Tag Archives: nonsurgical treatment for back pain

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.