There's new hope for back pain sufferers. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first artificial disc.

It's designed to relieve the pain and keep a patient's mobility.

Kyle Spooner, 35, is making up for lost time playing baseball with his girls.

For too long, excruciating back pain made it nearly impossible.

"My days were go to work, get through the workday, come home crawl into bed, crawl on the couch, take pain medication," said Spooner.

Then, four years ago, as part of a study, he became the first person in the U.S. to receive an artificial disc.

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The disc is implanted through an incision just below the belly button.

But in a significant advance over traditional spinal fusion, it preserves a patient's range of motion.

The new surgery will soon be available to certain patients with lower disc degeneration.

"The typical patient will have been on medication -- including narcotic medication -- for an extensive period of time, had weeks to months to years of either physical therapy or chiropractic therapy," said Dr. Scott Blumenthal, Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon.

The new disc will only be suitable for some patients.

But for people like Kyle Spooner, it can make all the difference in an active life.

Now he's back playing a sport he loves.

"I don't experience any pain while I'm playing golf. The swing (is) normal, the range of motion is normal," said Spooner.

This new treatment for back pain will be available in January.