Myths About Spine Surgery (It’s Not Permanent Relief)

Available for Interviews: Dr. Tammy Penhollow

Dr. Tammy Penhollow is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, specializing in anesthesiology, pain management, and regenerative medicine. Having over 20 years of experience has helped her to cultivate a passion for regenerative medicine and holistic healing. Dr. Penhollow practices at Precision Regenerative Medicine in the greater Phoenix area.

What Dr. Tammy Penhollow can say in an interview on
Spine Surgery:

  • Elective lumbar spine surgery rates are increasing and so are their costs.  Volume of elective lumbar fusion increased 62.3% (or 32.1% per 100,000 US adults), from 122,679 cases (60.4 per 100,000) in 2004 to 199,140 (79.8 per 100,000) in 2015. Increases were greatest among age 65 or older, increasing 138.7% by volume (73.2% by rate), from 98.3 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 97.2, 99.3) in 2004 to 170.3 (95% CI 169.2, 171.5) in 2015. Although the largest increases were for spondylolisthesis (+47,390 operations, 111%) and scoliosis (+16,129 operations, 186.6%), disc degeneration, herniation, and stenosis combined to accounted for 42.3% of total elective lumbar fusions in 2015. Aggregate hospital costs increased 177% during these 12 years, exceeding $10 billion in 2015, and averaging more than $50,000 per admission.
  • “Failed back surgery syndrome”  or the surgeon preferred term of “post surgical spine syndrome” is an increasingly common challenge for clinicians who deal with spinal disorders owing given the expanding indications for spine surgery and the aging population.  One option is to extend the fusion to a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. . . . level.  
  • Unfortunately, reoperation is a treatment with diminishing returns.  Little more than 50% of primary spinal surgeries are successful, and no more than 30%, 15%, and 5% of the patients experience a successful outcome after the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th surgeries respectively. 
  • The prevalence and incidence of patients with this syndrome are comparable with those of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.  The problem with the pain of post surgical spine syndrome is that it is associated with a greater level of pain and a poorer quality of life and worse physical function due to nerve involvement and due to the surgical changes to the soft tissues surrounding the fusion hardware.  As such, these patients are worse off compared with those with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. 

 

Interviews: Dr. Tammy Penhollow

Dr. Tammy Penhollow practices at Precision Regenerative Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona, where develops individualized treatment plans for musculoskeletal and spine interventions with PRP and bone marrow aspirate using image guidance, as well as micro-needling with PRP for skin, hair and anti-aging conditions. She also stays active in teaching as an Instructor in Anesthesiology for the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and as a Supplemental Consultant for the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.

A former active duty US Naval Officer, Dr. Penhollow has lived, practiced, and has been deployed around the US and overseas. She embodies the lifestyle she recommends to her patients and is an active hiker, gardener and yogi as well as a French trained home chef and an aspiring sommelier.

Contact:
Jo Allison
Managing Editor
Director of Public Relations
MEDIA AMBASSADORS
Success In Media, Inc.
Jo@SuccessInMedia.com

How to Cope With COVID-Related Seasonal Affective Disorder

Interview with Dr. Colleen Cira:

Dr. Colleen Cira is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in Women and Trauma, and has worked with hundreds of people struggling with mental health issues.

Talking Points from Dr. Cira
On Seasonal Affective Disorder:

The question of whether or not more people are being affected by SAD/Depression due to COVID is an easy one to answer: YES. 1,000% yes. People who have never experienced mental health issues in their lifetime are experiencing difficulties now due to COVID, so for people who are already prone to SAD/Depression, this is even more difficult. 

COVID makes life harder for so many reasons:

Continue reading “How to Cope With COVID-Related Seasonal Affective Disorder”

Helping Employees Return From Working From Home

Interview: Carol Barkes

 

Carol Barkes is a conflict resolution expert, mediator, national speaker, educator and bestselling author who uniquely applies neuroscience to the fields of conflict resolution and negotiations. Her expert perspective is always fresh and relevant.

Some Talking Points from Carol Barkes
on How to Help Employees Return From Working From Home

 

 1. Remember change is hard on our brains. By now many people have somewhat settled into working from home and will have a fight or flight response to “being released back into the wild.”

Continue reading “Helping Employees Return From Working From Home”

Money: Should You Dial Back Your Financial Risk?

Available for Interviews: Lauren Oschman

Lauren Oschman, CFP® is a certified financial planner specializing in financial strategies, tax planning, and is an expert in helping physicians manage their finances.

What Lauren Oschman can say in an interview on
Managing Your Financial Risk: 

  • 2020 was a wild ride in the markets. I’m talking with investors of two minds right now: One, that the volatility is just too much and they would rather sit out of the market until things calm down; and two, that the market is on such a rise post-election that they have missed the possibility for further gains and shouldn’t invest more cash right now.

Continue reading “Money: Should You Dial Back Your Financial Risk?”

How to Build Wealth Post-Pandemic

Available for Interviews: Melissa Myers.

Melissa Myers, CFP® is a comprehensive financial planner and co-founder of Kar-Mel Financial Planners, and the bestselling author of Going Rogue! Unconventional Financial Strategies for Women.

What Melissa Myers can say in an interview on
How to Build Wealth in the New Year: 

Live a More Generous Life and Find Greater Happiness
Using Money Systems
  • The old adage that you need to “live on less than you make” to build wealth is only partially true. Here’s why: It doesn’t take into account happiness or health. Our personal health, the health of our people, and the health of our relationships are a form of wealth too.

Continue reading “How to Build Wealth Post-Pandemic”

Spring (and Love) Is in the Air: 5 Ways to Achieve More Confidence in Our Relationships

Available for Interviews:  Julie DeLucca-Collins

Julie DeLucca-Collins shows people how to create simple habits and go from overwhelm to self-doubt to having more peace, purpose, power,  passion, and prosperity. She is the author of Confident You: Simple Habits to Live the Life You Have Imagined.

What Julie DeLucca-Collins can say in an interview on
Achieving Confidence in Love:

As we slowly but surely begin to put the pandemic behind us, meeting new people and seeking love in our lives can become a priority again.

Every person who has failed relationships eventually loses confidence in love from time to time. Before allowing a feeling of bitterness to set in, it is important to remember any relationship worth having is worth investing the time to find and develop. It is important to remember key skills and attitudes to have in order to feel confident in love. Continue reading “Spring (and Love) Is in the Air: 5 Ways to Achieve More Confidence in Our Relationships”

Is Daylight Savings Time Bad for Your Health? 4 Strategies for Feeling Rested and Refreshed Despite the Time Change

Available for Interviews: Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is an internal medicine physician, a work-life integration researcher, and an international expert on mind-body-spirit connection. She is also an international speaker and bestselling author of Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity.

What Dr. Dalton-Smith  Can Say in an Interview on:
Daylight Savings Time:

When we “spring forward” on March 14, many will complain about losing just one hour of sleep. Is one hour of sleep a big deal? Studies show an increase in heart attacks on the Monday following the time shift, and within the first 48 hours after the time change, a spike in automobile fatalities.

Continue reading “Is Daylight Savings Time Bad for Your Health? 4 Strategies for Feeling Rested and Refreshed Despite the Time Change”

How Buckingham Palace Should Respond to Oprah Interview to Restore Peaceful Relations

Available for Interviews: Carol Barkes

Carol Barkes, CPM, MBA, is a conflict resolution expert, mediator, national speaker, educator and bestselling author who uniquely applies neuroscience to the fields of conflict resolution and negotiations. Her expert perspective is always fresh and relevant.

What Carol Barkes could say in an interview
on the Meghan  Markle & Prince Harry Interview:

    •  When dealing with family matters that become public, emotions and stakes are especially high. This means responses must be both kind and politically corrected in order to preserve both fronts. Consequently, Buckingham Palace should release statements of solidarity and empathy.

Continue reading “How Buckingham Palace Should Respond to Oprah Interview to Restore Peaceful Relations”

Why Stress Causes Weight Gain

Available for Interviews: Dr. Eldred Taylor

Interview Dr. Eldred Taylor to answer all of your women’s health questions regarding hormonal imbalances and how to correct them. Dr. Taylor is a leader in the hormone industry and is passionate about helping women while using a holistic functional medicine approach.

 

Talking Points from Dr. Taylor On
Weight Gain & Stress:

Weight gain is a problem that affects millions of Americans each year. Obesity affects over 93 million adults. Conditions related to obesity include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes,  and certain types of cancer that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States is over $147 billion. There appears to be a clear association with chronic stress and weight gain and obesity.

Continue reading “Why Stress Causes Weight Gain”

Mental Health Takeaways From Meghan & Harry’s Oprah Interview

Available for Interviews: Dr. Alice Fong

Alice Fong, ND, is an integrative naturopathic doctor specializing in stress, integrative medicine, diet & weight loss, and is a business growth consultant for holistic healthcare providers.

What Dr. Alice Fong can say in an interview
About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Interview With Oprah:

What Meghan and Harry’s Interview with Oprah taught us about speaking out when we feel silenced and trapped.

Even though most of us are not members or ex-members of the British Parliament, I’ve encountered many people who expressed to me that they felt “trapped” in their life in some form or fashion. Maybe they have felt stuck in a loveless marriage, or even worse, an abusive relationship. Or perhaps trapped in a job they hate and not being able to express their frustrations. People who feel stuck in a seemingly hopeless situation for a long period of time are at a high-risk for major depressive disorder, and even suicidal ideation. 

Continue reading “Mental Health Takeaways From Meghan & Harry’s Oprah Interview”