Essential back care : [the complete guide to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of back and neck conditions

The complete guide to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of back and neck injuries, Essential Back Care provides authoritative and constructive information and advice and is an ideal guide for anyone with back pain who wants to take an active role in their health care. Contents 4 ......Page 6 About This Book 6 ......Page 8 The Spine 10 ......Page 12 The Spinal Canal and Nerves 14 ......Page 16 Muscles and Ligaments 16 ......Page 18 Neck 20 ......Page 22 Midback 22 ......Page 24 Low Back and Leg 24 ......Page 26 Acute Neck and Nerve-root Pain 26 ......Page 28 Cervical Disk Herniation 27 ......Page 29 Acute Torticollis 28 ......Page 30 Whiplash 29 ......Page 31 Chronic Neck and Nerve-root Pain 30 ......Page 32 Facet Joint Pain 31 ......Page 33 Myofascial Pain Syndrome 32 ......Page 34 Disk-related Pain 33 ......Page 35 Thoracic Pain 34 ......Page 36 Mechanical 35 ......Page 37 Acute Low-back Pain 36 ......Page 38 Acute Lumbar Dysfunction 37 ......Page 39 Disk Herniation and Sciatica 38 ......Page 40 Sacroiliac Strain 39 ......Page 41 Chronic Low-back Pain 40 ......Page 42 Disk-related Pain 41 ......Page 43 Facet Joint Pain 42 ......Page 44 Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis 43 ......Page 45 Instability Syndrome and Sacroiliac Strain 44 ......Page 46 Nonspecific/ Lumbar Dysfunction 45 ......Page 47 Chronic Sciatica 46 ......Page 48 Nonspecific Nerve-root Pain 47 ......Page 49 Spinal Stenosis 48 ......Page 50 Piriformis Syndrome 49 ......Page 51 Buttock and Coccyx Pain 50 ......Page 52 Coccydynia 51 ......Page 53 Sacroiliitis 52 ......Page 54 Gluteus Medius Dysfunction 53 ......Page 55 Whole Spine Conditions 54 ......Page 56 Inflammatory Disease 55 ......Page 57 Hypermobility Syndrome 56 ......Page 58 Postural Pain 57 ......Page 59 Scoliosis 58 ......Page 60 Acute Vertebral Compression Fracture 59 ......Page 61 Muscular Tension 62 ......Page 64 Ankylosing Spondylitis 63 ......Page 65 Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis 64 ......Page 66 Vertebral Compression Fracture 65 ......Page 67 Hypermobility and Instability 66 ......Page 68 Discogenic Pain 67 ......Page 69 Facet Joint Strain 68 ......Page 70 Sacroiliac Strain 69 ......Page 71 Disc Herniation 70 ......Page 72 Acute Torticollis 71 ......Page 73 Whiplash 72 ......Page 74 Spinal Stenosis and Degeneration 73 ......Page 75 Scoliosis 74 ......Page 76 Coccydynia 75 ......Page 77 Piriformis Syndrome 76 ......Page 78 Gluteus Medius Dysfunction 77 ......Page 79 Consulting Your Primary Care Doctor 80 ......Page 82 Consulting a Specialist 82 ......Page 84 Treatment with Drugs 84 ......Page 86 Treatment with Injections 86 ......Page 88 Treatment with Surgery 88 ......Page 90 Consulting a Physical Therapist 90......Page 92 Consulting an Osteopath 94 ......Page 96 Consulting a Chiropractor 96 ......Page 98 Using Massage 98 ......Page 100 Consulting an Acupuncturist 100 ......Page 102 Relaxation Techniques 102 ......Page 104 Other Therapies 104 ......Page 106 How the Back Works 108 ......Page 110 Who Is Most at Risk? 110 ......Page 112 Improving Your Posture 112 ......Page 114 Exercise and Sport 116 ......Page 118 The Benefits of Stretching 118 ......Page 120 Eating for Health 120 ......Page 122 At the Office 124 ......Page 126 Lifting and Carrying 128 ......Page 130 Doing Housework 130 ......Page 132 Working in Your Garden 132 ......Page 134 Driving Your Car 134 ......Page 136 During Pregnancy 136 ......Page 138 Caring for Young Children 138 ......Page 140 Coping with Pain 142 ......Page 144 Perception of Pain 144 ......Page 146 Psychological Factors in Back Pain 146 ......Page 148 Pain Relief Through Relaxation 148 ......Page 150 Lying Down and Sleeping 150 ......Page 152 Washing and Dressing 154 ......Page 156 Moving Around 156 ......Page 158 Neck and Back 160 ......Page 162 Back and Buttocks 178 ......Page 180 Glossary 214 ......Page 216 Useful Addresses 216 ......Page 218 Index 218 ......Page 220 Acknowledgments 224 ......Page 226 Contents 4 6 About This Book 6 8 The Spine 10 12 The Spinal Canal and Nerves 14 16 Muscles and Ligaments 16 18 Symptoms Charts 20 22 Neck 20 22 Midback 22 24 Low Back and Leg 24 26 Acute Neck and Nerve-root Pain 26 28 Cervical Disk Herniation 27 29 Acute Torticollis 28 30 Whiplash 29 31 Chronic Neck and Nerve-root Pain 30 32 Facet Joint Pain 31 33 Myofascial Pain Syndrome 32 34 Disk-related Pain 33 35 Thoracic Pain 34 36 Mechanical 35 37 Acute Low-back Pain 36 38 Acute Lumbar Dysfunction 37 39 Disk Herniation and Sciatica 38 40 Sacroiliac Strain 39 41 Chronic Low-back Pain 40 42 Disk-related Pain 41 43 Facet Joint Pain 42 44 Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis 43 45 Instability Syndrome and Sacroiliac Strain 44 46 Nonspecific/ Lumbar Dysfunction 45 47 Chronic Sciatica 46 48 Nonspecific Nerve-root Pain 47 49 Spinal Stenosis 48 50 Piriformis Syndrome 49 51 Buttock and Coccyx Pain 50 52 Coccydynia 51 53 Sacroiliitis 52 54 Gluteus Medius Dysfunction 53 55 Whole Spine Conditions 54 56 Inflammatory Disease 55 57 Hypermobility Syndrome 56 58 Postural Pain 57 59 Scoliosis 58 60 Acute Vertebral Compression Fracture 59 61 Muscular Tension 62 64 Ankylosing Spondylitis 63 65 Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis 64 66 Vertebral Compression Fracture 65 67 Hypermobility and Instability 66 68 Discogenic Pain 67 69 Facet Joint Strain 68 70 Sacroiliac Strain 69 71 Disc Herniation 70 72 Acute Torticollis 71 73 Whiplash 72 74 Spinal Stenosis and Degeneration 73 75 Scoliosis 74 76 Coccydynia 75 77 Piriformis Syndrome 76 78 Gluteus Medius Dysfunction 77 79 Consulting Your Primary Care Doctor 80 82 Consulting a Specialist 82 84 Treatment with Drugs 84 86 Treatment with Injections 86 88 Treatment with Surgery 88 90 Consulting a Physical Therapist 90 92 Consulting an Osteopath 94 96 Consulting a Chiropractor 96 98 Using Massage 98 100 Consulting an Acupuncturist 100 102 Relaxation Techniques 102 104 Other Therapies 104 106 How the Back Works 108 110 Who Is Most at Risk? 110 112 Improving Your Posture 112 114 Exercise and Sport 116 118 The Benefits of Stretching 118 120 Eating for Health 120 122 At the Office 124 126 Lifting and Carrying 128 130 Doing Housework 130 132 Working in Your Garden 132 134 Driving Your Car 134 136 During Pregnancy 136 138 Caring for Young Children 138 140 Coping with Pain 142 144 Perception of Pain 144 146 Psychological Factors in Back Pain 146 148 Pain Relief Through Relaxation 148 150 Lying Down and Sleeping 150 152 Washing and Dressing 154 156 Moving Around 156 158 Neck and Back 160 162 Back and Buttocks 178 180 Glossary 214 216 Useful Addresses 216 218 Index 218 220 Acknowledgments 224 226 Provides an overview for caring for the spine and back, including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries, offering authoritative and constructive information that can be used to take an active role in one's health care