Dr. Ruth Anne O'keefe M.D.

What is a charley horse?A charley horse is a term used when referring to a muscle cramp or spasm. Although muscle cramps can occur in any muscle in the body, they are commonly experienced in the leg. In a muscle spasm, the muscle uncontrollably contracts and does not relax. When the contracting...

Patients may often ask themselves which doctor they should see for their back pain. Studies have shown that chiropractors provide effective treatment for back pain. However, chiropractors cannot treat all causes of back pain because there are also conditions that should be diagnosed and treated by a...

When people suffer from a whiplash, they experience severe pain in the lower neck region, which can spread over their shoulders, arms, and head. They can also suffer from headaches, numbness, and a painful stiff neck. The pain gets accelerated faster in the area around the neck, which needs to be...

Bursitis is a condition that causes inflammation and pain around the joints. This can happen in the tendons, muscles, or even bones. It is brought by inflammation of the bursa. Bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion around your joints. Usually, when your joints are subjected to excess...

Levator Scapulae MuscleThe levator scapulae is a long muscle, which is located at the back and side of the neck. It is known to end at the top of the shoulder. Its Latin name indicates its function of lifting the scapula. Regardless of muscular development, this long muscle is difficult to see. It...

Spinal stenosis is a condition where two spinal vertebrae separated by an intervertebral disc come closer as the disc wears off due to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or trauma. When this happens, the spinal nerve that runs between them becomes compressed causing pain to the individual. The...