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Category: Chronic Pain

A comprehensive guide on chronic pain, its causes, symptoms, and effective management strategies to improve your quality of life.

  • Non-Opioid Pain Relief Options

    Each year in the United States, millions of prescriptions are written for opioids to relieve chronic pain. When used appropriately, they can be a viable treatment option for some patients. But, there are health risks associated with the use of opioids. Concerns about opioid addiction have led to increased regulation and changes in opioid prescribing guidelines. With the current opioid epidemic in the United States, healthcare providers and their patients are increasingly seeking non-opioid pain relief options.

    Non-opioid pain medications

    For non-opioid pain relief, non-prescription medications such as NSAIDs (e.g. naproxen or ibuprofen) or acetaminophen may be all that some patients need. Other patients may work with their physicians to find that prescription-strength NSAIDs, corticosteroids, or muscle relaxants reduce their pain.

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    Antiseizure medications (anticonvulsants)can also be used as pain medication. They work by inhibiting certain types of nerve transmissions. This can decrease neuropathic pain sensations, such as those caused by trigeminal neuralgia or diabetic neuropathy. Anticonvulsants commonly used as pain medications include gabapentin and pregabalin.

    Topical analgesics can also be beneficial for pain relief. Applied to the skin, these medications are available as creams, lotions, or patches. Several can be purchased over the counter, while others need a doctor’s prescription. They work in a few different ways, depending on their active ingredient. Some deliver pain medication through the skin, such as trolamine salicylate. Other topical analgesics contain ingredients that can interfere with pain perception, such as capsaicin.

    Interventional pain procedures

    If you’re suffering from chronic pain and want to avoid taking opioids or other medications altogether, a pain specialist can work with you to develop a pain management plan. Pain specialists can use interventional pain procedures – minimally invasive, outpatient procedures – to manage chronic pain. Joint injections, nerve blocks, and other minimally invasive procedures such as kyphoplasty and spinal cord stimulators are effective treatment options that can deliver significant pain relief. These procedures are often performed in an ambulatory surgery center, and patients are able to return home the same day. Many patients experience relief from their chronic pain symptoms shortly after their procedure.

    Alternative therapies

    Patients may choose to work with their healthcare providers to pursue non-drug remedies such as massage, acupuncture, and exercise to relieve chronic pain. Stretching, strengthening exercises, and low-impact activities such as walking and swimming can help reduce pain symptoms. In fact, exercise is often recommended to alleviate pain due to fibromyalgia, and many arthritis sufferers find that light exercise reduces their joint pain.

    Regardless of your chronic pain condition, there are options for the management of your pain symptoms that don’t include the use of opioids. To learn more and discuss treatment options that may be right for you, make an appointment with your physician or a board-certified pain specialist.

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  • Bringing Awareness to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

    November is considered International Nerve Pain Awareness Month, or in simpler terms, NERVEmber. It is a time to bring awareness to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and the more than 150 other conditions with nerve pain as a symptom. Several landmarks across the country were lit up on November 5th to Color the World Orange, and members of the pain community will be wearing orange all month long to show support for those suffering from this debilitating condition.

    What is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

    Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) may also be known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy or RSD. A chronic and painful condition, CRPS affects more than 75,000 Americans but has no known or determinable cause. It is a chronic pain condition that affects one limb (arm, leg, hand, or foot), usually after a trauma or injury.

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    CRPS causes an intense burning or “pins and needles” sensation that radiates to a larger area and will cause a severely painful reaction that is not expected with the type of injury sustained. For example, a small cut on the tip of the finger would be considered minor to someone in good health, but for an individual with CRPS, that small cut would radiate a burning pain that traveled up the arm and could be excruciating.

    While there is no known cause for CRPS, it is believed that an injury or trauma that did not heal properly may be a contributor, or nerve damage that spread instead of healing may be a cause. However, known cause or not, those with CRPS suffer many difficult days with their painful condition.

    Other common symptoms of CRPS include:

    • continuous pain in the affected region (may be burning or throbbing in nature)
    • decreased range of motion in the affected region or body part
    • extreme sensitivity to non-painful stimuli (clothing against the skin, water pressure from the shower, etc.)
    • extreme sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures
    • swelling of the affected region or body part
    • developed muscle weakness over time

    Treating Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

    Left untreated, CRPS can eventually spread to the other side or another body part. Regardless of cause or severity, treatment of CRPS has far better results if it is begun early in the onset of the condition. Treatment options for CRPS vary by patient and may include rehabilitation and physical therapy to keep the limb moving, improve blood flow to the affected area, and lessen circulatory symptoms.  Medications such as antidepressants, corticosteroids, and anticonvulsants have been beneficial in treating CRPS. Nerve blocks to reduce pain signals have also shown benefits in specific cases, as has spinal cord stimulation and other types of neural stimulation.

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  • 46 Million Americans Suffer From Arthritis

    Arthritic disease is the most common cause of disability in the United States and now affects 46 million Americans, or more than 21 percent of the adult population, a major new report finds.

    That number is expected to rise even higher as baby boomers age, so that by 2030, 40 percent of American adults will suffer from some form of arthritic disease, the researchers said.

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    Today, almost two-thirds of people with arthritis are under 65, and more than 60 percent are women. The disease hits whites and blacks equally, but the rate is lower among Hispanics, according to the report.

    “Arthritis remains a large and growing problem,” said lead researcher Dr. Charles G. Helmick, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Cases of osteoarthritis has risen, while rheumatoid arthritis has gone down since our last estimate,” he added.

    Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful autoimmune disorder of uncertain origin leading to chronic inflammation at the joints. Osteoarthritis is a more common illness caused by a gradual breakdown of cartilage in the joints.

    The reasons why there are now fewer cases of rheumatoid arthritis is unclear, Helmick said. One reason may be that experts have changed the way they estimate the number of cases. Today, they use a more specific and restrictive definition of the condition, he said. But there has been a real decreases in cases of rheumatoid arthritis worldwide, and no one is sure why, Helmick added.

    The main reason that osteoarthritis is increasing is an aging population, Helmick said. “As more people age, there will be more people with osteoarthritis. That’s what’s driving the numbers upward,” he said.

    Also, the obesity epidemic in the Unites States is taking its toll, Helmick noted. “Obesity is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis, one of the most common types of arthritis,” Helmick said. “We don’t have any cures, we treat the symptoms and, when it gets bad enough, we do knee replacements, which are very expensive,” he said.

    As more people suffer from arthritis, the costs associated with the disease will also keep going up. Currently, the costs to the country from arthritis top more than $128 billion a year in lost earnings and medical care, Helmick said.

    The researchers, from the National Arthritis Data Workgroup, used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, national surveys, and findings from community-based studies across the United States to determine the prevalence of arthritis in 2005 and beyond. The results were published in two papers in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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    Key findings in the report include:

    • By 2030, almost 67 million people will have arthritis — an increase of 40 percent. Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, affects almost 27 million Americans. That’s a big increase from 1990, when 21 million suffered from the condition.
    • The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis has declined to 1.3 million Americans, from 2.1 million in 1990.
    • The prevalence of gout, a form of inflammatory arthritis, has risen in 2005 to about 3 million up, from 2.1 million in 1990.
    • Currently, juvenile arthritis affects some 294,000 children between infancy and age 17.
    • An estimated 59 million Americans have suffered an episode of low back pain over the past three months, the researchers said, while 30 million have suffered neck pain over the same time period.

    In addition, the report includes estimates for related conditions such as fibromyalgia, spondylarthritides, systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), systemic sclerosis, Sjögren’s syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, polymyalgia, and rheumatic/giant cell arteritis.

    One expert advised staying active and keeping your weight under control to help prevent or treat arthritis.

    “We know that cases of osteoarthritis are likely to grow, because it’s age-related,” said Dr. Patience White, chief public health officer at the Arthritis Foundation. “In addition, weight plays a big role in risk, as well as lack of physical activity, in keeping your muscles strong,” she said.

    Losing weight and keeping physically active can help to reduce pain and keep the disease at bay, White said. “If you lose as little as 10 pounds, you can decrease pain in the knees and hips by 50 percent,” she said. “With exercise, you can decrease progression.”

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  • Hip Flexor Stretches for Back Pain

    Back pain affects 80 percent of us at some point in our lives. The good news is that for many people suffering from low back pain, exercises to stretch the hip flexor muscles can help.

    The hip flexors are a group of muscles than run from your thighs all the way up to your low back. They include muscles with strange-sounding names such as the ilacus, the psoas, and the rectus femoris. As a group, these muscles let you bend at the waist and bring your knee to your chest.

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    The problem is that many of us spend our days sitting. When we do that, these muscles are always in a state of contraction. This causes them to shorten and become weaker.

    One of the hip flexor muscles, the psoas is attached to your lumbar vertebrae—the five bones that form the spine in your lower back. So you can see why tightness or weakness in this muscle could affect your back.

    Stretching the hip flexor muscles can help prevent and treat some causes of lower back pain. If you’re having low back pain and you think it might be a result of tight or weak hip flexors, spending a few minutes a day on some simple stretches could help.

    Before you start any exercise program, of course, check with your doctor to make sure you’re in good enough health to perform the exercises without hurting yourself and that there aren’t underlying conditions that need to be treated.

    If your doctor says it’s OK, try these stretches:

    Child’s pose. If you’ve ever done yoga, you’ll recognize this basic pose.

    1. Start by kneeling with your knees and hands on the ground, facing the floor, with your back straight.
    2. Then stretch backward so that your hips are on your heels.
    3. Keeping your hips on your heels, bend forward until your forehead touches the ground.
    4. Stretch your hands out in front of you until your arms are straight.
    5. Relax and hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

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    Supine stretch.

    1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the ground in front of you.
    2. Move your right ankle above your left knee and leave it resting on your left thigh.
    3. Put your hands around your left thigh and pull it toward you, keeping your head and shoulders on the floor.
    4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
    5. Then repeat it using the other leg.

    Lunge stretch.

    1. Kneel with your knees and hands on the ground, facing the floor, and your back straight.
    2. Move your right foot forward so that it’s on the outside of your right hand. Make sure the right ankle is slightly in front of the right knee.
    3. Extend your left foot back behind you so that your knee, shin, and foot are touching the floor.
    4. Press your hips forward until you feel a stretch. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
    5. Repeat the stretch on the other side of your body.

    For more ideas on stretching your hip flexor muscles, check out this Self magazine article or this GuerillaZen Fitness video. You also might find this article on yoga-based stretches helpful.

    To be sure you’re doing the exercises correctly, we encourage you to make an appointment with a physical therapist.

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  • Getting Older Doesn’t Have to Mean Living with Pain

    There’s no question about it, as we get older, our chances of suffering a painful medical condition go up. Some studies indicate that 50 percent of older adults live with chronic pain. The rate is even higher for those living in nursing homes.

    But we don’t have to just accept pain as part of our lives. In fact, we shouldn’t. Pain comes with its own damaging side effects. It makes it harder to stay active and get a good night’s sleep and increases the risk of depression. So it’s important to take pain seriously and treat it.

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    Older residents of the Phoenix metro area are fortunate that there are more options than ever today for treating pain—and they’re available right here in the Valley.

    When you think of pain treatment, your first thought is probably medication. And it’s true, medication is an important component of pain treatment for most people.

    But all medications—even over-the-counter ones—can have side effects, and those become even more problematic as we age. The kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal tract don’t work as efficiently as we get older, so drugs may be absorbed and processed more slowly. On top of that, we’re more likely to suffer from several medical problems as we age, and be taking multiple medications. All of those medications can have side effects and interact with one another.

    In this blog, we will look at some minimally invasive procedures that may be able to relieve your pain and lessen the need for medication. Next month, we’ll look at other alternatives, like acupuncture and physical therapy, that can help with your pain. For the best results in both controlling pain and controlling side effects, your doctor may recommend a combination of treatments.

    Here is a look at just a few of the numerous minimally invasive procedures offered by Chronicillness.co Site physicians that may help relieve your pain.

    Joint Injection. This treatment can bring relief to patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis pain. A joint injection contains cortisone, a steroid that helps reduce muscle pain and joint inflammation.

    Vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty. This procedure can bring relief to patients suffering debilitating back pain caused by compression fractures in their vertebrae. Both use x-ray guidance to place cement into the patient’s damaged vertebrae to stabilize the fracture and restore the spine’s height.

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    Endoscopic Discectomy. If you’re suffering from herniated discs, an endoscopic discectomy—which removes portions of the herniated disc so that compressed nerves can move back to their normal position—may help. This minimally invasive spine surgery can usually be done on an outpatient basis, so you can go home the same day of the surgery.

    Botox. Believe it or not, botulinum toxin, or Botox, is not just for hiding wrinkles. A Botox injection can help with pain caused by neuromuscular disorders, myofascial pain, and chronic migraines. It does this by preventing painful muscle contractions in the face, neck, or low back.

    Peripheral Nerve Block. In this therapy, a combination of local anesthetic agents is injected around the peripheral nerve branches. It can reduce the pain of different neuropathies, including peripheral neuropathy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The pain relief may last from a few weeks to a few months.

    Spinal Cord Stimulation. In this FDA-approved, minimally invasive procedure, a nerve stimulation device is implanted that delivers low-voltage electrical currents to areas of the spine. This interferes with the ability of pain signals to reach the brain. It’s an option for patients with chronic back or leg pain who have not responded to more conservative treatments for at least six months.

    IDET/Nucleoplasty. Intradiscal electrothermoplasty (IDET) and nucleoplasty are minimally invasive procedures that use heat or plasma to destroy damaged nerve fibers in the spine. Both procedures destroy damaged nerves while sparing healthy tissue.

    At Chronicillness.co Site we provide more than a dozen minimally invasive procedures that can help with many different types of pain, from cancer pain and pancreatitis to complex regional pain syndrome.

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  • 9 Ways to Find CrossFit Lower Back Pain Relief

    Along with so many other fitness programs

    In this blog, we’ll be looking at the following:

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    Why Is CrossFit Causing Back Pain?

    Are you feeling good about consistently going to your local CrossFit sessions but not so much about the lower back pain you’re feeling afterward? Well, you’re not alone. Plenty of CrossFit participants experience lower back pain, and we’re here to help you understand why and how you can relieve your back.

    Reasons you could be experiencing lower back pain after CrossFit include:

    Weights Too Heavy for You

    You could be lifting weights heavier than your body is ready for. This leads to lumbar strain – stretching or tearing of the muscles used to stabilize your spine.

    Lack of Focus on Your Core

    The urgency to max your rep count and weight during a CrossFit regimen lends itself to posture and form errors which can damage too much of your body, including the stability of your core.

    A weak core means an overall soft body.

    Nerve Pressure

    Variety is characteristic of CrossFit workout regimens. But this also means an increased risk of excess nerve pressure and irritation, which can lead to sciatica.

    If so, you’ll likely feel numbness, burning, and tingling.

    Intense Workout After Sitting All Day

    Suppose you’re one to work all day in an office, sitting most of the time, and look forward to that afternoon or evening CrossFit session to stay in shape. In that case, you’re at risk of stiff iliopsoas if you’re not warming your body up beforehand. The iliopsoas is when your hip flexor muscles stiffen, leading to lower back pain.

    Lumbar Herniated Disc

    Another risk factor involved in CrossFit’s rapid and sudden regimens; you may find yourself with a herniated disc. Excess pressure on your spinal discs from high–intensity exercise involving extreme squatting and deadlifts, coupled with improper form, will very well put your spine at risk of disc rupture.

    Is CrossFit Good for Back Pain?

    If you’re experiencing consistent or growing back pain as you attend CrossFit, you should give your back time to rest. If it’s only a minor problem, it could grow into a long-term back condition if not given time to relieve itself.

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    Types of Lower Back Pain

    CrossFit-related back pain can range from mild to severe.

    Some common back pain conditions include:

    How Do I Protect My Back in CrossFit?

    You can take a few measures to protect yourself from long-term back pain and damage without professional medical treatment, especially when participating in CrossFit.

    1. Develop Your Core

    You probably focus more on your abs than your actual core strength. Unfortunately, this makes you more susceptible to back injury. Develop your lower spine muscles over time in your workout regimens, and you’ll strengthen your core and lower back muscles and work out your stomach muscles in many of your core exercises.

    1. Compression

    Hot or cold compresses both can help alleviate your back pain. Cold brings down the swelling of inflamed or bruised back muscles. Apply an ice pack three times daily to reduce inflammation in your back.

    Hot compresses promote blood flow to your problem area. This can slow your healing, so avoid heating your back early on. Take care of any bruising and swelling with cold compresses, then wait a couple of days, and you should be ready to apply heat.

    1. Proper Deadlift Posture

    Misappropriated weight due to poor form can significantly damage your spine, especially if lifting heavier than your body should.

    Make sure the bar begins close to your shins before lifting. Then, keep your spine straight for most of your life, never hunching the weight on your shoulders. And finally, your arms should never bend at your elbow.

    1. Swimming

    This is a great way to build muscle without strain. You’ll be able to work out all your muscles, including your back, when swimming regularly. This is especially good if you’re in the process of pain recovery.

    1. Planking

    Doing planks or side planks at short intervals throughout the day will do well to balance your abdominal muscles.

    1. Hip Extension

    How to Treat Lower Back Pain from CrossFit

    If you find yourself with back pain that isn’t healing on its own, then you likely have a serious condition that requires diagnosis by your medical professional and potential medical treatment to either fix your back problem or at least alleviate your pain.

    Diagnosis

    Your doctor will diagnose the cause of your back pain by asking questions about your health and medical history and administering a physical examination. Other tests, including X-rays, MRI scans, CT scans, and blood tests, might also be involved.

    Physical Therapy

    Physical therapy is an effective way of treating chronic back pain. It is the most common and has the most clinical evidence of success when treating back pain. Although more successful for short-term pain problems, long-term chronic back pain conditions can go a long way.

    Medical Procedures

    Medical treatments typically administered to those experiencing severe back pain include:

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  • 10 Reasons to Use Botox Treatment for Pain

    In this blog, we’ll be answering the following questions:

    • How is Botox used for pain relief?
    • Is Botox for pain safe?
    • How long does Botox last for pain relief?
    • What are the ten reasons to use Botox for pain management?
    • How long does it take for Botox to work for pain relief?
    • What should you expect from a Botox injection procedure?

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    Although it is commonly known for its use in cosmetic procedures, Botox injections also aid in treating muscular pain disorders and conditions, even for long-term relief.

    Some of these disorders and conditions include:

    How is Botox Used for Pain Relief?

    A Botox procedure for pain relief involves injecting a local anesthetic into your problematic muscles, inducing a level of paralysis by blocking acetylcholine. This chemical causes your muscles to contract.

    Depending on the muscles causing your pain, Botox may be injected into your face, lower back, or neck to prevent contractions from continuing.

    Is Botox a Painkiller?

    Botox is a painkiller because it relieves pain by relaxing the muscles causing discomfort and blocking pain response chemicals in your brain. It is typically a mixture of saline or local anesthetic and a diluted form of botulinum toxin type A, which is injected directly into your muscle in small, safe amounts. Your muscle tension will likely be relieved after about 5-10 injections around your problematic muscles.

    Does Botox Stop Nerve Pain?

    Given that it blocks pain response signals sent by your nerves to your brain, Botox can be injected into problematic nerves to relieve pain caused by conditions such as sciatica.

    Is Botox for Pain Safe?

    Botox for pain relief is a safe and effective non-surgical alternative for many pain conditions and disorders. You may experience swelling or bruising around the injection site. In rarer cases, flu-like symptoms such as nausea or headache might occur but typically resolve without further treatment.

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    How Long Does Botox Last for Pain Relief?

    Botox is never intended to be a permanent solution for treating pain conditions, but pain relief may last up to 3-6 months, requiring periodic injections for ongoing relief.

    Botox injections are used to treat many different muscular and nervous conditions, including:

    1. Lazy eye due to an imbalance in the muscles which position your eye
    2. Eye twitches due to contracting and twitching muscles around your eye
    3. Chronic migraines that occur more than half a month regularly
    4. Bladder dysfunction causing urinary incontinence
    5. Hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating without you being hot or exerting yourself
    6. Cervical dystonia, where your neck muscles cause your head to turn and twist in uncomfortable positions
    7. Muscle contractures cause your limbs to pull inward to your center (ex: cerebral palsy)
    8. Myofascial pain disorder, resulting in pain caused by the inflammation of your body’s soft tissue – general muscle pain
    9. Sciatica, causing pain along your sciatic nerve from your lower back down to each of your legs
    10. Arthritis, causing swelling and tenderness in a single or multiple joints

    How Long Does It Take for Botox to Work for Pain Relief?

    You typically feel pain relief from Botox injections within two weeks of your procedure, lasting potentially up to 4 months.

    But bear in mind–for long-term pain relief, you’ll likely need continual injections until the cause of your pain is accounted for.

    What Should You Expect from a Botox Injection Procedure?

    Botox injections are quick and safe, taking about 5 minutes to complete. You’ll be able to return home after the procedure. Still, we advise you to avoid contact with the injection area for 24 hours to prevent the unintended spreading of Botox to other places around your problematic muscles.

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  • Pain: Another Gender Gap

    Like many other things in life, pain discriminates by gender. Women, studies show, feel pain more intensely than men, suffer disproportionately from conditions like chronic pain and migraines, and are more likely to be undertreated for pain than men.

    More pain, no gain

    More than 70 percent of people who report suffering chronic pain are women, according to a 2003 report in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. Compared with men, women are more prone to a wide range of painful conditions, including migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular joint disorder, and fibromyalgia.

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    Women also appear to feel pain more intensely than men. Lab studies show that if you expose women and men to the same painful situation, such as being exposed to gradually increasing heat, women are usually the first to say ouch. On the plus side, other studies show that women handle pain better than men do. This might be because women have more experience coping with the predictable pains of menstruation and childbirth, and know how to prepare for painful episodes.

    Ironically, the half of the population that feels the most pain is also the half that is least likely to get the treatment they need. The National Women’s Health Resource Center reports that women with chronic pain often have trouble convincing doctors of the severity of their pain. As a result, they’re also more likely than men to have their pain undertreated.

    Some may be tempted to write off these differences as attributable to cultural influences. After all, there’s no doubt that boys and girls grow up with different outlooks on pain. Girls often feel free to cry over small injuries, while boys feel extra pressure to hold in tears. But the gender gap in pain goes far deeper than culture or upbringing. As recently reported by the American Pain Society, researchers are finding fundamental biological differences in the ways male and female bodies sense and respond to pain. Learning more about these differences can help shed light on the basic nature of pain and may lead to improved treatments for all patients.

    Hormonal differences

    Not surprisingly, hormones explain many gender differences in pain. The monthly ebb and flow of female hormones such as estrogen can clearly help fuel migraine headaches, a potentially disabling condition that is three times as common in women as in men. Women are especially vulnerable to migraines during their menstrual periods, when estrogen levels are low. Studies suggest that drops in estrogen can also interfere with the body’s ability to control pain. During menstruation, women produce only meager amounts of endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers. When estrogen levels are high — near the time of ovulation — women can produce about as many endorphins as men, as reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

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    The brain also plays a role in the gender gap. In a small study of patients with irritable bowel syndrome, researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles have found that men and women use different parts of their brain to respond to pain. Scan results showed that women tend to turn on their limbic system, the emotional center of the brain. Men, in contrast, respond to pain with the cognitive or analytical part of their brain. Researchers speculate that these brain differences may reflect ancient gender roles. In the old days, women in pain often needed to protect and comfort their young, a highly emotional job. Meanwhile, injured men were more likely to attack the source of the trouble — with a spear, if necessary.

    Unfortunately for women, an emotional response can make an already painful situation even worse. As reported by the American Pain Society, women are more likely than men to develop anxiety or depression along with their pain. Both anxiety and depression can sharpen feelings of pain while raising the risk of disability.

    Men avoid pain treatment

    Of course, the cool, calm approach often taken by men has its drawbacks, too. Men are less likely than women to take their pain seriously, according to the National Institutes of Health. Instead of getting treatment, men often just hope their pain will go away — at least for a while.

    A study conducted over 36 months analyzing emergency room visits by more than 32,000 Baltimore men found that there was an increase in male visits immediately following televised sports events. The study, presented in October 2006 at the American College of Emergency Physicians conference, suggests that many men who visited the Baltimore VA Medical Center’s emergency room for various illnesses, including chest pain, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, and headaches chose to ignore their pain until they’d finished watching their football, baseball or basketball game.

    As doctors learn more about gender differences in pain, both men and women should get more of the relief they need. There’s certainly room for improvement. Until attitudes change, women may have to be especially aggressive in getting the right treatment for their pain. Men and women may be wired differently, but in the end, relief should be gender-blind.

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  • What is an EMG Nerve Conduction Study?

    Our nervous system uses electrical signals to communicate with muscles throughout our body. As electrical currents can be measured in areas like our homes, we can also measure electrical activity in our muscles and nerves.

    Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies measure the electrical signals sent through our nerves and muscles. As you might anticipate, doctors can identify disruptions in these signals that may cause nerve or muscular pain and discomfort.

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    In this blog, we’ll be covering:

    • What is a nerve conduction test?
    • How painful is an EMG nerve conduction study?
    • What conditions can an EMG diagnose?
    • How does an EMG detect nerve damage?
    • What happens if EMG is abnormal?
    • How do I prepare for the tests?
    • How long does a nerve test take?

    While an EMG test focuses on the electrical activity in your muscles, a nerve conduction study measures the speed and strength of electrical signals in your nerves. Both tests provide a broad picture of your body’s electrical traffic and whether any disruptors indicate a condition or disorder causing your pain.

    Those who need EMG and nerve conduction tests are experiencing symptoms that may include muscle weakness, tingling or numbness, cramps, spasms, twitching, and even muscle paralysis.

    How Painful is an EMG Nerve Conduction Study?

    Besides some minor pain, cramping, and even a tingling sensation, EMG and nerve conduction studies are minimally invasive. An EMG test will require inserting a needle electrode into your muscle. In contrast, nerve conduction studies simply tape or paste stimulating electrodes to your muscles and send a mild electrical pulse throughout your body.

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    What Conditions Can an EMG Diagnose?

    Some of the conditions an EMG and nerve conduction studies can show include:

    How Does an EMG Detect Nerve Damage?

    An EMG detects damage to your nervous system by inserting a thin electrode needle into your muscle while monitoring electrical activity and proceeding with results on an oscilloscope (monitor). You will be asked to contract or relax your muscles throughout the procedure.

    What Happens if EMG is Abnormal?

    If your EMG reading is abnormal, your electrical activity will consist of odd wave shapes and patterns. Your body produces a baseline electrical current throughout, which becomes abnormal during muscle contraction.

    Abnormal EMG results are usually signs of nerve dysfunction, muscle injury, and muscle disorders, including:

    Identifying abnormalities with an EMG enables your doctor to diagnose and treat your current ongoing condition accurately.

    How Do I Prepare for the Tests?

    Considering doctors will need easy access to all your muscles in the test area, you should wear loose, comfortable clothing, especially if you need to switch to a hospital gown.

    Since electrodes will also be attached to the surface of your skin for emitting electrical current, keep your skin clean and avoid using lotions, body creams, perfume, or cologne for a couple of days before your test.

    Let your healthcare provider know if you have a pacemaker or cardiac defibrillator. There will need to be special accommodations made for your particular procedure.

    How Long Does a Nerve Test Take?

    An EMG test may take 30 to 60 minutes to complete, whereas a nerve conduction test may take 15 minutes to more than an hour, depending on the scope of your test.

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  • Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for Treating Back Pain

    With incredible advancements in medical technology, you now have more options to relieve back pain than ever before. Minimally invasive spine surgery offers effective treatment that relieves pressure and pain, proving a safer and quicker alternative to open-back surgery.

    We’ll cover:

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    What is Considered Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?

    Minimally invasive spine surgery targets the spinal column (the backbone) and spinal cord with endoscopic methods using small incisions to provide quick relief for varying back issues.

    Unlike traditional open spine surgery, where your surgeon typically makes a 5 to 6-inch incision, minimally invasive spine surgery only requires an incision that’s ½ an inch long.

    It also requires less downtime compared to traditional spine surgery; Due to the surgery being less invasive, you’ll be able to get home sooner and have a less painful and much quicker recovery.

    Endoscopic spinal surgery is one of the more common names for minimally invasive surgeries for back pain. It is common to use procedures to treat torn or herniated discs in the spinal canal and relieve leg pain and chronic lower back pain.

    These procedures can also create minimally invasive variants of otherwise traditional spine surgeries. For example, a lumbar laminectomy involves less post-recovery pain and blood loss than its traditional form.

    What are Some of the Different Types of Minimally Invasive Surgery?

    Spinal Stenosis Decompression

    For those who suffer from spinal stenosis, this treatment offers relief from its consequent pain and pressure. Due to spinal column narrowing, there is increased pressure on the nerves inside. Spinal stenosis decompression releases this built-up pressure by opening the canals where the spinal cord and nerves pass through.

    Compression Fracture Repairs

    This procedure is also known as vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. It is common in treating compression fractures caused by osteoporosis and other similar conditions.

    Herniated Disc Removal

    A herniated disc causes compression on the nerve roots in the spinal column or on the actual spinal cord. This procedure removes the disc and gets rid of the painful pressure.

    Artificial Disc Replacement

    A damaged spinal disc causes pain, numbness, and weakness. Rather than just removing it, you can have it replaced with an artificial disc to restore your spinal cord’s strength, movement, and height.

    Spinal Canal Enlargement

    Spinal canal enlargement relieves pain and pressure in the back by enlarging the hole where a disc is “bulging” and causing pain to the nerve root. This procedure may also be used for untreated compression, causing the spinal cord to become thicker, resulting in painful pressure.

    Spinal Fusion

    Spinal fusion was originally a traditional surgery but now offers a minimally invasive procedure. With two small incisions, the procedure can be accomplished much quicker while taking less time to recover. Its primary focus is treating scoliosis symptoms: spinal deformity and instability.

    Who is a Good Candidate for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?

    If you suffer from one or more of these back problems and haven’t found a nonsurgical treatment that’s helped, you might be a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery.

    Candidates for minimally invasive spine surgery have:

    What are the Advantages of Minimally Invasive Surgery?

    Minimally invasive spinal surgery offers a variety of advantages that make it a great option before considering traditional open-back surgery. Tools used in procedures like a tubular retractor gives surgeons access to areas of the spine without needing to make extra incisions in your muscle.

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    Advantages of minimally invasive spine surgery include:

    • Small incisions; most incisions will be no larger than the size of a ballpoint pen or ½ an inch.
    • Shorter length procedures and hospital stay
    • Cheaper than traditional options; less equipment and surgery time equals a smaller bill
    • Faster recovery time; full recovery usually takes 4-6 weeks
    • Less painful recovery and damage to muscles
    • Less downtime and physical therapy
    • Less long and short-term health risks; due to the procedure making smaller incisions and not causing great ruptures to the muscle tissue, it offers fewer risk factors

    How Long Does it Take to Recover from Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?

    Individuals who undergo minimally invasive spine surgery commonly return to regular activities and daily life within six weeks post-operation. Recovery time varies from patient to patient, but the general full recovery is within this six-week range. In comparison, invasive spine surgery can take up to three to four months (12-16 weeks) for a full recovery.

    What is the Success Rate of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?

    Patient feedback, medical studies, and personal testimonies have provided evidence of a high success rate for minimally invasive spine surgery. Below are several pieces reflecting the overall positive response.

    A Feedback report from the University of Utah found that approximately 80 to 90 percent of patients experienced less pain and better mobility after minimally invasive spine surgery.

    Likewise, a National Library of Medicine study found that minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery is safe and highly effective in the elderly population.

    According to the Newport Orthopedic Institute, out of 22 young athletes undergoing minimally invasive fusions for lumbar spondylolisthesis, 82% returned to active participation in football, soccer, cricket, and golf.

    A summary of the SPORT study (Spinal Outcomes Research Trial) performed by the North American Spine Society showed that between 85% and 100% of athletes could return to their pre-surgery level in a professional sport after a minimally invasive lumbar discectomy.

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