Tag Archives: back surgery

Can’t Sleep Because Of Your Back Pain?

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I have treated many patients who had suffered with insomnia because of their back pain. Have you been up most of night with back pain? Are you desperate for a good night’s sleep? Many patients I treat for back pain had not been able to sleep in the same bad with their spouse for years. Even though they had bought different mattresses, and some were very expensive. They said it would have been worth the money just to get to some sleep.

People who suffer with back pain tend to buy different beds – some very expensive beds. Some patients have tried putting boards under their mattresses, or they sleep on the floor. Many have slept on their couches or were sleeping propped up in their recliners. They try buying different pillows: soft or contour pillows for their necks and firm body-pillows for between their knees. It is sad because they will tell me they have not slept with their spouses in years, because they hurt too much to stay in the bed. These back pain sufferers report they have the “Goldilocks” syndrome, and they actually have tried sleeping in every bed in their house. Nothing helped them for any length of time.

Some back pain may resolve in a short time, and there can be temporary reasons for the pain. However, it can be a more serious problem, if the symptoms persist. Back pain and interrupted sleep can become a cycle, even though back sufferers try so hard to get some sleep. Many of my patients told me they had slept in every bed in the house, just like Goldilocks. Because they cannot sleep, they keep their spouses awake by tossing, turning and having the television on, or playing soothing music. While they are surfing late-night television, it is common that they watch infomercials and buy things such as inversion tables, aids for sleeping, diet, or exercise programs; all for the hope of pain relief and sleep.

There are temporary reasons for back pain. An example is a pregnant woman. Her back pain can be because of so much extra weight around her mid- section during the day. The same thing can happen from being overweight. Other reasons could be improper carrying to one side, anything from a heavy purse to a child riding on the hip, improper sitting, sitting while leaning and peering at a computer screen. The list goes on, because of our more sedentary lives.

If the pills do not help you, on the next visit when you see your doctor, he or she will probably tell you to go to a physical therapist. If you are still in pain, when you go back to your doctor again, then you may get to have X-rays or MRIs to figure the actual diagnosis and exactly what is wrong. If you are diagnosed with a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease, you may be referred to an orthopedic specialist or a neurologist. At that point, they could recommend having an injection (epidural) which may help short-term: two months, two weeks, two days, or not at all.

If your pain continues, surgery may be recommended. After surgery, some patients are very disappointed because they still have pain and some of the previous symptoms. I call this process a “medical pipeline”.

There may come a point, where your specialist recommends back surgery. Some surgeries are successful – while others are not, and without saying, these patients are extremely disappointed. If you need to continue to take pain medications long-term, then you will be under the care of a pain specialist. At this point, you would have a diagnosis of “failed surgery syndrome”.

Learn what others are doingfor sleeping with back pain#1. Stop by Dr. Richard E. Busch III’s site where you can find out all about how to avoid surgery for back pain#2 and why to say no to surgery.

MRSA In Our Hospitals, Communities And Homes

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Most of us have heard about MRSA, and many of us now know of someone who has contracted it: some of us even know of someone who has died. MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is often noted as the “Super-Bug”. Actually, MRSA can be many strains of S. aureus bacteria (it is not a virus), and it is resistant to many antibiotics. There is a continued effort to develop more antibiotics, but it is difficult because of its evolving resistance to more and more drugs. MRSA is most likely to be contracted from hospitals (hospital-acquired infection). Some studies show a contamination rate as high as 64%. There have been random studies performed on common surfaces in hospitals, such as doors, walls in the hospital halls, and elevator buttons, and 80 %of the tested surfaces had evidence of MRSA. Many doctors and healthcare professionals are considering this a global plague – projecting over six million cases in 2010 – with a death rate of over 30 %. The major concern is the limited medical options for care and the sources of contamination that are outside of our hospitals.

MRSA cases identified in a healthcare setting are referred to as healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). In the last 40 years, MRSA has become a significant problem in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, although it was found in 1945 with the advent of penicillin. In the early years, MRSA was treated with penicillin. Now is antibiotic resistant, which includes penicillin and many other antibiotics. Because many patients in hospitals and nursing homes are weakened from disease or surgery and have compromised immunity – they are very vulnerable.

It would seem to be natural, if MRSA is most likely to be spread by hand-to-hand contact, that it would imperative to have in place mandatory hand-washing procedures and other hygiene processes in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Since hospitals and healthcare facilities have implemented computer technology, there is an additional risk of transmission increasing by the use of computer keyboards.

Additional strains of MRSA, identified as CA-MRSA (community-associated MRSA), have been identified since late 1990′s. CA-MRSA appears to have no relationship with healthcare settings and there were no at-risk patients that were sick, injured and immune compromised. CA-MRSA is very different from the healthcare-associated strain. MRSA can be carried by anyone, and it can be picked from objects such as keyboards and door knobs that are contaminated . Heaviest transmission seems to be from most concentrated in groups that are related to locker rooms, sports, gyms, military groups, prisoners, and other concentrated gatherings of people. According to a majority of research, MRSA occurs in our noses, and if it enters the body via injuries and open sores, then there is a possibility of fatal infections. You can avoid the likelihood of contamination by not sharing anything personal such razors and towels. Always use proper hand washing methods and bandage cuts, scrapes and abrasions.

Headaches, fatigue, fever, swelling, pain and heat around an incision, wound or injury are common symptoms of MRSA. Infections that are more severe are in the joints, bones, surgical incisions, heart, lungs and bloodstream. Many times a bump on the skin will be dismissed as a spider bite. If it doesn’t get better in 3-4 days and you have a fever and flu-like symptoms, this could be MRSA.

There is reporting of MRSA infecting horses, and these cases are on the increase. This is just one of several ways strains of MRSA are challenging the human and animal barrier. Studies have shown that MRSA can be passed from humans to horses and horses to humans. There is now a strain of MRSA (ST398) detected in pigs. Initially it was reported from the Netherland five years ago, and then, more recently, it was reported in Canada. Now it has been found in the US, although there is no clear proof that the infection can contaminate our foods or humans. If that should become a fact, that will further complicate the battle against MRSA. It is also been determined that our pets have a strain of MRSA, and again, there is no proof of this infecting people. In fact, it could be that humans are infecting their pets.

Most especially for those considering elective surgery for neck and back pain, consider all your options and research nonsurgical procedures. Surgery is not your only option. MRSA contamination is common in hospitals. Screening could be done for MRSA in hospitals, but many do not. If testing proved positive, then patients would have to be placed in isolation, and this would increase the patient’s length of stay and the load on the facility by over crowding and under staffing. It is possible then – this can lead to more contact with infected people – serious under staffing which can lead to less hand washing and hygiene.

See what a national expert has to say about nonsurgical back pain treatment. visit Dr. Richard E. Busch III’s site on how to avoid surgery for back pain and neck pain and avoid needless risk.

Herniated Disc’s As a Cause of Sciatica

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by Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC

A herniated disc is a very painful condition, sometimes the pain can be associated with only the back and other times you may get sciatica. This creates an even more debilitating condition.

First a herniated disc occurs when the central portion of the disc called the nucleus pulposis migrates outwards and breaks through the outer portion of the disc called the annulus fibrosis.

The disc has actually been shown to only be painful in it’s outer 1/3. So the migration of the central portion can go on for some time before pain is experienced.

Repetitive activities, incorrect sitting postures and trauma are usually to blame when it comes to herniated disc pain. These activities weaken the outer annulus allowing migration of the inner portion of the disc.

As the migration occurs and the outer fibers become contacted the pain sensitive nerves begin to become activated resulting in local back pain at first.

Usually a short period of relief may follow the initial beginnings of back pain related to a disc injury. As the activities responsible are modified the pain may lessen.

Once a bout of disc related pain begins however, the research shows it is almost always likely to come back without proper treatment. This is often dangerous for unsuspecting people who think they are out of the woods.

With the return of the pain there is also a corresponding increase the the area involved. This usually starts with a movement of the pain into the arm and leg depending on where the disc problem is.

If this migration of pain begins to move into your leg it is often referred to as sciatica. This is a term used to describe irritation of the sciatic nerve.

In many cases the sciatic nerve is compressed directly from the injured disc and other times it is simply chemically irritated by inflammation associated with the disc injury.

No matter what the underlying reason for the sciatica pain, the disc has to be treated properly. This means a functional treatment like spinal decompression.

Spinal decompression actually creates negative pressures in the disc to draw back the herniated material so the disc can actually heal.

This really is the best solution for sciatica caused by a herniated disc.

About the Author:
Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC is a chiropractic neurologist in Phoenix Arizona. His practice focuses on chronic back and neck pain. If you have a herniated disc you can learn more by going to www.arizonabackinstitute.com. They also have a lot of experience dealing with chronic sciatica. So if you are suffering from back or neck pain call the Arizona Back Institute today.

Decompression the Answer to Chronic Low Back Pain?

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by Dr. Randall Pruitt

Chronic low back pain is a condition that many people suffer from. If you have suffered for any length of time you most likely have tried many treatment options to find relief.

The disc by far is the main cause of low back pain. Research has indicated that the majority of cases are attributed to disc pain. The second most common reason for back pain is facet joint pain followed by SI joint pain.

An important thing to understand about the disc is that it is only pain sensitive in the outer 1/3. This is important to understand because often damage can occur over time and you may never know, until the outer 1/3 of the disc is contacted by the inner material. This is why back pain can come on so suddenly out of the blue.

The disc is very susceptible to dehydration and degeneration primarily because if it’s lack of a direct blood supply. It receives it’s vital nutrients and hydration from the bones above and below where a rich blood supply is present. Once the disc becomes damaged the disc loses it’s ability to maintain hydration and it becomes dry and much more likely to deteriorate.

One little known fact about disc pain is that once a disc begins to dry out it becomes more pain sensitive. That’s because certain cells that hold hydration in the disc also inhibit the growth of pain sensitive nerves in the disc. So once a disc drys out painful nerves become more abundant.

There is only one treatment that actually creates a healthy and nourishing influx on hydration into the disc and that is spinal decompression. This treatment creates an active fluid exchange so that the disc receives the nutrition that it needs to heal.

Muscle contraction response is a common problem when applying any type of traction force to the spine, however the technology known as spinal decompression has a patented computer technology that allows it to overcome contraction of these muscles in real time. This allows a true spinal decompression effect to take place.

Once decompression is achieved a negative pressure in the disc creates 2 very important scenarios. First it actively retracts any herniated or bulging material centrally to relieve nerve compression or irritation and secondly it actively draws in nutrition so the disc can heal.

Treating the primary source of back pain is what makes spinal decompression unique, other treatments try to mask the pain and never create a structural benefit.

If you have tried other treatments with little to no success you really owe it to yourself to look into spinal decompression. The benefits are lasting unlike most of the other treatments available.

About the Author:
Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC is a practicing chiropractor. He has been offering spinal decompression therapyin Arizona for the past 10 years. If you are plagued with back painand would like more information on this treatment you can call his office at 480-503-3344 and resources can be provided.

What Should Be Done With Spinal Decompression?

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by Randall Pruitt, DC, DACNB, DAAPM, MUAC, CES-NASM

Many people are confused by the treatment protocols offered with spinal decompression. Some patinets are given cold packs, heat , massage or a combination of all of these. While some do other exercises in conjunction with their decompression therapy.

While many of these additional treatments may give short term relief many the majority are not productive in adding any long term value to the treatment.

This is common in the therapy world, as passive treatments are often performed because they make the patient feel good at the time, but they don’t offer much in the way of structural change.

Many studies have been done showing a significant amount of muscle atrophy and weakness associated with common disc problems.

These common problems include herniated discs, degenerative discs and bulging discs.

Many of the studies have shown that the muscle weakness leads to more progressive breakdown of the discs and less protection and allows another episode to take place.

This is why spinal decompression coupled with aggressive core strengthening is the best approach.

Dealing with the muscle weakness and spinal instability must be done cautiously as to not load or irritate the disc, but must be done nonetheless if full recovery is expected.

Therefore if you are going through a spinal decompression program spinal rehabilitation is a must if a long term outcome is desired.

About the Author:
Dr. Randall Pruitt is a chiropractic neurologist in Phoenix Arizona. Click here to learn more about Herniated Disc Treatments In Arizona. You can also learn more about Spinal Decompression in Arizona