You get hurt, and your instinct is to blame the injury itself, right? For Dr. Elizabeth Yurth, it’s a much broader picture than just the injury. While Dr. Yurth got her start in orthopedics and sports medicine, she took a pivot about 15 years into her career. She started looking at ways to keep patients out of her office, rather than coming back in. “I was patching people back together, throwing them back in the fire, and they're back a month later,” she says of her patients. “So I started to ask, could we do better? Could we make people healthier? That way, they could actually heal more completely and they wouldn't keep coming back into my office.”Rather than looking at just the injury, Dr. Yurth looks at the whole inflammation framework. And fortunately, she’s found that you don’t need expensive lab tests to figure out if your hormones are the source of your inflammation. Basic lab work, like CBC, metabolic panels, and glucose tests, can indicate whether hormones are off balance — and at a low cost. Her best advice to maintain health before you even hit the doctor’s office? Keep moving. It’s tempting to stop exercising when you’re injured, but something is better than nothing. Find the movement that works for you and stick to it. Why? Because your muscle acts like an organ, and building and stimulating muscle can help reduce pain. “Stop moving and you will die,” she says. “You’ve got to do something … you've got to move your muscles.”On this episode of Back Talk Doc, hear some of Dr. Yurth’s top tips for staying out of the doctor’s office, such as identifying and minimizing sources of inflammation and treating your muscle as an organ.💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Elizabeth (Betsy) Yurth, MDWhat she does: An expert in orthopedics and spine care, Dr. Yurth is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Boulder Longevity Institute. She’s fellowship trained in anti-aging medicine, regenerative medicine, and cellular medicine, with over 500 hours of continued education in longevity, nutrition, epigenetics, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, and regenerative orthopedic procedures. Company: Boulder Longevity InstituteWords of wisdom: “We have absolute certainty and absolute proof now that the cause of the degenerative disease is not the trauma. It’s the immune response to the trauma. If you can change that immune response, then you shouldn't see the trauma go on.”Connect: LinkedIn | InstagramSubscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Food Elimination and Pain with Heather Wolcott.👉Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation. 👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to

As a holistic nutritionist, as well as a health and wellness coach, Heather Wolcott understands concerns about all-or-nothing lifestyles and dietary changes. Instead, Heather believes in promoting a well-rounded lifestyle — and understanding that nothing is forever. On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, functional health coach Heather Wolcott, talk about nutrition and its effect on health, wellness, and even pain. Much of their discussion focuses around food elimination diets.Heather understands that the term “elimination diet” can be daunting for some people. But, she says, this form of lifestyle change is really just a tool to identify food sensitivities and intolerances that can cause brain fog, joint pain, rashes, anxiety, bloating, and fatigue. As with all things in wellness and nutrition, the key is balance. Even elimination dieting doesn’t have to last forever, says Heather. For some people, it may only last a couple of weeks. Everyone is different, and no two paths to health are the same. But Dr. Lakhia and Heather have both observed that certain foods seem to cause more problems than others. Tune in to learn how you might be able to improve your lifestyle by simply cutting certain foods. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Heather WolcottWhat she does: As a holistic nutritionist for more than 20 years, Heather has been helping clients improve their health and achieve their nutrition goals. She is a National Board Certified health and wellness coach and an ADAPT-Certified Functional Health Coach. Company: Heather WolcottWords of wisdom: “I love to really dial into nutrition because it's super complicated and complex when you get granular with it, but it doesn't have to be. I think people just need to be more educated.”Connect: Website | Instagram Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Evaluating Supplement Quality with Dr. Tod Cooperman👉Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation. 👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

Nutritional supplements are a recurring topic in discussions between doctors and patients. Many people incorporate supplements into the daily routine when they are looking to enhance their well-being or cure an ailment. But how do you know if you’re using the right nutritional supplements? On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and Dr. Tod Cooperman, MD discuss how to choose effective supplements, and what factors you should consider when looking to add supplements to your diet. Dr. Cooperman is the president, founder, and editor-in-chief of ConsumerLab.com, which is dedicated to independent reviews of supplements. He pursued the testing and review of supplements after seeing the impact of the DSHEA act in the 1990s, which allowed companies to make claims about products that they previously weren’t able to, leading to an explosion of interest in the health supplement market.   Understanding what goes into supplements can be a complex science in an industry that lacks FDA regulation. The team at ConsumerLab.com has set up detailed testing procedures at specialized labs to identify which products on the market are delivering on their claims. Despite a boom in popularity, Dr. Cooperman explains he’s not a fan of gummies because their dosage can be inaccurate due to the semi-liquid environment of the product. “There are not a lot of requirements from the FDA, but a product does have to have 100% of what it claims,” says Dr. Cooperman. “So companies don't want to produce a product that's going to fall below that; otherwise, they're in violation of the regulations. So they put in more.” Dr. Cooperman also shares insight into how to make an informed purchase, what to be wary of when shopping online for supplements, and what supplements he takes personally. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Dr. Tod Cooperman, MDWhat he does: Dr. Tod Cooperman is a nationally recognized and respected researcher, writer, and speaker on consumer healthcare issues. Dr. Cooperman is a graduate of the Boston University School of Medicine, receiving his M.D. in 1987. He also received his Bachelor's degree from Boston University with a major in Medical Sciences and a minor in Economics. Recognizing a lack of quality standards and oversight in the U.S. dietary supplement industry, Dr. Cooperman founded ConsumerLab.com in 1999, guiding it to become the leading independent evaluator of dietary supplements and nutritional products.Company: Consumer LabWords of wisdom: “Very rarely is there a situation where there are limits on contaminants. That’s left up to the manufacturer, so you’re at the mercy of the supplement company to do the right thing by you when you're buying a supplement. Some companies will cut corners or use simple methods, and others hold their products to a much higher standard.”Connect: Website |  LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Back Pain and the Sacroiliac Joint with Tanner Holden, PT.👉 Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower...

Despite its limited range of movement, the sacroiliac joint is prone to instability and is often a source of back pain in patients. On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and Tanner Holden, PT from Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates discuss the SI joint itself, some common causes of SI joint pain, and what the latest science has to offer for management. Patients can experience SI joint pain during or after pregnancy, pain from the joint itself, or autoimmune pain. However, diagnosing SI joint pain is rarely straightforward because medical imaging is not typically helpful in diagnosing SI joint pain. The pain can present in unexpected places and is often best diagnosed with the help of pain provocation tests. Once diagnosed, patients can opt for regular pain-reducing injections for a quick solution. A more holistic treatment plan looks at patient goals and finds ways to improve movement over time. This may also include lifestyle modifications to remove the irritants or activities that cause the pain to flare up. Since SI joint pain sources vary from patient to patient, plans are customized to individual needs. Tanner believes that healthy movement, activity, and strength are key to living an active and pain-free life. He and Dr. Lakhia discuss how this approach puts the patient first and removes the need for unnecessary supports like braces and belts. Instead, a strength-based approach allows patients to take their care into their own hands, resulting in fewer medical visits.  💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Tanner Holden, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCWhat he does: Tanner is a residency-trained Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist serving Charlotte and the surrounding area. He holds a board certification as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. Company: Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine AssociatesWords of wisdom: “We like to get people in and out and living their life.”Connect: Website |  LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Rethinking Osteoarthritis and Degenerative Disc Disease.👉 Take Dr. Lakhia’s 14 Day Challenge to get your health back on track. 👉 Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

If your back has been hurting and you haven’t been able to find relief, or you have chronic recurrent arthritic pain, it may be time to explore new options. On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia hosts a solo episode to reframe how patients should be thinking about osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease. He proposes that patients move away from thinking of these conditions as the inevitable result of wear and tear, and instead look at them through the lens of metabolic dysfunction. Using a framework focusing on food and supplementation options, Dr. Lakhia discusses the connection between what we put in our bodies and the pain that we feel. Two of the biggest culprits for inflammation in the North American diet are gluten and dairy. Studies have shown that removing these from your diet can reduce back pain. Dr. Lakhia discusses the benefits of adding collagen, EGCG, melatonin, and a botanical nutrient combination that uses cannabidiol and a fatty acid known as palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). Each supplement is backed by research and has shown promise for treating back pain. “I think those are some really exciting options to consider beyond the typical thought process of just vitamin D, turmeric, and fish oil,” says Dr. Lakhia. For those interested in learning more, check out the 14 Day Challenge that is available on Dr. Lakhia’s website.  💡 Your Host 💡Name: Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia, DOWhat he does: As a board-certified physiatrist and integrative medicine physician at Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates, Dr. Lakia specializes in nonsurgical approaches to spine and orthopedic conditions and offers a diverse range of innovative treatments for back pain, including acupuncture, spinal injections, and prescriptive exercise. Dr. Lakhia favors a conservative, holistic approach to spine care and understands the importance of getting to know each patient. He believes that listening to a patient without judgment is essential to finding the best course of treatment for back pain relief and a return to a normal life.Company: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine AssociatesWords of wisdom: “We know that patients and consumers nowadays are spending lots of time on the internet downloading, digesting information at a very, very rapid pace. So as clinicians, it's our duty to keep up as best we can with the evolving literature in the space.” Connect: Website | LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Bone and Spine Health With Dr. Stephanie Plummer.👉Take Dr. Lakhia’s 14 Day Challenge to get your health back on track. 👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn...

We all feel invincible sometimes, even as we age. Our minds do a great job of remembering how active and agile we were in our 20s and 30s. Even if we maintain an active lifestyle into our 50s and 60s, there are silent diseases that could be lurking in the background. Whether we feel it or not, osteoporosis can sneak up on us, so it’s important to be proactive.Dr. Stephanie Plummer, a physiatrist at Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates, joins Back Talk Doc host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia to share how women — and men — can best support their bone health to avoid disease and injuries as they get older.As an avid marathon runner, Dr. Plummer is quite active. But she emphasizes the importance of adding strength, flexibility, and balance work into our routines to help build bone density, as she’s done in her own workout regimen.“The flexibility and balance component is huge, and I think is really overlooked,” she says. “It’s great if we build good bone density and bone structure. That’s important for helping to prevent fractures. But if your balance is poor — or you don’t have the mobility to be able to prevent falling in the first place — then you may still be at higher risk.”Dr. Plummer and Dr. Lakhia also discuss the differences between osteoarthritis, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. They touch on hormonal influences as a reason why women are more likely to develop bone disease, as well as the role diet and sleep play in bone health.💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Dr. Stephanie Plummer, DOWhat she does: Dr. Plummer joined Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates as the first female physiatrist in 2021 & has been practicing physiatry in the Charlotte, NC area since 2013.Company: Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine AssociatesConnect: LinkedInSubscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Battlefield Acupuncture for Pain with John Howard.👉 Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6-week course to lower inflammation. 👉 Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

Battlefield acupuncture, a form of ear acupuncture, is well-known in military medicine. It’s now making its way to the civilian population due to ease of use, minimal risk involved, and effectiveness in relieving pain.John Howard, a clinician and academic, is a leading authority on this revolutionary technique. Upon earning his degree in acupuncture, he completed a five-year fellowship with the father of battlefield acupuncture himself, Dr. Richard Niemtzow. John joins Back Talk Doc host, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia, to discuss battlefield acupuncture’s history, how it works, as well as some of the programs he runs to help fellow clinicians learn and implement the technique.Battlefield focuses on inserting needles into specific points in the ear to relieve pain. And with the low risk involved combined with high pain reduction rates, it’s a safe alternative to opioid use. “There's no contraindication with the medicine. You can’t say well, since you’re on this medication, I can’t give you this needle.” John says. “You don’t have to contact the pharmacy to see if there are any problems with this. It’s that simple.”John and Dr. Lakhia also share examples of how the technique has relieved pain with their own patients, as well as discussing John’s upcoming book to help other clinicians implement battlefield and bring their patients a better quality of life.💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: John Howard, LAc., Dipl. AcWhat he does: John is a clinician and academician, providing international lectures in acupuncture and auriculotherapy. He has authored five books and 21 articles on the subject.Company: Battlefield Acupuncture SeminarsWords of wisdom: “It's really embryology at its finest. Have one of your members look at someone’s ear, or even look at their own ear in the mirror. It kind of looks like an inverted fetus in the womb. And you can go back to physics where the part contains the whole, where the specific parts on the ear contain specific parts of the body. And with the interaction of the cranial nerves, that's how the body balances out the pain and its processes. And that's the question everybody always asks. They always say, Well, how does battlefield work? And I say, Very well, thank you, and just go along with that.”Connect: Website | LinkedInSubscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Pain, Function & Parkinson's with Sam Schroeder, PT👉 Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6-week course to lower inflammation. 👉 Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine

For those living with Parkinson's, back pain and stiffness can be some of the most frustrating symptoms of the neurological disorder. Luckily, with cutting edge physical therapy programs like LSVT BIG®, those living with Parkinson’s can combat the slowing and smallness of movements associated with the disease. Samantha Schroder, DPT, a physical therapist based in Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine’s Charlotte office is certified in the approach. She joins Back Talk Doc host, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia, to discuss how the program reorganizes nerve networks in the brain to improve functioning.  The program focuses on big movements, which yield significant improvements in patients committed to the regimen. Samantha explains, “[We] get them to move really big. While it might seem super exaggerated when we act it out, when [the patient] acts it out, it's essentially going to be normal movement because they're starting from a place that's smaller. Having them do things that feel really exaggerated to them is going to look normal to us, and that's one of the main parts of the program.” In addition to explaining the science behind the program, Samantha shares exercises that patients can do to improve their posture and decrease back pain, also noting the benefits of integrating diaphragmatic breathing into the routine. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Samantha Schroeder, DPTWhat she does: Samantha Shroeder, DPT, is a licensed physical therapist living in Charlotte, NC. She has extensive experience in treating neuromuscular and musculoskeletal conditions, with specific interest in Parkinson’s Disease. Samantha is certified in treating Parkinson’s using the LSVT BIG® method.Company:  Carolina Neurosurgery & SpineWords of wisdom: "I fell into Parkinson’s because, during my clinical rotations, I noticed that it was more common than I had realized. It's the second most common neurological disease in the U.S., and people with Parkinson's can experience moderate to severe functional deficits. I believe that there is a significant role for physical therapy in treating Parkinson's, and that's where my interests stem from."Connect: LinkedIn | LSVT BIG® PromotionSubscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Back Surgery Revisions with Patrick Jowdy, MD👉 Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation. 👉 Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can...

In this special episode, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia offers listeners a guided meditation session to help manage daily pain levels.Dr. Lakhia emphasizes the importance of deep breathing as a powerful tool to connect with the present moment and promote relaxation. This episode is especially helpful for those struggling with pain who are looking for natural ways to manage their symptoms.This meditation is meant to be listened to in a quiet, comfortable environment, perhaps seated in a comfortable chair or laying down comfortably. Do not listen to this meditation if you are operating machinery, a vehicle, or in any situation that could be harmful. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Dr. Sanjiv LakhiaWhat he does:  In addition to hosting Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia is a board-certified physiatrist who cares for patients at the Ballantyne and Rock Hill offices of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates. As a physiatrist, he specializes in non-surgical approaches to spine and orthopedic conditions and offers a diverse range of innovative treatments for back pain, including acupuncture, spinal injections, and prescriptive exercise.Company: Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine AssociatesConnect: Website |  LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Back Surgery Revisions with Patrick Jowdy, MD👉Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation. 👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

During medical school, Dr. Patrick Jowdy was drawn to neurology and neurosurgery because of the challenges of the pathology and the importance of the work in improving patients’ lives. It was seeing the patients doing well post-op that finalized his interest in neurosurgery.In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia talks with colleague Dr. Jowdy, now a neurosurgeon at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, about how he treats patients who may need second low back surgeries. “Whenever anybody presents with [recurring] issues, the main thing that you need to really tease out is what the history is and what's really bothering them,” says Dr. Jowdy. “Sometimes there could be problems from an error in judgment and not really technique. That's why it's really important to identify what the problem is to begin with.” In addition to discussing treatment options for second, or revision, spinal surgeries, Dr. Jowdy also offers guidance on how back pain sufferers can try to avoid needing a second surgery. Tune in to hear how surgeons approach patients who present recurrent back pain after surgery and tips for maintaining a healthy spine. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Patrick Jowdy, MDWhat he does: As a neurosurgeon at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, Dr. Jowdy offers personalized care to his patients by using minimally invasive techniques and complex procedures to treat spine and brain pathologies.Company: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine AssociatesWords of wisdom: “What I tell patients after the operation is, there is a defect that the disc herniated through in the first place. The best chance you can give it to heal is to take it easy for a couple of weeks after the surgery. So I tell them, no heavy lifting, no bending, no twisting, just to give your back a rest in the weeks that come after the surgery just to reduce the chance that more discs can re-herniate.”Connect: Website | LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Conquer Pain With Virtual Reality. 👉Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation. 👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

It was more than 13 years ago that a veterinarian introduced Dr. Gregory Lutz to platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Dr. Lutz had a lame horse suffering from a tendon injury. With the help of a portable ultrasound, the veterinary physician drew the horse's blood, spun it in a centrifuge, and injected it into the tendon, right there in the stall. Within a few weeks, the horse was running around like a pony. That inspired Dr. Lutz to research this treatment for his own patients. With more than 30 years of clinical experience under his belt, Dr. Lutz has proven himself to be a driving force in today’s regenerative medicine movement. He has co-authored more than 60 scientific publications on the topic of PRP and continues to research the power of this treatment to improve outcomes.“We have to share research, speak openly about our findings, report the good and the bad and the ugly, so that people are aware of the risks, and see if we can keep moving this forward,” says Dr. Lutz. “It's been a very exciting journey to finally find something that I think has staying power.” In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and Dr. Lutz discuss PRP treatments for low back pain and Dr. Lutz’s new book.💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Gregory Lutz, MDWhat he does: Dr. Lutz is the founder of the Regenerative SportsCare Institute, Physiatrist-in-Chief Emeritus at New York City's Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and a Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Nationally known for his work and writing on platelet-rich plasma treatments for disc injuries, Dr. Lutz just authored a new book, Heal Your Disc, End Your Pain: How Regenerative Medicine Can Save Your Spine.Company: Regenerative SportsCare InstituteWords of wisdom: “There's some merit to that thought that if we intervene early with a structured healing treatment, you might prevent some of the degenerative changes that occur with the spine that most likely would result in more aggressive treatment like surgery.”Connect: Website | LinkedInSubscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Conquer Pain With Virtual Reality.👉Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation. 👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only). 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment

When we think of virtual reality, we usually think about its most obvious uses: gaming, socializing, or even shopping. But researchers and doctors are also experimenting with VR in the healthcare field. Harvard MedTech has found that VR has unique properties that help the brain address pain and return to homeostasis in a holistic way. In the Vx Therapy program, clinicians work alongside VR to help guide anyone from surgical patients to hospice patients and veterans toward relief from their pain. Using a biopsychosocial approach, practitioners there have found that creating acute distractions during a VR therapy session leads to pain relief that lasts hours, the equivalent of a pharmacological option like painkillers. That activity also encourages neuroplasticity and has helped patients achieve long-term relief and even sleep improvement.“We're tapping into the human brain in a way that we've never really been able to do before,” says Gerry Stanley, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Harvard MedTech. “We always treated it with drugs, we would treat it with injections, we would do different things, but now we're leaning into the brain's natural ability to find homeostasis and heal itself.”In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia sat down with Dr. Stanley to discuss Harvard MedTech’s Vx Therapy program, why VR therapy works, and how it can revolutionize medicine as we know it.  💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Dr. Gerry Stanley What he does: As Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Harvard MedTech, Dr. Stanely leads the company’s tech and VR solutions to help combat the opioid epidemic and mental health crisis in the United States. He is also a consultant and business leader providing guidance to healthy systems on healthcare solutions.Company: Harvard MedTech Words of wisdom: “If we treat people holistically, we give them a tool to engage them biopsychosocially — look at the savings on the backend for the carriers. Look at the happiness of the patients […] That’s the holy grail.”Connect: Website |  LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Hip vs. Back pain with Dr. Puneet Aggarwal👉Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation:https://www.drlakhia.com/offers/WanLnrxk👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only)https://www.drlakhia.com/apply🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧

One of the more challenging conditions for doctors to diagnose whether pain is originating in the hip or back. In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, Dr. Puneet Aggarwal, MD, troubleshoot different patient symptoms and explore how they would treat them.Dr. Aggarwal is the director of Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute of Sports Medicine, where he specializes in non-surgical treatments for the spine and interventional pain medicine. Dr. Lakhia and Dr. Aggarwal discuss multiple scenarios and treatment methods for a patient presenting hip and back pain. They run through different ways of identifying the root cause of the pain, how they would go about treating it, and the multiple options for patients who need more help. And for patients dealing with ongoing pain, Dr. Aggarwal stresses the importance of stretching and strengthening to maintain flexibility in your joints and muscles. From tight IT bands to testing pain on the stairs to SI joint pain and steroid injections, the two doctors cover the full gambit of hip and back pain. They provide tips for physicians to diagnose pain issues, and also help patients assess their own pain. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Puneet Aggarwal, MDWhat he does: As the director of Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute of Sports Medicine and division chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dr. Aggarwal specializes in non-surgical spinal treatments and interventional pain medicine.Company: Spine First - Atrium HealthWords of wisdom: “I think maintaining strength, but also maintaining flexibility at the same time is the key.” Connect: WebsiteSubscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Grief Connects Us with Jodi Stern, MD 👉Enroll in Dr. Lakhia’s 6 week course to lower inflammation:https://www.drlakhia.com/offers/WanLnrxk👉Apply for an Integrative Medicine consult with Dr. Lakhia (NC/SC residents only)https://www.drlakhia.com/apply 🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

When his younger sister, Victoria, died from leukemia, Dr. Joseph Stern stepped out of his white coat, becoming more than a physician. He was a patient’s loved one — his sister’s caretaker and advocate.In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia talks with Dr. Stern about how his experience with his sister led him to reexamine what it means to be a physician, which he chronicles for readers in his book Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion. “I saw, as if for the first time: what it was like to be a patient and what it's like to be a patient's family member. It really had a tremendous impact on me personally in terms of my relationship with her and family, but also how I take care of patients and the whole notion of passion in medicine,” says Dr. Stern. “I realized that, in many ways, I had never really been as empathetic as I needed to be or as compassionate, and hadn't really understood what it was like to be a patient [going] through this kind of illness.”Dr. Stern explains how physicians can become better doctors by practicing more patience, understanding, empathy, and compassion. He references multiple resources, in addition to his own book, so listeners can learn more about the power of connection between patient and physician.  💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Joseph Stern, MDWhat he does: Dr. Stern is a neurosurgeon, author, and inventor. He is a partner at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates and practices neurosurgery at the Moses H. Cone Hospital. Company: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine AssociatesWords of wisdom: “Have patience and the ability to listen — not being hurried — being present and listening and appreciating the [patient’s] experience is of vital importance. It makes you a better doctor, but it also takes your care to a whole different level in terms of the relationship you establish with a patient and family members.”Connect: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram  Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode 2022 Gift List For Back Pain2022 Gift List For Back Pain.🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at

Holiday shopping season is upon us, and there’s something out there for everyone. Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia reflects on the guests that decked the halls of Back Talk Doc in 2022 and compiled a list of the top ten gifts for people with back pain. The list is inspired by discussions with guests, including Dr. David Schecter and Esther Gokhale, and addresses a range of prices and applications. Finding the perfect gift is tough, so Back Talk’s top ten list helps strike the balance of something that lights up your loved ones’ faces while not depleting your budget or inflicting more back tension. Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia’s Top Ten List 10. Think Away Your Pain by Dr. David Schechter 9. Desert Tortoise Botanicals Trauma Pain Salve 8. Dr. Eric Goodman’s Foundation Training App 7. Fresh N Lean Meal Delivery Service 6. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale 5. Back Mechanic by Dr. Stuart McGill  4. Crossover Symmetry Padded Bands 3. Ear Seeds 2. Thermophore Heating Pad 1. The Back Talk Book by Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia Bring enlightenment into friends’ and families’ spines and homes this holiday season and start 2023 with habits that are guaranteed to ease any back pain or stress. Listen to this episode of Back Talk for the top ten gifts people with back pain can’t wait to receive this year. Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Back Pain Relief with Spinal Cord Stimulation🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

Physicians strive to find ways for their patients to live healthy, active lifestyles, and that is what attracted Dr. Dave Eichman to the specialty of spinal cord stimulation. In this episode of Back Talk, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, Dr. Eichman, cover what makes a patient a good candidate for the treatment, what to expect from it, and some potential pitfalls. “The unique ability to test the device before committing can help patients feel more confident in their choice. “[Once] you've had the surgery done, there's no going back. But with the stimulator, there's a five-to-seven day trial period where you come in, like you're gonna have an injection performed,” Dr. Eichman says while explaining a unique aspect of this treatment. “You just get to try it out, see if you can walk further, stand longer, sleep better, use less pain medicine. Are you comfortable with it?” The technology behind spinal cord stimulation has made significant progress since it first became available almost 50 years ago. In the past ten years alone there have been major improvements in the therapeutic modality of the device, so patients have more choices in what the treatment feels like to them. The devices are also now MRI-friendly, giving patients more imaging choices than they traditionally had if they had chosen to pursue this treatment. Tune in to this episode of Back Talk to hear how spinal cord stimulation can improve the lives of patients living with recurring nerve pain. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Dave Eichman, MDWhat he does: As a clinician, Dr. Eichman enjoys caring for patients by using critical thinking, patience, and perseverance. He specializes in pain management with a special interest in spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, MILD procedure, and Botox for migraines.Company: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine AssociatesWords of wisdom: “My interest has been in trying to make people's lives as bearable as possible. There are a lot of people that, unfortunately, are dealing with conditions that make it difficult for them to function throughout their day. So I've developed an interest in trying to make their lives better.”Connect: Website | LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode A Guided Meditation For Pain: Creating A Safe Space.🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

If you’re listening to Back Talk Doc, you or someone you know is probably dealing with some type of pain. Chronic pain can be very hard to handle, but many times when we create a mental image of our suffering, we tend to aggravate this pain, thus increasing it. This mental image leads to negativity on a conscious and subconscious level associated with your pain.Today, give your body a safe place to deal with pain. Join us on a guided meditation that will teach techniques to change the mental image that has been created from this pain, and transform it to a peaceful association with pleasant visualizations that create a warmer bonding between you and your body’s sensations.  💡 Featured Expert 💡Name:  Dr. Sanjiv LakhiaWhat he does:  In addition to hosting Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia is a board-certified physiatrist who cares for patients at the Ballantyne and Rock Hill offices of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates. As a physiatrist, he specializes in non-surgical approaches to spine and orthopedic conditions and offers a diverse range of innovative treatments for back pain, including acupuncture, spinal injections, and prescriptive exercise.Company: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine AssociatesConnect: Website |  LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Reduce Your Back Pain Frequency with Dr. Carol McMakin.🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

It is never too late to chase after a dream or make a difference in other people’s lives. Dr. Carolyn McMakin, DC is a testament to that. After deciding to pursue her lifelong goal at the age of 40, Dr. McMakin enrolled in pre-med courses and the University of Western States Chiropractic College. Upon graduation, Dr. McMakin opened her own practice and by 1996 began treating patients with a list of frequencies first documented in the 1920s. This work led her to present her results at the American Back Society National Meeting and subsequently publish the first 50 cases of neck pain treatment in 1998. To say her work has been monumental and influential in the medical world is an understatement. Dr. McMakin is the leading expert on frequency specific microcurrent (FSM). In fact, she discovered a specific treatment that could eradicate a patient’s pain caused by fibromyalgia as a result of spinal trauma. Not only did she discover a reproducible treatment, but one that could help a patient feel relief within just an hour. On this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia talks with Dr. McMakin about FSM and her work introducing it to physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, and practitioners all over the world.  💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Carolyn McMakin, DCWhat she does: Dr. Carolyn McMakin is the leading expert in FSM. She is a published author, teacher, and practicing chiropractor. Company: The FSM Clinic and Training CenterWords of wisdom: “Do what you love and love what you do and everything else you need will follow. That’s it: Follow your passion.” Connect: Website |  LinkedIn Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Neuropathy and Its Many Facets with Dr. Ki Jung.🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

Have you ever sat in one position too long and had your foot fall asleep? And when you stood up, you felt a prickling or tingling that was almost painful? Or have you ever rolled over in the middle of the night and found your hand was numb? Each of these occurrences are considered positive symptoms of neuropathy — they are the presence of an abnormal sensation.What exactly is neuropathy and what causes it? On this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia is joined by one of the newer partners at Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates, neurologist Ki S. Jung, MD to discuss neuropathy. Dr. Jung is newer to the practice, but not new to neurology as he offers over 18 years of expertise and is well-established in the community as a subject matter expert in his field. Dr. Jung walks listeners through a few examples of the various symptoms that bring patients to his office, as well as how to rule out the most common causes of neuropathy and test for sensory modalities to potential medications. He also discusses alternative technologies for pain management and relief. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Ki S. Jung, MDWhat he does: As a board-certified and fellowship-trained neurologist, Dr. Jung performs on-site neuro-diagnostic testing and has over 18 years experience diagnosing and treating disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, muscles, and other issues of the nervous system.Company: Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine AssociatesWords of wisdom: “Our bodies, we have to treat them right. And you need fuel. That's what food does, but make sure that fuel is super unleaded. Make sure you get rid of all the bad stuff and just supply your body with the good stuff. So good nutrition, adequate hydration, get some exercise in, and rest.” Connect: Website Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode Botanicals and Back Pain with John Slattery🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com. 🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.

Could a couple of drops of an herb tincture enable someone who underwent open heart surgery to feel her chest for the first time in four years? Could it help you mitigate and prevent back pain?In our society, it’s easy to think that the most complex, advanced medicine is the best cure for any and all pain. And yet, a powerful tool for pain treatment could be an overlooked plant growing in your backyard. In this episode, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest John Slattery of Desert Tortoise Botanicals dive into herbalism and its potential. Botanical medicine has held a key role in medicine since ancient times. Herbalists and indigenous people have preserved wisdom on medicinal plants and how to use them, and they are reviving awareness about botanical medicine.“In the way that the nature of a plant resonates with the nature of an individual, it can allow for opening and release in their physical tissue as the consequence of where that resonance meets, such that a healing experience can be facilitated within their physical body,” says John. “That may sound a little bit metaphysical, and it is, but it's also observable.”Listen to this episode of Back Talk Doc to learn all about botanical medicine and how it can help you treat back pain and other ailments. 💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: John Slattery What he does: John is a bioregional herbalist, forager, and author. Inspired by his desire to improve the accessibility of botanical medicine, he founded Desert Tortoise Botanicals, a company that sells products made from sustainably foraged herbs. Company: Desert Tortoise BotanicalsDiscount Code: Back Talk Doc listeners are eligible to receive 10% off their first purchase from Desert Tortoise Botanicals. Words of wisdom: “Because the body and the mind are inextricably linked, the so-called placebo effect is actually extremely powerful, meaning that how we hold our mind in wave form within our body consolidates into particle form into the tissue.” Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube Subscribe & Contact👉 If you enjoyed this episode of Back Talk Doc, check out our recent episode The Vagus-Trigeminal-Pain Connection with Sharik Peck, PT.🔎 For more information on Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and the podcast visit BackTalkDoc.com.🎧 Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.