The Triangle area’s experts in joint pain and treatments. If you think you’re out of options, you haven’t seen us yet.
Dr. Fulgham's Bare Back Facts
As people age, back pain and loss of height
may be due to thinning of the discs.
A physical therapist does the greatest
good for people with back pain by breaking bad habits of posture and poor
movement patterns.
When anti-inflammatory medicines, muscles
relaxers, walking and/or exercises are instituted immediately, episodes
of back pain due to a sprained muscle usually lasts no longer than six
weeks.
A sprained back and ruptured disc may produce
similar symptoms, but the sprain usually heals within six weeks.
Ruptured, slipped and herniated discs are
the same things.
A patient with a ruptured disc in the neck
or back may have a normal spinal X-ray but will usually have an abnormal
MRI scan.
A ruptured disc or bone spur requires surgery
only if the severe pain and weakness persists despite conservative measures
such as medication, exercise and steroid injections.
Very few people with ruptured discs require
surgery.
Sitting increases pressure in the lower
back discs five times more than standing does.
The first back operation is the most important.
After lumbar disc surgery, most people
return to their former level of activity within six weeks.
People who smoke usually have back pain
for longer periods.
Women are not the only ones to get osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is preventable in both men and women when diagnosis is made
early enough.