Patient information from a neurosurgeon
Your spine, clearly explained.
Short videos and plain-English guides to help you understand back and neck conditions, your scans, and your treatment options.
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Featured: Neck Hump: Science-Backed Tips
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Latest on Spinemathema
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Spinal Infection: Discitis, Vertebral Osteomyelitis and Spinal Abscess
Infection of the spinal discs, bones or the space around the nerves: who is at risk, the warning signs, tests, and treatment with antibiotics or surgery.
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Spinal Tumours: Symptoms, Tests and Treatment
Most spinal tumours have spread from a cancer elsewhere, and many others are benign. The symptoms, urgent warning signs, scans and treatments explained.
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Pain After Spine Surgery: Why It Happens and What Can Help
What is normal after spine surgery, why pain sometimes persists, how it is assessed, and the treatments that can help.
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Chiari Malformation: Symptoms, Scans and Treatment
What Chiari malformation type 1 is, why it is often found by chance on MRI, the symptoms to know, and when surgery is considered in adults.
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Back Pain in Pregnancy and After Birth
Why back and pelvic pain are so common in pregnancy, what helps, which warning signs need urgent care, and looking after your back after birth.
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Browse by condition
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the lower spinal canal can cause leg pain on walking. Symptoms, treatment options and the risks and benefits of decompression.
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Latest videos
Anatomy
The Facet Joint: Interesting Facts
What facet joints are and why they can be a source of back pain.
Anatomy
Spinal Nerve Roots: Interesting Facts
How nerve roots leave the spine and why pressure on them causes leg or arm symptoms.
Anatomy
Sciatic Nerve Anatomy
The body’s largest nerve: where it runs and why it matters in sciatica.
Anatomy
The Spine Mobile Segment
The building block of the spine: two vertebrae, a disc and the joints between them.
Imaging
Understanding Your Cervical Spine MRI
What a neck MRI shows, including disc prolapse and nerve compression.
Imaging
Understanding Your Lumbar Spine MRI
How to make sense of a lower back MRI and what findings mean for sciatica.
Anatomy
The Neck (Cervical Spine): Key Facts
A quick tour of the neck’s structure and how it supports the head.
Wellbeing
Maintaining Spinal Wellbeing
Everyday habits that help keep your spine healthy.
Wellbeing
Neck Hump: Science-Backed Tips
What causes a forward head posture ‘hump’ and practical ways to improve it.
Wellbeing
The 5 Tibetan Rites: A Journey to Spinal Wellbeing
A gentle movement routine and how it relates to spinal health.
Wellbeing
Christmas Backache? Keeping Your Spine Happy
Simple ways to protect your back during the festive season.
Treatments
Lumbar Discectomy and Its Risks
A simple guide to what a discectomy involves, its benefits and risks.
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Patient guides
Conditions
Acute Back Pain
Sudden low back pain is very common and usually settles. How to ease it, why staying active helps, and which warning signs need a doctor.
Conditions
Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Why sciatica happens, what helps, and the warning signs that need urgent attention.
Conditions
Slipped Disc (Lumbar Disc Prolapse)
What a slipped disc really is, how it usually recovers, and when surgery is considered.
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Medical disclaimer: This website provides general information only and does not replace a consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. If you have sudden weakness, numbness around the groin or bottom, or loss of bladder or bowel control, seek emergency care immediately.
