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Anomalies That Can Affect Your Neck Surgery
What are the test results that may matter for surgeries in your neck? Not everyone is born with the standard bones of the spine. In fact, a significant portion of the population has what is called an anatomic variant. But there’s no need to be alarmed. Having an anatomic variant simply means that a structure […]
Common Complications of Spine Surgery
PART TWO What are the most common complications in spine surgery that could be causing you pain? While most spine surgeries are designed to relieve pressure on the nerves or spinal cord, sometimes, the herniated disc or bone spur is not completely removed. This can leave residual pressure on the nerve and cause the pain […]
Why am I Still in Pain After Spine Surgery?
PART ONE How come I’m still in pain after spine surgery? It’s a common question, and the answer depends on the type of surgery and when you ask. The first couple days after surgery, it is typical to feel pain. During surgery, medications such as steroids are infused into the area to help reduce swelling. The medication […]
Where to Make the Incision?
How does your surgeon decide where to make the incision? Before surgery, many want to know how and where the incision is going to be made — with the hope that the smaller it is, the lesser the pain will be. People also want to be reassured that the resulting scar will heal and fade […]
Stem Cells for Back Pain: 2020 Update
What’s the update on stem cells for back pain? The last time I talked about this was in 2018. So what’s the latest news about this controversial topic? If you watch any advertisement for this procedure online or on TV, you would think it was an approved, tried and true procedure for improving back pain. As […]
Placebo vs Nocebo Effect
What is the “Placebo Effect”? The placebo effect refers to a phenomenon that occurs when patients show an improvement in their condition upon receiving treatment designed to have no therapeutic benefit. It’s also known as the “Sugar Pill Effect”. In research trials, an active treatment is tested on a group of subjects, and then a similar […]
