Get Back To Your Life®

When headaches start shaping your decisions — what you say yes to, where you go, how you plan your day —they're so much more than "just a bad day." They're controlling your life. And you deserve better than living around your pain.

Migraines affect 40% of the global population, yet they remain one of the most misunderstood and dismissed health conditions; many sufferers wait YEARS before seeking help, enduring an invisible illness that disrupts work, sleep, relationships, and daily routines — often without validations or answers. If you've tried everything for relief with no lasting results, this episode is for you.

Recording this episode between Thanksgiving and Christmas isn't a coincidence. The holiday season—with its disrupted routines, travel stress, and dietary changes—creates the perfect storm for headaches and migraines. But these triggers aren't unique to the holidays; they show up during weddings, graduations, vacations, and any major life event. Understanding them now can help you year-round.

In this episode of Get Back to Your Life®, VSI Neurologist and migraine specialist Dr. Ella Akkerman breaks down what's actually happening in your brain during a headache or migraine, why certain types require completely different treatments, and how small daily disruptions can trigger a painful cycle. Drawing on both her clinical expertise and her own experience with migraines, Dr. Akkerman offers clarity, compassion, and a realistic path to relief.

You'll learn:

• The science behind different headache types— tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches—and why identifying yours changes everything

• How hormonal fluctuations (especially during perimenopause and menopause) can amplify migraine patterns

• Why the holiday season creates the "perfect storm" for headaches—and how to protect yourself

• Practical prevention strategies beyond medication, from hydration to stress management

• When it's time to see a neurologist and what treatment options actually work

Whether you're dealing with occasional tension headaches or chronic migraines that disrupt your daily life, this conversation offers validation, answers, and actionable steps toward real relief.

Key takeaway: You don't have to live with headaches in this era of breakthrough treatments. But the longer you wait, the harder they become to treat.

If headaches are interfering with your daily life, expert help is available. Visit VSIspine.com to request an appointment with a neurologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating complex headache conditions.

Subscribe to Get Back to Your Life® for more physician-led guidance on taking control of your health.

To watch this conversation on Youtube, click here.

What if the secret to healing faster was already in the air you breathe?

In this special on-location episode of Get Back to Your Life®, Dr. Christopher Good, Spine Surgeon and President at VSI, breaks down one of the latest breakthroughs in spine surgery recovery, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, and how it's being used right here at VSI to help people who suffer from back and neck pain recover faster.

VSI's state-of-the-art hyperbaric oxygen chamber delivers 100% oxygen under increased pressure, flooding the body's tissues with oxygen to accelerate healing, reduce inflammation, and optimize recovery after spine surgery or orthopedic procedures. Dr. Good explains how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy works, who benefits most, and why it's quickly becoming a cornerstone of comprehensive recovery care.

At VSI, hyperbaric oxygen therapy represents more than a new technology, it reflects a new philosophy of healing. It's part of VSI's Recovery Revolution™, a patient-first model/movement that reimagines what recovery should look like before, during, and after spine surgery. Backed by data from a 50,000-patient study, VSI's recovery model/approach to recovery combines advanced surgical techniques, regenerative therapies, and proactive recovery planning to help patients heal faster, reduce pain, and return to life stronger than ever.

🎧 Listen to learn:

• How oxygen therapy accelerates healing and reduces pain
• Why it's becoming a key tool in spine surgery recovery
• What a hyperbaric session feels like, and who should consider it
• How oxygen therapy fits into VSI's Recovery Revolution™ model for optimal recovery outcomes.

Watch this full episode on VSI's YouTube channel to see Dr. Good discuss this breakthrough therapy alongside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber that's redefining recovery.

Want a closer look? Follow along Dr. Good's own hyperbaric session inside the chamber in this companion video on VSI's YouTube page.

For additional resources & support, visit us at VSISpine.com.

Living with chronic back pain isn't only physical. It can steal moments, memories, and pieces of who you are. Today's guest, Lizette, knows this reality firsthand.

A former Division I athlete and active mom, she found herself unable to hold her own son, trapped on a rollercoaster of temporary fixes: 17 injections, three ablations, and heavy medications that left her foggy and disconnected from herself. The life she loved felt like it was slipping away, and no one seemed to have real answers.

Everything changed when Lizette came to VSI and met spine surgeon Dr. Colin Haines. She wasn't dismissed or handed another short-term solution. She was given a recovery plan that started before surgery and carried her through every step after, Lizette found what had always been missing: clarity, strength, and her way back to the life she loved.

In this special Pain Awareness Month and Recovery Month episode of Get Back to Your Life®, Lizette shares how she went from being stuck and sidelined, to strong and hopeful. And her comeback story is proof that recovery is the turning point that makes real healing possible.

Lizette's story is a powerful and inspiring reminder: don't settle for pain — find a team that listens, cares, and helps you truly get back to your life.

🎙️ Listen now: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Or, watch the full episode on YouTube.

Find additional expert resources & support at VSISpine.com

🏆 Award-Winning Podcast Episode | 2026 w3 Silver Award

If you've been diagnosed with Bertolotti syndrome, or suspect it may be the source of your pain, this episode is your lifeline. Whether you're searching for treatment options, understanding what a Bertolotti resection surgery is, or wondering why your chronic low back pain has been dismissed for years, this doctor-patient conversation delivers real answers.

Dr. Colin Haines, a nationally recognized spine surgeon and one of the few true experts in Bertolotti syndrome, joins us to explain this misunderstood condition, caused by a pseudoarticulation between the L5 transverse process and sacrum, and why so many patients are misdiagnosed or ignored.

You'll also hear from Janel, a patient who endured years of unrelenting pain, countless failed treatments, and emotional exhaustion until she found Dr. Haines. Her journey from hopelessness to healing through personalized diagnosis and a successful Bertolotti resection procedure is proof that hope is not lost.

🔎 What you'll learn:

• How Bertolotti syndrome causes lower back and leg pain

• Why it's often overlooked by doctors

• The difference between fusion vs. resection surgery

• How to identify red flags and advocate for yourself

• What recovery and life after resection surgery can look like

Whether you're desperate for a second opinion, searching for new pain-relief solutions, or looking for a Bertolotti syndrome specialist, this episode will empower you with knowledge, resources, and the reminder: you are not alone - and your pain is real.

🎧 Listen now: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Read more about Janel's story here.

Learn more or request a consultation at VSISpine.com

Migraines affect more than 1 billion people worldwide, but despite their prevalence, they're too often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and dismissed as "just a bad headache". The truth? Migraines are a complex, invisible, and many times disabling neurological disorder. VSI neurologist Dr. Ella Akkerman brings clarity and compassion to this conversation, breaking down symptoms, triggers and solutions for migraines / migraine sufferers. Drawing from her vast experiences as a neurologist, mother, and migraine sufferer herself, Dr. Akkerman shares vivid insights into how migraines impact daily life—from the sensory overload to the silent suffering, and why they affect women and children at disproportionately high rates. From lifestyle strategies and stress management to cutting-edge medications and wearable technologies, Dr. Akkerman offers a hopeful, actionable roadmap for patients ready to reclaim control and live life on their terms. Keep listening to learn:

• What migraines really feel like, and why they're so often misunderstood
• Common triggers (like stress, hormones, sleep disruptions, and more)
• Red flags that require urgent medical attention
• The latest in migraine treatments
• How to recognize early warning signs
• Medications, devices, and lifestyle strategies that work

You don't have to suffer in silence. Help is here. Let this episode be a powerful first step. Listen now: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify Watch the full episode on YouTube by searching "VSI Spine" Find additional expert resources & support at vsispine.com

Is stress making your pain worse, or is your pain elevating your stress? What if the answer is both?

This episode unpacks the powerful mind-body connection between chronic pain and mental health, bringing light to the invisible ways they interact. Because here's the truth: mental health and physical health are deeply connected; and when one suffers, the other often does too.

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, VSI Neurologist, Dr. Ella Akkerman, and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Yash Mehta, dig into the hidden ways emotional experiences like burnout, anxiety, grief, and trauma don't just live in your head—they also echo throughout the body as tension, fatigue, migraines, chronic pain, and more.

Get ready to learn:

• How emotional distress can speak through the body as physical pain

• Why so many people suffer in silence, and how to change the narrative

• What real, healing conversations between doctors and patients can look like

• Actionable ways to care for both your mind and body—starting today

If you're living in pain that no one seems to understand, this conversation offers clarity and validation and will arm you with practical tools to take the next step.

The body keeps score, and recognizing that connection is the first step toward experiencing relief.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app Watch the full episode on YouTube. 🔗For additional support and resources visit vsispine.com

It's 2025, and women are still fighting to be believed, especially in medicine. From being told "it's all in your head" to waiting years for a real diagnosis, many women know the silent sting of being dismissed. This experience has a name: medical gaslighting — and it's more common than you might think.

In this powerful episode of Get Back to Your Life®, we meet Jakki, a VSI patient, mental health counselor, former athlete, and mother of three who endured 24 years of pain, misdiagnoses, and blatant medical dismissal. But Jakki refused to accept "there's nothing wrong."

Her story is a testament to persistence: when no one could explain her pain, she enrolled in radiology courses just to read her scans. Eventually, she found her answer — and her healing — through a diagnosis of Bertolotti Syndrome with Dr. Colin Haines at VSI.

This is a breakthrough story for women everywhere. Jakki's comeback story is one of strength, self-advocacy, and breakthrough — not just in her body, but in a system that too often turns down the volume on women's pain.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What medical gaslighting looks and feels like

• Why being dismissed can be so dangerous

• How to advocate for yourself in the healthcare system

• The signs that it's time to seek a second opinion

• How persistence - and the right doctor - can change everything

Whether you, too, have been talked over, brushed off, or are still searching for your own answers, this episode will stay with you. This is a story about validation, self-advocacy, hope and most importantly….solutions. And it demands to be heard.

Listen now: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

You can now watch this full episode on YouTube

Find additional expert resources & support at vsispine.com

Still in pain after spine surgery? You're not alone - and more importantly, you're not out of options. In this powerful episode, two of the nation's top spine surgeons — Dr. Christopher Good and Dr. Ehsan Jazini — dive into one of the most challenging realities in spine care: when surgery doesn't fully relieve the pain. They'll uncover why post-surgical pain can persist, the overlooked causes, and the most effective next steps for long-term relief. From innovative treatments to holistic approaches, this episode is about helping you understand what's happening and how to take control of your health and make a full recovery. Most importantly, failed spine surgery doesn't mean you failed. And it doesn't mean it's the end of the road. With an accurate diagnosis, a supportive recovery plan, and a surgeon who listens, you can stop spinning in pain cycles and start moving toward lasting relief. With over three decades of combined experience diagnosing some of the most complex conditions and performing revision surgeries, Dr. Good and Dr. Jazini get to the root causes surgery doesn't always meet expectations, and they map out new solutions to help you reclaim your quality of life. In this episode, you'll learn:

• What "failed spine surgery syndrome" is (and how it's often misunderstood)
• Red flags to watch for during recovery
• The importance of the patient-doctor relationship
• Why expectations and communication matter as much as the procedure itself
• How to know when it's time for a second opinion
• What to ask your surgeon before surgery
• How a collaborative spine care model helps patients get back to their lives—even after surgery has failed them elsewhere

Whether you've had spine surgery and are still in pain—or are trying to make the best decision about what to do next—this episode is honest, hopeful, and designed to help you take back control. Listen now: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify Watch the full episode on YouTube by searching "VSI Spine" Find additional expert resources & support at vsispine.com

If you've been stuck in the endless loop of trying everything for your low back pain—with no lasting relief—this episode is for you.

You've done the massage guns. The YouTube stretches. The painkillers. Maybe even acupuncture, back braces, or chiropractors. And yet... your back still hurts.

You're not imagining it. You're not weak. And you're definitely not alone.

Lower back pain affects 1 in 4 American adults and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. But here's the real problem: most people are chasing temporary fixes that never get to the root cause of their pain. And in the process, they're losing time, money, energy—and hope.

In this episode of Get Back to Your Life®, Dr. Yash Mehta, Interventional Spine & Sports Medicine at VSI, cuts through the noise. He breaks down what the latest research actually says about back pain treatments, and why many commonly recommended remedies just don't hold up when it comes to lasting relief.

🎙️You'll learn:

• The real reason your pain keeps coming back

• Why so many common back pain treatments fail—and what to try instead

• The habits that will actually help you protect your spine for the long haul

• How to tell if your back pain is something more serious

• What it actually means to treat the root cause of chronic back pain

• When it's time to stop experimenting and start seeing a spine specialist

If you've been told to just live with it—or worse, that it's all in your head—don't miss this.

🎧Listen now: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify For more information on lasting back pain solutions, visit us at VSISpine.com.

You work hard, stay active, and make healthy eating choices—sounds like the perfect formula for wellness, right? But what if skimping on sleep is holding you back? Poor sleep habits could be silently sabotaging your energy, performance, and overall health. In this episode, Dr. Thomas Nguyen, a leading expert in sleep science, reveals the crucial role sleep plays in recovery, longevity, and optimal well-being. Tune in to learn how better sleep can supercharge your health and help you reach your full potential!

Sleep is the foundation of our health, affecting everything from productivity to recovery and pain relief. But did you know that poor sleep can make you feel more pain? It's true—sleep deprivation triggers inflammation, heightens sensitivity to aches and pains, and slows recovery. The good news? Small changes can make a big difference.

In this episode, Dr. Thomas Nguyen, Interventional Pain Specialist at VSI, reveals why your sleep hygiene and creating the ultimate sleep environment matter more than you think!

From hidden pain triggers in your sleep environment to simple tweaks that lead to better sleep, less pain, and even improved daily function, Dr. Nguyen shares which small upgrades can unearth big wins for your health.

• Does sleep really affect pain tolerance?
• When is it time for a new mattress or pillow?
• How many hours of sleep do you actually need?
• The one thing you can change tonight for better sleep

Tune in for Dr. Nguyen's expert sleep strategies to help you wake up refreshed—not wrecked. You won't want to snooze on this episode!

Listen now: Youtube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Find additional expert resources & support at VSISpine.com