Concussions and Whiplash – SCREEEEECH! The sound of the tires I heard just before I was rear-ended as I waited to make a left-hand turn into a parking lot. That unnerving sound was followed by the sound of plastic shattering as my body jolted toward the windshield, and my neck snapped forcefully forward and then…
Cervical (Neck) Stiffness – Do you slouch or have poor posture while typing on your computer or phone? Do you have poor sleep posture? Do you often turn your entire body from right to left to look at something instead of turning your head? In this article, I will describe the 3 main causes of…
A few years ago, when I worked in a pain management clinic, I once cared for a patient who had chronic lower back pain with occasional numbness and right leg weakness. For treatment, he received lower back steroid injections every 3 months. Despite his lower back pain, he tried to remain as active as possible…
In the 10 years of my healthcare career, I’ve never taken care of a patient who is recovering from an aortic dissection. Though aortic dissections are very rare, healthcare professionals understand that aortic dissections are a serious matter. Every second counts when trying to save a patient whose life is threatened by internal bleeding. Below,…
Cardiac (Pericardial) Tamponade – Growing up, I had a very cool aunt by the name of Mary. She drove a royal blue SS Chevy Nova with racing tires and two wide white stripes that stretched from the hood of the car to its trunk. As I write this article, I can still hear the roaring…
Have you ever rolled out of bed paralyzed by the pain that you felt in your lower back, and your only relief was when you took a hot shower? Do your joints ache right before it rains? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, then you have arthritis. Causes It is a rheumatic…
Have you ever had aggravating hip pain at bedtime while lying on the affected side of the hip or after getting up from a chair after sitting for a long period of time? Have you ever had hip pain that gets worse the longer you walk or the more steps you climb? If you answered…
A hip pointer is a contusion (bruise) to the iliac crest, the surrounding soft tissue or the greater trochanter of the femur.
Greater trochanter pain syndrome (GTPS) is gradual or acute idiopathic (unknown) pain that occurs on the lateral side of the hip.
A hip dislocation is a painful, traumatic event that occurs when the femur (ball and socket head of the thigh bone) is forced out of the acetabulum (the socket), thereby making it impossible to move the affected leg.
Sternal fractures result from blunt force trauma to the chest. Before the passage of the seatbelt laws, sternal fractures occurred in approximately 3% of MVAs.
A diaphragm injury or rupture is a tear to the diaphragm muscle across the bottom of the ribcage and 80-90% of these injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents.
A labral tear of the hip joint is the result of damage in the cartilage lining of the acetabulum. A tear can cause mild, moderate, or severe hip and groin pain; joint stiffness may be sudden or progressively get worse.
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is caused by irregular bone growths (bone spurs) that are not able to fit properly along one or both bones that form the hip joint.
Femoral neck stress fractures occur in two groups: young, active individuals and the elderly with osteoporosis. Femoral neck stress fractures are a common cause of hip pain for runners and military recruits due to chronic repetitive activity.
Tendonitis of the hip has multiple names such as trochanteric bursitis and hip flexor tendonitis. Tendonitis is a painful burning sensation caused by the inflammation or irritation of the tendon on the hip.
Snappy Hip Syndrome, or Coxa Saltans, is an audible or palpable snapping sensation that is heard during movement of the hip joint.
A hip fracture is a break in the upper portion of the femur (thigh bone). Most hip fractures occur in elderly people whose bones have become weakened by osteoporosis.
