Nick’s Story

My life is better because they went the extra mile.

Sometimes the best healthcare you need is right in your own backyard. That’s what Nick Margiasso discovered when he was having severe back pain.

The New Jersey native has enjoyed an active career. As the head pro at the Penn State Tennis Center, Nick’s body was mostly always in motion. However, he suffered from back pain for nearly 10 years and consulted with specialists in his home state with little relief. It wasn’t until he went to the Emergency Department at Penn Highlands Huntingdon – just blocks from his home – that he found the relief he was seeking.

“I visited the Penn Highlands Huntingdon Emergency Department on two separate occasions and the doctors – Dr. Ann-Marie Cittadino and Dr. Peter Patitsas — were incredible,” said Nick. “They discovered issues with my back and spine that the other specialists never found.”

He continued, “When reviewing my CT scan, Dr. Cittadino found that a certain nerve was swollen and it was causing a problem with the muscles in my groin area.”

An MRI also found spondylosis, stenosis, disc degeneration, arthritis and bulging discs. Dr. Cittadino prescribed medications to help relieve the pressure and pain and outlined with Nick the procedure he needed based on the findings from the CT scan.

“I felt very comfortable with Dr. Cittadino and Dr. Patitsas — they are very knowledgeable and skilled.”

Nick summed up his experience, “The doctors in the Penn Highlands Huntingdon Emergency Department saved my health and my career! They changed my daily life so I could have more of it!”