It’s true that taking over-the-counter or even prescription pain medication can lessen the pain and provide relief – for a short amount of time. Once the medication wears off, however, you’ll have to take more pills to get the same relief again. And so on. Sure, you can feel a little bit better when the medication takes effect, but keep in mind that you’ve done nothing to fix the problem permanently. Long term, you’re most likely going to want to do something that makes you feel like you used to – before you had neck or back pain.

We understand fear of surgery, and are happy to talk to you and answer any possible questions you might have about whether a surgical procedure is recommended; what it will involve; what you will – and won’t feel – before, during, and after the procedure; anesthesia used; and risks involved. Our goal is to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding about the procedure so that you can make an informed decision about whether it is right for you. Then, if you decide to move forward, we will help you to become comfortable about the entire process.

What makes us different than traditional back and neck procedures is our precise pain-mapping to get to the cause of your pain, with many procedures done through a tiny 3 mm incision. That’s why we proudly tout ourselves as having a “band-aid approach” to a life free from pain!

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Traditional disc herniation surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, we are able to treat the herniation with just a laser and without stripping muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

Definition:
A herniated disc is sometimes referred to as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc. It is often the result of an injury or trauma to the spine.

Your spinal column is made up of bones (vertebrae) that are cushioned by small discs consisting of a tough outer layer (annulus) and a soft, jelly-like inner layer (nucleus). These discs act as shock absorbers, protecting the spine and nerves from the stress of everyday tasks – as well as strenuous work such as heavy lifting.

When a disc “herniates,” a tear or weakness in the annulus allows the jelly-like nucleus to push out into the spinal canal. If it puts pressure on a spinal nerve, the herniated disc can cause pain, numbness or weakness in the back, legs or arms – depending on where the disc is located. Herniated discs are most common in the lower spine, but about 10% occur in the neck.

You can have a herniated disc without knowing it – herniated or bulging discs sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disc problem. But some herniated discs can be painful.

Symptoms:

• Sciatica – a radiating, aching pain, sometimes with tingling and numbness, that starts in the buttock and extends down the back of one leg.
• Pain, numbness or weakness in the lower back and one leg, or in the neck, shoulder, chest or arm.
• Lower back pain that worsens when you sit, cough or sneeze.

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Definition:
A pinched nerve occurs when too much pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues such as bone spurs, disc herniation and ligaments. This pressure (compression) disrupts the nerve’s function – causing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the affected area, and in many cases causing permanent damage.

A pinched nerve can occur anywhere in your body. For example, a herniated disc in your spine (neck, thoracic or lumbar) may put pressure on a nerve root, causing pain that radiates down the back of your leg (sciatica), or down your arms or hands. Another common type of pinched nerve is the median nerve in the carpal tunnel in your wrist; compression of that nerve can lead to pain and numbness in your hand and fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome). These are just two common examples of pinched nerves; many other nerves can be pinched including those in your neck, shoulder, elbow and other areas.

With rest and other conservative treatments, most people recover from a pinched nerve within a few days or weeks. In some cases, however, surgery is necessary.

Symptoms:

• Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve.
• Sharp or burning pain, which may radiate outward. When the pinched nerve comes from the spinal cord, coughing or sneezing may aggravate the pain.
• Tingling, “pins and needles” sensations (paresthesia).
• Muscle weakness or twitching in the affected area.
• Frequent feeling that a foot or hand has “fallen asleep.”

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It’s likely you’ll end up going with whatever your masseuse recommends, but not all massages are the same. The art of “kneading muscles” is an ancient practice dating back to 493 BC. With that kind of history, there’s no way we could list all the different types of massages but here are a few more common types:

• Swedish Massage: Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. Shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness, osteoarthritis, and those with poor circulation.
• Deep Tissue Massage: Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity, such as athletes, and patients who have sustained physical injury.
• Myofascial Release: Often used after a muscle injury.
• Trigger Point and Myotherapy: Direct pressure placed on trigger points to cause their release. At the same time, the therapist stretches the muscle while using a cooling agent sprayed onto the skin.
• Shiatsu: An old oriental therapy based on acupressure.
• Reiki: a Japanese form of massage that seeks to adjust the body’s energy.

For those who want to go the alternative route to treat their back pain, massage may be the best bet. Experts agree that often the best way to manage chronic back pain is to use several therapies at once, and therapeutic massage may be an important part of the package.

Hiring a masseuse to work out all those muscles is expensive, especially if you make it a weekly habit. Perhaps a massage chair might be more appropriate. Check out our blog post that gives some tips on how to choose a massage chair.

No one wants to live with back pain, although many think they can ignore the discomfort. If you or a loved one is dealing with neck or back pain visit us at zerospinepain.com to schedule an appointment.

• Acupuncture- Practitioners of Eastern medicine say that acupuncture works by realigning the energy meridians and rebalancing the body.
• Massage- Massage could benefit people who want to maintain their back health and who get occasional soreness. Its effects have been studied and explained.
• Chiropractic therapy- Although most people tend to think of a chiropractor as a practitioner who cracks your back while you lie on a table, they also have a lot of soft tissue treatments.
• Pilates and Yoga- One hailing from Germany and the other with roots in Hinduism, Pilates and yoga can help maintain your back and stave off soreness.
• Strengthening exercises- Activities like sit-ups or crunches are designed to maximize muscle contraction. But strengthening exercises can also be counterproductive and need to be used judiciously.
• Aerobic exercise- Aerobic exercise is more for people who need to keep in shape and maintain a healthy back, not for those with acute injuries.
• Vitamin B12- Some people swear by vitamin B12. However, there’s really no indication that it has any direct effect on low back pain, experts say. Instead, any benefit may come from the energy boost it bestows.
• Vitamin D- One long-term strategy to maintain bone and back health is vitamin D.
• Therapy- Biofeedback, hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral therapy have been shown to be of benefit.

Here at The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute we like to talk about our innovative methods of using today’s best surgical technology to provide our patients with the least destructive method of surgery. That’s a key factor of why we are different from other surgery centers. However, one key point is that a very small percentage of our patients actually need surgery at all. In fact, there is a 90% chance that when you visit one of our offices we will recommend a nonsurgical method of treatment.

The typical treatment for most patients are rest and simple of the counter anti-inflammatory medications. If the symptoms last more than two weeks the patient may require physical therapy. From there, less than 10% of all of our patients then require intervention or treatment such as spine injections or surgery.

1. Evaluate your habits. Take a moment and think about how you spend most of your day. Do you work on your feet or sit in a chair all day long? After a day of work do you come home and crash on the couch? Perhaps there is something in your daily routine that is causing your back pain.
2. Correct your posture. Spending a lot of time in a car or working on a computer can lead to a tremendous amount of stress on your lower back and neck. Try some active sitting and learn about correct desk ergonomics.
3. Try alternative methods of exercise. Getting active doesn’t mean you have to join a gym, there are many other alternative methods of exercise. For example, Yoga offers many poses that can help ease back pain. You could also try riding a bike or swimming.
4. Stay active. The old remedy of bed rest for back pain is no longer a wise option. Bed rest can actually make pain worse because without exercises and daily movement, back muscles and the spine weaken and become even less able to support the body properly overall.
5. Change your diet. Your diet can directly affect your health. For example, foods that are more acidic like beef, chicken, dairy, and fish promote inflammation, however foods that come from plants are anti-inflammatory. A diet that is high in animal fats and proteins can cause weight gain, which leads to chronic inflammation of the joints in the spine. This can trigger a pain response.
6. Alter your sleeping position. While your body is resting, your spine may be under a great deal of stress. Some sleeping positions are actually healthier for your spine than others. Try changing your sleeping position.
7. Track your back pain progression. Keep a journal or make a note of the day you first started feeling back pain. If the pain lasts longer than two weeks it may be considered chronic pain. Know the difference between chronic and acute back pain.

The most important point to remember is that you should not ignore the symptoms of back pain. It’s best to know the source of the back or neck pain and have an evaluation to determine whether it is something that will improve, or if the condition could deteriorate if not treated. Many times, people try and ignore the pain or mask its symptoms with over-the-counter medication, and end up hurting themselves even more. Consider an evaluation a check-up for your health.

Spinal stenosis may affect the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine. In some cases, it may be present in all three places in the same patient. Lumbar spinal stenosis results in low back pain as well as pain or abnormal sensations in the legs, thighs, feet or buttocks, or loss of bladder and bowel control.

Our minimally invasive techniques are highly successful in diminishing the pain caused by this common disorder. We can enter through a 7 or 15 mm incision and enlarge the spinal canal by shaving off the matter causing the narrowing and the resulting pain. And because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether, so you can get back to life as quickly as possible.

Symptoms of spinal stenosis:
Spinal narrowing doesn’t always cause problems. But if the narrowed areas compress the spinal cord or spinal nerves, you’re likely to develop signs and symptoms. These often start gradually and grow worse over time. The most common spinal stenosis symptoms include:

• Pain or cramping in your legs, arms, hands or feet.
• Numbness, weakness or tingling in your leg, arms or feet. For some people, the radiating pain is a minor annoyance, but for others, it can be debilitating.
• Pain in your neck and shoulders. This is likely to occur when the nerves in your neck (cervical spine) are compressed.
• Loss of balance. Pressure on the cervical spinal cord can affect the nerves that control your balance, resulting in clumsiness or a tendency to fall.

Loss of bowel or bladder function (cauda equina syndrome). In severe cases, nerves to your bladder or bowel may be affected, leading to partial or complete urinary or fecal incontinence. If you experience either of these problems, seek medical care right away. Visit us at zerospinepain.com

In the study two groups of women aged between 20 to 50 years were tested. One group regularly wore high heels of two inches or more for two or more years, while the other group had always wore flats.

“If you wear high heels for two years or more, five times a week, muscle fibers will become shorter and tendons will thicken and stiffen,” Professor Marco Narici, who led the research, told NewsCore.

Professor Narici recommended that women wear heels and flats on alternate days. A good shoe will provide control and balance by cushioning your heel and supporting your arch. After a long day at the office you may be rubbing your feet, but poor supporting footwear could be robbing you of a healthy spine and Achilles’ tendon.

Rotate your business attire to accommodate your feet. Your back and feet will thank you.

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This is one of those studies that we all knew the results before they were ever published.

As the Associated Press reports, an observational study of people in public places in the New Zealand capital of Wellington suggests that roughly three quarters of people at least make an attempt to cover coughs and sneezes, but that, unfortunately most who do just launch the bacteria onto their hands — where they can spread it by touching surfaces and other people. via Time

The study was presented at today’s infectious disease conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

The good news is that about three of every four people tried to cover their cough or sneeze, in at least a token attempt to prevent germs from flying through the air. The bad news is that most people — about two of three — used their hands to do it.

The best way to protect yourself is by washing your hands regularly. But it’s also important to help stop the spread of germs by coughing a sneezing properly. A fun way to remember the correct sneezing posture is with the humorous name called the “Dracula Sneeze.”

RELATED: Back Pain While Coughing or Sneezing

As shown in the picture above, the term “Dracula Sneeze” refers to the motion of sneezing into the nook of your inner elbow, much like the way a vampire would draw up his cape to the level of his eyes. If you don’t have a handkerchief it’s a much healthier alternative to sneezing into your hands.

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Many of our patients have had one or more failed open back surgeries in the past. The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute’s procedures can correct most conditions, plus remove unwanted hardware that is unneeded and/or causing discomfort. Scar tissue development from a previous open back surgery can also cause new and painful spine conditions can also be removed.

The quote below is from Glenn, who had previously had surgery because of back pain.

The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute checked me out to make sure they could help me. I did an MRI then Pain Mapping to see exactly which nerve was being pressed on. They told me a lot of people say they wished they would have done this years ago. They even checked out the area where I had surgery 20 years ago…and found some bone spurs touching the spinal cord, which they removed them….Damn, I feel great. My daughter just said to me, “Dad, it is kind of weird not seeing you limp”. I had been limping for almost a year. I am a personal trainer at an athletic club, and have been there for almost 8 years. Many people there have been watching me limp around for almost 1 year, so I am excited to begin passing out business cards for The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute. I feel wonderful. Thanks, Glenn

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