What You Didn’t Know About The Cause and Effects of Degenerative Disc Disorder
Degenerative Disc disorder (DDD) is not a disorder at all. It is a common side effect of aging and usually gets worse as we age. It happens when the fluid-filled cushions between the bones in your back or neck begin to break down and dry out. Essentially, the cushions wear away, and the bones end up rubbing together. Several things could happen as a result of DDD. You could have a less stable spine, which could impact your movement. You could also experience an increased risk of having a herniated disc or experience bone spurs. If you suspect you have DDD,
What Should You Do If You Are Experiencing Nerve Pain After Surgery
By Jefferey Higginbotham, M.D. There are so many unknowns when it comes to postoperative nerve pain. It is difficult to determine why some people may get nerve pain after surgery and others don’t. For most, when nerve pain occurs, it usually recovers spontaneously. For others, permanent damage may happen, and no recovery is possible. Mostly, nerve pain after surgery can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Unfortunately, at the moment, no effective treatment can ensure the prevention of postoperative nerve pain preoperation. The solutions on the market are not great, and doctors will likely not recommend anything. However, once
Neuropathy vs Neuralgia 101: Symptoms and Treatments
By Clayton Adams, M.D. Neuropathy is a dysfunction usually occurring in the peripheral nervous system or the nerves that are located outside the brain and spinal cord. It can manifest itself as pain, weakness, and numbness. Whereas neuralgia is just nerve pain where the patient may feel a burning, tingling, pins and needles, and electric shock sensation that can occur with the lightest form of stimuli. Neuralgia is a type of neuropathy, but neuropathy tends to affect the motor components, such as causing slow digestion, nausea, or light-headedness. Both denote conditions that affect the nerves and may cause pain wherever the nerve
Home Remedy Treatments That Can Support Your PostOperative Pain
By Paul Le, M.D. Most patients are going to experience some degree of postoperative pain. Of course, everyone’s pain threshold is different, and pain may be more prolonged depending on the surgery. However, postoperative pain management can be done from home and with remedies that can support them in getting back to a normal functioning level. Remedies to consider directly after surgery Consider alternating between heat and ice around the affected area after surgery. Heat can soothe and relieve the pain, and ice can help reduce swelling and inflammation. It is important to be careful of the incision site and not place direct
When All Other Treatments Fail, How APC Found A Solution for Severe Chronic Pain- Check Out Stormey’s Story
By Austin Horrocks, D.O. and contributions from Stormey Perritt Stormey had a hip replacement with a new ball and socket joint. Unfortunately, there was a complication and the bone cement came out of the confined hip area to the surrounding muscles and nerves. In her case, it was quite severe. The cement had been rubbing against nearby nerves, causing friction, significant pain, and nerve damage in the local area and in the lower spine. She said she was experiencing a significantly reduced quality of life due to the pain and could not live or complete daily tasks without thinking about the pain.
Types of Post-Surgical Pain and How To Manage Each
By Matthew Hellman, M.D. Post-surgical pain is pretty common and has a number of possible causes, including tissue damage. Tissue damage can happen at the point of incision, during the procedure itself, or at the closing of the wound. You may also experience other forms of pain like muscle and joint pain in the nearby extremities that results due to a loss in mobility or overworking, due to surgery in a central area of your body that is either making you not able to move those other extremities or rely more heavily on them. For example, if you had back surgery and
CBD: Benefits and Uses
By Matt Sage CBD is the abbreviation for Cannabidiol which derives from the hemp plant, along with medical marijuana. Unlike medical marijuana, which includes tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD does not result in the “high” feeling. According to the World Health Organization, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependency. Given there is no evidence of health related problems associated with using CBD, it tends to be a good alternative to use for a variety of diseases related to physical, emotional, and mental pain. Is CBD healthy and what can it be used for? It is hard to say categorically whether CBD is
TREATING CHRONIC PAIN CAN BE DONE COMPASSIONATELY – CHECK OUT SHARON’S STORY
By Sharon Black The majority of Americans live with some sort of pain, back pain being the most common. When I met Sharon, she was one of the many Americans that suffers daily with pain in her lower back and knees. It affected her mobility and her day-to-day activities significantly. Upon my first assessment, Sharon was suffering from pain due to her facet joints, the joints that run along the back of her spine. I confirmed my first assumption was correct after I did x-ray guided nerve block injections which demonstrated that her facet joints were, in fact, the source of her
What Does Meniscus Pain Feel Like And How Can You Get Relief?
By Advanced Pain Care Meniscus pain is typically sharp and stabbing, and can have an audible or palpable popping or clicking, or even a mechanical locking sensation where the knee literally cannot be moved (called “painful mechanical symptoms”). Meniscus tear pain can make even the most simple tasks feel unbearable, like rolling over in bed, getting out of a chair or car seat, twisting, or squatting and kneeling or crossing the leg. Anyone can experience pain from a meniscus tear, and unfortunately for us all, meniscus tears become more common as we get older. Thankfully, Advanced Pain Care is well-versed in
A Pain Specialist Explains The Anatomy of Walking with Chronic Pain
By Austin Horrocks, D.O. Chronic pain can make any of us into a bit of a hermit. It’s hard to do the things we love to do when they’re physically challenging or even painful. It can be easier to withdraw from certain activities and social obligations. This is where walking comes in! It may seem small in comparison to the magnitude of things you want to do. However, it’s a great place to start. Walking has numerous physiological and psychological benefits for people struggling with chronic pain. It can also be just the thing to help you ramp up your physical exercise and