Chronic back pain affects millions of Americans, many of whom spend years cycling through medications, injections, physical therapy and many times, surgery in their search for lasting relief.
According to Dr. Solomon Cogan, owner and clinic director of The Nerve & Disc Institute, one of the biggest problems is that most treatments focus primarily on managing symptoms rather than identifying and treating what is actually causing the pain.
“We really don’t have a health care system in this country -- we have a sick-care system,” Dr. Cogan said. “Most everything today is based on symptoms. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons we have the problems we do today in health care. If we focused more on identifying and fixing the root cause rather than simply covering up symptoms, I believe we’d be a healthier and happier country.”
For patients living with bulging discs, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, stenosis and sciatica pain, that philosophy is central to the clinic’s approach.
Looking beyond temporary relief
Many people with chronic pain eventually find themselves in a frustrating cycle: temporary improvement followed by recurring pain.
“One of the most common causes of chronic pain is people managing symptoms over a long period of time instead of addressing the underlying problem,” Dr. Cogan said. “Most spine and knee conditions that are not traumatic are degenerative in nature, meaning they worsen over time. Even if injections or medications temporarily reduce pain, the underlying problem is often still there and continues to degenerate.”
That idea -- the difference between treating symptoms and treating the source of a condition -- is something Dr. Cogan says many patients have never fully had explained to them.
“Education is everything,” he said. “Probably the most common thing patients tell me after sitting down with me is that, for the first time, they truly understand their problem.”
At the center of the clinic’s treatment philosophy is the belief that many chronic disc-related conditions stem from a failure of the disc’s natural healing mechanisms.
Dr. Cogan often uses a simple analogy to help patients understand the concept.
If a plant is wilting, he explained, painting the leaves green or trimming damaged leaves may temporarily improve its appearance, but it does not address the actual problem if the plant is dying because it lacks water.
He believes the same principle can apply to spinal discs.
Rather than focusing only on symptoms like pain, inflammation or nerve irritation, the clinic’s goal is to identify why the disc is deteriorating in the first place.
A non-invasive treatment option
The Nerve & Disc Institute offers a treatment program known as IntraDiscNutrosis, which is designed to support the disc’s natural healing mechanisms.
The treatment is intended for people who suffer from conditions like bulging discs, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, stenosis, sciatica pain and other disc-related symptoms.
IntraDiscNutrosis is non-invasive and aims to help restore circulation and function within damaged discs rather than masking pain alone.
Dr. Cogan said one of the most important parts of the process happens before treatment even begins.
“The key to any successful treatment is making sure someone is truly a good candidate for it,” he said. “That’s why we take a very extensive approach to evaluating patients.”
That evaluation process often includes reviewing prior imaging, obtaining an extensive treatment history and diagnostic testing to determine whether a patient is likely to benefit from the treatment.
“I would rather not have someone as a patient than have someone fail to get results,” Dr. Cogan said.
According to the clinic, not every patient who seeks care is accepted for treatment. Some may not be medically appropriate candidates, while others may not be expected to achieve meaningful improvement.
“I really try to stack the deck in the patient’s favor by only taking people I genuinely believe we can help,” Dr. Cogan said.
Two randomized, independent medical research studies conducted by Dr. Paul Thomlinson, a third-party Ph.D. research scientist specializing in health care evaluation, revealed over 90% of IntraDiscNutrosis patients at The Nerve & Disc Institute reported clinically significant improvement, and three years after treatment was completed, IntraDiscNutrosis had a 96% success rate. Both study groups did not need surgery.
Understanding chronic pain differently
For many patients, chronic pain develops gradually over time.
“Pain is like the tip of the iceberg,” Dr. Cogan said. “More often than not -- unless it’s an acute traumatic injury -- pain is the last symptom to appear and the first thing to improve on the road to recovery.”
That perspective can shift how patients think about both treatment and recovery.
Rather than expecting an overnight fix, Dr. Cogan emphasized that addressing degenerative conditions often requires patience and long-term commitment.
“We always explain that when you’re treating the cause rather than masking symptoms, it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “It took time for people to become sick, and it takes time to help them heal.”
The clinic’s goals, he said, are centered around improving function and quality of life.
“Success is quality of life,” Dr. Cogan said. “Typically, success means reducing or eliminating pain, improving function and helping people regain the quality of life they had before their condition developed.”
Hope for patients searching for answers
Many patients who seek care at The Nerve & Disc Institute arrive after years of failed treatments and worsening pain.
Ron Lomasney from Fraser, Michigan, had been prescribed heavy pain medications, received steroid injections in his spine, and underwent procedures to burn his nerves for his degenerative back problems, without success.
“Most of our patients have tried everything and have often suffered for years,” Dr. Cogan said. “Of course, earlier treatment is better, but it’s never too late to try to find a solution.”
Lomasney credits the IntraDiscNutrosis treatments he received at The Nerve & Disc Institute for reducing his pain and helping him regain mobility he once feared was permanently lost.
“I’m very happy, especially because it felt like I was going to have a walker for the rest of my days,” he said.
For people who feel discouraged or hopeless about their condition, Dr. Cogan believes one of the most important things patients can understand is that treatment options continue to evolve.
“Just because someone -- even a doctor -- tells you that you have to live with pain, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re right,” Dr. Cogan said. “And even if they were right years ago, medicine and technology change rapidly. There may be options today that simply didn’t exist before.”
To learn more about Dr. Cogan’s approach and treatment options at The Nerve & Disc Institute, click or tap here.