How Do I Know If My Back Pain Is from a Sports Injury?

Whether at the professional, collegiate, or recreational level, all athletes are at a higher risk of suffering a severe sports injury. Participating in sports is great for many things—your heart, your mind, and your strength. In an ideal world, all you would have to focus on is becoming the best and attaining big milestones in your sport. Sadly, a sports injury can derail your goals. Every day, sports pose a risk of injury to athletes. From high-contact sports to trips and falls, sports injuries may not only stop you from enjoying the game, but the effects could follow you for years to come. Let’s look at three common sport-related back injuries, the warning signs of sports injuries, and a list of injury prevention tips to help you determine if your back pain may be sports-related. Top 3 Most Common Sports-Related Back Injuries The risk of sustaining a sports injury is heightened when athletes overuse parts of their body or fail to train adequately. Some injuries are aggravated or developed in freak accidents, such as a football player taking a hard hit to the head after being tackled. Although certain injuries are more common depending on the type of sport you play, generally, athletes can expect to see these types of injuries: Neck injuries: Injuries to the neck can be catastrophic or fatal. Many high-contact sports athletes suffer a “burner” or “stinger,” which results from an impact to the neck that causes the nerves to overstretch or compress. Lower back injuries: Injuries to the lower back can be caused by several movements and impact situations. Typically, athletes experience lower back pain when training incorrectly, causing them to develop acute injuries like sprains and strains. Spinal fractures: Injuries like spinal fractures are common in sports with repetitive movements. Spinal stress fractures, also known as pars fractures or spondylosis, can produce immense lower back pain and are caused by overuse. Common Warning Signs of a Sports-Related Back Injury Suppose you injured yourself in a game or while practicing before a big competition. In such a case, you may be hesitant to seek care because you’re worried about not being able to play in an upcoming game or that your injury is “no big deal.” While some injuries like bumps, cuts, and bruises aren’t as serious, you must pay attention to the following warning signs of a serious, sports-related back injury: Progressively worsening back pain Radiating and weakening pain down the legs Bladder or bowel complications Pain that impacts your ability to walk or balance Persistent pain The worst thing you could do is nothing. Don’t delay seeking medical care immediately after an injury. Even if the injury wasn’t through contact, you might have tweaked a muscle or structure in your body while performing a particular movement related to your sport. Sports Back Injury Prevention Tips When you play sports, it can be difficult to think about anything other than winning and training. However, to reduce the risk of sustaining an injury, it’s critical

Laminectomy vs. Laminotomy: What’s Right for Me?

Laminectomy and laminotomy are surgeries performed on the spine that involve accessing the lamina—the flat, outside bone of the spinal canal. These surgeries are known as spinal decompression surgeries and are quite similar in nature; the only difference is how the lamina is approached. In a laminectomy, the lamina is entirely removed from the spine. Only part of it is removed in a laminotomy. The type of surgery that best benefits you depends on your spine and other health-related circumstances. Reach out to an experienced spine surgeon to learn more about what’s causing your pain and the most effective ways to treat it. Spinal Conditions Treated with a Laminectomy or Laminotomy Although a laminectomy and laminotomy are two separate methods, the purpose remains the same—to add space around the spinal cord in order to relieve compression. The compression of the spine and surrounding nerves can be extremely painful, causing weakness, numbness, and tingling sensations. A spine surgeon may perform a laminectomy or laminotomy for the following spinal disorders: Herniated disc Spondylosis Degenerative disc disease Sciatica Spinal stenosis If you’ve been diagnosed with one of these conditions, visit a trusted spine specialist near you for a proper examination. That way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re receiving an accurate diagnosis and overview of your options moving forward. Supplemental Procedures That May Be Performed Often, laminotomies and laminectomies are not performed in the same operation, but they may both be performed if your condition is debilitating and affects various parts of the spine. In some cases, your surgeon may perform supplemental spinal procedures, such as: Discectomy: This procedure is performed to remove part of a damaged or slipped disc to alleviate pressure on nerves. Spinal fusion: This spinal surgery is used to treat a variety of spinal issues. Surgeons fuse vertebra at the source of pain to reduce movement. Foraminotomy: This spinal surgery addresses the narrowing of the neuroforamina—the small exit holes that nerves pass through. After your surgeon assesses how to handle your lamina appropriately, they may decide that it’s necessary to perform one of the above surgical procedures. Generally, it’s not unusual for an additional procedure to be performed on your spine because laminectomies and laminotomies are used to treat herniated discs where damaged discs may need to be removed. Laminectomy and Laminotomy Procedure Details Whether you receive a laminectomy or a laminotomy, both are performed on the body’s posterior side (you will be lying face down). Your surgeon will pinpoint the location of your pain and make a small incision to access your lamina. Your surgeon will then use a surgical retractor to pull back tissues, fat, and skin to produce a visible field to the lamina. Using a retractor helps prevent damage to nearby structures, muscles, and tissues. Once all structures are moved aside, the lamina will either be cut or removed completely. Fortunately, these procedures are performed using a minimally invasive technique, so you can expect minimal time in the hospital and a speedy recovery. Cutting-Edge

Is There a Connection Between Diabetes and Inflammation?

In the United States, diabetes affects one in ten individuals, making it one of the most common health disorders in the country. This chronic metabolic condition occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin to help regulate blood sugar levels. Long term health effects can include kidney disease, loss of vision, and heart disease, but there are also other ways that diabetes interacts with the body. Individuals with type 2 diabetes can experience a higher amount of specific cytokines that cause an inflammatory response in the related nerve channels. This can cause repeated discomfort as a result of insulin resistance, leading to the inflammation of joints and other areas of the body. While there is no known cure for diabetes or correlating inflammation, there are ways to reduce the impact of the condition while still maintaining a great quality of life. How Diabetes Affects the Body There are three different varieties of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Each of these conditions requires individualized care and can affect the body differently depending on the presence of supplemental treatments such as medication and exercise. Type 1 Those with type 1 diabetes can be impacted at any age, though many find that they experience more symptoms as they get older. These symptoms include stomach pain or discomfort, including nausea and vomiting, as well as increased hunger and weight loss. If you or someone you know experiences these symptoms, it is important to seek a medical professional and begin treatment. Type 2 Individuals with type 2 diabetes often experience similar symptoms to those with type 1, but they can be more challenging to identify. Type 2 diabetes often becomes more intense with age, as many individuals who are diagnosed tend to be adults. Symptoms for type 2 also include fatigue, wounds that heal slowly, and high levels of thirst that are coupled with frequent urination. Inflammation For individuals who experience diabetes, inflammation can occur in the joints, muscles, or excess adipose tissue. Internal inflammation can cause pain throughout different areas of the body. Let your doctor know where it occurs so they can identify an appropriate course of treatment. This chronic discomfort can be reduced through diet, exercise, medication, and management of stress levels and emotions. How to Reduce Inflammation Caused by Diabetes One of the best ways to actively reduce inflammation is to adjust your diet. This is a common recommendation for individuals with diabetes, but the benefits of a balanced diet cannot be overstated. It can be challenging to completely rehaul your eating habits, which is why many individuals first incorporate foods that reduce inflammation and then begin to reduce the foods which can worsen it. Foods that are known to actively reduce inflammation include: Avocado Walnuts Other healthy fats Minimizing stress is another suggestion to help reduce inflammation in individuals with diabetes. Simple meditation techniques such as deep breathing can have calming effects and help to regulate emotions that ultimately reduce stress. Mitigating any factors that cause stress

When Is Back Surgery a Good Option for Pain Relief?

It can happen to anyone: you wake up one morning with discomfort in your back that will not go away. You try to ice it or apply heat, but the ache persists. If this sounds like something you are experiencing, you are not alone. Recent studies have shown that over 8% of adults in the United States suffer from chronic back pain, but how can it be treated? Chronic back pain can affect your overall quality of life. If you find yourself experiencing a consistent level of discomfort that prevents you from participating in everyday activities, you might be considering surgery as an option for treatment. How can you know when back surgery is the best option for you? Take a look at some of the following points and talk with your physician to determine if you would make a good candidate for this particular treatment. Methods of Treatment for Chronic Back Pain Your physician is likely to recommend other options for managing discomfort before suggesting surgery, including steroid shots or pressure point injections. These non-surgical options tend to have a shorter recovery window, as they are less invasive than traditional procedures and require less time for your body to heal from them. However, many of these treatments will only reduce discomfort rather than eliminating it. This is where surgery comes into play. If your back pain is disabling, a doctor will evaluate your condition and recommend treatment based on the severity of your discomfort. Surgery is often the best option for those who suffer from numbness or tingling that radiates from the spine or back and through the arms or legs. Different conditions will require their own unique treatments, depending on their severity or the level of pain that you experience. Some conditions that may prompt your physician to recommend surgery include: Compressed or damaged nerves: These can occur due to herniated discs or as a result of physical injury or strain. Osteoarthritis: This condition can result in bone spurs and often develops more with age. Spinal fracture: Often resulting from trauma such as car accidents or high-impact activities like sports, a spinal fracture almost always requires surgery to fix. Any persistent pain should be reported to your physician so that they can better understand what you are experiencing and develop a treatment plan that will work best for you. Types of Back Surgery Like any other course of treatment, back surgery can take many different forms. Doctors will often analyze these options to help determine which will work best for you rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Some types of back surgery include: Spinal Fusion Fusion is often considered a last resort for treatment and consists of a physician fusing joints or vertebrae together through the use of metal devices (like screws and rods) or bone grafts. While effective at reducing debilitating pain, many patients find that recovery time after spinal fusion is longer than other methods of surgery or treatment. Laminectomy or Spinal Decompression Your laminae help

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How Do I Know If My Back Pain Is from a Sports Injury?

Laminectomy vs. Laminotomy: What’s Right for Me?

Is There a Connection Between Diabetes and Inflammation?

When Is Back Surgery a Good Option for Pain Relief?

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