Highlights
Alternative Treatments
Acupuncture. People with back pain find longer lasting relief from acupuncture than physical therapy, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. Another study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine says that acupuncture works better than no back pain treatment at all.
Yoga. A study in the December 20, 2005 Annals of Internal Medicine found that yoga relieves low back pain better than conventional exercise or self-help books.
Physical Therapy
A new type of physical therapy called Souchard's global postural re-education helps relieve back pain symptoms due to degenerative disk disease. The method involves stretching weakened muscles around the spine and stomach. The research was presented at 2005 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.
Heat Wraps
Continuous low-level heat wrap therapy (CLHT) significantly reduces acute low back pain and disability, and improves job performance among those with physically demanding jobs. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University published their findings in the December 2005 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Surgery
- Bariatric (stomach stapling) surgery may significant reduce disability in very obese patients who have low back pain, according to a study in the journal Obesity Surgery.
- Intradiskal electrothermal treatment (IDET) is no better than sham (fake) treatment in relieving chronic back pain due to problem disks. The findings were published in the November 2005 journal Spine.
Diagnosis
An imaging method called magnetic resonance neurography may help to diagnose sciatica and piriformis syndrome. Traditional MRIs that can reveal damaged disks. Magnetic resonance neurography can spot pinched nerves.
