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The Baig Idea
Welcome to The Baig Idea! Your resource for addressing chronic pain and getting back to real living, including insights from our resident expert surgeon, Dr. Rafath Baig.
How to Relieve Your Sciatic Nerve Pain
Sciatica can be debilitating. One day, you feel fine. The next, you experience a flare-up, and you’re laid up, feeling like you can hardly move. Even mild sciatic nerve pain can be disruptive, affecting “your lower back, hips, buttocks or legs. Some symptoms may...
What is a Synovial Cyst?
Synovial cysts are abnormal sacs filled with fluid that usually occur due to age-related spine degeneration. As Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center notes, “Synovial = having to do with a type of joint that is lubricated by synovial fluid”. Meanwhile,...
What is a Slipped Disc (AKA Herniated Disc)?
Slipped discs are also commonly referred to as: Herniated discsBulged discsRuptured discs However you choose to name them, slipped discs are never fun. They are, in fact, usually more than a little bothersome, resulting in localized or radiating pain, numbness, and...
What Is Endoscopic Spine Surgery (ESS)?
Endoscopic Spine Surgery, or ESS for short, is a cutting-edge approach to spine surgery that, when compared to minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS), and “traditional” open spine surgery, often results in fewer scars, less time on the operating table, and a less...
What Are the Best Foods for Spine Health?
Hippocrates, the founder of the Hippocratic oath, is often credited with coining the saying “Let food be thy medicine”. The idea behind the saying is that choosing our diet carefully can have an impact on overall health and well-being. While there are certainly...
7 Common Causes of Neck Pain That Aren’t Usually Reason for Concern
Neck pain is very common and can vary widely in severity. There are a number of causes of neck pain, as the American Association of Neurological Surgeons notes, and these can include: Muscle inflammationStrain TraumaArthritisDisc degenerationNarrowing...
The Connection Between Bone Density & Spine Surgery: What to Know
If you’re a candidate for spine surgery, such as endoscopic spine surgery (ESS), then you should be aware that your bone density (or relative lack thereof) does have an important impact on the risk level of being operated on. That’s because the...
Compare Spondylosis vs. Spondylolysis vs. Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis vs. spondylosis vs. spondylolysis…what a mouthful! We’d understand if you were to confuse any of these three — very different — issues of the spine. After all, they sound so similar. Two are conditions, one is a type of spinal fracture that may...
XLIF vs. TLIF: What’s the Difference?
Are you and your doctor exploring whether you are a better candidate for XLIF vs TLIF? Are you wondering how they are different? Spinal fusion surgeries play a crucial role in the treatment of various spinal conditions, providing much-needed stability and relief to...
ALIF vs TLIF: What’s the Difference?
When exploring spinal fusion surgery procedures, comparing ALIF vs TLIF is important. But how are these procedures similar, and how are they different? Spinal fusion techniques are designed to weld together two or more vertebrae. Generally, these procedures offer...
PLIF vs TLIF: What’s the Difference Between These Two Types of Spine Surgeries?
It can sometimes be hard to differentiate between different types of surgical spinal medical procedures, for example, PLIF vs TLIF. It can be easy to confuse the two, as the acronyms are so similar. Spinal fusion surgery is a complex procedure designed to treat...
What is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?
If your doctor has recommended spine surgery, you may be wondering what minimally invasive surgery is, and if it might be right for you. Because there are so many benefits of minimally invasive surgery for those who are candidates, we wanted to look at the procedure a...