Back problems are one of the most common reasons for visits to doctors’ offices and it is a major cause of working disability. Most people will have a minor back problem at one time or another. Back problems and injuries often occur during sports or recreational activities, work-related tasks, or home projects.
Although back pain is often caused by an injury to one or more structures of the back, it may have other causes. Some people are more likely to develop back pain than others. Things that increase your risk for back pain and injury include getting older, having a family history of back pain, sitting for long periods, lifting or pulling heavy objects, and having a degenerative disease such as osteoporosis.
Back pain can be a chronic and debilitating condition. Small, daily actions can help your discomfort and by taking steps to strengthen, stretch and protect your back, you can ideally stop or reduce pain. However, severe cases of back pain cannot be fixed by lifestyle changes. If the back pain interferes with the ability to perform everyday activities, you should consult a doctor.
The list of treatment options is long and complex. No treatment should ever be dismissed, as everyone’s pain and condition is different. Therefore, patients should carefully consult their medical professional about those options before starting a treatment. Patients deserve to know how likely it is that the treatment will be effective for their condition.
In the search for optimal, speedy recovery and quick return to everyday life, work and sports, GOLDIC medical devices can help the treating physician achieve these goals.
SPINAL ANATOMY
Spine anatomy is divided into 4 major sections, typically defined by the number of vertebrae in each section (from top to bottom):
- Cervical Spine (neck), comprised of 7 cervical vertebrae (C1 to C7).
- Thoracic Spine (upper and mid back), made up of 12 thoracic vertebrae (T1 to T12).
- Lumbar Spine (lower back), including 5 vertebrae (L1 to L5).
- Sacral Region (bottom of the spine), the sacrum is a series of 5 bony segments fused together (S1 to S5).
While neck pain in the cervical spine is less common than lower back pain, millions of people experience neck pain at some point in their life. Upper cervical disorders occur at the meeting place of skull and spine, therefore neck pain and headache in the back of the head are the most common symptoms. Neck pain can also spread to the arms if spinal nerves are compressed.
The primary role of the thoracic spine is to provide stability. Each of the vertebrae in the thoracic region is connected to a rib on both sides and then meet in the front at the sternum. This structure builds the rib cage, protecting important organs such as our heart, lungs, liver, etc. The most common cause of thoracic back pain is inflammation of the muscles or soft tissues of the thoracic spine. This inflammation can occur for various reasons.
The lumbar spine, or low back, is a remarkably well-engineered structure of interconnecting bones, joints, nerves, ligaments and muscles all working together providing support, strength and flexibility. However, this complex structure also leaves the low back susceptible to injury and pain. The majority of acute low back pain is mechanical in nature, meaning that there is a disruption in the way the components of the back (the spine, muscle, intervertebral discs and nerves) fit together and move.
Intervertebral discs take on the function of a shock absorber between two vertebral bodies. A herniated disc is a condition in which the inner portion (nucleus) herniate through the “outer” fibers. The herniated material can compress the nerves around the disc creating pain that can radiate through the back and sometimes down the arms (in the cervical spine) and legs (in the lumbar spine). These discs can degenerate with aging and are therefore prone to injury.
A joint dysfunction in the sacral region (sacroiliac joint) can cause pain and impaired function. It’s important to note that sacroiliac joint pain symptoms can be similar to those of other conditions of the lumbar spine, pelvis and hip, and will need a joint examination to properly diagnose the origin of the pain.
STAY IN MOTION.
Years of research have shown that specially designed gold particles in combination with the patient’s own blood can lead to a successful tissue reaction. The healing process of an injured tissue goes through a complex and precisely regulated series of processes.
Using GOLDIC medical products, physicians focus on treating these inflamed regions by injecting protein-enriched serum around the affected nerves, ligaments and muscles. An important goal of the treatment is to preserve the original disc height for the patient.
GOLDIC is a platform technology for treating a variety of medical conditions. This form of treatment is a special type of individualized medicine.
GOLDIC medical devices helps the physician to produce an endogenous, cytokine enriched serum. This serum is anti-inflammatory, pain-reducing and different endogenous stem cells can be activated and differentiated. This stimulates the body’s own REGENERATION CAPACITY.
LOWER BACK PAIN
The low back supports the weight of the upper body and provides mobility for everyday motions such as bending and twisting. Muscles in the low back are responsible for flexing and rotating the hips while walking, as well as supporting the spinal column. Nerves in the low back supply sensation and power to the muscles in the pelvis, legs, and feet. The sciatic nerve directs sensations of the leg to the spinal cord and passes commands of the brain to the leg muscles.
Most acute low back pain results from injury to the muscles, ligaments, joints or discs. The body also reacts to injury by mobilizing an inflammatory healing response. While inflammation sounds minor, it can cause severe pain. These injuries can include damage to the intervertebral discs, compression of nerve roots and improper movement of the spinal joints.
The diagnosis of low back pain involves a review of the history of the illness and underlying medical conditions as well as a physical examination. Further tests for diagnosis of low back pain can be required including blood and urine tests, X-ray tests, CT scanning, MRI scanning, bone scanning and tests of the nerves.
Millions of people undergo lumbar spine surgeries yearly and these procedures can make a huge difference to individuals who have lost their independence because of chronic pain. It is, however, a major surgery and therefore subject to corresponding risks. Additionally, low back surgeries and fusions require lengthy recoveries.
Treating low back pain with GOLDIC medical products gives patients another avenue to explore as they try to return to health. For both acute and chronic conditions (persistence of symptoms over an extended period of time), GOLDIC medical products provide a successful treatment alternative for the physician. This product was developed to enhance the therapeutic effects of gold on the cellular level in combination with the advantages of an autologous blood therapy.
This new approach is based on the up-regulation of several important proteins that can directly influence the body’s own regenerative processes. GOLDIC medical products help the treating physician in the enrichment of anti-inflammatory and regenerative proteins, as well as the activation and differentiation of the body’s own stem cells.
SPINAL DISC HERNIATION
Terminology about a herniated disc can be confusing.
There are many different terms to describe a herniated disc, such as a pinched nerve, bulging disc, ruptured disc or slipped disc. These terms tend to be used somewhat differently among health professionals because there are no generally agreed upon definitions for many disc problems.
„An essential goal of the treatment of a herniated disc is to relieve the pain and restore the familiar quality of life…”
The spinal column spans from the cervical spine in the neck through the thoracic spine in the middle back and into the lumbar spine in the lower back. Made up of 24 individual vertebral bodies the spinal column is flexible enough to allow for the full range of motion in the neck and back that’s required for daily activity and also strong enough to support the weight of the upper body. Serving as shock-absorbing cushions for the spine, discs are positioned between adjacent vertebrae to facilitate movement and reduce friction. Parts of the disc can emerge due to damage and press on nerves. This can cause discomfort such as numbness and paralysis, as well as pain.This condition is referred to as a herniated disc.
Disc herniation symptoms usually start for no apparent reason. Or they may occur when a person lifts something heavy and / or twists the lower back, motions that put added stress on the discs. Pain and other uncomfortable symptoms can develop if displaced inner disc material — which contains inflammatory proteins — irritates or pressures the disc wall, the spinal cord or a nearby nerve root.
A herniated disc can cause a variety of symptoms in the neck, arm, hand, and fingers, as well as parts of the shoulder. The pain patterns and neurological deficits are largely determined by the location of the herniated disc. A lumbar herniated disc is the most common cause of sciatica, leg pain along the sciatic nerve down the back of the leg. An acute cervical disc herniation may arise from a type of trauma or neck injury. Elderly patients often have pronounced wear and tear of the cervical spine which can lead to a disc herniation.
The primary goal of treatment for each patient is to fight inflammation, help relieve pain and other symptoms resulting from the herniated disc and restore mobility. To achieve this goal, each patient’s treatment plan should be individualized based on the source of the pain, the severity of pain and the specific symptoms that the patient exhibits. GOLDIC medical products offer an option for personalized treatment to the physician.
DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE
Degenerative disc disease is one of the most common reasons for low back and neck pain, caused by wear-and-tear on a spinal disc.
Degenerative disc disease typically consists of a low-level chronic pain with intermittent episodes of more severe pain. A degenerating spinal disc does not always lead to pain or other symptoms, because the disc itself has very little innervation. Most of the pain is coming from the joints in the back of the spine (facets), the spinal nerve that’s being irritated, and the fact that the ligaments and muscles are incapable of stabilizing the segment.
The disc itself is only part of the problem. Inflammatory proteins from within the disc space may leak as the disc degenerates. This leads to swelling of the surrounding spinal structures. The inflammation of the nerve root can trigger muscle tension, muscle cramps and local sensitivity in the back or neck. In cervical disc degeneration, pain and numbness can radiate into the arm and shoulder, with lumbar disc degeneration into the hip or leg.
Using GOLDIC medical products, physicians focus on treating these inflamed regions by injecting protein-enriched serum around the affected nerves, ligaments and muscles. An important goal of this kind of treatment is to preserve the original disc height for the patient.
In each healing phase, different cell types play various decisive roles. All processes involved are closely interlinked. The healing phases are not simple linear processes, rather they interlock. They cannot be separated chronologically or spatially. GOLDIC medical devices support these natural healing processes.
INDIVIDUALIZED MEDICINE
Individualized medicine is considered the mega trend that will change the current health care sector completely, and at a rapid pace. The idea here is: the treatment of the patient should be carried out taking into account his individual circumstances.
Of central importance in spinal medicine is to understand the discomfort and challenges of living with a spine disorder or condition. Your physician is dedicated to provide you with the skilled and compassionate care you need for recovery, by bringing all aspects of diagnosis, treatment, surgery, rehabilitation and wellness together in a single system. Personalized medicine is redefining spine care and achieving exceptional outcomes for the patients.
GOLDIC medical devices assist the physician in their individual therapy of the patient.
THE GOLDIC SET 4 / ORTHO & SPORT FOR SPINE
With the help of the medical device GOLDIC Ortho & Sport, the doctor in charge stimulates the body’s own regenerative ability with the help of cytokines and growth factors. This is done by a significant increase in the level of gelsolin, as well as an increase of stem cell-specific factors in the body of the patient. Through this “treatment” and “return” of the enriched endogenous serum, the inflammation can be treated with minimal risk of side effects.The self-healing powers of the body are used, thereby enabling a largely side effect-free treatment. The healing process is accelerated, the patient is faster pain-free and more resilient.
Usually, a total of four (4) injections of the prepared serum at a distance of 3-7 days are made by the attending physician to treat lower back pain.
Injections of the GOLDIC enriched endogenous serum are performed epidural and take place as an out-patient procedure in a surgery center, hospital or a physician’s clinic. Various specialists are qualified to perform an epidural injection. Imaging guidance may be used to place the needle in the right location for maximum benefit.
The aim of treatment with GOLDIC injections is to avoid possible disadvantages of surgical treatment: e.g. scar formation, cuts in the spinal musculature (which can lead to muscle injury and residual back pain after surgery) and avoidance of possible surgical complications. The healing process is accelerated, the patient is faster pain-free and earlier physically fit.
For treatment with GOLDIC medical devices, a small amount of blood is withdrawn from the patient’s arm vein. The amount is about the same as for a “conventional” blood test. This autologous blood is incubated in the presence of defined gold particles for 24 hours. Subsequently, the blood cells and the gold particles are separated from the serum by centrifugation. Only the processed serum, enriched with important proteins, is injected in four sessions over a period of about two weeks to the site of the complaints. A special filter prevents gold particles from entering the patient’s body along with the enriched serum.
AREAS OF APPLICATION:
- Lumbar Disc Herniation
- Cervical Disc Herniation
- Sciatica Pain
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Lower Back Pain
- Facet Joint Pain