| FAQ | I've been having some back pain for the last three weeks. I can't remember doing anything to bring it on. I notice in my Pilates class when I'm lying down I get a shooting pain down my left leg whenever I lift it up past a certain point. Is this what people refer to as sciatica? | Matt | 263 |
| FAQ | I'm self-insured and in need of some surgery to fuse my neck at two levels. I see they can do hip replacements on a same day basis. Could I have my neck fusion as an outpatient? It would probably save me a lot of money. | Matt | 442 |
| FAQ | Why me? Why now? I'm finally pain-free after back surgery two days ago and now my right thigh is numb. Is this normal? Why me?? | Matt | 572 |
| FAQ | I am a coach for a high school track team. Ever since last summer I've had some numbness on the front and side of my left thigh. It seems to come and go but it's staying longer now. What could be causing this? | Matt | 528 |
| FAQ | I am in nursing training and have taken a few anatomy classes. I know the nerves from the spinal cord control strength and sensation in the legs. How does a bulging disc pressing on the L5, S1 nerve cause leg weakness around the knees? Are the muscles of the knees controlled by the L2 to L4 nerves? | Matt | 507 |
| FAQ | I just had the muscle strength in my back and legs tested. I was much weaker than I expected. Could the back pain I have off and on cause this or is it something else? | Matt | 503 |
| FAQ | My mother just came back from the doctor's office. She says she has a "giant" herniated disc in the middle of her back. Is she exaggerating or is this a real medical term? | Matt | 554 |
| FAQ | The MRIs of my spine and my symptoms tell the doctor I have a herniated disc with cauda equina syndrome. I've been advised to have surgery right away. Do you agree with this idea? | Matt | 269 |
| FAQ | I had a spinal fusion about 10 years ago. The surgeon took out the disc and used bone chips from my hip to fuse the two bones together. Now I need another fusion. This time they want to put screws and a cage filled with bone chips. Why is this necessary? The last fusion was much simpler and worked just fine. | Matt | 492 |
| FAQ | How soon can I expect relief from my back and leg pain with a spinal fusion? I'm having one level fused (L45) using the ALIF method. | Matt | 566 |
| FAQ | I've had three C-sections and have no abdominal tone at all. Would these new classes on core training help me? | Matt | 402 |
| FAQ | I've had low back pain on and off for six years. I've tried many different treatment programs from drugs to bracing to exercise. I'm seeing a new physical therapist who wants to try stabilization exercises. Is there any way to tell if these will work for me? | Matt | 262 |
| FAQ | What's the difference between a hypermobile spine and a hypomobile spine? I've been told my upper back is hypermobile and my low back is hypomobile. What does this mean really? | Matt | 623 |
| FAQ | What is lumbosacral instability? | Matt | 2497 |
| FAQ | After a cervical spine (neck) fusion I had a serious problem with swallowing. It lasted for about a month and then went away. No one seemed to know anything about it. What can you tell me? | Matt | 1951 |
| FAQ | I've heard it's possible to have many different types of operations on an outpatient basis. Are they doing spinal fusions this way yet? | Matt | 363 |
| FAQ | I'm trying to figure out what's causing my pain. It's either something in my low back or sacroiliac joint. The pain is on the right side right over the dimple in my low back area. Would an X-ray help show problems with my sacroiliac joint? | Matt | 265 |
| FAQ | I've had years of low back and sacroiliac joint pain. My doctor has suggested an operation to fuse the SI joint. He says less motion means less pain. It seems like a serious step to take. How can I know for sure it will work? | Matt | 277 |
| FAQ | After my first child was born, I started having sacroiliac joint pain. My physical therapist says this can happen after childbirth. The pelvis separates and widens during childbirth. My doctor says it's not possible to have enough movement to cause pain. Who's right? | Matt | 1594 |
| FAQ | I was part of a study about back pain patients. As a former patient, I filled out several forms with many questions. Some of the questions asked about my pain and function two years ago. How helpful can I be if I don’t remember exactly? | Matt | 296 |
