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The upper vertebrae (cervical – in the neck) and lower vertebrae (lumbar – lower back) are the portions of your spine most subject to injury and deterioration. And it’s in these portions of your spine that you’re most likely to encounter degenerative disc disease. Not truly a “disease”, degenerative disc disease describes the natural process…

If you’ve been experiencing spine pain in the back or neck, how much consideration have you given to the state of your mattress? Do you even know how long you’ve been sleeping on it?  If you don’t (because you’ve been sleeping on it for so long you can’t remember when you first purchased it), then…

Chronic back pain plagues so many of us.  It’s a leading public health concern, having a major impact on US productivity.  Many chronic back pain sufferers try every possible cure under the sun, from physical therapy to core exercises, acupuncture and myriad other therapies.  Some are effective.  Others?  Not so much. Chronic pain of any…

People everywhere are talking to their doctors about minimally invasive surgery, especially with respect to the spine. This style of intervention offers patients many benefits.  Because of the small incision size, there’s a much lower potential for infection, for one.  For another, the patient experiences significantly reduced surgical trauma.  Hospital stays are reduced and recovery…

Spine surgery is an important step and not at all to be taken lightly.  It’s a commonly held belief that the patient is a passive, silent party to surgeries of all kinds but the truth is that you need to do more than just show up. This post, preparing for spine surgery: 5 key considerations,…

Pain and numbness in the hands and arms can rob you of your ability to enjoy life.  But did you know that the pain, numbness and weakness you’re experiencing may be generated by an anomaly in your cervical vertebrae? This is the upper section of your spine, in the neck.  When there’s a problem in…

Spinal cord stimulation deploys an implanted device to send electrical currents to block pain messages to your brain.  The devices used are implanted in the patient around the spinal canal. The idea of having a device implanted in the body can be stressful for some, even causing anxiety, so psychological screening for spinal cord stimulation…

Anyone who’s had lower back surgery knows that the procedure itself is just the beginning of the journey. Rehabilitative measures and pain management are two crucial components of recovery from back surgery.  This post will share tips for creating an effective pain management for after your lower back surgery.  Structuring your plan before the big…

Spine pain demands a response and when conservative options don’t cut it, surgery is usually recommended.  If you’re suffering from chronic back pain, you’ll want to read this. This post explains how microdiscectomy can relieve pain and what the procedure entails.  If you’re considering surgery to relieve back pain, this option is well worth discussing…

There’s no question that muscle spasms of any kind are no fun at all.  But the good news is that they’re preventable and treatable with conservative methods. Because we hear so much from patients about this annoying, uncomfortable problem, we’ve put together this blog about preventing lower back spasms.  We hope it serves as valuable…