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Excerpts

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 Discogenic Pain
• Conservative Treatment of Discogenic Pain
• When to Consider Surgery
• Key Points

Chapter 11

• Spinal Slippage and Instability: Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
• Diagnosing Spinal Slippage and Other Problems
• Treating Spondylolysis and Spinal Slippage
• Surgery
• Key Points

Chapter 12

• Spinal-Canal Narrowing: Stenosis
• Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
• Stenosis in the Upper Back and Neck
• Diagnosing Spinal Stenosis
• Treating Spinal Stenosis without Surgery
• When Surgery Is Necessary
• Key Points

Chapter 13

• Osteoporosis of the Spine
• Diagnosing Osteoporosis
• Treating Spinal Compression Fractures without Surgery
• Treating Osteoporosis by Halting Bone Loss
• Weight-Bearing Exercise
• Key Points

Chapter 14

• Benign and Malignant Spinal Tumors and Cancer Pain
• Tumors of the Spinal Column
• Back Pain from Metastasized Cancer
• Treating Back Pain from Metastasized Cancer
• When Back Pain Is Caused by Cancer
• Treatment
• Key Points

Chapter 15

• Recognizing and Treating Other Causes of Back Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Inflammatory Diseases of the Spine
• Coccydynia
• Infection
• Vascular Abnormalities
• Scoliosis
• Pregnancy and Menstruation
• Key Points

PART III: TYPES OF TREATMENT FOR BACK PAIN

Chapter 16

• Physical Therapy and Exercise
• Using Physical Therapy Effectively
• Stretching and Strengthening Your Back Muscles
• TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)
• Aerobics for Endurance and Stamina
• Key Points

Chapter 17

• The Challenge of Finding the Drug -- or Drugs -- That Will Ease Your Back Pain
• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
• How to Use NSAIDs Effectively 242
• Corticosteroids
• Antidepressants
• Other Nonnarcotic Drugs
• Myths and Truths about Using Narcotics for Back Pain
• Drug Tolerance, Dependence, and Addiction
• How to Use Narcotics Effectively
• Balancing Relief and Side Effects
• Key Points

Chapter 18

• Radiofrequency Lesioning and Other Interventional Treatment for Back Pain
• Epidural Steroid Injections
• Facet and Nerve-Root Blocks
• Cutting off the Pain Impulse:Radiofrequency Lesioning
• Similar Techniques
• Cryoanalgesia
• Vertebroplasty
• Implantable Devices
• Key Points

Chapter 19

• Treating Back Pain with Surgery
• Lumbar Discectomy
• Foramenotomy
• Laminotomy, Laminectomy, and Partial Facetectomy for Lumbar Stenosis
• Spinal Fusion: Approach with Caution
• Complications of Back Surgery
• Doctors Who Perform Spinal Surgery
• Key Points

Chapter 20

• Eastern Needling and Other Integrative Means of Pain Relief
• Acupuncture
• Manual Manipulation
• Mind-Body Therapies
• Key Points

PART IV: PREVENTING BACK PAIN

Chapter 21

• Watch Your Back! How Lifestyle Can Hurt or Help
• Avoiding Excess
• Warm Up First
• Develop a Posturepedic Body
• Watch Your Weight
• Prevent Recurring Back Pain
• Enjoy Painfree Traveling

Glossary Appendix Index