Blog Archive
Ideally, you wake up from a night’s sleep feeling refreshed and ready to start your day. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, you sleep in the wrong position and wake up with a stiff neck. Other times, you have nightmares that startle you awake. We all have nights when...
In 2021 (the latest year for which data is available), 5.4 million people saw a doctor for an injury after a car accident. That data from the National Safety Council highlights the high frequency of accidents and harm resulting from them. If you fall into this category, getting the right...
A pinched nerve is notoriously painful. But when that nerve is large and runs through most of your body, the situation becomes more dire. That’s the case with sciatica. With this condition, something negatively impacts your sciatic nerve. You have two of these nerves, which are the thickest and longest...
Most people will deal with neck pain at some point in their lives. In 2024, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that one in three people will experience this issue. In many cases, neck pain resolves on its own with time. But if you regularly wake up with this...
Whether you got into a car crash, had a sports accident, or had a traumatic injury that impacted your neck, you’re probably closely monitoring how it feels. As well you should. Whiplash is a common outcome after a sudden force moves your head. Your neck — from the cervical (upper)...
One minute, you’re fine. The next, your back is in so much pain you can hardly think. Maybe you were lifting something heavy or twisting to reach something. However it happened, throwing out your back isn’t ideal. For relief, you need to know how to manage the situation. As a...
Everyone relies on their muscles to move them throughout their day. As they contract and relax, you can take steps, lift objects, sit, stand, and more. As a result, when some of your muscles stop working the way they should, you want to know what’s causing that muscle weakness. Patrick...
When you think about the side effects of smoking, what comes to mind? You might picture yellow teeth or difficulty breathing. You might even think of more severe repercussions, like the heightened risk for lung diseases and strokes. But the fallout doesn’t stop there. In fact, a mounting body of...
Every minute, roughly 13 car accidents happen across the country. If you’ve never been in one, you’re beating the odds. Whether you just had your first accident or you’ve been in your fair share of fender benders, that rattling feeling immediately after the collision never fades. It’s normal to feel...
If you’ve ever been in a car with less-than-stellar shocks, you know how essential impact absorption is. That’s especially true in your body, where every step you take creates forces your joints have to absorb. Fortunately, your spine has shock absorbers between every bone (vertebra). These gel-like spinal discs allow...
Car accidents happen all the time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 1.5 million motor vehicle crashes result in an injury in any given year. And as far as car accident injuries go, whiplash might not seem like a catastrophic outcome. Usually, people with whiplash...
With minimally invasive spine surgery, getting your back the care it needs doesn’t have to involve significant downtime or post-operative discomfort. But be ready to put in some work to bounce back after your procedure. In many cases, that means going to physical therapy. With targeted strengthening and stretching exercises,...
You rely on all types of shock absorbers to move comfortably through your day. From the shocks in your car to the cushion in the soles of your shoes, humans have developed countless ways to make life a little less jarring. We didn’t have to invent the most important shock...
Just like a car, our body relies on shock absorbers for a comfortable ride. That’s particularly true of your spine. In between each vertebra (spinal bone), you have a rubbery disc. These fluid-filled discs allow your spine to bend and twist comfortably, powering your mobility. At least that’s the case...
Technology has changed the medical world. That is especially true when it comes to surgery. Thanks to advancements in arthroscopy, many spine surgeries can now be performed with minimally invasive techniques. In fact, if you know you need spine surgery, talk to Patrick S Hill, MD. At our office in Beverly...
For a while, you might chalk up back pain to aging. You are dealing with back pain and tingling and numbness in your extremities, but now the symptoms are worsening, and you start to suspect something is wrong. If that sounds familiar, you could be living with lumbar spinal stenosis....
Boom! All of a sudden, your whole day — and potentially your whole life — changed. A car accident can be a scary situation. If you walk away from it unscathed, you probably consider yourself lucky. Don’t assume you’re entirely off the hook, though. In some cases, pain from a...
If you need surgery, you want to do everything you can to minimize your risks of complications. You’ll likely carefully research your surgeon, then closely follow their recommendations for any pre-op lifestyle changes in the weeks leading up to your procedure. But if you want to go a step further,...
Back pain is a relatively normal part of aging, but it doesn’t have to be something you let control your life or allow to worsen with time. As we age, the shock absorbers in our back — the discs between each vertebra — can degenerate. In fact, by the time...
Back pain impacts countless people across the globe. Fortunately, medical researchers have made strides to alleviate it. Specifically, they’ve made significant advancements when it comes to surgical techniques. Now, using leading-edge techniques, like robotic surgery and minimally invasive protocols, Patrick S Hill, MD, can perform the spine surgery you need with...
At first, you might have dismissed your neck pain. Maybe you thought you slept on it wrong or just tweaked it. But when that discomfort persists for more than two weeks, it’s time to see a doctor. In many cases, neck pain stems from cervical stenosis, a narrowing in the uppermost...
Medical advancements have improved spine surgery. Whether you need a tumor removed, an abnormality corrected, decompression, or another form of surgical spinal care, a minimally invasive procedure can deliver a broad range of benefits. In fact, the practice of Patrick S. Hill, MD, chooses to specialize in minimally invasive spine...
When you think about the causes of back pain, your mind might go to something traumatic like a car accident or muscle strain from lifting something heavy. What happens when you’re moving isn’t the only thing that impacts your back, though. What you do while resting also plays a role in your...
Roughly one-third of people will deal with neck pain at some point this year. Those odds already look bad, but neck pain becomes particularly problematic because it often keeps coming back. If you live with persistent neck pain, you’ve probably wondered what causes it and how to find relief. Fortunately, Patrick S. Hill,...
Your body relies on a canal to keep your spine protected. When that canal narrows, it puts pressure on your spinal nerves. Medical professionals call this narrowing spinal stenosis, and it most commonly occurs in your neck (cervical stenosis) or low back (lumbar stenosis). The pressure stenosis applies to your...
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 6.7 million car accidents happen every year. Some of these accidents leave people seriously hurt with back pain, neck pain, and spinal injuries. As a skilled spine surgeon, Patrick Hill, MD, often diagnoses and treats accident-related spine injuries. Dr. Hill recommends that...