Wednesday, August 26, 2015

SpineOne Really Listens to the Patient!

Read what SpineOne patient, Wendy, had to say about her experience and treatment by Dr. Hashim Khan.

I always get in quickly, and had a short wait (five to seven minutes) in the lobby and exam room. Everyone was extremely nice and helpful.  THEY LISTEN TO THE PATIENT!!!

I came in initially for a second opinion for pain I had from a vertebrae fracture.  Dr. Khan took x-rays and explained everything in detail. I have had several injections and a nerve block, and my pain is now manageable.  I will come back if anything changes. 

THANK YOU SPINEONE!!!  --Wendy

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Got Foot Pain? You May Have Sciatica.

We have all likely had foot pain at some point in our lives—albeit from causes such as arthritis, sports injury and/or flat feet.  However, we often times overlook the low back as the culprit for foot pain.  For instance, if you have pain in one or both of your feet as well as any of the following symptoms, your lower back may be the one to blame.  Many indicators may include:
  • Back pain, which may be a mild ache, or a debilitating-sharp, burning sensation
  • Weakness, pain, numbness and/or tingling in the lower extremities
  • Discomfort when sneezing, coughing or laughing
  • Pain that may worsen at night, interrupting your sleep
  • Heel walk, which is the decreased ability to bring your foot upward
  • Drop foot (difficulty when flexing your ankle and bring up the front of your foot)
  • Restricted ability to walk on your tiptoes, walk, drive and/or lift your heel off the ground
If you are experiencing any combination of these symptoms, you may have sciatica.


What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a when one or more nerve roots along the lumbar spine are pressured, irritated or damaged and cause pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the lower back and extremities.  Sciatica is a symptom of other medical conditions with the lower (lumbar) spinal column such as a herniated disc (can also be referred to as a slipped or bulging disc), degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, injury and/or piriformis syndrome.  
 
Sciatica is fairly common and studies suggest that as many as 40 percent of people will get sciatica at some point in their life.  You may watch this video to learn more about the causes of sciatica.  


What are the treatment options for sciatica?  
Treatment options may include:

  • Activity modification
  • Medication
  • Physical therapy
  • Heat and ice therapy
  • Injections
  • Surgery in some cases  

Typically, a combination of treatments works best to treat sciatica.  You can schedule an appointment with SpineOne and have one of our board-certified physicians diagnose your condition and help you get started on the road to recovery.
 
When can I expect to resume my normal activities without pain? 
Many people with sciatica are able to resume their normal activities after treatment.  The goal of treatment for most patients is to have a healthy, active lifestyle free of sciatic pain.  You’ll want to speak with a
board-certified physician to plan your particular treatment and get back in the swing of things.
 
Does sciatica require surgery?  
In some cases, surgery may be needed.  That being said,
SpineOne is dedicated to minimally invasive options whenever possible and will do everything we can to help you have a more pain-free life.
 
Where can I get treatment for sciatica?  
You will need to have a spine specialist like those at
SpineOne assess, diagnose and recommend treatment for your condition. 

SpineOne spine specialists provide information about your condition and optional treatment plans in a straight and direct manner.  You use that knowledge to make a well-informed decision about how to best manage your pain, and a treatment plan is tailored to address your specific needs.

The physicians at SpineOne practice minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices such as physical therapy to get you back on your feet and enjoying life to the fullest again.

SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience.  Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the above symptoms or chronic back pain, be sure to Contact us today!


Friday, August 21, 2015

OMG, you're texting your way to back pain

Watch a highly relevant story about neck pain and smart phones By JESSICA FIRGER CBS NEWS November 14, 2014, 5:29 PM.
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/texting-can-lead-to-neck-pain


If you or a loved one suffers from chronic back pain and is unable to find a solution, it may be time to speak to spine care specialist. SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the pain management needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne practice minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices such as physical therapy to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again.  SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.





This is Probably the Best Experience I've Had at a Doctor's Office.

Dr. Azra Khan Salahuddin, MD.-- SpineOne Medical Center
Read what first-time patient, Autumn, had to say about her SpineOne experience and treatment by Dr. Azra Salahuddin.

“This is probably the best experience I’ve had at a doctor’s office from the time I called and booked an appointment. I completely understand my condition and potential next steps for treatment—for real.” --Autumn

If you or a loved one suffers from chronic back pain and is unable to find a solution, it may be time to speak to spine care specialist.
SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the pain management needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne practice minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices such as physical therapy to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again.  SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Mood, clothing, posture may cause chronic back pain

This is a good story on some of the causes for back pain from ABC7 Eyewitness News in Los Angeles.  

SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.
http://abc7.com/919223/


Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Learn How to Take Away Back Pain and Golf Strokes!

As much as we would like to think so, we here at SpineOne are not golf pros, but we do have some back-pain tips that likely will also shave some strokes off your game.

It’s our belief that there are two types of golfers in this world; those whom have back pain and those whom will have back pain.  However, you can still enjoy the game with less pain by following these simple tips before, during and after stepping onto the tee box.

NOTE: If you already have back pain or if any of the following exercises increase your back pain, you should stop and check with a physical therapist or back pain specialist before continuing.

Make sure you stretch and warm up before you play.  Every type of athlete warms up before competition.  Golf is no different.  Here are a few simple stretches you can do before you grip it and rip it (the golf club, not your back).

1. Leg Swings (Figure 1). Standing on one leg, swing the opposite leg forward and backward while keeping your knee straight. You can use a driver for balance. Swing the leg from side to side 15 times in each direction and then switch your legs and repeat.

Back Pain Prevention for Golf: Leg Swings

Figure 1: Leg Swings


2. Dynamic Lunge with Reach (Figure 2). Lunges are a great way to activate key hip muscles, and since we are golfing, we also need to kick in the upper body musculature and abdominals. To begin, take and hold a golf club at both ends and while performing a lunge and reach overhead.  Complete five repetitions for each leg.

Back Pain Prevention for Golf: Dynamic Lunge with Reach

Figure 2: Dynamic Lunge with Reach

Next, lunge forward and keep your arms in front of you, holding the golf club to your chest (Figure 3). Twist your body to the right five times and to the left five times.

Back Pain Prevention for Golf: Lunge and Twist

Figure: 3 Lunge and Twist


3. Pivot Rotations. To get the hips and thoracic spine involved in the rotation, take a golf club and hold at both ends with your feet shoulder width apart. Rotate the club to each side, while shifting your weight from foot to foot. Allow your hips to rotate with this motion and shift your weight to the opposite toe.  Complete 10 repetitions in each direction.

Back Pain Prevention for Golf: Pivot Rotations

Figure 4: Pivot Rotations

Club up. There is no shame in moving up a club or two to get more distance with less effort, especially if you have back pain.  It is more embarrassing to swing too hard, pull your head up and miss the ball completely only to take an early ride back to the clubhouse with a sprained back and a new appointment with your back pain and spine specialist.


Practice good body mechanics.  Good body mechanics throughout your swing not only improve your game, but they also reduce stress on your low (lumbar) back, which decreases the risk for back injury and pain.  Many golfers try to rotate through their swing at the low back.  The low back is not designed for rotation and will become very unhappy if one repeatedly rotates at their lumbar spine.

Many golfers drop their hips down, tuck in their butt and hunch their shoulders when addressing the ball, causing shear stress across the lower back (Figure 5).  The opposite of this position is a hyper-arched back, which over extends the back muscles, creating un-needed stress on the low back (Figure 6).

The best solution for swinging the club with little or no low-back rotation is to make sure your back is in a “neutral” position (Figure 7) instead of an over-extended or flexed position while addressing the ball.  This is accomplished by moving your back between these two extremes until you find a comfortable and natural posture between the two positions. This allows for rotation at the middle (thoracic) back—alleviating stress, pain and possible injury to the low back.

Back Pain Prevention for Golf: Proper Body Mechanics

Strengthen your core. As mentioned in a previous blog, 11 Simple Exercises That Prevent Low-Back Pain, prevention is the best prescription when it comes to confronting back pain.  When you are not golfing, you can implement a few simple exercises to strengthen your abdominal and gluteal muscles.  These will help strengthen your core, increase flexibility and assist with rotation in your swing.

Often back pain is symptomatic of other underlying conditions. Chronic back pain, if left untreated, can lead to stress, depression and anxiety for the patient and their families.  If you or a loved one suffers from chronic back pain and is unable to find a solution, it may be time to speak to spine care specialist.

SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the pain management needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne practice minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices such as physical therapy to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again. SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

If you suffer from chronic back pain, get your life back and contact us today!