Page 11 - Inspire Health September/October 2015
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one wants to be in spinal stenosis, herniated disc, neck There are some things you can do to help stay healthy
pain, but it’s something pain, back pain, sciatica, neuropathic prevent an injury from occurring. Dr. Harshini Dani
that affects millions of pain, sacroiliac and other joint pain. of St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Spine &
Americans each day. Pain Medicine Associates provided the following
The National Institutes of Procedures could include prevention tips:
Health say that pain impacts more injections, nerve blocks, ablations
Americans than diabetes, heart and spinal cord and peripheral n Stretch: Make sure you stretch before or
disease and cancer combined. nerve stimulation. after any activity, even if you’re just doing chores
Chronic pain — defined as ongoing such as gardening, moving, shoveling or mowing.
pain that persists — is the most “We perform certain types of “Treat household work as if it’s actually a workout,”
common cause of long-term disability. procedures to alleviate the pain,” Dani says. For sports, it is best to work with a
Dani says. “We try to manage the trainer or therapist, especially if you’ve already
Dr. Harshini pain or treat the condition that is had an injury. If you’re not working with a trainer
Dani, of causing the pain” collaborating with already, make sure you warm up before playing the
St. Luke’s other doctors who may be treating sport — something that’s not high intensity. For
University the patient as well. example, basketball players may pass the ball back
Health and forth to warm up before a game.
Network’s “All treatment is patient specific,”
Spine & Pain she says. “We use a multimodal n Know your health status: Check with your
Associates. approach and incorporate primary care physician before starting a sport or
medication, therapy and injections.” exercise program to make sure you’re healthy
In fact, according to the National enough to participate.
Center for Health statistics for 2006, The physicians at St. Luke’s Spine
the most recent stats available, & Pain Associates see different types n Stand tall: Both men and women need to
approximately 76.2 million people, of pain depending on the season. maintain good posture to reduce the risk of injury
one in every four Americans, has For example, last winter Dani saw and that means keeping your back straight.
suffered from pain that lasts longer an uptick in people with lower back
than 24 hours. An injury may have pain. While snow shoveling may be n Lift properly: If you have to pick something
been the first cause of the pain, or the culprit in some cases, in others up, bend your knees, keep your back straight and
there may be an ongoing cause such the pain could have been caused by use your legs.
as arthritis or cancer. Some people walking on ice.
also suffer from pain that can’t be n Get your vitamins: Calcium and Vitamin D
pinpointed to a specific trigger for it. While not every pain can be are essential for bone health.
prevented, she encourages taking
When someone has an injury, care of your body through diet and n Maintain a healthy weight: Extra pounds put
most likely that person will go exercise to give it the strength it can more stress and strain on your spine and joints.
to a primary care physician for use in the future to heal from an
treatment. But when the pain injury or fight a condition. n Get exercise: Movement helps keep the
lingers, that’s where specialists body flexible and “flexbility doesn’t come easily
come into play. “You can make sure you have unless you work on it,” Dani says.
what your body needs if an injury
Treatment options depend on does occur,” she says. n Don’t smoke: Studies show smoking affects
the root cause of the pain. bone density and the body’s ability to heal after an
Dani, of St. Luke’s injury or surgery.
“Usually when we see a patient University Health
in our practice, it’s not the first time Network’s Spine
they’ve sought treatment,” says & Pain Associates,
Dr. Harshini D. Dani and the pain explains how the
management specialists at St. Luke’s spine works
University Health Network’s Spine to a patient.
& Pain Associates. The patient
will be assessed and a suitable
treatment will be implemented
depending on the condition. St.
Luke’s Spine & Pain Associates treat
a number of conditions including
Photos courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network Media Services
pain, but it’s something pain, back pain, sciatica, neuropathic prevent an injury from occurring. Dr. Harshini Dani
that affects millions of pain, sacroiliac and other joint pain. of St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Spine &
Americans each day. Pain Medicine Associates provided the following
The National Institutes of Procedures could include prevention tips:
Health say that pain impacts more injections, nerve blocks, ablations
Americans than diabetes, heart and spinal cord and peripheral n Stretch: Make sure you stretch before or
disease and cancer combined. nerve stimulation. after any activity, even if you’re just doing chores
Chronic pain — defined as ongoing such as gardening, moving, shoveling or mowing.
pain that persists — is the most “We perform certain types of “Treat household work as if it’s actually a workout,”
common cause of long-term disability. procedures to alleviate the pain,” Dani says. For sports, it is best to work with a
Dani says. “We try to manage the trainer or therapist, especially if you’ve already
Dr. Harshini pain or treat the condition that is had an injury. If you’re not working with a trainer
Dani, of causing the pain” collaborating with already, make sure you warm up before playing the
St. Luke’s other doctors who may be treating sport — something that’s not high intensity. For
University the patient as well. example, basketball players may pass the ball back
Health and forth to warm up before a game.
Network’s “All treatment is patient specific,”
Spine & Pain she says. “We use a multimodal n Know your health status: Check with your
Associates. approach and incorporate primary care physician before starting a sport or
medication, therapy and injections.” exercise program to make sure you’re healthy
In fact, according to the National enough to participate.
Center for Health statistics for 2006, The physicians at St. Luke’s Spine
the most recent stats available, & Pain Associates see different types n Stand tall: Both men and women need to
approximately 76.2 million people, of pain depending on the season. maintain good posture to reduce the risk of injury
one in every four Americans, has For example, last winter Dani saw and that means keeping your back straight.
suffered from pain that lasts longer an uptick in people with lower back
than 24 hours. An injury may have pain. While snow shoveling may be n Lift properly: If you have to pick something
been the first cause of the pain, or the culprit in some cases, in others up, bend your knees, keep your back straight and
there may be an ongoing cause such the pain could have been caused by use your legs.
as arthritis or cancer. Some people walking on ice.
also suffer from pain that can’t be n Get your vitamins: Calcium and Vitamin D
pinpointed to a specific trigger for it. While not every pain can be are essential for bone health.
prevented, she encourages taking
When someone has an injury, care of your body through diet and n Maintain a healthy weight: Extra pounds put
most likely that person will go exercise to give it the strength it can more stress and strain on your spine and joints.
to a primary care physician for use in the future to heal from an
treatment. But when the pain injury or fight a condition. n Get exercise: Movement helps keep the
lingers, that’s where specialists body flexible and “flexbility doesn’t come easily
come into play. “You can make sure you have unless you work on it,” Dani says.
what your body needs if an injury
Treatment options depend on does occur,” she says. n Don’t smoke: Studies show smoking affects
the root cause of the pain. bone density and the body’s ability to heal after an
Dani, of St. Luke’s injury or surgery.
“Usually when we see a patient University Health
in our practice, it’s not the first time Network’s Spine
they’ve sought treatment,” says & Pain Associates,
Dr. Harshini D. Dani and the pain explains how the
management specialists at St. Luke’s spine works
University Health Network’s Spine to a patient.
& Pain Associates. The patient
will be assessed and a suitable
treatment will be implemented
depending on the condition. St.
Luke’s Spine & Pain Associates treat
a number of conditions including
Photos courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network Media Services
