Articles: back-pain.
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Dental health workers like other workers have occupation related health problems and hazards which include neck and low back pain. Previous studies have shown that the prevalence and location of pain may be influenced by posture and work habits and as well as demographic factors. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of neck and back problems among dentists and dental auxiliaries in private and government dental hospitals in south western Nigeria. ⋯ For neck pain, the prevalence was highest among therapists followed by technologists, dentists and least among the DSA. More females missed work due to back and neck pain than males. There is therefore the need to address ergonomic issues and change the way dentistry is practiced.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Two psychological interventions are effective in severely disabled, chronic back pain patients: a randomised controlled trial.
Many pain patients appreciate biofeedback interventions because of the integration of psychological and physiological aspects. Therefore we wanted to investigate in a sample of chronic back pain patients whether biofeedback ingredients lead to improved outcome of psychological interventions. ⋯ In conclusion, biofeedback ingredients did not lead to improved outcome of a psychological intervention. Cognitive-behavioural treatment as a "package" of respondent, operant and cognitive interventions was effective for ameliorating pain-related symptoms for chronic back pain patients treated in an outpatient setting. The high treatment acceptability associated with biofeedback ingredients can also be achieved with pure psychological interventions.
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Comparative Study
Assessing back pain: does the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire accurately measure function in ankylosing spondylitis?
To determine whether the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) can be used to assess the degree of pain or disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). ⋯ The strong correlations between the ODQ and BASFI and BASDAI indicate that it identifies both activity and function domains in AS. This is the first demonstration of a role for this outcome measure in the assessment of patients with AS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Heat or cold packs for neck and back strain: a randomized controlled trial of efficacy.
Acute back and neck strains are very common. In addition to administering analgesics, these strains are often treated with either heat or cold packs. The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of heat and cold in relieving pain from back and neck strains. The authors hypothesized that pain relief would not differ between hot and cold packs. ⋯ The addition of a 30-minute topical application of a heating pad or cold pack to ibuprofen therapy for the treatment of acute neck or back strain results in a mild yet similar improvement in the pain severity. However, it is possible that pain relief is mainly the result of ibuprofen therapy. Choice of heat or cold therapy should be based on patient and practitioner preferences and availability.
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Epidural steroid injections have been used for decades as part of a rehabilitation program to relieve back or neck pain and the associated radicular nerve component that often accompanies these problems. These injections are minimally invasive and offer many patients substantial relief without the need for more invasive procedures. Although effective and generally simple, they must be performed accurately and properly for maximum benefit and complication avoidance. This article discusses the various technical aspects of the procedure that must be observed by the operator to accomplish these ends.