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Nov 12

Spinal Decompression Therapy Contraindications

Posted on Friday, November 12, 2010 in Back Pain Relief

Contraindications to Spinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal Decompression Therapy is a revolutionary treatment involving intermittent spinal traction which can help relieve, back pain, neck pain, arm and leg pain. After being FDA cleared in the 1990′s, its popularity has grown tremendously as more patients realize the benefits or surgery avoidance and pain relief. It is over eighty percent effective, less than five percent the cost of surgery, cleared by the FDA, and extremely safe with a low risk profile.

There are some patients who are not candidates for spinal decompression however. Individuals with chronic neck pain or chronic back pain who have radiculopathy or sciatica may benefit in a big way. Typical problems that benefit include cervical disk hernation, lumbar disc herniation, failed spine surgery, facet syndrome, degenerative disc disease, ruptured discs, spinal stenosis, and sciatica.

Treatment with Spinal Decompression has helped many people avoid spine surgery. According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, surgery is no more effective than non-invasive treatments, including chiropractic care, for patients with lumbar disc herniation causing sciatica.

However, if an individual has had a prior spine fusion with hardware placed then spinal decompression is not indicated. The key here is instrumentation. Spinal fusions without instrumentation are okay for the treatment. The concern is the unlikely event that the instrumentation may shift. For instance if a patient had a neck fusion with a plate the end result is typically no more radiculopathy and a solid fusion. However, sometimes the end result is pain free even with no fusion occurring and the instrumentation is keeping the bones together. The intermittent spinal traction from the neck decompression, even though small, may cause the plate to move or a screw to shift.

An additional contraindication – pregnancy. Sciatica and back pain during pregnancy are very common. Chiropractic treatment and massage can be very helpful if done safely during pregnancy for back pain. Spinal decompression therapy includes intermittent spinal traction with a need to put a harness construct over the pelvic region. In order to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment, the harness is secured snugly and therefore in pregnant women the treatment is not allowed because of the resultant pressure on the uterus.

Patients with significant spinal osteoporosis should not undergo lumbar decompression or cervical decompression. Since there is a baseline increased risk of vertebral compression fractures from the decreased bone density, spinal decompression may add to that risk. Individuals with severe osteoporosis may experience vertebral compression fractures from simply rising out of a chair or sneezing. Persons who have osteopenia, which involves less bone density decrease than osteoporosis, are fine for back decompression or neck decompression in that regard.

These conditions are not indicated for spinal decompression. A comprehensive pain management center will have other options for pain relief in those patients which may include pain medications, interventional pain management, physical therapy, phoenix chiropractor treatment, acupuncture, or massage.

 

Jun 29

Choosing The Proper Clinic For Pain Management

Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 in Back Pain Relief

Probably the most recurrent wellness complaints, Dorsalgia or back pain could be brought on because of many problems including aorta disorders, spine swelling, malignancy, chest tumours, saddle shock, dermatological problems, osseous soreness, rheumatological illnesses, Meniscoid Occlusion, and damage to the paraspinal muscle tissue. The particular pain could be long-term or perhaps may erupt suddenly; it could be a piercing, burning sensation or perhaps a dull mild pain. Back pain management treatment centers function to ease back pain by way of prescription medication, physical exercise, patient schooling, modalities of physical treatment, education, and sometimes surgical procedure.

In back pain management treatment centers, the individual is interviewed to collect particulars associated with his/her history also to identify any kind of “yellow flags” or even “red flags” that is adding to his/her present medical problem. The actual healthcare practitioner would generally challenge the client regarding the time the pain strikes, the particular site of discomfort, whether the ache} is dull or well-defined, and about any prior harm. Both yellow flags and warning flag tend to be risk elements attached to impairment or long-term pain like back pain. As the yellow flags are predominantly psychosocial and can be overcome through a change in the particular focus of therapy; if the low back pain is linked to warning flag similar to weight-loss, a fever, and age higher than fifty years, the sufferer is considered for a lot more urgent attention.

In addition to interviewing the clients, mid back pain management clinics subject the individuals to a physical examination and perform essential tests. This could consist of examining the patient’s posture, gait and mobility; performing a neurological evaluation; and taking the necessary x-rays and blood tests, MRI and/or CT scans.

Once the causative element((blank)) for the lower back pain has been decided, the correct treatment solutions are recommended. The patient would be encouraged to return to the clinic following a stipulated period to assess the efficacy of the treatment. If the treatment seems to be ineffective, alternate treatments would be suggested.

The fact is actually that the healthcare management of Dorsalgia in the standard method  besides costing a lot, been unsuccessful. At such a juncture, a lot more back pain management clinics could move to chiropractic care.

Article by Richard Rives: Livewave Patch