Surgery for back pain reduces problems with sex life-related pain
For patients with degenerative spinal disease, surgery is more effective in reducing pain that interferes with sexual activity, compared to nonsurgical treatment.
Many back pain patients get limited relief from opioids and worry about taking them, survey shows
Millions of people take opioids for chronic back pain, but many of them get limited relief while experiencing side effects and worrying about the stigma associated with taking them, suggests research.
Scientists locate possible therapy target for spinal muscular atrophy
Researchers at Iowa State University have discovered what could lead to a new treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, a potentially fatal genetic disorder in young children.
Clinical trial offers hope to restore limb function in man with complete cervical spinal cord injury
Physicians at Rush University Medical Center became the first in Illinois to inject AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells), an experimental treatment, into the damaged cervical spine of a recently paralyzed man as part of a multicenter clinical trial.
Potential new target for treatment of spinal muscular atrophy discovered
For the first time, scientists found that in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the affected nerve cells that control muscle movement, or motor neurons, have defects in their mitochondria, which generate energy used by the cell. Impaired mitochondrial function and structure in motor neurons were discovered before symptoms occurred, suggesting a role in disease development. These […]
Two biomarkers that contribute to spine osteoarthritis
A research team has discovered a pair of tissue biomarkers that directly contribute to the harmful joint degeneration associated with spine osteoarthritis.
Measuring severity of spinal cord injuries
Injuries to the spinal cord partially or completely disrupt the neural pathways between the brain and the limbs. The consequences for the representation of the affected limbs in the brain can be drastic. Researchers have now measured how severely this representation is affected.
Women suffer more neck pain than men
Women are 1.38 times more likely than men to report neck pain due to cervical degenerative disc disease, according to a study of adult patients treated at Loyola Medicine’s Pain Management Center.
Seismic for the spine: Vibration technology offers alternative to MRI
Magnetic resonance image isn’t everything. A new University of Alberta study shows that vibrating the spine may reveal more when it comes to treating back pain. Teaming with the University of South Denmark to study the lumbar spine of twins, Greg Kawchuk and his team demonstrate that structural changes within the spine alter its vibration […]
New surgical tool keeps orthopedic procedures on target
A new opto-electronic drilling system detects minute changes during orthopedic surgery, allowing surgeons to correct drilling trajectories during the procedure itself. The system eliminates guide-wire bending or breakage and significantly reduces operation time and enhances safety.
