The Art of Bending

The Art of Bending

Many other cultures, especially non-Western, have a much lower prevalence of back pain and spinal arthritis. What’s more surprising is that the peoples of these cultures often do a tremendous amount of bending and lifting. So, how is this possible?

The Smoking Spine: Nicotine's Ability to Cause and Worsen Back Pain

The Smoking Spine: Nicotine’s Ability to Cause and Worsen Back Pain

20 percent of American adults are cigarette smokers. Of these individuals, about 80 percent smoke daily. Cigarette smoke has been found to contain over 4,700 chemical substances with the most notable being nicotine. Nicotine in cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, oral tobacco and even nicotine patches all contain carcinogenic substances such as hydrocarbons and tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA).…

Will Stem Cells Fix My Back Pain?

Low back and leg pain is very common. It has many causes including arthritic and degenerating discs and joints in the spine which compress the nerves. The cause and standard treatment strategies have been well studied over many decades. Spine surgeons and other treatment providers are now confident in the traditional therapy, injections and even…

Which Low Back Surgery is Right for Me?

Which Low Back Surgery is Right for Me?

Low back surgery refers to surgery on the lumbar spine between the L1 bone and the L5-S1 level. Decompression, fusion and artificial disc replacement are all options to treat low back conditions. However, it is important to remember that these surgeries are not interchangeable, but instead have very specific indications. Depending on your symptoms and…

What is Spinal Cord Stimulation?

If you suffer from chronic back or neck pain that has not been relieved by surgery or other therapies, spinal cord stimulation may be another option. Also known as neurostimulation, or SCS, this non-drug therapy modifies or blocks nerve activity to relieve pain. Here’s what you need to know about spinal cord stimulation, courtesy of…

What is Revision Spine Surgery?

Having spine surgery does not guarantee that your neck or back problems are gone for good. In some cases, pain and other symptoms can continue. This can mean that the initial procedure was not successful, or it could indicate that you have a recurring condition. Understanding your options if you have continued pain can help…