Be the perfect patient? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to health. There are rules that apply to most, such as eat healthy, exercise frequently and take vitamins, but for every rule there is an exception and that exception could be you. For the most part, following doctors orders and committing to a good check-up schedule is a good place to start. This keeps the dialogue with your physician open and frequent appointments can be used to manage a specific illness or medical concern. Follow these steps to being a good patient and listen to your physician’s advice. When you have health concerns, call, and when you’re unsure, ask questions. Never ignore symptoms that don’t go away and always be your own advocate. It’s your job to manage your health. A doctor can help, but not if you don’t approach them honestly about your concerns.
The most common cause of back pain ? Ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that connect bones to joints. When a ligament is injured, it presents much like a muscle strain but it is actually referred to as a sprain. These occur when a ligament is stretched or torn. In your back, there are 14 spinal ligaments. In general, ligaments are not very flexible, which is why they are prone to injury. If you’ve experiences a ligament strain you will likely notice limited range of motion in the affected area, pain or tenderness, muscle spasms, inflammation or bruising. These symptoms can occur all together, or you may just experience a few. Because ligament strains are common, they can usually be treated at home with ice, rest, compression, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and keeping it elevated.
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. Philip Yuan is a board certified Orthopedic Surgeon and fellowship trained spinal surgeon who emphasizes non-surgical treatment first and only recommends surgical procedures when absolutely necessary to better a patient’s quality of life. Read extra info on Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Long Beach.
In some cases, surgery can be performed to reduce or eliminate SI joint pain. The two most common surgical approaches are SI joint stabilization and joint fusion, both of which are typically done after other therapies have failed. For the latter, minimally invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion systems has shown positive results in treating SI joint dysfunction. Individualized rehabilitation programs aim to treat the underlying cause of SI joint pain. By treating the underlying cause, the pain should subside and the runner can return to their routine with little modification. Sometimes bracing will be needed while a person heals. In cases where pain is severe, pain medication or steroid injections may be recommended to keep pain under control while the person rehabilitates, and when the dysfunction is very severe, surgical intervention may be required to eliminate pain and treat dysfunction and its underlying causes.