53-year-old woman with low back pain.

Pregnancy and low back pain: physical therapy can reduce back and pelvic pain during and after pregnancy.

The global epidemic of low back pain.

226. Surgical treatment of refractory low back pain using implanted BurstDR spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in a cohort of patients without options for corrective surgery: findings and results from the DISTINCT study, a prospective randomized multi-center controlled trial

THERE have been several publications of transient neurologic toxicity or transient radicular irritation attributed to intrathecal local anesthetics. Most described cases involved the use of hyperbaric lidocaine, 2 - 5%. Sumi et al. recently reported a case in which tetracaine, 0.5%, was used. Reported cases present with low back or buttock pain radiating to the thighs or lower legs. The pain is usually moderate to severe, appearing 1-24 h postoperatively after recovery from an otherwise uneventful spinal anesthetic. In all reported cases, the symptoms disappeared within 1 week. We report two cases of similar symptoms and circumstances that have the appearance of simple musculoskeletal pain.

Permanent paraparesis and cauda equina syndrome after epidural blood patch for postdural puncture headache.

Introduction: Development of at a younger age is a potential risk of developing chronic low back pain in adulthood. The study was planned with the purpose to know the extent of the less studied musculoskeletal disorders as a health problem among Indian medical students. The study was conducted to assess the prevalence of low back and neck pain among medical students, find the associations of low back and neck pain with quality-of-life issues, self-perceived stress and lifestyle. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Bhopal, India from May to July 2019, total 220 medical students were randomly selected. A questionnaire including the pre-validated instruments viz. Oswestry Disability Index, Visual Analog Scale and Perceived Stress Scale-10 were used to collect the data. Data entry was done in Microsoft Excel and was analyzed on statistical package SPSS version 23. Results: The overall prevalence of Low Back and Neck Pain were 49.1% and 56.4% respectively. A significant association of female gender was found with Neck and Low Back Pain. A significant negative correlation was found between body mass index and Visual Analogue Scale neck & back (p=0.003). Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of low back pain and neck pain in medical students at Bhopal. Females were affected more than males. Complaint of lower back pain was more than neck pain. Playing outdoor sports and weightlifting was found to be having protective effect on low back pain and neck pain.

Introduction: Low back pain affects 70–85% of the adult population at some point in life. In total 45–75% of patients continue to experience pain after 12 months of onset. Low back pain is a major health hazard in today’s technological era. The history of low back pain is as ancient as human civilization. There are pieces of evidence of low back pain and sciatica in the past era, which was a problematic concern for the population of that time. There was a practical approach of different cultures toward the low back and sciatic pain at that time. The rich history of Indian medicine guides us to the classic developments and thoughts of that era. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to illuminate descriptions and understandings of low back pain from previous historical reviews as well as fill gaps in previous reviews that ignored the hidden knowledge of low back pain from ancient Indian literature. Materials and Methods: Here published scientific articles in reputed journals regarding the historical background of low back pain, sciatica, and lumbar radiculopathy have been reviewed from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and so on, and low back pain conditions from ayurveda classics have been extracted and conceptual understanding to low back pain by ancient Indian ayurvedic scholars have been revealed. The lacunae in previous reviews of missing the knowledge of ancient Indian ayurvedic texts have been tried to fill by this work. Observations and Results: The review showed that the understanding of various conditions associated with low back pain such as katishoola, katigraha, gridhrasi, trikshoola, trikvedna, and so on. and its pathophysiology was well developed in ancient Indian culture. Conclusion: Numerous earlier studies on low back and sciatic pain have overlooked the historical significance of the Indian subcontinent. The existing information must therefore be revealed along with these crucial descriptions. The world’s focus will be directed toward ayurvedic medicines and low back pain management solutions when the concepts of ayurveda are revealed historically. As a result, this article will aid in promoting the traditional Ayurvedic medical method.

BackgroundFlight-related neck, shoulder and low back pain are the most common musculoskeletal disorders among helicopter pilots and their crewmembers, thus becoming a growing concern. Information on the combined prevalence of these types of pain and related risks are scarce. The aim of this study was therefore to estimate pain prevalence and to evaluate potential risk factors for neck pain among helicopter pilots and crewmembers within the armed forces, the airborne police and airborne rescue organizations in Austria.MethodsAmong a cohort of 104 helicopter pilots and 117 crewmembers (69.8% compliance), demographics, flying experience, use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG), helicopter type flown, prevalence and intensity of musculoskeletal symptoms (pain was defined as any reported pain experience, ache or discomfort) were collected by an online-based questionnaire.ResultsFor helicopter pilots the 12-month prevalence of neck pain was 67.3%, followed by low back (48.1%) and shoulder pain (43.3%). Among crewmembers, the 12-month pain prevalence were 45.3, 36.8 and 30.8% among the neck, lower back and shoulder, respectively. During this period, 41.8% of these helicopter pilots had experienced 8–30 pain days in the areas of neck (45.7%), shoulder (37.8%) and lower back (42.0%) whereas 47.8% of crewmembers self-reported 1–7 days of neck (54.7%), low back (44.2%) and shoulder (44.4%) pain in the previous year. The 3-month prevalence of neck pain was 64.4% followed by low back (42.3%) and shoulder pain (38.5%) for helicopter pilots. Among crewmembers, 41.9% suffered from neck, 29.9% from low back and 29.1% from shoulder pain the previous 3 months. Multivariate regression analysis revealed NVG use (OR 1.9, 95% CI, 1.06–3.50, p = 0.032), shoulder pain (OR 4.9, 95% CI, 2.48–9.55, p < 0.001) and low back pain (OR 2.3, 95% CI, 1.21–4.31, p = 0.011) to be significantly associated with neck pain.ConclusionsThe 12- and 3-month prevalence of neck, shoulder and low back is considerably high among both, helicopter pilots and crewmembers confirming the existence of this growing concern. The use of NVG devices, shoulder and low back pain in the previous 12 months represent independent risk factors for neck pain. These findings highlight the need for longitudinal studies.

The evidence gap in low back pain management strategies – Authors' reply

Previous data suggest that persistent back pain may be associated with genetic variability. In this study, we assessed the correlation between 8 genetic polymorphisms (VDR, COL11, MMP1, MMP9, IL-1α, IL-1RN, OPRM1, COMT) and pain recovery in patients with low back pain (LBP) and lumbar radicular pain (LRP). In total, 296 patients with LBP or LRP were followed for 5 years. The patients underwent standardized clinical examination and completed pain and function questionnaires. Univariate linear regression associations with P values <0.1 were included in the multivariable analysis, adjusting for pain intensity at baseline, age, sex, smoking, body mass index, and LBP or LRP. Pain intensity at 5-year follow-up was associated with VDR rs731236 (B = -0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.9 to -0.1, P = 0.017), MMP9 rs17576 (B = 0.5, 95% CI 0.1-0.9, P = 0.022), and OPRM1 rs1799971 (B = -0.8, 95% CI -1.4 to -0.2, P = 0.006) in the univariate analyses. MMP9 rs17576 and OPRM1 rs1799971 remained significant (B = 0.4, 95% CI 0.05-0.8, P = 0.026 and B = -0.8, 95% CI -1.3 to -0.2, P = 0.007) in the multivariable model. Thus, the data demonstrated that the rare allele of MMP9 rs17576 was associated with poor pain recovery, whereas the rare allele of OPRM1 rs1799971 was associated with better pain recovery at 5-year follow-up in the LBP and LRP patients. In particular, the present study suggested that the OPRM1 rs179971 A>G in men was associated with better long-term pain recovery. In men, the OPRM1 rs1799971 explained 4.7% of the variance of pain intensity. We conclude that the MMP9 rs17576 and OPRM1 rs1799971 genotypes may affect 5-year recovery in patients with LBP and LRP.

High-Dose Spinal Cord Stimulation for Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain and Leg Pain in Patients With FBSS, 12-Month Results: A Prospective Pilot Study

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health condition that is often associated with disability, psychological distress and work loss. Worldwide, billions of dollars are expended each year trying to manage LBP, often with limited success. Recently, some researchers have reported that LBP patients also report sleep disturbance as a result of their LBP. However, as most of this evidence was obtained from highly selected groups of patients or from studies with small samples, high quality data on prevalence of sleep disturbance for patients with LBP are lacking. It is also unclear whether sleep disturbance is more likely to be reported by patients with recent-onset LBP than by patients with persistent LBP. Finally, it is not known whether high pain intensity, the most relevant condition-specific variable, is associated with higher rates of reported sleep disturbance. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of reported sleep disturbance in patients with LBP. In addition, we aimed to determine whether sleep disturbance was associated with the duration of back pain symptoms and whether pain intensity was associated with reported sleep disturbance. Data from 1,941 patients obtained from 13 studies conducted by the authors or their colleagues between 2001 and 2009 were used to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbance. Logistic regression analyses explored associations between sleep disturbance, the duration of low back symptoms and pain intensity. The estimated prevalence of sleep disturbance was 58.7% (95% CI 56.4-60.7%). Sleep disturbance was found to be dependent on pain intensity, where each increase by one point on a ten-point visual analogue scale (VAS) was associated with a 10% increase in the likelihood of reporting sleep disturbance. Our findings indicate that sleep disturbance is common in patients with LBP. In addition, we found that the intensity of back pain was only weakly associated with sleep disturbance, suggesting that other factors contribute to sleep problems for LBP patients.

ObjectiveBack pain and poor sleep quality are public health issues. Relating to adolescents particularly, the way in which this relationship can occur is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether low back and neck pain are associated with sleep quality among adolescents.Material and MethodsIn total, 1011 randomly selected adolescents participated in this study. Neck and back pain were assessed using the Nordic questionnaire, while sleep quality was assessed through the Mini-Sleep Questionnaire. The confounding variables used in the statistical analysis were age, socioeconomic status, physical activity, and body mass index. To analyze the associations between sleep quality and low back and neck pain, multivariate models and binary logistic regression were used.Results19.9% of the girls reported low back pain while 18.9% reported neck pain. 15.6% of the boys reported low back or neck pain. Regarding low sleep quality, the prevalence was 46.0% for girls and 49.6% for boys. An association was observed between low back pain and sleep quality among girls (OR=1.98 [1.25 - 3.12]) and boys (OR=2.58 [1.48 - 4.50]). An association between neck pain and sleep quality was also observed among girls (OR=2.27 [1.41 - 3.64]) and boys (OR=2.80 [1.59 - 4.91]).ConclusionLow back pain and neck pain were associated with poor sleep quality among adolescents even after the insertion of confounding variables.

BackgroundLow back pain is a prevalent symptom that occurs in all age of people, whereas the pathogenesis is unknown. Iliopsoas tendinopathy is an increasingly recognized hip disorder that may contribute to low back pain. Our purpose is to evaluate the effect of ultrasound-guided local injection of anesthetic and steroid into the trigger point of iliopsoas tendon in treating low back pain caused by iliopsoas tendinopathy.Materials and MethodsThis retrospective study reviewed 45 patients diagnosed with iliopsoas tendinopathy treated by B-ultrasound guided injection of 2 mL 2% lidocaine and 1 mL (5 mg) triamcinolone acetonide into the trigger point of iliopsoas tendon from March 2016 to June 2016. Medical records were collected to analyze the clinical presentation. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) measuring low back pain and Harris Hip score (HHS) measuring hip pain and function were administered to determine patient outcomes. Telephone follow-up was conducted, and the mean follow-up was 11 months.ResultsWe observed that most patients with iliopsoas tendinopathy also complain about chronic low back pain except for groin pain. After injection of anesthetic and corticosteroid into the iliopsoas tendon, the NRS of patients with low back pain fell from 7.68±1.31 to 2.58±1.16 immediately after the injection and 0.75±0.73 at follow-up. The HHS improved from 43.02±16.81 to 98.15±2.56 at follow-up. Statistically significant difference (P<0.001) was observed. All patients returned to their original level of function, and only five patients presented with mild low back pain at the follow-up.ConclusionLow back pain is a prevalent presentation for iliopsoas tendinopathy. Diagnosis of iliopsoas tendinopathy should be considered in patients with low back pain with tenderness over the iliopsoas tendon. Ultrasound-guided local injection of anesthetic and steroid lead to satisfactory effect in relieving low back and groin pain and improving joint function.

BackgroundFew studies have explored the impact of low back or lower limb pain severity on recurrent (≥2) falls in older adults.ObjectivesInvestigate the association between the severity of low back or lower limb pain, and ≥2 falls or falls‐related injuries.MethodsCommunity‐dwelling Australian males and females in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), aged ≥70 years. Self‐reported, cross‐sectional questionnaire data regarding number of falls and falls‐related injuries in the last 12 months; and sites and severity of pain experienced on most days. Adjusted relative risks (RR) were estimated from multivariable Poisson regression models, for males and females separately.ResultsOf 14,892 ALSOP participants, 13% (n = 1983) reported ≥2 falls (‘recurrent fallers’) in the last 12 months. Males and females who reported severe low back, or severe lower limb pain on most days were more likely to report ≥2 falls in the last 12 months compared to those with mild pain (lower back: males RR = 1.70 and females RR = 1.5, p = 0.001; lower limb: males RR = 2.0, p < 0.001 and females RR = 1.4, p = 0.003). Female recurrent fallers who reported severe low back (RR = 1.3, p = 0.029) or lower limb (RR = 1.2, p = 0.024) pain on most days were more likely to report a falls‐related injury in the last 12 months compared to females with mild pain.ConclusionSevere low back or lower limb pain was associated with an increased likelihood of recurrent falls (males/females) or falls‐related injuries (females only). Assessment of severe low back and lower limb pain should be considered as a priority when undertaking falls‐risk evaluation.SignificanceSevere low back pain, or severe lower limb pain is associated with an increased likelihood of recurrent falls in older males and females, and an increased likelihood of falls‐related injuries in older female recurrent fallers. Assessment and management of severe low back and lower limb pain should be prioritized when undertaking falls‐risk assessment. Future longitudinal research is required to further interrogate this relationship and its underlying mechanisms.