What happens when you finally have a diagnosis for your chronic back pain, but no one seems to know how to treat it?
For Dilhan, a former #1-ranked junior tennis player in the UK, Bertolotti Syndrome brought his dreams of becoming a professional athlete to a halt and turned even the simplest everyday activities into a struggle. What started as back pain and nerve pain down his legs eventually left him unable to play tennis, exercise, or even stand for more than a few minutes.
After years of unsuccessful treatments and searching for answers around the world, Dilhan was running out of hope. Until he came across another patient's story that led him to VSI spine surgeon and Bertolotti Syndrome expert, Dr. Colin Haines.
In this episode of Get Back to Your Life®, Dilhan and Dr. Haines come together to share his remarkable journey from debilitating pain to returning to professional tennis. Together, they explore why Bertolotti Syndrome is so often misunderstood or misdiagnosed, what patients should know when conservative treatments fail, and how a minimally invasive, motion-preserving surgical approach helped Dilhan avoid spinal fusion and return to the sport he feared he'd lost forever.
They also discuss the realities of recovery after Bertolotti's surgery, the importance of finding a specialist who understands the condition, and why finding the right treatment starts with a physician who takes the time to understand your symptoms, your goals, and the options available to you.
Plus, Dilhan shares why he's now documenting his own recovery journey to help others searching for the same answers he once desperately needed.
Whether you're living with Bertolotti syndrome, struggling with unexplained chronic lower back pain, or wondering what options remain when nothing seems to work, Dilhan's story is a powerful reminder that a diagnosis doesn't have to be the end of your story.
