Years of dealing with back issues had led to an unhealthy routine for Scott Shearer. When the pain became unbearable, he would reach for his pain meds and muscle relaxers followed by several hours of downtime in bed, only to wake up and do it all again. It wasn’t the life the 74-year-old retiree wanted to live.

“I thought I was going to be stuck like that for the rest of my life,” Shearer says.

Watch Scott's Story

The normally active North Texan was used to enjoying daily walks with his dog, being on the golf course, and had even played softball and tournament volleyball before the pain set in. When he’d finally had enough, he sought the help of Ahmed Shakir, M.D., FAANS, a spine and neurosurgeon on the medical staff at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital and at Texas Health Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice.

“Mr. Shearer came to see us with a lot of back pain and pain going down both his legs,” Shakir explains. “He had difficulty with just getting around doing the kind of daily chores that we take for granted: going to the store, walking any distance, and doing the things he liked.”

Results of an imaging scan showed that Shearer had severe spinal stenosis, a condition that happens when the spaces inside the bones of the spine become narrowed. Spinal stenosis can put pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that run through the spine, affecting the lower back. The most common cause is wear-and-tear changes in the spine due to arthritis.  

Shakir’s recommendation for Shearer was a spinal decompression surgery known as laminectomy. The procedure involves removing the lamina, which is a portion of the vertebra in the back, to make more room for the spinal cord and nerves. In Shearer’s case, screws and rods were inserted where his spine had been compressed to help stabilize the areas.

The Path to ‘I Can Do It’

Following surgery, the 74-year-old spent six days in the hospital and then a month in outpatient rehabilitation at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital. During his recovery, Shearer used a walker to help him along. He even got back to his strolls in the neighborhood with the aid of a walker and was soon on the driving range making plans to play a full round of golf.  

“I’ve had less pain in my back for the last six months than I did at any time in the previous four years,” Shearer happily admits. “I’m no longer spending 24 hours a day laying in my bed in pain. If I want to do it, I can do it.”

To find out how neck or back pain may be affecting your life, take our free Back Health Assessment or visit YourBackHealth.com for more information.

Ready to schedule an appointment? Find a back and spine specialist on the medical staff near you.