Photo via Pixabay by Whitesession For the millions of Americans who are living with chronic pain every day, it can be difficult to find the right coping methods for sustainable living. Link to this post!
Spinal stenosis is a very common ailment for people the world over and the pain can range from uncomfortable to intolerable. No matter what level of pain you experience with spinal stenosis, you will undoubtedly be in search of a way to treat it. Naturally, as it is such a common occurrence, there are a number of different treatment methods that you can try out yourself ranging from medication to more holistic approaches. Continue reading “Pain Management Options for Spinal Stenosis” »
What could quantum theory have to do with nerve pain? Well, according to a presentation given at the American Academy of Pain Management (AAPM) 25th Annual Clinical Meeting, quite a lot, actually. Whether this new direction for pain management will end up benefiting those with pain resulting from spinal stenosis remains to be seen, but it sure looks promising as a way of kicking the painkillers. Continue reading “Nerve Pain and Quantum Theory – How a New Pain Management Protocol Could Revolutionise Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment” »
Epidural steroid injections for back pain have long been a popular way of treating spinal stenosis related to inflammation in the lumbar spine. The safety of these injections has, especially in the past couple of years, been called into question numerous times, and one such concern is the documented effect on blood glucose that occurs after epidural steroid injections. Continue reading “Do You Need a Lower Epidural Steroid Dose if You Have Diabetes?” »
According to a new study, hypnotic sleep medications and SSRIs may increase the risk of osteoporotic and hip fractures in older adults. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a popular type of antidepressant and, as back pain is often associated with depression, those with spinal stenosis may be particularly at risk of this complication. Continue reading “Antidepressants May Increase Your Risk of Spinal Fracture” »
In the near future, doctors may be better able to decide which chronic lower back pain patients can safely be prescribed opiates for pain relief. Opioid related overdoses, and problems of opioid addiction are on the rise in the US, but as chronic back pain is also increasingly common this leaves physicians in something of a quandary over appropriate treatment. Finding a way to predict who is likely to respond well to opioids, or respond well to interventions for opioid addiction, could change the way chronic back pain is treated. Continue reading “Predicting Addiction – How Brain Scans Could Predict Risk of Opioid Addiction for Chronic Lower Back Pain Patients” »
An article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine this month concluded that home exercise and advice was more effective when combined with spinal manipulation for leg pain related to spinal problems. The study, which took place in Minnesota and Iowa, involved 192 patients with back-related leg pain, a common symptom of spinal stenosis, that had lasted for at least 4 weeks. Continue reading “Chiropractic Treatment Benefits Back-Related Leg Pain” »
Staying active is one of the best ways to help reduce your risk of back pain and help alleviate pain itself. Incorporating more exercise into your day can seem like a real challenge though when work, school, kids, partners and everything else makes claims on your time. A new study suggests a fairly simple solution: alternating between 30 minutes of standing and 30 minutes of sitting down at work. Does it really help relieve back pain, and will it harm your productivity?
This latest research, courtesy of scientists in Australia, found that office workers who spent a week switching between working standing up and working sitting down for half hour periods felt less tired and had reduced back pain and lower leg pain compared to when they spent the whole day sitting at their desks. Earlier studies have found that office workers spend around 75% of their day sitting in a chair, which has a significant effect on the risk of a variety of ailments, including back pain, cardiovascular disease and even diabetes.
The focus of this back pain study was two-pronged, with the researchers looking not only at the ability of this routine to relieve pain but also its potential effect on productivity. As any office manager knows, having your employees take a break every half hour to do jumping jacks or get some fresh air can really cut into available work time, while having people sit in a poorly lit, stuffy office all day is also detrimental to productivity (and health!).
The researchers recruited 17 men and 6 women and randomly assigned them to either spend their workday sitting or alternate between sitting and standing. Both groups used an electric adjustable-height workstation such as the Ergotron WorkFit-S 33-341-200 Dual Sit-Stand Workstation
Questionnaires were filled out at the end of the working weeks to assess levels of fatigue, musculoskeletal comfort, and how productive they felt they had been. The workers also noted how well they liked the adjustable workstation. Those who switched between sitting and standing reported higher enjoyment (81/100) when using the workstation, compared to 64/100 in the seated workers.
Switching between standing and sitting resulted in an average fatigue score of 52.7, compared to 67.8 when sitting all day. Scores over 66 were considered higher than what a healthy person would feel. The sit-stand group had 32% fewer musculoskeletal symptoms in the lower back and 14% fewer in their ankles and feet compared to when sitting all day.
Focus and concentration were better during the days when people worked sitting down, but productivity was actually higher in those alternating between sitting and standing. Those in the sit-stand group also tended to be less impatient, and less irritable than those sitting all day. The decrease in fatigue reported when sitting and standing may also translate to increased productivity over time, and the reduced incidence of back pain and leg pain may also help workers to minimise sick days over the longer term.
This may be the first study to show clear improvements in back pain, leg pain, and fatigue, following well-documented reductions in sedentary behaviour in office workers. Standing is increasingly seen to be better for health than sitting, while moving around is even better than standing. This can seem tricky to do in an office setting but simply things can increase physical activity during the day, such as:
Standing up and moving around during the work day can help decrease metabolic factors associated with increased inflammation, aid circulation for better tissue oxygenation and nourishment, improve emotional well-being, reduce pain, and also help prevent overtaxing of certain muscle groups that may lead to back pain, neck pain or other pain condition. Over time, increased activity also appears to reduce the likelihood of undesirable changes in bones and ligaments that may lead to spinal stenosis and back pain.
Thorp AA, Kingwell BA, Owen N, Dunstan DW. (2014). Breaking up workplace sitting time with intermittent standing bouts improves fatigue and musculoskeletal discomfort in overweight/obese office workers. Occup Environ Med. 2014 Aug 28. pii: oemed-2014-102348. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2014-102348. [Epub ahead of print].
You might think that osteopaths are just for spines and knees and so forth but many people choose to consult an osteopath rather than their family physician for a range of health concerns. In fact, a new study carried out in Quebec, Canada, has found that musculoskeletal pain only accounts for 61.9% of consultations, so what are the other top reasons for people checking in with their osteo? Continue reading “Top Five Reasons People See an Osteopath” »
The health of the gut has a profound effect on overall health and well being but you might not have previously connected gut health and arthritis symptoms like back pain. In a new review researchers have looked at how gut microflora’s influence on our immune system may point to a novel way of preventing and treating arthritis. Could popping a probiotic help reduce back pain, with the only side effects being better all-round health? Continue reading “Could Probiotics Help Relieve Arthritis Symptoms Like Back Pain?” »