The Medical Advisor

Back pain is one of the most common health complaints across the globe, with an estimated 80% of people experiencing back pain at some point in their life. 1  Not only is back pain the No. 1 cause of job disability, 2  it’s also one of the most common reasons for opioid dependence, the side effects of which can be lethal. In fact, opioids are now the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50. 3 According to a 2018 study, 4 , 5  opioids — which modulate your brain’s reaction to pain — are the most commonly prescribed medications for people with chronic low back pain and, as you’d suspect, these drugs are typically used long-term in this population. According to Pharmacy Times, about 20% of patients on long-term opioid therapy end up developing an opioid use disorder. 6  Up to 25% of opioid users also end up with other substance-abuse disorders, 7  which have additional risks. The use of opioids for back pain flies in ...

Chris Centeno, MD -  A Herniated Disc is usually one of those things that just happens either due to trauma or an “oops” moment. Back before 2000, it was almost a sure thing you would get surgery, but that’s changed quite a bit with modern Interventional Spine techniques. Today we’ll explore the case of a woman who avoided the knife by getting an Intradiscal PRP injection. Let’s jump in. What Is a Herniated Disc? The Discs act as shock absorbers between the Spinal vertebrae. They are made from a tough outer covering called the Annulus and a gel-filled center called the Nuclear Pulposis. When the outer Annulus tears, the inside gel can squirt out and that’s called a Disc Herniation. That’s different than a Disc Bulge which is when the Annulus is damaged and the Nucleas is still contained. If you want to learn more about different types of low back problems, see my video below:   Epidurals and Surgery If you go through physical therap...

As many as 8 out of 10 Americans struggle with back pain, and many resort to surgery as a solution. Unfortunately, this often does not resolve the problem, and in some cases simply worsens the situation. Dr. David Hanscom, an orthopedic surgeon with a practice in Seattle, is unusual in that he tells most of his patients they don't need surgery. He's written a book detailing his novel approach to chronic pain treatment, called "Back in Control: A Surgeon's Roadmap Out of Chronic Pain." Spinal Fusions Rarely Cure Chronic Back Pain Spinal Fusions are a lucrative business and great source of revenue for the hospital and surgeon. Unfortunately, they rarely work for the patients. Spinal fusions arose from the assumption that disc degeneration was a source of back pain.Therefore, it was thought that by fusing the disc together with the bone, which eliminates motion, you would get rid of the pain. However, that has since been proven false. "Disc degeneration actually...

If you are looking for information related to stem cell, back pain and clinical trials, you've come to the right place. We have compiled and summarised essential information on back pain and degenerative disc disease below in layman's terms so that you can understand, clearer, less confused, less overwhelmed and make a better informed decision, either for yourself or your loved ones. When people have back pain, the best thing to do is to look for the best advice from a trusted qualified medical doctor or a family physician. That means going to the doctor to find out the cause (diagnosis) of their back pain and better understand where their back pain is coming from. You might also be wondering what type of 'doctors' that you should consult. There are many 'healthcare providers' involved in this 'back pain' ecosystem i.e. spine surgeons, radiologists, orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists, physical therapists, chiropractors and the list goes on. Back pain...