...A sub-index of the Chronic back pain article index
In-depth information about pain management for low back pain, neck pain, chronic pain and neuropathic pain, and a range of treatment options
Coping with chronic pain
June 1, 2007 (Original publication June 13, 2000)
Using the mind to control chronic pain through specific pain control techniques may be used alone or in tandem with other pain management therapies, and ideally can help patients feel less dependent on pain killers and feel more empowered to be able to control their pain. Read more...
By: Andrew R. Block, PhD
Interdisciplinary chronic pain management vs. back surgery: Which is right for you?
May 7, 2007
While surgery has proven successful in addressing many types of chronic back pain, several recent studies demonstrate that interdisciplinary chronic pain management is an equivalent or better alternative for certain types of back pain patients. Read more...
By: Andrew R. Block, PhD
Myofascial therapy to treat
acute and chronic pain
February 20, 2007
Tightness within the fascial system—the web of connective tissue that spreads
throughout the body and surrounds muscles, bones, and organs—can be a source
of back pain. Myofascial Release therapy is a low load stretch that is designed
to relieve pain by releasing tightness within the fascia. Read
more...
By: Lisa Ganfield, OTR/L, CHT
Prolotherapy for low back pain
January 30, 2007
Several studies of patients with low back pain show benefits from prolotherapy, yet more research is necessary to demonstrate conclusively if and how prolotherapy works to provide relief from low back pain. For now, patients should consider prolotherapy as one of many treatment options available to them. Read more...
By: Simon Dagenais, PhD
Ultram Pain Reliever
January 10, 2007
Non-narcotic oral pain medications can help treat low back pain. Non-narcotic pain medications such as Ultram (tramadol) can be a good option for treatment of low back pain because patients do not generally build up a tolerance with extended usage and there is a relatively low incidence of addiction. Read more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Pain
killer addiction treatment
August 14, 2006
When patients take narcotic pain killers to avoid the withdrawal symptoms, rather
than to treat the pain that caused them to take the medicine initially, the patient
is considered to be addicted. Rapid opiate detoxification programs, such as Accelerated
Opiate Neuro-regulation, can help patients through the withdrawal process in
a manner that is relatively brief, safe, and with a minimum of withdrawal symptoms. Read
more...
By: Clifford A. Bernstein, MD
Spinal
cord stimulation for chronic pain
July 24, 2006
While spinal cord stimulation does not work for everyone, most patients with
chronic pain who qualify for a spinal cord stimulator report a 50 to 70% reduction
in their pain, as well as an increased ability to participate in normal family
and work activities. Read more...
By: Clifford A. Bernstein, MD
Medial branch
nerve blocks
April 25, 2006
For some patients, the source of their back or neck pain may be the facet joints—pairs
of small joints at each vertebral level of the spine. To confirm this source
of pain, a medial branch nerve block may be performed, which temporarily “blocks” pain
signals from a specific facet joint. Read more...
By: Ray M. Baker, MD
Manual physical therapy
for pain relief
January 13, 2006
Sometimes called “hands-on physical therapy”, manual physical therapy
uses no devices or machines. With this technique, therapists use only their hands
to reduce back muscle tension and restore mobility to stiff joints in an effort
to allow the patient more natural movement and pain relief. Read
more...
By: Robert J. Daul, MPT
Physical therapy for low back
pain relief
December 20, 2005
Most patients with low back pain will benefit from physical therapy that strengthens
the "belt"
of muscle around their spine—including the
abdominal and low back muscles. Even patients who
eventually elect back surgery benefit. A physical
therapist can show proper exercise technique and
ensure follow through. Read
more...
By: Rob D. Dickerman, DO, PhD
What is the McKenzie Method for back
pain and neck pain?
November 14, 2005
The McKenzie Method is an overall philosophy of physical therapy and exercise
that "centralizes" a patient's pain into the back, away from the legs
and arms, and then teaches patients self-healing techniques, including exercise,
for managing their own back pain or neck pain long-term. Read
more...
By: Vert Mooney, MD
Rechargeable spinal cord stimulators for chronic pain (Research article)
September 23, 2005
Spinal cord stimulators are small devices implanted
under a patient’s skin with the purpose of stopping pain signals
from reaching the brain and thus alleviating chronic
or neuropathic pain. They may be recommended if conservative
treatments fail to relieve chronic pain. Read more...
By: Thomas M. Wascher, MD, FACS
Hip joint injections for pain relief
August 23, 2005
A hip joint injection is a procedure that involves
injecting medicine into the joint located where the
leg and the pelvis join. It may be beneficial
for patients suffering from leg, hip, buttock or
lower back pain that results from arthritis, mechanical
stress or injury to the joint. Read
more…
By: Ray M. Baker, MD
Breaking the cycle of
chronic pain and insomnia
Updated September 7, 2006
The majority of patients suffering from chronic pain, such as chronic back pain,
also suffer from sleep disorders. Disrupted sleep often exacerbates chronic pain
problems, which in turn makes sleeping more difficult. This article reviews several
behavioral and medical approaches, including prescription sleep aids, that can
help treat both chronic pain and sleeping problems. Read
more...
By: William W. Deardorff, PhD, ABPP
4 tips to help cope
with chronic pain and depression
August 17, 2005
Those who suffer from chronic pain can feel stressed and depressed at times. However,
depression could be exacerbating the chronic pain symptoms. The four tips covered
in this article can help patients prevent or manage the vicious cycle of chronic
pain and depression that may develop. Read
more...
By: William W. Deardorff, PhD, ABPP
Kyphoplasty for vertebral compression
fractures
June 1, 2005
Kyphoplasty is an elective surgery designed to achieve two main goals in patients
suffering from painful vertebral compression fractures: to reduce or eliminate
back pain; avoid an increase in spinal deformity; and restore spinal alignment,
thus improving the patient’s posture. Read
more...
By: Rafael Levin, MD
COX-2 inhibitors - Celebrex and Bextra information
October 7, 2003 (Updated March 23, 2005)
Due to the new label warnings for Bextra and recent concerns about COX-2 inhibitor health risks, it’s especially important for patients to follow Celebrex and Bextra usage recommendations and know when to consult a physician. This article clearly explains the known side effects of Celebrex and Bextra as well as the important new guidelines from the FDA. Read more...
By: Donald Frisco, MD
Understanding COX-2
inhibitor side effects
February 9, 2005
Following the Vioxx recall, the FDA issued a new advisory for physicians prescribing
Celebrex, Bextra and other NSAIDs to their patients. This article summarizes
the recent study findings and FDA recommendations regarding COX-2 inhibitors
and naproxen, and provides several guidelines for safe use of these medications
for arthritis and back pain. Read
more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Safe use of COX-2 inhibitors and other NSAIDs
February 9, 2005
In light of new information about health risks associated with COX-2 inhibitors and some other NSAIDs, treatment options will vary from patient to patient based on individual risk factors, treatment needs and past experiences taking NSAIDs. Patients are recommended to meet with a physician to determine the safest and most effective arthritis and back pain medications. Read more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Vioxx recall
and recommendations
January 31, 2005
Since the voluntary recall of Vioxx, a brand of COX-2 inhibitor commonly prescribed
for arthritis and different types of back pain, many patients have concerns about
other brands of COX-2 inhibitors such as Bextra and Celebrex. This article explains
the events that led to the Vioxx recall and outlines the current FDA recommendations
for patients using COX-2 inhibitors and other NSAIDs. Read
more...
By: Gunnar B.J. Andersson, MD, PhD
Radiofrequency neurotomy
for facet and sacroiliac joint pain
December 27, 2004
Radiofrequency neurotomy is a pain management option for certain types of back
pain that uses a heat lesion designed to interrupt the nerve's pain signals to
the brain. This article explains the injection process as well as the expected
results. Read more...
IDET: an alternative
to invasive surgery for chronic low back pain
November 30, 2004
Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty (IDET) is a minimally invasive treatment
for patients with chronic low back pain from certain types of degenerative disc
disease or a contained disc herniation. Read more...
By: Jonathan Lester, MD
Cervical, thoracic
and lumbar facet joint injections
November 12, 2004
The facet joints can become painful due to arthritis of the spine, a back injury
or mechanical stress to the back. The pain relief from a facet joint injection
is intended to help a patient better tolerate a physical therapy routine to rehabilitate
his or her injury or back condition. Read more...
By: Ray Baker, MD
Depression
and chronic back pain
October 15, 2004
Even though it is not always recognized and/or treated, clinical depression is
estimated to be four times greater in people with chronic back pain than in the
general population. This article discusses the interrelationship between depression
and chronic back pain and helps patients recognize the signs of depression. Read
more...
By: William W. Deardorff, PhD, ABPP
Costotransverse and
costovertebral joint injections
September 24, 2004
Costotransverse and costovertebral joint injections both involve carefully injecting
medication into the small joints where the ribs join with the spine in the upper
back. The injections are used to both confirm a diagnosis that these joints are
the source of the patient’s upper back pain as well as to provide pain
relief. Read more...
By: Ray Baker, MD
Cervical, thoracic
and lumbar interlaminar epidural injections
September 10, 2004
An epidural injection delivers steroids into the epidural space around spinal
nerve roots to relieve back pain, leg pain, or other pain caused by irritated
spinal nerves. The steroid used in the injection reduces the inflammation of
those nerves, which is often the source of the pain. Read
more...
By: Ray Baker, MD
Modern
theories on chronic pain
March 11, 2003
One of the more interesting recent advances in modern medicine is a new theory
about chronic pain. This article discusses how this new theory - the Gate Control
Theory of chronic pain - is changing the way chronic back pain may be understood,
diagnosed and treated. Read
more...
By: William W. Deardorff, PhD., ABPP
Chronic
pain as a disease: why does it still hurt?
January 22, 2003
The medical community is starting to understand that if pain is no longer a
function of a healthy nervous system (signaling that there is a disease or
underlying injury), then the chronic pain itself becomes the problem and needs
to be treated as the primary disease. This is leading to changes in pain management
practices. Read more...
By: William W. Deardorff, PhD, ABPP
Pain management for chronic back pain
October 24, 2001
Pain used to be something many patients simply had to learn to "live" with.
Recently, researchers have learned a great deal about pain and its physiological
and psychological basis, leading to pain management treatments that can provide
complete or partial pain relief. Read more...
By: John Revord, MD
Pain management techniques
October 24, 2001
Pain relievers, back pain medications and related drugs are used at every stage
of back pain management, from the initial onset of acute pain to facilitation
of rehabilitation, pain management for chronic back pain and alleviation of
pain in cases of failed back surgery. Read more...
By: John Revord, MD
Pain management specialists
October 24, 2001
Health professionals in many fields have completed specialized training in
pain management. Currently, there is no single field of medicine or health
care that represents the preferred approach to pain management. Read
more...
By: John Revord, MD
Treatment
options for neuropathic pain
June 27, 2001
Currently there is no proven treatment to prevent or cure neuropathic pain
(neuropathy or nerve pain). Instead, the primary goals of treatment are to
reduce the pain as much as possible, balance the negative side effects of the
treatment, and pain management techniques to help patients manage any unresolved
pain. Read more...
By: Ralph F. Rashbaum, MD
Prolotherapy and
chronic back pain
January 25, 2001
Prolotherapy is a non-surgical pain management procedure used to treat connective
tissue injuries of the musculoskeletal system that have not healed by either
rest or conservative therapy. This article provides an overview on this injection
procedure and addresses potential risks. Read
more...
By: Vert Mooney, MD and Bjorn Eek, MD
Pain management
for degenerative disc disease
June 7, 2000
There are several back pain medications that can be effective for pain management
with degenerative disc disease, including over-the-counter pain medications
such as acetaminophen, anti-inflammatories and narcotic pain relievers. Other
non-surgical treatments may also be helpful for patients with degenerative
disc disease. Read more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Medications
for back pain and neck pain
October 1999
There are multiple over-the-counter (non-prescription) and prescription medications
that can be helpful in relieving pain and addressing related symptoms while
an episode of low back pain is getting better. Read
more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
Back-to-Back: Chronic back pain management
In this section, patients share their advice and strategies for chronic back pain management, such as emotional support, medications, gentle exercise and injections. The Back-to-Back section helps patients with chronic back pain learn from the experiences of others. Read more...
Back Pain Radio transcript: managing stress, depression and chronic back pain
April 19, 2005
What many patients don’t realize is that stress, chronic pain and depression are interrelated and need to be treated simultaneously by a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals. William Deardorff, M.D., a clinical health psychologist in California and Contributing Author for Spine-heatlh.com and Grant Cooper, M.D., host of Back Pain Radio, discuss chronic pain and depression on the April 11, 2005 radio show. Read transcript…
Chronic pain and pain management – The doctor is in!
April 19, 2005
This section addresses patients’ questions about undergoing facet joint injections and epidural steroid injections for pain management. Answers are provided by Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon and Medical Director for Spine-health.com. Patients’ inquiries on injections for pain relief from back problems were submitted by e-mail, and we’ve posted some common questions and responses here. Read more…
Facet joint and epidural injections – The doctor is in!
April 19, 2005
This section addresses patients’ questions about undergoing facet joint injections and epidural steroid injections for pain management. Answers are provided by Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon and Medical Director for Spine-health.com. Patients’ inquiries on injections for pain relief from back problems were submitted by e-mail, and we’ve posted some common questions and responses here. Read more…
Are your medications making you sick? – Spine-health.com Newsletter
While the recent media attention to certain drugs (such as COX-2 inhibitors
and other NSAIDs) has raised a red flag for many patients, the sometimes
misleading or contradictory headlines have also created confusion and unnecessary
fear for many. This newsletter explains some of the potential side effects
and risks of several commonly used drugs for back pain, including COX-2 inhibitors,
other NSAIDs, acetaminophen and anti-depressants. Read
more...
Take control of your back pain – Spine-health.com Newsletter
In addition to finding the right type of spine specialist(s) to diagnose and treat the cause of your pain, there are lots of things you can do on your own to help manage pain. This newsletter profiles some lesser known pain management strategies that have proven beneficial for many back pain sufferers include sleeping on a high-quality mattress and pillow, exercising, and weight loss (where appropriate). Read more...
Non-medical care alternatives for back pain - Spine-health.com Newsletter
This newsletter covers several non-medical treatment
alternatives, such as Pilates, acupuncture, Tai Chi,
yoga and massage therapy for people trying to manage
the pain from back condition. Gentle exercise and
relaxation can be extremely helpful for back pain
relief and chronic pain management. Read
more....
When the pain won’t stop - Spine-health.com Newsletter
If your back pain or neck pain has persisted despite
a variety of treatments - and maybe even after spine
surgery - you may understandably feel frustrated and
miserable. Pain can make it hard for you to undertake
or enjoy even the simplest daily activities. This newsletter
provides advice and guidelines to help you better understand
and manage chronic back pain. Read
more...
Your non-surgical care options - Spine-health.com Newsletter
Becoming educated about a full range of treatment options for back pain and
receiving the best spine care is on ongoing challenge for many patients.
This newsletter provides information on a range of non-surgical treatment
options for pain management, such as ice massage and cold therapy and passive
physical therapy, as well as advice about seeing a spine surgeon for your
back conditions. Read more...
Perspectives on pain management - Spine-health.com Newsletter
Careful attention to pain management and working with a pain management specialist
are critical components of your recovery from neck pain, back pain and back
problems. This newsletter offers tips for reducing stress, understanding the
complexity of chronic pain and identifying different types of back pain and
neck pain. Read more...
Please note that these additional patient resources (such as The Back-to-Back Forum and Newsletters) on Spine-health.com are not peer-reviewed by the Spine-health.com Medical Advisory Board. They are provided as additional resources for patients to learn from the experiences of others and to gain information from our popular newsletters.
