In this piece written for the Long Beach Post, Dr. Bhalla looks at back pain as a workplace problem. It is one of the most common reasons people miss work and visit a doctor, costing more than 264 million lost work days a year in the United States, roughly two days for every full time worker, and it often reaches into the neck, shoulders and legs.
He describes three workplace patterns that wear the spine down. Heavy loads lifted with poor technique, which proper lifting, the right tools and a second pair of hands can fix. Repetitive bending, twisting and lifting, which slowly wears the tissues around the spine. And staying in one position for too long, whether sitting, standing or driving, which stiffens muscles, ligaments and tendons, especially under stress. His rule of thumb is to stretch, change position or walk about every 20 minutes.
Chronic pain that goes untreated can worsen spine, neck and shoulder conditions, limit the ability to work and in some cases lead to lasting disability. Dr. Bhalla lays out how the decision about surgery is made: how intense the pain is, how long it has lasted, how much it limits daily life such as working or driving, and whether physical therapy, activity changes, medication and injections have been given a fair chance.
"Almost all surgeries on the spine are elective."
He reminds readers that almost all spine surgery is elective. The decision belongs to the patient, and the surgeon's job is to explain the risks and benefits clearly. Anyone with chronic neck, shoulder or back pain should see a spine specialist. Read the full article on the Long Beach Post website.
