Articles: low-back-pain.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Mar 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialContinuous low-level heatwrap therapy for treating acute nonspecific low back pain.
To evaluate the efficacy of 8 hours of continuous low-level heatwrap therapy for the treatment of acute nonspecific low back pain (LBP). ⋯ Continuous low-level heatwrap therapy was shown to be effective for the treatment of acute, nonspecific LBP.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Mar 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialOvernight use of continuous low-level heatwrap therapy for relief of low back pain.
To evaluate of the efficacy and safety of 8 hours of continuous, low-level heatwrap therapy administered during sleep. ⋯ Overnight use of heatwrap therapy provided effective pain relief throughout the next day, reduced muscle stiffness and disability, and improved trunk flexibility. Positive effects were sustained more than 48 hours after treatments were completed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Treatment- and cost-effectiveness of early intervention for acute low-back pain patients: a one-year prospective study.
In an attempt to prevent acute low-back pain from becoming a chronic disability problem, an earlier study developed a statistical algorithm which accurately identified those acute low-back pain patients who were at high risk for developing such chronicity. The major goal of the present study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of employing an early intervention program with these high-risk patients in order to prevent the development of chronic disability at a 1-year follow-up. Approximately 700 acute low-back pain patients were screened for their high-risk versus low-risk status. ⋯ Cost-comparison savings data were also evaluated. These data revealed that there were greater cost savings associated with the early intervention group versus the no early intervention group. The overall results of this study clearly demonstrate the treatment- and cost-effectiveness of an early intervention program for acute low-back pain patients.
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Medial branch blocks are an important tool for the diagnosis of facet joint arthropathy. The most commonly used technique involves multiple needle placements, one for each nerve blocked. This multiple needle technique may require a large amount of local anesthetic for anesthetizing the skin, thereby increasing the rate of false-positive blocks. ⋯ When performed correctly, the single needle technique provides accuracy similar to the more conventional multiple needle approach during the performance of diagnostic facet joint nerve blocks. Because only one skin entry point is needed, however, this technique may afford several advantages over the multiple needle approach. These may include less patient discomfort, less time required and less radiation exposure since only one C-arm position is used, a smaller volume of local anesthetic, and possibly a lower incidence of false-positive blocks.