February 2012
Ask The Doctors: February 2012
Subscribers Only For most people who develop carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), proper treatment usually can relieve pain, numbness, tingling, and restore normal function of the wrist without surgery. In the early stages of CTS, a night splint is the first treatment recommended. This splint keeps the wrist in a neutral position during sleep, minimizing pressure on the median nerve and relieving the nighttime symptoms of tingling and numbness. The splint can also be effectively used during the day. Splinting is most effective in patients who have moderate symptoms of short duration.
Opioids Prior to Knee Replacement Not Advised
Subscribers Only Patients who are dependent on opioids (narcotic pain relievers) for pain management before knee replacement have much more difficulty recovering, a study recently published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery has found. These patients tend to have longer hospital stays, more post-surgical pain, a higher rate of complications, and are more likely to need additional procedures than patients who are not opioid-dependent.
Harnessing Blood’s Healing
Subscribers Only If you’ve ever had an injury involving swelling, you’ve seen firsthand how blood flows to the injury site to promote healing. Your blood’s own natural healing capabilities form the basis of regenerative injection therapy, specifically platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. In these treatments, a sample of blood is removed, its healing properties are concentrated, and then it’s injected back into an injury site to hasten recovery.
3 Ways to Maintain Balance, Prevent Falls
Subscribers Only Falls are a leading cause of injury in older adults. In fact, as many as one-half of people age 65 or older will experience a fall this year. But falls are not inevitable. Getting regular hearing and vision exams, talking with your doctor about medications that could affect your balance, wearing non-slip, thin-soled shoes, making sure your living area is well-lighted, and removing clutter in your home and workplace are all steps you can take to avoid falls.
Best (and Worst) Exercises You Can Do to Boost Bone Health
Subscribers Only Regardless of age, the condition of our bones is always changing — for better or for worse. Until about the age of 25 the news is generally good. Our bodies manufacture new bone tissue faster than old bone breaks down. After 30, we begin to lose more bone tissue than we gain. What can you do about it? Exercise to increase bone mass and strengthen it, but do so with physical activities that don’t cause further damage. “In order to strengthen bones, you need to put more load or impact on them than usual,” says Maribeth Gibbon, PT, a physical therapist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic.
A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Thwarting Back Pain
Subscribers Only Physical therapy and stretching can improve your back’s flexibility. Exercises can strengthen the spine. And medications can relieve the pain of a backache. But what you do in your daily routine is just as critical to the health of your spine. So be cognizant of your spine as you go about your everyday life. By taking some practical measures, you can avoid spinal problems before they occur.
In The News: February 2012
Subscribers Only In the first study of its kind to demonstrate an association between the antidepressant escitalopram and improved general pain, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that opioid-dependent patients treated with escitalopram experienced significant reductions in pain during the first three months of therapy. More than 600 patients addicted to prescription opioids were randomized to receive 10 mg of escitalopram or a placebo daily. Changes in pain severity and depression were assessed at one, two, and three months. Investigators found that treatment with escitalopram resulted in a meaningful reduction in pain over time, with nearly 30 percent reduction in pain after just one month compared to the control group.
When Your Hip Pain Isn’t Arthritis
Subscribers Only More than 7 percent of American adults experience chronic hip pain, according to a 2011 government report. Although the source of the pain might appear to be an arthritic hip, the cause might be something completely different—and something more serious. “If you do have hip discomfort, be cognizant of the fact that it could be a sign of arthritis of the hip or lead to arthritis of the hip,” says A.J. Cianflocco, MD, an orthopaedist with Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. “But hip pain can also be related to bursitis, a hip fracture, or even a problem in your lower back.”