Posts Tagged ‘back pain’

Handling Back Pain

If you’ve ever groaned, “Oh, my aching back!”, you are not alone. Back pain affects 80% of Americans at some time in their lives. It comes in many forms, from lower back pain to neck pain to sciatica. Back pain is not a diagnosis — it’s a symptom of an underlying condition. Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.

On the bright side, you can prevent most back pain. Simple home treatment and proper body mechanics will often heal your back within a few weeks and keep it functional for the long haul. Surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain.

Conditions leading to Back Pain

Stress or injury of the back muscles, such as…

back sprain or strain

overload of the back muscles caused by obesity

A spinal tumor or cancer that has spread to the spine from elsewhere in the body

Infection, which may be in the disk, bone, abdomen, pelvis or bloodstream

Kidney stones or a kidney infection

Short term overload of the back muscles caused by lifting or pregnancy

Disease or injury, including injury to the…

back bones (vertebrae), such as a fracture (for example, after trauma or as a result of osteoporosis)

Treatment and relief from Back Pain

Once upon a time, doctors told people with low back pain to stay in bed for three days — perhaps with a board under their mattress. That very bad advice actually made back pain worse Most people with low back pain have an acute pain episode. But up to a third of patients report persistent pain of at least moderate intensity — chronic low back pain.

A panel of experts found evidence that different patients can get relief from a wide variety of treatments. These treatments include Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, Exercise therapy, Spinal manipulation from a chiropractor, osteopath, or physical therapist, Intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation (physical, vocational, and behavioral therapies provided by multiple providers with different clinical backgrounds), Acupuncture, Massage therapy, Yoga, Progressive relaxation, etc.

Tense rigid muscle often impacts on nerve tissue. its a good idea to have a massage. if you find this helps then try a more long term benefit such as sports therapy massage as it is more specific to an ailment or area. when the muscle relaxes the nerve will start transmitting messages correctly.

Sports therapists use pressure technique to relax muscles. similar to acupuncture. the differences is it is a hands on approach where they seek out knots and press on them while stretching and rotating the afflicted area in its natural movements while supporting the limb or body part.

It is quite important to get rid of the problem as soon as possible. the longer it is left untreated, the greater the inflammation resulting. It is a process of tissue edema encroaching on the nerve supply. The primary cause to bring this condition about is generally attributable to postural changes. or injury. In either case, is most rapidly reduced with care by a doctor of Chiropractic.

Take a belt, draw your knees to you belly and put the belt (like a belt from a house coat) around your back and knees for about ten to 15 mins. It will blow your mind how good it feels. If you have to do it one knee at a time.

If you’re on your feet, buy a better pair of shoes. If you’re overweight, lose some weight – even a 10% drop in weight will help dramatically.

Back Pain: 5 Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

What Causes Back Pain & How to Get Relief From It?

Understanding the causes of back & neck pain is the key to applying the correct treatment to get relief from it.

Because back pains are often difficult to treat effectively, a better understanding of the causes of your back discomfort will assist in curing it.

The following are the 5 Common Causes of Back Pain

It’s interesting to note that back pain is a common condition that affects up to 90% of Americans at some point in their lives.

However, whilst most episodes of back pain only last a few days and have completely resolved within a few weeks, you should get medical advice or go to your doctor if you have new back problem for further evaluation.

PS. For effective treatment of back pain read these 5 ways you can use to get quick relief from your Lower Back Pain here »

Back Pain: the Epidemic

Back pain is a major problem these days for people all over the western world. It has been estimated that at any one time 20% of the population suffer from lower back pain and that doesn’t take into account all the other forms like sciatica, upper back pain, mid back pain and neck pain. It is a huge interruption in a sufferers day to day life and costs the world billions of dollars in productivity.

Back pain is caused by numerous reasons, primarily muscle imbalances from injury, diet, obesity, posture, exercise and more.

Back pain treatments vary depending on the diagnosis of your pain and can vary from a passive mobilization, to drugs all the way to surgery .

There are various back pain relief measures both natural and pharmaceutical available. Chronic and severe back pain may require temporary medication to allow the acute back pain to settle. However if you take a natural healing approach along with the medication, you should get a better longer lasting result.

Sciatica is one type of back pain affecting a large number of people these days. It is characterized by pain in the hip and buttock region and sometime includes referred pain down the leg. This can go down one or both legs into the thigh, calf, ankle and foot. Stretching is often prescribed for back pain and sciatica but rarely provides any lasting relief .

Some natural steps for back pain relief are:

Lose Weight – Try to stay slim. If you have excess weight on your upper body, it will overload on your back. Practicing yoga or tai chi are natural ways of back pain treatment that can also assist with weight loss.

Eat Healthy – Vitamins and minerals are important for your overall health. So, try to eat as much healthy food as possible to help get rid of stress in your body and get relief from back pain.

Massage – Massage a common choice for people trying to get relief from back pain. It also acts as great stress reliever. But if you have acute back pain, do consult a skilled back pain therapist before going for a massage.

There are certain other techniques like yoga, exercise, massage acupuncture and chiropractic that prove to be effective back pain treatments for some sufferers. Others prefer to take medication prescribed by their doctor to lessen the irritation of back pain but they are not good for health. Adopting the natural approach to get back pain relief is therefore considered to be the most sensible approach to take if you can find someone skilled enough to do the job.

7 Reasons Everyone With Back Pain Should Consider Inversion Therapy

Let me start out by saying that I have had back pain and I have had sciatica. So I know the feeling. I know how frustrating it can be, and I know how it can suck the joy right out of your life.Be careful not to do dumb things

Shortly after I graduated from high school, I owned a landscaping company. I worked hard because I wanted the good stuff out of life. I really pushed myself, sometimes taking on jobs I did not even know how to do. Once, for example, I was approached by an English client who wanted a stone wall built the way they do it in England, which is without cement (they’re called drywalls). I said, “No problem.” But because the wall was going to have to hold back dirt, I asked if I could put in a cement footer. The client agreed.

Well, on Day One I dug out the footer then went to the store and bought the cement. When I returned, I decided to put two 80-pound bags of cement on my shoulders to save time and trips up and down to the back yard.

I put the first bag on my shoulder, but when I bent down and twisted a little to pick up the second bag, I heard a pop. In an instant, I was flat on my back in pain. I spent the next weeks either in bed or lying on my back in front of the TV. About the middle of the second week, it hit me that in the early ’80s a newfangled device came out called “moon boots”—also known as “gravity boots.” My best friend had just gotten a pair for Christmas, so I borrowed them and had my dad install a bar in the basement that I could hang from (or invert myself). I began doing this for 5-10 minutes a day.

Soon, my back was feeling a lot better. I continued to use the boots on a regular basis, not only as part of my recovery but also as a way to experiment with different exercises and movements that might bring about a higher level of fitness.What condition are you suffering from?

It is amazing how my life experiences have brought me to where I’m now writing about how I healed myself some 20-plus years ago. Back then, I did not know what I was doing when I stumbled upon something that just happened to work. Today, inversion therapy can no longer be called an alternative treatment because it has been the subject of a great deal of clinical study. Inversion therapy has been proven to help relieve many forms of back and neck pain including the following:

- Bulging Disc

- Herniated Disc

- Chronic Back Pain

- Lower Back Pain

- Neck Pain

- Pulled Back Muscles

- SI Joint Dysfunction

- Facet Joint Dysfunction

- Spondylolisthesis

- Sciatica 7 key benefits of inversion for the back pain sufferer

While relieving your back pain is your primary reason for considering inversion therapy, there are a number of additional benefits many people experience with a regular program of inversion. Here are 7 good reasons to use inversion therapy:- Maintains your height. Regularly inverting will help you avoid the “shrinkage” that naturally occurs as a result of gravity over a lifetime.- Improves circulation. When you’re inverted, your blood circulation is aided by gravity rather than having to work against it. In addition, with inversion, gravity helps the lymphatic system clear faster, easing the aches and pains of stiff muscles.- Relieves stress. Everyone knows that a full-body stretch is rejuvenating! An inversion table provides the same feeling of relaxation as a yoga class—with a lot less effort. Many people find that they sleep better with regular inversion therapy.- Heightens mental alertness. Any upside-down activity increases the supply of oxygen to the brain, which many experts believe helps maintain mental sharpness.- Increases flexibility and range of motion. With inversion, your joints stay healthy and supple, meaning you can remain as active as you were in your younger years.- Improves posture. The stretching that comes with reversing the force of gravity on your body helps you sit, stand, and move with more ease and grace.- Realigns the spine after workouts. Running and other aerobic activities inevitably compress your spine—often unevenly. One-sided activities such as golf or tennis often pull the spine out of alignment. During inversion, minor misalignments often correct themselves naturally.5 ultra-challenging activities you can do on an inversion table

If the 7 hidden benefits were not enough to make you want to consider using inversion, here are 5 exercises you can do at every session:- Inverted Squats. In the full inverted position, you can use your glutes and hamstrings to pull yourself up; the motion would be simply trying to bend your legs at your knees. Because the inverted squat is very challenging and isolates the glutes and hamstrings, most back pain sufferers first need to strengthen their glutes and hamstrings.- Inverted Crunch. In the full inverted position, place your hands on your chest and use your abs to lift your upper body about one-third of the way up.- Inverted sit-up. In the full inverted position, extend your arms as if you were reaching for your feet and try to touch your feet; some experts say that one inverted sit-up is equivalent to 10 regular sit-ups.- Increase the decompression. In the full inverted position, grab the table legs and pull down; this way you can increase and control the amount of decompression if you want or need more.- Inverted Rotation. In the full inverted position, reach with the opposite hand to the table legs and pull yourself into rotation; you can then switch hands and do the same for the opposite side.How to get started

Let’s take a look at what a back pain sufferer will go through in a typical session. First, you do not need to go into full inversion to get the benefits. (Note: It will take time before you will be able to tolerate full inversion.) Here is a simple guide for beginners:First 2 Weeks: Adjust the table to go to 20-30 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes, once or twice a day. Slowly increase your time until you become comfortable with the process and the position. The best way to tell if you’re getting used to the inversion table is whether or not you can relax while you’re using it.Partial Inversion after 2 weeks: This is considered anything up to 60 degrees, which is parallel with the rear legs of the table. See if you can work your way up to 15 minutes, once or twice a day. There are two basic ways to invert:- Static inversion: This is when you hold yourself at the desired angle and do not move from that position.- Intermittent Inversion: This involves using a rocking motion, alternating 20 to 30 seconds in the inverted position and 20 to 30 seconds in the upright position. Some people believe that it is the pumping action that delivers the best results. You will have to experiment to see which way is most comfortable and works best for you.

Full Inversion after 2 weeks: This is when your body is completely upside down and hanging freely. Full inversion is the position you need to be in to do the 5 “ultra” exercises listed above. The amount of time you spend is up to you, but 5 to 15 minutes twice a day is recommended. The amount of time it takes for you to tolerate full inversion will depend on your ability to accommodate to the position; everyone is different so go slow.One last safety tip

While inversion has been proven to be beneficial, it is best to start slow—that is, at a low angle for short amounts of time. Going straight into full inversion will make you sore. So please resist the temptation to go into full inversion day one.One last success tip

Be patient and consistent with its use, the inversion table is a device that can be used for a lifetime to support optimal health. So make a habit of using it on a consistent basis, the research supports the use and your body will reap the benefits.

References:

1. Sheffield, F.: Adaptation of Tilt Table for Lumbar Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 45: 469-472, 1964.

2. Nosse, L.: Inverted Spinal Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 59: 367-370, Aug 78.

3. Gianakopoulos, G, et al: Inversion Devices: Their Role in Producing Lumbar Distraction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 66: 100-102, Feb 85.

4. Ballantyne, Byron, et al: The Effects of Inversion Traction on Spinal Column Configuration, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Perceived Discomfort. Jour of Orthopedic Sports Phys Ther. 254-260, Mar 86.

5. Kane, M, et al: Effects of Gravity-facilitated Traction on Intravertebral Dimensions of the Lumbar Spine. Jour of Orthopedic and Sports Phys Ther. 281-288, Mar 85.

6. Goldman, R, et al: The Effects of Oscillating Inversion on Systemic Blood Pressure, Pulse, Intraocular Pressure, and Central Retinal Arterial Pressure. The Physician and Sports Medicine. 13: 93-96, Mar 85.

7. Dimberg, L, et al: Effects of gravity-facilitated traction of the lumbar spine in persons with chronic low back pain at the workplace.

8. Nachemson, Alf, et al: Intravital Dynamic Pressure Measurements in Lumbar Discs. 1970.

No to Drugs: Pain Relief Tips in a Techie World

Have you heard of Repetitive Strain Injuries or RSI?  If you have experienced wrist pain, shoulder pain, neck pain or back pain due to repetitive tasks, more likely you had an episode of RSI.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, a repetitive strain injury among techies has become a byword for wrist pain or numbness of the hand.  Repetitive tasks using keyboard and mouse that are not ergonomically designed to support the wrist or hand can damage the median nerve that connects the hand to the forearm.  This is often accompanied by pain.How can this be prevented? What can deliver permanent stress relief?  Here are some tips:1.    Go Ergonomics! Choose Ergonomic Keyboard, Mouse and other Ergonomic Accessories.Repetitive Strain Injuries are common among those who perform repetitive tasks using equipments that are not designed for such tasks, such as ordinary keyboards that do not cushion wrists or hands for long hours of work, including office desks and chairs that do not provide adequate lumbar support.  2.    Maintain a Peaceful Work Environment.Your work environment can affect your performance as well.  Non-conducive work environment, such as noisy or cramped work spaces can trigger stress.  Long exposure to this type of environment and office equipments that are not ergonomically-designed to fit the worker to his work produce strain on both body and mind, which over a period of time manifests into aches or pain that the worker may not easily comprehend.  Left undiagnosed, RSI can cause downtimes and in an economy too volatile, no employee can afford to lose a job and employers would find it more expensive to train a new one.3.    Go Ergonomics (all the way!).The science of Ergonomics introduces the importance of “fitting the tool to the worker.”There are many resources online that support the importance of providing employees with ergonomically-designed office equipments.  Most employers who have read about ergonomics and what it can do to prevent RSI realized that cutting corners to beat the economic crisis should be done somewhere else and not on office tools that can prevent repetitive strain injuries.It would prove mutually beneficial for both employers and their employees to use ergonomic office equipments rather than utilize those that may be cheaper at the onset, but would later prove more expensive due to lost hours on the job. Optimum performance at work can be achieved by eliminating pain and injuries that emanate from one-size-fits-all office equipments.Are you experiencing pain on your wrist or neck?  If yes, you could be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, which is classified as a repetitive strain injury.  Do something about it.  Seek medical attention first as there can be underlying causes that should be managed clinically.  However, when symptoms recur, try to look into the realm of ergonomics.  The result might just surprise you!