Say Goodbye to Back Pain

Informationen zum Autor Marian Betancourt has written numerous books on health and women's issues. Her most recent books include What's in the Air?, a guide to managing seasonal and year-round allergies; and Playing Like a Girl: Transforming Our Lives Through Team Sports. She has written for the Associated Press, Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and other national publications. Klappentext DON'T LET BACK PAIN RUN YOUR LIFE! Anyone who experiences chronic or even minor back pain knows there are plenty of remedies for temporary pain relief -- but how do you know you're treating the correct problem in the most effective way? Top neurologist and pain management expert Emile Hiesiger draws on the newest medical information to target back pain at its source. From whiplash and sciatica to osteoporosis and spondylolysis, from faulty facets to herniated disks, Dr. Hiesiger identifies the origins of common problems, and arms you with essential information on Diagnostic tests and what they mean Key questions to ask your doctor Medical and surgical options from nerve blocks to vertebroplasty Exercises and lifestyle changes for pain relief and prevention Physical therapy Prescription drugs And much more Practical and accessible, this one-stop resource will take you from symptoms to diagnosis to cure, so you can say goodbye to back pain -- forever! Zusammenfassung DON'T LET BACK PAIN RUN YOUR LIFE! Anyone who experiences chronic or even minor back pain knows there are plenty of remedies for temporary pain relief -- but how do you know you're treating the correct problem in the most effective way? Top neurologist and pain management expert Emile Hiesiger draws on the newest medical information to target back pain at its source. From whiplash and sciatica to osteoporosis and spondylolysis, from faulty facets to herniated disks, Dr. Hiesiger identifies the origins of common problems, and arms you with essential information on Diagnostic tests and what they mean Key questions to ask your doctor Medical and surgical options from nerve blocks to vertebroplasty Exercises and lifestyle changes for pain relief and prevention Physical therapy Prescription drugs And much more Practical and accessible, this one-stop resource will take you from symptoms to diagnosis to cure, so you can say goodbye to back pain -- forever! Inhaltsverzeichnis CONTENTSIntroductionPART I: THE BASICSChapter 1 Understanding How Your Back Works Spinal Bones: Vertebrae Spinal Joints: Facets Spinal Disks The Sacrum and Coccyx The Spinal Cord and Spinal Canal Spinal Ligaments Back Muscles Spinal Wear and Tear and Back Pain Medical Causes of Back Pain Key PointsChapter 2 Why a Good Diagnosis Is Hard to Find The Complications of Chronic Back Pain Referred Pain: The Cause Is Not Always Near the Effect Test-Negative Pain: When the Cause Can't Be Seen The Initial Physical Examination Key PointsChapter 3 Will Pictures Tell the Story? What to Know about Diagnostic Tests Conventional X-rays Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Computed Axial Tomography (CT) Myelogram Discogram Electromyogram (EMG) Diagnostic Nerve Blocks Bone-Density Tests Bone Scan Laboratory Tests Key PointsChapter 4 Finding the Doctor Who Can Really Help You Shopping for a Doctor Physicians Who Treat Back Pain Interviewing Potential Doctors What You Should Know about Pain Specialists Key PointsChapter 5 How to Get and Pay for the Best Treatment for Back Pain Do Your Homework Getting the Most from Your Health-Insurance Plan Key PointsPART II: COMMON CAUSES OF BACK PAINChapter 6 Muscle Injuries and Myofascial Back Pain Diagnosing and Treating Back Muscle Injuries Myofascial Pain Treating Myofascial Pain Gluteus Maximus Syndrome Piriformis Syndrome Sciatic-Nerve Entrapment Key PointsChapter 7 Facet Sy...

Autorentext

Marian Betancourt has written numerous books on health and women's issues. Her most recent books include What's in the Air?, a guide to managing seasonal and year-round allergies; and Playing Like a Girl: Transforming Our Lives Through Team Sports. She has written for the Associated Press, Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and other national publications.

Klappentext

DON'T LET BACK PAIN RUN YOUR LIFE!

Anyone who experiences chronic or even minor back pain knows there are plenty of remedies for temporary pain relief -- but how do you know you're treating the correct problem in the most effective way? Top neurologist and pain management expert Emile Hiesiger draws on the newest medical information to target back pain at its source. From whiplash and sciatica to osteoporosis and spondylolysis, from faulty facets to herniated disks, Dr. Hiesiger identifies the origins of common problems, and arms you with essential information on

• **Diagnostic tests and what they mean

• Key questions to ask your doctor

• Medical and surgical options from nerve blocks to vertebroplasty

• Exercises and lifestyle changes for pain relief and prevention

• Physical therapy

• Prescription drugs

• And much more

  Practical and accessible, this one-stop resource will take you from symptoms to diagnosis to cure, so you can say goodbye to back pain -- forever!

Inhalt

CONTENTS

Introduction

PART I: THE BASICS

Chapter 1

• Understanding How Your Back Works

• Spinal Bones: Vertebrae

• Spinal Joints: Facets

• Spinal Disks

• The Sacrum and Coccyx

• The Spinal Cord and Spinal Canal

• Spinal Ligaments

• Back Muscles

• Spinal Wear and Tear and Back Pain

• Medical Causes of Back Pain

• Key Points

Chapter 2

• Why a Good Diagnosis Is Hard to Find

• The Complications of Chronic Back Pain

• Referred Pain: The Cause Is Not Always Near the Effect

• Test-Negative Pain: When the Cause Can't Be Seen

• The Initial Physical Examination

• Key Points

Chapter 3

• Will Pictures Tell the Story? What to Know about Diagnostic Tests

• Conventional X-rays

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

• Computed Axial Tomography (CT)

• Myelogram

• Discogram

• Electromyogram (EMG)

• Diagnostic Nerve Blocks

• Bone-Density Tests

• Bone Scan

• Laboratory Tests

• Key Points

Chapter 4

• Finding the Doctor Who Can Really Help You

• Shopping for a Doctor

• Physicians Who Treat Back Pain

• Interviewing Potential Doctors

• What You Should Know about Pain Specialists

• Key Points

Chapter 5

• How to Get and Pay for the Best Treatment for Back Pain

• Do Your Homework

• Getting the Most from Your Health-Insurance Plan

• Key Points

PART II: COMMON CAUSES OF BACK PAIN

Chapter 6

• Muscle Injuries and Myofascial Back Pain

• Diagnosing and Treating Back Muscle Injuries

• Myofascial Pain

• Treating Myofascial Pain

• Gluteus Maximus Syndrome

• Piriformis Syndrome

• Sciatic-Nerve Entrapment

• Key Points

Chapter 7

• Facet Syndrome: Painful Spinal Joints

• Diagnosing Facet Pain

• Treating Facet Pain

• Key Points

Chapter 8

• Chronic Whiplash Pain

• Symptoms of Whiplash

• The Difficulty of Diagnosing Whiplash

• Treating Acute Cervical Whiplash Pain

• Treating Chronic Pain or Late Whiplash Syndrome

• Key Points

Chapter 9

• Pain from Spinal-Disk Herniation

• Diagnosing Nerve Pain from Disk Herniation

• Treating Pain from Cervical-Disk Herniations

• Treating Pain from Lumbar-Disk Herniations

• Lifestyle Changes

• Surgery for Disk Herniation

• Key Points

Chapter 10

• Discogenic Back Pain

• Diagnosing Di…