For the few people who have a spinal problem that require surgery it can be very difficult to make the decision about which surgical option is right for them. There’s always a balance between wanting to find the smallest procedure with the least pain and the fastest return to a normal life, and making sure…
No one is exempt from aging. Many of us first become aware of our aging when we reach our thirties. There may be a new wrinkle on the skin or a gray hair showing in a dark head of hair, but these superficial characteristics are external warning signs of an aging process which affects the…
Often times our patients are scared to schedule an initial consultation with a spinal specialist because they aren’t exactly sure what the appointment will entail. There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to your health, but at VSI we’re here to remove that fear! Here are some tips we’ve compiled to make your first appointment easy…
Life is a degenerative process! This sums up the ugly reality that plagues all of us. Due to my family’s strong genetic predisposition for degenerative changes in the spine, I have experienced at a younger age than most the problems that come from a degenerating spine, and consequently the miracles of modern spinal health care. This…
The spinal cord is a thick bundle of nerves and other tissue that extends from the brain through the spinal column. As the spinal cord descends, there are spinal nerves that branch off and go to various parts of the body. It is very important to be able to evaluate the nerves when dealing with…
QUESTION: WHAT CAUSES MY HANDS TO GO NUMB? Answer: Numbness in the hands is usually a result of damage, irritation, or compression of the nerves in your neck, arm, or wrist. It could be compression of one nerve or a branch of one nerve. The most common cause of hand numbness is a compression of a…
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…
