This video animation explains different types of spinal injection that may be recommended by your doctor. Spinal injections can be administered to various sites along the spine. Some injections are used to relieve severe back pain. CLICK HERE.
Most disc injuries occur in the lower back. Disc injuries often cause pain radiating into an extremity. The herniated disc of the low back cause pain in the lower back and radiate into the leg often to the toes. Herniated disc in the lower back often cause leg pain without any lower back pain. Ninety percent of the time when you have radiating leg pain below the knee it is related to a compressed disc of the lumbar spine.
Three at home lower back tests you can do to indicate if a herniated disc is causing your pain are:
Slump Test – Sit on a chair. Then slump your shoulder forward and let your lower back curve toward the back. Then raise one or both of your legs straight out in front of you. If you have radiating pain in the leg you probably have a lower back herniated disc.
Leg Raise Test – Lay on the floor flat of your back. Keep both legs straight and raise both heels off the floor about 6 inches. If you have radiating pain into a leg or legs or you are unable to hold your legs up you probably have a lower back herniated disc.
Leg Traction Test – While lying flat on your back have someone pull slowly and but firmly on your leg from the ankle and foot. If your lower back or leg pain lessens you probably have a herniated disc and traction would be a good treatment.
You still need a professional orthopedic and neurological assessment of your lower back along with a radiographic examination such as an x-ray or CT/MRI scan to narrow down the specific level involved.
If you or someone you know suffers from chronic back pain or scitica from a herniated disc, you can call our office for a complimentary assessment of your lower back to see if you are a candidate for spinal decompression therapy.
Tel:604-984-4601, www.vanspinaldecompression.com
Degenerative disc disease (DDD) can affect any part of the spine, but it most commonly affects the low back (lumbar spine) or neck (cervical spine). Where you have pain will depend on what region of your spine has the disc degeneration.
Generally, people with degenerative disc disease have chronic back or neck pain. Sometimes, though, pain will flare up—that’s called an acute episode. The main symptom, though, is pain, so you should pay attention to it and what makes it better or worse.
With DDD, you may notice pain patterns such as:
It’s important to treat your back pain properly. Seek medical attention if your pain persists—and seek immediate attention if you have any of the emergency signs listed below.
Warning Signs You Need Immediate Help
LONDON - Sporting a weighty man bag may be the latest fashion for fellows but it can cause back pain and poor posture, British chiropractors said this month.
Trendsetters such as footballer David Beckham, rapper Jay-Z and actor Brad Pitt have all been spotted wearing the functional fashion accessory that the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) said can be bad for your back.
The BCA said the man bag in its various guises — from traditional over the shoulder laptop case, to messenger bag and satchel — should be used with caution.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Chiropractors+issue+warning+packing+purses/4320876/story.html#ixzz1Ei5oFH7k
Considering Injections for Back Pain? Here’s the Research
Does injection therapy for back pain relief really work? Johns Hopkins weights the risks and benefits.
Authors of a systematic review published in the journal Spine took a look at 18 randomized, controlled trials of the effectiveness of injection therapy in nearly 1,200 people with subacute (lasting longer than one month) or chronic (lasting for three months or more) low back pain. Epidural, facet joint, and trigger point injections were reviewed. The studies analyzed excluded people who experienced leg pain and/or muscle weakness due to spinal nerve compression (radiculopathy).
That means that in nearly two thirds of the studies, there was little evidence to suggest that injections were any more effective than placebo in providing short-term pain relief. In addition, none of the studies evaluated long-term effectiveness.
In spite of these findings, experts believe that it is still possible that certain subgroups of people with lingering low back pain could benefit from injection therapy. However, better-designed clinical trials are needed to determine just who those patients may be.
In the meantime, since injection therapy does appear to benefit some people, your doctor may suggest it as an option, particularly if other conservative therapies such as physical therapy have not been helpful and surgery is your next step.
Risks and benefits: Overall, injection therapy is a safe procedure, but adverse effects do sometimes occur. For example, nine of the 18 studies in the Spine review reported side effects, such as headache, dizziness, burning or tingling sensation, and nausea, in small numbers of people.
Injection therapy is not suitable if you are susceptible to excessive bleeding or are taking anticoagulants (drugs that reduce the formation of blood clots). In addition, people experiencing pain due to infection or certain forms of cancer should not receive injections with steroids, since these drugs can weaken the immune system.
