9 Risk Factors for Developing Sciatica

I have had many patients with more severe sciatica (leg pain from a pinched nerve in the low back) tell me with a straiight face they wished someone would cut their leg off! It can be more severe than back pain because it is a form of nerve pain.
You can decrease your risk of sciatica by working on the nine factors discussed in this article.

9 Risk Factors for Developing Sciatica

Spinal stenosis is narrowing inside the spine and is a common reason for spinal surgery. Spinal fusion surgery is increasingly be added to the standard decompression surgery, but does not have any evidence of adding benefit to the procedure. At the same time adding the fusion increases the cost, increased recovery time, and increases the rate of infections and complications.
Does this practice sound rational to you?
Benefit of lumbar fusion for spinal stenosis found to be small to nonexistent

Ohio Work Comp Clamps Down on Spine Surgery

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation has issued a rule change regarding payment for lumbar fusion surgery, effective Jan. 1, 2018, that in most cases only authorizes surgery after the injured worker has received at least 60 days of conservative care for low back pain. 
This was done after several of their data studies found fusion patients suffered considerably worse outcomes than non-fusion patients. The conservative care can consist of chiropractic or physical therapy or other non surgical treatments.
Do you think this is a good new policy?

Ohio Work Comp Clamps Down on Spine Surgery

When Evidence Says No, but Doctors Say Yes

For all the truly wondrous developments of modern medicine—it is distressingly ordinary for patients to get treatments that research has shown are ineffective or even dangerous compared to conservative care. There are many reasons for this and this Atlantic article explains the reasons.
Three common treatments that fall into this category are heart stents for people who are symptom free or who have stable angina ( intermittent chest pain only), many knee meniscal surgeries for people with non acute knee cartilage tears, and spinal fusion surgery for disc degeneration.
I spend much time explaining this to patients who are interested because decisions on these procedures can have a huge impact on their lives. This is a longer article, but I encourage you to take the time to read at least part of it.
Has anyone received what they now perceive as an unnecessary treatment?When Evidence Says No, but Doctors Say Yes