Causes of Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy - Tips to Help Pregnant Women Suffering From This Pain

Each year, more than four million women in America give birth, among which two out of every three women suffers from pelvic and lower back pain during pregnancy. Most times these symptoms will vanish within three months after delivery.

There are two main reasons for back pain during pregnancy:

1. Hormone Relaxin: During your pregnancy period, the relaxin (a sex hormone of the corpus luteum that facilitates birth by causing relaxation of the pelvic ligaments) exists in your body is ten times more than its usual level. All the joints in your pelvis is been relaxed by this hormone, to provide enough room for your baby to come out from the birth canal. Oftentimes, the hormone results to abnormal motion in different new joints of your body, which leads to swelling and pain.

2. Growing Fetus: When the fetus is growing, your abdominal wall stretches so as to hold the expanding womb. The additional room required for this need to come somewhere from your body. Stretching your abdominal muscles during your pregnancy is far beyond the usual level, so the muscles will lose the ability to do its normal function in maintaining the body pressure. Because of these changes, your lower back gets an unusual amount of burden from the torso.

Below are some simple tips to help reduce the pain and possibly prevent lower back pain during pregnancy.

1. Your back muscles need to be strengthened. You can do this safely during your pregnancy period until there is no burden from the torso squeezing the pelvis.

2. Try to decrease the physical activities level. Reducing these activities that put stress on your lower back and pelvis will help relieve pain. Some of the activities include walking long distance, standing on single leg, standing for longer hours, doing household duties that should be done by a woman that is not pregnant etc

3. Follow right ergonomic posture at your place of work. You should take frequent breaks, lie down or some time, and alert yourself on structural strength. Do not lift anything with large weights. Create comfortable work environment.

Getting the right techniques to exercise your back is important. Also you need methods of physical and mental re-education to reduce habitual and unnecessary tension in all your activity through awareness of balance, posture and movement.

Emotional Stress Can Cause Back Pain

Stress and back pain can be closely associated. The physical changes that are linked to emotional stress are linked to the development of back pain. When we become stressed numerous changes occur in our bodies. Muscles tighten, hormone levels change, blood pressure increases. Stress is a natural response to a risky situation - i.e. our ancestors would become stressed when a predator chased them through the plains. This stress would pass and the reaction would subside. For many of us, however, our current lifestyle does not allow the stress reaction to subside. Rather than a brief burst of energy followed by a rapid return to normal, the stress response can now last for days, weeks or even months. The natural stress response has morphed into a chronic problem.

A CDC study estimates that 34 million people suffer from low back pain. Back pain can cause stress and stress can cause back pain, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. Work is often a major source of stress. Some professions have higher stress than others, but most people report feeling stressed at work. A study conducted in Sweden found that psychological stress is just as damaging as physical exertion. Elevated levels of psychological stress were also accompanied by anxiety and depression.

Still don't think that stress has anything to do with your back pain? A Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science study found that patients with already established chronic low back pain were more susceptible to stress. Another study showed that the number one work-related health complaint was stress. Research at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm found that the most stressed out employees have the highest incidence of back pain.

Chiropractic focuses on correcting misalignments in the spine that cause joint dysfunction. Part of this misalignment complex (what we call vertebral subluxation) is nerve pressure. When vertebrae are out of place changes occur to the joint. These changes include tissue changes, biomechanical changes, neural changes, etc. A study published in the journal "Spine" showed that people who undergo chiropractic care are more likely to notice improvement in their symptoms.

Some other things that you can do to improve your symptoms? Relax! Most things are not mission critical, life or death situations. But, how many times do we treat them that way? I know that I have a tendency to get caught up in the details and begin to believe that whatever it is that I'm focused on is the most important thing in the world. Don't get me wrong, it is good to have purpose and value what it is that you are working on, but is it really important enough to sacrifice your health? Even better, isn't it important enough to give it your best? which you obviously can't do if you aren't thinking clearly due to stress or back pain. So, take some time out. A few minutes for breathing exercises. Take time to stretch. Fifteen minutes of meditation. All of these things can make a world of difference. Give it a shot. You'll be glad you did.

How To Get Instant Lower Back Pain Relief Without Drugs

I am going to tell you how to get instant relief for lower back pain - without drugs and in a matter of minutes. Yes - Minutes.

I have suffered from lower back pain for 18 years, since I was hit from behind whilst in a car, waiting for traffic lights to change. I had a bulging disk and I couldn't stand, sit or walk for too long without pain.

I have had cortisone injections into the spine. I've tried strengthening exercises. I've seen a chiropractor for months on end. I've tried back braces, magnet therapy and massage therapy. Everything has some degree of success if I kept seeing a practitioner who gladly took my money but I never found any self help treatment that worked for me until recently. Until now I just managed my pain through pain killers and rest.

About a year ago, I learned this one simple exercise and found instant relief.

I am not a medical doctor and for legal reasons, I have to advise you not do anything without first consulting with your specialist. So please discuss this with your health provider first. If he/she agrees that this is a safe exercise for you and your circumstances, here's what to do. Is called a "wall sit".

1. Remove your shoes.

2. Stand with your back to a Gyprock or wooden wall (not a brick or stone wall as these are too cold).

3. Position your heels are right up to the wall. Slowly and gently lean your whole back against the wall.

4. Spread your feet apart so that they are about the same distance part as your shoulders. You need to be comfortable as well as stable.

5. Slowly slide down the wall (about 30cm or 1 foot),..... and slowly walk/shuffle your feet out from the wall as you bend your knees. Your leg between your knee and your ankle should be at 90 degrees. You will end up in a sitting position but without a chair, supported only because you have your back pushed into the wall.

6. Keep your back firmly pressed against the wall and slowly push the "small" of your back into the wall (suck your belly button in towards the wall as you press your lower back to the wall). Don't be surprised if your knees start to tremble as it will take time for your muscles to strengthen.

7. Repeat as often as you need to and as often as you can manage to manage pain. Try to lengthen the time as you are comfortable (to 10 - 15 minutes).

This is just one simple exercise that can give you immediate relief.

Ankylosing Spondylitis Symptoms And Low Back Pain Treatment

Ankylosing Spondylitis is also know as Rheumatoid Spondylitis, Marie-Strumpell Disease or Bamboo Spine. This is a long-term auto-immune disorder that mainly affects men between the ages of 20 and 40. The results of this disorder are the gradual fusion and solidifying of the joints of the spine. This article shares a quick description of the symptoms, cause and treatment options available for this condition.

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing Spondylitis symptoms may include low back pain that comes and goes. This pain may be worse at night and in the early morning but is often relieved with physical activity or exercise. Fatigue is a symptom that is common in a person with this condition. Other symptoms may include fever, loss of appetite and weight, heel pain, hip pain or stiffness, joint pain and swelling seen in the shoulders, knees and ankles, and an inability to take a deep breath due to joints of the rib cage solidifying.

Cause - The cause of ankylosing spondylitis is not well understood at this time but it is a rheumatic disease (autoimmune disease) that displays a strong genetic association. More men are affected than woman and symptoms can appear as early as 10 years of age; however, most sufferers will become symptomatic between ages 20 and 40.

Diagnosis - The signs may be observed on an x-ray but blood tests such as a CBC (Complete Blood Count), ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate), or HLA-B27 antigen tests may be helpful in completing the diagnosis.

Treatment - There is no known treatment for ankylosing spondylitis although certain pain medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) can help ease the pain and reduce inflammation associated with the disease. Corticosteroids therapy or medications may also be prescribed to suppress the immune system. Surgery is an option if pain and joint damage are severe.

The Link Between Crohn's Disease And Lower Back Pain

Crohn's disease is characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract lining and can affect any area of the tract between the mouth and anus. The most common form of the disease affects the small intestine and colon. Crohn's causes symptoms both inside and outside the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, weight loss and bloody stools. It can cause problems beyond the tract due to malnutrition, such as osteoporosis. Other extraintestinal symptoms like arthritis may be caused by immunological factors.

An exact cause of this condition is not known, but it is believed that genetic and immunological factors are involved. Inflammation is normally modulated by the immune system; the body perceives abnormalities like viruses or injuries as threats and responds by sending a rush of inflammatory fluids to the area in the interest of blocking off the perceived threat and facilitating healing. Chronic inflammation can lead to tissue damage and prolonged pain. Some medical professionals and researchers theorize that a bacterial or viral infection can spark the inflammatory response that leads to Crohn's disease, but this remains to be proven.

Many people with Crohn's suffer from lower back pain. The following related conditions may be responsible.

Arthritis

According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, about 25% of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), either colitis or Crohn's disease, develop arthritis. Some of these people will develop axial arthritis, or arthritis of the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints, which form where the large hip bones meet the sacrum at the base of the spine. Axial arthritis can, over time, cause spinal segments to fuse together, creating permanent limited range of motion and pain.

Pain and stiffness in the lower back is the first sign of axial arthritis. Body mechanics suffer as movement patterns are altered to prevent painful motions; this can lead to widespread muscle and joint pain. Inflammation of the sacroiliac joints, also called sacroiliitis, can lead to sciatica nerve pain if the nearby nerve becomes impinged.

Though arthritis usually affects older people, Crohn's-related arthritis is common in young people with the disease.

Osteoporosis

Crohn's prevents proper absorption of nutrients through the intestines into the body. Vitamin D and calcium are key nutrients for bone health. Osteoporosis is a disease most known to affect women over the age of 50, but one study on Crohn's patients shows the disease to be common among both men and women of a mean age of 32. The study assessed the bone mineral density of 34 men and 22 women between the ages of 18 and 54, all of whom have Crohn's disease. The alarming results showed that 35.7% had osteoporosis and another 23.2% had osteopenia, which signifies lower-than-normal bone mineral density, but not low enough to qualify as osteoporosis. See more on the study at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16112594.

Osteoporosis often leads to vertebral fractures in the lumbar spine. This segment of the spine bears the brunt of the upper body's weight and is also highly mobile, meaning it does a lot of work. Vertebral fractures can cause changes in spinal curvature, leaving other vertebrae more susceptible to fracture. Pain may result from the fracture itself, inflammation and biomechanical changes.

Natural Treatments

People with axial arthritis are generally prescribed a lower back stretching regimen to prevent fusing of the spinal segments and maintain flexibility. They are also advised to use moist heat on the lower back.

Those who are at risk for osteoporosis or who have developed it may need to supplement vitamin D and calcium to try to compensate for the lack of nutrient absorption caused by Crohn's.

Of course, the best way to treat Crohn's symptoms is to address Crohn's itself. Unfortunately, nobody is sure what causes it and, therefore, what can treat it. Whether conventional or natural, your treatment will be largely experimental. Consider following the reasonable tips at http://voices.yahoo.com/heal-crohns-disease-naturally-6357310.html?cat=5 for helping your digestive tract recover.

Crohn's-related back pain could indicate a serious problem like axial arthritis or osteoporosis even if you are young. If you have symptoms of Crohn's, see a specialist and/or dietitian soon.

How to Find the Best Sleeping Position to Avoid Back Pain

The way you lie down whether, you are resting on the sofa or sleeping in bed can affect your back. Lying down the wrong way can put undue pressure on your back that cause back problems. If you have a bad back or you want to avoid getting one you need to make sure that you are not putting undue pressure on your spine.

The first place to check is the place where most people spend a lot of time and that is the bed mattress. A good mattress is very important when it comes to supporting your back. If the mattress is too soft it will put your spine out of shape which will put extra pressure and stress on your back muscles. If your mattress is becoming too soft then the best thing to do is buy a new one. Do not cut corners by putting a stiff piece of wood underneath your mattress as this will only wear out the mattress quicker.

Even with a good mattress it is still very important that you lie on it in the correct way. There is no concrete medical findings that tell us that different sleeping positions can have an effect on back problems. However, the key thing is to find a position that you are comfortable with.

The following is a guide to better sleeping positions that you can try out and experiment with:

Many people sleep with their chest down on the mattress which has the affect of enlarging the curve of the lower back. If you find this position comfortable you can reduce the curve of the back by placing a pillow under your pelvis area.

Many people consider lying flat on their back as a good position to sleep in. This position actually can cause pressure in your lower back by extending the curvature of it. You can reduce these affects by putting a pillow under your hips or else you can bend your knees.

Many consider the foetal position as the best and most natural as it is a similar position of the unborn baby in the mother's womb. With the foetal position you lie down on your side with your knees tucked in towards your abdomen. You can make this position more comfortable by placing a pillow between the legs.

Another place that you need to be aware of is the couch which many people enjoy lying on. The best way is not to lie down on it in the first place especially, for long extended periods.

The Iliolumbar Ligament and It's Relation to Low Back Pain

The iliolumbar ligament is an often overlooked bit of soft tissue. This ligament connects your hip bone (the ilium) to the lumbar spine, which is why it is called the iliolumbar ligament.

First, a quick review of what a ligament is. Ligaments are located at joints and they are responsible for making sure the joint is stable. For example, when you kick your leg out your shin bone stops and doesn't continue past the knee joint because of the ligaments in your knee. Ligaments are there to maintain stability at joints by limiting movement to a certain angle. Another example, this one involving a common injury, is the ankle. The most common ankle sprain is when someone "rolls" their ankle and the ligaments at the outside of the foot are injured. The rolling over the foot stretches the ligament enough to tear it, and that is the sprain.

Ligaments are all over the body, at all your joints. The iliolumbar ligament is tasked with maintaining stability at the lumbosacral spinal and pelvic joints. Just like other ligament injuries, the problem occurs when the joint moves beyond it's normal range of motion for some reason. This need not be a sudden movement but can also be caused by postural issues. For example, people who sit cross-legged with one ankle on the opposite knee are actually causing stretching of the lateral ligaments of the crossed knee. Over time this may weaken and cause instability of that knee. When an individual sits down for much of the day they are stretching the muscles and ligaments of the lower back, and over the long term this will weaken and stretch these muscles and ligaments. Slouching in a seat puts a lot of pressure on the lumbar spine and can really stretch that lowest spinal joint where it meets the hip and tailbone. If this posture is a regular occurrence, then over time this may cause instability and tearing of the ligament. Even if the posture alone doesn't cause the injury, the instability created by the poor posture stretching the ligament will make an injury more likely whenever this person uses their back.

An injured ligament can feel like a burning pain becoming sharper with movement. An iliolumbar igament injury will possibly cause enough localized inflammation to irritate the scaitic nerve, which would then mimic a disc injury to the low back. It is difficult to differentiate these conditions without orthopedic testing at a chiropractor or orthopedists's office, or advanced imaging like MRI.

It is always best to consult a medical professional who specializes in lower back pain if you are experiencing any pain such as this type.

Causes of Sharp Lower Back Pain - Get Relief - Treatment Options That You Need To Consider

What causes sharp lower back pain?

Have you ever wondered what you can do about sharp lower back pain?

1.) Introduction

If your pain occurs fairly frequently, you could be suffering from lumbago or sciatica. Other causes of sharp lower back pain include a muscle strain or a herniated disc, for example. Although we all know it, we do not usually go to see our physicians. Now is perhaps the time for you to go for a medical check up and take the doctor's advice. Doctors try to determine the causes by learning from the patients about their physical activities, such as if they have been indulging in heavy work involving the lower back. This can include lifting heavy weights or working with poor posture.

2.) How Back Pain Can Start

It is always best to remember that injuries may result from the extensive use of a person's lower back muscles. Although we already know this, we sometimes forget. It is best to never put sudden pressure or strain on the lower back. When lifting things, do not become jerky with your movements.

Since any unattended pain can become chronic, it is best to start on the treatment as early as possible. This means you are facing the fact that you have back pain early on and not trying to think it will just go away. Many people do not pay heed to pains that come and go, though they may cause a sharp lower back pain. Sooner or later the pain starts to persist, refusing to go away in response to temporary remedial measures like over the counter medication. Doctors advise against engaging in impossible positions during exercises and exerting the body in any abnormal way or twisting it unnaturally which would cause sprains and strains.

3.) List of Pain

A large number of patients fail to explain their list of pains, nor do they tell the doctors in a cohesive way all the activities that could have caused the condition. A general kind of ache could start spreading from the upper back to the lower back. Numbness and tingling may occur sporadically at first, but become more frequent as the days go by. Muscle spasms will be examined by the doctors and he will also palpate the spine to look for displacement of muscles in the abdominal region.

4.) Conservative Treatment Options for LBP (Low Back Pain)

One of the best treatment options for people with lower back pain is the use of a low profile back support. These braces can help you feel more secure and they can also help to reduce your pain very quickly. When you need a brace for security or pain relief, it is wise to get medical advice for your particular situation from your local, licensed orthotist. This is true when you want medical advice on braces. General health advice should come from your physician.

Natural Cure For Lower Back Pain And Muscle Spasm

Can lower back pain be cured naturally? You have a very good chance and here's why:

The pain in lower backs is almost always caused by muscles. Why is this?

Well, muscles move the bones, joints and disks in your spine. Muscles are the prime movers of your body! The only reason you can move is because you have muscles.

We love muscles!

And the muscles in your lower back are BIG. They are thick. And there are many layers of muscle next to your spine. That means there are lots of places for them to either be happy or miserable.

Sometimes your muscles get out of balance. They can get too strong on one side of your body or go into spasm. They can become too weak on the other side.

Then we don't say we love muscles. We say, "Ouch!" Nasty muscles.

Well, it's not their fault. Your lower back muscles wouldn't be unhappy and complaining if you did everything perfectly in all of your movements.

But you don't. Or you didn't. That's because you are human. But you can change.

Here's how:

• Add movements that balance all of your lower back muscles.


• Use all of your muscles instead of the same old ones over and over.

Did you know you have over 600 muscles in your body? You are supposed to have balanced muscles just like when you were a little child. You should have just the right amount of natural curve behind your waist just as a small child does.

Yet most of us get stuck using the same 70 or so muscles over and over. This is what creates muscle imbalance. The curve becomes too much or too little.

Here are two common scenarios:

1. If the muscles in the front of your body are stronger than the back muscles, they will give you too much curve in your lower back.


2. If the muscles in the back are stronger than the front, that will pull the curve out of your lower back. You will not have enough of a hollow behind your waist. Your lower back will be flat.

Either of those situations will cause pain in your low back (and also in your neck and head.)

The causes of low back pain vary from person to person. Your muscles may be aggravated because of an injury or accident or because of poor posture and habits. (Poor posture is the most common cause, by the way.)

That means the movements for you to do to feel better will also vary. One size does not fit all when it comes to back pain relief. The exercises or movements that work for my back pain may not be at all right for your back pain.

It depends on which muscles are out of balance. The muscles in the front of your body? Or the muscles on the back side?

So your goal is to help your muscles be happy again. When they are back in balance they will stop screaming at you.

Deep massage and pressure into tight areas can help muscles to relax in most cases. Stretching areas of short, tight muscle can help. The muscles that need to be lengthened are often in your legs and the front of your body and NOT where it hurts.

Cold therapy may be one of your best friends. So can your pillow when you place one or more under your calves as you lie on your back.

So, you see, you CAN start getting rid of your back pain naturally by taking simple action steps.

Lower Left Back Pain - The Facts

Lower Left Back Pain
Lower left back pain can be cause by a large majority of different ailments, a large number of which are resolved with traditional back exercises and stretching, or therapy.

Causes
The most common cause of lower back pain, which may be due to lower left back pain, or lower right back pain is caused by muscular knots. These knots themselves can be caused by a large number of issues, but generally due to the center of gravity of the body being shifted from neutral. This in turn causes the smaller supporting muscles to work a lot harder to allow the body to balance, and fatigue sets in. These injuries may not get the opportunity to heal as the underlying cause may still be upsetting the center of the body.

Kidney Problems
A common cause of lower left back pain can be kidney problems, specifically ailments such as kidney stones, or a kidney infection. The reason the pain occurs, aside from the problems in the kidney is that the kidney may be inflamed, and can displace the internal organs and tissue in that area. This will in turn cause the body's center to be away from its neutral position, putting the muscles under pressure.

Intestinal Problems
Other causes of pain can be intestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. This sort of problem will also lead to inflammation in the intestine, which could lead to cramping, and those cramps could also cause further imbalance and pain. The swelling itself can have a direct impact on the body's center and may well result in pain in the back.

Muscular Strain
Something as simple as a pulled muscle in the back from lifting incorrectly, or from a sporting injury can lead to lower left back pain. The muscles of the back may then compensate for this weakness in the muscles with other weaker muscles, which will become tired more quickly, and lead to knots and possible spasm in the muscles. It is possible that lower left back pain may be felt for a problem that exists is the lower right of the back, and is due to the muscles of the left side of the back compensating for this.

Pregnancy
During pregnancy pain may also be felt in the lower left, this is due to the internal organs and tissues being moved around, causing a shift of balance for the body. Add to this the fact that a baby of considerable weight is growing, and pulling the body forwards, causing the back to work harder. In this situation it is important to stretch, and exercise lightly, as well as maintaining good posture, and resting more often if necessary.

Medication
For any pain in the back, taking medication should only be considered as a short-term measure, as the underlying problem needs to be resolved, especially as the cause may be something that will make the pain get worse. As with all pain in the back, unless it is a short-lived pain caused by and easily recognizable problem, such as a strained muscle, you should seek medical advice, to ensure that the pain is not indicating a more serious problem that you are not aware of.

Cause of Lower Back Pain: Associated Symptoms of this Common Malady

Cause of Lower Back Pain can arise out of complex origins and symptoms including identified muscle trauma, or a hitherto unknown non-traumatic event. Moreover Lower back pain can originate in regions other than the back and eventually find its way to the muscles or other structure in the lower back. The origins of lower back pain are many and varied, including congenital disorders, inflammatory disease, and circulatory disorders among others.

Physicians are hard pressed to pin down the accurate cause of a patient suffering from lower back pain owing to the complex composition of the human spinal. The spinal chord is a three-dimensional puzzle made up of bone, discs, muscles, ligaments and tendons and a myriad of other tissues that can easily mask the precise Cause of Lower Back Pain. Moreover, psychological causes like anger, fear, anxiety, frustration, depression and various other psychological states make it even more difficult to pinpoint and treat lower back pain. These can cause back pain or can also be the associated symptoms of lower back pain existing concurrently with pain.

The cause of lower back pain is of various types. The emotional components stated above also complicated the diagnosis of the malady and sometimes lead to a wrong diagnosis resulting in needless surgery. Back pain is grouped into two categories: Acute and Chronic. A back pain that is sudden in origin is called Acute and can be caused by internal organ disease, cancer, arthritis, fractures, trauma, and infections around the spine. Chronic back pain is more constant and patients might have to endure it for months before finding any relief in their lower back.

Some of the common disorders that are cause of lower back pain, result in lower back pain can be listed as under:

Mechanical Disorders: In this case a specific part of the spine experiences pain owing to damaged to the ligament or a joint in the spine.

Developmental Disorders: An irregularity in the formation and growth of the skeleton cause lower back pain resulting in a conservative treatment like surgery, which is necessary to prevent long-term disability.

Inflammatory and Infectious Disorders: These are not common cause of lower back pain, but nevertheless are very important because not only they are difficult to diagnose by also result in serious consequences if not diagnoses early.

Another rare occurrence is the cancerous tumor in the spine or spinal chord, which result in lower back pain. The most common symptom of a spinal tumor is pain. And, last but not the least, an injury to the spine results in a trauma like condition which in turn gives rise to pain in the back. It is very important to note these disorders as major cause of lower back pain in the final scheme of things that will help you to understand this disorder better.

Lower Back Pain The Role Of Calf Muscles

Lower back pain causes calf muscle pain and tightness and the calf muscles play a huge role in the development and maintenance of lower back pain.These calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) are usually tight in most people especially in women wearing shoes with high heels. Calf muscle cramps are extremely painful and often awaken people during sleep. These cramps are a warning that there is nerve related muscle problems stemming from spinal nerve root involvement in the lower back. This is usually the case if you have calf muscle tightness and frequent night cramps even if you have no complaints of lower back pain or lower limb pain.

There are three calf muscles, two of them are called the gastrocnemius muscles (inner and outer muscles known respectively as medial and lateral) and the third is called the soleus muscle.

The gastrocnemius arise from the lower part of the thigh bone just above the knee. The soleus muscle arises from the leg bones known as the tibia and fibula bones and does not cross the knee joint. All three muscles insert into the heel bone through the heel cord. The tibial nerve supplies primarily S1 nerve root fibers to the inner gastrocnemius muscle (medial) and the L5 nerve root fibers to the outer gastrocnemius muscles (lateral) and primarily S1 nerve fibers to the soleus.
The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles are responsible chiefly for bending the ankel and foot down so that the toes can point toward the ground. However when the foot is flat on the ground as in the sitting, crouching or squatting positions, the gastrocnemius muscles can bend the knee but not the soleus. Those who have tightness of the calf muscles will note that they are unable to place the heels flat on the floor.

During ambulation, people with tight calf muscles are unstable and prone to falls since there is difficulty with the heel striking the ground. They also have difficulty with the push-off phase of ambulation. The only muscle that is active during relaxed standing is the soleus muscle. It is responsible for stabilizing the leg so that the weight line can fall in front of the knee. Otherwise, the knee can buckle.
Tight calf muscles play a significant role in causing and aggravating lower back pain due to increasing the stress on the low back muscles. Since these calf muscles are chronically tight, trying to reduce or release spasms within these muscles is very difficult. In addition, there is also nerve related muscle tightness and weakness in these muscles due to presence of aging of the L5 and S1 spinal nerve roots.
To make the situation worse, the muscles that lift the foot and ankle up of the ground in the front of the leg are chronically weak. The weakness is primarily of nerve related origin since these muscles are supplied by the L5 nerve root which is the most commonly injured nerve root. The injury or irritation stems from presence of degenerative arthritis of the spine, slipped disc, bulging disc, etc. The L5 nerve root fibers are mainly carried through the peroneal nerve which also is vulnerable to trauma from habitual crossing of knees and/or ankles making the foot and ankle dorsiflexors even more weak.

Therefore to treat calf muscle tightness, muscles in the front of the leg called the dorsiflexor muscles of the foot and ankle have to be treated before treating the calf muscles. The dorsiflexor muscles of the foot and ankle are chronically subjected to lengthening contractions during ambulation. Therefore selective activation of these muscles by inducing shortening contractions is needed. Walking on the heels is one of the ways to induce shortening contractions of the foot and ankle dorsiflexors.

Optimal treatment for the tight calf muscles cannot be isolated to just treating the calf muscles symptomatically. The treatment must include treating the root cause of the tightness which is spinal nerve root problems primarily at the L5 and S1 levels.

All the related muscles that are continuously subjected to lengthening contractions need to be treated. Return of strength for these muscles is achieved through shortening contractions. Treatments must include treating the spinal extensor muscles, gluteus maximus, adductor magnus, tensor fascia lata, rectus femoris and the foot and ankle dorsiflexors. Selective activation for these muscles is most effective through motor point stimulation using the eToims Twitch Relief Method.

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How Kidney Stress Causes Low Back Pain

While there are many causes of low back pain, one of the more common scenarios is pain that actually has a root cause of kidney stress. This type of back pain is characterized by severe stiffness, especially first thing in the morning. There may be sharp pains that usually occur bending forward and/or twisting. Any type of movement is slow and guarded because of the stiffness and the anticipation of the sharp, stabbing pain.

How does this happen? When the kidneys become stressed, they may ache on their own. Also, when the organs are stressed, it has an affect on the nerve that innervates them. Nerves are two way streets. They may be affected at the spinal level, or the may be affected peripherally at their target point. The old model of everything originating at the spinal level only is like saying you can call someone on your phone but they can't call you. When the nerve becomes irritated, the muscles that are supplied by that nerve contract or spasm. In the case of the kidneys, it usually is the quadratus lumborum muscles. They attach at the bottom of the ribs and the top of the iliac crest. It is common for the pain to arise from these attachment areas. To treat successfully this type of back pain, the nerve irritation must be dissipated and to do that the kidney stress must be dealt with.

What stresses the kidneys? The following is a non-inclusive list of common stressors.
1. Diet-milk is one of the biggest offenders and must be avoided.
2. Dehydration-the kidney require adequate water for optimal functioning.
3. Allergies-when the pollen count is highest, I see more of this type of back pain. Undigested pollens (or anything else), are molecules that can be too big for the kidneys to handle and it stresses them to try.
4. Nutritional-the kidneys have nutritional requirements that keep them healthy. Some are vitamins A, D and B-1, amino acids, and essential fatty acids. Some helpful herbs are mullein, parsley, and alfalfa. Spinach, asparagus, mung and aduki beans are good foods.
5. Digestive incompetencies-anything not digested has the potential to stress the kidneys. Undigested sugar is a common offender. The answer is appropriate digestive enzymes and dietary modifications.

Structural corrections focusing on calming down the muscles in spasm and utilizing magnesium can be helpful. Cold laser treatments over the kidneys and on specific acupuncture points as well as adjustments at the second lumbar vertebrae are beneficial. Heat should be employed and iced drinks and cold avoided. This approach will progressively and predictably improve the status of the sufferer each day. To not address the kidney component of this painful condition is to doom the patient to perhaps a minimum of two or three weeks (or longer) of additional pain.

Chiropractic Vs Conventional Treatment for Low Back Pain: A Comparative Look

Low back pain has always been a common health issue, but it is becoming seemingly much more common and it seems there are more and more "quick fixes" and unproven remedies out there. It seems like it is getting harder and harder for the average American to figure out who to believe when it comes to low back pain remedies. Let's take a look at the difference between two different methods of treating low back pain: chiropractic therapy and conventional treatments.

Chiropractic Treatment
The practice of chiropractic medicine involves the manipulation of certain joints that have been hindered by injuries to the tissue surrounding them. This tissue can be damaged by trauma like being in a car accident, falling down or a sports injury, while they can also be damaged by overuse and improper support of the back while sitting, sleeping or lifting. When the tissue begins to heal it can sometimes develop scarring which can create knots in the tissue. These formations that develop in the tissue limit the total mobility of the joints.

When the chiropractor manipulates those joints the tissue loosens and the joint can begin to move around. The ability to have a more varied range of motion allows the pressure to come off the healing tissue or surrounding muscles, which results in an elimination or reduction of pain and the ability to be more active.

People see chiropractors for a myriad of reason, most commonly however is back pain caused by overuse, improper support, sitting too much in the same position or a number of other causes. Other reasons someone might see a chiropractor might include chronic headaches, shoulder pain, constant "crick in the neck," neuralgia, pain caused by whiplash, hip pain, knee pain, disc disorders or degeneration, just to name a few.

Conventional Treatments
The category of conventional treatments for intermittent low back pain generally includes at home treatment such as using a heating pad or soaking in a hot bath, taking over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines and starting a daily stretching regimen. At home remedies might also include improving support when sitting or sleeping by adding a lumbar cushion. If the low back pain has become chronic, there are other conventional treatments that can be tried such as physical therapy or pain control by prescribing prescription strength pain medications.

To summarize, chiropractic treatments offer a more natural alternative to conventional treatments which often include the use of prescription drugs that can cause dependence and don't actually do anything to fix the problem that is causing the pain that the drugs are merely masking. Often times, chiropractic treatments can be used in conjunction with some of the more conventional types of treatment to see even better results. Other alternative therapies can be included as well, such as acupuncture or massage. Some recent studies have also found that stretching exercises and the practice of yoga can help prevent low back pain from coming back after seeing results from a combination of conventional and chiropractic treatments.

Low Backache

Definition. The term includes many types of pain on the lower part of the back viz,, pain at the sacrum, coccyx, on the lumbar spine, soreness on the back and sciatica; low backache is more common in women than in men.

Causes

A. Gynaecological causes. These form less important causes of low backache. The causes may be as follows:

(1) Uterine prolapse with retroversion may drag on the pelvic ligaments causing backache; this gets relieved on lying.

(2) tubo ovarian mass, parametritis and chronic cervicitis;

(3) benign and malignant pelvic tumours impacted uterine fibroid or ovarian cyst, pelvic endametriosis, advanced carcinoma of cervix, retroperitoneal tumour;

(4) postoperative because of sacro iliac strain following gynaecological operation in lithotomy position under anaesthesia;

(5) Premenstrual low - pain especially in premenstrual syndrome.

Site of backache due to gynaecological cause is sacral but never extends above fourth lumbar vertebra; it has got bilateral distribution but not localised. Causes mentioned above do not necessarily produce backache in all cases.

1. Orthopaedic causes. These are the commonest cause. There are numerous factors that can play. Some important ones are the following-

(i) Sacro iliac strain or subluxation this often follows pregnancy and labour. Pain is felt on lifting weight or stooping move¬ment. There may be tenderness at the sacroiliac joint;

(ii) postural cause muscular and ligamentary strain on the back is possible due to postural defect. Obesity may also cause such strain;

(iii) Spinal arthritis ;

(iv) congenital anomalies sacralization of last lumbar vertebra or lumbarisation of first sacral vertebra, spina bifida occulta may cause back pain;

(v) lumbago this is due to myositis of the lumbar region;

(vi) coccygodynia pain at the coccyx commonly following labour. Tenderness can be elicited on movement of the coccyx ;

(vii) other spinal diseases prolapse of intervertebral disc, caries spine, spinal cord compression.
Sites of pain in orthopaedic cause vary according to the particular lesion But pain tends to be localised with tenderness at a site; pain is also related to exercise or rest. Sacroiliac strain becomes worse at night while lying flat on back or turning to the side.

II. Nonorthopaedic causes.

(1) Renal pain distribution of pain is characteristic i.e. unilateral arising at the Join.

(2) Rectal pain. Constipation, rectal spasm or carcinoma may have sacral pain or discomfort.
In some cases, no demonstrable cause for backache can be found. psychological upset is alleged to be a factor to play in this group.

Investigations.

1. Careful history taking, thorough clinical examination of the patient's general condition, pelvic condition, should be done. Examination of spine and back especially for any local tenderness is essential. Radiology of lurnbosacral region is al¬ways taken to detect any evident lesion. Urological investigations should be taken up in cases suggesting the cause.

2. Cases showing no gynaecological factor for backache should be referred to the orthopaedic surgeon.

Treatment. This is done according to the cause. The gynaecological causes are treated. For the orthopaedic causes, local application of heat, local massage of some liniment, rest, analgesics can be instituted before the orthopaedist takes up the cause for treatment.

Symptoms of Lower Back Pain - Easily Identifiable and Curable

A backache is something that most of us face at some point or the other. The symptoms of lower back pain may in some cases be sharp acute pains and in other cases, a nagging pain that may last for a while. The back always needs to be kept healthy, as it is essential to have a healthy back for proper mobility. There are various exercises and simple stretches that may be practiced to treat backache. Exercising helps to keep the back strong as well as helps you to maintain a regular routine of exercise for general good health. Exercising the lower back should be continued even in the event of backache, as this helps in relieving the pain.

Different Therapies For Lower Back Pain

The simplest therapy, which can be pursued in the event of lower back pain, is simple stretching exercises. Simple stretches of the back helps in increasing the strength of the back muscles. This by itself reduces the chances of occurrence of backache, as your muscles are already strengthened. If stretching exercises do not alleviate the symptoms, it may be wise to consult a chiropractor, who would be able to advise you on the best course of action. Backaches caused due to injury may be relieved by applying heat to the injured area. The final option of treatment of pain in the back is surgery. Surgery is resorted to only when all other modes of treatment are ineffective.

Home Remedies For Symptoms Of Lower Back Pain

There are simple things, which can be done at home to reduce the symptoms of pain as well as avoid further recurrences of the problem. Keeping a regular exercise regime can greatly help in reducing back problems, as regular exercise helps to keep the back muscles strong and supple. Maintaining proper posture without slouching is an important factor in avoiding backaches. Improper lifting of objects and lifting of excessive weights should also be avoided. Heavy purses and bags slung over one shoulder should be avoided. Instead, bags with straps over both the shoulders should be used.

People who suffer from persistent backache should sleep on a firm mattress, which provides the required support for the back. Continual stress can create an elevated blood pressure as well as tighten your muscles, both of which are causes for pain in the back. Reducing your stress levels is therefore an important factor, which will help to alleviate symptoms of lower back pain.

Lower Back Ache - Stop It!

Lower back ache and how to stop it. Sounds simple enough doesn't it, yet the statistics still say that lower back pain is the second most common reason you see your doctor for. The problem is this statistic never changes, and health statistics are getting worse.

This means there are more and more people just like you with lower back ache. You still search for answers and hopefully a cure. If you want to stop your back ache there are a few things you can do now. Below is a simple technique you can apply which will help.

As always, I state the following...

Back pain is created by 4 main issues - tight muscles, weak muscles, joint movement and pelvic balance. To get complete and permanent back pain relief, and to prevent back pain you need to address these 4 main factors. Otherwise you end up being one of the ever growing statistics - remember, the second most common reason to see your doctor, the 7% of adults right now suffering from back pain etc.

I digress...

To help your lower back pain there is a simple technique you can use that will help ease your pain. Especially if you spend a lot of time standing in your work or at home.

If you notice that the longer you stand the more your lower back or upper back get sore, you'll find the following tip particularly useful.

Place a book or block of wood about the height of a yellow pages phone book on the ground. Place one foot on the book and keep the other flat on the ground.

Stand like this; every half hour or hour, swap feet so that the other foot is on the book.

This changes the lower back posture and removes the majority of tension that builds and cause back pain.

This is great if you work in retail, in labs, on lines - or at any job where you stand all day.

It's also good to do if you're doing dishes, preparing food for a meal and so on.

Try it - you'll notice how easy it is to stand without getting back pain.

Lower back pain is common, especially in those that stand for work, or while doing chores at home at bench height. It can be very simple to ease and settle with using some simple and easy techniques. Please remember though, these type of techniques ease your lower back ache, they do not remove it totally - you still need to address the 4 main factors causing your back pain.

Neck Pain - Lower Back Pain - Role Of Latissimus Dorsi (The Bridge)

Latissimus dorsi is the most powerful muscle of the back and pain and spasm in this muscle can cause significant lower back pain and aggravation of neck pain.

It is a very large, triangular muscle that extends from the arm pit to the lower back. It arises from the lower six thoracic vertebrae, lumbosacral fascia, the crest of the pelvic bone called the iliac bone and also from the lower three to four ribs. It inserts into the floor of the groove on the upper front of the arm bone (humerus) known as the bicipital groove and is very close to the shoulder joint.

Its action is to bring the arm closer to the body (adduction), rolling the arm inward as in placing the hand on the back of the body (internal rotation) and to bring the arm backward (extension). The nerve supply to this muscle is the thoracodorsal nerve which carries the spinal nerve root fibers of the C6, C7 and C8 nerve roots.

This very powerful muscle can lift the body of the ground as in crutch walking, climbing up a pole and chinning the body on the horizontal bar. In these activities, it works together with the pectoralis major and the abdominal muscles. It is used in swimming especially in the down stroke of a crawl and most swimmers have very over developed latissimus dorsi muscles giving them a V-shape with wide shoulders narrowing down to a small waist.

Rowing type activities is primarily the function of the latissimus dorsi muscle. In pitching of baseball, it contracts very strongly in the late cocking phase. Acceleration of the arm as in throwing type activities involve lengthening contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscle which makes this muscle prone to injury.

Overhead activities, especially that against resistance as in climbing are conditions that require lengthening contractions that injure this muscle. Pulling down and chin up activities require tremendous shortening contraction of the latissimus dorsi.

This muscle also raises the lower ribs and assists in respiration. Many patients with pain and spasm of the latissimus dorsi muscle will complain of pain on deep breathing and pain in the sides of the chest wall.

The latissimus dorsi muscle is the bridge between the lower back and the neck. Therefore, the neck and the entire middle and lower back have to be treated in order to treat this muscle properly. Without latissimus dorsi muscle functioning properly, lifting type activities will be performed by shoulder shrugging. Therefore, pain along the slope of the shoulders which is primarily from pain in the trapezius muscles cannot be treated by local treatment only to the trapezius muscle. Pain in the trapezius muscle area will thus recur unless the latissimus dorsi muscle is first treated.

Similarly, low back pain treatment must always involve treating the latissimus dorsi muscle. Because of their insertions into the thoracolumbar fascia, latissimus dorsi muscle can never be properly treated until the gluteus maximus muscle is included in the treatment.

Any symptom of pain and discomfort involving the back must therefore involve the "trio treatment" that involves the gluteus maximus, latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles.

Since the latissimus dorsi muscle is constantly exposed to lengthening contractions with activities of daily living, most people have chronic tightness and shortening of this muscle. This leads to significant limitation of range of motion of the shoulder for internal rotation and extension.
Therefore, further injury to the commonly injured C6 and C7 nerve roots will further tighten and shorten the latissimus dorsi muscle making it very difficult to treat.

© 2007 copyright www.stopmusclepain.com

Lower Back Pain - Common Causes and Treatment Options

Do you know that lower back pain is the most common ailment these days? Large number of people suffers from this painful condition at some point or the other in their life. It is indeed a matter of great concern and it should not be neglected in any manner.

If you are suffering from mild or severe lower back pain, you should certainly rush to doctor for getting relief and to lead healthy and fit life. You all would be surprised to read that back problems are on steady rise and have become as common as headache or cough but its cure is must for everyone. Before taking steps for prevention of low back pain, it is important to know about root cause of this ailment. Some of such causes are written below- have a look!

Injury in bone, nerves of spinal cord or muscle
Infection in lower body parts like bladder, kidney, hips and abdomen etc.
Pregnancy
Arthritis
Osteoporosis
Broken vertebrae

It is important to know about the exact cause of lower back pain before undergoing for its treatment. Doctors can offer you various pain relief ointments and creams to give you complete relief from pain.

If your pain has occurred due to deficiency in nutrients, then ask doctors to prescribe you healthy diet full of vitamin D. Moreover enriching diet with calcium rich food sources too helps in getting relief from lower back pain. You would be happy to know that certain exercises are also advised by doctors to be done on regular basis that can help in keeping the pain at bay.

You would be surprised to know that acupuncture also plays a big role in curing lower back pain along with some dietary change in your lifestyle. Yoga is again a good option to treat lower back pain. Doctors also advices hot compression technique for getting relief from pain. Apart from this, doctors may advice you with best option that suits you to treat your pain.

You can even pull out some food items from your kitchen to cure pain associated with lower back. Application of garlic oil is an amazing way to cure pain. Mix 5 tbsp of garlic oil and sesame oil with mustard or coconut oil in a pan. Now heat it over low flame with fresh cloves of garlic. Apply over your back and leave for few hours.

Take some peeled and boiled potatoes. Mash them nicely. Spread mashed potatoes on piece of gauge and cover them with other pieces. Now place them over lower back for getting relief from terrible pain.

How to Relieve Endometriosis Back Pain

Endometriosis back pain is one of the most common forms of discomfort experienced by endometriosis sufferers before and during menstruation.

It can be severe and debilitating, leaving some women incapacitated.

Back pain associated with endometriosis usually starts about two days before and menstruation and can last throughout the length of the period, although the time scale and severity of pain can differ wildly from person to person.

It is not uncommon for back pain to worsen over the years. This can be pretty alarming and lead the patient and their doctor to assume that the pain is related to a muscular-skeletal problem rather than endometriosis.

For most sufferers the aching starts in the lower back. In most cases involving the patient experience aching in the lower back that can travel down through the buttocks and into the top of the thigh.

This pain can often be sciatica and totally unrelated to Endo. When back pains become sciatic, the patient usually has limited mobility, as they are not able to easily or comfortably move, and often the movement in one or both of her legs are impaired.

Once any other reasons for the back pain have been ruled out, and the link to endometriosis established, the symptoms should improve with the various endometriosis treatments that are available.

How to relieve back pain related to endometriosis

The initial treatment during the early onset of back pain can be to take pain relievers. Usually this will provide relief from mild to moderate back pain as the anti-inflammatory medications get to work. However, the effects can soon wear off.

If you have back pain as a symptom of endometriosis it will generally be a recurring symptom, so the best treatment would be to treat the source of your problem, the endometriosis itself.

Firstly, consult your doctor. There are many medications, which help control endometriosis symptoms.

Birth control pills are effective at regulating the estrogen levels in the blood, which prevent the build up of endometrial tissue each month. These are a particularly good option for endo sufferers who are looking contraception as well.

Hormone regulating treatment is also available, as well as surgical operations that would involve removal of endometrial tissues and adhesions.

For more natural approaches to back pain caused by endometriosis you could try acupuncture. Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that aims to rebalance the body and remove any blockages in our system.

Ensure that you find a practitioner who has dealt with endometriosis sufferers before and don't to forget to mention your back pain as a symptom during the initial consultation.

Acupuncture sessions are tailored to the individual so your treatment plan will be specific to you.

For more information on treating the endometriosis naturally sign up for the free Endometriosis newsletter below.

Endometriosis back pain can be serious and impact on your quality of life. Trying new treatment or seeking out complimentary remedies to the medication you are taking could provide the relief you are after.

Back Pain in the Lower Right Side - Should You Be Concerned?

You should probably be concerned if you are experiencing significant back pain in the lower right side. This could be an indicator of appendicitis, which is a fatal condition. It can begin as a dull back pain in the lower right side, or near your stomach. This pain will grow more and more intense until it becomes unbearable, and you may also experience a fever, vomiting and general nausea.

You'll need to undergo a professional evaluation with a doctor, who will conduct a bowel and urine analysis, as well as a CT scan. This pain might also be caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI), which also can come with blood in your urine, or a strong odor with yellow discharge, or a burning sensation during urination, or all of the above. The best natural help you can use for a UTI is drinking around ten to twelve glasses of water (other clear liquids only plus 2 glasses of cranberry juice will be good) per day. You'll need to avoid alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, as well as any 'strong' drinks and spicy foods. You should also not engage in sexual activities until the condition passes, or you can transmit it to someone else.

Another cause of back pain in the lower right side can be disc herniation. The discs that cushion your spinal column are called the 'nucleus pulposus'. If this cushioning material is pushed through the 'annulus fibrosis', the fibrous band which contains it, you may have a herniated disc.

It takes a significant pressure or strain to cause this to happen, and is usually centralized at the lower back, which then spreads to other areas of the body. Disc herniation needs specialized treatment, or else is can result in permanent and debilitating health problems. This conditions requires that you see a doctor or visit the hospital immediately, as this can result in organs failing, paralysis, gangrene, and even death. Although a herniated disc requires surgery, it is not a form of surgery that can endanger your life.

Another source of lower right side back pain can be caused kidney stones, which tend to cause pain in that area in particular. In the beginning, the pain from kidney stones can be dull and nebulous, coming and going, causing right or left side back pain. This pain will radiate towards the groin and other areas. This is another situation that needs professional assistance from a doctor. You can help to prevent this condition by consuming 2.5 liters of water every day, and keeping away from foods that have high concentrations of sodium, nitrogen and protein.

Back pain in the lower right side can also be caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This type of pain is usually widespread and vague. IBS sufferers can also experience exhaustion, bloating, nausea and gas. IBS sufferers will also deal with constipation and diarrhea, but these are not serious symptoms.

You should rest you body to cope with this, but don't forget the need to exercise also. Walking is very useful is helping the stomach do what it naturally needs to do. One should consume lots of water, maintain a diet high in fiber, and keep away from foods with a high fat content.

Usually, a smart diet and lots of water can prevent many of these problems. You can also help your lifestyle in general by starting an exercise regimen.

Risk Factors Of Chronic Back Pain: Psychological States

Lower back pain affects over 80% of people at some point in their lives. While most instances are acute, meaning they resolve within 3-6 months, 5-10% of cases become chronic. Diagnosing back pain is one of the biggest challenges for medical professionals; prevention is always the best option.

How can you prevent chronic pain when you don't always know what causes it? One approach is to understand the risk factors associated with the progression of acute to chronic pain. Some of the best predictors are psychological and emotional states surrounding pain, along with the fear-avoidance behaviors they cause.

Psychological and Emotional States

Pain is often not exclusively a physical phenomenon; experiencing pain takes a toll on our emotional and psychological lives. The reason for this is likely twofold: 1) the same neurotransmitters and areas of the brain are involved in processing both physical and emotional pain and 2) being in pain affects our quality of life by limiting our activities and simply placing us in a persistent unpleasant physical state. While it is normal to experience non-physical reactions to pain, the extent to which these reactions occur differs from person to person and can actually have a determining role in the prognosis of pain recovery.

Numerous studies have been conducted to assess the power of our psychological and emotional states to influence our physical health. One, entitled "Pain Catastrophizing and Kinesiophobia: Predictors of Chronic Low Back Pain," assessed 1,571 Dutch participants. Catastrophizing is defined as the psychological state in which one thinks something is far worse than it really is. Kinesiophobia is a fear of movement, often brought on by pain. These two traits were assessed using questionnaires in which participants answered questions that described their reactions and feelings toward pain on a scale of 1-5.

The results: People with high catastrophizing and kinesiophobia scores were 1.5-1.7 times more likely to have lower back pain and limitation at the six month follow-up than those with lower scores.

Catastrophizing and kinesiology can be expected to co-exist; the idea that pain is worse than it is causes fear of activity that could cause pain. Back pain can be triggered by nearly any motion and, therefore, those with overly negative reactions to pain may cease most activity. Physical deconditioning, including loss of muscle strength and decreased cardiovascular functioning, can cause pain to persist and increase. Psychological state and actual sensation of pain may also be connected due to the sharing of neurotransmitters and brain areas mentioned above.

Prevention

It is possible to disrupt this pain cycle. The first step is to be aware that psychological and physical states are linked.

Next, to prevent counterproductive kinesiophobia, education is needed. If the exact cause of your pain is unknown, it can be difficult to determine what activities are safe to perform. Any good physical therapist or doctor will tell you, however, that activity is needed to recovery from and prevent future back pain. Exercise therapy is one of the most standard treatments for all types of back pain. When the cause is unknown, basic core exercises are generally recommended to strengthen your back's support system. Of course, if an exercise hurts, don't do it. The array of balanced, integrated core exercises that exist should ensure that there are options for you. Cardiovascular exercise should be a component of your exercise therapy as well. For those with severe back pain, exercising in water is the best option.

One of the best was to prevent negative thought patterns like catastrophizing is to acknowledge and address the psychological implications of pain early on. Being proactive about treatment will help you feel more in control of your pain. Find support from others in the same situation as you and research your pain to keep up-to-date on possible causes and treatments. If you are struggling to keep a realistic attitude toward your pain, cognitive behavioral therapy can help you replace negative thought patterns with healthier ones. Above all, don't consider psychological symptoms as a personal weakness to be hidden, denied or ashamed of. They are valid symptoms of your pain condition that require just as much attention as the pain itself.

More on the above study can be found at http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/156/11/1028.full. Keeping yourself informed of chronic pain risk factors can help prevent pain in the future.

Treat Low Back Pain After Colon Surgery in a Natural Way

Many persons predict colon surgery often look forward to their life getting back to normal once it has healed and for the most part they can look forward to going about their daily routine. However, experiencing low back pain after surgery may also be expected as part of the healing process. While there may be some problems with slight back after surgery caused by epidural anesthesia, the location of the needle entry will stop hurting after a few days.

If you happen to be a sufferer of low back soreness after surgery and want to get relief from back soreness without drugs you can check out a revolutionary method of treating the problem that does not require taking drugs and also will help you get back on your feet. According to the there are more than a options available to get rid of low pain after colon surgery.

Trouble Is Increased: Low Back Pain after Colon surgery

When you encounter a back ache after colon treatment, it usually means your problem has not come to an end. If you have back ache, you will not to be able to eat or you have to take some kind of digestion aid, such as an antacid. Similarly, you know that back ache usually means you overexerted yourself or bent a way you weren't intended to bend. However, when low pain occurs after surgery you should never ignore the symptoms. It can give rise to digestion problems, acid reflux, or it could mean you have nerve damage. If you do encounter both together, don't hesitate to see a doctor immediately.

While consulting your doctor, he or she will want to know about the pain you're experiencing. Explain the pain exactly as you feel it. Is it a sharp soreness, as if someone was stabbing you with a sharp stick, or is it a dull, recurring pain? Does the pain get worse when you sneeze or cough, does it keep you from sleeping, or does your stomach and back go away and come back with any kind of regularity? These are just a few of the questions your doctor will ask you before he or she examines you with a physical.

Pain Free Way of Avoiding Low Back Pain after Colon surgery:

Now day's herbal medicines are available to go away with low back pain [http://www.backpainreliefhelp.com/Back_Pain_Medication/What_Back_Pain_Medication_Can_Help_You?.php] after colon surgery. The advantage of using such a means to get relief from low pain after surgery is that the treatment is not at all painful and once you have started progressing, you will definitely progress. Though you may not get compensated from your medical insurance, the cost of such a method of getting relief from low back ache after surgery is worth while.

Know The Causes Of Lower Left Back Pain to Avoid Discomfort

Lower Left Back Pain is common among people and can be caused by a number of reasons. Improper use of the back muscles lead to Lower Left Back Pain. If you sit on a chair for longer periods, say in front of the computer, poor posturing, where the left side of the back is under constant strain, can lead to Lower Back Pain.

Lower Left Back Pain is part of the larger lower back pain condition, which affects people mostly. The reason why the back suffers can be attributed to our sedentary life style. An office job in the pre-computer era was not as strenuous for the back as it is now. In those days, people would keep shifting weight and position in their chairs to allow rest to the back. Now with computer monitors fixed in a particular position, there is little scope for adjusting your position and weight in your office chair. Sitting in one particular position for hours together puts the lower back under a lot of strain. The back cannot take this constant strain on everyday basis. This initially leads to lower back stiffness and gradually the back starts getting painful.

The lower back cushions the weight of the upper body, and it acts as a shock absorber to reduce the impact of walking and running. Joggers, who jog on cemented tracks or on roads, expose their backs to greater risk of injury because of higher intensity of shock. Lower Left Back Pain can start with injury to the left leg, hip or back. The muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, discs and bones are under constant strain when we are mobile. Our turning, twisting and bending movements also put the lower back under strain. Regular back stretching and strengthening exercises will keep your back supple and strong.

Infection of the left kidney and the sciatica nerve of the left leg can also cause Lower Left Back Pain. If you experience sharp pains in the left side of the back, consult a physician to diagnose your condition.

Why a Lumbar Support Cushion Could Be the Answer to Your Back Problems

Lower back pain is a very common condition that's not only persistent, but debilitating for many people. A lumbar support cushion can help not only alleviate pain in the lower back, but prevent it from happening in the first place.

In the absence of a medical diagnosis such as disc herniation or a bone or joint condition, one or two things may be to blame for lower back pain:

1. Injury involving strain and spasm in the lower back or lumber muscles.


If you've suffered a back injury, the muscles in your back that normally stabilize your spine may be permanently inhibited, even if you're pain free for extended periods of time.


2. 
   Poor sitting posture.


If you haven't had a noticeable injury, lower back pain could be caused by poor sitting posture.

Most people have no idea they're "overdoing it" by sitting most of the day at the office, plus a few hours more at home. Sitting with your back bent over and your shoulders stooped may be a direct cause of pain in the lower back (as well as the neck and shoulders, too).

Cushions that provide lumber support can alleviate and help prevent back pain in multiple ways. A lumbar support cushion:

• Holds you in the correct, ergonomic sitting posture.



• 
  Alleviates pressure on the lower back.



• 
  Allows you to relax your back and prevent muscle fatigue.



• 
  Promotes proper blood circulation throughout the body, including the spine and legs.

Although there are many different kinds of back support cushions you can use with whatever chair you're sitting in, one that's specifically designed for lumbar support will be the most effective.

A lumbar support cushion is designed to fill in the gap between the lower spine and your chair when you sit. By providing support at the inward curve in your lower back, you can sit comfortably without straining lumbar muscles, even for extended periods of time.

This special type of cushion can act almost like a coiled spring, absorbing downward pressure that's normally placed on the lumbar muscles during sitting due to gravity.

Lumbar cushions are commonly made of memory foam, but there are some inflatable types available as well as cushions made with other materials. The main feature to look for is the ability to fit the lumbar curve when you're seated.

Once you find a comfortable lumbar cushion, use it as often as possible to alleviate and prevent back problems. Rely on your lumbar support cushion for support when:

• Driving
  
  


• 
  Watching TV in a seated position



• 
  Working at a desk or table



• 
  Sitting in your reading chair



• 
  Using the home computer



• 
  Any time you'll be seated for more than a few minutes.

You can carry a cushion for lumbar support with you to work or keep one at the office and one at home. A third cushion for your car will ensure you're always comfortable when driving.

Given the amount of pain and frustration they can alleviate, you'll find investing in one or more lumbar cushions well worth the minimal expense.

How Stress Can Cause Back Pain - Without Any Physical Injury

Backache from Stress?

Yes, it's more than possible.

It may seem odd to you, but there are many people that do suffer from aches and pains as a result of stress. You may or may not know this, but stress can manifest itself in many ways. It can range from that of cold and flu symptoms, two other illnesses and even physical pain.

As it may not be obvious that this is the reason for the backpain, it may certainly be worth reading the rest of the article to find out some techniques that may benefit you it is stress you're suffering from.

The back pain from by stress is more of a psychosomatic problem, therefore the pain is not as physical as it seems. There is good news and bad news in regards to this. The bad news is that no matter what physical treatment you go through, whether via a chiropractor, doctor or even a massage therapist, the pain simply will not budge.

However, the good news here is that the pain can be potentially cured by following some relaxation and "de-stressing" advice. For practical reasons, you should always visit your physician for professional advice before beginning any self treatment, but here are a couple of methods you can use that should calm your mind enough to remove the pain, even if just a little.

First, try meditation. No, don't worry I'm not going all new age and "lardy dah" on you. Call it quiet time if you will, but this type of meditation simply means you go to a place where you will not be disturbed, and just sit for 15 minutes to half an hour, and try and relax your muscles as much as you can while concentrating on your breathing. During this time it is important to clear your mind is much you can, and not think about your problems too much.

This brings us to our next point, try and think positively. This can work absolute wonders on your life. Each time you begin to think negatively about things, realize that you're doing it, and flip the thought straight around.

This works especially well in situations where you would normally get angry -- a big cause of stress (and high blood pressure).

Think I've gone totally off subject? Well it may seem like it, but sometimes you have to realize that one thing is linked to the other. Stress is definitely a major factor in the cause of some types of pain, which may even be the negative thoughts in your mind manifesting themselves within the body.

Tell you what, for the next couple of days - just try it out - and if you feel any better, then that's a good thing, and if not, well, you only lost about half an hour of time :)

Can Stress Cause Low Back, Mid Back and Neck Pain?

This question is asked of me at least once a day. The answer is yes, but indirectly. Let me explain. There have been multiple papers written on the effect of stress on the musculoskeletal system. What they have found is that stress slows down, or inhibits, a particular set of nerves called slow motor units. These nerves are responsible for "turning on" or firing the stabilizing muscles of the spine.

Many people have heard the term "core" training. Core can be broken down into different sub sets but one of them is inner and outer core. Now the muscles responsible for preparing our joints to move before we move them are the inner core muscles. These muscles are muscles of intention meaning that before you do any movement or think about doing a movement they tighten down the joint and put it in the correct position so you can do what ever it is you want to do.

Researchers have been able to show that when we are under stress the nerve units that supply these inner core muscles (the slow motor units) don't work as efficiently and often times are inhibited. So the inner core muscles are not activated. Instead the outer core muscles take over instead. These muscles are designed to move the joints, not stabilize the joints. Under normal circumstances this is not a problem but if you stay in this state for long periods of time the compensations occur. The joints will start to move abnormally and can be predisposed to injury.

Symptoms and Cures

What you would feel is muscle and joint stiffness. Or you might feel like if you could just get a good massage you would be great. So you stretch or get a massage and you feel wonderful but it doesn't last. A few days later the stiffness returns. What you are feeling is the outer core muscles tightening trying to do the work of the inner core as well as their own job. The longer that the inner core muscles are inhibited or turned off the more vulnerable the joints they protect. If the joints begin to become restricted or irritated due to this abnormal control the nerves are further inhibited. The cycle continues until people have pain.

The research has also shown that if you restore normal motion back to the joint this stimulates those same slow motor unit to activate the inner core muscles. Now the joints are being protected again. So with normal movement and innervation you ready for the next stressful event. Chiropractic adjustments are one of the most effective ways to return motion back to a joint.

If you are experiencing this condition around any of your joints, schedule an appointment with a qualified Chiropractor. They will be able to address your condition, help correct the issue and give you exercises to help rehab the area to help avoid the injury reoccurring.

The Causes of Extreme Lower Back Pain And How You Can Cure It Successfully

Causes Of Extreme Pains In the Lower Back.

Extreme lower back pain has a number of causes. This type of pain becomes more common as we age. This is due to changes in bone density, muscle strength and disc structure. Although back pain can occur anywhere, it is most common along your lower back in the lumbar region. Quite often, it is due to lifting objects that are too heavy that in turn causes your muscles or ligaments to overstretch generating great pain. Lower back pain may include dull, sharp or persistent pain that may be chronic or acute.

When the spine is overworked, this may cause a disc (connective tissue pad between vertebrae) to rupture or bulge. This type of damaged disc may place pressure on nerves/blood vessels of the spinal cord sending pain signals to the brain as well as generate a malfunction of the body part they innervate.

Extreme lower back pain may also be caused by muscle damage or bone lesions due to injury. Scar tissue may develop from injury that may generate a weak spot. Other causes may include arthritis, osteoporosis, viral infections, joint disease or congenital spine malformations. Being over weight, pregnancy, lack of exercise and improper sleeping positions can contribute to lower back pain as well.

In some cases, extreme lower back pain may be caused due to an internal medical condition. Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, kidney dysfunction and pancreatitis may contribute to lower back pain. If you are diabetic, you may experience bad back or leg pain related to nerve damage. All of these symptoms require immediate medical attention as this may develop into permanent damage.

Treatments For Extreme Pains In The Lower Back.

With extreme lower back pain, you should be properly diagnosed by a physician to make sure the appropriate treatment is applied. Listed below are some simple treatments that are recommended to get relief from extreme lower back pain.

Rest

More often than not lower back pain is due to some form of muscle strain. Resting the spine for a few days

is good to prevent further damage to your muscles. However, more than a few days of rest will do more harm than good. You will need to begin physical therapy as soon as possible. Exercise is necessary to strengthen the muscles that are damaged.

Anti-inflammatory Medications

Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as aspirin are helpful in reducing the amount of inflammation and decreasing the amount of pain, you may experience. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger NSAID depending on the severity of your pain.

Warm Compresses

Heat packs or a warm bath will help relieve tension in the muscle as well as increase blood circulation to the area. Greater blood circulation to the affected area will bring in more oxygen and nutrients and carry away wastes allowing for rapid healing.

Exercise

The most important part to relieving back pain for the long-term is to exercise. You need to increase muscle strength and flexibility. It's a good idea to consult a chiropractor or physical therapist initially so that you learn the right exercises to do as well as do them properly. Later you can exercise on your own.

Muscle Relaxers

Physicians will sometimes prescribe muscle relaxers to keep your damaged muscle from tensing. This may also happen with other muscles that have not been damaged because they are trying to take over lost function. Either way, this will allow you to continue your exercises with greater ease.

Epidural Steroid Injections

These injections are often used around the spinal nerves to decrease inflammation at the site of damage.

Spinal Surgery

If medications and physical therapies are not giving you the relief you need, you may have to consider surgery. Back surgery is considered the last resort and requires serious consideration. Your doctor will help you determine if this is right for you.

With any kind of back pain that persists, you should see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis. This will determine proper treatment. Even with extreme, severe lower back pain, proper exercise, warm compresses and pain/inflammation medications may work wonders. If the pain isn't responding to these treatments, you may require some form of surgery.

Avoid Back Pain From Playing The Guitar

Playing an instrument is a rewarding pastime for some and a way of life for others. Whatever your level of investment in your instrument, you may find that you experience pain after practicing, especially if you practice for a long period of time.

Whether sitting or standing, right-handed or left, you are using one side of your body differently than the other when playing guitar. The shoulder, hand and forearm on the side that you use to navigate the fretboard are working more than those on your strumming side. If you stand when playing, this imbalance is exacerbated by the strap. Right-handed players support the weight of their guitar on the left side, which is also the fretting side, and vice versa for left-handed players. The extra work these muscles do causes them to become tense and shortened after prolonged use. Muscles that are tight become weak, as they are not flexible enough to perform work without possible injury. This can cause the muscles of the other side to attempt to compensate for them throughout your day, leading to tightness on that side as well.

The following tips will help to prevent neck, shoulder and back pain caused by overuse when playing the guitar.

Warming Up

You may think that a warmup for guitar playing means finger exercises on the fretboard. These are important, both for playing quality and for your finger and forearm muscles. However, the rest of your body should be warmed up, too. The neck, back, shoulders and hips should be stretched before your practice session. This ensures that the muscles are flexible and have received fresh nutrients and oxygen from increased blood flow to perform work with.

Proper Posture

One of the most important postural tips to keep in mind when playing guitar is to keep your shoulders low and you spine straight. Many people, especially new players, will hunch over the instrument sitting down and tense their shoulders as they concentrate on their playing. Body awareness is one of your best protections against poor posture when playing guitar. Whether you're sitting or standing, make every effort not to hunch over the guitar. For new players or those used to looking at the fretboard, this may take some practice. Begin relying on the dots that indicate fret numbers on the side of your guitar's neck, or make your own indicators with colorful tape. Keep your neck as upright as possible. Make sure your shoulders are not creeping up toward your head.

If standing, play around with the length of your guitar strap. Some people prefer to keep the guitar low, while others like it very high. Ergonomically, the best position is that which sets the weight of the guitar's body at your center of gravity, which is around navel level for men and hip level for women. If the guitar is lower, your shoulder strain will increase. If it is higher, you may find yourself raising your shoulders. Check out the DuoStrap, designed to allow the weight of your guitar to be shared by both shoulders: http://www.gruvgear.com/duostrap-signature.

Seating position for standard guitars involves resting the "waist" of the guitar (the indent between the upper and lower half of the body) on the thigh of your strumming side with your legs in an open stance. Resist the temptation to cross your legs; this causes your body to twist, increasing stress on your hip muscles, spine and lower back muscles. Your strumming arm should rest lightly on the lower half of the guitar. Classical guitarists support the weight of the guitar on the thigh of the fretting side with the neck pointing more upward. Classical or standard, your shoulders should be low and loose.

Those who would like to learn more about proper body mechanics, both when playing and not, should refer to the Alexander Technique. See their website at http://www.alexandertechnique.com/ for more information.

Breaks

Some people can grab their guitars and stay put for hours, but your initial warmup won't keep your muscles loose for that long. After half an hour of play, take a break and move around. If you play sitting, stand up and allow your hip muscles to elongate. If you play standing, give your legs a break and take a seat. Repeat your warmup stretches. Taking a two-minute break every half hour or so will allow your muscles to refresh themselves.

Playing guitar shouldn't cause you pain. Paying attention to posture, warming up and taking breaks will help to prevent back pain during your practice sessions.

What To Do When Your Lower Back Pain Involves a Kidney Infection

You can get lower back pain from some very simple things. Some of them can be as simple as walking in high heels or maybe you even stretched incorrectly. If you are suffering from a kidney infection, this too can develop into low back pains and become very painful.

Symptoms and Signs

You absolutely must see your doctor is you have mid or low back pain that has been persistent. You may have some form of trauma in your back that needs attention immediately such as a possible kidney infection.

You may be suffering from a kidney infection if you are experiencing some of the following symptoms:

Blood in urine (not always visible) - Burning during urination - Nausea - Fever

Pain from a kidney infection will be in the areas on both sides of the spine and just above your hips. Most doctors press on these areas to see if you are feeling any sensitivity in these areas. The pain may also creep to the waist area.

A test to see if your body is fighting of infection a blood test is used. By counting the white blood cell count in a urine sample, doctors will be able tell if you have an infection.

Many times you will know that you don't have a kidney infection because you will know what caused the back pain. You will have had an accident that caused the back pain. If you don't remember any traumatic event that could have caused your back pain then you may have a kidney infection.

Treating a Kidney Infection

When bacteria enters into the bladder and travels to the kidneys will cause a kidney infection. You will suffer from a bunch of symptoms, one of which will be lower back pain. Two forms of kidney infections are:

Acute (strong but short -term) - Chronic (slow buildup but can be long in duration)

Receiving treatment from a kidney infection is crucial to keep from damaging your kidneys. To treat for a kidney infection you will need to take antibiotics.

For those suffering with a severe case of kidney infection, your doctor may give you a shot of antibiotics along with anti-nausea medication and pain medication. Once the infection goes away the pain in the lower back will subside.

Treatment for lower back pain

Pain caused by trauma will not go away as quickly as pain caused by infection. You can treat pain that began due to some sort of trauma with the following:

Physical therapy - Topical - Oral pain meds - Heating pads

These treatments are used, along with rest, when back pain is brought on by these types of events:

Bending Wrong - Back Spasms - Herniated Disc - Over Doing Exercise - Stretching - Strains

As you can see there is a big difference between pain from trauma and lower back pain from a kidney infection.

How to Avoid Chronic Lower Back Pain

Chances are that if you haven't already, at some time in your life you will have a run-in with some lower back pain. Researchers estimate that 60-80% of Americans will suffer from low back pain over the course of their lives. Lower back pain can range from a simple annoyance to a debilitating catastrophe. Fortunately, there are some reliable methods for reducing the likelihood that you will experience lower back pain. This article is about one of the most effective, but least talked about ways that you can either limit you chances of experiencing lower back pain or relieve the back pain you may already be in.

Aerobic Exercise: The method I am talking about is aerobic exercise. For some people, the mention of the word "aerobic" conjures images of leotards, headbands, leg warmers, and lines of women dancing and stretching to music. This is only one form of aerobic activity. The word "aerobic" actually means "with oxygen". Or in other words, aerobic activity is that which requires increased oxygen to perform. Aerobic exercise has many benefits including improved cardiovascular (heart and lung) health, general fitness, weight reduction and, as you will now learn, improved lower back health. Low impact aerobic exercises actually nourish the muscles of the lower back. Low impact exercises include activities such as water aerobics, swimming, cycling, rowing, elliptical trainers, walking, etc. Any exercise that raises the heart rate to an aerobic zone without causing significant impact on the low back will help to reduce the occurrence of lower back pain. Exercises like jogging or jumping rope introduce high compressive forces on the spine and may not be optimal for reducing lower back pain. To understand why aerobic exercise is so effective, you must understand that there are two types of muscle in your body. They are fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles.

The two types of muscle: The fast-twitch muscles are the ones that control many of your voluntary movements. They are designed for speed and power. If you open and close your fist, you are using your fast twitch muscles. These muscles use glucose for energy. Glucose is the energy that your body gets from carbohydrates through your diet. It travels through your blood or it can be stored in fat cells and muscle in the form of glycogen. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are involuntary muscles that are built for endurance. These are the postural muscles of your body. Since the muscles of your lower back are primarily used for posture and endurance, they are mostly slow-twitch muscles. This kind of muscle uses oxygen for energy. When they don't get enough energy these muscle become weak and tired. This can lead to lower back pain. Aerobic exercise increases the ability of your body to circulate the blood and get more oxygen to these endurance muscles. When the muscles are well nourished there is a lower likelihood that they will spasm or cause you pain. Feed your muscles well and you will find that your lower back pain problems will be reduced.

Remember to use low impact aerobic exercises on a regular basis to help control or prevent lower back pain. As with any type of exercise program, it would be wise to consult with your physician before you undertake any sort of aerobic training program to benefit your lower back. In the meantime it doesn't hurt to take more walks to increase your level of aerobic fitness and decrease your lower back pain.

Relieve Lower Back Pain the Right Way

At some time in our lives we will have lower back pain. This typically happens for a variety of reasons. It will need your immediate attention. There is not many times that when you have lower back pain that you are not going to notice it. Our back is used for most activities in our daily lives, so it is difficult for it to go unnoticed.

Here are some ways for you to relieve the pain without surgery, so you may get on with your usual activities. For you to have this type of pain you must first know what caused the problem. Then you must know what is hurt. Here are some examples:

Mattress - if you have a poor mattress, this can cause you lower back pain. A poor mattress can and will cause problems the morning when you awake. In some cases it can be so severe that you will not hardly be able to move.

Obesity - when you are carrying extra weight and pressure that is caused to your lower back muscles, can and will cause you lower back problems.

Disc problems - if you have ever had a slip disc, you know that this can cause you extreme pain.

Pregnancy - during a pregnancy you can have intense lower back pain. In fact there is labor called back labor which is quite intense.

Each of the above problems will have its own different ways to relieve the pain. You will need to see a doctor to determine what is the cause of the pain.

How to Treat and Relieve Lower Back Pain

Some of the methods listed below will help you find relief from back pain without surgery or drugs. Now there are quite a few ways to achieve back pain relief. Here are some ways to get relief from back pain without surgery.

Ice / hot patches - these will provide relief for up to 16 hours and are mainly used by back pain relief athletic due to excessive exercise.

Topical pain relief treatments - you have the natural pain relief sprays and topical pain relief ointments that can be applied to the area of the pain for some relief.

Drugs - Tylenol, Advil and Aleve will help relieve the pain, but you should consult your doctor first.

There are also magnets for pain relief. This has become a very popular method of late. There are patches and belts that have magnets built into them so you can just strap them around you so the magnets can provide the relief you need.

A lot of pain relief remedies can be found in your local store. The over the counter drugs will provide some relief. That is why you should consult your doctor to make sure you are taking the right treatment. You don't want to guess the wrong treatment.

Treatments on how to relieve back pain are in most cases harmless. An injury to your back is another thing. Trying to diagnose your pain incorrectly due to an injury is a risk you should not take.

Tips

If you exercise and keep the back muscles strong will prevent lower back pain. If you use exercises like, yoga and Pilates that involve a bunch of stretching will help relieve the pain if you are over weight or have a muscle strain.

There are some back pains the will put you down and immobilize you until you find relief. Whenever you are having lower back pain, you need to talk to your doctor to make sure that you are doing the right things to relieve the pain. If you do this, you have a good chance to have a healthy and normal life. You want to find a way that will provide relief from the pain without surgery, that is the goal.

Exercising If You Have Lower Back Pain

If you feel pain down low on your back on a regular basis, you should take it as a symptom that something is wrong with your body or your use of your body. One of the most common things people neglect is do exercises for preventing or alleviating lower back pain.

While everyone who receives doctor approval should do these exercises, the exercises for low back pain are typically recommended by doctors on a case by case basis. Certainly, doing the exercises that will relieve pain in the back under the guidance of your doctor is preferable to slouching in an office desk all day and then coming home with incredible pain that all you could do is slouch on the sofa and wait for the pain to go away.

There's a wide variety of known causes for lower back pain. However, it is not always possible to diagnose the causes of such pain. In most cases, doing exercises designed for back pain can either prevent the pain from recurring or make the pain more bearable the next time it comes on.

You may think that exercise is something grueling or that the more grueling the exercise, the better the results. When it comes to your back, the opposite is typically true. You need fluid, natural, smooth back movements to be a part of your back exercise program. The focus is on flexibility and range of motion. In fact, two of the most common causes of back pain are overexertion of back muscles and repetitive improper movements or postures of the back muscles.

So when you exercise for low back pain, you want to avoid pushing, pulling, or lifting too much weight. You also want to avoid stretching too far in any direction to the extent that it feels unnatural. You should initially be guided by a trained physical therapist or trainer to ensure you learn the proper movements and postures to build strong, flexible muscles and develop good, healthy posture.