Wellness

Healing the spine and improving quality of life

Understanding the Basics of Wellness

Mental

Social

Physical

Spiritual

It might seem strange for a spine surgeon to talk about wellness but improving overall wellness is the ultimate goal of treatment. This is not just about one specific part of your spine that may be bothering you or causing a problem. This is about how pain affects your life, your interactions with others, your career, your ability to do daily activities and to function in a productive way.

Wellness encompasses the entire patient and includes their mental, social, spiritual and physical health. When addressing a patient’s spine problem without consideration to how that problem affects their overall wellness, it increases the chance of a poor outcome even if the specific treatment is technically done correctly. For this reason, at Huffman Clinic, we want to know not just the details about your specific spine problem, but how those details are affecting your life and the lives of those you care about.

The Doctor’s #1 Recommendation

Dr. Huffman stresses the importance of exercise:

Before I get into a conversation about surgery or other invasive treatments I want so share my number one recommendation: exercise. The first thing I recommend for the treatment and prevention of spine related pain is exercise. This is also the thing I recommend for general health and wellness. Out of all the preventive medicine available exercise has been shown to be the thing most associated with prolonged life span and lower levels of disease. Exercise improves mental function and memory, it helps treat depression as much or more than medication, it helps prevent diabetes, it helps manage weight, it reduces risks of heart attack, stroke and even cancer, it helps promote healing, it helps with sleep and it helps decrease neck and back related pain.

Specifically, I recommend a minimum of 3 hours a week of aerobic exercise with five to ten minutes of daily core strengthening exercises. Aerobic exercise is exercise that increases your heart rate to an appropriate aerobic level for your age and fitness.

If you have chronic back or neck pain and you do not exercise, unless you have been specifically told not to exercise for some other medical reason, then start exercising. If you are not sure where to start, ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist for a home exercise program.

- Dr. Jason Huffman

Recent Blogs on Wellness

What Happens on Day 1 After the Procedure

What Happens on Day 1 After the Procedure

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Treatment of Osteoporosis of the Spine

Treatment of Osteoporosis of the Spine

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Types of Spinal Fractures

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Causes and Symptoms of Spinal Fractures

Causes and Symptoms of Spinal Fractures

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Sleeping Techniques for Mid or Lower Back Surgery

Sleeping Techniques for Mid or Lower Back Surgery

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Surgical Treatment for Spinal Stenosis

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Non-Surgical Treatment for Spinal Stenosis

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What to Expect After Mid or Lower Back Surgery

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What to Expect Before Your Spinal Procedure

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After Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery

After Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery

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"The BEST spine surgeon in the county!"

"My husband, Mom and I have been patients of Dr. Huffman’s for quite a number of years. The BEST spine surgeon in the county! He has operated on me twice in the past year with amazing results. Would highly recommend this gifted man."

- Vivian B., Facebook Review

"I wouldn't go anywhere else."

"I have been a patient of Dr Huffman's for many years, with some major back issues. The care I received (and still receive) is exemplary. Staff members Sarah and Dawn are amazing. I wouldn't go anywhere else."

- Deborah N., Facebook Review

"Brilliant, dedicated and really cares about his patients"

"Dr. Huffman is by far the best spine surgeon for so many reasons. I have worked for him, with him and been apart of his surgeries with assisted fluoroscopy. He is brilliant, dedicated and really cares about his patients. That said why would anyone go anywhere else. Did I mention he loves gummy bears, who doesn't love that."

- Sheila B., Facebook Review

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Address: 3273 Claremont Way, Ste. 201, Napa, CA 94558
Phone: 707-603-1042