back pain – thirdAGE

Why Winter Can Become a Pain in the Back – and Neck

“Oh, the weather outside is frightful,” but your back – and neck — may not be feeling so delightful unless you took the necessary precautions to protect the spine from winter’s cold and activity perils. Falls on ice, especially while carrying grocery bags and packages, and improper snow-shoveling techniques – putting stress on the back… Continue reading Why Winter Can Become a Pain in the Back – and Neck

Understanding the Connection Between Sleep Positions and Neck and Back Pain

Ah, sweet slumber. But how sweet is it when we wake up with neck or back pain? The reality is our sleep position can greatly contribute to spinal woes. Ideally, sleep is an escape from the hard stuff happening every day, not another reason we face more difficulties. But sometimes the way we sleep –… Continue reading Understanding the Connection Between Sleep Positions and Neck and Back Pain

7 Surprising Causes of Back Pain

Most of us know the usual culprits of back pain; stress, excess body weight, improper lifting technique, and poor posture. While these are the typical causes, unexpected issues can be causing all that agony. Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non organic – meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as… Continue reading 7 Surprising Causes of Back Pain

Are My High Heels Causing My Chronic Back Pain?

Every day, millions of women dress according to the dictates of fashion – right down to their toes – and complete their outfits with high-heeled shoes in every possible color, fabric, and style. Most women are well aware of discomfort, the difficulty of running for a bus, and the toll on their feet as they… Continue reading Are My High Heels Causing My Chronic Back Pain?

A Non-Surgical Option for Back Pain

A new image-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment for low back pain and sciatica appears to be making most patients pain-free, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Low back pain is an extremely common problem that affects at least 80 percent of the population at some… Continue reading A Non-Surgical Option for Back Pain

New Guidelines for Treating Back Pain

A physicians’ group has recommended that doctors and patients should treat acute or sub-acute low back pain with non-drug therapies. The American College of Physicians (ACP) said that the non-drug therapies included superficial heat, massage, acupuncture or spinal manipulation. Drug therapy, if desired, should consist of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or skeletal muscle relaxants. The… Continue reading New Guidelines for Treating Back Pain

Surgery for Back Pain Reduces Pain During Sex

For patients with degenerative spinal disease, surgery is more effective in reducing pain that interferes with sexual activity, compared to nonsurgical treatment, according to a study in the November 15th 2016 issue of Spine, published by Wolters Kluwer. “Sex life is a relevant consideration for the majority of patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis,”… Continue reading Surgery for Back Pain Reduces Pain During Sex

A Spine Surgeon Says Not to Rush to Surgery

If you suffer from low back pain, you know how debilitating it can be. When your back hurts, your life hurts. You’ll do anything to stop the pain, and often surgery is billed as the go-to solution. It’s no mystery why surgeons as a group want to cut (when you have a hammer, everything looks… Continue reading A Spine Surgeon Says Not to Rush to Surgery

“My Back Is Killing Me”: What to Do

Back pain affects millions of adults – in any three-month period, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about one in four U.S. adults has at least one day of back pain, mostly in the lower back. But while it’s a common problem, it doesn’t have a simple answer. The NIH says it could… Continue reading “My Back Is Killing Me”: What to Do

Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Intermittent Severe Pain in Her Abdomen, and She Saw Blood in Her Urine, Fourth Week

Editor’s note: Welcome to our thirdAGE feature that gives you a chance to play medical sleuth as we share the details of what happened when a patient presented with a problem that stumped the physician at first. The first week of this riddle, the patient reported her symptoms to her PCP. The doctor proceeded with… Continue reading Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Intermittent Severe Pain in Her Abdomen, and She Saw Blood in Her Urine, Fourth Week

Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Intermittent Severe Pain in Her Abdomen, and She Saw Blood in Her Urine, Third Week

Notice: Undefined index: width in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1285 Notice: Undefined index: height in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1286 Notice: Undefined index: width in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1285 Notice: Undefined index: height in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1286 Notice: Undefined index: width in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1285 Notice: Undefined index: height in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1286 Notice: Undefined index: width in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1285 Notice: Undefined index: height in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1286 Notice: Undefined index: width in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1285 Notice: Undefined index: height in /var/www/html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1286

Editor’s note: Welcome to our thirdAGE feature that gives you a chance to play medical sleuth as we share the details of what happened when a patient presented with a problem that stumped the physician at first. The first week of this riddle, the patient reported her symptoms to her PCP. The doctor proceeded… Continue reading Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Intermittent Severe Pain in Her Abdomen, and She Saw Blood in Her Urine, Third Week

Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Intermittent Severe Pain in Her Abdomen, and She Saw Blood in Her Urine, Second Week

Editor’s note: Welcome to our thirdAGE feature that gives you a chance to play medical sleuth as we share the details of what happened when a patient presented with a problem that stumped the physician at first. Last week, the patient reported her symptoms. The doctor proceeded with the examination using the components of… Continue reading Solve the Medical Riddle: She Has Intermittent Severe Pain in Her Abdomen, and She Saw Blood in Her Urine, Second Week

For Older Patients with Stenosis, PT & Surgery Get the Same Results

For first time, research shows that physical therapy outcomes can be as successful as the results of surgery for older patients with stenosis, a narrowing of the spine. Symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis, an anatomical impairment common with aging, were relieved and function improved in as many patients utilizing physical therapy as those taking the… Continue reading For Older Patients with Stenosis, PT & Surgery Get the Same Results

iPosture: The Evolution of Your Posture in the Digital Age

By Renee North Life has changed and now most of the world is a part of, or slave to, digital technology. Our collective posture has been folded and molded by the Internet, while we text, tap and swipe on iPhones, iPads, tablets, phablets, laptops, and desktops. Hours spent hunched over, searching, answering, staring at a screen… Continue reading iPosture: The Evolution of Your Posture in the Digital Age

A Surgeon’s Tips for Back Pain Treatment

By Judy Kirkwood

Debilitating back pain is the second most common reason Americans visit the doctor. But who should you see when you have back pain and what do you ask?

Having treated thousands of patients, Dr. Burak Ozgur, a combined ortho-neuro spine fellowship-trained double board certified neurosurgeon based in Newport Beach, California, shares his thoughts.