Thoracic spine
The thoracic spine is the middle segment of the vertebral column, located between the cervical and lumbar regions. It consists of twelve vertebrae and plays a crucial role in supporting the rib cage and protecting the spinal cord. Injuries or conditions affecting the thoracic spine can result in pain, stiffness, and neurological symptoms.
Subscribe to the BlogCan You Treat Thoracic Pain with Orthobiologics?
The thoracic spine lives between your neck (cervical spine) and lower back (lumbar spine). It’s where all of your ribs attach and it causes upper and mid back pain in lots of patients but is rarely treated. Why? Let’s dig into that today. Let me tell you a story from my practice that illustrates the…read more
Can PRP Injected Around Nerves Cause Serious Scar Tissue?
Anyone reading this blog knows I like to write about my daily experience. This week I got a call from a physician acting as an expert witness on a malpractice case against a physician who injected PRP into the scalene muscle. The argument made by the patient’s attorney is that since PRP can be pro-inflammatory,…read more
What is Slipping Rib Syndrome?
Many patients have rib pain, but this often goes undiagnosed. Today we’ll explore why and get into “Slipping Rib Syndrome” as well as the concept of rib instability. Let’s dig in. The Typical Patient While many different patients can have pain in the upper back or chest due to a wide variety of things, slipping…read more
Why is the Thoracic Spine a No Man’s Land?
A patient came in recently to discuss the effects of PRP treatment she received in Canada. Out of that conversation came a common refrain. A Toronto spine specialist didn’t want to repeat her prior very successful thoracic spine interventional treatment that I had done in Colorado. Why? He had never treated this area of the…read more
What Is Thoracic Radiculopathy?
What is Thoracic Radiculopathy? How is it diagnosed and treated? Dr. Google says this one is rare, but not based on what we have seen in the past few decades of experience with this diagnosis. Let’s dig in. What Is Thoracic Radiculopathy? The thoracic spine is your upper back, as shown below. Radiculopathy means that…read more
What Causes Back Rib Pain?
In this article: What is back rib pain? Where do you feel back rib pain exactly? Which muscles are responsible? Can tendinopathy cause back rib pain? What are the other causes of back rib pain? How do you treat back rib pain? Fizkes/Shutterstock Back rib pain is a term patients often use to describe pain…read more Fight the Awful Effects of Sitting and Gravity: My “Old Man” Stretch
As we get old, our spines and bodies suffer the effects of sitting and the weight of earth’s gravity with additional insults from smartphones. As a result, I have a secret stretch I do every day to help me fight these forces and to help avoid the worst of the “old man” (or “old woman”)…read more What Causes Numbness In Hands While Sleeping?
I have heard patients tell me for more than 25 years that their hands go numb at night when they lie down to go to sleep. The sensation of numbness in your hands and fingers (paresthesia) might be unsettling, but should it be something that worries you?
