If your chronic back pain is no longer being relieved by conservative treatment methods, such as physical therapy and medication, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend back surgery. Patients who undergo a back operation usually have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, vertebral fractures, degenerative disc disease, or another type of spine condition that…
Bradley D. Ahlgren MD
How Can a Pain Management Doctor Treat Spine Pain?
A physician who specializes in pain management knows how to treat pain of all sorts. Neck pain and back pain are usually caused by problems in the spine, especially the spinal cord. Back pain along the spine may be due to tight muscles, degenerative disc disease, a herniated disc, or fractures in one or more…
Types of Physical Therapy
Physical therapists treat patients experiencing various problems—from pain management to complications in the circulatory system. Some patients may not know this, but there are different types of physical therapy that cater to specific groups of people and conditions. It pays to be familiar with them, so that you get the specific type of care you…
Recovery From A Lumbar Fusion
you are suffering with a condition that affects the lower spine, which is preventing you from carrying out normal day to day activities, a lumbar fusion may be necessary to alleviate painful symptoms. It can also be useful if other treatments have failed to work successfully. Recovery from lumbar fusion surgery can take time, patience,…
Common Spinal Injuries
Your spine is your body’s primary support structure, facilitating the body’s ability to move, feel, and respond to stimuli. It allows you to stay in an upright position while it also houses the spinal cord, which pairs with your brain to form the central nervous system (CNS). However, everything from sports to household chores to…
When To Get A Microdiscectomy
A lumbar microdiscectomy is a surgical procedure performed to relieve pressure on your nerves and spinal cord in your back caused by a herniated disc. It involves the removal of a portion of the bulging disc, hence, the term “micro”. Today, a microdiscectomy can be performed as a minimally-invasive procedure, which requires a smaller incision…
What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?
One of the most common causes of back pain is degenerative disc disease. Contrary to its name, it’s not an actual disease but rather a set of symptoms that cause neck and back pain that may radiate to the upper and lower extremities and cause weakness, tingling, and shooting pain, depending on the location of…
Causes of a Herniated Disc
Approximately 80 percent of people will experience back pain at least once in their lives due to a variety of reasons, a very common reason of which is a herniated disc. A herniated disc is also referred to as a slipped or ruptured disc. With a herniated disc, the nucleus of the disc is pushed…
When To Visit A Doctor For Arthritis
A lot of people don’t get diagnosed with arthritis until the condition has progressed for quite some time. The reason for this is arthritis symptoms can easily be mistaken as normal aches and pains. Most people choose to relieve symptoms on their own until the condition has progressed enough to cause chronic pain. If you…
Types of Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a condition caused by the deterioration of the spine, most often due to an injury or years of wear and tear. Spinal stenosis actually has three variations. The type of spinal stenosis you have depends on the location of the narrowing. Lumbar spinal stenosis affects the lumbar region, thoracic affects the region…