John A. Buza III, MD, MS

What to Know About Scoliosis.

What to Know About Scoliosis A leading spine expert shares 10 things parents and caregivers should know about this common, treatable condition.

Segmental Instability.

Segmental Instability Segmental instability is a condition where the bones in your spine (vertebrae) move more than they should. This extra movement can cause pain and make it difficult to perform everyday activities. It usually occurs in the lower back (lumbar spine) but can happen in other parts of the spine too.

Nutrition and the Spine.

Nutrition and the Spine Nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting the wellness of your bones including your vertebrae, but is often an overlooked component of spinal heath. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet, the risk of debilitating issues from spinal degeneration and osteoporosis are reduced.

The Surprising Connection Between Neck Pain and Migraine Attacks.

The Surprising Connection Between Neck Pain and Migraine Attacks Neck pain is really common in people who have migraine. But there’s also another type of neck-triggered problem, known as a cervicogenic headache, which is a different beast altogether. To correctly treat your symptoms, it helps to figure out exactly what’s going on.

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: What You Need to Know.

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: What You Need to Know Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine in the front-to-back plane or view of the body. It affects millions of people worldwide, posing unique challenges that require attention and support. In people with scoliosis, the spine can curve to the left, right, or both.

Prolonged Sitting: What You Should Know to Improve Your Posture.

Prolonged Sitting: What You Should Know to Improve Your Posture Have you ever found yourself feeling stiff and uncomfortable after extended periods of sitting at your desk, perhaps even experiencing nagging back pain? Dr. Arto Pesola, director of the Active Life Lab at South-Eastern Finland University and co-founder of Fibion, suggests a straightforward remedy:....

Retrolisthesis and Spine Surgery.

Retrolisthesis and Spine Surgery Retrolisthesis is a backward movement of a spinal vertebra relative to the vertebra beneath it. Historically, retrolisthesis has been seen as having no clinical significance. But as research activities continue, associations with pain, decreased functionality, and degenerative changes in the spine a...

What sleeping position is best for sacroiliac joint pain relief?

What sleeping position is best for sacroiliac joint pain relief? SJP may worsen at night, particularly if a person lies on the side of the affected joint or moves suddenly in bed. Adopting certain sleeping positions and other nighttime habits may help to ease the pain.

Your Osteoporosis is Treatable.

Your Osteoporosis is Treatable Fortunately, over the past two decades there has been great progress with numerous new medications developed that have dramatically improved the ability of health care professionals to successfully treat osteoporosis, resulting in a decreased chance of suffering an osteoporotic bone fracture.

Wraparound' implants represent new approach to treating spinal cord injuries.

Wraparound' implants represent new approach to treating spinal cord injuries A tiny, flexible electronic device that wraps around the spinal cord could represent a new approach to the treatment of spinal injuries, which can cause profound disability and paralysis.

98,000 patient study links diabetes to spinal stenosis.

98,000 patient study links diabetes to spinal stenosis According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38.4 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, 97.6 million people 18 or older have prediabetes and 27.2 million people 65 and older have prediabetes. As our population stands at roughly 336,377,915 people, those in the above categories re...

What to know about spinal stenosis surgery.

What to know about spinal stenosis surgery Spinal stenosis is a condition that causes the spaces in the spine to become narrow. This can put pressure on the spinal cord. When the spaces in the spine narrow, it can create pressure on the spinal cord and any nearby nerve tissue.

Wishing you and your family a Happy Independence Day!

Managing Osteoporotic Compression Fractures.

Managing Osteoporotic Compression Fractures Osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures (VCFs), or vertebral insufficiency fractures, occur when the density of the bone is insufficient to maintain its structural integrity in the setting of trauma or even minor events. VCFs most commonly occur in the lower half of the thoracic spine or u...

Study shows high rates of hip osteoarthritis among older adults with spinal deformity.

Study shows high rates of hip osteoarthritis among older adults with spinal deformity One-third of patients undergoing surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD) also have severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip—which is associated with worse spinal alignment and physical functioning, reports a study in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Recovery from spinal fusion: What to expect.

Recovery from spinal fusion: What to expect Spinal fusion is a surgical technique that permanently joins two or more of the spine’s vertebrae, or bones. It is a major procedure that requires extensive healing time for the bones to fuse fully and for the body to recover from the surgical trauma.

Happy Father’s Day! Thank you to all the wonderful fathers!

What are the most effective medications for back pain?

What are the most effective medications for back pain? Researchers have conducted several research reviews into medications for back pain. They found some may be more effective than others.

What are the stages of ankylosing spondylitis?

What are the stages of ankylosing spondylitis? There are three ankylosing spondylitis stages — early, progressive, and late. As the condition progresses, people tend to experience more pain and stiffness. Getting treatment earlier can help reduce complications.

Hot and Cold Therapy: When to Use Each for Neck Pain.

Hot and Cold Therapy: When to Use Each for Neck Pain Experts recommend using ice after an injury, for sudden onset pain, or for inflammation. Heat is ideal for chronic pain or for injuries that are no longer swollen.

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our nation.

Doctors can now watch spinal cord activity during surgery.

Doctors can now watch spinal cord activity during surgery With technology developed at UC Riverside, scientists can, for the first time, make high resolution images of the human spinal cord during surgery. The advancement could help bring real relief to millions suffering chronic back pain.

Gone fishing: Minimally invasive, robotic spine surgery helps man return to work and fun.

Gone fishing: Minimally invasive, robotic spine surgery helps man return to work and fun Bad back? It

Happy Mother’s Day!

Which doctor should you see for lower back pain?

Which doctor should you see for lower back pain? Primary care doctors, rheumatologists, pain management specialists, and psychiatrists may be involved in helping individuals manage lower back pain.

Burning Back Pain: Causes and Relief.

Burning Back Pain: Causes and Relief Sharp, burning back pain can interfere with many different aspects of your daily life, from work and exercise to being able to rest comfortably at night. It’s important not to ignore back pain, as it may be a sign of an underlying condition.

When should someone contact a doctor about back pain after a fall?

When should someone contact a doctor about back pain after a fall? Someone should contact a doctor about back pain after a fall if the pain is severe, persists despite rest, or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as vision loss, difficulty breathing, or loss of consciousness.

Happy Earth Day!

Return to work after traumatic spinal fractures and spinal cord injuries: a retrospective cohort study.

Return to work after traumatic spinal fractures and spinal cord injuries: a retrospective cohort study This study aimed to determine the factors associated with return to work (RTW) after traumatic spinal fracture and spinal cord injury. It provided a predictive model for RTW among patients with spinal fractures and spinal cord injury and determined important factors influencing the time to RTW after...

Predicting brace adherence could change the game in scoliosis treatment.

Predicting brace adherence could change the game in scoliosis treatment With the addition of built-in sensors that indicate how many hours a brace was worn, two things became clear. One: Despite improvements in brace design, many patients wore their braces far less than they thought or said they did. Two: Patients who wore their braces more had better outcomes.