Managing Sciatica And Radicular Pain In Primary Care Practice

Low back pain is described as a very common condition that tends to affect about 70% of the population at some point in time with varying degrees of symptom severity. Although definitions vary, sciatic pain is generally defined as back-related pain radiating to the leg (normally below the knee and into the foot and toes) and is one of the commonest variations of low back pain. Patients with sciatica typically experience a more persistent and severe type of pain, a less favorable outcome, consume more healthcare resources and have more prolonged disability and absence from work than those with low back pain alone. Managing Sciatica and Radiculopathies in Primary Care Practice provides a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of the subject and key information for primary care practitioners about low back pain in patients, including definitions and causes, current management approaches, diagnostic and treatment algorithms, as well as clinical practice guidelines.

Low back pain is one of the commonest conditions seen in general practice. This book has therefore been written to make it easier for GPs to manage low back pain by providing a simply written guide to give the GP an invaluable perspective on management.

Covering all commonly used interventions for acute and chronic low back pain conditions, Evidence-Based Management of Low Back Pain consolidates current scientific studies and research evidence into a single, practical resource. Its multidisciplinary approach covers a wide scope of treatments from manual therapies to medical interventions to surgery, organizing interventions from least to most invasive. Editors Simon Dagenais and Scott Haldeman, along with expert contributors from a variety of clinical and academic institutions throughout the world, focus on the best available scientific evidence, summarizing the results from the strongest to the weakest types of studies. No other book makes it so easy to compare the different interventions and treatment approaches, giving you the tools to make better, more informed clinical decisions. A multidisciplinary approach covers treatments from manual therapies to medical interventions to surgery, and many others in between. An interdisciplinary approach enables health care providers to work together. A logical, easy-to-follow organization covers information by intervention type, from least invasive to most invasive. Integration of interventions provides information in a clinically useful way, so it's easier to consider more than one type of treatment or intervention for low back pain, and easier to see which methods should be tried first. 155 illustrations include x-rays, photos, and drawings. Tables and boxes summarize key information. Evidence-based content allows you to make clinical decisions based on the ranking the best available scientific studies from strongest to weakest. Patient history and examination chapters help in assessing the patient's condition and in ruling out serious pathology before making decisions about specific interventions. Experienced editors and contributors are proven authors, researchers, and teachers, and practitioners, well known in the areas of orthopedics, pain management, chiropractic, physical therapy, and behavioral medicine as well as complementary and alternative medicine; the book's contributors include some of the leading clinical and research experts in the field of low back pain. Coverage based on The Spine Journal special issue on low back pain ensures that topics are relevant and up to date. A systematic review of interventions for low back pain includes these categories: patient education, exercise and rehabilitation, medications, manual therapy, physical modalities, complementary and alternative medicine, behavioral modification, injections, minimally invasive procedures, and surgery. Surgical interventions include decompression, fusion, disc arthroplasty, and dynamic stabilization. Additional coverage includes patient education and multidisciplinary rehabilitation.

This book will enable readers to understand the principles underpinning the management of pain which a particular emphasis upon the care of the older adult. The chapters will explore concepts that are recognised to be involved in the pain experience but each author will then add their own unique perspective by applying the principles to their specialist area of practice and the care of the older adult. It is structured to include the aims and outcomes of the chapter at the beginning so that readers can track their progress, and provides chapter outlines and further reading suggestions foir this unique topic area.

Presenting the 4th edition of this excellent text, with the expertise of 19 leading specialists representing the fields of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, osteopathy, physical therapy, and chiropractic. These authorities bring you comprehensive, multidisciplinary guidance on low back pain diagnosis, prevention, and education. And, they detail the best of today's surgical treatment approaches as well as the most effective manual manipulation methods.

This Open Access book presents practical approaches to managing patients affected by various rheumatological diseases, allowing readers to gain a better understanding of the various clinical expressions and problems experienced by these patients. Discussing rheumatology from an organ systems perspective, it highlights the importance ofdetailed musculoskeletal examinations when treating patients affected by rheumatological diseases. The book first explores the latest diagnostic approaches and offers key tips for accurate musculoskeletal examinations before addressing the various treatment modalities, with a particular focus on the most common joints involved in rheumatoid arthritis: the wrists and the metacarpophalangeal joints (2nd and 3rd). Featuring easy-to-understand flow diagrams and explaining the common medical problems associated with rheumatic disease, such as shortness of breath and anemia, it is not only a valuable resource to rheumatologists, but will also appeal to medical students, junior residents, and primary healthcare physicians.

This unique book presents a framework for the strategy and methodology of diagnostic research, in relation to its relevance for practice. Now in its second edition The Evidence Base of Clinical Diagnosis has been fully revised and extended with new chapters covering the STARD guidelines (STAndards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies) and the multivariable analysis of diagnostic data. With contributions from leading international experts in evidence-based medicine, this book is an indispensable guide on how to conduct and interpret studies in clinical diagnosis. It will serve as a valuable resource for all investigators who want to embark on diagnostic research and for clinicians, practitioners and students who want to learn more about its principles and the relevant methodological options available.

Unrelieved chronic pain is a worldwide epidemic Chronic pain has been subject to multiple international initiatives through the World Health Organization. Interventional Pain Medicine, the use of minimally invasive techniques to relieve pain, is the best approach when simpler measures such as physical therapy or medications fail. However, these procedures can be associated with significant risk and expense. Establishing uniformity in diagnostic criteria and procedural performance can reduce both morbidity and unnecessary procedures, and hence healthcare expenditures. While other texts explain how to perform these procedures, little focus has been given to diagnostic considerations: if and when these procedures should be performed. Evidence-Based Interventional Pain Medicine focuses on a balance between effectiveness and safety of interventional management for specific diagnoses, across all areas of chronic pain including: Head, neck and shoulder pain Lower back pain Neuropathic pain syndromes Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Pain in patients with cancer Vascular and visceral pain Evidence-Based Interventional Pain Medicine provides essential knowledge for anyone who uses, or intends to use, interventional pain techniques.