Be a good patient? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to health. There are rules that apply to most, such as eat healthy, exercise frequently and take vitamins, but for every rule there is an exception and that exception could be you. For the most part, following doctors orders and committing to a good check-up schedule is a good place to start. This keeps the dialogue with your physician open and frequent appointments can be used to manage a specific illness or medical concern. Follow these steps to being a good patient and listen to your physician’s advice. When you have health concerns, call, and when you’re unsure, ask questions. Never ignore symptoms that don’t go away and always be your own advocate. It’s your job to manage your health. A doctor can help, but not if you don’t approach them honestly about your concerns.
The most common cause of back pain ? There are three common types of nerve root issues that lead to back pain: spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis and osteoarthritis. In all three conditions, the nerve root is affected causing often-severe back pain. In spinal stenosis the pain results from narrowing of the spinal canal near the nerve roots. It can appear in one area, or several areas, of the back. In spondylolisthesis, a vertebrae slips over another vertebrae and creates a painful, unstable back. Spondylolisthesis most commonly occurs with joint issues, typically after a fracture or a degenerative joint disease, or as the result of a defect to the joints. Lastly, osteoarthritis occurs when both discs and joints begin to wear down. This ailment becomes more common as people age and leads to pain, swelling, instability and stenosis in one or several areas of the spine.
Those who enter into a SI joint rehabilitation program can usually return to running with minor modifications. The more severe the case is, the more modifications will have to be made and longer rest period a physician may recommend. Many runners can return to running immediately by making modifications, but others with more severe pain may need to rest and rehabilitate for a while. In the latter case, it’s important that athletes take time to recover so they aren’t doing permanent damage to their body. Usually, a rehabilitation protocol and possible intervention to treat underlying cause (biomechanics, physical attributes, muscle problems) will result in complete recovery and zero residual pain. Surgical intervention offers similar results for more severe cases. With minimally-invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion procedures, doctors have reported less post-surgical bleeding and bruising as well as a shorter operating time. Explore additional info at Sacroiliac Joint.
Southern California neck pain sufferers — Eliminate neck pain with Anterior Cervical Discectomy Fusion surgery! The cervical spine is made up of seven bones or vertebrae stacked one on top of another forming the neck. In between the vertebrae are cushions called disks. These act as shock absorbers so when they deteriorate with age, the neck can become painful and hard to move. Loss of mobility with cervical disk degeneration is common. Because the upper part of the spinal cord passes through the cervical spine, the vertebrae or cervical disk can press on it when the opening becomes too narrow. Sometimes, the body reacts to a disrupted disk by forming bone spurs, which can also put pressure on the spinal nerves, causing pain. Pushing against the spinal nerves leads to pain, numbness and sometimes weakness in the neck and extremities. When nonsurgical treatments do not provide relief, surgery is often recommended. Anterior Cervical Disectomy Fusion, or ACDF, treats nerve root or spinal cord compression through spinal cord and nerve root decompression for those who suffer from back pain in Southern California. The goal is to stabilize the surrounding vertebrae where the disk has deteriorated. In most cases, a nerve root becomes inflamed because the disk has herniated allowing the jelly-like center of the disc to bulge through and put pressure on the nerve root or because the disc has degenerated and the cushion is no longer there to protect it.
SI joint dysfunction isn’t always the cause of SI joint pain. Other potential causes of SI joint pain include sacral stress fracture, lumbar disk herniation, piriformis syndrome (a rare diagnosis that involves irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve) and ankylosing spondylitis (chronic, dull pain felt in the back, hip, and butt that often results in morning stiffness but subsides with exercise). If SI joint dysfunction is the cause of pain, an individualized treatment plan will be developed that includes both rest as well as modified activity. The goal is to rehabilitate the affected muscles by targeting the underlying cause of dysfunction and pain. In some cases, runners can change their approach to running to reduce or eliminate pain. A biomechanical evaluation of the runner can be done to assess whether or not this is the problem. Sometimes improper training, weak muscles or imbalanced muscles can be to blame. Overtraining can also be to blame. Manual therapy performed by a sports osteopath, chiropractor, physical therapist or athletic trainer is sometimes recommended as part of a doctor-prescribed therapy protocol.
Long Beach Spine Surgeon, Dr. Yuan, uses surgical and non-surgical treatments to relieve chronic pain in the neck and back. Learn more about the top 5 causes of back pain. Dr. Yuan is dedicated to serving patients using conservative treatments whenever possible. Never sign up for surgery when you don’t need it. If surgery is required, however, Dr. Yuan offers a variety of options for patients, including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures. Discover a few extra details on Long Beach spine surgery.