Whitaker family with kids

Love’s Resilience: Overcoming Back Pain Together

For Valentine’s Day this year, I want to share a powerful love story — not the kind that focuses on first dates, first kisses or over-the-top marriage proposals. I’m talking about partners in pain — and how you help the one you love when debilitating back pain takes over their life. 80% of Americans experience…

chris holding his kids

How To Find A Surgeon Who Does More Than Surgery

Today we’re busting a big and long-held myth – that all surgeons just want to do surgery. The truth is, there are so many modern spine treatments and procedures out there that patients and their doctors have a lot of options to treat pain and injury – not just surgical but non-surgical ones too. A…

mature woman walking her dog on country road in summer.

Active Life After Modern Spinal Fusion

Many people have preconceived notions about spinal fusion surgery. Maybe you remember your parents or grandparents having one. If so — you likely think of an open-back surgery with a long recovery time, a lot of pain and restricted movement. But that was then and this is now. In today’s era of modern back surgery,…

dr. good leaning against operating room table

Life After Modern Spinal Fusion: This is Not Your Grandparents Back Surgery

Many people have preconceived notions about spinal fusion surgery. Maybe you remember your parents or grandparents having one. If so – you likely think of an open-back surgery with a long recovery time, a lot of pain and restricted movement.  But that was then and this is now. In today’s era of modern back surgery,…

Doctor Q&A : Discovering, Diagnosing, and Removing a Spinal Tumor

Doctor Q&A : Discovering, Diagnosing, and Removing a Spinal Tumor

Pre-Procedure Are there symptoms or signifiers that a patient may have a tumor on their spine? Patients may have similar symptoms to other pathologies such as disc herniations or stenosis from spondylosis that cause spinal cord or nerve root compression.  This may include pain, decreased sensation, or motor weakness.  For example, when a patient has…

Crystal and Katie holding model of a spine

The Healing Power of Friends When You’re in Pain

Dealing with back and body pain is never easy — but it’s especially hard when you shoulder it alone. Studies show people assess the level of their own pain… and cope better with it when they are connected to others instead of feeling isolated to deal with it on their own. That’s something that Crystal…

two women relax on log, look out across bay

The Power of Friendship in Overcoming Back Pain

Dealing with back and body pain is never easy — but it’s especially hard when you shoulder it alone. Studies show people assess the level of their own pain… and cope better with it when they are connected to others instead of feeling isolated to deal with it on their own. That’s something that Crystal…

cmh holding spine for bertolotti’s syndrome

As Seen on Fox5 DC: Solving a Medical Mystery — Bertolotti Syndrome

When debilitating back pain began to impact Maggie’s ability to cheer and attend school, she sought help from VSI. After diagnosis and successful treatment for what Dr. Haines discovered to be Bertolotti Syndrome, Maggie is now back doing what she loves as a cheerleader for Clemson University. Dr. Colin Haines, Spine Surgeon; and his patient,…

side view of cheerleaders

When Back Pain is Nothing to ‘Cheer’ About

Cheerleading is an incredible popular sport, with more than 3 million involved across the US. These are serious athletes who can develop very serious injuries, especially along and around the spine. So we are talking in this episode with Dr. Colin Haines from VSI about how he helps competitive cheerleaders deal with back and neck…