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All Posts in Category: Blog

2018-09-02

Want a reliable solution for persistent back pain?

Epidural lysis of adhesions alludes to a percutaneous spinal strategy for relief from discomfort (Racz method). Pain may arise because of epidural aggravation, nerve root pressure, venous engorgement, and scar tissue.

Lumbar spinal stenosis causes different types of painful sensations in back or leg, and is perceived with expanding recurrence in elderly patients whose physical status isn’t constantly reasonable for medical procedure. Epidural adhesions are frequently caused by spillage into the lumbar spine’s epidural space following careful intercession. Adhesions can lead to tireless leg torment, yet pain doctors are equipped for separating the scar tissues that structure and cause this pain with the utilization of an uncommon catheter and blend of medicines. This system is known as epidural lysis procedure.

The following signs are to be considered before opting for Epidural Lysis Procedure:

  • Back/neck pain and sciatica (with or without surgery)
  • Chronic low back pain
  • Radiculopathy (mono- or polysegmental)
  • Failed back surgery syndrome
  • Lumbar spinal stenosis
  • Post-laminectomy syndrome
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Neurogenic claudication
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Herniated/prolapsed intervertebral disc
  • Epidural scarring
  • Sympathetically independent pain

Epidural lysis strategy is anything but a “first line” treatment meaning, the patients who experience this treatment have attempted more preservationist treatment choices, for example, prescriptions and epidural steroid infusions, medical procedure, which have neglected to alleviate their pain.

If you have persistent, nagging back or neck pain following surgery, don’t suffer any longer. Please call Pain Management Institute at 815-464-7212 to schedule your evaluation with Dr. Zaki. He is very experienced in interventional treatments and a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician who has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years After determining the cause of your pain, he may use a variety of treatments to provide you with pain relief.

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2018-08-31 p

Every painful sensation is to be considered on an immediate basis

Regardless of whether we’re conveying the heaviness of the world on our shoulders, bear shoulder pain gets us down in a variety of different ways. To start with, pain is pain and never fun. Agony is debilitating and meddles with all that we do. What’s more, we utilize our arms for relatively every action and most developments, so on the off chance that it happens to the arms, it happens to the shoulders, as well.

Next, when shoulders are insecure, feeble and excruciating, they haul our stance askew. Thus, this makes a course of different impacts, for example, debilitated abs, agonizing back muscles and a strict undeniable irritation. This blog covers the shoulder pain treatment options that can help facilitate the excruciating sensations.

Minor wounds that have just slight pain can be dealt with at home. On the off chance that the source of the pain and the reason for the pain are not known, or if the signs recommend you may have a more genuine condition, you should contact your specialist while starting essential care measures.

  • Rest: Use the injured area as little as possible for the first two to three days, and then slowly begin to exercise the injured area. This speeds recovery.
  • Ice: Place the ice in a plastic bag, wrap the bag with a towel, and then apply to the injured area for 15-20 minutes every hour. Directly applying ice can damage the skin.
  • Elevation: Elevation of the injured area above your heart helps the swelling go down. This reduces your pain. Use pillows to prop yourself up.
  • Pain control: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can help control swelling and pain.
  • Heat: Do not apply heat in the first week after an injury because it can increase the swelling in the injured area and worsen your pain.

A treatment plan will be produced after a total history and physical examination (and any tests, if required). Treatment alternatives differ for each condition. Obviously, a basic strain is dealt with far uniquely in contrast to a heart attack. A few conditions require hospitalization, careful repair, non-intrusive treatment, or other rehabilitative measures. The degree of recuperation might be finished or constrained. A few conditions can be repetitive or steady; therefore, you ought to have a treatment intend to figure out how to manage and adjust to any constraints.

Still confused? You can get expert advice and Dr. Zaki Anwar. He is a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician and has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years and has achieved remarkable results. Patients can make an appointment on a walk-in basis, which is unique to our community, and have direct access to a surgeon who is able to diagnose and treat their urgent needs. You can also make an appointment by calling our office at 815-464-7212.

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2018-08-27

This injection is a life saver!

As of late, there has been an expansion in media consideration with respect to the adequacy of epidural corticosteroid infusions, particularly for a condition called lumbar spinal stenosis. But, wait; let’s first explore what Epidural Steroid Injections are.

Epidural Steroid Injections

An Epidural Steroid Injection (“ESI”) is an injection with a blend of a corticosteroid and a neighborhood soporific drug, locally known as anesthesia. Corticosteroids are effective anti-inflammatory drugs that work to diminish swelling and aggravation helps taking away the weight off the nerves and other delicate tissues, bringing about noteworthy comfort. An ESI might be attempted when other non-operative medicines have neglected to diminish extreme back or leg pain from different reasons that lead to nerve irritation. These injections have been utilized for low back conditions since 1952 and are as yet an imperative piece of non-operative treatment designs. Relief from discomfort may keep going for a few days or even years. The objective is to diminish painful sensations with the goal that you may continue ordinary lifestyle and a non-intrusive treatment program.

Potential Risk Factors

The potential risks associated with inserting the needle include spinal headache from a dural puncture, bleeding, infection, allergic reaction, and nerve damage / paralysis (rare). Corticosteroid side effects may cause weight gain, water retention, flushing (hot flashes), mood swings or insomnia, and elevated blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Any numbness or mild muscle weakness usually resolves within 8 hours in the affected arm or leg (similar to the facial numbness experienced after dental work). Patients who are being treated for chronic conditions (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis) or those who cannot temporarily discontinue anti-clotting medications should consult their personal physician for a risk assessment. Overall, this is a very safe procedure if it’s carried out appropriately.

Effectiveness

Sensing the painful hints and its reaction are exceptionally individualized. Research to decide the viability of these medicines in the lumbar spine has demonstrated normal achievement rates between 50 percent and 90 percent. Numerous components impact the viability of Epidural Steroid Injections. Research has demonstrated that the sooner you get a dose for the pain, the better the result might be. To what extent help with comfort will last fluctuates with every patient.

The Expert

Choose your doctor effectively. Confused about who to contact? And what’s the best treatment for your pain? Contact Dr. Zaki Anwar! Dr Zaki is very experienced in interventional treatments. He is a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician and has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years and has achieved remarkable results. Get his expert opinion by just making a phone call at 815-464-7212.

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2018-08-20 p

Significant pain reduction with Facet Block Injections

The new talk of the physicians: they are prescribing Facet joint injections for either therapeutic or diagnostic rationales. Besides this, it is also identified as a facet blocks which are highly accurate outpatient procedures. This can provide instant response to the physician which helps in the confirmation of that specific facet joint which is responsible for causing pain in patient’s neck or back. Furthermore, a facet block promises to provide noteworthy pain diminution with no to minimum risks and downtime typically associated with spine surgery.

Facet joint condition is an arthritis-like circumstance that can be a source of severe pain in the back of the spine and neck. It is caused by degenerative changes to the joints between the spine bones. The cartilage inside the facet joint can shatter down and become inflamed, triggering painful sensation in nearby nerve endings. Medication, physical therapy, joint injections, nerve blocks, and nerve ablations may be used to administer symptoms. Chronic symptoms may require surgery to fuse the joint.

A diagnostic facet joint injection is frequently carried out to substantiate the root cause of the pain. When carrying out a facet block, the general practitioner introduces a small needle into a facet joint that is assumed to be damaged or inflamed. Occasionally, fluoroscopic (X-ray) supervision is used for improved precision. The physician then injects a mixture of a local anesthetic and time-release steroid medication to numb the joint, reduce inflammation and block pain.

Facet joint injections usually involve the following steps:

  1. The patient lies face down on a procedure table in a physician’s office or fluoroscopy suite.
  2. The skin at the injection site is carefully cleansed.
  3. The physician applies a numbing agent to the injection site.
  4. The physician guides a small needle into the targeted facet joint.
  5. The physician injects a small amount of contrast dye to confirm that the needle is correctly positioned and the medication is contained within the joint.
  6. Following this confirmation, the physician slowly injects a mixture of anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications.

If you have neck or back pain and would like to learn more about facet joint injections, you are encouraged to explore your treatment options with the expert physician, Dr. Zaki Anwar. . He is a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician. Dr Zaki has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years and has achieved remarkable results. Feel free to call our office at 815-464-7212.

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2018-08-16 (1)

The new alternative to for back surgery

If you have lower back pain, trust me, you’re not alone! About 80 percent of adults undergo low back pain at some point in their lifetimes. It is most commonly caused by job-related disability and is a leading contributor of missed work days. In a recent survey held, more than a quarter of adults reported experiencing low back pain during the past 3 months.

Men and women are equally affected by low back pain, which definitely varies in intensity from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp sensation that leaves the person incapacitated. Pain can set in motion unexpectedly as a result of an accident or by lifting something heavy, or it can develop over time due to age-related changes of the spine. Inactive lifestyles also can set the stage for low back pain, especially when a weekday routine of getting too little exercise is punctuated by exhausting weekend workout.

Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (IDET) is a minimally invasive treatment for chronic low back pain that results from certain types of painful degenerative disc disease or contained disc herniation. Successful IDET treatment may allow some patients to experience good or excellent pain relief without having to undergo major spinal surgery for disc removal and spinal fusion, or disc replacement.

The IDET treatment was first introduced in 1997 and has been performed extensively since then. The procedure involves inserting a catheter into the disc and heating it up. It takes about an hour and can be readily performed on an outpatient basis (with no overnight hospital stay). Several disc levels may be treated in a single session.

This is a fairly recent technique, FDA approved in 1998, developed for treatment of pain originating from a spinal disc. In the past, severe low back and leg pain caused by a defect in the spinal disc typically required surgery. Surgery frequently can “cure” the problem, but it may not improve the pain. Surgery is also very invasive, not to mention expensive. The IDET procedure was developed and designed with the goal of reducing pain with less invasive techniques, decreasing the risks of complications, and lessening the recovery time and expense.

There are minimal risks associated with IDET when it is performed by an experienced physician. Initially, it was thought that disc space infection, nerve root injury, post treatment disc degeneration or herniation, and post treatment increase in back pain were significant concerns. However, most published studies of IDET therapy have not reported any significant complications and the real risk of complications are now felt to be quite low.

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2018-08-11 p

Relieving Chest Pain just got easier!

It gets hard to describe what to do when you feel pain or discomfort in the chest. Is it a heart attack or another, less serious problem? Since chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack, if the pain is due to heart disease, it is important to seek help and get treatment as quickly as possible.

One of the ways of treating chest pain is to undergo the Intercostal Nerve Block Treatment. Intercostal nerve blocks are popular with physicians treating chronic pain and inflammation in the abdomen or chest for a prolonged period of time. Patients with pain that is resistant to opioid treatments, or who wishes to avoid using them, often find intercostal nerve blocks are a practical and less risky pain management option. Surgeons may also use intercostal nerve blocks as part of analgesia during major thoracic or abdominal procedures.

An intercostal nerve block is an injection of medication that helps relieve pain in the chest area caused by a herpes zoster infection (or “shingles”) or a surgical incision. Intercostal nerves are located under each rib. When one of these nerves or the tissue around it gets irritated or inflamed, it can cause pain. A steroid medication and local anesthetic injected under the rib can help diminish the inflammation and ease the pain. Intercostal nerve blocks also can be used to help identify the source of pain.

Soon after the injection, you may notice that your pain may be gone or considerably less. You will be kept in the recovery room for a short period for observation. The risk of complication from an intercostal nerve block is very low. However, there could be bruising or soreness at the injection site. Very rarely, this injection can result in a complication called a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) so a chest x-ray may be obtained.

Some patients account for pain relief to take place immediately after the injection, but the pain may return a few hours later as the anesthetic wears off. Longer term relief usually begins in two to three days, once the steroid begins to work. The duration of this relief is different for each and every individual patient. For some, the relief lasts several months. If the treatment works for you, you can have periodic injections to stay pain-free.

An intercostal nerve block may be right for you if you have a recent onset of pain in the chest area especially due to shingles or a surgical incision which does not respond to other treatment. Talk to your physician about it. Give a call to Pain Management Institute at 815-464-7212 and schedule your evaluation with Dr. Zaki Anwar. He is very experienced in interventional treatments and a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician who has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years After determining the cause of your pain, he may use a variety of treatments to provide you with pain relief.

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2018-08-04

New innovations are a step towards pain free life

An intrathecal pain pump implantation, or targeted drug delivery, is often considered as an option to relieve chronic pain. This therapy has been recommended as an advanced therapy for patients with cancer and non-cancer pain after systemic medicines have failed. Intrathecal pump therapy for cancer pain reduces pain by delivering medication directly to the area surrounding the spinal cord, thus requiring much smaller doses of medication for relief.

A pump and catheter are surgically implanted beneath the skin by an IPI physician. The pump, implanted in the abdominal area, is connected to the catheter, which is tunneled under the skin to the specific site where the medication is needed. Intrathecal therapy involves the administration of analgesic and antispasmodic medications directly into the spinal fluid for control of pain and spasticity.

When using intrathecal therapy in the management of pain, the physician often uses much lower doses of analgesics to improve pain control, thereby limiting the side effect burden associated with higher doses of systemic analgesics. Pain management with intrathecal therapy has been shown to improve pain control and side effects over systemic analgesics alone.

However, significant side effects and complications can occur with implantation and management of these devices. In addition to routine complications that occur with any surgical procedure, the pumps, catheters, and drugs infused in the pumps all carry their own complications. The pain pump and catheter are implanted under the skin which is why surgical complications are a possibility. The side effects embrace infection, spinal fluid leak, and headache. You should avoid the implant procedure if you have an active infection at the time scheduled for implant.

Once the infusion system is implanted, device complications may occur, which may require surgery to resolve. Drug overdose or underdose can result because of these complications and have serious and even life-threatening adverse effects. Further potential complications include the catheter or pump moving within the body or wearing through the skin. The catheter could leak, tear, kink, or become disconnected.

However, there are a lot more advantages which is why hundreds of people opt for this method to reduce their pain. The following advantages may convince you to think about it;

  • It’s safe and effective when used as directed
  • Does not involve permanent changes to the spinal cord or nerves
  • Can be adjusted to dispense medication according to your activity level and pain patterns
  • Lets you try the therapy for a short period of time before committing to long-term therapy
  • Is reversible—the therapy can be turned off, or if desired, it can be surgically removed

Still feeling confused? Call us at 815-464-7212 and get Dr. Zaki’s expert opinion. Dr. Zaki Anwar, MD an Anesthesiologist and Interventional pain management professional offers its patients a range of exceptionally personalized treatments and services to help facilitate the patients in struggling with severe pain. Hurry up! Before it’s too late!

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2018-07-28

Compressed Spine?! There you go…

Kyphoplasty is useful for treating painful compression fractures in your spine. In a compression fracture, all or part of a spine bone collapses. This procedure is also known as balloon kyphoplasty. A compression fracture or a break in one of your vertebra can be very painful. It gets difficult to move and perform basic functions of life. That’s because a break can result in bone fragments rubbing against each other thus, causing pain.

Surgery can be helpful for treating such fractures. For example, kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are minimally invasive procedures that are often performed together. Usually, they can be done without a hospital stay. Like vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty injects special cement into your vertebrae, but with the additional step of creating space for the treatment with a balloon-like device. Kyphoplasty can restore a damaged vertebra’s height and may also relieve pain.

As with vertebroplasty, the effectiveness of kyphoplasty is still under debate in the medical community and hence, you should discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

At Pain Management Institute, you can achieve expert consultancy for your elbow problems. Dr Zaki Anwar is very experienced in interventional treatments. He is a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician and has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years and has achieved remarkable results. Get his expert opinion by just making a phone call at 815-464-7212.

Doctors might recommend kyphoplasty for cancer-damaged vertebrae or certain spinal fractures. In most cases, a weakening of the bones (osteoporosis) has caused the vertebrae to compress or collapse, causing pain or a hunched posture.

Kyphoplasty Potential Risks

The risks of kyphoplasty include:

  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • Increased back pain
  • Tingling, numbness or weakness because of nerve damage
  • Allergic reactions to chemicals used with X-rays to help guide the doctor
  • Cement leaking out of position

You may face other risks, depending on your specific medical condition. Make sure to discuss any concerns with your doctor before you undergo the procedure.

Additional Details about the procedure

  1. Before the procedure:

Your doctor will examine you, possibly by taking blood for testing and using X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to locate the fractures.

  1. During the procedure:

Later, the anesthesia would be injected through an IV to either relax you and relieve your pain or put you to sleep. With the help of your X-ray, your doctor will intoduce a needle through your skin and back muscles into the bone, then inflate a balloon to help the vertebra regain its normal shape. He will inject the cement while checking X-rays to ensure it’s going into the right place. At the end, the doctor will remove the needle, with no stitches needed.

The entire procedure will probably take less than an hour, though it may last longer if more vertebrae are treated.

  • After the procedure:

You will spend time in a recovery room. You could go home the same day, but your doctor may want you to stay overnight if required. It’s likely that you can start walking in an hour after the procedure. You may feel some soreness where the needle entered your back, but this lasts no more than a few days. You may quickly notice that you have less pain than you did before the surgery.

Take a constant follow up from your doctor about whether you should avoid any activities after the procedure. He may suggest taking certain vitamins, minerals and medications to help strengthen your bones and prevent additional spinal fractures.

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PainManagement

Can do simple activities anymore?

Painful Shoulder

Whether or not we’re carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders, shoulder pain gets us down in several ways.  Primarily, pain is twinge and never fun.  It frustrates us and get in the way with everything we do. We use our arms for almost every activity and most movements, so if it happens to the arms, it happens to the shoulders, too!

Secondly, when shoulders are unsteady, fragile and painful, they draw our posture out of alignment and this creates a cascade of other effects, such as weakened abdominal muscles, unhappy back muscles and a literal pain in the neck. Severe shoulder arthritis and chronic shoulder pain can formulate the daily-life activities we perform such as, combing hair, reaching for a lamp or putting on clothes gets enormously difficult. If you can’t do the simple things you once did, you may be suffering from a shoulder condition.

Chronic shoulder pain is a common complaint in the pain medicine physician’s office,” says Dr. Zaki. Successful treatment relies upon an precise diagnosis of the more common etiologies: rotator cuff disorders, adhesive capsulitis, acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, glenohumeral osteoarthritis, and instability.

At Pain Management Institute, Dr Zaki Anwar is very experienced in interventional treatments. Dr. Zaki Anwar is a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician. He has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years and has achieved remarkable results. Get his expert opinion by just making a phone call at 815-464-7212.

Shoulder conditions and treatments

  • Rotator Cuff Injury / Shoulder Tendonitis:

It gets better with reduced activity, especially overhead movements, posture adjustments, and changing movements to help the healing, as well as ice, heat and OTC anti-inflammatory drugs. Physical therapy is effective and so is massaging.

  • Shoulder joint instability:

Recovery involves strengthening rotator cuff muscles and scapular muscles to reduce dislocations. Taping is another treatment that is recommended.

  • Shoulder Dislocation:

Treatment is done using ice, rest and anti-inflammatory drugs.

  • Frozen Shoulder:

Treatment includes massage and myofascial release.  The tissue experiencing sticky inflammation needs to be gently coaxed apart. Particular exercises, such as shoulder rolls, scapula rolls and arm stretch are especially therapeutic for this condition.  Acupuncture and electrical micro-current stimulation are also helpful. And, once the shoulder has recovered, keep it warm, supple, strong and stretched with regular movement and exercise.

  • Shoulder Impingement:

Physical therapy is the greatest treatment for this condition, as strengthening the muscles and balancing all the muscles and tissues that affect the position of the shoulder effectively can relieve the impingement. Myofascial release and massage help relax the muscles involved so that they can loosen their grip on the bones and everything can relax back into place giving you quick shoulder pain relief. Exercise is helpful with this condition; pendulum, arm stretch.

  • Bursitis:

This condition gets better with reduced activity, RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), and massage and myofascial release of neighboring muscles. Gently, but rapidly vibrating the arm helps to bring relief, and massaging the arms.

  • Osteoarthritis:

Arthritis requires movement, but it must be measured and appropriate, so a physical therapist guides you about using the appropriate exercises that involves stretching, strengthening and supporting the joint. Treatment can also include heat and ice, anti-inflammatory medications and often steroid injections.

  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS):

Physical therapy, myofascial release, acupuncture, exercise, and electrical simulation are helpful in relieving the variety of symptoms caused by TOS.

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2018-07-16 01

Wave off to your back pain and say ‘Hi’ to your pain-free life!

Microdiscectomy, also identified as microdecompression, is one of the commonly adapted minimally invasive spine surgery procedures. The major purpose of microdiscectomy is to seize pressure off your nerves to ease your back pain. Microdiscectomy issometimes referred as microdecompression or microdiskectomy. This surgical method is the best option for those who are experiencing herniated lumbar disc.

Conventionally, discectomies are carried out using an open technique. Your general practitioner makes a comparatively large incision, together with cutting some of your back muscles, so that he or she can take a look at your spine. Despite the fact that this technique is helpful, it can become a cause of major muscle damage and recovery from such damage is generally painful and slow. Microdiscectomies have a similar goal as open discectomies. It aims to get rid of the part of your intervertebral disc that’s putting pressure on your nerve and causing you pain.

However, as in other minimally invasive procedures, doctors make use of exceptional tool and visualization equipments that let them make very minute incisions to decrease injury to your back muscles. The results can be a quicker along with less painful recovery.

The achievement rate for microdiscectomy spine surgery is normally high and now you can get expert advice from Dr. Zaki Anwar by just making a phone call at 815-464-7212. He is a world renowned Pain Medicine Physician who has been practicing ways to cure pain leading to serious problems for the past several years and has achieved remarkable results. Dr. Zaki has his interest in discovering every possible treatment option before recommending surgery. “It takes a specialist familiar with treating nervous system conditions to determine which treatment approach is best for each individual patient”, adds Dr. Zaki.

Spinal surgery, in the past meant large incisions, long recovery periods, and painful rehab, but now, providentially, surgical advancements like the microdiscectomy procedure has enhanced the way of living.

A microdiscectomy is characteristically carried out for 2 reasons:

  1. A fragment of your intervertebral disc may have broken away from your disc, and it’s pressing on your spinal nerves or your spinal cord.
  2. Your disc may still be intact, but part of it may be bulging or protruding and pressing on your spinal nerves or your spinal cord.

In addition to the usual risks of surgery which includes infection and blood loss, there are other possible complications for microdiscectomy:

  • Your pain can come back.
  • Your disc can re-herniate.
  • Not all of your disc material may have been removed during your procedure.
  • Your spinal cord, nerves, and blood vessels can be injured.

The good news is that a lot of patients have noteworthy pain relief from a microdiscectomy procedure and they can speedily go back to their regular lives, usually in less than 2 weeks. However, your doctor will counsel you on how quickly you can return to exercise and your other daily activities and what precautions are to be kept in mind. If you are planning to undergo microdiscectomy procedure, I would like to wish you a successful output!

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