Doctor claims non-invasive treatment for spine problems

A leading Canada-based orthopaedic surgeon has claimed to have developed a technology using sound waves for an effective, non-invasive and painless treatment for spinal ailments including injuries.

“The treatment helps in gentle repositioning of vertebrae, functional restoration of the central nervous system and cellular bio-synthesis which is responsible for restoring and regenerating worn or damaged disks,” said Dr. Aslam Khan.

Called as the Khan Kinetic Treatment (KKT), the new technology, the Indian-origin doctor said, allows people with spine injuries due to accidents, sports injuries, sudden falls, repetitive activity-related injuries, postural abnormalities, stress, genetic pre-disposition to reduce or completely eliminate their pain.

Following this treatment, muscles, blood vessels and neural communication are stimulated and cellular bio-synthesis is triggered, initiating the body’s self-healing process, said 46-year-old Khan who claimed to have developed the KKT technology after 20 years of research.

The special technology device for the treatment has been approved by the USFDA, he said.

Research papers by Khan, Chairman and CEO of KKT International Centre for Spine which opened its first centre here recently, and his colleagues are published in peer reviewed journals such as American Journal of pain management (January 2007) and Journal of Musculoskeletal pain (November 2007).

Asked about the technique, Dr. Pradeep Bhosle, Head of Orthopaedic Department of King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital said, “Yes, we keep hearing about these techniques expecting some magical thing to happen. Personally I do not have any experience“.

These developments have no role in medical text books or exams, he added.

“We are looking at stem cells to play a major role in joint pains,” Bhosle said.

In India, according experts, 50 per cent of the population suffers from backache at some point of time in their life with the incidence being as high as 70 per cent in the geriatric population.

Degenerative changes in the lower back constitute a normal feature of ageing and in young people, back pain is caused more often due to distortion of the gel like disc sandwiched between the vertebrae.


Via : thehindu.com

Marijuana Can Reduce Nerve Pain

New research shows that smoking marijuana can reduce pain in patients with nerve pain stemming from injuries or surgical complications.

The study was led by Dr. Mark Ware, director of research at the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit of the McGill University Health Centre in Canada. Ware and his team studied the pain-relieving effects of smoking cannabis in 21 people with “chronic neuropathic pain”: those who had constant nerve pain, caused by trauma or surgery.

“We found that 25 mg herbal cannabis with 9.4 per cent THC, administered as a single smoked inhalation three times daily for five days, significantly reduces average pain intensity compared with a zero per cent THC cannabis placebo in adult subjects with chronic post traumatic/post surgical neuropathic pain,” the study’s authors concluded in Monday’s online issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Approximately 1 to 2% of people have chronic neuropathic pain - pain due to problems with signalling between nerves - but effective treatments are lacking. They also reported that they slept better, and were less anxious and depressed than when they were on the placebo.

The team also noted that those who smoked marijuana with 9.4 percent of the active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) also reported sleeping better.

California was the first state to pass a medicinal marijuana law (Proposition 15, 1996), one that was later repeated by more than a dozen other states.

No serious harmful effects were reported during the trial. The most common adverse effects of smoking marijuana — found to be negligible — were headaches, dry eyes, a burning sensation in areas of neuropathic pain, dizziness, numbness and coughing.

Via : healthjackal.com

Factors that make marijuana addictive

The Cannabis Sativa or most commonly known as marijuana, is one of the most widely used illegal substances in the planet these days.

Marijuana use in America has already been rampant for about four decades. In America alone, there are around 5 million users of marijuana. Although there are numerous bills and laws that prohibit marijuana use, there are still a lot of people using it regardless of the consequences.

This is because the penalties are quite lenient for those who are caught using it. Moreover, the availability of marijuana has been very difficult to bar for drug enforcers as more suppliers continue to spread marijuana for public consumption.

Numerous factors make marijuana addictive. However, the addiction is quite more inclined in the psychological aspect of a user. First factor that makes marijuana addictive is the presence of the substance called delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or more commonly known as the THC. This substance makes marijuana addictive as it causes the feeling of euphoria, which the users commonly crave.

Another factor that makes marijuana addictive is the feeling of an improved well-being. As a user smokes marijuana, he or she feels more confident of him or herself. The user tends to become more talkative and easier to socialize with. As this effect continues to surface among users, people tend to become closer with the users and the users tend to use marijuana more frequently to get the sense of improved confidence.

The feeling of relaxation is also a factor that makes marijuana addictive. As the user smokes marijuana, the user tends to feel more relaxed. For people who are stressed out, marijuana may be addictive as it gives relaxation not only to the mind but to the muscles as well.

In addition, it can be used to mitigate chronic pain making marijuana addictive. For those who are experiencing chronic pain, marijuana may be necessity as it brings relief that the chronic pain causes. In a recent study conducted by researchers at the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit of McGill University’s Health Centre, it showed that marijuana have affected the increased relief from chronic pain. The study involved 21 people with chronic neuropathic pain.

This type of condition involves pain in the nerves due to trauma or surgery. The researchers led by Dr. Mark Ware administered THC, which was smoked on pipes on one group and a placebo substance to the other. The result showed that the group who smoked THC had a significant decline in their pain averages compared to those who smoked the placebo.

Via : seerpress.com