“That was the Worst X-Ray I have ever seen!”
As a Spine Surgeon and Specialist, I have had the honor of treating many people. It sounds cliche, but I enjoy the personal interaction, and my goal is to educate people to understand their condition. While many are in significant pain during some of the evaluations, it is important for me to communicate the nature of […]
Epidural Steroid Injections And Compression Fractures
Epidural Steroid Injections have been used to treat patients with both herniated disks as well as for patients with spinal stenosis. In addition, the same steroid compounds have been used by physicians to treat arthritic conditions of the spine, via the so called facet joint injection. Most prudent practitioners have always cautioned the patients that […]
Can Discography Cause Problems?
All invasive procedures have associated risks. Traditionally, Discography has been used to identify pain generators in the spine. Some clinicians have opined it was good test, with acceptable low risks primarily due to needle placement and infections. Research regarding longer term effects of discography has suggested it may also be a cause of disk degeneration, and […]
Spine Surgery for Baseball Players
WE are now mid season for Major League Baseball, and some injuries are starting to take its toll on various teams. While shoulder and arm injuries are most common, there is a small but significant number of players with spine related injuries. Historically, we know several players have gone on to surgical management of herniated […]
The Price of Healthcare in America
With all the uproar in the government about healthcare, we must examine the costs directly experienced by the US population. What is the Price of Medical Care? There are 4 main areas that need funds to have medical care: 1. Physician’s fee 2. Diagnostic Testing costs 3. Pharmaceutical (medicines), and Medical Device costs 4. Hospital […]
Are Infections the reason for Disk Degeneration?
Dr. Ganko et al Published an intriguing article called “Can Baterial Infection by Low Virulent Organisms Be a Plausible Cause for Symptomatic Disk Degeneration?: A Systematic Review” in the May 15, 2015 issue of Spine. To summarize the paper, prior studies on the prevalence of infections in disk material were pooled together to do a […]
Five Tips for Guns and Spine Pain
Depending on where you get the statistics, up to 45% of men and 25% of women own guns in the United States. It is a Second Amendment right, and I am not here to debate the merits and nuances of the Amendment. As a spine surgeon however, I do want to discuss a common complaint […]
Cycling and Back pain
Depending on the source, it is estimated that at least 39 million Americans rode a bicycle at least 6 times a year. Demographic trends indicate a greater interest in cycling, particularly in the middle age years. The reason for this popularity is surprisingly simple. It is great exercise, and can be easier on the joints […]
Do Patients remember their Past Medical History?
As a Doctor, I spend a significant amount of time obtaining detailed information about the problem from patients. That is known as obtaining a history. From experience, I know that most patients remember their current complaints and treatments. The harder part is to have patients remember their prior treatments, or prior episodes of the same. Unfortunately, patients tend to […]
Obesity Means more Spine Surgery Complications
Obesity means more Spine Surgery Complications. Surgeons cannot be politically correct about Obesity. The truth is Obesity makes surgery more difficult, and less successful. In the April 1, 2015 Edition of Spine, Dr. Burks, from the University of Virginia reviewed the data on Obesity and the associated rates of Incidental Durotomy during Lumbar Surgery. It […]
