Patient Education

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Explore

• Braces
• Corpectomy
• Discectomy (disc-eck-toe-me)
• Exercise
• Laminectomy
• Medications
• Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
• Potential Complications of Surgery
• Post-surgery Care and Rehabilitation
• Physical Therapy
• Spinal Fusion
• Total Disc Replacement
• Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Posture
• Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Spine
• Tips for Safer Lifting
• Tips to Relieve Stress and Tension
• Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty

Recovery & Rehabilitation

• Setting Expectations for Your Recovery
• Tips for Daily Living
• What Can I Expect When I Get Home?
• What Can I Expect While in the Hospital?

Understanding

• Spinal Stenosis
• Compression Fracture
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Herniated Disc
• How Back and Neck Pain are Diagnosed
• Low Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Osteoporosis
• The Parts of Your Spine and How They Work
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
• Scoliosis
• Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome
• Scheuermann's Kyphosis
• Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis

Learning - Diagnostic Frequently Asked Questions

• What does a CAT scan show?
• How does a bone scan work?
• I have an injured disc and my doctor said I needed to have a discogram test. What is a discogram, and what will it show?
• My doctor thinks I have a pinched nerve in my neck and wants to do an EMG test. What does EMG stand for, and how will this test help my doctor diagnose my condition?
• This is the first time I've had low back pain. Will I have to have X-rays on my first visit to the doctor?
• I have a metal plate in my leg, and need an MRI Scan of my low back. I have been told that because the MRI Scanner uses a very strong magnet that I may not be able to have one done. Will I be able to have an MRI Scan?
• What information does an MRI scan give?
• My doctor said I need to have a spinal tap. What is this test, and why do I need it?
• How will my doctor begin to examine my spine?
• What does an X-ray show?

Learning - Disease Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference between a ruptured disc and a herniated disc?
• I thought I had a problem with my back. My doctor examined me and said it's not my back, but that I have a sacroiliac dysfunction. What is a sacroiliac dysfunction, and can I be sure that I don't have problems with my back?
• What is the difference between a bulging disc and a herniated disc?
• I have degenerative disc disease with spurs in my back and neck. Do you think I'll be in much pain the older I get?
• I had scoliosis as a teenager and was told that it would stop after I stopped growing. I'm 32 now, and it seems to be getting worse. Could this be something else happening, or is the scoliosis getting worse? Will I need surgery?
• I recently saw my family doctor for pain in my calf and foot. My family doctor said I have a herniated disc in my low back, so she referred me to a spine specialist. Can this be true? How can this pain be coming from something in my back?

Learning - General Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the best aerobic exercise I can do to take care of my spine?
• My spine condition has kept me out of work for some time. When can I get back to work, and how will I know I can do my work safely?
• I get a lot of back pain when I sit at my computer. Do I need a new chair?
• Is "correct" posture really that important to the health of my spine?
• Are abdominal "crunch" exercises the best way to keep from having low back pain?
• Should I lock my feet when doing a sit up?
• What exercises should I continue doing to keep my low back toned and healthy?
• How can I keep from having problems with my spine after spine surgery?
• Will a support belt or brace keep my low back safe when I lift at work?

Learning - Symptom Frequently Asked Questions

• My MRI Scan showed that I have a bulging disc in my lower back. Should I see a spine specialist?
• My doctor said my X-rays showed that a vertebra in my low back is slipping forward. Will this get worse and will my spine eventually slip off?
• Part of my hand feels numb and my arm just doesn't seem as strong as it should. Could this be from a pinched nerve?
• Are there any serious signs or conditions I should know about?
• I can't get comfortable in bed. Do I need a special mattress or pillow?
• How can my neck be the problem when I feel the pain in my arm?
• After I retired last year, my wife and I began walking for exercise to help the back problem I have had for years. I have noticed over the past few months that I get a burning pain in my legs after walking about 10 minutes. It goes away if I rest but then comes back again. Is this something I should be worried about?
• Both my parents have osteoarthritis. Does the pain in my upper back mean that I'm getting it too?
• I've had back pain off and on for years. Why does it keep coming back?
• Are there other medical professionals who may be able to help me deal with my chronic spine pain?
• I hear a crunching noise when I turn my neck. Is this bad? Should I have it checked?
• When will the pain in my spine go away?
• I just turned 48 and my husband noticed that my upper back is starting to become rounded in appearance. Why is this, and will my posture continue to get worse?

Learning - Treatment Frequently Asked Questions

• My doctor has suggested a cortisone injection for my back. I have heard that cortisone is bad for you. What are the risks of having a cortisone injection?
• Why do I need to quit smoking before having spine surgery?
• I have pain at work. Is there anything that can be done to help me work with less pain?
• My doctor has suggested that I have a spine fusion in my lower spine. How will this affect my ability to bend over?
• I have metal screws in my back from a spine fusion. Will I be able to go through a metal detector at the airport?
• If I have a spine fusion surgery using metal screws and rods, will they ever need to be removed?
• What are the risks of minimally invasive spine surgery?
• What is minimally invasive spine surgery and how is it different from traditional spine surgery?
• I keep reading about doctors prescribing Glucosamine for arthritis. Will this medication help my back pain?
• What can I do while I am at home to relieve my back pain?
• Should I just lie in bed and avoid exercise if I am having extra back pain?
• What is spinal decompression and spine fusion surgery?
• Can I just use a brace to take my low back pain away?
• My spine is really hurting. I thought I would just go ahead and have surgery, but my doctor is recommending conservative spine treatment instead. What is conservative treatment, and will it help my problem as much as surgery?
• What should I expect on the first visit to my doctor?
• When can I play golf, ride a bike, or go hiking after spine surgery?
• Which is better to use, heat or ice?
• What hobbies and recreational activities should I avoid?
• What can I do if my pain comes back or gets worse?
• My doctor has suggested that I have a spine fusion surgery using a metal plate in my back. What are the chances that my body will reject the metal plate?
• Is minimally invasive surgery a new technique?
• Are lasers used in spine surgery?
• If I have surgery to take out a disc in my back, what will replace the disc that the doctor removes?
• I'm scheduled for a spine fusion of my low back. Will I be able to get up and walk without difficulty after I have surgery?
• I've had pain and problems with my low back for many years. What can I expect from my spine surgery?
• How will I know whether surgery is needed?
• My friend told me about a TENS unit she uses for her back pain. What is a TENS unit, and will it work for me?
• Will I need to have therapy until my pain goes completely away?
• My spine is really hurting. I thought I would just go ahead and have surgery, but my doctor is recommending conservative spine treatment instead. What is conservative treatment, and will it help my problem as much as surgery?
• As long as I have therapy I feel better. Can I keep coming once each week?
• Is there anything I can do now to help ease my pain?
• Will my doctor prescribe medications for my condition?
• What are the risks of minimally invasive spine surgery?
• My surgeon has suggested that I need a fusion between the C5 and C6 vertebrae in my neck. How will I be able to turn my neck after it is fused?
• What can I do to keep from making my pain worse?
• How much longer will I need physical therapy?