Any back surgery, even a smaller one, is a major procedure that can have significant impacts on a person’s life, both physically and emotionally. While it can sometimes be necessary to address serious spinal issues, it’s obviously preferable to avoid additional surgery if possible. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of needing another back surgery in the future. By adopting healthy habits and making lifestyle changes, you can support your spine and reduce the likelihood of experiencing further problems. Here are five practical steps you can take to help you avoid another back surgery:
Continue reading “MAINTAINING YOUR SPINE AFTER SURGERY”INTRODUCING TAI CHI
A big part of exercising is finding something you enjoy doing that gives you the benefits of exercise without being too hard on your body. Let’s be honest, if you don’t enjoy an exercise, you’re probably not going to keep it up no matter how good it is for you. If you already have an exercise program that works for you, you can just skip to another article. But if you are looking for something low impact that will help with your strength, balance and posture, or if you just want to mix things up because your current exercise regimen, or lack thereof, isn’t working for you, take a look at Tai Chi.
Continue reading “INTRODUCING TAI CHI”THE ART OF GOOD SLEEP
In today’s fast-paced world, where productivity and efficiency are highly valued, one vital aspect that often gets overlooked is quality sleep. Sleep is not merely a state of unconsciousness; it is an essential process that rejuvenates our bodies and minds, leading to improved sense of overall well-being. Cultivating good sleep habits is crucial for optimizing health, boosting cognitive function, and enhancing daily performance. Here are some strategies you can use in your quest for restful nights and all the benefits of a good night’s sleep.
Continue reading “THE ART OF GOOD SLEEP”BASIC STRETCHING TECHNIQUES FOR THE BACK
Back pain is a common ailment that can significantly affect our daily lives. Whether it’s caused by falls or accidents, long hours of sitting, improper posture, excessive or improper exercise, or muscle strain, finding relief can seem existential. While medical advice may be needed for chronic or severe back pain, incorporating simple stretches into your routine can provide relief and promote flexibility. Here are some basic stretches that you can do on your own to help alleviate back pain and improve your overall well-being:
Continue reading “BASIC STRETCHING TECHNIQUES FOR THE BACK”ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE
I get asked about acupuncture a lot. And to be honest, patients have given me pretty mixed results. Some patients have had a great experience and absolutely love it. Others felt it to be a waste of time. Ultimately, for some patients and for some conditions acupuncture probably won’t help. However, some patients do benefit and it is worth a try if you have back or neck pain.
Continue reading “ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE”WHY AM I BEING REFERRED TO A PAIN SPECIALIST?
Interventional pain procedures are an essential part of the management of many kinds of spine and pain conditions. Even though pain procedures, as a general rule, do not cure the problem, they can provide excellent pain relief. Furthermore, pain procedures can also provide valuable diagnostic information, as the response to an injection or other procedure can help confirm that a particular pathology is the primary pain generator.
Interventional pain procedures are minimally invasive medical techniques designed to treat chronic pain conditions. These procedures aim to alleviate pain by targeting the nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain. There are a variety of tools in the interventional toolkit including nerve blocks, trigger point injections, epidurals, ablations, or nerve stimulation among others.
Continue reading “WHY AM I BEING REFERRED TO A PAIN SPECIALIST?”EXERCISE FOR A HEALTHY SPINE
Exercise is something we all know we should do, but not many do it for one reason or another. However, the evidence is mounting that exercise has many health benefits, including improving back pain and overall spine health. Continue reading “EXERCISE FOR A HEALTHY SPINE”
THE BETTER WAY BACK PROGRAM
If you are considering back surgery, you might be interested in hearing stories from other people who have had back surgery. Or you may want to actually talk to someone who has had back surgery.
Approximately 500,000 back procedures are done in the United States each year. So there are lots of people who have experience with what it’s like. You may have questions like:
- Does spine surgery really work?
- What are the alternatives?
- How painful is the recovery?
- What side effects are there?
- How do I deal with a complication?
- How do I find out more about the back operation I am going to have?
GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BACK PAIN
Back pain is extremely common. More than 90% of people will suffer from back problems at some point. For most patients, after a little rest and massage, the pain goes away and they are able to resume their normal lives.
However, sometimes the pain just won’t go away. If that’s the case for you, you might be referred for a surgical consultation.
Continue reading “GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BACK PAIN”
WHAT IS CHRONIC PAIN?
Show your pain who is the boss
Anyone who has been having pain for more than three months suffers from chronic pain. Chronic pain is different than pain that only lasts for a few hours or even a few days. New research suggests that chronic pain can actually cause changes in brain activity and brain chemistry, or even alter the anatomy of the cellular connections in the brain. Chronic pain seems to deplete the brains reserves, so that cells in the brain and spine deteriorate more quickly. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating. Sleep, in particular, becomes difficult.
Chronic pain can seem like an insurmountable obstacle. It is often accompanied by anger, frustration, depression, and anxiety. It affects your ability to work. It can affect your relationships with friends and family. Fortunately, we are coming to understand chronic pain in ways that were not even imaginable just a few years ago, and the good news is that there is a way out. The key is finding a structured plan that puts you back in control of your life. Continue reading “WHAT IS CHRONIC PAIN?”