A very common problem is disc herniation can occur both in the neck and in the lower back, affirms Dr. Georgiy Brosuvanik, Spine Surgeon with Baptist Health South Florida. If the nerve gets irritated or compressed inside the spine, it causes pain in the direction of where that nerve goes, he adds. The specialist…...

Loss of feeling in affected leg, weakness in affected leg, and loss of bowel or bladder function are some of the complications of sciatica. Dr. Jose Mena, Interventional Spine Specialist with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, says numbness and tingling are not the main concern of doctors, but it is weakness. "If you're…...

With a digital imaging, Dr. Georgiy Brusovanik, Spine Surgeon with Baptist Health South Florida, explains the different types of disc conditions: normal disc, degenerative disc, bulging disc, herniated disc, thinning disc and disc degeneration with osteophyte formation. The doctor describes degenerative disc is part of a normal aging cascade where the outer wall of…...

Dr. Georgiy Brusovanik, Spine Surgeon with Baptist Health South Florida, explains cervical vertebra (neck area) can have stenosis and its results would be upper extremity symptoms, the thoracic vertebra rarely gets stenosis and when it does, the symptoms are unusual, like trouble going to the bathroom. He also says the coccygeal vertebra is rarely…...

There are five remedies to reduce joint pain and inflammation: bromelain, turmeric, devil's claw, white willow bark and egg membrane. "When a patient mentions one of these natural remedies I recommend that they contact their physician, just to make sure there's no contraindication for this specific patient taking one of these," says Fernando Vega,…...

Anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, narcotics, tricyclic antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications are some of the options to treat sciatica. Dr. Jose Mena, Interventional Spine Specialist with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, says doctors will typically treat an acute injury with a steroid pack. He also explains there is no evidence that muscle relaxers help the…...

Dr. Jose Mena, Interventional Spine Specialist with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, says in the spine the most common affected parts would be the second or the last two levels, because 75% of the stress from the spine comes from the L5 level. He explains the pain is age-related, because with the wear…...

There are some pre-operative risk factors such as diabetes, smoking and weak immune system. Dr. Georgiy Brusovanik, Spine Surgeon with Baptist Health South Florida, says physicians should be objective with the risks and they have to discuss about them with patients. Now let's talk about what else could put you at increased risk…...