Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD, CPE, FAAOS Every day, I see patients for arm or leg pain and numbness related to pinched nerves in their spine. These patients all have differing degrees of pain and dysfunction from their back and neck problems. Each patient deals with their symptoms individually, so there are varying degrees of dysfunction… Read more »
Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD, CPE (Originally published in Hampton Roads Physicians’ Magazine) When muscles don’t get enough blood flow due to obstructed arteries, cramping pain can result simply from walking or using one’s arms. Vascular claudication (VC) is a condition typically caused by peripheral artery disease and is a debilitating problem that worsens over time…. Read more »
Mark W. McFarland, DO When I consult with patients about their spinal conditions, I often see them for pain which occurs in their limbs, shooting down an arm or a leg, perhaps even into the foot and toes. These patients are typically surprised when, after x-rays and a thorough physical examination, I tell them that… Read more »
Mark W. McFarland, MD This question came in over our web chat and it is a great one to answer. The human spine is made up of 26 vertebrae (bones) that go from your skull to your pelvis. In between these bones are discs that act as shock absorbers or cushions which help the bones… Read more »
Jenny L. F. Andrus, MD As an Interventional Pain Management Physician, I frequently treat patients for nerve-related pain from a variety of causes and conditions, and sometimes for undetermined reasons. Some patients are affected by pain which comes from multiple nerves that are damaged, impinged or which simply malfunction in different parts of the body,… Read more »
Moderated by Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD Contrast is just an easily interchangeable term for Gadolinium contrast medium or dye which is used most often with MR scans. This substance alters nearby water molecules so that they are more visible on an MR scan, enhancing total image quality. Contrast is valuable in that it helps… Read more »
Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD The title of this article is a question that was asked recently by a patient over our webchat line that I thought would make a fantastic topic for discussion. I often hear this complaint from my patients as I am a spine surgeon and the requirements for spine surgery anesthesia are… Read more »
Jenny L.F. Andrus, MD Physicians order many diagnostic tests to help them pinpoint exactly what condition or illness a patient may have when the answer isn’t immediately clear. A Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) is basically that – a way of determining the speed and intensity of nerve signals being carried away from the brain, through… Read more »
Mark W. McFarland, DO I’m certain that there isn’t one of us who hasn’t had neck pain at some point in their life – we’ve slept funny and woke up with a “crick” in our neck or we painted the ceiling, or we did something that made our neck hurt. Usually, with a little TLC,… Read more »
Cody Leeworthy PT, DPT Having a spine surgery used to be considered one of the scariest major surgeries a patient could have. Nowadays, with the skill of OSC spine surgeons, incredible advancements in surgical technique and pain management, OSC patients can go into our ambulatory surgery center in Newport News, VA and walk out several… Read more »