Do Patients remember their Past Medical History?
As a Doctor, I spend a significant amount of time obtaining detailed information about the problem from patients. That is known as obtaining a history. From experience, I know that most patients remember their current complaints and treatments. The harder part is to have patients remember their prior treatments, or prior episodes of the same. Unfortunately, patients tend to […]
Obesity Means more Spine Surgery Complications
Obesity means more Spine Surgery Complications. Surgeons cannot be politically correct about Obesity. The truth is Obesity makes surgery more difficult, and less successful. In the April 1, 2015 Edition of Spine, Dr. Burks, from the University of Virginia reviewed the data on Obesity and the associated rates of Incidental Durotomy during Lumbar Surgery. It […]
Why does my knee hurt when it rains?
Do your joints predict the weather better than any meteorologist? Can you feel a storm coming in your knees? Let’s talk….. Well, you are not alone. Your joints may actually hurt more when the weather changes. There is scientific validity to this phenomenon. The reason involves some pretty simple physics. There is pressure inside and […]
Accident Related Neck and Back Pain
Having accident Related Neck and Back Pain? Frustrated you cannot get an appointment to see your Family Doctor for the problem? Why don’t you go see the Spine Specialist? Before we criticize our Family Physician for not giving you an appointment. Please understand the Family Physician’s predicament. Your regular Health Insurance carrier required your Doctor […]
The risks of waiting too long for Cervical Disk Surgery
While it is prudent to wait at least 6 weeks for elective cervical disk surgery, waiting more than 6 months can lesser your chances of a more acceptable outcome. Unless you have a severe loss of muscle control, or inability to control your bowel and bladder control, most patients should wait at least 6 weeks […]
Low Back Pain After Lumbar Discectomy
Unfortunately, up to 25% of patients who had lumbar discectomy surgery may have recurrent back pain after surgery. A recent study out of Vanderbilt University performed a meta analysis of available studies on discectomy patients, as well as prospectively following patients that had surgery at Vanderbilt. The results of both the meta analysis and the […]
