Why Does Pregnancy Cause Low Back Pain?

Lower back pain can be a terrible halt in day-to-day events for a pregnant woman. If you have ever seen a pregnant woman you will have noticed her often rubbing her painful back. Along with rubbing her belly, which stands out more than ever before, putting a hand to her sore back is a natural motion while pregnant. The obvious cause of lower back pain is the biomechanical stress being placed on the mother by the added weight of her baby. As the baby gains weight, the mother is pulled forward.

Why Is The Back More Likely To Hurt During Pregnancy?

There are numerous reasons for increased lower back pain during pregnancy. First, the body produces hormones in different amounts than usual during pregnancy. One of the major hormones the body makes is called relaxin. Yes, it really is called that. It is the hormone that helps the ligaments and pelvic joints to ease up and allow the baby to get through the birth canal. But it doesn't just relax things at the end of the pregnancy, but relaxes them throughout the pregnancy resulting in the funny waddle that pregnant women tend to do when they walk.

Also, with the uterus getting bigger, it changes the womans balance. She has to be more cautious when she exercises, even when walking, and get used to balancing differently. While she goes about her usual day, the ligaments holding her uterus are relaxing and pulling on her spine and muscles. These muscles are not designed to carry the extra weight of the uterus, so the spine and back muscles help with the weight. Hence, lower back pain during pregnancy! Getting moderate exercise while pregnant can help protect her from lower back muscle pain and make her more comfortable overall. Pelvic tilts, a standard exercise suggested during pregnancy, helps eliminate lower back pain, whether done while standing or while on all fours.

The woman can also avoid lower back pain while pregnant by having good posture. Obviously, having the bowling ball or watermelon out front changes her balance, but she can still stand up straight, with her shoulders back. It's fine to have her belly sticking out in front while she smiles and walks with pride!

If she already has a child or two, she must be extra vigilant about not picking them up using her back. She should not bend at her waist , but use her legs to lift herself down and back up instead. Same thing goes for when she picks things up off the floor (if she can not get someone else to do it), she should squat to reach them and use her legs to get back up. This will preserve her back and protect her from lower back pain during pregnancy.

Whey Protein Causing You Lower Back Pain?

If you recently began taking whey protein and you are noticing a pain in your lower back, you're not alone. I first began supplementing back in high school. Like many folks, I wanted to gain muscle mass, and bulk up. Everyone wants to feel good about themselves, and like most guys, I wanted the those big muscles to impress the ladies with. Coach always told me, "no pain, no gain," and I guess he was right. When I began to supplement with whey, I noticed a slight sensation of pain in my lower back region. After a few days, this pain intensified to an indescribable level. If this has happened to you, then you know what I am talking about.

After talking to my friend, Sean, a personal trainer, he told me about how I may be experiencing kidney problems, because of the protein powder that I was supplementing with. After discussing a number of different possibilities, he finally asked me how much water I was drinking, while I was supplementing with protein. I told him that I was drinking 8 glasses of water a day. That's when he knew there was a problem.

Supplementing with whey protein seems to be totally safe, unless you don't follow a few common guidelines. In fact, there are 3 simple guidelines that you should follow, and drinking water is definitely one of those guidelines. We'll talk about why you and I are experiencing lower back pain, due to kidney overdrive, in just a moment. First, let's discuss 3 rules you must follow, while supplementing with whey protein.

1. Use as directed. Never intake more whey protein than what's recommended on the bottle.

2. Drink double your recommended intake of water. 8 glasses would become 16 glasses. You will especially want to drink more water on training days.

3. Not a meal replacement. Supplement with a meal. Never use whey as a meal replacement.

Like many of you who have decided to take whey protein, I also once decided to begin taking it. As long as you follow the above rules, you will be fine. When you start bending rules 1 and 2, especially, you will begin to overwork your kidneys. Ultimately, it's noted that whey protein could possibly be linked to kidney stones. If you have lower back pain, stop taking whey protein until the pain subsides. If you're currently in pain, you will want to drink some water. This will help the pain subside. If you decide to begin supplementing again, be sure to always follow the 3 rules above, for your own well-being.

Trigger Point Injections For Back Pain

Trigger point injections are an increasingly common therapy aimed at providing lower back pain relief. If you are considering this treatment, the question becomes: what exactly is a trigger point and why would I want something injected into it?

A trigger point is the sensitive portion of a tight, bound-up muscle. These areas are tender to the touch (hence the name) and cause pain if pressure is applied. Note that an entire tight muscle is not a trigger point, but rather the part(s) of the muscle most sensitive to touch. There can be several such points in one muscle.

These sensitive spots occur when a part of the muscle is in a constant state of contraction. This causes the area of the muscle to feel tight. Additionally, these areas tend to cause a burning ache, as the muscular contraction makes it harder for blood to flow through the muscle. Additionally, this extra tension puts stress on surrounding joints and connective tissue.

I am sure you are thinking that none of these side effects sound pleasant, and it is easy to see why injections for trigger points might seem like a good idea. However, before jumping to conclusions, there are a few other factors to consider. Why have trigger points only become popular to treat recently? Why do they occur in the first place? Will injections help?

Trigger points have only become popular recently because they can't actually be physically observed in the tissue. In other words, if someone was put under for surgery, and a surgeon cut the skin over top of a theoretical trigger point, there would be no difference between the sensitive site and the appearance of the surrounding muscle.

How is this possible? As mentioned earlier, trigger points are the result of muscular contraction rather than any physical phenomenon. When someone is unconscious, these tight areas cease to exist because the brain is no longer creating the muscular contraction. When an autopsy is performed, the sites of contraction can not be seen because the dead person's brain is not causing the contraction that formed the tension in the first place.

A numbing agent, such as lidocaine, is typically injected into the painful area. The thought is if the nerve innervating the muscle is temporarily disabled, the tight portion will relax (which it does). However, when the numbing wears off, the muscular contraction is easily and quickly restored by the brain. For this reason, the success rate of long-lasting relief with this therapy is quite low.

Trigger points could occur for a variety of reasons. One of the two most common reasons is as a protective effect. Tight musculature can be used by the brain to restrict ranges of motion in joints that may be compromised as the result of an old injury. For example, if you have a herniated disc, it is not uncommon to have a few tight muscles in the lower back. These areas exist simply to prevent you from moving your lower back and causing further injury to the herniated disc. In this situation, trigger point injections for back pain could actually cause more harm than good.

The other common reason for sensitive, tight muscles to exist is the result of postural deficits and muscle imbalances. People who work at the computer for long hours tend to develop painful muscles in their upper neck as the body tries to adapt to a new sitting posture (hunched over looking at the monitor). People with muscle imbalances between the front and the back of the hips also tend to develop such painful areas in the hips and low back as these muscles are vying with each other for dominance.

Aches and Pain in the Lower Back Can Become a Chronic Problem

For many individuals, the back may be their so-called "Achilles Heel". For them, pain in the area of the back may be related to an increase in emotional stress. Other causes are poor posture, improper footwear and walking habits, improper lifting, slouching when sitting, and sleeping on a mattress that is too soft.

Most back problems are associated with long-term habits that eventually result in an acute attack. Other causes of backache are arthritis, rheumatism, bone disease, a herniated disc, or an abnormal curvature of the spine. Kidney and bladder problems or female pelvic disorders may also produce backache. Fractures are rarely the cause of back ailments. Below are some recommendations for treatment.

VAX-D Spinal Decompression

Neck and Back Pain injuries can be treated using a sophisticated vertebral decompression system known as the Vertebral Axial Decompression or "VAX-D", a method that has been shown to be successful in over 86% of patients. VAX-D is a patented, non-surgical therapy clinically proven to be a successful conservative treatment for such conditions as chronic low back pain and sciatica, caused by bulging, herniated or degenerative discs, and facet syndrome. Even post-surgical patients and those suffering from stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal) have reported a significant pain relief from VAX-D treatments. These treatments are fully automated and specifically designed for each individual patient. This computerized system achieves decompression by minutely adjusting the pull, hold and release series that are repeated up to fifteen times over a 15 to 45-minute time period. Each series goes through a decompression phase, retraction phase, and a rest phase, allowing the tension to be directed to the injured disc, and achieves a negative pressure within the disc that creates a vacuum effect that draws nutrients and fluids into the injured area, thus promoting repair. This motion-controlled biofeedback system automatically administers the tension without injury and allows the area of injury to relax completely. In this way VAX-D intervention facilitates the body to repair damage, regenerate new tissue, attain relief from pain, and thus, return patients to their normal activities.

Hako-Med Electromedical Pain Relief

New Hope Medical Center (NHMC) uses an internationally patented technology, known as Hako-Med, for pain relief. Hako-Med is the most advance tool in the field of bioelectric medicine. For example, it has been proven to eliminate over 80% of pain in osteoarthritis. Hako-med essentially works by using a combination of AM and FM radio wave frequencies, which neutralize pain and stimulate repair by resonating with the area of injury. This non-invasive modality is safe, effective, and easy to use and has no negative side effects. Whereas a typical TENS unit creates a distraction from pain, Hako-Med actually increases energy in the body to promote healing and recovery from injury. This sophisticated technology, developed with German engineering, allows the physician the choice of 200 pre-programmed protocols or the ability to develop customized protocols based on specific NHMC patient parameters. The good news for NHMC patients is that almost all insurance carriers cover this excellent pain treatment. Clinical indications and usages of Hako-Med include chronic pain, muscular dysfunction (e.g., atrophy, range of motion limitations, spasms, weakness, etc.), peripheral nerve pain, poor circulation, post-traumatic injuries, and post-surgical pain and prevention of thrombophlebitis. Hako-Med can be used in conjunction with, in alternation to, or independently from any other therapy. A typical treatment session can last anywhere from 10 to 50 minutes. When used alone, the recommended protocol for Hako-Med is three times weekly for 4 to 8 weeks. However, when used in combination with other therapies, Hako-Med works synergistically to accelerate the healing response and reduce recovery time.

Additional Recommendations for treatment and prevention

1. For acute pain, alternate ice and moist heat applications every 15-30 minutes to keep the swelling down and minimize the injury. Once the initial pain has subsided, Chiropractic or Osteopathic treatment may help to insure proper alignment of the vertebral spine.

2. For chronic back pain, strengthen the back with exercises.Strengthening exercises for your back, known as "Back Exercises", are available for home use. Prior to exercising, warm up your muscles by walking, cycling, or swimming. Exercises should then be performed in both directions (such as flexion and extension) and in one continuous motion. Make them a part of your daily routine. At the conclusion of your exercises, take a hot bath or shower for 10 minutes. A list of specific exercises can be ordered at the end of this recording.

3. As a rule, never lift heavy objects! Lift light objects by bending your legs, keeping your back straight, and then straighten your legs. Do not make quick, jerky movements from the waist or hip. Move only in one direction at a time by turning your whole body in a smooth movement.

4. Do not slouch! When walking, imagine yourself being pulled up and forward by a string attached to your breastbone (e.g. like a puppet on a string).

5. Sleep on a hard, preferably orthopedic, mattress or place a board under your own mattress. When sleeping, sleep on your back or on your side with your legs pulled up in the fetal position to reduce the pressure on your back. Upon arising in the morning, roll over on your side, let your legs come off the bed first, and then push yourself up--avoid doing a "sit-up."

6. When watching long hours of television, lie comfortably on a hard surface supported by pillows under your neck and in the small of your back or sit up straight in a good firm chair with your knees above your hips and your feet flat on the ground.

7. For back pain, use moist heat, such as a wet cloth around a hot water bottle. This increases circulation to the painful area and relaxes the spasm that caused the pain.

8. Supplements to consider include: Antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, and Bioflavonoids and B-complex for stress relief; minerals such as magnesium aspartate as a natural muscle relaxant, zinc and manganese for tissue repair. DL-Phenylalanine, an amino acid, helps with alleviation of pain. The herb horsetail (e.g., Silica) aids in calcium absorption and white willow bark is a natural anti-inflammatory.

9. Homeopathics for back pain are: Arnica (especially if the pain results from acute trauma), Bryonia (if the pain is worse with movement), Rhus Tox. (if pain is worse after exposure to cold and after having been immobile), Ruta Graveolens (for lower lumbar pain made worse by sitting and lying down), and Calcarea Fluorica (when pain is burning, better with movement and worse after rest). Combination remedies such as Traumeel by BHI and Body Healing by Bioenergetics are excellent. Homeopathics are available in creams and oils for topical application as well.

10. Get prolotherapy. This involves the injection of a natural solution (e.g., dextrose or saline) with anesthetic into the areas of the ligaments that hold the bones together and the tendons that attach the muscles to the bones. This, in turn, sets in motion a healing response to stimulate the body to develop new tissues in weakened areas and hold the joints together more firmly. It also helps bulging discs to return by strengthening the posterior vertebral attachments, which weakness makes a disc more prone to protrude. This approach is usually given weekly and can help to avoid surgery by stimulating the body to do its own repair.

11. Gentle relaxation and rejuvenation therapy through use of a medical spa with steam sauna, infrared sauna, and/or contrast shower.

Reasons to seek medical advice for back pain include: pain that comes on suddenly for no apparent reason, pain that is accompanied by chest pain, pain that lasts more than three days in an acute attack or more than two weeks without relief in chronic cases, or pain that radiates down your leg. To learn more about healing and health optimizing therapies, go to NHMC or call (866) HEAL-NOW!

How to Fix Your Back Pain Effectively With Pilates

Most people experience some sort of back pain occasionally, and for others more on a regular basis Whatever, it is, if you experience pain or discomfort in your back, you should aim to treat it immediately. Temporary pain relief is ideal but you should not settle with it. Think about getting rid of the problem in the long term. Also be reminded that back pain, if untreated and neglected for a long time, can worsen and more difficult to treat in the long run.

If you are looking for an effective and long-lasting back pain relief treatment program, Pilates is your answer!

It is the ideal program for all. It not only relieves pain, the pilates exercises routine is easy to follow and simple to perform. What's more, it also eliminates and corrects any problem or condition that may eventually lead to chronic low back pain. Thus, Pilates can be considered as one of the most holistic approach against back pain.

Causes of back pain

Back pain is usually caused by muscle imbalances particularly along weak areas of your spine. It can occur as a discomfort in the area near your neck, in your mid-back, or in your lower back. Some muscles along the spine can get idle, while others tend to be overused. This leads to muscle imbalance, which can be precursor to muscle spasms and tears. It can also lead to poor posture due to over compensation!

Other causes of are herniated discs and spine degeneration disorders like spinal stenosis or spinal compression. While there are specific medications that can bring about pain relief, these medicines, whether over-the-counter or prescriptive, only masks discomfort in the short term. They do not fix the problem. Aside from that, such medications can potentially become addictive or can bring about other side effects.

Research shows that back pain relief is most effective when combined with a specific Pilates exercise routine that aims to fix the problem. Pilates fundamental program is most ideal for handling all aspects of back pain problems. The exercise routines re-educates the body in proper muscle activation. It improves the range of motion of tight and weak lower back muscles, returning it to proper function. That is why Pilates pain relief program brings not only long term results; it is also permanent.

Pilates exercises for back pain relief

Pilates lower back exercises teaches you how to awaken weak stabilizers of the spine that is no longer doing its job of supporting the spinal column. Here are some examples of Pilates exercises specific to back pain relief:

1.Bridging

-Teaches your body to understand its possible range of motion with correct method of lower back articulation. Scar tissues that are tight will start to melt away as function is restored with consistent practice. Core strength will improve as well.

2.Pelvic Bowl

-Trains specific movements of your lower back to re-orientate to function better. This is important for quick recovery. The movements aid in pain relief and strength development.

3.Neutral Spine

-Re-educate the lower back area to lengthen and stretch out. A simple and easy technique used by most doctors and physiotherapist.

Your poor posture can be a main reason for occurrence of your back pain. To prevent such a problem, you need to learn how to properly stand, sit, or walk. Correct posture can remove back strain. Pilates exercises generally promote good posture through regular training.

Pilates is suitable for all from age 7 to 70. There are many levels to the exercise methods. If you are a beginner, your program will be a basic introductory program. As you improve and get stronger, your program will progress with your needs and fitness level.

Be sure to train with the help of a pilates instructor who is certified and have experienced working with similar. And do the pilates exercises regularly if you want to help yourself manage a pain free back and live a more active and healthier lifestyle.

How to Cure Lower Back Pain in Women

Lower backpain in women is quite common. In fact, any kind of back pain in both genders is quite common. Studies have shown that close to eighty percent of all people will experience back pain at least one time in their lives. There are a number of causes that could contribute to back-pain in women.

Some of the causes of pain in women are muscle, nerve and ligament stress in the lower back, a sudden injury like a fall or something caused by an automobile accident, arthritis, any job that requires repetitive movement or sitting in chairs that do not promote good posture or standing for long periods of time. There are also some distinctly female causes for low back pain in women like fibroid tumours, menstrual cramps, pregnancy and endometriosis.

You should always see a doctor when you experience any lower back pain's. Even though most of the time it is caused by routine wear and tear on the muscles, sometimes back pain's in women (and men) is a sign of something more serious. A doctor can look you over and make sure that you are okay. You should always go to the emergency room if your lower backpain comes on suddenly or if it is accompanied by any sort of numbness in your extremities, flu like symptoms or if you experience a loss of control over your bowels. Those conditions when paired with lower back pain are a good reason to rush you to the nearest hospital's emergency room.

There are a great number of treatments for back- pain in women. Treatments can include rest, ice, heat, an over the counter medicine like Advil or Naproxen and regular exercise. There are specialists in lower back pain who advocate acupuncture, seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis and taking up muscle and strength building activities like Yoga and Tai-chi.

There are also plenty of ways to prevent back pain in women. Women should get regular exercise, even before the pain starts. Regular exercise will keep her muscles strong and help fend off any stress or strain on the muscles in the back. She should always practice proper posture. Her office chair should be ergonomically correct and she should always walk and sit with a tall, straight back. She should do her best to maintain a healthy body weight (this can be worked out with her doctor) and should not smoke. Smoking can lead to other health hazards that will increase the risk of her contracting lower-backpain. Above all else, she should always remember to lift with her knees, not with her back.

Back pain in women is quite common. As previously stated, eighty percent of the world's adult population will experience lower back pain at least once. As it turns out, our parents and teachers were right after all. Standing up straight, lifting with our knees and getting regular exercise really will be important in our adult lives.

Dull Low Back Pain - Get Rid of It

Lower back pain is miserable whether it is dull low back pain or sharper muscle spasms in the back. What can be done to get rid of it and can you do it at home yourself?

Causes and Types

There are a few common reasons why we experience lower back pain:

• spinal stenosis - this pain is caused by the spinal cord becoming narrower. For the most part, this normally occurs with age.


• injury or overuse of the muscles


• spinal deformities - such as scoliosis


• spondylolisthesis - this is a type of defect where the vertebrae slides over one another.


• fractures - normally occurs when a lot of force has been put on the vertebrae. This could happen when someone has taken a hard fall directly on the buttocks or a hit on the head. It could also occur during an automobile accident.


• osteoporosis - if this condition is present, even the slightest amount of force could cause fractures, slipped disc, or other back problems.

In rare cases, a bacterial infection could be causing back pain. You will need to visit your family physician or chiropractor to rule out any harmful bacterial infections or tumors.

Sometimes, lower back pain may stem from failed back surgery or other hospital related incidents.

5 Tricks to Lose the Pain

These tricks will help get rid of back pain. Test them and try them all to see what helps you get rid of your back pain.

arm rotations - slowly stretch out both arms and begin to rotate them. Do this about 20 to 25 times, then reverse directions and do them again. After you have finished both sets, put both arms over your head and clasp your hands together. Take several deep breaths and lower arms.

toe touches - start with your back flat against the wall. Slowly bend at the waist and reach for your toes. You don't actually have to touch them. Just bend as far as possibly to stretch the back muscles.

superman - lie down on your stomach on the floor. Stretch your arms over your head like you are flying through the air like a super hero. Raise your arms and upper body off the floor as high as you can. Hold for 1 to 2 seconds and release. Do this ten times. This is a very hard exercise that will strengthen your back muscles. If you need to do less reps at first, it's fine. Work up to it.

kneeling dog - get down on the floor on your hands and knees like you are a dog or a baby crawling. Slowly kick out one leg at a time like you are kicking someone behind you, then lower. Repeat on the other side. Do each leg 10 to 15 times rotating legs.

butterflies - sit on the floor and pull your legs up until the bottoms of your feet are touching. Hold your ankles and bend forward. You are trying to get your nose as close to your feet as possible without straining. Do this slowly without jerking. Release for 3 seconds and repeat.

Other Ways to Lose the Pain

There are other natural ways to get rid of back pain without the use of doctors or chiropractors. Some people turn to herbal remedies while others look to meditation or acupuncture.

How To Treat a Pinched Nerve in Your Lower Back

A pinched nerve in your lower back is also called nerve entrapment, or nerve compression. In layman terms, it is a sore part of the body. A pinched nerve in the lower back may cause anywhere from mild pain and minor discomfort to severe soreness that makes any type of movement excruciatingly painful. Anyone who has experienced the ordeal knows that you would want it to go away, as soon as possible.

Factors Affecting Pinched Nerve

A pinched nerve in the body may be caused by a number of factors. Poor posture where weight is unevenly distributed may result in lower back pain as muscles tend to compensate for the imbalance. Same goes with wearing shoes that do not offer good arch support as the pressure of your body weight is transferred from the arches of the feet to your lower back. Stress is also a known cause of lower back pain. Other factors include obesity, Morton's toe and foot misalignment, uneven leg lengths, prolonged sitting, and in more extreme cases by slipped vertebrae or a concussion on the spinal cord.

Chronic vs Acute Pain

To treat a pinched nerve in your lower back, first you have to know whether it falls under the acute or the chronic categories. Acute pain is pain that lasts for less than 3 months. These cases may be treated with back pain home remedies. Meanwhile, chronic pain is pain that is longer than 3 months. This usually requires a more intensive treatment preferably by a nerve doctor or a rehabilitation therapist.

Chronic lower back pain can be treated by either pressing heat or ice pack (never both, for your sake) over the affected area, or taking mild pain relievers. A gentle back rub using mild liniment may also alleviate the pain. Note that bed rest is never recommended, it will aggravate the situation. If you suspect that your condition is caused by stress, do gentle movement side to side, sit back and take plenty of me-time.

Treatment for Pinched Nerve in Lower Back

Once you have recovered, it is important that you do not suffer a relapse. Study how you can acquire the correct posture so you can evenly distribute your body weight. Engage in back pain relief exercises such as pilates exercises. Use a pair of shoes that has arch support that hugs your feet's shape. Avoid sitting or standing in the same position too long. Take time to understand how you got your pinched nerve so you can give it proper solution.

Are Front Pocket Wallets a Cure for Back Pain?

A front pocket wallet can solve your back pain problems! Although the issue of fat wallets and back pain is known by most people due to an old Seinfeld episode, there is actually a lot of scientific evidence tying back pocket wallets to back pain.

Are you suffering from any of the following problems?

- Sciatica

- Lower back pain

- Mid back pain

If so, your wallet may be to blame. The main cause of wallet related back pain has to do with sitting on a large wallet for a long period of time. Although most men don't realize it, a wallet can offset their sitting bones significantly enough to cause back problems. Why do traditional wallets cause back problems?

Physiotherapists report that when you're sitting on a thick wallet, your spine has to take a posture that is uncomfortable and dangerous. This posture can affect your nerves throughout your lower back, mid back and legs including the all important sciatica nerve. The sciatic nerve runs through lower back near lumbar segment #3 and then through each leg. When the sciatic nerve is damaged it can cause numbness and tingling throughout your lower back and down your legs all the way to your toes.

The symptoms of sciatic nerve damage, called sciatica, naturally increase after middle age - but sitting on a large wallet all day long can increase the frequency and severity of the pain. Sciatica can make it difficult to walk around, sit down or lie down. When you're suffering from sciatica, the only thing that seems to make the condition better in the moment is standing up.

Back Pain Cures (Besides the Front Pocket Wallet)

Back pain is no picnic and so most sufferers try to alleviate or get rid of the pain entirely. There are a lot of options out there that can provide some relief.

Pain killers - Pain killers (either over the counter or prescription) can offer temporary relief for back pain. The only problem is that pain killers can be habit forming and can have some nasty side effects.

Chiropractic care - Chiropractic medicine is designed to deal with the spine directly, so it's an ideal fit for back pain. Getting a chiropractic adjustment can relieve sciatic pain but unless you continue treatment indefinitely or change your habits significantly you will continue to experience pain.

Acupuncture - This ancient form of medicine is effective, but you'll need to tolerate needle insertions on a bi-weekly basis for a while and then regularly. If you're comfortable with acupuncture, this can be a temporary solution but just like with chiropractic care you will need to go regularly and often.

Surgery - If back pain persists and it is severely disrupting your life, surgery can be an option. Back surgeries come in a wide variety of options but your doctor will likely emphasize other non-invasive solutions before suggesting surgery.

Get a Front Pocket Wallet

Before your back problems become worse, you can head them off at the pass with a front pocket wallet. Front pocket wallets can conveniently hold your smartphone, your cards and your ID without making your back hurt. Not only does a front pocket wallet prevent sciatica and back pain, it can help keep your valuables more secure.

Don't reach for pain pills or expensive treatments. Try out an e-Holster front pocket wallet first and feel the difference.

Discover Back Pain Relief Using Lower Back Stretches

If you've got any sort of musculo-skeletal pain, chances are your body is out of alignment. Your quest is to find out why it's out of alignment.

Here are two analogies that might help explain what's going one.

Firstly, you're out camping and someone slackens off one of the guy ropes of your tent. Likely as not, it won't take long for the whole tent to collapse.

Chances are that if you're in pain, the 'tent' is leaning over and a few of the 'guy ropes' need adjusting.

Secondly, imagine that one of the front tyres on your car is wearing unevenly. You take it to your mechanic and he recommends you replace the tyre. You know, and I know, that if all you do is replace the tyre the same thing is going to happen again.

You need to have your wheels re-aligned and the tyres balanced. It's not a five minute job.

Taking it back to the human body, in most cases when bones are out of alignment, the secret to getting them back into alignment is to do the opposite to what you'd do to straighten up your tent. You need to loosen off the muscles that have pulled bones out of alignment.

Very few people understand that this is the principle reason why they need to embark on a flexibility training program.

If you want clues as to the underlying cause of your back pain take these tests

1. Are the muscles on the back side of your body flexible enough to allow you to put your socks on while standing on one leg?


2. If they're not, you've definitely tightened up - calf, hamstring, buttock and back muscles. Crunching your lower back bones or taking a pill to mask the pain isn't going to improve your flexibility.


3. Can you sit against a wall with your legs straight out in front of you and your bottom close in to the wall? If you can't, you've got tight hamstrings - which are high on the list of suspects for lower back, neck and shoulder pain.


4. Are your buttock muscles too tight? Can you sit up straight with your legs crossed and your hands clasped behind your back? If you can't, your buttock muscles are too tight. Tight buttock muscles are also high on the list of suspects for back, neck and shoulder pain.


5. Can you do 20 pressups, men on their toes and women on the front of their thighs? Research shows that the best predictor of risk of lower back pain is your ability to do pressups. The reason is that while you're doing a pressup the muscles of your trunk - front, back, sides and core need to keep your trunk as stiff as a board. In fact, if you think about it, while you're doing pressups, you're also doing the 'plank' exercise, a highly recommended exercise for strengthening all the muscles that hold your back in good alignment.


6. Can you do 20 good situps? I do mine with my knees bent, feet under a rail and fingers behind my ears. If you can't to 20 situps the muscles on the front side of your body aren't strong enough to keep your spinal column in good alignment.


7. Are you more than 20Kg (that's a bit over 40 pounds) over weight? If you are, the risk of coming down with back pain are very high. It's not a matter of if, it's when.


8. Lastly do you have a regular and systematic strength and flexibility training program, either at home or in the gym? My research shows that people who make a point of keeping themselves strong and flexible dramatically lower their risk of back pain.

In a nutshell, if you're weak, tight, fat and you don't have a strength and flexibility training program, your back pain is definitely not due to a lack of rubbing, crunching, heating, vibrating or Voltarin.

Rushing off to the doctor isn't going to make matters any better because for most people back pain is a fitness problem, not a medical problem; and you can't solve a fitness problem with a medical solution. A lot of people tried and things only got worse. Neither Voltarin not Celebrex strengthen weak muscles or loosen tight muscles. Neither for that matter does rubbing, crunching, heating or vibrating.

The first three tests above will provide you with clues as to which stretches you need to do. The main stretches will involve muscles that are attached to your pelvis, front, back and sides, the reason being that if the pelvis is out of alignment then everything above it will be out of alignment.

In the mean time stay tuned, highly tuned, and move heaven and earth to get your body back in better alignment and strong enough to do every day tasks in comfort.

John Miller

Lower Back Pain Causes, Investigation and Treatment

Low back pain is a usual symptom among the modern civilized people. It affects mainly the middle aged and young adults of both sexes. People who work on the chair with out exercise and those who carry heavy loads regularly are prone to get this complaint. We can hardly find a person who has not suffered from back pain at least once in life. The causes of lower back pain ranges from simple reasons like muscular strain to cancer of spine and hence backache should not be ignored. The pain is felt in lumbar and sacral region and may radiate to nearby sites.

The following are some causes for backache.

1) Backache due to diseases in the back.

2) Backache due to gynecological problems.

3) Backache due to problems in other parts of the body.

1) Backache due to diseases in the back:--

a) Injuries :-

1) Compression fracture of the vertebral column.

2) Rupture of intervertebral discs.

3) Injuries to ligaments and muscles of back.

4) Lumbosacral strain.

5) Intervertebral joint injuries.

6) Fracture of processes of vertebra.

b) Functional backache due to imbalance:-

1) During pregnancy.

2) Pot belly.

3) Diseases of the hip joint.

4) Curvature in the spine due to congenital defect.

5) Short leg in one side.

c) Backache due to inflammatory conditions:-

1) Infection of the bone due to bacteria.

2) Tuberculosis of the spine.

3) Arthritis.

4) Brucellosis.

5) Lumbago or fibrositis.

6) Inflammation of the muscles.

7) Anchylosing spondylitis.

d) Backache due to degenerative diseases in the back.

1) Osteoarthritis.

2) Osteoporosis in old people.

3) Degeneration of the intervertebral disc.

e) Tumor in the spine:--

1) Primory tumour of the bones in the spine.

2) Metastasis tumors from other sites like prostate, lungs, kidneys, intestine etc.

2) Backache due to gynecological problems:-

a) After childbirth.

b) After gynecological operations.

c) Prolapse of the uterus.

d) Pelvic inflammatory diseases.

e) Cancerous lesions of the pelvic organs.

f) Endometriosis.

3) Backache due to problems in other parts of the body.

a) Renal stones.

b) Ureteric stone.

c) Cancer of prostate.

d) Pancreatitis.

e) Biliary stones.

f) Peptic ulcer.

g) Inflammations of pelvic organs.

h) Occlusion of aorta and illiac arteries.

Investigation of a case of backache:-

1) Complete blood count.

2) Routine urine examination.

3) Ultrasonography of the abdomen and pelvis.

4) X-ray of the lumbar and sacral region.

5) MRI of the spine.

5) CT scan of abdomen and pelvic region.

6) Examination of rectum, prostate, genito urinary organs.

Treatment of back ache:-

1) Removing the cause for backache.

2) Symptomatic treatment.

2) Back exercises.

3) Traction.

3) Yoga.

5) Surgery.

7) Homoeopathy.

Causes And Treatments For Lower Back Pain

There is no comparable pain to that of a backache. Especially the lower back which is a strong working part of your anatomy. The low back provides a number of functions for the body. It provides us with the ability to move and twist our back. Your low back when supportive allows us to be quite flexible. Your lower back also provided coverage for certain body tissues like your spine. The lower back also works to provide us with support structurally. It keeps our back straight and aligned. When we are standing or moving the lower back is in full support of our upper torso. So the lower back really has a lot of duties. Naturally when we are experiencing lower back pain it affects most other parts of our body. There are two types of low back pain. There is acute pain, which is short term. It usually lasts a few days to a week and can become serious or chronic if left untreated. Then there is chronic back pain which is defined as lower back pain lasting longer than 3 weeks. Let's go over a few of the causes of lower back pain and the suggested treatments for them.

One cause of lower back pain is pregnancy. If you have ever been pregnant you can relate. With the baby positioning themselves in the womb and the natural curve of your spinal area moving this can lead to back pain. Of course one of the treatments would be to not get pregnant. As well it's important to stay healthy physically during pregnancy. The will aid in keeping your back loose and hopefully less chance to injure.

Shingles as well can lead to back pain. Shingles is an acute infection of the nerves generally at certain levels of the spine. This is always evident on one side of the body only. Treatments for shingles can be lotions, medications, lighting treatment close to that of a tanning booth, and even the use of pain patches.

There is also lumbar pain which can be acute or chronic. As mentioned before acute meaning short term and chronic meaning longer lasting. A lumber strain is a stretch of the nerves, muscles or tendons of the back and can be very painful. Lumbar strain is considered one of the most common of the back pains. This can be caused by overuse, underuse and improper use. Body mechanics play an important role in ensuring you don't strain your back. There are many treatments for a lumbar strain. Massage would be a nice natural way to alleviate the pain. Rest is a big one. Get plenty of rest and give the area time to heal. You can also take medication to try and relieve the pain.

There is one thing for sure lower back pain hurts. There are things we can try to do to prevent as well. Body mechanics is the key here. Be realistic with what you expect your body to do.

Back Pain Causes - You May Be Surprised at Some of The Culprits

Back pain causes a chain of events that aren't too pretty. As a practicing chiropractor, I've seen more than my fair share of people brought to their knees. It's one type of pain that you just can't tough out.

The body is one contiguous unit. It must be treated as such. If you chase the pain trying to get back pain relief, far too often you'll come up empty. The pain you experience in a certain spinal area, say the lower back, may not be the primary area that's injured. For instance, middle back pain causes muscle spasms, which can cause the lower back, or even neck and shoulders to overwork by compensating.

Here are a few more obscure back pain causes...

Did you know that an inflammatory diet, the 'Standard American Diet' (S.A.D) can contribute to pain and discomfort? Did you know that one of the most common side effects of statin drugs is muscle and joint pain?

Yep.

Did you know there is a documented correlation between smoking and back problems?

Yep.

Kidney pain causes a referral of soreness or a deep ache to the lower back. Depending on the kidney, it could cause left lower back pain or right lower back pain.

Upper back pain causes the thoracolumbar muscles to spasm, which can have an effect all the way down to the pelvis. Range of motion now becomes compromised, which, in turn, can cause the piriformis muscle, located near the buttock, to spasm. And guess what? The sciatic nerve runs right through the middle of the piriformis muscle! This is known as Piriformis Syndrome. This can cause hip and leg pain or sciatica. Sciatica causes the leg to experience pain, numbing and/or tingling.

A herniated disc (disk), can also contribute to back and leg pain.

Back pain causes tender trigger points and trigger points can be treated with manual therapy techniques. Unbeknown to many, a good chiropractor can offer much more than just a spinal adjustment. Sometimes a chiropractic adjustment is not the therapy you need. Solving chronic pain is almost always a matter of good clinical detective work. With all of the 'crumbs' in place, the doctor and patient can follow the clues to locate the cause of the pain in your back. It makes the remedy much easier.

Horses and zebras both leave similar tracks, but they're VERY different from each other!

Physiatrists, physical therapists and chiropractors are all well trained in providing tips for a spinal strengthening routine. If your primary care doctor is not up to speed on neuromuscular medicine and is immersed in only allopathic methods, you may need to add someone else to your health care team, as these types of muscle, tendon and soft tissue injuries are quite common.

FYI - If your back pain causes you to experience an inability to be able to stop or initiate urination or defecation... that's a 911. These are nerve and spinal cord related effects of a ruptured disc causing what's known as Cauda Equina Syndrome.

Now read below to learn why I wrote this...

Low Back Pain in the Nursing Field

Back disorders are one of the chief causes of disability within the working population. They can occur gradually or from one single event. Over time, repetitive activity can result in microtrauma to the tissues; the onset is so slow that the condition often is ignored until the damage becomes debilitating. Microtrauma is likely to have weakened the back when a single event causes a back disorder as well. Injury to the back includes muscles, ligaments, vertebrae, discs, and combinations thereof. Reading the OSHA Technical Manual on back disorders and injuries, one finds a list of about 15 work factors associated with back injury. Considering the economic burden as well as human suffering experienced in a back injury, as well as the most common, they can be the most devastating. One career field that consistently leads in back injury and also occupational injuries and illnesses is nursing.

Nursing aids, orderlies, and attendants are exposed to most of the 15 work factors associated with back injury. While many of their job tasks like making beds, handling carts, and a multitude of other duties do contribute to their risk, lifting and transferring patients is the most likely element of the job to cause injury. The leading cause for all work-related injury and illness is overexertion - a very likely result for anyone who is lifting and pushing hundreds of pounds at a time. Over half of nurses complain of low back pain, and many end up leaving the field, transferring units, and missing work because of it.

Studying the various effects of the spine and causes of back pain would include volumes of literature, but there are a few basics to note. It is suspected that the intervertebral disc is the primary source of most low back pain in nurses. Disc degeneration and cumulative trauma are common in those who lift and bend for a living. Inside the vertebral endplate, microfractures are sustained and the resulting scar tissue weakens the structure making the spine more vulnerable to injury. These microfractures could easily be sustained not only from lifting patients, but also from pushing them in wheelchairs and frequent bending and twisting of the spine all day every day.

Given the nature of the job and the need for nurses, extensive research on how to help minimize risk is ongoing. There is a great focus in nursing education on patient handling safety. Manual aids to help lift patients are also evolving and, in certain cases, required to be in place for the safety of the staff. Even manual aids to make other aspects of the job more ergonomically friendly will help keep the spine as healthy as possible. Nurses are in a unique position when it comes to following ergonomic guidelines. Many solutions involve frequent breaks and rotations in job tasks. Nurses need to be able to do whatever is needed when it is needed. The development of tools to relieve some of the stress of their jobs is very important. It helps not only the nurses, but everyone who has ever needed health care.

Ovarian Cysts and Back Pain - Can Ovarian Cysts Cause Backaches?

Ovarian cysts and back pain can go hand in hand for women who are suffering from this condition.  The pain is not specific to backaches, it can be experienced in other areas of the body (pelvis, abdomen, whilst urinating or during bowel movements) and the severity is specific to each woman and the type and size of the cysts she has.

This article will focus on ovarian cysts and back pain ...

The problems usually start when a cyst begins to grow in size.  A common complaint is when it puts pressure on the bladder causing you to visit the toilet more often.  The cyst can also press against other organs which is usually the culprit for causing lower back pain.

So the answer to "can an ovarian cyst cause backaches" is a resounding YES!

I've experienced mild back pain which grew in intensity and I could hardly get through the normal activities I'd normally do in an average day.  That really depressed me and I felt hopeless.

I think I was also stressing myself out about the thought of surgery if the cysts did not shrink on their own.  Willing them to go away doesn't work unfortunately!

While my cysts were in observation mode I took the time to do some research to see if I could do anything to give the cysts a helping hand to stop using my ovaries as a home.

I came across a guide about natural remedies and knew it was my last attempt to avoid surgery.  Ovarian cysts and back pain are enough to make you try anything and I'm glad I did.  I'll be forever thankful to the author of the guide and I've provided a review of it for you below.  She's been through it and knows what it's like to live with this condition.

What Causes Lower Back Pain and the Common Conditions With Back Pain

Back pain is a complaint doctors hear about frequently and is mostly ubiquitous in developed countries. It is the second leading cause of work absenteeism. Studies show that early aggressive treatment of back injuries by a psychiatrist results in quicker recovery and fewer lost work days. Yet the honest truth is that science is uncertain as to what causes it.

Back pain is one of the main symptoms of preterm labor and is the second most common reason for a visit to the physician. By far the most common causes of back pain are "mechanical" caused by disc degeneration, muscle or ligament strain. But can sometimes be caused by a problem with the kidneys.

It is usually more severe than leg pain (sciatica). Sciatica is usually the result of a pinched nerve and occurs when a protruding disc is putting pressure on a spinal nerve. It is pain anywhere in the back form the neck to the low back. Most is related to activity and overuse of the muscles that are in the back.

Pain can also occur acutely during sporting events if a person has an injury during practice or game. But not all low back pain is actually due to a problem in the back, there are occasions when back pain is caused by a problem with the hip joint or musculature. But it can also be caused by fracture, arthritis, disc problems, or bony malalignment.

Back pain is also among the most difficult conditions to diagnose. Because only about 5 percent of cases can be detected with conventional imaging procedures, clinicians attempting to diagnose and treat usually must rely on what patients tell them about the condition. In the U.S., acute low back pain (also called lumbago) is the fifth most common reason for all physician visits.

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain affects the portion of the back known as the lumbar spine, and causes Americans to spend $50 billion annually on treatments. It's also the top reason for disability on the job, and causes a high percentage of absences from work. It is often more common for people who are carrying extra weight and being overweight can make back pain a whole lot worse, as there is a lot more stress on the back. When there is more weight found in the stomach area, this can cause even more stress on the lower back.

The Common Conditions with Back Pain

Common conditions include herniated discs, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, slipped discs, back sprains, strains and fractures. Commonly, the pain extends from the lower back into the buttock and down the leg past the knee on the affected side, indicating sciatica. Coughing, sneezing, straining, or bending over while keeping the legs straight can trigger the sharp, radiating pain.

When you feel any kind of pain, you would try and consult your doctor as soon as possible because back pain is a major cause of disability in the United States. The lifetime prevalence of low back pain is estimated at 60-90%. So make sure you get a checkup as soon as possible.

Understanding Lower Back Pain Causes

In general, a common issue among all folks is lower back pain. Everybody, at specific moments in his or her life, would suffer some degree of back pain. Some individuals may experience a brief moment of agony that would continue for only a couple of weeks while others may not be so lucky, with the dilemma worsening and becoming a part of their everyday life.

As many sufferers?have come to discover, it is through insight of this disease procedure that one could learn how to manage it.

Facts about lower back pain can be uncovered in this website, certain disease problems that may reveal this as an indicator or symptoms, diagnostic methods, treatments, back care tips, and preventive measures. This does not supplant the specialized thoughts of doctors and other health professionals. Hopefully though, it would work as a wake up call for all sufferers to get specialized support for as soon as achievable to check out the different remedy alternatives that are available.

An Introduction

All over the planet, different people are troubled with lower back pain. During their lifetime, approximately 90% of Americans may have suffered some sort of lower pack difficulty. Around 50% of these would have had a single instance of unbearable soreness that triggered loss of precious work hours and income. About 10% of this population would experience differing levels of pain for the rest of their lives.

The back is made up of the upper back and lower back when perceived in terms of anatomy. The region from the junction of the neck and shoulder to the upper 職 of the body is considered as the upper back. Specifically, it begins underneath the level of the 7th cervical vertebra (C-7) at the 1st thoracic vertebra (T-1) descending to the 12th thoracic vertebra (T-12).

As for the lower back, it is made up of the 5 lumbar vertebrae (L-1 to L-5), the sacrum (S-1 to S-3), and the coccyx, also called the tailbone. The entire length of the spine acts as protection for the spinal cord inside its spinal canal. Intervertebral discs or intervertebral fibrocartilage are discs made of cartilage located in between each vertebra to allow moderate mobility and functions as a ligament keeping the vertebrae together. Tiny branches of the spinal cord branch out through the vertebral foramen to innervate muscles, ligaments, and other components in the back, pelvis, and abdomen. For increased flexibility and movement, the lumbar region has small joints called facet joints. As a result of the lumber region's biological construction, a good deal of a human body's weight can be supported.

How does it occur? To be able to start, remember that lower back pain is NOT an ILLNESS. It is a SYMPTOM, which shows the individual that there is something inappropriate in this region of his or her body.

Here are some conditions where lower back pain may occur:

1. 
   Muscles and tissues are stretched or sprained


2. 
   Injured or torn ligaments brought about by the activity of muscles


3. 
   Tearing or disc herniation


4. 
   Friction between the vertebrae and facet joints arising from disc deterioration caused by aging


5. 
   Sciatica, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, or a tumor causing nerves to strike each other and other body parts


6. 
   Infections like shingles pain or postherpetic neuralgia may cause back pains


7. 
   Kidney or other lower abdominal disorders due to common nerve networks (known as "referred pain")


8. 
   Degeneration of the facet joints and ligaments brought on by increased actions of the vertebrae.

These are merely some of the basic conditions that would trigger the occurrence of lower back pain.

Back Pain - Causes of Lower Back Pain - Weak Muscles

With most adults experiencing lower back pain sometime during their life, it's important to understand what cause back problems, what treatment is available and how these conditions can be avoided. A main cause of an aching back is weak back muscles. Overworked (strained) muscles, improper lifting, stress, physical activity, even a hard sneeze can cause discomfort and pain. Most of us are weekend warriors. During the week we sit in our cars commuting to work. Then we sit at a desk pounding the key board. Comes the weekend and we're out on the golf links, playing tennis or any number of weekend activities. Monday morning rolls around and we can barely get out of bed! What happened?

Because of our sedentary lifestyle our muscles are weak. Back and stomach muscles unused to physical activity are put under stress and the results are a sore back. Fortunately it's not serious and usually you'll feel better after a couple of days.

Treatment: Usually some ice, rest and an anti-inflammatory like Advil will probably take care of the aches and pain. If pain persists or gets worse see your doctor.

Prevention: But how do you prevent lower back pain? Well the answer is to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles. There are many exercises and programs available. Some may do more harm than good. A physical therapist can show you the correct exercises for your specific problem. One of the top rated programs is called the Lose The Back Pain System developed by therapists and doctors of the Healthy back Institute. This program has helped thousands by strengthening muscles and eliminating muscles imbalance. Muscle weakness is a common cause of lower back pain.

The good news is that it's usually not serious and can be prevented with a well designed program of exercises. As someone who has suffered with a bad back and who has endured months of physical therapy and an operation, I can tell you there are solutions for your discomfort.

3 Lower Back Pain Causes

Lower back pain causes come in several varieties.

And, because we are all unique in our level of imbalance and in our movement patterns, lower back pain treatments may vary as well.

Before deciding upon a treatment course of action, your health professional should administer a series of postural and movement assessments that will help gather information specific to your body and your needs.

If you are suffering from severe lower back pain, it is always best to have a full examination by your primary care doctor so that he or she may refer you to a specialist if need be.

Here are 3 leading causes of lower back pain.

1) Poor hip mobility - We, as a society, spend so much time sitting each day, that our joints tend to "freeze up" on us. When we think about the joints of the lower body, the ankle should be mobile; the knee should be stabile, and the hip mobile, as well. If the ankle is restricted in its mobility, the body will look to compensate by adding mobility somewhere else. That somewhere else is usually the knee. That's not a good thing. If we move up the leg to the hip, that joint should be mobile. If it isn't, the body will again look for an area at which to compensate and oftentimes, that area is the lumbar spine. There's your lower back pain.

2) Poor core stability - I know this term gets thrown around loosely, but what we are looking for mostly is the ability to activate the muscles that hold onto or stabilize your spine and stabilize your hips. These are the muscles of your core that you can't see when you look in the mirror; not because they are covered in fat, but because you aren't supposed to see them. They are considered the deep muscles of your core. They are your foundation. If they aren't strong, then your lower back muscles won't be strong.

3) Improper weight training technique - Understanding how to correctly perform exercises in the gym is a necessity. Too many male clients come to me with bad weightlifting habits that they've had since high school. And, too many female clients come to me having been taught by their boyfriends (with those same bad habits) how to lift weights. Almost always, improper weight training technique is to blame for pain or injury at several joints within the body, with the lower back being one of the most common.

Incorporating back strengthening exercises into your current weight training workout routines, will help you combat 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 reminders of your lower back pain.

What Causes Lower Back Ache in the Morning?

It seems that a lot of people suffer from lower back ache in the morning when getting out of bed. This can have lots of reasons but most commonly the back pain is a result of something you did the day before. It is possible that you lifted something that was too heavy or you lifted something incorrect. Even though most people know how to lift a heavy object it's astonishing to see so many people using incorrect lifting techniques which results in strained muscles and sprained ligaments.

It's not always obvious what caused the back ache. Sometimes stress builds up at work and also stress builds up in your back and then suddenly without any warning the damage is done and you wake up with lower back pain. It's also possible that you sit before your computer all day or drive a car or truck. Obviously this is not good for your back. We weren't made to sit down all day if possible try to walk around every hour for a few minutes. If this is not possible then shift your weight regularly when sitting down so your weight isn't on the same point all the time.

Another cause could be your bed or mattress.

The choice of your bed and mattress is absolutely critical in solving many back injuries. However, this does not absolutely mean that you should buy a bed that is described as solving any particular medical problem, or as an orthopedic bed or mattress.

Most of the orthopedic mattresses are too hard, and I would not recommend an orthopedic mattress to someone who suffers from back ache. What you really need is a bed mattress that is solid and supportive, instead of being hard. If you often have a lot of back pain you should change your mattress regularly as old mattresses often don't give you the support you need.

If you are a constant back ache sufferer I would suggest you spend as much money as you can afford when buying a new bed, because I believe that sleeping on a first-class bed can make a considerable distinction to your back ache problems. Evidently, everyone who has a back pain condition has a somewhat diverse problem and therefore there is not one perfect sleeping explanation that covers every back pain problem. Therefore, you must do a little research when you purchase a new bed. That new bed could be the step you need to take to overcome your back ache problems and maybe solve the problem very rapidly.

How to Identify Ovarian Cyst Burst Symptoms

Ovarian cysts are experienced by most women at a few point in their life and most clear up naturally on their own. Some, though, can become large and impact a woman's health. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can develop either inside or on the outside of the ovaries. Most cysts are harmless; these cysts are around the size of a pea or even smaller and heal on their own. But some cysts can grow as large as an apple if not detected in time. Sadly, some ovarian cysts can grow even larger in size, causing a woman a lot of discomfort and threatening her health.

There are lots of distinctive ovarian cyst burst symptoms. These most of these symptoms can be grouped into three different categories, though there are a few "wild card" symptoms that will not fit nicely into these groupings. Abdominal pains, menstrual abnormalities and nausea are the main symptoms experienced by women with ovarian cysts.

The vaguest of symptoms is also the most common: pelvic pain. This pain is what causes most women to go the doctor but unless you have had a large cyst before, few women suspect that an ovarian cyst is the reason for the pain. The pain might be more concentrated during sexual intercourse, your periods, and during bowel movements or while urinating. A common sensation is the feeling of additional pressure on your colon or bladder that creates the sensation that you need to go when you know you do not have to. The pain can become lower back pain, vaginal pain or inner thigh pain. Pain from an ovarian cyst may be consistent or it may vary from a dull ache to sharp pains throughout its existence.

Menstrual abnormalities are periods that are painful, irregular flows, and a alterations in the appearance and makeup of the menstrual blood itself. Abnormalities generally also suggest that your period is lasting longer or shorter, the flow volume has changed or your period is even arriving at different times of the month than usual. And increase in cramps right before or after your period and spotting when not menstruating are also normal symptoms.

Nausea similar to that experienced when a woman who is pregnant is a typical long-term ovarian cyst symptom, and it is a symptom that frequently causes women to think they are not suffering from a problem of the ovaries. Stomach nausea can be your body trying to clear itself of a unknown object or, more likely, is your hormones being out of balance and causing morning sickness-like symptoms. Other symptoms that are more difficult to associate are weight gain, feeling full quickly, bloat and abdominal heaviness, and losing one's appetite.

A few more symptoms of ovarian cysts do exist, though these are more rare. Some women report that their hair, (on their heads, body and face) is growing quicker. Peculiar pains in the ribs may be felt which feel like muscle soreness. It is also possible to feel tight nodules under your skin that feel like bruises. Another symptom that some women report is an increase in headaches.

While a cyst is actually bursting you could experience intense pain localized to one side of your pelvis and extreme cramps. Many women say the words "rupture" and "burst" very accurately describe the pain sensation. The pain right before a cyst bursts is intense while the aftermath usually involves very little pain.

Ovarian cysts most commonly happen to women of child bearing age. There are many factors that can lead to an ovarian cyst. By far, the biggest factor in your chance of developing a cyst is if it runs in your family. You chances are greatly increased for developing cysts if other in your family have had them, (remember that family members grow up in the same environments and live the same lifestyles, so having something run in the family isn't entirely related to genetics). Some other variables known to contribute to ovarian cyst formation are a unhealthy diet and a weak immune system. Insulin resistance causes high insulin levels that boost male sex hormone creation that can damage your menstrual cycle or above average unsuccessful ovulation (when the ovary does not release its monthly egg) increase the likelihood of an ovarian cyst forming.

For the most part, a cyst is just a natural consequence of ovulation, (the part of your menstruation cycle where an egg gets released). Functional cysts get created when a follicle (sac) that holds the egg during ovulation doesn't properly release the egg or it does not fully dissolve after the egg is released. This is not uncommon occurrences and your reproductive system is developed to eliminate these, if they happen, during the menstruation cycle.

The cysts that can cause you to experience ovarian cyst burst symptoms happen when a follicle closes up after releasing an egg and fluid fills the sac. These cysts tend to heal themselves and disappear without your knowledge. Yet some are not properly removed by your immune system, causing them to grow around or right on the ovary and cutting off the blood supply to the ovary. If the cyst fills with blood, it can burst open, causing the painful symptoms described earlier.

Other events in the body can cause cysts in addition to the functional type of cyst. When a partially formed embryo dies in the fallopian tube, the excess cells may form a dermoid cyst. Endometriomas are cysts caused by the condition endometriosis where uterine cells grow outside of the uterus. These cells being introduced into the fallopian tubes can lead to ovarian cysts.

If you are diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and it is minor, your doctor will most likely tell you to wait for it to heal on it own. One method employed to prevent ovarian cysts in women who have lots of them is to regulate sex hormones by taking birth control medication. Surgery is used when a cyst grows too large. The latest uses laparoscopy, where a small incision is made in the belly button and the cysts are removed from there. This is usually a same day, out-patient surgery. Unfortunately, this method only works when cysts are diagnosed when they are small. More serious surgery is needed if the cysts have grown in size. In rare situations a cyst will have grown on top of an organ so much so that it can not be separated and oophorectomy (removal of an ovary) or a hysterectomy could be necessary.

You shouldn't be too worried because most ovarian cysts are not dangerous, even the larger painful ones. Still, you should never ignore ovarian cyst burst symptoms. Some ovarian cysts do cause cancer and or infertility. Generally, if you have pelvic pain and are worried that something isn't right, it is a good strategy to obtain medical attention. As always, preventing medical problems before they even happen because though most cysts can be treated, simply having one increases your chance of getting cancer of being unable to reproduce.

Sharp Lower Back Pain - Possible Causes Revealed

In this article, we take a look at the importance of learning the causes of lower back pain, especially if it a sharp shooting kind of pain and determining the causes of origin of the pain. So, if you are truly feeling laid-back in the literal sense of the word and have suffered sharp lower back pain more than once recently, perhaps its time to do some quick thinking about what could have brought it on - so you can begin the right course of treatment based on the diagnosis, which needs to be proper and accurate.

Only after a proper medical examination of the person's past activities, especially ones involving heavy physical labor, can a person's cause for personal back pain due to injury or other reasons be pinned down accurately. Among the most common reasons triggering off lower back pain are sudden exertion, carrying heavy loads, standing, sitting or lying down in an awkward posture (e.g. such as painting the ceiling with a hand overhead all the time) and bending or twisting in a casual, thoughtless manner - which can happen during exercising as well as during regular household chores.

Sharp lower back pain can also become a chronic condition if not addressed in the initial stages and therefore doctors and medical health experts, including physical trainers and gym instructors advise people against exercising too much or wrongly, without proper knowledge of the right techniques since twisting wrong and doing heavy physical work can also aggravate a mild condition. Sometimes, patients tend to ignore the initial warning signs of a sharp lower back pain thinking it will go away and its not worth bothering over, but this is wrong and needs to be addressed immediately to prevent more severe cases. What many do not realize is that in ignoring the warning signal given by the body to the individual, there is a chance of aggravating an already painful condition and therefore, patient information on the condition is very crucial to serve a timely warning.

If the patient does not recall any of the above scenarios as causes for the lower back pain he or she is suffering, medical opinion should be sought immediately to rule out other possibilities, such as conditions of spinal stenosis (restricted spinal cord and nerve root channels), arthritis, infection in the spine, cancer of the spine or spondylolisthesis.

Also, a doctor is the best person to rule out the possibility of a fracture in the lower back as a potential cause for the sharp pain a patient may be suffering; once the above possibilities have been studied and other acute or chronic areas of the condition have been looked into, then diagnosis is more likely to be accurate and treatment can be started in earnest.

Some of the signs that a lower back pain sufferer may need to put across to his or her doctor for proper diagnosis include a sort of general ache radiating into the lower back, behind and the legs with occasional or steady complaints of numbness, tingling or weakness. Those suffering additional bowel or bladder problems should not delay contacting their doctor as this could mean a more severe case of lower back pain than usual.

Examination of the condition typically includes slow and careful palpation of the spine to determine nature of muscle spasms, displacements/sore points and the same is also carried out for the abdomen to verify the involvement of any organ in the complaint. To determine the exact origin of sharp lower back pain, doctors may also recommend the patient undergoing neurological assessments, lab tests and imaging studies.

How Your Sitting Posture Affects Low Back Pain

Few people would argue that modern life is more sedentary than in the past; one of the negative effects of this is an abundance of health-related issues such as lack of exercise and posture problems leading to low back pain.

The Modern Workplace

When we think of the workplace and back pain we normally think of manual tasks and workers over-stretching or not taking the necessary precautions before lifting loads.

But, whether it's simply sitting at desks or driving our cars, there are other related hazards in the modern workplace.

We simply spend more time sitting down nowadays and the stresses associated with not sitting properly can be a central cause of low back pain.

When we combine bad posture with lack of exercise, poor diet, becoming overweight and leading generally higher stress lifestyles, it can become a collision course for our poor old backs, which are asked to do the vital job of supporting our whole bodies.

Are You a Candidate?

One way to assess whether you are a candidate for bad posture is to do a snap test right now. As you are reading these words how is your posture? Don't straighten up and raise your head as you read these words - just freeze the moment in time and assess your posture.

If you are slumped with a curved spine and your head and shoulders forward, with legs crossed, reading this off a computer monitor that is lower than eye level then you could be in store for some nasty low back, upper back or neck pain problems in the future.

In fact, just one or two of these poor posture characteristics can lead to problems.

The Seat of the Problem

Being the central support mechanism of the body, our lower backs carry a heavy load and they rarely get the chance to rest.

Even when we are in bed our sleeping posture may put undue pressure on some areas of the back.

So carrying the right posture through our daily life and especially for those of us who spend long hours sitting, becomes crucial. If we don't, we may increase pressure on discs and ligaments in the spine, causing them to wear away faster and setting us up for low back pain in later life.

Unfortunately many physicians go straight to medication to address low back pain without addressing the root causes of the problem; this can just as easily be poor sitting posture, poor diet, lack of exercise or excess stress in our lives, as other common causes like overstretching or injury.

Posture and Core Strength

A slouched sitting posture can have a negative impact on the Transversus Abdominis muscle especially. This is one of the main deep abdominal muscles which are core to stabilising the spine and maintaining balance and support in the lumbar spine region.

Periods of poor posture and physical inactivity can mean that this muscle will contract less often and less naturally, hindering the spinal support mechanisms of the low back region.

Correcting Bad Posture

The good news is that, if you suspect your sitting posture to be a cause of the problem, then you can immediately take some steps to correct it.

Remember you are looking to find a position that suits the natural curvature of your spine.

If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer, try raising your computer monitor until the center of the screen is at eye level.

This will encourage you to sit more upright, with a straight back and shoulders further back, instead of slumping forward and downward to your monitor.

Sit with your feet flat on the floor for stability and resist the temptation to cross your legs.

You will probably fall back into old habits subconsciously at first - each time you do, correct yourself again; bad habits are learned, so good habits can just as easily be learned!

For more serious low back pain, seek the advice of a healthcare professional who understands the importance of posture and can help identify the issues creating your low back pain. For the rest of us, a good place to start is with increased attention to maintaining correct posture, eating a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercises for the back's core muscles.

Leg Training With Lower Back Injuries - 6 Steps to Improved Lower Body Training

Back Pain, If you haven't already had it you can pretty much rest assured that at some point you will have to deal with it. Some people may get lucky and only have minor injuries that go away with very little work, others (like myself) will have to deal and work around back pain for a very long long time.

However just because you have back pain or an injury doesn't mean you cant train, it just means you have to modify your training. If anything the change of training could benefit you in terms of motivation, exercise selection and the challenge of doing something different in the gym.

Before I jump into the exercises and training information I recommend from personal experience keep in mind i am not a doctor, and with any injury you should always consult your doctor.

Step 1 : Injury Check - Determine what is wrong.

One of the biggest problems with back injuries is actually knowing what your injury is! I was doing some research on back pain and saw a crazy statistic that about 60% of lower back pain injuries are undetermined. Basically someone has pain, and the doctor or chiropractor cant actually find anything mechanically wrong with the back. Sometimes back pain can be a lot more than just something wrong with your back! But this is another article all together. Try to find out what is causing the problem. It could be simple, it could be complex. Find a good Doctor, Chiropractor, Physiotherapist and learn from them.

Step 2 :Assessment - Determine what you can & can't do.

First thing I want you to do is take a pen and paper and write down ALL the lower body exercises that cause you pain. The list can be small, or long, but i want you to WRITE IT DOWN. Here is my list quickly. - Bar Back Squats - Bar Deadlifts - Heavy normal stance stiff leg deadlifts Heavy rotational core work Heavy squats of any kind. That is my list briefly. These are exercises that when I do them I know I am going to pay for them. Now do the following. Take your list, read it top to bottom, and then STOP DOING THESE EXERCISES! When you get a lot of pain from an exercise it is your body telling you to stop doing what you are doing, something is wrong. It is like driving a car, when a red light comes on your dash saying Check Engine that does not mean drive the RPM's up and drive as hard as you can. It means stop, evaluate, try to fix the problem!

Step 3 - PreHab & Mobility

Prehab & mobility work is another article I will write down the road, but I wanted to touch on it briefly. Everyone wants to get to the gym, hit it hard and go home. Keeping in mind when you train you are breaking down your muscle tissue, nervous system and more. It is a good idea to get your body READY for the workout ahead. Prehab basically means prehabilitation, which is the opposite of rehabilitation. Rehab is what you do AFTER you are injured. Prehab is what you do to MINIMIZE getting injured. Why get injured if you can prevent it! More on this down the road.

Mobility work is around the same lines as prehab. It is good to get your body moving and firing properly so that it can do the job that you want it to do. Let say your goal is a sprint workout. Don't do any warm up, or dynamic stretching, just go dive right into your sprints. This is great IF you want a hamstring tear! So prehab & mobility should always come before any workout. It will take 8-20 minutes depending on age, training experience, type of training. But it is ALWAYS worth it. Consider this the seat belt of your car. Always buckle up!

Step 4 : Getting Ready For The Exercises

A few factors that I always take into consideration with back pain/injuries and training are the following. Load Tempo Stability ROM (Range of motion). Lets start with load. For load lets just keep this simple. Load for now will be simple, it is the amount of weight you use for an exercise.

For example lets say you are squatting. If you are squatting the bar (45lb) without problem, then squatting should be OK right? Well lets say you put 315 on that bar (and your are strong enough to do it) and that weight causes you pain/discomfort. then the load is too high. If you can do an exercise with LIGHTER weight and still do the exercise this is a good thing. It just means you have to LOWER YOUR WEIGHT. I know, everything you read tells you to lift more. Well when you are injured this is the wrong thing to do!

However, if you can do an exercise without pain with lighter weight we can introduce the next thing, Tempo. If you are familiar with tempo then skip to the next paragraph. if not let me summarize quickly.

Tempo is the following. The speed at which you execute an exercise. Tempo has 3 ranges I will explain using a bench press. Eccentric : Lowering (Once you take the bar off the rack and lower it to your chest) Pause : When the range is at its fullest (IE on the bench press it is when the bar touches your chest) Concentric : The positive side of the lift. IE Pushing the bar off your chest on bench press)

A tempo principle would be written like this Tempo 6 - 1 - X 6 = 6 seconds down 1 = 1 second pause X = Move the weight as fast as you can back to the start of the rep

Simply put if you have an injury SLOW DOWN. Using less weight with a longer TUT (Time Under Tension) you will benefit greatly from it. Your muscles will get work and your joints will thank you! Next up is stability training. Stability training has really gone strange over the last few years. You see bosu balls everywhere, and everywhere I see stability training i see people doing things they shouldn't be doing!

When defining stability at the moment we want to look core stability. Keeping the TVA (Transversus abdominis muscle) stable during lower body exercises is very important. If your core is unstable and you have a lower back injury or weakness you will only make matters worse.

What I mean for this is keep your stomach tight, your core strong and stable, this will help reduce back injury and also injury prevention.

Lastly is ROM means (Range Of Motion). For the most part you always want a full range of motion. However, if this isn't possible (usually due to lack of mobility), I recommend modifying the exercise and making the best of it. For example I cant do full squats (But I think they are a fantastic exercise if you can do them). But I can do squats to a bench without much pain. So why not use them. It is better to do something than nothing.

Step 5 : The Exercises

First thing I recommend is to ditch most exercises that involve using 2 legs at once. Single leg training is the way to go! You wont see much of this type training in Flex magazine, but if you want legs like Ronnie Coleman this isn't the article for you. However if you want muscular, strong, functional legs, uni-lateral leg training is an excellent choice.

Some Benefits Of Uni-Lateral Leg Training Are:

- The loads on the spine will be dramatically reduced
- The leg(s) are isolated causing a much higher recruitment of muscle fiber activation Improvement of sports as most sports don't have 2 legs in a set position exerting effort (IE. Squat or Deadlift)
- Improved Co-ordination with single leg training.
Due to my own injury I have fallen in love with the following exercises.
- Single Leg Box Squats - Start using your own body weight then progress to using a weighted vest & or dumbells Lunges. Reduced load on spine when using dumbells. Can adjust stride length and dept to hit different areas of legs & hips.
- Single Leg Stiff Leg Deadlifts. Done with a dumbell or kettlebell. Great for hamstrings, lower back & improving balance.
- Ski Squats - Vary heights every 30 seconds. Step Ups - Varying heights using dumbells.
- Leg Extensions - (For bodybuilding, not for sports improvement) Sissy Squats -(Old School exercise that has great benefits for leg growth)
- Single Leg Squats against a wall with a ball. Same as ski squat but using a ball

6. Post Workout Recovery

I am not going to go into the details of post workout nutrition here. I will just cover what I think is important from a training point of view.

The only time to do static stretching (where you place the muscle in a stretched ranged and hold), is post workout. After doing leg training I recommend a good 10-15 minutes of cool down stretching. I always find it best to start with the hips and work your way down.

IE. Stretching in order, Glutes, Hips, Quads, Hamstrings, Calves.

I also highly recommend ice post workout. Not the ice cold type skin creams, I mean a bag of cold ice or a ice pad. Applied to any area that hurts after you train. This is key in reducing inflammation (which contributes largely to pain). Reduce inflammation, improve recovery.

Another great post workout way to recover is alternating hot and cold shower. To do this you run 30 seconds hot, then 30 seconds cold. It really sucks but it really works wonders for muscle recovery.

Summary

Training with any injury is never fun. A back injury gets in the way of everything you do, but instead of looking at it negatively look at it as a challenge and make the best of your situation. Look for another article down the road implementing these exercises into a kick ass lower body routine that will get your legs firing while minimizing back pain and improving mobility!

Low Back Pain and Sciatica - Is Osteoporosis the Cause?

Literally speaking, osteoporosis means 'porous bones'. Individuals with osteoporosis suffer brittle bones which can be broken more readily than someone who is not suffering with osteoporosis. However, this does not mean you are going to suffer a fracture, there will be plenty of people walking around suffering with osteoporosis of the spine who will never suffer any kind of fracture, with the condition itself having varying degrees of severity. It is often only when an individual suffers a fracture that they realise they are osteoporotic, consequently those that do not suffer a fracture pass through life never knowing.

As we go through life, our body continuously replaces/remodels our bones to keep them strong. However as we get older, this remodelling cannot always keep pace with the natural thinning of the bones which also naturally takes place. Consequently, slowly but surely the bone density is not as healthy as we would like it to be and osteoporosis can result.

With regards to Low Back Pain & Sciatica and the effect osteoporosis may have, it is primarily due to the vertebra of the spine losing height which causes the pain. As the bone density of the vertebra decreases in those individuals with osteoporosis, the vertebra begin to lose height as a consequence of the weight being placed through them by our own body. When quite severe, relatively small fractures can take place and as a result the vertebra can become quite 'squashed'. This is referred to as a compression fracture.

The consequences of this are two fold:

1) Posture: Due to the way in which the vertebra become compressed, it causes those suffering with osteoporosis to develop a 'flexed' or 'stooped' posture. In addition to this, once again as a result of the vertebra becoming compressed, significant height can be lost... it is as if you are shrinking! Even though your posture may be quite severely affected, you may not necessarily be suffering any pain at this stage. However, this is not a reason to be complacent and if you recognise any of these potential changes in posture, it is important you make an appointment to see you Doctor.

2) Pain: If you are suffering with compression fractures of the vertebra, there is a fair chance this is going to cause you pain at sometime, especially when the fracture is relatively new and your body has not been able to heal itself yet (it will though). If these fractures and their consequences begin to irritate the nerve roots which form the sciatic nerve in any way, sciatica i.e. pain down the legs, will result.

Osteoporosis is something which can be readily treated and the sooner you begin treating it the better. Pain associated with osteoporosis is not something you necessarily have to live with.

A Hidden Cause of Low Back Pain

A hidden cause of low back pain...

• It's not your muscles.


• Or your discs.


• It won't show up on an MRI.


• Your chiropractor doesn't fix it with an adjustment.


• And you can't take a pill to treat it.

Yet... it can be a major contributor to low back problems.

It's your connective tissues. They wrap, strap, and brace things together, and transfer forces from one body part to another.

The term "connective tissue" (sometimes called "fascia") includes

• Your tendons and ligaments that together convey muscle force to a bone and keep the bones in an organized relationship to each other


• The stout bands that steady the outside of your thigh to allow you to stand up (called the fascia lata)


• The strapping that connects the two bones of your forearm together (the interosseous membrane)


• The abdominal wall that keeps your guts in place (called - you guessed it - the abdominal wall)


• The tight membrane surrounding your body and forming the anchoring base for your skin (the subcutaneous fascia)


• The dura mater lining the brain


• The plantar fascia, which will give you foot pain if it's too tight


• The lumbodorsal fascia, which braces the low back, and


• Much, much more.

The connective tissues convey movement from one body part to another. So if your fascia is out of balance, your body movement is out of balance too. Then you'll get excess pressure on certain joints. And your muscles will be at a mechanical disadvantage and be more likely to overwork.

The connective tissues have your blood vessels and nerves embedded in them. That means connective tissue imbalance will interfere with blood flow and nerve transmission.

Fascia is also rich in nerve endings. That means that your connective tissues can be a direct source of pain in and of themselves, in addition to the effect they have on your other body parts.

White blood cells and other immune system elements wander through your connective tissues, waiting to be called into action elsewhere in the body. Fascia problems will inhibit a robust immune response.

Your connective tissue tells a story. But only to those who can decipher it.

The texture and pliability of each zone of fascia records the history of specific stresses your body's been subject to.

But it takes a practitioner with extensive experience to make sense of the story.

Imagine yourself wandering into a newly discovered Egyptian pyramid - you know the hieroglyphics mean something important, but only an archaeologist with years of experience can interpret them.

Here's what you can do to take care of your connective tissues: Become good friends with a foam roller specially designed for connective tissue self-treatment.

You can lie on your roller and it will work out the kinks in your connective tissues. Place it under your mid-back (for instance), then breathe and relax as you let gravity take over. The roller will apply therapeutic pressure to the knots on either side of your spine.

You can also use it under your gluteal or outer thigh region. Or anywhere in the body.

Low Back Pain - How To Find Relief For Low Back Pain

Suffering from low back pain can be a real detriment to accomplishing daily tasks. Low back pain, also called lumbago, is a fairly common disorder that 80% of us will likely experience at some point in our lives. In fact, it is the primary cause of work-related disability in the US. Low back pain is caused by a number of potential factors, all of which involve some form of strain or sprain, infection, pressure, and swelling of the muscle, bone tissue, or the bone itself.

What do I do with this pain?

Most people suffering from lumbago do not consider surgery as their first choice in addressing their back pains. Doctors may recommend therapy, medication, changes in posture, adjustments in diet, and may even recommend surgery for more serious cases. However, if you're among those looking to hasten their recovery period from back pain, you may choose to undergo additional therapy, in addition to what your doctor recommends you to do.

What is the fastest way to support the recovery of my back pain?

A very highly successful alternative support to alleviate back pain symptoms is known as non-surgical spinal decompression therapy. It is a very technologically advanced form of traction which provides alternative relief of symptoms brought about by lower back pain.

What is spinal decompression therapy?

Decompression therapy is a non-surgical procedure that serves as a form of therapy for relieving pain due to lower back pressure, strain, disc displacement, and other faulty functions on one's lower back that cause pain. This form of therapy serves to effectively enhance the process of healing and hastens pain relief, enabling you to go back to your active lifestyle faster than the normal recovery period. Several clinical studies and research have already shown a high correlation between faster healing and spinal decompression therapy.

How does a spinal decompression therapy work?

A patient about to undergo spinal decompression lies on the treatment table. Then, a support system is fitted in order to stabilize the body. A highly advanced mechanism that is computer-controlled then adjusts the back to a certain angle in order to facilitate the next steps. The computer system will then generate an anti-gravity simulation effect on the patient's spine in order to reduce pain and pressure--essentially decompressing the affected area to relieve it of any tension. This process is painless, gentle, and patients feel only a pulling sensation every now and then. After the session, a cold pack paired with electric simulation of the muscles are then applied to the area to speed up the process of healing.

How long do I have to undergo decompression therapy?

Normally, a patient undergoes 15 to 20 sessions in order to maximize the effects of the therapy. Each session lasts for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on each patient's special case. However, some patients report immediate relief even after only a few sessions. Others also report a huge reduction in the amount of pain after only one session. A patient doesn't have to fulfill a commitment of a particular number of sessions--it can be discontinued at the patient's discretion.

Spinal decompression therapy may produce favorable results on its own, but a typical program usually encourages the patient to engage in a couple of exercises. These exercises, to be specified by the decompression clinic, serve to strengthen the lower back muscles in order to avoid future recurrence of lower back pain.

Lower Back Pain

The lower back is the region connecting the upper and lower body, which bears all our weight and because of this reason, it is prone to injuries while lifting, reaching or twisting, if these activities are done carelessly. On the brighter side, lower back pain needs just some basic care, which the individual can see to and relieve the pain in a matter of weeks, in most circumstances. For more chronic cases, where pain is severe and extends to beyond a few weeks, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

Causes of lower back pain

Common cause for lower back pain is over use of the muscles and strain caused through improper bending and stretching which does not support the natural balance of the lower back muscles. Sports injuries, heavy yard work or lifting excessively heavy objects can also strain the lower back. Degeneration through age is another factor, as bones and muscles lose strength with time: the discs between the vertebrae provide less cushioning in old age and a bulging disc or a herniated one pressing on the nerves can result in lower back pain. At times, arthritis, compression fractures caused by osteoporosis (bone loss) illness or a spinal problem since birth can be probable causes too.

Symptoms and diagnosis of lower back pain

Usually, a dull, burning or sharp sensation felt at a singular point or extending over a broader area, coming on slowly or suddenly, with muscles spasms are common symptoms of lower back pain; they can be acute cases-lasting less than 3 months- if properly treated, or be recurrent in nature or even chronic (lasting over 3months). The diagnosis requires a full account of medical history, symptoms and the physical activity of the sufferer before the doctor can commit a serious cause for the lower back pain as X-rays, CT scans and MRIs are limited to cases of broken bones, cancer or an injury requiring surgery. Or, if the patient is considering a lawsuit for worker's compensation for lower back pain being caused due to any practice at the workplace.

Treatment of lower back pain and preventing recurrence.

In most cases of lower back pain, the application of ice for 5 to 15 minutes every few hours for some days is helpful. The patient could alternate with heat therapy, like hot water bottle/heating pad or a hot shower for a longer duration (15-20 minutes) for the next few days. Resting position during lower back pain should be sleeping on the side with a pillow between the knees with a couple of day's bed rest and then returning back to normal routine helps muscles to stay strong with walking being the best exercise for the lower back. Core stabilization exercises can be done gently which improve posture, keep your body's equilibrium at its optimum while lowering chances of injury too. Other safeguards include wearing low-heeled shoes, sleeping on a medium-firm mattress, avoiding lifting heavy objects and watching your weight-especially around the waist as this puts stress on the lower back.