239 results about "LBP - low back pain" patented technology

Selective high-frequency spinal chord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal chord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and / or motor side affects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications.

Methods for treating neurological or neuropsychiatric diseases or disorders in humans by administering to the human a therapeutically effective dose of specific biologics are presented. The biologics of consideration include antagonists of tumor necrosis factor or of interleukin-1. The administration of these biologics is performed by specific methods, most, but not all of which fall into the category of anatomically localized administration designed for perispinal use. Anatomically localized administration involving perispinal use includes, but is not limited to the subcutaneous, intramuscular, interspinous, epidural, peridural, parenteral or intrathecal routes. Additonally, intranasal administration is discussed as a method to provide therapeutic benefit. The clinical conditions of consideration include, but are not limited to the following: diseases of the brain, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease; migraine headache; spinal radiculopathy associated with intervertebral disc herniation, post-herpetic neuralgia, reflex sympathethic dystrophy, neuropathic pain, vertebral disc disease, low back pain, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome; and neuropsychiatric diseases, including bipolar affective disorder, anorexia nervosa, nicotine withdrawal, narcotic addiction, alcohol withdrawl, postpartum depression, and schizoaffective illness.

Methods and devices to treat discogenic lumbar back pain are disclosed. Electrodes are implanted within the anterior epidural space of the patient. A pulse generator that is connected to the electrodes delivers electrical impulses to sympathetic nerves located within the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) of the lumbar spine and outer posterior annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc. In alternate embodiments, energy directed to nerves in the PLL may be from light or mechanical vibrations, or the nerves may be cooled. The electrodes may also be used diagnostically to correlate spontaneous nerve activity with spinal movement, fluctuations in autonomic tone and the patient's experience of pain. The electrodes may also be used to generate diagnostic evoked potentials. The diagnostic data are used to devise parameters for the therapeutic nerve stimulation. Automatic analysis of the data may be incorporated into a closed-loop system that performs the nerve stimulation automatically.

A system for restoring muscle function to the lumbar spine to treat low back pain is provided. The system may include electrodes coupled to an implantable pulse generator (IPG), a handheld activator configured to transfer a stimulation command to the IPG, and an external programmer configured to transfer programming data to the IPG. The stimulation command directs the programmable controller to stimulate the tissue in accordance with the programming data. The system may include a software-based programming system run on a computer such that the treating physician may program and adjust stimulation parameters.

Methods and compositions for treating or ameliorating lower back pain by administering an effective amount of one or more cell types, alone, and / or in combination with a matrix, and / or in combination with growth factors, in order to stimulate lumbar angiogenesis, decrease inflammation, and stimulating regeneration.

This invention provides for using a locally delivered low dose of a corticosteroid to treat pain caused by any inflammatory disease including sciatica, herniated disc, stenosis, mylopathy, low back pain, facet pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteolysis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or tarsal tunnel syndrome. More specifically, a locally delivered low dose of a corticosteroid can be released into the epidural space, perineural space, or the foramenal space at or near the site of a patient's pain by a drug pump or a biodegradable drug depot.

A portable, inflatable lumbar belt cushion for providing support to the lower spine and surrounding paralumbar musculature of the wearer while seated. The present invention is for an inflatable belt cushion which adjustably reinforces the small of the back to support the lower spine in a proper lorsdosis, alleviating lower back pain caused by improper posture and fatigue. The belt encircles the wearer's waist and contains a compartment with an inflatable cushion centrally located in the back of the belt which is superimposeable in the small of the wearer's back. The inflatable cushion is of a hemi-elliptical design which is positioned horizontally in the small of the back such that the thicker center portion of the cushion supports the spine and the thinner end portions support the surrounding musculature. The cushion extends outwardly from the outer surface of the belt and thus does not create a compression between the belt and the spine. Support is provided only when the wearer is seated and the cushion creates pressure between the wearer and the back of a chair. The cushion is inflated by manual means such that the firmness and pressure of the cushion is totally adjustable.

Methods and devices to treat discogenic lumbar back pain are disclosed. Electrodes are implanted within the anterior epidural space of the patient. A pulse generator that is connected to the electrodes delivers electrical impulses to sympathetic nerves located within the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) of the lumbar spine and outer posterior annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc. In alternate embodiments, energy directed to nerves in the PLL may be from light or mechanical vibrations, or the nerves may be cooled. The electrodes may also be used diagnostically to correlate spontaneous nerve activity with spinal movement, fluctuations in autonomic tone and the patient's experience of pain. The electrodes may also be used to generate diagnostic evoked potentials. The diagnostic data are used to devise parameters for the therapeutic nerve stimulation. Automatic analysis of the data may be incorporated into a closed-loop system that performs the nerve stimulation automatically.

According to one embodiment, a system for neurological stimulation of peripheral nerve fibers to treat low back pain is provided. The system includes stimulation electrodes adapted to be implanted in tissue proximate a network of peripheral nerve fibers located in and innervating a painful region of the low back area and to deliver electrical stimulation pulses to the network of peripheral nerve fibers located in and innervating the painful region of the low back area. The system also includes a stimulation source adapted for implantation into the person's body and operable to generate electrical stimulation pulses for transmission to the electrodes for delivery to the network of peripheral nerve fibers located in and innervating the painful region of the low back area to relieve pain in the painful region of the low back area.

A chair and standing device includes a mechanism for allowing movement in an individual's hips and lower back while seated in a chair or standing in one's workstation, by letting the pelvis glide unabated through an apparatus made up of a series of balls, round springs or magnets built into a two pad chair seat cushion. Two pads under the respective ilia of the person preferably move in a forward & rearward glide pitch, roll, yaw and opposing medial glide enhanced by a ¼″ to ⅜″ raised platform in the center of the apparatus. The chair allows the pelvis to move in a gliding motion that mimics walking while the person is seated or standing, thus reducing the structurally caused lower back pain and stiffness so commonly associated with long periods of standing or sitting.

A system of implanting electrode leads for restoring muscle function to the lumbar spine to treat low back pain is provided. The system provides efficient implantation of the leads, including the ability to verify deployment of anchoring mechanisms on the lead using an impedance assessment, such that the implanted lead may be secured within the patient and used to restore muscle function of local segmental muscles associated with the lumbar spine stabilization system.

Disclosed herein is an exercise chair for aiding in the alleviation of lower back pain. The chair device of the present invention comprises a central post portion defining a central axis with a base at one end and a coupling portion fashioned to be tilted relative to the central axis at the other end. A coil spring is concentrically located on the central axis and affixed to the post portion at the one end and to the coupling portion at the other end. The coil spring is normally biased to maintain the seat of the chair in a non-tilted position. Also disclosed herein, is a method of practice employing the chair device. In the method, a user in a seated position on the chair selectively and reversibly rotates their pelvic / hip region in three possible dimensions about a point of origin substantially centrally located to their pelvic region in various directions resulting in stretching and strengthening exercises of the abdominal, lumbar and pelvic / hip regions of the user.

Oral dosage forms of osteoclast inhibitors, such as zoledronic acid, in an acid or a salt form can be used to treat or alleviate pain or related conditions, such as Modic changes type I.

Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal cord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and / or motor side effects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications.

To provide a heat generating pad which is able to relax symptoms such as stiff shoulder, low-back pain, muscular fatigue, menstrual pain, a symptom of poor circulation and in particular, can be suitably used for relaxation of a symptom of menstrual pain and a method of use of the same. A heat generating pad in which a heat generating composition molded body resulting from molding a moldable heat generating composition containing surplus water as a connecting substance is interposed between packaging materials and the periphery of the heat generating composition molded body is heat sealed, which is characterized in that the packaging materials are constituted of a substrate and a covering material; that the substrate is substantially planar and does not contain an accommodating pocket; that the heat sealing forms a sectioned part as formed in a striped form, and plural sectional exothermic parts as sectioned by the heat sealing are provided via the sectioned part; that the moldable heat generating composition has a water content of from 1 to 60% by weight, contains, as essential components, a flocculant aid , a drybinding agent, a flocculant, adhesive binder, an iron powder, a carbon component, a reaction accelerator and water, does not contain, a thickener and an excipient, contains the surplus water so as to have a water mobility value of from 0.01 to 20, with the water in the moldable heat generating composition not functioning as a barrier layer, and is capable of causing an exothermic reaction upon contact with air; that the heat generating pad contains a region having a ratio of bending resistance in the orthogonal directions of 2 or more on the surface thereof orthogonal to the thickness direction of the heat generating pad; that at least a part of the heat generating pad has air permeability; and that the heat generating pad has a fixing measure on at least a part of the exposed surface thereof.

The invention provides an energy source emitting, such as a low level laser light, catheter having a throughbore, an energy emitting surface disposed near the distal end of the catheter that is connected, directly or indirectly, to the energy source, which allows for the application of therapeutic energy to treat internal areas of a patient that have been accessed by way of a catheter.

A traction chair system for efficiently relieving an individual of lower back pain. The traction chair system includes a chair frame, a seat, a plurality of actuators attached between the chair frame and the seat for elevating / lowering the seat, a backrest, a harness attached to the backrest for securing an individual to the backrest, a motor mechanically elevating / lowering the backrest, and a control unit in communication with the actuators and the motor. A scale is positioned within the seat and in communication with the control unit for providing feedback to the individual regarding the actual amount of traction occurring. The amount of traction being applied to an individual is shown upon a display of the control unit.

A chest support that supports the weight of a user's torso, and more particularly an adjustable chest support that is operative to be adjusted by a user “hands free” (i.e., without the use of the hands). The angular position or tilt of the chest support may be adjusted forward and rearward relative to a seat (e.g., a seat of a chair attached to the chest support), allowing the user to bend, or tilt, his or her torso toward and away from a work area. The chest support is operative to support the torso of a user at the chest area, thereby permitting the user to perform a task while reducing the likelihood of lower back pain and body fatigue. In some embodiments, arm support assemblies may also be mounted to the chest support to effect corresponding movement of the arm support assemblies toward and away from the work area upon adjustment of the angular position or tilt of the chest support.

An MR Spectroscopy (MRS) system and approach is provided for diagnosing painful and non-painful discs in chronic, severe low back pain patients (DDD-MRS). A DDD-MRS pulse sequence generates and acquires DDD-MRS spectra within intervertebral disc nuclei for later signal processing & diagnostic analysis. An interfacing DDD-MRS signal processor receives output signals of the DDD-MRS spectra acquired and is configured to optimize signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by an automated system that selectively conducts optimal channel selection, phase and frequency correction, and frame editing as appropriate for a given acquisition series. A diagnostic processor calculates a diagnostic value for the disc based upon a weighted factor set of criteria that uses MRS data extracted from the acquired and processed MRS spectra along regions associated with multiple chemicals that have been correlated to painful vs. non-painful discs. A diagnostic display provides a scaled, color coded legend and indication of results for each disc analyzed as an overlay onto a mid-sagittal T2-weighted MRI image of the lumbar spine for the patient being diagnosed. Clinical application of the embodiments provides a non-invasive, objective, pain-free, reliable approach for diagnosing painful vs. non-painful discs by simply extending and enhancing the utility of otherwise standard MRI exams of the lumbar spine.

A system for restoring muscle function to the lumbar spine to treat low back pain is provided. The system may include electrodes coupled to an implantable pulse generator (IPG), a handheld activator configured to transfer a stimulation command to the IPG, and an external programmer configured to transfer programming data to the IPG. The stimulation command directs the programmable controller to stimulate the tissue in accordance with the programming data. The system may include a software-based programming system run on a computer such that the treating physician may program and adjust stimulation parameters.

The present invention provides new evidences to support that repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (theta-burst en stimulation, TBS) over nerve / muscle improves sensorimotor control. Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is associated to a faulty volitional activation of transversus abdominis muscle (TrA) and its delayed contraction during anticipatory postural adjustment (APA), in correlation with maladaptive reorganization of primary motor cortex (M1). Repetitive magnetic stimulation of nerves can influence brain excitability and even reduce rigidity (Parkinson's disease), spasticity (stroke, ABI, cerebral palsy), and contribute to improvement of motor-control and function in stroke, chronic low back pain, ABI, cerebral palsy, prematurity and Parkinson's disease. We hereby test—for the first time—the after-effects of TBS applied over nerves or muscles (peripheral TBS, PTBS) on the motor abdominal-function of chronic low back pain sufferers and on the foot function of brain-injured subjects and to adjust TBS protocol per subject relative to the clinical profile. These pilot studies demonstrate the long-term influence of peripheral neurostimulation in chronic pain, rigidity and spasticity associated to motor impairment.

This present invention relates to a novel belt-like extension corset providing for anterior to posterior traction from the sides to the back at waist level comprising two longitudinally expandable front and back belt members each having an inner and outer surface, means to attach said belt members at their longitudinal centers, means for attaching the longitudinal ends of the front belt member, two direction changing means for said back belt member located on the outer surface of the front belt member positioned so as to be present on the left and right side when worn, and means for attaching the longitudinal ends of the back belt member to the outer surface of the back belt member lateral to its middle portion. The corset can shorten a number of days of treatment, for example, a number of days required for treatment of muscular low back pain.

An MR Spectroscopy (MRS) system and approach is provided for diagnosing painful and non-painful discs in chronic, severe low back pain patients (DDD-MRS). A DDD-MRS pulse sequence generates and acquires DDD-MRS spectra within intervertebral disc nuclei for later signal processing and diagnostic analysis. An interfacing DDD-MRS signal processor receives output signals of the DDD-MRS spectra acquired and is configured to optimize signal-to-noise ratio by an automated system that selectively conducts optimal channel selection, phase and frequency correction, and frame editing as appropriate for a given acquisition series. A diagnostic processor calculates a diagnostic value for the disc based upon a weighted factor set of criteria that uses MRS data extracted from the acquired and processed MRS spectra for multiple chemicals that have been correlated to painful vs. non-painful discs. A display provides an indication of results for analyzed discs as an overlay onto a MRI image of the lumbar spine.

It is to provide a pharmaceutical composition which is different from an existing therapeutic agent of an adult disease, of a biochemical reaction-inhibiting type, and which action mechanism is to improve the basal metabolism, wherein the composition has no side effects, and does not generate drug resistance against adult disease; and a method for preventing / treating an adult disease by using the same. It is to provide a composition for preventing / ameliorating an adult disease such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, impaired liver function, renal failure, adiposity, erectile dysfunction, menopausal disorder, shoulder discomfort, and low back pain, comprising 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), its derivative, or salt thereof, preferably comprising ALA, its derivative, or salt thereof, and an iron compound such as sodium ferrous citrate, iron sodium citrate and iron ammonium citrate; a food or food material for preventing / ameliorating an adult disease comprising the composition; and a method for using the composition for preparing an agent for preventing / ameliorating an adult disease.