Cervical Myelopathy
What is Cervical Myelopathy? By definition, it is any functional change of the spinal cord. Usually, it is caused by pinching of the spinal cord by bone spurs, disk herniations, or a combination. In the above MRI, the red circle identifies changes in the spinal cord (see the different coloration) in a man with complaints […]
Do I need a MRI?
That is a very common question asked by many of my patients. And, the answer is “It depends”. I know that is not very satisfying, but I will explain. MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. There are very scientific and exacting descriptions of the study, but I will try to break it down into the […]
Are you carrying an extra “backpack”?
Weight loss is a difficult thing to discuss. As a physician, I am always worried that somehow, the patient will be offended by this discussion. If I talk to some of my Primary Care colleagues, some have stopped bringing this topic up, as some patients have gotten upset enough to “fire” them, or even worse, […]
Skiing and Back Pain
It is winter time in much of the country. And the statistics indicates about 11 million people will go skiing at least once this year. While everyone is naturally concerned about a broken leg, as a spine specialist I want to share the issues pertaining to Skiing and Back Pain. There has not been much information about the […]
Sex and Low Back Pain
Counseling on Sex and Low Back Pain is sensitive but necessary. After gaining the trust of my patients, this does become a common topic. You could imagine, it can be difficult to keep a straight face while fielding very graphic and detailed questions. But, there has been some research on this very topic as sex is instinctual, with physical, […]
Spine Surgery? Sometimes, it is better to wait.
If you have a serious life or limb threatening condition, you need to trust your physicians and get spine surgery if that is their recommendation. If you have a serious life or limb threatening condition, I hope you are not reading this blog, and instead getting medical care NOW. For the rest of you, please […]
