Easing Back Pain Once It Starts

Reference: www.back.com, http://www.brain-spine.com.hk/

If you are experiencing pregnancy-related back pain, consult with your doctor and follow his or her suggestions as to what's right for you. In addition to the above preventive measures, commonly prescribed therapies for easing pregnancy-related back pain can include:

·         Hot or cold therapy, in the form of a warm bath, a hot water bottle, or an ice pack.

·         Physical therapy specifically designed to address the needs of your changing body as your pregnancy progresses.

·         Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medications, as recommended by your doctor. Acetaminophen has been shown to be safe for pregnant women; others, including aspirin and ibuprofen, are not.

·         Complementary treatments such as chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture. Although these therapies have not been proven effective for treating low back pain, they may provide some relief for pregnancy-related discomfort, and perhaps some stress relief as well. Consult with your doctor first, however, to ensure there is no underlying spinal condition causing the pain.

The information provided aims to provide educational purpose, if you have the described conditions as above, please consult your neurosurgeon.

Why Does My Back Hurt?

There are a number of reasons you can develop back pain during pregnancy. "It's a multifactorial issue," Dr. Peters says. "Hormonal alterations in soft tissue and even bone tissue play a part, along with changes in weight, spinal alignment, and activity level."

The hormones that are released during pregnancy allow joints and ligaments in the pelvic area to become more pliant and loose, in preparation for the birthing process, Dr. Peters explains. The downside of this softening is that it can affect the natural support your back normally receives, particularly as the weight of your baby increases.

A growing baby also causes your center of gravity to shift. Abdominal muscles stretch and weaken, making it more difficult to maintain good posture and further challenging your natural spinal alignment. "In the third trimester, for example, the forward flexion of the hips brings the pelvis and sacrum forward as well, contributing to a 'swayback' effect in the lumbar spine," Dr. Peters says. "Increasing breast tissue can also accentuate this shift in spinal realignment. Some of these tissue and mechanical alignment alterations are good for the body, in order to distribute weight gain to the middle of the body where, structurally, it's the strongest. But in a woman whose structure is weak where stress is magnified, low back pain can be the result."

Common patterns of pregnancy-related back pain include pain in the lower back, or lumbar spine, and pain that feels like it's centered even lower in the body, in the back, or posterior, of the pelvic area. If pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve or presses on a spinal disc, pain may extend through the hips, buttocks and legs.

Reference: www.back.com.

The information provided aims to provide educational purpose, if you have the described conditions as above, please consult your neurosurgeon

Managing Back Pain During Your Pregnancy

Along with morning sickness, food cravings and weight gain, back pain can be a common complaint during pregnancy. There are a few things you can do, however, to prevent pregnancy-related back pain or manage your discomfort once it starts.

Preparing for a baby's birth can be an exciting time. But as any woman with a dog-eared copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting knows, a certain amount of physical discomfort is normal during pregnancy and, well, to be expected. Back pain is a common complaint in the months leading up to delivery, especially during the final trimester, but there are a few things you can do to manage your back pain so that you can keep the focus on what's most important — getting ready to welcome your new baby!

It's Not Just You...
According to the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, more than 50% of pregnant women report low back pain at some point during their term; some studies have found the incidence to be as high as 70%. "The incidence of low back pain in pregnant women is well over double the incidence of back pain in those who are not pregnant in the same age group," says orthopaedic surgeon John G. Peters, MD, medical director of Medtronic, Inc., the world's leading spinal device company.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, women most frequently report low back pain later in their pregnancies, as the baby grows larger and heavier; however, some women also start feeling low back pain early in their term. Women who may be most at risk for developing back pain during their pregnancies are those who are overweight (though studies are inconclusive on this), or who experienced back pain prior to becoming pregnant. Women who lack flexibility and strength in their back and abdominal muscles and those carrying more than one baby also may be more susceptible.

Reference: www.back.com.

The information provided aims to provide educational purpose, if you have the described conditions as above, please consult your neurosurgeon.

Introduction of Neuropathic Pain?

Neuropathic pain is an inappropriate physiological response caused by a lesion or dysfunction in the peripheral nervous system or central nervous system. Unlike nociceptive pain, which is an appropriate physiological response to a painful stimulus, neuropathic pain can be either stimulus-independent or stimulus-evoked.

Assessment of Neuropathic Pain

The assessment of neuropathic pain can be challenging, as the aetiology and symptomatology of each neuropathic pain syndrome can vary greatly. Some conditions may also involve both neuropathic and nociceptive pain. Patient descriptions of neuropathic pain symptoms may include:

1. Continuous, burning pain
2. Dysaesthesia (abnormal and unpleasant sensations caused by spontaneous ectopic discharges along Aß fibres. Such sensations may be spontuneous or evoked)
3. Shooting or lancinating pain/sharp, tearing pain
4. Hyperalgesia (an increased response to a stimulus that is normally painful)
5. Allodynia (pain from a stimulus that is not always painful)
6. Paraesthesia (abnormal, but not unpleasant, sensations caused by spontaneous ectopic discharge along Aß fibres. Such sensations may occur in the absence of external stimuli)
7. Electric, shock-like pain

Patients with the same neuropathic pain syndrome often present with different symptoms and respond to the same therapy with varying degrees of success, thus complicating disease management. It has become clear that physicians should adopt a more symptom- and disease mechanism-based approach to selecting therapy.

Reference information: http://www.spineuniverse.com

The information above is used for educational purpose only, for any enquiries, please consult the neurosurgeon for medical advices.