The most basic definition of a hernia is one type of tissue pushing through another in an abnormal way. A herniated disc in your spinal discs happens when the soft inner tissue presses through a rupture in the damaged outer shell. It’s possible for a herniated disc to occur and heal naturally without any symptoms, [...]
The sciatic nerve is the source of a range of problems affecting the lower back, buttocks, legs, and feet. It’s the diameter of a man’s thumb at its widest point, as well as the longest nerve in the body. It lends its name to sciatica, a pain condition that causes symptoms along the nerve’s path. [...]
“Pinched nerve” is the common description of what’s medically known as a compressed nerve. Normally functioning nerves have tunnels, passageways, and spaces throughout your body in which to do their work even as you move normally through the day. Surrounding tissue doesn’t typically place unusual pressure on nerves, but injuries and inflammation can change this, [...]
“No pain, no gain” goes the saying throughout gyms around the country. If you want the benefits of strenuous exercise, you need to accept some level of discomfort that accompanies your exertion. While this is certainly true to some degree, it’s easy to overdo it, and when your lower back becomes the source of ongoing [...]
Aches and pains seem to be the inevitable partner of getting older, even when the medical world assures you that some of these are avoidable. It’s not always clear why some people suffer heavily from conditions like osteoarthritis, for example, while others seem to sidestep symptoms. Like osteoarthritis, herniated discs are often brought on by [...]
A diagnosis of lumbar radiculopathy may sound rare and strange until you learn that it’s the medical term for the condition commonly called sciatica, a compression of the spinal nerve root originating in the lumbar vertebrae. It’s a common complaint, one of the most frequent reasons people contact neurosurgeons. Lumbar radiculopathy may affect up to five percent [...]
One of the most important contributors to the success of any surgery is successful recovery. This holds true for any procedure on your vertebrae or spinal cord. The length of your recovery depends both on the type of procedure and the scope of the surgical changes. Your success begins when you choose Atlas Neurosurgery and [...]
Facing a nerve block as a treatment for pain or inflammation can fill many patients with dread. There are thoughts of big needles and a procedure that’s almost as painful as the condition. However, contemporary nerve block techniques aren’t like that at all. Consisting of local anesthetics and corticosteroids, nerve blocks often offer long-lasting relief [...]
Calling lower back pain an epidemic isn’t an exaggeration. About 80% of adult Americans will likely experience back pain at some point in their lives, and more than 25% of those surveyed reported recent problems (within the last three months). The economic impact of lower back pain is huge, both in healthcare costs and lost [...]
Causing 83 million missed workdays every year, back pain is both a medical and economical drain. About 16 million Americans have persistent or chronic back pain serious enough to limit their ability to get through the day. Direct and indirect costs due to back pain could top $12 billion annually. Treating back pain is an [...]
