CED Testimonials

May 17, 2007

On October 7th, 2004 I was diagnosed with a herniated disc at C6/C7.  I woke up with agonizing pain in my right arm, my right triceps was on fire.  The pain was traveling down my arm followed by the sensation of pins and needles on the tips of my fingers.  I was 34 years old and had never been injured like this before. I went to the emergency room at Saint Roosevelt Hospital in New York and was given a shot of morpheme followed by two Oxycontin pain killers.  I was told to see an orthopedic doctor if the pain did not go away within three days. Three days later I met an orthopedic spine surgeon in New York.  The doctor gave me steroids and ordered an MRI. I will never forget the pain I had experienced during the first month of my injury.  After two months of rest and physical therapy my spine surgeon told me that I must undergo surgery.  The pain was gone but my triceps lost all of its strength, it was as though no muscles were working in my right triceps.  My right index finger was numb and at times I felt pain in the tip of my right index finger.  I remember how depressed I was, I had nerve damage and I did not know if the nerve would heal.  I was warned by several spine surgeons that the longer I waited the less chance my strength would ever return.

I prayed every day for divine intervention; I did not want to go under the knife and I certainly did not want a bone fusion with screws and a metal plate in my neck.  I found Dr.Schiffer on the internet. I had to travel to the other side of the country. No other surgeon could perform CED and Dr.Schiffer was
willing to help me.

My spine surgeon in New York strongly disagreed when I mentioned Dr.Schiffer and his CED technique; he told me that it will not work.  He tried to convince me not to travel to Dr.Schiffer and told me that the majority of spine surgeons in America do not approve of CED.

I thought about it for a few days and concluded that I had nothing to lose; I could always have cervical anterior discectomy in New York if CED would fail.  I was anxious to see Dr.Schiffer and go with it.  I felt the clock was ticking and that each day I waited was another day closer to permanent nerve damage.

Dr.Schiffer has an amazing track record, he has performed every type of spine surgery known to man and if he chose CED over traditional surgery then I should trust his judgment.  The surgery was quick and painless, I returned to New York with a sense of hope. I was amazed that I could not even find a scar anywhere on my neck, it was as though nothing ever happened.

I am two years post surgery and I have started training again.  I tested my strength at the gym and my right arm is as strong as my left.  I am without any pain whatsoever.  My right index finger is slightly numb at the tip and the feeling intensifies during rainy days but I hardly even notice it.  Sometimes after I wake up in the morning the numbness is totally gone.

I would not hesitate to recommend Dr.Schiffer to anyone with spinal disorders.  I am amazed that CED procedures are not commonly practiced throughout the nation.

Thank you for everything you have done for me.

Sincerely Yours,

Eliahou Paldiel