After successful spine surgery for chronic back pain at UC San Diego Health, multisport athlete Brian Graham is back to doing things he loved.
For Brian Graham, a surfer and multisport athlete, chronic back pain started disrupting his life at an early age. Diagnosed with bulging discs in his spine as a teenager, Graham endured years of debilitating pain that radiated from his lower back down his legs. Although he played football and wrestled at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, the pain often sidelined him from activities.
Graham spent years trying nonsurgical treatment options, including injections, acupuncture, physical therapy and mild medications, for pain management. Despite those efforts, the back pain persisted as he attended college at UC San Diego and into his 20s.
“I couldn’t stand for more than 20 minutes,” Graham said. At times, the intensity of the pain would even cause him to vomit.
Graham’s search for relief eventually led him to the neurological spine care program at UC San Diego Health, where he was referred to Martin Pham, MD, a neurosurgeon specializing in spine care and minimally invasive procedures. From the first appointment, Graham felt a shift not just in his treatment plan, but in how he was treated as a young adult with back pain.
“Dr. Pham took the time to go over my MRI results and explained everything in a way that made sense. He respected me and truly listened,” Graham said.