CYRx MD
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Dr Steven Cyr / Combined Fellowship in Neurosurgery / Orthopedic Surgery of the Spine
☎️(210) 487-7463
🔗cyrmd.com
Author, CutthroatBook.com
X-ray vs MRI for spinal fusion 🤔
Patients often come in convinced their MRI report means they need surgery. But here’s the truth: when deciding if fusion is actually the right move, the X-ray — especially with flexion and extension views — often gives me more critical information about stability and alignment.
In this video I break down exactly why both scans matter… and why relying on MRI alone can lead to the wrong plan.
Watch to the end 👀
— Dr. Steven Cyr | Orthopedic Spine Surgeon | 📍Houston and San Antonio
07/06/2026
Do you need to have nerves of steel to be a surgeon? 🤔
As a spine surgeon, this comes up all the time. The OR demands real composure under pressure — no question.
But the old “nerves of steel” image paints surgeons as emotionless robots. That’s not the full truth, and it can be misleading.
After 14 years of military service (2 years as a flight surgeon), including two combat tours to Iraq — one at Balad Air Base, known as “Mortaritaville” because mortars were constantly launched over the wall — I learned what genuine high-stakes pressure actually looks like. I operated on war-wounded soldiers and civilians in that environment. Focus and calm were non-negotiable. But so was staying human, connected to your team, and grounded in purpose.
The real requirements for this work?
✅ Intense preparation and lifelong learning
✅ Mental toughness built through training and real experience
✅ Emotional regulation (not the absence of emotion)
✅ Resilience — the ability to absorb complications or bad outcomes without breaking
✅ Empathy for patients and your team
✅ Grit + a support system outside the hospital (because burnout is very real in surgery)
Surgeons are not machines. We feel the weight. The best ones learn to carry it without letting it crush them or turn them cold.
If you’re an aspiring surgeon or in training: You don’t need to be unbreakable from day one. You build these muscles through experience, mentorship, honest self-reflection, and taking care of yourself.
I’ve been open about my own seasons of pressure and burnout — and talking about it has made me a better surgeon and mentor.
— Dr Steven Cyr | Orthopedic Spine Surgeon | 📍Houston and San Antonio
What qualities do YOU believe matter most? Drop your thoughts in the comments 👇
07/04/2026
That deep arch in the lower back that makes the belly and glutes stick out dramatically?
It’s not just “bad posture” — it’s lumbar hyperlordosis.
When the lumbar spine curves excessively inward, the pelvis tilts forward and the entire front of the body protrudes. This postural pattern increases stress on the discs and facet joints and is often linked to muscle imbalances, prolonged sitting, or underlying spinal conditions.
What’s interesting is that in many cases this isn’t a fixed structural problem. It’s often a functional one caused by tight hip flexors and weak core and glute muscles. Restoring balance in these muscle groups can significantly improve both posture and comfort over time.
Many patients I see have lived with this posture for years, often assuming it was just “how they were built.” The reality is that once we identify the muscle imbalances driving it, most people can make meaningful improvements.
Left unaddressed, this exaggerated curve can accelerate degenerative changes in the lumbar discs and facet joints over time.
The good news? It’s highly recognizable and very treatable with the right approach.
If this posture or the symptoms that come with it sound familiar, contact our team to schedule an evaluation.
- Dr. Steven Cyr | Spine Surgeon | San Antonio & Houston
Link in bio to book a consultation.
One of the biggest myths in medicine is that burnout happens because the work is hard. High achievers expect hard. We trained for hard. We chose this life knowing it would demand everything from us.
What actually breaks us down is the constant exhaustion… running on caffeine and adrenaline… and telling ourselves we’ll take care of ourselves “later.”
I know this because that used to be me. And if I’m being honest, I still catch myself slipping into it from time to time.
It’s not a lack of grit. It’s often a system that doesn’t protect the people who protect everyone else.
If you’re in healthcare, what’s causing burnout where you work?
Drop it in the comments — I want to hear it. 👇
07/03/2026
Stop believing the myth that your spinal discs are simply “wearing out” with age. ⛓️💥
Your discs aren’t like tires going flat. They function as a hydraulic system that depends on movement to stay hydrated and healthy.
Discs have no direct blood supply. They rely on a “squeeze and soak” mechanism: when you move, you pump out waste and draw in nutrient-rich fluid. When you sit for hours, you’re essentially starving your discs of the hydration they need to stay thick and resilient.
That stiffness or cracking you feel? It’s your discs signaling that the hydraulic pump has gone offline.
While surgery is appropriate for specific pathologies with neurologic compromise or instability, many disc-related issues respond well to restoring natural loading cycles and movement patterns.
At SASpine, we focus on re-establishing this fundamental physiology as a primary strategy.
Don’t just protect your spine.
Rehydrate the disc.
These are the hills I will die on as an orthopedic spine surgeon 🏔️
After years in the OR and clinic, these 8 truths never change:
1. Most back and neck pain improves without surgery. We start with conservative care — PT, activity modification, and injections. Surgery is for when symptoms progress, red flags appear, or quality of life stays poor despite proper non-op treatment. Right surgery. Right patient. Right time.
2. MRIs show structure, not pain. Plenty of people with “bad” scans have zero symptoms, while others with cleaner images hurt every day. We treat the full clinical picture — history, exam, and function — not just the pixels.
3. A clean MRI doesn’t mean your pain isn’t real. Pain can come from chemical irritation, nerve sensitization, muscle dysfunction, or how the nervous system processes signals. Your experience is valid. We keep investigating until we find answers.
4. Ni****ne starves your discs of blood flow and oxygen. It speeds up degeneration and significantly raises the risk of failed fusions. If you want the best chance to heal — before or after surgery — ni****ne has to go.
5. Fusion permanently changes how your spine moves and loads the levels above and below. We only go there when it’s clearly the best option. Less invasive procedures or aggressive conservative care come first whenever possible.
6. Sitting dramatically increases pressure inside your discs and weakens the muscles that protect your spine. Your discs need movement for nutrition and health. “Motion is lotion” — frequent movement and posture breaks are non-negotiable.
7. Your spine depends on strong hips and core for stability. When these are weak, the lower back takes excessive stress and shear forces it wasn’t built to handle alone. Many patients with “back pain” improve dramatically once hip and core strength is addressed.
8. Chronic stress keeps your nervous system on high alert and increases pain sensitivity. It drives muscle tension, inflammation, and poor sleep — all of which make spine pain worse. Treating the spine without addressing stress is incomplete care.
Which one hit you the hardest? Drop the number below 👇
Save this Reel and send it to someone who needs to hear it.
Follow for more straight talk on spine health.
Dr. Steven Cyr | Orthopaedic Spine
Surgeon | 📍San Antonio & Houston
📞 Call us: 210-487-7463 (SATX) |
832-919-7990 (HTX)
🔗 Link in bio for appointments & spine resources.
Ehlers-Danlos Patient • 5-Level Cervical Fusion
1 Year Later 💙
One year ago today, this patient underwent a 5-level cervical fusion with Dr. Steven Cyr at SASpine.
Here’s her journey in her own words:
“1 year.
One year ago today, I had a 5-level cervical fusion. I remember taking my first three steps with a walker after surgery, wondering what the future would look like and hoping I had made the right decision.
Today, I was fully released. No restrictions. On anything.
The journey hasn’t been easy. There are still stronger days ahead and more healing to come, but today I feel strong. I feel capable. I feel free.
A year ago, the life I’m living today felt impossible. I was exhausted, defeated, and holding on to my last bit of hope. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome had taken so much from me, and I wasn’t sure I would ever get this version of myself back.
I’m forever grateful for SASpine, Dr. Cyr, his PA, the nurses, physical therapists, and my family and friends who walked this journey with me.
Because of them — and because of God’s faithfulness — I get to celebrate a milestone I once only dreamed about.
One year down. A lifetime ahead.” ~M. Moncus
We are deeply moved by her strength and resilience. Her story is a powerful reminder that healing is possible — even after complex spine surgery and with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
If you or someone you love is facing spine challenges or an EDS diagnosis, please know there is hope.
— SASpine | Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon Dr. Steven Cyr | 📍Houston & San Antonio
Most people carry a long list of worries and complaints every single day.
But the moment your health begins to fail, everything else suddenly feels small.
Nothing else matters when your body can no longer keep up.
Your health is the one thing that makes every other part of life possible. Protect it before you’re forced to realize how much it was carrying.
Dr. Steven Cyr | Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon | 📍San Antonio & Houston
Fueling for 12-hour surgery days starts with smart choices.
My breakfast before a long OR day is a protein shake (50-60 grams of whey protein) blended with steel-cut oats and fresh blueberries. It gives me clean, sustained energy that keeps me sharp from the first incision to the final suture.
Lunch is usually a simple chicken salad — lean protein that carries me through clinic, rounds, and everything in between while helping me stay lean and focused.
Nutrition isn’t about restriction for me. It’s about having the stamina to show up fully for every patient who trusts me with their spine.
- Dr. Steven Cyr | Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon | 📍San Antonio & Houston
What fuels your biggest days? Drop your go-to meal below 👇
Dream job or reality check? 👀
Here’s the 2026 list of the world’s highest-paid professions — and yes, neurosurgery made the cut.
As a spine surgeon, I see these numbers floating around all the time. The truth? The top earners in every field put in serious years of grind, sacrifice, and skill-building before the big paychecks hit.
WORLD’S HIGHEST PAID JOBS 2026
Top-earning careers right now (high-end / experienced ranges)
✈️ Airline Pilot:
$250K – $700K/yr
🧠 Neurosurgeon:
$600K – $900K/yr
🤖 AI/ML Engineer: $400K – $1M+/yr
⚖️ Corporate Lawyer: $300K – $800K/yr
📈 Investment Banker: $500K – $1M+/yr
🛢️ Petroleum Engineer: $180K – $400K/yr
📱 Pro YouTuber / Creator: $1M – $100M+/yr
💼 CEO / Tech Founder: $5M – $300M+/yr
🏈 Pro Athlete: $30M – $200M/yr
🎬 Hollywood Actor: $20M – $100M/yr
🦷 Orthodontist: $200K – $500K/yr
Which one surprises you most? Drop it below 👇
Save this for the next time someone asks you “how much do doctors actually make?”
Note: Ranges reflect top earners in the U.S. Most people in these fields earn less.
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9125 West Road, Suite B
Houston, TX
77064
