Orthopedic Spine Care of Long Island

08/13/2016

Stay safe out there in this record heat, Long Island. Here are some tips for taking care of yourself and protecting your skin in the hot sun.
When it comes to purchasing a safe brand of sunscreen, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recommends looking for several things. A Sun Protection Factor (or SPF, as you may know it) of 15 or higher is typically recommended in order to prevent sunburn and further damage. They also recommend suncare products with “broadband spectrum” labeling, as it is made specially to protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays.
In addition to purchasing the correct type of sunscreen, there are other preventative methods that the FDA suggests for sun damage. They include restricting your time in the sun, specifically between 10 AM and 2 PM, when the sun’s rays are at their highest intensity. If possible, wear clothing that limits the amount of skin exposed to the sun, such as brimmed hats, sunglasses, and long sleeve shirts. Finally, make sure to reapply sunscreen every two hours, and even more frequently if you have been sweating or swimming in the water. Some sunscreen may be labeled as waterproof, but it is important to re-apply anyway because no brand is entirely water resistant. Enjoy the summer sun, but remember to be safe!

07/24/2016

Happy Sunday, Long Island! Here's a tip: exercising can be a pain, but it can help reduce pain too. Here are some equipment free stretches that you can do right in your own home to strengthen your back and core, AND reduce pain in these areas.

07/16/2016

What is Sciatica and how does it effect me?

The Sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the body, running from the lower back, down to the buttock, and through the back of the legs. Sciatica occurs when this nerve becomes irritated, causing pain in the areas that it runs through. Symptoms of Sciatica include a sharp and constant pain on only one side of your body, specifically in the buttock or leg area. Additionally, there may be weakness or numbness when moving the leg and foot, or possibly a sensation of pins and needles in this area. There are a range of methods in treating Sciatica, both surgical and nonsurgical, so it is important to know which is right for you.

Treatment Options:
Application of heat/ice to the troubled area regularly until the pain subsides.
Anti Inflammatory pain medication such as Ibuprofen to reduce pain and swelling
Epidural steroid injections - unlike oral medication, epidural steroid injections are administered directly to the infected area.
In severe cases of Sciatica that are physically and debilitating, invasive surgery may be needed.

07/07/2016

07/07/2016

Happy Summer, Long Island! One of the main things we love about summertime is the warm weather, prompting us to want to soak up all the sun we can. And while the ocean is an essential part of your beach day, so is a different type of water. Staying hydrated is one of the most vital ways to kickstart your summer health. Not only is it important for safety reasons such as preventing dehydration, but it is also has more benefits than what meets the eye. Drinking water is proven to help aid in the weight loss process, keep your skin looking healthy, and regulate the body, improving kidney health.

07/04/2016

Orthopedic Spine Care of Long Island would like to wish all of our patients a happy Independence Day! Enjoy the barbecues, beaches, and fireworks. (We're back on Facebook, by the way. More content coming soon and thanks for sticking with us!)

07/17/2015

How do I Select the Right Spine Surgeon?

Has your pain finally gotten bad enough that you're considering spine surgery to help relieve your pain? What sort of questions should be asked to ensure that a surgeon is the right person to do spine surgery? Below are tips to help guide your selection.

1. When considering surgery, every patient should keep in mind that spine surgery is almost always an elective procedure, and there are very few times that spine surgery is absolutely essential. You are the only one who knows how bad your pain is, and the decision to proceed with surgery is absolutely your decision The surgeon's role is to educate you and assist with the decision-making process - providing you with information about your full range of options, and describing what is technically possible, the difficulty and risk of the procedure and potential benefits. Therefore, it's important that you select a surgeon who is helpful in providing you the information you need to decide whether or not to proceed with surgery.

2. The surgeon should be qualified to do the majority of spine surgery. In addition to the usual surgical residency requirements, orthopedic surgery specialties offer fellowship programs in spine that include an additional year of training specific to spine surgery. At the very least, your surgeon should be board certified or board eligible in orthopedic surgery.

3. Another very important factor is the amount of the surgeon's practice devoted to spine surgery. A physician who focuses on spinal surgery is going to be far more adept and current in newer surgical techniques then one who performs spine surgery only occasionally. For example, the North American Spine Society requires that at least 50% of a physician's practice be devoted to spine treatment as inclusion criteria for the society, which is probably a pretty good benchmark.

You can generally gather the above information about the referred surgeon from reliable sources, such as your family doctor, family, or friends who have been treated for back pain, and local hospital physician-referral services or universities, and from the physician's practice web site.

07/16/2015

Epidural Steroid Injection Success Rates

Effects of an epidural steroid injection tend to last anywhere between a week to up to a year. An epidural steroid injection can deliver substantial benefits for many patients experiencing low back pain. Here are some interesting points:

• The pain relief and control brought on by injections can improve a patient's mental health and quality of life, minimize the need for painkiller use, and potentially delay or avoid surgery.

• Success rates can vary depending on the condition that patient has and the degree of radicular leg pain that accompanies it.

• Recent research reports that lumbar epidural steroid injections are successful in patients with persistent sciatica from lumbar disc herniation, with more than 80% of the injected group with disc herniation experiencing relief (in contrast to 48% of the group that received a saline placebo injection).

• Similarly, in a study focused on a group of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and related sciatica symptoms, 75% of patients receiving injections had more than 50% of pain reduction one year following the injections. The majority also increased their walking duration and tolerance for standing.

07/16/2015

Learn about treatments OSCLI offers to our patients.
Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection...

A cervical epidural steroid injection is used to relieve pain associated with inflammation around the nerves in the neck. An injection delivers medication directly to coat the nerves in the area. A cervical epidural injection may be used to treat the symptoms of conditions such as a herniated disc that is impinging on a nerve root, a degenerated disc causing inflammation or spinal stenosis reducing the space for nerves, resulting in irritation to the nerves. For more information on care and treatment options call us today 631-847-0200.

06/19/2015

You may have more power over adult scoliosis than you think. Doctors can offer you various treatment options, and there are things you can do to help yourself.

05/27/2015

Orthopedic Spine Care of Long Island achieves accreditation from the American Association for Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF).....

Stringent national standards have been met by the physicians and staff at our facility. Dr. Arnold Schwartz, Dr. Paul Alongi, Dr. Waqaas Quraishi, Robert McCord P.A., and employees at OSCLI are extremely proud of this accomplishment. Our team works with Board Certified Anesthesiologists to provide the most comfortable treatment for our patients. With AAAASF credentials, we now offer procedures under sedation. We strive to improve quality of care and ultimately, assure the best possible experience at our facility.

05/27/2015

The use of photographs can improve patient satisfaction following scoliosis surgery....

A study published in the journal Spine suggests that by showing scoliosis patients their photographs before and after corrective surgery, surgeons can significantly improve post-operative patient satisfaction with the procedure.

http://www.spinalsurgerynews.com/2015/05/photographs/10795