In the 2010 edition of "Williams' Obstetrics," Dr. F. Gary Cunningham, chief of obstetrics for Encino-Tarzana Medical Center, reports that about 30 percent of births in the United States occur by Cesarean section. Although almost all pregnant...
Epidural steroid injections are corticosteroid treatments that are used to control symptoms of inflammation and pain within the arms, legs, back and neck, according to Mayfield Clinic, a Cincinnati-based neurosurgery clinic. The advantage of back...
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...
Decompressive laminectomy is a procedure used to relieve pressure on the spinal column. Increased pressure on the spinal cord can be caused by several factors including a herniated spinal disc or spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal column...
A spinal headache, or postdural puncture headache, is a common side effect experienced after an attempted epidural injection. It occurs when the dura, or the tissue surrounding the spinal cord, is punctured and cerebral spinal fluid leaks into the...
An epidural steroid injection (ESI) is a procedure intended to alleviate painful symptoms associated with nerve problems in the neck or back. During this procedure, your doctor will place a hollow needle between the vertebrae of your spine. Once...
Patients with chronic neck pain may find relief from uncomfortable symptoms after treatment with a cervical epidural steroid injection. During this treatment, a doctor injects a corticosteroid medication directly into the epidural space in the...
Cervical epidural steroid injections are common treatment options for pain caused by inflamed or irritated nerves. During medication administration, an injection of steroids is injected into the cervical epidural space. According to Spine...
A cervical epidural steroid injection is a treatment option for pain caused by irritated or inflamed spinal nerves. It is an injection of steroids into the cervical epidural space. In a 2007 review article in Spine, researchers found that cervical...
An epidural steroid injection is a corticosteroid treatment used to control symptoms of pain and inflammation within the neck, arms, legs or back, explains the Mayfield Clinic in Cincinnati, Ohio. This minimally invasive treatment can be injected...
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....
A laminectomy is a surgery that decompresses the spine by removing a small portion of bone over the nerve root to relieve spinal stenosis pain. Following a laminectomy, approximately 70 to 80 percent of patients will have a significant improvement...
According to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, anesthesiologists currently use epidural anesthesia, either alone or in conjunction with other methods, to provide intra- and post-operative pain control for a variety of...
Spinal stenosis is described as narrowing of the spine, often causing impingement on the spinal cord, which causes symptoms. These include pain in the anatomical area affected, motor difficulties and sensory abnormalities. It is classified based...
The spine has 26 vertebral bones. Between each vertebra there is a sponge-like disc that acts as a shock absorber. When this disc bulges outside of the ring that contains it, the patient may have back and/or leg pain. Surgery to remove the...
The lumbar region of the back represents the five vertebrae of the lower back. When you experience lower back pain, inflammation of the lumbar spine is typically to blame. Lumbar steroid injections represent a nonsurgical treatment option designed...
While over 90 percent of all Americans will experience back pain in their lifetime, according to the Mayo Clinic, only 5 percent of these will remain disabled more than 3 months. Most back pain can be resolved through conservative treatments like...
Safe and appropriate anesthesia is a priority for both patients and their surgeons. While modern anesthesia methods are considered safe and effective, all anesthesia methods carry certain risks. Spinal and epidural anesthesia can trigger a spinal...
A lumbar epidural injection is a procedure performed by specially trained physicians, usually anesthesiologists, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists or rehabilitation physicians. Following an epidural procedure, you will receive instructions from...
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...
The spine is a flexible column composed of bones, called vertebrae, interspersed with shock-absorbing discs made of cartilage. These discs can be damaged by trauma or by the effects of wear and tear over time. When the tough outer rings of the...
When the part of the spine that runs through the neck--called the cervical spine--becomes damaged, patients can experience pain, tingling and numbness in their arms, shoulders and hands, which are connected to nerve roots in the cervical spine....
Spinal surgery, whether of the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spinal regions, is typically performed to relieve pressure that is being exerted on the spinal cord or its nerves. This pressure can be from a sudden bulging or ruptured disc, bone spur...
Bone biopsies are procedures done to test for diseases affecting the bones. For patients with a fracture, bone biopsies are done to evaluate possible disorders that may have caused the fracture or any complications associated with the break. A...
Failed back surgery, chronic low back pain and reflex sympathetic dystrophy are all painful diagnoses that can affect mobility and functioning. A spinal cord stimulator is used to treat the pain signals generated by these illnesses with...
The sciatic nerve is located in the lower region of the spine. Inflammation or damage of this nerve can result in debilitating back pain that radiates into the buttocks and upper legs, a condition called sciatica. Patients who have sciatica may...
Multiple sclerosis is a disabling disease of unknown origin. It commonly affects middle-aged women by attacking the protective sheath covering the nervous system called the myelin, causing causing an interruption in neurological impulses between...
Hearing of a case of meningitis can evoke fear, especially when a daycare, school or college is involved. Meningitis symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting. and often appear suddenly. Individually, these...
The optic nerve carries electrical impulses from your eye to your brain. Damage to the optic nerve can affect your ability to sight. Several types of calcium deposits can develop in the optic nerve. Calcium deposits may develop within protein...
