If you've already had an MRI and learned that surgery is a possible treatment option, your surgeon may also want to evaluate your bones. A bone density test before spine surgery is not routine for every patient, but it becomes more relevant when age, fracture history, medical history, existing imaging, or the planned procedure raises [...]
Alternatives to spinal fusion exist, but no single procedure replaces a fusion in every case. The right treatment depends on the source of your symptoms, the stability of the affected vertebrae, the location of nerve compression, and whether a procedure such as artificial disc replacement is appropriate for the condition of the surrounding discs and [...]
Disc degeneration and herniated discs are two of the most common spinal disc conditions seen on an MRI. The terms sound similar, but they describe different changes in the spine. Disc degeneration means a spinal disc has worn down over time. A herniated disc occurs when disc material bulges or leaks through the tough outer [...]
A failed spinal fusion means the surgery didn't achieve the expected stability, symptom relief, or bone healing. Some patients have continued pain after spinal fusion. Others improve for a period of time and then notice returning back pain, leg pain, numbness, weakness, or limited mobility. A spine surgeon reviews your symptoms, updated imaging, prior surgical [...]
Disc degeneration becomes a surgical problem when symptoms persist despite conservative treatment and start to limit daily function. When that happens, disc degeneration treatment may shift from injections and physical therapy toward surgery. Both symptom severity and functional decline factor into every surgical recommendation made at our practice in Irvine, Orange County. What is degenerative [...]
Choosing between an artificial disc replacement or fusion surgery is one of the most important decisions a spine patient can face. Degenerative disc disease and damaged discs can be treated either way, but what works for one patient won't work for another. What Is Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery? Artificial disc replacement (ADR) is a spine [...]
For patients still in pain months or years after spine surgery, the experience is uniquely frustrating. The procedure was supposed to fix the problem. Instead, the pain came back, never fully resolved, or shifted to a new location. Failed back surgery syndrome describes exactly this outcome: persistent or recurrent back and leg pain after one [...]
Patients don't connect their everyday posture to the back and neck problems they're dealing with years later. They notice stiffness after long workdays, then sharper pain in their 30s or 40s, and only then start asking about the spine. The long term effects of bad posture aren't immediate. They build slowly, through years of uneven [...]
Many patients we see have managed spine conditions for years. They adjust routines, limit activity, and try different treatments. Over time, those efforts stop working the way they once did. That shift matters. It often marks the point when a different approach becomes necessary. Chronic back pain refers to pain that lasts more than six [...]
In recent years, regenerative treatments such as stem cell therapy have drawn attention as possible options for spine-related pain. Many patients come to our office after looking into these treatments, often hoping to avoid surgery altogether. Stem cell injections may help delay or avoid surgery in some cases, which explains why they appeal to patients [...]
