Dr. Heller is a dedicated and highly skilled physician. She brings 20 years of experience in treating patients with back and neck pain using conservative methods. Her areas of clinical expertise include the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic back or neck pain, work and sport related injuries such shoulder/hip/strains or sprains, as well as general overuse syndromes (tendonitis or muscle strain) and other occupational related injuries. She works with adults of all ages as well as adolescents.
Dr. Heller specializes in the field of Physiatry where the goal is to restore pain free function of muscles, joints and nerves non-surgically. To reach this goal, she strives to make an accurate diagnosis to determine what is limiting function. She prescribes exercise programs to address each patient's specific concerns. Her years of experience as a licensed Physical Therapist and athlete at the University of Wisconsin provide first hand experience in rehabilitation and an advantage in ordering and overseeing physical and occupational therapy for her patients.
She uses medications, fluoroscopic guided spinal injections, trigger point injections and EMG/NCV diagnostic studies to faciliate progress towards improved function. These and other methods are used in conjunction with physical therapy. Dr. Heller believes strongly in the value of educating her patients regarding their disorder and how to safely and effectively function in their life activities.
Dr. Heller began her health career working as a nurse's aid in her late teens, and then as a licensed Physical Therapist prior to medical school. As a therapist, she served our nation's acutely injured spinal cord veterans at the Zablocki VA, a regional spinal cord center in the VA system. She continued SCI rehab work at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Dr. Heller received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine in 1988 from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. This is where she also completed an internship in 1989. She concluded her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in 1992 at the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center of Chicago.
She has been invited to lecture to the American Academy of Environmental and Occupational Medicine on the conservative care of workplace neck and low back pain. Dr. Heller is a member of the North American Spine Society, the nation’s premier organization on spine care which is comprised of neurosurgeons, spine surgeons and other spine care practitioners.
She is also an active member of many other medical organizations/associations such as: American Medical Association American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation- IL Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation International Society for Spinal Injections Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation.
She is affiliated with Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Central DuPage Hospital and Elmhurst Hospital.
Dr. Heller is a dedicated and highly skilled physician. She brings 20 years of experience in treating patients with back and neck pain using conservative methods. Her areas of clinical expertise include the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic back or neck pain, work and sport related injuries such shoulder/hip/strains or sprains, as well as general overuse syndromes (tendonitis or muscle strain) and other occupational related injuries. She works with adults of all ages as well as adolescents.
