Advanced Spine Institute's Blog

In Los Angeles County, more than 50,000 individuals suffer injuries from auto accidents each year. Ranging from minor to severe, the reality is that thousands of men, women and children suffer from pain in the neck, back or spine following a car accident.

Los Angeles Treatment for Spondylosis -- Degenerative Changes in the Spine

Lower back pain is a fact of life for most men and women. Nearly all will experience occasional back pain as the result of injury, use, or simply aging. However, when back pain doesn’t resolve, it is time to see a top spine surgeon, to understand what is causing it.

Studies have shown that 80% of adults will experience back pain at some point. While this number indicates that you are most certainly not alone, if you're experiencing back pain, knowing that you're not alone is little comfort to men and women in Southern California who deal with back pain frequently. What you need is relief from your back pain.

Los Angeles Spine Surgeon Provides Tips for Minimizing Lumbar Pain in 2020

Artificial disc replacement offers an alternative to spinal fusion for some patients. K. Rad Payman shows how a herniated disc is treated in a 26 year-old.

Patients who undergo minimally invasive spine surgery (also sometimes referred to as less invasive spine surgery) tend to recover much faster than those who have an open spine surgery. Many people who have undergone minimally invasive spine surgery will be able to return to normal activities in approximately six weeks.

Spinal Stenosis is the medical term for a condition in which there is a narrowing of the spaces within the spinal canal. This in turn places pressure on the nerves which run throughout the spine.

Minimally invasive spine surgery is an advanced form of surgery, which is used to treat common spinal disorders and conditions including spinal stenosis, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and others.

Pain in your neck is indicative of an issue with muscles or tendons surrounding the cervical spine. The cervical spine refers to the top portion of your spine which supports your head. Neck pain is very common and is often the result of a sprain or a strain, from sleeping in an awkward position, or from a sports injury and/or trauma, such as whiplash from an accident.

Answers from Top Los Angeles Spine Surgeon Dr. K. Rad Payman on How to Treat Spinal Stenosis...

More than 3 million Americans will suffer from Sciatica pain each year. Sciatica is the term for pain felt, when pressure is put on the root of the sciatic nerve, often due to a condition, injury, or disease affecting the vertebra of the spine.

A slipped disc is the informal term for a herniated disc in the spine. This medical condition may also be referred to as a prolapsed disc. A diagnosis from a top Los Angeles spine surgeon of a slipped, herniated, or prolapsed disc means that the soft, inner portion of a disc in your spine is protruding through the tough outer portion of the disc.

Expert Encino-Los Angeles Spine Surgeon Dr. Rad Payman Explains Artificial Disc Replacement...

The condition of having a vertebra in the spine slip forward or backwards is called Spondylolisthesis. Diagnosed through imaging tests, men and women in Los Angeles who are diagnosed with spondylolisthesis may first notice something is wrong when symptoms such as lumbar (low) back pain, leg pain, tightness in your hamstrings, or numbness/tingling sensations in your legs arise.

Top Los Angeles Spine Surgeon, Dr. K. Rad Payman answers your commonly asked questions about Spinal Fusion Surgery and what this minimally invasive procedure entails.

Answers from Los Angeles Spine Surgeon Dr. K. Rad Payman

With a specialization in comprehensive treatments for back pain and spine disorders and diseases, Dr. K. Rad Payman, expert Spine Surgeon in Southern California, is frequently asked: When do I need to see a Spine Surgeon for back pain?

Top Spine & Back Surgeon Dr. K. Rad Payman is pleased to provide the following answers to these common questions about herniated discs.

Top Reviewed LA Spine Surgeon Dr. K. Rad Payman Explains Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Anterior lumbar fusion performed to relieve patient's severe back lower pain caused by years of lifting heavy objects and injuries in Iraq

Watch Your Back! Spine surgeon K.Rad Payman, M.D. shares what you should know about back and neck pain in the June issue of "Life After 50"

Los Angeles Spine Surgeon K. Rad Payman, MD appears on NBC News to show how minimally invasive spine surgery and a new approach called "micro-decompression" may be the best option for those who need spine surgery for back pain due to conditions such as spinal stenosis.

Rad Payman, M.D. says staring a new exercise routine or sport can lead to back or neck pain if your body is not ready. Dr. Payman, of Advanced Spine Institute in Los Angeles shows how to avoid injuries and what people should do if pain is experienced during or after physical activity.

K. Rad Payman, MD of Advanced Spine Institute says lower back pain is successfully treated with a variety of treatments ranging from non-surgcial therapies, medication and advanced spinal surgery techniques, depending on each person's condition.

Los Angeles - Rad Payman, MD of Advanced Spine Insitute shows a model of the lower spine to describe the causes of spinal stenosis and the latest treatments to relieve pain. For those who require surgery, "spinal micro-decompression" may offer the best treatment with a less invasive procedure to relieve the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis while preserving bone. This technique maintains the stability of the spine, allowing many patients to return to their normal activities after surgery. Visit http://wwwTheSpineMD.com and call 818.501-2001 for more information. Advanced Spine Institute serves patients throghout Los Angeles and surrounding areas with locations in Encino, Valencia, Palmdale, Ridgecrest and Bakersfield.

Rad Payman, MD says that people suffering from back or neck pain and reduced range of motion from injuries have several options for treatment ranging from non-surgical therapies and pain management to advanced procedures such as spinal disc replacement. Dr. Payman shares 3 important things to know about disc replacement surgery.

Dr. Payman says failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), describes the condition of people who have had an unsuccessful result with back surgery or spine surgery."Correcting or redoing a previous surgery performed by a different spine surgeon can be demanding," says Dr. Payman, who will return as an expert guest on Fox Morning News Santa Barbara on August 26.

How To Bounce Back From Back Pain is the topic as Dr. Payman makes guest appearances on Fox 11 Morning News Santa Barbara and on Fox 58 News Bakersfield.

"Lower back pain or neck pain may be caused by injuries, improper posture or degenerative disease," says Rad Payman, MD of Advanced Spine Institute Los Angeles. Dr. Payman will appear on Fox 11 Morning News Santa Barbara on Wed. June 17 to show how people can "bounce back from back pain" with non-surgical therapies or minimally invasive spine surgery.

Spine surgeon Rad Payman, MD notes that many patients do well with non-surgical or minimally invasive procedures to treat pain from back injuries or degenerative disease. "The key is to provide a treatment or surgical and physical therapy plan that is designed for each patient's condition," he says.

Is Spinal Stenosis The Next Baby Boomer Trend? Rad Payman, MD says a minimally invasive procedure can preserve stability and allow patients to remain active.

Area Residents can receive care from one of the best spine surgeons in Los Angeles, from non-surgical treatment for minor problems to minimally invasive spine surgery at Advanced Spine Institute in Encino.

Dr. Payman generously donates to support the Avon walk to end breast cancer and Tee-N-Up for a cure.

Back pain, neck pain and injuries from minor problems to conditions requiring spinal surgery are treated at Advanced Spine Institute - Ridgecrest.

Area residents can now receive expert care for back and neck pain and injuries, from minor problems to conditions requiring surgery at Advanced Spine Institute - Lancaster.

Ventura Blvd Magazine names Dr. K. Rad Payman as a top doctor. "We maintain a close relationship with every patient at Advanced Spine Institute-new or returning-and make it a priority to ensure that patients have a warm and friendly experience. All questions are answered, and patients are encouraged to keep in touch directly with me."
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A recent study examined whether receiving professional guided advice during disability helped injured workers with low back pain return to work more quickly. Researchers hypothesize that a medical professional's advice to remain active makes the claimant more positive and optimistic about their diagnosis. This optimism decreases mental stress, spinal loading and risk of injury. "The milder the case of low back pain the easier the healing," said Dr. Shiao. "The body is always on the mend and can compensate quickly for an injured area. If sufficient blood flow is maintained through active but careful movement and the patient is generally positive, a mild case of low back pain can resolve on its own." Source: Daily Rx

According to research published in Spine, the yoga intervention program called 'Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs' is most likely going to be cost effective for not only the UK National Health Service (NHS), but for the wider society as well. Professor Alan Silman, Medical Director of Arthritis Research UK, said: "We welcome the fact that not only has yoga been found to help people manage their back pain, but that it is also cost effective, and results in fewer sick days. It is another option for people who are struggling to manage their condition, and one that encourages the move to self-management. Yoga is an intervention that has been proven to make their everyday lives easier and their pain more manageable. Source: Medical News Today

The August 1 edition of Spine reports that advice on how to remain active for workers who are on medical leave due to lower back pain, can increase their chances of returning to work. Recovery can be delayed and even hindered through long absences from work and being sedentary, with psychosocial factors also playing a role in the risk that the pain becomes a chronic problem. According to earlier research, offering reassurance of the pain improving and advising workers to remain as active as possible has demonstrated to decrease time off work. Source: Medical News Today

In a comparison study, researchers from Texas Back Institute Research Foundation found two-level total disc replacement, combined anterior/posterior 360° fusion and a hybrid combination of total disc replacement at one level and fusion at another were all successful options for treating patients with two-level symptomatic disc degeneration. “Two-level total disc replacement, hybrid and fusion patients all significantly improved over [patients’] preoperative status, and considering newer data showing lesser percentage of adjacent segment surgery with disc replacement surgery, this becomes an even stronger argument for motion preservation over fusion,” study researcher Richard D. Guyer, MD, who presented the findings at SpineWeek 2012, told Orthopedics Today. Source: Healio.com

The prospective study, financed by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the FRSQ (Fonds de recherche en Santé du Québec, the Quebec Health Research Fund), involved 134 patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). The findings demonstrated that the 3D morphological parameters of the spine obtained with EOS® can be used to distinguish between progressive scoliosis and non-progressive scoliosis from the point of the first medical visit. Such a distinction is not possible on the basis of two-dimensional parameters. The propensity of scoliosis to develop and worsen, or not, is a major challenge when choosing therapies, which are costly and invasive. Source: Medical News Today

If you suffer from lower back pain, you're certainly not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the U.S. (second to headaches), and Americans spend at least $50 billion a year on treating it. For most of you, bouts go away within a few days, but others may not be so lucky. The good news, though, is that lower back pain is completely avoidable. If you stick to the following tips, you can say goodbye to that nagging lower back for good. Source: abc News

Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) affects three or four per thousand children and as many as seven out of ten older adults. While there is still controversy about the efficacy of back braces for children this is often considered a problem of compliance - if the children do not wear their braces the treatment does not work. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Scoliosis demonstrates that a brace that contains a tiny heat sensor and is able to monitor how long it is worn, and that kids are also happy to wear, means that overall compliance with doctors recommended prescription was over 90%. Source: Medical News Today

The vast majority of adults have had a sore back at some point in their lives. If they're lucky, the pain subsides after a few days or weeks. But for some, whose initial injuries appear no different than the fortunate ones, back pain lasts for years. Now, researchers have discovered a difference in brain scans between the two groups of patients that appears early in the course of the pain. The finding could lead to not only ways of identifying patients who are the most at risk for long-term pain but to new treatments or preventions for chronic pain. Source: Science

Back surgery can effectively relieve pain for certain back problems faster than nonsurgical means, a new study shows. On the other hand, waiting to see if the pain goes away on its own won't affect the outcome of surgery if you decide to have an operation later on, a second study found. Both of the studies, published in the May 31 New England Journal of Medicine, compared surgical treatment of back and leg pain (sciatica) caused by disc herniation or a condition called lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis, which occurs when one vertebra in the back slips forward onto another. Source: abc News

Patients with chronic back pain caused by inflammation should be screened for ankylosing spondylitis. That is because inflammatory back pain is an early sign of ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that affects the spine. Early diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis gives patients a better chance at controlling pain and slowing joint damage. Because inflammatory back pain is an early sign of ankylosing spondylitis, it could be used to diagnose this painful form of inflammatory arthritis. Source — Daily Rx

Lower back pain is a nebulous and common problem. Often, the cause of chronic pain can be traced back to a specific cause such as lumbar spinal stenosis, or degenerative disk disease. But typically, lower back pain comes from something more difficult to diagnose, like overuse, strain, or stress. It's also important to try to avoid back pain by staying active, and having proper ergonomics while sitting at your desk, if that's what you do all day. Keep your body relaxed and position your computer screen at eye level. A quick exercise or two can help stave off back pain. Source — Daily Rx

Low-back pain is a common condition that can affect every day life through discomfort, health care costs, disability and loss of work. Luckily, most back pain is alleviated in the course of six weeks. Researchers have identified that patients with low-back pain improve quickly within the first six weeks of seeking care. This is particularly true for those whose symptoms have been ongoing for less than 6 weeks. Those with back pain that has lasted for 12 weeks to one year at the time of seeking treatment find more difficulty in alleviating their symptoms. Source — Daily Rx

Patients with degenerative grade I spondylolisthesis with lumbar spinal stenosis may experience improved quality of life after undergoing a laminectomy with lumbar spinal fusion vs. laminectomy alone, according to findings presented at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting. According to the release, the researchers concluded that lumbar spinal fusion in addition to laminectomy for the treatment of degenerative grade I spondylolisthesis was associated with superior SF-36 PCS outcome, resulting in fewer reoperations within 4 years of the procedure. Source — Healio.com

In a cohort of elite athletes presenting with localized spine pain and back extension, researchers found CT imaging superior to MRI in the detection of intra-articular sacral facet fractures. The authors concluded early diagnosis and treatment increases the chance of pain relief and return to sport for patients with sacral facet fractures. Source — Healio.com

Scoliosis is an abnormal curving of the spine that occurs mainly in young children and adolescents. Traditional treatment for children who are still growing is surgical insertion of growing rods. Every six months, however, a new surgery is required to lengthen the rods. In the study, researchers assessed the use of magnetically controlled growing rods that were implanted in two patients. The key advantage: Surgery is not required to lengthen these rods. Source — US News Health

A single-dose injection could be used for spine fusion pain management, researchers noted. Source — Orthosupersite

Scientists at the University of Liverpool, working with international partners, have shown a rare genetic disease, that causes crippling osteoarthritis in the spine and major joints, is far more prevalent worldwide than previously thought. Researchers have identified more than 100 new cases of the disease, called alkaptonuria (AKU) in a small community in Vellore, India, bringing the total number of patients there to 130. Approximately 40 patients have been found in a village in Southern Jordan, but previously the disease had been unknown to healthcare workers in the region. There were only four known cases in the UK in 2003, but this has since risen to more than 80 patients across the country. Source — e! Science News

Altamonte Springs, Florida - Eden Spine (www.EdenSpine.com) announced today that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its new generation corpectomy device, the GIZATM. Source — Orthospinenews

An analysis of the medical literature has found vertebroplasty may provide more pain relief and better function than nonoperative treatments for patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, according to a study published in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. Source: Healio.com