Co-founder of Company Behind Deadly 2012 Meningitis Outbreak Gets Up to 15 Years in Prison

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• March 6, 2024
• Full Page

Barry Cadden, co-founder of a specialty compounding pharmacy behind a deadly meningitis outbreak in 2012, has been handed a prison sentence of 10 to 15 years in Michigan for involuntary manslaughter.

On Tuesday, Cadden pleaded no contest to the charges against him, the ...

Good News & Bad on Recovery From Lower Back Pain

• Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
• January 22, 2024
• Full Page

Back pain is a double-edged sword.

In most cases, it disappears within about six weeks. But when it doesn't, low back pain is likely to bother you for the long haul, researchers warn.

"The good news is that most episodes of back pain recover, and this is the case e...

New Clues To Origins of Lower Back Pain

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• January 3, 2024
• Full Page

Some people might be prone to low back pain because of specific cells contained in their spinal disks, a new study suggests.

The research could explain why only certain people develop back pain due to the degeneration of their spinal discs, which are jelly-filled spacers...

Fixing a Painful Joint Problem Won't Ease Mental Health Ills, Study Finds

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• June 30, 2023
• Full Page

Blaming your ailing knees for feeling down?

Unfortunately, even after physical pain eases, healing or fixing an injured joint often does not improve mental health, research shows.

A new study found that anxiety symptoms only improved when a patient had major improv...

Sciatica: What Is It, and How Can You Ease the Pain?

• Sue Benzuly, RN HealthDay Reporter
• June 26, 2023
• Full Page

If you have had a sharp pain shooting down one leg, you may be experiencing a condition called sciatica.

Here is what you need to know about sciatica, including what it is, its causes, symptoms and treatments. Plus, learn about medications, self-care and stretches that m...

When Your Child Has Scoliosis: Symptoms & Treatments

• Mandi Harenberg HealthDay Reporter
• June 23, 2023
• Full Page

The future for a child diagnosed with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine that typically occurs just before puberty, can feel uncertain.

As a parent, you want answers to your questions about scoliosis and how it can affect your child's development. Here's what ...

Upper Back Pain: Causes and How to Treat It

• Ann Schreiber HealthDay Reporter
• June 23, 2023
• Full Page

If you suffer from upper back pain, it's time to reclaim your comfort and regain control of your daily life. Relief from this debilitating condition is within reach.

Here, you will learn about the causes of upper back pain and strategies to alleviate your discomfort.

You've Suffered Whiplash: Know the Symptoms & Treatments

• Ann Schreiber HealthDay Reporter
• June 22, 2023
• Full Page

Whiplash -- an often underestimated injury that can strike in the aftermath of a collision -- inflicts injury and pain on its unsuspecting victims.

If you find yourself grappling with the relentless effects of whiplash, you're not alone. Numerous legal websites estimate ...

What Are Back Spasms, and Can They Be Treated?

• Ann Schreiber HealthDay Reporter
• June 21, 2023
• Full Page

"Oh, my aching back!" Everyone has uttered these words at some point, in response to the sharp, sudden pain that comes with back spasms.

This article will explore the causes of back spasms, their symptoms and, most importantly, effective treatments. Whether you're experi...

Getting Rid of Neck Pain: 6 Ways to Feel Better

• Ann Schreiber HealthDay Reporter
• June 21, 2023
• Full Page

The phrase "pain in the neck" is a tongue-in-cheek way to describe annoying situations or people that test our patience, but for those who experience genuine neck pain, it's no laughing matter.

Neck pain can be a debilitating condition that affects daily life and leaves ...

The Most Common Back Surgeries, Explained

• Ann Schreiber HealthDay Reporter
• June 21, 2023
• Full Page

Imagine a life where even the simplest movement becomes a painful endeavor.

Back pain, a pervasive ailment affecting millions, can turn daily routines into exhausting and painful challenges. Back surgery emerges as a potential solution when conventional treatments fall s...

Is Surgery for Sciatica Really Worth It?

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• April 24, 2023
• Full Page

Sciatica can send searing, unrelenting pain down your legs, and surgery is often recommended if other less invasive measures fail to bring relief.

Unfortunately, a new study review suggests that such operations likely only provide temporary results, with pain typically r...

Nerve 'Pulse' Therapy May Help Ease Sciatica

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• March 29, 2023
• Full Page

People suffering from sciatica gain lasting relief from a procedure that uses a fine needle to heat nerve roots near the spine, a new clinical trial shows.

The minimally invasive procedure, called pulsed radiofrequency (RF), provided superior pain reduction and disabilit...

Cell Injections Show Promise Against Chronic Back Pain

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• March 6, 2023
• Full Page

An injection that relieves low back pain by helping damaged spinal discs regenerate appears to have sustained benefits, new clinical trial data show.

Most patients who received an injection of VIA Disc received back pain relief that lasted at least three years, said lead...

His Debilitating Back Pain Lasted Decades, Until a New Implant Changed Everything

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• February 6, 2023
• Full Page

After living with disabling low back pain for nearly 30 years, Dennis Bassett, 64, finally has a new lease on life.

The Hempstead, N.Y., native injured his back in the 1980s when helping a friend. He tried everything to relieve his back pain, from self-medication, acupun...

Adele Tells Fans She Suffers From Sciatica

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• January 5, 2023
• Full Page

The Grammy-winning singer Adele told a crowd at her New Year's Eve concert that "really bad sciatica"is causing her to wobble on stage.

The award-winning singer first talked about her chronic back problems in a 2021 interview with The Face.

"I slipped my ...

Acupuncture Might Ease Back Pain During Pregnancy

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• November 24, 2022
• Full Page

Many women experience back pain during pregnancy and a new study review suggests an ancient treatment can help.

Acupuncture provided significant relief of lower back and pelvic pain, according to an analysis of 10 trials from various parts of the world. The findings were...

Flakes Are Falling Again: Here's the Safe Way to Shovel Snow

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• November 24, 2022
• Full Page

Shoveling snow is a strenuous workout that poses risks for people with heart conditions.

"We have to think of shoveling snow as a pretty significant exertion, like an exercise,"said

For Back Pain, Earlier Is Better for Physical Therapy

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• August 9, 2022
• Full Page

When people have backaches bad enough to send them to the doctor, prompt physical therapy may be a wise choice, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that when those patients had "early" PT -- within a couple weeks of seeing a doctor -- they were less likely to need ot...

Aching Backs in Seniors: An Expert's Guide to Pain Meds

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• July 8, 2022
• Full Page

Back and neck pain are often an unfortunate part of aging, but older adults can safely find relief with various medications, a new research review concludes.

The review of 138 clin...

Injected 'Hydrogel' May Be New Option Against Back Pain

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• June 9, 2022
• Full Page

Like fixing a flat on the roadside, a new injectable hydrogel is showing promise as a remedy for worn-down spinal discs -- pumping them back up and relieving chronic back pain.

The gel, with the brand name Hydrafil...

NSAIDS, Steroids for Back Pain: Is Too Much of Them a Bad Thing?

• By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
• May 12, 2022
• Full Page

Persistent use of steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen to treat acute lower back pain may actually turn it into a chronic condition, a new study warns.

However, some experts who expressed concerns about the study published in the jou...

Arthritis? Back Pain? Medical Pot May Help You Avoid Opioid Painkillers

• March 22, 2022
• Full Page

Medical marijuana could be a viable alternative to opioid painkillers for people dealing with arthritis or chronic back pain, two new studies show.

Many patients prescr...

Looking to Neanderthals to Explain Today's Lower Back Pain

• March 8, 2022
• Full Page

A comparison of Neanderthal and modern human spines suggests lifestyle habits of 21st century people lie behind widespread back pain, researchers say.

Anthropologists focused on the spine's curvature, which is partly influenced by wedging, or angling, of vertebrae and th...

FDA OKs Virtual Reality System to Ease Back Pain

• Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
• November 17, 2021
• Full Page

A 3-D virtual reality system to treat back pain was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday.

The EaseVRx system is a prescription device for at-home use that combines cognitive behavioral therapy and other behavioral methods to treat patients 18 and ...

One Downside to Space Travel: Back Pain

• Robert Preidt
• October 25, 2021
• Full Page

You can ride a rocket into space to escape Earth, but one thing you might not escape is back pain.

Back pain could turn out to be a major problem for the growing number of space travelers, and learning more about it could also benefit Earth-bound back patients, researche...

Special Therapy Brings Relief to Patients With Chronic Back Pain

• Steven Reinberg
• October 1, 2021
• Full Page

Many people with long-term back pain have tried physical therapy and medication, to no avail. A new study suggests they might "unlearn" their discomfort in weeks -- using psychological therapy.

"For a long time, we have thought that chronic pain is due primarily to probl...

Watch Their Backs -- Don't Overload Those Schoolbags

• Cara Murez
• September 21, 2021
• Full Page

After more than a year at home, children are heading back to classrooms across the country. But they're also toting heavy bags on their backs again.

A backpack that fits properly -- and is not overloaded with binders and books -- will help prevent injury.

"Wit...

Could Electrode 'Pulses' Cut Back, Leg Pain Without Drugs?

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• August 26, 2021
• Full Page

A new approach to spinal cord stimulation may drastically reduce chronic back pain, a small pilot study suggests.

The study, of 20 patients with stubborn low back pain, tested the effects of implanting electrodes near the spinal cord to stimulate it with "ultra-low" freq...

One Activity Causes 4 Out of 5 Sports-Linked Spinal Injuries

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• August 25, 2021
• Full Page

Football and other contact sports get a lot of attention for their injury hazards. But for most adults, bike riding is the biggest back-breaker, a new study suggests.

Of more than 12,000 sports-related spinal injuries among U.S. adults, researchers found that a full 81% ...