Health Library

Pain in your spine can erode your quality of life. No matter your age, spinal pain can slow you down, making it difficult to follow your daily routine. If you're struggling with lumbar spinal stenosis or a similar condition, a minimally invasive lumbar decompression procedure (MILD) can help. Learn more about the MILD procedure, including what it entails, which conditions it can treat, and how long you will need to recover so you can decide if this procedure best fits your goals and lifestyle. What Is Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression? A minimally invasive lumbar decompression, or MILD, procedure alleviates spinal nerve pain [...]

Neuropathic pain is a complex and often debilitating condition. It is also a condition that can be notoriously difficult to treat, with traditional treatments for neuropathic pain commonly failing to provide patients with relief. Thankfully, the field of medicine is advancing constantly, and promising new discoveries are being made every day. One emerging treatment that has shown promise for treating neuropathic pain is ketamine infusions. If you or someone you love is suffering from neuropathic pain, here is everything you need to know about ketamine infusions as a treatment option. Understanding Neuropathic Pain Unlike nociceptive pain — which is caused by [...]

Pain can be complicated, especially when it involves the spine. Many conditions cause back pain but are rooted in other parts of the body. But when your discomfort comes from your spine, medial branch blocks may enhance your overall pain management strategy. What Are Medial Branch Blocks? Vertebrae are the 33 bones that make up the spine. In addition to supporting you as you flex and bend, these bones are home to numerous nerves. One set of nerves, the medial branch nerves, run around joints known as the spinal facets — areas where the vertebrae fit together. There are two medial [...]

Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that around 1.2 percent of individuals in the United States have active epilepsy. This condition affects the lives of nearly half a million children and three million adults nationwide. Over the years, numerous technological advancements have resulted in the development of more effective treatment options for individuals who suffer from this condition. One specific treatment, called Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), has shown promising results. Here is what you should know. What Is Vagus Nerve Stimulation? This treatment specifically targets the vagus nerve, which runs up both sides of the neck before entering the [...]

Statistics published in 2023 by the National Institutes of Health show that nearly one out of every seven women in the United States is affected by chronic pelvic pain. If you are one of the millions of women living with this condition, finding effective treatment can essentially change your life. Although seeking professional treatment from our team at Freedom Spine & Pain Center is the ultimate solution for tackling this pain condition, there are several things that you can do in the meantime to find some relief. Top Ways to Effectively Ease Pelvic Pain Stay Active Although it may seem difficult to [...]

Experiencing frequent pain in your lower back and legs may indicate dysfunction in your sacroiliac joint. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a condition that results in extreme pain or discomfort due to flawed movement in the sacroiliac joints at the bottom of the spine. The sacroiliac joints are responsible for providing stability but can experience dysfunction when you are performing too little or too much movement. Freedom Spine & Pain Center provides sacral lateral branch blocks, later combined with radiofrequency ablation, to treat sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Discover how sacral lateral branch blocks provide relief from sacroiliac joint dysfunction. What Is the Sacroiliac [...]

Back and neck pain can be debilitating and affect every part of your life, from work to hobbies to general well-being. If you've been suffering from persistent back or neck pain, and it doesn't seem to go away with conventional treatment, it's time to consider a different solution.Freedom Spine & Pain Center offers customized treatment plans featuring the game-changing VIA Disc NP Allograft, designed to provide relief from degenerated intervertebral discs.How Does VIA Disc NP Work?VIA Disc NP Allograft is an innovative treatment option that addresses the root cause of back and neck pain, which often stems from degenerated intervertebral discs.Using tissue from [...]

Rajesh K. Sharma, MD Millions of people are misusing this prescribed medication. Tens of thousands of people have died from overdose, and hundreds of thousands of people graduated to the use of heroin, further leading to worsened morbidity and death. It is more and more commonplace to read in the media about celebrities who have succumbed to opioid related death. For example, the stories of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Prince show this problem can affect anyone regardless of socioeconomic status. New initiatives and increased safeguards are being introduced to combat this problem. One of the most important [...]

Rajesh K. Sharma, MD Anxiety is perfectly normal when a procedure is upcoming. One of the best ways to ease those concerns is to make sure that all your questions and concerns have been addressed prior to the day you are scheduled. My goal is always to make sure you have a clear understanding of the indications, the expectations, and the risks prior to going into the procedure room with you. We have different ways to accomplish our medical goals and you will always be given the option to choose. Many of the procedures I perform need nothing [...]

Rajesh K. Sharma, MD Unlike the beauty of the Arctic, there is nothing wonderful about having a shoulder that does not have full range of motion. Not only is it painful, it also can be quite debilitating. The condition is commonly associated with diabetes. Many times, it comes as a consequence of an injury and lack of movement that follows. You recover from your injury, and then "whammo!" your shoulder doesn't move the way it used to. Sometimes, these symptoms can improve with conservative measures, oftentimes not. So, what can be done about this? Treatment Non-Surgical NSAIDs: Drugs [...]