanding surgeon with tremendous knowledge and experience, as well as outstanding bedside manner, you owe it to yourself to see Dr. Foltz. He took the time to explain my diagnosis. He answered all of my questions, guided me through the process, and eased my fears. I am now on the road to recovery thanks to Dr. Foltz.

Thank you so much for fixing my back. No more pain getting out of bed or walking around in a department store. Thank you again.

On November 19, 2017 mark my life forever. Found out that I needed an emergency surgery. I had a cyst tumor in the back of my head. But because of you, Dr. Foltz, I no longer have it. I will always remember you. We love you but God loves you more. And just wanted to thank you for saving my life. I thank God everyday for sending you into my life. I truly wouldn’t of been here if it wasn’t for you. Thank you for treating me like I was your daughter and taking time to explain my situation. All I can really say is thank you. You are a great doctor and surgeon.