Surgical Treatments for a Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve (radiculopathy) occurs when too much pressure is applied to a given nerve. This is generally caused by surrounding tissues, such as cartilage, muscles, bones, or tendons. This pressure can stop the nerve from functioning properly. Furthermore, people with this condition often feel pain, tingling, numbness or weakness.
This condition can occur in the body at a variety of…
Understanding Cervicogenic Headaches & Neck Pain
Understanding Neck Pain & Cervicogenic Headaches (CH)
Headaches happen for many different reasons. More often than not, it can be hard to determine the type and cause of a given headache. Sometimes, a headache will affect other areas of the body, such as the upper spine, or cervical region.
A cervicogenic headache (CH) feels very similar to a migraine, so they are easy to misdiagnose.…
What is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS)?
Normally, standard spinal procedures are done using long incisions down the back. This process is called “open surgery.” When using open procedures on the spine, the soft tissues and muscles need to be moved away. In some cases, tissues even need to be removed. There are many more risk factors involved with this method and the recovery time can be much longer.
(MISS), on the other hand, uses…
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction: An Overlooked Source of Back & Hip Pain
Pinpointing the Source of Back & Hip Pain
Struggling with back and hip pain affects how you live your life. In fact, the pain can keep you from enjoying your favorite activities or spending time with family. Back pain can have many causes, like muscle strain, arthritis, bulging discs, or skeletal irregularities. An experienced doctor can pinpoint the source of your pain and help you find…
Pre-Surgery Tips to Maximize Your Spine Surgery Recovery
Optimize Your Spine Surgery Recovery Process
When it comes to maximizing your spine surgery recovery, the name of the game is often planning. (And believe us when we say, there’s a lot to think about!) To give yourself a leg up over what can be a lengthy healing process, you’ll want go into spine surgery as your most healthy self. You’ll also want to consider all the hidden in’s and out’s of the…
Recognize the Warning Signs of a Back Pain Emergency
What is a Back Pain Emergency?
Back pain emergencies are rare… but they do happen. And, it can be tricky to distinguish the truly “insidious” from the “benign.” That’s because back pain—usually a guiding light in these matters—is an unreliable indicator of critical status when it comes to back pain emergencies. In fact, sometimes the least serious conditions, like a torn muscle, are the most…
What are the Symptoms of a Lumbar Herniated Disc?
What is a Lumbar Herniated Disc?
A lumbar herniated disc occurs when a spinal disc in the lower back ruptures, or “herniates.”
Herniated discs can also occur in the mid-back (thoracic) or neck (cervical) regions of the spine. However, in patients between the ages of 25 - 55, 95% of all herniated discs affect the lumbar spine. And, in particular, the spinal discs between the L4/L5 and L5/S1…
Managing Sciatica with Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy (PT) is one of the leading forms of treatment for sciatica. But, before we can discuss how PT relieves pressure on the sciatic nerve, we need to define what sciatica is and why it can occur.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve that supplies sensation to your lower body becomes pinched. The longest nerve in your body, your sciatic nerve runs from your lower…
A Patient’s Guide to Scoliosis Surgery
If you have severe scoliosis (>50 degrees), then your doctor may suggest surgery to fix your condition. This is especially true if you are an adult who has reached spinal maturity. As we age, degenerative changes in our spine become more common. Unfortunately, this also means that your scoliosis will only continue to worsen.
If your child has severe scoliosis, then your doctor will likely…
Pinpointing the Benefits of Acupuncture for Back Pain
A staple of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture or “needling” has been used to treat back pain for over 2000 years.
Needless to say, 2000 years ago, our concept of biology was in its earliest stages. The ancients had yet to invent technologies, like microscopes, that would enable them to study diseases. But, they understood that something vital must exist beneath the surface. In…