MRI's and X-Rays Lie About The Cause of Back Pain

If you have been experiencing back pain, you have probably gone to see your primary care physician or an orthopedist. They have evaluated you and probably ordered you to get an MRI or an X-ray. That is common practice today in our current health care system. When you do the MRI or X-ray, it is usually followed up with a report that is sent to the referring doctor.

Many times the MRI or X-ray will say that there are bulging discs, facet hypertrophy, stenosis and other things. As important as those things are, it is even more important to understand whether or not they correlate with your symptoms.

If you are having lower back pain and butt pain, but the MRI says you have a disc herniation at L5-S1, it is probably not the cause of the lower back pain. The reason I say that is because the nerves that correspond to the L5-S1 dermatome area are located in the back of the leg and they control bladder and bowl movement. A significantly herniated L5-S1 disc would cause pain in the back of the leg and affect bowl and bladder function.

I am often asked what all of the findings mean. My answer generally is to first identify what if causing your back pain rather than reading thee MRI. While I think it is very important to get these imaging studies I place extreme attention in determining if the findings are what are really causing your problem.

For example, I have had patients whose MRI and X-rays actually show nothing, yet they are in incredible amounts of pain. So what good was the MRI in this case? By examining further and looking at a person's posture, muscle strength, muscle length, type of work, and type of recreational activities and habits, I can better diagnose what the problems could be.

Often people's pain originates from something that they do on a daily basis like their sleep position or the posture they assume while at work. Even though their MRI might read facet hypertrophy or stenosis, it could be one of the positions you are in daily that is making your problem worse and more painful.

This article is to help inform you that there is hope beyond just your imaging results. Even as bleak as you imaging results may be or sound, there is always something that you can change, modify or improve upon that can help you in the long run.

Even if you had a 7mm herniated disc at L4-5, a very large bulge, and had really bad numbness and tingling down the legs, you could still learn what positions to avoid, what positions to try and achieve, what stretches you can do comfortably and what strengthening exercises you could do to help provide some stability to the spine.

While MRI's and X-rays can be very helpful, I hope you can see that you have the opportunity to seek out additional advice and education on how to help improve the situation you are already in even if your imaging studies results don't paint such a great picture.

Too Much Stretching Can Cause Low Back Pain

Too Much Stretching Can Lead to Low Back Pain

Many times people perform stretching routines in order to overcome back pain but little do they realize that too much stretching can actually cause back pain. If you stretch too much you can develop what is known as a hypermobility syndrome. This means that a joint develops too much motion and as a result becomes unstable.

I see a good number of these cases every year and many times the patient is completely unaware that their stretching caused the problem. In fact, many patients try to stretch more in order to alleviate the pain. What they are actually doing is making the problem worse. Many times they have trouble accepting that stretching contributes to the pain because they feel that their back muscles are tight.

One joint that frequently develops instability is the sacroiliac joint. At the base of the spine is a triangular bone called the sacrum. The sacrum forms a joint with a part of the pelvic bone called the ilium. You have both and right and left sacroiliac joints. There are a number of ligaments that hold the joint together. When the ligaments become overstretched the joint becomes unstable.

An unstable sacroiliac joint can produce pain and muscle tightness. The muscles work to overcome the unstable joint by becoming tighter. They attempt to stabilize the loose joint. Many people think that these tight muscles must be stretched so they continue stretching or even worse stretch more.

I have seen these syndromes develop in people who are very flexible such as dancers and those who practice yoga. In many cases people who are flexible to begin with take up stretching which creates the instability problem.

Sacroiliac instability presents as low back pain on the right or left side usually below the belt line. Sometimes the pain can radiate to the buttock, groin or back of the thigh. There is a muscle deep in the buttock region called the piriformis muscle that also can be involved. This muscle works to stabilize a loose sacroiliac joint and becomes tight and painful. In some cases the piriformis muscle can affect the sciatic nerve which runs down the back of the leg. It is important to remember that the tight muscles are the body's way to stabilize the joint.

One test for sacroiliac instability is to lie on your back and lift the right and left legs one at a time. A positive test is when the pain is worse with lifting either leg or one leg feels weaker than the other when lifted.

Treatment for sacroiliac instability is to first avoid stretching the ligaments and creating further damage. Physical therapy modalities such as ultrasound and electrical muscle stimulation and ice can also help. A licensed health care provider such as a chiropractor or physical therapist can also prescribe stabilization exercises similar to those found in pilates routines. In some cases a sacroiliac support belt also called a trochanteric support can also help to support the joint. This belt is worn around the widest part of the hips. In many cases the belt provides some immediate relief from pain.

If you have any of the following you could have sacroiliac instability:

1. Traumatic injury to the low back.

2. Low back pain treatment that is not working.

3. Low back pain after taking up stretching or yoga.

It is best to get a diagnosis from a licensed health care provider who can also provide the appropriate treatment to help you heal. Generally, in most cases stretching is a good thing for the low back but for some very flexible people it could cause damage to the sacroiliac joint. As with any back injury, early intervention by a qualified practitioner will prevent a minor problem from becoming an aggravating, chronic problem.

Lower Back Pain While Standing Up - Improving Posture

If there is pain in your lower back, then there are very good chances of something being wrong with your posture. Some of the cause for this improper posture could be slouching on the chair while sitting, slouching while standing or walking, etc. We would, in this article, look at some of the ways to cure this problem arising out of postures and standing up for long hours.

It is very important that one stands properly or is erect while walking. Lots of stretching exercises are also recommended for this problem. Try stretching exercises whenever you get the time or the space. Just ensure that you are on an empty stomach before going with these exercises.

These exercises will help you get rid of the unwanted fat and toxins that you might have built up in your body due to improper posture that might have added up to the pain. These stretches might not come naturally to you but it is important that you get used to them. If you are not able to stretch properly or feel some discomfort and pain, then it is advisable to stop these stretching exercises and try something else.

The lower back is the most active part of our body and it is one portion which carries and bears a lot of weight. Therefore it is only normal that you get pain in that region more than often. Sitting or continuous standing creates lot of pressure on this part of the body and that finally results in pain and aches. Therefore, it is very important that you try to relax your body especially your lower back as much as possible.

Lying down for some time during breaks or eight to nine hours of sound sleeping will definitely help a lot in curing this problem. Try to give some support to your back whenever you are sleeping or sitting with a cushion with some other soft pads.

Is Your Lack of Movement the Cause of Your Lower Back Pain?

Most people stop moving when they start suffering from lower back pain. They assume that they should rest so this way the pain can go away. But resting a toothache doesn't make the toothache go away. You have to go and figure out what's causing the tooth pain to have it fixed.

Similarly with your back, if you hurt your back getting out of the car. It is from being in a sitting position and that turning from a sitting position injured your back. The best thing to do to fix it, is move through some healthy back stretches and exercises to relieve that pain.

Instead, most people figure they better lay down or sit down and rest to try and make their pain go away. While you rest, nothing is moving and nothing is being improved. All that is happening is that the soreness is actually getting worse. So when you do finally move, you have an even harder time moving than before. Much like a rusty hinge, if you let that rusty hinge sit and stay rusty it's going to sit and get stuck. If instead, you adjust the hinge, put some lubrication on the hinge and move the hinge back and forth to keep the hinge moving freely, your hinge will move normally.

Your body is a series of hinges stacked on top of each other, called joints. Each joint needs to remain lubricated and mobile in order to function correctly. Hence the reason you need to practice proper movement patterns. Proper movement patterns help to keep you young, mobile and pain free.

My recommendation to you is to see a professional about improving your movement patterns. That professional will assess where your hinges (joints) are getting stuck and prescribe a workable action plan on how to achieve a healthy moving body without pain.

Reconditioning Your Back - A New Type of Exercises For Lower Back Pain

To understand how to recondition your back, beyond the idea that certain exercises promise to do that, you need to understand what's behind most back pain and what back exercises must do to alleviate it.

There are more-effective and less-effective systems of exercise for the relief of back pain. Advocates of strengthening and stretching exercises point to yoga, Pilates, therapy ball exercises, and various programs of stretches. These exercises have a degree of efficacy with mild to moderate back pain; with more severe cases, however, a specific kind of exercise is needed for fast and definitive improvement (days or weeks, rather than months or years).

Numerous writers on back exercises for lower back pain say back exercises can provide relief, even long-term relief. Therapeutic exercises form a key part of any physical therapy program for back pain.

First, a brief overview of back pain:

Overview

Most back pain comes from muscles triggered to stay tight by brain-level conditioning. "Conditioning" means "learned or acquired habit patterns".

According to a writer at WebMD.com, on the topic, "Low Back Pain - Cause"...

Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine.

Muscle strain generally means, "musclebound" muscles; musclebound muscles generate pain through muscle fatigue and soreness.

If muscles are tight, it's because the brain is triggering them into a state of tightness. The technical term would be, "conditioned postural reflex". "Reflex" means "on automatic". So, most back pain comes from acquired habit patterns that keep muscles tight on automatic. Pain follows.

Tight back muscles pull vertebrae (back bones) tight and close together, causing friction between neighboring vertebrae (facet joints), leading to facet joint irritation (facet joint syndrome). At the same time, they cause spinal misalignment ("subluxation"), compress discs, leading to disc breakdown ("degenerative disc disease"), disc bulges (herniation), nerve root entrapment (e.g., sciatica), eventual disc rupture, extrusion of disc material (nucleus pulposus) and pressure on nerve roots, and eventual disc fusion. That about covers the range conditions associated with back pain -- and, except for violent accidents, they all trace back to neuromuscular conditioning.

How Does Neuromuscular Conditioning Develop?

Another name for neuromuscular conditioning is habits of posture and movement. Most movements, you may notice, occur on automatic once set into motion. That's because you've learned them previously and now only need to intend them for them to occur and to make minor adjustments of movement to meet the need of your activity.

In other words, you've learned habits of movement.

That's how excessive back muscle tension and back pain form: the formation of a back-muscle tension habit, through any of these three routes: repetitive motion, violent accident, or emotional stress. All make their impression on "movement memory" ("muscle memory"); all lead to and underlie most back pain.

That simplifies matters: When we think of learning, we think of memories formed by repetition, drill, and an experience of some intensity. In other words, repetitive motions and accidents produce enough of an impression on the brain to create a memory of "how movement should be" to create a tension habit and habits of movement.

Understanding The Way Out

Most articles on back pain revolve around a few common approaches:

• strengthening


• stretching


• warming up before activity


• good posture


• good structural support

All of these approaches are ways of coping with a poorly conditioned back. However, they don't go deeply enough to change that conditioning to the point of a definitive end to back trouble.

Let's hear from some of these writers, just to be able to make my point in relation to something specific.

With regard to dynamic lumbar stabilization exercises, writer Nishanth Reddy has this to say in his article, "Physical Therapy for the Lower Back: How to Prevent and Treat Lower Back Pain":

... the first thing that a physical therapist does is to look for the patient's "neutral" spine; [a]fterwards, when the patient is in that position, the back muscles are then exercised in order to "teach" the spine how to stay in this position.

The basic error in this kind of thinking is of "teaching the spine how to stay in this position." You can't bend over, you can't twist, you can scarcely move while keeping your spine in a neutral position. So, regardless of whether it is the standard of treatment for back pain, it is limiting and impractical and we can scarcely consider it a definitive cure for back pain -- and I think you will find that therapists agree with me.

Dr. Graeme Teague, an accepted expert in the structural field, advocates releasing tension in the hip flexors and improving the strength of the abdominals. While releasing tension in the hip flexors allows for a more erect carriage of posture, improving the strength of the abdominals does not change the conditioning of the back muscles, but only brings temporary relief as long as the person keeps their abdominal muscles tight -- not needed by someone with a normal or healthy back.

On the website for The National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, on the topic, "How is back pain treated?" the writer states:

Exercise may be the most effective way to speed recovery from low back pain and help strengthen back and abdominal muscles.

Since the brain controls the tension and strength of muscles, and through that, muscle tension, length and posture, the brain's control of muscular action is a major key to ending back pain.

In other words, the effect of strengthening and stretching exercises comes almost entirely from learning better control of back muscle action. It's not "added strength" or "added stretch", but added control, which regulates muscle strength and length (degree of "stretch" and tendency to spasm), posture, and degree of muscle fatigue (soreness).

Since our brain has learned its way into your back pain, we must teach it the way out. That's the key to effective back exercises.

That point understood, we understand that the most direct route back to comfort is learning better regulation of muscle tension and movement, which leads to better posture and movement and which leads out of strain to ease. That kind of learning works in reverse to the other kind of conditioning that creates back pain to create a new, automatic, healthier pattern of back muscle conditioning. That kind of learning makes efforts at "maintaining good posture", "maintaining neutral spine position", or "holding adjustments" unnecessary -- unnecessary because your good condition is now automatic, your new baseline or habit of natural movement -- like anyone else with a good back.

As with all methods and techniques for accomplishing anything, there exist more effective ways and less effective ways. First, a description of a less effective way: A quote from writer, Dave Powell, in his article, "Ouch! Prevent Lower Back Pain!", makes my point.

First, notice the regimen he recommends, then notice, in his own words, the expected outcome:

First of all..., [w]hen you stand up, stand tall, tuck in your chin and then tuck your tail in.

This recommendation amounts to holding a certain posture and alignment. While there's a measure of truth in his recommendation (e.g., good ergonomics in your work situation), his recommendation instills additional patterns of muscular holding (tension) to counter the habitual ones.

... lower back pain prevention means you must think and plan before you carry out a tough task. This will minimise the stress you put upon your back and very much reduce the risk of episodes of lower back pain.

In other words, he implies that you can't be care-free about your movements and expect to be free of back pain.

I differ from these writers. I say (based on my experience and that of my colleagues in the field of clinical somatic education, who have worked with thousands of clients over the years). If you recondition your back muscle control, rather than merely strengthen or stretch muscles -- or limit your posture and movement -- you can have healthy back without concern for maintaining posture and alignment, without concern for pain or for a "bad back" -- because your habits of movement are already automatically healthy.

Even if you may be skeptical -- and I can understand why you would be -- do you like that idea? What I say is doable and my words are testable. See the links at the end of this article for free instructional video that teaches somatic exercises for back pain.

Learning to Control -- and so to Free -- Your Back Muscles

If you have back trouble, almost certainly your back muscles are musclebound and out of your control, held tight by brain-level conditioning that keeps them tight, out of reach of strengthening, stretching, or efforts at good posture or correct movement.

To recondition your back muscles better is to free yourself from painful conditioning that keeps them tight, and so to establish a new, healthier, automatic (second-nature) pattern of movement. The result is freedom from back pain as a person with a healthy back.

Moreover, it doesn't matter, in most cases, how long you have been in your condition; you can correct it fairly quickly using an approach that treats the underlying cause.

That's it, in principle.

An Entirely Different (new) Form of Therapeutic Exercise

Somatic exercises free you from habituated back muscle tension and establish a healthier pattern by dissolving the grip of the old habit pattern and imprinting a new sense of movement and control into your memory. In other words, they teach your brain a new pattern of muscular control.

The way they dissolve the grip of the old habit pattern is by triggering, in the problem areas, a neuromuscular response similar to yawning. That action, called "pandiculation", involves your deliberately contracting the musclebound muscles in specific positions and then slowly releasing the contraction; it refreshes voluntary control of movement sufficiently to shift control from conditioned reflexes, to your voluntary control. The immediate result is a relaxation of habitual tension patterns. The way they teach your brain a new pattern of control is the same way as you learn any other pattern of control: by practicing the new pattern until it is as familiar to you as the old pattern. At that point, you're set free; you don't have to hold on to the new pattern because it's a pattern of freedom.

You can see such exercises in the links, below, to free instructional videos of somatic exercises for back pain.

Because somatic exercises are designed specifically for learning muscular control ("muscle memory" or "movement memory"), they target the central process of effective back exercises for lower back pain (and other locations of pain, as well) and accomplish what is ordinarily sought through strengthening, stretching, efforts at good posture or good body mechanics.

Here are the elements of somatic exercises.

Somatic exercises are...

• slow


• comfortable


• patterned movements

that, by establishing new memories of how movement feels...

• relieve pain


• free the muscles


• develop new, low-strain patterns of movement


• coordinate movement better


• improve strength

... all of which result in natural, easy movement in comfort.

CONCLUSION

What I've done in this article is highlight standard ways of treating back pain to illuminate their underlying principles and their degree of efficacy, then present and explain an alternative that accomplishes all they seek to accomplish.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Some Common Causes Of Lower Back Pain

According to the latest statistics close to 75% of the population have at one time or another experienced lower back pain. And although many will have bouts with back problems, usually most of these will not be too serious.

Lower back pain problems can range from very mild and short-lived to excruciating. If it is left untreated then it can end up much more serious, therefore if your pain is consistent and persists over a long period of time, it is highly recommended that you see a doctor as quickly as possible. This way, you can start on the path to having it treated by a professional.

The majority of lower back problems and cases can be attributed to sprained muscles due to either bending or lifting heavy objects. Normally this type of pain will only persist from a week up to 14 days or so, with very few problems lasting over a month. Sometimes the back pains will come back on a short-term temporary basis.

One of the more painful causes of back pain is a pinched nerve. Normally, those who have this type of problem will feel pain that runs all the way to the feet and through the legs. This can be very severe and debilitating. This condition is usually caused by a disc that has become herniated or ruptured and is starting to bulge, which then presses against the nerve.

Sometimes, especially in the elderly, a culprit might be arthritis. This is due to inflamed spinal joints which creates stiffness and frequent pain. Other causes may include such things as infections of the bladder or kidney, spinal nerve disease or perhaps a sudden injury such as a fall that triggers an attack. It should be noted that it can strike people of all ages including teenagers. In fact bad backs are one of the leading causes of absenteeism in the workplace and at school.

Usually low back pain is treated with anti-inflammatory type drugs or pain killers depending on the severity of your condition. Normally this will be combined with some physical therapy or exercise. However, many people find relief by consulting with a chiropractor. This is because that if your back is not properly aligned it can create back problems. These type of doctors are specialists and have helped millions of patients through the years.

A last resort is going to be surgery. A lot of the time this will consist of removing a herniated disc or other spinal procedures which may include fusions or injections into the vertebrae. Normally back surgery has a success rate of around 80% or so and the recovery time can be quite lengthy. It can also be quite expensive depending on what type procedure you are having.

If you are someone who is suffering from chronic back problems and sleepless nights because you have constant discomfort, you should not put it off as this type of problem normally does not just go away by itself. You should see a professional as soon as you possibly can.

Suffering Back Pain When Sitting?

Suffering with low back pain when you are sitting is a very common complaint.

This is because sitting places an increased amount of stress through your lower back, which in turn aggravates the already sensitive structures, therefore causing you pain.

So why is it so painful then?

Sitting is naturally a flexion dominated position. By that, I mean it encourages your body to 'curl' or 'slump'. This is the opposite to standing, when we naturally tend to be more upright and the back adopts a more 'neutral' posture.

Especially if the chair you are sitting in is not very well supported, this flexed position becomes exacerbated, all the time placing more stress across your lower back.

I am sure you can picture it now, you are sitting in a very soft, deep settee and your lower back is just sinking into the back of the chair. This position which your low back is adopting is the flexion stress I am referring to. The longer you sit there, the more stress there is being placed across your back and therefore the more potential for pain.

If you stand up to get out of the chair, although it may seem very difficult and painful at first, it is likely that once you straighten up and get moving the pain begins to ease. This is because you have removed the increased flexion stress across your low back, due to standing being a more upright position. Consequently, the pain will begin to reduce.

So what is the answer then?

The answer is to decrease the flexion stress being placed across your lower back. This will not only reduce the pain you are suffering, but will also give the body a chance to heal itself.

All the time you are placing increased stresses across your lower back, you are interfering with the body's ability to heal itself (I often use the analogy here of scratching or picking a cut which is beginning to heal. If you do this, the cut which the body is trying to repair will take a lot longer to heal).

In order to try and decrease this stress across your lower back, you need to reduce the amount of flexion being placed across it while sitting. This can be achieved in the following ways:

i) Sit in a better chair for your low back.

The softer and deeper the chair you are sitting in, the more your lower back is going to suffer a flexion stress across it. This is because a soft and/or deep chair will encourage your lower back to 'slump' into it, increasing the flexion stress across your lower back as described above.

ii) Provide your lower back with some support.

In addition to sitting in a firmer chair, a good idea would be to place a rolled up towel or lumbar roll in the small of your back. Once again, this will decrease the chances of your lower back slumping backwards into the chair.

iii) Avoid sitting for too long.

The longer you sit for, the more likely your lower back is going develop a flexed type posture. This in turn will place more stress across your back and the injured structures concerned. This simply means more pain and less healing.

If you can take a break little and often from sitting, even if that means just standing up and taking a few steps up and down the room you are in, this will be continuously be taking stress away from your lower back and therefore it will give the body more chance to heal itself.

As a rule of thumb, you should try to avoid sitting for any longer than about 15-20 minutes without standing yourself up. Remember, this 'standing up' doesn't have to be for long, a simple walk up and down the room you are in will be suffice. Just try to give your low back a break from the prolonged position it has been in.

There is obviously a lot more to curing your low back pain than just sitting in a better chair, providing some support for you lower back and giving yourself breaks little and often.

Ultimately, you need to get to the cause of the problem and begin addressing that as well. This will involve a simple but effective exercise programme.

Nevertheless, the advice given in this article is a start. If you can begin easing your low back pain by taking in to account the above and then also begin to address the true cause of your problem with an appropriate exercise programme, there is no reason at all why you will not be able to cure the pain you are suffering with.

Does Every Computer Session End in Neck, Shoulders or Lower Back Pain? Try Supporting Your Forearms!

Do you ever suffer from lower back pain or shoulder girdle pain while or after working on a computer? Chances are, those pains are caused by a lack of support for your forearms.

What is the best position for the forearms when working on a computer?

Ergonomics experts differ regarding this issue and their approaches fall into several categories - Floating, using your table or the chair arm-rest as support, or using a special padded forearm support. This article presents those various approaches, discussing their advantages and disadvantages in an objective way, so as to let you decide which approach is most suitable for you.

Floating - The Pianist Approach

This approach consists in letting the palms of the hands hover over the keyboard. Specialists favoring this approach argue that shoulders should be relaxed and simulate the movements of piano playing, leaving the joints free of load. But this demands a keyboard situated very low and keeping a constant high awareness to your posture.

The table Support

Using the table itself to support your forearms might be the most common way. This method is self explanatory, easy, gives a full support to the shoulder girdles, and naturally creates a neutral posture of the palms. On the down side, the table's sharp edge or hard surface edge can cause discomfort and sometime result in an inflammation in the elbow area. In addition, this solution is impossible to implement on narrow tables, and with tables lacking an ergonomic niche, laying the forearms on the table forces the user to extend his or her forearms further, which creates a certain load on the shoulder girdles.

Chair Armrest Support

Instead of using the table, you can rest your forearms on the chair's own armrest. This insures a correct anatomical posture of the shoulders, and is suitable also for straight edged narrow tables, which lack depth. But this method cannot be implemented when the armrests are too narrow, not adjustable and not padded.

The Padded Ergonomic Armrest Board

In this method, the forearms are laid on a special padded surface connected to the table, with an ergonomic niche. The ergonomic pad affords full support to the forearm and it's comfortable, as it neutralizes any pressure points. It creates a correct sitting posture, and leads to a relaxed and optimal posture of the shoulders. Correctly built ergonomic armrest boards enable every user to find the typing position most suitable for his or her body shape and shoulders width, so they are suitable for all users, regardless of their height, or weight (yes, even during pregnancy, when back pains can be a real issue). The ergonomic armrest board enables users to upgrade non-ergonomic environments, as it can be easily attached or transferred to another table.

Let's summarize:

Floating, resting your forearms on the table or on the chair's armrest or using an ergonomic board - deciding what is best for your depends on your physical characteristics, as well as on the work surface at your disposal, the type of work you do and the ergonomic accessories you already have in your work environment. Whichever method you choose, we advise you to consider carefully what is appropriate and remind you that prevention is always better than treatment! So make sure you do whatever you can to prevent those pains in your shoulders or lower back!

Selecting the Right Ergonomic Computer Chair to Prevent Low Back Pain Injuries

It is always important to select a computer chair that is suitable ergonomically to sit on that chair for quite a long time for working on computer, and sitting on the wrongly chosen chair can cause severe low back pain injuries. These injuries can sometimes become severe and the only solution to prevent these is to purchase a computer chair that ergonomically maximizes your utility. The purpose of this article is to guide the reader about which criteria has to be followed in order to purchase an ergonomic computer chair.

The use of the computer is extensive in the modern world and everyone is using them. Additionally, everyone needs a perfect environment where he can sit and conveniently work. The importance of choosing an appropriate chair is increased when a low back pain or even injury is at stake. Therefore you must purchase a chair that has proper seat height, which is adjustable up to the finest height. The second most important criterion is to check the width and depth of the seat. The width should definitely fit you in which you are not squeezing, whereas the depth should fit your back resting against the back of the chair. Also, the ergonomic chair must provide you a perfect support from the back. The lower region of the back is the mostly affected part when you are not sitting on to the computer chair correctly. Additionally, the back of the chair should be such that it is adjustable by moving upwards or downwards. Other features you must look for are concerning with the support provided to your arms and head. The final thing you should look for is the topper that covers the chair. You must look for the one that is covered with fine leather or a similar type of fabric for utmost comfort. Not only can a bad chair cause severe back pain, but it can cause neck pain as well and that can become a very serious threat to your overall health and productivity.

The above tips and criteria will definitely help you out in choosing ergonomic computer chair that provides you comfort while working. Many corporations and large business that employ office workers give work benefits such as a number of free chiropractic visits each month. Be sure to use these as much as you can because a chiropractor will realign your spine with your neck and rest of your body, enabling you to be even more comfortable in your office chair and ultimately be a lot more productive.

Early Morning Lower Back Pain - Some Exercises

Early morning lower back pain can be got rid of easily if you are willing to do some stretches and exercises right after getting up from bed. These lower back pains could be of two types. The first type could be because of the nerve damage and the second type could be because of some sore muscles.

The type of pain can be, to some extent, determined by the person undergoing the pain. To get a clearer picture, one will have to get himself diagnosed. The muscle pain would be aching in nature and the nerve pain would be like an electrical shock or someone poking with a needle.

Heating pad can be used to get rid of this lower back pain problem. But be sure of what is actually causing the pain. If it is because of the muscle, then it would not be a huge problem. But if it is because of the nerve damage, then this heating pad is not recommended. This is because the heat from the heating pad could worsen the problem and increase the damage.

Backward extension exercises are some of the stretches that are generally recommended for such problems. This exercise was developed by Robert McKenzie, a renowned physical therapist. This exercise helps in centralizing the pain from different portions of the back region to one particular position. This eases down the pain and also makes the problem more bearable.

To get better results from these exercises, it is recommended that you do these exercises for three times a day and not just once a day. They should be preferably done when the pain arises rather than doing it randomly. Exercising when the pain shows up is better as that will help in bringing down the suffering as soon as possible. Application of ice packs wrapped in a piece of cotton cloth is also a very good way of dealing with this problem.

How To Treat Chronic Lower Back Pain

Here's a list of 10 principles for successfully treating chronic lower back pain

1. Most back pain is personally generated. It's all based on the law of too much and too little. Just ask yourself what do I do too much of and what do I do too little of that's caused my back pain? It's usually too much sitting down and too little strength and flexibility exercise.

The good news is that if your back pain is personally generated, there's a fair chance you can personally 'ungenerate' it.

2. It's muscles that move bones out of alignment. The good news is you can get muscles to move bones back into alignment - if you do the right exercises.

3. The cause of the pain is rarely at the site of the pain. Rubbing, crunching, heating and vibrating the spot where it hurts won't do as much good as strengthening and loosening the muscles that have allowed you body to move out of alignment.

4. The X-ray tells you what's happened; it doesn't tell you what's caused what's happened. Without the 'why' it's just another useless medical tool.

5. Most people with back pain don't have a regular and systematic strength and flexibility training program. Duh! The likelihood of a doctor or surgeon prescribing a decent strength and flexibility training program to get your body back in alignment is extremely remote.

6. The cheapest and most effective way to get yourself back in alignment would be to join a yoga group and spend at least half an hour a day doing yoga. Most people aren't prepared to do that. Their pain persists. Duh!

7. It's a big task expecting to get better by having someone do something to you - sooner or later you have to do something to yourself. You can't outsource your strength and flexibility training program - nor your sitting posture.

8. If you're prepared to devote a couple of hours a night doing a few simple exercises in front of the TV, you may well find that in a couple of months you feel heaps better. Just remember a good fix is unlikely to be a quick fix. It could take more than a couple of months. It could take a year, but in ten years time you'll have been pain free for nine years.

9. Back pain is a symptom of bones being out of alignment. Treat the cause not the symptom. The cause is usually tight hamstring, buttock and hip flexor muscles that have dragged the pelvis out of alignment. When the pelvis moves the bones above it move stretching ligaments, tendons and muscles beyond their pain threshold. Discs become herniated. If a portion of the disc hits your spinal cord you'll really experience pain. It will hurt to sneeze and cough. If the disc impinges on the sciatic nerve you'll get sciatica.

The solution? Square the pelvis up and the bones above it will go back to where they belong. Pressure taken off ligaments, tendons, muscles, discs, spinal cord and sciatic nerve. Problem fixed. Pain goes away.

10. Don't ask what your doctor, chemist, chiro and physio can do to fix back pain, ask what you can do for yourself.

How to Cure Lower Back Pain - Right Side Or Left

Lower back pain that begins in the lower back on either side, (right or left) and extends downward through the buttock and down the leg, (normally the back of the leg or thigh) is refereed to as sciatica. Sciatica is caused when the sciatic nerve gets compressed. This compression can be caused by a number of things.

Some of the more common things that place pressure on the sciatic nerve are:

1. Sitting on a hard object such as a wallet in your back pocket.

2. Discs and vertebrae out of alignment in the lower back causing the sciatic nerve to become pinched.

3. Herniated discs, this is when the inner core of a disc protrudes out of the outer core of the disc the lump then, causes pressure on the sciatic nerve.

4. Piriformis syndrome which is when the muscle (Piriformis Muscle) that attaches the lower part of the spine to the thigh bone becomes damaged and swells placing pressure on the sciatic nerve.

These are just the most common causes, mostly all causes of sciatica can be cured by simply doing exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles around the spine in the lower back. The muscles around the lower part of the spine are supposed to keep the spinal column in alignment and if one muscle is stronger than another or is damaged it may cause the discs and vertebrae to come out of alignment pinching the sciatic nerve.

There are treatment plans that only require eight to ten minutes of stretching exercises a day to help keep those muscles in shape thus keeping the spinal column properly aligned. By performing these exercises on a daily basis, many people that have suffered from sciatica all their lives have been able to stay pain free for many years without the expense of doctors, chiropractors, or medications.

Ergonomic Chairs - Reduce Lower Back Pain

Sitting at an office chair all day long can produce low back pain and if you have already damage on your back it can aggravate it more. Sitting in a static position will increase pain in the neck, back, shoulders and arms. It also adds pressure to the back and spinal discs.

Slouching while sitting in an office chair all day long is due to bad sitting habits and can cause damage to your lower back. The slouching causes the spinal ligaments to stretch and strains the discs in your spinal column. Prolong sitting in a slouching position over time can promote damage the spinal structures and may cause major problems in your lower back.

The idea is if you sit at a desk for long periods of time s to sit at an ergonomic chair. The ergonomic chairs will help you to get the most support for your back and help your body sit properly to reduce lower back pain. One important feature for the chair to work properly is to position it adequately to fit your size. The chair works best when it is adjusted to your body size.

To prevent lower back problems and muscle pains. Do not stay sitting at your office chair for long periods of time. Stand up and stretch your body slowly for a few minutes. About every half an hour to an hour get up and walk for five minutes and if possible try to stretch your arms up. You may want to do this stretching when you take a bathroom break or coffee break.

You get many benefits by walking a few minutes every half an hour to an hour as it helps your blood to circulate in your body. Even if you are sitting in the most comfortable office chair or an ergonomic chair take time to stretch; you will be benefiting your lower back and your whole body.

There are many standard office chairs and they come in many styles for you to buy. They might be good for the price you pay but they are not made to help prevent lower back pain.

The chair that will help you with the most benefits is an ergonomic office chair. The ergonomic chair will properly help your body sit right, prevent back pain and some cases where people have lower back pain it has been known to reduce the pain. If your work requires that you sit at your desk for a long period of time then maybe you should think of buying a chair that will benefit your lower back and help you sit at a more natural and comfortable position.

L4, L5, S1 Low Back Pain - Meet Your Psoas Muscle

Low back pain that is characterized by pain in the L4, L5, S1 region means that you need to have your psoas muscle lengthened. The psoas muscle attaches from the lumbar area (i.e., L4, L5, S1) to the upper thigh region. The psoas muscle is easily susceptible to contraction. When it gets shortened, it creates pressure on the discs in the L4, L5, S1 area, causing low back pain. Few people know about the effect of the psoas muscle on low back pain. And fewer people know how to lengthen the psoas when it becomes contracted. The best method is through Active Isolated Stretching therapy (also known as AIS).

The psoas muscle lies deep inside the stomach, so it is the flip side of the low back region. Is attaches at numerous points along the spinal column, over twenty-six locations. Sitting for long periods of time and doing full sit-ups are common reasons for the psoas to tighten. Modern society requires humans to sit most of the day, which is why low back pain is so prevalent. Tightness in the psoas muscle is not the only reason why people experience low back pain. But it is almost always a principle factor.

When a person undergoes Active Isolated Stretching treatment, a therapist helps the client to stretch the psoas muscle. This involves a client leaning on a massage table and the therapist pulling the leg away from the torso. This AIS technique properly lengthens the psoas muscle without risking injury to the discs of the low back. Opening the psoas muscle will radically improve low back pain; it is necessary but not the entirety of solving low back pain.

Other methods unsuccessfully try to address psoas tightness. Some massage therapy techniques try to manually lengthen the psoas muscle by pushing the hands deep into the stomach and trying to massage the muscle. This technique fails because the psoas is too deep inside the stomach to reach manually. And even if it can be touched, the psoas has too many attachment points along the vertebrae that need to be released. Its impossible to adequately lengthen the psoas muscle through massage techniques.

Back surgery is another option for low back pain in the L4, L5, S1 region. In some cases, a surgeon will shave off part of the disc that is herniating/bulging/degenerating. The disc is the cushion that lies in between the vertebrae (sections of the spinal column). The reasoning for shaving off the disc is that the protrusion is pushing into the nerve and causing low back pain. This procedure is regarded as minimally invasive back surgery. A more aggressive surgery involves removing the disc entirely and fusing the vertebrae together. This procedure is known as spinal fusion.

In either case, the issue that is being ignored is why is the disc being negatively affected? What is causing the disc in the low back to bulge, herniate, or degenerate? Part of the answer is contraction of the psoas muscle. Tightness in the psoas muscle is squeezing the vertebrae together. The excessive force is causing the discs around L4, L5, or S1 to spill out of normal position or wear down.

The approach in Active Isolated Stretching is to get to the root cause of low back pain. If the psoas muscle and numerous accompanying muscles can be restored back to normal length then the discs in the low back can return to normal position. Herniation can slide back inside when the excessive squeezing is terminated. The body can repair its own problems when the critical muscles are balanced. Even physicians emphasize investigating every option before considering back surgery. Active Isolated Stretching therapy is the safe/effective method that needs exploration.

Sharp Lower Back Pain - How to Stop the Agony

If your looking for the causes of sharp lower back pain and how to eliminate this pain from your daily life then you are going to want to read this article. First I'm going to show you how to determine the causes that have brought on this condition. Then you are going to learn how this can become a chronic condition if you don't take action NOW. Finally I'm going to introduce you to the steps you can start taking today to begin the healing process.

The most common lower back back pain causes are sudden exertion while carrying a heavy load, bending or twisting in a thoughtless jerking manner, or a prior medical condition. When you are lifting weights or just doing common household chores involving something heavy you need to make sure to always use proper form and lift slowly with the legs. You don't even have to be carrying anything at all to cause damage, sometimes all it takes is a quick jerking movement to pull your back. Sometimes, however, this pain is a warning sign of a serious medical condition.

Sharp lower back pain can become a chronic condition if you don't catch it early enough. It may start off as something that you barely notice and can easily ignore. But when this warning sign is ignored oftentimes people aggravate this mild condition into something much worse. Ignoring the initial signs and carrying on with the very same activities that caused the pain in the first place is a HUGE mistake, you need to immediately start taking action! This is the key to avoiding more severe lower back pain from developing.

In order to prevent sharp lower back pain you need more than just good back posture, you need flexibility and strength. I'm going to quickly introduce you into a couple of exercises that will help to prevent you from further damage. For every muscle their is a complementary muscle, biceps and triceps for example. In the case of the lower back it is the core, or abdomen. Strengthening your core is incredibly important if you are currently suffering from sharp lower back pain. The two exercises that I have found to be the most helpful are chest raisers and leg extensions.

What Can You RIGHT NOW To Stop The Pain?
This condition is the worst pain I've ever experienced and can negatively affect every aspect of your life. In order to prevent and treat it you first need to understand the causes. If you don't immediately take action using exercises, stretches, and other effective methods it can turn into a chronic condition that will be even more difficult to treat.

EFT to Finally Get Rid of That Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is very common. It is the biggest reason why employees take a day off sick in the UK and many other countries.

The most common cause of back pain is musculo-skeletal in nature. This has to do with how the bones, muscles and ligaments in the back are working together. For example, if any of the muscles are too tense, this can be felt as pain.

After a medical check-up to make sure no other issues are the problem, you are probably given pain-killers, recommended a manipulation technique like chiropractic or massage therapy, or perhaps physiotherapy and remedial exercise. But some people keep getting the lower back pain, keep going to the doctor, the physiotherapist, the massage therapist and so on; only to end up with that debilitating back pain yet again. This is when your doctor may recommend pain management techniques.

EFT, or Tapping, is a relatively new technique that has released many a lower back pain with astounding success. Most doctors, medical, and alternative practitioners are not aware of EFT as yet; although some of the more enlightened ones use it as part of their normal practice. Amongst its fans are Inci Irkin, MD, Eric Robins, MD and Deepak Chopra, MD.

In terms of energy healing, a chronic or recurring pain is due to an energy disruption. One of the most common causes of energy disruption is negative emotion. Or in EFT terms, the cause of all negative emotion is an energy disruption. I personally find that the word "emotion" is not just a psychological feeling but a sign from our mindbody. For example, when we feel joy, all is well. Conversely, when we feel fear, this is a warning to us to escape harm. Similarly, when we feel anger, this helps us to act in order to defend ourselves. Taking it a little further, sometimes it may not feel safe to have these emotions. Or maybe we have them but there is nothing we can do about them. For example, we may be angry but unable to act any further to protect ourselves. This excess negative emotion can collect in your body as an energy disruption. If your energy, or chi, is misaligned, it will manifest in the weakest part of your body. And once your lower back becomes weakened, through an accident or by normal wear and tear, this area becomes a weak part of your body. So if you have a structural weakness of any kind in your lower back, then you can get lower back pain when your energy is disrupted. EFT can release the energy disruption, thereby relaxing those previously-tense lower back muscles. Tension is both a psychological and physical state. EFT is very good at releasing tension.

Most people associate EFT with purely emotional issues and may be surprised to find emotions stored in their back. However, there comes a time when the pain is greater than the disbelief. And then you are ready to try almost anything!

I find that emotions stored in the lower back include:

• 
  Lack of support
  


• 
  Being unable to let go of an issue (often long-forgotten)
  
  


• 
  Insecurity or a feeling that one does not belong
  
  


• 
  A painful memory involving that area of the body
  
  

For example, Sharon came to see me with a lower back pain of magnitude 7 out of 10. This was a constant in her life since she had a car accident four years previously. After a few minutes of EFT, we released this memory from her lower back, getting it down to zero. We did EFT for:

• 
  The pain in her lower back
  
  


• 
  The accident
  
  


• 
  Her anger towards the other driver
  
  

Sharon then felt totally peaceful with that memory and was able to move on. And she was still free of this pain when I met her about a year later.

EFT is a very versatile tool literally at your fingertips. We stimulate certain acupressure points whilst repeating specially-targeted phrases. And do not worry about having to access points yourself on your back. The EFT points tend to be on the face, under the neck, and on the side of the body; all very easy to access yourself. You can learn EFT for free online, attend a workshop, or have a session with an experienced practitioner in-person or conveniently by phone. And your lower back pain can finally be released.

Running and Lower Back Pain - What You Can Do About It

Has running effected how your lower back feels?

Do you need to find some answers that will help you to reduce your lower back pain?

1.) Introduction to This Article

Running is a great cardiovascular sport but it can play havoc on the feet and the back. The main reasons are usually wrong footwear or wrong posture while running.- We will talk about back pain causes first in this article and then give you some ideas to help reduce the pain in the later sections.

2.) Some Causes of Lower Back Pain Due To Running

Inappropriate running shoes that do not absorb the impact of your feet hitting the road can cause a jarring effect on the vertebrae of the spine and knee joints, indirectly.

Your back pain can also be due to one or more herniated discs or muscle strains which can be aggravated further while running. Proper running shoes from renown brands that have put research into their products is advisable so that the impact of running is absorbed by the shoes. Otherwise try cushioning your shoes with orthopaedic padded insoles.

Certain conditions like flat feet can also result in back pain over time. Also some people have a tendency to put more weight on one leg than the other, this discrepancy adds pressure on the spine resulting in lower back pain.

Bad posture while running can cause the spine muscles to tighten which leads to back pain. Some people run very rigidly, holding their shoulders very straight. The right technique should be to have a straight back with the shoulders levelled and relaxed.

Some people literary try to push themselves forward while running. This tightens the back muscles and stresses the nerves in the spine, which causes back pain. Correct running technique uses the hip, knees, ankle joints and the feet to propel forward, not the back.

* Always warm up the muscles before running. This relaxes tight muscles and pumps the blood to all areas of the body.

* Take hot showers after a run to loosen stiff muscles. Applying heat balms to your back, knees and legs before entering a steam room is beneficial.

3.) Back Support & Why Its Important

If you have lower back pain and you want to help yourself get rid of it, then one thing you need to do is consider using a quality made lower back support. These supports can biomechanically off load your lower spine. The good thing about them is that you can use them before, during or after a work out as well. They are easily concealed by using a t-shirt and they can really help you to stop making any excessive movements that can trigger your pain. If you have back pain due to any running or non-running incident, you should seriously look into getting more support today.

*This is health information. Although we have seen back supports do great things for people, it is important to consult with your doctor regarding medical advice for your particular situation.

Stabbing Pain in Lower Back (Right Or Left Side) - Help Reduce the Pain Now - Braces For Support

Do you have a stabbing lower back pain that needs attention?

Did you get it as a result of an accident or did it just start to come on by its own?

1.) Introduction

Stabbing low back pain is the worst! You do not deserve to suffer from any form of back pain and that is why this article was written. We have studied many forms of back pain and can present you with some information that will help you save time and money when it comes to finding honest treatment methods. Lastly, we are not writing this article to just waste your time. We really want to get to the point here to help you achieve a more pain free lifestyle.

2.) Common Back Pain Problems

Some of the most common types of back pain are caused by muscle strains. This can be the result of overuse or an accident of some kind. Moreover, people can also suffer in many cases from a herniated disc, which may result from a degenerative condition or improper body mechanics. Pinched nerves can also cause pain in the lower back and it may travel down your leg in this case.

Fractures are also very possible and they can find a "home" in many peoples lumbar spine. Trauma and osteoporosis can lead to fractures of the lumbar spine and when you have a fracture of any type it is best to talk to your physician.

3.) Treatment Options

When you have injured your back, it is time to face the problem. Remember, you do not deserve to suffer from this issue and this is why we are going to provide you with some helpful information here.

One of the best ways to help off load your lumbar spine and its related internal elements is to consider using a back support. You may ask "why"?... Well, one of the tested, biomechanical principles of a back support is that they can help to increase intercavitary pressure. This helps to off load aching muscles, herniated discs or degenerative issues that can cause you a lot of problems. - The other good thing about increasing your back support is that many of these braces are easily concealed, just by using a t-shirt over the brace. People will not even be able to know that you have a back support on, unless you came out and told them. Many physicians recommend that their patient's get and use a back support because of all the benefits that have been described. If you have problems with your lower back, you should consider looking into one today.

*This is health information. We believe in the benefits of low profile, light weight back supports, however it is best to talk to your physician regarding medical advice for your particular situation.

Seven Risk Factors For Lower Back Pain

SAN RAMON, CA - Low back pain strikes hundreds of thousands of people every day. Most will see their primary medical doctor, who will typically prescribe pain medications, anti-inflammatories, and perhaps muscle relaxants. Some will call their local chiropractor and receive chiropractic treatment. And then some will try to manage their pain on their own.

The medical literature is filled with case studies on low back pain. Why some people develop it, while others don't is still open to discussion. There are some risk factors associated with low back pain:

1. Obesity, or gradual weight gain in the abdomen

2. Overly sedentary lifestyle

3. History of injury to the low back

4. Type A personality

5. Smoker

6. History of playing sports

7. Long torso

If you are in one or more of these categories, you are at a high risk for developing low back pain. Let's go over the reasoning:

Obesity-- when you stopped growing, around your early 20s your skeleton stopped growing. Your long bones and vertebrae settled at a size sufficient to support a naturally lean body weight. Now, the only way to gain weight after you stop growing is to gain fat, or get pregnant. If fat settles in the abdomen, it moves the center of gravity of your stomach forward and pulls your lower spine forward in the process. The additional weight compresses the cartilage (discs) in your spine, as well as in your hips, knees, and ankles. Over time, it will cause the cartilage to develop cracks. The increased pressure and spinal arc jams the posterior vertebral joints (facet joints) together, making the vertebrae less mobile. This causes muscles around the spine to atrophy, or weaken. End result: low back pain and stiffness.

Overly sedentary lifestyle. Many of those who work at a desk for the most part of the day fall in this category. You need to move your spine frequently in order to keep your spinal discs hydrated and healthy, and to keep your spinal musculature exercised and toned so that it can support your spine from the back, the sides, and the front. Sitting and not exercising leads to weak discs and weak back muscles, which can lead to pain.

History of low back injury. If you hurt your back during high school or college, it may have healed. But healed tissue has scar tissue mixed in. Scar tissue is what your body uses to close broken muscle, tendon and ligament tissue. Scar tissue is not as strong or elastic as normal tissue, so if a previously injured area is subject to a heavy load, or sometimes a sudden movement, it can become re-injured. And this time, since you're older, it may not heal as fast as before, and may even become chronic (permanent).

Type A personality. This means that you are frequently under stress, are aggressive and are always "on the go." Type A personalities have a very hard time relaxing. Studies show that this can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol (stress hormone) levels. These physiological changes are not conducive to a healthy back.

Smokers. Smoking deprives oxygen delivery to tissues. If your job places a lot of force on your back, the cells that make up your discs, muscles, ligaments and tendons need oxygen, as their metabolic rate increases. Limited oxygen will make these structures prone to injury. Also, cigarette smoke contains at least ten known carcinogens.

History of playing sports. Not much surprise here. Any sport that requires jumping and landing will put a tremendous shock to the spine. The spine IS designed to handle such activity, but only so much. 4-6 years of this can overcome the body's engineering and cause a breakdown in cartilage and bone.

Long torso. Individuals with long upper bodies are often more prone to low back pain. The reason being is that a long torso means a long spine. With the head at the end of the spine (a 10-12 pound weight) a lever-arm is created. Gravity tends to pull the head forward, so if you have a long torso, more force (bigger lever arm) is going to be required from your lower back muscles to stand or sit erect. To help visualize this, picture holding up a a stick with a 10 pound shot put attached to the end, then tilting it forward slightly. You will notice the force required to keep it up. Now, picture holding a broomstick length stick with a 10 pound shotput attached-- you won't be able to keep it up, due to the much larger force created.

If you are aware of these risk factors, you can take immediate steps to help reduce your chances of developing lower back pain.

Dan Perez, DC

Low Back Pain - Common Strengthening Misconceptions

Considering the extremely high rate of back pain in the public it is amazing that there is so much poor information on how to prevent it. Not only is most of the information out there not useful, but many of the recommended stretches and exercises will actually hurt you in the long run. Making sure that you have correct information is the biggest key to battling back pain and making sure that is stays away.   

One of the most common mistakes I see in the gym and hear about in my office is the way people combat back pain and muscle spasms. It is a common thought that when you have back pain your lower back muscles are the weak link and therefore need to be strengthened even more. I continuously hear about people increasing the number of back extensions that they do in the gym so that they can get a stronger lower back and prevent future episodes of back pain. In fact, many times this is the opposite of what you should be doing to improve the health of your lower back.

When the lumbar spine is put under too much stress the surrounding spinal muscles spasm and tighten as a protective mechanism. These muscles cause extension of the low back which simulates leaning backwards. Now, if low back tightness and muscle spasms are a chronic problem do you think that it makes sense to go to the gym and train those muscles to work harder in that direction? Think about it this way: if your arm hurt because of chronically tight bicep muscles do you think it is wise to just increase the number of bicep curls you do? Of course not! So why do this to the lower back? The problem is not the strength of the lumbar spine muscles, but rather the strength of all the surrounding core muscles such as the glutes and abdominals. 

This brings us to another very important question: What is the core? This term is thrown around all the time, but most people don't really have any idea what it really means. The core is much more than just the abdominal muscles. It is any and all muscles that contribute to the stability of the pelvis and lumbar spine (low back). This list is too long to go into detail in this article, but just know that the core's importance in preventing back pain is critical. And now that you know the core consists of numerous muscles you can imagine how a proper strengthening program to avoid low back pain must include exercises for many different areas. You must get away from the notion that strengthening the low back requires only abdominal and low back muscle exercises.           

When many of the core muscles are not strong enough to support the spine then the low back muscles must work double-time to compensate. This is the cause of your pain! The low back muscles are doing too much work while other muscles are not doing enough. Do not then ask the low back muscles to do even more work during your exercise routines. The real solution lies in knowing how to strengthen all the other muscles that provide support to the lumbar spine. This will in time create an environment where each muscle is performing at its best and only doing the job it is supposed to be doing.

Back Pain Causes - What Does it All Mean?

As predictably as hairdressers focus on split ends and cobblers look for run-down heels, certain kinds of back practitioners tend to diagnose with tunnel vision. Believe it or not, the name of your back problem may depend on the type of your practitioner's specialty, such as:

Chiropractic diagnosis

The chances are nine out of ten you'll be told your spine is misaligned. 'Misalignment' is the specific term chiropractors use most often to describe back pain. 'Sublimation' is another, more impressive way of saying misalignment, but it means the same thing. 'Twisted pelvis' is another common way for chiropractors to describe a specific area of an improperly aligned spine. So is 'spinal curvature', indicating either a slight scoliosis (lateral curvature) or increased lordosis (an overly pronounced inward curve in the lower back). Chiropractors also talk in terms of 'pinched nerves' and congenital bone defects such as 'malformed hips'.

There is nothing inappropriate about these diagnoses. On the contrary, it reassures many back sufferers to know that the chiropractor feels something is wrong. Given a choice between having a 'bad back' or a 'subluxation of L4, L5' with a 'twisted pelvis' to boot, many people prefer the latter diagnosis. After all, they are in pain, and they want to know why.

Surgeons

When you see a surgeon, he or she is primarily interested in the question: could these back pain causes [http://www.help4backpaincauses.com/67] and symptoms be helped by an operation? If the answer is no, they will usually discharge you or refer you to another specialist. The two most common diagnoses from orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons are 'low back syndrome' and 'there is nothing really wrong'.

Most back sufferers who get a 'nothing really wrong' diagnosis are frustrated by it But if you know beforehand that this diagnosis from surgeons is very common and that most surgeons are interested only in treating people surgically, you might be relieved instead of frustrated.

Look at it positively. At least you have now ruled out certain known conditions and can either treat yourself or get some initial help from a practitioner who is interested in back problems that don't require surgery. And the vast majority of back problems don't require surgery.

General practitioners

Most general practitioners and junior doctors tend to come up with a catch-all diagnosis - low back pain or muscle spasms - which usually implies treatment with prescription drugs. Low back pain, for example, is normally treated with painkillers by GPs; while muscle spasms are treated with muscle-relaxant pills.

Low Back Pain Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies, Causes and Symptoms

Low back pain or pain in lumbar region affects nearly 80% of people once or many times in their lives. It is a pain caused due to musculoskeletal disorder and can cause acute, sub-acute or chronic pain. It is the area that supports most of the body weight of a human body, this structure makes all the movements of the body possible and provides flexibility to the body.

The lumbar area is made up of five vertebrae and between them are inter-vertebral discs which act as a cushion and also prevent the vertebrae to rub each other. These inter-vertebral discs also protect sciatica nerve which off shoots from the lumbar region. This whole structure is supported and held together by muscles and ligaments and muscles make the movement of the low back possible.

As it is evident that low back is the area which bears most of the weight of the body and is involved in most of the movements made by the body in day to day activities, this makes it prone to wear and tear and also to injuries. Any injury to the muscles or ligaments can cause pain in the back. With the growing age the lumbar area can have diminished or shrunk inter-vertebral discs which make the vertebra or facet joints rub each other causing pain and stiffness in the lower back area. With the age ligaments and muscles also loose the strength and elasticity which can make vertebra move more than they should, hindering the functioning and causing pain in the low back. Spinal stenosis, pinched sciatica nerve, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout arthritis, herniated spinal disc are some other problems which lead to chronic low back pain and need special treatment and attention for alleviation.

The initial symptoms of low back pain is mild pain in the lumbar area which may radiate down on the front side or back of the leg or may remain confined to the lumbar area. This pain increases with the movement like walking or standing and sometimes it may get aggravated at night while in resting position or in prolonged sitting position. Inability to standup on the toes or inability to raise big toe upwards signifies irritation of certain nerves. Numbness or tender points or lack of blood supply to any leg during sitting position also suggest low back pain.

NSAID, herbs for controlling pain and inflammation, creams, massages, therapies and exercises are helpful in treating low back pain. In the case of chronic pain due to arthritis or herniated disc, massages and exercises are recommended along with pain killing medicines. Since side effect of NSAID are not yet known completely so herbal treatment for pain control is recommended. Rumatone Gold capsules and oil is very good ayurvedic remedy in lowering back pain. Light exercises, weight control and healthy life style are helpful in preventing episodes of low back pain. Yoga poses and exercises are also extremely helpful in curing and avoiding the pain in low back area by keeping the weight under control and functioning of the joints smooth and proper.

Causes and Cures For Upper Back Shoulder Pain

When you hear people complaining of back pain, the pain is usually in the lower back. However, not all back pain is low in the lumbar region. Some of it is up high. The reasons for upper back shoulder pain are usually different than the reasons why people get lower back pain. For the most part, there are some serious things that could be going on, but many that have this type of discomfort have done something to cause the pain, and there are some simple things that can help clear up the pain within a few days.

Sometimes, all you have to do is sleep funny to get upper back shoulder pain. If you like to sleep on your side or stomach, with your arms around your pillow or curled up in front of you, you can sleep in the wrong position, you can easily cause a muscle to pull or strain. This will be something that causes you discomfort for just a few hours. Usually simple yet slow stretches will alleviate some of the discomfort. If the pain does not go away in a few hours, it is more than just how you are sleeping each night. Topical lotions that produce heat can help.

If you work at a computer or desk all day long, and you suddenly feel upper back shoulder pain, it could be that you have been holding your neck, arms, and shoulders in a bad position. This often happens to people when they start a new job or get a new desk either at work or at home. They are sitting and working in a new position, thus straining muscles that may not have had much of a workout. The first clue this is happening is a sudden onset of pain.

For this type of muscle strain, it may talk longer than a few hours to get the pain to dissipate. The first thing to do with this type of upper back shoulder pain is to stop what you are doing. Allow your arms to hang and let your muscles relax if you can. If you have a muscle spasm going on, it is going to hurt not matter what you do. You should probably take some time away from your desk and apply ice to the sore areas to reduce inflammation (which causes a lot of the pain), and then heat to relax the muscles. You can try an over the counter anti-inflammatory as well.

If you have upper back shoulder pain that is not getting better with rest, medication, and heat-ice therapy, you may want to see your doctor. It could be that you need stronger medication that you can only get through prescription. Some injuries require a muscle relaxer to get this spasm to let up. You may also need to have your spine realigned by a chiropractor in some cases, though most spinal problems are in the lower back. A relaxation or deep tissue massage may also help to loosen things up and get you up and moving again.

Lower Back Pain Exercises and Strengthening Exercises

People who suffer from chronic low back pain secondary to nerve impingement or improper posture would benefit from doing lower back pain exercises. The objectives of these exercises are to promote proper posture, strengthen the trunk muscles which are the abdominals and back muscles and to stretch the tight muscles to facilitate proper movements and posture.

These exercises are usually taught by trained physical therapists during therapy sessions. However, doctors also introduce these to their patients who complain of low back pain to prevent aggravating the condition and initiate trunk muscle strengthening early on.

Lower back pain exercises consist of simple, basic and easy-to-follow exercises which patients can do at home or even at work during their break time. Constant repetition can promote stronger abdominals and back muscles thereby significantly minimizing the pain and promoting proper posture. Here are some of the most basic exercises;

1. Wall slides. You can do this very simple exercise by standing with your back against the wall. Make sure that the back of your head, shoulders and buttocks are against the wall. Put your right or left hand against your lower back (palm facing the wall) as if supporting the natural arc or "lordosis" of your lower back.

The heels of your feet must be approximately 3 inches away from the wall. This posture should be maintained while slowly sliding down against the wall and bending your knees carefully. This is one of the most basic lower back pain exercises that you can do at home or in your office during your break. Do the wall slides for around 10 to 15 repetitions preferably twice daily.

2. Pelvic tilt. Do this exercise lying down on your back. Bend your knees keeping both feet flat on the floor or exercise mat. Place one of your hands on your lower back with the palm against the floor or mat. Hold this position while attempting to press your lower back against your hand which is placed underneath it.

Hold it for 5 counts and relax. Repeat 10 to 15 times. This movement is called the pelvic tilt. You are actually tilting your pelvis backwards by pressing your lower back against the mat. In doing this, you will feel your abdominal muscles tightening as you hold the tilt longer.

3. One of the best lower back pain exercises is the deep lunge. This exercise stretches the muscles in front of your thigh (Quads) and abdomen. You can do this by kneeling on one knee. Put your other foot in front. Slowly lift the knee up and keep looking forward. Hold the position for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times on each side.

4. Knee-to-chest exercise. This exercise stretches your gluteal muscles or butt muscles. Lie on your back and then bring one knee up pulling it gently on your chest. Hold the position for 5 seconds and repeat for 5 times on each side.

These are just some of the most basic and simple lower back pain exercises. There are many other exercises that you can do at home.

Low Back Pain Or Sciatica in the Morning?

I'm sure you are familiar with it. You wake up in the morning, go to get out of bed BUT are stopped in your tracks by the pain and stiffness in your lower back or sciatic nerve. It can then take a few minutes or much longer to straighten up and become more mobile again... Why is your back so stiff and painful in the morning?

Well, contrary to popular belief, it is more than likely NOT due to the bed/mattress you are sleeping on! That's right, I believe this is a myth well worth busting, as it may save you a fortune by avoiding the unnecessary replacement of your current bed.

There are also those that may say you are stiff and painful first thing in the morning due to the fact you have moved relatively little for the previous few hours. Although I would agree that there is an element of truth in this last statement, once again I do not believe it is likely to be the main cause.

So why is your back so stiff and painful in the morning?

More often than not, it is not due to the bed itself, but rather the position you are sleeping in or what you have been doing the few hours before retiring to bed which is the problem... it is the former which I am going to be discussing with this article.

So what is the best position for me to sleep in then?

The best position for you to adopt would primarily depend upon what is the cause of your low back/sciatic pain. However, as a rule of thumb, the most comfortable position to sleep in is usually side lying (either side) with your bottom leg fairly straight and your top leg bent at the knee and supported by a couple of pillows, so that this top leg is more or less parallel with the bed.

By sleeping in this position, keeping the bottom leg straight is encouraging your lower back to be in a neutral position. Yet with the top leg being supported by pillows, it is preventing it from dropping 'across & down' and therefore twisting your low back and stretching your sciatic nerve in the process.

If you were to lay on your side but forget to support your top leg, this would just place a twisting stress upon the lower back which would be maintained for several hours while you were asleep. Therefore it should come as no surprise that your low back or sciatic nerve may be stiff and painful first thing when you wake up.

As I alluded to above, there are other positions which could be more beneficial, but this depends upon the cause of your pain, but side lying with pillows supporting your top leg is usually a good comfortable position to get in no matter what your diagnosis.

It is also important to realise that it may not necessarily be your sleeping position which is the problem, but rather the things you are doing to your lower back or sciatic nerve before going to bed. If you try different sleeping positions, including the one given here and yet you are still having difficulty sleeping, it is likely what you are doing before going to bed is also a problem. This will need to be assessed before thinking of replacing your bed.

How to Alleviate Lower Back Pain Associated With a Tingling Foot - Relief From Discomfort

How is your lower back feeling lately?

Do you suffer from a back problem that is also affecting your lower limbs?

1.) Introduction

People who suffer from lower back pain are often times aware of a tingling sensation in their feet or toes. Moreover, people with lower back problems can also have a general feeling of weakness in the affected foot. This is typical for people who are burdened with pain originating from the lumbar region. The sensation is caused by irritation to one of the nerves in the spine.

2.) Numbness and Tingling

If the numbness and tingling appears in the first three toes, it is usually attributed to damage to the L5 nerve. Symptoms identifying this condition include possible numbness on the front of the leg and on top of the foot impacted by the nerve. When the latter two toes are affected, an injured S1 nerve might be the underlying cause of the pain, and the numbness and tingling may even be experienced on the bottom of the foot.

The nerve damage that triggers the throbbing back can be caused by numerous events and conditions.

Among these are
Nerve compression
Damage to joints, ligaments, and muscles
Slipped or herniated discs
Defects of the vertebra
Osteoarthritis
Deformities of the spine

3.) Why Back Braces Matter

Individuals who have this lower back pain that is accompanied by a tingling foot can reduce the intensity of their pain and associated symptoms with the help of a back brace. A back support works by helping to stabilize the spinal column and helps to ensure proper alignment of the spine. This alleviates lower back pain and prevents additional impairment more often than you might initially think.

Back braces are highly recommended because they are a very traditional form of treatment in medical settings almost everywhere. While there are other remedies like medicines, hot and cold compresses, massage, chiropractic therapies, and surgery, back supports represent a less expensive and the simplest method of treating lower back pain that is accompanied by a tingling foot.

Unlike in the days of yesteryear, braces are much more flexible and designed for comfort as well as functionality. Today, they are made of canvas type materials that can bend a little more with the body yet still provide rigid support to an ailing back. Because of the innovative design, the brace remains in an unobtrusive position and can be worn anywhere without detracting from a person's appearance.

If the brace curbs back movement, then it will greatly reduce the pain in the lower lumbar in a very short time and more than likely will limit the occurrence of the tingling foot. The support supplied by the back brace also encourages the body's curative properties and increases healing time.

Note: We know back supports can be helpful, but it is best to talk with your local, licensed orthotist for medical advice on bracing and the best orthosis (brace) for your needs.

Back Pain Treatment - How to Treat Lower Back Pain by Knowing the Cause

Back pain treatment is something that 80 percent of everyone will experience at some point in their life. It is a huge business because there is so much that can happen to a back to cause pain. Medical treatment is limited and largely ineffective. But, natural techniques that rely on the basic cause of back pain offers people real possibilities for treatment that works. Medicine is limited to pain killers, muscle relaxants, painful cortisone shots and radical surgery that has a poor success rate. All to treat symptoms, usually without consideration for the root cause. Recently, many doctors have started telling their patients to seek out natural methods of back pain relief.

Natural back pain treatment depends on knowing the root cause of the problem. Once the reason for the particular back pain is found, the treatment often reveals itself. For example, lower back pain, one of the most common complaints today, has the same root cause in most cases. Sciatica can be included here as well, though there is a little more to that story.

Processed foods like sugar, bread -- even "healthy" bread made from whole grains is still ground up which is processed, pasta dried fruit and even fruit juice cause problems that can lead to lower back pain. While doctors know the biochemistry behind this, their education hasn't included the connection. A simplified version follows.

Processed foods cause a spike in blood sugar levels. It is obvious how sugar does this. By the way, sugar includes most of the natural sugars that many believe to be better for the body -- they aren't. Ground up grains, even whole grains as mentioned earlier, are digested fast so that the stored sugar in the grain is released more quickly into the blood stream than the whole grain. It's the extra surface area that allows for faster break down of ground grains which quickly increases blood sugar levels.

The body brings this high blood sugar level down with high levels of insulin. It is the fast increase in blood sugar levels causes an over-response, a release of too much insulin. The result is blood sugar levels end up being too low, something the body must correct.

The correction the body does is to release cortisol, sometimes referred to as cortisone, which is a stress hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands. One of the things that cortisol does is release stored sugar to bring blood sugar levels up.

So, here's what might happen. You eat a big meal of pasta and garlic bread, yum-yum. Maybe you eat too much, it is delicious after all. Afterward, you feel sleepy and have to lie down or veg in front of the TV for awhile. Eventually, you feel more awake, and maybe you feel like having a little desert.

What has happened is that the meal brought the blood sugar way up, you might have even been having a good time laughing and talking with your companions, energized from all that blood sugar. Then, once insulin does its job and brings the blood sugar down, but too low, you feel like a nap, the brain is deprived of its main food, sugar. Later. cortisol brings blood sugar up again, so you feel awake again.

You want desert because stored sugar has been depleted, and the body wants it replaced. But, that's just another round about to happen, just like before.

Eventually, the adrenal glands become exhausted. They didn't evolve to deal with processed foods at all, but now they are called upon to do this process over and over again.

The connection with the lower back is that the exhausted adrenals draw the nutrients they need from available sources which includes stealing them away from the ligaments and tendons which use many of the same ones. Since the lower back supports the weight of the upper body, that is where you are most likely to experience a weakness from depleted ligaments first. Without ligament strength, the joints in the lower back and hips go out of alignment causing lower back pain that is so common today.

In this case, lower back pain treatment is obvious. A change of eating habits is essential, and supplying nutrients that the adrenals and ligaments need seems like a good idea too.

Low-Back Pain - Causes and Treatment

In a busy primary clinical practice, at least one patient a day comes in with a backache. It is one of the most common human ailments. Most of the problems are with the lower back; and no wonder. The lower back is the "axle" on which most of the other muscle movements base their action. By going through an approach which looks at the history of the pain and the mechanics of the lower back, the doctor can hopefully come up with a successful plan of treatment.

The history is very important, i.e., when did the pain first appear? Is it something which occurs frequently, or is this the first time? What is the nature of the pain: Sharp, dull, intermittent or constant? Does it "radiate" somewhere or does it remain in one area? What were the activities prior to the pain? Maybe you were moving railroad ties around your garden, or continuously leaning back to paint a ceiling. Maybe you've been sleeping on a roll-away bed while guests are visiting and it has a six inch mattress with a metal bar halfway across it. Do you have fever or blood in your urine (kidney stone)? By this process, your doctor tries to "sift out" the exact nature and specific history of your back pain.

The second step is to look at the back. Starting with the skin, is there an isolated rash that might be shingles? Is there an infected cyst or an area of skin infection, such as one surrounding a tick bite? Now look at the posture. Is the back too straight, as from muscle spasm? Does it curve to the left or right (scoliosis), and is this a permanent finding or is it due to muscle spasm? Does the back curve too far toward the front (lordosis), maybe due to a prominent "pot belly?" As part of this process your doctor might make other observations. Do walking and standing make the pain worse, and is it primarily movement of one leg that seems to cause the problem? When one sits in a chair, does he slouch with poor posture, or sit too straight from muscle spasm?

The next thing I do in evaluating back is imagine that I have "x-ray vision", and using the anatomic map I have in mind, go down through the back one layer at a time looking for something wrong. The outermost muscle of the back is the latissimus dorsi which goes all the way from below the "wing" bones (scapulae) to the crests of the hip bones. Weight lifters like to build these up for aesthetic purposes. It has a very broad ligament which stretches over and attaches to the entire lower back. It has a lot of cutaneous nerves which come through the muscle and can be pinched by muscle spasm. The very broad ligament is like any other ligament of the body: it can be stretched or torn causing pain and swelling. Under that is a very large fascia which is like a ligament, and is called the lumbo-dorsal fascia. Deeper muscles of the sides of the back attach to this, and the whole structure is subject to often multiple varieties of strains and tears. Finally, in the third layer are the deep muscles of the back which run parallel to and attach to the spine. They have ligamentous attachments to the lower back and are subject to strains and tears.

Underneath these layers of the back muscles are the actual spine bones. They are very large and sturdy, except perhaps in the case of an elderly person with osteoporosis. There are five lumbar vertebrae, five sacral vertebrae (which are fused), and four coccyx vertebrae. They are held together with ligaments on the front, sides, and back. There are cushions between the lumbar vertebrae called discs which have gelatinous centers and fibrous outer sheaths. Sometimes the gelatinous center ruptures out through the fibrous sheet and this is commonly referred to as a "ruptured disc." The gelatinous material can impinge on a spinal nerve coming out of the spinal cord, and cause pain down the back of the leg. This is called "sciatica." Sometimes the disc can rupture inward and actually push on the spinal cord. This may cause bowel and bladder problems and other neurological symptoms.

The doctor examines you continually looking for clues. Is the pain localized to one of the muscles of the back or to its ligamentous attachments, or does it seem to be a deeper process? In looking for a deeper process, the examination often focuses on the legs. The doctor might look to see if there is muscle atrophy due to a nerve injury up around the spine. Are there precisely located areas where the skin is numb or has decreased sensitivity? Are the reflexes brisk and equal at the knees and ankles (looking for the same nerve injury indications)? Is there weakness in pushing down with the great toe (a sign of L5-S1 nerve impingement)?

Now it's time to consider other potential causes of back pain. A kidney infection or kidney stone can cause back pain over the areas of the kidneys. Sometimes a dysfunctional gallbladder can cause back pain. As people grow older, particularly if they smoke, they can get aneurysms of the abdominal aorta, which the doctor might pick up by x-ray or listening to the mid-abdomen. The next step is to decide what tests might be needed to diagnose the back pain. X-rays cannot visualize the muscles and ligaments, so your doctor may decide how to proceed. However, if he or she suspects arthritis, a narrowed disc, a kidney stone or aortic problem, an x-ray may be correct. If the doctor thought it was your kidneys, they would order a urinalysis. If they think it is a deep process involving a disc or the spinal cord, the doctor would order either a CT or an MRI.

Let's talk about treatment. First of all, he or she might put you on a "no lifting" physical profile, with no prolonged standing or sitting. If you have a muscle strain, they might prescribe an anti-spasmodic medicine and an anti-inflammatory medicine like Ibuprofen. They might inject a localized strain with a local anesthetic, and perhaps a cortisone-like medicine. If it just happened, the doctor might tell you to apply ice packs, and gradually change to warm soaking baths after 5-7 days. If they find a deeper problem like a ruptured disc, he or she would probably refer you to an orthopedist or neurosurgical specialist, to a kidney specialist for a stone, or to a vascular surgeon for an aneurysm.

By far, most of the day-to-day back problems are tears and strains of the back muscles and ligaments. By knowing the anatomy and the mechanisms of back pain, your primary physician can successfully treat and resolve the majority of back pain problems.

Rid Low Back Pain and Sciatica During Pregnancy

Is low back or leg pain and sciatica causing problems with your pregnancy? Should this be the case, Chiropractic is a great natural, drugless approach to help with your pain. Many people often wonder if Chiropractic care can help a mother and their baby achieve a healthier pregnancy and delivery. Not only is chiropractic gentle and safe, but it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for many mothers who waiver from taking prescription and over the counter drugs during pregnancy. In fact, many clinical studies have shown chiropractic to be the choice for pregnant mothers experiencing pain.

One particular study by a member of the American Medical Association, Dr. Irvin Hendryson showed that women who were in their third trimester of pregnancy who received chiropractic adjustments were able to carry and deliver children with more comfort. A fellow orthopedist by the name of Per Freitag, M.D., showed in a hospital study that used chiropractic adjustments on pregnant patients and found that mothers need for pain killers during delivery decreased in half.

Along one's spine are 24 vertebrae (bones in the spine), with a sacrum and coccyx bone directly beneath them, and they work in tandem and surround the central nervous system. The brain produces neurological signals that travel down your spinal cord throughout the nerves to all of a person's limbs, organs, and muscles in the body. These signals direct all of the body's functions, and contribute to growth, repairing cells and tissues, and the natural healing mechanism of the body. When your spine is subluxated, or misaligned, nerves become tensed, and these pathways of signals become altered, causing the body to function inefficiently. Such imbalances in posture can occur with pregnancy such as a high hip, rotated pelvis, spinal curvature, sway back, dropped shoulder or any of many variations in structure, which can contribute a more difficult pregnancy. According the the American Jounal of Pain Management, the authors state: "posture affects and moderates every physiologic function from breathing to hormonal production. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture."

Chiropractors focus on the cause of many symptoms and specialize in the detection and correction of these spinal subluxations to improve body function. Much like orthodontics, this process can take from several weeks to months depending on the spinal structure and misalignment severity of the patient. As subluxations decrease and the central nervous system can work better, healing takes place more efficiently.

During pregnancy; women go thourgh a series of physiological and hormonal changes to create the most optimal environment for their developing baby. Every system of the pregnant woman's body. As a pregnant woman's boy changes during baby development, their center of gravity is skewed, altering their posture, placing more pressure on their lower back and pelvis, which may result in pain. A study by MJ Mantle showed that fifty percent of all pregnant women complained of low back pain.

When random people were polled in our community, Sherry Grieco of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania said that "Chiropractic has helped me and my family tremendously. During my last trimester of pregnancy, Chiropractic care made me feel more comfortable. It helped me with my hip and sciatic pain." Traci LaGanke of Wilmington, Delaware has also gotten much relief with her pain during her two pregnancies. "I suggest to anyone with lower back pain to see a Chiropractor. Carrying 30-40lbs. of excess weight and lugging car seats have only added to my pain, and chiropractic care has kept me pain free throughout my pregnancy. Helene Neidig of Hockessin, Delaware is eight months pregnant, and works in an office setting. "Regular Chiropractic adjustments make me feel looser and rid me of acute back pain. I used to have chronic back pain before pregnancy, that would become more aggravated at my desk working ten hours a day. I highly recommend seeing a chiropractor before, during, and after pregnancy. I thought that my chronic back pain would come back and it has not!"

The best time to seek chiropractic adjustments is throughout the entire pregnancy and immediately concluding labor and delivery, a great option if a mother is or wants to help eliminate back and leg pain.