How to Treat Back Pain From Facet Arthritis? Pain Management Options Are Abundant, Do Not Despair!

Back pain affects 90% of Americans at some point in life. The vast majority of it, 90%,? will resolve within 6-12 weeks no matter the treatment. What about the other 10%?

If the back pain is emanating from facet arthritis, also called facet syndrome, the pain can be chronic and disabling. It can wax and wane or remain present like a pebble in a person's shoe. The tough thing about arthritis is that no treatment exists which can reverse the pathology. One can only hope to try and contain it with pain relief options that alleviate the symptoms.

Treatment options include:

• Activity Modification


• Physical therapy


• Chiropractic treatment


• Physiotherapy


• Acupuncture


• Spinal decompression


• NSAIDS


• Narcotic Medications


• Bracing


• TENS Units


• Interventional Pain Management

Activity Modification refers to basically not doing those kinds of activities that cause the pain. If golfing truly aggravates the back pain then the treatment is to cut back on golfing. Not ideal, but it is better than surgery most of the time. This is the same type of treatment utilized for hip and knee arthritis in order to prevent surgery as well.

Physical therapy involves strengthening the spinal musculature around the arthritic facet joints in order to try and take pressure off of those joints and achieve back pain relief. This involves core strengthening and lumbar stabilization along with spinal stretching.

Chiropractic treatment can alleviate pain with spinal manipulation and physiotherapy involving interferential treatment, ice, heat, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in back pain including facet arthritis and back strains and sprains.

Spinal Decompression Therapy is a revolutionary treatment that has been shown to assist tremendously with the pain of facet arthritis. Decompression Treatment is low risk, highly effective, and low cost compared to spinal surgery.

Medications including NSAIDS, Aspirin, and potentially narcotics can help with facet syndrome pain. Making sure to keep dosages within manufacturer's recommendations can protect one's kidneys and GI tract. Narcotics are best for short term to prevent the risk of addiction or liver issues.

Bracing can help with pain and so can TENS units for pain relief, although research is equivocal in their efficacy.

Interventional pain management includes treatments such as facet injections (facet blocks), medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency ablation. In conjunction with other treatments such as physical therapy, chiropractic, spinal decompression, acupuncture, etc, comprehensive pain management with interventional treatments can alleviate pain substantially.

All in all there are multiple pain management options for facet arthritis which can help prevent surgery and increase quality of life. Proper pain management can allow patients to work better, play with their kids, play sports, and simply enjoy life!

Four Back Pain Relief Tips For Motorcyclists

Every June sees the start of the Isle of Man TT races, to which thousands of bikers will converge to watch the road action, which was first run in 1905 (as a result of a blanket 20mph speed limit being imposed on UK roads in 1903).

Quite a few of these bikers will experience back aches and pains as a "necessary evil" of their recreation, but this need not be the case, although there is a causal link between motor bike riding and pain in the lower back.

Often, dedicated motorcyclists will experience backache or pain, either in the lower back or upper back, or maybe across the shoulders and neck. The most likely factors contributing to the pain will be posture, due to the bikers prolonged crouched, leaning posture, and WBV (Whole Body Vibration), associated with being seated literally on top of the vibrating engine. Remaining in what is fundamentally, an ergonomically unsound position for extended periods, will often lead to muscle strains, back aches and lumbar pain.

In order to get back pain relief, it is a good idea for motorcyclists to develop a simple regime to combat the causes of back pain, both on and away from the bike:-

Equipment

It goes without saying or maybe this is a bit like bolting the stable door but make sure that when you are selecting your bike or a new bike that it is the right size for you. Too small could leave you riding in a cramped style, too large and you could be over reaching. Either could lead to unnecessary strains and back pain down the line.

Exercise

A simple regime will help to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles. Building up muscle and flexibility will help the back to cope with the unnatural riding position and stave off the aches and pains.

Posture

Benefit may be gained by consciously considering whether your posture (on and off the bike) may contribute to any lumbar pain. Away from the bike, think about, and become aware of your posture, for example, try to avoid slouching when seated, say at a desk. Ideally its best to be upright with your head vertically above your lumbar and hips.

On the bike, is it possible to reduce the need to hunch forward towards the controls? Can your back pain be reduced by not leaning so far forwards? (We're not talking TT racers here!) Making small adjustments to keep your back as upright as possible could help the risk of pain in the back.

Take a break

Where practical, try to punctuate long journeys with short breaks, get off the bike, walk around, loosen up your back, and ease stiffness by carrying out some simple stretching exercises to mobilise your back. Make sure to have frequent drinks to keep your body hydrated to help ward off muscle strains and backache.

If your motorcycling back pain becomes worse, or more frequent over time, then it's a good idea to seek professional back pain relief advice from your GP or healthcare professional.

Is Your Throbbing Back Pain Causing You Alarm?

Lower back muscle pain is no cause for alarm. In the US alone, back pain is one of the most common causes for medical visits, next to headache. In fact, 90% of the adults will experience low back muscle pain at some point in their lives, and the majority of these adults are working men.

Paradoxically, the more intense the pain would occur, the less the severity and extent of the physical damage will be. A simple back sprain from extended periods of sitting down often leads to a strained muscle. Though not at all that serious, the nagging pain will often interfere with the work, especially on professionals who need plenty of room to concentrate. Muscle spasm that occurs mostly on athletes and persons who do a lot of manual work will find that a simple back strain could cause excruciating back pain making them unable to walk or even stand properly. In contrast, a large herniated disc or completely degenerated spinal structure in the elderly can be completely painless.

The causes of low back muscle pain are very complex since the back muscles are complex themselves. Numerous lower back muscle pain treatments have surfaced to meet this problem.

Chiropractic Manipulation
Though chiropractic medicine normally is about the structural elements of the body, chiropractors often argued that structural manipulation does not only benefit the bones directly, it also affects other areas, if not all the entire back area. Chiropractic manipulation of the bones can promote skeletal mobility, blood circulation and muscle toning. Its hard to check the tabs of truth about chiropractic medicine since it is still holistic by large, but since most chiropractic patients experience amazing results, its hard to pull the curtain on chiropractic lower back muscle treatment.

Acupuncture
Thin, pre-sterilized, disposable needles are used by acupuncture treatments to re-establish the proper flow of blood through the back, alleviating lower back muscle pain. The resulting flow increases circulation for oxygen, blood and lymph nodes work together and hasten the healing process. A research conducted by medical specialists has shown that indeed, acupuncture cause the release of neuro-chemicals such as endorphins, enkephalins, serotonin and corticosteroids all of which contribute to the reduction of pain and inflammation.

Therapy and Massage
Therapy and massage is a common path taken by lower back muscle pain sufferers for relief. In fact, medical science always refer massage therapy as a legitimate aid for lower back pain and an effective adjunct to lower back treatments. 54% of doctors refer therapy and massage as a complement to the regimen that they prepare for their patients.

Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami conducted a 2001 research on massage and back pain. They found that "massage lessened lower back pain, depression and anxiety, and improved sleep. The massage therapy group also showed improved range of motion and their serotonin and dopamine levels were higher." (International Journal of Neuroscience, 106, 131-145).

Relationship Between Lower Back Pain and Kidney Pain

When you experience lower back pain, it may not be a problem with the back at all. Problems with the muscles in the back and the spine are common. Chiropractors suffer from no shortage of patients. When you experience chronic pain in the lower back where certain organs are located, you may wonder if the pain is in the back or somewhere else entirely.

Back Pain or a Kidney Infection?

A Kidney infection usually comes on suddenly. A person suffering from an infection will feel pain above the hips and to the side of the spine. The symptoms usually start with a tenderness that can get worse as the infection worsens. Pain in this area does not signify that a person has a kidney infection. The pain could have resulted from injury to the organ, injury to the back or a kidney stone. When the injury heals, the infection heals, or the kidney stone passes, the pain the person experiences in this area will disappear. The easiest way to tell if back pain results from a kidney problem or from a back injury is to press gently on the sore area. If the pain becomes worse, it indicates the problem is not in the back.

Because kidney pain can be experienced as lower back pain, it is a good idea to perform the test above as an early diagnostic tool. Problems with the kidneys can spread to other areas of the body and cause pain in unrelated areas. When you make a doctor's appointment to determine if you have a kidney problem, he or she will ask you for your family history or if you have a history of kidney problems. A family history of kidney problems makes it more likely that a patient will suffer from infections in this area.

Some Home Remedies for Kidney Pain

A doctor will recommend the best course of action to ease kidney pain, but there are a few remedies a patient can try. Juniper Berries filter out waste and can lower the blood pressure. Kelp and cayenne can replenish nutrients that get depleted from a kidney infection. Increasing Vitamins B, C and E can also help ease the pain of kidney infection.

3 Exercises That Fight Lower Back Pain

If you aren't incorporating lower back strengthening exercises into your fitness routine, then you may never live without back pain.

If you suffer from lower back pain that you can't stand, and you've found this article, then you are among many who have been searching for a form of lasting relief.

There is no pill that's going to make it all go away.

The only true way to alleviate your discomfort is to engage in consistent and progressive exercise.

I'm including some of my favorites just below - exercises that have worked for my clients and may work for you as well.

They are easy enough to add to your fitness routine, whether you prefer working out in a gym or at home.

Cable Pull-down Exercise

Here you'll want to secure a fitness band at any level higher than your shoulders.
Assume a strong position with your feet flat and toes pointing ahead.
Pull your hands toward the outside of your chest and squeeze those shoulder blades together.
Slowly return to the start.

Cable Reverse Fly

This exercise will help to strengthen the muscles of your middle and upper back.
Assume a strong stance again.
Grab each cable with your arms crossed and exhale as you uncross your arms, finishing in the shape of the letter T.

Lower Back Extension

The floor-based lower back extension really helps to isolate the lower back muscles.
Lie flat and exhale as you lift your upper body. Inhale during your return to the ground.

By incorporating these back strengthening exercises into your current workout routines, you will be combating the negative effects of sitting all day. You'll be on the road to a more toned body, but more importantly, you'll be that much closer to living without the constant and painful reminders of your lower back pain.

Want a Permanent Relief From Lower Back Pain? Here is Something You Can Easily Do From Home!

So often your lower back starts to ache whenever you are just about to start doing something you enjoy. Don't let your body dictate what you can or cannot do in life - there is a simple way for you to conquer your lower back pain and regain the active lifestyle you so very deserve!

The problem with most of us is we are not really well-learned about what causes the pain in our back. We only rely on our doctors to tell us to simply swallow a few painkillers or anti-inflammatory pills to temporarily ease the pain.

But that is just what they do - to temporarily patch the actual problem within which is causing your lower back pain.

In most cases, the real reason why your back hurts is because one or two sets of your muscles are not working in a balanced manner. Let me explain to you more about this...

See, in our body, our muscles work in pairs. For example in our arms, we have both the biceps and the triceps. Both of these muscles have to work in a balanced way in order for your arms to operate efficiently.

What about your back then?

Let's go a little lower and look at your thighs. You have both your upper thigh muscle and the lower thigh muscle which is SUPPOSED to be even in strength. But when they are not, that is where your back is affected... and you start feeling all irritated in the lower back!

Because when your upper thigh is far much stiffer than your lower thigh muscle, it tends to pull your pelvis and tilt it forward unlike normal condition. This affects your lower spine and causes excessive curvature on it, resulting in the pain which you so often feel whenever you "slip up" in your movements.

So how do you correct this?

Exercise!

After doing an assessment of your body to identify which muscles in your body are imbalanced, you can simply target that area with the right set of stretching exercises to "even out" the strength in the 2 culprit muscles.

Best of all, you don't need any specialized trainer or medical professional to help you with these.

By learning the right techniques, you can easily perform a self-assessment and the correction exercises from home, and end up not having to worry about that pain in your lower back, any more!

7 Steps to Eliminate Lower Back Pain - Permanently!

Do you suffer from Lower Back Pain? Would you like to move around free and easily, being able to do sport or just play with your children... without the fear of your lower back pain getting worse?

Well, you are in good company. Over 80% of adults experience lower back pain at some stage. Most leave it for months or years before they do anything about it. Yet there are some simple steps to follow that can eliminate your lower back pain - completely and permanently.

Step 1: Muscle Stretches

Yes I know you know about stretches. There are countless ones about and all say they are the miracle cure to your lower back pain... only if you do them this way or that.

But there are no miracle stretches. Sure there are better ways to stretch, but the most important aspect is not how to stretch. The most important aspect of stretching is stretching the right muscles at the right time. There are certain muscles that cause lower backpain. Stretch these and lower back pain will ease, stretch them at the right time and you will not only remove lower back pain you will improve your flexibility in half the time or quicker.

Step 2: Muscle Strength

So which gym am I promoting or which type of exercise is best. In fact - if you don't improve the nerve supply or the blood supply to your muscles, no exercise will create the benefits you need. If a muscle has its' nerve or blood supply compromised, then no matter which exercise you do, the muscle will not gain strength.

Without muscle strength, you fail to have your joints supported. Also if one muscle is too weak it can callow another to tighten. So you need to know the best stretches and strengthening techniques or your muscular system will not heal 100%.

Step 3: Joint Mobility

Your joints need to move freely and easily. If the joint gets "sticky" then the muscles around it will tire out or tighten up. If a joint moves well the muscles are able to function correctly and stay in their ideal state of tension.

But... surely moving joints is in the domain of Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Physio's. Actually there are many techniques that you can use at home to get your joints moving freely and easily. Add in the muscle techniques and the major causes of lower back pain are eliminated, simply and easily.

Step 4: Inflammation

Inflammation can be removed through medication, supplements, Homeopathics and other natural products. You can also use Acupressure or Acupuncture (although Acupuncture is hard to use at home - who wants to stick needles in themselves anyway) which are both highly effective at removing inflammation.

If your joints are tender to touch, if your muscles are sensitive also, then inflammation is likely there. Removing it helps the area heal faster. Left there too long and the area will stiffen and become slower to heal, and even scar tissue can form as a protection.

Step 5: Posture

Is you posture correct, do you stand up straight? Well don't be alarmed, neither of these is important. Posture is a function of lower back pain, energy levels and general health. If you are suffering lower back pain, then your posture changes to accommodate it. If you are tired then you will slouch and have a less ideal posture. Posture is important to help the long term removal of lower back pain and the next step is vital in all postural issues.

Step 6: Rest

Rest means rest. Yes you should relax and rest, stop using your spine each day for at least an hour. Take time here and there to lie down and stop fighting gravity. Gravity is the biggest cause of stress on your spine and muscles.

Lying down is the only way you can rest against gravity. If you lie down a few times a day then your muscles will not tire as easily, joints will have less pressure on them, your disc in your spine will not be squeezed as often and your energy levels in general will be better.

All you need to do is every few hours, take a 5-10 minute break and lie on the floor. When you get home and watch TV, lie on the floor or sofa to rest while you watch the TV. All these help to ease tension off your spine and will also benefit your posture - as if you are less tired, if your muscles have more energy - your posture will improve.

Step 7: Seek Help

If in doubt seek help, if lower back pain persists see your doctor. Lower back pain will usually ease itself within a few weeks. If you use the steps above then you can shorten this time considerably. However if lower back pain persists... seek help. If you follow these 7 steps to eliminate your lower back pain, you will find pain disappears quickly and easily. If you fail to complete any of these steps, or worse if your practitioner does, then lower back pain will return at some stage. To find out which muscles to target, how to move your joints and all the details on the other steps just visit our web page on lower back pain.