OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS FOR DENTISTS

[Anonymous]

back pain is one of the main hazards.

a dentist who does not have back pain does not have patients

        

[drmithila]

Most commonly back pain is while working on upper teeth
That s the reason one must put the habit of working in indirect vision

        

[drmithila]

Myofascial Release
John Barnes popularized this technique and I’ve read that it’s very effective for people with chronic pain and those who are recovering from trauma. The therapy is very gentle — so gentle that it sometimes seems like there’s no way it could help. Yet, it made an incredible difference in my mobility and pain level. It helped me get things unstuck where they’d been in the same position for too long or gotten into a bad pattern with me not moving very much while I was in bed. Some yoga programs incorporate Myofascial release techniques as do some massage therapists and physical therapists.

McKenzie
Robin McKenzie is a doctor who revolutionized back care and has written a book called “Treat your own back”. The treatment consists of very gentle exercises that move your spine back into alignment. I found it helpful to have the book in addition to the physical therapy as I was able to understand why the exercises worked and it helped me to remember the exercises at home.

McConnell Taping
Natural pain relief. The therapist tapes your body so that it holds the muscles in the correct position. The tape gives your muscles a little bit of additional support and keeps you from getting into bad postures. I thought this was crazy when the therapist first did it, but it worked wonders and over time I learned to tape myself in between therapy sessions

General thoughts
I looked for a physical therapist who was trained in the McKenzie technique. She had been practicing for over 20 years. For those in the Seattle Area, my therapist was Robin Angus at Movement Systems physical therapy in Eastlake. The PT department at Group Health is also trained in McKenzie.

        

[drmithila]

Natural drugs and supplements.
Topricin
Dietary Supplements

Prescription Pain Relief
Vioxx
Darvocet
Prescription Topical Muscle Relaxant
Effexor
pain relief devices, including TENS, Ice Pack, Saunders Home Traction, and Electrostim

        

[drmithila]

image of acupuncture and physiotherapy for back pain

        

[drsushant]

Dental professionals may be at risk for exposure to numerous workplace hazards. These hazards include but are not limited to the spectrum of bloodborne pathogens, pharmaceuticals and other chemical agents, human factors, ergonomic hazards, noise, vibration, and workplace violence.

There are currently no specific standards for dentistry. However, exposure to numerous biological, chemical, environmental, physical, and psychological workplace hazards that may apply to dentistry are addressed in specific standards for the general industry.

OSHA Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, directives (instructions for compliance officers), and standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related to dentistry.

Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

        

[drsushant]

80% of dentists retire early due to the occupational hazards of their profession. Some of the occupational hazards include:

Back Pain
Toxins
Neck Pain
Mercury Poisoning
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Varicose Veins
Hemorrhoids
Herpetic Whitlow

        

[Anonymous]

Herpetic Whitlow

A herpetic whitlow is a lesion (whitlow) on a finger or thumb caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is a painful infection that typically affects the fingers or thumbs. Occasionally infection occurs on the toes or on the nail cuticle. Herpes whitlow can be caused by infection by HSV-1 or HSV-2. HSV-1 whitlow is often contracted by health care workers that come in contact with the virus; it is most commonly contracted by dental workers and medical workers exposed to oral secretions. It is also often observed in thumb-sucking children with primary HSV-1 oral infection (autoinoculation) prior to seroconversion, and in adults aged 20 to 30 following contact with HSV-2-infected genitals. Symptoms of herpetic whitlow include swelling, reddening and tenderness of the skin of infected finger. This may be accompanied by fever and swollen lymph nodes. Small, clear vesicles initially form individually, then merge and become cloudy. Associated pain often seems large relative to the physical symptoms. The herpes whitlow lesion usually heals in two to three weeks.

In children the primary source of infection is the orofacial area, and it is commonly inferred that the virus (in this case commonly HSV-1) is transferred by the chewing or sucking of fingers or thumbs.
In adults it is more common for the primary source to be the genital region, with a corresponding preponderance of HSV-2. It is also seen in adult health care workers such as dentists because of increased exposure to the herpes virus.

Treatment

Although it is a self-limited illness, antiviral treatments applied to the infected skin, particularly topical acyclovir, have been shown to be effective in decreasing the duration of symptoms. Lancing or surgically debriding the lesion may make it worse by causing a superinfection or encephalitis.

        

[Anonymous]

images

        

[Anonymous]

Exposure to radiation and mercury inhalation are are on other lists

        

[Anonymous]

exposure to radiation is not much of a problem if basic precautions are taken.

exposure to mercury is

        

[Anonymous]

Regular yogic exercises help.

        

[Anonymous]

Vakrasan, tadasan and parvat asan are good for the back. Dentists must be taught these in the 3rd year itself

        

[drmithila]

Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Myofascial Pain Syndrome will vary in severity. For this reason, please take the time to read about the following information about this condition before you decide what approach to take for helping with treatment and prevention:

*Health Disclaimer
Any information given about back related conditions, treatments, and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the #1 Back Pain Site! See *Site disclaimer for more information.

Table Of Contents:

All About Myofascial Pain Syndrome & Approach Treatment
Therapies, Products, and Activities to Help Your Condition
1. Choosing the Correct Mattress for Better Back Support
2. Finding the Right Chair or Seat Insert Cushion
3 Soft Back Braces
4. Traction Devices
5. Electric Stimulation Devices
6. Ultrasound
7. Ice packs
8. Hot Packs
9. Whirlpool and Jacuzzi Water Therapy
10. Mechanical Massage Devices
11. Topical Analgesics for Pain Relief
12. Vitamin, Mineral and Herb Supplementation
13. Nutritional Aid in the Healing Process
14. Medications
15. Exercises and Stretches for Your Back Condition
16. Yoga and Meditation to Relax the Back
17. Correct Shoes for Avoiding Back Pain
18. When to Use a Heel Lift or Orthotic Shoe Insert
Deciding on the Best Health Care for you
1. Chiropractic
2. Massage Therapy
3. Acupuncture
4. Physical Therapy
5. Medical Practitioners

All About Myofascial Pain Syndrome & Approach to treatment
Sponsored by: Relief-Mart – Quality health products for the back and spine.

When the muscles of the back become injured from prolonged irritation, they can develop a reactive inflammation called myofascitis. Myofascial pain syndrome refers to a condition where the myofascitis occurs on a constant basis and becomes chronic over a long period of time.

Muscles of the back may be injured initially through traumatic tearing of the fibers, repetitive strain, and through pre-existing conditions which cause the muscles to be weakened and inflamed without provocation. Fibromyalgia is one such condition in which multiple muscles of the body are in a constant irritated state, and demonstrate myofascial pain syndrome. While traumatic injuries are easily identified, repetitive strains can be more difficult to ascertain. These strains can begin with a repetitive movement where the muscles are being irritated over a long period of time until they become vulnerable to tearing from a simple change in the position of the back. For example, a person who has improper posture at a computer on a regular basis, or a golfer who plays frequently with bad form may have their muscles tighten over time and form micro-tearing and inflammation as a result. Approximately 5 days after an injury, scar tissue will then form to act like glue to bond the tissue back together. Scar tissue will continue to form past six weeks in some cases and as long as a year in severe back strains. In cases where the repetitive irritation is not halted, or if the area does not heal properly and the scar tissue does not break down, myofascial irritation will persist.

The initial approach to treating myofascial pain syndrome is to support and protect the muscles, help them to loosen up and lessen the pain and minimize any inflammation. Due to the stiffness which accompanies scar tissue, it will be important to perform procedures which help break down the scaring in the muscle, so as to let the muscle regain its normal flexibility and lessen the chance of further injury. While exercise is appropriate for breaking down scar tissue once the area has healed, it may further irritate the area during the initial stages of a re-irritated myofascial pain syndrome. Therefore, other methods such as ultrasound, massage, and chiropractic adjustments may be safely used to accomplish this early on in the injury. The listed Therapies, Products and Activities section will give more information on how to help your condition, however, as each Myofascial Pain Syndrome condition is different, always consult your doctor to determine what treatment is right for your particular situation.

Therapies, Products, and Activities to Help Your Condition:

Choosing the Correct Mattress
A good mattress will protect the back for the many hours that you are in bed. A mattress that properly supports the body will also be a very important element in helping relieve stress on the muscles and joints of the back. The most important information needed for finding a correct mattress to support the back involves knowing what position you sleep in. The menu below will help you to search for a mattress that is right for you.

Choose a sleeping position:

Back Side Stomach All Positions

Finding the Right Chair or Seat Insert Cushion
Whether you sit for minutes or hours, you can’t underestimate the value of proper posture while sitting. It has been demonstrated that at times there can be as much as six times the amount of stress on your back when you sit than while lying down. Fortunately you can lower the amount of stress placed on the spine with proper back support. To accomplish this, first you must decide whether the chair you use presently is adequate for your needs. A good chair will be able to provide your lower back with proper lumbar pressure. This pressure will keep the curve of the spine in this area supported in the normal position. When a proper lumbar support is not provided with your chair, an insert lumbar cushion can accomplish this. The size of the cushion is very important, as too much lumbar support can compress and irritate the spine. A good working ergonomic type of chair can be adjusted to allow tilting and height control of the seat and chair back. Here are some tips for adjusting your chair properly: Adjust the height of the chair to allow your feet to rest comfortably on the floor. Adjusting the tilt angle of the seat will change the position of your pelvis, thereby shifting the back towards or away from the seat back. Tilting the front of the seat downward will bring your lower back into extension and thus increase the lower lumbar curve. Tilting the front of the seat upward will bring your lower back into flexion and thus decrease your lumbar curve. Combine the seat angle tilt with the seat back tilt for optimal support of the back. If the seat back height can be adjusted, make sure the small of your back fits with the part of the seat back which curves outward to support the lower back. If these adjustments still do not support the spine properly, you will definitely need a lumbar insert cushion or more ergonomically correct chair. Insert cushions will need to have height adjustability to fit correctly. This is usually achieved with a strap that allows you to set the height of the cushion to the thickest part against the small of your back. Each person’s spine curves differently, so another important feature that some back support cushions provide is the ability to adjust the size of the lumbar thickness to customize the fit.

        

[Drsumitra]

Traction Devices
Caution should be taken when applying traction to any newly injured area, and is should not be performed in these cases unless specifically recommended by your doctor. Lumbar (low back) traction can be accomplished through various products which keep the pelvis stationary while using gravity to force separation of the vertebrae and thereby open the spinal canals that the nerves exit through. However, the multifidous muscle which attaches to the lumbar vertebrae may not allow the separation of the vertebrae if the muscle is in too much spasm. Some types of traction allow for better separation when the multifidous muscle is in spasm. One such type of traction is performed by doctors of chiropractic through applying pressure manually to the spine while a flexing table tractions the spine in a downward motion. In the earlier stages, light traction can provide an unloading of the spine, thereby releasing the nerve pressure between each segment created from a decrease in circulation and an increase of inflammation within the joint space. In later stages, traction combined with body movement may also help to break up scar tissue build up between the joints. When the muscles are in too much spasm to allow for this type of traction, upright types of traction units can enable a person to move their body during the therapy to avoid further muscle spasm, while providing a relieving therapy to the spine. Home traction units may be beneficial, but caution should be taken not to apply too much traction too quickly to the back, as this may initiate a spasm to the surrounding musculature. Therefore, only traction units which can gradually increase the separating of the vertebrae and allow unloading of the spine without reaching too much drastic pull would be recommended.

        

[Author]

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