Back Surgery For Severe Back Pain Relief
Back surgery is typically recommended when other, more conservative treatments arent able to help you feel better. Back surgery can be used to treat herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spine injuries and even severe lower back pain. When its done under the right circumstances and at the right time, back surgery can be an effective long-term solution for chronic back pain.
Find The Right Medications For You And Use Them Correctly
Just about everyone gets back pain. In fact, an estimated 80% of people will seek medical attention for back pain at some point in their lives. Most of the time, popping a few over-the-counter pain relievers does the trick. But are drugs the best way to combat regular flare-ups?
“Medication can be a crucial part of managing and treating occasional and recurring pain, and can help you stay pain-free and active, but you have to use the right ones for you, and in the right way,” says Dr. Robert Shmerling, former clinical chief of rheumatology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Sciatica Early Pregnancy Symptom
Sciatica is a common pregnancy symptom that can be quite painful. It is caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down the leg. Sciatica can make it difficult to walk or stand for long periods of time. If you are experiencing sciatica during pregnancy, be sure to talk to your doctor about ways to relieve the pain.
Its possible to ease your sciatica pain while pregnant with a few simple things. A herniation of the sciatic nerve or a vertebral bone spur typically cause sciatica. Obese women or those who gain weight during pregnancy are more likely to develop sciatic pain. When the bladder or bowel are suddenly unable to control itself, it may be a sign of sciatica. The risk of developing this condition during your pregnancy is most likely in the second or third trimesters. By exercising the core and lower back, you can help to alleviate SI joint pain. The majority of the time, pregnancy-related sciatica resolves on its own, though it can take some time. You should consult your doctor about other options, such as pregnancy-safe medication. Pressure and compression on the sciatic nerve will be alleviated by gaining weight and fluid during pregnancy.
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About Chronic Back Pain
Most lower back pain is short-term or acute, lasting for several days to several weeks. But, it often resolves on its own with no residual function loss. Most acute back pain is mechanical, which means theres a disturbance in how the backs components muscle, spine, nerves and intervertebral discs fit together and move.
Chronic back pain, on the other hand, persists for over 12 weeks even if doctors treat an underlying cause or injury. Around 20 percent of individuals with lower back pain end up developing chronic low back pain with symptoms that persist for at least one year.
If youve been suffering from chronic back pain, its important you visit us at the OIP to receive a diagnosis for your condition and start treatment to experience pain relief.
Schedule An Appointment Today
The Pain Experts of Arizona was founded to bring the highest level of care in a state-of-the-art setting that emphasizes the belief of treating our patients with the same respect, compassion, and dedication we would treat our own friends and family.
Contact our office to schedule an appointment and let us help you get back on your way to an active life without the limitations of chronic pain. From our Phoenix office, The Pain Experts of Arizona, serves pain management patients in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek, and the entire Phoenix area.
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Injections And Other Procedures
If you have severe sciatica, your doctor may suggest an epidural injection. Epidural injections contain a local anaesthetic and steroid to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Theyre only recommended for sciatica and not non-specific lower back pain.
If your back pain is chronic and other treatments havent helped, your doctor may suggest a procedure called radiofrequency denervation. Its only suitable for certain types of back pain. Your doctor will refer you to a specialist to assess whether it would help you.
Ways To Ease Low Back Pain
Just because it’s possible to inherit low back pain doesn’t mean the matter is completely out of your control. “It’s how we’re born and how we take care of ourselves,” Wisneski says.
If you sit in an uncomfortable chair all day, work a jackhammer, or regularly twist your body into uncomfortable positions, your lower back will suffer for it. Smoking — the bad habit that increases the risk of dozens of diseases — can also lead to backaches. One study found that smokers are nearly a third more likely to have low back pain compared to nonsmokers.
Try these five tips to prevent or ease lower back pain:
- If you smoke, get help to kick the habit.
- Practice good posture whenever you sit or stand. When lifting something, lift with your knees, not with your back.
- Do exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your back — especially the abdominals, hips, back, and pelvic area. Developing strong core muscles can make a big difference in how you feel. “When my abs are in good shape and I’m well worked out, I’m the least susceptible,” Snyder says.
- Fight the urge to crawl into bed whenever your lower back acts up. “Our bodies are meant to be used,” Wisneski says. “If you have pain, sometimes you develop a âdisease of disuse.â”
- See your doctor and get treated for low back pain early on, so you can stay moving and keep active.
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Gunnar Andersson, MD, PhD, professor and chairman emeritus, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.
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Treatment Options For Acute Lower Back Pain
Most low back pain is due to muscle strain and spasm and does not require surgery. To treat the pain, medications such as acetaminophen , nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents , gabapentin or pregabalin can be used. NSAIDs suppress inflammation, pain and fever by inhibiting certain inflammation-causing chemicals in the body. Acetaminophen reduces pain and fever, but does not inhibit inflammation. Gabapentin and pregabalin, medications that have been used for antiseizure activity, also have the ability to block pain. Opioids provide pain relief and may at times be prescribed to manage severe back pain. However, opioids have many problems, such as habituation, constipation and lightheadedness, and are avoided when possible and used for the shortest possible duration. Epidural injection is an option if the back pain does not respond to these treatments. Each person is different in terms of response to medication.
Other nonsurgical treatments for lower back pain include Intradiscal electrothermal therapy , nucleoplasty, and radiofrequency lesioning.
What Causes Degenerative Discs And Herniated Discs
Why is the lower back a target area for pain? “Generally speaking, the lower back is subject to a lot of mechanical stress and strain,â says Gunnar Andersson, MD, PhD, professor and chairman emeritus of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. âThe reason is the weight of the upper body, which always puts loads on the lower back.”
Supporting all that upper body weight is the spine, which is made up of more than 30 small bones called vertebrae stacked one on top of the other. A spongy piece of cartilage, called a disc, sits between each vertebra. It acts as a shock absorber, preventing the bony vertebrae from grinding against one another.
With age, these cushioning discs gradually wear away and shrink, a condition known as degenerative disc disease. Discs can also tear or become injured. Sometimes the weakening of a disc can put pressure on its jelly-like center. Wisneski describes this process as similar to a bubble forming on your car’s tire.
“You hit a bump in the road, then all of a sudden that tire goes pop,” he says. In the case of your back, that pressure can lead to a herniated disc , in which the center of the disc bulges.
A herniated disc in the lower back can put pressure on the nerve that extends down the spinal column. This commonly causes pain to radiate to the buttocks and all the way down the leg. This condition is called sciatica.
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Muscle Sprain Or Strain
Sprains are the tearing or stretching of ligaments. Strains are the tearing or stretching of muscles and tendons. Regularly lifting heavy objects, especially without proper form, can easily cause a person to sprain or strain their back. Sprains and strains can also occur after an awkward, sudden movement.
Lumbago With Sciatica: Easing The Pain During Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a very exciting time for a woman, but it can also come with some uncomfortable side effects. One of these side effects is lumbago with sciatica, which can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort. While this condition is not dangerous, it can be very uncomfortable and make it difficult for a woman to get around. If you are pregnant and suffering from lumbago with sciatica, there are some things you can do to ease the pain and make your pregnancy more comfortable.
A sciatica is a group of symptoms rather than a single problem that can be treated with a single medication. This condition is typically caused by a spongy disc between the bones in your spine that becomes out of alignment or gets injured. When youre pregnant, you may experience aches and pains in your hips, back, and other parts of your body. In addition to tingling in your leg, numbness or pins and needles in your feet, toes, or nails, may occur in your sciatica. The majority of Sciatica pain is caused by extremely lax wear and is more severe than PGP or back pain. If you are experiencing pain, your doctor may suggest some simple stretching exercises or stretching to try first, or you may contact a physiotherapist. sciatica can be caused by a variety of labor positions, but some can be relieved.
There is a problem with NSAIDs prescriptions. What are some of the side effects of Ibuprofen during pregnancy? Health questions from the NHS, pregnancy, and other topics.
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Who Is Dr Steve
Among Philadelphias leading back pain experts, Dr. Steve Young, DPT, MPT, CSCS, has more than 30 years of experience in the field. He is an authority on avoiding injuries and back pain.
Hes established a track record for taking on the most challenging back pain cases and offering clients immediate relief without injections, needles, medications, or surgery. His technique worked so well that people from all over the East Coast of the United States came to see him.
His credentials are really impressive hes studied with the worlds foremost biomechanics specialists, and his work has been published in over 50 medical journals.
Hes eliminated joint pain for 10s of thousands of clients. His clients include everyone from nursing home residents to the worlds top professional athletes, such as NFL footballers and NBA players. Hes even helped Hollywood stars get ready for physical roles.
Dr. Steve has a special approach to treating back pain and wishes to help you too. He has established a brand-new method known as Targeted Spinal Release to deal with back pain quickly.
With this advanced treatment, he can release targeted areas within the spinal column to relieve pressure and lower swelling.
How Long Do I Have To Wait Before I Notice Changes With Back Pain Breakthrough
From day one of using Back Pain Breakthrough, you will begin to feel much better and notice positive changes. The Targeted Spinal Release procedure starts to align the spinal column on the very first day you use it. This takes the pressure off the nerves and offers you immediate relief. But the results come slowly and are different for each person.
So, as a general guideline, the official website says you should use Back Pain Breakthrough for at least 7 days to see how well it works.
The Back Pain Breakthrough program works best when used over a number of weeks. This allows your body to get used to the treatment.
But you really should use Back Pain Breakthrough for at least 30 days to get the best and longest-lasting results.
If you continue to use it for longer periods of time, youll begin to experience improvements in your pain levels and overall function.
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Sciatica: Causes And Treatments
Although there are no one-size-fits-all solutions to sciatica, it is often critical to address the underlying cause. If you suspect you have sciatica, you should consult with your doctor to determine the best treatment option. sciatica, as a general rule, is a relatively benign condition that can be treated conservatively.
What Is Back Pain
Pain in your back can be an annoying ache, or it can get so bad that its unbearable. Back pain is the second most common reason why people visit their healthcare providers . Many people miss work because of it. Around 80% to 90% of people in the United States will have back pain at some point in their lives.
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What Can I Do To Help Relieve The Symptoms Of Back Pain
If you had an acute injury, use a cold pack for 20 to 30 minutes at a time for the first 48 hours or so. After that , you may find it helps more to alternate a cold pack and a heating pad. Keep one on the area for 20 to 30 minutes, and then switch. Take over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen . Get plenty of rest and fluids.
If you see your provider, make sure you take all medications prescribed, get all of your testing done and attend all of your appointments.
Seeking Help For Lower Back Pain
You may not need to seek help from a health professional for lower back pain. Most people find their lower back pain improves by itself within a few weeks. But if there’s no improvement after two to three weeks or the pain is getting worse, seek advice from a GP or physiotherapist. It’s also worth seeking help if your back pain is stopping you from doing normal activities, or if it goes on longer than six weeks.
Physiotherapists are often best placed to help with back pain. In some areas, you may be able to self-refer to a physiotherapist on the NHS, whereas in others you need a referral through your GP. You can also choose to pay for private physiotherapy.
There are some circumstances when you should always see a doctor straightaway for back pain though. These include if:
- you have numbness or tingling around your bottom or genitals
- you cant control your bladder or bowels
- youre unsteady when you walk, or your legs or feet feel weak, you have sudden, severe lower back pain
- youve been in a major accident, such as a traffic collision or fall
- you have osteoporosis
- theres a visible deformity in your back
- the pain continues when youre lying down or overnight, disturbing your sleep
- you have a history of cancer or have had a recent bacterial infection
- you also have a fever, chills or unexplained weight loss
These can be signs of more serious problems.
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Other Conditions Causing Lower Back Pain
There are many causes of back pain. Overuse injuries are a very common source of lower back pain and stiffness. However this usually goes away after a few days. Others causes of chronic pain include:
- Spondylolisthesis. Normal wear and tear makes it hard for your joints and ligaments to keep your spine in the proper position, especially as we age. When a vertebrae moves more than it should, it can slide forward and on top of another. When this happens, bones can press on the spinal nerves and cause lower back pain.
- Vertebral fractures caused by osteoporosis
- Spinal stenosis. A narrowing of the spine space around the spinal cord can put pressure on nerves. The narrowing is typically caused by bone spurs that have developed as a result of osteoarthritis.
- Scoliosis. An abnormal curvature of the spine can cause back pain.
Less commonly, low back pain can be a sign of a serious medical condition, such as diabetes or a pinched nerve. In the case of a pinched nerve, the pain may be accompanied by symptoms like fever, chills, night sweats, or loss of bladder control.
How Your Back Works
The spine, which is also called the backbone or spinal column, is one of the strongest parts of the body and gives us a great deal of flexibility and strength.
Its made up of 24 bones, known as vertebrae, one sitting on top of the other. These bones have discs in between and lots of strong ligaments and muscles around them for support. There are also the bones in the tailbone at the bottom of the back, which are fused together and have no discs in between.
On either side of the spine, running from top to bottom, are many small joints called the facet joints.
The spinal cord passes inside the vertebrae, which protect it.
The spinal cord connects to the brain through the base of the skull and to the rest of the body by nerves that pass through spaces between the bones of the spine. These nerves are also known as nerve roots.
As you grow older, the structures of your spine, such as the joints, discs and ligaments, age as well. The structures remain strong but its usual for your back to get stiffer as you get older.
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