Thursday, July 14, 2016

The Treatment Of Shoulder And Spinal Pain

By Margaret Rogers


There are many causes of pain experienced in the shoulder and neck regions. Cervical spondylosis is among the commonest in the city of Greenbelt, MD. It is a degenerative condition whose incidence peaks after the age of 60 with statistics indicating that up to 85% of persons above this age have various degrees of shoulder and spinal pain. The underlying cause is wear and tear of connective tissues found in the neck region.

Cervical spondylosis can be treated in a number of ways. The treatments are broadly divided into conservative and invasive (or surgical options). Both options are designed to provide symptomatic relief and to prevent disease progression Physical therapy is one of the most useful conservative approaches that exist. The treatment involves the performance of passive and active physical exercises that mainly involve the stretching of neck and shoulder muscles.

There are a number of drugs that are used to provide relief for this problem. They are either used singly or combined. Examples include narcotics, anti-epileptic mediation, muscle relaxants and steroids among others. Surgery becomes an option if the medical treatments fail to yield the intended results. Surgical options are considered if the medical treatments prove ineffective. Conditions that may benefit from surgical intervention include prolapsed disks, bony spurs and abnormal anatomy of neck structures.

Spinal stenosis is also a fairly common cause of pain in these regions. Stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal is abnormally narrowed such that it compresses on the spinal cord and nerve roots found in the area around the narrowed region. Associated symptoms include pain, tingling and numbness in the upper limbs. For most of the cases, there is underlying arthritis or bony spurs.

The doctor will request for an X-ray image of your neck region if they suspect that you are suffering from this condition. The X-rays are used in evaluate the bony structures. They will help diagnose conditions such as fractures, tumors and bone infections. However, they have limited value when it comes to soft tissues such as muscles, ligaments, nerves and inter-vertebral discs. An MRI of the spine will be required if such tissues are to be evaluated.

Although conservative therapies often provide relief, surgery appears to be the definitive management of most cases. The objective of surgery is to enlarge the canal and to relieve the pressure on the cord and nerve roots. The general term for this procedure is spinal decompression surgery. If the vertebral body has to be removed, it will be referred to as corpectomy, if a lamina is removed it is known as laminectomy and so on.

Herniation of inter-vertebral discs is another well-known cause of pain. The herniation may occur in any region of the spine including the neck. When the disc herniates, it impinges on the nerves within its vicinity. Symptoms will be experienced in the areas innervated by these nerves such as the shoulder, the arm and the hands. Treatment is through traction or surgery.

There are many other causes of pain on the shoulder and neck regions. The good news is that many of them can be managed successfully through conservative approaches. You need to see a doctor if your symptoms fail to respond to home remedies such as over the counter pain relievers, hot and cold compression and physical exercise.




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