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Expert insights on spine health, minimally invasive procedures, and patient recovery from the Deuk Spine Institute team.

Dr. Deuk consulting with a patient while explaining a spine model, illustrating important questions to ask a spine surgeon before agreeing to spinal surgery.
Best Spine SurgeonsSpine Surgery
What to Ask a Spine Surgeon Before Agreeing to Surgery: 12 Questions That Reveal the Truth

You’ve been told you need spine surgery. Maybe more than one surgeon has told you the same thing, in the…

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Person holding their lower back with a highlighted lumbar spine, illustrating the week-by-week recovery timeline after a laminectomy and reasons why pain may return during healing.
Spine Surgery
Laminectomy Recovery Time: What to Expect Week by Week (And Why Pain Returns)

Your surgeon told you the laminectomy went well. Six weeks later you’re walking further than you could before surgery, and…

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Top Spine Surgeon in Melbourne, FL: Key Questions Before Surgery
Best Spine Surgeons
Best Spine Surgeon in Melbourne, FL

By Dr. Ara Deukmedjian Board Certified Neurosurgeon CEO & Founder of Deuk Spine Institute Medically reviewed on Jul 16, 2026…

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Illustration comparing seven types of back surgery with accompanying images and procedures.
Spine Surgery
Back Surgery: 7 Types, Recovery Times, Risks & Benefits

By Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, MD Board Certified Neurosurgeon Reviewed on July 15, 2026 Disclaimer: The information contained within this article…

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Doctor pointing at spine MRI labeled C5-C6 with text about bulging disc symptoms and fusion.
Neck Pain
C5-C6 Bulging Disc Symptoms: Do You Really Need Fusion? Here’s What the Evidence Says

By Dr. Ara Deukmedjian Board Certified Neurosurgeon Medically reviewed on Jul 14, 2026 Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational…

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Spinal fusion recovery timeline with stages from rest to bone healing over 6-12 months.
Spinal Fusion
Spinal Fusion Recovery Timeline, What to Really Expect Week by Week

Your surgeon has told you that fusion is the answer. Maybe you have already scheduled the date, or maybe you…

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Medical illustration comparing laminotomy and laminectomy procedures, highlighting targeted bone removal in laminotomy versus wider decompression during laminectomy for spinal stenosis or nerve compression.
Back Painlumbar SpineSpinal StenosisSpine Surgery
Laminotomy vs Laminectomy: What’s the Difference and Why Neither May Be Your Best Option

Your surgeon just told you that you need a laminectomy or maybe a laminotomy, and now you’re staring at two…

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Man with highlighted spine and lower back pain next to text about foraminal stenosis treatment options.
Spinal StenosisSpine Health
Can You Treat Foraminal Stenosis Without Spinal Fusion? Yes, Here’s How

By Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, MDBoard Certified Neurosurgeon Reviewed on July 9, 2026 Disclaimer: The information contained within this article is…

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A surgeon in scrubs and mask examines a spinal model next to text about disc replacement surgery.
Spinal FusionSpine Surgery
Disc Replacement Surgery vs. Fusion: What Your Surgeon May Not Be Telling You

By Dr. Ara J. Deukmedjian, MD Board Certified Neurosurgeon Reviewed on July 8, 2026 Disclaimer: The information contained within this…

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Diagram of a high-intensity zone in lumbar MRI with a person holding their lower back.
lumbar Spine
High-Intensity Zone (HIZ) on Lumbar MRI: Causes, Meaning, and Treatment Options

By Dr. Ara J. Deukmedjian, MD Board Certified Neurosurgeon Reviewed on July 7, 2026 Disclaimer: The information contained within this…

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Surgeon in scrubs with mask, overlaid text about top neck surgeons for neck pain in 2026, with Deuk Spine Institute logo.
Best Spine Surgeons
10 Best Neck Surgeons For Patients with Neck Pain in 2026

By Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, MD Board Certified Neurosurgeon  Published on July 2, 2026 Disclaimer: The medical information in this article…

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Medical illustration of degenerative disc disease at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 spinal levels showing disc degeneration and nerve compression in the lower back.
Herniated Disc
Degenerative Disc Disease at L4-L5 and L5-S1, Is Surgery the Only Option?

If an MRI report just told you that you have degenerative disc disease at L4-L5 or L5-S1, you probably left…

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