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Artificial Collagen/Hydrogel Discs Successfully Tested In Mouse

January 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Artificial collagen/hydrogel disc resembles the natural discs more closely as compared to artificial discs available now. Modern artificial spinal discs are commonly made of rigid materials such as metal and plastic, but  natural discs are more like a stiff gel, and softer and bouncy.

Cornell researchers have successfully tested artificial discs in a mouse model that are made of collagen and a hydrogel called alginate. The discs were populated with mice’s own cells and the implants actually improved over time as new cells grew within the implant’s matrix. After six months of living with the new discs, the mice retained 80-90% of their implants’ initial height. [Read more...]

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GDF5 SNP rs143383 Associated With Lumbar Disc Disease In Northern European Women

December 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A new study published in Arthrits and Rheumatism reports that gene GDF5 SNP rs143383 has been found to be associated with  lumbar disc disease in northern European women.

GDF5 is a gene whose variants have been shown to play a role in skeletal height as well as predisposing to peripheral joint osteoarthritis.

The study authors investigated  whether the 5′ upstream SNP variant rs143383 was associated with lumbar disc disease in five [Read more...]

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Opioids Help Stabilize Depression, Anxiety in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

September 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

According to a research presented in the American Academy of Pain Management, 21st Annual Clinical Meeting, opoids help stabilize depression, anxiety in patients with chronic low back pain.

The study was done with 1302 patients with chronic low back pain and 407 with osteoarthritis completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Positive Outlook Scale (DAPOS) questionnaire to gauge depression, anxiety, and positive outlook at baseline and 6 months and 12 months after opioid therapy.

The results showed stabilized or slightly improved levels of the mental health factors during the observation.

Patients experiencing chronic pain often have depression, anxiety, or both related to their physical discomfort.

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Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis

March 9, 2010 By 2 Comments

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, also called Forestier’s disease is characterized by unique, flowing (wave like in shape) calcification along the sides of the vertebrae of the spine. It is also commonly associated with inflammation and calcification of tendons at their attachments points to bone, a condition called enthesitis. Enthesitis can frequently lead to bone spurs such as heel spurs.

Usually the disease occurs after fifth decade of life. [Read more...]

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Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

February 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Failed back surgery syndrome [FBSS, or failed back syndrome] is a vague term used to describe the condition of patients who did not get a successful result with back surgery and have experience continued pain.

A spine surgery in lumber region  is mainly done for two causes

  • To decompress a nerve root
  • To stabilize a painful joint.

Failed back surgery syndrome is a group of disorders with persistent or recurrent symptoms following spinal surgery with hallmarks of back pain, sciatica and functional impairment. The severity of failed back surgery is often sufficiently great to cause a change in the job. [Read more...]

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Posterior Ramus Syndrome – Thoracolumbar Junction Syndrome

January 30, 2010 By 4 Comments

This also called Maigne Syndrome or Dorsal Ramus Syndrome. It is caused by the unexplained activation of the primary division of a posterior ramus of a spinal nerve.

In absence of any radiological signs, the  diagnosis is made clinically.

The thoracolumbar junction (TLJ) is comprised of the T10-11, T11-12 and T12-L1 motion segments. This transitional area, interposed between the thoracic and lumbar spine, is often the source of a characteristic pain syndrome characterized by a referral of the pain in the related dermatomes (T10 to L1). [Read more...]

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List of Causes Of Back Pain

December 18, 2009 By 2 Comments

There are more than 400 conditions that can cause back pain. Instead of  providing comprehensive list, I have divided the conditions into different groups creating an overview.

Contrary to general belief, the bcak pain does not always originate from spine and vertebrae. Backpain may originate in visceral problems too.

Here are the major condtions that can cause backpain.

Mechanical Causes

Inflammatory Causes

Infection

Epidural abscess or vertebral osteomyelitis

Neoplastic Causes

  • Bone tumors (primary or metastatic)
  • Intradural spinal tumors

Metabolic Causes:

Referred pain:

  • Pelvic/abdominal disease

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What Is Spondylosis?

December 10, 2009 By 1 Comment

Spondylosis refers to degenerative arthritis of the joints between the  vertebrae and/or neural foraminae. The interfacetal joints are not included in this term.

It is a common caus eo f back pain and if it is very severe can cause pressure on adjacent roots resulting in  sensory and/or motor problems, such as pain, paresthesia, or muscle weakness in the limbs.

When the space between two adjacent vertebrae narrows, compression of a nerve root emerging from the spinal cord may result in radiculopathy.  [Read more...]

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Lumbar Spondylosis- Xray Showing Straightening of Spine

August 20, 2009 By 41 Comments
Anteroposterior and Lateral Views of Lumbar Spine

Anteroposterior and Lateral Views of Lumbar Spine

Lumbar spondylosis is an important cause of back pain. It signifies the age related changes in the lumber spine that lead to chronic back pain. Low back pain is a common cause of morbidity.

A healthy lifestyle and fit body can produce a healthy back  and help to prevent the effect s of aging.

Straightening of lumbar spine is one of the early features of lumbar spondylosis.

The xray in the picture is of 36 years old lady who came with complaints of back pain. Her lateral view shows reduction in lordosis of lumbar spine or straightening of the spine.

Pain relieving medications and back exercises are mainstay of the treatment for this kind of back pain.

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Non Operative Management of Backpain – An Overview

July 15, 2009 By 2 Comments

With changing lifestyles, backpain is becoming more and more common. While there are many causes of back pain and when identifiable should  be treated accordingly, many a times no identifiable cause of back pain can be found.and  patients suffer from mechanical back pain.

Time heals a lot of low back pain problems. In fact most of the symptoms associated with lumbar disc diseases are self limiting and will go away spontaneously whether or not a doctor, physical therapist or a chiropractor is involved.

Therefore non operative measures to deal with back pain should be first line of treatment if there is no contraindication to it. Three are many considerations involved before initiating the treatment. [Read more...]

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