SpineUniverse interviewed Kaliq Chang, MD—an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist about stem cells in the treatment of degenerative disc disease.
Ever-advancing medical technology has afforded patients undergoing neck or back spinal fusion surgery a wealth of options when it comes to bone grafts.
The goal of lumbar fusion surgery is to relieve low back and leg pain, numbness, tingling and weakness, restore nerve function, and stop or prevent abnormal motion in the spine.
Discover how interspinous process decompression (IPD)—a minimally invasive spine surgery—can ease your back pain, and learn about its benefits and risks.
There has been a great deal of controversy regarding the use of BMP in spine surgery. A practicing spine surgeon and leader in the field of biologic materials, answers our questions in the insightful interview.
Sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion using the iFuse Implant System is highly successful in people with SI joint dysfunction who have a physical exam pointing to the SI joint and experience pain relief during a diagnostic SI joint block (injection of a numbing agent into the SI joint).
Topical drugs seek to reduce inflammation below the skin surface and soothe nerve pain. Topical pain relieving drugs include preparations applied to the skin as a cream, ointment, gel, spray, or patch (eg, Lidoderm patch).
Ralph Rashbaum, MD, and orthopaedic spine surgeon answers questions posed by SpineUniverse about failed back surgery syndrome. In this segment, Dr. Rashbaum explains when surgery is not elective and important considerations for both patients and surgeons.
In order to be classified as failed back surgery syndrome, there has to be a correlation between the surgical event and the failure to improve as a direct result of the surgery.
If you are contemplating spine surgery, and want to potentially avoid failed back surgery, you may be interested to know what an orthopaedic spine surgeon recommends you consider—including, important questions to ask.
Failed back surgery syndrome, FBSS, and its treatment considerations are explained by Ralph Rashbaum, MD, an orthopaedic spine surgery. Dr. Rashbaum explains his approach to proper patient care when back surgery is not successful.
By combining Western knowledge and techniques, acupuncture has become an acceptable and sought after treatment for many disorders including neck and back pain.
A cervical epidural injection places anti-inflammatory medicine into the spine's epidural space to reduce nerve root inflammation to help reduce neck pain, and shoulder and/or arm pain.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has become a standard of care for people with chronic back and neck pain. Neurosurgeon answers the questions patients ask.
A facet joint injection serves many purposes. Placement of numbing medicine into the joint, may reduce pain and helps confirm/deny the joint as a pain source.
The development of artificial discs for implantation into the low back started 20 years ago. Here is the history of these devices and where this technology is today.
Information about the surgical implantation of a spinal cord stimulation system is provided. If your spinal cord stimulation trial was successful, you may be eligible to have a SCS system permanently implanted to reduce and manage chronic back pain.
The potential benefits and risk of spinal cord stimulation vary from patient to patient. It is important to understand that SCS may help reduce your pain, but not eliminate it.
Patients rights and informed consent are guidelines designed to help establish a stronger relationship of trust among consumers, health care professionals, health care institutions and health plans.
Microforaminotomy is a type of minimally invasive spine surgery that helps relieve pressure on your spinal cord or nerve roots. Smaller incisions and a faster recovery may make this procedure more attractive than open foraminotomy.
Anticonvulsant medication may reduce neuropathic neck and back pain that originates in the spine's nerves. An anticonvulsant, such as gabapentin, may be prescribed as a first line drug therapy or an adjuvant medicine for spine nerve pain.
It is important for patients to realize that both neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons perform spine surgery. There is an emerging field of "spine surgery" that incorporates both specialties.
This article is about a specific class of drugs call bisphosphonates. These medications help increase bone mineral density in the spine (and hips) and may help reduce the risk of fracture.
A study reported a significant increase (10%) in opioid addiction or dependency in patients who received prescription opioid medication to treat postsurgical pain.