Articles: back-pain.
-
This pilot study examined the feasibility and potential efficacy of a self-management program for seniors with chronic back pain and assessed for possible race/ethnicity differences in program impact. Sixty-nine seniors (24 African Americans, 25 Hispanics, and 20 non-Hispanic Whites) enrolled in the 8-wk community-based program. Efficacy outcomes included pain-related disability as measured by the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), pain intensity, pain self-efficacy, depressive symptoms, social activity, and functional status. ⋯ Improvements in all other outcomes were observed, but only for Hispanic participants. Results confirm that implementation of the protocol in urban senior centers is feasible, and the program shows potential efficacy. The race/ethnicity differences observed in the current study merit further investigation.
-
Comparative Study
Preliminary validation of a self-reported screening questionnaire for inflammatory back pain.
Inflammatory back pain (IBP) is an important feature of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) that is poorly recognized in primary care, perhaps delaying diagnosis of SpA. We aimed to develop and validate a self-report questionnaire using important domains reported by patients with IBP. ⋯ Assessment of a single self-reported item, "diurnal variation," had substantial classification utility for IBP. This domain is not addressed in existing criteria for IBP, indicating a potentially important omission.
-
Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Apr 2012
Recurrence of radicular pain or back pain after nonsurgical treatment of symptomatic lumbar disk herniation.
To determine recurrence rates of lower-extremity radicular pain after nonsurgical treatment of acute symptomatic lumbar disk herniation (LDH), and to identify predictors of recurrence. ⋯ Recurrence of radicular pain is relatively common after nonsurgical treatment of LDH and is predicted by longer time to initial resolution of pain.
-
Clinical nuclear medicine · Apr 2012
Case ReportsSPECT/CT in differentiation of pseudarthrosis from other causes of back pain in lumbar spinal fusion: report on 10 consecutive cases.
SPECT fused with computed tomography (CT) provides a new approach for more accurate diagnosis of pseudathrosis after spinal fusion procedures. The aim of this study was to compare the findings of SPECT fused with CT (SPECT/CT) with those of CT alone for the diagnosis of pseudarthrosis. ⋯ In the lumbar spine, SPECT/CT seems to increase specificity for detection of nonunion of interbody devices compared with CT alone. It is more sensitive than CT to detect facet joint degeneration, and it can detect screw loosening as well as CT. These findings can be helpful for surgeons in planning appropriate surgical revision strategy.
-
In order to define the onset of a new episode of low back pain (LBP), the definition of a "non-episode" must be clear. De Vet et al reviewed the scientific literature but found no evidence-based definitions of episodes or non-episodes of LBP. However, they suggested that pain-based episodes should be preceded and followed by a period of at least one month without LBP. As LBP is an episodic disease, it is not clear whether a sufficient number of patients with LBP will be LBP-free for at least one month ("non-episode") to justify the use of this duration in the definition of pain free episode. ⋯ The vast majority of these secondary care sector patients had a profile of more or less constant LBP. The estimates for non-episodes during the study period and at the end of the study were very similar for participants with LBP who also had Modic changes and those with non-specific LBP. It is possible that a definition of pain-free periods is pointless in patients seeking care in the secondary care sector.