Let's have a healthy spine

Spine has many nerves, muscles, and ligaments that serve as connections to areas throughout our body, so keeping our back in top condition is one of the best things we can do for both our back and our overall health.

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        Let spine really rest while sleeping.

While sleeping, all the structures in our spine that have worked hard all day finally have an opportunity to relax and revived. So we must use the right mattress and pillow which will support the spine so the muscles and ligaments can be stress-free and have a chance to become refreshed.

        Choose shoes carefully.

Walking for exercise or just to get going somewhere, the shoes you wear have a big effect on your back. They should be well balanced, flexible, and most certainly comfortable. Good shoes not only provide protection for your feet, but also a supportive base that helps the spine and body remain in alignment.

·                  Enjoy the benefits of massage.

Many people love a good massage to relax their muscles and relieve stress. Therapeutic massages not only improve flexibility and decreases tension, they also improve blood flow and make you feel good.

·                  Sit up straight—with support

The discs in lower spine are loaded three times more while sitting than standing, so long periods of sitting can often create or exaggerated painful back condition. The right office chair plays an important role in promoting good posture and supporting the natural curves of your back.

·         Specifically exercise abs and back.

One of the most important components of good spine health is exercise. Specifically, performing abdominal and back exercises will go far in helping to keep your spine healthy. These exercises are simple and can be performed in 20 to 30 minutes as part of a daily routine.

These are simple ways to help our spine and back stay in alignment and maintain a stronger, healthier you.

Spina Bifida - A Birth Defect

Spina bifida (also known as Myelodysplasia) is a type of birth defect called a neural tube defect. In this defect, the fetal spinal cord (posterior neural tube) fails to close completely. It may appear in the body midline anywhere from the neck to the buttocks. This incomplete fusion results in wide range of abnormalities from mild defects.

According to the experts, genes , nutrition and the environment are the factors causing Spina bifida. Women who are fat or who have diabetes are more likely to have a child with this disease.

An initial surgery in the case will only help in repairing of the spine to cure the disease. At birth, infants with severe spina bifida require complex medical and neurosurgical care.

SYMPTOMS:-

·         Little or no feeling in their legs, feet, or arms, so they may not be able to move those parts of the body.

• Bladder or bowel problems, such as leaking urine or having a hard time passing stools.
• Fluid buildup in the brain (hydrostephalos). Even when it is treated, this may cause seizures, learning problems, or vision problems.
• A curve in their spine, such as scoliosis.

Know more about Spondylitis.

Spondylitis is one of the common occurred causes for neck and back pain. The pain gets worse over a period of time.It can happen in any age . For more detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Spondylitis, see the story in the picture.

#‎Spondylitis‬ ‪#‎DrSudeepJain‬ ‪#‎SpineSolutionsIndia‬ ‪#‎HimachalDastak‬

Know more about Sciatica.

Sciatica is pain which is typically felt from the lower back to the buttock to the large static nerve behind the back of the leg. It causes irritation and pain in the largest nerve (sciatic) of the body. Treatment of sciatica may include acupuncture, manual manipulation, massage therapy etc.

Symptoms Of Sciatica:- 

Lower back pain, constant pain in only one side of the buttock or leg, pain oroginating at the lower back or buttock to the back of the lower leg, pain that feels better when  lie down or are walking, but worsens when standing or sitting, sharp pain etc.

It can be treated by many methods depending upon the severity of the pain.

If you feel any of these symptoms, don't wait and rush to the specialist. 












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Exercise regularly to have a healthy spine.

Exercise not only helps to loose weight, but also strengthen the spine and reduce back pain. Exercise like Stretching and aerobics will help your spine to remain fit, improve flexibility and increases strength in the body. So exercise regularly and keep your heart and body fit.

There are two basic exercises which can help you to maintain your spine fit and get rid of the back pain:-

1. Stretching:- It is one of the basic exercises which helps you to improve and maintain the flexibility of every part of your body. Patients who are undergoing some back pain may find some weeks of severe back pain but after regular practice of it will lead to no pain.

2. Aerobics:- Aerobics helps to increase blood circulation in the body, increasing energy, improving sleep, decreasing blood pressure etc. Activities like walking, jogging, running, skipping, swimming etc.come under aerobics. Those who do not do such activities, can practice using stairs instead of elevators, walk instead of driving to a store or restaurant etc.

Back pain may hit you in monsoon.

Back pain in monsoon is very common among the people. The drop in barometric pressure and the increase in humidity pair with each other and cause back pain, migraines, swelling and stiffness. This is faced by 8 out of 10 people. Drink plenty of water and exercise daily. If the pain is getting worse, consult the spine specialist.

Our spine supports our whole body and performs many functions. So, it is vulnerable to many injuries in our daily life. Other than the humidity and barometric pressure, there are many other causes of back pain:- an injury can be caused by lifting something heavy, falling down, infection etc.

Anyone can experience the back pain but the risk factors increased for the people who are having poor fitness, obesity, smoke, past back problems etc.

Spinal tumor and its signs.

Spinal tumor occurs due to the growth of cells in or surrounding the spinal cord. They are most common in people who have any hereditary disorder like prior history of cancer or blood vessel tumors. Treatment of spinal cord tumor can be done through surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or physical therapy.

Tumors developing in the spinal tissue are known as primary spinal tumors and those which spread from the other parts to the spine are known as secondary spinal tumors.

Signs of the spinal tumor:-

Severe back pain that is sudden or get worse is the most common sign of the spinal cord tumor. Other symptoms include:- weakening of vertebral structure, sensory loss, rapid onset paralysis, abnormal sensation etc.

It is important to get the tumor cured as it can grow more and can affect other parts of the body like blood vessels, cells of the spinal cord, bones of the spine etc. So, if you feel any symptoms related to the mentioned above, consult the specialist as soon as possible. 

Know more about Osteomyelitis, a rare but serious spine infection.

Osteomyelitis is the infection in the spine, which is caused by bacteria, fungi or other germs. In this the infection starts from a body part and then spreads through the blood to the bone. People suffering from diabetes are more prone to this disease. It is a rare disease but of very serious condition.

Symptoms of Osteomyelitis:-

Usually, the first symptom faced by an infected person is the pain in the infected area.

Other symptoms of the spine infection may include:-
Fever, irritation, fatigue, nausea, tenderness, redness and warmth in the area of the infection, swelling around the affected bone, lost range of motion, stiffness or loss of use of an affected limb.

If you face any symptoms mentioned above, don't wait and rush to  a specialist.









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Look after your sleeping posture.

Insufficient sleep can be associated with one of the reasons of your back and neck pain. Sleep for atleast six to eight hours and ofcourse make sure about the position how you sleep. The ideal posture to sleep is on right/left side as it will minimise the pressure on the spine.

One should be very careful when it comes to the sleeping posture. It should be so comfortable that it helps you to relax your body despite giving you pain. Due to any weak or wrong posture back pain can occur.

Other than your posture, your mattress or your pillow can also contribute to the pain.

Choose a mattress that is neither too hard nor too soft. These type of mattresses contribute to back aches more. If your mattress is too hard or too soft change it now, other than back problems it can also lead to severe neck pains.

Get a pillow which can support your neck in a comfortable and natural way. It should relax your neck. You can go for the refillable pillows, if you are facing such problems.































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Think before you blame the doctor

As a surgeon, nothing gives us more pleasure than seeing our patient go home hale and hearty, but while doing so, lot of time during our work/profession we get into a realm of unknown. There are times we take a professional call which at times can go wrong also. For these, people try to attack us but people don't understand what were the conditions in which we took the call. just think of the other side, how the patient would have been benefited from it, had it gone right. We don't take these calls just like this. The calls are taken only after thoroughly evaluating risks v/s benefits. There is a lot of time a person has been suffering from long unbearable pain which otherwise make the patient's life miserable. We try whatever is in our hands to give the patient relief from the pain. 

At times, some negligence can happen but 99.9% of the time this is not the case. And if we show any negligence among our patients it affects our profession too. As a doctor, it is our duty to cure the patient and we try our level best treatment which we can give to our patient. Our profession does not allow us to cheat our patients and we try to be friend with them so that they can feel comfortable and tell us what they are feeling.

So before we say or form any opinion about a doctor we should always try and see others point of view. Don't misinterpret the doctor always but try to think like them.

Mind Your Weight and Keep Osteoarthritis Away!

Obesity is generally on a rise among Indians and therefore becoming a health concern. We all know obese person is always at an increasing risk of developing various other health problems. Among all these problems which is always linked to obesity is Osteoarthritis.
 

Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder in which the cartilage or cushion between the joints becomes worn out or damaged, which leads to pain. The primary symptoms to identify Osteoarthritis are pain and stiffness in joints especially after waking up in the morning and after resting, weakness in joint muscles, mildly swollen joints, reduced joint movements and cracking sounds from the joints. If any of these symptoms are observed by you, do get yourself examined. Clinical diagnosis of Osteoarthritis involves X-ray and MRI of the affected joint.

Though, the causes behind the occurrence of this ailment may vary from aging to joint injury but in some cases, even genetic factors are involved. But, obesity is undeniably a prominent factor causing Osteoarthritis.

When we talk about obesity, it is a term which is entirely different from being overweight. Obesity is measured in terms BMI which is calculated by square of Height and Weight. When a person’s BMI is more than 30, he/she is considered as obese. 

As a person gains weight, an extra amount of pressure falls on his joints. This added pressure leads to weakening of the bones and the surrounding cartilage. That’s not all; it also leads to strain on ligaments and muscles around the affected joints, which in the long run leads to Osteoarthritis. Remember, for each 4-5 kg of increased weight, a minimum of 14 kg of extra pressure is put on joints. 

Losing weight is the only way out in order to protect from the dangers of developing Osteoarthritis caused by obesity. Exercising and managing diet is the best way to lose weight. But if you are already suffering from arthritis, the practice of exercising becomes difficult. Due to pain in the joints, one looses the drive to exercise and lose weight. With proper guidance from a trained physiotherapist, an arthritis patient can manage to exercise and lose those extra kilos, without worsening the existing problem.

With reduced weight, the pressure on the joints too will decrease which can help in preventing Osteoarthritis. In addition, muscle strengthening exercises can help strengthening the core muscles, which can further delay the occurrence of Osteoarthritis. But if you are already experiencing the symptoms, then also, these measures can help in coping up with the pain.

Apart from weight reduction and exercising, another important thing that a patient suffering from Osteoarthritis should keep in mind is having medicines prescribed by the doctor diligently. Your doctor may suggest you some pain killers along with calcium and other vitamin supplements in order to maintain the bone strength. Have a healthy and balanced diet. Include milk and milk products, meat, fish etc. in your diet as they are very important for the health of your bones.

In some extreme cases of Osteoarthritis, doctors suggest a joint surgery or joint replacement surgery. This is done as a last measure when all other treatment measures have failed to give relief to the patient. But even at this stage there is nothing to fear as with the advent of advance technology, even surgeries have become extremely safe offering high rate of recovery.

But one line, I always say “Prevention is better than cure”. Osteoarthritis is completely preventable, if you keep your weight in check.

Dr Sudeep Jain

Spine Surgeon

Director

Spine Solutions India

www.spinesolutionsindia.com

jain.sudeep1@gmail.com

Don't ignore Back Pain

Lower back pain is experienced by many people. It can be caused by malfunctioning of any part of the complex, interconnected network of spinal muscles, nerves, bones, discs or tendons in the lumbar spine.
It is one of the commonly experienced pain so people don't bother about it. It is very important not to ignore it, as it can lead to severe pain ahead.

Symptoms of Lower Back Pain 

Symptoms range from a nibbling pain to a stabbing or shooting sensation. The pain may reach a stage where it makes it hard  to move or stand up straight. Acute back pain comes on suddenly, often after an injury from sports or heavy lifting. Pain that lasts more than three months is considered chronic.


Causes of Lower Back Pain

Low back pain is a combination of underlined causes which have been ignored for a long time. Major reason for back pain in young age is wrong posture. Also, unhealthy lifestyle, bad food habits accentuades the problem. In old age de-generative issues contribute to these problems .


 

Radio Frequency Neurotomy- A new ray of hope for people suffering from long standing spinal pain

Incidences of Musculoskeletal disorders are increasing, with a lot of people being diagnosed with ailments like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cervical, spinal stenosis etc. But despite the awareness about these diseases, little information is available on their possible cures and that too the latest one. Conventional treatment involves use of physiotherapy, pain killers and if no relief ultimately surgery. Adding to the Doctors arsenal is Radio frequency neurotomy, a form of treatment which can provide almost magical relief from the acute pain.

A little about our Spine and how it functions

Our spine is made up of 24 bones known as vertebrae, which are stacked into a column. Between each vertebra lies a cushiony part called disc which acts as a shock absorber. Each vertebra has two sets of bony knobs that meet each other. The point where they meet each other is called the facet joint. These Facet joints are responsible for motion of bending, flexing (flex forward or extend backward) and twisting (from side to side). These Facet Joints are protected by soft tissue consisting of synovial fluid which acts as a lubricant between these joints. A layer of thick white cartilage covers the joint, helping it to glide smoothly when the body moves. Over the time due to ageing/injuries, this cartilage gets damaged or gets worn out. Inflammation of these joints leads to what we know as Arthritis. A number of spinal conditions such as osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis, or from an injury to the back, such as caused in car accident, all lead to facet joint pain.

Treatment for Spinal pains

Generally, the first line of treatment for such disorders involves medicines to relieve the pain depending upon the condition of the patient. But today, a new state of the art technique using radiofrequency has emerged to treat difficult and long standing spinal pain.

A radiofrequency neurotomy is a simple day care minimally invasive non surgical procedure where the patient can go home the same day. Radiofrequency waves are electromagnetic waves which travel at the speed of light, or 186,000 miles per second (300,000 km/s). In this procedure, Radiofrequency Energy (a type of heat energy) is created by a special generator at very high or super high frequencies. With the use of this specialized generator, heat energy is created and delivered with precision to target nerves that carry pain impulses to brain. It involves numbing of the skin and tissue over the procedure site with an injection of local anesthetic. Next, the physician uses x-ray guidance, to direct a special radiofrequency needle alongside the medial nerves. Often, a small amount of electrical current is carefully passed through the needle to assure it is next to the target nerve and a safe distance from other nerves. This current briefly recreates the usual pain and cause a muscle twitch in the back. Then the targeted nerves are numbed with a local anesthetic to minimize pain.

At this stage radiofrequency waves are introduced to heat the tip of the needle and a heat lesion is created on the nerve to disrupt the nerve's ability to send pain signals to the brain.

 There are two primary types of radiofrequency treatment: A medial branch neurotomy (ablation), this affects the nerves carrying pain from the facet joints. Another one is a lateral branch neurotomy (ablation); this affects nerves that carry pain from the sacroiliac joints.

Radiofrequency neurotomy responds well to multiple chronic pain conditions such as spinal arthritis (spondylosis), facetogenic low back pain, spinal stenosis, grade I spondylolysis, post-traumatic pain (whiplash), cervical spine, pain after spine surgery, failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), and other spinal pain conditions. It also works well in certain neuropathic pain conditions (like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), and some other assorted chronic pain conditions. A patient’s candidacy for this treatment is usually determined by the performance of a Diagnostic Nerve Block.

Radiofrequency neurotomy offers significant and long lasting pain relief as compared to steroid injections. Almost all patients undergoing this procedure will experience significant pain relief for a long period of time so that many patients often find a long term remission or cure for their back or neck pain. As a general rule, if effective, the ablation will often provide pain relief lasting at least 24 months and often for longer period which is very significant as patient is relieved of acute pain which no other procedure is able to provide.

This procedure being less complicated & minimally invasive without any open surgery provides low morbidity rates, appreciable pain relief compared to surgery, greater range of motion, lower use of analgesics, improved quality of life, and short recovery time.