We Got Your Back: UF Health Physician Finds Minimally Invasive Chronic Pain Relief From Her Colleagues - UF Health
June 12, 2026ByKiki Nin, middle of the front row, sought the help of her UF Health teammates to overcome debilitating back pain. Kiki Nin, MD, spends her days helping patients through surgery and recovery. . .
June 12, 2026ByKiki Nin, middle of the front row, sought the help of her UF Health teammates to overcome debilitating back pain. Kiki Nin, MD, spends her days helping patients through surgery and recovery while balancing a busy clinical leadership role at the University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology. As medical director of the UF Health Florida Surgical Center and UF Health The Oaks, much of her work keeps her on her feet. So, when she experienced sudden, severe back pain at work about five years ago, the muscle spasms and limited mobility quickly became impossible to ignore. “At the time, I was unable to walk without pain,” Dr. Nin said. Dr. Nin sought care from colleagues at UF Health Pain Medicine in Gainesville. “They promptly evaluated me to find the underlying cause,” she said. “An MRI revealed a herniated disk. ”Aherniated diskoccurs when the soft center of a spinal disk pushes through a tear in its outer layer. The condition most often develops from age-related wear and tear, though it can also result from heavy lifting or injury. A herniated disk can irritate nearby nerves, causing pain, numbness or weakness. UF Health providers initially treated her with conservative therapies, including anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy. The treatments improved her symptoms and allowed her to return to normal activities. However, Dr. Nin continued to experience intermittent back pain in the following years. In early 2025, she had three episodes of chronic back pain within a short period. Because the pain became more frequent and severe despite conservative and interventional treatments, Dr. Nin and her physicians decided to proceed with endoscopic decompression surgery. Performed on an outpatient basis,endoscopic spinal decompressiontypically offers a faster recovery than traditional spine surgery. The procedure causes less tissue damage, minimal scarring and reduced muscle pain. The minimally invasive procedure significantly relieved her pain and proved to be the most effective treatment for her condition. Dr. Nin said the UF Health Pain Medicine team had a profound impact on her quality of life. “Drs. Tim Feldheim, Shahrukh Bengali andSanjeev Kumar, along with the entire chronic pain team, provided exceptional care throughout my treatment,” she said. “Their clinical expertise, thoughtful approach and outstanding bedside manner were evident at every stage of my care. ”Now pain-free, Dr. Nin is participating in physical therapy to strengthen her core and reduce the risk of future disk herniation. She no longer takes pain medication and has returned to her normal daily activities. She also hopes to return to the tennis court later this year. Dr. Nin encourages anyone experiencing pain to seek care early from the UF Health Pain Medicine team. “Their expertise and guidance are instrumental in optimizing outcomes and improving quality of life,” she said. About the authorChristina Hendricks,MAAssistant Director Administrative Services, UF Department of AnesthesiologyFor the media