Straight answers about pain and vein health
Practical guides from Dr. Elbaridi and Loop Medical Center — what causes your symptoms, what treatment involves, and when to see a specialist.

Physical Therapy and Pain Management: Why They Work Better Together
Why “physical therapy didn’t work for me” usually means something else, how direct access lets Illinois patients start therapy without a referral, and why prehab before surgery matters. From Inside the Loop with ATI Physical Therapy.
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How to Choose a Pain Management Doctor
Knowing how to choose a pain management doctor is not something most people figure out until they have already made a few wrong turns. The specialty is narrower than…
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How to Prevent Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic issue. They are a sign that the veins in your legs are no longer moving blood efficiently back to the heart. Over time, that…
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How Long Does Sciatica Last?
Most people who develop sciatica expect it to go away on its own. They rest, take ibuprofen, and wait. Sometimes that works. Often it does not. And the longer sciatica…
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Back Pain and Weight Loss: What the Connection Means
When Dr. Elbaridi was practicing as a physical therapist early in his career, he had a patient heading toward her second knee surgery. During one of her treatment…
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Pelvic Pain in Women: Causes, Signs, and Treatment
She has had painful periods since she was a teenager. She mentioned it at a checkup once and was told it was normal. She mentioned it again a few years later and was…
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Why Your Pain Medication Stops Working
You have been taking the same medication for months. It helped at first. Now it barely touches the pain. You take more of it than you used to. You wonder if something…
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Delayed Neck Pain After a Car Accident: Why It Happens and What to Do
You walked away from the accident. The other driver exchanged insurance. You felt shaken, maybe a little stiff, but okay enough to drive home. Three days later, you…
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What Is Interventional Pain Management? How It Finds the Source of Chronic Pain
You have seen three doctors. You have done the MRI. You have taken the medications, done the physical therapy, and been told your results look “within normal range.” And…
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How to Remove Varicose Veins Without Surgery
If you have been searching for how to remove varicose veins without surgery, the good news is that surgery is not the standard of care anymore. The treatments available…
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What is bursitis and how can we treat it
Bursitis is usually caused by repeated pressure on an area or by using a joint too much. Doing the same kind of movement every day or putting stress on your joints…
Read articleNerve Blocks for Migraine Headaches
You have tried the medications. You have adjusted your diet, tracked your triggers, and avoided everything on the list your neurologist gave you. The migraines still…
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What to know about bulging, swollen, or painful veins
Varicose veins are twisted, swollen veins close to the skin’s surface. The legs and ankles are the most prevalent sites for them to occur. Varicose veins affect sixty…
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What is a Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
During a radiofrequency ablation, the doctor uses heat to block the nerve that causes pain. Radiofrequency ablation is a percutaneous procedure, which means it is…
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Stellate Ganglion Block for PTSD: What to Know
Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is used for some PTSD symptoms, alongside mental-health treatment and never in place of it. What it is, how it’s done, and the risks.
Read articleInside the Loop, the Loop Medical Center podcast
Dr. Elbaridi talks with the clinicians and specialists who treat pain and vein conditions every day.
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