From Living with Pain to Living Life Again: LaShawn’s Story

August 31, 2026

Reviewed by: Michael T. Rohmiller, M.D.

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ABOUT THIS CASE

• Condition: Neck, arm, and hand pain
• Procedure Performed: anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
• Surgeon: Michael T. Rohmiller, M.D.

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For LaShawn, persistent arm and neck pain had become more than an inconvenience. It was affecting nearly every aspect of her daily life. The retired U.S. Air Force veteran was experiencing pain in her neck, shoulder, arm, and hand until it reached a point where she knew she needed answers.

That’s when she came to Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and met Dr. Michael Rohmiller, a fellowship-trained spine surgeon.

Exploring Every Treatment Option

At Beacon, surgery is not the first recommendation. Dr. Rohmiller believes in helping patients understand all of their treatment options before deciding on the next step.

“When I meet someone, the goal is to try to avoid surgery,” Dr. Rohmiller says.

During LaShawn’s appointment, Dr. Rohmiller reviewed every available option with her. They discussed continuing to live with the pain, physical therapy, pain management, epidural steroid injections, medication, and surgery if conservative treatments were no longer providing relief.

LaShawn had already tried several non-surgical approaches, including physical therapy, injections, and other pain management strategies. Despite those efforts, her symptoms continued to interfere with her daily life. After learning about each option and discussing the potential benefits and risks, she chose to move forward with surgery.

Finding Relief

LaShawn underwent an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), a common procedure used to treat herniated discs and other conditions affecting the cervical spine.

“For someone whose symptoms match the imaging and physical exam findings, this operation has an incredibly high success rate,” Dr. Rohmiller explains.

LaShawn noticed a difference almost immediately.

“I could tell the difference in my shoulder. I didn’t have the tingling in my hands anymore. I couldn’t believe it. Almost instantly, I felt that.”

Care Beyond the Procedure

For LaShawn, what stood out just as much as the outcome was the care she received throughout her journey.

“They really kept in touch with me. They were like family. They wanted to make sure I was fine. The aftercare has been just awesome.”

She says the experience began the moment she walked through the doors at Beacon’s Joint & Spine Center.

“From the time I walked in and checked in, it was, ‘How are you? We’re going to take great care of you.’ Everyone just had such a personal touch.”

Getting Back to the Life She Loves

Helping patients regain their quality of life is what motivates Dr. Rohmiller every day.

“This is the reason I chose spine surgery. The bottom line is helping people get their lives back.”

Today, LaShawn is looking forward to using both of her hands and arms without the pain that once limited her daily activities. Her story is a reminder that every patient’s journey is different. At Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, treatment starts with listening, exploring conservative options when appropriate, and partnering with patients to determine the best path forward. For LaShawn, that path led to surgery and a return to the activities she enjoys most.

Video Transcript: Air Force Veteran Finds Relief with Dr. Rohmiller

LaShawn A.: Well, I’m retired Air Force. I’m originally from Michigan. Yes, go blue. I was experiencing a lot of pain issues. Neck, shoulder, arm, and hand pain, all that. So it got to a point to where I was like, this is unbearable. When I met Dr. Rohmiller, I was like, this guy’s amazing. Also, like, I should’ve been coming to Beacon all along.

And he went over things that I didn’t even think about. He said, “You can continue to live with the pain.” No, I’m not gonna do that. “You can do therapy.” Done that. “Pain management, neck injections.” I said, “Oh, I’ve done that.” He said, “Or you can be on medication.” I said, “Is there a medicine that’ll stop it from hurting?” He was like, “Oh, ’cause you’ll just be on medicine continuously for the rest of life. Or, then there’s me. You can have surgery.” I’ll take number five, Alex.

Dr. Michael Rohmiller: So she underwent what’s called an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, which is a common procedure used to treat disc herniations in the neck. It’s a very common procedure. It has an incredible success rate.

When I meet someone, the goal is to try to avoid surgery. So it was, had she tried some physical therapy, even chiropractic care, had she tried epidural steroid injections, things to try to decrease the symptoms and give a person their life back. And if and only if those are not working would you then consider this type of an operation.

LaShawn: Almost immediately I could tell the difference in my shoulder. I didn’t have the tingling in my hands anymore. I couldn’t believe it. Almost instantly I felt that.

Dr. Rohmiller: In someone who has symptoms that match the imaging, that match the physical exam, the success rate’s incredibly high.

LaShawn: They actually really kept in touch with me. So they were like family almost. Like, we want to make sure you’re fine. And so the aftercare has been just as awesome. I’m looking forward to be able to use both of my hands and my arms because I have them.

My experience with Beacon from the time I walked into the Joint and Spine Center and checked in, it was, how are you? We’re going to take great care of you. Everyone just had such a personal touch.

Dr. Rohmiller: This is the reason why I chose spine surgery, why I love doing what I do. The bottom line is for a person like that to get their life back. She has a roughly 95% success rate with this operation and she is clearly in that 95%. So she’s thrilled, has gotten back to what she wanted to do, and so it’s been very rewarding for me.