A muscle spasm, as defined by the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, is an involuntary prolonged contraction that is often painful. There are many back conditions that result in painful spasms. When these spasms occur in the lumbar, or lower...
The American Society of Anesthesiology agrees with the conventional definition of general anesthesia as a loss of consciousness induced by drugs, from which a patient cannot be aroused even with painful stimulation. Manipulating human physiology...
Spinal anesthesia involves the direct application of local anesthetic drugs to nerve roots that enter and exit the spinal cord. According to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, spinal anesthesia is preferred over general...
Blood transfusions are prescribed for many reasons, including blood loss and abnormal blood counts. Although hospitals and clinics follow strict protocols for safe transfusion, mistakes by staff and bad reactions from patients to the blood...
Epidural anesthesia is used to provide pain relief for women in labor. Epidurals are also administered for herniated discs pain relief and other injuries.Typically, a needle is inserted into the spine and an anesthetic medication medication is...
Many women who undergo cesarean delivery, also known as a c-section, report unusual sensations such as tingling and even mild pain in their legs as the anesthetic starts to wear off, according to obstetric anesthesiogist John S. McDonald in the...
When patients are scheduled for surgery they are advised to quit smoking by their surgeons. Many patients feel this is unnecessary and do not take their doctor's advice. But surgeons have seen the complications that occur in smokers after...
Ischemic optic neuropathy is a condition that can lead to the optic nerve not receiving enough oxygen, which could result in vision loss. This can result from hypertension or diabetes mellitus or from the inflammation of an artery in the face. It...
The body needs blood in order to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to the organs and take waste products away. If the blood pressure is high, it can cause damage to the heart and blood vessels. Blood vessel damage can lead to diseases of the...
According to anesthesiologist Wayne Kleinman in the 2006 edition of "Clinical Anesthesiology," anesthesiologists use spinal nerve blocks to support a range of applications in orthopedic, urologic, gynecologic, obstetric and sometimes vascular...
Epidural anesthesia is a frequent choice of pain relief for women in labor. During this procedure, a needle is inserted into the epidural space of the spine and an anesthetic medication is injected via a small catheter that remains in the back....
Spinal anesthesia involves the infusion of local anesthetics and, sometimes, narcotics into the fluid that bathes the spinal cord. The spinal cord actually terminates a few inches before the vertebrae, or back bones, that protect it. To minimize...
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America describes asthma as a process whereby the airways become narrowed. Narrowing results from chronic inflammation and increased sensitivity of tubes in the lungs called bronchioles. According to the...
Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is an end-product of metabolism The body breaks down chemicals such as carbohydrates in food into carbon dioxide to help provide energy for the body. Carbon dioxide combines with water in the blood to make an acid, called...
Most physicians will prescribe opiate medication for the management of pain. Opiates can also reduce anxiety and give the user a sense of euphoria. If a person develops tolerance to this medication, stopping the drug will cause withdrawal symptoms...
Sublimaze, the brand name for the generic drug fentanyl citrate, is a drug classified as an opiate, The class is derived from opium, and includes the drugs morphine and heroin. Fentanyl can be a drug of abuse. It is used in clinical practice as a...
L-arginine is a type of amino acid supplement that has been linked to a variety of cardiovascular benefits. Patients undergoing a coronary artery bypass grafting -- or CABG -- surgery are sometimes administered L-arginine to help encourage a...
Tylenol is a pain reliever and fever reducer made of acetaminophen. It's used to treat all kinds of pain, ranging from headaches to arthritis. It comes in liquid or pill form and in different dosage amounts. It's sold over the counter at drug...
According to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, spinal block is an anesthetic technique involving the insertion of a needle, sometimes attached to a plastic catheter, into the subarachnoid space surrounding the spinal...
An interscalene nerve block is a form of local anesthetic used prior to shoulder surgery. This anesthetic is applied to specific nerves within the shoulder by an anesthesiologist using a thin needle. Immediately after interscalene nerve block...
There are different types of anesthesia. Nerve blocks stop the transmission of nerve signals from the body to the spinal cord. Axial blocks stop the flow of transmission from nerves in the spinal cord. General anesthesia affects the brain, causing...
In order to perform a spinal block, an anesthesiologist inserts a fine needle through the skin, muscle and ligaments of the back into the canal that protects the spinal cord. The spinal cord does not, however, run the entire length of the canal....
Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is a method of improving the oxygenation of patients by providing a continuous level of positive pressure into the airway. In patients with sleep apnea or certain lung diseases, a drop in pressure at...
According to John S. McDonald, MD, chairman of the department of anesthesiology and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA Medical Center, spinal anesthesia has emerged as the technique of choice in Cesarean sections because of superior...
Back pain is a common health complaint and can be debilitating, causing chronic pain and loss of function. Pain medications are commonly prescribed for back pain. Acupuncture is an alternative treatment for ailments including back pain and may...
Barberry is the berry of a bush native to temperate and subtropical regions of the world. They are often added to Asian and European rice pilaf dishes. Scientific studies show that barberry may be useful for a variety of health conditions....
Acupressure is a healing art based on energy pathways in the body called meridians. Acupressure points reflect those areas used in acupuncture. Scientific study has only begun to investigate this 5,000-year-old healing art but a couple of small...
Auricular acupuncture can offer relief from pain and enhance mobility of arthritis sufferers. Several acupoints of the ear can significantly relieve arthritic symptoms of the shoulder, elbow, neck and lower extremities. However, consult with an...
Adequate nutrition is very important for the health of the body. Starvation, or inadequate nutrition, will interfere with the processes that must take place within the cells. It interferes with the ability of the immune system to fight against...
