Relief For Back Pain » Low Back Pain

Treating Pain After Spinal Surgery

admin — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:52:46 +0000

San Antonio, Texas (June 6, 2011)—A study introduced at SNM’s 58th Annual Meeting shows potential relief for patients who suffer chronic pain after back surgery.

A molecular imaging procedure that combines functional and anatomical information about the body is able to zero in on the site of abnormal bone reaction and provide more accurate diagnoses and appropriate pain management for patients who have received hardware implants or bone grafts.

“With PET/CT we can pinpoint the exact screw or rod that was loose or failing. We can help doctors and patients accurately decide whether surgical and nonsurgical treatment is the best option,” says Andrew Quon, MD, assistant professor of radiology and chief of clinical PET/CT for the molecular imaging program at Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. “This eliminates unnecessary or erroneous hardware replacement surgeries and provides a surgical map for patients who need further operations to treat their chronic pain.”

Serious spinal instability and disease often necessitate the implantation of hardware such as plates, cages, rods and screws or bone grafts to support the spine. There are many reasons why patients experience pain after initial surgery, including hardware failure and infection, or both. Determining the source of pain can be difficult, especially when patients have complex medical histories. In this study, a combination of positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) and F18 NaF, an injected radio tracer that uses sodium fluoride to target “hot spots” or areas of high bone turnover and inflammation during imaging, was used to evaluate patients with back pain after spinal surgery. This form of molecular imaging was shown to be highly accurate in determining the culprit of patient’s chronic pain by highlighting both the structure of the bone and the physiological processes involved in inflammation, an indication of injury and infection.

For this prospective study, 20 patients presenting with spinal pain were evaluated with PET/CT using F18 NaF at least eight months after surgery. A total of 24 bone or tissue abnormalities were found in 17 of the 20 subjects. Of the original 20 patients, 12 received exploratory surgery and four participants received local anesthetic nerve blockade, a common and minimally invasive treatment that numbs the affected nerve, providing short-term pain management as an alternative to surgery. The research indicates that F18 NaF PET/CT is highly effective for the evaluation of pain after spinal surgery—in more than 85 percent of cases, this form of molecular imaging was able to identify the exact source of patient’s pain.

Contact: Susan Martonik
smartonik@snm.org
703-652-6773
Society of Nuclear Medicine
Molecular imaging pinpoints source of chronic back pain

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Sciatic Pain Treatment

admin — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Wichita Chiropractor

As a Wichita Chiropractor for more than twenty years, I have treated many people suffering from sciatic pain, therefore, I’m genuinely aware from experience just how incapacitating sciatic pain can be. Those who suffer from sciatica are unfortunately all too familiar with the deep radiating pain that persists during the day and inhibits almost all of their daily activities.

Here’s how you can ascertain if your low back pain is caused by sciatica. You are probably experiencing sciatica if your pain travels from your low back, through your buttock(s), down the large sciatic nerve in the back of one or both legs, and possibly shoots into one or both knees. Moreover, sitting, as well as movement, can be painful. Frequently lying down will lessen, or perhaps even temporarily eliminate the pain. However, it’s important for you to be aware that sciatica cannot be corrected without proper treatment.

Radiculopathy

One of the clinical diagnoses of sciatica is called a “radiculopathy”, a medical term that means simply that a disc has protruded from its natural position in the vertebral column and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve. This kind of pressure can produce excruciating pain.

Increased pressure on the intervertebral discs, as well as imbalances in the muscles encasing the spine, can take place during and after extended sitting, specifically with bad posture. A particular event or injury isn’t commonly the cause of sciatica, more often sciatica is likely to progress over time as a result of everyday wear and tear on the vertebrae of the lower spine. After a while the lower spine can lose its normal functioning capabilities during common stresses.

If this occurs, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures or cracks, which then allow the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. Pain is produced as the disc pushes on sensitive tissues. This occurrence is commonly referred to as a ruptured, or slipped, disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, a person can develop sciatica. The good news is that most disc conditions, including sciatica, can be completely relieved with chiropractic manipulation and therapy that often includes postural exercises.

Periformis Syndrome

Periformis syndrome is another condition that results in sciatic pain. Periformis syndrome occurs when the periformis muscle, which is superficial to the sciatic nerve, goes into spasm and irritates the nerve. Along with chiropractic manipulation, this kind of sciatica can be significantly relieved by sciatica stretches that your chiropractor will advise you on.

If you are experiencing sciatic pain, it is crucial for you to seek chiropractic attention.

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Learn About Seat Cushion

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 06:18:03 +0000

Regardless of you what job function you do in an office, you likely invest a great deal of time sitting. Office chairs of these days are far better than they were even 10 years ago, on the other hand many people still suffer from chronic back agony or coccyx due to bad support in their business office chair. Back trouble is not the only ailment associated with sitting, bad posture, cramps, and chronic body aches can also be a dilemma with those who sit long periods of time in an office.

The excellent that makes gel seat cushions stand out among its competitors, namely the foam and also the air seat cushions is that the honeycomb framework that these cushions are constructed with provides the maximum amount of comfort, cushioning in addition to shape retention among its peers. This special internal lattice framework combined with all the semisolid gel that these cushions are filled up with helps make them an exceptional selection to aid inside relief within your rear and neck.

The unique construction procedures that are used also go a long way in making the gel seat cushion far more thinner than cushions with the exact same width produced out of alternative materials. Their compact style makes them ideal for use in church pews, on picnic benches, stadium seats, cafe houses as well as for whenever you may would like to indulge in camping with no having to worry about throwing your again off. And to how the truth that gel disperses stress far more efficiently than foam promoting circulation furthermore to relieving the crucial strain points.

Of course you may try changing your chair, and this may well fix your problems. But it is a pricey answer and not generally an useful one. However you can find items obtainable now that improve the comfort and ease and assistance of an place of work chair that several have success with. A memory foam seat cushion can be a service system you use with your chair that supply additional assist in the higher strain points of one’s back again and upper body, giving it the boost necessary to avoid chronic pain.

Memory foam seat cushions come in a number of styles and designs, but most either have a pad portion which you sit on, and may perhaps have a lumbar portion behind your back. The concept is to use a additional supportive kind of material on areas like your lower rear to boost your chair’s built in support, and relieve pain such as that caused by coccyx. The have a tendency to have a lot more of an orthopedic design, as opposed for the stylish and décor pattern of a chair, and are solely focused on the ease and comfort and help from the sitter.

If you decided this paper was worthwhile you should also want to be discovering about Stop Snoring Mouth Piece and Obus Forme Anti Snore Pillow.

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Arthritis Low Back Pain

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:41:00 +0000

Arthritis affects millions of people each year worldwide. It can cause debilitating effects for the person who is afflicted, causing varying degrees of symptoms and disability.

Many people worry that certain pain they are having may be something more serious, such as in that case of arthritis low back pain. Arthritis in the lumbar spine, or the lower back, is a common problem and one which can cause a variety of symptoms.

Lumbar spine arthritis is more common in older people, but it can also be found in other age groups as well. Some of the people who are more prone to developing arthritis in the lower back, besides the older population, include people who are obese, those who are involved in heavy labor, and those who have suffered a previous injury to their spine.

Arthritis of the lumbar spine happens in the joints that connect each segment of the spinal column, or the vertebrae. When the joints become arthritic, movement in the back becomes stiff and painful. Lumbar spine arthritis is sometimes found along with other spinal conditions such as disc degeneration and spinal stenosis.

Lumbar spine arthritis normally causes the symptoms of stiffness in the lower back and often severe pain. The stiffness is especially noticeable in the morning as they get out of bed, but can sometimes become more loosened up throughout the day. Sometimes strenuous activity and prolonged use of the lower back muscles can cause symptoms to become worse.

If lumbar facet arthritis worsens, it can result in the joints forming bone spurs and the tissue becoming inflamed. These joints contain nerves around them which can become pinched resulting in a disorder called spinal stenosis. This condition is seen often in patients with arthritis of the lower back.

The treatment options that are offered will depend on the severity of the person’s symptoms. Treatment always starts with more simple measures to be sure that the patient can tolerate them and find relief. Some of the methods of treatment include physical therapy, chiropractic care, anti-inflammatory medicine, weight loss, alternative treatment (acupuncture, magnet therapy, natural remedies, and massage), ice and heat applications, epidural injections of steroid medicine and spinal fusion surgery. Surgery is normally a last resort after relief has not been found through other methods of treatment.

Of all the symptoms of lumbar spine arthritis, low back pain can be the most difficult to manage and live with. The constant pain and stiffness can be the cause of much stress and can seriously alter a person’s way of life. It is important to recognize symptoms and begin treatment early to ensure that the progression of the disease is slowed down. Finding a treatment that works may take some time as everyone will have different levels of pain and treatment requirements.

Published by Relief For Back Pain

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Lower Back Pain

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Free Back Pain eBook and Video

Low back pain is a condition that affects many people in the world today. One reason may be that the reasons for having low back pain are varied and the second reason may be that much of today’s employment involves individuals sitting at a desk or standing in a manufacturing plant for hours.

Both of these activities promote poor back health which leads to spinal disc problems and poor muscle strength. Lower back problems are also the root cause of the majority of workman’s compensation claims and a large number of lost work days.

When an individual suffers from low back pain they will experience a reduced ability to do daily living activities, hobbies, recreational activities and will have difficulty with work. One of the hallmarks of back pain is that it is almost impossible NOT to use the back. You may be able to splint an arm, cast a leg or even decrease movement to splint ribs but it is impossible not to use the back muscles when you are walking, sitting or standing.

At all times the core muscles of the body will be motion holding the body in place and making minute changes to the muscles to hold the body in balance. For this reason the only place that people may find relief is when they are lying down, and then, only in certain positions based on the placement of the injury or disability in the back.

Individuals will find that they suffer more pain in certain circumstances than in others. In other words, some will find it more difficult to stand while others will have more difficulty with sitting. In most cases though, individuals will find relief with walking and movement or with lying down.

The relief found in lying down often leads people to lie down more often and thus increase the amount of time it takes for a back injury to heal. Doctors have found that the maximal amount of time a person should spend on bed rest is two days. And they have found that those people who don’t use bed rest as a means of rehabilitation will recover faster than those who do.

The reason that this is the case is because as the individual ‘rests’ on the couch the muscles in the back become stiff. Because they are either injured from a muscle injury or spasms from a disc problem, the muscles get stiff and shorten when they aren’t being used. Then, as the individual gets out of bed those same muscles are asked to work again. Because, remember, they can’t be splinted in any way.

This movement from spasm to shortening to work again only leads to more pain and discomfort. Sometimes this leads the person to stay in bed and repeat the vicious cycle making recovery all the more difficult.

Instead, physicians and chiropractors have found that individuals who protect their back while walking, sitting and standing but continue to do those activities are more likely to recover faster and without function loss.

Our backs are an integral part of every movement we make each day. Whether we are turning over in bed, getting up from a chair or just walking down the street, these are the muscles that are always used. Because they are so important to our overall health and ability to do our daily tasks it is that much more important that we take care of the muscles that protect our back.

Published by Relief For Back Pain

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