A Sciatica Solution

Because people frequently think they have sciatica, when actually, what they have are painful muscle spasms -- a different problem -- I'm going to describe the symptoms of sciatica.

The typical sciatica sufferer has radiating pain that starts at the buttock (usually one side, only) and that may extend down the back of the thigh as far as the foot. Sensations may include numbness, burning, or the feeling of a hot cable (or poker) going down the buttock or back of the leg. Back pain often precedes and accompanies sciatica.

If you have pain going down the front of your leg, you probably have muscle spasms of the quadriceps muscles; if down the side, it's probably contracted muscles that attach to the ilio-tibial (IT) band. Less common is entrapment of nerve roots other than those of the sciatic nerve -- but that's not sciatica.

In this paper, I will briefly explain the origins of sciatic pain, the three types of sciatic pain, and a reliable remedy for two of the types.

Origins

Sciatica falls into the category of pain known as "referred pain." Referred pain results from pressure on a nerve. The brain registers the pain as coming from the place where the nerve goes, even though the pressure may be at the origin of the nerve where it exits the spinal cord or someplace along the nerve's length.

The typical cause of nerve pressure is muscular tension maintained as an involuntary, constant action by the brain, the control center for all but the most momentary muscular activity. This brain-level control, in turn, is acquired by a kind of learning set in motion by repetitive use, stress, or sudden injury. As a learned action pattern, muscular activity can be changed by new learning, so sciatica can be relieved and ended by developing sufficient control of the involved muscles to be able to relax them and make them more responsive to voluntary control.

The Three Types of Sciatica

There are two most-typical types of sciatica: common sciatica and "piriformis syndrome." To understand these two types of sciatica, it helps to understand the path of the nerve from spinal cord down the leg.

The sciatic nerves have nerve roots that exit the spinal cord at the levels, L3 - L5 - the lowest three vertebra of the lumbar spine (low back). The nerves pass in front of the sacrum (central bone of the pelvis) and then behind the pelvis and down the backs of the legs. They divide approximately at the knees and pass down the calves to the feet.

Common sciatica results from a combination of excessive swayback (lordosis) and side-tilt (scoliosis). The combination of swayback and side-tilt reduces the space through which the nerve roots pass and squeezes them.

Piriformis syndrome is much rarer than common sciatica. A medical writer at mednet.com writes of piriformis syndrome as follows:

... irritation of the sciatic nerve caused by compression of the nerve within the buttock by the piriformis muscle. Typically, the pain of the piriformis syndrome is increased by contraction of the piriformis muscle, prolonged sitting, or direct pressure applied to the muscle. Buttock pain is common."

Piriformis syndrome comes from contraction of the piriformis muscle of the buttock (usually one side, only), through which the sciatic nerve passes in some people, and around which it passes, in others. Mere passage through the muscle is not enough to cause symptoms, but if the piriformis muscle is held too contracted for too long, sciatica results.

A third form of sciatica occurs when a spinal disc has ruptured, causing nerve root pressure from the extruded disc material (nucleus pulposus) or entrapment between the lower lumbar (low back) vertebrae (L3 - L5) that have collapsed. This form of sciatica is rare, but due to the painful nature of sciatica, many people fear that this is what has happened to them.

Even more rare is a condition in which the passageways through which the nerve roots exit the spinal column (foramena) narrow because of bone growth -- another surgical situation.

Generally, these last two forms of sciatica are surgical situations, although some therapists claim to be able to cause the re-uptake of extruded disc material and so alleviate symptoms. To be successful in the long run, therapy must also deal with the muscular contractions that led to disc breakdown or that likely formed if a violent injury caused the rupture.

Because of the rapidity of results available through the method described below, surgical interventions are properly the last resort.

Help for the Common Types of Sciatica

Where nerve pressure has muscular origins, the remedy is, in principle, simple, and in practice, easily achievable by clinical somatic educators, whose specialty is training to improve muscular control. As the basic function of muscular control is movement, clinical somatic educators teach a way to improve control of the movements caused by the muscles involved in sciatica.

The movements involved are (1) inducing swayback, and (2) inducing side-tilt.

The muscles of the back are like the string of an archer's bow and the spinal column, like the bow, itself. As tension of the bowstring causes the bow to stay curved, tension of the back muscles causes the low back to bow forward (inward - the swayback). Tension of the muscles along ones side cause side tilt. The combination of swayback and side-tilt traps and puts pressure on nerve roots where they exit the spinal column. Result: sciatica. So the movements retrained are those of going into swayback and leaning to the side.

In piriformis syndrome, the action retrained is that of tightening the buttock and turning the leg knee-outward. Relief of either of these forms of sciatica occurs within moments of the relaxation and, for all intents and purposes, is permanent. Usually, two to four sessions of clinical somatic education are required to obtain these results. The client typically learns certain movement patterns to rehearse to prevent the possibility of recurrence or, in the event of recurrence, to correct the problem themselves.

First-Aid for Sciatica -- Relax Certain Muscles

The problem with most methods used to relax muscles -- mental methods, manipulative methods, muscle-relaxant drugs, therapeutic methods in general -- is that they may not, and generally do not, adequately improve muscular control. Muscular control has two parts: the ability to create muscular tension and the ability to relax muscular tension. Both abilities are needed; otherwise, you are either musclebound (and prone to cramping) or weak. Such methods also often neglect an important part of control: sensory awareness. Too often, people are given therapeutic exercises but no instructions in how to do them; they're told, "These are strengthening exercises," so people go for strength instead of control; they go for effort instead of sensory awareness. If you can't feel how to regulate your muscular tension, you can't feel how to relax your muscular tension. You feel pain with no connection to the sense of contracting those muscles to the point of fatigue. Progress comes slowly, at best, from working too fast and too mechanically.

So you need to improve both muscular control and the ability to feel your muscles.

At the end of this article, you see a link to a page where I present First Aid for Sciatica -- somatic exercises that can start you on your recovery.

NOTE: If your problem is severe, (numbness or tingling in your extremities) you should have seen your doctor to rule out a medical emergency, such as a ruptured (not bulging or herniated) disc.

Scoliosis and Golf

"Is scoliosis and golf a good idea?" That seems to be a recurring question in my practice. Before I address it, first consider "what is scoliosis?"

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that is not supposed to be there. When you look at someone's spine is supposed to be straight without any curvatures or shifts in the spine. Scoliosis begins with a 'rotated' spine followed by the curve.

Genetic pre-disposition appears to heavily determine who will get severe scoliosis. However, we would be remiss to undermine the role that environmental factors play in the nature and extent of one's scoliosis. To this end, let's consider the sport of golf (environmental factor) and scoliosis.

Scoliosis and golf create a lot of rotational forces on the spine. Given that a 'rotated' spine is a precondition to developing the 'curve' or scoliosis, golf and scoliosis may not be such a great combination. Swinging a golf club increases the occurrence of rotation in your spine, which one could argue, may promote scoliosis to progress.

If scoliosis runs in the family or if you have the genes for scoliosis, you would benefit from mitigating environmental factors, like certain sports, that may trigger, exacerbate or promote your scoliosis or its progression.

Anticipating their worst case scenario, the golf enthusiasts in my practice also ask me, "What about golf after scoliosis surgery...is that mission impossible?" Answer: That depends on the number of vertebra that are fused in your spine.

Golf after scoliosis surgery might be difficult depending on how many vertebra are fused in your spine.

When scoliosis patients opt for spinal fusion, on average, upwards of 70% of their spine gets fused. Given the resultant limited range of motion or rotation in one's spine, golf after scoliosis surgery, in this scenario, would be mission impossible!

Fortunately, for Stacey Lewis, an LPGA Tour player, this was not the case. Stacey Lewis, diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11 underwent surgery after failing to achieve any correction from wearing a hard brace for 7-long years. The hard brace failed to hold any correction; in fact her curve progressed to 45 degrees prior to opting for surgery which included a rod and 5 titanium screws in her spine. But, Stacey Lewis was lucky. Her scoliosis surgery only fused a few bones. Unfortunately, her case is not the norm, most people opting for surgery will have may bones in their spine fused significantly diminishing any rotation in your spine.

I always caution anybody considering surgery in this day in age. The truth is there are better, safer, non-invasive, alternatives to surgery. Surgery outcomes are unpredictable at best. Given recent scoliosis advancements and treatments, coupled with poor scoliosis surgery outcomes, scoliosis surgery's, risk reward profile does not warrant it a viable option in today's environment. You have options. GOOD options. Learn about today's better, safer, alternatives to scoliosis surgery.

Herniated Disc - Recovery

It would not be out of place to guide the people afflicted with herniated discs to some of the efficacious remedies to cure the back pain as incidence of the cases is on the rise now-a-days. Causes are not unknown. Incidents of falling down while boarding and getting off buses and other means of the public transport system, sustaining injuries in road accidents and attacks by miscreants, in sport activities/competitions/ matches such as foot ball, cricket, tennis, badminton, baseball, basketball -- athletics i.e., boxing, wrestling, weight lifting, long jump, high jump, car racing, and also -- on the cultural front, the most strenuous, arduous and toilsome demonstrations in the multifarious forms of art; for example -- stormy dance contests and other gimmicks, acrobatics and juggleries in the name of art and cultural activities/programs in T.V. reality shows -- are, in different degrees, responsible for the ever- growing incidence of the disc rupturing/slipping cases.

What is a herniated disc?

A herniated disc, commonly called a "slipped disc" or a "ruptured disc" or a "broken disc"--is most often a consequence of an accident resulting in a rupture, lifting any thing too heavy or in a wrong way, causing an injury or trauma in the spine. In other words, it involves a disc slipping/rupturing/breaking.

A person with the back pain, leg pain or weakness of the extremely lower muscles is diagnosed as a "patient suffering from a herniated disc." A herniated disc is caused by a sudden fall or an accident or may occur gradually with repetitive straining of nerves. Most often the people, who experience a herniated disc, already have "spinal stonosis"-a problem that causes narrowing of the spinal cord and spinal nerves. When a herniated disc occurs, the space for the nerves is further diminished, and irritation of the nerve results.

What is a bulging disc?

Although associated with a herniated disc, a bulging disc is something different, exclusively related to the lumber (lower spine of the back), and a totally old age problem.

The "nucleus pulposus" (the jelly-like substance in the middle of the spinal disc) of the "herniated disc" bulges out through the "annulus" (surrounding wall) and presses on the nerve root next to it. This nerve root becomes inflamed and causes serious pain. The problem may also be caused by degenerative disc disease (spondylosis). The disc consists of about 80 per cent of water. When one grows older, the disc starts to dry out and shrink, causing small tears in the "annulus" and inflammation of the nerve root.

In a case of herniated disc, the decompression takes place quite quickly and causes the disc to slip out, whereas in a case of bulging disc, the decompression takes place very slowly and causes the disc to bulge out.

What happens is that the spinal disc -- a soft cushion that sits between each vertebra of the spine -- becomes more rigid with age. In a young individual, the disc is soft and elastic, but like so many other structures in the body, the disc gradually loses its elasticity and is more vulnerable to injury. In fact, even in individuals as young as 30, MRIs show evidence of disc deterioration in about 30 per cent of people.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is also associated with the herniated disc. Sciatica patients experience a severe pain that shoots from the buttocks and hips, and runs down to the legs and feet. This condition is mostly accompanied by back pain felt in the legs. This is why it is also called the "leg pain." Since it involves the sciatic nerve - the body's biggest nerve - hence it has been given the medical name "sciatica." When this nerve gets irritated or disturbed by some pressure, possibly by a herniated disc, the patient feels a burning pain which is medically termed the "sciatic pain." So, sciatica, essentially, is a by-product of the herniated disc condition.

How does a herniated disc occur?

A person afflicted with a herniated disc, suffers from an unbearable pain and swelling. When the disc (muscular cushion) is displaced from its original position because of an injury or rupture, resulting in an extra growth, the bundle of spinal nerves is pinched from the abnormal growth. The injury to the nerves and the attached muscles produces "prostaglandins" which cause a severe pain in the back, neck, waist, shoulders and sometimes in the arms and legs as well.

When the spinal disc becomes less elastic, it ruptures. When so happens, a portion of the spinal disc pushes outside its normal boundary - this is what's medically termed a "herniated disc." When a herniated disc bulges out from between the vertebrae, the spinal nerves and the spinal cord, it gets pinched. There is normally a little extra space around the spinal cord and spinal nerves, but if enough of the herniated disc is pushed out of place, then these structures may be compressed.

Symptoms of herniated disc

The compression of the spinal cord or the spinal nerves turns them out of order. This means that abnormal signals may be passed from the compressed nerves, or signals may not be passed at all.

Electric shock-like abnormal sensations caused by any pressure on the nerve, and the pain going down to the arms and then to the legs, feeling of the abnormal sensations of tingling, numbness, or pins and needles in the same region as painful electric shock sensations, and weakness of the muscles because of the nerve irritation - are some of the symptoms a herniated disc patient experiences.

Remedies and therapeutic Options

In the treatment of herniated disc cases, there are two types of remedies and therapeutic options; the first being the surgical and the second one the non- surgical.

Surgical option:

It is only allopathic system of medicine that adopts the surgical option as the last resort when the use of all other artificial remedies-- the counter-pain medication and pain-killers such as "ibuprofen" prove ineffective in the treatment of a case of back pain striking either from a herniated disc or a strained/pulled muscle. In more serious cases wherein all the non-surgical remedies and therapeutic techniques fail to give a quick relief, the patients writhing in pain are promptly rushed to an allopath who, with the consent of the patient's relatives, go ahead for the surgery without any delay, if he is a surgeon himself; otherwise he refers the case to a surgeon or any government hospital. This kind of surgery conducted on a herniated disc patient is medically termed "disc fusion" and "discectomy" in which dislocated disc is replaced in its original position, extra growth caused by the dislocation removed and finally the bundle of spinal nerves that was strained due to the abnormal overgrowth normalized.

However, there is a little difference between a disc fusion and a discectomy. Disc fusion - also called "spinal fusion" - involves replacement of an artificial disc in the lumbar spine. It is considered the best treatment particularly for the "degenerative disc disease."

Discectomy - also known as" spondylodesis" or "spondyloryndesis" - is a surgical technique usually used to combine the two or more vertebrae. This procedure is used primarily to alleviate the pain caused by abnormal motion of the vertebrae by immobilizing the vertebrae themselves.
Supplementary bone tissue is used in conjunction with body's natural "osteblastic" processes. Thus the central portion of an intervertebral disc, the nucleus pulposus, which causes the pain by straining the pain by stressing the spinal cord or radiating nerves, is
removed.

Then, the disc material pressing on the spinal nerve or spinal cord is completely removed. The intervertebral foramen -- the bone channel, through which the spinal nerve runs -- is then enlarged with a drill giving the nerve more room to exist the spinal canal.

To open the vertebrae from collapsing and to increase their stability, the open space is often filled with bone graft, taken from the pelvis or cadaveric bone. The slow process of the bone graft joining the vertebrae together is called "fusion." Sometimes, a titanium plate is screwed on the vertebrae to increase stability, especially when there is more than one disc involved.
The surgery requires a short stay of one to three days in the clinic and a gradual recovery takes 4 to 6 weeks.

Non-surgical Options

Non-surgical methods of treatment may be adopted and used from various medical systems of curing diseases such as allopathic, homeopathic,natural/physical, Unani/Ayurvedic, and the last but not the least, Yoga.

Although universally popular, allopathic system of medicine (a method of treating disease with remedies that produces effects different from or opposite to those caused by the disease itself) has never and nowhere found to be as efficacious as other alternative medical systems of treatment, natural/physical remedies (physiotherapy), homeopathy and, of course -- conventional but still more efficacious systems of medicine -- Unani/Ayurvedic and Yoga -- that have been ceaselessly improved upon over the years by means of further study, research, development and new experiments from time to time. Allopathic system gives a quick but temporary relief whereas other systems give a slow but lasting relief.

Allopathic principle of medicine cures the effect of disease leaving its cause untouched. This resurfaces in any other form of the disease in future, while homeopathic system of treatment (a system of medicine that attempts to cure patients with heavily diluted preparations/drugs which cause effects similar to the symptoms produced by the disease...quite opposite to allopathic) gets to the bottom of the problem and eradicates the very cause of disease by its root. If diagnosed with the exact symptoms of the disease and administered an accurate medicine to the patient, the disorder disappears in a trice.

Physiotherapy is another option by which natural elements/agents such as solar energy, the water, the air, electricity, ice, etc., is resorted to, and has also been proved quite effective in the treatment of diseases. As mentioned earlier, despite amazing efficacy and utility of the homeopathic and natural remedies, allopathic system is still in vague all over the world, and there is nothing wrong with resorting to this option. However, the natural methods of curing diseases including homeopathy being a permanent solution to the whole problem, are by all manner of means, more deserve to be discussed and explained in detail in such a way as to attract more and more people, especially those afflicted with a herniated disc.

The natural method of treatment comprises a schedule of specifically prescribed exercises plus therapeutic techniques and a well-programmed bed rest. These remedies will definitely bring a quick relief from the pain and steadily accelerate the pace towards a complete recovery, regardless of the cause for the pain. Following are some suggestions with regard to the use and application of the natural therapeutic techniques to the herniated disc patients on the way leading to a durable relief and successful recovery from the back pain.

Natural Remedies-Non-surgical options

The first and foremost among these remedies are some medically prescribed techniques that follow:

Ice Pack: Ice, in fact, is the best solution, especially to the problem of strained nerves. While watching a competition of boxing, you may have definitely noticed a boxer receiving an injury in his face from the rival. The first thing his coach does is to apply an ice pack to the injured area in his face. Applying a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel to the site of injury also serves the purpose, if ice packs are not available in the nick of time.

Ice Massage: In most of the cases ice massage has been experienced to be quite effective and useful. Take a cube of ice and rub it around the affected area in a circular motion.

Hot packs: Hot/warm packs have been found an effective solution only to the problem of pulls/strains. These should be used only after trying the ice packs.

Body Massage: In using the massage technique, there is no need for any masseur or massage specialist to massage the patient's body. Any of the ordinary persons/relatives can do the job very easily and comfortably. The only requirement is-oil. If you don't have the special massage oil, take a little quantity of olive, mineral, or any ordinary oil that is within your reach. You may mix a little bit of "vanilla extract" to give it a nice scent. Pour a handful of oil on the affected area of the back and rub it gently. A back rub does not require a massage therapist. You can do it yourself without any difficulty. Just do what feels good to you and massage gently.

Bed Rest

For the cases of herniated disc, the first step towards recovery is bed rest. Though it is not possible to lie in bed all the time, the patient is best advised to do so as much as possible.

First Stage: Lay the patient on a strong and firm mattress to ensure that the back is placed as straight as possible. Moreover, the pillows should also be firm to ensure straightness and alignment of the bed. Taking rest in this way will help the body repair any damage done as a result of the disc rupture.

Second Stage: Elevating legs has been experienced to have provided higher degree of comfort in the recovery process. Place a small to medium size pillow underneath the patient's knees. It will lessen some of the pressure that may have been put on the back of the patient while being laid down on the bed. Elevating thighs slightly may also be helpful.

Third Stage: Place a pillow or any other soft object between his legs. It will help him remove any pressure that may have been applied to the affected portion of the back. While getting out of bed, the patient is well advised to take special care not to move suddenly, rather push self into a sitting position by using a side of the body instead of the back. However, lying on the stomach is not advisable in this condition.

Fourth Stage: For a patient who is on bed rest to recover from a back complication, it is essential to consume a raw food with a plenty of fluids. Bed rest most often results in the intestinal tract getting slow and it may cause constipation. To avoid this, ingesting uncooked food high in nutrition and drinking fluids as much possible is the best precautionary measure.

Fifth Stage: Applying heat and cold to the aching parts of the body alternatively has also been experienced to have alleviated the pain associated with herniated discs.

These are some of the natural remedies that have been traditionally used for centuries by virtue of their effectiveness in curing herniated discs and they have also proved quite helpful in healing the wounds associated with herniated disc.

Recovery Time:

These remedies combined with the "pain-killers" prescribed by the physicians can and will definitely ease the pain. Recovery takes normally two weeks in non-surgical cases, and an average of three to six weeks in surgical ones, depending on the severity of the injury. By adopting a medically prescribed program of specific exercises and body movements, desirable results can be achieved.

Prevention:

There is a saying; - "prevention is better than cure." Following the old adage, some precautionary measures must be taken to prevent the troubles. Among these are the back exercises and abdominal workouts that may prove helpful in strengthening muscles. Daily exercise, walk, jogging, running and also swimming if possible, are some of the best precautionary measures that may help you keep away from major back problems.

Do You Have to Keep Going to a Chiropractor Forever?

There are several myths or misunderstandings about Chiropractic that are floating around. There is one myth that I feel is actually worth explaining. The others I will let stand; it kind of adds to the air of mystery surrounding Chiropractors, and I think I would miss that if it was totally gone.

The #1 misunderstanding that I hear is: once you go to a Chiropractor, you have to keep going forever. There are several reasons for this misunderstanding, with not the least being the confusion between "have to keep going", and "want to keep going." For the most part, Chiropractors see patients for one of three main reasons. One, to help someone heal from an injury or acute episode of pain; two, to help someone feel better and manage a chronic or uncorrectable problem; and three, to help someone maintain a healthy spine in order to be healthier, prevent injury, and function better.

Most patients are introduced to Chiropractic care for one of the first two reasons, but often maintain a relationship with a Chiropractor for the third reason.

In order to help someone maintain a healthier spine, it takes periodic visits; much like it takes periodic visits to a dentist to maintain healthy teeth. Unfortunately, unlike dental check-ups which can occur every 6 months or so, Chiropractic check-ups need to happen much more frequently. Our bodies, and specifically our spines, undergo an amazing amount of stress on a daily basis, which can result in stiff joints, tight muscles, and improper joint movement patterns. If left alone, this can lead to major episodes of pain and chronic problems. When corrected on a regular basis, these types of problems can be better avoided. A good rule of thumb for most people who have generally healthy spines is a check-up about every 2 weeks. Even though regular visits will keep you feeling better and reduce your risk of developing more complicated spinal problems, don't let anyone tell you that if you don't go often, you are guaranteed to have problems, or end of having surgery, or other such dire consequences. It is simply not true.

For the individuals that have chronic, uncorrectable problems, Chiropractic adjustments will usually help them feel better for a while, but they will start hurting again eventually. The idea behind regular adjustments in this case, is to keep them feeling as good as they possibly can and to keep the spine as healthy as it can be. Once again, this is a choice that individuals are allowed to make; to feel better or not.

It is always a matter of choice. Come in as long as you need to in order to feel better, or keep coming on a regular basis in order to stay feeling better, stay healthier, and try your best to prevent bigger problems from occurring.

For more information, see the contact information below.

4 More Ways to Treat a Bulging Disc

Dealing with a bulging disc can be difficult. Of course it probably hurts since there's a good chance it is pushing up against a nerve, but it can also be a little bit scary as well. I mean, it's kind of frightening to think that there is something going wrong with your body and if you don't take care of it, you might end up with a herniated disc and need to go in for an operation.

I previously wrote about 3 ways to treat a bulging disc. Here are 4 more common treatments for bulging discs:

Doing McKenzie Method Exercises on Bulging Disc

This is another effective treatment for back problems such as a bulging disc. You use the concept of trying to centralize the pain into one specific location. This kind of treatment deals with the spine abnormalities that are from injuries caused by excessive amounts of stress in your body. What this treatment does is that it makes use of some extension exercises where your lower back can be hyper-extended and is allowed to decompress. This starts to move the pain to one central location in the body.

Think of it like this, if you have shooting pain down your lower back to your thigh, you might do one of these exercises to slowly focus that pain in one location, say your hip. From there you can easily treat the hip pain rather than spreading your efforts over your entire body.

Using the Williams Technique on Your Bulging Disc

This kind of technique is the opposite of McKenzie technique when treating bulging disc. Contrary to the McKenzie method, the Williams method involves flexing exercises to take pressure off of the spine and joints. This allow the back to relax without the pressure and stress that daily life puts on it.

Williams said once that man began having back problems as soon as he stood up. This technique is based on the idea that the standing posture is unnatural and can actually result in many of the back problems that you are suffering from.

Injecting Epidural Steroid for Pain Relief

In this treatment, you are being injected with cortisone in your spinal canal but on the outside of the spinal sac. This has benefits in your pain reduction and inflammation that can irritate your nerves. This is done by a professional such as anesthesiologist. This is an outpatient operation that takes less than an hour to complete. Not much of a hassle at all!

Using Surgery for Bulging Disc

This kind of treatment is used for the most severe cases of bulging discs. You need to consider other forms of treatment before you resort to surgery because this kind of treatment, if it is done improperly, can lead to major and permanent damage to you. Most medical doctors even do not recommend this to bulging disk patients.

If you really need to have this procedure done to you, it can be effective if it was done properly. Consider getting a laser surgery. Laser surgery can leave fewer scars and its chances of destroying the healthy cells can be very minimal. It also takes less time than other types of surgery out there.

However, be aware, that quite a few people have gotten spinal surgery to help relive sciatica or other back pain problems, only to report that the pain comes back again. Many times, it is much worse than before. Only consider surgery if you have exhausted all other options.

So, if you are suffering from a bulging disc, one of these 4 methods might be a way to find relief and get back on your feet without the pain of a bulging disc.

Memory Foam Vs Regular Coil Sprung Mattresses

When picking out a mattress, usually consumers look for high quality, firm, supportive mattresses. If you are in need of a new mattress and currently have a regular coil mattress, give yourself a treat and try a memory foam mattress. You will most definitely notice a huge difference right on the very first night and every single night thereafter.

Memory foam has been around since 1966 and was primarily used in medical settings. It aided patients who required large amounts of time off of their feet in the prevention of bed sores and possible gangrene when blood flow was decreased due to lying in bed. Also, memory foam contains heat retaining properties making it an extremely excellent choice for patients. There are other foam mattresses on the market today, but none rival memory foam as it is a more dense foam. Besides improving the quality of your sleep, a memory foam mattress can help boost circulation and alleviate joint and back pain. As far as mattresses go, a memory foam mattress does a much better job of keeping the spine in alignment. It has also been proven to help those with sleep apnea.

Coil or spring mattresses are the most widely used mattresses and still are considered the standard in bedding. It is reported that a spring mattress loses about 16% of its firmness after one year. They usually come with a five to ten year warranty. It is impossible for a spring mattress to spread the weight of the body proportionately because each spring pushes back with the same force. There are major quality differences with a spring mattress caused by how many coils are actually used in the production of the mattress. It is that density of the coils which determines firmness and support in spring mattresses. Spring mattresses merely push back on the body while memory form mattresses conform to the contour of the body.

There are many memory foam mattresses on the market today. The quality and density of the foam varies by supplier. The elastic structure of memory foam makes it impossible for dust mites to penetrate the foam. Dust mites are one of the major causes of allergies in homes today.

Remember, we spend a good portion of our lives sleeping on a mattress. It makes sense to purchase the best mattress available for overall general health. Sleep is an essential component in how we feel from day to day. A well rested body is of the utmost importance if you want to be the best you can be.

Treat Bulging Disc Pain And Heal Bulging Disc Problems Permanently - The Right Way

So many people are looking for a long term effective way to treat bulging disc pain and heal bulging disc problems permanently. This is a very common problem in today's society. A bulging disc is considered by many to be the first stage in the disc degenerative process. For some the pain may appear suddenly, and for others it will appear gradually. Pain can be associated with a specific injury, or just something that has been progressively worsening over time.

What most don't realize is that the disc bulge is caused from a physical dysfunction of the spine and surrounding structure that stresses the disc to the point where it bulges. We all know what stress can do to our bodies, whether it is physical or mental stress. What we need to do is correct the physical dysfunction that is responsible for the stressful environment the disc is subjected to on a regular basis. I can't stress this enough, to effectively treat bulging disc pain and heal bulging disc problems permanently one must treat and correct the physical dysfunctions, so that our spine is exposed to its intended natural, healthy, and stress free environment.

The term physical dysfunction is a general term that can cover a number of conditions. The most common physical dysfunction associated with a bulging disc relates to poor posture, that can be directly and indirectly attributed to muscle imbalances. A muscle imbalance implies that a muscle or muscle group is in an unnatural or unbalanced state when compared with its opposing muscle or muscle group.

When you think of any muscle in the human body you need to consider its opposing muscle. The opposing muscle is the one responsible for movement in the other direction. Having the proper muscle balance as it relates to the spine is incredibly important. The fact that our bodies were designed to walk on two feet give us many advantages, but it also makes the spinal muscle structure a more critical factor as it relates to the health of our spine.

Muscle imbalances typically involve the following conditions. Consider a muscle that is stronger and shorter than its natural state, now consider the opposing muscle is longer and weaker than its normal state. This type of muscle imbalance creates a postural dysfunction that subjects the spine to a stressful environment. Muscle imbalances are caused from many factors, however environmental factors today play a huge role. We spend far more time sitting and lounging than our early ancestors ever did.

I get very frustrated when I hear someone has consulted a medical professional for how to treat bulging disc pain and heal bulging disc problems, and the recommend treatment is limited to rest, lifting restrictions, anti-inflammatory, and pain medication. To effectively treat disc bulge pain the disc must have its stressful environment eliminated. Correcting the physical dysfunction is the only way to provide long term bulging disc cure which achieves permanent pain relief.

Peroneal Nerve Damage - What Are the Causes?

The peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve that crosses from behind the knee and then around the outside of the knee, to enter the muscles of the outside of the leg. Its thickness can be compared to the size of a pen. The purpose of this nerve is to supply energy and stimulation to the calf, ankle, and foot. Whether or not you can move your foot normally depends on the health of this important nerve.

No other nerve in the body is as frequently subjected to trauma as is the peroneal nerve. And damage to this nerve is a major cause of the condition called foot drop.

A sharp blow to the outside of the knee, such as may happen in a sports or car accident is a frequent cause of peroneal nerve damage, as is knee surgery itself. Of course, if the fibula, the bone in the lower leg, is actually fractured or broken, the peroneal nerve is in danger of suffering injury.

Also, due to its vital connection to the sciatic nerve, a broken hip, such as an elderly person might suffer in a fall, or even complications from hip replacement surgery or spinal fusion operations, can cause damage to this nerve.

The above reasons all relate to trauma or complications from surgery. However, less dramatic reasons for peroneal nerve damage exist; reasons that you may not have imagined. These have to do with too much compression of the area behind the knee.

We may not engage in sports activities that could result in injuries, or we may be fortunate enough to never sustain injuries in a car accident, but how many of us (ladies, are you listening?), sit a lot with out legs crossed, or, if we live in a cold, snowy climate, frequently wear high boots? While these actions may be seem perfectly innocent, the truth is that they are not good for our legs. We are risking the possibility of creating too much pressure on the peroneal nerve. Something else we need to be careful about is wearing a tight plaster cast on a broken leg. Of course, the cast is necessary, but if you think it might be too tight, don't hesitate to speak up and let your doctor know.

All possible measures should be taken to avoid damage to all the nerves in your body. Each one has a vital role to play. But sometimes "life happens" and we have to deal with the deck we are dealt.

If you suspect peroneal nerve damage, by all means stay in close contact with your doctor.

How Does Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Progress Into Adult Scoliosis?

There are multiple different kinds of scoliosis, which is a term that refers to abnormal twisting and curvature of the spine. With regards to the different kinds of scoliosis, there are those that occur in childhood and those that occur in adults.

Scoliosis that occurs prior to adulthood can be subclassified into juvenile, adolescent, congenital, and neuromuscular. The most common type is referred to as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The term "idiopathic" means there is no known cause. The good thing about scoliosis in adolescents is that the spine has the following characteristics:

1. Until skeletal maturity is reached, the spine can potentially respond to bracing as it may be flexible.


2. Only a minority of kids with adolescent scoliosis experience pain. It's noted to be less than 25%.


3. If an adolescent does need surgery for scoliosis, the physiologic reserve is tremendous and the complication profile is reasonable.

Bracing for adolescent scoliosis can help prevent the progression of curvature, but not reversal. If skeletal maturity is reached and the curvature is under 40 degrees, the scolisosis may not progress according to various studies. However, if it's over 40 degrees studies show the natural progression after skeletal maturity to be approximately one degree per year. Might not seem like much, but after 30 years, the curve may be at 70 degrees!

Once skeletal maturity is reached and the curvature is over 30 to 40 degrees, surgery is not always indicated. The curve should be monitored every year or two along with the patient's symptoms.

As the patient settles into adulthood, additional factors come into play. Meaning adults who had adolescent sciolosis have spines that are typically loaded off-center and subjected more often to arthritis of the spinal joints and degenerative disc disease. The spinal discs can be loaded off-center and experience asymmetric degeneration leading to a worsened scoliosis.

As the scoliosis worsens, the biomechanics of the spine actually compound the situation, creating arthritis in the spinal facet joints and making the scoliosis painful. This is a major difference between adolescent and adult scoliosis - Pain! While adult scoliosis can be exceptionally painful, adolescent scoliosis is typically more of a cosmetic issue.

The increased facet joint arthritis and degenerative disc disease brought on by the asymmetric scoliosis leads to two problems:

1. Worsening scoliosis


2. More pain

So adolescent scoliosis can lead to adult degenerative scoliosis. Adult degenerative scoliosis can occur all on its own, but a significant amount of the time it is a continuation of what occurred in the person's early years. Unfortunately the gift that keeps on giving.

Manual Spinal Traction - Treatment for Back Pain

Manual spinal traction is not a new age, voodoo type of thing. It is a medically accepted form of therapy used to complement other forms of treatment for alleviating back pain resulting from injury and other medical conditions such as sciatica and lumbago. Contrary to popular belief, this method has been employed by physical therapists for more than a hundred years and is now widely practiced in the rehabilitative profession. It is basic, therefore, to arm yourself with information about spinal traction.

How is manual spinal traction done?

Spinal traction can be manual, mechanical, positional, sustained, and manual, but we will focus on the last type. All forms of spinal traction involve the use of force to pull apart the vertebrae, the individual thick bones that comprise the spinal cord. Manual traction is performed by the rehabilitation provider himself, using his body to apply force to the patient's body, unlike other forms of traction, which involves the use of mechanical devices like weights, pulleys, or halters.

How can traction relieve people of back pain and improve medical conditions?

When the vertebrae are drawn apart from one another, space is made more available for nerves to be able to travel more freely. At the same time, hydration and water inflow increase, making the spinal column stronger and more shock absorbent. This is the theory behind manual spinal traction, where the primary aim is to reduce or eradicate lower back, cervical, or radiating pain. At lesser intensities, spinal traction is also used to stretch the smaller spinal muscles constricted spasms or involuntary contractions due to restricted nerves.

What techniques are used to implement manual spinal traction?

Two common techniques are used for manual traction: cervical traction and lumbar traction. During cervical traction, the patient lies on his back on a stable medical table and the therapist uses his hands to support and reposition the head from side to side. Typically, this involves a smaller amount of force, around 20 to 30 pounds in all, while lumbar traction requires a greater force that is around half the patient's body weight. In lumbar traction, the therapist tugs at the patient's ankles or wraps the patient's legs over his shoulders and pulls across his thighs.

Can everyone undergo manual spinal traction?

Before a practitioner can subject any patient to any form of spinal traction, or any form of therapy for that matter, he has to carefully and thoroughly examine the patient first. Although traction has been seen as an effective treatment for back pain and degenerative diseases, not everybody is suitable to it. For starters, not everybody can endure the weight of physical force. For instance, pregnant women certainly should not subject themselves to any kind of forceful treatment, and so with others who are suffering from cardiovascular disease, hernia, and TMJ (temporomandibular joint disease). At the same time, patients who may have weakened spinal columns, such as those diagnosed with osteoporosis or rheumatoid arthritis, should not undergo traction.

Will Disc Replacement Surgery Help in the Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy?

Disc replacement is a surgical procedure that is an option for treating cervical radiculopathy - a herniated disc in the neck area. The procedure has seen more success on the cervical region, but is also prescribed for the lumbar, or lower back area. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 for the lumbar region and in 2007 for the cervical region, disc replacement was developed as an alternative to spinal fusion, in which the vertebrae are fused together rather than replacing the natural cushion, or disc.

A herniated disc occurs when a disc becomes brittle from age and dehydration and the center or core of the disc pushes to the outer edges and flattens out, providing less padding between the bones. When a disc in either area of the spine is herniated, it comes into contact with nerve fibers stemming off from the spinal cord and causes pain, either in the back area or the arms or legs - depending on where the nerves are connected to the rest of the body.

Who Needs Disc Replacement Surgery

A herniated, ruptured or slipped disc requiring disc replacement can be recommended by a physician for three reasons, an injury to the back, degeneration caused by an aging body, or idiopathic reasons in which genetic, congenital or environmental condition predisposes a patient to severe back pain needing surgery. Artificial disc replacement surgery is indicated for the cervical region when a patient suffers from severe degenerative disc disease, in which the individual cannot tolerate the movement of the back.

When a patient's body does not respond to other forms of pain therapy including physical therapy, massage, specialized pain therapies including injections, blocks, radiofrequency electrical nerve stimulation, prescription medications and other treatments, surgery is an option. A disc replacement removes a disc and replaces it with a new one while preserving the motion of the spine at the level that it's used. Not all patients with a herniated disc need disc replacement. When a disc causes so much pain that the individual is not able to carry out work and leisure activities, even after trying several types of pain management techniques, this surgery may be indicated. Patients are carefully selected for disc replacement and not everyone is a candidate.

The Procedure of Disc Replacement

Several artificial discs have been developed since the FDA approval. One such disc is the LINK SB Charite III prosthesis developed out of Germany. The disc itself has two metallic plates have teeth in them to connect to the bone, and a rubber core made of polyurethane is between them. The core has a ring of metal around it so that it shows up in x-rays. During a disc replacement, the ruptured disc is removed by scraping it off of the bone. The vertebrae are held open by specialized tools to keep them separated, and the artificial disc is implanted. A potential benefit of replacing a disc is to preserve not only the movement at the site of the new disc, but to take pressure off of the lower portions that are adjacent to the damaged disc.

Please note that if you are feeling back pain and are told that you have a herniated disc, this does not necessarily mean that you need surgery. Follow doctor's instructions for healthy rehabilitation and have a good attitude about recovery and you may not need disc replacement.

Sciatica From Herniated Discs

Sciatica from herniated discs is one of the main diagnostic theories used to explain the majority of lower body radiculopathy issues. Sciatica, by definition, is nerve pain and related symptoms sourced in the spine, but experienced in the buttocks, legs and/or feet. Being that disc desiccation and herniations are virtually universal in the lumbar spinal region, it is no surprise that almost every person with sciatica symptoms will also have disc issues which may be blamed for their occurrence. However, research statistics clearly reveal little, if any, correlation between intervertebral disc issues and any variety of back pain, including sciatica.

Herniated discs can result from injury or normal spinal degeneration. Herniations are most common in the lower cervical and lower lumbar intervertebral levels. Herniated discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1 are the most prevalent targets of blame for sourcing sciatica pain. While it is certainly possible that a bulging or ruptured disc can enact sciatica pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in the back, buttocks, legs or feet, most herniations are coincidental to any pain experienced. This has been proven time and time again in more clinical studies than can be cited. However, this does not stop even the most innocent minor herniations from being theorized as the cause of pain in many sciatica sufferers.

A herniated disc unto itself is not painful. Traumatic injury to the back pain can surely cause pain and a fresh disc injury may hurt for a while. However, unless the disc influences some other spinal structure, the pain is not likely to last for more than a few weeks. The possible mechanisms which can create chronic pain in herniated disc patients are as follows:

* Spinal stenosis can reduce or cut off nerve supply of the actual spinal cord, possibly enacting dire symptoms. Although diagnosed often in combination with herniations, actual symptomatic spinal stenosis is more often the result of arthritic osteophyte buildup within the spinal canal.

* Foraminal stenosis is the proverbial pinched nerve. In these cases, the disc bulges into the space through which the spinal nerve roots leave the spinal column. In many cases, the disc is said to "impinge", "encroach upon" or "compress" the affected nerve root. The result may be painful short term, but will enact complete objective numbness and weakness in a specific set of muscular tissues in the long term. Once again, this rarely occurs and most pinched nerve diagnoses do not even account for the lack of correlation between symptoms experienced and symptoms expected.

* Chemical radiculitis is thought to exist in some patients with particularly sensitive neurological tissues. This diagnosis comes into play when a ruptured disc or disc with an annular tear spills the nucleus proteins unto nearby nerve tissues. This protein may be irritating to some people, but not others. Chemical radiculitis is a highly controversial theory of pain which may apply in some cases, but not in all. Even when the diagnosis is accurate, it would not likely explain sciatica pain, but may provide an answer to localized back pain.

* Discogenic pain may be diagnosed when the small nerves in the endplates are affected mechanically or when they are exposed to irritating protein inside the disc. In some cases, these endplate nerves may grow into the disc, enacting pain. However, being that these nerves are so small and not known for their sensory properties, this theory is once again highly controversial and would never explain sciatica, since these nerves are localized only.

Sciatica is a radiculopathy process, and like most nerve pain issues, is rarely traced back to definitive structural compression concerns. In my experience, the majority of patients with any type of lower body radiculopathy are not suffering from a spinal causation, but are instead being victimized by a regional oxygen deprivation syndrome which is affecting the entire sciatic nerve. This explains both the treatment-resistant nature of the pain, as well as the typical symptoms which are far too widespread to be explained from the working medical diagnosis. I routinely advise many patients to consider this explanation for their pain if they have tried everything for their diagnosed condition and have not found lasting relief...

Sciatic Nerve Pain - Specific Chiropractic Treatment Alternatives That Eliminate Lower Back Pain

As a chiropractor here in Plano, Texas, I often have patients who come in for treatment because of lower back pain, and some find that it's the sciatic nerve that's giving them the pain. Sciatica is commonly seen as a pain of the lower back which runs down from the back into the leg. This pain can be sharp, tingling and cause numbness of the lower back and leg. As part of my chiropractic care, I prescribe non-surgical methods to bring relief to my patients.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest single nerve in your body. It branches off at the base of the spine and runs down each side of your pelvic area, supplying nerve impulses to your butt, legs and feet. If you've ever experienced sciatica, you know how debilitating this pain can be. I've seen patients, who could barely walk, couldn't bend over, or even stand. There are a lot of things that can trigger problems with your sciatic nerve, poor posture when you sit, slip and fall on your butt, improper swing while playing golf, and the list goes on. For most of my patients, I recommend, certain exercise, lots of rest, and certain pain medication, while they recuperate. Usually you will be back to your normal self within 2-3 weeks. However, if your pain is still severe and continues beyond 2 months, it might be necessary to consider surgery as a last resolve. In this article I will focus on alternative methods to treat this condition and leave the surgery to those more qualified.

Chiropractic Treatments and Alternatives at Home

I immediately recommend heat packs and ice packs. Both can be used independently or combined at various intervals. If you do not have access to over the counter packs, please use ice in a Ziploc bag and heated towels or a heating pad. Both should be applied for 20 to 30 minutes and then repeated every 2-3 hours. This should bring relief until the patient can get in to my office.

Along with heat and ice, I suggest that you use Tylenol, Advil, ibuprofen, or naproxen to help reduce the pain. Another consideration if the pain is very acute is the use epidural steroid injections. These injections are different from the oral steroid medicines because the steroid is given directly to the injured area and should bring immediate relief from the pain, much quicker than meds or oral steroids. This must be administered by a qualified medical specialist, I do not provide this service but can recommend other medical professionals who do.

Alternative Chiropractic Treatment at my Office

Chiropractors sometimes suggest the need for exercise. This might sound counter productive, but very mild exercise along with the other treatments listed above, can help strengthen muscles of the lower back and your stomach muscles. To qualify the type of exercise I recommend, I prescribe simple stretching starting slowly and gradually increasing as you recover and also to prevent future recurrences of sciatica or other back pain.The equipment I've installed at my office is very effective in helping with the pain and if utilized correctly, will contribute to end of sciatic pain.

Other techniques for pain relief are spinal decompression, cold laser therapy, heat and cold applied with gentle massage therapy. I have patients who I see in my office that usually need a combination of the above techniques to resolve their sciatic pain. We use various forms of massage and cold laser to relax patient's muscles, improve blood flow, and most important, the release of endorphins in the body that act as natural pain relievers.

Last but not least, a highly effective technique for treatment that is being used more and more is acupuncture. Most people think of being a human pin cushion and even though the origins of this technique were developed by the Chinese, it is an approved procedure for back pain by the FDA. A qualified and trained acupuncturist can provide relief from back pain by simply using thin needles inserted in the area where you feel discomfort. Acupuncture focuses on the applied principle of harmonizing your body's flow of energy through various pathways in the body. There is no guarantee that this or any other combination of treatments will totally eliminate sciatica from recurring but if you follow the advice of your chiropractor and seek help early, you should prevent this from happening again in the future.

Herniated Disc Back Surgery

Herniated disc back surgery is a procedure that is commonly done to treat severe cases of back pain due to a herniated disc. In recent years, the incidence of herniated disc has increased due to poor understanding of the importance of ergonomics in professions that involve long hours in front of a computer. Coupled with old age and lack of exercise, back pain can progress relatively quickly requiring herniated disc back surgery to remedy the condition effectively.

Now, it's very important to remember that surgery isn't always the first choice by doctors to treat back pain. Prior to even considering surgery, advanced diagnostic tests will need to be conducted to evaluate the extent of the injury. These often involve sophisticated imaging techniques that take a clear picture of the spine in order to check the severity of the misalignment.

If a condition is deemed too advanced for common therapy and rest methods, herniated disc back surgery becomes the primary option for treatment. Here, doctors will need to evaluate the specific type of procedure that will lead to the most effective cure without severely altering the biomechanical structure of the patient's spine.

In laminectomy, only a small portion of the problem disc is removed to ease the pressure impinging on the affected nerves in the back area. A laminectomy is the least invasive of all the herniated disc back surgery procedures because it only requires shaving of the protruding part while still leaving the whole spinal column intact. This is often used to treat spinal stenosis and spondyliothesis among other back conditions.

In discectomy, one or more of the herniated disc will need to be removed to relieve the pressure on the patient's back. This type of herniated disc back surgery is one of the most serious and requires tremendous planning and long recovery periods. In many cases, a spinal fusion procedure is also performed to stabilize the spine after removal of one or more herniated discs. This is done using a cement-like material that bonds the remaining discs together to restore mechanical integrity to the patient's spine.

More recent procedures for back treatment involve replacing a removed disc altogether with a new material that has been specifically shaped to mimic the now absent vertebrae. This foregoes the need for spinal fusion because the spine remains compact and evenly spaced while still correcting the ultimate cause of the recurring back pain. Granted, this procedure is still relatively new and requires more testing to determine which types of materials are suitable for disc substitution; still, it's more promising given that a good percentage of spinal fusion surgery often leads to complications because of loss of spinal flexibility.

If you are suffering from back pain that is no longer responsive to physical therapy, pain relief medications and other non-invasive treatment methods, your doctor may suggest herniated disc back surgery as a permanent treatment option. It has its fair share of risks and complications but the progress of modern medicine has made it a far safer and highly effective option for treating serious cases of recurring back pain. Think about it thoroughly because if it is successful, and chances are that it will be, you can finally enjoy a life free from recurring spinal pain so you can live the rest of your life without worrying about constant back problems.

If you are having severe back problems you should really check out our website. We have over 150 well done articles concerning various topics on treatment and prevention of back problems, especially herniated discs.

Surgical Treatments in the Fight Against Cervical Spondylosis

One of the many degenerative diseases that are evident in old age is Cervical Spondylosis. This condition attacks the cervical bones responsible for bending and rotating the neck by forming bone spurs or osteophytes. Sometimes, the condition is also termed as Neck Arthritis. The earliest clinical manifestations of the disease are headaches, neck pain and stiffness. Some people's disease manifestations, however, do not show clinical signs of development until it is elaborately diagnosed with a simple neck x-ray.

Severe cases of Cervical Spondylosis show neurologic and physiologic symptoms that may already alter body functions. Some of these severe manifestations include neck pain that is not relieved by drugs and other homeopathic remedies. Difficulty in swallowing, medically termed as dysphagia, can be dangerous and is observed when the developed osteophytes in the neck area compress the esophagus. Loss of balance may also be an issue when standing and moving about. Bowel and bladder incontinence can be disturbing as it affects excretion of toxins from the body.

Surgery can be the final option when the neck pain persists and radiates in the arms and back. However, some older people believe that this does not work up until advised by experts. Primarily, surgery is done if neurologic symptoms such as falling, weakness and numbness are observed. Your surgeon has the discretion of how to approach the spinal cord which has three areas: the front, rear and side. Usually, some portions of the cervical disc are excavated along with some osteophytes.

The type of surgery that will be used can vary depending on the underlying origin of pain and nerve damage including a narrowed spinal canal or a slipped disc. Here are each of the surgeries and overviews of each of the processes. Laminectomy is one of the most common procedures where a small incision is made at the back of the neck removing bone pieces contributing to spinal cord compression. Foraminotomy, on the other hand, is done by cutting a nerve root at the back of the neck. When a whole osteophyte or bone lump is removed, discectomy is performed.

A new kind of surgery, the Prosthetic Intervertebral Disc Replacement, is performed by removing a worn-out spinal disc and replacing it with an artificial disc to do the same function. This procedure has brought promising results to patients. However, there are still no data on how well it works on a long term basis.

Who Wants to Know the Sciatica Causes?

The hidden sciatica causes

The human body has at least 641 muscles, and their main task among other things, is to maintain the position and curvature of your spine in a well balanced posture, that also allows movement of the various parts of your body.

Therefore, almost every muscle and muscle group that you have, has a direct effect on your spine, and if for some reason, any one of those muscles gets out balance long enough, it will cause a condition that in turn becomes one of the 4 principal sciatica causes.

What happens is that when your muscles are out of balance they pull your bones and joints out of their normal balanced position and this places your bones and joints under constant stress and uneven pressure.

Take the simple example of you driving your car with unbalanced tires, or when the tires are out of alignment. Your tires will wear down unevenly and much quicker than normal, and eventually you will have a blowout.

The blowout is the sciatica pain, the unbalanced tires are the condition or symptom that is often diagnosed, and the root cause or sciatica causes is what made the tires become unbalanced. So you have 3 items here, sciatica pain, sciatica symptoms and sciatica causes.

The sciatica causes are hidden behind the sciatica symptoms (condition) and it is the symptom that is behind sciatica pain or back pain. That is the true state of affairs of your body, that very few medical or health-care professionals are even aware about. If they were, they would not be stopping at treating conditions or sciatica symptoms.

The major reason most sciatica treatments fail is because they treat the sciatica symptoms and not the sciatica causes. Unlike most sciatica treatment options that may only give temporary sciatica relief, a better treatment system provides you with an easy program that addresses both the sciatica pain and the sciatica cause or sciatica causes.

It is absolutely important for you to understand that your body alignment and mechanics are affected by your muscles and even the smallest muscle imbalance can, overtime, place tremendous amounts of uneven pressure and wear and tear on your body, especially the spine and it's supporting muscles, and that is the seat of sciatica causes.

Among the sciatica pain causes is - Spinal Stenosis

Sciatica pain can also be caused by pressure on the nerve due to a narrowing of the spinal canal.What is crying out for an answer here is, what caused the narrowing of the spinal canal? There are several possible sciatica causes that lead to spinal stenosis:

Aging-With age, the body's ligaments (tough connective tissues between the bones in the spine) can thicken. Spurs (small growths) may develop on the bones and into the spinal canal. The facet joints (flat surfaces on each vertebra that form the spinal column) also may begin to thicken.

Trauma-Accidents and injuries may either dislocate the spine and the spinal canal or cause burst fractures that produce fragments of bone that penetrate the canal.

Heredity-If the spinal canal is too small at birth, symptoms of spinal stenosis may show up in a relatively young person. Structural deformities of the involved vertebrae can cause narrowing of the spinal canal.

Fluorosis-Fluorosis is an excessive level of fluoride in the body. It may result from chronic inhalation of industrial dusts or gases contaminated with fluorides, prolonged ingestion of water containing large amounts of fluorides, or accidental ingestion of fluoride-containing insecticides. The condition may lead to calcified spinal ligaments or softened bones and to degenerative conditions like spinal stenosis.

The most important thing you can do if you are certain you have spinal stenosis is to ensure that you maintain as close to normal curvature in the spine. The more your spine is pulled out of place the tighter the space gets in the spinal canal. Muscle balance is the key here, and must be attended to for lasting sciatica relief. To learn more go to goodbyesciaticabackpain.com

Back Pain FAQ to Relieve Your Backache

Back ache is among the most common physical problems encountered by people these days. The urban lifestyle is to be blamed for this problem to a large extent. Back aches result in extreme pain in the upper, middle, and lower back areas. When this problem catches you, you may not know whom to approach for help. Back pain FAQ can answer many of your queries regarding pain in the back.

Symptoms Of Back Ache

You will know that you are facing a back problem if there is a pain in any region of the back, hips, or waist; stiffness in the back; pain, weakness, or lack of sensation in legs or feet; excruciating pain in neck or upper back area; or persistent pain that causes anxiousness, depression, or mood swings. Back Pain FAQ resource contains all other symptoms regarding back ache.

Type & Causes Of Back Ache

Back ache can be broadly divided into two categories: acute backache and chronic backache. It could be a constant pain or pain arising at intervals. Acute backache is generally caused by minor or major injuries such as: falling, jerking, lifting heavy objects, road accident, and spinal injury due to accident or displacement of a vertebral disk. Chronic backache is caused due to various factors which persist in the body. Its main causes are: spondylosis, slipped disk, constant wrong posture, pregnancy, lumbago, etc. But all pains relating to the back, originate from any of these:

1. The bones and ligaments of the spine
2. Muscles and tendons sustaining the back
3. Nerves of the spinal cord
4. Any other internal organ

Treatment Of Back Ache

The most important Back Pain FAQ for people suffering from backache is about the treatment for the problem. Following will prove to be very beneficial in proper management and relief from the problem.

1. Maintain a correct posture, while at work and home. Sit erect, as much as possible.
2. Exercise regularly. Any kind of back pain can be controlled with regular exercise. The exercise doesn't have to be really hard.
3. During times of acute back pain, use heat and ice packs.
4. For immediate relief, you can use analgesics, available over the counter.
5. Physiotherapy using heat, ultrasound waves, etc. can relieve back pain to a great extent.

When To See Your Doctor

Following the above remedies can take care of back problem to a large extent. However, if the problem persists and is so acute that it refrains you from doing your routine work, you must see a doctor. Some serious concerns are weakness, backache with ache in legs, stinging sensation in legs or backache, when one should immediately meet a doctor. In severe cases surgery may be recommended.

Equipped with the information revealed through a back pain FAQ, one can effectively deal with the problem. However, it can be prevented all along by maintaining correct posture and a regular exercise regimen.

Solving Bulging Disc Problems

Many back problems are actually caused by bulging discs. A bulging disc is a common back problem for adults of all ages. Many people have this condition yet may be unaware of it. Bulging intervertebral discs can be a source of significant pain. The spine is made up of a series of bones separated by spongy intervertebral discs supported by ligaments. As the body ages the ligaments in the spine tend to wear down or shift. Bulging discs occur when the discs pop out from their original location.

A bulging disc becomes painful when it protrudes into the spinal canal area. When it rubs on other parts of the spine or on the nerve roots exiting the spine, it causes acute pain. The pain often subsides upon rest, but returns after a use such as standing, walking, or bending. Even sitting a certain way can cause pain. When the pain is acute, the patient needs the help of a spinal surgery specialist. A growing treatment for bulging discs is an arthroscopic laser discectomy. This is a special surgical procedure that is less invasive than traditional open back surgeries. This type of surgery is done using a small incision into which an endoscopic tube is inserted. This instrument removes the problematic disc material and then the laser gets rid of any surrounding problem areas.

This type of treatment for a bulging disc is fairly new. The patient has a much shorter recovery time than he or she would from traditional back surgery. The surgery is less invasive, making it less painful, and allowing for a shorter recovery time. The first step towards treatment for bulging discs is to get a proper diagnosis. This is often done using an MRI. The surgeon will discuss options with the patient to determine the best course of treatment.

Long-Term Opioid Analgesia Without Tolerance, Respiratory Depression, or Euphoria

I have been kicking these observations around for the past year, and have been unable to find a big fish willing to 'bite'. I truly believe that the observations below have the potential to dramatically change the approach to opioid treatment of chronic pain. Since I have a blog, I have a soapbox-- so I'll share the idea, and welcome comments in return. I do ask that proper attribution be provided if this article is shared.

Introduction:

Long-term opioid analgesia without tolerance, respiratory depression, or euphoria? Introducing the Holy Grail for chronic pain treatment!

Premise:

The miracle of opioid pain relief is fatally limited by tolerance, addiction and respiratory depression. Buprenorphine, when combined with a mu agonist, results in game-changing effects. Patients experience potent, dose-related analgesia from the agonist, but have NO euphoria. The therapeutic window is widened. Patients unable to control their use of a mu agonist alone gain that control when on buprenorphine. And most exciting, buprenorphine indefinitely anchors tolerance, maintaining analgesia WITHOUT DOSE ESCALATION. This finding offers huge implications for pain management.

Discussion:

Use of opioids for chronic pain has severe limitations. Tolerance removes the benefits of opioid analgesics over time. Worse, tolerance is associated with dependence and withdrawal. Many patients use additional doses of their prescription early in the month, then suffer through withdrawal while awaiting refills. Others find opioids through less-reliable, non-clinical sources.

At the same time, addiction to mu opioids is a nationwide epidemic. Reformulation Oxycontin has pushed many opioid users toward diacetylmorphine-brand name Heroin. Some physicians recommend avoiding mu opioids altogether for chronic pain (e.g. Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing), while pain treatment advocates argue to ease narcotic restrictions.

Over the past six years I have treated over 500 patients using buprenorphine, mostly for opioid dependence. Buprenorphine, a partial mu agonist, is the active ingredient in Suboxone, a medication used for treating opioid dependence. The majority of my patients began their addictions with narcotics prescribed by doctors for back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, fibromyalgia, chronic headaches, and other conditions.

Many of my patients found their pain reduced or gone after stopping mu agonists and substituting buprenorphine. Buprenorphine has the mu activity of 40 mg of daily methadone, but this activity is unlikely responsible for significant analgesia, since patients rapidly become tolerant to the agonist actions of buprenorphine. Instead, their pain while on mu agonists was likely maintained by psychological forces.

Patients on buprenorphine occasionally need opioid analgesia, just like other patients. My patients have had knees replaced, gallbladders removed, hysterectomies and c-sections, rotator cuff repairs, and in two cases, cardiac surgery. In all cases, sufficient analgesia was provided by maintaining daily buprenorphine at 4-8 mg per day, and using potent mu agonists, usually oxycodone, in doses ranging from 15-45 mg every 4-6 hours as needed.

Several patients have severe chronic pain from avulsion of the brachial plexus, failed spinal fusion, or other conditions, where prior opioid use resulted in rapid tolerance that prevented effective analgesia. These patients are now successfully maintained on combinations of buprenorphine plus mu agonists.

The combination of buprenorphine plus mu agonists has provided perioperative analgesia for patients on buprenorphine. Patients universally describe adequate pain relief, even after major surgeries. They also described the absence of euphoria, and to their surprise, the ability to control their use of pain medication-something impossible before taking buprenorphine.

But it is the effects on chronic pain that suggest a 'game-changer' for pain treatment. Even after over a year on combination buprenorphine/oxycodone, my patients 1. have no euphoria; 2. are often able to manage their own narcotic medication; and most important, 3. describe stable analgesia WITHOUT agonist dose escalation.

The ability to treat pain long-term without tolerance or dose-escalation is as exciting a development as was the initial discovery of opioids for pain relief!

Properties of a combination agent

Buprenorphine is administered sublingually, and could be prescribed as a separate medication, and use verified through urine monitoring. But greater safety benefits would come through regulations requiring buprenorphine (or a similar partial agonist) to be an inseparable part of every opioid prescription. Such a policy would dramatically lower the addictiveness and reduce the respiratory depression of mu agonists WITHOUT removing efficacy. The most obvious formulation would be a transdermal system that delivers buprenorphine and fentanyl, since both are already available in separate transdermal systems.

There may be situations, for example hospice care, where euphoria would be a desirable part of opioid treatment. But for other cases, analgesia without euphoria has obvious benefits.

I have written to several pharmaceutical companies with this idea, and have heard back that while the idea is interesting and scientifically sound, the generic nature of the component medications reduce the potential for profit that would motivate development. But given the potential value of this approach for multiple problems-- addiction and chronic pain among them-I have to think that there is money to be made-not to mention the advances in treatment that the approach offers.

Reference:

Some supporting background information can be found in: Alford, D., P Compton, and J Samet, Acute Pain Management for Patients Receiving Maintenance Methadone or Buprenorphine Therapy. Ann Intern Med. 2006 January 17; 144(2): 127-134.

I also discuss this approach to pain treatment in my 'Users Guide to Suboxone', sold on Amazon and at bupeguide.com

Jeffrey T Junig MD PhD

Please do not reproduce without attribution.

Do Not Have A Spinal Fusion Look Into Laser Surgery

Also known as the spondylodesis, spinal fusion is a surgical technique which is used to alleviate the back pains. This is essentially done by combining two or more vertebrae so as to immobilize them. It's basically done to deal with pains emanating from abnormal vertebrae motion. This is done mostly in lumbar section of the spine and can be used to treat thoracic and cervical problems.

The main reason for the spinal fusion to be done is due to a patient's neurological deficits and intense pain which are dominant over conservative treatments. These conditions include spinal tumor, scoliosis, spinal disc herniation, digestive disc disease, spondylolisthesis and other conditions leading to spine instability. However, in spite of this medical technique being quite effective, it has some disadvantages that go with it.

Some people after this medical procedure tend to experience headaches. These occur at times as bubbles with no known cause. Others tend to experience numbness on one body side; others experience pain in the lower back muscles and so on. This are all the after effects of spinal fusion of which some can be fatal. These problems can all be avoided by taking the alternative of laser surgery.

The factor that led to the development of this medical treatment was the damages caused by spinal fusion. Spinal fusion is invasive which means collateral damage of healthy tissues is inevitable. Moreover, recovery period was long and unnecessary. This led to the development of a better alternative which by far has gained a lot of popularity.

Laser surgery is the future for the people living with back pains and those tired of dealing with frequent therapies and taking pain pills. This is a new and a non invasive spine treatment method. In the laser surgery, a laser is used rather than a scalpel to cut through the tissues by vaporizing soft tissues which has higher water content. This procedure is superficial which in turn leads to short recovery time for the patients. Moreover, there is no excessive blood loss which is caused by surgical cuts.

In the spinal fusion, the process involves drilling of holes in the spine. This can lead to the weakening of the spine or damages that can rise later on. However, with the laser surgery, there are no holes drilling hence no healthy tissues damage. This leads to quick recovery of the patient and it is fur less painful. A patient does not have to be laid in hospital for weeks awaiting recovery. The recovery period, depending on ones body, takes only five days and one set to proceed with their normal daily work.

Another benefit of using the laser surgery is that there is less scarring. Unlike the spine fusion which requires the opening up of ones skin to access the vertebral and then stitch it up leading to scars, this is not with the laser surgery. There is minimal skin invasion and chances of excessive cutting are not prominent. The laser is precise and right to the mark thereby giving fewer scars on the body.

Finally, the laser surgery is cost effective. This medical procedure has been found to cost a third to half of the normal surgery. Moreover, due to the quick recovery, less money is spent in hospital admissions as well as in the purchase of the required medications. This makes most want to shout, 'Do not have a "spinal fusion" look into laser surgery', and I support them.

Physical and Emotional Sources of Low Back Pain

Do you have low back pain? Does it hurt on your lower back when you get up, sit down, twist or even move in the middle? If you are suffering from low back pain, you probably have some degree of discomfort, from mild to severe, when you shift your body in some way that involves your lower back. With all of the bones, joints, ligaments, discs, nerves and muscles of our back, it is possible to suffer from many different reasons. There are several sources of low back pain, but also physical and emotional treatment modalities to make the pain subside or go away completely. Yes, there is healing for low back pain, in the form of conservative, non-invasive treatments.

Physical Sources

Almost all low back pain begins with stress or strain to the muscles. This can be caused by overworking it around the house, or during athletic or other heavy back movement activity. In addition, when your back muscles are tight, weak or out of balance, sometimes the slightest irritation will cause a great deal of aggravation. This may occur in the form of a harsh sneeze, bending over to pick up something, or a quick turn to respond to someone calling to you. There are exceptions of course, for example, when a person has been in an accident or had a serious fall. But underlying all that is the source of the pain, which are the muscles. The muscles are directly connected to the nerves that send pain messages to the brain.

Complicating the muscle pain is the issue of emotional trauma or stress. When a person is under duress, muscles will tighten and when contracted for too long, become stiff and uncomfortable, leading to pain.

There are also structural defects to the spine which may be causing pain. A back disc, which is the cushion between each vertebrae on the spine, can be ruptured and that places pressure on the nearby spinal nerves. This type of damage can occur in a patient as early as the age of 20. Spinal stenosis, which happens in older patients, is the compression, or narrowing of the spinal canal typically due to osteoarthritis or a congenital defect. There is also degenerative joint and disc diseases which when not treated, will only become more challenging to correct.

Emotional Sources

Unfortunately for humans, when a person is stressed, their muscles automatically tense up, as if for preparing for a fight. If a person has had an injury to their low back, these tightened muscles only agitate the low back pain. And even without a previous injury, a stiff, tensed up back could be compared to a dry twig instead of a leafy branch. With a slight provocation, it is apt to "snap" and cause low back pain. Stress comes from many sources and in many forms, relating to work, family and many other issues. If you have trouble sleeping or concentrating AND low back pain, the pain is probably stress-related.

Physical Treatment

The actual physical source of back pain can be difficult to diagnose directly to the source in some patients. A specific injury that you may or may not remember may have started the process. Sometimes the lower back will try to overcompensate for the injury, causing yet another problem. Add to that the stress of everyday life and you may have low back pain that may become chronic, lasting more than three months.

An orthopedic or pain management specialist can help diagnose the source of the pain and prescribe specific exercises, stretching or massage that will relieve pain and heal the low back pain over time.

Emotional Treatment

When a person is suffering from low back pain, it is best to treat the whole person, not just the back. There is certainly a connection between the mind and the body when a person is in consistent pain. Sometimes the tension in our back that makes our muscles contract and give lower back pain is caused by stress, worry and even anger.

Combined Relief

For a low back pain treatment analogy here, when you are diagnosed with strep throat, it is because a particular bacterium is found and so you are given specific antibiotics to treat it, as well as rest and plenty of liquids. In the same way, if you have low back pain, is could be a result of stress in your life as well as a disc or muscle problem. This must be treated from the perspective of the muscles of the back as well as the emotional point of view. This treatment strategy includes both the emotional and the physical structure of the back, and a scientific way of looking at both. An exceptional health care provider will ask questions about your lifestyle and current stress levels to see if your low back pain is related to your emotional state. If it appears that therapy would assist in treatment, he or she can refer you to a counselor to treat both sides of the problem.

Compression Fracture Of Spine - Symptoms Of Broken Vertebrae

A compression fracture of the spine may cause no symptoms, but in some cases can result in back pain and a stooped over posture. In a compression fracture of the spine, one or more spinal bones (vertebrae) collapse. This article takes a look at the reason why these types of fractures happen and delves deeper into the possible medical symptoms and treatments.

Compression Fracture Of Spine Symptoms And Causes

Chronic onset: Symptoms will not always be noticed in a person who develops a compression fracture and the evidence of the condition may first be discovered through an x-ray done for other reasons. In some cases symptoms will develop gradually over time and may include:

• A gradual onset of back pain


• Loss of height (up to 6 inches over time)


• Stooped over posture, referred to as "Dowager's Hump"

Acute onset: In some cases, symptoms will develop suddenly and cause sudden and severe back pain that remains in one local area. The onset of sudden back pain due to a compression fracture will typically be felt in the mid to lower part of the spine. This pain is described as "knife-like" and can be disabling and take months of recovery before pain alleviates.

There are may possible causes of compression fractures including:

• Weakening of the bones due to osteoporosis (most common cause)


• Weakening of the bones due to a pathology such as a cancerous tumor.


• Trauma to the spine such as a car accident or fall

Fractures that occur as a result of osteoporosis typically affect the vertebrae of the mid and lower spine. These types of fracture may produce no symptoms at first, especially at times of rest, but back pain may be aggravated by walking. Multiple spinal fractures may lead to a stooped posture called a kyphosis. This is seen as a hump-like curvature of the spine, like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Compression Fracture Of Spine Diagnosis And Treatment

A physical exam and spinal x-ray may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis of compression fractures of the spine. Other tests that may be performed include a bone density test to detect the presence of osteoporosis; a CT scan, MRI scan, or bone scan if there are concerns about the presence of a tumor or damage due to high-impact trauma to the spine (i.e. car accident or a fall from a height).

Treatment will depend on the cause of the compression fracture:

In patients with osteoporosis, the osteoporosis is treated with prescription medications and pain is controlled with pain medications and bed rest. Patients may benefit from physical therapy to develop the muscle strength needed to better support the spine. Surgery is a rare option, but for back pain cannot be controlled with conservative measures, surgery may be considered (i.e. balloon kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty). Fractures due to osteoporosis tend to become less painful with rest and pain medication, but some can result in chronic pain and disability.

If the fracture is caused by a tumor, treatment will be focused on treating the cancer. The prognosis will depend on the type of tumor involved.

If the fracture is cause by trauma, rest, pain medication, and bracing to support and immobilize the area is often required for 6 - 10 weeks. If bone fragments are in the spinal canal, surgery may be necessary to remove the fragments. Spinal fusion to fuse the vertebrae together and stabilize the spine may also be required. Compression fractures due to trauma will typically heal in 8 - 10 weeks with proper care. Recovery time will increase if surgery was involved.

Herniated Disc Surgery

Herniated disc surgery is still a popular treatment modality, despite a long history of failed procedures and often dismal curative results. Surgeons have invented a seemingly endless procession of invasive treatment options for herniated disc issues, yet the statistics for postoperative resolution of painful symptoms contraindicate surgical interventions in the vast majority of cases. Unfortunately for most patients who do undergo surgery, they learn this lesson too late, as the damage to their spinal tissues may be permanent and physically debilitating.

Herniated disc surgery comes in many forms and each tries to solve disc concerns in different ways. In the past, most herniated disc operations were fully open, involving massive incisions, 5 to 10 inches long, and complete dissection of the back musculature. Now, minimally invasive procedures and laser based techniques have virtually eliminated fully open back surgery in most cases. This is about the only good thing I have to say about surgery for back pain...

Even with advanced arthroscopic and fiber optic guided surgical techniques, the fact of the matter remains that surgery is almost never needed for herniated discs and the procedures often make matters worse, either immediately or eventually. There is little, if any, evidence that herniated discs are painful and lots of evidence to the contrary. Even in cases where discs may be the source of pain, tingling, numbness or weakness, there is no evidence that surgery is the best course of action, and once again, loads of evidence to the contrary...

The most common type of herniated disc surgery is the discectomy. The various manifestations of this operation are all geared towards removing part of the bulging or ruptured disc, in an effort to resolve pain and related neurological symptoms. This procedure can be useful in a very small number of patients who actually are suffering from ongoing nerve compression issues, but the majority of operated patients do not need this, or any, surgical assistance. In fact, the nature of discectomy leaves the intervertebral disc structure prone to further advanced degenerative effects and the possibility for a more severe herniation increases drastically. I have seen many patients who did not need surgery originally, but surely needed some desperate help after the operation, since the disc structure had been so compromised by the removal of tissue that the surrounding spinal levels actually become unstable. It is a sad situation to be sure.

Occasionally, some traditional surgeons add a laminectomy or hemilaminectomy to the discectomy operation. Laminectomy, in all forms, is best when used for extreme arthritic osteophyte treatment, not for disc issues and is one of the main reasons for postoperative pain in discectomy patients.

Less invasive and slightly more enlightened surgical options include IDET and nucleoplasty techniques. These far less damaging procedures involve shrinking intact bulging discs blamed for enacting painful symptoms using heat or radio waves introduced via tiny catheter directly into the disc. Although results are not bad, it does not change the fact that most patients do not need the procedures, since the treated disc is rarely the source of the actual pain experienced. When compared to placebo, or even the simple passage of time, these techniques demonstrate only a slight edge for postsurgical statistics.

Disc replacement surgery is used for herniated discs and advanced degenerative disc disease. Of all surgical options, this one is the most in tune with the natural design of the spine. The goal is to maintain flexibility and function, while replacing a supposedly badly damaged intervertebral disc. Even though I like the concept in artificial disc replacement, it does not make the operation necessary in most treated patients. Most would probably enjoy better results being treated nonsurgically and long term statistics about synthetic discs remain a potential catastrophe if the devices fail over the course of an extended time frame.

This brings us to my greatest nemesis in the herniated disc surgery sector... spinal fusion. This brutal and insane operation seeks to solve disc issues by literally welding the spinal levels together using bone grafts secured by hardware including screws, plates, rods and cages surgically implanted in and around the backbone. Fusion has a few special uses in the medical industry, but should not be used for treating back pain due to herniated discs. Fusion is never a solution. At best, it is a temporary fix, since the procedure hastens spinal degeneration in the surrounding vertebral and intervertebral levels exponentially. Basically, fusion begets more fusion in almost every case. Once a fusion is complete, it is simply a matter of time before the patient requires follow up operations which will slowly deplete them of all normal function and most often leave them with intractable pain which can make life a living hell. The point to remember is that fusion is contrary to the natural form and function of the spine and is therefore a huge liability akin to a ticking bomb implanted in the back...

Give More Bones to Your Spinal Instrumentation Coding

Spinal instrumentation is a method of keeping the spine stiff after spinal fusion surgery. It is used to treat the deformities of the spine owing to birth defects, fractures, scoliosis, spine diseases, and other injuries. When the spine no longer maintains its normal shape, and nerve damage occurs, different kinds of instrumentation (made of metal/titanium) are inserted into the spine. The instrumentation is typically comprised of pedicle screws, rods, plates, intervertebral cages, hooks and rods.

Guidelines in spinal instrumental coding: New techniques and technologies for spinal instrumentation are moving faster than codes can keep up. What's more, procedures come in a variety of configurations, which are often puzzling. While coding, these procedures could prove to be tricky. In a nutshell, unique coding guidelines and billing requirements for spinal instrumentation test the knowledge of even the most experienced neurosurgery coders.

So, if you want to be on track the next time a spinal instrumentation procedure hits your desk, you'll do well to attend quick and convenient audio conference that will coach you on what you need to know about spinal instrumentation coding. What's more is that you'll walk away with the know-how to determine proper reimbursement and avoid any inappropriate payment denials.

Audio conferences will also help you get the low down on spinal anatomy and definition, common types of posterior and anterior instrumentation and how they translate to codes, real life examples of instrumentation coding, new technologies and the latest codes, and so much more.

Neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, coders and billers, office managers and compliance officers, health insurance company claim processors - will all return enriched after attending these audio conferences.