Straight answers, from the source.
The questions patients actually ask me, answered plainly — what the research says, what it means for you, and when surgery is and isn't the right call. No fluff, no fear.
What Is a Lumbar Laminectomy? What It Fixes and What It Doesn't
A lumbar laminectomy gives crowded nerves room again, without a fusion in most cases. Dr. Arash Sayari explains what the operation helps, what it does not, and how he does it through a tube, a microscope, or an endoscope.
Read the answer →When to See a Spine Surgeon for Back Pain (Surgical or Not)
Most back pain never needs surgery. Here is when a spine surgeon's opinion is worth getting, what a tailored non-surgical plan looks like, and how second opinions work.
Read the answer →Why Your MRI Report Doesn't Always Explain Your Back Pain
An MRI report full of degeneration, bulges, and arthritis is normal with age. Here is why those findings often don't explain back pain, and what does.
Read the answer →Disc Bulge vs. Herniated Disc: What's the Difference?
A disc bulge and a herniated disc are two different shapes on an MRI report, not two levels of damage. Here is what each word means and why both are often painless.
Read the answer →Cervical Myelopathy: Symptoms You Should Not Ignore
Cervical myelopathy is spinal cord compression in the neck. A spine surgeon explains the early symptoms patients miss, and why this one is time-sensitive.
Read the answer →When Is Sciatica Serious? The Red Flags Not to Ignore
Most sciatica is painful but not dangerous. A spine surgeon explains the red-flag symptoms that mean you should be seen the same day, and what can safely wait.
Read the answer →Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: When Walking Is the Problem
Lumbar spinal stenosis narrows the spinal canal and makes walking harder. Here is how a spine surgeon thinks about the symptoms, and when decompression helps.
Read the answer →What Does a Herniated Disc Feel Like?
A herniated disc often feels like pain that travels into a limb, with numbness, tingling, or weakness. Here is what each sensation tells a spine surgeon.
Read the answer →A Herniated Disc on Your MRI Doesn't Always Mean Surgery
A herniated disc on an MRI is common and often improves without an operation. Here's how a spine surgeon decides when surgery actually helps, and when it doesn't.
Read the answer →
New Articles
by Email
About once a month I send out whatever I've written since the last one. Usually it began as a question a patient asked me in clinic. What a finding on an MRI actually means. When an operation helps, and when waiting is the better call.
You're on the list. Look for the next one in a few weeks.
That didn't go through. Please try again in a moment.