Risk - it's a part of life and it's certainly a part of surgery - hopefully, a small one. Still, the truth of the matter is - if you're considering spine surgery - you want to know what your surgeon is doing to minimize risk.

It's an important question for anyone needing to undergo spine surgery and for today's guest, Andrew Brunson – it's something he's had to do twice. Once in 2016 – when he had a spinal fusion on his neck at a major medical institution and then more recently in 2021 – when he found Virginia Spine Institute in search of a consultation for a disc replacement.

He discusses the patient perspective on selecting a spine surgeon who minimizes surgical risk. We will also hear from his spine surgeon Dr. Ehsan Jazini about the special measures he takes to minimize risk for his patients in the operating room. Learn more at SpineMD.com.

Many people will need back surgery at some point in their lives and figuring out the right amount of opioid pain medication to prescribe patients so they don't have a bunch of pills left over - is trickier than you think. We're tackling this issue today with doctors trying to drive important change including Spine Surgeon Ehsan Jazini, MD. Learn more about VSI at SpineMD.com

The workplace and workspace of 2022 looks very different than it did just a few years ago before the COVID-19 pandemic. It has shifted in major ways. Now people are finding themselves working anywhere and everywhere - from home offices and coffee shops to their car, in an airport or hotel - and everywhere in between. Our bodies are feeling this change - in good and bad ways. So that's what we're talking about in this episode with Dr. Yash Mehta, an interventional spine and sports medicine doctor at Virginia Spine Institute. Learn more about non-surgical treatments for back and neck pain at VSI at SpineMD.com.

More and more people who suffer from injuries and joint pain in the shoulders are turning to platelet-rich plasma or PRP - which is a form of regenerative medicine. Just like stem cell therapy - these are procedures that allow the body to heal itself. Dr. Niteesh Bharara, Director of Regenerative Medicine at Virginia Spine Institute is here to talk about stem cell therapy as an alternative to shoulder surgery. Learn more about Regenerative Medicine at VSI at SpineMD.com

SI joint problems can be tricky to diagnose. Although imaging is a diagnostic tool, X-rays alone can't fully identify the problem. Another problem in this area is that while the injury wasn't well known for some time, now - thanks to an over-abundance of so-called 'treatments', it's actually over-diagnosed and now you can find an endless list of offerings to 'cure' your back pain. So what really works and how do you know how and where to get the help you need if you or someone you love is dealing with SI joint pain? In this episode, we explore these questions and more with Dr. Niteesh Bharara, Director of Regenerative Medicine at Virginia Spine Institute. To learn more about Regenerative Medicine treatments, visit SpineMD.com

Sacroiliac or SI joint dysfunction is the source of up to 1/4 of all back pain. But while it can be debilitating for many - finding relief isn't always easy. Kathryn Butterfield knows this firsthand. Her life was full of so much pain because of SI joint issues that she was nearly incapacitated until she got her diagnosis and found regenerative medicine treatments that worked for her. Now she's speaking out to make sure other people don't suffer for as long as she did. To learn more about Regenerative Medicine treatments, visit SpineMD.com

Lots of people are intrigued by regenerative medicine and have heard promising information about the incredible power it has to promote healing. But it also offers a great opportunity to address a variety of aesthetic issues too. From thinning hair to challenges with your skin. In this episode, Dr. Thomas Nguyen of Virginia Spine Institute walks us through all regenerative medicine can do to help your appearance and make you feel more comfortable and confident with your appearance. To learn more about Regenerative Medicine treatments, visit SpineMD.com

Lots of people are intrigued by regenerative medicine and have heard promising information about the incredible power it has to promote healing. But there's also a lot of confusion about what it really encompasses and how it works. So in this episode, Dr. Niteesh Bharara, Director of Regenerative Medicine at VSI, breaks down the science behind this cutting-edge field. From head to toe, learn how regenerative medicine techniques like PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) Therapy and Stem Cell Therapy can address pain in the head, neck, shoulder, back, hip, knee, and ankle. If you're looking for non-surgical solutions to chronic pain or injuries, this episode is a must-listen!

To explore more about regenerative medicine treatments, visit SpineMD.com.

Spine Surgeon Dr. Thomas Schuler founded the Virginia Spine Institute in Reston, VA in 1992 and since then he has expanded it into a premier destination for people searching for solutions for back and neck pain. Patients literally fly in from around the world to see Dr. Schuler and his team at VSI. In the last 3 decades, they've treated 100,000 patients from 32 countries and Dr. Schuler has personally seen so much innovation in the field during that time. He's also driven a lot of innovation as a true pioneer in his field. For this episode - he sits down to talk about the many advancements in disc replacement and what this innovation means for patients looking to Get Back to their Life after dealing with debilitating pain. To learn more about VSI visit SpineMD.com

So what does recovery look like after back surgery?

There are A LOT of myths to bust on this topic and that's what we're doing in this episode.

In our last episode, we spoke about a variety of aspects of recovery with spine surgeon Dr. Ehsan Jazini of VSI.

In this episode - we're checking in with two patients - sisters - to find out what recovery from back surgery looked like for them and most importantly - what they're back to doing now.