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Medications for Back Pain Relief

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

When seeking back pain relief, medication might be one of the first steps you try. Many different types of medications have been proven to be successful for back pain treatment, and the type you need depends on the type of pain you have. Back Pain Treatment: Explore Your Medication Options “Generally, for the treatment of back pain, a stepwise approach should be considered,” says Bradley Hein, PharmD, an assistant professor of pharmacy at the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati. “Often, patients will try over-the-counter pain relievers before seeking further treatment from a physician. It is important to establish what a patient has tried as well as what has and has not worked.” Medications for back pain relief include: Acetaminophen: ”It is reasonable to initiate treatment with acetaminophen (Tylenol),” Hein says. “Acetaminophen is … Read entire article »

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When to See a Doctor for Severe Back Pain

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

How to recognize the warning signs of pain that needs professional care. Minor back pain or problems can often be fixed with a little ice or heat and a lot of rest. But if those tried-and-true methods do little to relieve your back pain, or if you have severe back pain, it’s probably time for you to talk with your doctor about other back pain treatment options. Can Excedrin be taken? Excedrin Back & Body (acetaminophen and buffered aspirin) is a combination medication that contains a pain reliever and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is also considered a pain reliever. Excedrin Back & Body is approved for the treatment of temporary relief of minor aches and pains that are caused by minor pain associated with arthritis, backache and muscular aches. Like any … Read entire article »

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Diagnose lower back pain

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

How doctors get to the root cause of your back pain and determine what the best treatment for you may be. If you go to your doctor seeking help for lower back pain, the first thing he or she will likely do is to ask about your medical history. In addition, information about where you live, the type of work you do, and the hobbies and pastimes you enjoy can help build a picture of how your back pain began. Your doctor will also want to know what self-care measures you have taken to treat the pain yourself, how it has affected your daily life, and what seems to help make it better. A thorough physical examination will usually follow. This helps to determine the exact location of the pain and what kind of pain it is — … Read entire article »

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Back Pain: Where Does It Hurt?

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

Suffering from back pain on the left? Or is the pain on the right? The location of your pain can help identify its cause and help determine the best treatment. As many as 80 percent of American adults suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. And when your back hurts, usually the first thing on your mind is how you can feel better fast. Pinpointing the exact location of your back pain can help you work out the cause, because different types of pain can affect different parts of the back. Knowing exactly where it is coming from, and determining the culprit, means you are that much closer to getting the right treatment and feeling better sooner. Source:Jane Parry … Read entire article »

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Test that diagnose back pain

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

Next to headaches, back pain is the most common neurological problem experienced in the United States. Medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy sessions help many people get relief from their back pain, but some need more help and turn to a specialist. “We treat patients who need more than physical therapy andmedications,” says Santiago Figuereo, MD, neurological surgeon and founder and medical director of the Miami Neurological Institute. Relief from back pain symptoms starts with getting the correct diagnosis. Your doctor will begin by taking a complete history of your back pain symptoms before moving on to possible back pain causes, such as a damaged disk or a pinched nerve. Preparing for Your First Office Visit Your first appointment will include a physical exam, but one of the most important clues needed to determine … Read entire article »

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6 Tips to Avoid and prevent Back Pain

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

Back pain can be the result of trauma, such as a fall or a car accident. But most often back pain is the result of an everyday activity done incorrectly — activities as common as twisting to reach or lift an object, sitting at a computer in the same position for hours, bending over to vacuum, and carrying shopping bags. The good news is that back pain prevention isn’t all that difficult, often requiring just a few adjustments that will soon become second nature. Here are six simple but effective back pain prevention tips. Exercise. One of the most important things you can do for back pain prevention is to get up and get moving. Why does exercise prevent back pain? Muscles are meant to move, says Robin Lustig, DC, a chiropractor at New Jersey … Read entire article »

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When Wear and Tear Causes Neck and Back Pain

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

Spondylosis is age-related degeneration of the spine. Though it can’t be cured, you don’t have to simply live with the pain. If you wake up with a stiff neck or back or have pain that is worse in the morning and at night, you might be experiencing spondylosis, the result of constant wear and tear on the vertebrae and cartilage of the spine. Spondylosis is also known as cervical spondylosis, because it affects the cervical section of your spine — that is, your neck. Other names for it are cervical osteoarthritis or neck arthritis. The pain of cervical spondylosis can spread into your shoulder or down your arm. Source:Beth W. Orenstein … Read entire article »

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Old Age and Back Pain

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

Oh, our aching backs! Nearly all of us experience back painsometime in our lives, and the list of possible back pain causes is long — poor posture, being overweight, smoking, poor eating habits, spinal diseases, and other health conditions, including cancer. And then there’s the number-one back pain cause: aging. Just using our backs over time can cause back pain, says Robin Lustig, DC, a chiropractor at New Jersey Total Health Center in Lodi and Pompton Plains, N.J. “It’s just normal wear and tear.” What’s causing the ache? Your spine consists of individual bones called vertebrae, which are stacked one on top of the other. Between each vertebra are small joints that allow your spine to move and disks with jelly-like centers that act as shock absorbers and prevent your bones from rubbing … Read entire article »

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How to Avoid Back Pain

December 17th, 2011 | Add a Comment

More than 26 million Americans experience frequent back pain, and “approximately 80 percent of the population will have back pain at one time or another,” says orthopedic surgeon Warner Louis Pinchback, Jr, MD, who has a private practice in Montgomery, Ala. With those numbers, you may wonder if back pain is inevitable. Here’s the good news: It isn’t. You can do a lot to prevent back pain. Paying attention to ergonomics — understanding how our bodies fit and move with and around furnishings such as desks and chairs — at home and work is important, but so is taking care of your body every day. Using Exercise to Prevent Back Pain Perhaps the most important thing you can do is keep your body fit and healthy. Staying active helps reduce your risk of back pain … Read entire article »

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