Archives:
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 […]
Role of Vitamin D and a Healthy Spine
Association between low levels of Vitamin D and spinal surgery outcomes The role of Vitamin D in maintaining a healthy spine has been underestimated and overlooked by many. In the last few years, the relationship between Vitamin D levels and various components of spine health have been reported on with increasing frequency within the literature. […]
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 […]
