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 »
Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD, CPE As a spine surgeon, I answer questions from patients daily having to do with spine-related issues. I also find that I must frequently correct misinformation or commonly held beliefs about pinched nerves and how they impact the body. In this article, I thought it would be prudent to address some… Read more »
Mark W. McFarland, DO In my practice as a Spine physician, I see a variety of injuries and illnesses in my office every day which pertain to the spine, back and neck. An interesting condition that I sometimes treat is that of a patient whose spine has lost its natural curvature in the lumbar region,… 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 »
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 »
Mark W. McFarland, DO The neck area or cervical spine has many muscles, ligaments and tendons that help to support, stabilize, and provide movement for the neck and head as they sit on the spinal vertebrae. When you think about it anatomically, it’s an architectural masterpiece that works together beautifully when healthy. But then, life… Read more »
Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD As surgery advances and becomes more commonplace, more patients will have spinal hardware (i.e., screws, rods, plates) used to stabilize the bones of their spines. The hardware has great advantages over the older techniques of providing spine stability with an external brace. This difference can be equated to having surgery for… Read more »
Mark W. McFarland, DO As a spine specialist and surgeon, x-ray and MRI are pretty much the tools of my trade; however, I occasionally need more detail or different detail than they can provide. That’s when I order a Myelogram. In this article, I will discuss what a Myelogram is, why it is ordered, what… Read more »