Spinal Doc

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Have A Crick in Your Neck, A Pain in Your Back or Aches In Your Joints?

Here at the South Texas Spinal Clinic San Antonio we are here to make sure that all your spinal health needs are met.

http://spinaldoc.com

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Lead A Normal Life Without Back Pain!

One of the most important parts of the body, the spine, performs major functions like helping us walk upright, stand up, move freely, pick up things and bend. Without the spine we would not be able to move the rest of the body or control any movements. It is paramount that we keep our spine in the healthiest condition possible to prevent pain or discomfort as we go about daily activities in life.

The spine, known as the human vertebral column in medical terms, is made up of 33 vertebrae that provide the spinal canal or a hollow space where the spinal cord exists. It is the spinal cord that allows the transfer of sensory information from the brain to the body and vice versa, and controls and coordinates our reflex actions.

The vertebral column consists of bones stacked one on top of the other with cushions in between to absorb shock, stress or weight. At least 80% of people are at some point in their lives affected by back pain. Millions in America suffer from either cervical stenosis (neck pain) or lumbar stenosis (lower back pain).

Chief of Neurosurgery and Spine surgery, Dr. Anders Cohen, at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York states that back pain is the number one cause of lost work days in the U.S. He also says that being fit and in shape helps reduce your chances of back pain. This is because a working person may not be able to keep up the same fitness levels of the young persons, and once age catches up, the situation doesn’t seem to be favorable for your back or neck. Most people wish back pain away by taking pain killers or applying gels or creams which do work temporarily, but in the long run will cause problems or damage to the spine that will be more expensive to address.

Treating your back or spinal problems should be a number one priority for you because it is hard to lead when you suffer from back pain and problems. Simple activities like sitting in the car seat for long drive, or while riding a bicycle, walking, climbing stairs, picking up things, etc., could seem painful and stressful.

It is important to get spinal treatment from qualified doctors to give your body the flexibility to move and perform its natural functions. The South Texas Spinal Clinic is comprised of more than a dozen well qualified and most importantly caring doctors who will understand your concerns and treat and diagnose treatment for back pain and discomfort. A thorough diagnosis at the clinic will help you get the right spinal treatment from these experienced doctors. The goal here is to get you back on your feet at the earliest, and saving your back from further damage before it gets too late and causes you to lose workdays and productivity. After a proper diagnosis, a comprehensive spinal treatment will be decided upon whether it is medications, surgery, physical therapy or a combination.

There is no need to put up with neck, back or any other pain when you can consult the best doctors here at the South Texas Spinal Clinic. Making an informed decision after a detailed assessment will help determine the best treatment for your specific medical condition. State-of-the-art technology and the latest procedures are offered for a personalized spinal treatment.

Some of the treatments offered at the clinic are Orthopedic Surgery, physical therapy, pain management, and fracture prevention, Lumbar Microdiscectomy, Lumbar Laminectomy, Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Anterior Cervical Fusion.

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How the Spine Can Cause Pain as We Age

An unfortunate side effect of aging is increasing orthopedic issues. Muscles slowly shrink with age and muscle fibers decrease in size and number. Bones become fragile as their mineral content decreases. Cartilage loses water content, making it more susceptible to stress.

The spine is incredibly important to maintaining your body’s form and function. It is composed of 24 bones (vertebra) that are held together with ligaments and muscles. The spines’ job is protecting your spinal cord while supporting your range of motion. The first seven vertebrae start at the base of the skull and compose the cervical spine. The middle twelve vertebrae are called the thoracic spine. They connect to the ribs. The lumbar spine is the last five vertebrae of the lower back. Some people have a sixth lumbar vertebrae. As the pelvis bears most of the body’s weight and affects most movement, lumbar pain is not uncommon.

Between each vertebra is an intervertebral disc. These soft discs act as shock absorbers, preventing bone from rubbing against each other and causing damage. This support is possible thanks to the high water content of the jelly-like discs.

Despite what its name implies, degenerative disc disease is not a disease but rather the natural changes in your spine due to age. In older individuals, discs retain less water and are therefore less effective at their jobs. The less padding your spine has, the more prone it is to damage. These changes in the discs’ composition can result in osteoarthritis, herniated discs, or spinal stenosis.

For some individuals, the impact of degenerative disc disease is minimal. However, in more serious cases, it can seriously impact a senior’s quality of life.

In more minor cases, physical therapy can benefit a senior experiencing back or neck pain. Meeting with a physical therapist is important to ensure that the correct form is used for each exercise.

In more serious or painful cases, your doctor may recommend meeting with an orthopedic surgeon. A cervical herniated disc and/or cervical degenerative disc disease may be treated with an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Anterior cervical discectomy is common procedure in terms of spinal surgery. Discectomy means “cutting out the disc” and can be performed anywhere along the spine. An anterior cervical discectomy is a surgical procedure to specifically remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the neck. An incision is made in the front (anterior) neck (cervical) area and the damaged disc is removed. This approach allows the neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon a clear view of the spine. Additionally, this approach tends to leave the patient with less pain.

Once the disc is removed, an anterior cervical fusion is performed. A bone graft is placed between the two vertebrae in place of the disc. This fuses the two bones together. A metal plate is often used to reinforce the bone graft so it is stable during fusion.

If you have persistent pain, contact orthopedic doctors at the South Texas Spinal Clinic at [phone] or http://spinaldoc.com/appointments/.

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For Lower Back Pain, Physical Therapy May Be A Better Option Than Surgery!

Many people suffer from lower back pain, which is called “lumbar spinal stenosis.” Most often, doctors will recommend surgery to treat lower back pain.  At the South Texas Spinal Clinic, however, we have found that non-invasive physical therapy can often time be a solution that can reduce pain and improve mobility.

What is lumbar spinal stenosis?  It is the narrowing of the space inside the lowest part of the spinal canal. This narrowing puts pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves extending from the lumbar vertebrae, the five bones between the rib cage and the pelvis that make up the lower part of the spine.

Spinal stenosis stems from the degeneration of discs, ligaments, or any of the joints between the interlocking vertebrae that form the spine. There are several causes of degeneration including aging and repetitive pressure on that part of the body. Stenosis can cause a painful and potentially disabling narrowing of the spinal canal.

Typical symptoms of spinal stenosis are:

·         Pain in the groin, buttocks, and upper thigh that does not move down the leg (like the pain of sciatica).

·         Pain with standing or walking that gets better if you sit or squat.

·         Pain that feels worse when you lean back and becomes less intense if you lean forward.

 An operation known as decompression or laminectomy is sometimes done to ease the pain of lumbar spinal stenosis. It removes structures that are pressing on the nerves and contributing to symptoms. But physical therapy is a great option to ease this type of lower back pain.

To compare these two treatments, researchers recruited 169 Pittsburgh-area men and women with lumbar spinal stenosis. All agreed to have surgery, and understood that half would get surgery right away, while half would initially participate in a specifically designed physical therapy program.

Participants in both groups saw benefits as early as 10 weeks after surgery or beginning physical therapy. Their pain continued to decline over four months, while their physical function continued to improve. Two years later, there was no difference in pain or physical function between the surgery and physical therapy groups.

Twenty-two participants in the surgery group (25%) experienced surgery-related complications like repeat surgery or a surgery-related infection, while eight of those in the physical therapy group (10%) reported worsening symptoms as a complication.

At South Texas Spinal Clinic, we offer full-service physical therapy to help you with lower back pain and other spinal pain issues.  Come in for a consultation to see if physical therapy is the solution for you.

Learn more about physical therapy from Howard LeWine, M.D., Chief Medical Editor, Internet Publishing, Harvard Health Publications at http://bit.ly/1GOLWCk.

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Osteoporosis: A Guide to Help Prevent and Treat Bone Loss by Orthopedic Surgeon San Antonio

This video features Dr. James W. Simmons, Board Certified orthopedic surgeon san Antonio. This video explains some important points to prevent and treat bone loss.

http://spinaldoc.com/orthopedic-surgery/