People with treatment-resistant back pain may get significant and lasting relief with dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation therapy. The innovative treatment, according to researchers short-circuits pain and could provide relief from excruciating pain. The pain that lasts for more than three months is categorised as chronic pain. It mostly occurs when nerves continue to send signals to the brain after the original source of the pain is gone.
Researchers said that an alternative to spinal cord stimulation, DRG stimulation could help disrupt pain signals by specifically targeting the nerves responsible for the pain. The researchers explained that this may avoid unnecessary stimulation of nerve fibers that come from non-painful areas, which may occur with spinal cord stimulation. It also helps to meet the need for non-drug pain treatments in select patients.
During the study, participants who had DRG stimulation reported significant improvement in pain even after a year. After encountering failures in many therapies, drugs and spinal cord stimulation, these participants reported that DRG stimulation really improved their quality of life.
In the study, researchers implanted DRG stimulation devices in 67 people with chronic back pain. Patients were followed for 3 to 18 months. Seventeen patients had the device for more than a year. The study found:
Before implantation of the DRG device, most participants described their pain as 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain imaginable. After follow-up, the median score fell to 5, a decrease of 33 percent, which the authors note is a clinically significant improvement.
A 27 percent decrease (median) in disability was reported by patients. 94 percent of patients reported the treatment was beneficial.
The DRG serves as the pain and sensation gateway between nerves in different parts of the body and the spinal cord and brain. DRG stimulation therapy interrupts the pain signal between the painful area and the brain.
DRG stimulation offers two advantages over spinal cord stimulation. For the latter, a wire is placed along the spinal cord so the electronic pulses are sent along the spine, but don't target the specific pain source as DRG stimulation does. Additionally, lower levels of current are required to achieve benefit with DRG stimulation because there is less spinal fluid covering the DRG than the spinal cord.
Chronic pain needs immediate medical attention and should not be taken lightly. Mild back pains could be managed well by taking vitamin D rich foods. It is difficult for your body to produce Vitamin d, which is why you should include more natural sources of vitamin D in your diet.
Here are some vitamin D rich foods you can add to your diet.
1. Salmon
Salmon is mostly popular for their omega-3 fatty acid content. Turns out, that the fatty fish is loaded with Vitamin D too. Salmon can be included in your diet for a healthy heart, strong bones and prevention of osteoporosis.
2. Milk: Milk is packed with vitamin D and calcium . Including milk in your daily diet could help relieve joint pains and also keep your teeth strong.
3. Cheese: Cheese is another dairy product which is an excellent source of calcium. Cheese also contains small amounts of Vitamin D, and are also counted as good source of fats.
4. Eggs: They provide the body with various essential nutrients. They contain 6% of your daily Vitamin D requirement. Make sure you do not toss away the yolk, the yolk contains maximum amount of vitamin D.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
(With inputs ANI)