"I am a disabled American Veteran and have lived with pain for a great portion of my adult life. It was over three years ago, while on the job that my chronic pain started when I had a fall. I had broken my hip, ripped up a knee and exacerbated a service connected shoulder wound. Workmen’s compensation insurance was dragging their feet and wouldn’t approve hip surgery, so my PCP just kept giving me more and more pain medication and increasing my doses. Shortly after my PCP suddenly moved his practice, I needed to find another, however there were no doctors that would help manage my pain with the dose levels where I was at. Then I got a referral to Dr. Mambalam and everything changed for me. Dr. Mambalam sat me down and explained that my current doses were extremely high and that if I expected to improve my pain, then I would have to reduce my medications. At first I did not understand, but Dr. Mambalam and his staff hung in there and explained it until I did understand. Then, I said that I would get on board to what he wanted me to do if it was going to help me, because I was in that much pain. Some days were much harder than others for me when we where reducing the amount of medications that I was taking, but in the end it was all worth it. Dr. Mambalam has supported me through all my pain and even suggested a great hip surgeon and anesthesiologist for my surgery. Not only was I able to have successful complete hip replacement, but now I’m able to move around adequately and I will soon be able to see my newly born first grandchild. And that means having to travel all the way across the country, to the east coast. Dr. Mambalam made all of this possible. If I was not able to reduce my pain medications I would not be where I am today. In fact, I wouldn’t have been able to have that much needed surgery, due to the extreme level of meds that I was taking, and thus I would not be able to see my only grandchild in the next few weeks. Thank you so very much Dr. Mambalam, you are my hero!" - J. Strauss
"Just to let you know how satisfied I was with the Treatments I received from Dr Hong; I always felt so much better after my injections and to top it off, everyone associated with the pain center always made me feel special. I am truly sorry I could not continue with Dr Hong - hopefully someday Group Health will become part of your insurance program. I would be back in a second if that ever happens" -G. Kitchin
"I'm not exaggerating when I say Dr Hong and his staff gave me my life back. When I met him, I had been suffering an acute exacerbation of bilateral intermittent severe lower extremity pain for 3 months. I could not stand for over 90 seconds, nor sit for over 2 minutes. I ate Thanksgiving and Christmas meals in the prone position or a gurney. Stubbornly, I had followed my own advice, the same advice I gave to my back pain patients..."most diskogenic pain remits in 90 days". Unfortunately mine had not, and not wishing surgery, asked my primary care physician for a referral. His choice, Dr Hong was an excellent one. He was very understanding and interested in my particular problems, addressed my concerns, and formulated a plan for attacking the various components of my pain. But, the best part was his expertise with the various procedures: Precise and professional, and effective. Before retirement, I was Family Medicine Physician in the Arlington. Texas area for 25 years. Prior to medical school. I was a physical therapist. Non surgical back treatments were a specialty. I had sent hundreds of patients for epidural and nerve block procedures, and based on my patients experiences, did not expect the treatments would help me. Dr Hongs carefully placed injections, expertly administered, not only helped, but allowed me to return to the activities I love....and, he has given me back my life." - Dr J. Thompson (family physician)
"Having the implant from the Spinal Cord Stimluation procedure has changed my life. Since I don't take narcotics anymore I cant function more as a person. If I know I'm going to be moving around a lot I just use the stimulator to help with the pain. I had pain every day that radiated all throughout my body. Everyone that has pain like that should consider the procedure. The pain I had after the accident has gone away completely since I had the implant." - R.P
Rick's Story
'To our knowledge, Rick is the first one in the world to have been treated with this therapy in this particular way. Dr. Hong initially proposed a spinal cord stimulator therapy but was hesitant to proceed for several reasons: A successful trial in this area for Rick's type of pain had never been done before by anyone; Rick had two previous failed trials; and finally there is a higher risk of complications.'
"I am very pleased and happy with my pump implant. The best thing about having the pump implant is the fact that it's decreased my medication intake. Because I'm taking less medications I have more energy and am able to spend quality time with my family. It's the best decision I could have made for pain relief." - J.P.
"I have had 100% pain relief since I had the Spinal Cord Stimulator trial-- the trial has cured everything and I didn't even need the implant! I've stayed pain free, and can do things that I never thought I would be able to do again. I can still do the same things I did before the pain started, but I just focus on what I do more carefully." - C.B.
"I am very pleased with the Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant. There were things out there that weren't healing my pain, like a pain pump and narcotics. My experience with Dr. Hong was wonderful, and the physician's we worked with were great, too. I am feeling much better since the procedure." L.C.
"Subxone has completely changed me. After taking this medication it's the first time I've felt normal in a long time. I got to the point of taking other medications just for my body not to feel bad-- as a way to get through the day. Now that I've used this program to help me I feel better than ever. The program is also great because I can receive treatment without leaving my family; it enables you to get help without being away from the ones you love. It has changed my life." T.G.
"I was barely able to walk or sleep due to how much pain I was in. After treatment with Dr. Hong, I can now live my life again due to the dramatic decrease in pain!" -A. Lamar
"Before I was a patient with WCPM I was a patient at another pain clinic that gave me no relief. I was in so much pain I just wanted to fall to my knees, cry and ask god if it was my time to go. I couldn’t even go to all of the events and activities my kids were in because I was just in too much pain. Then I switched over to WCPM and I had staggering improvement in my pain relief. My pain wasn’t all instantly gone but Dr. Mambalam helped me take huge strides in reducing my pain with a regimen. The doctors at WCPM never quit on me even when I was at my lowest point. Now I can get through a whole day of work and really live my life again. I will never forget what WCPM has done for me and I am so grateful!" – K. Stark
"For the past ten years I have had chronic pain. My previous doctor just kept increasing my pills when I told him I had more pain and it was frustrating with how many different medications I was on. I told him that I didn’t want to take so many different medications because I felt they were changing me as a person when I was on them. When I was taking them my personality was a lot different than when I was not on pain medications so I asked my PCP if he could give me a referral to a pain management clinic to see if they had other options for me besides pain medications because at that point my emotions were out of control and I couldn’t even get out of bed to walk my dogs because I was in so much pain. After I saw Dr. Mambalam and have continued treatment, I have reduced my medications by 2 fold and I have lost 40 pounds. I feel like I am myself again now that I am off so many of the pain medications that I was on. The thing that I like best about Dr. Mambalam is that no matter how bad I was feeling, he always stayed positive and showed that he really cared about me not just as a patient but as a person." -J. Armstrong