Here is a recent case that shows why spinal fusion is often needed along with laminectomy (decompression) surgery. It also illustrates the importance of having a thorough evaluation done by your doctor. What makes a thorough evaluation is having a complete history and proper X-rays. Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) Spinal Fusion Case Study This…
Have you ever visited the school nurse who asks you to bend forward and then checks your spine? That’s a simple test for scoliosis. The spine has natural curves, but they’re more pronounced and different-shaped for people with scoliosis. Because of this, this test can catch some cases of scoliosis early. In other words, people…
If people with neck pain need another reason to quit smoking, here’s a big one. A study has connected smoking to degenerative disease in the cervical spine, which is in the neck. Smoking speeds up the degeneration and causes more damage. How Smoking Affects the Cervical Spine The cervical spine contains bones called vertebrae. Cervical…
Some patients find that smoking provides a brief respite from chronic back pain. But the truth is that smoking causes long-term problems for back pain. A Johns Hopkins University study reported in The New York Times supports this finding. Study Finds Connection Between Smoking and Back Pain The study’s lead author Dr. Nicholas U. Ahn…
Back pain is the leading cause of disability according to American Chiropractic Association. It prevents people from working and doing everyday activities. It’s the most common reason employees give for missing work and accounts for 264 million lost workdays in a year. Facts about Back and Neck Pain Additionally, research from Institute for Health Metrics…
You go about your Saturday doing chores around the house or working in the yard. Maybe you’re standing for long periods of time. Or you’re shopping and reach for something on a high shelf. Suddenly, back pain kicks in. Whatever happens, when you deal with mild to moderate back pain, you’ll naturally want to sit…
Many things can cause foot pain. Most of the time, it’s easy to know the culprit. No one is surprised when they experience aching feet after a workout or standing all day. Other times, it could be someone stubbed their toe or stepped on a toy. However, what surprises many patients is when they learn…
The spine is a marvelous thing because it contains many moving parts to hold the body upright. And it allows the body to bend, twist, and stand. The spine also supports the head with its movements and manages the flow of blood to the brain. The spine has a big job of protecting the spinal…
You wake up and your back is already unhappy. You stand for a long time and your back begins to ache. You’re doing yard work pulling weeds and suddenly back pain sets in. You’re exercising and you trip only to tweak your back. You sit in a chair and suddenly sciatica pain shoots down your…
To better understand cervical disc replacement, you’ll want to know about the spine and the cervical region. The spinal column provides the body’s main support structure. It contains five regions with the first region refer to as the cervical region, which involves the neck. The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae or bones. They stack…