Vertrae® 360

Kamal Woods
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We take you behind the scenes of a neurosurgery private practice and talk all things spine-related.

  1. PRP for Spine: What to Expect, What It Costs, and When It’s Worth It | Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 44)

    20시간 전

    PRP for Spine: What to Expect, What It Costs, and When It’s Worth It | Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 44)

    If you are considering platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, for a spine condition, you may already know there is clinical evidence behind PRP for certain types of back pain. But what does the process actually look like in real life? In this episode, we walk through the PRP patient experience step by step — from the initial evaluation to procedure day, recovery expectations, medication restrictions, cost, and timeline for results. You’ll learn why the PRP journey should begin with diagnosis, not an injection, and why patient selection is one of the most important factors in determining whether PRP is a reasonable option. We explain how PRP is made from your own blood, how a centrifuge concentrates the platelet-rich layer, and why live imaging guidance such as fluoroscopy is essential for safe and precise placement in spine care. You’ll also learn why PRP is not the same as a steroid injection, why NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen are often avoided after treatment, and why meaningful improvement is typically measured over months rather than days. This episode also covers the financial reality of PRP, including why most spine-related PRP procedures are usually paid out of pocket, and how to think about cost in the context of long-term relief, motion preservation, and potential alternatives such as surgery. We also discuss when PRP may not be the right tool — including severe nerve compression, progressive neurological symptoms, structural instability, or end-stage disc degeneration — and why timing matters in regenerative spine care. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods personally evaluates each patient to determine whether PRP, another non-surgical option, or surgery is the most appropriate path forward. Visit Vertrae.com to request your MotionFirst™ evaluation.

    18분
  2. Why Spinal Discs Can’t Heal Themselves | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    2일 전

    Why Spinal Discs Can’t Heal Themselves | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    Why do spinal discs struggle to heal after injury or degeneration? In this episode, we explain one of the biggest reasons chronic disc-related back pain can persist: spinal discs have very limited blood flow. Unlike a cut on your skin or a muscle injury, a damaged spinal disc does not receive the same steady delivery of healing cells, platelets, growth factors, and repair signals. That limited blood supply can make it harder for the body to naturally repair disc tissue after tears, irritation, or degeneration. We break down what this means for chronic discogenic low back pain, why some patients continue to hurt even after conservative care, and how regenerative spine treatments like platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, are being studied as a way to deliver concentrated healing signals to carefully selected spinal structures. This episode also explains why regenerative medicine should not be treated like a miracle cure — and why patient selection, imaging review, diagnosis, and timing all matter. For some patients, the right path may be continued conservative care. For others, it may involve interventional pain management, minimally invasive spine surgery, or a biologic treatment discussion. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods uses an evidence-first, MotionFirst™ approach to evaluate chronic back pain and determine whether PRP, conservative care, surgery, or another targeted treatment may be most appropriate. Visit Vertrae.com to request your MotionFirst™ evaluation.

    5분
  3. Why PRP May Outperform Cortisone for Disc Pain | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    2일 전

    Why PRP May Outperform Cortisone for Disc Pain | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    Regenerative medicine for back pain is often surrounded by hype, confusion, and mixed messages. In this episode, we take an evidence-based look at platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, and why it may offer a different approach than cortisone injections for carefully selected patients with disc-related low back pain. You’ll learn how PRP is made from your own blood, why platelets and growth factors matter, and how PRP may help support tissue repair, inflammation control, collagen production, and healing responses inside or around painful spinal structures. We also explain why spinal discs are difficult to heal naturally because of their limited blood supply — and how PRP is designed to deliver concentrated biological signals directly to the area that may need them. This episode compares PRP with traditional corticosteroid injections. While cortisone may provide faster short-term inflammation relief, PRP is intended to support a slower biologic healing response over weeks to months. For the right patient, that difference may matter when the goal is not just temporary symptom control, but supporting longer-term spine function. We also discuss discogenic low back pain, intradiscal PRP, epidural PRP for radiculopathy, stem cell therapy, patient selection, realistic timelines, and why regenerative treatments should never be presented as miracle cures or dismissed without context. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods uses an evidence-first, MotionFirst™ approach to determine whether PRP, conservative care, interventional pain management, minimally invasive spine surgery, or another targeted treatment may be most appropriate. Visit Vertrae.com to request your MotionFirst™ evaluation.

    5분
  4. PRP & Stem Cells for Back Pain: What Works and What Doesn’t | Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 43)

    2일 전

    PRP & Stem Cells for Back Pain: What Works and What Doesn’t | Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 43)

    Regenerative medicine for back pain can feel confusing. Some clinics promise miracle results from a single injection, while others dismiss biologic treatments as experimental or overhyped. In this episode, we take an evidence-first look at what the science actually says about PRP, stem cells, and regenerative spine care. We start with platelet-rich plasma, or PRP — a biologic treatment made from your own blood. PRP is created by drawing a small blood sample, spinning it in a centrifuge, and concentrating the platelet-rich layer. These platelets contain growth factors and signaling proteins that may help support tissue repair, inflammation control, collagen production, and healing responses. This episode explains why PRP may be relevant for carefully selected patients with chronic discogenic low back pain, including pain believed to come from the spinal disc itself. We also discuss intradiscal PRP, epidural PRP for lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy, and why PRP works on a different timeline than a steroid injection. Unlike steroids, which often provide short-term inflammation relief, PRP is intended to support a slower biologic healing response over weeks to months. We also take a balanced look at stem cell therapy for spine conditions. Stem cell research is promising, but current marketing often runs ahead of the evidence. You’ll learn why PRP currently has a stronger evidence base in selected spine cases, why patient selection matters, and why regenerative treatments are most likely to help when there is still enough healthy tissue biology left to respond. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods uses an evidence-first, MotionFirst™ approach to evaluate whether regenerative spine care, conservative treatment, interventional pain management, minimally invasive spine surgery, or another targeted option is most appropriate for each patient. No hype. No blanket dismissal. Just a clear conversation about what regenerative medicine may support, where the evidence is still emerging, and who may be the right candidate. Visit Vertrae.com to request your MotionFirst™ evaluation.

    17분
  5. DRG Stimulation for Chronic Surgical Pain: A Targeted Option When Pain Won’t Go Away | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    4일 전

    DRG Stimulation for Chronic Surgical Pain: A Targeted Option When Pain Won’t Go Away | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    If you are still living with burning, shooting, or localized nerve pain after surgery, this episode explains why the pain may continue even after the original tissue has healed. We explore how chronic post-surgical nerve pain can develop when the nervous system remains stuck in an alarm state, especially when pain is concentrated in a specific area of the body. This type of pain may not always show up clearly on traditional imaging because the issue is not always a structural problem — it may be a nerve signaling problem. In this episode, you’ll learn how the dorsal root ganglion, or DRG, acts as a regional hub for sensory signals, and why it can become hypersensitive after procedures such as hernia repair, joint surgery, spine surgery, or other operations. We also explain how DRG stimulation differs from traditional spinal cord stimulation by targeting the specific nerve cluster responsible for pain in one localized region. You’ll also hear what patients can expect from the temporary DRG stimulation trial, why the trial phase matters before considering a permanent implant, and how specialists evaluate whether this therapy may be appropriate. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods evaluates patients with chronic surgical pain, localized nerve pain, CRPS, and other focal pain conditions to determine whether DRG stimulation may be an option. Visit Vertrae.com to learn more or request a MotionFirst™ evaluation.

    5분
  6. Why Your CRPS Scans Look Normal: Understanding Localized Nerve Pain and DRG Stimulation | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    4일 전

    Why Your CRPS Scans Look Normal: Understanding Localized Nerve Pain and DRG Stimulation | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

    If your pain is severe, localized, burning, or electric — but your scans keep coming back “normal” — this episode is for you. We explore why chronic localized nerve pain, including complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS, may not show up clearly on traditional imaging. Instead of coming from a visible structural problem, this type of pain can come from a processing error in the nervous system, specifically within the dorsal root ganglion, or DRG. You’ll learn how the DRG acts like a regional signal hub for sensation, why it can become hypersensitive after an injury or surgery, and how that can lead to pain, skin sensitivity, color changes, temperature changes, swelling, or burning sensations in one specific area of the body. This episode also explains how DRG stimulation differs from traditional spinal cord stimulation, why it may be a more targeted option for focal nerve pain, and what patients can expect from the temporary trial phase before considering a permanent implant. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods evaluates patients with chronic localized nerve pain, CRPS, and post-surgical nerve pain to determine whether DRG stimulation may be appropriate. Visit Vertrae.com to learn more or request a MotionFirst™ evaluation.

    4분
  7. DRG Stimulation Explained: A Precise Answer for Focal Nerve Pain │ Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 42)

    4일 전

    DRG Stimulation Explained: A Precise Answer for Focal Nerve Pain │ Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 42)

    What happens when pain stays trapped in one specific area long after the original injury has healed? In this episode, we explore dorsal root ganglion stimulation, or DRG-S, a highly targeted neuromodulation therapy designed for certain types of chronic localized nerve pain, including complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS. Unlike pain caused by a visible structural injury on imaging, localized nerve pain can come from a processing error in the nervous system itself — specifically within the dorsal root ganglion, the sensory “mailroom” that helps process pain signals from a specific region of the body. We break down why traditional imaging may look normal even when pain is severe, how CRPS can cause burning pain, color changes, temperature differences, swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch, and how clinicians use tools like the Budapest criteria to evaluate this condition. You’ll also learn how DRG stimulation differs from traditional spinal cord stimulation, why it may be more precise for focal pain, and what patients can expect from the trial phase before considering a permanent implant. This conversation also covers the ACCURATE trial, long-term outcomes, possible limitations, lead migration, insurance considerations, and why careful patient selection matters. For patients with pain that burns, shoots, or stays locked in one specific area after an injury or surgery, DRG-S may offer a more targeted path worth discussing with a specialist. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods personally evaluates candidates for DRG stimulation. When appropriate, DRG-S trials and implants are performed at Vertrae® Surgery Center in Miamisburg, a spine-exclusive outpatient facility. Visit Vertrae.com to request a MotionFirst™ evaluation.

    19분
  8. The Structural Problem Nobody Was Measuring: The Multifidus and Chronic Back Pain │ Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 41)

    6월 26일

    The Structural Problem Nobody Was Measuring: The Multifidus and Chronic Back Pain │ Vertrae® 360 (Ep. 41)

    If your MRI looked “normal,” surgery was not recommended, and physical therapy did not give you lasting relief, why does your back still hurt? In this episode, we explore a missing piece in chronic mechanical low back pain: the multifidus muscle. The multifidus is a deep spinal stabilizing muscle that helps control small movements of the lumbar spine. After a back injury, disc irritation, or spinal pain episode, the nervous system can reflexively shut this muscle down through a process called arthrogenic muscle inhibition. For some patients, that signal does not fully turn back on — even after the original injury has healed. This conversation breaks down why chronic back pain is not always explained by MRI findings, why “mild degenerative changes” may not tell the whole story, and why years of physical therapy may not fully resolve pain when the multifidus muscle is inhibited at the spinal cord level. You’ll also learn how restorative neurostimulation with ReActiv8® is designed to directly stimulate the motor nerve connected to the multifidus, helping restore neuromuscular control over time. We discuss who ReActiv8® may be designed for, how it differs from spinal cord stimulation, what the outpatient implant procedure involves, and how a simple in-office prone instability test may help identify whether multifidus dysfunction is contributing to chronic mechanical low back pain. At Vertrae® in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Kamal Woods, MD, MBA personally evaluates patients to determine whether ReActiv8® may be appropriate based on their pain pattern, history, prior treatments, and clinical exam findings. Listen to learn why your pain may not be a failure of effort — and how the right evaluation may uncover a mechanism that standard imaging can miss. Visit Vertrae.com to learn more or request an evaluation.

    18분
모두 보기(52개)

소개

We take you behind the scenes of a neurosurgery private practice and talk all things spine-related.

정보

  • 제작진
    Kamal Woods
  • 방송 연도
    2025년 - 2026년
  • 에피소드
    52
  • 등급
    전체 연령 사용가
  • 저작권
    © Copyright 2026 Kamal Woods
  • 웹사이트 보기
    Vertrae® 360

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