Coccyx Gel Seat Cushion - The Cheapest Solution to Your Back Pain

A gel seat cushion is one of the best things that you can do to provide comfort to your aching back and neck. Not only are gel seat cushions a therapeutic remedy, they are also of great help when it comes to relieving non-chronic as well as general back and neck pain. Whenever you are sitting somewhere, whether it be the hard concrete of the sidewalk, the supple wood of a bench in the park or the moderately soft cushion of you chair you must realize that you're putting a lot of stress on your tail bone.

Most of the back pain that you may suffer is the direct result of the pressure that is exerted on your tailbone as well as your spine. In some cases even the lingering neck pain that doesn't go away with traditional therapy is found to be caused by the pressure that is exerted on the joint where the neck rests on the spinal column, which ends up getting pressurized by the simple weight that the body exerts when human beings are in a seated position.

Some specialized and more advanced gel seat cushions are also manufactured with something known as the center relief groove. The center relief groove, like the name suggests is a groove in the middle of the cushion which allows your tailbone to be free of contact from any surface at the bottom since you are sitting with just the body force exerted on your buttocks and your coccyx or tail bone is not in contact with the seating surface anymore.

Chiropractic Adjustment - The Treatment That Aligns Your Bones

When medicines could not help patients with chronic back pains, chiropractic care brought them the much needed relief. Chiropractic is a health care discipline which specializes in diagnosing, treating and preventing of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system especially the spine. The treatment is provided through several medical techniques such as exercise, massage, nutritional supplements and acupuncture. The chiropractors believe that any disorder of the spine can affect the overall health of a person as it interferes with the body's function. Over the years, chiropractic treatment has proved to be one of the most successful treatments. This has gained it greater acceptance among medical physicians and health plans in the U.S.

One of the methods, of correcting subluxations that chiropractors apply is Chiropractic Adjustment. It is the most common treatment used; according to an estimate almost 90% cases are treated this way.

Chiropractic Adjustment Defined

Chiropractic adjustment is a spinal adjustment where a three-joint complex is taken past the normal range of movement, taking care that the joint is not damaged or dislocated. A sudden force is applied and attempt is made to increase a joint's range of motion. It may cause an audible release. Various techniques are applied in adjustments such as, manipulation, massage, mobilization, stimulation etc. Once the bone is unlocked from its improper position it can freely align itself. However, it may take several adjustments before the bone settles.

Techniques Applied in Adjustments

Since each patient is unique and his case might be different from others, chiropractors are taught numerous adjusting techniques. The size, weight and muscle structure of the practitioner and the patient decide what technique or approach will be most suitable. Most effective technique will be the one that can adjust or align the bones without applying too much force. The doctors and chiropractors are taught how to maintain their pressure with respect to the patient's size, weight etc.

Chiropractic Adjustment Doesn't Hurt

Chiropractic adjustment is pain free. The force applied is minimal and the pressure is gentle. It is quite rare that a patient will complain about feeling any sort of discomfort. Some patients hear popping sounds, but that doesn't mean something is cracking in their body. The sound is produced by tiny pockets of gas releasing with a pop. It is similar to the sound of knuckles cracking.

Patients, who do not loosen their body or remain stiff during the process, may feel some sort of a discomfort. Therefore, the chiropractor's advice their patients to remain calm and relaxed during the treatment. Many new patients remain stiff and resist the adjustment; with time they learn how to loosen their body. The chiropractors all trained and licensed to practice hence there is nothing to worry about. With several adjustment treatments, the noises will go away and your vertebrae will start experiencing normal flexibility.

Types of Conditions that Chiropractor Adjustment Treats

Chiropractic adjustment can treat the following conditions:

• Pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders, back, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, hips, legs, feet.


• Headaches.


• Nerve disorders.


• Injuries and trauma to the body just as whiplash.


• Arthritis.


• Sports injuries such as tennis elbow, strained muscles and sprained joints and ligaments.

If you are facing any of the above conditions instead of treating it yourself, you should consult a chiropractor as soon as possible.

Osteopathic Treatment or Surgery for Back Pain?

Your spinal column is made up of three different kinds of bones. These are the:

Lumbar vertebrae: These bones are located at the base of your spine, just above your hips. It's these strong bones that bear the weight of your entire spinal column. It's therefore important that these bones remain strong.

Thoracic vertebrae: These are the bones found towards the middle of your spine. They are located right behind your chest region. These vertebrae are slightly smaller than the five lumbar vertebrae at the bottom of your spine. Your thoracic vertebrae are designed to assist your flexibility of movement when you swivel from side to side.

Cervical vertebrae: These are the spinal bones found right at the base of your neck. These vertebrae have the primary aim of supporting your head and neck.

Your Spinal Discs

Between each of your vertebrae you have intervertebral discs. These discs act as the shock absorbers of your body, holding the vertebrae together and allowing you to move freely.

Each of these discs has an outer fibrous bony tissue known as the annulus fibrosus. Inside these boney tissues is the nucleus pulposus, which is a clear jelly like substance.

An injury to your spinal column may cause disc defragmentation or herniation. If your spinal disc is herniated or ruptured, the nucleus pulposus begins to leak from it. When the outer annulus fibrosus is ruptured, your body will release an inflammatory chemical, which can cause severe pain.

Disc herniation is usually caused by constant wear and tear. Desk jobs that require constant sitting may cause herniation of the spinal discs. This is due to continuous pressure placed on the discs while sitting, which can be combated by strengthening your core.

A herniated disk is also often caused by intense pressure on the disc by the vertebrae located above and below it. Such injuries are caused when a person lifts heavy objects improperly or by sudden twisting.

Where in the Spine Can a Disc be Injured?

Any of the spinal discs can be injured through either overuse or traumatic injuries. All three regions of your vertebrae, the cervical, thoracic and the lumbar are susceptible to spinal disk injuries. However, since your lumbar vertebrae bear the most weight, they are the most easy to injure.

The cervical discs, when used intensively, such as when reading or with excessive use of the computer, may also be injured. The discs in the thoracic region are the least susceptible to injury. They are usually only injured when the spine receives trauma, such as in an accident or sporting injury.

What are the Symptoms of Disc Injuries?

The exact symptoms of disc pain vary from one patient to another. The most common symptom of disc injury is persistent achey pain in the affected region.

Some people with cervical disc injuries may experience the sensation of pins and needles in their limbs - particularly arms and fingers. Other people with lumbar disc injuries may experience pins and needles in their legs and feet.

Those with thoracic disc injuries may feel patches of numbness or tingling in their back in line with the region of injury. This is usually due to an irritation of the nerves either from disc herniation onto the nerve, local inflammation or muscle spasm. In certain cases, where there has been a trauma to the lower spine, a person may experience a loss of control of bowel and bladder movements. This condition is known as Cauda Equina syndrome and causes numbness / paresthesia in the genital region. This is a serious condition and must be treated as an emergency.

How did I cause my disc injury?

An injury is usually caused by a forceful movement in your neck or spine. You may have bended at an odd angle or tried to lift a heavy object. Other causes of disc injuries include car accidents, sports injuries and falls.

In the elderly, the disc may degenerate naturally, causing disc pathology.

How Long Will I Have Back Pain?

There is no easy answer to this question. If you have your condition treated immediately, you may achieve long term pain relief within only a few treatments. However, the extent of injury also decides the prognosis. In general, the longer you have had your back pain, the longer it takes to successfully treat.

How Can Osteopathy Help?

Osteopathy is a globally recognised form of manual medicine that cares for the musculoskeletal system. Osteopathy can help to relieve inflammation and local spasms in your muscles. In all but the most extreme cases, osteopathy can work to realign the spine and remove postural issues that affect the site of the injury.

To aid your recovery, your osteopath will give you specific strengthening exercises to improve the strength of your spine and aid your recovery.

How Does Surgery Help?

As surgery is invasive and strives to make permanent changes, you need to take the time to fully understand the risks involved. Surgery should not be viewed as an easy first option, but should instead be considered one of the last options, if other treatment methods have been unsuccessful.

There are many different types of back pain surgery options available. A laminectomy may be performed, which involves taking out a section of your vertebra to relieve pressure from the herniated disc. Other options include a vertebral fusion, in which your upper and lower vertebrae are fused together. Alternatively you could also have a discectomy in which the disc is either removed or replaced.

Massage Therapy - More Than Pampering

Massage is often classified as a frivolous luxury. Appointments are often made for special occasions like weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries as a "go get spoiled" treat. People rarely choose to make appointments for themselves outside of special occasions. They feel other life commitments are a priority and underestimate how massage is an investment in long term health.

Of course an annual birthday massage feels great, but it is unlikely the full health benefits of massage will result from a single treatment. In my practice, clients will schedule weekly sessions for acute or condition specific treatments and will yield marked results. Then appointments are spread out bi-weekly as the client experiences further relief. For maintenance, clients will make an appointment every 4 weeks. This suggested schedule is common place for the majority of massage therapists to offer their clients.

The most common reason massage is sought out is for relaxation and stress management. It's a great reason considering 90% of disease is stress related. Bi-weekly sessions yield the greatest benefit such as a reduction in pain, inflammation, and fluid retention. Regular treatments also improve immune function, mental outlook, circulation, and flexibility.

Using various massage and bodywork therapies, in my practice I have witnessed incredible relief from pain and suffering in clients with frozen shoulders, Bell's palsy, pre/post-op spinal fusion, back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, and emotional trauma. Most therapists offer a myriad of therapies and specialize in a chosen few.

This guide may be helpful when looking over a therapists menu of services:

Swedish Massage: General "feel food" full body massage for relaxation and stress management using lighter pressure.

Deep Tissue: Typically a full body massage that targets tight, trouble areas with deeper pressure to relieve tension.

Myofascial Release: Gentle pressure used to relieve restriction in the myofascial connective tissue which in turn alleviates pain and restores full range of motion.

Hot Stone Massage: Deeply relaxing session using heated stones that are placed on the body and used to warm, relax, and then massage the muscles and melt away tension.

Raindrop Technique: A series of essential oils used on the spine and feet to deeply relax and purify the body. Relaxes deeply as well as supports a healthy immune system.

Reiki: Not technically a massage. This treatment balances and improves flow of life force energy using hands on, no touch, and visualization techniques.

A few things can be expected during any of these treatments. Session duration can range from 30 minutes up to 2 hours. However, a typical massage session is about an hour. Most massage sessions do require clothing to be removed and the body is fully draped with a sheet and blanket. A therapist should never expose or touch a client in an inappropriate or suggestive manner. Most massage rates are around $1 per minute and may increase or decrease depending on the location, type of service, and experience of the therapist.

Be wary of any business that uses words like "masseuse" or "parlor", they may be promoting services of an inappropriate nature. Look for therapists who use words like "therapeutic massage" or "bodywork" in their promotional materials. In states where licensure is required, most therapists will openly display their credentials in their office.

The best way to find a massage therapist is to ask people you know for a referral of someone they've had experience with. Professional associations such as Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals http://www.abmp.com or the American Massage Therapy Association http://www.amtamassage.org can locate therapists by specialty and location also.

Partnering with a massage therapist that fits your needs coupled with frequent sessions will have a noticeable positive impact on your future health by looking younger, feeling energized and living pain free. The more massage you receive, the more it does for your health.

Orthopedics - Five Ailments and Their Treatments

Orthopedics practitioners treat many ailments. Here are 5 of the maladies these doctors address.

Orthopedics health care practitioners are physicians who treat the musculoskeletal systems within the human body. The word "orthopedics" originated from the Greek language translating to "bone," "straighten" and "child." This medical classification has been around for many years. As far back as the late 1700's, Jean-Andre Venel started the first hospital designated to treat skeletal deformities in children. Venel is sometimes referred to as the founding father of this discipline. The mid-1800's saw the emergence of plaster casts to help broken bones heal into proper alignment.

Many maladies are treated by these specialists. Here are five ailments and their treatments:

Hip Replacement

When hip ball and joint break down, individuals may opt for a surgical hip replacement. With this procedure, an implant made of hard, durable prosthetic material is inserted in order to reduce pain from maladies such as arthritis or to correct damage such as fracture or degenerative disease. A complete procedure is called an arthroplasty. In an arthroplasty the physician would replace the femoral head and pelvic connector. A partial replacement may also be chosen, in some circumstances. The vast majority of patients find improved function and curtailing of pain after this procedure.

Spinal Fusion

Spinal fusion entails the fusing of two vertebrae in the spine due to pain or range of motion problems. The fusing may entail two or more separate portions. Bone grafting often accompanies this treatment option. There are two types, Posterolateral fusion and Interbody. Both techniques include grafts held by screws, metal rods or titanium. Some reasons that patients would be candidates for these fusions include that they suffer from tumors, disc diseases, degeneration, fracture and scoliosis.

Clubfoot

Clubfoot is a birth defect which is present when a baby is first born. This congenital defect presents as a foot which looks similar to a golf club because of its positioning. It juts out to the side in a twisted manner. This can be subtle or extreme. It occurs in one foot or two on the individual who is in all other ways a normal child. Doctors aren't sure why this condition occurs but think it may be related to spina bifida. Positioning during gestation in the mother's uterus does not cause the ailment. Boys have clubfoot more commonly than girls and if a parent had it, chances are greater that new offspring well, as well. It can cause arthritis or problems with self esteem if left untreated. It is best treated in infancy by either a method of stretching and casting the foot into the proper position or surgery.

Bone Cancer

This is a serious form of cancer which may occur in children or adults. It begins in the bone marrow which is the jelly-like substance found in the center. It occurs most commonly in the arms and legs. Treatment may include surgical amputation or chemotherapy and radiation.

Knee pain

Knee discomfort can stem from many different causes including arthritis, torn ligaments, torn cartilage, gout and infections. Many extremely overweight individuals have problems with their knees due to the stress the extra pounds place on them.

If a person had trouble with any of these ailments, they should consult an orthopedics specialist for a consultation. These problems and others can be successfully addressed.

To Fuse Or Not to Fuse - The Spinal Question

Spinal fusion is one of the most feared and misunderstood surgical procedures for the spine. Everyone has heard some kind of frightening story about a distant family member who had back surgery and was never the same afterward. Many patients think a spinal fusion will cause their spine to become completely rigid, and they envision a future of robot-like stiffness with the inability to bend their backs or touch their toes, after surgery. Over the past decade, spinal fusion has also had a less than bright reputation as a treatment for pain. Given the overall perception that fusion of the spine is a delicate surgery with questionable outcomes, patients are quite concerned about proceeding with a fusion. This article will help to dispel many of the misconceptions that surround this treatment and why it is important to understand the procedure, when it should be performed and who might benefit from a spinal fusion.

What is Spinal Fusion?
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure designed to provide stability to an area of the spine that has too much movement or movement that causes pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the arm or leg. The object of a spinal fusion is to connect the bones (vertebrae) that were previously too mobile and form a connection of bone in the spine that is more rigid.

A History Lesson
Orthopaedic surgeons have long applied casts to broken bones to provide support to fractures and allow the bones to heal. The addition of this external support keeps the bones from moving. Why is this important? When there is too much movement between broken bones or bone fragments, the repair cells are prevented from being able to connect the bone fragments together, so their process of healing will stop.

As orthopaedic surgeons have progressed in the use of technology, plates and screws, called internal fixation devices, are now applied to fractured bones. These rigid internal fixation devices are stronger and add more support to the fractured bone. Plates and screws have been able to replace bulky external casting in a large group of fracture types.

The same treatment principles are used by the orthopaedic spine surgeon. There was a time when fusions were supported with external bracing. This external support, provided by casting or rigid bracing, has now been replaced with internal rods and screws. Using these internal supports provides stronger bone connections that decrease motion even more. As a result, the number of successful fusions has increased. The internal support of the spine is stronger, allowing patients to get up and out of bed and walk the day of surgery and to return to their usual activities in 6 weeks. This is a far cry from the days of original spinal fusions that were supported with a cumbersome hard plastic brace or cast, leaving patients with limited mobility or bed rest for many months.

Spine surgeons are now better able to determine which patients will be helped with a spinal fusion. Advanced imaging studies, including MRI and bone scans, as well as the use of diagnostic injections, help today's spine specialist more accurately diagnose patients whose conditions would benefit from spinal fusion. Advances in surgical techniques and components, including the development of better screws and rods, also have greatly improved patient results. Improved diagnostic and surgical training, including advanced training in spine fellowship programs, has helped spine surgeons interpret and use these advances in technology to obtain better outcomes for patients.

Who Needs a Spinal Fusion?
As with all surgeries, there are proper uses that will result in good outcomes for patients with spinal fusion.
In patients where the spinal bones have begun to slip and cause pressure on the spinal nerves (spondylolisthesis), this excessive movement may need to be stopped to prevent worsening of the nerve pressure. During surgery, these patients will have the bone spurs and disc protrusions removed from around the nerve roots and spinal cord, which may destabilize the bones of the spine and cause the bones to slip more. Inserting screws and rods in these bones will prevent the bones from slipping any further after surgery and also may be used for correction of the original slippage.

Use of screws and rods can also provide stability and correction for patients with scoliosis. Scoliosis is the bending of the spine in an abnormal direction. The curve of the spine may increase with time or may be painful as the curvature of the spine increases. If the patient has a large curve or the curve is continuing to get worse, screws and rods are used to correct the position of the spine and prevent the curve from worsening.

In patients with obvious bone destruction from fracture, tumor or infection, stabilizing the bones with screws and rods will provide the support that is needed so the underlying disease can be addressed. The structure of the spine can be improved while the patient receives chemotherapy or radiation. By removing the tumor in the spine, the back pain related to an expanding tumor can be relieved and the patient can remain mobile, which helps to prevent pneumonia and blood clots. Being ambulatory, while receiving chemotherapy and radiation, also improves the patient's mood and outlook while coping with their disease.

Who is Not a Candidate for Spinal Fusion?
Most patients with disc herniations or pinched nerves will not need a spinal fusion. These conditions can be treated with simpler procedures that allow the removal of pieces of discs or bone spurs that do not increase the movement in the bones.

The more difficult indication for spinal fusion is in the patient with severe pain in the back. Degenerative disc disease is still the leading cause of back pain in the United States, but back pain can have many underlying causes. One of the reasons that spinal fusion developed a bad reputation is that they were performed as a remedy for back pain that did not respond to other forms of treatment. Older fusion methods and inadequate diagnostic approaches left surgeons with few options for treating these patients, so some patients were given fusions as a last attempt to improve their pain. Most patients with lower back pain and degenerative disc disease will not need a spinal fusion.

What Can Be Expected From Spinal Fusion?
It is expected that most patients will be back to their usual state of health and activity at approximately 6-8 weeks after their fusion surgery. Most patients will be pain-free after their spinal fusion. It is important to choose a well-trained surgeon to make educated decisions about your diagnosis and treatment. With the combination of the proper diagnosis and properly applied spinal fusion most patients will have very good outcomes.

Stomach and Back Pain Are Interrelated

Back and stomach pain are somehow interrelated. There are patients who experience low back pain who also suffer from certain abdominal problems. A spinal injury or a degenerative medical condition of the spine such as Joint Disease, Disc Disease and Spondylolisthesis can be responsible for a localized pain, which can also bring on pain in the abdomen.

The combination of back and stomach pain often originates from strained or sprained muscles. However, there are certain cases where stomach and lower back strain may be due to a herniated disc, osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia.

Psychologically-Induced Pain Syndrome or PIPS is a physical condition which is typically caused by repressed sensitive or unresolved emotional issues. Two of the most common PIPS are back and stomach pain, which ultimately are the results of repressed psychological stress.

The stomach, which is a part of the digestive system, can have a strong influence on a person's physical or emotional condition. You might notice the times when you do not want to eat, because you are physically or emotionally stressed. When you have a stomach ache, this may be due to the back pain you are experiencing. Lower back pain has a similar effect on our digestive system, which causes it to suffer.

For the doctor and the patient, a combination of stomach and low back ache is a body discomfort that is not easy to deal with over a long period of time. Learn what is the main cause of your stomach and back pain by consulting a physician, so that a definitive diagnosis can be made. It is highly recommended that this type of medical condition be addressed right away to prevent further complications.

Abdominal pain, when severe, can be very debilitating, to the extent that your usual routine may be greatly affected. Take heed of your medical condition, as a severe or recurrent abdominal pain may be a positive sign of a more serious medical condition. Some of the conditions that can cause both pain in the stomach and back are appendicitis, gallstones, diverticulitis, and kidney stones.

It is important to note also that if you are suffering from stomach and lower back aches, avoid sleeping flat on your stomach. The most appropriate position is to lie on your back with your knees up and have your lower legs elevated with pillows. Another helpful sleeping position is to lie on your side with a pillow between your legs. Engaging in a non-strenuous activity will help to improve your stomach and back pain. Simple stretching exercises can strengthen your muscles in the back and abdominal areas. A poor physical condition can often be solved if you are always ready to help yourself. This will surely make you feel better and add to your good health.

When Do People Need a Posture Support Brace?

Posture can be a real health issue and posture often deteriorates with age. As people get older, they tend to slouch more and have that unattractive aging posture, much like the hunchback of Dame. Furthermore, this can be a real issue with the baby boomer generation, as they are becoming older in age. The fact is this, as baby boomers are entering in their golden years, doctors and chiropractors are seeing more patients who have back and neck issues resulting from poor posture. When you discover that you are having serious posture problems, a posture support brace may just be the right thing for you.

So what exactly is a posture support brace?

Basically, a posture support brace is a brace that holds your back in the right posture. It is a stiff plate that is placed on your back by being strapped to your torso. The brace does not allow you to slouch or sit in any way that would not provide good posture. The fact is that posture can also cause a misalignment in the spine, causing back problems, or even worse, in younger people scoliosis. Furthermore, as people get older, back problems can become more severe. The basic stage of a misaligned spine is when vertebra get misaligned and need to be realigned in a chiropractic procedure. If the misalignment persists, you get a condition called fusion. This is when the cartilage disks get completely dissolved and spinal arthritis then develops. This can cause years of pain.

Sometimes, when the back pain is severe enough, surgery may be the only method to relieve the patient. Furthermore, surgeries and seeing a medical spine doctor can also be very expensive. Having good posture can prevent all these problems. Furthermore, poor posture can also cause other health problems as well. The reason why many people with poor posture have more serious health problems, such as hypertension, heart problems, or acid reflux is that 1. Poor posture can constrict the blood vessels that o to your head. This can also cause severe headaches that can only be comparable to migraines in pain, and 2. The majority of your nerves go down the spinal cord and are also affected when the spine is out of alignment. For this reason, many people need braces when they do certain activities and some need a brace if they have issues with their spine.

You also want to take note that if your posture is only mildly poor, a posture brace might not necessarily be for you. In this case, you might want to try some kind of posture correcting exercise. Exercises are great for those of you who have mild posture issues, but if you have a serious posture issue, you might want to wear the brace every once in a while.

You might want to look into finding a good posture brace to improve your posture, especially if you are getting older. There are many posture brace reviews that have written about this subject and have found that a posture support brace might just be the right thing for you if you have severe posture issues. We currently have posture support braces for {insert price here} and we do recommend that you follow the directions or see your chiropractor for details on how to use a posture support brace.

Obesity As a Source of Back Pain and Sciatica - The Bad Back Guy

Back pain and sciatica affect millions of Americans every year. Half a million Americans undergo life changing surgery as a result of the pain, only thirty to thirty-five percent of individuals undergoing surgery reclaim anything approaching a normal, pain-free life. It is important to understand the causes of back pain and sciatica, how to effectively treat the causes, and to know when to see a medical practitioner. The cause of back pain and sciatica to be discussed in this article is obesity. It must be noted that there a myriad of causes, some requiring immediate medical intervention, others requiring a systematic program for recovery, we will discuss the others in future articles. Significantly, the solutions to many of these problems are not that much different, we will explore some of them here.

Obesity has long been recognized as one of the principle causes of back pain and sciatica in adults. Remarkably, as our society gets heavier and obesity reaches epidemic proportions, children are also affected, expressing many of the same symptoms of back pain, and even sciatica, as a consequence of early onset, childhood obesity, and in record numbers. However, it is adults we are primarily concerned with here, and there is a clear and demonstrable link between obesity and back pain among adults in our society. According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), approximately one hundred and ninety-six million adults are considered overweight or obese in the United States, that's a staggering sixty-four percent of the population, up from forty-six percent (46%) between 1976 and 1980. In addition to back pain and sciatica directly, obesity may also be a contributing factor in a number of other diseases affecting the spine, diseases such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, spondylolisthesis, and there is even the suggestion of a link between rheumatoid arthritis and obesity in adults, and children.

The spine is divided into four sections or regions, these regions have what are called curvatures, either primary or secondary curvatures. The primary curvatures are the thoracic or mid-chest region, and sacral or "tail bone." The secondary curvatures are the cervical or neck and the lumbar or lower back. The curvatures are either set prior to birth, as in the case of the primary curvatures or develop in the first year of life, as in the case of the cervical and lumbar curvatures. The spine is meant to support the body as we stand upright, the neck and lower back being the areas at greatest risk due to their natural, weight bearing curvatures and responsibilities. When too much weight is loaded, the back is forced to carry the additional burden, this leads to structural failure and damage, as in the case of herniated discs or even crushed vertebrae. At the very least, the muscles meant to support the back, some quite small and not meant to carry such a heavy load for long periods, are compromised, leading to strain and, in the low back or lumbar region, sway back or lordosis. Imagine putting on a backpack, face front instead of on your back, now load that backpack with bowling balls, one at a time for every ten pounds of extra weight you are carrying. It's not something you would want to have to carry around all day; and yet, that is exactly what you are doing when you carry extra weight.

Lack of exercise and conditioning, often associated with overweight or obese back pain and sciatica sufferers, leads to an entire complex of consequences. Increased lordosis or sway back, combined with poor flexibility and weak, atrophied or shrunken muscles in the back, primarily the lower back, the hips, thighs, and even calves, leads to improper load bearing and a feedback loop that contributes to more pain, which contributes to more inactivity, which leads to more pain. You get the picture, I hope? This pain complex, with its associated consequences, can increase the secondary curvature of the lower back or lordosis, and may even cause the hips (pelvis) to tilt too far forward and down, causing additional pain. This pelvic tilt, combined with the lordosis or sway back, is detrimental to proper posture of the individual and, as posture disintegrates, other curvatures of the spine, the neck for instance, may become increasingly painful.

Many back pain and sciatica sufferers attempt to downplay the etiology or cause of some or all of their back problems, disorders, and diseases as a natural consequence of aging. It is true that with age-progressive phenomena exist and take place in and on the spine and related musculature. However, much of this is an adaptive response to weakening muscles, muscles that can and should be exercised in order to avoid atrophy and a whole series of problems associated with obesity and aging. There is one thing that is an absolute certainty, if you are carrying extra weight, whether overweight or obese, chances are you have, or will have, back pain and sciatica.

Neck Pain Relief

Is most chronic neck pain an autonomically caused condition related to mental stress?

First off, what does the phrase 'autonomically caused' mean? If you have ever been in a situation where you felt nervous, like speaking to a large audience or taking a difficult test in school, you know what an autonomic caused condition feels like. The palms of your hands might have gotten sweaty, your heart might have beaten faster, or you might have even felt like you suddenly needed to go to the bathroom. These are all autonomic reactions caused by being nervous. Stressful thoughts activate something called the autonomic nervous system and cause physical symptoms like sweaty palms. A thought causes an emotion which causes a physical reaction in your body. This is how stressful thoughts can lead to neck pain. Research published in June 1985 in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, showed that mental stress can increase muscles spasms.

This is not a new idea in healthcare, Traditional Chinese Medicine has known about the emotional aspect of health for a few thousand years. More recently, western medicine has established fields around thought causing illness with specialties like, psychoneuroimmunology, psychoneuroendocrinilogy, mindbody therapy for cancer patients, and so on. Of course, mental stress causing neck pain is so common we even use the phrase, "What a pain in the neck" when we're referring to something that's mentally stressful.

Recent research findings published in October, 2011, in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Journal, showed that women with neck and shoulder pain that had more mental stress, had higher sensitivity to pain in their sensory nerves than women who did not have as much mental stress. This is a big indicator that mental stress contributes to neck pain. Also, a study done at the Center for Musculoskeletal Research in Sweden actually showed that the autonomic nerves are involved in stress related neck pain. They found that relaxation techniques changed the reaction of the autonomic nervous system and gave the patients relief from their neck pain.

But wait a minute though, couldn't there be other problems besides mental stress causing neck pain? This is obviously the case in some instances, but many times blaming structural problems for neck pain is a mis-diagnosis. By structural problem I mean any type of degeneration or biomechanical dysfunction at the spinal structure level of your neck. Not fractures or tumors, but things like disc bulges, arthritis etc. Structural problems causing pain is actually what I was taught in school studying to be a doctor of chiropractic. However, my experience and the research told me something different. What I saw in my practice was that patient's structural problems with their necks did not always conform to the level of pain they had. Some of my patients complained of severe neck pain and their x-rays and/or MRI's showed very little structural problems and some of my other patients had no neck complaints and they had pretty severe structural problems with their necks. Then I learned about some research that showed that structural problems in the spine do not necessarily correlate with pain problems. One of the more famous studies regarding this was in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 1994. It reported finding spinal disc bulges and protrusions, in other words structural problems, on MRI images in sixty-four of ninety-eight men and women who had NEVER had back pain. Also, doctors at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, reported that they saw no correlation between back pain and people with arthritis of their spine. And, on top of that, the University of Copenhagen compared x-rays of patients with low back pain with those who had no low back pain and found no difference in the levels of degeneration or structural problems. This research may be focused on the back, but it's still your spine and, trust me, your neck is a part of your spine.

The idea that neck pain is an autonomic problem related to mental stress is well established. What's not so well known is the precise mechanism. What happens with chronic neck pain is that mental stress activates the autonomic nervous system and causes your neck to hurt by reducing oxygen to your neck. The May, 1988, issue of the medical journal Pain showed that autonomic nerve activity was involved in low oxygen levels and chronic pain in the muscles. And, in 1986 an article in the Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology showed decreased oxygen levels in areas of chronic muscle pain.

One of the more interesting aspects of neck pain caused by mental stress is the research that shows that the inhibition of expressing stressful thoughts might actually be what is causing the pain. Research published in the Journal of Behavioral Therapy in 1994 showed that people who inhibited the expression of angry feelings had a higher rate of reporting intense pain and exhibiting pain behavior.

Is the solution to autonomic caused neck pain to become a mean person who always expresses their anger? Or, maybe relief could be found in becoming an enlightened master who has no mental stress? Neither one of these "remedies" seems very feasible. Fortunately, there is a third choice that has been shown to work in clinical situations. I call it information therapy.

One of the clinical studies published in the sept/oct 2007 issue of the peer reviewed journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, showed that information therapy works. This is great news because the fact that you can relieve autonomic caused neck pain with mental techniques eliminates the need for expensive therapy, drugs, injections, ice packs, stretches, exercises or any external intervention for that matter. Most people can get rid of their chronic neck pain by using information to reprogram the central control system (subconscious mind) that sends signals through the autonomic nervous system and causes their neck pain. You can still have mental stress without the neck pain as long as you stop the autonomic nerves from causing a physical reaction in your neck.

A big question you might have right now is: If this knowledge is so great why isn't it widely known or used by other doctors? The simple answer to that is obvious, there is little to no money to be made by giving people information and techniques they can do themselves. Let's face it, the health-care industry makes money on sick people visiting doctors, taking medicine and buying expensive treatments. It doesn't make money on people who can treat themselves without any medical intervention.

The good news is, if you or someone you know is suffering from chronic neck pain, relief might just be found in information therapy.

How Can Spinal Decompression Heal My Herniated and Bulging Discs?

What spinal decompression does is create a vacuum effect in the spine so that the disc material is suctioned back into place between the spinal bones.

You see, between each spinal bone or vertebrae there is a disc. This disc is a gel like material that acts as a shock absorber and as a spacer.

Without this spacer the neural foramen (openings where nerves exit off the spinal cord) don't remain open and free from pressure.

Disrupt the disc and you lose the hole where nerve roots exit out of and you disrupt the anatomy of the spine.

When a disc is injured it may bulge or leak out of the area it normally should be. When this happens it may put pressure on nerves and also since it is no longer contributing to the mass or height of that "spacer" you lose the normal opening of the foramen that the nerves stemming off the spinal cord exit out of.

Additionally, as a side note - closing of the neural foramen or spinal canal from leaked disc material and inflammation is a major cause of stenosis. In fact, that's what stenosis is, a closure of those holes.

So what Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression does exactly is create a negative interdiscal pressure which makes the disc space like a vacuum. When this happens it pulls the bulged or herniated disc fragment back into place. This then re-heightens the disc taking pressure of the nerves, allows inflammation to dissipate and restores the stability of the disc and the spine.

As this treatment is done over a period of usually 4-8 weeks the disc can then heal back in the position it belongs.

As the disc is suctioned back into place nutrients and hydration will come into the disc as well. If pressure is alleviated from the nerves long enough the body starts to restore the outer collagen fibers of that disc, holding the disc material in place. This is how Spinal Decompression has proven to have lasting effects. Most importantly, removing the nerve pressure alleviates your back pain.

What To Do When Pinched Sciatica Nerve Pain Strikes

The largest nerve in the body that runs from the base of the spinal cord to the feet is the sciatic nerve. Sometimes a vertebral disk may protrude out of place and make off with the sciatic nerve. There happens the pinched sciatica nerve. This can cause tender or severe throbbing of the back and leg.

Here are the possible things you could do in order to find relief for yourself whenever sciatica attacks you.

Some people say that it is better that a person who experiences severe pinched sciatica pain, visits his family doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

It is also said that taking aspirin or ibuprofen in order to relieve uneasiness. Taking two aspirin every day, even when you are not undergoing sciatic pain, can help put a stop to pain from recurring.

Another relief is to apply hot or cold packs to the area of your back and upper legs. At times putting ice will work better than heat; at other occasions, a heating pad will do a improved job of taking the edge off pain. There is no harm of attempting to apply both. This could help you see which one is more effective for you. Whatever is more efficient must be used most of the time if sciatica strikes again.

Moreover, you need to try placing at least one pillow under your knees whenever you lie down. This could really helps in relieving the strain or difficulty that the disk is putting on your sciatic nerve.

You can also rest on a solid, firm mattress or on the floor when the pain being brought out by sciatic pain is serious and severe. With regards to this, to stay in bed and just to get up only when certainly necessary is advised. Remember that you have to do this for 3 days.

There is nothing wrong if you would ask for help to get out of bed or into the bath or shower so you would not strain your back while you try getting up and down.

You should not bend or take a seat in soft chairs.

You can also seek your doctor for recommendation for pain relievers if difficult and serious sciatic pain prolongs.

Remember that you should prevent yourself from lifting anything especially those heavy things. This could aggravate the situation.

In terms of diet, you could eat those that are rich in fiber, fruits, and vegetables to avoid constipation. Difficulty to defecate can trigger sciatic nerve pain.

Back Pain - Topics

While spinal surgeons boast of 98% success rates, internet forums are full of patients whose back surgeries have failed. Surgeons generally do not measure success by the amount of pain reduction experienced by the patient.

Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is the term given to symptoms of back and leg pain experienced after back surgery has been performed to treat them. Pain may be as intense as or worse than before surgery.

The most common types of spinal surgery performed today are discectomy and spinal fusion. During a discectomy operation, the surgeon removes a portion of a spinal disc that was bulging or herniating, causing nerve irritation. Fusion surgeries entail the removal of a disc and the fusing of two vertebrae together. This is performed either by the use of rods and screws or bone grafts. The purpose of fusion is to immobilize a section of the spine that was causing painful instability.

A number of things can go wrong during back surgery. Before you can treat your FBSS, you need to know what is causing the pain. One of the most common residual results of surgery is the formation of scar tissue. This is a natural part of healing, and often causes no pain whatsoever. If the scar tissue becomes bound up with nerves around the spine, however, it can cause nerve pain. Light stretching may be enough to prevent scar tissue from binding to nerves. Scar tissue generally develops during the first three months after back surgery.

Another common cause of postoperative pain is stenosis. The spinal canal houses the intricate bundle of nerves called the spinal cord that exits the spine. This canal can become narrower in certain areas by the protrusion of bones or discs. A disc can bulge into the canal as a result of being tampered with during discectomy or microdiscectomy. The spine is composed of a number of structures in a small space; the slightest error on the surgeon's part could disrupt the anatomy. Stenosis impedes nerves and leads to nerve pain.

After a fusion or discectomy, the discs that remain are forced to absorb more shock than before, since one of the spine's shock absorbers has been removed. This can lead to painful conditions in the discs surrounding the area of surgery, such as bulging, herniation or degeneration.

Another possible factor of FBSS for those who had spinal fusion surgery is failed fusion. If the hardware fails or if the bone graft is rejected by the body, the vertebrae will not grow together. This can lead to further destabilization and painful friction between the bones.

The cause of your postoperative pain can usually be determined by examination and MRIs or CT scans. Unfortunately, the treatment for some of these causes of FBSS is re-operation. There are alternatives that can be attempted before risking another failed back surgery. Physical therapy is generally recommended for people who have had successful back surgeries to help them recover. Those whose surgeries failed need physical therapy even more. Depending on the cause of your pain and the type of operation you had, a physical therapist will prescribe specific exercises and stretches that are safe for you to perform with the goal of easing pain. These professionals can also help you to retrain your posture and movements to limit pressure on painful areas in your back.

Pain medications are prescribed en masse for postoperative pain. If your pain ends up being chronic, it is important to find another form of pain management. Initially, it may be necessary to numb the pain in order to pursue exercise therapy. Epidural steroid injections are commonly prescribed. Other more intense forms of medicating include spinal cord stimulation and pain pump implantation.

If back surgery has left you worse off than you were before, you need to carefully consider treatment options. Educate yourself as to the cause of your pain and pursue conservative methods first. Learn more about different types of FBSS here: http://www.pmrehab.com/fbss.htm.

Axial Low Back Pain - Relief Options For Painful Lumbar Spines - Braces For Support

How is your lower back feeling these days?

Do you suffer from lower back pain that is causing you a lot of grief?

1.) Introduction to This Article

We are not here to waste your time. If you suffer from low back discomfort (whether it is axial in nature or not) then we are here to help you. This free information is the result of research on low back pain and we would like nothing better than to help you reduce your lower back discomfort as fast as possible.

2.) Axial back Pain

The most common type of lumbar axial pain is referred to as being "mechanical". Lumbar spine discomfort that typically flares up when you participate in certain activities (certain sports for example). Moreover, commonly axial lower back pain can get worse if you find your self in repetitive positions, like sitting for a long period of time.

Axial lower back pain can very widely from a sharp ache in the lower back, to a more dull pain. It may be consistent in nature or it may seem to come and go. Variation in intensity is also noted.

3.) Benefits of Conservative Treatment

Axial back pain does respond well to conservative treatment options. Yes, it is true, surgery is sometimes our only option for pain relief, but most of the time people can avoid surgery. Just ask your spine doctor what they think, and they will tell you that they would like to exhaust conservative measures first before they get you in to have surgery performed.

4.) Back Supports For Pain Relief

One very good option to get pain relief for your lower back is to use a lumbar back support. You might ask, "why?". Well, lower back supports can help people to get instant pain relief because they can help to increase intercavitary pressure in the lumbar spine area. This helps to effectively off load inflamed spinal structures. This is a well documented biomechanical principle of quality low back supports.

Moreover, back supports can help people because they will act as a reminder to you not to make certain painful movements. They can help to restrict those movements that will further your injury and in this way it can help to promote healing of a hurt lower back. - Lastly, it is important to note that current designs are light weight, low profile and can be easily concealed by using a t-shirt. - Many physicians recommend them to their patients because they are aware of the medically documented benefits of these types of supports.

Combination Of Different Therapies Can Treat Chronic Pain

Unlike general back and leg pain, treating chronic pain is quite difficult. Numerous cases have been witnessed where a single treatment procedure did not help in getting rid of the pain. Rather, pain management specialists combine different medical procedures to help patients in getting relief from chronic pain completely. The medical procedures adopted for pain management are highly diverse and only a certified pain management specialist can tell which treatment option suits you best.

Drug Therapy

In most of the cases, doctors try to treat the problem with drug therapy. Under this therapy, both prescription and non-prescription drugs are given to the patient for a specific period. If this therapy works, doctors continue with the same until complete relief from pain is produced. However, if this therapy does not work, doctors proceed further with other advanced procedures.

Trigger Point Injections

This treatment might be painful but it yields positive results in patients suffering from chronic pain. Here, steroids are injected in the affected areas using injections. This type of treatment is carried out by experienced and certified doctors practicing at pain management clinics. Once the treatment is over, some medicines are given to the patient for recovery purposes.

Bio electric Therapy

This therapy puts an end only to the sensation of pain. Actual pain can be treated only by combining this treatment with other procedures. In bio electric therapy, the pain messages originating from the brain are blocked and thus the person does not feel pain in affected areas. Also, it is being said that this treatment stimulates the production of endorphins (a special type of chemical in human body that decreases pain sensation).

Exercise & Physiotherapy

Believe it or not but simple exercises can help in getting relief from chronic pain in legs, arms and back. Irrespective of your age, you should walk at least 30 minutes in a day. Walking and mild exercises not only keeps you healthy but results in the movement of muscles. If you have not been exercising for long, consult your doctor and then go for it.

Psychological Therapy

Constant pain can leave one irritated and annoyed. In fact, some people take the problem seriously that they suffer from depression. In such cases, it is really important for doctors to counsel patients and keep them motivated. All this is done by pain management specialists under psychological therapy.

We agree that chronic pain treatment takes time but with proper treatment you can surely get rid of the problem. Be hopeful and listen to what your doctor says!

Discussing How Chiropractic Care Benefits Patients With Scoliosis

It is far more common in women than in men. Symptoms usually show up in childhood. In order to help prevent worsening the conditions of scoliosis, early detection is critical. Unfortunately, this condition cannot be corrected by adjusting the posture and requires treatment.

The typical treatment options for scoliosis involve the following:

*Bracing: A scoliosis patient with 30-degree (or less) of curvature must wear a rigid brace. It assists in the correction by placing pressure against the spine for stability. The drawback to this treatment is that it is quite inconvenient as the patient must wear the brace for up to 24 hours a day.

*Surgery: Referred to as Spinal Fusion Surgery, wherein a spinal cord monitor is used to prevent complications such as paralysis. An incision is made in order to reduce the curve or in order to insert metal rods on either sides of the spine. This procedure is expensive and risky. Hence doctors recommend surgery only as a last resort for treating scoliosis.

Using the Chiropractic Approach

Today, chiropractic care has been determined to be a valid solution to scoliosis. Chiropractors must follow a standard procedure of initial examination and assessment of a patient's health history. Most scoliosis patients undergo the Adam's Forward Bending Test to see if chiropractic care is a viable method of correction for the particular patient. In addition, a variety of range of motion tests, are performed to see if the patient should be referred to a specialist.

Treatment Options

Chiropractic for scoliosis includes spinal manipulation, shoe lifts, electric stimulation, and isotonic or active exercise methods. The goal of employing chiropractic for scoliosis treatment is to arrive at a treatment that is both manipulative and rehabilitative.

Scoliosis: Chiropractic vs. Surgery

Chiropractic care has gained much notoriety as viable treatment for scoliosis patients. It has been proven to be just as effective, if not more, than the existing options available for scoliosis patients. Chiropractic not only treats existing problems but also prevents the progression of the curves causing the problem.

Patients who have undergone chiropractic care for scoliosis show about 70 percent improvement in terms of the size of the curves. This is crucial because any relief experienced from scoliosis means that a patient will not have to undergo surgery, take medications, or suffer the effects of scoliosis. Due to the significant numbers of scoliosis patients who have found relief from chiropractic care, doctors and health experts recommended chiropractic as one of the first approaches to be used for scoliosis. The results of using chiropractic treatment for scoliosis have ranged from improved stability, the reduction in the size of curves, and ultimately, total correction from the condition.

The Follow-Up

Upon receiving chiropractic treatment for scoliosis, a regular visit with the chiropractor is required for continued observance of any progress you have in your condition. Patients who are truly dedicated to eliminating the problem of scoliosis and, in leading a healthier life, it is crucial to seek the guidance of a skilled chiropractor to monitor development. Besides chiropractic treatment, the professional may suggest additional physical therapy in order to enhance the treatment undergone. The reason this is important is in order to increase muscle strength and gain mobility.

If you are looking for a good Santa Monica Chiropractor

Prolotherapy: Possible Treatment for Unresolved Back Pain

Prolotherapy is a treatment that offers hope to those who feel they've tried everything to relieve back pain. If you suffer from sciatica, sacroiliac joint dysfunction or lumbosacral joint pain, you may be helped by prolotherapy.

Joint pain is often caused by damage to the ligaments that support the joint. Ligaments are connective tissues that band bone to bone in a joint, providing for strength and structural integrity. If a ligament is strained, torn or otherwise injured, its healing time will be slow and it will become weak. This is due to the fact that ligaments receive a very low blood supply. The same is true for tendons, which band muscles to bones.

If the ligaments that support spinal joints or the sacroiliac joint grow weak, they fail to support the joint. This results in abnormal range of motion. In the sacroiliac joint, this results in pelvic instability, localized and referred pain, and sometimes sciatica. In the spine, hypermobile joints can lead to disc herniation, which causes back pain, spinal instability and sometimes sciatica.

Often, the possibility that ligament damage is causing other phenomena like sciatica or disc problems goes overlooked, and so all attempts to resolve back pain fail. The low blood supply to ligaments means that they may never get back to being as strong as they once were. Prolotherapy claims to have an answer to that problem.

This form of treatment involves injecting a solution where the ligament in question meets the bone. The solution is often simple sugar water combined with an anesthetic; other irritants and additives are available. The introduction of a foreign substance sparks the inflammatory response. The body sends inflammatory materials to the injected area, meaning that blood flow is increased.

Inflammation is something we generally try to avoid; the swelling is painful and can actually cause more harm than good if it is chronic. But the inflammatory response is part of the immune system. Its goal is to 1) block perceived threats off from other parts of the body and 2) facilitate healing of the injured area. When it comes to ligaments and tendons, inflammation is needed to increase blood flow to the normally avascular areas. Blood brings with it nutrients and oxygen to rebuild damaged tissue. The "prolo" in prolotherapy stands for the proliferation of new connective tissue.

A local anesthetic makes the injection relatively painless. The inflammation caused by prolotherapy can cause temporary discomfort in the area, but the inflammation caused is generally controlled and does not last long. Most patients need 3 to 10 sessions to build enough tissue to restore ligament and tendon strength.

The downside of prolotherapy is that it is generally not covered by insurance - yet. The criteria for valid scientific study are rigid and have not yet been met by studies of prolotherapy. There is, however, substantial experiential evidence to support the treatment's efficacy. See http://www.dailystrength.org/treatments/Prolotherapy to read what recipients of prolotherapy have to say about it. Each session can cost $250 or more, depending on the joint that needs healing and the specialist you see. While the cost adds up over 10 sessions, it still pales in comparison to that of surgery.

If you think you've tried everything to heal back pain, remember that the field of treatment is vast. Educate yourself on all of your options for back pain management. Prolotherapy may be the overlooked form of treatment that can resolve the source of your back pain.

3 Common Postural Mistakes That Cause Back Pain

For many people, posture correction is a key component of back pain treatment. Posture - the way we hold ourselves when sitting, standing or laying - can either help protect our backs or be the cause of its pain. The tension and alignment of our soft tissues and joints are affected by posture and the lower back, both highly mobile and load-bearing, is perhaps most affected by poor posture.

Are you making any of the following common postural mistakes?

Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Since the pelvis is the foundation of the upper body, its position affects and is affected by the position of the lower back. The lumbar spine in the lower back has a natural inward arch that helps balance the forces absorbed by the spine. The inward arch is called lordosis. Often, people have too much lordosis. As the arch increases, the base of the spine is pulled upward. The base of the spine is the sacrum, which attaches to the hip bones via the sacroiliac joints. This causes the back of the pelvis to raise and the front of the pelvis to drop lower.

Anterior pelvic tilt is most often caused by muscle imbalances; tense lower back and weak hamstring and glute muscles can cause the pelvis to be pulled up in back, while tight quads and hip flexors pull it down in front without sufficient counter-force from weak abdominal muscles. This may result from imbalanced training or from simply standing and sitting with an increased arch for years. Wearing high heels, being overweight and being pregnant all predispose a person to anterior pelvic tilt.

It is important to correct this postural distortion, as it takes a toll on spinal discs, joints and the muscles throughout the pelvis and back. You may require myofascial release if muscle tension has begun to cause knots in the myofascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles). Exercise to target the abdominal, glute and hamstring muscles will be helpful in conjunction with efforts to relax the tight opposing muscles.

To see if you have anterior pelvic tilt, stand with your back against a wall, making sure your buttocks and shoulders are touching the wall. If there is more than a two-inch gap between your lower back and the wall, you may have hyperlordosis.

Forward Head

This type of postural dysfunction is on the rise due to the proliferation of small electronic devices like iPhones and our increasing reliance on them. Forward head posture is just what is sounds like: The head is positioned in front of the body's mid-line. Ideally, the head is supported by the neck directly over the shoulders. This position maintains the cervical arch within the neck and keeps neck, upper back and shoulder muscles at the appropriate length.

When the head is positioned in front of the body, its weight is no longer balanced on the spine. Rather, the upper back and neck muscles must support it. In order to look straight ahead with forward head, the muscles in the back of your neck must shorten and the cervical arch increases. This can lead to muscular pain, myofascial pain, premature cervical disc wear, cervical joint degeneration and tension headaches.

Often when people crane their heads forward, they are trying to get closer to what they're looking at. Consciousness of this tendency combined with efforts to counter it, such as raising objects closer to your face, can help to reverse forward head. Myofascial release and stretching exercises will help to relax tight neck and upper back muscles.

Slouching

We are all likely guilty of slouching at times. Some slouch when they stand or walk, and this postural mistake is particularly common when sitting. Slouching occurs when the upper back rounds out, the shoulders droop forward and the lower back flattens. Often, forward head accompanies slouching. The spine is a unit, and changes in one area are often reflected by changes in another.

A leading cause of slouching is core muscle weakness. The muscles of the lower back, pelvis, buttocks and stomach are relied upon to support spinal alignment and uprightness of the upper body. If these muscles aren't working to do these jobs, the spine will round out and the upper body will sag. Your chances of slouching increase with the amount of time you spend in a sitting or standing position; even the strongest of cores tires out eventually.

One way to counteract slouching is to consciously engage your core muscles when sitting or standing. Focus on your deep abdominal muscles and gently engage them. These muscles support the lower spine. Doing balanced core exercises such as bird dogs, bridges, partial crunches and planks will help to correct slouching. As with other forms of postural distortions, myofascial release may be needed in addition to stretching in order to relax muscles that have been chronically tensed by habitual slouching.

Being aware of common postural mistakes will help prevent you from making them. You can reduce or eliminate back pain by holding your body in proper alignment.

Sciatica Exercise Therapy

Sciatica exercise therapy is one of the most widely utilized modalities for treating chronic lower back and leg pain syndromes. There are many different types of exercise treatments applied by professional care givers and even more used casually by patients at home. Although exercise is a necessary part of a healthy and happy lifestyle, it is not always the best method of care for back pain sufferers, although it can be a powerful diagnostic tool in some cases.

Professional exercise therapy for sciatica generally consists of physical therapy or personal training sessions. There may be a great number of exercises used in these practices, ranging from resistance programs to cardiovascular conditioning to aquatherapy to targeted isometric work. The theory which drives most physical therapy programs is that there is some injury, abnormality or weakness in the anatomy which is causing the pain. Therefore, enhancing the physical condition of the entire person and building the strength and integrity of the affected area and support structures should relieve the symptoms over time. Now for definitive injuries which cause sciatica, or as a rehabilitation program after said injury or post-surgery, there is perhaps no better method of care than physical therapy. However, for the typical sciatica patient with chronic pain, PT rarely does anything more than provide temporary symptomatic relief, but in some cases may actually aggravate symptoms to a mild or major degree.

Self-applied exercise therapy for sciatica is also very common. Patients use a variety of activities to get in a good lower back and leg workout in the hopes that they are increasing their strength and helping to heal any weaknesses or injuries which are sourcing their agony. The theory here mirrors that used in professional physical therapy, basically blaming all manner of symptoms on a known or unknown structural issue. Patients may decide to walk, run or swim as the most popular options in sciatica exercise care. However, many other methods also may be helpful, including yoga practice, tai chi and Pilates, to name a few.

While it is true that exercise rarely heals sciatica pain in chronic sufferers, it may be part of the diagnostic process. This is a consideration rarely utilized by doctors, but has been shown to be very enlightening by such world renown back pain care providers as Dr. John Sarno. Exercise will not change the spinal anatomy and will do nothing to actually heal herniated discs, spinal arthritis or spinal curvature issues. These are the most frequently implicated structural reasons used to explain sciatica to begin with. Exercise will increase regional blood flow, and therefore oxygen saturation, of affected painful tissues. When a patient sees a marked, but temporary, benefit from sciatica exercise, it is logical to suspect that ischemia, not a structural issue, is actually responsible for the pain. In these cases, Dr. Sarno theorizes that any structural issues found via MRI or CT scan are coincidental, which completely supports modern research telling that most spinal abnormalities are not responsible for pain. Instead, the oxygen deprivation is causing the widespread and treatment-resistant symptoms due to its effects on the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments and other tissues of the body. To make matters worse, these ischemic sciatica pain syndromes are almost always driven by a psychogenic process, further explaining why they are so difficult to resolve using conventional, or even alternative, treatment options.

It should be noted that patients who feel an escalation of pain when active typically fall into one of 2 possible categories. The first may have known or unknown structural issues which are not being treated correctly and still need to be accurately diagnosed. Once found, most of the issues can be successfully resolved using medical care. The other type of patient is one who has built up a back pain conditioning characteristic in which exercise is perceived to be causative for pain, even though it is not creating any problematic anatomical stress. This can complicate the diagnosis of psychosomatic sciatica, but the truth can still be ascertained by physicians trained in recognizing the other common symptoms of this epidemic health condition.

The Basic Overview Of A Spinal Fusion For Spondylolisthesis

In a degenerative spondylolisthesis, one vertebrae slips forward on another and in the process may pinch a nerve root. This can result in sciatica on a repetitive process and may be extremely problematic and painful for patients on a daily basis. The term for this is spinal stenosis. Pain may radiate down to the legs and feet and cause difficulty with ambulation, work ability, recreational activities, and hinder social efforts.

A spinal fusion may dramatically help with the symptoms if conservative measures fail. Conservative measures include pain management options that may be interventional pain management (epidural injections), pain medications, physical therapy, chiropractic, or spinal decompression therapy.

In a spinal fusion, the surgeon initially removes the lamina, the bony portion of the spine that covers the spinal cord and its remnant. This is called a laminectomy and effectively decompresses the areas experiencing pinched nerves. The pre-operative MRI tells the surgeon which areas are being pinched and where to focus his or her efforts. There may be some additional findings during surgery, but taking a "we'll see what's going on when I get in there" approach is not the best.

The bone removed is saved and ground up and typically an additional biologic substance is supplemented to this material. On the outside of the spine on each side, this bony material, called bone graft, is placed and the remaining bony areas on the spine are "roughed up" to encourage bony healing and hence a bony fusion. The spinal fusion will weld one level to another so that movement will no longer occur.

In many cases, screws and rods are placed in the vertebrae to stop movement between the affected levels. This hardware keeps the levels firmly in place while the bony fusion takes place. So basically you have the spinal decompression portion to free up pinched nerves and then the spinal stabilization part to prevent further slipping or instability.

Middle Back Pain Conditions

Middle back pain is statistically the least common location for experiencing dorsopathy symptoms. However, since back pain is an epidemic condition, this still means that millions of people face chronic mid back agony every day, often without hope for lasting relief. It is always recommended that all patients suffering from middle back ache become ever more active in their own care, as this is the best way to maximize the chances for finding lasting symptomatic resolution.

Mid back pain is loosely defined as symptoms which exist below the shoulder blades and above the belly button or waist. The middle back is comprised of the middle and lower thoracic spinal regions and is structurally designed for protection and support far more than flexibility or movement. The vertebrae in the mid back are strong and not generally subjected to the same degree of stresses as the structural components of the cervical or lumbar spinal regions which must bend and flex constantly. It is for this, and other reasons, that most cases of middle back ache are not deemed to be sourced by the same typical structural issues as those which are theorized to cause neck pain and lower back pain.

Spinal degeneration in the mid to lower thoracic spine is not a serious concern for most people and it is not uncommon for this area to remain looking quite good into old age. This can not be said for the lumbar or cervical spinal areas which degenerate universally and noticeably, most often by the age of 30 or younger. Spinal arthritis can take hold in the mid back, but this is rare, as is any form of significant intervertebral disc pathology, such as desiccation or herniation.

The middle back can be injured, just like the rest of the spine, and the vast majority of structural issues which do cause middle back pain are a direct result of a known trauma. Luckily, statistics clearly reveal that definitive injury is one of the sources of back pain which responds best to a variety of conservative, moderate and drastic treatment options. In cases where damage is extreme, the patients may be unresponsive to therapy and may end up with a purely anatomically based chronic pain condition. However, the incidence of this is very rare.

The most common actual causes of middle back pain include muscular issues, such as strain and sprain, as well as chronic conditions, like regional ischemia. The former are certainly temporary and transitory pain syndromes which will almost always resolve within 2 to 6 weeks time, while the later is an ongoing disaster for patients, since it is definitely one of the most common types of pain and also one of the least often correctly diagnosed. Oxygen deprivation back pain has been proven conclusively in the laboratory through nucleus testing of patients with a variety of diagnosed conditions, including fibromyalgia. In many patients, their symptoms were blamed on coincidental structural findings, such as bulging discs and facet joint arthrosis, but regardless of the anatomical abnormalities, the patients responded well to appropriate psychologically based treatment and recovered 100% even with the continued demonstration of the structural issues once thought to be causative.

As a final thought, it must be mentioned that the antiquated structurally dependent Cartesian medical practices have doomed countless back pain sufferers to ongoing misery and frustration. At least in the middle back, where structural issues are less prevalent, this is not usually the case, although newer diagnoses like the previously mentioned fibromyalgia and thoracolumbar syndrome are still trying to place an anatomical face on pain which is usually anything but.

Why Stomach Sleeping Is So Bad For Your Upper Back, Neck, and Shoulders

Sleeping is an essential function of our everyday lives. Most people never take into account the effects it may have on the health and stability of the upper back and neck. If you are in the wrong position, you could be causing trauma or injury to your upper back area.

Of the three sleeping positions that we can use at night (back, side, stomach), sleeping on your stomach is the least desirable for several different reasons. When you sleep on your stomach, you have to turn you head either to the right or to the left in order to breath. Most of us sleep for a duration of 4 hours to 10 hours a night. That means that for 4-10 hours a night, your head is turned to one side allowing the muscles on one side of the neck to shorten and the muscles on the opposite side to be lengthened.

The shortening in length on one side of the neck and the lengthening of muscles on the opposite side of the neck creates disproportionate muscle tension (DMT). When DMT kicks in, it starts to create pain in the neck and upper back. DMT not only causes pain, it restricts the ability of the joints to work in their normal state.

Another reason sleeping on your stomach is not recommended is because it causes your shoulders to fall forward into an anterior tipping situation. Basically what this means is that the shoulders drift forward due to gravity causing the pectoralis or chest muscles to tighten which then causes the shoulder blades to tip forward. The change in the muscle length at the pecs usually causes a vicious cycle of pain at the neck, shoulders and upper back.

The last reason that sleeping on your stomach is not encouraged is because if you don't sleep with your hands by your side, you usually have your arms above your head. This position can place stress along the median and ulnar nerves in both hands creating a scenario in which your hands fall asleep or go numb. This can cause lots of problems in the future.

As an alternative, the preferred position for sleeping is on your back. The muscles and joints tend to assume their neutral position while lying on your back. Ensure you have a semi-firm pillow that maintains the natural curvature of the spine, essentially what we would refer to as the neck and upper back. By doing this, you promote stability and balance in the spine and surrounding muscle tissue.

What's the Difference Between Traditional Spine Surgery and Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

With advances in medicine that are made every year, spinal surgery is becoming much less of a risk to people with back pain. With minimally invasive techniques available, as well as non-surgical alternatives that are developing worldwide, the over 80% of Americans that suffer from some sort of back pain in their lives have relief on the horizon.

Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery

Today's spinal surgeons have sophisticated tools at their disposal for diagnosing the condition causing a problem in the spine. CT scanners have developed to offer the best in visualization of the tissues, with three dimensional imaging possible, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with contrast can show very accurate pictures of the spine and surrounding tissues to diagnose and treat back issues. With excellent diagnostic techniques, the surgeon has a much better canvas with which to work, so he or she doesn't need to make major incisions to see it.

Arthroscopy is a well-used technique in minimally invasive spinal surgery. A tube, called an endoscope, is fed into an incision and into the tube is placed a tiny camera. In another incision or incisions are placed additional endoscopes where the tools to carry out the operation are inserted. The camera displays the inside of the patient's back and the spinal surgery being conducted onto a screen for the surgeon to get an up close and enlarged view of the spinal cord, vertebrae and discs.

Spinal fusion utilizes arthroscopic procedures, and other techniques that are minimally invasive include kyphoplasty, athroplasty, microdiscectomy and arthroplasty. This type of spinal surgery takes less time, is less painful to the patient and requires less hospitalization, and allows for quicker recovery.

Traditional Spinal Surgery

In traditional spine surgery, which may be necessary in extreme cases, surgeons must decide on which side of the body to approach the patient, from the front or the back. Anterior, front of the body surgery is preferable because maneuvering around the organs is easier, yet it's not always possible. Some of the surgeries that many be conducted include a laminectomy that replaces chipped or broken bone, a foramenotomy that removes unnecessary tissue or bone, and a discectomy that removes all or part of the cushioning disc when it inflames the nerve to the point of unbearable pain.

Non-Surgical Therapy

A controversial non-surgical therapy was discussed recently in the February 2011 issue of The Spine Journal, a scientific journal of the North American Spine Society. The study showed that intradiscal steroid injections to bulging discs that are affecting the nerves along the lumbar, or lower back vertebrae can be effective. The success of the study was described as "intradiscal injection of corticosteroids could be a short term, efficient alternative for discogenic low back pain patients who were still unwilling to accept spinal surgery when conservative treatments failed." There are still questions about the lifestyle and other distinguishing factors of the patients in the study, and it has not yet been FDA approved.

Spinal surgery is still to be taken lightly, but with the improving techniques and procedures, it can be discussed with your spine doctor for consideration.

Degenerative Disc Disease - Is Surgery or Rehabilitation Better?

Degenerative disc disease involves deterioration of one's intervertebral discs. The disks are the soft tissue areas between the bony vertebrae and act as shock absorbers for the spine. There is one at every level of the spine. There are nerve endings in the outer region of each disc, so if the degeneration involves this area pain may flare up from an irritated nerve ending. One's resulting pain may wax and wane for years, or unfortunately it may end up kicking in and then never going away.

The pain from degenerative disc disease is very challenging to treat. Why? The reason is that interventional pain treatments have been developed for this anatomical area, but just have not worked very well. Intradiscal electrothermal treatment along with steroid injections have not shown substantial benefits. There has been a lot of research into developing a biologic treatment or maybe a soft tissue insert for pain relief, none of which have succeeded yet. So does surgery give better results than non-operative rehabilitation efforts?

Surgery for degenerative disk disease has 2 options currently. One is a spinal fusion. Spinal fusions for degenerative disc disease have shown anywhere from a 50% to 75% success rate. When artificial discs were invented and FDA approved back in 2004 here in the US, studies were done looking at them versus spinal fusion. Results showed equivalency - no better, no worse. Interestingly, over half of patients who have either an artificial disc replacement or a spinal fusion remain on narcotics over a year after surgery. So pain remains an issue post-operatively.

A recent study out of Norway compared patients with degenerative disc disease who either had received chiropractic treatment and physical therapy and behavioral treatment versus an artificial disc replacement. The patients were followed for 2 years. Which group did better? They actually fared the same, with no differences being seen in either return to work, life satisfaction, fear avoidance beliefs, or drug use.

Both groups received significant pain relief, and statistically speaking the surgery patients did better on their disability index scales along with some secondary outcomes. Clinically speaking though, the results were equal.

Surgery for degenerative disc disease should not be taken lightly. At times the results may be considered a "home run" and for others the pain relief ends up marginal. This research showed that non-operative treatment did as well clinically as surgery, but avoided the risks, disrupted lives, and expense associated.

Pain Management for the Lumbar Region

Do you currently suffer from a back problem?

Do you want to find relief?

1.) Introduction

Some people will not live their lives without having pain in their lumbar back regions. They are the really lucky ones, because most people will have some issue with lower back pain in their life time. - Lumbar pain is actually one of the most frequently assessed medical conditions in emergency rooms and doctor's offices. For individuals with this condition, pain management is crucial. When relief is not sought for lumbar discomfort, the consequences can be severe. Inability to function at home and at work, depression and weight gain are just a few consequences of not facing back pain effectively.

2.) Typically, pain in the lumbar area is a result of overexerted ligaments and muscles. In some instances, it occurs as a result of an internal physical condition like a herniated disk, arthritis, sciatica, or osteoporosis. While these conditions themselves may require treatment from a physician, for immediate, pain relief a back brace can be used.

3.) How A Lumbar Support Can Help Reduce Pain

Back braces have proven to be quite successful in pain management relating to the lumbar region. Individuals have used them with many positive results in both emergent or out patient settings.

How a Brace Helps Manage Lumbar Back Pain

A.) Controlling Unwanted Motions

Back braces help manage lumbar pain by restricting spinal motion. This reduces pain caused by the movement of the injured area. By its restrictive actions, a brace also accelerates healing time by alleviating stress on a hurt muscle or ligament.

B.) A Reminder

Back supports also work proactively to prevent further injury by reminding a person to not take on too much and also to only assume proper, posture positions instead of reverting old, harmful habits.

C.) Stress Relief

Several individuals who have used back braces as a lumbar pain management tool insist that the support holds up their abdomens and reduces the stress on their lower backs, providing them with immediate pain relief.

Many persons who deal with lumbar pain simply suffer in silence while attempting to lessen the pain by resting and using cold compresses. Unfortunately neither of these methods has proven very effective in the long run. First of all, a person can only rest for so many days before the duties of everyday life come calling. In addition, extended periods of rest may also worsen the back problem and lead to further problems.

As far as ice goes, even ice packs eventually grow warm and useless, and with them, there is always the danger of using them improperly and causing further harm. At the end of the day, these individuals discover that nothing works as well as the easy to use but highly effective back brace.

Note: Medical advice on braces should be given to you by your local, licensed orthotist (brace specialist).

Magnetic Therapy For the Relief of Lower Back Pain and Sciatica

An interesting passive method for dealing with lower back pain and sciatica is magnet therapy. This therapy has been in use for a long time but is sometimes overlooked by those is pain. However it really should be amongst the techniques investigated by any sufferer from the disagreeable effects of back strain and its related problems.

In former years the way in which magnets might have any healing power was not understood and even now there is no final agreement as to how the beneficial effects are achieved. However it is now recognised, as a result of research, that magnets very likely act by inhibiting elements of the pain that stems from an injured back. Moreover it has been demonstrated that magnetic fields help the body's own natural tendency to heal itself by improving blood flow. The better oxygenation which this produces, then promotes healing by the reducing of swelling and lessening inflammation. Muscular and skeletal improvements should follow as well.

Those who are suffering from back problems will generally have muscular spasm or other trauma. Tissue in this condition will often have blood vessels which are dilated and not functioning correctly. This is part of the problem with back problems and is one of the reasons that ice packs are sometimes recommended immediately after a back injury or onset of pain. The cold pack helps to promote blood flow although ice packs are not so often suggested when the pain has been continuing for some time. However it should not be expected that conditions such as spinal displacement or slipped disc can be cured by the therapy although it may help in recovery to full health after the substantive problem has been addressed.

Magnetic therapy on the other hand may be recommended at any time to those suffering from back pain. Magnetic therapy by improving blood flow is also valuable, not as a substitute for immediate conventional post trauma treatment, but to be used in conjunction with it and additionally for the longer term. Consider the benefits. Improved blood supply helps healing and by providing relief from pain there is a further improvement leading also to faster healing. Each improvement assists the other.

Those who benefit from magnetic therapy may be able to do so, it should be borne in mind, with reduced or even with no drug treatment and without surgery or other intrusive procedures. Surely it would be worth giving magnetic therapy a chance before submitting to surgery which may not have an assured result?

Many forms of magnetic therapy can be dealt with by the back pain sufferers themselves. There are some easily employed products, such as bracelets, magnetic belts and similar items which can simply be put on in the affected area (e.g. across the small of the back). Also there are more specialist treatments involving pulsed and biomagnetic electromagnetic fields which would require the patient to visit a trained therapist.

The history of magnetic healing goes back a long way and it appears that it may have be used in non-complex ways by the Chinese for some thousands of years with good results. In recent years magnetic therapy and its benefits have been the subjected to tests and trials. For example, athletes and others suffering from injuries have been shown to benefit from the therapy and so also, surprisingly have injured animals. Good results with animals given the magnetic therapy show that the benefits are not due in part to the placebo effect as was once suggested.

There are many people who routinely use magnetic therapy, and their testimony to the enormous benefit it brings them should serve as further assurance to anyone who is hesitating about trying this simple method for relief of their condition. The relatively low cost of magnetic devices for home treatment should also be measured against the cost of other back pain therapies which may require frequent repeat sessions.

Magnetic therapy is then something to which should be given serious consideration by any sufferer of back problems or sciatica. However caution is necessary for some and it would not be suitable or desirable for:

- Children and young persons
- People with certain blood conditions
- Pregnant women
- Those who have a metallic implant or a heart pacemaker
- Those taking medication should discuss with their doctor whether the therapy would be safe.

Magnetic equipment should not be place anywhere near your video tapes, your computer, your credit or other cards, or any item with a magnetic strip etc.

For more information about lower back pain and sciatica please visit lower-back-sprain

Please bear in mind that this article is for general information purposes only and is not medical advice about your health. If you have a medical condition or problem you should always consult your doctor as to the matter which may be more serious than you realise.

The Pros and Cons Of Radiofrequency Treatment For Chronic Back Pain

Radiofrequency neurotomy, also called radiofrequency ablation or lesioning, is a procedure that intentionally injures nerves to prevent pain signals from being sent to and processed by the brain. It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure reserved for those with chronic pain who have not found relief from more conservative treatment methods.

Radiofrequency treatments can be used on patients with pain from a degenerative disc, facet joint or sacroiliac (SI) joint. Guided by fluoroscopy, an electrode is inserted into the body and placed on the targeted nerve. Once positioned properly, the electrode is heated to create a lesion on the nerve. A more recent, advanced form of the procedure includes a cooling phase; this increases the area of the electrode's impact and may be useful in certain locations of the body.

This treatment is not a permanent solution; over time, nerves heal and pain returns. It is important to remember that radiofrequency is a treatment that addresses the symptom of pain, not the initial cause thereof. Review the following pros and cons before deciding whether to receive this procedure.

Pros

For people who cannot perform day-to-day activities or work due to pain, a procedure like radiofrequency neurotomy can be tremendously positive. If effective, the procedure may allow people to return to work and perform basic daily activities like walking without excessive pain.

Results from radiofrequency treatment can last up to a year or two, which may make it more appealing than steroid injections, another common treatment for back and SI joint pain.

Neurotomy is a less invasive procedure than other surgical methods of eliminating joint and disc pain, particularly fusion surgery. Fusion creates a rigid segment between vertebrae or the pelvic bone and sacrum to inhibit painful motion from instability. The procedure comes with a high price tag and a host of risks, including accelerated degeneration of facet joints and spinal discs near the fused joint. Radiofrequency lesioning may provide enough pain relief to avoid more invasive surgery.

Research indicates that this procedure is helpful to some degree for around 70% of those who receive it and that it may decrease reliance on expensive and dangerous pain medications. See http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/studies-published-in-pain-medicine-demonstrate-effectiveness-of-minimally-invasive-cooled-radiofrequency-treatment-for-low-back-pain-194185701.html for a collection of research supporting the use of cooled radiofrequency for discogenic and SI joint pain.

Cons

Radiofrequency lesioning makes pain worse before making it better. The initial week following the procedure can be difficult due to local soreness and swelling. Some patients who have received the treatment report that it can take a month or two to feel any positive effects.

Some patients receiving the treatment never experience relief. Some may even experience more pain if the procedure was done incorrectly and the targeted nerve was incompletely damaged; this would cause it to increase its pain signal output. See http://www.spine-health.com/forum/treatment/pain-management/rf-neurotomy-ablation-has-worked-you-how-long-did-it-take-notice-res to read reviews of the procedure from a number of people who have received it.

It must be remembered that this treatment is not a cure; it just masks the pain. Whether your pain is caused by a degenerated disc, facet joint or SI joint, it is important to continue efforts to resolve the underlying issue. Research alternative medicine to find treatment options you may not be aware of. Take advantage of your pain-free or reduced pain time post-radiofrequency treatment to follow through on exercise therapy, strengthening your core muscles that support joints and spinal discs.

Radiofrequency neurotomy may be a suitable treatment for you if pain is interfering with your quality of life. The focus of any chronic pain treatment plan, however, should be to address the cause of pain and not just mask the symptom.

Overnight Relief From Lower Back and Neck Pain

Have you ever considered changing your sleep habits to relieve lower back pain, neck pain or other general aches and pains? If not, it is time you did. Your sleep position and pillow choice could be the very culprit to your daily discomfort. If you follow these next 4 tips you could put an end to your lower back pain overnight.

1. Sleep on your back. Sleeping on your back helps maintain a neutral spine position thus easing any pressure on your lower back and neck. By keeping a straight spine you are not forcing any extra curves in your body. When sleeping on your back you should choose a puffy pillow, one that supports your head and neck without propping you up too much. A wonderful pillow I have found to be the answer to my prayers is the Chiroflow Waterpillow. I am able to adjust the amount of water to perfectly support my head and neck.

2. Become a side-sleeper. Sleeping on your side is the next best position if you simply can't sleep on your back. Side-sleeping also keeps your spine elongated and free from curves. In addition to relieving lower back and neck pain, it also is great for reducing acid reflux and decreasing snoring. If you choose to sleep on your side, like I do, it is best to choose a thick pillow, one that will fill the space above your shoulder so your head and neck are supported in a neutral position.

3. Sleeping in a fetal position is not ideal. If you are prone to sleeping in the fetal position with your knees pulled up tight and your chin tucked, you may be setting yourself up for chronic back and neck pain. An easy alteration to this sleep position is to simply straighten yourself out and sleep more in the side position. Again choose the same pillow as you would for side-sleeping.

4. Do NOT sleep on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach is the absolute worst sleep position. Maintaining a neutral spine is near impossible when on your stomach and even worse is the pressure it imposes on your nerves and joints. Irritated nerves can lead to pain, numbness and tingling. Think if you kept your neck turned to one side for even 30 minutes during the day; it would cause extreme discomfort and pain. Now think what sleeping on your stomach with your neck turned to one side for 7-8 hours would do, not to mention the discomfort to the lower back and hips.

As you can see, the way you sleep has a lot to do with how you feel. Although training yourself to sleep in a proper position may take some time, it will be well worth it. If a simple alteration can relieve lower back pain and neck pain overnight, it is definitely worth your time and effort.