If you or your loved one is considering back surgery to treat back pain, you probably have heard about endoscopic spine surgery. But what is endoscopic spine surgery? And what’s the difference between endoscopic spine surgery and conventional spine surgery, or back surgery? (more…)

Back pain affects many people. Approximately 80 percent Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives. But the good news is staying in shape can help us keep back pain at bay.

Regular exercise, combined with healthy eating, is the best way to stay in shape. Many exercise programs (eg, aerobic exercise programs) can help you stay in shape. But not every exercise program works for everybody. You should choose an exercise program or routine based on your physical condition. If you are overweight, you should start with weight loss exercise. The more weight you carry, the more pressure your back (especially lower back) bears. As a result, parts of your back bone (the spine) will wear out over time. When this happens, you’ll start to feel persistent back pain. (more…)

What is sciatica?

To answer the question, we need to know the sciatica nerve first. The sciatica nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It runs from the lower part of the spinal cord to the buttock and all the way down to the back of each leg. Sciatica, also known as sciatic nerve pain, refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatica nerve and its branches. This means that sciatic nerve pain typically radiates from the lower back to the buttock and all the way down to the back of the leg.

Sciatic nerve pain can vary widely, from dull ache to burning sensation or sharp pain. It generally gets worse after sitting for an extended time. Coughing or sneezing may also make the pain worse. Sciatic nerve pain can affect both sides of the lower body (lower extremities), but in most cases it affects only one side the body. (more…)

Your back is an intricate structure made up of bones, muscles, and other soft tissues extending from the neck to the pelvis. Back injuries, especially lower back injuries, are very common. A car accident can cause a back injury, such as a neck injury or lower back injury. Working around the house can also result in a lower back injury. Sprains, strains, fractured bones, and herniated discs are the most common types of back injury.

The length of a back injury recovery may vary widely depending on the type and severity of the injury. The following are 5 key elements of a quick recovery from a back related injury. (more…)

We all know that our body and mind deteriorate as we age. As we get older, we notice that our body is not as strong and our mind is no as sharp as they used to be. The spinal discs, like our body and mind, also degenerate as we get older. And the consequence of the disc degeneration? degenerative disc disease.

The degenerative process

As we discussed in our previous blog posts, a spinal dsc consists of a tough outer layer (annulus) and soft, jelly-like inner content (nucleus pulposus). The tough outer layer and the soft inner content of a disc are made up of various types of proteins and a large amount of water. In fact, a healthy disc consists of about 80% water. Unfortunately, as we age, the discs gradually lose their water, and their proteins also undergo some undesirable changes. (more…)

What is radiculitis?

Radiculitis literally means the inflammation of a nerve root. It is a medical term used by health care professionals to refer to the symptoms when a nerve is inflamed or irritated. Radiculitis could be caused by disc herniation, bone spurs, or other spinal conditions.

What are the signs and symptoms of radiculitis?

The main symptom of radiculitis is radicular pain, a type of pain that radiates into the extremities. That’s why sometimes people use the term radiculitis and the term radicular pain interchangeably. For a patient with radiculitis, the radicular pain is often accompanied with numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness in the areas affected by the inflamed nerve root. (more…)

If you are suffering from chronic back pain, you know how much the pain affects your life. It reduces your productivity, and it damages your quality of life. For those who suffer from severe chronic back pain, sometimes life may feel miserable. The good news is that chronic back pain can be successfully managed or treated.

Self Management for Chronic Back Pain

1. Control your weight
The lower back, which carries most of the upper body weight, is the most common site of back pain. The heavier your body is, the more weight and stress you put on your lower back, and the excess weight and stress can worsen your back pain. By controlling your weight, you reduce the stress your back has to endure, and thus reduces the pain. (more…)

What is a herniated disc?

A healthy spinal disc is made up of soft inner material known as nucleus pulposus and a tough outer layer called annulus fibrosis. Disc herniation happens when the inner disc material pushes or seeps through the tough outer layer and puts pressure on the nearby nerves. And when this happens, the disc is called a herniated disc.

Depending on the severity of the herniation, herniated discs can be classified into 3 main categories: contained herniated discs, extruded discs, and sequestered discs. If the inner disc material has started to bulge but has not pushed through its outer layer, the herniated disc is called contained disc. If the inner material has pushed through the outer layer but the material is still attached to the disc, the herniated disc is considered extruded disc. However, if the inner disc material has broken away from the disc, the herniated disc is considered a sequestered disc. (more…)

If you are suffering from back pain and are considering surgical treatment options, you probably have heard about spinal fusion surgery, during which, two or more vertebrae are permanently fixed together. Considering the many well-known drawbacks of spinal fusion, nobody really wants to jump for it if he or she has a better choice. As a matter of fact, some patients may not be able to tolerate open fusion surgery. But in the past, many patients unfortunately had no other choice but open fusion surgery.

Today, a better choice is available for many patients who otherwise have to undergo open fusion surgery. And the choice is eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF for short). (more…)

What Is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis means narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal cavity) where the spinal cord resides, or narrowing of the neural foramina (openings) where spinal nerves exit the spinal column. The narrower the spinal canal becomes, the less room the spinal cord has. If the spinal canal is narrowed to the point that the spinal cord is compressed, spinal stenosis symptoms will start to bother you. (more…)