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The Centeno-Schultz Blog

ccj instability

Can CCJ Instability Be Treated Without Surgery?

Craniocervical junction (CCJ) instability it a difficult-to-treat condition. Conservative measures may provide some temporary relief, depending on how severe the instability is, but ultimately, if your instability doesn’t improve or continues to deteriorate, your orthopedic doctor is probably going to recommend an upper-cervical fusion. This is a highly invasive surgery that not only permanently freezes … Continued
Peripheral Neuropathy via SANS approach

Leg Pain And Numbness Not Due To Peripheral Neuropathy

The Centeno Schultz Clinic is committed to the highest standard of care with comprehensive evaluations performed by fellowship-trained physicians. We utilize a SANS approach to evaluate our patients, which is what has helped us identify the peripheral neuropathy. Today I saw a patient in clinic who literally breaks my heart. Here is the tale of … Continued
hip replacement wear particles

Hip Replacement And Wear Particles: What You Need To Know

It’s been very well documented in research that wear particles are a given with hip replacement, but what exactly are hip replacement wear particles, and are they anything to be concerned about? First, in order to understand wear particles, you need to understand the materials manufacturers use to create these artificial-hip devices. Common Artificial-Hip Device … Continued
Medical professional administering an injection into a patient's knee.

Did Your Recent Knee Injection Actually Accelerate the Degeneration?

At the Centeno-Schultz Clinic, safety is first and foremost. As physicians we have a responsibility to our patients and community to do no harm. To that extent, we asked a key question in 2016. Do commonly injected local anesthetics harm stem cells? You know, those medicines used to numb an area? The short answer is YES! We … Continued

Multifidus Muscle: An Important Spinal Stabilizer

At the Centeno-Schultz Clinic, we utilize the SANS approach in our evaluation and treatment of patients. This has been discussed in prior blogs.  S stands for stability. Stability is dependent upon muscle strength and ligament stability. The Multifidus Anatomy The multifidus is one of the deep muscles of the back. During development, the muscles grow … Continued
neck fusion

Neck Fusion May Be Creating More Problems than It Solves

We could title today’s post with a number of questions: Do I really need a neck fusion? Does neck fusion surgery really work? What complications can I expect following a neck fusion? However, the answers to all of these boils down to, neck fusion may be creating more problems than it actually solves. In fact … Continued
spinal fusion

Spinal Fusion Does More Harm than Good!!!

Back and neck fusions are surgeries we place into the category of “Damage to Accomplish a Goal,” and, indeed, these spinal fusions are perhaps some of the most damaging orthopedic surgeries out there. Only in the most extreme cases, where the extensive harm this surgery creates is sure to be less than the good that … Continued
hand numbness while sleeping

Hand Numbness While Sleeping? Your Neck May Be the Culprit

While not super common, hand numbness while sleeping is an issue patients sometimes bring to our attention. We’re not talking about I fell asleep on my hand, and when I woke up it was numb; we’re talking about legitimate hand numbness that seems to recur most nights and may even wake you from sleep. If … Continued
A syringe needle with a drop of blood.

Why Differences in Bone Marrow Aspirate Techniques Matter!

In a previous blog, I underscored the importance of the number of stem cells harvested during a bone marrow aspirate. Success is dose-dependent. The higher the number of stem cells the better the outcome. What Is Bone Marrow Aspirate? A bone marrow aspiration is a  medical procedure that uses a trocar (sharp-tipped instrument, shown at right) to cannulate the … Continued
knee instability

Check Your Knee Stability with 4 Simple Tests

Knee stability, and stability in general, is very important. Lack of knee stability can lead to more problems over time, such as pain and arthritis. What would cause you to suspect you have knee instability? You may notice your knee joint cracking or popping, or you might experience a sudden shift in the joint with … Continued