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
So You Broke Your Hip, Now What?
By Advanced Pain Care The hip is a common place for injury, and therefore a common place for fractures, especially in elderly patients. Women tend to experience more hip fractures than men post menopause, due to the loss in the female hormone progesterone, which supports bone formation. The hip is a ball and socket joint that connects the upper part of the leg and the pelvis together. It allows for a lot of movement. But due to aging in all patients, bone density and joint elasticity decrease, causing strain on the hip’s mobility. Restricted mobility in the lumbar spine can also contribute
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
Does Stress Cause Chronic Neck Pain? How Relaxation Strategies Can Help You Keep Pain At Bay
By Advanced Pain Care Stress can certainly cause or even exacerbate chronic neck pain. When you experience stress, whether a chronic stress disorder, or bouts of anxiety, or depression, your body will trigger the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your “fight or flight” response. This response, when triggered, will produce and release an increase in cortisol and adrenaline hormones. Elevations in cortisol, particularly, can lead to a loss in muscle mass and an increase in fat accumulation. In moments of threat, your body’s stress response is a helpful reaction because it can help you either fight
What Triggers Migraines and How Can You Manage Them?
By Advanced Pain Care If you’ve been experiencing migraines more than usual lately, you’re not alone. Seasonal changes (yes, even here in mild and pleasant Texas) are one of the many triggers of this impairing head pain. What makes migraines different from regular headaches is the associated symptoms that go along with them. If other ailments like nausea, sensitivity to lights or noise, or dizziness accompany your throbbing head, there’s a good chance you’re suffering from a migraine. The good news is that there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the chances of encountering this unpleasant affair. What Does a