WHAT IS DORSALGIA?
Chances are, you or someone you know has had , , , opioid use, multiple surgeries, , and a lifetime of disability are far too common. . Each year 15% of the population has their first episode of , and over the course of our lives, 80% of us will have . Even though back is common, the medical community does a poor job managing it. Stories of
Let’s look at some of the common treatments for and see how they stack up against :
MEDICATION
is the #1 reason for opioid prescription in the US, however, in 2106 the CDC recommended against the use of opioids for in favor of “non-drug like .”
IMAGING
Having an X-ray or MRI for back is common, however, it’s rarely needed or helpful. Research has NEVER demonstrated a link between imaging and . As we age, degenerative changes in imaging are common.
- 90% of people aged 50 to 55 have disc degeneration when imaged, whether they have or not
- In 2015 a study that looked at 1,211 MRI scans of people with no found that 87.6% had a disc bulge.
- Just getting an image increases the chances that you’ll have by 34%.
SURGERY
The US has sky-high rates for – 40% higher than any other country and 5x higher than the UK. You’d think that with all the back surgeries we do, we’d be pretty good at it but the outcomes are terrible! A (worker’s comp) study looked at 725 people who had spinal fusions VS 725 people who didn’t. The surgical group had:
- A 1 in 4 chance of a repeat surgery
- A 1 in 3 chance of a major complication
- A 1 in 3 chance of never returning to work again
- Current clinical practice guidelines support manual therapy and exercise.
- Research proves that early PT leads to better outcomes with lower costs, and decreases the risk of surgery, unnecessary imaging, and use of opioids.
- A study of 122,723 people with who started PT within 14 days found that it decreased the cost to treat back by 60%
- Unfortunately, only 2% of people with back start with PT, and only 7% get to PT within 90 days.
Despite the data showing that a without a doctor’s referral. If you see your doctor for or back , and PT isn’t one of the first options, ask for it! A is a specialist trained to be able to assess your lower back and and refer out to an MD or request imaging if appropriate, so often you may save time and money by seeing your PT first! , PT is the most effective, safest, and lowest cost option to treat , most people take far too long to get there. Almost every state has direct access, meaning that you can go directly to
The different types of Dorsalgia:
Simply termed, dorsalgia is in the back. It takes root from two words: “Dorsal” which means back, and “algia” which means . However, dorsalgia is more than just simple back . If we talk in specific terms, the involved in dorsalgia comes from the . Accordingly, the section of the that is responsible for the makes for a particular type of dorsalgia.
In all, there are six known types of dorsalgia. These are listed here:
1. Cervical dorsalgia
Sometimes, cervical dorsalgia is also medically termed as cervicalgia. In this type, the is involved. The you feel is in the region and occurs due to some injury or otherwise as a result of degeneration of the .
2. Cervicothoracic dorsalgia
As is evident in the term, this type of dorsalgia involves cervical and thoracic regions of the . Hence, the in cervicothoracic dorsalgia comes from both of these portions. . The is the uppermost part of the vertebral column that exists in the region. Whereas the is the second portion of the vertebral column. It is located between the and
3.
As compared to cervicothoracic dorsalgia, this type of back comes from only the thoracic vertebral segments. Typically, this type of dorsalgia is a rare occurrence.
4. Thoracolumbar dorsalgia
Thoracolumbar dorsalgia involves both the thoracic and . Usually, this type involves both upper and .
5. Lumbar dorsalgia
The is located where the ends and continues down to where the sacral starts. As this part of the back is the most used of all in our daily movements, lumbar dorsalgia is more common among patients with this disease.
6. Lumbosacral dorsalgia
This type involves back lumbar and sacral . that roots from both the
of Dorsalgia
Varying between the six types, the of this disease are usually common across patients. You may feel a sharp or stinging in your back or only your . This also carries a burning sensation. You may have difficulty changing your position like climbing the stairs or rising from a chair or bed. In addition to that, there will also be or difficulty while bending down.
Overall, a change of is painful for patients with dorsalgia. In some cases where nerves are compromised due to a bulge of spinal discs, the usually also include numbness in the upper and lower extremities. Sometimes, a stinging sensation is also experienced. Both of these problems make it difficult for the to carry out everyday activities with ease.
for Dorsalgia
Nonsurgical Treatments
When surgery is not involved, medications along with . of dorsalgia is mainly relied on with
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