A Landmark Study on Palliation of Bone Mets PainWhen a primary cancer such as cancer of the breast, prostate or lung spreads to the bone (bone mets), treatment strategies become complex. In today’s world of oncology, better systemic chemotherapies can add months and even years to a patient’s life; in addition, local cancer control of […] KEEP READING
What You Should Know About CartilageOne of the most fascinating components of the human body is cartilage, an incredibly versatile material. Trying to describe cartilage is like the six blind men who try to figure out what an elephant is: “The elephant is like a pillar,” said the man who touched his leg. “Oh no! […] KEEP READING
How Stress Makes Essential Tremor WorseEssential tremor (ET) is the most common form of uncontrollable rhythmic shaking, though it is sometimes misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease. The involuntary trembling results from abnormal communication between certain areas of the brain (cerebellum, thalamus, and brain stem). It is estimated that 10 million Americans suffer from ET, though many […] KEEP READING
Have you had the experience of bending slightly backward, and suddenly your lower back yells “OUCH”? Or you’re looking up at the cobweb in the corner, and pain shoots into your right shoulder? These could be symptoms of a condition called osteoarthritis of the spine, also known as facet joint arthritis. Osteoarthritis most often begins […] CONTINUE
One of the delights of traveling outside the U.S. is touring marvels of the ancient world. We moderns are amazed at structures like the Pyramids, Chichen Itza, Stonehenge, the Acropolis and many more. They evoke not only wonder but also curiosity: how were such structures erected without the aid of heavy machinery? Part of the […] CONTINUE
Lower back pain can become crippling. Not only does it affect work and relationships, it is frustrating and demoralizing when the cause cannot be readily identified. The World Health Organization says, “Though several risk factors have been identified (including occupational posture, depressive moods, obesity, body height and age), the causes of the onset of low […] CONTINUE
Your spine is a flexible stack of backbones (vertebrae) that literally take a mild pounding every day. As you move through the day – walking, climbing stairs, getting up from a chair, pushing a lawnmower, carrying something heavy, etc. – your spine bears and helps distribute the pressure. If each vertebra rested directly on the […] CONTINUE
You probably don’t think often of your back and spine. Most of us take our back for granted unless there’s pain. Yet we often use expressions that mention the area that’s hard to see in a mirror: Get off my back! She’s totally spineless. I’ve got your back, pal. He did it when my back […] CONTINUE
It’s a simple fact: pain hurts. Sometimes, the source of pain is very clear. If you accidentally touch a hot pan, it instantly causes a burning sensation. Ow! But you can deal with it because you know a) what caused it, and b) it will soon lessen. But pain isn’t always that straightforward or simple. […] CONTINUE
The human skeleton is remarkable architecture. It is a framework of bone and cartilage that supports and gives shape to the body. It may be hard to imagine that bones can develop tumors, which are cells multiplying out of control, but it can happen. If it does, most of the time the tumors are benign […] CONTINUE
Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent health conditions worldwide. In industrialized countries, it is estimated that 60-70% of individuals will experience low back pain severe enough to affect their work and quality of life. What causes aches and pains in the lower back? According to the World Health Organization, “Though several risk […] CONTINUE
Marrow is a “metastatic niche” Prostate cancer (PCa) and breast cancer (BCa) have some key features in common: When found early and properly treated, survival rates for each are very high Prostate and breast tumors tend to be hormone dependent (androgens for prostate, estrogen for breast) If treatment of the local tumor fails, both cancers […] CONTINUE
Prostate cancer bone metastasis Roughly 11-12% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) in their lifetime. Upwards of 20% of treated patients will eventually experience recurrence. One out of 41 PCa patients will die from the disease, since PCa has the ability to metastasize (spread) to distant organs and skeletal sites. In fact, […] CONTINUE
