Saturday, July 20, 2013

Sciatica Surgery


Sciatica surgery is a drastic therapy option performed on untold millions of patients who demonstrate the chronic and agonizing symptoms of unilateral or bilateral sciatica. Lower back and leg pain has reached epidemic proportions and although there are more treatments available than ever before, very few patients are able to achieve true and lasting cures. In fact, not only are most sciatica care options ineffective, but surgical interventions demonstrate some of the worst possible results and also have a high risk of causing more harm than good.

Sciatica surgery is a specialty of both the orthopedic and neurological sectors of medicine. There are a wide range of possible procedures utilized in an attempt to resolve serious and long standing sciatic pain issues, depending on the diagnosed source. The vast majority of patients will undergo lower spinal surgery, since most sciatica complaints are traced back to structural abnormalities in the lumbar or lumbosacral spinal regions. A few patients will undergo cervical spinal surgery, as their pain is theorized to exist due to spinal stenosis in the neck. A few patients will undergo non-spinal surgeries aimed at soft tissue abnormalities suspected of being the source of symptoms, such as in the case of piriformis syndrome.

Herniated discs are the most common of all the spinal irregularities treated surgically in association with lower body sciatica. While it is possible that herniated and bulging discs can indeed source sciatica symptoms, it is actually quite rare. Research statistics show little, if any, correlation between the incidence of lumbar herniations and sciatica pain conditions. In fact, clinical research clearly shows that a great number of patients have rather nasty looking herniated discs which have turned up on coincidental diagnostic imaging for unrelated conditions, while many seemingly minor disc issues are blamed daily for causing horrific and intractable pain. It makes little sense... When you consider the truly awful long term curative results from such surgeries as discectomy and spinal fusion, it is easy to see that the disc is most likely not the cause of the pain, but has merely been mistakenly identified as such. This misdiagnosis is a huge part of the iatrogenic error rampant in the healthcare sector and is a particularly huge burden to back pain sufferers worldwide.

Sciatica surgery can also be used to treat other innocent aspects of the spinal aging process, including degenerative disc disease and spinal osteoarthritis. I have yet to see a case of DDD which was truly responsible for sciatica, although many patients are diagnosed with just this verdict. This is amazing since disc desiccation is well known in the medical community to be a normal, expected and universal part of the aging process. No evidence of the process being inherently painful has ever come to definitive light. Osteoarthritic change in the lower spine is also par for the course and it is normal that people will suffer the typical central canal narrowing, foraminal narrowing and osteophyte formation common to osteoarthritis. I have seen many of these cases being the actual source of pain, but this still only represents maybe 5 to 10% of diagnosed cases.

Of course, there are many other structural issues treated surgically as well, when sciatic complaints are blamed on the changes seen on diagnostic imaging films. Some of these conditions include scoliosis, hyperlordosis, hypolordosis, spondylolisthesis, retrolisthesis and anterolisthesis. In virtually all cases, spinal fusion is utilized to fix the vertebrae into place. Of all back surgeries, this particular procedure offers the least hope of resolving pain and in many, many cases, actually makes the symptomatic expression far worse. However, it is fair to say that in at least 10% of cases, the diagnosis is correct as to the source of pain, despite the treatment being barbaric, unenlightened and virtually completely ineffectual.

My advice when it comes to sciatica surgery is simple. Don't do it, unless it is deemed a medical emergency by at least 3 different surgeons. Don't even think about it, unless all other options have been exhausted. Statistics are not on your side. Once damage has been done surgically (and yes, all manner of spinal surgeries cause incredible trauma), there may be no chance of ever being pain-free again. At the very least, do your own research and learn the real facts about sciatica surgery for yourself. If you like what you read, then by all means, you can still have the operation. However, once you go through with it, there is no "undoing" what has been perpetrated against your anatomy. Think carefully...

Sciatica Home Treatment - What Are They?


Sciatica is a common form of lower back pain. The sciatic nerve is the longest peripheral nerve in the body, and runs from the lower back through the pelvis and buttock area, right down to the back of the lower leg. Because it originates in the spinal cord, the health of the spinal cord and its vertebra plays a large role in the healthy functioning of the sciatic nerve.

There are lots of natural remedies for this Sciatica. Ice can be a lifesaver for sciatica. Ice will reduce the inflammation around the nerve and can stop sciatica before it starts. Put ice around the area for ten minutes and rest. It is not a permanent cure but can help reduce the pain immediately.

Stretching of Piriformis muscle will help relax the muscle and reduce the strain caused on it thereby easing the pain. The hip muscle and the pelvic muscle must be loosened. One should not lie down when one experiences sciatica as it will tighten the muscles quickly. It is essential to keep moving though not in a rapid pace.

Daily exercises are a must for those who suffer from sciatica. Exercises keep the muscles active and incorporating this in the daily life helps in preventing the sciatica problems.

Another trusted home remedy for this form of back pain is to treat the area with fresh minced horseradish poultice, which when applied to the painful areas and kept for at least an hour at a time stimulates the sciatica nerve and give tremendous relief from sciatica pain.

Water is a natural remedy for any kind of body pain. Taking a long hot shower followed by a mild cold shower can help relieve the pain in a very short period. This increases the oxygen flow to the area, and helps to promote faster healing of damaged tissue.

Correct seating postures can help in avoiding lower back pain. While standing or sitting choosing a comfortable posture which will relax the muscles is a must to avoid sciatica.

Healthy eating habits should be followed. Food rich in vitamins, especially vitamin B-10 will help strengthen the bones and the nerves. This can eventually make a person healthier and avoid sciatica and other muscle pain.

One important thing to keep in mind is to know what is precisely wrong before starting the remedial measures. If one knows what to target, the relief will be much quicker.

Back Pain - Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery As Known As Keyhole Surgery


Minimally invasive surgery is a developing new field, which is being performed by a limited number of spine surgeons for a very limited number of procedures.

Minimally invasive surgery, also known as "keyhole" surgery, uses a thin, telescope-like instrument known as an endoscope, which is inserted through small incisions. The endoscope is connected to a tiny video camera - smaller than a dime - which projects an "inside" view of the patient's body on to television screens in the operating room.

Small surgical instruments may then be passed through one or more additional half-inch incisions. Following the procedure, the small incisions are closed with sutures and covered with surgical tape. After a few months, they are barely visible.

Three main types of minimally invasive spine surgery currently are being performed at The Cleveland Clinic:
(1) Spinal fusion, which often is performed on degenerative disks
(2) Deformity corrections, such as for scoliosis
(3) Repair of herniated disks

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Back Surgery include:

o A few tiny scars instead of one large scar
o Shorter hospital stay - a few days instead of a week
o Reduced postoperative pain
o Shorter recovery time - a few months instead of a year - and quicker return to daily activities, including work

Due to latest technology and low cost of treatment the success rate of Minimally Invasive spine Surgery ( MISS ) it would be around 75% to 80%. There are dedicated specialized Spinal ( JCI Accreditaed ) Hospitals in India, like Indraprastha Apollo Hospital - New Delhi, Apollo Hospitals - Chennai, Manipal Hospital, wockhardt Hospital - Mumbai, MOIT Hospital - Chennai etc.

5 Benefits of Undulation


Life requires movement. At a minimum, this movement entails breath and circulation; at an idyllic state, it entails continual development. When we don't move, we starve the body and incur lasting stagnation, injury, and illness. Through the use of regular movement, you can learn to prevent and cure muscular discomfort, maintain bodily health, and experience the enjoyment healthy living generates.

One form of movement you can perform from the convenience of your home, and in as little as five minutes a day is Undulation. These specialized movements take the form of various exercises designed to make everyday movements easier on the body by increasing flexibility, strength, and awareness, and nourishing the spine. Here are the top five reasons to incorporate Undulation into your daily routine:

1) Undulation increases flexibility

Many people think that stretching is the key to flexibility. And while stretching does offer a number of health benefits, and increases the flexibility of healthy muscles, it fails to address unhealthy muscles. Many times, our "problem" muscles are dehydrated, and have become encased in a stiff connective tissue that stretching can't correct. If your muscles feel crunchy and tight, and stretching has failed to heal them, try performing simple Undulation exercises. The flowing micro-movements will makes muscles pliable and flexible.

2) Undulation strengthens core muscles

Hundreds of muscle fibers surround the spine. Despite this, the average person fails to engage most of these muscles, resulting in stiffness and back pain. Regular exercise routines neglect smaller muscles, such as the multifidi, semispinalis, and rotators, leaving them fallow and weak. The small, focused movements of Undulation however, engage the core, strengthening the muscles surrounding the spine.

3) Undulation movements nourish the spine

A series of fluid-filled discs serve as cushions between the vertebrae of the spine. When these discs aren't in optimal condition, they can shrink and bulge, causing discomfort, and decreasing height in old age. Because the spine's discs don't receive direct blood supply, they depend on gently movement in order to stay healthy. Undulation provides the just the right amount of movement to nourish discs and ligaments.

4) Undulation increases body awareness

By being in-tune with your body, you can avoid the slew of injuries every-day life encourages. When you take a few minutes every day to listen to what your body needs, and respond accordingly, you begin to develop an awareness that benefits your entire life. Undulation can teach you to tune-in.

5) Undulation makes other movements easier

The spine is the center of movement, so when it is strong, healthy, and flexible, performing any kind of movement becomes easier. Even standing up from a seated position requires movement in the spine. Looking over your shoulder, bending over to pick something up, and swinging a golf club require even more spine movement. Undulation encourages the spinal well being that bring ease and comfort to all daily movements.

Importance of Cervical Spine Diagram


With the latest technology today, it is possible to get different views of the cervical spine diagram. These are essential for both medical students and medical analysts. Today whether it's print resources or online resources, you can find detailed charts and images to assist in healthcare.

Structure of the cervical spine

The spine is basically known as the vertebral column. The main parts include the sacrum, the invertebral discs the 24 vertebrae and coccyx. All these combined to create the spine. Through the spine canal runs a spinal cord and the entire of it is separated by the spinal discs.

Reason for Using a the diagram

It is not easy to understand the current state of the spine with verbal or written description, so this is where the diagram becomes indispensable. To understand what the coccyx or sacrum is or how the entire canal is laid out, you will need a visual aid to assist you.

You may be able to get your hand on the printed resource which gives you a clear view of the diagram. However, with the Internet at hand it becomes even easier. While information on the Internet cannot replace a hands-on medical diagnosis, it can assist you in getting prepared with information. In this manner when your doctor actually speaks with you regarding the spinal cord and the canal at least you have a basic idea of what he is speaking of.

Benefits of using the diagram

A better-informed patient is more convenient for her doctor to handle. Other than this, if you have a spinal injury or discomfort and you are aware of the cervical spine diagram you will be able to explain it better to your doctor. The main benefit of searching the Internet for the diagram is that you will have an insight on its structure. This way when you speak to your doctor you can pinpoint the exact location of discomfort.

Different views of the cervical spine diagram

When you look at this diagram, there are side and front views. In the side view, you will notice the vertebrate, the lumbar vertebra, the classic vertebra, and the sacroiliac joint and the sacrum. This is one of the most basic diagrams of the spine available on the net or in books.

However if you go for another diagram, it will give you a deeper view. It shows how the spine is connected to the human skull and subsequently the brain. In this type of diagram, you will also be able to see the cervical vertebrate, the invertebral disc and the skull.

So, get the right cervical spine diagram to get rid of the discomfort you feel in this area.

Orthopedic Surgery: Your Options


In Austin, orthopedic surgery is the best option for severe bone- and joint-related problems. With technological advancements in the medical field, orthopedic doctors can carry out effective surgical procedures to help you get rid of discomfort permanently. In Austin, orthopedic surgery uses a number of procedures to treat your condition, whether you are suffering from hand and wrist ailments, back and neck ailments or hip and knee problems.

Austin Orthopedic Surgery: Dealing with Upper Body Ailments
Here are some of the common upper body orthopedic ailments and surgery procedures for their treatment.

Hand, Wrist and Elbow: Orthopedic surgical procedures can help treat a number of hand and wrist conditions, such as flexor tendon injuries, finger conditions like trigger finger, swan neck and bouttoniere, hand dislocations, ganglion cysts, wrist fracture, carpal tunnel syndrome and radial tunnel syndrome. Elbow conditions, such as cubital tunnel syndrome, pitcher's elbow and tennis elbow, can also be effectively treated through orthopedic surgery. Some of the common surgical procedures for hand, wrist and elbow conditions include arthroscopy, open release carpal tunnel surgery, endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery and joint replacement.

Neck and Back: Neck and back ailments include degenerative joint disease, coccydynia or tail bone pain, herniated discs, pinched nerves, sciatica, scoliosis, spinal stenosis, stress fracture, slipped vertebrae and facet joint syndrome. Some of the non operative procedures for neck and back pain treatment include epidural injections, lumbar radio frequency neurotomy and costovertebral block, while some of the surgical procedures include spinal lumbar fusion, lumbar disectomy, laminectomy and anterior cervical disectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Shoulder: Conditions of the shoulder, such as bicep tendon tear, rotator cuff tear, shoulder dislocation, shoulder separation, shoulder impingement syndrome, frozen shoulder and SLAP tear, can be effectively treated in Austin with orthopedic surgery procedures. Some of the treatment procedures are rotator cuff tear repair, arthroscopy, shoulder impingement syndrome repair, reverse shoulder replacement and total shoulder replacement.

Austin Orthopedic Surgery: Lower Body Ailments and Treatment
Here are some of the orthopedic surgery procedures for lower body orthopedic problems.

Hip and Knee: Austin orthopedic surgery procedures can help treat conditions of the hip and knee, such as hip fracture, meniscus tear, knee ligament tear, patellofemoral syndrome, hamstring muscle injuries and snapping hip. Effective treatment procedures include direct anterior hip surgery, minimally invasive hip replacement, hip fracture open reduction internal fixation and total hip replacement.

Ankle and Foot: Conditions of the foot and ankle, such as Achilles tendon tear, bunionette, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, LisFranc dislocation, and a number of other conditions can be successfully treated with surgical procedures, such as arthroscopy and joint replacement procedures.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Herniated Disc Cure Treatment - Don't Ignore This!


The proper herniated disc cure treatment is an opportunity to restore your herniated or bulging disc by eliminating the spine dysfunctions that are directly responsible for the pain you are experiencing. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you have to live with this forever, or its to late to do anything.

The term herniated, also known by many of us as a ruptured disc or bulging disc, is a condition where the discs inner core protrudes past the outer core. This creates a severe condition which often leads to excruciating pain. You can cure herniated disc problems by taking a systematic approach which focuses on herniated disc cure treatments which treat the corresponding spine dysfunction.

Fixing the spine dysfunction directly responsible for your back pain may sound like an intriguing or interesting view of the situation. This is because conventional herniated disc cure treatments focus on treating symptoms, and it is also such an unconventional thought process for all of us. However, it is the only long term solution which will effectively heal herniated disc problems.

A typical spine dysfunction in today's society relates to an irregular curvature of the spine. One could very simply relate this to poor posture. The spine is designed to operate in an environment that science has determined as normal. This normal environment is the condition our spines were designed for from the second we were conceived. Consider the spacing between our vertebrae as an example. If the spine deviates from a normal curve or posture, it will effectively alter the natural and designed spacing between the vertebrae creating an unnatural stressful spine dysfunction. Now ask yourself what occupies the spacing between the vertebrae. You guessed it, our discs occupy this region. If the discs are subjected to a stressful and unnatural environment, it's no wonder that we are having discs that herniate and degenerate as a result. Fortunately you can treat herniated discs.

Effective herniated disc cure treatments starts by treating the spine dysfunction to restore the spine to its originally intended healthy state. Which intern eliminates the stressful environment which is directly responsible for the back problems we experience. The most effective treatment for spine dysfunctions is muscle balance therapy, which effectively treats the muscles imbalances that are responsible for the spine dysfunction you are experiencing.

Reflexology Relieves Back Pain


Reflexology is an ancient healing technique which uses reflex pressure points in the foot and hands to treat various health problems associated with the body. One such medical condition where Reflexology is being used is back pain, both acute and chronic. Reflexology helps treat back conditions on its own or in conjunction with other treatment methods. Determining the exact cause of back pain is very essential for proper treatment using Reflexology. Back ache in individuals may be due to physical or emotional imbalances. A Reflexologist often looks to minimize stress and ease out the painful back symptoms

Back pain caused due to physical imbalance: Physical imbalance like misalignment of the spine or hips in the body causes stress on the back and creates pain. Such medical conditions are difficult to treat using Reflexology but it can definitely help to pinpoint the source of imbalance in an effective manner.

Back pain caused due to emotional imbalance: Emotional imbalances often manifest in to physical pain and in most cases as severe back pains. Reflexology therapy is highly effective in treating back problems caused by emotional distress.

Back Pain caused by Muscle Spasm: You bend over to pick something up from the floor, and suddenly you are filled with a searing pain in your back. Sometimes this can immobilize a person for days or even weeks. Reflexology can help to relax the muscles and release the spasm, and help you become mobile again quite quickly.

A Reflexologist applies pressure on specific areas of the foot that corresponds to one's back discomfort. Reflex points in the foot for treating back aches includes the heel, which links to the lower back, tail bone and sciatic nerve.

Reflexology is known to trigger the body's natural pain killing chemical called endorphins. This pain killing chemical enters the blood stream and relieves back pain to provide a sense of wellbeing to the individual. Also, Reflexology is very relaxing and increases blood circulation which provides essential nutrients and oxygen to the body and tissues thereby boosting the body's natural healing system.

Reflexology, unlike other conventional medicine is a natural therapy that has very little or no side effects associated with them. It not only helps to relieve the symptoms of uncomfortable back aches and pains but also acts as a great stress reliever.

Reflexology can be considered as one of the best solutions to overcome chronic back problems caused by stress and help people live a pain free life.

New Treatment for Ruptured Disc


Those who suffer from acute back pain due to a ruptured disc need to find relief. People often try to avoid getting traditional open or fusion back surgery because in the past, this method of back surgery was known for being painful and requiring long recovery times. Open back surgeries and fusion surgeries also only provide lasting relief in less than 50% of cases. New treatments are now available that can help fix ruptured discs and relieve the back pain.

New minimally invasive techniques can be used to relieve the pain and fix the problem of a ruptured intervertbral disc. The spine is made up of vertebral bones and discs that are separated with ligaments and tissue. As people age, they often lose some of the moisture in the tissue that separates the discs. The result can be ruptured discs that slip out of place. Sometimes the disc causes pain when it presses on nerve roots exiting the spinal cord. In the past, the treatment for ruptured discs involved open back surgery. In this highly invasive procedure, a large incision was employed during surgery. As a result, the post-operative recovery time was long and painful. Fortunately, there are new arthroscopic techniques that are much less invasive and less painful. Surgeons who practice these techniques can provide almost instant relief from back pain with minimal recovery time, minimal scarring and minimal blood loss..

The arthroscopic method used to treat a ruptured disc involves making a small incision in the back, usually no larger than a half inch. The surgeon then inserts an instruments through a narrow stainless steel tube to remove parts of the problem disc. A laser can also be employed to slightly de-hydrate a disc so that it reverts to its original proportions. This smaller incision heals quickly and the post-operative pain is minimal. These procedures can often be performed as outpatient surgery, which allows it to be much less expensive than traditional surgery. More information about minimally invasive back surgery is available at

Muscle Spasms In The Back


The irregular, abnormal, spontaneous or involuntary contraction of a muscle is known as spasm. Muscle spasms in back areas of the body near the spinal cord or nerve roots can be most painful and in some cases debilitating. The spasms in back muscles can be due to many reasons, and when this happens, the person feels the forcible tightening of the muscle and its surrounding tissues. Injury, an advanced degenerative condition, or in some cases deprivation of oxygen can be causing the muscle spasms.

A person's back is an intricate combination of muscles, bones, and other tissues from the neck to the pelvic area. Some back injuries are caused by working around the house or out in the garden, bending and stretching thereby pulling and damaging muscles and ligaments. Sports can also be a reason for a back injury, or a sudden bump or jolt as when an accident happens. Because of the natural structure of the body, spasms in back muscles happen in the lower portion where the functions of bending and stretching have the most effect on the spine and the muscles surrounding it.

Sprains and strains, herniated discs and fractured vertebrae are among the most common back injuries and causes of patients' complaints. These injuries can limit a person's movement and can be a cause of considerable pain. There are various treatments available but usually recommended are pain medicines, ice packs, bed rest, physical therapy or in extreme cases, surgery. Back injuries can be prevented by being watchful while concentrating on your tasks, maintaining the ideal weight, using care in the lifting of objects, and using lower-back support while sitting. Spasms in back areas can be relieved with hot compresses and special oils and unguents.

A person experiencing muscle spasms in back sections of the torso for the first time will most probably go right to hospital for emergency treatment due to the extreme pain. In some cases, the back pains should not cause a panic attack and may not need emergency treatment because it might respond to rest and go away on its own after a spell. Taking too many pain killers and other pills may make a person dependent on them, so this should be avoided if possible.

Injury that results in back pain conditions may be caused by twisting, pulling or pushing resulting in spasms in back areas of the body. Rigorous exercises may be one of the causes of injury and continuous exercises may sound good for you; but two or three hours of back-breaking exercises will cause torn muscles and tendons. The spine is designed to be resistant to vertical weight and its curves are meant for flexibility. When a person is carrying considerable weight, the spinal curve may temporarily increase to cushion the pressure that is exerted on the vertebrae. By carrying weight on the head, the centre of gravity is concentrated on the spinal axis relieving back muscles of too much strain. Spasms in back muscles are avoided by lessening the strain on your lower back. A disc fissure may warrant surgical procedures because when the fibrous envelope enclosing the disc rips and protruding or slipped disc results, the pain can be debilitating. Muscle spasms in back promontories also happen in these cases where the disc bulge causes pinching of the nerves.

The muscles in the back are some of the strongest and biggest muscles of the body. They are responsible for maintaining posture and balance. When spasms in back muscles happen, and it is not attributed to injury or medical-related physically debilitating conditions, it maybe caused by low oxygen levels in the muscles. This is called ischemia and usually leaves no permanent effect after it has passed. Just relax and breathe...

Understanding Scoliosis


Scoliosis is the condition that causes the spine to abnormally curve from side to side and possibly rotate. It is prevalent in adolescents that starting their growth spurt, right before their puberty stage. While small twisting and turning of the spine does not put a person at much risk, developing advanced scoliosis can lead to harmful effects.

Scoliosis can be defined as one of three types - idiopathic, congenital and neuromuscular. Congenital implies that there are birth defects that increase spinal curvature as a person grows up. For example, abnormal vertebrae, or vertebrae with very little separation between each other can possibly lead to congenital scoliosis. Neuromuscular scoliosis is triggered by other health conditions that may affect the spine. Muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal bifida are all examples of neuromuscular conditions that can lead to scoliosis.

Idiopathic scoliosis is when the causes are unknown. Incidentally, it is the most common type, as the main causes of scoliosis are not fully understood. It is characterized as infantile, juvenile or adolescent, depending on what stage of human development it occurs in. Genetic background is accepted as the most well known risk factor because scoliosis tends to run in the family. It has also been theorized that the presence of ether in the bloodstream of the father during conception could trigger this idiopathic scoliosis.

Minor cases of scoliosis may not require any treatment at all. However, it is important to have a doctor check the progression of spine curvature at least twice a year to see if it is becoming worse. Those with moderate scoliosis may be fitted with a special brace around the body. These braces are limited in only preventing the spine from curving any worse. They cannot reverse the effects of scoliosis.

Scoliosis surgery is the last and most aggressive method to get rid of very large curvatures in the spine. A spinal fusion is the procedure commonly performed, which will fuse two or more vertebrae together. It is done to provide more stability and to prevent the vertebrae from twisting and winding. Surgery is the only way to actually reduce the spine curvature. Scoliosis surgery is a very intensive surgery that can unintentionally lead to other health complications. However, in dealing with large curvatures of the spine, scoliosis surgery is the best treatment to correct and remove spine deformities.

Causes of Low Back Pain - 4 Main Causes Towards The Pain in The Back


Causes of low back pain are under the influence of so many factors such as improper posture, overworked muscles, muscle strain and accident. However, it should also be noted that risk factors can attribute to pain occurrence. Risk factors include aging, size and shape of the spine, smoking, long driving, stress, and exhausting physical labor in work.

Low back pain is truly common, when you have one; rest assured you are not alone. Almost everyone has it because it is the most common back disorder experienced at school, work and even at home.

Pain in the back accounts for more disability if left untreated comparing to other medical conditions. The pain can vary from mild to severe, and it will interfere with your work and activities at home and daily living.

If you want this to prevent from causing your life to be unproductive, it is important to know different factors that trigger the pain occurrence.

Causes of low back pain are categorized as mechanical, physical, neurological, biomechanical and psychological.

1) Mechanical Causes: This is brought about by the spine's position and functional abnormalities.

- Muscle Strain

Muscle strain happens when muscles are forced, shocked, overstretched, overworked and tightened forcefully. This usually happens when your body is still unadjusted yet you engaged it to rigid exercises without enough stretching. It also happens when you have laborious works, requiring long periods of standing and sitting.

- Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a common condition among aging. When one ages, the bone joints are degenerating in function. The bone will become tender and stiff thus causing pain in the lower back. The lower back is usually affected as this condition can make walking a hardest thing to do, so the person slouches affecting the lower back again.???

- Narrowing of the spine

This is a condition of the spine wherein the spinal canal compressed the nerves. It is also associated with aging as the spine will degenerate in function thereby causing pain in the lower back.

2) Physical Causes: This is affecting the body as a whole.

- Cancer

Cancer can be one of the contributory factors for back problems. This usually happens on the later stage as spreading of cancer cells can happen. As the cells spread, they can invade the spine's normal tissues and cells. As this happens, the spine will lose its function and an intense pain on the back will be felt.

- Infections

Infection can be a cause because of the bacterial invasion directly into the spine during an operation. As this can penetrate into the spine, pain in the lower part of the back is also felt. Usually, strong anti bacterial drugs is the best treatment for this so prevent further damage causing inflammation, and will cause severity of the area.

- Neurological Disorders

Back Pain pinched nerve is the most common neurological disorder. The nerve is responsible for carrying information from the brain to the rest of the body to cause certain movement or action. When the nerve is compressed, it will no longer take its function well, and the spine will also be affected causing low back pain on the area that radiates down to the legs. Muscle spasm can also be felt during a pinched nerve.

3) Biomechanical Causes: This is the most common causes of low back pain. This is very common among many and it is related to poor posture with protruding buttocks and abdomen, over arching of the back and head is overly forwarded in an exaggerated position. These poor postures can lead to chronic back pain causing wear and tear of the spine.

4) Psychological Causes: According to research, it has been known that psychological cases like these are strongly associated with back pain. This is commonly called as "stress-related back pain". Although this is not common, those people who are emotionally stress believes that back pain is the direct result of their emotions. examples are seen below.

- Depression

- Anxiety

- Anger

- Stress

- Lack of effective coping skills

- Person's belief to control pain

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Lower Back Pain Relief - Simple Ways To Eliminate Lower Back Pain


Lower back pain relief can be achieved in a variety of ways, but firstly it
is important to get an accurate diagnosis for your particular ailment, so
that lower back pain relief can be correctly administered. A doctor will usually
arrange for an MRI scan to detect the actual cause of your back pain.

In many cases lower back pain will be caused by a muscle spasm, this
can be caused by many reasons such as- sitting at a desk for several hours every
day, sleeping on an old or non supporting mattress. Even stress and tension can
lead to problems. In cases such as these lower back pain relief can usually be
obtained by over the counter medication such as aspirin, Tylenol, naproxen, ketoprofen, and ibuprofen. These medications will help to reduce pain and swelling.

In more serious instances back pain can be due to an injury to the spine,
usually caused by an accident, or perhaps by lifting and twisting at the same
time. In many cases an injury to the spine will result in a herniated disc which
in turn can lead to more serious lower back pain symptoms such as sciatica or
spinal stenosis, however, although these conditions may cause considerable
discomfort, lower back pain relief can again be obtained fairly easily.

If a lower back injury is recent, you may need a day or two of rest, however
rest for lower back pain is now known not to be a cure, as rest can cause the
muscles to become stiff, and will add to your recovery time. It is strongly
advised to get up and walk, even if it's for just a few minutes, at least once
every hour.

Although over the counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory treatments
help ease the pain, they should not be taken over a long period of time, as they
can cause other health problems, such as stomach ulcers, and in certain
medications, addiction. A preferred option for lower lower back pain relief is
exercise.

Exercises are one of the most important self treatments for lower back pain
relief. Exercises that are specific for your particular lower back pain symptom
will usually give you fast relief as they strengthen the core muscles that
support the spine, improve the flexibility in the spine and improve posture. Non
impact aerobic exercise also have many benefits, but the focus should be
on exercises that are safe, if you are unsure always consult a professional back
pain adviser.

Stretching exercises will also help in your quest for lower back pain relief.
Stretching should be carried out slowly, concentrating on the lower back, hips,
quadriceps and hamstrings. Stretching exercises will naturally cause pain, but
this should be pain from the muscle being stretched, if you feel pain in any
other areas you should immediately stop, but if done correctly stretching should
increase your flexibility in the region of 20% within the first month and reduce
lower back pain considerably.

If you would like further detailed information on
lower back pain relief,
including causes, symptoms and effective treatments, please feel free to visit
our website listed below.

What Are the Causes and Symptoms of Neck Pain


Neck pain can be acquired in many ways like sleeping in a bad position or from certain headaches. Neck pain can also be a part of something much more serious and it could be a danger to the spinal area. There are specialists that want to help and find solutions that could help fix any neck problems and find a way to solve and cure the pain. Neck pain is a problem if not treated and checked correctly.

Having neck pain can occur from different ways such as:

Whiplash - This is a jerk of the head that causes damage to the neck.

Arthritis - Stiffness at the joint that causes pain as well as inflammation occurring.

Degenerative Disc Disease - When the spinal discs slowly get smaller and smaller over age, but degenerative disc disease speeds up the process and can cause the person to have severe pain.

Muscle Strain - This is a tear in the muscle that was once attached to the tendons.

Those are a few ways that can cause neck pain. Whiplash is one of the most common causes that can damage the spine which most commonly happens in a car accident. Whiplash causes the neck to jerk and make it to turn where the neck and spinal cord move quickly and cause major complications. One complication from whiplash is that it causes the neck to move in a different position, but also have the spinal disc move in a position that it might leave the person paralyzed.

Neck ache can be something that can cause someone to have problems. Many people would look for solutions that they think will help and fix their neck. Some of the methods that people think that make their neck pain better cannot resolve it to a point that it will completely fix their neck. Another way people think that they might help fix neck pain is by taking medication which will help to a point, but if the pain is extreme, medication cannot help hide the pain of their neck. In other cases, they will just tell them to keep moving the position of where their pain is so that they adjust to it and don't feel it anymore, but that may damage the neck even more. It can also be a greater problem then just the neck which is focusing on the spinal cord as well.

Neck ache is something that can be taken lightly or seriously by how bad it's been damage. Any extreme damage to the neck can cause people to have motor problems that could alter their life significantly. Therefore, it's is important to get any neck pain treated quickly to reduce the chances of any complications arising.

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


How is your lower back feeling lately?

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

1.) Introduction

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

2.) Numbness and Tingling

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

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

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

3.) Why Back Braces Matter

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

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

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

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

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

Why You Should Seek Early Treatment for Pain in the Lumbar Spine?


The lumbar spine is the lower region of the back, specifically, the bottom five vertebrae of the spine. Thirty one million people are affected by back pain at any given time, with one half of all working Americans reporting that they have back symptoms each year. With eight out of ten people stating that they've suffered from pain in the back at some point in their lives, it's a condition that should be addressed as soon as possible for the quickest relief. Lower back pain appears to be the most prevalent, with numerous conditions causing the pain. Lumbar disc herniation (LDH), or a slipped disc, is the most common diagnostic outcome for people with lumbar spine pain.

Early Treatment is Essential

A study presented at the American Academy for Orthopedic Surgeons last year revealed that patients with lumbar spine pain will respond much better to treatment, whether surgical or non-surgical, if they seek medical help in the first six months. When the condition does not respond to home care such as rest, hot and cold packs, over the counter pain relievers and stretching, and is not addressed by a physician in the first ten days to two weeks, the pain can become much worse, and begin to radiate down to the buttocks and legs.

Treatment for Pain in the Lumbar Spine

Some of the treatments that could bring about success in treatment include physical therapy, radiofrequency, steroid injections and pain blockers, spinal cord stimulation or dekompressor discectomy. During physical therapy, ultrasound, soft tissue and joint mobilization, Electro Therapeutic Point Stimulation (ETPS) or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units and traction may be employed to relieve pain. Therapists can also offer advice on body mechanics to assure the patient is moving through the day correctly, as well as assign exercises to strengthen the muscles around the lumbar spine. Since lower back pain frequently appears in individuals in their 30s and 40s, the PT can be very effective.

If surgery is recommended after the non-surgical techniques have been unsuccessful, there are a couple of options. Minimally invasive spine surgery will be the most welcomed by the patient and the physician, with less risk and quicker recovery times. A discectomy will remove the herniated disc and spinal fusion will join the vertebrae with bone tissue so that the disc is not missed. Another option is artificial disc replacement.

Diagnosing the Pain

To be effective in any treatment of lumbar spine pain, it should be diagnosed correctly. Whether a patient is seen at an orthopedic surgeon's office or a pain management specialist, these physicians will have the tools or the resources to use MRI, CAT scans, electromyogram (EMG) and discography, as well as the understanding of the musculoskeletal system to analyze the condition and treat it.

Seek Early Treatment

The results of the aforementioned study of 927 patients who had LDH symptoms for less than six months and 265 patients who had it for longer, the patients who had symptoms longer fared much worse outcomes on both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. Also revealed in the study was that those that chose the surgical treatment had advantages over those with non-surgical treatment. When pain of the lumbar spine is apparent, the best solution is to seek immediate pain management.

You Woke Up With a Sore Lower Back - Why? Because of the Increased Pressure in the Discs At Night


A significant number of people have the experience of going to bed every night with a normal back and waking up in the morning with a sore one. Why is that? Why is morning low back soreness so common, and what causes it? As will be discussed in this article, the phenomenon is not that rare, and is caused by changes in the spine and the discs overnight.

When people go to bed, their spines actually increase in length. This is a result of the pressure in the discs in between the vertebrae changing. In fact, one study done in 1984 showed that people's sitting height can dramatically decrease throughout the day -- up to 19 millimeters in some cases. This is due to the discs losing some of the fluid that built up during sleep.

A spine that has spent the night horizontal and building up fluid is a spine that has lost some of its flexibility, as well. This is why people may wake up and feel that their lower back is sore and they just feel "stiff" upon rising from bed. Especially the ability to bend forward and flex the spine can be compromised after a night of sleep. The discs have expanded during the course of the night, built up fluid, and the spine has become more resistant to such bending.

The good news is that this soreness does not usually last all day, and there are actions that people can take to reduce their low back soreness in the morning. In fact, due to the changes in the disc pressure during the night, it is quite important for some people who are especially at risk of injuring or re-injuring their backs to take precautions in the morning to ensure their spinal health throughout the day.

The most important action to take is to avoid much forward bending for the first hour upon waking. The discs of the spine will lose about 90% of the pressure and extra height they have gained during the night in the first hour after getting out of bed. Because of the increased pressure during this first hour, though, doing any kind of spinal flexing or exercises that involve the back may be best avoided until later in the day.

People who are currently suffering from a back injury or who are in physical therapy for rehabilitation of an injury are frequently prescribed various spine exercises. While these can help with the healing process, if they involve a lot of flexing or extension of the spine, it may be best not to do these right after getting up. Exercises to increase stability and muscle endurance can help, but not if they exacerbate symptoms in the mornings.

Finally, the best advice may just be to stay aware that the spine increases in length during the night and the discs increase in pressure. But after the first hour or two after rising, most people's sore backs may begin to feel normal again. It is most important not to round the back or flex too much in morning, as just this simple avoidance of full flexion can help reduce the pain of a sore lower back.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Back Pain At Night - The Most Common Causes and Treatments


Are you experiencing back pain at night? This is a very common problem that all of us have experience with or will have experience with at some point in our lives. Your pain may be sharp, constant and dull, chronic or acute. There can be many reasons for back pain including any accidents you may have had while in a car or some type of fall, lifting items that are too heavy, changes in your spine due to misalignment, bone spurs or being out of shape to name a few. No matter how is happens, we all want to have fast relief so we can get on with our lives. It is possible to get quick relief that allows your body to begin healing itself.

In a number of cases, when we have disturbed sleep due to pain it is because of improper back alignment. If you can align your body properly, you should be able to reduce the amount of tossing and turning allowing for a continued sleep time that will decrease aches, pains and morning stiffness. Every night you have improper alignment will contribute to making your back problems worse as time goes on. First, it helps to know how to position your body properly when you are sleeping. All too often we put ourselves in the worst positions thinking we are doing the right thing. If you are sleeping on your side, you probably tend to bend your upper knee towards your chest. This leaves your upper leg unsupported and at the same time twisting your spinal column. Eventually, this will lead to back pain or make an existing back problem worse. Perhaps you already know that you should place a pillow between your legs. This helps to keep the spine aligned and prevents unhealthy knee pressure. It is imperative that you prevent torsion on your spine and undue knee pressure. Once this is achieved, you should have a good night's sleep. Beyond this, you may have mattress problems and may need to consider a new mattress. Numerous clinical sleep studies have been conducted providing a wealth of formation available to the public. Much of this information is available on the Internet. Depending on your particular problem there is information on the best sleeping surfaces and pillow arrangements.

All of this is well and fine, but if you are out of shape, that may be your greatest enemy. It is important to exercise every day and maintain proper weight all of which require a healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy regime is the best way to go. However, if you are not there you might consider getting into a hot tub or take a warm bath and get the heating pad out. Today, they also have pain patches you can buy at the store that last 8 hours or more that can provide some relief.

No matter what is causing your back pain at night, proper alignment when you are sleeping is paramount. A proper mattress and pillow can make for a good nights sleep but don't forget the importance of keeping fit. Put all this together and you should have a better night's sleep without back pain.

Regardless of treatments, most medical practitioners agree that in order to fully recover from a back injury or to gain long-term relief from back pain, you will need to commit your self to a certain degree of self-care. Most people are not aware that there are back pain management training courses available online that have been approved and endorsed by medical professionals.

Chiropractic Treatments For Common Ailments


Chiropractic treatments are considered "alternative medicine", but are among the most popular. Chiropractors care for many different ailments, and many patients report seeing significant improvement after receiving treatment. Adjustments can help with problems related to joint pain, spinal pain, pinched nerves, and even blood pressure in some cases.

Chiropractors use their hands to relieve problems such as pinching and pressure on spinal nerves, which then in turn relieves pain and other symptoms felt elsewhere in the body. They typically do not prescribe medication or perform surgical procedures; however, if a chiropractor is unable to successfully treat a particular ailment they may refer you to a medical doctor for further diagnosis and treatment.

In addition to spinal adjustments, many practices provide other physical therapy services such as massage and directed exercise to help alleviate patient symptoms, including upper and lower back and shoulder pain. Most chiropractors also do not focus only on the spine; they also treat other joints in the body and muscles. Some common ailments that can be treated include:

- Arthritis
- Sport Injury
- Neck, Back & Shoulder Pain
- Recurring Headaches
- High Blood Pressure

While some of the adjustment and manipulation techniques chiropractors use may look painful, most are actually quite the opposite, especially if you are able to fully relax during the treatment. It is important to remember that the treatments are safe when performed by a licensed professional, so there is no need to worry or feel tense during your appointment.

Choosing One

Because chiropractic is considered alternative medicine, it may be a bit more difficult for you to be able to identify a reputable local chiropractor. A chiropractor must have a DC degree (Doctor of Chiropractic) and needs to have passed a license exam administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

It is important to remember that, as with most treatments, what works for one person may not work for another. If you do not see immediate relief from a technique your chiropractor is employing, ask him or her to try something else. You may want to move on to a different doctor or speak to your regular family physician about your problem for a different solution.

Chiropractors are trained to recognize when an ailment cannot be cured through their methods and should advise you to see a surgeon or medical doctor if necessary. Be sure to inform your regular doctor if you begin seeing a chiropractor.

Scoliosis - Current Review of Potential Causes


Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a multi-factorial condition involving both genetic and environmental risk factors. Neither seems to be enough to cause the condition on their own, but it can be positively devastating when they do combine to form progressive scoliosis. Two separate questions keep popping up in regards to scoliosis; 1. Why does it occur in some child and not in others? 2. Why do some spinal curves progress and others do not?

Genetic factors + Environmental factors = Progressive Scoliosis

1. Initiating/inducing factors.....which is thought to involve a genetic pre-disposition....undetected neurological development/dysfunction which affects control of posture and coordinated movements in relation to the central nervous system body schema.... ('Body scheme' or 'body set' is the neural representation in our brainstem of our body. It is a sort of reference frame for our brain.
fMRI studies can show us the we can increase activity there by doing certain activities.)

These include multiple theories, which I'll elaborate more on individually later in this article.

- Rotational preconstraint theory
- Uncoupled spinal neuro-osseous growth (The String and Spring Theory)
- Brain, nervous system, and skull concepts
- Neuro-Osseous timing of maturation theory (NOTOM)
- Transverse plane pelvic rotation, skeletal asymmetric, and the "developmental theory: timing of maturation from the top-down to bottom-up organization of postural control.

2. Curve progression factors (which is generally thought to involve a mechanical process (torsion, vicious cycle, dorsal shear forces, etc) with eccentric loading (having axis away from the center) and vertebral growth modulation....AKA:Hueter-Volkmann principle. These are generally accepted to have both neural and osseous components.

These include theories on curve progression that appear after the initial onset of AIS.

- Relative Anterior Spinal Overgrowth (RASO) (although this could possibly be controlled via genetic factors in some AIS cases)
- Thoracospinal concept - girls with right thoracic adolescent AIS only
- Origin in contracture at the hips
- Osteopenia - a risk factor for curve progression?
- Melatonin deficiency
- Platelet calmodulin dysfunction
- Biomechanical spinal growth modulation

1. Rotational preconstraint theory

This theory is pretty straight forward and not too complex...on the surface. It basically states that paravertebral muscle imbalance with interference of the postural reflexes and body weighted related vertical loading lead the formation of scoliosis. The lingering question is... what causes the interference of the postural reflexes?

2. Uncoupled spinal neuro-osseous growth (The String and Spring Theory)

Biomechanically speaking, the continuous axial tissue tract of the pons, medulla oblongata (the CNS postural control centers) and spinal cord are all functionally linked together and anchored vertically from the skull to the caude equina at the base of the spine. It is also anchored laterally through out the spine by dentiulate ligaments, nerve roots and nerve sleeves. Take home message: The spine is tied down in the spine pretty tightly.

Alf Breig's 1978 work shows changes in relative lengths of spinal canal and cord CAN lead to pathologic axial tension. JD Reid's research confirms this when his research found physiological lengthening of the cord chiefly between C2-T1 up to a maximum of 17.6% in flexion (AKA: reversal of the normal cervical curve). Essentially, an acquired spinal cord tethering is the result from a loss of the normal side view cervical curvature.

Roth built off this information in 1981 when he speculated that AIS is a disproportion of vertebro-neuro growth due to either a short spinal cord or a too rapid growth spurt of the spine. In this spring/string model, he found that shortening of a string running though a spring model (think of a slinky with a string running though it) hindered elongation of the spring resulting in a scoliotic deformity.

Porter supported the uncoupled neuro-osseous growth concept of AIS being a physical manifestation of the mal-adaption of the growing immature spine to the tether created by the short spinal cord. This evidence for this was the finding that the conus medullaris (the end of the spinal cord) position is NOT significantly different from that of a normal spine.

Dr. Chu re-examined the Roth-Porter theory via an MRI study (comparing AIS patients with severe curvatures vs normal subjects) in 2007. They found the vertebral column in the AIS population was significantly longer, yet the there was no detectable change in spinal cord length. The speculated that the initiation and progression of AIS result from vert. column overgrowth through a mal-adapation of the spine to the subclinical tether of a relatively short spinal cord.

3. Brain, nervous system, and skull concepts

Dr. Chu (the same researcher who re-investigated the uncoupled neuro-osseous growth concept) developed a concept of AIS progression with 6 linked and overlapping processes a follow...

1. Longer latency somato-sensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) via a higher CNS disturbance producing visuo-spatial perceptional impairment, motor adaptation, and learning deficits which lead to faulty recalibration of the proprioceptive (bodily awareness in space) from axial musculature.
2. leading to impaired balance control, with...
3. Low lying cerebellar tonsils due to acquired spinal cord tethering, together with...
4. Other intracerabral structural abnormalities (Ex: abnormal skull base and vault) that could contribute to...
5. Inappropriate postural adjustment during...
6. The adolescent growth spurt that leads to...
7. Progressive AIS.

4. Neuro-Osseous timing of maturation theory (NOTOM)

This theory was introduced in 2002 by Burwell and Dangerfield and it suggests that the maturation of postural mechanisms in the CNS may be complete about the same time in boy and girls and the higher prevalence of progressive AIS in girls may be the result of entering there adolescent growth spurt in postural immaturity vs boys whose later adolescent growth spurt occurs post postural maturity.

Essentially, they are viewing the problem as a dis-coordination between the Osseous (bone) escalator (increasing skeletal size, changing skeletal shape, and relative mass of the different body segments) and the neural escalators (postural maturation with the CNS body schema being recalibrated as it continually adjusts to skeletal enlargement, shape, and relative mass changes to enable it to coordinate motor actions.

5. Transverse plane pelvic rotation, skeletal asymmetrics, and the "developmental theory: timing of maturation from the top-down to bottom-up organization of postural control.

This theory demonstrates correlation between thoracic curvatures and pelvic rotation in the same transverse plane. They speculate that the feet, pelvis, and "bottom-up" organization of postural control emerges prior to postural control and the "top-down" postural control re-organizes around age 7. It is possible that a dis-coordination of timing between the top-down (visual and vestibular) from the "bottom-up" (feet) organization of postural control could serve as the initiation and progression of AIS.

6. Relative Anterior Spinal Overgrowth (RASO)

Relative Anterior Spinal Overgrowth (RASO) essentially states that in many AIS cases the anterior elements (vertebral body) are longer than the posterior elements (the posterior joint complex) resulting in a structural hypo (decreased) thoracic kyphosis (the normal reversed side view curve seen in the mid back area).

It is not clear if this phenomenon is the result of an intrinsic abnormality of skeletal growth in patients with AIS which may genetic or an adaptation to biomechanical bone stress....which is the more accepted premise thus far... via the Hueter-Volkmann principle(bone under stress grows slower then bone not under stress) which would mean AIS has primarily a mechanical basis (aka: Dorsal shear forces theory).

The dorsal shear forces theory states the initial event is a lordotic segment in the thoracic spine with the spinal rotation and cobb angle being created by secondary torque forces from the posterior musculo-ligamentous structures.

Castelein has outlined 6 link/overlapping processes of the dorsal shear forces leading to AIS.

1. Upright human posture
2. Backward inclination of the vertebra in the sagittal plane (lordotic segment in the thoracic spine) creates...
3. Dorsal shear forces that render the facet joints inoperative and introduce...
4. Axial rotational stability enhancing slight asymmetries in the transverse plane with already exist.
5. Asymmetric loading of the posterior part of the vert. lead to asymmetric growth in 3-D of the pedicles, vert bodies, arches in accordance with the Hueter-Volkmann effect.
6. Progressive AIS

7. Thoracospinal concept - girls with right thoracic adolescent AIS only

Dr Sevastik developed a "thoracospinal concept" based on experimental, clinical, and anatomical data and it only applies to females with right thoracic curves.

His 6 steps has a linear causality mechanism...

1. Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (which is responsible for involuntary neurological postural control)
2. Increase vasularity of the left anterior hemithorax
3. Overgrowth of the left peri-apical ribs which...
4. disturbs the equilibrium of the forces that determine normal alignment of the thoracic spine, in a putative growth conflict, that...
5. triggers the thoracospinal deformity simultaneously in the three planes.
6. Biomechanical spinal growth modulation.

Basically, he is staying that asymmetrical blood flow between the left (increased) and right (decreased) to the anterior chest wall which causes and elongation of the left ribs.

8. Origin in contracture at the hips

Dr. Karski developed this concept of AIS orgin/progression based on 3 step linear process.

1. Hip abduction (external rotation)...which equates to a limitation of internal hip rotation...mostly of the right hip.
2. Disturbance of growth of the pelvi-sacral lumbar region with development of a left lumbar curvature.
3. Development of a compensatory right thoracic curvature.

Based off this theory he developed 3 groups with varying degrees of hip contractor to explain the "S" and "C" curve patterns.

9. Osteopenia- a risk factor for curve progression?

Low bone calcium has been found and noted in approximately 50% of AIS females in which their curve progressed 6 degrees or more and especially in the femoral neck of the hip on the side of the curve convexity (the outside of the curve) due to more weight bearing loading on the side of curve concavity (the inside of the curve). The researchers feel some of these findings could be explained via low calcium in-take, but felt that a lack of weight bearing activity and programmed exercise due to spinal brace treatment may be a primary contributor to the osteopenia in AIS.

10. Melatonin Deficiency

Virtually all of the work done in area of Melatonin deficiency and AIS has concluded that it may be factor in curve progression, but probably not related to initial onset of the condition. Machinda and colleagues postulated that in the development of progressive AIS, melatonin acts through the nervous system.

1. An inherent disorder of neurotranmitters from neuro-hormonal origin affect in melatonin,
2. associated with the bipedal condition, and......
3. a horizontal localized neuromuscular imbalance with torsion produces.....
4. a scoliotic deformity of the fibro-elastic and body structures of the spine.

Dr. Alan Moreau reported a melatonin-signaling transduction to be impaired in osteoblasts (bone builders) caused by the inactivation of Gi proteins. Which could serve as a biological marker with potential for curve progression prognosis via a blood test using lymphocytes.

11. Platelet Calmodulin Dysfunction

This curve progression theory also incorporates melatonin and the RASO concepts. Calmodulin is a protein that helps regulate skeletal muscle contraction via regulation of calcium within the muscle. Melatonin functions may include modulating calcium-activated calmodulin.

It is suggested that altered para-spinal muscle activity explained the relationship between calmodulin level changes and cobb angle in AIS.

Lowe offered an alternative calmodulin concept in 5 linear steps which ends in with development of RASO (relative anterior spinal over growth in the thoracic spine).

1. A small scoliotic curve.
2. Increased axial loads (growth spurt) create micro-damage to the vert. body growth plates...
3. causing vertebrae vascular damage...
4. combined with genetic pre-disposition calmodulin changes occurs with dilated blood vessels of deforming vert. bodies
5. which releases growth factors, which in a mechanically compromised vertebral endplate promotes RASO

12. Mechanical spinal growth modulation (AKA: The vicious cycle)

This theory is the most supported and generally accepted theory. Purposed by Dr. Ian Stokes (one of my personal favorites) as early as 1996, the biomechanical spinal growth modulation suggests spinal imbalance through gravity and continuous muscle action leads to asymmetric loading of the vert. growth plates and hence asymmetric growth via the Heuter-Volkmann principle.

Perdriolle reports that the onset of AIS occurs as a result of a mechanical process termed "geometic torsion of the vertebral bodies" but worsening was caused by deformation of the vert. bodies.

Stokes developed a 2-D mathematical simulation of the lumbar vertebra (not the discs) and tested whether the calculated loading asymmetry created by muscles in a spine with scoliosis could explain the observed rate of scoliosis. The results were consistent with the clinical observations.

Stokes' "Vicious Cycle"
1. Pre-existing scoliosis curve of unknown etiology (probably genetic underdevelopment of the neurological postural control centers in the CNS from the current knowledge provided by Axial bio-tech (developers of Scoliscore).
2. Putative neuromuscular dysfunction with the most physiological strategy causing loads more the concavity at the apex of the curve.
3. Neuro-muscular determined left-right asymmetric loading of vertebral bodies sustained over a substantial portion of the day.
4. Vertebral body growth plates (sensitive to altered asymmetric compression) with mechanically modulated alteration of growth leads to AIS curve progression

*** Different individuals adopt different neuromuscular strategies which explains curve patterns and varied progression rates.

What does it all mean? Well, there are a few conclusions that can be out of this massive amount of data and theory.

1. The origins of AIS is most likely linked to a genetic defect of the central control or processing by the central nervous system (Pons and hind brain) that affects the growing spine.
2. It appears that factors that pre-dispose/initiate AIS are separate from the factors that drive curve progression.
3. The consensus is that RASO results largely from biomechanical spinal growth modulation.
4. The NOTOM concept was formulated to explain why adolescent girls are more susceptible than boys to curve progression. Based on the timing of adolescent growth spurts (earlier in females) in relation to the timing of postural maturity (similar in boys and girls).

So how will all of this new information change the future of scoliosis treatment? No one really knows for sure, but it obviously will and has even spun an new concept in scoliosis treatment called Bernstein's Problem.

The Bernstein's problem: The brain is responsible for coordinating an amazing number of mechanical linkages, so Bernstein theorized the nervous system organized movement in a hierarchical manner which places the "body schema" at the top.

During the development of the body Schema the overwhelming evidence suggests it is tied to growth of the muscular-skeletal system and brain.

The key theoretical issue centers around how the brain adapts circuitry controlling muscles/joints and matches them to the developmental biomechanical changes during growth spurts.

The body schema is developed long-term from both somatotrophic body maps and immediate sensory input. (AKA: it is partly genetic and partly acquired through adaptation to the environment)

The first part of the body to develop postural organization is the head via visual and vestibular sensors (Top-Down mode by postural organization by age 7)

The NOTOM escalators may influence the CNS body schema during growth via proprioceptive inputs and brain plasticity. Particularly the decoupling that occurs between the head and torso past the age of 7 years old.

The evidence is continuing to support the notion that early stage scoliosis intervention using a neuro-muscular system of involuntary postural control may be the only way to alter the natural course of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

5 Key Muscles That Can Prevent Severe Back Pain


It is very likely that you will become one of the 80 percent of Americans who will, at some point in their lives, suffer from lower back pain. It doesn't have to be that way. You've heard the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?" Nowhere is that more true than within your own body.

There are five muscles in your abdominal region that can, if kept strong and healthy, spare you from the crippling pain so many suffer.

Here is a quick rundown of those muscles and the exercises you can do to keep them in great shape.

Rectus Abdominus

Commonly referred to as a "six-pack," the Rectus Abdominus is a paired muscle anchored to your pelvic bone from which they rise upward fanning out in width and weaving in and out of cartilage from your fifth, sixth and seventh ribs, finally attaching to your fifth rib.

This muscle is critical to your lower back health because it controls the tilt of the pelvis and the curvature and flexing of the lumbar spine. You internal organs stay put in large part due to this muscle and ease of respiration can be increased by keeping your six-pack healthy.

A common exercise to strengthen the Rectus Abdominus is the "crunch" performed by lying flat on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. From this position simply lift your upper body towards your knees and back down in slow and deliberate motions. To keep them in top shape, do at least three sets of crunches two to three times a week.

Obliques

There are internal and external oblique muscles. External obliques are the thin muscles on your sides, covering your ribs. They originate from various fleshy areas adjacent to the fifth to twelfth ribs. They angle downward toward your stomach from your back and sides in an oblique shape (thus its name). Internal obliques are much smaller and located underneath the external obliques running perpendicular to them.

Together these two muscles push and pull allowing you to bend and twist to varying degrees sideways. Even more importantly your internal obliques are chiefly responsible for the expansion and contraction of your diaphragm and consequently your internal organs.

Since the spine is most vulnerable when you twist and lift an object, keeping the oblique muscles strong is insurance against a lifting injury. Exercises that target the obliques are any that involve twisting...such as a sit up in which you extend your right elbow toward your left knee.

Transverse Abdominus

One layer deeper into the abdomen, lying just below the obliques, is the transverse abdominus (TA). They originate from the crest of the hip bone (called the iliac crest), the lumbar spine and the lower ribs. It "transverses" toward the center of the front of your body attaching to the linea alba (center cartilage in your abdomen) and to the pubis.

The main function of the TA is to stabilize your spine and pelvis during lifting movements (it has been referred to as the body's natural weight lifting belt) and to compress the abdomen. It has been stated that the quickest way to a flatter stomachache is to strengthen your TAs. Unfortunately it is one of the most difficult muscles to isolate for resistance training. The only known exercise is called the vacuum in which you suck your belly in toward the spine. Doing this while on your hands and knees will add the benefit of gravity as a resistance.

Erector Spinae

This is a group of muscles in your back that originate in large part from your pelvis from which they split into three smaller muscle strands as they stretch upward connecting to various parts of the spine and your ribs. Its main function is to support the spine. Exercises include hyperextensions, dead lifts and good mornings.

Good mornings involve a barbell placed across your shoulders as if you were going to do a squat. Instead you arch your lower back, keep your knees locked and bend forward until your upper body is parallel with the floor.

To perform a hyperextension exercise you must lie face down on a bench with the upper half of your body hanging off the edge. Have a partner hold your lower legs down and you raise your upper body to a parallel position and then 5 degrees or so beyond, thus hyper extending. This can also be done on an incline bench instead of a completely flat bench.

Using correct body form, lift a weighted barbell up directly from the floor. Bring it to your chest and even above your head. This routine is called a dead lift.

Iliopsoas

The Iliopsoas is a group of muscles comprised of the iliacus and psoas. The psoa originates from the vertebrae and discs in the T-12 to L-5 region and joins the iliacus as it angles down and frontwards to attach to the inner femur of the leg.

This muscle group is responsible for lifting the leg up toward the body or the body up toward the leg (as with a sit up). Exercises include sit-ups, leg raises, hanging leg raises and resisted hip flexion.

A weakened Iliopsoas allows your pelvis to tilt too far forward which directly contributes to lower back pain.

Summary

All the above-mentioned muscles are your core muscles and they each play a significant role in your lower back health. Ignoring them...letting them weaken through inactivity and lack of exercises...allows many different forms of pressure to be placed directly on the spine, and most often the consequence is chronic low back pain.

Copyright (c) 2010 Michael W Harris

Back Inversion Tables For Posture Improvement


How a person carries himself or herself is important. In a way, this would be able to provide an insight about the individual's character. It is important to have the right posture. There are many causes of poor posture, but mainly it is because of poor habits when it comes to sleeping, walking and sitting.

There are several negative effects of poor posture. Mayo Clinic states that back and fatigue could be one of the numerous health problems caused by bad posture. When a person slouches, the muscles have to work extra to support the spinal cord this could lead to sore muscles from the neck down to a person's lower back.

Sustained bad posture could lead to developing a spinal curvature. With a bad posture, the spine curve (it's natural S shape), changes. This affects the ability of the spinal cord and would affect your balance.One way of dealing or correcting bad posture is through the use of back inversion tables. But what is inversion therapy?

In inversion therapy, the person is suspended or inverted with the use of either gravity boots or inversion tables. When inverted, the pressure on the discs and ligaments are decreased. This would provide pain relief to those who are suffering from back pains. Inversion therapy could also increase a person's flexibility and improve blood circulation or flow. Other benefits of inversion therapy are improving a person's mental alertness, increase the motion in the joints, and works as a great stress relief.

Supporters or proponents of inversion therapy, believes that inversion therapy can restore the proper alignment to the spine. With bad posture, misalignment is possible. When the hips and the spine are not aligned, it could lead to inflammation and pain. Doing inversion therapy regularly could assist in helping the individual maintain proper posture.

In a study by the New Castle University, the use of inversion tables was able to help 70% of the users to avoid back surgery. There are several medical journals and studies showing the use of inversion tables indeed increase the separation of the spine and disc.

However, the use of back inversion tables is not for everybody. Those who have heart disease, high blood pressure and eye conditions/ diseases are warned against using these inversion tables. Pregnant women are also warned against using this equipment while pregnant. Furthermore, it is always best to consult with your physician before starting any kind of exercise regime or therapy such as this.

3 Common Causes to Sacrum Pain


Do you have Sacrum pain? Your sacrum is located at the bottom of your spine and it is what many people refer to as your tail bone. A lot of muscle attach into your sacrum including your Gluteus Maximus (your buttocks) and many smaller and deeper internal rotator muscles such as your Piriformis. Plus, your pelvis also attaches to abdominal muscles and leg muscles as well. There is a lot going on in that area of the body, but here I'm going to discuss some of the most common causes of Sacrum pain.

The first thing that could be going on is Piriformis syndrome. As mentioned before, your Piriformis muscle is a very deep rotator muscle. The Sciatic nerve happens to run directly under the Piriformis muscle and when that muscle becomes tense or spasms it can begin to crush the Sciatic nerve resulting in a condition called Sciatica.

This presents itself as a very sharp pain in your buttocks. The Piriformis can cause this pain either from overuse, such as if you are an athlete and you overtrain your legs, or from underuse, such as if you sit at a desk for 8 hours a day with little physical activity.

Another problem that could cause Sacrum pain is inflammation. Your body uses inflammation when it has been injured or exposed to some form of toxin as a way to prevent further damage to it. Unfortunately, the tissue swelling associated with inflammation can also put pressure on the nerves in the pelvis and sacrum area.

If you've been gotten some sort of injury lately, that would be an obvious source of inflammation. But there are also many kinds of food, which are common in western diets, that can cause inflammation. Many of the ingredients in fast foods and junk foods are actually a mild toxin in the body and can result in inflammation, so make the effort to eat a healthy diet.

A third possible cause of Sacrum pain is Sacroiliac joint problems. Your Sacroiliac joint (sometimes called the SI joint) is a joint that connects your sacrum to your hips. This joint does not have a very wide range of motion, and because of this many medical professionals believed for a long time that SI joint pain was actually indicative of other problems. However, times are changing and now many recognize that SI joint pain is in fact, very real.

Since this joint exists to help dissipate the stresses involved on balancing the body and the torsion of movement, pain in this area could be the result of overuse of the joint. Other potential causes are arthritis or inflammation. Without more information, it is difficult to determine the exact cause of SI joint pain.

Sacrum pain can have many different causes. The pelvis is a very complicated area of the body with many nerves and muscle groups linking together from the upper and lower body. To really understand what the cause of your sacrum pain is and the best treatment option, consult your doctor.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A Trapped Sciatic Nerve


One of the most painful things that many of us will ever experience is putting our backs out. What happens here is that we bend over to pick something up, or we try to move something like a sofa, only for our back to suddenly have a back spasm and create the most overwhelming pain. At this point every single movement can become agony which can result in us limping around or even rolling around the floor unable to move. What's going on? And what can you do about it?

Well most likely what you're experiencing here is simply a trapped sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve s the nerve which runs from the bottom of your spine right up to your brain, and which branches off at the limbs and muscles along the way. In short, this nerve carries the information from all the way in your right toe up to your brain, and so it's very painful if something should happen to it as it affects every single move you make.

Unfortunately what tends to happen relatively commonly is that you trap the nerve in your spine down the bottom or otherwise damage it which results in the intense pain you're feeling now. Often this will simply be a matter of moving in the wrong way which can cause the nerve to then become trapped in the spinal column, but in other cases it can be a result of swelling in the area pressing against the nerve, or of a trauma or bruise.

Sometimes avoiding this situation is impossible, however there are still certain things you can do to reduce the likelihood of suffering from a trapped sciatic nerve. For one it's important to avoid making sudden movements with the back and to generally avoid bending when it possible - instead bending at the knees or getting onto all fours - particularly as you get older. This is also especially important first thing in the morning, at which point the spine will be at its most supple and fragile making a trapped nerve and back spasm relatively likely to occur.

If you do suffer from a trapped nerve and associated back spasm, then it's important to rest it and give it time to recover. You will generally find that you return to normal within a week or so - but if you don't then you should seek medical attention in case the problem is caused by a slipped disk.

In the meantime pain can be managed with analgesics and with a hot or cool compress. You might also benefit from the use of a tens machine which will send small electric shocks into the area to cause the surrounding nerves to fire thus 'mixing up' the pain signal to the brain.

You might also get some relief from stretches and exercises designed to stretch out the spine. Try lying on your back with your feet up on a chair at right angles, or arching and lowering your back like a cat. Imagine your spine squeezing the nerve and basically move in ways that would give it more space.

Back Pain - How to Deal With a Bulging Disc


Bulging spinal discs which are more usually known as a herniated spinal disc are extremely painful. If you ever suffer from a bulging spinal disc what happens is that the outer layer known as the annulus becomes corrupted and the protective jelly like substance in the middle of the spinal disc begins to shift and exposes a much weaker and more sensitive element of the disc.

What occurs is what you would describe as a bulge in the spinal disc wall and that is why it is commonly known as a bulging or herniated disc. The pressure that occurs as a result of the bulge is exerted upon the spinal nerves and this in itself is what results in severe and acute pain.

A slipped disc can cause discomfort and disability in various parts of the body. About 92% of slipped discs happen around the lower back region or lower spine areas of the spinal column. Symptoms of a bulging disc depend very much on the location of the affected disc in the spine.

Some people may experience pain in their legs and hips if the lower back is affected. While others may feel pain in the arms if the problem is in the shoulder region in the upper back. Only a proper medical examination can determine the presence of a bulging disc. This will include X-rays. MRI or CT scans.

So what can you do about a bulging disc in your back? Firstly, the treatment you receive will depend on the severity of the pain you have from a herniated disc.Your doctor will assess your needs best and recommend the best course of treatment. Rest plays an important role in the recovery of a protruding disc. This helps to relieve the pressure and stress on your spine.

A good mattress combined with a pillow under your knees in bed can help to alleviate the pain. A word of caution though. Too much rest is not advised after the initial onset of pain, as it can make the muscles become weaker and aggravate the condition.

Minor exercise is normally advised and you could end up being referred to a physical massage therapist. Under their instructions they will give you the right exercises to boost as well as strengthen your back muscle groups, reducing irritation and pain.

Also you can be shown ways to enhance your good posture to provide maximum relaxation and much less stress to your spinal column. In the management of pain reduction, health professionals frequently prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin. However, in the event the soreness is more extreme, you could be offered a powerful epidural steroid injection. As well as alleviating soreness they act as a powerful anti-inflammatory too.

In the event the pain is really so extreme that it is affecting your total well-being and flexibility, medical procedures might be advised. This can be used as a last resort due to the prospects for lasting neural harm. Surgical procedure is normally taken into consideration in situations when the protrusion of the disc is more in the vertebral channel. The surgery will be targeted at relieving the pain as well as decreasing extra deterioration.A protruding disc is usually quite uncomfortable, so it is important to understand which actions you need to steer clear of so they won't worsen the problem. It is best to safeguard your lumbar region while lifting, discovering the correct techniques. Using a good position whenever being seated or standing. The right seat and bed mattress which support your lower back are essential.

The discs that make up your spine are extremely important as they are like the shock absorbers in a car and keep separate each vertebrae in your back. The shock is absorbed when you start to move which has the effect of protecting your bones from injury.

Every single vertebrae disc contains two elements. The first one is a robust outside cover known as the annulus. The second is a very soft glutinous centre called the nucleus. The spinal nerves are situated after every disc in the spine. This is where the pain emanates from when you experience a protruding disc. The pressure put upon the nerves is caused by the change that is taking place due to the compression of the disc.

Keeping a healthy weight can make an impact in managing the pain of a slipped disc. Less weight will mean less stress on your backbone. Regular exercise is critical to keep the lumbar region versatile and also healthy. It's also sensible to know that age is an additional risk component for slipped discs. Vertebrae can get weaker and less flexible with time. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done in regards to the aging process, but looking after yourself can help in controlling the impacts of a bulging disc.

Help for Bulging Disc - Can You Fix It Yourself?


Bulging disc help may be as simple as finding out the causes, treatments, and what is best for you. In many cases, back pain sufferers have found ways to fix the problem themselves. What has caused your bulging disc and can you really fix it at home yourself?

What Is It?

Since the discs in your spine are used to absorb the stress of physical activity which many doctors refer to as 'absorbing the shock', the disc itself is made to not feel pain. Sounds crazy, right? Think about it. If the disc in your spine could feel pain, each step you took would be painful. Instead, they help keep us from having pain. That is, until one gets moved the wrong way causing it to bulge.

This bulge tends to always happen where the nerve is and causes pressure. The pressure on the nerve causes the pain. Of course, when a disc bulges, you won't just feel pain in that one area. The nerve that the disc is putting pressure on is in charge of other areas of the body. That is why when you have a bulging disc in your neck, you may have headaches, problems with your arms and hands, vision trouble, chest pain, and so on.

Middle back bulging discs can cause chest pain, pain in the ribs, digestive problems, and according to the 'Heal Your Bulging Disc' website, it can even lead to liver and gall bladder problems.

When the disc is bulging in the lower back, it is common to have weak legs, pain shooting down legs and into feet, and it can also cause bowel and bladder problems.

So, as you can see, it is very important to fix the bulging disc as soon as possible and not let the problem persist.

Common Causes

Believe it or not, smoking can be a major factor of back trouble. The toxins from cigarette smoke break down the disc walls which leaves the disc more vulnerable. Other common causes: lack of exercise, poor diet, age, severe trauma, improper heavy lifting, and often a person who works where a lot of bending and driving are involved find themselves with back trouble.

What Will Doctors Do?

As with most back trouble, your doctor will probably prescribe pain killers and muscle relaxers. You may also be advised to have physical therapy, see a Chiropractor, and, as a last resort, opt for surgery. For the most part, these treatments for bulging discs are only temporary and the pain will normally come back leaving you feeling miserable and wonder if there is any place else to turn.

Is There More?

According to 'Home Remedies Central', an herbal mixture of Mugwort, Horsetail, Yarrow, Comfrey, Parsley, and Rosehips could do the trick. Of course, there are many exercises that could be beneficial.

The most important thing to remember is that the bulging back disc needs time to heal. It took time for it to weaken and cause you pain, so it will take time for it to heal. Removing pressure from this part of your back will help it to heal more quickly.

Treatments of a bulging disc needs to include exercises. Not aerobic or weight training exercises, but exercises that target the problem. Targeted back exercises are designed to restore circulation, relax cramped muscles, and ease the pain.

One exercise that has helped many is called the 'crawling baby'. To do the exercise, get down on your hands and knees in the floor. Try to keep your head and spine in line while you slowly kick one leg back toward the opposite wall behind you. Bring the knee back to the starting position. Now, do the other leg. Do 10 to 20 reps alternating legs.

Targeted exercises have been the best solution for many people who find that they have gotten rid of the pain and back to their regular lives. After a doctor has ruled out any serious problems, begin your targeted exercise program to start feeling better.