Saturday, September 14, 2013

How Lower Back Pain Can Change Your Life - Brace Yourself For Pain Relief - Special Report


Whenever people experience backaches and lower back pain, the first thing that they do is to take a pain reliever or have a good long rest to ease their tired muscles. But what if taking pain relievers and resting your back isn't the solution? A lot of people thin that lower back pain is just a backache, but the truth is that there are a lot of reasons why you may be having back pains and one of the primary reasons for lower back pain is lumbar sprain.

Don't disregard your lower back pain!

As with any pain or problems that you are experiencing in your body, you should always consult a doctor or specialist, because it can be something serious or can lead to something serious. Lower back pain or lumbar sprain is one of the things that you should take seriously, because it can lead to the development of a lumbar spasm.

What is a lumbar spasm?

Most people don't know what a lumbar spasm is until they have experienced it for themselves. I could provide you with a lot of medical and general terms to describe a lumbar spasm, but I think that any person who has experienced it will agree that the best way to describe a lumbar spasm is just one word - Pain. A lumbar spasm can cause a lot of pain to the person it is afflicting. This happens when the strained muscles on your lower back or lumbar spine area get swollen, which leads to the inflammation of your tissues. This generates a lot of pain in your lower back area and since your back or lumbar spine area is at the center of your body, any form of movement you make will generate pain.

How can lumbar spasms change my life?

A person who is experiencing lumbar spasms would need to stay in bed or rest for several days with a steady dose of pain relievers and muscle relaxants. This is not something that happens for just a few minutes in a day and will just go away in a snap. In fact, it will take several days for the pain to go away and it will not go away completely. Lumbar spasms can change your life, because it will affect your regular routine and can keep you from going to work or doing every day stuff or chores. It can technically incapacitate you from doing the things you are used to doing. In fact, studies have shown that lower back pain is one of the primary causes for people to miss work - so it is definitely something that happens a lot.

What do I need to do to prevent lumbar sprain and spasms?

Lumbar sprain is often caused by improper health care. This normally happens to people who are in need of exercise and the proper diet. In fact, most people who experience lumbar sprain are overweight, smokers and alcoholics. If you want to prevent lumbar sprain or spasms from happening to you - then you definitely have to make the healthy choice. If you are already experiencing lower back pain, you can consult your doctor and ask them for their professional opinion and advice on how to treat your lumbar sprain. They will, of course, tell you to change your diet and to maintain the proper body conditioning through exercise. They can also provide you with pain relievers and muscle relaxants that will help you deal with your lumbar sprain.

The Use of Back Braces

The use of back braces can also be one of the options your doctor will be discussing with you, because it helps relieve the stress from your lower back muscles, thereby preventing a lumbar spasm from occurring. Back braces can also help you maintain the proper posture, which will also help you deal with your lumbar sprain.

*This is health information. Talk with your physician about medical advice.

Stop Your Lower Back From Hurting - 3 Simple Exercises to Instantly Stop Feeling Pain Back There!


Don't let your back pain spoil your day! There are plenty of ways for you to get instant relief from the pain, even without taking any painkillers. All you have to do is make a little bit of space and start doing some simple exercises to loosen up your muscles. And that should be enough to stop your lower back from hurting and get you started to enjoy the rest of your day!

These exercises below work well to get the blood moving in your body, release the endorphins, and throw the pain in your back away, at least for the time being:

1. Knee Bends

Use a chair, desk, or table for support. Place your hands on the support, then slowly bend your knees to lower yourself as much as you can comfortably go. Remember to exhale while doing so. Then slowly bring yourself to stand back upright while inhaling. Do this motion for 10 times.

2. Waist Twist

Stand with your legs slightly apart. Let your arms fall loose to your sides. Then, gently swing your arms left and right, letting your hands pat the lower part of your back each time they reach around. This will gently massage your kidneys. Do this motion for about 10 times also.

3. Hip Roll

Remain standing with your legs shoulder-width apart. Tighten up your stomach muscles and place your hands on your hips. Imagine you are playing the hula and just start rotating your hips 5 times clockwise and 5 times anti-clockwise.

How do you feel now? You should no longer feel the pain in your lower back after doing these exercises properly, and be able to get on with your daily activities as usual now!

But don't get me wrong here...

These exercises are not meant to PERMANENTLY stop your lower back from hurting. Once you have regained mobility and flexibility after doing the exercises, you should definitely look into finding what is the root cause of your back pain, and how to get rid of it altogether in order to enjoy life to the fullest, for good!

An Odd Way to Achieve Back Pain Relief


Over $5 billion is spent each year for back pain relief products, treatment and diagnosis. It is estimated that approximately eight out of ten people experiences backache at some point in their lives. If you are scared of dealing with harmful side effects from pain relief drugs, then you may want to consider using natural pain relief to ease your pain.

Possible Causes of Backache: Believe it or Not.

Ever tried checking if your legs have the same length? One of the possible causes of backache is having one leg shorter or longer than the other. If you are not sure if your legs are even in length, ask someone to measure it using a tape measure.

Do you smoke? Do you suffer from an aching back? It was found out that smoking is related to backache. This pain is now termed as "smoker's back". Smokers tend to cough frequently because of the nicotine content from cigarettes that has a direct effect with the carbon monoxide in your blood. Coughing frequently can lead to severe back strain.

A Position for Prevention!

1. Lie down flat on the floor, near a sofa or chair.

2. Bend your knees and rest your legs (knees to feet) on the sofa or chair.

3. Thighs should be leaning against the front of sofa.

4. Stay on that position for 15 - 30 minutes.

The Rhyming Remedy: Black Bean for Backache

This recipe is intended for lower back pain relief. Soak a cup of black beans overnight to soften them. Boil the beans in 3 翻 cups of water and let it simmer in for a half hour in low flame. Remove the greyish foam that floats above the pot. Then cover the pot for 2 hours while cooking, remove excess water inside the pot. Eat 2 - 3 tablespoons of black beans daily for a month, and every other day on the next month. Within 2 months you should experience lower back pain relief.

Do not forget your herb.

For chronic back pain a flaxseed poultice is recommended. You have to soak 1 cup of flaxseeds in cold water for 10 hours. Boil the mixture in an enamel sauce pan. Once it cools down, enough to touch but still hot that won't cause scalding, make a poultice from the seeds and place it in the affected area. If you need to reapply the poultices the all you need to do is reheat it.

Aside from these natural remedies, you can also take a vitamin C supplement after each meal to speed up the healing. Back pain relief exercises are also effective in managing backaches. Also, remember that you should not apply heat to acute backache. If you are not sure if you are suffering from acute or chronic back pain, then do not use heat.

Osteopathic Treatment or Surgery for Back Pain?


Your spinal column is made up of three different kinds of bones. These are the:

Lumbar vertebrae: These bones are located at the base of your spine, just above your hips. It's these strong bones that bear the weight of your entire spinal column. It's therefore important that these bones remain strong.

Thoracic vertebrae: These are the bones found towards the middle of your spine. They are located right behind your chest region. These vertebrae are slightly smaller than the five lumbar vertebrae at the bottom of your spine. Your thoracic vertebrae are designed to assist your flexibility of movement when you swivel from side to side.

Cervical vertebrae: These are the spinal bones found right at the base of your neck. These vertebrae have the primary aim of supporting your head and neck.

Your Spinal Discs

Between each of your vertebrae you have intervertebral discs. These discs act as the shock absorbers of your body, holding the vertebrae together and allowing you to move freely.

Each of these discs has an outer fibrous bony tissue known as the annulus fibrosus. Inside these boney tissues is the nucleus pulposus, which is a clear jelly like substance.

An injury to your spinal column may cause disc defragmentation or herniation. If your spinal disc is herniated or ruptured, the nucleus pulposus begins to leak from it. When the outer annulus fibrosus is ruptured, your body will release an inflammatory chemical, which can cause severe pain.

Disc herniation is usually caused by constant wear and tear. Desk jobs that require constant sitting may cause herniation of the spinal discs. This is due to continuous pressure placed on the discs while sitting, which can be combated by strengthening your core.

A herniated disk is also often caused by intense pressure on the disc by the vertebrae located above and below it. Such injuries are caused when a person lifts heavy objects improperly or by sudden twisting.

Where in the Spine Can a Disc be Injured?

Any of the spinal discs can be injured through either overuse or traumatic injuries. All three regions of your vertebrae, the cervical, thoracic and the lumbar are susceptible to spinal disk injuries. However, since your lumbar vertebrae bear the most weight, they are the most easy to injure.

The cervical discs, when used intensively, such as when reading or with excessive use of the computer, may also be injured. The discs in the thoracic region are the least susceptible to injury. They are usually only injured when the spine receives trauma, such as in an accident or sporting injury.

What are the Symptoms of Disc Injuries?

The exact symptoms of disc pain vary from one patient to another. The most common symptom of disc injury is persistent achey pain in the affected region.

Some people with cervical disc injuries may experience the sensation of pins and needles in their limbs - particularly arms and fingers. Other people with lumbar disc injuries may experience pins and needles in their legs and feet.

Those with thoracic disc injuries may feel patches of numbness or tingling in their back in line with the region of injury. This is usually due to an irritation of the nerves either from disc herniation onto the nerve, local inflammation or muscle spasm. In certain cases, where there has been a trauma to the lower spine, a person may experience a loss of control of bowel and bladder movements. This condition is known as Cauda Equina syndrome and causes numbness / paresthesia in the genital region. This is a serious condition and must be treated as an emergency.

How did I cause my disc injury?

An injury is usually caused by a forceful movement in your neck or spine. You may have bended at an odd angle or tried to lift a heavy object. Other causes of disc injuries include car accidents, sports injuries and falls.

In the elderly, the disc may degenerate naturally, causing disc pathology.

How Long Will I Have Back Pain?

There is no easy answer to this question. If you have your condition treated immediately, you may achieve long term pain relief within only a few treatments. However, the extent of injury also decides the prognosis. In general, the longer you have had your back pain, the longer it takes to successfully treat.

How Can Osteopathy Help?

Osteopathy is a globally recognised form of manual medicine that cares for the musculoskeletal system. Osteopathy can help to relieve inflammation and local spasms in your muscles. In all but the most extreme cases, osteopathy can work to realign the spine and remove postural issues that affect the site of the injury.

To aid your recovery, your osteopath will give you specific strengthening exercises to improve the strength of your spine and aid your recovery.

How Does Surgery Help?

As surgery is invasive and strives to make permanent changes, you need to take the time to fully understand the risks involved. Surgery should not be viewed as an easy first option, but should instead be considered one of the last options, if other treatment methods have been unsuccessful.

There are many different types of back pain surgery options available. A laminectomy may be performed, which involves taking out a section of your vertebra to relieve pressure from the herniated disc. Other options include a vertebral fusion, in which your upper and lower vertebrae are fused together. Alternatively you could also have a discectomy in which the disc is either removed or replaced.

A Twisted Back - How To Get Pain Relief


Have you somehow twisted your back and now you have pain as a result?

Do you want to do something about your pain, instead of it getting the best of you?

1.) Introduction

It has been stated that as much as sixty five million Americans suffer from one form or another of various back pain conditions. One of the most common forms of back pain comes when someone twists their body and immediately feels back pain. If you or someone you know suffers from back pain after they have made a twisting motion then this article may be of service to you.

2.) Twisting and Bad Posture Can Create Problems For Your Back

There are several distinct symptoms of having back pain, as a result of twisting. If when you twist your body to the left or the right and you receive sudden or sharp pain, bend over to pick up something, or when you sit down in a chair or your bed than and it is uncomfortable then you need to evaluate how you are going to fix this problem. Also, if you feel like your back is not straight or distorted, your ribs stick out improperly, or you have knots or pain below your neck you may have a twisted back.

The most common cause that individuals have back pain are people that lift objects with their back on a regular basis. Another group of individuals who could have this back issue are those who do the same motion with their body and having improper posture. Doing a simple day to day activity such as stretching your body forward to use a mouse and keyboard or any job or activity that involves stretching your body improperly have been known to cause back problems.

Finally, another possible cause is if one overuses or had trauma inflicted on your back such as getting hit in the back by a large object or being involved in a car accident that has caused damages to your spine or others parts of the back.

Most individuals who have back pain can lead a full life and complete their day to day activities of their life. It has been reported that as much as 95% of individuals who have a form of back pain can have it treated or cured without the need of an operation or an expensive surgical procedure. If you feel intense back pain when you twist your body to the left or right or various twisting motions, you should consult a doctor first. If after visiting the physician and you still feel twisted back pain throughout the day, you can feel relief from the pain.

3.) Consider A Brace

Many low profile braces exist these days and this could be the one thing that helps to relieve your pain, in a conservative way. When you think about it they are a great option for pain relief because they can help remind you not to make certain movements and they can help you feel more secure throughout the day. Consult your local, licensed orthotist (brace specialist) for medical advice on back braces.

Friday, September 13, 2013

What Does Burning Lower Back Pain Mean?


One of the key clues to diagnosing the cause of back pain lies in the description of the pain you feel; your chances of an accurate diagnosis increase with the details you are able to give. Location, duration, frequency and type of sensation are all crucial components of a pain description. Documenting your pain in a journal may help you express your pain to your doctor.

There are many types of pain sensations; aches, sharp pains and burning are among the most common. Here we will discuss the most common conditions indicated by burning lower back pain.

Muscle Fatigue

The most common cause of burning back pain is muscle tightness and fatigue. Whether you are a bodybuilder or an office worker, you likely have overexerted muscles. This is because improper posture and poor ergonomics, two very common phenomena, tax lower back muscles throughout the day. The scientific community is at odds concerning whether lactic acid or some other substance causes overworked muscles to burn. To us, all that matters is that the work a muscle performs produces metabolic by-products, and that one or more of those products can build up in the muscle if not flushed out by blood flow. In order to flush out waste, a muscle requires both contraction and relaxation to pump blood in and out. A tight muscle is stuck in contraction. When waste builds up and oxygen is depleted, pain is felt.

Tight muscles need to loosen in order to release buildup and take in fresh blood, full of nutrients and oxygen that facilitate healing and energy. Muscles that are moderately tight from a strenuous activity or short-term cause can be stretched. Heat is also great for tight, tired muscles since it encourages blood flow. A heating pad or hot bath is ideal. For muscles that are chronically tight due to prolonged improper posture and biomechanics, self-myofascial release with a foam roller may be necessary. You may also wish to consult a physical therapist for targeted exercise, stretching and postural advice.

Nerve Impingement

Another potential cause of burning in the lower back is nerve impingement. Sciatica is the most common type of nerve impingement in this area. A number of things can irritate a nerve exiting the spinal column: herniated or bulging disc, misplaced vertebra or inflamed muscle are among the causes. Nerves send motor and sensory information back and forth between a part of the body and the brain. Interference with this signaling can lead to burning, tingling, weakness and pain along the nerve pathway.

Burning pain attributed to a nerve can be distinguished from muscle burning by the fact that the pain is along the nerve path rather than localized. Also, nerve impingement cannot be treated with simple rest and heat (heat may actually make it worse). The treatment will depend on what is irritating the nerve. Massage, chiropractic care and exercise therapy are all treatment plans that people may pursue to relieve pain from nerve impingement.

Rare Causes

Burning muscles can on rare occasion indicate a more serious condition. If accompanied by vomiting and painful urination, a kidney infection may be present. If the burning is followed by a loss of sensation in part of the body, nerve damage may be occurring. Diabetes and multiple sclerosis also have been linked to burning sensations. If your pain is not caused by either muscular fatigue or nerve impingement, it is important to be tested for these serious conditions.

For most people, remaining more mobile throughout the day and improving posture will be sufficient to relieve muscle burning. Conditioning the core muscles, especially the deep abdominal muscles, will lend support to your lower back and help prevent overexertion. It is important to be aware that non-muscular burning indicates a potential nerve problem that requires medical attention. Pay attention to your pain, and seek help if you are unsure of its cause.

Kidney Infection Or Lower Back Pain? How To Distinguish Between The Two


Back pain is a part of our lives and can affect anyone at any point in time. Back pain may occur periodically, remain for a short time, and then quickly disappear. This is known as acute back pain and can be taken care of with medication and rest. The pain would be deemed chronic back pain when it remains for over three months. Many people are on constant medication for back pain.

However, if you are experiencing back pains near the kidney area, its time to pay a visit to the doctor. Kidney infection may cause pain, which is similar to lower back pain. The kidneys are located on either side of the spinal column just above the hip. That is why any kind of pain in that area may be diagnosed as kidney infection. The pain originates in the kidney and radiates to the lower back. This is known as referred pain. Therefore, very often kidney infection is confused with lower back pain.

So how does one distinguish between pain caused by kidney infection and lower back pain? One symptom is that pain due to kidney infection comes on rapidly and disappears once the course of medication is over. With back pain, the pain continues even after the infection has cleared up. The symptoms of kidney infection or kidney stone could be pain during urination, blood in the urine or fever with accompanying chills. If the doctor presses on the kidneys at the time of physical examination, there will be shooting pain in the area. If, on the other hand, you have a stretched, torn or twisted muscle, the pain will be specific to the area. The pain may occur either in the lower back, or between shoulder blades, below the waist or over the spinal column. This type of pain will get worse with movement and ease away while resting. Kidney infection can be safely ruled out in this scenario.

If you happen to suffer from kidney infection, the pain will occur on one side of the back, above the waist but just below the rib cage. The pain may increase as the bladder gets full or it may travel to the genital area. During the time you may have bouts of vomiting, pain while urination, blood in the urine and even fever. Lower back pain could be another symptom of kidney infection. These are general guidelines, which give an idea how to diagnose the pain in the lower back area. If you still are not sure what you are dealing with, any such symptoms call for an urgent visit to the doctor. It is always better to be safe than sorry. If there is an earlier history of kidney infections, then there may be another attack coming on. On the other hand, it may just be a stretched back muscle. Therefore, it is better to visit the doctor so that he can make the proper diagnosis and begin treatment for the pain or kidney infection as the case may be. The kidney infection and resultant back pain will probably clear up with a dose of antibiotics. Lower back pain treatment may call for physiotherapy or medication in the form of pain relievers.

Dealing With Lumbago and Lower Back Pain


Most people at some time in their life will experience lower back pain, which also known as Lumbago. Knowing what Lumbago is and some ways to help relieve the symptoms may save you from some painful days.

There are many different degrees of lower back pain that people with Lumbago suffer from. Some people may have severe pain which may need medical attention or some may have a constant ache. The pain may be intensified from such things as being overweight, damp or cold weather, having very bad posture, or the straining of the lower back muscles. Lumbago can also get worse the older and more unconditioned a person gets.

What is Lumbago

Lumbago is most often caused by the straining of the lower back muscles. This can occur from a sudden bending or twisting motion or from improper technique when lifting something that may be heavy. Sometimes the muscle strain to the may not be felt immediately and may come on gradually as the area tightens up. Since Lumbago is muscular in origin, there are ways that these symptoms can be reduced or alleviated. Such things as improving posture, reducing body weight, cardiovascular exercises, weight training, and stretching, are all techniques that can be done to prevent Lumbago.

What You Can Do

Low impact aerobics like swimming, bike riding, and walking will help build up your conditioning and help you lose those unwanted pounds. Begin with a regimen of 2-3 days a week of 15 minutes of light aerobic work. Gradually build yourself up to 30 - 40 minutes for 4-5 times a week and watch the results really start to kick in!

Strengthening the core muscles is crucial to preventing Lumbago. Having strong abdominal muscles will give support to your lower back. It is also important to strengthen the muscle of the lower back as having muscle balance of strong lower back muscles and strong abdominal muscles will give you the core balance needed to help prevent getting Lumbago. Your core is a natural girdle that straightens you up, pulls you in, and protects your lower back. Often people will want to work there abs everyday but one must remember that it should be treated like any other muscle group and not worked everyday. Working abs everyday will often lead to straining the lower back muscles especially if the exercises are not done properly.

Stretching exercises will give you a greater range of motion and increase your flexibility. When stretching, 10-15 minutes of moderate stretching is usually enough. It is important to stretch your hamstrings which are the muscles in the back of the upper legs. Having hamstrings that are loose and not tight will give your lower back a better range of motion. Having flexible hamstrings does not put the strain on your back muscles as tight hamstrings will. Stretching is another great way to help prevent Lumbago.

Having Lumbago can be devastating to a person's everyday life. Knowing there are some steps you can take to improve your posture, muscle strength and general fitness can lessen the symptoms and possibly prevent Lumbago.

Ice Treatment (Cryotherapy) As a Pain Relief


Ice Treatment
Ice is an important and natural treatment with many advantages. It is an effective painkiller which can be applied to the injured area, giving instant relief. Ice also prevents excess swelling or inflammation developing. This helps to restore full mobility faster and prevents scar tissue formation, helping an injury to heal up to 75% quicker.

How injury causes inflammation
Ligaments, muscles and tendons have elastic properties due to a protein called collagen. If they are over-stretched (such as a sprain during exercise, or because of an accident), the collagen and local blood vessels tear. Blood and fluid then escapes into the spaces among the injured fibres, resulting in a build-up of fluid. The body releases histamine to help bring nutrients to repair the tissues, which makes the blood vessels dilate even further. Unfortunately, this creates an excess inflammation or swelling as the fluid around the injury stagnates. Because the blood circulation is hampered, toxins are released due to lack of oxygen. This results in pain and (often) further muscle spasm and scar tissue soon starts to form. The excess inflammation must be cleared from the site of injury before the toxins can be removed and nutrients can return, allowing the healing process to begin properly. (Inflammation may be visible on the surface of the skin as a swollen bruised area, but will not show if it is deep inside the body.)

How Ice Treatment (Cryotherapy) works on an injury
As soon as inflammation starts, ice treatment can be highly effective. By decreasing the flow of fluid into the injured tissues, it allows the blood to circulate, which helps to remove the toxins. Fresh oxygen is able to reach the injury and the release of chemicals that cause pain and inflammation slows down. Nutrients reach the torn fibres and help to repair the area. Reducing the swelling and internal bleeding prevents the development of excess scar tissue that can cause permanent muscle, ligament or joint restrictions. Ice acts as a painkiller by reducing the ability of the nerve endings to conduct impulses and by reducing toxic build-up. Cooling the deep tissue also reduces muscle spasm and helps restore mobility in the joints.

Indications for Ice Treatment
Ice is indicated for acute injuries where inflammation occurs such as Bursitis, Tendonitis, Myositis, or Neuritis and can be excellent following a heat burn. In the treatment of acute lower back pain and other joint strains, applying ice can be vital to help reduce the deep swelling that occurs at the site of injury and to help reduce the discomfort that may occur following adjustment, manipulation or deep massage.

How to use Ice
Ice is applied directly to the swollen or painful area. Wrap a towel (preferably damp) around the ice pack to avoid direct ice to skin contact, as ice burns can occur. Keep all untreated parts of the body covered and warm. If you are cold-sensitive, wrap the ice in a dry towel. A fully wet towel is more effective but vary the dampness to suit. A few ice cubes can simply be used but a gel pack is pliable when frozen, giving better surface contact and is simple to refreeze. Occasionally an ice cube may be massaged directly onto a small area of pain, using a constant circular motion as the water can insulate the skin and prevent burning but please use this method with caution.

Duration and frequency of cold pack application
How often and for how long cold packs should be used varies, so please ask your chiropractor, but generally they can be used from five to twenty minutes at a time allowing an hour between applications. Superficial areas such as hands, feet and elbows will require less time than deeper areas such as the lower back which would require a full 20 minutes. Cold therapy should be stopped once the skin feels numb. Hourly applications are most effective immediately following an injury, reducing in frequency as the inflammation and pain subsides. Ice is best used in the first 48 hours after an injury and may be required for longer periods.

When not to use ice treatment
Ice should be used cautiously with circulatory conditions such as Raynaud's phenomenon, diabetes or heart problems. Do not use over a fracture site or if there is an inability to respond or feel cold. A few people are also hypersensitive or even allergic to cold. If you have any doubt about using ice please ask your Chiropractor or Doctor prior to use. Anti-inflammatory and painkilling drugs can also help to reduce the swelling. Care needs to be taken when using painkillers, as these can mask the pain and too much activity can then aggravate the condition.

Remember PRICE!

Prevention Acute injuries treated correctly and immediately always heal faster.
Rest Stop if you have strained yourself!
Ice As indicated by your chiropractor or health care practitioner.
Compression After ice it may help to minimise the swelling with a bandage
Elevation Raise the injured part to help limit blood flow and prevent the use of associated muscles.

Lower Back Exercises For a Back Pain Relief? Here's How


In terms of pain in the lower back, you are undoubtedly not on your own. Get this, 80% of Americans endure back problems at some point in their lives. Because of this, lower back exercises are critical if you want to be rid of lumbar pain forever.

While there can be many causes of back pain like slipped disk, spinal stenosis or even inflammation, the root cause of most back pain is loss of robustness in the core muscles that support your lower back. Those core muscles include the back muscles, ab muscles, and gluteal (buttocks) muscles.

However, if more than one of your core muscles is weak, any tension on the lower back will cause one of the muscles to contract, which could put your back out of alignment resulting in pain in the lower back.

Robust, flexible muscles surrounding the lower back and abdomen are required to strengthen your backbone and guard it from future problems. Just strengthen those core group of muscles and it will minimize your back pain noticeably and eventually eliminate it altogether.

BEFORE you commence these back pain exercises, here are a few important tips:

1. It is extremely crucial that you keep the ab muscles taut for the course of the workout.

2. Breathe normally, NEVER hold in your breath at anytime during the session.

3. Be sure to consult with your medical professional BEFORE starting up this or any type of back strengthening exercise program.

4. Wear clothes that are loose enough that you can bend and stretch without any kind of restriction.

Here are 3 simple back pain exercises that you can do in the comfort of your home that concentrate on the muscles of the core.

Backward Leg Swing: Focuses on the gluteal (buttocks) muscles

Stand upright, hold a chair back for support. Contract abs. Sweep leg in reverse until you are feeling your buttocks muscles stiffen. Tense up muscles as much as you are able to and swing leg back a couple more inches. Bring back leg to ground. Do 10 times. Alternate sides and repeat.

Leg Lifts: Lower abdominal exercise

Lay down flat on back. Bend one knee and push foot flat on floor. Stiffen abdominal muscles. Elevate opposite leg about 45 degrees. Maintain position for 3 seconds. Do 10 reps. Change sides and repeat.

The Plank: Strengthening exercise for back. Also strengthens abdominal muscles, neck, arms and legs.

Rest on tummy, place elbows and forearms on floor. In a push-up posture, balance on your toes and elbows. Hold your back straight and legs upright. (Like a plank) flex abdominal muscles. Maintain place for 10 seconds. Then Loosen up. Repeat 5-10 times. If this type of drill is too painful, balance on your knees rather than your toes.

These back exercises are where it starts but they will get you on the journey to being pain free in no time at all.

Upper Back Pain Relief


A Few Tips To Get Upper Back Pain Relief At Home

Upper back and neck constitute the most important parts of our body. This area consists of many joints that work in congruence with the neck joints. This kind of pain is mostly caused by muscle imbalances and trauma and is usually accompanied by shoulder or neck pain. An unexpected injury or improper posture can also lead to pain in the upper back region. People who work on computer for longer hours or sit without a back support are known to suffer from the back pain. Although this pain can be very painful, it is important to note that it takes a lot of time for the pain condition to worsen. In order to avoid severe back pain, try to change your posture quite often and avoid awkward positions.

Causes of Upper Back Pain

This pain primarily occurs due to any or both of the following reasons:

- Joint Dysfunction
- Myofascial Pain (Muscular Irritation)

The ribs of the human body are attached to the spine with two joints. Any dysfunction in the joints can cause joint dysfunction leading to pain in upper area. This type of pain can be treated with manual manipulation. In order to get permanent relief, the patient is advised to perform a few home exercises to strengthen the spine and the shoulders. Aerobic conditioning can also help in easing the pain. Doctors also advise their patients to use a few medications to reduce inflammation caused by the dysfunction. Myofascial pain or the muscular irritation results due to repetitive movements and lack of strength in the back muscles. Car accidents, strains and sport injuries are common causes of this type of back pain. This type of pain is treated with acupuncture, physical therapy and massage.

Symptoms and Home Treatment

If your back hurts while you make any movement, you should consult your doctor right away. People with heart disease and osteoporosis or a serious back injury are also recommended to get medical help immediately. However, if you have back pain due to improper posture or strain, you can take a few steps at home to get upper back relief. First of all pay attention to your posture. A poor posture is the most common cause of strain. A healthy posture is the one in which your stomach is in, chest is out and hips are tucked under. Never hold the phone between your head and shoulder. Use your hands to hold the phone or buy a headset. Gently massage the affected area. This would ease the pain and help you get rid of upper back pain. Women with larger breasts should wear sports bra. This would help in getting upper back pain relief.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Neck Pain, Back Pain, Sciatica and Pregnancy - The Back Pain Complex, Causes and Treatment


The back pain complex, to include neck pain, back pain and sciatica, is one of the most common complaints among mothers-to-be during pregnancy. The spine is made up of two primary and two secondary curvatures. The secondary curvature of the lumbar region is most affected during pregnancy. The lumbar curvature, established after birth and responsible for our ability to walk upright, comes under tremendous pressure during pregnancy. Back pain is quite common during pregnancy with as many as 80% of all women experiencing neck pain, back pain and/or sciatica in varying degrees. The back pain complex is expressed from mild to acute and may become chronic if not properly addressed. We will discuss some of the reasons why back pain is so prevalent during pregnancy and offer a few solutions, as well.

While women with previous back problems are at greater risk for neck pain, back pain and sciatica, it is common among all women beginning as early as two months and continuing through, and well after, the completion of the pregnancy. During pregnancy the body produces a number of hormones, some in much higher quantities than typically found. One of the principal hormones having the most dramatic impact during pregnancy is called Relaxin. Relaxin's function it is to make the ligaments associated with birth, and the pelvis aperture itself, softer and more pliable. The reasons for this are obvious, it is vitally important for the baby, particularly the baby's cranium or skull, to be able to pass through the birth canal with relative ease, Relaxin makes this possible. Additionally, as the uterus grows and weight shifts forward, the center of gravity changes and the relaxation of the uterine ligaments impacts the spine and the surrounding musculature. The core muscles, to include key abdominal muscles, spinal muscles, and para-vertebral muscles, are also stretched and taxed beyond normal capabilities. The combination of hormonal and structural factors often contribute to varying degrees of neck pain, back pain, and sciatica.

Obesity, always a significant factor in diagnosing and treating the back pain complex, becomes an even greater issue during pregnancy. Normal weight gain, not to be confused with obesity, may also negatively affect mothers-to-be. The combination of an exaggerated spinal curvature, called lordosis in the lumbar region, a shift in the center of gravity, additional weight carried forward, and a weaker core muscle complex are also contributory factors. The core muscles, as well as other synergistic muscle groups, may be strengthened through a program of exercise and stretching. It must be recognized that back pain during pregnancy is the rule rather than the exception, the challenge is to deal effectively with the underlying cause or causes with an intelligent and individualized treatment program.

Two of the most common back pain expressions during pregnancy, are lumbar pain, centered primarily in the lower back, and posterior pelvic pain, with symptoms very much like those associated with sciatica. The low back or lumbar pain is generally centered in the lower back and may radiate unilaterally, one side, or bilaterally, both sides, across the iliac crest, which is the region to each side of the spine at the upper level of the pelvis. Once again, pain may range from mild to acute and grow increasingly intense the deeper into the pregnancy the mother-to-be is. Back pain in this region is exacerbated by extended periods of standing, particularly in one place, sitting for long periods of time, and by poor posture, as in the old military idea of "stomach and chest out" which simply does not work for obvious reasons. Posterior pelvic pain can be quite severe and may be four to five times more prevalent than any other back pain expression during pregnancy. Posterior pelvic pain, as noted above, may be indistinguishable in its expression from sciatica. Pelvic pain may be felt as a deep ache or even a burning sensation, may radiate across the buttocks and into the legs, unilaterally or bilaterally, and in its worst configuration or state may also be felt in the feet and toes, very much like sciatica. The biggest distinction between posterior pelvic pain and sciatica is that posterior pelvic pain is more commonly experienced bilaterally. Sciatica, on the other hand, is generally a unilateral expression affecting the buttocks, legs, feet, and toes.

While quite common, neck pain, back pain and/or sciatica, including posterior pelvic pain, should not be taken lightly. If the back pain complex is not addressed properly, it may have negative consequences throughout the pregnancy and felt in virtually every aspect of the new mom's life. It is not uncommon for women who experience severe back pain throughout the pregnancy to continue to have problems well into the post partum period. Pregnancy can be, and usually is, a wonderful time in both the family's life and in the life of the mother-to-be. However, if back pain is not addressed it may have a negative impact during and afterwards, in some cases for years after the pregnancy.

As noted above, there may be a myriad of causes and consequences associated with the back pain complex, as it relates to pregnancy. An intelligent, individualized, and medically supervised program of exercise and stretching is not only advisable it is absolutely necessary. Certain exercises, such as the pelvic tilt and crunches, at least until the latter stages of the pregnancy, may be appropriate and advisable. However, it is usually the case that such self-treatment programs of exercise are not only misguided but fail to achieve any real and lasting relief or benefit. Additionally, because of the shift in the center of gravity and the exacerbated lumbar curvature, a complete program focusing on the core muscles may be the best approach. Improper posture, standing for long periods of time, sitting for long periods, and even remaining inactive for extended periods of time may have a negative impact, ultimately leading to even greater pain. Finally, it is advisable for pregnant women, particularly those who work deep into the pregnancy or have other children, to take special care when lifting anything heavy. Because of the number of physiological and anatomical changes that take place during pregnancy, a program that seeks to strengthen the musculature and to improve endurance, so fatigue doesn't lead to other problems and injuries, should be initiated as soon as possible. Only through a comprehensive program of treatment and exercise can a prospective mom hope alleviate or eliminate neck pain, back pain, and sciatica.

Pain in Lower Left Side of Back - How to Get Rid of It


Lower back pain affects a huge number of people and the number of people who have problems with their back is increasing rapidly. This is mostly due to the lifestyle that people live and simply people living longer. The easiest solution to any pain is to take some pain killers and the pain will go away. And most people are doing just that, but this not the best way to treat lower back pain. Sometimes people need to take the long route to solve a problem and not ook for a shortcut.

Eliminating pain in lower left side of back

The reason why you are having pain in lower left side of back, is mostly likely caused by muscle imbalances. You have to understand that when you start feeling pain, then this is the end result of a much deeper problem. The pain is the symptom and very often people try to treat the symptom, which seems the right thing to do, but it is not very effective in the long run.

Muscle imbalancement means that one muscle group is pulling on your joints, pelvis and spine, because it is tight. When one muscle group is tight, the the other is weak. At first this difference is not noticeable at all, but as time goes on the imbalancement gets worse and all this time your spine, pelvis and joints are pulled more and more out of place. Your body can only keep going for so long and finally it breaks down and you start feeling pain in lower left side of back.

The whole process that lead to the first sign of pain, may have taken months or years. The solution to eliminate your lower back pain, is to reverse this process. This means doing the correct exercises and stretches that bring your muscle back in balance. When your muscles are in balance, then everything else is in balance. It is very much possible to get rid of your pain, you simple need to know what you are suppose to do.

Low Back Pain Treatment - Is Acupressure Effective As a Low Back Pain Treatment Therapy?


Almost 8 out of 10 people suffer from slipped disks at one time of their lives or another. Some recovered with no further recurrence whilst other experience chronic backache for the rest of their lives. With this burden, some people cannot live the active lifestyle they once have. It is not uncommon to see people becoming depressed, even quitting their job to cope with this lumbago problem.

Sufferers look for low back pain treatment eg. herniated disc treatment or bulging disc treatment or even treatment on their pinched nerve back.There are many treatments available for the sufferer. Back pain medication like painkillers, chiropractic adjustment, lower back pain exercises, massage, acupuncture, acupressure and even surgery.

I personally have suffered from sciatica for 12 years. I have tried every method listed above and I almost had surgery. Surgery, in particular, is a major decision. It is important to know that research studies have been done on how patients fare years after surgery. 2 groups of patients were monitored ie one which had surgery while the other group opt for other treatments. Statistics have shown that 10 years after surgery, the conditions of both sets of patients were similar. In my case, when my specialist advised me for surgery, I actually seek a second opinion. The second doctor had a different approach and told me the above statistics. Although I had L4-L5 Herniated Disc, instead of suggesting surgery, he sent me to a therapy school where I learned all kinds of lower back pain exercises as a low back pain treatment and therapies to strengthen the muscles. Though I improved, my lumbar back pain became chronic.

It was by accident that I discovered acupressure and gave it a shot. It is a natural treatment and unlike acupuncture, no needles are applied on the body. All you do is to identify spots (called acupoints) on various parts of the body and apply acupressure techniques to press on these acupoints. My first treatment lasted only 10 minutes and it gave me immediate pain relief. I felt pain no more. Because I felt so good after the treatment, I did 6 years of intensive research on this natural healing technique. It has since become my low back pain treatment choice.

I have since recovered and have not had any more aching recurrence thanks to the acupressure treatment knowledge that I had. It is simple and easy to learn. Also, it can be self administered. You can do it anytime and anywhere. There are also no drugs, painkillers or special equipment involved. Unlike surgery, it is not invasive.

While this traditional acupressure knowledge is originated from Asia (China, India), it is gaining popularity, slowly but surely.I have since used the same techniques to help different people and all have shown good improvements.

The principle of Acupressure is simple. The body consist of different meridian lines along which lay many acupoints. Energy flows along these meridian lines. Each of these acupoints correspond to a certain part of a body. For example, an acupoint on the toe corresponds to the head. When a person is unwell or stressed, the acupoint will act like a switch and become cloaked with toxics. By pressing these acupoints with certain acupressure techniques, you basically remove these toxics. So, the task here is to treat acupoints that corresponds to the spine. When toxics are removed, the energy flow enhances and the person feels better and recovers from spine problems

So, if you are looking for a natural solution to cure your painful backache problems, acupressure might be right for you to heal your spine problems.

Low Back Pain - How Long Will it Take to Go Away?


How long does it take for chiropractic to work?

Chiropractic results vary depending upon many factors. How long have you had your problem? Are you sitting, sleeping, or standing with poor posture on a weekly basis? Do you keep your appointments? Are you getting the proper rest, exercise and nutrition? Are you in otherwise good health? Within a short period of time, usually the first 3-4 weeks, most patients experience 25 -75% symptom relief.

Since chiropractic care depends on the healing abilities of each patient, results are hard to predict. The longer an individual has had a problem the longer it typically takes to correct. It is important to remember that if you had an injury to your lower back 5 years ago and you never had any treatment, despite the pain diminishing for a period of time, it is likely that the problem has continued to progress over the past 5 years. What I mean is that even though you may have only experienced a few bouts of intermittent pain or discomfort since the original episode, it is very likely your body has simply compensated and continued to wear out or break down from the original injury if you haven't been doing any treatment to prevent this. Even if this is the case, the good news is a lot of the pain will go away fairly quickly with chiropractic care. It is correcting and preventing a recurrence that is a more difficult and longer term process.

Every patient responds differently. Some detect changes in a few short days or weeks. Others may take weeks to months before showing progress. For most adults their problems actually developed after multiple traumas or micro-traumas causing temporary discomfort, a period of rest and improper healing due to no treatment, and then weakness and compensation of surrounding muscles and joints. This very common scenario will continue unless stabilized or corrected, and this process usually takes many months or longer to fully correct or stabilize. In some cases these types of problems continue to improve over the years with proper follow up or wellness care. The good news is that most of the pain goes away much quicker than that.

Chiropractic adjustments are designed to correct misaligned spinal segments, restore proper motion to locked or dysfunctional joints and remove or normalize nerve pressure in the joints and nerve roots that result in pain and improper messages being sent. Because the ligaments and other soft tissues that hold the bones in place have been stretched or injured it requires time coupled with normal position and movement in the joint to get these soft tissues to heal with the bone in place. It is for this reason that adjustments for lower back pain or other maladies are repeated, in order to help correct or stabilize the cause of the problem.

So, if you are simply looking for pain relief it is likely that you will experience that within 2-4 weeks receiving adjustments. If you are looking for more longer term correction, improved health and a method to help identify and prevent future problems, then the process will take a little longer.

Lower Back Pain Relief - Secrets


Lower back pain or back pain in general is a very common problem. There are millions of people everyday that do not sleep or wake up with back pain. A very big problem because it can slowly hurt your overall health.
I was like most people, I just tried to ignore it, thought it would go away. It really never does on its own. It is normally because we have, twisted or turned wrong and injured our back slightly. The problem starts there, but then we favor the hurt part and set in motion a whole group of other problems.

1.Muscle strain- this is the most common cause. We sometimes do not treat our backs very well. We over reach, stretch to far, or lift to much weight wrong, and we have a small problem. As we change our posture to accommodate this minor injury we can cause other problems elsewhere. Poor posture is a main cause of most back problems.

2.Sciatica pain- when the muscles tighten around these nerves in your lower back the pain can be overwhelming. If you have every suffered from this you know what I am talking about. Most common is when you sit in a chair it can cause great pain down the back of you leg. Usually stops at the knee, but can go to your foot sometimes. It can feel as if your knee cap is on "fire". There are some very good exercises for this problem, which will give you relief in a very short time.

3.Bulging Disc- can be another problem that can cause you problems in your back area. When we have lifted to much weight, or had some type of trauma, compression of the spine, we have set ourselves up for more long range problems. You must know how to decompress your spine to help this problem heal.

Now some good news about, lower back pain, sciatica nerve pain, and bulging disc problems. A fix for all of these problems was discovered by NASA several years ago.

They had noticed, several things happened while in outer space. The Astronauts grew almost 3 inches during the mission. They did not actually grow, but there spines decompressed. This information lead to more discoveries. How important this was to overall health. They came up with a whole program on how to help keep your back in a healthy state. It involved proper nutrition, stretches, and exercises that relieved pain.

It is so successful the US military uses it to help keep our soldiers backs in good shape. They carry heavy loads in the field everyday and need to know how to keep there backs in great shape. If you want back pain relief, this is it. If you have a neck pain, it will tell you how to solve it. Sciatic nerve pain relief will be a thing of the past, herniated disc relief is on the way.

I found a source for all of this information in one place. It covers everything to do with your back, its problems and more importantly its cures. I found a web site with the best information on the subject, bought it, used it, and cured myself. It will give you all of the information you need to have a healthy back in general. So take it from this former back pain sufferer, get the best information you can, to keep your back and body healthy.

Thank you Keith Greene

Core Stability Exercises For Lower Back Pain


As a Physiotherapist and a Pilates teacher I have knowledge in the use of a gym ball or sometimes it is called a Swiss ball for exercising the deep core stability muscles, specifically to control lower back pain. The ball is ideal for exercising the lower back because it is unstable itself and just by sitting on it a person can train their deep core muscles.

The deep core muscles run around the belly. The function of the Transverse Abdominal Muscle is to flatten the tummy, reduce the waist circumference, but most importantly this muscle stabilises the lower spinal joints. This is a postural muscle and it functions as a stabilising muscle and it is inhibited with pain. This means if it is weak a person will have a pot tummy and most likely lower back pain. Many women also have urinary incontinence as well. The training of the core stability muscle is difficult if the person suffers lower back pain. A Physiotherapist will treat the pain before giving strengthening exercises. By treating the lower back pain on its own and then adding in core stability exercise the chances of a good recovery from an injury to the lower back is very good.

It is important to know how weak or strong the deep core muscles are prior to starting an exercise program. It is also important to train Pure Pilates before starting to strengthen to deep core muscles. If the base strength is not assessed then the starting point may well be too difficult and the person will not achieve good core contractions.

How to Test Core Strength

Lay on your back on the floor with knees bents and feet flat on the floor. Put your hands on your hips bones and slowly lift one leg, only, off the floor.

Your hip bone and your pelvis should not move at all. If it does then you core strength is lacking and needs training. Training the core needs to be taught properly by a Physiotherapist. Once a person has knowledge in the function and use of the core stability muscle they can exercise in any way to the max.

I train deep core stability muscles from nothing to full strength using the concept of Pure Pilates. For men the emphasis is on stability to gain strength in the long rectus muscle. This will give a man a good strong stable lower back and in conjunction with appropriate stretching a good pain free flexible lower back. For women the emphasis is on the very lower abdominal muscle group and the pelvic floor muscles.

I strongly recommend learning how to train the core stability muscles and how to use them in a functional way. It is important to learn the initial core training program and not just start exercising thinking you are training your core muscles.

For more information on my deep core stability training program have a look at my website

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Inversion Table: Finally, Lower Back Pain Relief


The inversion table was designed to alleviate lower back pain. People who are on their feet or sitting for an extended amount of time often experience lower back pain. This type of pain can aggravate stress and create pain in other areas of the body as well. All of these problems can be reduced or eliminated by using an inversion stretch table. The table can also help improve bad posture and support people with a curvature in the spine. There are many health benefits with this type of equipment.

Proper spine alignment is the most important advantage. The back has many different muscles, ligaments, tendons and tissues which stabilize the spine and protect the bones from damages. There are many reasons the spine can move out of optimal alignment some of which are injuries, trauma or bad posture. Sufferers can experience discomfort and severe back pain when the spine is not aligned. Proper alignment and decompression of the spine occurs upon utilization of the inversion stretch table. People suffering from damaged discs can also experience great relief and comfort from an inversion stretch table. The discs widen upon inversion and are then able to absorb nutrients that it was previously unable due to its compressed state. This will aid the discs in their ability to recover and heal quickly while reducing the pain level.

One additional benefit to an inversion table is in helping to decrease nerve root pressure. Stretching widens the space in between the vertebrae and provides needed breathing space for nerves and the discs. Sciatic pain sufferers also can experience pain relief and benefits from an inversion table. Even if you have no established issues, you still can take advantage of the inversion technology. It relieves tense muscles and speeds up the flow of lymph fluid which decreases pain. Using it on a regular basis will improve flexibility and circulation of the blood. There are many different tables available to buy so look for a quality made table by a reputable source and one that provides all the functionality and features you need.

The Typical Causes of Lower Back Pain


If you are experiencing any form of chronic back pain, you may have lost hope of ever living without it. You may have visited several medical professionals, ended up with half a dozen prescriptions, no evident explanation for your pain (even after MRIs, CAT scans and X-Rays), and no long term relief.

Many clinical massage clients who are experiencing chronic muscle issues are shocked when they get significant relief from just one session of focused muscle and connective tissue work, because they feel like they tried everything that 'should have' worked. The problem is that, although the traditional specialist are highly skilled in their field, they don't really address your muscular health. In the five years in my twenties when I had excruciating, chronic low back pain, I visited an orthopedist, physical therapist, neurologist... had an MRI, and X-Rays, but they found technically no 'reason' for my pain, so they declared it a bulging disc and sent me home with a handful of prescriptions. I was healthy otherwise, and active until my constant back pain became too intense. I did not find relief until my pain had been a part of my EVERY DAY for FIVE years, when I had three deep tissue massages in two weeks. It was significantly relieved after just one, but by the third massage, the pain was COMPLETELY gone, and has not returned since 1998. Since then, I have run a marathon, carried and given birth naturally to two children, and been very active, with a career in bodywork, running a multi-therapist clinic.

Back pain is epidemic! WHY? Today's lifestyles create restrictions in our bodies, patterns of tight muscles that reduce our ability to move and create pain. If you don't know what you are doing everyday to cause these tension patterns, it can get tighter and tighter until it begins to hurt. The pain can be in the tight muscle, or where that muscle group creates tension. Basic anatomy: It *can* hurt due to the pressure from a continuous contraction in the muscle, or in an area where the tissue is restricted and stuck together. These types of issues can, and often do eventually squeeze the nerve that runs through it. You are NOT crazy.

We have heard from SO many people in pain. MANY of them share that their doctors implied the pain was 'in their heads'. This is horrifying to us! There can be other structures (bones, etc) which put pressure on a nerve, but VERY often chronic muscular tension patterns can be involved, particularly when a doctor can't find another reason in testing and imaging...because...(wait for it)...they can't see muscle tension on any common imaging device. Muscles take up a lot of volume in your body. To dismiss anything they can't see on an MRI or X-ray as psychosomatic is RIDICULOUS.

So this is what we've found to be typical causes of low back pain in the world today:

Chronic postural strain from working position, sleeping posture, or recreation activity.

That sounds simple, but changing some patterns can be very difficult. The positions you most want to look at in your experience, if you are experiencing chronic low back pain from working positions are:

Sitting for long periods of time is problematic for our muscles. This position shortens every muscle in your upper leg, that attaches to your pelvis. When you move to stand up, those shortened and 'stuck together' muscles end up pulling on those structures. One of the more troublesome postures in pulling your feet under your chair. I have to share with you that this is a hard one for me to be aware of, but it shortens your hamstrings to an extreme, and can eventually create quite a bit of tension running up into your back.

If your seated position of choice involves crossing your legs at the knee, the likelihood that the pain goes into your rump, and aches quite a bit along your sacrum is really high. The reason for that is that when you cross your legs, the pelvis gets twisted a bit, often straining the soft tissues around a joint (the sacroiliac joint). This was one of the areas I had very persistent aching, even after getting physical therapy and chiropractic care, until I learned what I could do about the pattern, stop some of the positions causing trouble, and learn to stretch out the issue.

Low back pain with muscular patterns from sleeping postures often involve sleeping with the legs bent to a deep angle. When the legs are bent, the muscles shorten over time, much like sitting. One of the less troublesome postures would be sleeping on your back, because it's structurally neutral. When you sleep on one side or on your stomach, it starts shortening different muscle groups and causing pressure on joints and general imbalance. With stomach sleepers, the low back pain pattern usually involves one leg pulled out to the side, sometimes with the knee above the hip. This shortens a twists a number of muscles, so that eventually, a position close to this one is the only one that feels comfortable!

The recreation patterns with low back pain usually does not seem like the primary cause of an issue. Often, individuals who may have pain in their knee when they run, but the pain is often related to the restriction caused by their sitting position at work for 8-10 hours a day, then when they try to recruit the muscles, they are restricted, and pull on the joints they support. Often when a chronic pain pattern is caused by a recreational activity, it's a repetitive strain, something someone does many days a week, or has an extreme position, requiring a posture out of 'the biomechanical norm'. An example of this would be cycling. Leaning over, holding the upper body in a stable position (mainly with muscles in the low back and upper legs), *while* pedaling and requiring a lot of power can certainly cause some repetitive strain issues.

A solution that can address these issues involves deep tissue massage work, in coordination with a particular kind of stretching, which works with the muscles AND the connective tissue in the area.

The specific component of the stretches involves holding the stretches longer than most people do. The reason for that is, muscle fibers keep contracting during a stretch, to keep you from stretching into a tear. This reflex usually relaxes after 45-60 seconds. When we hold our stretches for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, we finally get into the deeper muscle fibers, and the connective tissue that runs the full length of the muscles to the attachments of the muscle to the bones. In fact, when stretching for the full amount of time, it is not uncommon to feel the stretch 'creep' around the 45-60 second mark. You can almost mark it on a clock. It's quite an interesting experience. This seems to be why Yin Yoga is so helpful in helping people to unravel long time patterns. In a Yin Yoga class you are usually holding your postures for up to five minutes, and that, biologically, seems sufficient time to open up restricted tissue.

There is a bit more to the process of evaluating what patterns are causing or exacerbating muscle and connective tissue pain. However, we want you know that even if you've spent quite a bit of time in pain, and you've been told there is nothing wrong with you, or that your pain is 'in your head'...there is a very good chance that your muscle structure has been affected by years of postural strains and you can still find help! Don't lose hope that you can live a comfortable life again. Keep seeking help until you find someone with the right answer. I did, and I've had 12 years without my low back pain. The depression, frustration and life changes that naturally evolve from experiencing chronic pain can make you restrict your activities in life to a great degree, and isolate yourself. Please, keep looking until you find someone who has seen what you are dealing with, and has experienced success in finding solutions. I wish you the very best in your journey!

Multiple Sclerosis - Spine Pain - Relief Methods That Can Seriously Work


Does your spine hurt despite that fact that you have never had an accident, or any injury that you can recall?

Do you feel pain not only in your spine, but in many other parts of your body as well?

1.) Back Pain and Multiple Sclerosis

For those of you that do not know, back pain can come on as a result of having multiple sclerosis (if you already have MS you may want to skip to the next section). Multiple Sclerosis is a major disease that affects a very large number of people. This devastatingly debilitating disease can affect the nervous system in such a way that the process cannot be reversed. Nerves are covered by a protective sheath and with this disease the sheath is attacked by one's immune system and destroyed. As a result, the brain has trouble sending signals to the rest of the body and communication is disrupted.

As the condition progresses, the nervous system meets with demise. Multiple sclerosis patients lose the ability to speak or walk. People with multiple sclerosis, without realizing that they have the disease, may worsen the situation by doing exercises involving their spines. It is always better to stop exercising totally and seek medical advice before continuing.

2.) Spine Pain

Spine pain is a common factor of suffering from MS and the pain may become unbearable in many patients. The pain is normally indescribable by victims. It is not localized in a particular part of the body and patients find it hard to explain. They describe it variously as burning, a pain that travels from one part to another part, or a discomfort that puts pressure on the spine. Moreover, it could be stabbing or shooting pain that can extend down to the lower extremities.

There is no standardized treatment for this disease but anti-inflammatory drugs are usually prescribed. Massage too seems to provide some relief. Cold compresses are resorted to by many patients and the pressure eases. Physical therapy, as prescribed by professionals, is also effective to some degree. A hot bath or time spent in a whirlpool can be of help too.

Over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen may have the ability to provide some relief, but it is short-lived. It is the central nervous system that is under attack here and these medicines mainly aim at alleviating pain in joints and muscles.

3.) Pain Relief

One very effective treatment for anyone with lower back pain is the use of a low profile, light weight back support. These braces are adjustable and this means that you can use more support when you are ready for it. They can help improve posture and reduce pain as well. If you have never considered using one of these supports, then now is the time. For medical advice on braces to help your spine, then you need to consult your local, licensed orthotist. These are individuals that can give you the proper support and medical advice on braces.

How to Treat a Pinched Nerve in Your Lower Back


If you are suffering from pain caused by a pinched nerve in in your lower back you are not alone. Millions of people are suffering just like you. Not only in the United States but throughout the whole world.

Luckily, there are a multitude of treatments that can effectively get rid of your pain.

Always make sure that you practice proper body posture and mechanics throughout the day. Simple things like bending your knees when you are picking something up from the ground and even sitting and standing upright instead of slouching can often times provide dramatic relief.

Simple stretching exercises also work wonders to alleviate symptoms.

Strengthening exercises of the abdominal and lumbar spine muscles should also be incorporated into your routine. These muscles support and protect your spine and spinal discs. In a way they are the armor of your body.

Stay active. Many people mistakenly believe that bed rest is the best treatment for back pain. This is a huge misconception. Clinical studies have proven that staying active is one of the best ways to get rid of your symptoms. Bike riding is one of the best exercises for staying active and not putting a great deal of stress on your body.

If these suggestions do not do the trick, then you definitely want to see your Family Chiropractor and Medical Doctor. Sometimes, your symptoms can be caused by a disc herniation and your Doctor will have to order the appropriate diagnostic studies like an MRI to properly diagnose your condition.

The Key To Lower Back Pain Relief


The quickest and easiest way to get lower back pain relief is to take a packet of Nurofen, or if the pain is breath-takingly excruciating, a packet of Oxycontin. This is the medical industry gold standard treatment for lower back pain.

Whilst a lot of doctors encourage people to take the drug route, and to be sure, if the pain is bad enough, it might be the only thing that brings sufficient relief to start getting on with life, it will be a tortuous route if it's the only one you take.

On the one hand lower back pain is not caused by a lack of Nurofen or Oxycontin. On the other hand taking a drug to mask the pain diverts people's attention away from doing what they really need to do to permanently relieve their pain.

The medical industry logic goes like this; 'Take the tablet, pain goes away, problem fixed! Next!'

Well, it doesn't work that way. A problem masked is not a problem fixed. It's the great medical industry legerdemain. The pain in the foreground may have gone, but the problem that caused it is still lurking in the back ground, ready to flare up again at the slightest provocation.

Then there's the big worry. Not only does taking Oxycontin not treat the underlying cause of the pain, you could compound your back problem with an opiate addiction problem.

But, turning attention away from the quick fix, the key to lower back pain relief comes in two parts.

First find out what's causing the pain.

No motor mechanic would stay in business for long if they didn't know the cause of a particular problem. In fact motor mechanics are much better at diagnosing the causes of misalignment in various moving parts of motor cars than doctors, radiologists and surgeons are at diagnosing the causes of misalignment in the moving parts of human bodies.

In the sit down society the cause of the problem is rarely at the site where it's painful. So rubbing, crunching, heating and vibrating the bones in your lower back will not do much to fix the underlying cause of the pain.

It's highly likely that the cause of your lower back pain comes from a pelvis that's been drawn out of alignment. Once the pelvis moves out of alignment the bones above it are drawn out of alignment as well, stretching ligaments, tendons and muscles beyond their pain threshold and causing discs to herniate.

You think there's something wrong with your lower back, which there undoubtedly is, but the cause usually lies in weak and tight muscles attached to your pelvis - front, back and sides.

Tight muscles have taken the pelvis out of alignment. Weak muscles have fallen down on the critical job of giving support to its structural alignment.

Which brings us to the second key to lower back pain relief, which is, to start doing the strength and flexibility exercises designed to support the bones throughout your body, and particularly your pelvis, in better alignment.

Loosening tight muscles can be done with a range of exercises, some of which, like 'static back' and the 'supine groin stretch', require absolutely no effort at all. All you have to do is lie on the floor for an hour each night while you watch TV and let gravity do the work for you.

Most of the other exercises you need to do don't take much effort either, exercises like the 'hip crossover', the 'wall sit', the 'sit up straight' buttock stretch and the 'prone frog'.

So how long each day do you need to spend waiting for pain relief to kick in?

I'd say that if you spent a couple of hours a night on the stretching program and if you went to the gym three times a week to do a good set of strength exercises, in a couple of months you should be feeling a whole lot better.

Most people say they don't have two hours a day to spend on an exercise program, yet the average American spends well over three hours a day watching TV. You can do your exercises while watching your favourite programs. It's called multi-tasking and it's not all that difficult.

Large number of people have been conned into believing they can't fix themselves, so they put themselves in the hands of the rubbing and crunching industries. It doesn't work that way either. Sooner or later you have to do something to yourself.

So, if you knuckle down, buckle up and spend a couple of hours each day, on the floor while you're watching TV or reading a book, letting gravity and your own muscles do the work, then in 10 years time you'll be able to look back and say you've been pain free for the last 9 years and 10 months.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and remember, I can give you the exercises but I can't do them for you.

John Miller

Top Tips For the Treatment of Back Pain - Lose the Pain Now!


Back pain; most of us have had it at some point in our lives, with lower back problems the most prevalent. Treatment of back pain is very commonplace in the medical profession, but oftentimes, the treatment is ineffective at best and even harmful at worst. What can we do then to get effective treatment of back pain specifically addressing lower back pain causes,so that we can achieve permanent and long-lasting relief?

What's REALLY causing your pain?

When it comes to the treatment of back pain, too often, medical professionals don't even begin to address what's really causing the pain. The real and often hidden cause is simply that your spinal structure has been pulled out of alignment so that it becomes dysfunctional. Therefore, even though your doctor may treat you for something like a herniated disc, that herniated disc happened because your spine was out of alignment in the first place, and THAT began to happen long before any symptoms appeared.

Here's the thing; most of us don't even think about lower back pain causes, because we just go about our normal lives and put up with an occasional twinge here and there. It's only when it becomes debilitating that we seek medical treatment -- and by then, it can be very difficult if not impossible to completely and correctly address the treatment of the back through normal channels.

But again, this pain didn't just appear out of nowhere, and fixing something like a herniated disc is difficult to impossible. Even things like surgical intervention do not actually correct the problem permanently in some cases.

What if, then, you could actually address the treatment of these back issues by changing behaviours and following some protocols, so that lower back pain causes were actually eliminated WITHOUT medical intervention in the traditional sense -- and BEFORE physical problems like herniated discs could arise?

Your spine is out of alignment for a long, long time before you ever develop physical problems that cause you discomfort, pain, or even permanent physical disability. Getting your spine back into alignment will not only forestall any problems that might otherwise occur, but will keep you physically fit and healthier,too.

It's not just all in your back

The body is an immensely interconnected structure, and sometimes when we feel pain in one area, it's actually being caused by something in a completely different area. For example, if you're feeling pain in your back, what's happening could actually be because of dysfunction in your thighs. That is, if you have an imbalance in your thigh muscles, you can pull your spine unknowingly out of alignment, which can cause the back problems we've been talking about.

So you see, the treatment of back pain actually has to take a holistic approach. These types of muscle imbalances as described above are actually the root cause of most back issues, especially lower back pain causes. Rebalancing and getting everything back into alignment, and correcting muscle imbalances, can be the answer to your prayers. That's because this treatment of back pain is completely non-invasive, not painful -- and will make you feel better than you have in years.

Where do you start?

The first thing you need to do in the treatment of back pain is to find out where these muscle imbalances are. Then, you have to correct them appropriately, bring your spine back into alignment, and presto! Your lower back issues -- as well as any other back pain you might have -- could suddenly be magically gone!! (only it's not magic).

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Chronic Back Pain Symptoms and Exercises for Lower Back Pain


The most common symptoms of back pain may be continuous or may occur only in certain positions. The pain may be aggravated by coughing, sneezing, bending, twisting, or straining during a bowel movement. The pain may occur in only one spot or may spread to other areas, most commonly extending down the buttocks and at times into the back of the legs. Chronic back pain symptoms may include splinting muscle spasm, antalgic (bent) posture, muscle weakness, inability to stand on heels or toes or difficulty in rising from a sitting or lying position. Whatever chronic back pain symptoms you may be exhibiting, the following exercises for lower back pain will strengthen your back and alleviate your pain long term.

1. Lie flat on the floor in a relaxed position. Bring your right knee toward your chest, clasping your hands around your knee. Pull your right knee toward your chest firmly and, at the same time, forcefully straighten your left leg, and hold for three to five seconds. Then relax and repeat at least five times. Repeat the same procedure with your opposite leg.

2. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor and your arms at your sides with your palms down. Tighten the muscles of your lower abdomen and buttocks so as to flatten your low back. Slowly raise your low back and buttocks from the floor and hold for five seconds. Relax and repeat this procedure for at least five times.

3. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, your hands at your sides and your palms down. Tighten the muscles of your abdomen and buttocks as if you are pushing your lower back flat against the floor. Hold for five seconds, relax and repeat a minimum of five times.

4. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, with your arms at your sides. Bring both knees to your chest, clasping your hands around both knees and pulling firmly towards your chest. Hold for five seconds, relax, and repeat at least five times.

5. If your chronic back pain symptoms are so severe that you are unable to lay on the floor, another set of exercises for lower back pain can be performed from a chair. Sit on the edge of a chair with your knees separated slightly and your feet flat on the floor. Keeping your back straight, bend forward and place your right forearm on your right thigh. Extend your left arm up toward the ceiling, and, while exhaling, turn and look up at your left hand. Hold for three breaths, and repeat to the other side for a minimum of five times each side. Next, increase the stretch, bend forward to place your right hand along the outside of your left foot and repeat the same exercise as above.

6. Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Roll your knees from side to side, but do not roll far enough to cause back pain. Perform this exercise as long as it remains comfortable to you and relieves tight, sore, chronic back pain symptoms.

These are just a handful of exercises for lower back pain. Long term, consistent application of these exercises will strengthen your back and eliminate chronic back pain symptoms. Other things you can do in addition to the exercises for lower back pain are to sleep on a firm mattress and place a pillow under your knees when you are lying on your back. If you are lying on your side, place a pillow between your knees. Lose weight if you are overweight, as this puts less strain on your back and muscles. To reduce the strain put on your back, don't push with your arms when you move a heavy object. Turn around and push backwards so your legs take the strain. Bend your knees and hips and keep your back straight when you lift a heavy object. To prevent any chronic back pain symptoms avoid lifting heavy objects higher than your waist or altogether. Hold packages you carry close to your body, with your arms bent. Bend your knees when you bend over and try and sit up straight while seated.

If you follow these tips in addition to performing the exercises for lower back pain, you should be able to eliminate your chronic back pain symptoms and live a productive, pain free life.

Best Thing For Lower Back Pain - Symptoms, Treatment and Relief Options - Special Report


Do you suffer from lower back pain?

Are you sick of things that do not work and want the best for your lower back?

1.) Introduction To This Article

When it comes to finding the best thing for lower back pain, then you should consider your options. We are going to describe one extremely effective way in helping to reduce your back pain, without you spending an arm and a leg. Sound too good to be true? - Well, we will talk about a medically documented treatment option at the end of this article that can really be one of the best things you did for your lower back pain.

2.) Common Low Back Pan Causes

Back pain does not care about who you are, unfortunately. It can strike at any time and it is best to understand some major reasons why you may have come to have back problems. The following is a list of reasons why many people suffer from lower back pain:


  • Muscle Strains

  • Herniated discs that press on nerve roots

  • Arthritis

  • Muscle Spasms

The list goes on to include kidney problems and various forms of spinal fractures. These are serious matters and our treatment option is not a cure all. This is important to note, because if anyone tells you that they have the magic bullet for all types of pain, then it is time to run. Right?

3.) One of The Best Things For Lower Back Pain

Many physicians, especially spinal surgeons will tell you that they would prefer that you exhaust your conservative treatment options before you go in for surgery. This is wise thinking. Many times surgery can be avoided and your pain relief can come along quickly with conservative treatment options. - One of the best ways to help support your back is to use a low profile, light weight back support for your lumbar spine.

These supports can help to biomechanically increase intercavitary pressure and effectively off load your lumbar spine elements. This is important to note. Your physician will know about the use of a lumbar back supports for pain suffers because these braces are well documented in the medical field. - One of the benefits of back support is that it will also help you to avoid making painful movements that can otherwise further your injury level as well. These braces can also be easily concealed by the use of a t-shirt as well.

* This is health information. Although we believe back supports are one of the best things you can do for pain relief, it is best to consult your physician for medical advice.

Low Back Pain and Sciatica: Your Body Will Heal Itself If You Provide it With the Correct Conditions


The human body has an innate desire to heal itself 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, no matter what the injury. Whether you have a simple paper cut or a broken bone, your body will always strive to repair itself.

So where does the body go wrong with low back pain and sciatica? The truth is, it doesn't go wrong, it is just we do not always give it the best conditions for it to work in.

I get very frustrated with the mystique which is often created with regards to low back pain or sciatica. Ultimately, it is the same as any other injury in that if you provide your body with the correct conditions, it will strive to heal itself. That is not to say you may not need some advice with regards to the best things for you to do, but it does not mean that you need to have you low back clicked, cracked or 'put back into place'.

With regards to healing, the problem often lies within ourselves, in that we do not always give the body the correct conditions for it to heal itself. In effect, we keep interfering with our body's own healing process.

I am always using this simple analogy to highlight this point. Let's say we have just cut ourselves. The process which follows is bleeding, which gradually forms a weak scab and as time passes this scab becomes stronger and stronger while the body slowly replaces the scab itself with scar tissue... the body's wonderful healing process in action.

Now let's imagine that as soon as this scab begins to form we keep on rubbing, scratching and picking it. We all know what will happen, the cut will start bleeding again in order to form a new scab. If we keep on picking and scratching, this process will continue back and forth i.e. the body trying to heal itself by forming a scab and us interfering with the healing process by the continuing agitation of the wound. We are quite obviously interfering with the body's healing process.

Does the body give up? NO of course it doesn't, it continues relentlessly to heal itself and as soon as we leave it alone long enough, the healing process will be completed. It is for similar reasons that a wound across your elbow or one of your finger joints seems to take a lot longer to heal, due to the bending of that joint continuously interfering with the healing process.

Well a similar thing happens when we have a low back pain or sciatica, although not quite as dramatic as the open wound and significant bleeding a cut produces.

If, for whatever reason, our back/sciatic nerve is injured, the body will once again strive to heal itself. However, if we continue to place too much stress across those structures which are trying to heal themselves, it is the equivalent of scratching or picking a scab, the healing process is being interfered with. Therefore, at best the traumatised structures are going to take a lot longer to heal - at worst, the pain will continue to increase.

The beauty of the human body is that it does not give up! If we reverse this situation by not only taking these stresses away from the injured structures, but also provide them with the optimum healing conditions, the body will heal itself and your low back pain or sciatica will resolve. The important part is knowing how to best provide your body with those optimum conditions.

Favorite Yoga for Back Pain DVDs & Books


I discovered yoga more than a decade ago while trying to relieve severe back pain and sciatica caused by two herniated disks in my lumbar spine. A gentle yoga program gradually delivered the relief I was seeking and I have remained enthusiastic about yoga ever since. So much so, I now teach gentle yoga to beginners.

Since I know first hand how devastating and debilitating severe chronic low back pain can be, I'm always on the lookout for safe and effective yoga programs designed to help end the suffering.

It's important to note that certain yoga poses such as forward bends and certain twists can further aggravate some back conditions so it's important to check with your doctor before beginning a yoga program and to always trust the signal's your body is sending you. If any movement ever causes severe, sharp pain or discomfort DO NOT DO IT!

Here is a list of some of my favorite books & DVDs that can help:

DVDs

Yoga Rx for the Low Back by Larry Payne provides two safe, user-friendly yoga routines that are helpful for rehabilitating chronic low back pain, sciatica and disc problems. If you have been suffering with chronic lumbar pain, sciatica, or have been diagnosed with disc problems in your lower back, this DVD was designed with you in mind. Yoga expert and former back pain sufferer, Larry Payne, expertly instructs you through two fifteen minutes routines which are taught in a safe, user-friendly style of yoga commonly associated with yoga therapy.

Viniyoga Therapy for the Low Back, Sacrum, and Hips by Gary Kraftsow is a high quality professional DVD by the yoga therapy expert who designed the yoga therapy protocol used in the National Institutes of Health Study that successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of yoga therapy for relieving back pain. Kraftsow provides the protocols used in the study in this highly educational instructional DVD - a gift for anyone who has ever struggled with low back pain.

Books

Yoga Heals Your Back by Rita Trieger includes several 10-minute routines designed to stretch and strengthen your back - simple daily programs that only take a few minutes in addition to good introductory information to help you begin in a safe way. Trieger, editor-in-chief of Fit and Fit Yoga, has been practicing yoga and meditation for more than 20 years.

Back RX - A 15-Minute-A-Day Yoga and Pilates Based Program to End Low Back Pain is an informative book written from the perspective of a physician and back pain sufferer. Its author, Vijay Vad, MD, is a sports medicine specialist, professor at Cornell University Medical Center, and Back Care Advisor for the PGA Tour. His program blends traditional physical therapy/rehabilitation with yoga and Pilates poses and has been shown effective in clinical trials.

If you suffer from chronic low back pain you owe it to yourself to give yoga a try. These books and DVDs are designed to to help. Check them out today.

Corrective Exercises for Low Back Pain


Many young and old people are found complaining of low back pain. The reason is the overwork or some trauma due to which the muscles contract. Though low back pain is not dangerous as such; however, it is necessary to get rid of it to perform the routine tasks actively. Simple tips to avoid from low back pain are not to lift heavy weight items and using ice and painkillers. There are various exercises as well that need just 15 minutes maximum and help you relieve from this pain some of which are mentioned below:

Aerobic exercise is very good for relaxation of your muscles. Research shows that people who do the morning walk regularly and are interested in cycling recover soon from low back pain as compared to those who take bed rest.

Yoga is very effective exercise in which you can align your lower parts of the body and backbone in the right position within a short period of time. The steps involved in yoga for low back pain are fists forward bending, wall plank, downward facing dog, back traction, child pose, etc.

Core stability exercises are very common and useful these days. In include the exercise of core muscles like the abdominal muscles, neck muscles, spinal muscles, external and internal oblique, hip flexors, etc. It not only makes you powerful, but also enables the patient to overcome imbalance, if any. Athletes can improve their performance by doing these exercises.

A very sound and hygienic exercise is aquatic therapy in which the patient sits in water for some time. In fact, the water resistance works in the same way as the weights put on the joints outside water.

A simple exercise to provide comfort to your feet and help you stand relax is to move ankles upward and downward for 10 minutes.

Same as ankles exercise bend down to your knees and then stand straight. You have to do this exercise ten times.

Lie down in a restful position and compress the ribs downward. Hold breath for five seconds and repeat.

Stand with the back towards the wall and tighten your muscles of abdomen. Then, bend down gradually.

Sit on a ball and slowly get your arms and heels up and down. Same as there are simple exercises to relax your lower parts of the body such as heel raises, leg raises, pelvic tilt, knees and chest exercise and hamstring stretching, etc.

Lower Back Pain When Sneezing


If you feel sudden lower back pain when you sneeze, you may find that you have sneezed so hard that you have actually strained or pulled a muscle. Some people go all out when they sneeze, and belt out huge sneezes that seem to rock the whole body. Often this is accompanied by a jolt forward, and something as simple as this can put additional strain on the muscles in the lower back.

If the pain comes on for the first time when you sneeze then the chances are that sneezing has caused the pain directly. However, if you were already experiencing problems in the back region, your sneezing may have simply set off a pre-existing condition or made it worse. The pain that you experience may be very short term or may continue even after several days. If the discomfort continues you may need to visit your doctor to ensure that there is no underlying problem that is causing the pain.

Determining the cause

It can be easy to assume that your back problem has been caused as a result of the sneezing, but there could be another explanation for it. You should ascertain whether there is any other accompanying pain such as leg pain, numbness, or tingling. If the problem continues after a few days you should get it checked out by the doctor, as you may need assistance with the muscle strain. You may even find that something else is causing the pain. Your doctor will be able to run scans and tests to find out the root cause of the pain.

If you have inflammation or you are experiencing constant discomfort your doctor may prescribe painkillers or anti-inflammatory medication. This may be in addition to other treatments such as physical therapy. This type of therapy is considered highly beneficial to those with back issues. It can involve manipulation of the spine and surrounding muscles, massage, and exercise techniques. This combination can help to ease the discomfort as well as improve mobility in the back region.

Alleviate discomfort further with home stretches

Stretching can help with a multitude of back related problems, and you could find that some simple exercises and stretches can benefit you in many ways. Your physical therapist can recommend some excellent stretches. You will be able to relieve tension from the muscles and reduce stiffness. This can help to ease mobility and flexibility so that you can move more easily and painlessly. Just some simple stretches can help to get the blood flowing, stretch the muscles, and strengthen the spine and back. All of this can help to alleviate the symptoms if you have been experiencing lower back pain when sneezing.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Stopping Lower Back Pain After Sleep


Many people, and the majority of those with a chronic condition have lower back pain after sleep. While the mattress dealer would like you to think otherwise, the cure is not a new mattress.

When I had lower back pain all day, I woke up with it every day as well. I got a new mattress, which gave me a new and different pain in the mornings.

If lower back pain after sleep is bothering you, you are a major back event waiting to happen. If you are like me, you have repeated episodes over time and have already had several. Each worse than the next. The pain may get better, but the condition is not.

If you would like to end your lower back pain after sleep, you must address the problems while you are awake. A new mattress may help a little temporarily, but extension exercises done over the course of the day will help you a lot more.

Back pain is so hard to conquer because it comes and goes. But in reality, your body is just adapting to the latest problem which causes the pain to subside until it gets worse and starts hurting badly again.

Lower back pain after sleep is best dealt with by doing extension exercises, consistently and long enough for the disc in the back to get reshaped close to its original state. It may take weeks before the pain goes away for good, but in only a day or two you will have gotten noticeable relief.