Implant-free lower back procedure leads to new beginnings

Tyler Vanatta had experienced extreme chronic lower back pain since 2012.

Managing a physically demanding career, Tyler served 12 years in the National Guard and has worked as a maintenance supervisor since 2022. The routine strains on his body only increased his discomfort. 

“It was a daily challenge to get out of bed and get dressed,” said Tyler. “I returned home after 12-hour shifts feeling more worn down and in more pain.”

Wear and tear combined with disc degeneration resulted in inflammation and pain known as vertebrogenic pain. It’s a pain in the middle of the lower back that worsens when you bend, sit for long periods and are physically active.

After trying suggested medications and treatments for years without success, Tyler was determined to find a form of long-term relief. 

Seeking a solution

Tyler was referred to the Genesis Interventional Pain Management Clinic through the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient transfer program.

He met with Yahya Bakdalieh, M.D., Physical Medicine and Rehab Physician at Genesis Interventional Management Pain Clinic, and asked about options.

“Tyler’s vertebrogenic low back pain was a specific type of pain that is common and often misdiagnosed,” said Dr. Bakdalieh. “Of the 30 million people in the U.S. with chronic low back pain, one in every six people is likely to have this type of pain. Patients have tried many therapeutic approaches for extended relief, but an effective treatment was only recently developed."

Dr. Bakdaliah introduced Tyler to the Intracept Procedure, a new vertebrogenic low back pain treatment offered at Genesis.

Vertebrogenic pain starts in the endplates. The basivertebral nerve (BVN) in the spine carries pain signals from the inflamed endplates to the brain. When the BVN releases these signals, it results in chronic lower back pain.