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One NSAID More Dangerous than All the Others?

I see countless patients who by middle age or older become what I call an NSAID addict.  While these patients often believe they’re smartly using the stuff around them to keep active as they age, little do they know that using these drugs denotes a ticking time bomb of health risks. Now, a new study…read more

UCL Treatment Failures and the Difference Between Surgical and Interventional Orthopedics

Last week an article was published in the LA Times about some high-profile failures of stem cell UCL treatment and the subsequent need for Tommy John surgery. I read the piece and chuckled a bit because I knew why these cases likely failed. Let me explain. What Is the UCL? The UCL is a ligament that…read more

Colorado Sues Oxycontin Maker Who Patented a New Drug to Get People off Oxycontin…

This week the State of Colorado launched a lawsuit aimed at the maker of Oxycontin, Purdue Pharma. I’ve blogged a few times about just how insane the late 1990s through 2000s were during the narcotic-prescribing free-for-all that began with Oxycontin. I still remember the pushy sales rep from Purdue Pharma. I also recall that once…read more

Is the Next Frontier in Medicine Regrowing Lost Limbs?

Some of our animal cousins (and Deadpool) can regrow lost limbs. That’s a pretty neat trick that could benefit our wounded warriors and others. However, limb regeneration has been the stuff of science fiction and Marvel comics, but this past month, real scientific progress was made. Let me explain. Regeneration: The Body’s Ability to Repair…read more

Triathlete Achilles Tendinitis: “Just Wait for It to Tear so We Can Operate”?

As an active person, Achilles tendon problems can cause you to miss out on what you love. This is the story of a seven-time Ironman triathlete with an Achilles tendon that was so bad, his surgeon told him to just let it tear so that it could be surgically repaired. However, in the end, this…read more

Protein Released by Fat Cells Higher in Those with Arthritis

We’ve known for a long time that there was more going on than the extra wear and tear caused by extra weight in arthritis. Metabolic syndrome, a situation that can result from high-sugar and carbohydrate diets, lack of exercise, stress, lack of sleep, and sometimes genetics is also a huge factor in the breakdown of…read more

Then Again, Maybe Exercise Does Help Dementia

Tuesday’s blog was about a single study that seemed to show that if you had dementia, exercise didn’t help. Today I’ll review a meta-analysis that concludes the opposite. So let’s dive in! What the Heck Is a Meta-Analysis? You have seen in the news that one day a study concludes x, and then the next…read more

Tina’s Neck Story: How She Dodged the Surgery Bullet

I have seen countless patients through the years do what all of us would do when presented with an impossible problem. They seek out the most famous doctors they can find and get many opinions. Oftentimes these are surgeons, and if the patient has neck or back pain, they’re spine surgeons. This is how Tina’s story…read more