One of the most common complaints we see in our clinic is the result of Sacroiliac (SI) Joint pain. There are two sacroiliac joints that connect with the pelvis and the lower part of the spine. Most joints, like the knee and hip, have a wide range of motion but the SI joint rotates and tilts…
Well, it’s official, folks –it’s cold. We’ve written posts before on how cold weather affects chronic pain, but it also contributes to a condition known as Acquired Torticollis. Acquired Torticollis, otherwise known as stiff neck, is the result of muscle spasms in the neck. Symptoms include intense pain on one side of the neck and difficulty…
You’ve either said it or heard someone say, “There’s a storm a brewing, I can feel it in my bones.” But can weather really affect your health and well being? Many people tend to report an increase in pain when there are drastic weather changes. Though there is not full agreement among researchers, there appears to be…
Dr. Schuler, Founder of VSI, recently spoke with Becker’s Spine Review about his experience performing cervical arthroplasty, his experience as a patient, and about the future of the field. QUESTION: After performing your first disc replacement with spinal fusion, is there anything you do differently now that you’ve had time to reflect? DR. SCHULER: The only thing I…
A cervical disc replacement can be an excellent option for many candidates, but what exactly does that mean? Often times my patients will schedule an initial consultation when they are experiencing arm pain and numbness, but their neck doesn’t necessarily hurt. This could be a sign of symptomatic nerve or spinal cord compression and may require a…
Often times one of the first non-operative treatment options your spinal specialist may recommend is a spinal injection. While not everyone benefits from these injections, some patients experience immediate relief and never progress to surgical interventions. There are many types of injections that can be utilized, so how does the doctor know which is best? It is only after…
ACL injuries are primarily non-contact and occur in sports that involve cutting, pivoting, jumping or landing.
Did you know your neck is one of the most flexible segments of your spine? Even with its flexibility, however, neck pain affects 10% of the population annually! Pain can be either localized to the cervical spine {commonly known as your neck} or it may radiate down your arm, which is referred to as “radiculopathy”. Because…
School is out for summer and you’re headed to your favorite watering hole to beat the heat — the beaches, pools, and lakes. This time of year presents back pain sufferers with an excellent exercise alternative that doesn’t usually strain or add weight to the back. Many people with low back pain can properly modify…
Disc replacement surgery continues to be one of the great, exciting developments in spinal health care. Five years of research data have shown that disc replacements outperform spinal fusions, especially when more levels of the spine are involved. When one suffers from a severe impingement of a spinal nerve or suffers from severe, intractable neck…
