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Primary Care Provider Resource for Spinal Cord Injury Heersink School of Medicine

Pain - Nociceptive

Nociceptive pain in shoulders, arms and hands can be triggered by repetitive musculoskeletal and/or joint movement injury that can occur with repeated transfers, use of a manual wheelchair and other necessary physical activities over time.

Considerations
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories
  • Nonopioid analgesics
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Acetaminophen
  • Physical therapies and modalities

Notes
Knowledgeable physicians, physical therapists and occupational therapists who know about spinal cord injury can also be helpful with the following interventions.

  • Activity modifications such as changes in wheelchair and sliding board, pushing a
  • nd transfer techniques.
  • Weight management
  • Massage, acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are helpful to some.

 

800-UAB-MIST

24-hour hotline for physicians to consult with a UAB specialist

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System provides this website as an auxiliary resource for the primary care of patients with spinal cord injury.The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90SIMS0020). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

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