Back Stories

Do You Have Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms?

One minute you’re just sitting there on the couch, and the next, you’re clutching your lower back. It’s not like you were exerting yourself, so how could you be in so much pain? This is one of the signs of degenerative disc disease. Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms Lower back pain that wor...Read more

Spine Surgeon Dr. Valente Celebrates 10 Years

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Please join the DISC Spine Institute in wishing our Founder and Medical Director, Dr. Mark C. Valente, a Happy Anniversary! Dr. Valente, an industry-leading, board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon and expert in minimally invasive procedures, is celebrating his 10th year in p...Read more

How Much Ibuprofen Is Too Much?

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Is your back acting up again? Pop a few Advil. Wake up with a (literal) pain in the neck? Reach for that Motrin. It’s something we do all the time, for headaches, sore muscles, and various other aches and pains. But how much Ibuprofen is too much? We’re diving in so you know if too much Ibuprofe...Read more

The Five Most Common Herniated Disc Symptoms

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Wake up with a pain pulsating down one leg? Feel a twinge in your lower back when you sneeze? It could be nothing. Then again, it could be a herniated disc. We’re breaking down the herniated disc symptoms so you’ll know what to look for—and what to do about it. What is a herniated disc? Sp...Read more

8 Back Health Tips for Working from Home

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woman working from home sitting at kitchen table

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, have you recently found yourself working from home? Many of us suddenly went from having to commute across town to walking across our home to begin the workday. There are numerous advantages to working from home, like greater flexibility and, of course, being able to...Read more

5 Reasons to Consider Minimally Invasive Back Surgery

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If you’re dealing with chronic back pain, you probably remember the first day it hit. At this point, you may worry that you’ll never experience a day without that pain. Minimally invasive back surgery may be just what you need. Let’s explore the five reasons you should consider minimally invas...Read more

Are There Any Scoliosis Treatments?

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What Causes Scoliosis A normal, healthy spine has some curvature to it. These gentle curves, which can generally be seen when a person turns to the side, “help the spine absorb stress from body movement and gravity,” said WebMD. But when that curvature is too great, the condition is called sc...Read more

6 of the Best Sciatica Pain Relief Treatments

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You may be thinking to yourself, “It feels like a knife slicing down my leg,” or “It’s the worst cramp I’ve ever had,” or “I thought the numbness and weakness were bad until the throbbing started.” Sciatica pain can express itself in several different ways, but no matter which sy...Read more

Is Degenerative Disc Disease treatable?

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Is degenerative disc disease treatable? Yes! Learn about the most proven and promising treatment options at the DISC Spine Institute.

“Degenerative disc disease” (DDD) is, admittedly, a scary term. No one wants to hear that they have a disease, even though “disease” is a bit of a misnomer here because DDD is actually more of a condition. But, the word “degenerative” really isn’t all that better, and those who receive...Read more

Don’t let back pain keep you from working out

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One of the most common questions we get asked by both surgical and non-surgical patients at the DISC Spine Institute is, “When can I start working out again?” Back pain can be disruptive in so many ways, and losing the ability to go to the gym, go for a run, lift weights, do CrossFit, or take pa...Read more

What are thoracic spinal stenosis symptoms?

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Spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the spinal canal, can strike along any part of the spine. It most commonly occurs in the lumbar area (lower back), followed by the cervical area (neck). The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) calls spinal stenosis a “growing epidemic” that affects...Read more

Back Surgery Recovery Comebacks from Professional Athletes

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African American football athlete looking into a stadium

In 2016, NFL linebacker Rob Gronkowski had microdiscectomy surgery—his third back surgery recovery. He came back the following year and was named to his fifth Pro Bowl after a stellar season. In 2018, he helped the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl. And after retiring the next year, then ...Read more