Dr. Gerard Jarvis

10/10/2026

That knot in your shoulder blade might not be coming from your shoulder!

Ever had a tight, achy spot around your shoulder blade that just won’t seem to go away?

It’s easy to assume the problem is right where it hurts, but that’s not always the case.

Sometimes, pain can be referred from another area of the body. One example is the neck.

The nerves and structures in your cervical spine can contribute to pain around the shoulder blade, and sometimes that pain can travel down into the arm.

You might notice:
🔹 A constant ache between the shoulder blades
🔹 Tightness through the neck and upper back
🔹 Pain that travels into the shoulder or arm
🔹 Tingling or numbness in the arm or hand

So, what’s the point?

Just because an area feels tight or sore doesn’t automatically mean that’s where the problem starts.

That tight muscle might be the source of the pain… or it might be reacting to something happening elsewhere.

This is why it’s important to look at the bigger picture rather than focusing only on the spot that hurts.

Find the source, not just the sore spot.

Of course, shoulder-blade pain can have several causes, so it’s important not to assume it’s always coming from the neck.

⚠️ If pain persists or gets worse, or you develop new numbness or weakness, get assessed by a healthcare professional. Sudden severe pain with chest pain or shortness of breath needs urgent medical attention.

💬 Have you ever had pain in one area that turned out to be coming from somewhere else?

10/09/2026

⚠️ BENZODIAZEPINES: THE RISKS OUR SENIORS DESERVE TO KNOW!

Medications like Xanax, Ativan, Va**um, and Klonopin may help with anxiety and sleep, but the risks can be serious- especially for older adults.

Side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, and impaired balance. These medications can increase the risk of falls and fractures, which can be life-changing for an older adult.

A single fall and fracture can lead to hospitalization, surgery, immobility, complications, and a long, difficult recovery. What begins as an injury can trigger a cascade of problems that leaves a senior unable to return home or regain the independence they once had.

Too often, medications are prescribed without patients and families fully understanding these potential consequences.

Our seniors deserve informed choices, honest conversations about risks, and careful consideration of safer alternatives - not just another prescription.

ASK QUESTIONS. KNOW THE RISKS. PROTECT THEIR INDEPENDENCE.

Please share. Awareness matters!




Important: Anyone taking benzodiazepines regularly should never stop abruptly without medical guidance.

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2026/10/08/benzodiazepines-and-anxiety.aspx?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=mercola&utm_campaign=nonlead1_20261008&fbclid=IwZnRzaAU1GGFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6QTcQCsuUA7snm9reE0sVnHOsIx28eVLCCh1GPBduil_J5gjeEdPcr8-Xjzw_aem_7OZYejGHO7g7v_WcsfpQog

Benzodiazepines are frequently overprescribed in today's fast-paced, profit-driven healthcare system, often leading to long-term use without adequate supervision.

10/08/2026

I don’t know about you, but this was an area I really used to struggle with.

One pattern you’ll usually notice is that miserable people tend to operate at a low frequency. Don’t let them pull you down there. Resonate at a higher energy, and you’ll attract that energy back to you. You basically get what you give.

An eagle doesn’t worry about the crow- it simply soars above.

Not every comment requires a defense, and not every critic deserves an audience.

Negative energy feeds on your reaction. When you stop feeding it, it eventually starves.

Silence isn’t weakness; sometimes it’s the ultimate power move to protect your peace and your sanity.

Save your bandwidth for your goals, your growth, and the people who genuinely elevate you.

Protect your energy. Protect your peace. Keep soaring. 🦅

10/08/2026

Pharmaceutical companies have repeatedly faced enormous fines and lawsuits for misleading marketing, illegal promotion, kickbacks, and other misconduct. There are also well-known examples of FDA-approved drugs that were later restricted or pulled after causing serious injuries and deaths Vioxx, Baycol, Rezulin and Propulsid are just a few.

This doesn’t mean that all pharmaceutical drugs are harmful. It simply means that FDA approval does not guarantee perfection, and a healthcare provider’s credentials should never replace thoughtful, informed critical thinking.

It’s important to know that pharmaceutical companies spend billions marketing directly to healthcare professionals and influencing the medical system.

We should be willing to ask questions, examine the evidence, look at who funded the research, consider conflicts of interest, and acknowledge when the science changes.

The same standard should apply to pharmaceuticals, supplements, wellness products, and everything in between.

Don’t blindly trust an industry. Don’t blindly distrust one either.

Think critically. Ask questions. Follow the evidence. And remember that “trust me, I’m a doctor” should never mean “stop thinking for yourself.”

10/07/2026

Think spine surgery only affects your spine? Think again. 👀 The muscles around your spine can take a hit too- and that can matter long after surgery.

When discussing spine surgery, the focus is often on the bones, discs, nerves, and implants.

But there’s another critical part of the equation:

💪 MUSCLE.

The muscles surrounding the spine provide stability, support, and function- and muscle mass naturally declines with age.

🧠 That’s why preserving these muscles matters.

Minimally invasive spine surgery is designed to “reduce” collateral tissue damage.

With a tubular approach, the surgeon generally separates and gently retracts muscle fibers rather than cutting through and stripping them away from the spine.

That can be a significant advantage.

But it’s important to understand:
MINIMALLY INVASIVE DOES NOT MEAN ZERO MUSCLE INJURY. Muscle is still damaged just to a lesser scale.

A retractor still places pressure on the muscle. It can compress small blood vessels, cause swelling, and create microscopic injury. The longer and more forceful the retraction, the greater the potential for muscle damage.

And MRI studies have demonstrated measurable differences.

One study found approximately a 12% reduction in lean multifidus muscle area after MIS, compared with 37% after open surgery at the operated level.

At the adjacent level, the reduction was approximately 9% vs. 29%.

So yes- less tissue disruption matters.
But “LESS ” is not the same as “NONE.”

As the long-term consequences of extensive open fusion procedures receive increasing scrutiny, it is also important to recognize that preserving the muscles that support an aging spine is clinically relevant.

The question isn’t simply:
“Can the spinal problem be addressed?”

It’s also:

“How much of the supporting anatomy is damaged and how much can be preserved while addressing it?”

Because in an aging spine, every bit of preserved muscle matters.

We set out to determine whether a minimally invasive approach for one-level instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion reduced undesirable changes in the multifidus muscle, compared to a conventional open approach. We also investigated associations between muscle injury during surgery (creatinin...

10/05/2026

Your health is on your plate- and in your choices. 🍽️

Stop outsourcing your health. Stop accepting “you’re just getting older,” “it’s your genes,” or “this is just how it is.”

Medication has an important place in healthcare, but managing symptoms isn’t always the same as addressing the bigger picture. And when one medication leads to side effects that require another medication, it’s worth asking questions.

Be your own advocate.

Eat better. Move more. Sleep. Build strength. Manage stress. Get informed. Make intentional decisions that actually serve you.

No excuses. No victim mindset. Discipline. Decisions. Ownership.

Love yourself enough to stop settling for simply managing your health and start doing the work to improve it.

Your body is worth the effort. 🔥

10/05/2026

Teaching kids and young adults to question what they read is about more than school. It teaches them to think critically, spot misinformation, and make informed decisions about their health and everyday lives.

With high schools, colleges, and even medical training programs relying more on iPads, digital textbooks, and online information, we also have to be mindful of how easily information can be filtered, changed, or influenced by an agenda.

Having the ability to control what people see and shape what they believe is powerful- and that can be dangerous.

Kids and college students need to learn to ask, “How do we know this is true?” Look at different sources, consider different perspectives, and don’t just accept something because it’s presented as fact.

Read. Question. Verify. Think for yourself. 🧠

10/03/2026

Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications in America - but the conversation around them is more complicated than simply “good” or “bad.”

Many people take these medications without ever having had a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event. In some cases, they are prescribed because of cholesterol numbers and calculated risk factors - not because a disease has already occurred.

The debate among cardiologists and researchers continues around how much benefit statins provide for different groups of people, especially those who are at lower risk, while also weighing potential side effects and individual circumstances.

One thing that is not controversial: lifestyle matters.

Poor nutrition, lack of exercise, excess body fat, poor sleep, and chronic stress can all contribute to cardiovascular risk whether someone takes a medication or not.

This is not medical advice to start or stop any medication. Decisions about statins should be made with your healthcare provider based on your personal risk factors, history, and goals.
But whether you are on a statin or not, improving the fundamentals - building muscle, exercising regularly, eating a nutrient-dense diet, improving metabolic health, improving sleep habits and reducing inflammation - can help improve your overall health and may reduce risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease.

And if you are someone who needs medication, that does not mean lifestyle becomes optional. The goal should always be to support your health from every angle and reduce the burden of preventable downstream problems whenever possible.