Latest Articles by Christina Lasich, MD

Do Zero Gravity Chairs Really Work for Managing Pain?
With co-pays, deductibles, and bills to pay, it seems like everyone is in a pinch lately. And although medications are effective at reducing pain in a pinch, I would like to focus on some other products that help control the vise-grip of pain. To eff...

Can Referred Pain Be Treated by Radiofrequency Ablation?
Leg pain, arm pain, and even headaches can all be referred from the facet joints in the spine. These small joints connect each vertebral body. Like other joints in the body, the facet joints can wear out and develop arthritis (inflammation of a joint ...

These Conditions Are Often Misdiagnosed as Typical Back Pain
Sometimes back pain is not strictly related to spinal structures. Sometimes back pain comes from other places, specifically internal organs. In a process called referred pain, internal organs can send pain signals to other parts of the body. For exam...

Red Flags to Look Out for After Back Surgery
Dear Dr Lasich - I’m six weeks post op spinal fusion surgery.Dec. 8, 2011 and then again eight days later I was in so much pain. The doctors went back in and found that a screw had broken by bone and some hardware was removed. My foot feels like it’s ...

Top Questions on Opioids and Opioid Addiction
For those looking for answers about opioids and opioid addiction, here’s what you should know–from what they are, how they work, to possible risks.

Pros, Cons, and Risks of an Opioid Pain Pump
Recently, in response to the article, Intrathecal Opioid Pumps: Few Pros, Many Cons, a woman shared her story with me as follows: “I’ve had a morphine pump since 2005, and in Oct 2014 it malfunctioned and I had to go in and have it replaced. While th...

Dos and Don'ts for Living with Someone Who Has Chronic Pain
Living with someone who has chronic pain can be very difficult. Here are tips to help you improve your relationship.

The Ups and Downs of Inversion Therapy
Are you considering inversion therapy for muscle spasms or a spinal condition? Learn about the upsides and the downsides of turning your body upside down.