Time for the osteopathic profession to take the lead in musculoskeletal research

Time for the osteopathic profession to take the lead in musculoskeletal research
Musculoskeletal conditions, such as low back pain, are prevalent in the United States. These conditions exact an enormous toll on society, both in terms of their detrimental impact on quality of life and on the costs of treatment and lost productivity. Osteopathic physicians, as common providers of primary care services and spinal manipulation, are ideally positioned to lead future research efforts in this field. The emergence of data and standards relevant to osteopathic manipulative treatment outcomes, refinement of research methodologies to enhance evidence-based medicine, and investments in developing osteopathic research infrastructure are all critical elements in moving this field of research forward. (Source: BioMed Central)

Can Spinal Injections Stop My Back Pain?

Can Spinal Injections Stop My Back Pain?
The thought of someone sticking a needle in my spine does not thrill me. Especially when the needle looks instead of a human. But if a spinal injections can stop the back pain and let me return to a normal life I am ready to try it. If this sounds like you and you are desperately seeking a way to stop your back from aching then read on.

Late spinal cord metastasis of fourth ventricle ependymoma appeared nineteen years after the initial treatment

Late spinal cord metastasis of fourth ventricle ependymoma appeared nineteen years after the initial treatment
In this report, we present an unusual case of a fourth ventricle ependymoma with metastasis to the thoracic spinal cord 19 years after the initial therapy, but without local recurrence. A 37 year-old patient underwent gross total resection of a fourth ventricle ependymoma and postoperative radiation therapy to the posterior fossa. Computed tomography (CT) scanning and/or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging performed during follow up examinations, conducted annually for ten years after the therapy, revealed no evidence of local tumor recurrence. However, 19 years after the initial treatment, the patient complained of back pain and gait disturbances. MR imaging revealed an intradural extramedullary tumor at the Th2–5 levels. MR imaging of the brain revealed no local tumor …

Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain

Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain
Pain medications for the treatment of back pain, neck pain, and other symptoms associated with pain.

Neck and Back Pain

Neck and Back Pain
Neck and back pain are common, especially with aging. Low back pain affects about 50% of adults older than 60 years. The pain usually a muscle tension or stiffness in that particular area of the back or neck which can be with or without neuro-motor deficits.

Managing Chronic Back Pain

Managing Chronic Back Pain
There are plenty of remedies for occasional back pain: ointments, pills and so on which can banish the ache, at least for a time. However, if you are one of the many who suffer from chronic back pain, than it will take more than that - the lack of an effective treatment is something of which you are already all too aware.

Classification System Could Improve Low Back Pain Care

Classification System Could Improve Low Back Pain Care
Although low back pain is a heterogeneous condition, recognizing patterns in symptoms can help to classify it and guide more effective treatment, according to a study in the August issue of The Spine Journal. (Source: Modern Medicine)

L2 Spinal Nerve–Block Effects on Acute Low Back Pain From Osteoporotic Vertebral Fracture

L2 Spinal Nerve–Block Effects on Acute Low Back Pain From Osteoporotic Vertebral Fracture
Abstract: Elderly patients with osteoporosis sometimes experience lumbar vertebral fracture and may feel diffuse nonlocalized pain in the back, the lateral portion of the trunk, and the area surrounding the iliac crest. The pattern of sensory innervation of vertebral bodies remains unclear. Some sensory nerves from the L2 and L5 vertebral bodies may enter the paravertebral sympathetic trunks and reach the L2 dorsal root ganglion. Our randomized controlled study was to clarify the effect of L2 spinal nerve block on low back pain originating from acute osteoporotic lumbar vertebral fracture. Patients with low back pain originating from acute L3 or L4 osteoporotic vertebral fractures received a spinal nerve root block (L2 block group, n = 30) or subcutaneous injection (control, n = 30). Both …

Musculoskeletal disorders in physically active conscripts: a one-year follow-up study in the Finnish Defence Forces

Musculoskeletal disorders in physically active conscripts: a one-year follow-up study in the Finnish Defence Forces
Conclusions: Preventive measures during military service should be targeted at decreasing low back pain and lower limb overuse injuries, because these inflict the largest burden of MSDs and tend to have a chronic nature. (Source: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders)

You May Not Need Surgery to Treat Your Back Pain

You May Not Need Surgery to Treat Your Back Pain
To treat back pain, doctors have often recommended surgery too quickly. Many people do not benefit from this surgery and in some cases even become worse. Surgery is certainly no silver bullet for back pain, that much is sure.

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