Be a good patient? This can be a hard pill to swallow, literally. Not everyone likes the advice a doctor gives him or her, but almost 100 percent of the time the advice given is in the patient’s best interest. Try to put aside pride and do what the doctor tells you. If the doctor’s orders insist on a lifestyle change, then see it through. If you were prescribed a medication and your doctor has reiterated that it is necessary, take the full course. You see a medical doctor for a reason. They have several years of schooling in medicine and that makes them experts in how to treat illnesses and manage health. You may not like hearing that your BMI is higher than average or your sudden weight loss has an underlying cause, but you went to your doctor with your concerns for a reason. Why go if you aren’t going to heed their advice? And if you truly disagree with a treatment, seek a second opinion. Most physicians encourage it.

The most common cause of back pain ? There are three common types of nerve root issues that lead to back pain: spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis and osteoarthritis. In all three conditions, the nerve root is affected causing often-severe back pain. In spinal stenosis the pain results from narrowing of the spinal canal near the nerve roots. It can appear in one area, or several areas, of the back. In spondylolisthesis, a vertebrae slips over another vertebrae and creates a painful, unstable back. Spondylolisthesis most commonly occurs with joint issues, typically after a fracture or a degenerative joint disease, or as the result of a defect to the joints. Lastly, osteoarthritis occurs when both discs and joints begin to wear down. This ailment becomes more common as people age and leads to pain, swelling, instability and stenosis in one or several areas of the spine.

Scoliosis is a medical condition in which the person’s spine curves sideways. This condition usually includes pain, uneven shoulders, and differing leg length. Adult scoliosis occurs when a person has reached spinal maturity. What is it scoliosis? Adult scoliosis is defined as a spinal deformity in a skeletally mature patient with a curvature of more than 10 degrees. When this curvature occurs, it can be accompanied by twisting or rotating of the spine as well, and the spine takes on the shape of an elongated “S”. Adult scoliosis can be classified into four major groups: Type 1- Primary degenerative scoliosis is caused by disc deterioration and/or facet joint arthritis. This condition causes back pain, and an asymmetrically change in the spinal column. Type 2- Idiopathic adolescent scoliosis that has progressed in adulthood. This may be the result of secondary degeneration and/or spinal imbalance, with or without a history of corrective spinal surgery. Type 3- Secondary adult curves a) resulting from a neuromuscular or joint abnormality causing a leg length discrepancy or hip pathology, or b) caused by metabolic bone disease (osteoporosis) combined with asymmetric arthritic disease and/or vertebral fractures. Patients that experience these symptoms predominantly complain of back pain, then leg pain and claudication symptoms (pain in the feet, calves, thighs, hips or buttocks with exercise) and numbness or tingling.

Dr. Yuan treats a range of spinal disorders in patients of all ages including herniated discs and stenosis in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Dr. Yuan never recommends surgery first and is a thought leader in managing degenerative spinal stenosis. Dr. Yuan is a board certified Orthopedic Surgeon and fellowship trained spinal surgeon. He specializes in the treatment of all spinal disorders including issues with the neck and back. He treats conditions that affect the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine utilizing both surgical and non-surgical interventions. Dr. Yuan emphasizes non-surgical treatment first and only recommends surgical procedures when absolutely necessary to better a patient’s quality of life. Discover extra details at Yuanspine.com.

Those who enter into a SI joint rehabilitation program can usually return to running with minor modifications. The more severe the case is, the more modifications will have to be made and longer rest period a physician may recommend. Many runners can return to running immediately by making modifications, but others with more severe pain may need to rest and rehabilitate for a while. In the latter case, it’s important that athletes take time to recover so they aren’t doing permanent damage to their body. Usually, a rehabilitation protocol and possible intervention to treat underlying cause (biomechanics, physical attributes, muscle problems) will result in complete recovery and zero residual pain. Surgical intervention offers similar results for more severe cases. With minimally-invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion procedures, doctors have reported less post-surgical bleeding and bruising as well as a shorter operating time.