(6)
Congenital defects.
(7)
Obesity.
(8)
Pregnancy.
b. Treatment of Low Back Pain. Included are the following:
(1)
Muscle relaxants such as methocarbamol (Robaxin).
(2)
Local heat on the affected area.
(3)
Aspirin.
(4)
Bed rest.
(5)
Lumbosacral corset.
(6)
Physical therapy.
1-15. GANGLION
A ganglion may be a collection of nerve cell bodies outside of the brain or the
spinal cord. Here, the meaning is a cystic swelling resembling a tumor. This cystic
swelling can occur on a tendon sheath or a joint capsule. Ganglions can be caused by
contusions, repeated strains, or a weak area in a joint capsule or tendon sheath.
Ganglions are most common in the wrist.
a. Signs/Symptoms of Ganglion. A firm lump or protrusion and a non-tender
cyst are indications of a ganglion.
b. Treatment of a Ganglion. If the tumor is benign, leave it alone. It can be
aspirated. If the ganglion is a cyst which is surgically removed, there is a fifty percent
chance that the cyst will return.
1-16. CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
This musculoskeletal condition is the most common of the trapped nerve
syndromes. The median nerve at the wrist is compressed within the carpal tunnel. The
median nerve, tendons, and blood vessels pass through the carpal tunnel at the wrist on
the way to the fingers and thumb. The compression causes sensory and motor
changes in the hand. The general population in- the 40 to 50 year age group is most
likely to have this syndrome, and five times as many women have the condition as men.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can develop during pregnancy. For those who use their hands
strenuously (sustained grasping, twisting, or flexing the hands done by assembly line
workers, for example), the disorder worsens.
MD0577
1-12