Spine & Nerve

Wellness is one of the most overused words in medicine. It's also one of the most important. Not because of biohacks or trends — but because the fundamentals of how we build a body, mind, and life that lasts are consistently overlooked in favor of short-term fixes. In this episode, I break down what wellness actually means, why lifespan and healthspan are not the same thing, and the Six Pillar...

In this episode, Dr. Brian Joves shares a personal journey of confronting cancer and how it reshaped his perspective on nutrition. Despite the fact that most physicians receive only a few hours of formal training in nutrition, diet remains one of the most powerful—and underutilized—tools in medicine. We’ll discuss:Why nutrition education is lacking in medical training. The dangers of the Standard...

In this episode, I take a step back from the usual discussions on interventional pain medicine to share something deeply personal. Recently, I was diagnosed with oral cancer—an unexpected and humbling moment that has given me a new lens through which to look at health, wellness, and the work we do every day in medicine. This experience has reminded me of two important truths: Health is never guara...

In this episode of the Spine & Nerve Podcast, Dr. Brian Joves and Dr. Jason Kung dive into the evolving world of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). As the field of pain medicine continues to progress, new studies are offering more insights into advanced therapies for challenging conditions like peripheral neuralgia and chronic pain. This discussion focused on the COMFORT study, which evaluate...

Episode Overview: In this episode, Dr. Brian Joves sits down with Dr. Scott Pritzlaff, an esteemed pain management specialist and the residency program director at UC Davis, to tackle some big questions on the current state and future of pain medicine. They dive into Dr. Pritzlaff's recent thought-provoking editorial, "From Pain Medicine to Pain Surgery: How Our Specialty Lost Its Way," which crit...

In this episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Dr. Brian Joves sits down with Dr. Richard Winters, an emergency physician, leadership coach, and author, to discuss leadership, coaching, and the unique challenges physicians face as they transition into leadership roles. Whether you're early in your career or a seasoned physician looking to expand your leadership skills, this episode offers pract...

The Pros and Cons of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) vs. Office-Based Procedure SuitesWelcome back to another insightful episode! Today, we’re diving deep into a topic that’s been on the minds of many healthcare providers: the differences between Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) and office-based procedure suites. Joining us is Teri Yates, an expert in helping physicians navigate the complexitie...

In this episode of The Spine & Nerve Podcast, Dr. Jason Kung and Dr. Brian Joves break down the new California opioid guidelines with insights that every healthcare provider and pain management specialist should know. Our doctors explore the latest guidelines from the California Medical Board, published in July 2023 and designed to navigate the complexities of prescribing opioids in chronic pa...

In this episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, join Brian Joves, MD for an enlightening conversation with Mike Ochoa, DPT, a passionate advocate for fitness in aging populations. Dr. Mike brings valuable insights into the importance of exercise, particularly weightlifting, in promoting longevity and overall well-being as we age. Discover the truth behind common misconceptions about aging and exerci...

Episode Summary:Join Dr. Jason Kung and Dr. Brian Joves for an in-depth discussion on the latest in neuromodulation. This episode covers a range of topics from the North American Neuromodulation Society 2024 Annual Meeting highlights to a journal club traversing the topics of spinal cord stimulation, closed-loop technology, and the impact of paraspinal muscle atrophy on vertebral endplates. With a...

In this episode of The Spine & Nerve Podcast, Dr. Dr. Jason Kung and Dr. Brian Joves have a reflective and forward-looking discussion as we transition from 2023 into 2024, sharing our podcast's journey, personal insights, biggest happenings in pain medicine, and anticipations for the new year. 1. Podcast Journey and Global Reach: Transitioning through 2023: The evolution of our podcast thr...

In this episode of the Spine & Nerve Podcast, Dr. Brian Joves has the distinct pleasure to welcome Dr. Andrea Furlan to the show. Dr. Furlan is a pain specialist in Toronto Canada. She is a physiatrist (specialist in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation). She holds a medical degree from the University of Sao Paulo and a Ph. D. degree from the University of Toronto. She has 30 years of experience hel...

In this episode of the Spine & Nerve Show, Dr. Robert Bowers joins Dr. Brian Joves to discuss the progression of young athletes in throwing sports, such as baseball. He emphasizes the importance of allowing children to play multiple sports and avoid specializing too early. Dr. Bowers also highlights the risks associated with overuse injuries and the need for rest periods. He discusses the role of...

In this episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Dr. Jason Kung and Dr. Brian Joves delve into a comprehensive discussion surrounding anticoagulation guidelines and their implications in interventional pain procedures. With over a hundred thousand downloads and over 1,000 YouTube subscribers, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the listeners for your engagement and support. Plea...

In this episode, we have a special guest, Dr. Nikhil Verma, who shares his inspiring journey from undergrad to establishing his own medical practice. Dr. Verma opens up about the challenges he faced, the pivotal moments that shaped his career, and the lessons he learned along the way. Join us as we delve into his story of perseverance, passion, and the pursuit of personalized medicine. Episode Hig...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, we have a return guest! Dr. Hunter Vincent returns to the show to chat with Dr. Brian Joves about health coaches and how they can help your patients to be more successful in their journey with and through chronic pain. In this episode we'll discuss: What is a health coach? Where does this fit into the treatment and provider paradigm?...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Dr. Jason Kung and Dr. Brian Joves try to digest all the recent happenings in the world of neuromodulation. They address: Internal Pulse Generators Artificial Intelligence The Cochran Study Listen as the doctors get excited, frustrated, and try to bring a silver lining to the whirlwind of headlines that have been discussing neuromodulation so fa...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve Podcast we would like to introduce you all to the newest member of the Spine & Nerve family... Dr. Jason Kung.  Jason Kung, MD, is a board-eligible anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician who joined Spine & Nerve last year. Listen in as Brian Joves, MD gets to know Dr. Kung better and explore his journey into medicine and to d...

In this week's episode we take a deep dive into lumbar spinal stenosis, discussing the underlying disease process as well as treatment options in the medical literature. The studies referenced in this podcast are given at the end of the podcast. This is meant for education and entertainment only, this is not to be interpreted as medical advice. If you feel that something discussed may be relevant...

In this week's episode of The Spine & Nerve Podcast, Evan Hauger, DPT joins Brian Joves, MD to discuss movement as medicine. Dr. Evan Hauger Evan specializes in  sports physical therapy, strength, and conditioning. He knows the ins  & outs of injury from years of personal experience. Growing up, he  was a multi-sport athlete and went on to play baseball at Shasta College. Through multiple personal...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Dr. Julie Hastings connects with Dr. Krystyna Holland, PT, DPT to learn about trauma informed care. Trauma informed care has many definitions, including some fantastic work done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. One definition is a consistent and intentional effort to reduce our propensity for harm. Another descri...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Drs. Nicolas Karvelas and Brian Joves discuss infectious spondylodiscitis, a relatively rare inflammatory process involving an intervertebral disc and the adjacent vertebral bodies. Spondylodiscitis has a prevalence of about 4-24 per million, and has been increasing as patients have more risk factors (advanced age, immunocompromised states such...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Drs. Julie Hastings, Nicolas Karvelas, and Brian Joves present a journal club on interventional management of patients with persistent pelvic pain syndrome. Three different interventions are covered in the articles presented, showing a range on invasiveness and diversity of targets to help moderate the pain symptoms. Listen as the doctors dive i...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Dr. Joves welcomes Dr. Raman Gurai back to the show. Dr. Gurai walks us through his journey in medicine and how he took the road less traveled to achieve his goals and dreams! Dr. Gurai's Bio: Dr. Raman Gurai is a board certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician with a special interest in Interventional Spine. He was born and raise...

In this week's episode of the Spine & Nerve podcast, Dr. Julie Hastings sits down with Shereen Sairafi, PT, DPT, WCS to discuss all things pelvic physical therapy related.  Pelvic floor physical therapists play an integral role in helping patients who have urinary, bowel, or sexual dysfunction, as well as pelvic pain.  Dr. Shereen Sairafi graduated from Boston University in 2013 with a  doctorate...