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Most people with back or neck pain don’t start by calling a spine surgeon. In most cases, symptoms improve with time, activity modification, physical therapy, medication, or other treatment. But there is also a point when waiting for things to get better can turn into simply learning to live around the problem. I see this frequently in my practice. A patient will tell me the pain “isn’t that bad,” but then describe how they no longer walk as far as they used to. They’ve stopp

By Thomas A. McNally, MD As the anniversary of my father’s death approaches, I have been thinking about him as both a father and a surgeon. Those two parts of his life were never entirely separate, at least not for me. My surgical education began long before medical school, residency or fellowship, because I grew up watching how he approached his work, how he treated people and how seriously he took the responsibility that came with being a physician. I could speak for hours

By Thomas A. McNally, MD If you're experiencing persistent neck pain, pain that travels into your shoulder or arm, numbness in your fingers, or weakness in your hand, you may have a damaged cervical disc. These symptoms are often caused by a herniated disc in the neck or cervical degenerative disc disease, conditions that can place pressure on the spinal nerves or spinal cord. Many patients are surprised to learn that neck surgery doesn't always require a fusion. For some pat

by Thomas A. McNally MD Sometimes the Problem Isn't Where It Hurts One of the most common misconceptions I see is the assumption that pain in the lower back must be caused by a problem in the lumbar spine. While that is often true, it is far from the only possibility. The hips, sacroiliac (SI) joints, peripheral nerves, and even vascular conditions can all create symptoms that feel remarkably similar to a spine disorder. Determining the true source of pain is often the most i

Thomas A. McNally, MD Where the Science Stands—and Where It's Going Patients are hearing more and more about regenerative peptides. They promise to heal discs, reduce pain, accelerate recovery, and even help people avoid spine surgery altogether. Naturally, many patients ask me: "Could peptides help my back pain?" At this point, there isn't enough evidence to answer that question with confidence. As a spine surgeon, I'm always interested in treatments that may improve outcome

By Dr. Thomas A. McNally "I love helping my patients become pain free. But I would much rather help them avoid that pain altogether." One of the most rewarding parts of being a spine surgeon is helping patients regain their quality of life after a painful vertebral compression fracture. One of the most frustrating is knowing that some of that pain may have been preventable. One procedure I perform to treat these fractures is called kyphoplasty. In my experience, kyphoplasty p

By Thomas A. McNally, MD Orthopedic Spine Surgeon Spine surgery has advanced tremendously in recent years. Today, many conditions that once required open incisions can often be treated with smaller, more targeted techniques. For many patients, ultra-minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery offers an option that reduces tissue disruption while still addressing the source of pain. The smallest approach is not necessarily the best. The right approach depends on the diagnosis,