7/18/11

How Smart is the Mind and Body after an Back Injury?

It is possible to find the best information on the internet without having to do that much work. Basically all that has to be done is a search online and in a few seconds the answers will be right in front of the eyes. There is a variety of websites out there and the right one can provide everything that is needed to end a problem.

The mind is the place where pain is experienced. The lower back or neck can be the place of pain, but in reality a small part in the brain is where the feelings come from, the horrible sensation that causes sleepless nights and miserable days. The body is a very complex machine that is very intelligent and does certain things and runs specific processes in order to protect it from further injury.

When a spinal disc is injured there is inflammation at the damaged area. The chemicals are released and the nociceptors are fired off and send the message to the brain that something is wrong. The local chemicals work to retain fluid and do things to prevent motion, while the nerve fibers signal to the mind to quit moving the area so that further damage does not occur. This is a brilliant set up, but after a certain period of time there comes a point when motion into the area is what is necessary to improve the healing process. If there is a herniated disc causing sciatica pain then non-surgical spinal decompression in Los Angeles can introduce motion into the ligaments and cartilage fibers that would not be able to move without this help. Pain exercises along with the best back pain relief cream can rehabilitate the area and in a few weeks recovery can be possible.

4/28/11

Desk Job with Walking and Working at the Same Time?

The research keeps coming out with information about how to improve our lives and get rid of the things that hold us back. There is something that has been studied more in depth over the last couple of years and I am sure more work will be done to figure out what the best answer is to this problem. The issue is that people are sitting more than ever and exercising less and less. There has been so much data pointing to excess sitting as something that is causing many health related complications. The heart seems to be the organ that misses out on the exercise the muscles could be getting and can become weak and not function as well as it should. The muscles all over the body are not exercised like they should and this leads to issues. Back pain can increase because of the lack of motion and there are many, many more things that happen because of this.

What could be done about this? There needs to be a solution that allows people to do desk work like normal but keep active. There has been some evidence that tapping the knee could help out, but I think there needs to be more done. There are treadmills that are built around the work station and this is excellent. This allows for the person to walk at a very slow rate and type, talk on the phone, or do any other task at the desk while exercising the entire body. There is more oxygen reaching the heart and brain this way as compared to just sitting there. Personally think that as time passes there will be companies that set up their entire work force with desks as mentioned above. This could keep the entire work force healthier and cut back on healthcare expenses.

2/23/11

Benefits of Back Pain Relief Cream

Some of the best things are very easy to obtain and use. It is a matter of finding the right information and then applying the knowledge that is learned. We will look into one thing that is great to use to help reduce back pain.

Back pain relief cream is something that is highly recommended because it has pain reducing properties. If you have been in a car accident or are someone who suffers from chronic back pain caused by a herniated disc, sciatica, or spinal stenosis, then using this can be of a great benefit. When you start non-surgical spinal decompression therapy or any other pain relief program you can help things by applying it to the affected area. If you have radiating pain to the extremities, maybe the left arm down to the hand, you can put it on heavy in the neck, or cervical region and then apply it where it hurts the worst down the arm.

One of the best combinations for stopping back and neck pain is to first apply the lotion or cream and then use ice therapy. This is a great choice because there are no drugs used and the combination is easy to use and obtain. It can not be stressed enough how important it is to NOT ice over thirty minutes at a time. There is no problem with applying more lotion and it can be used as often and frequently as wanted. Be sure to do things to fix the real issue, the thing that is causing the discomfort, and just use this as as a temporary fix.

10/8/10

Back Hurts After a Car Accident?

After something bad happens you will want to take the correct action to make sure that you get the right type of care so that you can heal properly. Not all actions will get you the desired outcome but some will work towards achieving a positive outcome.

A car accident can cause a great deal of stress, both mentally and physically. Right after the impact the first thing that might go into your mind is "what just happened?" and then you might get out of the car and see what really did happen. This depends on the severity of the accident and if it really bad you might not want to move and wait for the ambulance to arrive and the professional paramedics to help you. If you were able to make it out of the car and see what happened then you or the other people involved (if that is the case) called 911. The police and rescue team will come to help. Even if the car accident didn't seem all that bad to you it is solid advice to go get checked out at the hospital. Being extra safe is the way to go after having a spinal trauma such as this. When you make it out of the hospital you might notice that your back and neck can become more stiff and hurt worse as time goes one. Typically neck pain and low back pain, along with stiffness, can get get worse about a few days after the car accident. It is common that people will use ice therapy to lower inflammation along with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Whatever you do, make sure that you visit a back pain specialist in Los Angeles for an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan. If you herniated a cervical or lumbar disc then you might be a candidate for non-surgical spinal decompression.

There might be other injuries to other parts of the body also, such as a knee or shoulder. When the foot is on the break during impact there can be damage to the knee, hip, and low back. The seatbelt can also protect you from severe injuries, but cause damage to the clavicle and shoulder during the car accident. Guess the best advice when your back hurts after a car accident is to see a really top notch Doctor so you can get the healing process going in a positive direction.

9/10/10

Reason for Getting a MRI for Herniated Disc Diagnosis

So many times we go and do things without knowing the reason why. With the help of the search engines we are able to obtain valuable information fast so we can become better educated to make the best decisions possible.

There are reasons for doing all kinds of things in life. There is a definite reason for getting a MRI of your spine and that is to see what is going on with the soft tissues. X-rays are used to see the bones and MRI s are used to see the discs and other soft tissue structures. When you have back or neck pain and have a decrease in mobility, and possibly other symptoms then you will first want to see a Doctor who can take all of your information, then do objective testing to help narrow down what is causing the problem. Typically a herniated disc will have the following symptoms:
  1. Pain worse in the morning; however it can be constant and severe all the time.
  2. Radiating or shooting pain down the arms to the hands from a cervical herniated disc or down the legs to the feet or toes from a lumber herniated disc.
  3. Pain that could get better with motion; however it could get worse with motion.
These are not set in stone and symptoms can be quite different from person to person. There are orthopedic tests that the Doctor will do to help narrow down the diagnosis. Muscles will be tested, reflexes will be tested, and there could also be sensory testing as well.

If the information matches from the history and the exam, then an MRI might be needed. When you are ready to get out of pain and get better it is crucial to get the exact cause of the pain so that the correct back pain treatment can be used. Non-surgical treatments for back pain are recommended first and should be utilized.

7/23/10

Why Heat Is Horrible For Back Pain Relief

The information that we gather on an ongoing basis helps us all make correct and accurate decisions. Whe we get the best information we can get the best outcomes.

Heat applied to the back for pain relief is not recommended. Here you have a back that is pain and is inflammed. At first you might think that putting heat on it would help it heal faster, maybe get the cells to clear out the inflammatory chemicals faster, but guess what? It doesn't work. It makes the pain worse. Yes, you can get immediate fast pain relief while the hot towel or hot pack is applied to the lumbar or cervical spine, but then you end up hurting worse later. It is so similiar to thinking of your back pain as a fire. When you pour gasoline on the fire it grows and gets bigger, this is a good way to think of what you are doing when you put heat on your back when you are in pain.

DO NOT USE HEAT FOR BACK PAIN.

There are a few auto-immune arthiritis diseases that can benefit from the use of heat therapy, espcecially for the joints in the hands and wrists. But for back pain, forget it. Use ice and lower the inflammation. Ice also can kill the pain fast. It is currently summer time and most of us are so hot a nice ice pack on the lower back would help cool the entire body down while lowering the inflammation at the injured area.

7/7/10

Dehydrated With Back Pain

There are so many things within our reach that we can use to help make our days better. Often times we get so caught up in what we are doing that we forget about these easily availible things that can make a huge difference. Water is one of these things and so many times we are just too busy to drink it.

Back pain can be caused because of dehydration. The discs are an important structure in the spine and need water to stay healthy. The nerves and tissues all around the spine need water and the minerals that are in water are important for proper nerve flow. So many of us drink things each day that dehydrate us, such as coffee and tea. Alcohol, such as wine and beer is consumed and works to dehydrate our bodies. If you find yourself with low back pain, middle back pain, neck pain, and even having a headache pick up the water bottle and start drinking. If you work to keep the intake coming in on a regular basis it can help the most. It might not be the best practice to stand there with a gallon of water and drink the entire thing over a two minute period. Maybe set a ten hour period to drink it all. Some ask if it is possible to drink too much water, and it is, but that is going to be a huge amount of water. If a person that weighs one hundred and fifty pounds drinks a half gallon to a gallon per day then that would be a good amount to keep the back healthy and not in pain.

The point of this article is that so many of us simply forget to drink water during the day and because of that we end up with unwanted aches and pains. Work to make it a routine to carry water with you each day and drink it on an ongoing basis. You will find that you can have less back pain and more energy. The spring water is the best that you can drink because it can often have more minerals which are good for the nerves.