Bermuda Patient Ends Years of Pain: No Nuts & Bolts Needed

Summary

A patient from Bermuda shares her experience just one day after undergoing a minimally invasive Deuk Piriformis Release® and Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® for severe piriformis syndrome and sacroiliac joint pain. After exhausting years of unsuccessful treatments—including injections, medications, acupuncture, and recommendations for fusion—she explains how choosing Dr. Deukmedjian and Deuk Spine Institute helped her avoid “nuts and bolts” surgery and finally eliminate the source of her pain. Now walking straighter, feeling happier, and looking forward to returning to exercise and normal life, she reflects on the importance of treating the patient—not just imaging—and taking control of her health. 

Transcript

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And good morning I'm Dr. Deukmedjian. I'm here with one of my lovely patients, she's from Bermuda and she traveled to Deuk Spine Institute because she had piriformis syndrome and sacroiliac joint pain, and we just did her surgery yesterday. You could see it in the video; we went in and released the piriformis muscle in a minimally invasive way that we developed here at Deuk Spine. It's only done here at Deuk Spine, and we did a Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® on her sacroiliac joint. You came to us with horrible pain you weren't walking straight, how do you feel today?

Patient: I feel good. I stood a little stiff because I got to get used to walking properly all over again but I'm feeling really good. But when I saw you on YouTube, I realized this was for me because I didn't want to get all these nuts and bolts and all that kinds of things. And I'm a person like that I like to be different, and I knew right away you were the person that would do that.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So, you're happy with your decision?

Patient: I am ecstatically happy. I am very happy.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: What's life going to be like now for you?

Patient: I am going to go back to lifting my weights and exercising but not right away but I'm going to be doing that.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Yeah, we talked about kind of getting you back onto the bicycle and the gym. What was life like for you in living in pain?

Patient: It was horrible, um, I let my husband go to work days cuz I'm retired. I'll be home crying, I was in tears because I wasn't getting any help. The help that I was getting was just. Oh can I see your X-ray? See, they need to you stop the X-ray thing and look at the person touch the person.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: That's right.

Patient: Yeah, and feel you and see what's happening and that's what I got with you poke me and prod me and it's here it's right here and I like that. I like that.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: X-rays never tell us story. They don't tell where pain comes from.

Patient: No and and that's the thing that I find that is wrong with my other doctors. They look at the X-ray. I mean some people could be not having a have a bad X-ray.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Mhm, that's right yeah. You cannot use the MRI or X-ray findings to tell where the pain's coming from. You have to look at the patient's body and figure it out.

Patient: And and I like the fact that you did that and I'm feeling so much better I'm happier I really am cuz I know I'm going to go back and start doing the things that I was doing before.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You've been through so much with this back pain.

Patient: Yes, tears was really bad. All the acupuncture and the this and the that and I went all out on everything and you know.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You tried medication. You tried shots.

Patient: I tried all those things you know and nothing worked. So, but you know I'm I'm glad it work now because in the past everybody was trying to talk me into doing these other operations.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: The fusion, laminectomy. 

Patient: All this and all so I'm glad that I decided to take it into my own hand and start looking and searching for someone that can, can do better for me.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: That's right.

Patient: No nuts and bolts I call them nuts and bolts. Cuz that's what we get.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Doctors will recommend treatments that they are making profits on from patients rather than the best treatment for you the best treatment for you is one that cures the pain, so you don't have to keep coming back.

Patient: Yes.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And we're the only ones that can do that.

Patient: Yeah, um yeah and then maybe they're not trained in that thought of those kinds of things.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: They're not trained in it because they.

Patient: Should be.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And they can be well they can, but they would have to come here, and I can't train all of them. There are too many doctors but where they're being trained, they're being trained the wrong way, and that's the problem. And they're going out and practicing the wrong way to treat back and neck.

Patient: Oh yeah okay 

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So, they come to patients like you and they tell them to do these old treatments that don't work. We have new treatments that do work.

Patient: Well yes, and I had my back done uh stenosis that is fine.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Good I'm glad you're happy.

Patient: I wish I'd have gotten everything done at the same time. 

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Yeah, you'd had more than one problem you had the disc you had the piriformis you had the SI and the facet but we we've treated it all now. Are you happy?

Patient: I I'm very happy. I really am, and I know I'm going to go back loving my husband again.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Good for you that's okay your husband needs to be loved we all need love and now you can focus on your husband now you can focus on him.

Patient: Yes, I feel I'm always focused my husband is amazing he is such an amazing man he always knows what I need.

Dr Ara Deukmedjian: He's been with you the whole time by your side throughout.

Patient: Yeah, and that's what women need a man that is there for them to help them you know.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Well congratulations.

Patient: Thank you, thank you thank you Dr. Deuk. I really appreciate you and listen your staff is amazing you can't put on that you really can't you know. They're are all of them are amazing every last one of them, and I'm not saying that because you're here. Maybe you need to give them a raise.

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: If I could afford it. But thank you so much, I really appreciate it. All right great to see you, safe travels.

Patient: Thank you. 

Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Let's get you out of here.

The Better Way: Deuk Spine Institute

For patients suffering from debilitating back, buttock, and SI joint pain with multiple pain sources, my revolutionary procedures offer a safer way to alleviate pain without "nuts and bolts." This patient underwent minimally invasive Deuk Piriformis Muscle Release®, a pioneering technique developed and performed exclusively at Deuk Spine Institute, combined with Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® (DPR) for sacroiliac joint inflammation. Both procedures avoid metal hardware, preserve natural movement, and are performed through tiny incisions with minimal bleeding. Unlike traditional treatments that require hardware implants and lengthy recoveries, these procedures are outpatient, allowing patients to return to their hotel the same day. Diagnosis is made through physical examination of the patient, not just X-rays or MRIs, ensuring accurate identification of pain sources.