2011年8月17日星期三

腰椎骨手術前的預備


手術前你可能被要求停止服用某些藥物並且停止抽煙。根據您的年齡和身體狀況,你可能被你的家庭醫生要求進行一次一般性的身體檢查。

患者通常會在手術的那天入院。在入院以後,您將會被帶到術前準備區域。麻醉科醫生會回顧您的病史和體格檢查報告。他會和您討論使用那種類型的麻醉方式。病人有時會在手術之前七天內的麻醉科門診裡進行以上的評估。腰背手術最常見的麻醉類型為全身麻醉(整個手術您是睡著的)或脊髓麻醉。


視乎您的腰背問題而定,手術通常需要一個到三個小時。您的骨科醫生會將躺在神經線上面的部份骨頭和韌帶取去,再將脫出的椎間盤切除,解除神經線的壓力。如果同時有椎骨移位(脊椎滑脫症spondylolisthesis)的話,脊椎融合手術有時會同時進行。


當手術完成後,您將被移到復甦室,由護士觀察和監測您的狀況,直到您的從麻醉中清醒過來。您會有一條靜脈注射管(Intravenous IV)在您的手臂裡。您可能還有一條導尿管插入您的膀胱,使排尿更加容易。當您完全清醒以後,您會被送到病房。您的靜脈注射管和導尿管以後將會被移除。




參考資料: http://hkoa.org

以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途,如果你有任何醫療問題,應向自己的骨科醫生查詢,而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

2011年8月16日星期二

認識背部的構造


90%左右的下背痛患者,從發作到完全地康復在大約衹需要六個星期,而另外10%患者,長期的下背痛卻總是乾擾著日常生活、甚至令人感到沮喪。下背痛的原因极為復雜的而且難以判斷,以下文章幫助我們評估疼痛的來源,進而正確地擬定治療對策。
 
背部的構造簡單可分為:
 
軟組織:肌肉、韌帶和肌腱。
脊椎骨:提供脊髓支撐的結構積木,其中又有小關節麵聯接,允許脊椎移動。

椎間盤:圓盤狀構造、承受來自于身體的重量,噹身體受到強烈的外力沖擊時更可以有效吸收分散壓力,避免神經肌肉係統受到損害。

神經係統:除了脊椎骨中受到充分保護的脊髓之外,另有神經根分支從椎間孔穿岀往下支配雙腿和腳的活動與知覺。

參考資料: www.ispine.com.hk

以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途,如果你有任何醫療問題,應向自己的骨科醫生查詢,而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

2011年8月13日星期六

Back pain - Surgery & Physical therapy


A physical therapist can apply a variety of treatments, such as heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and muscle-release techniques, to your back muscles and soft tissues to reduce pain. As pain improves, the therapist can teach you specific exercises to increase your flexibility, strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, and improve your posture. Regular use of these techniques will help prevent pain from returning.






Surgery
Types of back surgery include:
  • Spine navigation surgery. It is a new techniques that can enhance the precision in the surgical regions, reduce the surgical time, reduce radiation exposures to patients and surgeon. Increase safety and accuracy through more precise screw placement and enables minimally invasive approaches.
  • Partial removal of disk. If disk material is pressing or squeezing a nerve, your orthopaedics doctor may be able to remove just the portion of the disk that's causing the problem.
  • Partial removal of a vertebra. If your spine has developed bony growths that are pinching your spinal cord or nerves, orthopaedics surgeons can remove a small section of the offending vertebra, to open up the passage.
  • Fusion. This surgery involves joining two vertebrae to eliminate painful movement. A drawback to the procedure is that it increases the chances of arthritis developing in adjoining vertebrae.
Reference information: www.stryker.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your orthopedic doctors for diagnosis and treatment.

2011年8月12日星期五

Back pain Prevention


The prevention of back pain is, itself, somewhat controversial. It has long been thought that exercise and an all-around healthy lifestyle would prevent back pain. This is not necessarily true. In fact, several studies have found that the wrong type of exercise such as high-impact activities may increase the chance of suffering back pain. Nonetheless, exercise is important for overall health and should not be avoided. Low-impact activities such as swimming, walking, and bicycling can increase overall fitness without straining the low back.




·         Specific exercises: Talk to your doctor about how to perform these exercises.
Abdominal crunches, when performed properly, strengthen abdominal muscles and may decrease the tendency to suffer back pain.
·         Although not useful to treat back pain, stretching exercises are helpful in alleviating tight back muscles.
·         The pelvic tilt also helps alleviate tight back muscles.
·         Lumbar support belts: Workers who frequently perform heavy lifting are often required to wear these belts. There is no proof that these belts prevent back injury. One study even indicated that these belts increased the likelihood of injury.
  • Standing: While standing, keep your head up and stomach pulled in. If you are required to stand for long periods of time, you should have a small stool on which to rest one foot at a time. Do not wear high heels.
  • Sitting: Chairs of appropriate height for the task at hand with good lumbar support are preferable. To avoid putting stress on the back, chairs should swivel. Automobile seats should also have adequate low-back support. If not, a small pillow or rolled towel behind the lumbar area will provide adequate support.
  • Sleeping: Individual needs vary. If the mattress is too soft, many people will experience backaches. The same is true for sleeping on a hard mattress. Trial and error may be required. A piece of plywood between the box spring and mattress will stiffen a soft bed. A thick mattress pad will help soften a mattress that is too hard.
  • Lifting: Don't lift objects that are too heavy for you. If you attempt to lift something, keep your back straight up and down, head up, and lift with your knees. Keep the object close to you, don't stoop over to lift. Tighten your stomach muscles to keep your back in balance.
Reference information: knowyourback.org, www.ispine.com.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your orthopedic doctors for diagnosis and treatment.

2011年8月10日星期三

甚麼是骨質疏鬆?


甚麼是骨質疏鬆?

在我們的一生中,骨質都在不斷地生長及分解。若這兩者之間能取得平衡,骨骼便得以保持強健。然而,在大約30歲後,骨骼的分解便開始超越生長的速度,令骨骼變得脆弱和多孔1。當骨質密度減低至一定程度,便屬於骨質疏鬆。
骨質疏鬆的情況十分普遍。在香港,約有一半更年期後的婦女患有骨質疏鬆。
骨質疏鬆      後果可大可小
由於早期症狀不明顯,骨折或許是骨質疏鬆最先出現的症狀,它可出現在身體的任何部位,包括脊椎、股骨。

如不及早預防和治療骨質疏鬆,可能會引致以下嚴重後果:
Ÿ   骨折
Ÿ   活動能力下降
Ÿ   失去自我照顧的能力
Ÿ   生活質素下降
Ÿ   永久殘障
Ÿ   死亡

骨質疏鬆的預防
不少簡單的生活習慣,都可補充骨質及預防骨折,並有助減低患上骨質疏鬆的機會。這些包括:
Ÿ   多吸收鈣質
Ÿ   多接觸陽光有助吸收維他命D
Ÿ   適量的負重運動(建議與專業人士商討)
減少或避免吸煙及酗酒


參考資料: www.ispine.com.hk

以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途,如果你有任何醫療問題,應向自己的骨科醫生查詢,而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。