U.S. scientists have demonstrated living human nerve cells can be engineered into a network that might be used to repair nervous system damage.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers created a three-dimensional neural network -- a mini nervous system in culture -- that can be transplanted en masse, said Professor Douglas Smith, director of the school's Center for Brain Injury and Repair.
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U.S. scientists have demonstrated living human nerve cells can be engineered into a network that might be used to repair nervous system damage.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers created a three-dimensional neural network -- a mini nervous system in culture -- that can be transplanted en masse, said Professor Douglas Smith, director of the school's Center for Brain Injury and Repair.
Researchers find that women's spines are evolved to curve at the lower vertabrae to reduce back pressure during pregnancy. Women actually lean back as a result of the curvature.
The interesting news is that this makes them less likely to tip over! And we all know - Women wobble but they don't fall down!
Read the Full New York Times article by going to: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/science/13pregnant.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Mike Smith, who was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his fellow Dave Clark Five members next month, has died of pneumonia in England.
The singer and keyboardist was 64 when he died this week at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, his U.S. agent Margo Lewis told the BBC Friday.
Lewis said the pneumonia was a result of complications from a 2003 spinal cord injury that left Smith paralyzed from the waist down.
UCLA scientists have reprogrammed human skin cells into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells. The process doesn't use human eggs or destroy human embryos, so you may not have heard of it.
The bioethics issues concerning engineering cells from embryos is circumnavigated with this 
breakthrough. We may now get to the merits of what "good" can come of pursuing this type of reseach.
The reprogrammed cells, known as "induced pluripotent stem cells," genetically matched to the donor, can be used to grow tissues for future use in tissue replacement therapies, including a range of things from regeneration of damaged heart tissue to Parkinson's to spinal-cord injury.
The discovery potentially provides a virtually unlimited supply of embryonic stem cells without the moral baggage of or need to use human embryos, cloning or human eggs. It also takes such research out of the political arena back into the realm of science where it belongs.
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Spine published an article of a seven-year, international study on February 15, 2008 and finds that some alternative therapies such as acupuncture, neck manipulation and massage are better choices for managing most common neck pain than many current practices. Also included in the short-list of best options for relief are exercises, education, neck mobilization, low level laser therapy and pain relievers.
Therapies such as neck collars and ultrasound are not recommended. The study found that corticosteroid injections and surgery should only be considered if there is associated pain, weakness or numbness in the arm, fracture or serious disease.
The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders 236 page review of the current research on neck pain is published in the journal Spine. The multi-national and inter-disciplinary study team included Canadian, American, South American, Australasian and European researchers. The Task Force was created to help neck pain sufferers and health professionals use the best research evidence to prevent, diagnose and manage neck pain.
Neck pain is not a trivial condition for many people, says Task Force president Dr. Scott Haldeman, clinical professor, department of neurology at the University of California, Irvine; and adjunct professor, department of epidemiology University of California Los Angeles. It can be associated with headaches, arm and upper back pain and depression. Whether it arises from sports injuries, car collisions, workplace issues or stress, it can be incapacitating. Understanding the best way to diagnose and manage this problem is of high importance for those who are suffering and for those who manage and pay for its care.
The study found that neck pain is a widespread experience that is a persistent and recurrent condition for the majority of sufferers. It is disabling for approximately two out of every 20 people who experience neck pain and affects their ability to carry on with daily activities says the Task Force.
A key recommendation of the Task Force is that neck pain, including whiplash-related pain, be classified and treated in a common system of 4 grades:
Grade 1: neck pain with little or no interference with daily activities
Grade 2: neck pain that limits daily activities
Grade 3: neck pain accompanied by radiculopathy (pinched nerve - pain weakness and/or numbness in the arm)
Grade 4: neck pain with serious pathology, such as tumor, fracture, infection, or systemic disease.
The majority of neck pain falls into Grades 1 or 2, says Task Force member, Dr. Linda Carroll, Associate Professor, School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, and Associated Scientist, Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research (ACICR). Many sufferers manage to carry on with their daily activities. Others find their pain interferes with their ability to carry out daily chores, participate in favorite activities or be effective at work. For these people, the evidence shows there are a relatively small number of therapies that provide some relief for a while, but there is no one best option for everyone.
In addition to its comprehensive review of the existing body of research on neck pain, the Task Force also initiated a new study into the association between chiropractic care of the neck and stroke. This innovative piece of research found that patients who visit a chiropractor are no more likely to experience a stroke than are patients who visit their family physician. The study concludes that this type of stroke commonly begins with neck pain and/or headache which causes the patient to seek care from their chiropractor or family physician before the stroke fully develops.
This type of stroke is extremely rare and has been known to occur spontaneously or after ordinary neck movements such as looking up at the sky or shoulder-checking when backing up a car, noted the studys lead author, Dr. David Cassidy, professor of epidemiology at the University of Toronto and senior scientist at the University Health Network at Toronto Western Hospital.
For the minority of neck pain sufferers who experience Grade 3 neck pain -- that is neck pain accompanied by pain, weakness and/or numbness in the arm, also referred to as a pinched nerve, corticosteroid injections may provide temporary relief says the study. Surgery is a last resort according to the findings and should only be considered if accompanying arm pain is persistent or if the person is experiencing Grade 4 pain due to serious injury or systemic disease.
Top findings for neck pain suffers:
-- Stay as active as you can, exercise and reduce mental stress.
-- Dont expect to find a single cause for your neck pain.
-- Be cautious of treatments that make big claims for relief of neck pain.
-- Trying a variety of therapies or combinations of therapies may be needed to find relief - see the therapies for which the Task Force found evidence of benefits.
-- Once you have experienced neck pain, it may come back or remain persistent.
-- Lengthy treatment is not associated with greater improvements; you should see improvement after 2-4 weeks, if the treatment is the right one for you.
-- There is relatively little research on what does or does not prevent neck pain; ergonomics, cervical pillows, postural improvements etc. may or may not help.
This is an important body of research that will help to improve the quality of patient care by incorporating the best evidence into practice and patient education, says Dr. Carroll. Neck pain can be a stubborn problem -- we hope this comprehensive analysis of the evidence will help both sufferers and health care providers better manage this widespread complaint.
I ran across breaking and optimistic news this morning. As reported in Washington's Reuters: 
The research, published on Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine, showed that the brain and spinal cord are able to reorganize functions after a spinal cord injury to restore communication at the cellular level needed for walking.
Spinal cord damage obstructs the pathways the brain uses to transit messages to the nerve cells that control walking. Experts had thought the only way someone with such an injury could walk again was to somehow regrow the long nerve highways linking the brain and base of the spinal cord.
But what they found in this study was that when spinal cord damage blocked direct signals from the brain, the messages were able to make detours around the injury. Rather than using the long nerve highways, the message would be transmitted over a series of shorter connections to deliver the brain's command to move the legs, the researchers said.
I will keep apprised of new advances and pass them on.
Seems like the political mood is affecting everyone. From the president to rock stars, wounded veterans of war are getting their attention.
It was an unlikely combination of entertainers: Bruce Springsteen singing "Thunder Road," a Marine Corps band playing taps and "Amazing Grace," Robin Williams cracking off-color jokes.
They all shared the stage Wednesday night at a star-studded Manhattan benefit for wounded U.S. service members, organized by ABC's Bob Woodruff. The newsman became a champion of the cause after he was nearly killed by a roadside bomb while working in Iraq last year.
To read the full article click here.
Floyd Reed thinks so.
Floyd had spine surgery in 2006 stemming for a fall out of tree when he was 7. At 33 he finally rid himself of the pain associated with the injury.
So what happened? He was driving with his family when a tractor-trailer hit them. Everybody else in the car was all right. But for Reed, the pain ignited all over again.
A ruptured disc occurs when the relatively soft tissue that provides cushioning between the vertebrae blows out, causing the kind of pain and numbness that Reed experienced.
The standard operation, which Reed received last year, was to "fuse" two discs. That involves removing the ruptured disc tissue between two vertebrae, inserting the bone tissue of a cadaver in the space, and bolting the whole thing together.
That stabilizes the disc and makes the pain go away temporarily. But it takes away flexibility and places greater stress on the discs immediately above and below the fused vertebrae. There's a 25 percent chance the patient will need more spinal surgery within a decade.
The loss of flexibility also leaves the patient more susceptible to injury - say, in an accident involving a tractor-trailer.
A new procedure involves a device called a Prestige Cervical Disc. That replacement disc actually consists of two metal parts, which are screwed into the upper and lower vertebrae. And in the middle, where the disc material had previously been located, the two metal pieces fit together with a small, convex bulge inserted into a dimple on the other metal plate.
This allows for far more flexibility than fusing the vertebrae, taking pressure off the surrounding discs. Reed said the recovery from surgery was a lot easier with the new procedure than with the previous one.
"I'd recommend it to anybody," he said.
Read the full story here.
More than 2 million people were treated at emergency rooms for ladder-related injuries between 1990 and 2005, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. With Autumn upon us, the risk of injury due to falling from a ladder is higher than other times of the year.
Falling off ladders and roofs is surprisingly common and can result in broken bones, brain injury, paralysis and sometimes even death -- as in the case of former Green Bay Packers football star Max McGee, who was blowing leaves off the roof of his Deephaven home when he fell and died.
Read the full article by clicking here.
Dr. James Nabzdyk is with ABC Wellness & Rehab in Joliet. He offers tips for awareness of back an spine injury. October is Spinal Awareness Month.
The central nervous system originates in the brain and channels down through the spinal column, extending to every part of the body. A misalignment of the vertebrae of the spine may result in nerve interference, resulting in headaches, low-back pain and neck pain, among other problems.
Listen to your body. Use preventive measures at work and at home. Nabzdyk offers the following tips to help reduce the risk of spinal injury:
• While at the office, remember to take frequent stretch breaks while working on your computer. The more hours per day you use your computer, the greater the risk of discomfort or injury.
• While working on your computer, sit with your knees at approximately a 90- to 120-degree angle. Using an angled foot rest to support your feet may help you sit more comfortably.
• Make sure your chair fits correctly. Allow for two inches between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees. Make sure your back is completely supported by the back of the chair.
• Always bend from the knees, not your waist, when lifting anything heavier than 10 percent of your body weight, such as a child or a heavy box.
• Warm up and stretch before any physical activity (including all sports), raking, gardening and shoveling snow. Be aware of your body form and technique: stand as erect as possible and let your legs and arms do the work, not your back.
• It is important to get a good night's rest. Choose a comfortable, supportive mattress as well as a pillow that supports your neck, reducing the risk of back or neck pain.
The key to spinal health is prevention: listen to your body's warning signals and adjust your lifestyle. If you do experience pain for more than one or two days despite using these preventive measures, consult your local chiropractor. Chiropractors are trained to identify the cause of the problem and to manipulate (adjust) the spine to encourage the body's natural healing process. More than 20 million Americans sought chiropractic care last year for spinal injuries and pain.
A report today revealed that the risk of Bankruptcy increases 33% after brain or spinal injury. Interestingly, the severity of the injury is not a predicator since more severe injuries involve a safety net of income in the form of disability or other provisions. The less severe injuries that do not have such safety net are more likely to fall to bankruptcy protection. This supports an article I wrote which was published in Commuique, a Nevada Legal legal publication.
In the article I explain the specific difficulties confronting lawyers when their clients file bankruptcy. The loss of income and earning capacity that results in these cases can be staggering. But the issues surrounding the client's rights being passed on to a trustee who manages the assets is disquieting. It makes the process very difficult indeed.
To read the article I wrote entitled Bankruptcy and Traumatic Brain Injury, Click Here.
To read the report on Bankruptcy for TBI and SCI sufferers, Click Here.
W. L. Gore & Associates announced today the availability of GORE PRECLUDE® Vessel Guard, the first non-biological membrane indicated as a cover for vessels following anterior vertebral surgery.
This device will make anterior approach surgical procedures safer. The advanced biomaterial reduces the risk of potential vascular injury by providing a permanent and visible plane of dissection around the vasculature to facilitate anterior revision surgery.
It is well known that anterior approaches to the spine are associated with some risk of vascular injury, particularly among patients having undergone previous anterior spinal surgery. It is expected that the new membrane will provide a vascular tissue-friendly interface giving surgeons, and their patients, greater confidence and peace of mind during anterior revision procedures.
Approximately 250,000 – 400,000 individuals in the United States have spinal cord injuries. Every year, approximately 11,000 people sustain new spinal cord injuries – that’s thirty new injuries every day. Most of these people are injured in auto and sports accidents, falls, and industrial mishaps. An estimated 60 percent of these individuals are 30 years old or younger, and the majority of them are men.
Since many spine injuries result from accidents, seeking legal advise is an important part of recovery and resources. Be sure the lawyer you choose is trained and experienced to handle your case.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) Statistics reveal that on an annual basis in the United States :
Nearly 11,000 people sustain a traumatic spinal cord injury.
More than 190,000 people in the U.S live with paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.
85 percent of all spinal cord injury patients who survive 24 hours after their injury are still living ten years after the incidents.
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