Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates welcome you to Back Talk Doc, a podcast dedicated to empowering you to take control of your back pain and enhance your quality of life. On this inaugural episode, we introduce our host, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia, a board certified physiatrist and specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates.

Dr. Lakhia is passionate about educating patients on how to care for their back by combining the best of holistic and conventional medicine approaches. He is the author of the patient education booklet, Back Talk, that addresses common questions you may encounter when searching for back and spine care options.

On this episode, Dr. Lakhia provides a straightforward approach to treating and preventing back and spine issues. Additionally, he addresses health and wellness issues, navigating the healthcare system, and safe and effective treatment options for back problems.

Future episodes of Back Talk Doc will feature interviews with prominent neurosurgeons, physiatrist, physical therapists, nutritionists, and other experts in the field of spine care and wellness.

Top 10 Back Pain Myths

• Myth #1: Most patients with low back pain need surgery. 3:09
• Myth #2: All herniated lumbar discs need surgery. 4:31
• Myth #3: Sit-ups are good for your low back. 6:20
• Myth #4: All back injuries need x-rays and MRI studies. 7:46
• Myth #5: Only overweight individuals have low back pain. 9:04
• Myth #6: If you hurt your back, bed rest is critical. 11:05
• Myth #7: Over-the-counter drugs are totally safe for treating back pain. 16:59
• Myth #8: Muscle relaxers, relax muscles. 19:19
• Myth #9: Exercise causes back injuries. 20:54
• Myth #10: Back braces help low back pain. 22:22

Every episode of Back Talk Doc includes a Health Matters segment intended to provide actionable health information you can put into practice in your life immediately. This week Dr. Lakhia discusses the importance of sleep. He details the overall benefits of sleep and the strong correlation in medical research between sleep and pain. (11:50)

Links Discussed in Today’s Episode

·      Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

·      Back Talk by Sanjiv Lakhia

Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at carolinaneurosurgery.com.