CYRx MD Surgical

This mid-sagittal cut through the head is pure anatomical precision.

The skull is sliced exactly down the center, showing how the fused cranial bones protect the brain while the facial skeleton (nasal bones and maxilla) locks into place. The mandible hangs from flexible joints so we can talk and chew.

Right behind the tongue sits the epiglottis — that leaf-shaped cartilage that seals the airway when we swallow so food doesn’t drop into the trachea.

As a spine surgeon, this view always intrigues me. You can see the brainstem transition into the spinal cord, protected by the upper cervical vertebrae just below. A few millimeters of injury or instability here changes everything. The engineering is remarkable.

— Dr. Steven Cyr

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We are told that spinal cord damage is a permanent, one-way street. This science proves otherwise.

The Science: A landmark study published in Nature showed that targeted electrical stimulation combined with intensive rehabilitation didn’t just mask symptoms—it actually rewrote the wiring in the spine.

All nine patients with chronic spinal cord injuries in the trial regained or significantly improved their ability to walk. Even more incredible? The changes stuck around even after the stimulation was turned off. The spinal circuits actually reorganized themselves.

Why does a spine surgeon care about this level of detail?

Because it proves that the human body keeps a backup blueprint hidden away. The study isolated a specific group of cells that do absolutely nothing during normal, everyday walking. But the moment a catastrophic injury occurs, these exact cells become the essential managers needed to rebuild the entire motor pathway.

As a surgeon, seeing the exact cellular mechanisms driving this kind of recovery changes how we look at the future of spinal rehabilitation. The body has the infrastructure to heal—we just have to unlock it.

— Dr. Steven Cyr, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon

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Does knowing the exact mechanics behind these medical breakthroughs give you more hope for the future of spine care? Let us know in the comments.

Common pain conditions don’t always need the same medicine.

As a spine surgeon, I see patients reach for the wrong option all the time.

Some of these medications overlap in what they treat, but the mechanism matters.

For instance, NSAIDs (like Ibuprofen or Naproxen) work by blocking the enzymes that cause chemical inflammation—making them ideal for mechanical joint pain.

Meanwhile, Acetaminophen (Tylenol) acts directly on the central nervous system to block pain signals, making it better suited for headaches or soft tissue aches.

Reaching for the wrong bottle can mask serious warnings from your body.

Over-the-counter pills can buy you temporary relief, but they do not correct an underlying disc herniation, spinal stenosis, or nerve compression.

In fact, relying on them long-term carries severe risks for your stomach, kidneys, and blood pressure.

— Dr Steven Cyr

This graphic is for educational purposes only—always read the label and talk with a healthcare professional before starting or changing any medication.

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A new injection doesn’t just shrink fat cells—it makes them self-destruct.

Early Phase 2 data on CBL-514 shows that it selectively triggers apoptosis (programmed cell death) in fat cells while leaving the surrounding tissue untouched.

Here’s what the early Phase 2 data showed:

• Visceral Fat: Participants lost roughly 12% of their deep visceral fat within four weeks after their final injection, while the placebo group actually gained nearly 6%.
• Subcutaneous Fat: Nearly 70% of treated individuals saw a significant reduction in surface fat.
• The GLP-1 Connection: In animal models, destroying fat cells rather than just emptying them helped limit weight regain after stopping GLP-1 medications. Fewer fat cells means less total capacity to store fat back up.

Phase 3 trials are now recruiting.

"As a spine surgeon, I see how excess body weight—especially visceral fat—adds constant mechanical load to the spine. It accelerates disc degeneration, worsens stenosis, and raises the risk of chronic pain and future surgery. Better tools for reducing that fat are worth watching because healthier weight supports long-term spinal health." — Dr. Steven Cyr

Have you noticed a connection between your weight and back or neck pain? Comment below and tell us what you’ve experienced.

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Twenty-six years ago a skydiving accident nearly ended my life. The road after was brutal. One surgery tried to fix my spine and spinal cord the best they could while I learned to walk again.

Another removed broken hardware and left me with a torn spinal sac and a CSF leak that pushed me to the edge. There were days I didn’t want to keep going.

My third and final surgery in with Dr. Steven Cyr literally gave me my life back. I am truly blessed to be here, pain-free, and living a normal life. God is good.

— Virginia Crawford

From Dr. Steven Cyr:

Virginia, your grit and faith through every setback have been extraordinary. Watching you refuse to quit and then reclaim a full life is why we do this work. To my entire team, thank you for the skill, care, and persistence that helped give her life back. Her strength made the difference.

If you’re facing a long recovery and wondering if a normal life is still possible, there is hope.

Contact SASpine (info in bio).

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What ACDF actually does to your neck

I perform this operation more often than almost any other for patients who have neck pain and arm pain from a cervical disc problem. The neck is one of the most crowded and delicate areas in the body, so the procedure requires working within millimeters of the spinal cord.

By approaching from the front, we gain a direct path to the damaged disc without having to disturb the thick muscles in the back of the neck. Through a small horizontal incision, the damaged disc is removed and pressure is taken off the nerve or spinal cord.

A cage containing bone graft is then placed into the empty disc space, and a titanium plate with screws is applied to hold the segment still while the two vertebrae fuse into solid bone.

Most of my patients notice improvement in the arm pain relatively soon after surgery, although recovery of the neck itself takes longer. The purpose of the procedure is to achieve a stable decompression so the disc can no longer compress the nerve.

— Dr. Steven Cyr • Orthopedic Spine Surgeon

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