I trust Dr. Dryer's excellent care and abilities. He is an attentive listener and empathetic to the concerns of his patients. The service level his employees provide deserves commendable praise. It is apparent they respect him and are happy working for such a remarkable physician. By no means have I experienced the highest level of customer service at any medical practice before. Also, I do not have to wait long ever to see him anytime I have an appointment. I highly recommend Dr. Dryer, as I am a huge advocate. He is truly the best! Susan K read more

I have been struggling with pain for three years after 2 accidents 3 weeks apart. Dr Dryer is a absolute badass, and after my CT scan he shot me straight. 2 weeks later after my C5 and C6 fusion I was well on my way to being whole. Trust this man it has changed my life! read more

Central Texas Spine Institute - C5 and C6 fusion - Orthopedists Near Me - Austin, Texas

Legit terrible experience. I went after all the great reviews Check in and front desk people were absolutely great, but the nurse was not considerate of my pain whatsoever and just kind of left me on my own to figure out how to get to my room. No one offered any help. Dr. Dryer was rude and seemed like he was in a rush, barely looked at my MRI scans, did everything quickly and made additional diagnoses without explaining what it meant, what it means for surgery, symptoms or solutions. I've been to other surgeons and they took the time to explain things and listen to my concerns. It was definitely really disappointing. Maybe it was an off day for him, but I will not be going back. The only good part was the front desk staff and the fact that they have an office dog. read more

I cannot say enough amazing things about Dr Dryer and his entire staff. As an athlete I was terrified to be seeing a spine surgeon at such a young age. I was diagnosed at 18 with a pars defect (broken vertebrae) and degenerative disc disease at L5/S1; the doctors, then, gaffed me off and did not fully explain what this could evolve too. Fast forward to 35 and I have been unable to run for many years without excruciating pain. Upon entering his office I had a list of questions and knew I didn't want injections and assumed I would have to make that fight. The damage had progressed to stage 2 spondylolisthesis, a herniated disc, bulging disc and additional degenerated discs from L4-S1. I was amazed that he said if I want this fixed surgery was the only option and I could opt for injections if I wanted them to tide me over until surgery. I declined but was very impressed with his willingness to really listen to me and not push me into unnecessary procedures. My surgery was done in two stages; I had an ALIF, bone grafting and discectomy in stage 1 and two weeks later a PLIF, laminectomy and osteotomies in stage 2. Between surgeries I walked 36 miles and by 6 weeks postop stage 2 I had walked over 80 miles and was cleared to start PT on my own, lifting upper body and lower body bodyweight exercises. I am beyond thrilled with my outcome and although I still have a long way to go; I have no doubt Dr Dryer and his teams expertise played a large part in my recovering being far easier then I anticipated. read more

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I highly recommend Dr Dryer and his PA Vanessa. Dr Dryer was a referral from a top ortho surgeon at UTSW medical center in Dallas where I worked Remotely, and required a surgeon closer to my home residence. I was in constant pain even after receiving a spinal cord stimulator from another surgeon out of San Antonio. He performed an Anterior Approach spinal Fusion, and 1 week out of surgery I have no back pain and am healing much quicker than I anticipated. The whole experience including hospitalization was a breeze. read more

I am very thankful to Dr. Dryer and his PA-C Vanessa Scialom for acting quickly and decisively to get me an MRI, review it with me in-office the same day, and then perform a microdiscectomy later the same week, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. What I had considered to be mildly annoying back pain for a couple months had turned into numbness and tingling in the bottom of my left foot and a worsening weakness and atrophy in my left quad muscle. I grew suspicious of my chiropractor's repeated assertions that he could reverse my symptoms if I came in three times per week (turns out chiro Gerard Liboiron told all my coworkers the same thing), so I got online looking for someone who would give it to me straight and actually do something to help. I'm an engineer, so I can appreciate an expert who can act decisively. Sure, Dr. Dryer's bedside manner might be a little gruff for some people, but I appreciated his honesty and found his right-hand lady, Vanessa Scialom, PA-C, to be the perfect complement. The whole staff was friendly and helpful, especially Cathy and Jessica. With everyone wearing masks in the midst of a pandemic, and facing the scary uncertainty of a second back surgery at the age of 41, their kind eyes were welcomed. As I write this, I'm 4-weeks post-op, and it's remarkable how much better I feel. I have to constantly remind myself to follow the post-op protocol because I feel well enough to do much more than I'm supposed to do at this stage in my recovery. It's obvious that other reviewers who have called Dr. Dryer "a complete quack" are wrong. I can't speak for how they arrived at that conclusion, but I can say with certainty that Dr. Dryer and Vanessa Scialom are at the very least highly competent. Based on my experience, I'd even call them brilliant, excellent, efficient, experts, and my trusted back care team for the foreseeable future. Thank you! read more

I wish I could give this place zero stars. I have never in my LIFE had such a horrible experience at a doctors office. Dr. Dryer (who should have the Dr. component of his name reviewed) has the WORST bedside manner of any doctor I have ever seen. Although I have issues in 6 vertebra of my spine, including a bulging disc, none of the issues are serious enough for an operation. So, since they can't get an insane amount of money out of me and my insurance company, they rushed me out of the office in minutes. Dr. Dryer left the exam room because he heard someone outside the room, without saying a word, and never came back to explain my MRI results. The nurse then rushed me out the door saying "at least you don't need surgery!" I'm debating calling my insurance company and looking them up on the BBB to leave a review as well. Do not go here unless you were just in a car accident and need life saving surgery. read more

Dr. Dryer is smart and friendly and does a great job explaining your condition and your options.

I was referred to Dr. Randell F. Dryer by a friend. I had seen 6-8 doctors regarding my degenerative disc disease over the past 15 years. Including chiropractors, acupuncturists, pain specialists, surgeons and physical therapists. None of these efforts helped or were only temporary fixes which became very frustrating. My first appointment with Dr. Dyer was very informative and enlightening - I found him very professional, efficient, personable and knowledgeable. Answering all my questions and making me feel as though I had plenty of time to discuss my issue. We looked at new imaging of my back at the second appointment, Dr. Dryer immediately targeted the source of my pain and we scheduled surgery. Surgery went perfectly and I recently had my third post-op appointment with Dr. Dryer and I've been pain free since the surgery. I would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Randell Dryer to anyone with any kind of back issues. read more

I received an Anterior Lumbar Fusion (L5-S1) from Dr. Dryer at the end of July 2018. I am 27 years old and am recovering unbelievably well. Does Dr. Dryer need to work on his bedside manner? Yes (and I believe that he is.) But, at the end of the day I was looking for a great surgeon, not a bestie and that's exactly what I received under the care of Dr. Dryer. To say that Dr. Dryer is a God send is an understatement. I have been an athlete my entire life: eight years of Cross Country in high school and college, then CrossFit and Vinyasa yoga for 4 years. I started having persistent lower back pain in June of 2017 that would go away and come back after a week or so of rest. Then that week turned into a month. I started regular physical therapy and chiropractic adjustments, to no avail. In October 2017, I was on vacation in Nashville doing a light workout that ended in horrific pain and the inability to walk for an entire day. My GP referred me to Dr. Mukai at Texas Orthopedics. After an MRI she determined that I had a herniated disc and a slight tear. She recommended more physical therapy and chiropractic. I also limited my exercise to long brisk walks and banded exercises. Nothing. No progress. The pain remained persistent and put me in a deep depression. I met my fiance through CrossFit, we are extremely active people and not being able to do the activities that I loved, CrossFit and yoga, took a huge toll on me personally and professionally. In June 2018, I returned to Dr. Mukai's office and in tears explained all of this to her nurse practitioner, who told me that I should just "accept" that I may NEVER be able to do "intense" exercise ever again. I decided that I wanted to pursue surgery as an option, and made an appointment with Dr. James Smith, also at Texas Orthopedics. He is an INCREDIBLY nice guy, but helped me ZERO. So if you want to be coddled, he's your guy. He recommended an Epidural, which I did -- and it helped zero. Then, after a Mylogram/CT he told me that I had something called "Schmorls Nodes" and that they would just get better with time because I was young and healthy. I knew that this wasn't right. After a year of doing everything right: rest, physical therapy, supplements, chiropractic, spinal decompression therapy and an Epidural there was no way my back was going to get better "with time." After relaying all of the above to Dr. Dryer, who yes wasn't super friendly at first, he scheduled me for a Discogram which he warned would be incredibly painful, and was really the last option I had in terms of testing. He said there was nothing he could do for Schmorl's Nodes. I was desperate and did the test, which pretty much put me back in the same place I was in Nashville. It was totally worth it because it revealed that my L5-S1 was severely degenerated. Dr. Dryer explained all the risks and I scheduled the surgery. They were incredibly thorough for all of my pre-opp appointments. The actual surgery was performed at Westlake Medical Center and went very smoothly. I was out in a day (they told me I would be out in two). I was walking around with zero pain the day I left the hospital. I was back at work a week later. Recovery has been amazing. Following all of Dr. Dryer's post-op instructions, I have very little discomfort in my back -- which gets better every day. I'm back to lifting light weights, and slowly regaining my fitness. I know that I still have a ways to go until I am totally back to my routine, but I can't imagine where I would be without this surgery. Still sidelined and depressed. The fact that I am so young and in good shape definitely contributed to my speedy recovery, but Dr. Dryer also clearly did an amazing job. TLDR: After two other doctors at Texas Orthopedics told me that I had no other options but "time and a permanent change in lifestyle," Dr. Dryer listened to me and helped me. I'm living my life again. I am forever grateful. read more

The staff here was very accommodating. I was paired with Dr. Dryer upon my visit here @ Central Texas Spine Institute. I have been dealing with serious neck and back issues for going on over a year, now. I initially had not been taking care of the problem, other than visiting my chiropractor twice a week. Eventually, I began to see a physical therapist along with my chiropractor. Well the two must have worked because although I am still in pain (especially in my lower back), I can say that the pain has subsided a bit. I was both shocked and relieved when Dr. Dryer told showed my new X-rays (done by ARA last week) and explained to me that my spine was back to normal. (You would have been as shocked as me, had you seen my X-rays last November, 2011). I am surprised by the couple of negative comments about Dr. Dryer. My personal experience was pleasant. I am going to do a follow-up with him so that he can hopefully re-evaluate my situation after showing him my previous X-rays from last year (left them at home) and will follow-up with another review. He seemed a bit abrupt at first, but he never rushed me and he was sure to answer all of my questions. So far, so good. =) read more

I would stay as far away from Dryer as possible unless you want someone who will spend as little time as he can, not listen to the patient and just be "passively rude". I went once and am glad I did not let it go any further... Staff: please don't comment to this review as the generic comments you have made thus far regarding other negative reviews only shows your false sense of caring... we all know it's about the $$$$.... read more

Tanna G.'s review, 3-20-18, states my sentiments exactly. I've always had great great service there. Maybe if you are looking for a touchy-feely doctor, who strokes your ego with "awwe, I'm so sorry, let's talk about it in great, excruciating detail..." then maybe this practice is not for you. If you are looking for precision answers, from a brilliant mind, from a doctor who has your best health in mind and doesn't squander words, then come here and let Doctor Dryer help you. Tell him precisely what and where your pain is, what your limitations are, and what you hope for healing and he will help you.He had an excellent reputation before I went to see him, and it's even better now. read more

I cannot relate to the other reviews left about this practice. EVERY SINGLE PERSON I CAME INTO CONTACT WITH AT DR.DRYER'S OFFICE WAS WARM AND FRIENDLY - from the women who took my paperwork at the front desk to Kathy who scheduled my procedure at Arise. Dr. Dryer and his assistant spent ample time with me explaining my injury. I was asked several times if I was comfortable and if I had any more questions. I never felt rushed. I happily drive over 90 miles to see Dr.Dryer. I am a self pay patient and Dr. Dryer cost me literally 1/4 of what Scott and White in Temple charges for the same procedure. read more

I had a terrible sciatica shooting down from my lower back to my foot in my left leg for 4 months. I couldn't walk so i made a HUGE mistake and went to Austin Chiropractic and Rehab. Six visits later I still couldn't walk. These people are quacks. They kept on giving me adjustments/manipulations, just glad it wasn't a malignant tumor. I decided to call my family (docs) in SFL. They researched and told me to see Dr. Dryer. I had an MRI and found ruptured disc with extruded fragment. He performed a L4-L5 lumbar disectomy and I'm 100% now after 4 weeks. The entire team at Central Texas Spine Institute was a pleasure to deal with. Surgeons cut and repair, if you want to be coddled go to a psychologist. This man is truly a great surgeon. read more

I went in to Dr. Dryers office limping, leaning sideways, and barely able to walk from the worst sciatica pain ever. Dr. Dryer was able to diagnose the pain and told me exactly what needed to be done. Recovery from the surgery was very minimal, and I was pain free. The staff is very friendly and make you feel like family. It's a very comforting feeling. I highly recommend Dr. Dryer for back/neck issues. Thank you Dr. Dryer for giving me my life back! read more

The only reason I am putting 1 star is because the staff was friendly. Dr. Dryer is incredibly rude and does not care about the patient in front of him. I went in for an appointment my boyfriend had and was very put off by his demeanor! Very rude, very abrupt, didn't even look at my boyfriends back OR MRI but did think it was ok to yell questions from the hall asking personal questions private medical history and insurance information. I wouldn't have believed the unprofessionalism had I not witnessed it myself. read more

I should have written this a few years ago but I was dealing with getting my health back. I came to see Dr. Dryer after falling off a ladder at work. I had gone to the er and they only did an x ray that showed one compound fracture. Upon seeing Dr Dryer he told me that I was lucky I was young and I should bounce back easily. He did not order any extra testing at this time. Six weeks pass by and I go for my check up to go back to work but I will still in excruciating pain. The plan was to keep me off of work another 6 weeks. I fell in August of 2019. In December of 2019 this man finally orders an mri. The mri shows a couple fractures and a herniated disk. He wanted to do surgery as soon as possible and finally prescribed hydrocodone. Before the hydrocodone he had only prescribed me some tramadol and 5 mg muscle relaxants. Because he had missed doing further testing until 4 months after being injured , I wanted a second opinion. When I called for my normal refill on the hydrocodone he refused because I didn't get the surgery on the books. I literally went into withdraw the next week because this man is such an asshole. The last appointment I had with him, he asked if I had personal insurance and what kind. I told him I had Humana. He says " oh Blue cross Blue shield is great insurance." Excuse me sir , I didn't say BCBS I said Humana, which would also be double dipping since it is a workmen's comp case. When I went for my second opinion they did a full mri and found I had multiple fractures from the fall, that still needed to heal before starting pt. This doctor was never nice to me or took me seriously. He wanted to cut into me before anything had even healed. The main thing he had to tell me was that I was lucky I was young. I went through 8 months of healing, 6 of physical therapy, and 6 months fighting to get more. I am convinced had we known my severity of my injury from the start things would be different. I have a 10% impairment that will only get worse over time. I have daily pain that I have to work through. If you have a work comp case RUN from this arrogant pos. He is literally a bald headed fat asshole who needs to retire. He does not care about you, your case or your health. read more

Just got done with my post op for stage 2 of my fusion, DR.Dryer and his staff are a god send he fixed my back after live with it messed up for the last 8yrs from combat injuries in Afghanistan, I feel like a new person if you have back problems you have to come here they are the absolute best!!!!! read more

BEWARE OF DR. DRYER. This guy's a total hack. BEWARE! I was having back pain and saw him as my first point of contact. He suggested an MRI and when complete I was diagnosed with a single degenerative disc. Upon being in the room with him for 3 minutes during the review of the MRI he said the S-word... SURGERY. Wooooahh... wait a minute. I've never had any back problems in my life. I've been healthy and active my whole life. What about alternatives to surgery? I've done research and steroids / anti-inflammatory medication / diet / physical therapy / etc. seem to be great options. I don't want to go straight to surgery. He looked at me like I was an idiot and preceded to attempted for the next 5 minutes to talk me into going under the knife. When I finally talked him into allowing me to do physical therapy and writing a script for it, he laughed at me and said, "I can write you a prescription, but it'll never work. You'll be back here in 2 weeks after your done and we'll be scheduling surgery." Literally, with a smug smile and giggles during the sentence. I was so angry I promptly left and scheduled a second opinion with a doctor recommended from a buddy of mine. Upon getting a second opinion, my new (and current) Dr. said that absolutely he'd like to try every single thing he can think of prior to doing surgery. Surgery should be the last and final step to any injury / ailment - and I AGREE! Two weeks of low-dose oral steroids and a week of physical therapy and I was cured. This was about a year ago. I have been keeping up with the at-home physical therapy and am doing well - NO PAIN! So, in closing, be VERY VERY VERY VERY careful with this doctor. He is first and foremost a surgeon and has no concept of therapy other than surgery. Perhaps he's a good surgeon... but he is tunnel-minded and clearly only wants to cut you, especially when you flash that shiny Blue Cross card. read more

I'm in love with these people. That *may* be because they managed to fix my excruciating pain. They squeezed me in very quickly (within hours) after having my CT scan and had me scheduled for surgery less than two days later. The doctor was very nice and explained what had happened to my poor spine (yikes!) and what they were going to do to fix it. And fix it they did! The surgery was a resounding success and all the nurses, administrative staff, doctors and others I talked to were friendly and helpful. read more

Thank you so much Dr Dryer I am a retired military veteran who had been experiencing lower back pain for over two years; a result of a service connected injury. I have had a regiment of physical therapy, chiropractic and acupuncture treatments as well as steroid and epidurals. On my first office visit Dr Dryer looked at my radiology reports and was able to quickly determine what could be done to relieve my pain. On August 11, 2016, Dr Dryer performed a Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion; L3, L4, L5 and Laminectomy at the Arise Austin Medical Center. I was up walking the day of surgery and today; 5 weeks post surgery I am pain free and completely off all pain medications. The staff members I encountered throughout this process have been nothing short of professional and kind. I highly recommend Dr Randall Dryer, as he is knowledgable, experienced, and exceedingly competent. read more

I went in to see Dr. Dryer, after years of low back pain. I already knew I had a bad disc from an MRI years prior, but it was something I had learned to live with.....until I couldn't anymore. My insurance company gave Dr. Dryer high marks, so I decided to give him a try. To his credit, he tried everything he could to manage my pain before recommending surgery. Oral steroids and shots were all part of what we tried, but I kept getting worse. All the while the pain was more than I could handle. Dr. Dryer RARELY spent more than 5 minutes with me in any given appointment. I overlooked his awful bedside manner and lack of any empathy whatsoever believing eventually he could make things better. We finally decided on surgery, a simple discectomy. In the course of conversation about my emergency contact, I tell him about my (same sex) partner. Suddenly, every conversation I had with him ended with him grilling me on my HIV status. Do you treat patients with HIV differently? Or do you just not believe a gay man can be negative and take them at their word? I should have found a new doc at this point, but I was desperate and in pain and didn't want to start over. Waking up from surgery, I felt worse. I didn't think much of it because I figured there was inflammation and that as I healed it would get better. It didn't. As the weeks passed, I developed new symptoms. Numbness, tingling, and pain all the way down to my ankles that I never had before. I was reassured that this was all normal and was told by Dr. Dryer and his staff that I just needed to tough it out. Any request for refills of pain medications and I was questioned and treated like a drug addict. This went on for weeks and I had appointment after appointment with Dr. Dryer spending mere moments with me every time. Finally I demanded a new MRI. He was reluctant, but finally ordered it stating that any slight movement, or even a sneeze or cough could have caused a re-injury and that maybe we should take another look. I had my MRI that same day with a follow up appointment the next. He looked at my new MRI and told me my back was re-injured. He blamed me for the re-injury and callously told me that the only recourse was to do a spinal fusion. I asked why, if the cause of my pain was the same, couldn't they do the same discectomy to clear the disc material from my nerve? He just told me it wouldn't work and what's more they could not schedule a fusion for me prior to the end of the year. This meant a brand new deductible. I left his office for the last time in tears, defeated. Luckily I decided to get a 2nd opinion. The new doctor spent more time with me in my first appointment with him than Dr. Dryer had spent in every appointment combined. He looked at both MRIs and told me my re-injury was worse than the initial and said he was surprised I was able to walk. He scheduled me for a new discectomy before the end of the year and my pain is gone. Stay away from Dr. Dryer. read more

This was my first surgery and I would see him again. I was having daily pain, and often times it was debilitating and had to be taking anti-inflammatory meds every day. Physical Therapy did not help and then we found out I had a herniated disk between L4 and L5. I found Dr. Dryer online after doing a quick search. I read his reviews and his credentials and felt good about it. I set up my first appointment about 2 weeks after diagnosis. I was confident when I went in that surgery was gonna be an option. The other option was cortisone steroid shots but it was just a band-aid and not a fix. We went over the pros and cons of a micro-discectomy. Three weeks after, I went through surgery. Dr. Dryer and his team made me feel comfortable before the surgery. I was also pleased with the results. It was a small incision that did not require stitches or staples. It's been 6 weeks and I am very happy with the results so far. It's been about a week since I've had to take any kind of medications for the pain. I am still recovering and still on restrictions but that's to be expected. Dr. Dryer is very professional and states the options very simply to void confusion. His team is very nice and personable and I always saw them smiling. read more

I guess we all have opinions and expectations. Personally I could care less about a doctor's bedside manner as long as he fixes me. I was in pain a long time and I put off surgery longer than I should. I researched several doctors online and found Dr. Dryer. He was in a hurry most of the times I have seen him BUT...dangit if he did not do EXACTLY what he said he could. I had surgery in February 2017 (fusion of L3-L4-L5) and 6 months later my back was like 20 years younger feeling. Its been almost 2 years now and it still feels great. It is an incredible feeling not having my back feel unstable and having the fear that I would "throw it out" again with those sharp pains and bed rest for several days. I would recommend this doctor to my family...oh wait...I did and they got surgery this year. read more

I know this isn't professional, but I am angry. To say the least, FUCK this old, judgmental man. I am young and have had really bad back pain for at least the past 6 weeks. I finally got in and was really hopeful to get some answers. I know i'll probably do physical therapy (which i planned on using the internet to do it at home to skip the expensive prices). I mainly wanted an Xray and/or MRI to know exactly what's causing the pain so I would know how to address it without hurting my spine more. I thought I would get that from here and some professional advice on ways to take care of myself, slowly building up core strength, better ways to sleep at night, low strain activities to do during the day, etc. So, I get here, the staff was friendly and I was excited to take a step forward. I get in the room and it's time for an Xray. I get in the Xray room and the nurse asks if there's any chance I'm pregnant. Like I said, I'm a young adult, and I am sexually active. I haven't had a period since the last time I had sex, so I said there may be a very slim chance (there always is no matter what method is used). I was under the impression I would take a test and was waiting in the room. Next thing, Dr. Asshole comes in and bluntly asks if I'm sexually active and possibly pregnant, along with other questions about what I'm majoring in. I was taken aback and told him I don't think I am, but there's the small possibility. Through his question asking he was blunt, showed no ounce of care, did not go into depth of my answers, and was really quick to jump to his next question. This is where it gets brow raising. He tells me I can't get an Xray or MRI until I come back after getting my period. THEN he makes an offhand comment that I shouldn't be doing 'that' because of where I'm at in life (young, in school, single, and whatever demographics he used to form that opinion)... like OKAY. At this point I have tears in my eyes, not because of his shitty comment, but because I am SO stressed out by my back pain. It is hard to deal with my depression when I cannot be physically active like I want to be. My back pain keeps me inside my apartment, doing online school in bed most of the time and at my desk when my back doesn't ache so bad. He pauses for a second after his comment, looks at his assistant, then proceeds to process/acknowledge that what he said was pretty judgmental, especially coming from an old man. Umm, hell yeah it was. The amount of unprofessionalism coming from judging your young patient-- who already has sexual insecurities, mental health issues, and anger towards old people who chose to judge young people for their personal life-- shocked me. Sir, if you are reading this, you need to realize you are a supposed to be a healer! You have no idea what is going on in the lives of your patient. Personally, my life is very difficult and always has been. From losing my mother at a young age, not having my father in my life, facing sexual assault, struggling with only previously diagnosed ADHD and depression, it is amazing that I have made it to where I am in life as a student at THE University of Texas. I do not need your judgments when I coming to you for help to improve my life. So what if I have sex? Reality check: most people at all age do. I am sorry if that is not the case for you. I will not be coming back because I am looking for someone more caring of me and my entirety as a human being. I am 20 years old and obviously have much more emotional intelligence than you. If I was a doctor I would care about my patient's life.. not just their spine for that is only a small fraction of their issues in life. read more

This doctor Dryer is as dry as he can be. He actually had his cards out for reviews, practically begging for your reviews. Since he wasn't able to help me out, he begged me not to post on reviews. Don't go if a business is so concerned about the reviews than caring for the patients. read more

Beware!!! I went to see Dr. Dryer 7 months after moving to Texas. I've had 3 previous spine surgeries at the C5-6 level in Michigan the last one in August 2012. For the past yr I've had new symptoms that have gradually been getting worse. So in January 2015 I went to an appointment to see him with an MRI that I had gotten in May 2014, he took a quick look at the MRI and stated "PERMANENT DAMAGE NOTHING I CAN DO" then upcharged me with an ex-ray and sent me to a pain management specialist. He also refused to listen to me explain new symptoms and quickly told me "NEW SYMPTOMS ARE FROM THE PREVIOUS ONES"! Then finally get the MRI and I have spinal stenosis at the C6-7 level. Which means I have a disc pushing on my spinal cord. I'm already suffering long term effects of spinal cord damage from a bulging disc at the C5-6 level, and scared this will happen again as I'm still waiting to have surgery again and it's September. Praying this one doesn't cause permanent damage like the last one did! read more

I have been having back pain for about a year. I have seen my regular doctor and a chiropractor. I finally decided to go to a specialist. Kimberly was amazing and BEYOND patient with my difficult schedule. Dr. Dryer was very helpful in explaining what was going on, did not rush my appointment, and then referred me to a physical therapist. My troubles are muscular and instead of asking me to continue coming, for no reason, he was very upfront and honest that I am in good physical shape, with "just" stress related issues that I can hopefully fix with some lifestyle changes, instead of some surgery or medication. I felt very relieved and will definitely recommend him to friends and family with back troubles! read more

My back is 100% healed thanks to Dr Dryer. I was petrified to have the L4/L5/S1 surgery. These guys made it a safe, well informed decision that I finally made. My only regret is wasting thousands of dollars on chiropractors that was no help at all. read more

3 months after surgery and I feel so much better. Cathy and the office staff are the best. Always helpful and friendly, happy to help in any way. Dr Dryer was recommended by a co-worker. Trust what information they give you. Only reason my review is not a 5 is because I haven't fully healed yet...it's only been 3 months. Thank you Central Texas Spine Institute Update: I've been to see Dr Dryer now a few more times for issues unrelated to my first surgery. They're just awesome. Let them help you read more

I was able to schedule an appt. same day as a new patient. The entire process was great. Like I left in another review, Dr. Dryer helped me tremendously with my back. The entire staff was professional and polite. I also didn't wait long to be seen upon arrival. My husband and I were impressed. Definitely recommend to everyone. read more

Dr. Dryer has help me regain my active life style twice in 10 years. First with an Extreme Lateral Total Disc Replacement of L4-L5 which completely restored my mobility. Second time was in February 2018 with a 3 Level Cervical Fusion with Stem Cell of my C4-5,C5-6 and C6-7. I was not happy about that one but I'm so glad Dr.Dryer did it. I'm back dancing and doing the things I love. Dr. Dryer's PA, Vanessa is awesome and very helpful. I love what they do and the way they do it! He is worth the 1 1/2 hour drive to his office. read more

I was in excruciating pain for a couple of years due to a fall that injured my SI joint. None of the conservative measures were working. I went to Dr. Dryer and after much discussion and testing it was recommended that I get the SI fusion. I am 2 weeks post op and I am doing well. That excruciating pain is gone and know just healing from the surgery. Cathy at Dr. dryers Office worked diligently to get the insurance worked out and I can't thank her enough for all her help to make the surgery possible. Also Lynn, Dr Dryers assistant always was available to answer questions. The reception Kim was always helpful and encouraging. Vanessa the PA was great too. Thank you Dr. Dryer and everyone of your staff for helping me get my life back! read more

Dr. Dryer is a Godsend. First, EVERYONE at CTSI is extremely kind. The women at the front desk always have a smile and give me all the information I need. The Nurses are great, Vanessa, Dr. Dryer's PA is wonderful. I have not had a bad experience with anyone at this office. Dr. Dryer's bedside manner is sometimes a little off, however, he is a great doctor and genuinely cares for his patients. He wants to see them happy and whole again. I was recommended to CTSI from my GP doctor as I was having severe back pain and the last back doctor I had been to could not find any issues. Dr. Dryer took one look at my MRI and knew exactly what was wrong with me (degenerative disc disease) and what needed to be done in order for me to see relief. To say I was reluctant to have back surgery was an understatement, but I knew I would not have any improvement if I didn't. Dr. Dryer did not push me in anyway to have surgery, and discussed my options, and what I could expect with surgery and without. I had a lumbar fusion (L4-L5) in November and and emergency surgery 3 days later for a small bone fragment that had come lose. Dr. Dryer and Vanessa have been wonderful through this whole process. If I have had any questions or concerns, they have been there for me. They have not made me feel like I am overreacting with any pain that I have had, or concerns with "just not feeling normal". I am having an amazing recovery. Not gonna lie, the first month was tough, but I wouldn't change a thing. I am so glad I chose to have the surgery, and to have it done by Dr. Dryer. My overall pain level has drastically decreased since the surgery and I am able to do things I haven't been able to do in over a year. Thank you Dr. Dryer. I will say it again, you are a Godsend. read more

I have worked in a construction related trade all my life and have many hard years of heavy lifting and working in awkward circumstances. I have arthritis in many joints as a result and have had multiple surgeries to correct. After several years of really bad back pain and trying treatments from chiropractors, acupuncture, yoga, and every professional pain management therapy prescribed, I went to Dr. Dryer for help. He fused my L4-5 with rods and screws. I was better but as time went on, I started requiring pain meds again most days to get by. He ultimately installed a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) about a month ago. I have not needed pain meds since that surgery, making it about 5-6 years to get back pain free. I was apprehensive the SCS would change my life negatively. To the contrary, it has improved things considerably and I can recommend it to anyone having the medical need. I read most of the other reviews, both good and bad about CTSI, and still went with Dr. Dryer. He is direct no question, he does not mince words, and will tell you straight what needs to happen. For me, this was refreshing having been down so many other fruitless paths seeking relief. He did explain on the first visit that fusions dont always relieve all pain so when I did not have 100% success, I was disappointed but had been forewarned. Dr. Dryer is a skillful surgeon with a great track record, the 2 traits I deemed most important above all others. His office staff is kind, responsive, and professional. They handled all the insurance company business straight away with no surprises. If youre having back issues, try CTSI. read more

I went to Dr. Dryer on 4/22/19 because I injured my neck in a car accident on 1/17/19, driving a company car. The accident was not my fault and unfortunately, I had to deal with worker's comp insurance for my treatment. My regular worker's comp doctor is AWESOME! I was referred to Dr. Dryer for an orthopedic evaluation. He came into the room, looked at my MRI and stated "Your spine is perfect". I am not a young person, so I know my spine is not perfect. He proceeded to have me turn my head this way and that which only caused me more pain in the left side of my neck which is the side I was hit on. He spent maybe 5 minutes with me then stated "You're just gonna have to live with the pain. Or, you could get shots. But you definitely don't need surgery". He was rude and unemotional. I am currently seeking an second opinion. If I could give him ZERO stars, I would. read more

If I could give 0 stars, I would. The lack of attention, care, and competence was undoubtedly dumbfounding. I am a young person who unfortunately had a neck injury due to a car accident several years ago. This has left me in unbearable pain. After a less than 5 minute "discussion" (me trying to explain the situation, Dr. Dryer cutting me off incessantly), I was told there's nothing to be done, everything is normal. I have numbness in my face, fingers, and toes. My pain level is at a 10 daily. Everything most certainly isn't normal. He told me to just get on a nerve blocker and be done with it, which he wouldn't even take the time to prescribe himself. To tell a person under the age of 30 that they're fine and they should just mask their pain for the rest of their life, and not even suggest doing further investigation with an MRI to get to the source of the problem is just exceptionally poor medicine by a lazy, boorish practitioner. read more

No no no. Don't go to this office. No one knows what they are doing or how to communicate with patients or office staff. I just had Kathy at doctor dryers office hang up on me because I asked to cancel my appointment because she couldn't explain why my epidural injection was scheduled as an office visit. I had called early to ask the staff to verify that my insurance covers an injection and they called me back and quoted my deductible only. Poorly run front office. read more

I should've trusted my gut and canceled my appointment shortly after I made it. When you make an appointment using their website, it transfers you to Zocdoc. I made my appointment and received a confirmation. The next day, their office called me at 10:56AM and again at 11:07AM; however, I was in meetings and unable to answer. Then I received an email at 11:12AM saying my appointment had been canceled. I called them back at 11:50 and the receptionist (Kim) told me that my appointment was not canceled, that is just how they get people to call them back. I told her she might want to try a little more patience as a lot of people work and may be unable to answer their phones and I assured her that most people will get back to her when they can - it might take longer than 15 minutes. She got the information she needed from me and we hung up. She then immediately called me back at 11:56AM which I was able to answer - she had forgotten something. She then called me back AGAIN at 12:20PM, but I was again unable to answer. She called yet again at 2:29PM, and again I was unable to answer. She emailed me on Thursday telling me "so sorry that you thought I canceled your appointment but that is how zocdoc have it in the system,your appointment is not canceled out it alerts patients to let them know that I am trying to reach in touch with them." I emailed her back and sent her screenshots - one of the appointment cancelation notification, and the other of what it says when the doctor is trying to reach you. (Now do you see why I was having second thoughts?) Fast forward to the day of my appointment. I pulled into their parking lot and a dark grey Lexus comes FLYING up on my bumper. I hate people who speed through parking lots, but it's not like I was crawling or driving like a grandma. This car proceeds to RIDE my bumper through the parking lot then as I turned right, they floored it and sped by me. I find a parking spot and see the person walking away from the dark grey Lexus - sure enough, it is none other than the 'esteemed' Dr. Randall Dryer. I went inside and let the receptionist know I would be canceling my appointment and told her why. She stared back at me blankly (maybe unsurprised?) and did not offer an apology. She just said "OK." And that was it. This office was completely unprofessional from the minute I made my appointment - NeuroTexas would be a great alternative. (By the way, Zocdoc was AMAZING - after they canceled my appointment, I had an email from them apologizing for the inconvenience and they asked what had happened. I replied telling them about the numerous phone calls and that the receptionist expressly told me that's how she gets people to call them back, and I got a PERSONAL response back. They contacted the doctor, and then sent me an Amazon gift card, even though Zocdoc had done nothing wrong. THAT'S amazing customer service.) read more