Archive for March 2010
Stenosis – Back Pain Test
Stenosis Back pain originates in the spinal canal itself. Stenosis occurs when the spinal canal narrows, and compresses the nerves inside it. This compression of the nerves can lead to stenosis Back pain, numbness in the legs, and the loss of bladder or bowel control. If left untreated, stenosis back pain can eventually become paralysis.
It is estimated that approximately 400,000 Americans currently have spinal stenosis back pain. That number is expected to increase as Baby Boomers age.
Defining Stenosis back pain
You probably know that the spinal column protects your spinal cord, a bundle of nerves, from being injured. In spinal stenosis, the spine narrows in one or more of three places: space at the center of the spine; canals where nerves branch outward from the spine itself; a space between the spine’s bones (vertebrae).
Stenosis back pain occurs when the narrowing puts pressure on the nerves inside the spinal column. Although this can occur in younger people, it is most often a complaint of those over 50 years of age.
Causes of Stenosis Back Pain
Spinal stenosis back pain can be caused by a number of factors.
1. Age is a primary factor. As we age, bands of supportive tissue in the spine may harden and thicken. Our bones and joints may enlarge as they age. We may get bone spurs on the spine – places where bone surfaces bulge outward.
2. Arthritis is another cause of spinal stenosis and accompanying stenosis back pain. Either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis may be to blame. Osteoarthritis is the more common of the two. This type of arthritis usually is seen in middle-aged and older people, and does not go away. Osteoarthritis can cause the bone spurs described above. Rheumatoid arthritis is usually seen in younger people, and is not usually a cause of spinal stenosis back pain.
3. Inherited factors may also lead to stenosis and stenosis back pain. Some genetic conditions, such as a small spinal canal or curved spine, can cause spinal stenosis.
4. Other causes for your stenosis back pain could include calcium deposits, fluoride accumulation, or injuries.
Symptoms of Stenosis Back Pain
Stenosis back pain usually occurs in the neck or back. In addition to the stenosis back pain, you may feel pain down one leg, or numbness, weakness, cramping, and pain in legs or arms as the nerves are compressed.
Stenosis Back Pain Test Problem
The problem with tests for spinal stenosis is that the conditions shares symptoms with so many other disease. The result has too often been costly misdiagnoses and unnecessary back surgery, according to Andrew Haig, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan Medical School.
The following 3 tests are used to diagnose the cause of stenosis back pain.
1. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -radio waves to picture the spine
2. Computerized axial tomography (CAT) – X-ray series to picture the spine
3. Electromyogram (EMG)- a Test that not only gives a picture of nerves, but also tests nerve function, showing if there is actual nerve damage
Best Stenosis Back Pain Test
Of the three, the oldest, Electromyogram (EMG) has been found to be the best. This test has been around as long as, or longer than the Baby Boomers themselves, but a study published in the January 2006 issue of “Spine” shows that it is by far the best of the three tests.
That study, done by the University of Michigan Health System, shows that the EMG test accurately determines the cause of stenosis back pain. As a result, low back pain is less likely to be misdiagnosed, as are other common neuromuscular conditions with similar symptoms. Back surgery undertaken to cure misdiagnosed stenosis back pain can be avoided with this stenosis back pain test.
Tests done in the U of M study by Dr. Andrew Haig and his colleagues showed a substantial difference between those who have spinal stenosis and those with other types of back pain. It showed that use of the EMG allows experts to clearly distinguish between spinal stenosis and low back pain.
“Most doctors think of EMG as a simple test and incorrectly believe that it is sensitive for nerve damage, but cannot differentiate spinal stenosis form neuromuscular disease,” explains Haig. “But as this study shows, that’s not the case. In fact, EMG is an excellent test for spinal stenosis and other neuromuscular disorders using strict evidence-based criteria.” (Spine, Vol. 30, No. 23)
Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/stenosis-back-pain-test-122606.html
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Back Pain Exercises To Strengthen Lower Back
If you were to have legal access to the records of every general practitioner across the United States, you would find that lower back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to physicians. Studies show that about 60 percent of reported pain problems in the U.S. are lower Back pain. Most such pain is relieved with treatment as conservative as over-the-pain medication.
Ask a physician for advice on the best treatment, and you will likely be told, “You need Back pain Exercises to strengthen lower back muscles.”
What Kind of Back Exercise?
Stretching and strengthening back exercise is usually recommended. Hip rotations, rump lifts, and thigh pulls will stretch you back muscles. Alternate superman Exercises, along with things such as “slippery heels’, “high heels”, and “brake pedals” will strengthen your back.
Instructions for these exercises are available from your therapist or online, and no equipment is necessary for performing them.
At the Gym
Our body’s cores are often neglected, and need a program of regular back exercises to strengthen lower back muscles. We work on the front of the body, slimming, trimming, and building abdominal muscles, but we neglect the back. We use exercises to strengthen arm and leg muscles, but forget the back.
When you work out at the gym or health club, check how much time you spend working on abdominal muscle groups. Now schedule identical time for back exercise.
If your gym has a hyperextension table or bench, by all means use it regularly.
In Your Home
The back is vital to standing and sitting upright, and worth investment, if needed. You do not have to invest money, of course, but you may choose to invest in one or more of these four basic tools.
1. Exercise mat. A simple exercise mat is often all you need to keep yourself faithful to a regimen of back pain exercises to strengthen lower back muscles. Very inexpensive exercise mats are available in the sporting goods department of discount “box” stores. Cover your exercise mat with a towel to keep it clean, and throw the towel in your wash as needed.
2. Exercise ball. An exercise ball is also called a physio ball or a Swiss ball. They are available in fitness stores, sporting goods stores, and online. Exercise balls are a cost-effective solution for such things as balance, cardiovascular fitness, coordination, flexibility, neuromotor training, and strength. They can help you do several back exercises.
The exercise ball is a conservative treatment option for back pain sufferers. It will not only treat current pain, but will go far toward preventing future episodes of low back pain.
3. Roman chair. A roman chair is a type of hypertension bench. They are found in many health clubs or gyms, but investing in your own may keep you more faithful in doing vital back exercise.
Roman chairs do not look like chairs, and users are more likely to be on their stomachs than on their backs in roman chairs. They are great for back exercise, though. They are especially helpful for extension exercises, one of a number of effective back pain exercises to strengthen lower back muscles.
A roman chair should have a traction foot plate to help you position yourself securely while using it. For beginners, a 45 degree exercise angle will make it easier to perform back extension exercises. This will mean a less intense workout for you.
4. If you are determined to work your “abs” – and have a little more to spend on back exercise equipment, an “Ab and back machine” will give you the balance you need. An ab and back machine will place your body in the seated position, which is the most comfortable and safe position for back exercise coupled with ab exercise. Used straight forward, this machine will tighten and tone your abs, obliques and midsection. Rotate the action arm, and the machine provides back exercise.
All back exercise should be done in moderation, and any increases in repetitions should be gradual. This is not a competition, but a means of strengthening your back. If you rush back exercise, or overdo it, you may cause more problems than you had.
Remember, before starting a program of back exercise, consult a physician. There may be underlying physical conditions, such as hernias, that you would worsen by stressing muscles. In addition, medical problems such as coronary disease or diabetes may require your physician’s specific observation.
Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/back-pain-exercises-to-strengthen-lower-back-119945.html
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What Are The Causes Of Pain In Lower Right Back?
Back pain is a complaint doctors hear about frequently. People want information on backaches. They want doctors to treat pain in the Back. Many want to know the causes of pain in the lower right back.
Information about the Lower Right Back
It is important to understand the structure of the lower right back if we are to understand What causes pain there.
Your back, with its spinal column of vertebrae, connecting ligaments, tendons, large muscles, and nerves, is designed to be incredibly strong and flexible. Yet things can go wrong with this awesome structure.
* Muscles can be strained
* Ligaments can be torn
* Joints can be injured
* Bones can be fractured
* Nerves can be irritated
* Discs can be herniated
* Stress can tighten back structure
The lower back seems especially susceptible to injury, since it bears the weight of the torso, and makes more movement than the upper back. Its constant work can cause parts to break down and wear out over the years.
The lower right back has soft tissues that can be involved in pain. Those large, complex muscle groups that support your spine and help you move can be strained by improper lifting or posture. In fact, muscle strain is the most common cause of lower back pain. Twisting or pulling one of the following muscles can produce pain in the lower right back.
* Extensor muscles: These paired muscles in the lower back and gluteus help support your spine. If the one on the lower right back is injured, it will be painful.
* Flexor muscles: Attached to the spine’s front, these muscles help you flex, bend forward, and lift things. Again, injury to the right flexor muscle can cause lower right back pain.
* Oblique muscles: This muscle group is attached to the sides of the spine. The oblique muscles help your spine rotate, and give you good posture.
In addition to simple muscle strain, injury to ligaments, joints, and bones can also cause muscle pain. If one of these structures is injured or inflamed, back muscles can go into spasm, drastically limiting your movement and cause pain in the lower right back.
Stress is a common cause of pain in the lower right back. Stress will make your back muscles tighten. This happens to every muscle in the body, as we move into a “fight or flight” response. Muscles that are tightened lack the energy they need to support the spine. If the stress is frequent, and measures are not taken immediately to relieve it, lower right back pain can easily develop.
Information on Chronic Lower Right Back Pain
If lower right back pain lasts more than two weeks, you are likely to stop using the aching muscles in order to protect yourself from that pain. With disuse, the muscles can waste (atrophy) and weaken. This will increase the pain, since your muscles are less able to support your spine. If you increase your protection, and continue to avoid using the muscles, the cycle will continue, with the pain worsening at each turn. Chronic lower right back pain will result. This is why doctors urge patients with lower right back pain to exercise daily.
Information about Lower Right Back Pain Symptoms
You need to understand the symptoms of your pain as well. It is difficult to treat pain without knowing clearly What and where the symptoms are. You will want to gain a sense of exactly where your lower right back hurts. Is the pain focused in one small area, or does it spread throughout the lower right back? Is it confined to the lower right back or does it radiate into other parts of the body? Here are two major kinds of pain in the lower right back.
Lower Right Back Pain Symptom #1
Is yours a deep, aching, dull, or burning pain? Does it travel down your leg? If so, your lower right back pain may be chronic back pain.
Lower Right Back Pain Symptom #2
Perhaps yours is a very sharp pain, deep in the lower right back. This symptom may be the result of a back injury.
Information on Relieving Lower Right Back Pain
My personal physician assures me that the best relief for lower right back pain is usually exercise. Gentle exercises, performed daily with warm-up and cool-down, will strengthen the core muscles around the lower back area, relieving the pain and making them less susceptible to future injury.
CAUTION: Pain in the lower right back may also be caused by kidney stones or other non-muscular problems. Be sure to ask your health care provider for advice on any back pain.
Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/what-are-the-causes-of-pain-in-lower-right-back-117782.html
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Upper Back Pain
Upper Back Pain is not as common as the lower Back Pain. But pain is pain. When the pain process starts, it is unbearable. The two common identified causes of upper back pain are:
1. Muscular irritation (also known as myofascial pain)
2. Joint dysfunction.
There can be many other causes- injury, accidents, upper disc displacement and many more.
There is a great deal of stability and less motion in the upper back, which is thoracic spine region. So, spinal disorders are not very common. Conditions like herniated disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and spinal disability can cause upper back pain, but such cases are few. This being the case, it is difficult to identify the causes for the upper back pain, precisely. Even an MRI Scan or CT Scan will not be of much help. So, it is not easy for the doctor to find a surgical solution, if the pain persists for a long period.
Modern amenities are not without the accompanying problems. A poor posture over a period of time creates strain in a particular region and that region happens to be your upper back, in case you are a computer operator and work throughout the day in front of your PC. Neck pain and shoulder pain are the comrades -in arms -of the upper back pain.
Here are some more causes of upper back pain:
1. Lack of strength in the particular region.
2. Injuries and damage to the muscles of the region caused through repetitive motions i.e. working in a particular machine in a particular manner. Take for example, hand molding machines. On an average a person does 1500 hand-operated motions in a working schedule of 8 hours.
3. Muscle strains and sports injuries.
Here again. You have to understand your back pain. With the nature of your work known to you, identify the area of your upper back, which is mostly strained. Do such yoga asanas, which help to ease the stress in that area. Do regular oil massage. If this is done in a systematic manner, there would not be any cause for the upper back pain to happen.
Because upper back is a big area, and also ‘muscle junction’, you have to adapt to a system of doing several stretching and strengthening exercises.
If you get the upper back pain, do not panic. Avoid hard medications and painkillers at any cost. Even best of the hospitals, the renowned specialists, have understood the virtue of physio-therapy. Follow it now, for your suffering is due to your past failings and negligence!
Ashish Jain
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/upper-back-pain-59683.html
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Different Options For Back Pain Relief
When you suffer from Back Pain, each moment can feel like your longest; there are no activities during which your Back Pain is not considered; no comfortable night’s rest during which the healing process begins and energy is restored. Subsequently, back pain relief becomes first and foremost on the minds of sufferers. Luckily, there are many options from which to choose.
For many, the first thought when it comes to back pain relief is medication. And while there are a host of prescription medications that will alleviate back pain, they are doing nothing more than masking the symptoms instead of tackling the underlying cause of pain. Medication should be used sparingly and under the strict supervision of a medical professional. But it should also be your last resort for back pain relief. Use over-the-counter pain medication for back pain relief to help you combat discomfort while you work to rectify the underlying causes of your back pain.
While it may seem as though exercise of any kind would be the worst thing for back pain relief, it may often be the very best thing you can do to help alleviate your discomfort and put you on the road to healing. Any exercise program must be strictly supervised by your doctor; not every exercise is appropriate for everyone and it’s crucial that you follow instructions so as not to further injure your back and increase your pain. However, when done responsibly and with guidance, exercise can do much in the way of back pain relief.
There are a number of different exercises that may be appropriate for back pain relief. Your doctor may recommend a walking program, or one of light aerobic exercise. As your strength increases, you may begin a program that incorporates light weights to help build muscle strength. Ultimately, strong, healthy muscles and overall physical fitness will work to deter injury and back pain.
Further exercise for back pain relief includes stretching exercises, yoga, and Pilates. Stretching works to improve flexibility and keep muscles limber. Pilates and yoga both work to strengthen the body’s core muscles thus lending essential support to the back.
Some who suffer from back pain find that work with acupuncturists, chiropractors, and physical therapists offers back pain relief through the use of holistic treatments, body alignment, massage, and therapeutic exercise.
Finding back pain relief that works for you – without the use of medication – will help to improve and strengthen your back so that you may never have to experience back pain again.
Michelle Bery
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/different-options-for-back-pain-relief-116704.html
