Be a good patient? When possible, schedule your appointments in advance. For seasonal checkups or routine appointments, giving your doctor time to fit you properly into their schedule may lead to better care. This way your doctor won’t be tasked with trying to fit you into an already busy schedule. There are of course times when scheduling appointments in advance is not possible. In many cases, an unexpected illness arises and you have no choice but to call your doctor hoping for a same-day appointment. One way to handle this situation is to chat with your doctor. Some physicians would prefer a phone call when symptoms start to get you into the office within two to three days with the understanding that you may cancel the appointment if your condition changes. In another cases, this may be more of a nuisance to your doctor. Have an open, honest conversation about their preferences, office policy and standard wait times for appointments. When you are calling last minute, flexibility is key. Many doctors will fit you in even if their schedule is full. Be willing to take any appointment time and wait a little longer in the office if necessary. Walking into the situation with these expectations will make it easier to endure, and your flexibility is more likely to lead to a positive outcome. There is also potential that a colleague will be able to fit you in, so if you are okay with not seeing your primary physician, you could benefit.

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.

Those who enter into a SI joint rehabilitation program can usually return to running with minor modifications. The more severe the case is, the more modifications will have to be made and longer rest period a physician may recommend. Many runners can return to running immediately by making modifications, but others with more severe pain may need to rest and rehabilitate for a while. In the latter case, it’s important that athletes take time to recover so they aren’t doing permanent damage to their body. Usually, a rehabilitation protocol and possible intervention to treat underlying cause (biomechanics, physical attributes, muscle problems) will result in complete recovery and zero residual pain. Surgical intervention offers similar results for more severe cases. With minimally-invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion procedures, doctors have reported less post-surgical bleeding and bruising as well as a shorter operating time. See extra details on Sacroiliac Joint Surgery.

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.

Those who enter into a SI joint rehabilitation program can usually return to running with minor modifications. The more severe the case is, the more modifications will have to be made and longer rest period a physician may recommend. Many runners can return to running immediately by making modifications, but others with more severe pain may need to rest and rehabilitate for a while. In the latter case, it’s important that athletes take time to recover so they aren’t doing permanent damage to their body. Usually, a rehabilitation protocol and possible intervention to treat underlying cause (biomechanics, physical attributes, muscle problems) will result in complete recovery and zero residual pain. Surgical intervention offers similar results for more severe cases. With minimally-invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion procedures, doctors have reported less post-surgical bleeding and bruising as well as a shorter operating time.

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. Yuan is dedicated to serving patients using conservative treatments whenever possible. Never sign up for surgery when you don’t need it. If surgery is required, however, Dr. Yuan offers a variety of options for patients, including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures. See a few more info on Spine surgery Long Beach.