To read the article featuring Dr. Crandall, click here:https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/suns-p-j-tucker-out-6-8-weeks-following-back-surgery/

There are three main problems that can occur within your spine: cervical spine issues, thoracic spine issues, and lumbar spine issues. Here are the differences between these problems and how you can diagnose them. CERVICAL SPINE WHAT IS IT? The cervical spine is in your neck region and houses the spinal cord that sends messages from the brain to control all aspects of the body. It consists of seven bones which are separated by one another by inte…

Surgical Options Young discs are made almost entirely of water. As we age, they become less pliable and more prone to damage. The vast majority of herniated disc patients are given conservative treatments because most improve within six months without the help of surgery. That said, it’s important to move onto aggressive care if other therapies don’t work. X-rays, EMGs, and CT scans will determine the source of your symptoms and thus their best c…

Diagnostics Those with degenerative disc disease enjoy a 33% reduction in pain score and a 25% decrease in disability when compared to non-surgical patients. Operative care even reduces treatment costs. Spinal fusion has been the traditional go-to approach for many years, but treating such a broad range of conditions in the same way is like trying to shoot a fly with a cannon. Thorough diagnostics will determine the best surgical option for you. …

THE EMERGENCE OF ARTIFICIAL DISC REPLACEMENT More than 80% of Americans will experience significant back pain at least once in their lives. The personal and monetary impact can be staggering. A major cause of back pain is the degeneration of the shock absorbers, discs that are positioned in between the bony vertebral bodies of the spine. disc degeneration can be painful and often difficult to treat long term. A promising surgical option recently …

What Is It? When the disc wall becomes disrupted either from injury or as a consequence of ageing, disc material can escape from its usual space between the vertebrae and enter the spinal canal. If a large amount of disc is herniated into the spinal canal, it can pinch nerve roots and cause buttock and leg pain. The disc material can also cause inflammation of adjacent nerve roots. Typically, the pain (sciatica) radiates through the buttocks, bac…

"A PINCHED NERVE IN THE NECK" What is it? In between the vertebrae of the neck are cervical discs. The cervical disc serves to cushion the weight of the head while allowing the vertebrae to move. When a piece of the disc escapes through a tear in its thick containment ligaments called the annulus, this is called a cervical disc herniation. Herniations occur into the spinal canal and can compress the spinal nerves or even the spinal cord. Causes M…