title: Increased radicular pain due to therapeutic ultrasound applied to the back.
abstract: Therapeutic ultrasound is generally considered safe and effective therapy in a number of conditions producing back pain, provided that no contraindications exist. However, two cases are reported of patients with documented lumbar disk herniation where application of ultrasound to the lumbar paraspinal region increased pain in a radicular pattern. Despite its transient nature, this adverse reaction may represent a relative contraindication to the use of ultrasound in patients with disk herniation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine, Methodist Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gnatz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*