All Posts Tagged: neck pain

Screwless | Lumbar Interbody Fusion (S-LIF)

THE WORLD’S LEAST INVASIVE LUMBAR FUSION SURGERY: the S-LIF, Developed by and available exclusively at Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists.

Sciatic nerve pain can be disruptive. Constant pain and numbness due to a compressed nerve with spine instability can hinder your daily life. So can invasive spinal surgery and the recovery time that comes along with it. But not anymore, thanks to S-LIF technology.

The S-LIF is the least invasive option for lumbar fusion surgery available anywhere in the world. When Dr. Schlesinger developed the MIG-LIF procedure in 2015, it was the least invasive fusion option also done through a keyhole outpatient surgery. While this was a great breakthrough at the time in MIS spine surgery, Dr. Schlesinger felt that the next logical step was to achieve the same outcome with even less surgery.

Through application of his microsurgical skills and experience in delicate surgery on aneurysms and tumors of the brain, this next step became a reality. The S-LIF is the least invasive option in the world for many patients with the need for a decompression and fusion of the lumbar spine. It is not for all patients as some still require more invasive surgery. But for those that are candidates for MIS surgery, this is an outstanding option.

The S-LIF procedure is performed by our two talented neurosurgeons Scott Schlesinger, MD, and Dominic Maggio, MD. Scott Schlesinger, MD has practiced neurosurgery since 1992. He trained in Neurosurgery at UT Southwestern with a fellowship in Lausanne, Switzerland. He has received multiple awards and multiple recognitions as the Best Neurosurgeon in the state. Dr. Schlesinger is the founder of Legacy Spine and Neurological Specialists and the developer of the S-LIF procedure.

Dominic Maggio, MD joined the Legacy team in July 2021. He is an excellent surgeon who specializes in the S-LIF procedure as well as a wide variety of other spinal surgery. He trained at the University of Virginia-National Institutes of Health neurosurgery program and received multiple awards for his research and clinical skills. He subsequently did a fellowship at Ohio State University in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery techniques.

To find out if the S-LIF is an option for you or for more information call us today at 501-661-0077 or email contactus@wordpress-967348-3758640.cloudwaysapps.com. We look forward to the opportunity to serve you!

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Keep Your Pain Under Control While on the GO

Keep Your Pain Under Control While on the GO

Get comfortable
Eliminate any items that could potentially alter your spinal alignment while seated. Remove any objects from your back pocket like a wallet or cell phone. If you are the driver, make sure your seat position is close enough to the steering wheel to avoid reaching.

 

Get out and move around
Sitting for prolonged periods of time will cause your muscles to tighten and can even lead to spasms. If driving, try to stop every 30-45 minutes for a brief stretch. If you will be on a long flight, make a conscious effort to get up every 30 minutes. Below are a few quick stretches you can do on your short break.

 

 

Bring along cold or hot packs
Back pain is often accompanied by inflammation. Ice can help to decrease inflammation and numb any soreness that is a result of prolonged sitting. Some individuals find heat to be more soothing to sore and tight muscles so utilizing heated seats or quick use hot packs can help to ease the ache as well.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Support your back with your feet
Good support for your back can be strongly influence by foot positioning. Your feet should both be positioned on the floor. Ideally you would like your knees to be at a right ankle in relation to your hips. You may have to modify your seat or utilize a foot rest to achieve optimal positioning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a Diversion
The mind is a powerful thing, so if you are not the driver then use a book or movie to occupy your time. If you are the driver, try music or an audiobook to keep you mind off any pain that may arise from a long trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image credit: https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/t/tips-for-maintaining-pain-free-posture-when-driving-a-car/442532

Image credit: https://wellness-centre.com.au/why-you-should-never-sit-on-your-wallet/

Image credit: https://praktispartners.com.au/latest-news/turn-t-rex-work/

 

 

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Sports Injuries

Well, we are in full swing of the summer! Speaking of swings, I hope most of you are enjoying my favorite game golf! I hope your swing looks as good as my daughters Maci’s after playing for only three months! I wish mine did as well, unfortunately, with the game of golf comes back and neck injuries all too frequently. To learn more about preventative measures stay tuned in the coming weeks we will post important steps to use to attempt to avoid injury.

Common injuries include musculoskeletal back pain and neck pain that can be treated with anti-inflammatories and physical therapy. More significant injuries can cause herniated discs in the neck or back. This can produce severe back and neck pain with or without radicular pain down the leg or arm. If the pain is down the leg or arm this is called sciatica. We can often treat these more significant injuries with the above and often with the addition of epidural steroid injections. These are outpatient procedures often done a couple of weeks apart for 2 to 3 injections. Of course, neural imaging is important to be obtained first. We perform these procedures and potential surgical intervention if needed at our outpatient spine facility- Legacy Surgery Center. Our team has vast experience with the performance of these and other spinal procedures which to be effective requires experience as well as fluoroscopic guidance.

Lastly, if a disc herniation causes intractable radicular (radiating) pain in the arm or leg (sciatica) refractory to the conservative care above then minimally invasive spinal surgery could be needed. At Legacy Spine and Neurological Specialists, we offer the most minimally invasive surgical solutions available anywhere in the world. These solutions range from micro decompression and discectomy surgery to the minimally invasive standalone lumbar fusion operations without the need for pedicle screws. These surgeries are performed through keyhole incisions less than 1 inch completely outpatient when medically appropriate.

To Learn more visit www.LegacyNeuro.com. Stay tuned for upcoming posts on prevention of golf and other sports -related back and neck injuries.

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PAIN: the motivating factor to seek help

If you had to guess, what’s the one thing that almost all new patients have in common when they first arrive to clinic to be evaluated? Pain. Whether it is a new onset of symptoms that started after moving a big beautiful sofa or an unreliable low back that just started hurting with no recollection of injury, the primary motivating factor that brings most patients into the clinic is PAIN.

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Physical Therapist: experts in movement and function

Legacy Physical Therapy

Physical therapists are defined by the APTA as “experts in movement and function” but are very often associated with an environment in which they deal with patients who are ill or have undergone surgery. A large part of a physical therapist’s program is directed at preventing injury, loss of movement, and even surgery.

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Lumbar Disc Disease

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the condition, and may range from no symptoms to severe pain in the back and or legs with variable degrees of numbness, tingling and weakness in the legs.

Causes

The lumbar discs are the cushions between each of the lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. These cushions are composed of an inner layer of material called the nucleus pulposus, which is surrounded by fibrous bands called the annulus. The nucleus material is a gelatinous core that has the consistency of “boiled shrimp”. These cushions serve as the shock absorbers in our lower back, just like the shock in your car. These “shock absorbers” experience daily wear and tear.

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Myelopathy

Myelopathy is a term used to describe dysfunction of the spinal cord. This most commonly occurs due to degenerative or aging changes in the spine.  Degenerative changes occur in everyone to varying degrees. Common radiologic signs of degenerative changes include enlargement of the joints, degradation of the disks and bone, bone spurs and even herniated disks. Most of the time these changes do not cause problems. However, in some patients these changes can cause significant narrowing of the spinal canal resulting in spinal stenosis. Stenosis can cause pressure on the spinal cord and cause spinal cord dysfunction or myelopathy. The spinal cord relays information from the brain to the rest of your body and myelopathy can interrupt these important neurological pathways causing discomfort.

Symptoms may include: 

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Non-Invasive Treatment for Neck Pain

Cervical Steroid Injections

Our primary goal is to relieve patient’s pain, while taking the least invasive route. Often times when someone has neck pain, it is best to start with Cervical Epidural Steroid Injections. Cervical Epidural Steroid injections are often used to relieve pain in the neck, arms and shoulders. Neck pain is often caused by conditions like herniated discs, bulging discs, arthritis and spinal stenosis, which can cause compression and pinched nerves. To relieve pain associated with these, we often times recommend getting a series of three injections

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How to Avoid Neck Pain at Work

Have you ever arrived to work and before the hectic day has even begun you are already experiencing the nagging and far too familiar feeling of neck pain?

By: Jessica Beggs, DPT (Legacy Neurosurgery Physical Therapist)

There are many sources of neck pain but one that is commonly overlooked is body positioning throughout the work day. According to a recent study by Caio et al. neck pain is a common condition that can cause substantial disability and is of high prevalence with individuals who perform occupational activities while sitting and leaning.1 So, what type of employment fits that job description? This data is not limited to computer programmers and call centers but instead could be applied to nearly all job styles! When sitting, leaning forward is a position that the body sometimes naturally assumes especially when driving a car, using a phone, or working on a computer. It requires countless muscle fibers to recruit and a conscious effort to maintain upright posturing.

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