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Contaminated Epidural Steroid Injections Lead to Deadly Fungal Meningitis

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New England Compounding Center (NECC) - fungal meningitis outbreak and epidural steroid injections

Contaminated steroids used in epidural steroid injections for neck pain linked to fourteen fungal meningitis deaths so far.

The number of patients now thought exposed to the potentially contaminated methylprednisolone acetate causing an outbreak of deadly fungal meningitis has risen to some 14,000 according to the CDC. Around 12,000 individuals have so far been contacted to explain the risk after they received the potentially contaminated epidural steroid injections for neck pain or a steroid injection into a joint such as the knee, shoulder or ankle. Epidural steroid injections for cervical spinal stenosis are sometimes used to relieve inflammation in pain, although lumbar spinal stenosis injections are more common for back pain as such injections can be problematic at the best of times in the complex area of the cervical spine. Read more

Are Twitter and other Social Networks Reliable Sources of Information About Neck Pain?

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Neck pain adviceThe growth of social media over the past five or six years has changed the way many people gather and share information about topics that range from sports to politics to laser spine surgery. It used to be that if you wanted to find out what your neighbors are thinking about a particular topic, you either had to wait until the next neighborhood gathering, call a bunch of them in succession, or go door to door and ask. Now, all you need to do is post a Facebook status update or write something on Twitter to start building a conversation with the people you know. Read more

Effective Fibromyalgia Treatment with Electrostimulation Device

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new fibromyalgia treatment to break cycle of pain

RINCE helped more than 75% of patients reduce or eliminate need for pain medications for fibromyalgia.

Researchers from Flint, Michigan, unveiled a new electrostimulation fibromyalgia treatment this week at the American Academy of Pain Management (AAPM) 23rd Annual Clinical Meeting.

The study shows that this new, noninvasive cortical electrostimulation device is effective at reducing fibromyalgia symptoms, with researcher Jeffrey B. Hargrover, PhD, and colleagues explaining how neuroimaging studies to identify areas of abnormal pain processing in patients with fibromyalgia allowed the development of this targeted treatment. Significant benefits were found for those suffering from neck pain, generalized pain, fatigue, dysfunction and sleep disruption from the condition. Read more

Neck Pain, Numbness and Tingling in the Arms

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neck pain and arm tingling

Localised nerve compression can cause neck pain and tingling in the arms.

Neck pain, numbness and tingling in the arms often go together and may be the result of a pinched nerve in the neck due to a herniated disc, cervical spinal arthritis, or other condition causing inflammation and spinal stenosis. Oftentimes, those with neck pain who also have weakness, numbness and tingling in the arms and hands do not connect the symptoms but such signs need early attention in order to address cervical spinal problems as soon as possible. Read more

Neck Pain and Golf

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golf neck pain lee westwood

Golfer Lee Westwood is plagued by neck pain during this year's Abu Dhabi Championship.

Padraig Harrington, three-time major winner, admitted that he nearly pulled out of The Masters last year because of neck pain from golfing. During his warm up he felt his neck click and then he found he could no longer turn to the right. He went on to play but had a disastrous first round and, whilst Masters success is not a consideration for most, many fellow golfers with neck pain will understand his plight.

Even regular golfers, however, may not realize that there are simple things that can drastically reduce the risk of neck pain when golfing. This year’s Abu Dhabi Championship is also raising concerns about neck pain in golfers as Lee Westwood reveals his agony from neck pain and radiating pain in his arms. Physical therapy is key according to Westwood who is determined to loosen up his neck and get back on course to win another title. Read more

Managing Facet Joint Disease Treatment at Work

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Facet joint disease treatmentIf you are adhering to a facet joint disease treatment regimen prescribed by your doctor, you may be trying a wide range of therapies aimed at reducing back or neck pain and increasing spinal mobility. Some treatments, like applying hot/cold compresses or stretching, can be done at home, while others, like physical therapy or corticosteroid injections, require the supervision of a medical professional.

Although home remedies and those administered by a doctor can help, many struggle to manage facet joint disease treatment at work and experience exacerbated symptoms of back or neck pain in the workplace. Read more

Do Biologics for Rheumatoid Arthritis Increase Cancer Risk? New Analysis Says Not.

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rheumatoid arthritis drugs and cancer

BRMs are used to treat autoimmune disease, like RA.

Patients taking biologic medications to relieve neck pain and other symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis may be relieved to hear that these powerful drugs do not appear to increase the short term risk of cancer, according to a new study.

The comprehensive meta-analysis carried out by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) this week and is expected to allay fears over the possible increased cancer risk in patients with RA who take any of the nine US FDA approved biologic response modifiers, such as abatacept and rituximab. Read more

Neck Pain and Nausea

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neck pain nausea

Neck pain and nausea can be signs of meningitis, or one may be caused by the other...

Neck pain and nausea can be connected for a variety of reasons and it is important to rule out potentially life-threatening illness such as meningitis before resorting to painkillers and ginger tea. In some cases severe neck pain can be a trigger for nausea, or may cause dizziness that induces sickness. There are other ways in which nausea and neck pain are related, however, so read on to shed light on these symptoms. Read more

Can You Get Gout in the Neck?

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neck pain and gout

Uric acid crystals in the neck tissues can cause symptoms of gouty arthritis - but is neck surgery really necessary?

Neck pain has many causes but those with gouty arthritis might wish to talk to their physician about the possible connection between neck pain and gout. Gout can affect the head and neck at any stage of the disease but is usually a symptom in patients who have had gout for a long time.

Primary manifestations of gout in the neck are tophi and cricoarytenoid arthritis and many sufferers notice pain originating from behind the ear, in the jaw, or even deep in the neck causing both pain and altered speech or hoarseness. Where neck pain and gout are connected an MRI can often reveal the location of uric acid deposits, which may require surgical removal. Read more

Cervicocranial Syndrome – Headaches, Earaches and Neck Pain

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neck pain rheumatoid arthritis atlantoaxial subluxation

Atlantoaxial subluxation from rheumatoid arthritis can lead to cervicocranial syndrome, headaches and neck pain.

You might have just snuck a look at your medical records after years of neck pain and discovered that your doctor believes you have cervicocranial syndrome. Also known as Barre-Lieou syndrome and posterior cervical sympathetic syndrome, this disorder can be a cause of headaches and neck pain, vertigo, dizziness, facial pain, and even sinus pain, but what is cervicocranial syndrome and how is it treated? Read more