Back Pain News and Research

Latest Back Pain News and Research

Women are more likely than men to die from aortic dissection or tearing

Women are more likely than men to die from aortic dissection,a tear in the inner wall of the aorta, according to one of the first studies of its kind reported in today’s rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

16 Jun 2004

Identification of early ovarian cancer symptoms may have important clinical implications

Symptoms experienced by women that are more severe or frequent than expected and of recent occurrence warrant further diagnostic investigation because they are more likely to be associated with both benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) ovarian masses

14 Jun 2004

36 percent of Americans are using complementary and alternative medicines

A new, comprehensive government survey, released by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), reveals that 36 percent of Americans are incorporating complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) into their health care regimen.

1 Jun 2004

A third of U.S. adults use some form of complementary and alternative medicine

According to a new nationwide government survey, 36 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 years and over use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

27 May 2004

Australian cricketers have had their muscles scanned by researchers to prevent muscle deterioration and injury

The 24-man-squad from Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, were examined by University of Queensland’s senior physiotherapy lecturer Dr Julie Hides.

27 May 2004

Future astronauts will have to do a lot more than simply pedalling an exercise bike to stay healthy in space

University of Queensland, Australia, research shows more weight bearing and resistance exercises, should stop astronauts returning to earth with sore backs and hips when they readjust to gravity.

26 May 2004

Focus on implantation of artificial discs to treat degenerative disc disease

Implantation of artificial discs to treat degenerative disc disease was the subject of multiple presentations earlier this month at the Spine Arthroplasty Meeting in Vienna, Austria, where spine and orthopaedic surgeons from all over the world heard new data about this technology.

25 May 2004

Intensive exercising after menopause may reduce bone loss

Early postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who participate in an intense exercise program may experience reduced bone loss, reduced back pain, and lower cholesterol levels, according to an article in the May 24 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

24 May 2004

Racial differences in treatment of back pain

A UC Riverside study found that African-Americans and Latinos seeking treatment for back pain were prescribed pain relievers less often than were white patients.

24 May 2004

Low back pain - does it need costly scan?

A major study has been conducted to evaluate the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) scans in the treatment of low back pain (LBP).

10 May 2004

More UK health professionals will be able to prescribe medicines

The proposals recommend that physiotherapists, radiographers, chiropodists and optometrists should be able to prescribe medicines, in partnership with a doctor, to help treat and manage conditions such as glaucoma, chronic back pain and the effects of multiple sclerosis, as well as providing pain relief for patients attending radiography sessions.

10 May 2004

Versatile spinal procedure may offer less muscle damage and quicker recovery times

Medtronic, Inc. has introduced at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) meeting in Orlando the latest advancement in the company’s line of Minimal Access Spinal Technologies (MASTSM), which offer surgeons the ability to treat conditions of the lumbar spine using less-invasive techniques.

3 May 2004

Cymbalta helped patients with depression feel better

Patients treated successfully with 60 mg per day of the investigational antidepressant Cymbalta® (duloxetine hydrochloride), were less likely to have their emotional and physical symptoms of depression return than those who stopped taking medication after beginning to feel better

3 May 2004

Serious allergic reactions in cancer patients require expert intervention

Studies show that up to 35 percent of cancer patients are at risk for an allergic reaction to their cancer therapy. Yet, the same drug causing the reaction could be the drug that best helps to control the disease.

28 Apr 2004

$Untreated postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are at risk for first spinal fracture within one year$

Untreated postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are at risk for first spinal fracture within one year

Results of a new analysis found that, without treatment, one out of 13 postmenopausal osteoporotic women who were initially fracture-free were likely to experience a spinal fracture within one year.

28 Apr 2004

British doctors say 40% or 9 million sick notes are suspect each year

British doctors get 22 million requests for sick-notes every year - and they estimate that nine million of these are suspect, according to a new report.

28 Apr 2004

Back-pain sufferers cost US more than $100 billion annually

Back-pain sufferers in America cost this country more than $100 billion annually in medical bills, disability and lost productivity at work. And 80 percent of Americans will battle back pain at some point in their lives, making it the number two reason for doctor visits, after coughs and other respiratory infections, Newsweek reports.

18 Apr 2004

Weight training women don't lose weight

Weight training offers many benefits, but by itself, it won’t burn enough calories to promote much weight loss, says the April issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Source.

16 Apr 2004

Britain's NHS to buy large volume of mobile MRI scanners

British Health Secretary John Reid today invited bidders to supply the NHS with new, mobile, 'state of the art' MRI scanners and highly qualified staff to help cut waiting times across England. These new scanners will targeted at areas of greatest need. It's expected that they will be operational this summer.

8 Apr 2004

Discovery of gender difference in cartilage cells may help spinal disc repair

When biologist Barbara Boyan discovered science’s first proof of biochemical differences between male and female cartilage cells, she began to question the approaches she and other researchers were taking to study cells. Was their thinking biologically relevant?

30 Mar 2004