Neurosurgeon describes 8 common myths about back pain
Back pain is common, but several myths about it persist. Meghan Murphy, M.D., a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, describes eight of them and provides the facts.
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Concussions might be early warning sign for ALS, study argues
Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have been considered a potential cause of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. But a new study argues the association might be the other way around, with concussions providing an early warning sign among folks already in the early stages of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
The future of spine surgery: healing backs without screws or metal implants
Metal rods, screws and bone grafts have long been the backbone of spinal fusion surgeries — a fix for fractured spines, worn-out discs or bones that refuse to heal on their own. The hardware works. But it’s also rigid and invasive, and often leaves patients with lingering pain, stiffness and the need for follow-up surgeries down the road. At the University of Missouri, a team of engineers is working on a new approach. In the Biomodulatory Materials Engineering Laboratory in the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building, researchers led by Principal Investigator Bret Ulery are building a future where spines heal not through steel, but through biology — using tiny, bioactive materials made from therapeutic peptides to guide the body’s natural repair processes from the inside out.
Study supports acupuncture as a safe and effective treatment for chronic low back pain in older adults
According to a recent study, older Americans with chronic low back pain who received acupuncture had greater improvement in physical function and reduced pain than those who received usual medical care only, generally prescribed medications or physical therapy.
Restless leg syndrome's connection to Parkinson's disease
Three research hospitals in the Republic of Korea are reporting that restless leg syndrome was associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, with 1.6% of patients with restless leg syndrome developing Parkinson's disease vs. 1.0% in matched controls and a shorter average time to diagnosis at a 15-year horizon.
