Matthew E Pollard, MD

How can you give a diagnosis of a neck problem without even examining someone's neck? I am 59 and he said my stiff neck was caused by aging despite an MRI that shows bulging discs and a history of Lyme Disease. I would never recommend anyone waste their time going to see this doctor.

Dr Pollard took his time with me and made me feel very comfortable before and after my back surgery.

While I'm sure he is an excellent surgeon, I believe he was far too quick to recommend surgery for a minimally herniated disk. When I asked about trying a more conservative approach first, he very convincingly explained why various methods (PT, steroid injections, etc.) were highly unlikely to work.During a second opinion consult, a surgeon, who had reviewed my MRI, was very surprised to hear Dr. Pollard's strong recommendation for surgery. He felt that while I may eventually require surgery, it was far to early to come to that conclusion. Almost 2 months later, the physical therapy recommended by the second surgeon has eliminated 95% of my pain and other symptoms.While I'm not questioning Dr. Pollard's motives per se, I fear I cannot recommend him unless you have exhausted all other non-surgical options.

Surgery is scheduled soon, very professional and reassuring. He went through every detail of the procedure and what to expect during recovery. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone.