New Cervical Artificial Disc Surgery

Up until recently, those suffering from degenerative disc disease could only resort to spinal fusion surgery to relieve themselves from muscle spasms, weakness, numbness and pain. Unfortunately, the process of cervical spinal fusion limits range of motion in the neck and does not allow for normal function and movement.

However, there is now an alternative to cervical back fusion that will allow patients to keep the integrity of movement within their necks – cervical artificial disc surgery, also known as cervical disc arthoplasty. This minimally invasive procedure is the first artificial disc for the spine approved by the FDA and has been created to mimic the disc’s normal functioning.

The implant is called the Prestige Cervical Disc and has been successfully implemented, while preserving range of motion in the neck. The first cervical artificial disc implant was performed in January 2008 at Forum Health Northside Medical Center. The surgery was successful and the patient was returned home the next day.







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Prior Posts

Sources of fatigue
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Social Security Disability - Mental Impairment Qualifications
Lyme Disease may result in very severe symptoms

For the sake of your own health, avoid depressed doctors

A recent article in the Washington Post reported statistics that should make anyone hesitant to have an inpatient stay at a hospital. In a study involving 123 resident physicians, it was found that doctors who are depressed are 6 times more likely to make medication errors than doctors who are not depressed. Now, here’s the kicker: the study also found that twenty percent of the physicians were depressed.

Each year, according to the article, close to one hundred thousand patients (actual number – 98,000) actually die in hospitals as a result of physician-caused medication errors.

Absolutely amazing. Enough individuals to populate a small city die each year in hospitals because resident physicians are chronically overworked and suffer from chronic sleep deprivation.

As someone I know once said, “Ironically, hospitals tend to be unsafe places in which to stay”.







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Virginia Disability Attorney

If you live in Virginia and have filed for either social security disability or SSI disability benefits, should you get a virginia disability attorney? For that matter, should you get anyone to help you with either your disability application or your appeal (assuming you have received a notice of denial. Regarding these questions, here are some things to keep in mind.

1. You aren't required to get a disability attorney at any step in the social security administration's disability evaluation process. In other words, you can "go it alone" at the application level, at the first appeal level (the reconsideration), or at the disability hearing level. However, the fact that you can do this does not necessarily mean that you should. The truth is, some individuals will benefit from representation from the beginning of the claim process, while others will do just fine waiting until they have received their first notice of denial. Most individuals, though, would be best warned to consider getting someone to assist them if they need to go to a social security disability hearing. SSA does not like to consider disability hearings as adversarial in nature, but, in truth, they are. And some administrative law judges can be quite hostile toward claimants. For this reason, and to have a case fully prepared (gathering the necessary records and analyzing what happened on prior decisions, just to name a couple items), a claimant should be represented at a hearing.

2. You won't be required to pay anything up front for the cost of your representation. A disability attorney is only paid if your case is won and the fee is currently equivalent to a percentage of whatever back pay the social security administration ends up owing you (currently, the fee is 25% of your back pay, up to a maximum of $5300.00).

How many social security disability and SSI cases are won and lost in Virginia? Recent year figures indicate that nearly 62 percent of all disability applications filed within the state of Virginia are routinely denied, while close to 88 percent of all first appeals are denied in Virginia. From these statistics, one can generally conclude that most claimants will be in the position of having to file a request for a disability hearing and will typicially benefit from representation.








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