PPTI

Patient Stories

Hear directly from our patients on what brought them to Premier Pain Treatment Institute, and how their lives have improved since!

Listen to the stories of some of our patients who sat down with us to discuss their journey! For more videos from PPTI, visit our YouTube page!

Interested in sharing your story with us? Please email dbrinker@premierpaintreatment.com and we’ll be in touch soon!

Cassandra Zuefle

"100% improved!"

Cassandra once battled constant back and leg pain — until she joined the Neural Panel Study from Saluda Medical. Today? She’s virtually pain-free, tackling landscaping projects with her son and reducing her reliance on pain medication.

During the trial, Cassandra described the process as straightforward yet impactful. “They basically just checked my pulse and how I was doing — standing, walking, sitting — and adjusted things as needed,” she shared. At the time, she was struggling with persistent lower back and leg pain.

But what happened after the trial is where the magic unfolded. “I’ve been in no pain since. The only pain I have now is just arthritis, and even that’s not much anymore,” Cassandra said. One memorable moment came when her stimulator temporarily ran out of battery. “My sciatica started acting up while I was charging it back up, but once I turned it back on, the pain was gone — just like that. It hasn’t come back since. I’d recommend this to everybody. I love it.”

Cassandra’s progress didn’t stop there. Her follow-up appointments focus on ensuring she stays on track, including her personal goal of reducing her reliance on pain medication. “I used to take two to three pain pills a day,” she explained. “Now I’m down to one every three days. My goal is to be off them entirely. I’m going slow so my body can adjust.”

When asked to rate her overall improvement, Cassandra didn’t hesitate: “100% improved. I’m back out there working on landscaping with my son. I can’t sit still — I’m go, go, go, whether I’m in pain or not.”

Her journey from constant pain to rediscovering her active lifestyle speaks volumes about the power of cutting-edge treatments like those studied in the Neural Panel Study. For anyone considering clinical trials or innovative therapies, Cassandra’s story is a beacon of hope.

Interested in learning more about the Neural Panel Study and how it could change lives? Visit the official clinical trial page here.

Bob Murphy

"Dr. Danko has saved My life."

Meet Bob Murphy, one of Premier Pain’s original patients and a true testament to the life-changing care provided by Dr. Danko and the PPTI team.

Bob has been a patient of Dr. Danko’s for over a decade, following him to PPTI when the practice first opened more than eight years ago. Before beginning treatment, Bob faced constant, debilitating pain, with his pain levels typically hovering between eight and ten on a scale of ten. “It was unbearable,” he recalls.

Everything changed when Bob had a pain pump installed, a decision that turned his life around. “Now my pain level is usually around a three,” he shares. “It’s totally different now. Dr. Danko has saved my life.”

Hearing Bob describe the excruciating pain he once endured is hard to imagine when you see him today. Though he uses a walker due to unrelated balance issues, Bob feels great and continues living life with renewed energy and joy.

His pain pump requires medication refills at PPTI every few months, freeing him to focus on the things that truly matter—spending time with family, enjoying his hobbies, and living without the overwhelming burden of chronic pain.

Bob’s journey is just one example of the life-changing care we provide every day at Premier Pain Treatment Institute. If you or a loved one is living with chronic pain, don’t wait—call us today and take the first step toward a better life.

Teresa Chick

"The Pain Pump Has Been A Miracle."

In 2015, Teresa faced a serious health setback when she was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), a rare bone marrow disorder, following her remission from lymphoma. A bone marrow transplant was necessary, but it led to graft-versus-host disease, causing donor cells to attack her organs. High-dose steroids to manage this condition severely weakened her bones, leading to over 14 spontaneous compression fractures in her spine. Despite multiple kyphoplasty procedures to stabilize her fractures, Teresa’s pain grew, limiting her to bed and leading to numerous hospital stays. She felt close to giving up hope until a home health nurse mentioned a pain pump—a device that could deliver medication directly to her spine for targeted relief—and recommended Dr. Danko at Premier Pain Treatment Institute.

Teresa scheduled an appointment with Dr. Danko, receiving her pain pump in March 2023, which she describes as “life-changing.” Within weeks, her mobility returned, and she gradually stopped relying on opioids. While she still experiences some lower back pain, adjustments made by Dr. Danko, including adding a numbing agent, have provided further relief. Despite an occasional setback, such as a recent flare-up after overexerting herself, Teresa remains optimistic. She visits Premier Pain Treatment Institute every three months for pump refills and adjustments, grateful for the transformation in her quality of life. “The pain pump has been a miracle,” she says, “I cannot recommend Dr. Danko more highly.

Thomas Hudnell

"I have no pain at all!"

“I’d get up in the morning and I’d take my right foot up to put a sock on and on my left side above my hip, it’d hurt so bad. It’s been like that for a while. I’d stand and just barely bend over and after standing a while I’d try to straighten up and it would hurt so bad. I’d tell my wife, “Honey, I’ve got to go sit down.” So I’d have to go sit down for half an hour, forty-five minutes. And then I’d try to get up and I was real slow about getting up but it was hurting. I have the same problems a lot of times when I sit for a while and then I try to get up. I have to take it easy.

But after Dr. Danko did this procedure (radiofrequency ablation), I have no pain at all! It helps me, when he does this, it really helps me.”

Amanda Weiss

"It keeps me going at a normal pace."

“I had pain all the time. I was put on so much pain medicine and I just, I felt like I was doped up twenty-four hours a day. I got a pain pump put in me (by Dr. Danko) and it has saved my life ever since. I don’t have to worry about it. It’s in there. I don’t worry about anything. If I need to adjust it Dr. Danko has it set for me. I don’t have to do anything. It’s just there and it keeps me going at a normal pace where I can get through the day.

Trust Dr. Danko. He can help you so that you don’t have to suffer. He’ll find the right regimen. He’s found it for me. It’s not just the pain pump, it’s other avenues. It’s not just pain pump or pills, it’s other therapies. It’s everything as a whole.”

Debra Scott

"I call him my miracle worker."

In my younger years I did the flying trapezes with the Shrine Circus and Circus-Circus in Las Vegas. In 1990 they had to fuse my lower back. The disk was gone, and it was bone to bone. As time went on it became a degenerative disease, the pain was unbearable. In 2008, I kept falling. I went to the doctor they said my spine was going to snap if I didn’t get my back done. It helped for a very short time. My quality-of-life become worse. I have never done well with pain meds. I was getting injections all the time.

The disease continued to go higher up my back, into my lumbar, thoracic, and cervical. At this point I had more then four surgeries. I had to leave my job and go on disability. I finally heard about PPTI and Dr. Danko. Three years ago, I was able to get into see Dr. Danko. I call him my miracle worker. The pain pump has changed my life. The pain was so bad that my life had pretty much turned into going nowhere and living like a shut in. I now can do so many of the things that everyone else does. I’m so thankful for PPTI; I wish I would have heard about this years ago. I now can enjoy my life once again. I truly believe this could help so many. I want to share this information, so others don’t have to suffer the way that I did and miss out on so many years of their life.

Stephen Fetters

"Now I don't have to take any pills."

In an attempt to alleviate chronic back pain, Air Force Veteran Stephen Fetters had back surgery that ended up failing and making his back pain even worse. He went to the VA to see what they could do to help. They provided pain medication that left Steven in a terrible state of mind. Finally, the VA pain clinic said he would be a perfect candidate for the pain stimulator. They sent him to Dr. Danko, who installed the pain stimulator.

“Now I don’t have to take any pills,” he said. “When I get up in the morning, the world looks totally different. It brought me back to the world again.” Stephen follows up with Dr. Danko’s office every few months to make sure everything is running smoothly. “I never want to be without this thing. Intimidation is the biggest fear. It’s not going to hurt you, it’s going to help you. The key is the support.”

Mary Petralia

"piece of Cake."

Mary Petralia had been dealing with knee pain for many years. The pain would run up the side of her leg causing a lot of distress. She was forced to walk with a walker at all times and suffered from just trying to get around. She was completely against a knee replacement. She didn’t want to go to that extreme, so she turned to Dr. Danko for help.

Fortunately, Dr. Danko recommended the peripheral nerve stimulator and that has alleviated a lot of her pain. “I’ve already recommended this procedure to other people who are struggling with pain,” Mary said. She said the procedure is a “piece of cake” and the recovery is the “smoothest thing I’ve ever been through.”

Barabra Figuero

"It helped so much."

I needed Dr. Danko because I have scoliosis in my back and herniated discs in my neck and lower back. My primary physician recommended going to Premier Pain Treatment Institute. Dr. Danko knew exactly what to do. The first time I saw him I felt the value of his
treatment; it helped so much. In a short while I was able to walk up steps without pain.

All I did previously was take pills for pain management. Now I’m able to live without medication because Dr. Danko is an expert. Dr. Danko will find what’s wrong and fix it— plain and simple. I can do things now I couldn’t even dream of before going to Dr. Danko.

Stella Bradford

"I'm 100% in a better spot."

I was introduced to Premier Pain Treatment Institute after dealing with a broken back. I broke my back due to a hunting accident and couldn’t walk without some type of assistance.

After seeing Dr. Danko and Nurse Practitioner April, I’m 100% in a better spot. I’ve had multiple procedures done. Everything is getting back to normal. I’m even gardening again. I was on a lot of pain medications, but Dr. Danko finds a solution to ease the medication side. Anytime I’ve had an issue he’s been willing to address it. He’s the best there is. Anybody who goes to him for pain treatment will be very happy when they walk out.

Donald Estep

"I'm slowly reducing pain pills thanks to this treatment."

I was a firefighter for 30 years in Cincinnati, and because of the tough work my back deteriorated in the lumbar area. If I stood for more than 5 or 6 seconds, my legs would start shaking. At PPTI I had injections in my back by Dr. Danko, and at the end of my
appointment I was able to squat down. I had not been able to do that for a couple of years.

I was on pain pills. I only have one kidney and I’m limited as to the kind of medications I can take. I’m slowly reducing pain pills thanks to this treatment.

Since starting with PPTI, I’ve been back several times to have both sides of my back treated. My wife and I were able to live our lives the way we wanted. We traveled to
every state in the United States. Now that my wife has passed, I’m still able to do the things I want to do. I get the shots when I need them. I have freedom to go where I want, when I want, and how I want.

Roger Bloom

"My relief was instant."

I’ve had back pain for every bit of 5 years. I had a total hip replacement, which helped for awhile with my bad hip, but I was still having back issues. I went back and forth from my family doctor to the chiropractor with no relief from the pain. I told them, “I can’t take this pain anymore.”

Finally I got referred to Dr. Danko at PPTI. He showed me exactly what was going on in my back and what he could do to help me. He recommended two procedures, one of which was the MILD procedure. My relief was instant. When I left surgery that day my sciatic nerve pain going down to my knees was gone and I was able to straighten up.

It used to be by the time I got ready for the day and walked to the living room, I had to hold on to whatever I could just to keep my balance because of the pain. Now I’m riding my lawn mower and doing yard work. I even helped my buddy clean his grain bins. Sure, I’m sometimes a little sore the next morning, but last year I was in too much pain to get off the couch.

I wish I would have had all this done years ago. I tell people with back pain or who have had old back surgery, “Go to Dr. Danko at PPTI. There are a lot of new procedures out there and Dr. Danko stays on top of things with all the new technology.