Back Talk Doc

After undergoing multiple spine surgeries himself, Joel Proskewitz founded the SpineXchange to offer educational materials for others who are dealing with back surgery or general back pain.  On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Lakhia sits in the hot seat as he is interviewed by expert guest Joel for the SpineXchange. Joel and Dr. Lakhia cover advice on many different aspects of back care.&n...

Even with their in-depth medical training, doctors can brush off accidents and deny the possibility of a lumbar issue. It’s not until the pain persists or worsens that they come to terms with the possibility of having a longer-term injury.  Doctors can even experience a sense of shame about having a spine problem while being a spine expert.  On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv L...

What happens when the doctor becomes the patient? In the first episode in this new series, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia discusses personal back care journeys with some of his esteemed colleagues. On this episode, he talks with Lindsey Howard, PA-C, a physician assistant in the physiatry department at Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Care. Her spine care journey began with scoliosis.  When she was 12, she...

As non-urgent medical procedures slowed during the height of COVID in 2020, some docs faced a lot of stress. Vince Rossi, MD, took advantage of his more-open schedule to get an MBA.  So, why did Dr. Rossi want to pursue another degree after becoming a successful neurosurgeon? He wanted to better understand the health care system in which he works, believing that knowing the business world wou...

You get hurt, and your instinct is to blame the injury itself, right? For Dr. Elizabeth Yurth, it’s a much broader picture than just the injury.  While Dr. Yurth got her start in orthopedics and sports medicine, she took a pivot about 15 years into her career. She started looking at ways to keep patients out of her office, rather than coming back in.  “I was patching people back together...

As a holistic nutritionist, as well as a health and wellness coach, Heather Wolcott understands concerns about all-or-nothing lifestyles and dietary changes. Instead, Heather believes in promoting a well-rounded lifestyle — and understanding that nothing is forever.  On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, functional health coach Heather Wolcott, talk about nutritio...

Nutritional supplements are a recurring topic in discussions between doctors and patients. Many people incorporate supplements into the daily routine when they are looking to enhance their well-being or cure an ailment. But how do you know if you’re using the right nutritional supplements?  On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and Dr. Tod Cooperman, MD discuss how to choose eff...

Despite its limited range of movement, the sacroiliac joint is prone to instability and is often a source of back pain in patients.  On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and Tanner Holden, PT from Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates discuss the SI joint itself, some common causes of SI joint pain, and what the latest science has to offer for management.  Patients ca...

If your back has been hurting and you haven’t been able to find relief, or you have chronic recurrent arthritic pain, it may be time to explore new options.  On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia hosts a solo episode to reframe how patients should be thinking about osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease. He proposes that patients move away from thinking of these conditions...

We all feel invincible sometimes, even as we age. Our minds do a great job of remembering how active and agile we were in our 20s and 30s. Even if we maintain an active lifestyle into our 50s and 60s, there are silent diseases that could be lurking in the background. Whether we feel it or not, osteoporosis can sneak up on us, so it’s important to be proactive. Dr. Stephanie Plummer, a physiatrist...

Battlefield acupuncture, a form of ear acupuncture, is well-known in military medicine. It’s now making its way to the civilian population due to ease of use, minimal risk involved, and effectiveness in relieving pain. John Howard, a clinician and academic, is a leading authority on this revolutionary technique. Upon earning his degree in acupuncture, he completed a five-year fellowship with the f...

For those living with Parkinson's, back pain and stiffness can be some of the most frustrating symptoms of the neurological disorder. Luckily, with cutting edge physical therapy programs like LSVT BIG®, those living with Parkinson’s can combat the slowing and smallness of movements associated with the disease.  Samantha Schroder, DPT, a physical therapist based in Carolina Neurosurgery and Sp...

In this special episode, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia offers listeners a guided meditation session to help manage daily pain levels. Dr. Lakhia emphasizes the importance of deep breathing as a powerful tool to connect with the present moment and promote relaxation. This episode is especially helpful for those struggling with pain who are looking for natural ways to manage their symptoms. This meditation is m...

During medical school, Dr. Patrick Jowdy was drawn to neurology and neurosurgery because of the challenges of the pathology and the importance of the work in improving patients’ lives. It was seeing the patients doing well post-op that finalized his interest in neurosurgery. In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia talks with colleague Dr. Jowdy, now a neurosurgeon at Carolina Neur...

It was more than 13 years ago that a veterinarian introduced Dr. Gregory Lutz to platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Dr. Lutz had a lame horse suffering from a tendon injury. With the help of a portable ultrasound, the veterinary physician drew the horse's blood, spun it in a centrifuge, and injected it into the tendon, right there in the stall. Within a few weeks, the horse was running around like a pony...

When we think of virtual reality, we usually think about its most obvious uses: gaming, socializing, or even shopping.  But researchers and doctors are also experimenting with VR in the healthcare field. Harvard MedTech has found that VR has unique properties that help the brain address pain and return to homeostasis in a holistic way.  In the Vx Therapy program, clinicians work alongsid...

One of the more challenging conditions for doctors to diagnose whether pain is originating in the hip or back. In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, Dr. Puneet Aggarwal, MD, troubleshoot different patient symptoms and explore how they would treat them. Dr. Aggarwal is the director of Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute of Sports Medicine, where he specializes...

When his younger sister, Victoria, died from leukemia, Dr. Joseph Stern stepped out of his white coat, becoming more than a physician. He was a patient’s loved one — his sister’s caretaker and advocate. In this episode of Back Talk Doc, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia talks with Dr. Stern about how his experience with his sister led him to reexamine what it means to be a physician, which he chronicles for...

Holiday shopping season is upon us, and there’s something out there for everyone. Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia reflects on the guests that decked the halls of Back Talk Doc in 2022 and compiled a list of the top ten gifts for people with back pain.  The list is inspired by discussions with guests, including Dr. David Schecter and Esther Gokhale, and addresses a range of prices and applications. Finding...

Physicians strive to find ways for their patients to live healthy, active lifestyles, and that is what attracted Dr. Dave Eichman to the specialty of spinal cord stimulation.  In this episode of Back Talk, host Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, Dr. Eichman, cover what makes a patient a good candidate for the treatment, what to expect from it, and some potential pitfalls.  “The unique abil...

If you’re listening to Back Talk Doc, you or someone you know is probably dealing with some type of pain.  Chronic pain can be very hard to handle, but many times when we create a mental image of our suffering, we tend to aggravate this pain, thus increasing it. This mental image leads to negativity on a conscious and subconscious level associated with your pain. Today, give your body a safe...

It is never too late to chase after a dream or make a difference in other people’s lives. Dr. Carolyn McMakin, DC is a testament to that. After deciding to pursue her lifelong goal at the age of 40, Dr. McMakin enrolled in pre-med courses and the University of Western States Chiropractic College. Upon graduation, Dr. McMakin opened her own practice and by 1996 began treating patients with a list o...

Have you ever sat in one position too long and had your foot fall asleep? And when you stood up, you felt a prickling or tingling that was almost painful? Or have you ever rolled over in the middle of the night and found your hand was numb? Each of these occurrences are considered positive symptoms of neuropathy — they are the presence of an abnormal sensation. What exactly is neuropathy and what...

Could a couple of drops of an herb tincture enable someone who underwent open heart surgery to feel her chest for the first time in four years? Could it help you mitigate and prevent back pain? In our society, it’s easy to think that the most complex, advanced medicine is the best cure for any and all pain. And yet, a powerful tool for pain treatment could be an overlooked plant growing in your ba...

Imagine relearning how to walk — and learn — in your senior year of high school. For this episode’s guest, Sharik Peck, that was reality.  Mr. Peck’s battle with chronic pain began when he was only two years old. As a young child, he fractured his second cervical vertebrae. Years later, he crushed multiple spinal vertebrae in his thoracic region. Finally, he experienced a vertebral artery dis...