Archive for September, 2006
Summary: It is a good investment to learn all about back pain, the causes and the side effects of back pain, and how it is prevented or relieved
Aside from the usual side effects of back pain, like the disturbance of your sleeping habits and the difficulty in sitting still during extended periods of time, the real concern should be addressed to the cause for back pain. Because if the occurring back pain is persistent (e.g. chronic back pain) that spans over a period of time (such as 3 months) then there should be a considerable cause behind it. Unfortunately since back muscles are the hardest working muscle group in the body, back pains are a frequent occurrence which indirectly effects it being the hardest to identify condition. So its is a good investment to learn all about back pain, the causes and the side effects of back pain, and how it is prevented or if the condition is occurring, how best to relieve the effect. Because being equipped with the proper knowledge is the best preventive measure for any ailment anytime.
If you find these conditions accompanying your back pain, then it is strongly suggested that you seek professional help.
- Fever and chills - back pain with fever especially if accompanied by chills (indication of severe body heat loss) is often a symptom of a viral infection. The back pain is usually where the affected gland is. One such example is Hepatitis, where a blunt pain is experienced in the lower back and accompanied by fever and chills. Appendicitis also shows these symptoms.
- History of cancer with recent weight loss (or unexplained weight loss) - it is not uncommon for cancer to be the actual cause for the back pain.
- Severe trauma - fractured or cracked spinal is a deadly cause for back pain. If you have persistent back pain occurrence after a surgical operation, most probably there are still issues that are overlooked. Consult your surgeon. Likewise, if you experience a sharp pain moments after you had a sharp fall, then you should be on your way to the doctor.
- Significant weakness on the legs accompanying a back pain signifies a major nerve disorder. Dysentry, Crohn? disease, or ulcerative colitis are also a possibility.
- Sudden bowel and/or bladder incontinence - either difficulty passing urine or having a bowel movement, or loss of control of urination or bowel movement. Though in some cases, this is self treatable.
- Severe, continuous abdominal pain and back pain signifies major problems in the organs.
Though in some cases, back pains don? cause major problems (cases where the above conditions are absent), the best you can do is start an exercise regimen that is supplemented with a healthy diet and good water consumption. If you experience a bad back, do not fret too much. Study your condition. If nothing is out of place, side effects of back pain will mostly interfere with your daily routine which can be annoying. At most, side effects of back pain include discomfort in sitting in extended periods, a disturbance in your sleep, and an irritating pain every time you try to bend over. Either case, it? nothing that a good living (with exercise) cannot cure.
September 28th, 2006
Stop Back Pain Now!
September 26th, 2006
Back pain is a pain in the neckˇrr, back. Both literally and figuratively. It could disrupt your life, your work, routine, daily activities and even recreation. Fortunately for most people, episodes of back pain tend to get better within two weeks to two months. This is called the healing period when your body strives to recover from the recent strain it has put up with. It is also at this precise point where you need appropriate back pain therapy.
The purpose of conservative treatment options, such as back pain therapy, include:
- Decrease muscle spasms
- Reduce pain
- Condition the back
- Assist in managing issues that are usually associated with back pain (e.g., sleeplessness or depression)
There are two kinds of back pain therapy that an affected person may undergo. But for purposes of this article, our focus would be on physical back pain therapy as this type is more easily done by the individual or with some help from friends or family. The other form of back pain therapy is chiropractic or osteopathic which requires assistance from a healthcare professional.
On the other hand, physical back pain therapy is further divided into two classes passive physical therapy (involving modalities) and active (exercises for back pain).
Passive Physical Back Pain Therapy
This class of physical back pain therapy is called passive because it is done to the patient, as opposed to the patient taking an active role in his healing. The therapy requires the use of several modalities.
- Heat/Ice Packs - These are the most commonly used type of modality used in passive physical back pain therapy. The degree of relief may depend on several factors. Some patients find that heat packs work better at reducing back pain while others consider ice packs as more effective. Either of the two may be used and may be alternated.
- Iontophoresis - This involves the application of steroids to the skin. Electrical current is added to cause the steroid to migrate under the skin where it has an anti-inflammatory effect, thus providing relief for the patient.
- TENS Units - Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) unit applies electrical stimulation to the back in order to modulate pain. The stimulation overrides the painful signals that are sent to the brain.
- Ultrasound - A form of deep heating, this passive physical back pain therapy applies sound waves to the skin where they penetrate into the soft tissues. This method can relieve acute pain and may even speed up muscle healing.
Active Physical Back Pain Therapy
In addition to using modalities, active physical back pain therapy is also important in order to condition the body and rehabilitate the spine. Patient should pay particular attention to the shoulders, back, hips, and legs when performing exercises. Before you do any exercise program, it is recommended that you perform some warm up or stretching exercises first.
Author : Wira Nuradli
Copyright 2006 - TopInfoNet | Back Pain
September 25th, 2006
DVD : Yoga Wisdom for Back Pain & Tight Hips
September 22nd, 2006
Your back is the workhorse of your body. You rely on it in almost every move you make. So even though your back is a well-designed structure of bone, muscles, nerves, and other soft tissues, it is vulnerable to injury and back pain, either of which can be disabling.
Back pain is a common condition, occurring in four out of five adults. While back pain is most likely to occur at one time in your life, there are steps you can take to prevent it from happening to you or keep the pain from becoming worse.
Causes
Most back pain occurs in the lower back, where most of your body weight is supported. It is often a result of strained back muscles and ligaments due to any of the following activities:
- Improper posture
- Heavy lifting
- Sudden awkward movement
- Muscle spasm
- Stress
In some cases, however, back pain can be traced back to specific conditions, such as:
- Herniated Disk : When the disk material presses on a nerve.
- Sciatica : When a herniated disk presses on the sciatic nerve. The condition causes sharp, shooting pain through the buttocks and the back of the leg.
- Spinal Stenosis : When the space around the spinal cord and nerve roots becomes narrow. Caused by arthritis and bone overgrowth. Pain results when a nerve gets pinched in the narrow space.
- Spondylosis : A type of arthritis affecting the spine due to degenerative changes brought on by aging.
- Spondylolisthesis : When one vertebra in the spinal column slips forward over another.
Since back pain in any of these instances is premised on a definable cause, the treatment procedure is also easily identified. Back pain may also be caused by other specific conditions, not mentioned here because they occur only rarely.
Medical Advice
Home treatment and self-care are often the best method to take care of back pain. However, there are rare instances where back pain could signal a more serious medical problem, in which case, medical advice is needed.
Take heed of the following symptoms of back pain :
- Constant or intense back pain, especially when lying down at night
- Back pain spreads down one or both legs
- Weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs
- New bowel or bladder problems
- Abdominal pain or pulsation, fever
- Follows a fall, blow to your back or other injury
- Accompanied by unexplained weight loss
If you experience any of the above, then be sure to see your doctor immediately. Additionally, if you are older than 50, seek doctor? advice about your back pain even when you do not experience any of the abovementioned symptoms. People with a history of osteoporosis, cancer, steroid use, or drug or alcohol abuse should also see the doctor if they experience back pain.
Author : Wira Nuradli
Copyright 2006 - TopInfoNet | Back Pain
September 21st, 2006