Herniated Discs

Posted on September 16, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

A herniated disc, also known as a slipped or bulging disc, occurs when the soft, jelly-like center of a spinal disc pushes against and leaks out of its outer ring. This can lead to pain, numbness, and weakness in your neck, back, or legs.

Every year, more than three million people in the U.S. get a herniated disc. They are a leading cause of neck, back, and leg pain and can happen anywhere along your spine, but most often in your lower back or neck.

Although pain is a common symptom throughout your back, symptoms of a herniated disc vary depending on its location and may lead to other symptoms. A herniated disc in your lower back may cause sciatic nerve pain that usually shoots down one side of your buttocks into your leg and sometimes your foot. Other symptoms of a herniated disc in your lower back may include:

Lower back pain

Muscle weakness

Tingling or numbness in your legs and/or feet

Symptoms of a herniated disc in your neck may include:

Neck pain, especially in the back and on the sides of your neck

Pain near or between your shoulder blades

Pain that travels to your shoulder, arm, and sometimes your hand and fingers

Numbness or tingling in your arms

Pain that increases while bending or turning your neck

Several factors can contribute to a herniated disc, including:

Traumatic injuries, such as falls

Aging

Lifting heavy objects improperly

Performing repetitive bending or twisting motions

People between the ages of 30 and 50 years old are most likely to get a herniated disc, with men being twice as likely to be affected by them as women. Herniated discs tend to run in families. Other risk factors for herniated discs include:

Sitting in the same position for long periods of time

Being overweight or obese

Having diabetes

Smoking

Having a connective tissue disorder

A healthcare provider can diagnose a herniated disc by performing a thorough physical exam, which allows them to assess your pain, muscle reflexes, how well you respond to touch, pinpricks, or vibration, and muscle strength. Your healthcare provider may also perform other tests, such as:

A neurological exam

Imaging tests, such as:

MRI scan

X-rays

CT scan

A nerve conduction study

Myelogram

Electromyogram (EMG)

In most cases, pain from a herniated disc eventually goes away on its own within four to six weeks. However, if you need to relieve your pain while at home, you can:

Rest for one to three days if the pain is severe, but avoid long periods of bed rest to prevent stiffness

Take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen

Apply heat or ice to the affected area

If your symptoms aren’t improving, your healthcare provider may recommend more advanced treatments, such as medications, physical therapy, or spinal injections.

If nonsurgical treatments don’t ease or relieve your symptoms, your healthcare provider may recommend a minimally invasive spine surgery called a microdiscectomy.

Although it isn’t always possible to prevent a herniated disc, you can reduce your risk of developing one by:

Stretching

Using proper lifting techniques

Practicing good posture

Maintaining a healthy weight

Getting regular physical activity

Avoiding wearing high-heeled shoes

Quitting smoking

The Orthopedic Surgery Department of Jamaica Hospital in Queens, NY, consists of board-certified, expert surgeons who offer treatment for patients suffering from any orthopedic condition, ensuring speedy recovery and maximum comfort throughout the treatment process. For more information about how to make an appointment with our orthopedic surgeons, please contact us at 718-206-6923.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Flat Feet

Posted on August 20, 2026 by Patrick Hercules

Flat feet mean you have little to no arch in the soles of your feet. You may be flat-footed from childhood or have lost your arches due to a medical condition.

The arches of your feet play an important role in the mechanics of walking upright. Your arches are made of bones and connective tissues, and they:

Act as a springboard and shock absorber
Adapt your foot to uneven walking surfaces
Protect nerves and vessels in the soles of your feet
Store and release energy as you walk

Some healthcare providers make a distinction between mildly flat feet that don’t cause any issues and the foot deformity they call pes planus. Flat arches cause other changes to your foot due to pes planus, including:

The flattened arch causes your heel to point outward and your ankle to roll inward
The arch on the inner side of your sole is flattened and appears to touch the ground
Your talus bone, a bone on the inner side of your foot, sticks out

Healthcare providers may classify flat feet as either flexible or rigid, or congenital or acquired.

Flexible flat feet are the most common type of flat feet. You can see the arches in your feet when you aren’t standing on them, but they disappear when you stand.

Rigid flat feet are a rare type of flat feet and mean that your feet have no arches whether you’re standing or sitting.

Congenital flat feet mean a baby has a birth defect that prevents their feet from developing arches. Some hereditary connective tissue disorders can make your arches too weak to hold up. Additionally, some families have flatter arches than others. However, genes can also cause genetic disorders or defects that affect how your arches form or prevent them from forming. These conditions include:

Down syndrome
Cerebral palsy
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Marfan syndrome
Clubfoot
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Joint hypermobility syndrome
Tarsal coalition

Acquired flat feet, or fallen arches, is a progressive collapsing deformity of the foot that occurs in adulthood, after your feet have developed their natural arches. Arch collapse can happen slowly or rapidly. Diseases and injuries can cause them, including:

Arthritis
Injury
Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction
Charcot foot

Flat feet don’t always cause symptoms. However, they can change the way you walk and can also transfer too much stress to parts of your lower body that aren’t prepared to bear it.

Early symptoms might include:
Foot pain after walking
Shin splints from overcompensating
Ankle pain from overpronation

Over time, you may develop:

Chronic pain even when you’re not walking
Gait disorders and abnormalities
Deformities such as bunions or hammertoes

These symptoms may cause you pain in your knees, hips, and lower back. You might also be more at risk of developing secondary conditions, such as:

Foot and ankle arthritis
Repetitive strain injuries
Ankle instability and sprains

An orthopedist or podiatrist can recognize flat feet after performing a physical exam by observing the shape and position of your foot, how it moves, and how you stand and walk on it. They will ask about your health history and any prior injuries or conditions that may have caused it. They might take images by taking a foot X-ray to confirm flat feet or to look deeper into the cause of it.

Many people won’t need treatment for flat feet. If they don’t have symptoms, they won’t need to fix them. If flat feet cause you occasional, mild aches and pains, you can treat them with:

Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen
Orthotic shoe inserts or other walking supports
Physical therapy exercises that stretch and strengthen your feet

Flat feet that cause chronic or significant pain, or other complications might need additional treatment. Depending on what’s causing it, some people might need surgery to fix the underlying issue.

It is important to know that there isn’t anything you can do to prevent flat feet. However, staying at a healthy weight may ease pain caused by flat feet.

The Department of Podiatry at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center provides a wide variety of medical treatments and surgical procedures for adults and children. To make an appointment, please call (718) 206-6713/6712

Meet Our Doctors- Dr. Andrew Bi

Posted on November 17, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is proud to introduce Dr. Andrew Bi, the newest member of our orthopedic surgical team.

Dr. Bi was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in East Lyme, Connecticut, and currently resides in Queens. He graduated from the University of Connecticut magna cum laude with honors. He then graduated from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine summa cum laude with Alpha Omega Alpha honors. Then he completed his orthopedic surgery residency training at NYU Langone Orthopedics, where he served as Executive Chief Resident. Dr. Bi later underwent subspeciality training at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in a sports medicine fellowship, where he served as assistant team physician for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Steel, and DePaul University.

Dr. Bi has received numerous awards for teaching, clinical care, and research, including the Ralph Lusskin Senior Resident Teaching Award, the Marian Frauenthal Sloane Clinical Research Award, and the Rush Annual Thesis Day Award.

Dr. Bi treats all aspects of orthopedic injuries with a special interest in the management of all shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee conditions, including, but not limited to robotic-assisted joint replacements for arthritis, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgeries for sports injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), meniscus, cartilage, rotator cuff, and labrum injuries, and the fixation of fractures. His current research efforts involve anterior cruciate ligament injuries, meniscal allograft transplantations, rotator cuff tears, hip arthroscopy, and orthobiologics.

Dr. Bi is excited to begin at the Medisys family at Jamaica Hospital, bringing with him expertise in sports medicine subspecialization, as well as his Chinese heritage, to care for the diverse population surrounding the hospital.

If you are experiencing any conditions or injuries affecting your bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, you can schedule an appointment at Orthopedic Specialists of New York by calling 718-206-6923