Back Pain

Intelligent Medicine Radio Show for July 10, Part 1
July 12, 2021
How a 5 minute/day breathing workout can lower blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs; Can a fecal transplant stop Covid in its tracks? Muscle relaxants strike out for back pain; Tooth loss predictive of dementia risk; TJ Robinson, the Olive Oil Hunter, dishes on how to select quality brands; Extra virgin olive oil may halve risk of bone fractures; Olive-rich Mediterranean diet may be key to Alzheimer's prevention. Click HERE for part 2. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.

Intelligent Medicine Radio Show for May 22, Part 1
May 24, 2021
FDA is banning over-the-counter N-acetylcysteine—is it a coincidence now that there’s intense interest in NAC as a hedge against Covid? A caller is dismayed that despite “doing everything right”, he’s accumulating coronary plaque; Does bacon really cause Alzheimer’s? Relieving discomfort of vertebral fracture; CBD shows promise for pain; Is Covid “overblown”? Are vaccine reactions being under-reported? Lottery tickets for shots and vaccine passports for high school graduation ceremonies. Click HERE for part 2. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.

Intelligent Medicine Radio Show for November 14, Part 1
November 16, 2020
It’s Diabetes Awareness Month—and the medical establishment still can’t get diet for diabetes right; Why do cardiologists still tell patients to avoid cheese? When you eat as important as what you eat in managing diabetes; Losing just a few pounds can lower your risk of progressing to diabetes by nearly 50%; Chemicals in your home can cause diabetes; The low-FODMAP diet for IBS; Muscle relaxants plus NSAIDs—the “standard of care” for back pain—no better than placebo, study says; Calf muscle circumference a good predictor of health outcomes. Click HERE for part 2. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.

Q&A with Leyla, Part 1: Bone Density
May 20, 2020
Springing into Telemedicine; Mental health consequences of the pandemic -- media-fueled agoraphobia?; My ferritin level is quite high. How do I go about lowering it?; What are the best natural remedies to increase bone density in the spine and relieve compression fracture pain? Click HERE for part 2.

Intelligent Medicine Radio Show for February 29, Part 2
March 2, 2020
Leading presidential candidates are all 70 plus—are they fit for Presidency? What critical information is missing from Bernie Sanders‘ health disclosure? Caller with polyps asks for advice on preventing colon cancer; Is too much B12 bad for you? Protocol for reversing Barrett’s esophagus; Keto diet vs. polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); Lavender products might induce premature breast development in young girls and boys; Work stress prompts back pain; Mom’s Vitamin D deficiency hikes kids’ risk for ADHD; Mushroom compound protects against pregnancy hypertension. Click HERE for part 1. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: The Quality of Prescription Drugs
September 18, 2019
A new blood test for Celiac disease?; I have two disc herniations in my cervical spine. Is this the cause of my dizziness, nausea, and weakness?; What do we do when the FDA fails to ensure the quality of prescription drugs? Perhaps we should just rely on food?; Are there any effective treatments for lipoedema? Click HERE for part 1.

Q&A with Leyla, Part 2: Diatomaceous Earth
July 24, 2019
I was accidentally exposed to diatomaceous earth. Now I have sharp pelvic and lower back pain and swelling of my abdomen; What do you think about boron 15 mg to help boost testosterone levels?; More than half the new drugs in Germany are shown to have no added benefit. Click HERE for part 1.

ENCORE: Solutions to Permanently Address Back Pain, Part 1
May 28, 2019
Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, an investigative journalist, is author of “Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery.” Herself a back pain sufferer, she chronicles her odyssey, touching on virtually every option, conventional and alternative, for back pain. She claims that “back pain care is a microcosm of everything that’s wrong with our health care system.” How have perverse incentives created a self-perpetuating back pain industry, and sustained unproven and dangerous modalities? What are the downsides of surgery? Why is “PT” (physical therapy) not always the answer to avoiding unnecessary surgery? What are the pitfalls of “minimally-invasive” or laser spinal surgery? What about spinal injections for pain? How has back pain spawned an epidemic of opiate addiction and disability? Are there rogue surgeons who game the insurance system and prey on vulnerable patients? Why might it be a mistake to get an MRI? What role does exercise play in forestalling back problems? How does prolonged sitting set the stage for back problems? It’s not all bad news: Ramin presents a wide array of possible natural, non-invasive solutions to permanently address back pain that she has personally field-tested. Click HERE for part 2.

ENCORE: Solutions to Permanently Address Back Pain, Part 2

Dr. Hoffman continues his conversation with Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, an investigative journalist and author of “Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery.” Click HERE for part 1.

Intelligent Medicine Radio Show for July 28, Part 1
July 30, 2018
Vitamins don't work? How about folic acid promoting healthy brain volume in kids? And fish oil reducing disruptive behavior in adolescents? How to heal from a spinal compression fracture; Retinopathy due to diabetes; Fibroadenoma of the breast--is it cancer? How to gain weight on a low-carb diet; Curcumin eye drops for glaucoma; Your SPF 50 sunscreen may deliver only SPF 20 protection. Click HERE for part 2. Click HERE for articles and resources relating to this podcast episode.