The steroid injections and radiofrequency denervation treatments that I carry out and that are inherently safe. In almost all cases without exception with the indications outweigh the risks, especially if the precise cause of pain has been diagnosed with examination and SPECT CT and MRI. It must be pointed out however that there always contra-indications…
The bottom line is that on their own, MRI scans are not that helpful in the diagnosis of mechanical or localised spinal back pain. These scans involve the use of magnets to give 3-D images of the different structures of the body. Unfortunately MRI scans of all areas of the spine can miss abnormalities;…
So what happens when the doctor who treats patients with back pain then gets back pain…? I was power washing my driveway one Saturday morning when I suddenly developed right lower back pain. It was mechanical in nature and stayed that way through the weekend and beyond. I was expecting sciatica symptoms but luckily they…
The sacro-iliac joints are the largest surface area joints in the body but they are also very immobile, moving little during activity. Symptoms Inflamed sacro-iliac joints are estimated to be present in 40% of low back pain patients in young age. They can cause local pain as well as pain radiating to the legs, usually…
CT scans are as good as MRI scans, at showing up spinal structures. The section on MRI on this site outlines the problems with looking at structures alone; please refer to that. MRI is however, preferred over CT, as the spinal imaging of choice when looking at structures. This is because of the high dose…
Botox is a drug really is magic! It is known by all for its use in the cosmetic industry and removing wrinkles. It also helps suppress excessive sweating. It is however also widely used in medical practice for painful muscle spasms of all causes and commonly injected around the eye for blepharospasm or eyelid tics,…
Symptoms Simple or mechanical thoracic back pain is pain felt in the back alone. It is important to treat this early and effectively and exclude sinister causes such as infection, spine instability, and tumours. Bed rest and immobility are not recommended for more than 2 to 3 days. Continuation of a normal lifestyle using…
Plain X-rays are occasionally useful in the pain clinic but as an investigation of back pain alone in the absence of symptoms or signs of cancer or infection they are useless and should not be undertaken. X-rays are invaluable in diagnosing complex regional pain syndrome when symptoms and signs fulfill the Budapest criteria, and in…
Back pain can be used to describe pain anywhere along the spine from the neck or cervical spine, through to the thoracic spine that supports the chest wall, down to the lumbar spine, sacrum and coccyx. Coccyx pain or coccydinia is felt in the bottom at the very lowest tip of the spine. Low back…
The Chickenpox virus, Varicella Zoster, lies dormant in the nervous system after recovery from the acute illness. It is found specifically in the nerve cell bodies in the Doral Root Ganglion. Shingles occurs as a result of reactivation of the virus, which then causes some of the nerve cell bodies to die off. The result…