02-22-2023 Primetime Living - Flipbook - Page 26
26 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Back on track, continued
from page 19
Risk Factors
for Back and
Neck Pain
There are several risk factors that can
predispose someone to develop back
pain. Many of these risk factors are fairly
common, with most being modifiable.
Dr. Karri says that correcting these risks
earlier than later can create a better path
towards old age and can help prevent
many chronic neck and low back pain
conditions.
*Age – Starting between age 30 to 40,
most individuals in the country have
reported at least one significant episode
of low back pain or neck pains. Starting
at the age of 40, the risk of developing
back pain increases with every decade
of life.
*Deconditioning – Supporting the spine
are several core muscle groups that help
with alignment and movement. Being
sedentary and physically inactive can
lead to deconditioning and weakening
of these muscles and that then leads to
neck and low back pain.
*Obesity – Being overweight or obese
can place more pressure on the spine
than is appropriate. This excessive
stress and pressure can especially lead
to chronic low back pain.
*Smoking – More data has correlated
smoking to poor spine health and chronic pain. Smoking decreases blood flow
to vital structures and can also increase
the risk of poor bone health.
*Biomechanics – Improper biomechanics, posture and heavy lifting can lead
to otherwise preventable sprains and
strains in the neck and low back.
*Psychological conditions – Patients
with depression, anxiety and other mood
disorders can place a lot more stress
on the mind and body. This can lead to
increased muscle tension in the neck
and low back and can contribute to
chronic pain.
*Cancer – Cancer can originate or
spread to the spine, causing sensitivity and pain. In addition to pain, fevers,
chills, unintended weight loss and other
symptoms are typically present.
*Drug Use – Illicit use of IV drugs can
lead to chronic back pain either directly
or indirectly via various spinal infections.
Advancing cancer care,
continued from page 6
nent implantation involves the surgical
placement of these wires and a battery.
*Peripheral nerve stimulation is similar to spinal cord stimulation but involves
the placement of wires outside the spine,
typically targeting nerves that supply
painful facet joints and key supportive
spinal muscles. Various peripheral nerve
stimulation systems exist, ranging from
some devices that are placed temporarily for up to 60 days vs. other devices
that remain in the body. There exists
some data suggesting even 60 days of
stimulation can produce pain relief that
can last a year or longer. In certain cases
of durable and meaningful benefit, this
temporary system can be offered again
should the pain return.
*Kyphoplasty is a procedure that is
used to treat pain from vertebral compression fractures, typically within 8-12
weeks of injury. The procedure involves
placing needles into the fractured segment to introduce an inflatable balloon
that creates a cavity, which is then filled
with an acrylic bone cement. The needles
are then removed, and patients go home
the same day.
Some patients may require surgical
management for the effective treatment
of neck and lower back pain. Consultation
with a spine surgeon will help determine
which surgical approaches and proce-
dures may be most appropriate for the
patient’s condition.
One common surgery is spinal
decompression, which is indicated for
the treatment of spinal stenosis. In spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal
canal places pressure on the nerves in
the neck or low back and can cause pain,
numbness or weakness in the upper or
lower extremities or even balance deficits
and decreased bowel or bladder control.
Spinal decompression is performed at
areas of nerve compression and may be
performed anywhere from the neck to
low back. The surgery involves removing
a section of bone from the spine and/or
a section of a damaged disc to decompress involved segments. It may require
the fusing together of two or more of the
vertebrae of the spine for stabilization.
Another common surgery is a
diskectomy which involves the removal
of herniated disc material. This procedure is indicated and especially helpful
for radiculopathy, when neck pain shoots
down the arm or low back pain shoots
down the leg. Depending on the presentation, a disckectomy can be performed
endoscopically, through placement of a
small tube with a camera, or open surgery, through an open incision wherein
the surgeon has a full view of the structures involved.
An Ounce of Prevention
The spine plays a crucial role in everyday
life. The spinal column and surrounding
muscles enable body movement and
support bending, twisting, and standing.
Therefore, adapting to a healthy lifestyle
helps to minimize the likelihood of injuries and reduce the incidence of pain.
a bicycle ride or a fast run for those who
are younger.
*Strength training – The CDC also recommends two days a week of muscle
strengthening activity like weightlifting,
but this can also pertain to core exercises which can be done in the home.
Ways to maintaining a healthy lifestyle
*Nutrition – Eating a healthy diet helps
for a healthy spine:
to maintain a healthy weight. This comes
*Regular exercise/aerobic activity – from both following daily caloric recomAccording to the Centers for Disease mendations and eating healthy foods
Control and Prevention (CDC), most from all major food groups.
adults need 150 minutes of moderate
*Doctor visits – Regular check-ups help
to intense physical activity that elevates
ensure that other conditions are well
the heart rate every week. Whether
managed and treated.
that comes from shorter stints of daily
exercise or fewer workouts of longer *Sleep – Recent evidence shows us that
periods, 150 weekly minutes will ensure patients with chronic pain not only have
the body is in good shape. Suggested poor sleep habits, but also that poor
activities include a brisk walk for older sleep can worsen chronic pain.
individuals to something like a swim or
Study participation is especially crucial today to not only advance oncology
practice, but also provide better care for
patients. With new discoveries in molecular
sequencing and genetic abnormalities in
cancers, targeted therapies provided earlier
in the treatment plan can help patients while
they are study participants, Dr. Bridges
explains.
Individualized patient care
The bottom line, however, is doing what’s
best for the patient in accordance with their
wishes and those of their family members.
Physicians get to know the patient and they
are a part of determining the treatment plan.
“One of the most important things you do
as a medical oncologist is take into account
the goals and priorities of the patients that
you’re treating,” says Dr. Bridges. “We listen
to them to help guide us on the best treatment for the patient as an individual. The
patient’s goals and what their priorities are
help dictate how we manage their care.”
The goal is always to shrink the cancer
and help patients live longer. At the same
time, physicians want to help patients live
better. “Living better is dependent upon the
patient’s goals and what they want from the
treatment,” Dr. Bridges explains.
Maryland Oncology Hematology
Physician Specialists
Benjamin Bridges, M.D.
Ravin Garg, M.D.
Adam Goldrich, M.D.
Peter Graze, M.D.
Stuart Selonick, M.D.
Jason Taksey, M.D.
Carol Tweed, M.D.
David Weng, MD. Ph.D.
Jeanine Werner, M.D.
For more information,
visit marylandoncology.com.