People with back and neck problems want to get well, get their lives back, and get back to work. Physicians and other spine care providers focus on decreasing pain in an effort to get these people back into their full speed lives again. Usually, appropriate exercise and conservative care is all that is required. Occasionally, surgery may be required to reestablish full function. Years ago, spine surgery developed a well deserved reputation for ca…

What's the Difference? One of the biggest problems with osteoporosis (soft bones) is the development of bone fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist. Of these, spinal compression fractures are the most common, affecting 700,000 Americans each year. These fractures occur when the bone strength is diminished to the point that even minor trauma causes the vertebra to crush. Compression fractures can cause spinal deformity, severe back pain and loss o…

Of the many causes for low back pain, one of the most common is a "slipped vertebra", or spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis refers to the inability of the spine to maintain normal vertebra alignment, and a shifting forward of one vertebra on the vertebra below is the net result. Women have this condition more often than men. The most common symptoms from spondylolisthesis include low backache, aching which is worse with activity, posterior thig…

Neck pain is reported by the National Institute of Health to be the second most common type of chronic pain next to back pain. Women report suffering from neck pain more frequently than men. Various causes of neck pain include arthritis, muscle strain, degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, stress, poor posture, smoking, tumor, and trauma. One of the most common causes of neck pain in women ages 20-40 is muscle tension and stress. This is go…

Remember when your mom would tell you to sit up straight or walk with your head up and shoulders back? Once again, your mother was right. Posture does matter. In fact, we all know it's better to use good posture. So why do we still slouch? Research has proven that poor posture contributes to back and neck pain. Sitting in a poor posture can contribute to other aspects of your health including eye strain, headaches, shoulder pain, and carpal tunne…

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 …

As a part of normal aging, the spine can develop arthritis. The discs lose their water content and begin to collapse, bone spurs form, and the ligaments around the joints of the spine begin to thicken. After age 50, these slowly growing bone spurs and thickened ligaments may begin to narrow the spinal canal and compress nerves. The result is slowly worsening pain into the buttocks, hips, thighs, and legs. Walking and standing are often worse than…

What do Steve Nash, Randy Johnson, Robin Lopez, and 80% of Americans have in common? They have all experienced back pain. Nash's back has bothered him for years, yet he has been named NBA Most Valuable Player multiple times. Randy Johnson had to actually undergo back surgery, yet he still found a way to win 198 more games, four Cy Young awards, and a World Series. Robin Lopez continues to play for the Phoenix Suns. It's obvious that sports are an…

We all know that the more miles you put on your car, the more likely it is to begin having wear and tear problems. Our spines work in the same way. Like a car, the spine has important relationships among its moving parts. The car can be traded for a new one but we must take care of our spine as best we can for many years. Spinal stenosis, often an end stage of the spine degenerative process, is characterized by leg pain with walking. Pain will go…

There are many types of spinal conditions. To effectively treat a spinal condition, obtaining a correct diagnosis is first. Once your spinal diagnosis is determined, you can read more about it and better understand the options for treatment. If you have questions about your spinal condition of a general nature, feel free to ask us. You may also find additional help by visiting these spine-related websites: spineuniverse.com back.com iscoliosis.co…