Back Pain Treatment

Vertebroplasty Benefits Questioned in Recent Studies

cmaynard — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:59:45 -0700

August 13, 2009
by: Sylvia Marten

Recent studies have questioned the minimally-invasive spine surgery [url:1064,type=|term|,content=|vertebroplasty|], specifically noting that there was no apparent benefit from the procedure as compared to a simulated treatment that mimicked a vertebroplasty but lacked one key element.

Led by researchers from the Mayo Clinic, one study compared function and pain in patients who had [url:6027,type=|node|,content=|vertebroplasty surgery|] and a placebo group who had their backs numbed but did not receive an injection of the bone cement.

More specifically:

131 patients were randomly assigned to either a vertebroplasty or the simulated procedure in eight medical centers in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia
68 patients were treated with vertebroplasty
63 patients were given the simulated treatment.

According to the study’s findings as published in the New England Journal of Medicine, there was no difference between the treatments after one month: both groups experienced significant and similar reductions in disability and pain, making it impossible to declare a better treatment, and calling into question, at least according to some, the benefit of vertebroplasty.

While one researcher noted that the study isn’t saying that vertebroplasty is ineffective, it does raise the argument of whether the improvements are actually the result of sedation, local anesthesia or other factors as opposed to the injection of bone cement.

Other Research on Vertebroplasty Supports Mayo Study

The findings of the Mayo-led study coincided with the results of a separate study by the Australian government. In this study that was also recently published in the The New England Journal of Medicine:

78 patients with 1 or 2 unhealed vertebral fractures of less than 12 months in duration participated in the multi-centered study
38 of those patients underwent vertebroplasty
40 patients were placed in the control group.

The primary outcome of overall pain (on a scale of 1-10) was measured at 1 week and 3 and 6 months. According to the findings, both groups of patients experienced significant but similar improvements in pain; in other words, once again there was no major difference establishing one of the two treatments as being more beneficial.

Update: On Thursday, October 16, 2009, the North American Spine Society (NASS) issued a response to these two randomized controlled trials. After reviewing the studies, the NASS noted how it was not looking to discredit these studies or the integrity of their authors, but was rather interested in exploring the disconnect between the findings of these two studies and previous findings on vertebroplasty. Read the NASS response below:

Newly Released Vertebroplasty RCTs: A Tale of Two Trials.

What Do These Findings Reveal about Vertebroplasty?

A lot of opinions have been formed in the week since the release of the results from these first two studies to examine the effect of vertebroplasty. Some doctors have said that these independent studies reveal that vertebroplasty is not beneficial and should be performed only in clinical research trials designed to continue studying its effectiveness.

Other doctors have raised concerns about the vertebroplasty research, including the lack of willing participants, small patient sizes and a flaw in the study that allowed patients to crossover from one treatment to the other. Others have cited the need for more research beyond two trials.

Of course, the issue is an important one for several reasons:

An estimated 100,000 vertebroplasty procedures were performed last year in the United States, according to a Wall Street Journal story. While the risks of vertebroplasty (specifically, leaking bone cement leading to soft tissue damage, nerve pain and compression, pulmonary embolism, respiratory or cardiac failure, and/or even death) are extremely small, it would make no sense to expose patients to such risks if the benefits of the surgery did not outweigh them.
With 250,000 vertebral fractures diagnosed each year, it’s vital that patients are receiving and paying for care that is actually beneficial; the same goes for doctors in terms of performing and paying for vertebroplasty. According to the Wall Street Journal story, vertebroplasty can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000.
Amidst the debate on health care reform, legislators will certainly be interested in the actual benefits of vertebroplasty (which is covered by Medicare) as they go back and forth on legislation. According to a doctor at Dartmouth in a Forbes article, Medicare paid for 40,000 vertebroplasty procedures last year at a price of roughly $3,000 each.

More Information:

[url:1614,type=|node|]
[url:930,type=|node|,content=|When Is Back Pain a Fracture?|]
[url:699,type=|node|,content=|Definitive Guide to Osteoporosis Fractures|]
[url:926,type=|node|,content=|What You Need to Know about Osteoporosis|]
[url:934,type=|node|,content=|4 Proven Steps to Prevent Osteoporosis Fractures|]
[url:15644,type=|node|,content=|Conservative Treatments for Osteoporosis and Surgery for Vertebral Fractures|]

Weight Training Effectively Relieves Back Pain, According to Study

cmaynard — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:35:12 -0700

July 21, 2009
by: Sylvia Marten

More specifically, a University of Alberta study promotes the progressive building of strength in not only the back but the chest, arms and legs to make it easier for patients to complete everyday activities and to build the body's resistance to future instances of [url:896,type=|node|,content=|lower back pain|].

During the course of the 16-week study, back pain patients started out slowly, working with low levels of weights and fewer repetitions. As the patients built up strength during the first three weeks, the amount of repetitions and weight increased, eventually reaching 75 percent to 83 percent of the maximum amount of weight.

Researchers noted that back pain and disability decreased as patient strength increased while doing bench presses for the chest, lateral pull-downs for the back, and leg presses.

Specifically, back pain decreased by:

28 percent in patients who exercised four days a week
18 percent in patients who exercised three times a week
14 percent in patients who exercised two times a week.

In relation, quality of life – defined in the study as the person’s physical and mental well-being—respectively rose by 28, 22 and 16 percent.

According to the study, these developments support strengthening exercises that loosen the joints as effective treatments for back pain and promote the importance of having strong chest, back and leg muscles when dealing with back pain.

Of course, it should be advised that any person experiencing back pain should not just dive into a series of [url:1183,type=|node|,content=|back exercises|] and other strengthening exercises.

Rather, it is important that patients speak with a trusted medical professional who can observe their symptoms, evaluate different courses of treatment, and then develop an exercise program for back pain.

Still, with that said, the University of Alberta study further validates the benefits that exercise may have on back pain, a notion that may still seem counterproductive or dangerous to patients worried that such activities will only exacerbate their back pain.

Source: University of Alberta; Courier-Journal

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[url:1723,type=|node|,content=|Physical Therapy Benefits for Back Pain|]
[url:1187,type=|node|,content=|Exercise and Fitness to Help Your Back|]
[url:1246,type=|node|,content=|Sciatica Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief|]

Pain Killers Scrutinized after Shocking Death of Michael Jackson

cmaynard — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:55:00 -0700

July 1, 2009
by: Sylvia Marten

It’s been nearly a week since pop singer Michael Jackson’s sudden death from cardiac arrest, and questions still remain as to what led to his death.

According to various news reports, Jackson was addicted to the narcotic pain killer Demerol for more than 20 years and also received daily doses of another pain killer, Oxycontin. According to an unnamed senior law enforcement official in an ABC News report, Los Angeles police were told that Jackson did in fact receive a Demerol injection an hour before his death.

A lawyer for Jackson’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has said that his client did not prescribe Jackson with any of these pain killers, but many medical experts think that Demerol and possibly other drugs played a role in the death.

Whether this is true or not, Jackson’s death provides a sad but absolutely necessary forum to talk about pain killer addiction.

While pain killers like Vicodin, OxyContin, Norco and Hydrocodone are typically prescribed to treat pain, what is often forgotten or not known with patients is that pain killers cause changes in the brain’s chemistry that are not under their control.

More specifically, the brain increases the number of receptors in response to the specific pain killer, and its nerve cells stop functioning. Since the body is receiving opiate pain killers, it stops producing endorphins (the body’s natural pain killers). Consequential degeneration of the nerve cells often auses a physical dependency for these opiates.

What is also not known by many patients is that taking pain killers over a long period of time may actually increase a person’s sensitivity to pain, possibly causing them to up their doses, become addicted and put their health in serious danger.

An overdose of pain killers can lead to respiratory arrest (when breathing slows and stops). Low blood oxygen may then cause the heart to quiver and not circulate blood, and lead to cardiac arrest (when the heart stops circulating blood).

Pain killer addiction is a very real problem in the United States. It has been estimated that more than 4.7 million Americans (roughly 2% of the U.S. population) are dependent on prescription pain killers.

Learn more about pain killer addiction and treatment in the following resources:

[url:808,type=|node|,content=|Pain Medications|]
[url:6639,type=|node|,content=|How Pain Killers Sometimes Increase Chronic Pain|]
[url:1924,type=|node|,content=|Pain Killer Addiction Treatment|].

In related news, Jackson’s death comes at a time when the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) wants a specific pain killer off the market and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering major changes to the use of one pain reliever.

The EMEA has said that the pain killer dextropropoxyphene (known as propoxyphene in the United States) should be withdrawn from the European market because a “significant” number of patients have allegedly been overdosing and dying from it (although the EMEA did not provide a specific number of casualties, according to a Wall Street Journal story).

Propoxyphene (e.g. Darvocet) has been used in the United States to treat mild to moderate pain since the late 1950s. It is marketed today by many drug manufacturers, and the FDA is reportedly considering whether to withdraw this pain killer.

For back pain patients who use or are considering taking a pain medication, especially medications with addiction potential, it is essential to understand and carefully monitor the use of that medicine. Do the upfront research to understand the medication options for your particular type of back or neck pain, and work closely with your medical professional to watch for side effects and risks of dependency. Some medicines are safe for short term use, but become potential dangers when used longer than indicated or in combination with other drugs.

Update: The FDA announced on July 8 that it would not withdraw Darvocet, Darvon and other pain killers with propoxyphene from the market despite calls from one consumer group to remove them. The FDA added that it would require a boxed warning of propoxyphene overdose risks and force manufacturers to study the fatality rates from overdoses.

Latest SPORT Data Supports Back Surgery for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

cmaynard — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:36:10 -0700

June 11, 2009
by: Sylvia Marten

Spine-Health has blogged in the past about the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT), including one study concluding that [url:6608,type=|node|,content=|back surgery was better for patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis|].

Well, SPORT just recently released the latest data on this study. Its verdict? The newest data supported this earlier conclusion, finding that back pain relief was more prevalent four years later for those patients who voluntarily had lumbar laminectomy surgery as opposed to those who voluntarily passed on this surgery.

Here’s a quick summary of these latest SPORT findings:

Identical Approach, Longer-Elapsed Time Frame, More Crossover, Similar Results.

To recap, there were two cohorts in this study: 304 patients in a randomized cohort (meaning that they were randomly chosen either to have or not have laminectomy surgery to treat their [url:6000,type=|node|,content=|spondylolisthesis|] and [url:152,type=|term|,content=|spinal stenosis|]) and 303 patients in an observational cohort (meaning that these patients voluntarily chose to have or not have this surgery).

It should be known that 66 percent of those patients who were randomly chosen to have surgery did so within four years and that 97 percent of those patients who chose surgery also had a laminectomy in that time period.

More telling were the latest findings that 54 percent of those people who were randomized not to have surgery ended up having surgery within four years and that 33 percent of those who voluntarily passed on surgery eventually had it. For more than a half and approximately a third of these specific patients, not having surgery apparently wasn’t as beneficial in terms of providing back pain relief.

Adding more intrigue to this study were the responses of those patients who voluntarily had surgery for their back pain. This group of patients reported improvements of 15.3 points for bodily pain and 18.9 points for physical function, and decreases of 14.3 points on the Oswestry Disability Index, signifying that gains experienced two years after back surgery were still maintained four years later.

At the end of the day, these latest findings confirm how laminectomy surgery may have wonderful results for people dealing with spondylolisthesis. Still, one must not rush to assume that surgery is always better than not having surgery when addressing spondylolisthesis associated with spinal stenosis. It should be noted that non-surgical treatments may adequately alleviate back pain for others, as very well may have been the case for the 70 percent of the observational patients who initially passed on and still did not have surgery four years later.

As each patient’s case is unique in itself, it ultimately comes down to the patient and his or her doctor examining their options and making a decision that they are most comfortable with and feel is the best course of action at the time.

Source: The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery

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Back Pain Overview: A Guide for Understanding Back Pain

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:23:52 -0800

The back and spine are designed to provide a great deal of strength, protecting the highly sensitive spinal cord and nerve roots, yet flexible, providing for mobility in all directions.

Watch Your Back!

Ben Parr — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:07:25 -0700

July 21, 2008
by: Sylvia Marten

Do you sit in front of a computer nearly every day? Then you need to watch this important video to learn helpful [url:1092,type=|node|,content=|ergonomic tips|] to protect your back!

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Also share and favorite this video on YouTube

Additional Reading

[url:1092,type=|node|]

[url:1106,type=|node|]

[url:1099,type=|node|]

[url:1111,type=|node|]

Ahh...Ice Massage Therapy for Back Pain Relief

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:08:50 -0800

Ice massage therapy

For patients experiencing back pain, ice massage therapy is quick, free, easy to do, and it can provide significant pain relief for many types of back pain.

Chiropractic Treatments for Back Pain

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:07:08 -0800

Chiropractic is a health care profession dedicated to the non-surgical treatment of disorders of the nervous system and/or musculoskeletal system, generally through chiropractors maintaining a unique focus on spinal manipulation and treatment of surrounding structures.

Recovery After XLIF

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:37:02 -0700

As with any type of spinal fusion surgery, the recovery experience for an XLIF procedure varies from patient to patient.

With an XLIF procedure, the following recovery factors are typical:

XLIF Potential Risks and Complications

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:33:17 -0700

The eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF) procedure, like any other surgical procedure, has certain potential risks and complications associated with it.

Possible risks and complications associated with the XLIF include but are not limited to:

Description of XLIF Surgery

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:29:27 -0700

View XLIF Video

There are a series of steps performed to complete an XLIF spinal fusion:

When XLIF is Not an Option

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:23:14 -0700

There are a few specific instances where the XLIF procedure could not be performed.

Instances in which a patient could not have an XLIF procedure would include:

When an XLIF Might be Performed

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:09:38 -0700

The XLIF procedure can be used for a variety of lumbar spinal disorders that may be treated with spinal fusion. These conditions may include:

Interbody Fusion - ALIF, PLIF and XLIF

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:04:20 -0700

Traditionally, there are a few ways to fuse the spine. One of these ways is known as interbody fusion. Interbody fusion is fusion of two vertebrae between the vertebral bodies (main trunk of the vertebra) in the anterior column (front part of the spine).

Minimally Invasive Spine Fusion

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:56:50 -0700

The XLIF procedure is what is termed a "minimally invasive" procedure. This means that instead of a traditional, larger single incision, the procedure is performed through one or more small incisions and an instrument known as a retractor is used to spread the tissues so that the surgeon can see the spine. This is made possible by the use of a dilator and retractor system, MaXcess®, developed by NuVasive®, Inc, in San Diego, CA. The system allows the surgeon to reach the spine via lateral access (from the side of the body).

XLIF: Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:41:45 -0700

Types of Conditions Treated by Cold Lasers

Ben Parr — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:17:25 -0800

Cold laser therapy can stimulate all cell types including muscle, ligament, cartilage, nerves, etc., so a number of conditions can be treated by cold laser therapy. Some of conditions that may typically be treated by cold laser therapy include:

Back Pain Treatment: Non-Surgical Options for Pain Relief

Ben Parr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:24:12 -0800

Prior to starting any type of treatment, it is always advisable to first see an appropriately trained spine specialist to develop an appropriate treatment program for your specific condition and medical history.

The main goals for managing back pain in the lumbar spine (lower back) usually include:

Back Surgery: How Spinal Fusion Stops Back Pain

spine-health — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:50:49 -0800

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure which helps fuse together bone segments in the spine which may be causing back pain. This interactive video provides information on spinal fusion's effects on back pain

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Epidural Steroid Injections for Back Pain and Leg Pain Video

spine-health — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:19:40 -0800

Additional Injections Info:

Cervical Epidural Injections

Cervical Injection Video

Non-Surgical Back Pain Treatment Options

spine-health — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:44:27 -0800

In-depth patient information on full range of non-surgical back pain treatments.

Osteopathic Medicine and Back Pain

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:55:42 -0800

Osteopathic Physicians, also known as Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine or Doctors of Osteopathy (D.O.), diagnose and treat all illnesses and injuries and many specialize in treating back pain.

The Integrated Approach to Back Pain Treatment

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:55:41 -0800

At Spine-health.com, we are often asked which physician is the most appropriate to treat an episode of back pain. Our answer is usually "it depends". There are many different types of health professionals who treat back pain, and each has different training and interests.

First, it is important to note that no one type of physician treats all types of back pain, neck pain or other musculoskeletal conditions. For example:

Integrated Spine Clinics for Back Pain Treatment

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:55:41 -0800

An integrated spine clinic brings together many of the different spine specialists to work collaboratively in one clinic. For example, it is becoming more common for orthopedic spine surgeons to work with neurosurgeons, invasive physiatrists to work with anesthesiologists and neuroradiologists in a pain clinic, and chiropractors to work with physical therapists.

Benefits of integrated spine clinics for back pain

Ideally, the integration of spine care affords several benefits for the patient and back pain treatment:

Getting Better Care for Your Back Pain

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:55:41 -0800

One challenge with treating back pain is that there are not that many absolute rules. For example, a spinal condition that appears relatively minor can lead to severe back pain, but a very serious condition can be barely painful at all. Similarly, some patients with a spinal condition will develop chronic pain, while others with the same condition will not.

Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

There are multiple over-the-counter (non-prescription) and prescription medications that can be helpful in relieving pain and addressing related symptoms while an episode of low back pain is getting better. Careful attention to pain management is a critical component of a patient’s recovery, as acute or chronic low back pain can lead to depression, difficulty sleeping, and difficulty exercising and stretching, all of which in turn can exacerbate and prolong a painful back condition.

Conservative Care for Back Pain

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:34:06 -0800

For most people back pain tends to get better within two weeks to three months. During this time period that an episode of back pain is resolving, or if the back pain is chronic, it is important to consider the appropriate course of conservative (non-surgical) treatment in order to:

Reduce pain and spasm
Provide conditioning for the back
read more

What is Physiatry?

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:18:36 -0800

Physiatry – also called physical medicine and rehabilitation – is a branch of medicine that specializes in diagnosis, treatment and management of disease primarily using "physical" means (such as physical therapy and medications). Essentially, physiatrists specialize in a wide variety of conservative treatments for the musculoskeletal system (the muscles and bones) and do not perform surgery.

Physical Therapy Benefits For Back Pain

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:18:36 -0800

Benefits of back pain exercise and physical therapy

After an episode of low back pain has lasted between two and six weeks, or if there are frequent recurrences of low back pain, it is reasonable to consider back pain exercises and physical therapy for back treatment.

How to Use Ice Massage Therapy for Back Pain

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:08:51 -0800

While any form of applying cold to the injured area—such as a bag of ice wrapped in a towel or a commercial ice pack—should be helpful, combining massage with ice application is a nice alternative for pain relief.

Applying ice massage therapy

To do ice massage therapy, a regular ice cube may be used, but it’s better to use a larger piece of ice. One easy way to do this is to freeze water in a paper or styrofoam cup, then peel the top inch or two of the cup to expose the ice surface.

Heat Therapy for Back Pain Relief

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:08:50 -0800

Ice massage and ice application is generally most helpful during the first 48 hours following an injury that strains the back muscles. After this initial period, heat therapy is probably more beneficial to the healing process. For some people, alternating heat therapy with cold application such as ice massage therapy provides the most pain relief.

The Graston Technique: A New Manual Therapy for Back Pain

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:07:12 -0800

There are many treatment options available for back pain caused by soft tissue problems, such as a back muscle strain. One method of treatment is soft tissue mobilization, which is a form of manual therapy designed to break down scar tissue and restrictions that are usually associated with some form of trauma to the soft tissue (such as a strained muscle, pulled ligament).

Manipulation Under Anesthesia for Pain

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:07:09 -0800

Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is a non-invasive procedure increasingly offered for acute and chronic conditions, including:

Who Should Treat Your Back Pain?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:57:44 -0800

Everyday we get e-mails from people asking us what type of doctor they should see for their back pain. Our answer is almost always "it depends". Many different specialists treat back pain, and each has different training, skills and interests. For many people, it may take more than one type of specialist to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate their back condition.

First Aid for Your Back

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:07:35 -0800

Even if the pain is severe, episodes of back pain—and pain from ongoing back conditions—can be somewhat relieved with some first aid methods you can do at home. After an injury, resting for a day or two can give your back a chance to recover and start to heal on its own. In addition, some combination of the following treatments is usually recommended to help alleviate or at least manage the pain.

Can Massage Help Your Back Problem?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:07:35 -0800

For most of us, the answer is probably 'yes', since massage is non-invasive and considered very low risk for most people. In addition to physical benefits, certain types of massage have been shown to help psychologically via relaxation and increased production of 'feel good' chemicals that the body naturally produces (endorphins)--helpful for people with both acute back problems and chronic back pain. This newsletter describes why massage may be right for you.

What is the McKenzie Method for Back Pain and Neck Pain?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:04:47 -0800

The McKenzie Method involves more than just exercise

Many people know about the McKenzie Method of physical therapy and exercise for back pain or neck pain, but aren’t sure exactly what the goals of the program are and what the exercises entail.

Exercise and Back Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:04:46 -0800

A typical response to experiencing back pain is to take it easy - either staying in bed or at least stopping any activity that is at all strenuous. While this approach is understandable and may even be recommended in the short term, when done for more than a day or two it can actually undermine healing. Instead, active forms of back exercises are almost always necessary to rehabilitate the spine and help alleviate back pain.

The McKenzie Method for Neck and Back Problems

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:04:46 -0800

The McKenzie Method approach to exercises and neck and back problems

Practitioners who use this approach emphasize that the McKenzie Method is a specific approach to spinal problems, not only a set of exercises for back pain or neck pain. While there are specific exercises a McKenzie trained practitioner may use, the method also includes the overall philosophy and some special procedures:

Back Braces

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:54:09 -0800

Motion of the lumbar (lower) spine can delay healing in fractures or in post-operative fusions. Limiting the motion of the spine enhances the healing process for bone in both conditions, and will also usually decrease the patient’s low back pain and discomfort.

Two types of back braces are commonly used to limit the motion in the spine:

Rigid braces
Corset braces (elastic braces)
read more

Conclusion to Bracing Treatment for Scoliosis

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:54:09 -0800

Currently, the spine medical community advocates bracing as the only non-surgical treatment for idiopathic scoliosis. The objective of bracing treatment is to prevent the curve from progressing as the child grows, and studies have shown bracing is effective in stopping the progression of the majority of adolescent scoliotic curves.

More Scoliosis Info

Scoliosis Overview

Osteomyelitis Treatments

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:50:16 -0800

Treatment for osteomyelitis is usually conservative and based primarily on use of intravenous antibiotic treatment. Occasionally, surgery may be necessary to alleviate pressure on the nerves, clean out infected material, and/or stabilize the spine.

Conservative treatments

Treatment for a spinal infection usually includes a combination of intravenous antibiotic therapy, bracing and rest.

Treatments for Stress-Related Back Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

Just as there are a variety of theories about how stress and other emotional or psychological factors can cause back pain, there are a variety of treatment approaches. The following outlines two approaches:

Should I See a Doctor for Back Pain?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Pain is our friendliest enemy -- it keeps us out of trouble even though it often seems to actually be the problem.

The body ‘locates’ pain near the surface quite well but has trouble indicating the source when the pain is deep. Pain from deep injuries, diseases or infections of organs, such as the heart, stomach, lungs and back may seem to come from somewhere else nearby or may radiate into multiple places. Intense pain may be more localizing but not always.

Treatments for Spinal Tumors

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

If any tumor is found in the spine (and there is no other known cancer), a complete examination of all common organs where cancer develops is usually warranted. Evaluation may include:

Complete medical history
Complete physical examination
Complete neurological examination
Radiographic studies of the spine, chest and GI system to screen for tumors
MRI and CAT scans to examine the spine

Treatments for each common type of spinal tumor is explained in more detail below.

Management of Back Pain in Pregnancy

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Conservative (non-surgical) treatment of back pain in pregnancy generally includes performance of appropriate exercise and use of proper body mechanics. These efforts promote and support proper posture, which is essential to avoiding unnecessary stress to supporting structures.

Myths about Treatment for Back Pain and Back Problems

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:23 -0800

Myth #1: There is a standard "cure" for most causes of back and neck pain.

Fact: Compared to other medical conditions, there are relatively few standardized approaches to diagnosis and treatment of back problems.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:20 -0800

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a complex, poorly understood condition that can result in chronic pain in the upper extremity. There is usually some traumatic event (injury or surgery) to the upper extremity that starts the pain syndrome. A pain pathway is then set up that continues on after the traumatic injury has resolved.

It is thought that this is a sympathetically mediated condition, in which overactivity in the sympathetic nerves creates constriction of the arteries that supply blood to the arm.

Treatment Options for Bone Spurs

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:19 -0800

Non-surgical treatment for bone spurs

Most patients with mild or moderate nerve compression and irritation from bone spurs can manage their symptoms effectively with conservative back care, such as: