Blog Articles

4 Strategies to Keep Your Neck Healthy and Pain-free

When neck pain is literal—as it is for 203 million people around the world—you want to find ways to lessen the discomfort. You’ve come to the right place, as we outline some best practices for neck pain.

Dec 2nd, 2024

3 Spine Conditions that Can Cause Numbness in Your Arms and Hands

If you’re experiencing ongoing issues with numbness in your arms and hands, the problem may originate in your spine. Here, we look at three spine conditions that can lead to nagging numbness.

Nov 1st, 2024

4 Tips to Support Your Child Through Scoliosis Surgery

You want to give your child the best start in life and you’ve determined that surgery to correct their scoliosis should be part of that effort. Here are some tips to help them through this journey.

Oct 9th, 2024

Can a Spine Injection Help My Leg Pain?

It might not seem logical that an injection in your spine can relieve leg pain, but that is often the case with lumbar radiculopathy. Read on to learn whether you’re a simple shot away from moving freely again.

Sep 12th, 2024

Is Surgery Recommended for Neck Pain Due to Whiplash?

While pinning down an exact number has been tricky, medical researchers suspect that there are more than 1.2 million whiplash injuries each year in the United States. Do these common neck injuries require surgery? Likely not.

Aug 6th, 2024

Step-by-step Look at Spinal Decompression and Fusion Surgery

When it comes to resolving painful lower back issues, spinal decompression and fusion surgery is a top choice. If you’re looking for this solution to help you move without pain, here’s what you can expect.

Jul 2nd, 2024

3 Tips for Preparing for Back Surgery

You’re scheduled for spine surgery and want to be as prepared as possible. Here are some great practices to help smooth your journey before, during, and after your spine surgery.

Jun 4th, 2024

Your Sciatica Checklist — Do You Have These Symptoms?

Millions of people are all too familiar with the uncomfortable symptoms of sciatica, but if it’s your first rodeo with this common back issue, here are some of the more common telltale signs.

May 14th, 2024

Signs of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

You opted for surgery to relieve your back pain, but your hoped-for results didn’t materialize, leaving you in a world of discomfort. Called failed back surgery syndrome, here are some common signs.

Apr 4th, 2024

Could Your Back Pain Stem from SI Joint Dysfunction?

There are many different roads to lower back pain, but a condition called sacroiliac joint dysfunction is responsible for more than its fair share. Here’s a look at this surprisingly common condition.

Mar 7th, 2024

Will My Child Grow Out of Scoliosis?

Your child will grow out of many things but, unfortunately, scoliosis isn’t one of them. That doesn’t mean that you’re without options as there are steps we can take to control the issue.

Feb 1st, 2024

The Many Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery

No one really enjoys undergoing surgery of any kind, which certainly applies to spine surgery. Thanks to advanced technology, minimally invasive surgery is the new normal and comes with many advantages.

Jan 8th, 2024

5 Best Practices for Protecting Your Back in the New Year (and Beyond)

While protecting your back might not be a glamorous New Year’s Resolution, it’s an incredibly smart one if you value moving without pain. Here are some great practices for keeping back pain at bay.

Dec 4th, 2023

When Revision Spinal Surgery Is a Good Option

Spine surgery is a serious undertaking, and you want everything to go well the first time around. Sometimes that isn’t the case, and a revision surgery might be your best option for moving forward without pain.

Nov 16th, 2023

What We Want You to Know About Cervical Radiculopathy

A pinched nerve in your neck can not only be a literal pain in your neck, it can also cause symptoms that extend down into your arms and chest. Called cervical radiculopathy, here’s what you should know.

Oct 1st, 2023

Advantages of Disc Replacement Over Spinal Fusion

You’re in a considerable amount of pain thanks to a bad disc in your neck or lower back and you want to understand your surgical options better. Here, we explore spinal fusion versus artificial disc replacement.

Sep 1st, 2023

Is Degenerative Disc Disease Just Part of Getting Older?

There are many different conditions we need to get used to as we get older and we’re going to add disc wear-and-tear to this list. Whether this aging in your discs becomes problematic, however, is not a given.

Aug 1st, 2023

Is Spinal Stenosis Reversible?

The answer to the question we pose in the title is — no, spinal stenosis is not reversible. This doesn’t mean that you’re not without treatment options that can help you move more freely. Here’s what you need to know.

Jul 5th, 2023

Why a Nerve Block Might Be the Answer to Your Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain has a way of taking over your life, not in a good way. If you want to regain the freedom to move without pain, a nerve block can play a role — a couple, really — in achieving this goal. Here’s how.

Jun 2nd, 2023

5 Tips to Ease Your Recovery from Spine Surgery

You’ve determined that the best road to relief from your back or neck pain is spine surgery. With that decision made, it’s a good idea to spend some time preparing in advance so that your recovery goes smoothly.

May 2nd, 2023

The Advantages of Disc Replacement in Your Neck

A disc in your neck has broken down to the point where pain and stiffness are greatly impacting your life. Instead of removing the diseased disc, we can replace it with an artificial disc that offers many benefits.

Apr 1st, 2023

Can a Herniated Disc Affect Your Arms?

You’re experiencing sensations in your arm — pain, numbness, and tingling — but there’s no obvious source of the symptoms. There's a good chance that the problem may stem from a herniated disc in your neck.

Mar 3rd, 2023

Pain When YouTry and Stand Up Straight? It could Be Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

You get out of bed in the morning and pain in your lower back prevents you from standing up tall. Or, perhaps you find yourself leaning over your grocery cart to relieve pain in your back. Both are signs of lumbar spinal stenosis.

Feb 6th, 2023

5 Easy Steps to Protect Your Back and Neck This Year

If you’re tired of struggling with chronic back or neck pain (or both!) and you want to hit the reset button on your spine this year, there are a few easy steps you can take toward that goal. We review five here.

Jan 18th, 2023

Are You at Risk for a Herniated Disc?

A herniated disc in your neck or lower back can be a painful event and one that you’d rather avoid. One way to accomplish this is to better understand your risk factors, some of which you have some control over.

Dec 2nd, 2022

My Neck Hurts in the Morning

You want to jump out of bed to greet the day, but a painful neck in the mornings puts a decidedly negative spin on your day. There are many reasons why people wake up with neck pain — and solutions for the problem.

Nov 1st, 2022

How to Manage the Emotional Effects of Your Child’s Scoliosis

It's hard enough to navigate adolescent life when things are perfectly normal, but when your child is also dealing with scoliosis, the challenges can be much greater. Here are some tips to help with the emotional side effects.

Oct 6th, 2022

Areas of Your Spine That Are More Prone to Degenerative Disc Disease

Over time, the discs in your spine can succumb to wear and tear, which can lead to degenerative disc disease. This problem, however, tends to strike certain areas of your spine more than others. Let’s take a look.

Sep 1st, 2022

That Pain In Your Arm May Stem from Your Spine

You’re experiencing pain in your arm, but there’s no obvious injury that could be causing the discomfort. In these cases, you may want us to take a look to see whether a problem in your spine may be the culprit.

Aug 1st, 2022

Massages Aren't Just for Relaxation

Sure, a day at the spa getting a relaxing massage is nice, but targeted massage therapy goes well beyond pampering. From pain relief to reducing stiffness, massage therapy can help you move more freely and easily.

Jul 1st, 2022

Working from Home a Pain in Your Neck?

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are working from their own homes. If you figure among these numbers and you’ve developed a case of tech neck, here are a few tips.

Jun 1st, 2022

These Things are Contributing to Your Disc Degeneration

Your discs play an incredibly important supporting role in your spine and you want to do all you can to keep them healthy. Here, we explore conditions or behaviors that may be accomplishing quite the opposite.

May 1st, 2022

Effective Treatment Options for Radiculopathy

Your hands are numb or tingling or perhaps you’re feeling pain down one of your legs. Called radiculopathy, the condition stems from a problem in your spine and the good news is that there are solutions.

Apr 1st, 2022

5 Ways to Manage Spondylolisthesis Pain

You’ve been struggling with pain in your lower back and we’ve diagnosed you with spondylolisthesis. Armed with an answer, you wonder what you can do next to relieve your discomfort.

Mar 1st, 2022

How is Cervical Disc Degeneration Treated?

Your neck is in pain or stiff — or both — and you want solutions that will enable you to swivel your head with ease. Many neck problems are caused by disc degeneration and we review your treatment options here.

Feb 1st, 2022

Telltale Signs of a Lower Back Strain

There are many roads that lead to lower back pain and a muscle strain is among the more common. To help you better identify the source of your discomfort, we review the signs of a lower back strain here.

Jan 1st, 2022

How to Tell if You Have a Herniated Disc

Back and neck pain can be caused by any number of issues, but a herniated disc has a unique set of symptoms that set this condition apart. Here, we review the telltale signs of a herniated disc.

Dec 1st, 2021

Subtle Signs: Recognizing Scoliosis In Your Teen

Your child develops at a dizzying rate and it’s all you can do to keep up with the changes. Unfortunately, scoliosis can often be lost in the mix, which is why we've pulled together some of the more common signs in teens.

Nov 1st, 2021

The Link Between Back and Leg Pain

You change your position or bend over and you’re met with pain that travels from your lower back and down into one of your legs. Yes, that discomfort likely shares the same source and we review what that is here.

Oct 1st, 2021

Can a Problem in Your Spine Be Causing Your Arm Pain?

Your spine plays many important roles, not the least of which is providing the primary passageway for your nervous system. As a result, a problem in your spine can lead to pain in seemingly unrelated areas, such as your arms.

Sep 1st, 2021

What Causes a Herniated Disc?

Slipped, bulging, ruptured — these terms all apply to the same problem, a herniated disc. Just as there are many names for the condition, there are also many causes or risk factors, which we review here.

Aug 4th, 2021

I Think My Teen May Have Scoliosis

You watch with amazement at how quickly your child develops, but you notice that they may be having issues with their back. Here, we take a look at scoliosis, which typically presents itself during adolescence.

Jul 6th, 2021

What is Spinal Stenosis?

There are many roads to lower back and neck pain, which are the two most active areas of your spine. Here, we explore one of the more common culprits — spinal stenosis — and how you can find relief.

Jun 15th, 2021

4 Symptoms of Radiculopathy

When one of the highly sensitive nerve roots along your spine is pinched or compressed, it can lead to a wide range of symptoms that we group under the medical term radiculopathy. Here’s a look at four of the more common.

May 3rd, 2021

Recognizing the Signs of a Herniated Disc

There are many problems that can lead to back and neck pain, with herniated discs among the more common. Here, we explore the symptoms of a herniated disc so that you can better identify and treat the issue.

Apr 1st, 2021

Treatments for Your Lower Back Pain

Few things can affect your life quite like lower back pain, which can make the simple act of getting up out of a chair excruciating. Thankfully, there are a wide range of treatment options for lower back pain.

Mar 3rd, 2021

How Radiculopathy Starts in Your Spine

You feel tingling in your arms and hands or pain that shoots down one of your legs. These problems are often caused by issues in your spine in a condition known as radiculopathy. Here’s a look at how radiculopathy develops.

Feb 3rd, 2021

How Spinal Conditions Can Cause Discomfort in Your Arms

Your fingers tingle or you feel shooting pains down your arm. These symptoms may have nothing at all to do with your arms, but everything to do with your neck. Here’s a look at how your cervical spine affects your arms and hands.

Jan 6th, 2021

What to do About a Pinched Nerve

A pinched nerve sounds like such a small problem, but its effects can be anything but small. Depending upon which nerve is compressed, you can experience from severe pain to numbness. Here’s what you can do.

Dec 1st, 2020

Scoliosis and Self-Esteem

Going through one’s teens is tough enough under normal circumstances, but when you add a visible structural defect like scoliosis, the journey can become exponentially harder. Here’s a look at how scoliosis can affect self-esteem.

Nov 2nd, 2020

What Causes Chronic Leg Pain?

You want to greet each day with a spring in your step, but chronic leg pain has different plans. Here’s a look at some of the more common causes of ongoing leg discomfort and how we can help put that spring back in your step.

Oct 1st, 2020

Effective Treatments for Cervical Disc Degeneration

A “pain in the neck” caused by cervical disc degeneration is a problem that gets worse, not better, unless you seek treatment. Here’s a look at some of your treatment options for this chronic issue.

Sep 8th, 2020

How We Treat Arm Pain

If you’re experiencing arm pain even though there’s nothing wrong with the limb, the problem may lie in your cervical spine. Here’s a look at how a pinched nerve in your neck can lead to radiating arm pain and what we can do about it.

Aug 12th, 2020

What's the Difference Between a Herniated Disc and a Bulging Disc?

If you have pain in your back or neck that radiates down into your legs or arms, the odds are good that the problem originates in one of your vertebral discs. And that problem may be a herniated disc or a bulging disc — here’s the difference.

Jul 15th, 2020

5 Ways to Ease Lower Back Pain at Home

Adults in the United States are no strangers to lower back pain — 80% report experiencing lower back pain at some point. While we can do our part to bring you relief, there are also some key steps you can take at home to ease lower back pain.

Jun 12th, 2020

What are the Differences Between Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Radiculopathy?

If you have a pinched nerve somewhere along your spine, the symptoms that accompany the problem can affect a number of different areas in your body. Here’s how you can differentiate between a cervical, thoracic, and lumbar radiculopathy.

May 26th, 2020

How Exercise Can Help With Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain has a way of hijacking your life and exercise may be the last thing on your mind. But exercise may be exactly what you need to help alleviate the pain and prevent back problems down the road. Here’s how.

Apr 1st, 2020

4 Common Signs of Cervical Stenosis

Your cervical spine can undergo changes throughout your life, leaving you with neck pain and radiating symptoms that affect your entire body. Here are the most common signs that point toward cervical stenosis.

Mar 4th, 2020

Is Your Weight Making You Vulnerable to Herniated Discs?

When it comes to debilitating lower back pain, a herniated disc is one of the more common culprits. Here, we explore how your weight may play a role and how you can avoid future problems by shedding the excess pounds.

Feb 10th, 2020

Types of Leg Pain That Are Actually Caused By a Back Problem

Pain sensations are your body’s way of letting you know something is wrong. However, the site of your pain may not be the source of the problem. Leg pain that radiates or feels like an electric shock may be signs of a back problem, not a leg problem.

Jan 9th, 2020

My Hands and Feet Are On Pins and Needles: What Could It Be?

Having tingling sensations in your hands and feet can feel really strange. If you’re experiencing this, you might wonder if it’s just a temporary problem or if you have an illness or condition that’s causing it. Read on to learn what it could be.

Dec 23rd, 2019

What Are My Options if I Have Degenerative Disc Disease?

If you have degenerative disc disease, you know how painful it can be. Find out what caused it and what the best treatment options are for your situation.

Nov 1st, 2019

5 Common Causes of Arm Pain You Should Be Aware of

The reason for your arm pain may be obvious — a broken bone, pulled tendon, bruised muscle. But shoulder, arm, and/or wrist pain is also commonly related to problems in your neck that require treatment from a spinal specialist.

Sep 9th, 2019

Why It's So Important to Catch Scoliosis Early

If you see that your child’s back is curved, or that they stand “crookedly,” it’s time for a quick visit to the doctor for a scoliosis spine check. Catching scoliosis early can help mitigate the effects of this disease.

Aug 16th, 2019

What’s Causing Your Leg Pain?

An obvious reason for your leg pain is that you’ve injured your leg. But you may not know that one of the most common sources of leg pain is actually your back. Find out what might be causing your leg pain and what you can do about it.

Jul 22nd, 2019

5 Ways to Avoid Tech Neck

Your phone and computer may be the hub of your social and business life, but could they also be causing you pain? Find out how to prevent and treat tech neck so you can type and text on your favorite electronic devices pain-free.

Jun 14th, 2019

You Could Have a Herniated Disc: Here are the Top Symptoms to Look For

If you’ve been experiencing persistent pain in an arm or leg, you might have an untreated herniated disc. Take a moment to explore this and other symptoms of a herniated (ruptured) disc, a condition that affects millions of Americans.

May 20th, 2019

Facts and Myths About Injection Therapy

Finding the right treatment to help you get relief from your neck or back pain takes time and patience. Before you put all of your hopes into injection therapy, it’s important to understand how it may or may not help you.

Apr 11th, 2019

8 Things You Can Do To Prevent and Manage Lower Back Pain

Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability and lost time in the United States. It’s usually possible for you to ease your lower back issues and return to full health in 14 days or less. Only a few people develop more serious issues.

Mar 13th, 2019

5 Facts You Didn't Know About Adult Scoliosis

Does a diagnosis of adult scoliosis means spinal surgery? Is there a cure for scoliosis? What causes it? Learn more about this common spinal deformity.

Feb 8th, 2019

Considering a Nerve Block for Your Chronic Pain? Here are 4 Things You Need to Know

Considering a nerve block for that chronic back pain? If so, here are four things you need to know about nerve blocks and how they work.

Jan 22nd, 2019