3 Ways to Prepare for your First Appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon

Meeting with an orthopedic surgeon doesn’t have to be an intimidating moment. It is natural to have some fears for the first time. You may worry about surgery or other serious treatment options. Don’t worry! Here are a few tips to help prepare to see an orthopedic surgeon:

1. List Down Questions

Before meeting one of the orthopedic surgeons, jot down all of the questions you have in mind in a diary. Do this while at home so that once you step into the office of specialist, you do not forget your concerns. Carry this list along with you to the doctor’s clinic. You may also discuss queries that aren’t a part of your diary but arise in your mind while sitting at the clinic. A good idea is to maintain a list of questions on mobile device. This will help you add to your list of questions as they come to your mind.

2. Record of Pain

Since you are meeting an orthopedic specialist for treatment, it is important to know what you feel, the intensity of pain, the times pain get worse, time when you experience decreased mobility, etc. Maintain a diary of pain  and give this information to the specialist.

3. Bring Documents

Take along all documents, X-Rays, and notes from other doctors. This will help the surgeon to understand your condition well. He can easily narrow down all possible causes and finalize the best treatment options.

Taking your time to prepare yourself will help you get more out of your appointment. Being prepared with documentation and questions in advance is the key to make the most of your meeting.

Keeping in mind, the above mentioned points will save you and your orthopedic surgeon time and efforts.

Recovering from Spine Surgery – What to Expect?

Once your spine surgery is done, it’s time to focus on an important phase - recovery. Body demands some time to return to normal after any surgical procedure. This is how it restores damaged tissues and takes up the original position.

Recovering from spine surgery is time taking process. You must wait a little to help body feel completely healed. The recovery period plays an important role in rebuilding body strength. You must stay positive and have realistic goals. Here’s what to expect and do while recovering from spinal surgery:

Recovery Differs

This differs from one patient to another. The amount of time it takes to return to normal activities varies. Usually, recovery time is faster as compared to younger patients who are in good physical condition. Recovery time can be shortened by maintaining a positive healthy attitude, a well-balanced diet, and getting plenty of rest. Those who smoke or overweight individuals take more time for recovery.

Do not push beyond Instructions of Your Surgeon

The surgeon will provide you with information related on what to expect after spine surgery. Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions. When you push yourself too fast after surgery, it leads to setbacks in the process. So make sure you rest.

Age and Recovery

Young individuals are more capable of a faster recovery as compared to their senior counterparts. A number of processes in the body tend to slow down with age. For instance, older people produce less collagen. This is very important for growth of and regeneration of tissue. However, your attitude will help you enjoy a positive experience.

Follow Recommendations of your Surgeon

The surgeon will develop the best possible approach to your recovery. You must adhere to his or her advice on taking medications or time period required to return to a particular activity. Following these instructions will help avoid setbacks and speed up your recovery.

All You Need to Know about Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon

An orthopedic surgeon is a medical professional dedicated to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disorders of muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments. The professional should also have completed a five-year residency with main focus on the surgical treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. An orthopaedic spine surgeon may complete additional training with specialization in spine surgery and a Spine Fellowship.  

 
Some orthopaedists are generalists. On the other hand, many of these professionals also specialize in specific areas of the body, such as the following listed below:
                                                                                              
- Foot and ankle
- Spine
- Hip and knee
- Shoulder and elbow
- Hand

The Role of an Orthopaedic Surgeon

Orthopaedic surgeons are known to explore nonsurgical treatment options first. These may include rehabilitation and pain medication. These medical professionals are known to have expertise to perform surgery aiming at repairing an injury or treating a condition, if necessary.

Why Visit an Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon?

The major reason most people visit an orthopaedic surgeon is musculoskeletal pain. These professionals also treat broken bones and also replace painful joints. Most people are not aware that they treat the following conditions listed below:

- Injuries resulting from sports
- Back pain
- Spinal stenosis
- Ruptured disks
- Bone tumors
- Carpal tunnel
- Hand arthritis
- Hand injuries
- Arthritis
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Club foot
- Osteoporosis
- Hip dysplasia
- Bow legs
- Orthopaedic trauma
- Limb lengthening
- Bunions and foot, ankle injuries

A Visit to Orthopaedic Surgeon

Carry Visit Notes
It is important to carry a copy of visit notes especially if you have seen a doctor or a different orthopedic surgeon. Mention if you have already visited other medical professionals such as doctor, emergency room physician, or a primary care provider. The surgeon will study the copy of medical records to understand the treatments you had taken. These records are also helpful if you have visited the surgeon for a second opinion.

5 Things You Need to Know about Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is one of the most common conditions resulting in neck and low back pain in men and women. Here’s what you need to know about this condition:

1. What is Spinal Stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a condition characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal and/or neuroforamen leading to compression of the spinal cord and/or nerve roots. The compression results in inflammation and pain.

2. Causes of Spinal Stenosis

Generally, spinal stenosis results from an injury to spine or a disease. Osteoarthritis (spondylosis) is the most common cause of the condition in which the cartilage that cushions joints begins to degenerate. Stenosis may also occur in individuals genetically prone to the disease. Some of the other causes include spinal injury, herniated discs, and bulging discs.

3. Non-Surgical Treatments for Spinal Stenosis

There are several non-surgical treatment options doctors recommend for spinal stenosis. These include:

- Acupuncture to relieve pain
- Massage to relieve pain
- Low impact exercise to strengthen core muscles to impart spinal support. This relieves pain
- Swimming
- Over-the-counter NSAIDs to minimize inflammation and pain
- Physical therapy
- Epidural steroid injection for several spinal stenosis

4. Surgery for Spinal Stenosis

Most patients respond well to non-surgical treatments. However, under some situations your spine doctor may suggest a surgical procedure. These conditions include:

When medication and/or a combination of other non-surgical treatments fails to reduce pain and symptoms

- Severe pain that is becoming worse
- Loss of bladder/bowel control
- Partial/total loss of sensation
- Pain, numbness, tingling in the arms or legs
- Reduced or loss of function/strength in your arms or legs

5. Types of Surgeries Performed for Spinal Stenosis

The most common surgical procedures performed for treating spine stenosis include:

- Fusion
- Decompression
- Stabilization

4 Tips to Maintain Healthy Spine

Spine is one of the most important structures of human body. Unfortunately, it is also the most abused and least cared about structure. The only time we care about spine is when it is attacked by certain conditions such as pain, herniated disc, strained muscles, spinal stenosis, etc.
It is possible to maintain a healthy spine by making some lifestyle changes. Here are a few tips to help you maintain a healthy and happy spine:

Right Mattress

Do you let your spine relax while sleeping? Your spine works very hard all day. It needs to relax and rejuvenate at night. Choose a mattress and pillow that allows your spine to rest in a comfortable way. The choice of pillow and mattress depends on your sleep positions and specific back or neck condition. However, make sure the mattress offers you ample support. There should be minimum tossing and turning while you sleep.

Pay Attention to Warning Signs

Do not ignore spinal pain or problems. Although back pain once in a while is common, it may also indicate a more serious or an underlying problem. If left untreated, these issues may worsen with time and even become serious. Listen to your body and avoid over exerting at gym or work. Self-medication to relieve symptoms can also be dangerous. Seek medical care or visit a reputed spine center to learn about your spine and get apt treatment
.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

This is important if you want to keep your spine happy and healthy. So maintain a schedule of exercise and a healthy diet. Obesity is one of the major risk factors for low back pain. Belly fat is dangerous. It can add extra stress on the ligaments, muscles, and tendons of lower back. So avoid putting on excess weight.

Strengthen your Core

Focus on exercising your core. This is important to strengthen your abs and back muscles. Strong and supple core (lower back and abdominal muscles) will support your spine. Adding strength to these muscles will help you to take pressure off lower back. Most of us do not use core muscles during daily activities. These should be tone through specific, targeted exercises. You can perform these exercises daily by sparing around 30 minutes. 

Health center of the anatomy of the spine

The spine is a complex and intricate construction that includes a variety of nerves, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles, weaving together. The spine is designed to be very strong, with a lot of flexibility in the lower back and neck.

The column is that the pillar of the physique whose modification enabled the primary hominids to run upright and whose health depends on what will still be done nowadays. In the face of the pain generated by spinal diseases, you complain and stoop, but do you know what they are and what pains they cause?
Within every of the forms that an unwellness associated with the spine will adopt, surgery is established because the pis aller, since its initial expected that nature can regenerate and then conservative measures square measure meted out with specific care or antibiotics.

However, the simplest thanks to not reach now is good judgment since if you are taking care of the column as a juvenile person, it'll last longer.

A column specialist is a health professional who focuses primarily on the treatment of spinal conditions. Some of the most common specialists are: chiropractors, physiatrists, physiotherapists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, physicians for pain management, anesthesiologists and many rheumatologists and neurologists. The selection of the most appropriate type of health professional - or team of health professionals - depends, in large part, on the nature, severity, and duration of patient symptoms.        

The spine center seeks to prevent, diagnose and offer treatment and rehabilitation for the various diseases that affect the spine, in children and adults.

In order to deliver comprehensive treatments, which definitively solve the problems of the spine of the patients, each case is evaluated in clinical meetings by a multidisciplinary team, made up of renowned spinal surgeons, traumatologists, neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuroradiologists, physiatrists, rheumatologists, psychologists and kinesiologists, among other specialists.

The spine center offers diverse treatment options and extensive experience with non-surgical and operative therapies for diseases and injuries of the spine.

The spine center has a modern surgery unit. These include, for example, intraoperative computed tomography (CT) or CT-assisted surgical navigation.

Minimally invasive and microsurgical procedures as well as the use of modern surgical instruments such as the ultrasound scalpel (Ultracision) enable procedures with only minor tissue injuries.

The spine center treats diseases such as disc narrowing, the narrowing of the spinal nerve canal (spinal canal stenosis) or degenerative and idiopathic scoliosis.

The social impact of pain

Diseases of the spine are typically terribly visible because of the physical suffering they cause and therefore the abnormal posture of the sufferer.

Nowadays, medical advances permit to regulate these pains through totally different techniques:

•    Infiltrations between the bone and the dura
•    Injecting a syringe of morphine into the hard mother.
•    Implanting of electrodes between the envelope and the back of the cord because they give information to the brain easing the pain.

The management or elimination of those pathologies through surgery permits patients to develop a degree of independence that will not be potential while not medical intervention.

The multidisciplinary medical team specializes in the following areas:

•    Non-surgical treatment for trauma of the spine
•    Minimally invasive surgery for treatment of the spine
•    Pain control for acute and chronic neck and back pain
•    Treatments for congenital deformities of the spine
•    The latest advances in emergency treatment for traumas of the spine
•    Post-operative rehabilitation programs for the care of our patients

If you suffer from back pain, hardness of the neck or pain in the arms and legs, seek medical attention and consider a consultation and treatment in a specialized team.

The spine center offers rehabilitation and physical therapy programs to help the patient restore their mobility and the health of their spine. Exercise and physical therapy are important components in the recovery process after a clinical procedure. The team of physiotherapists will guide you during the program and help create a long-term maintenance program for the care and support of your column.

There are several alternative treatments that can benefit the health of the spine. Some patients seek these types of alternative treatments to augment or complement traditional medical treatments.

There are several treatments of ancestral cultures that have become standard treatments for Western cultures. These include acupuncture, aromatic therapy, Reike, psychoanalysis and hypnosis. These treatments are designed to assist the patient by helping to reduce tension and pain and often reduce medications.

Determining The Best Sleeping Position for Your Back Pain

Back pain may really tough for you to get a comfortable good night's sleep. Unfortunately, what most people do not understand is the way you sleep may make things worse. Some positions may put a lot of strain on aching back. On the other hand, some positions may help get relief from pain.

Experts have revealed a strong link between back pain and sleep problems. It is also believed that sleep problems lead to increase in the intensity of back pain. Sleep deprivation can affect mood and functional ability. It also has a negative impact on the perception of pain. Pain affects sleep quality resulting in a lighter sleep state. Patients tend to wake more frequently throughout the night.

As per a study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine (November 2016 issue), there's a strong link between the severity of pain, function ability and one's overall mood. It was revealed that a good night of sleep will reduce these symptoms.

So is there a specific sleep position that helps you to fight off back pain or ease pain? Yes. There are some favourable and worst sleep positions that can affect back pain. You can choose these positions only after knowing the actual cause of back pain or the type you are suffering from.

Here's What You Need to Know:

Spinal Stenosis

If you suffer from this condition, sleeping on your side in a curled-up position may help you reduce symptoms. This will take significant pressure off your nerve root. Sleeping on the back will also offer you a lot of relief.

Lumbar Herniated Disc

The preferred sleeping position will depend on the exact location of your herniated disc. For instance, if you are diagnosed with paracentral herniation, sleeping on the stomach will help. On the other hand, sleeping on the side in a curled-up position is helpful for forminal herniation.

Degenerative Disc Disease

Under this condition, you will get relief from your symptoms by sleeping on the stomach. You can also place a slim pillow between your hips/stomach and mattress.

Maintaining Sleep Hygiene

In addition to finding the appropriate sleeping position, practicing good sleep hygiene also plays an important role in helping people with back pain both fall asleep and stay asleep. For example, the perfect sleeping position won't be enough to help you fall asleep if you drink a cup of coffee right before bed.

Additionally, while it may sound too simple, good sleep hygiene practices like maintaining a consistent bedtime, avoiding the use of electronics before bed, and giving up day-time naps can all help with your sleep-related problems.

It is important to note that back pain and sleep-related problems need to be treated together. So if your back pain is keeping you awake at night, make sure to tell your doctor about your back pain problem so you can work together to formulate a treatment plan that tackles both problems.

Beware of Worst Sleep Positions for Back Pain

Did you know certain sleep positions can place added pressure on the shoulders, neck, hips, knees, lower back, and even heels? This will be quite painful. First, it is important to understand that There’s no one-size-fits-all sleep position to get rid of back pain. Avoiding the following pattern will definitely help:

Sleeping on Stomach - Most people sleep on the stomach. This can flatten the natural curve of the spine, adding more strain on back muscles. Additionally, sleeping on stomach keeps neck rotated, resulting in neck pain, back pain and pain between your shoulders. The problem can be controlled by altering sleep positions at night. Sleeping position when maintained for longer periods can amplify back pain.

Sitting A Lot – If you sit for a long period of time during waking hours, you are actually inviting back and neck pain. Experts believe that most people sit too long and in an improper way. They sit slouched with backs rounded. So varying your posture as far as possible and practising good posture when standing and sitting will ease back pain at night.

Comfort Factor

First, you’ve got to be comfortable to get a good night’s sleep. All you need to do is make some simple changes to your regular sleep positions. These are apt to take a load off your back:

Pillow Under Knees – This will help only if you are a back sleeper. Simply place a pillow under your knees. This allows your spine to maintain its natural curve.
Pillow Under Lower Abdomen - Stomach sleepers must place a pillow under lower abdomen and pelvis. This helps ease back strain.
Pillow Between Knees - Side sleepers will benefit from this. Draw your legs up slightly toward your chest. Sleep with a pillow between your knees.

Choosing the Right Mattress and Pillow for Sleep

Have you given a thought about this? When choosing a mattress and pillow, the best factors to take into consideration are preference and comfort. Some prefer the firm harder mattresses while others are more comfortable on a soft mattress. You may also use a contoured pillow to alleviate neck strain.

To Sum Up

The above information comprises of only general guidelines. Finding the best sleeping position for your back pain is mainly a process of trial and error. Try maintaining a journal right next to your bed in which you will record how you feel each morning.

In case, you don't feel any significant improvement in back pain despite making a few changes to your sleep position, it may be time to get some medical opinion. Your doctor may check for any potentially serious problems.