Sciatica Relief Help

Archive for March, 2010

Back pain is a very common disease by which people get afflicted worldwide. It has been rightly termed as a ‘lifestyle disorder’. A general cause of a back pain is sitting or standing in bad postures, though there can be various other medical reasons to it.

But as the saying goes: ‘nothing is alone in this world’, the same is true with the back pain. Back pain not only involves physical suffering but it also comes with a plethora of other sufferings. Your professional and social life too suffers due to it.

Various new age studies have come up with a direct relationship between your back pain and the brain. With the help of various comparisons of the brain size, made between two sets of people of the same age group, one who was afflicted with back pain and the others who were found to be totally fit, showed a deviation. People who suffered from back pain showed an acute shrinkage in their brain size, of up to 1.3-centimeter cube per year. Further it was shown that till the time the pain lasted, the brain’s size kept on shrinking. In case of chronic pain, the brain loss was faster as compared to the shrinkage in mild pain.

But there are still some questions that remain unclear with this theory, as to whether the brain loss associated with back pain is permanent or it remains till the pain lasts. Some researchers argue that there have been cases where, there was a decrease in the grey matter that led to shrinkage of the brain without any neuron loss. That means that the effect was only on the brain size and there occurred no memory loss. This statement brings us to the fact that the process of brain loss can be reversed with the help of an effective suggested treatment.

But the reason for this relationship between loss of grey matter and back pain still remains uncertain. But still, researchers have tried to answer this relationship to some extent. They are of the view that development of negative mood and intense stress and pressure can be a cause of this process of degeneration of the brain cells.

So the only way out to this problem is by following various psychological therapies that will help you relieve stress and give you peace out of both, your back pain and brain drain.

Ashish Jain
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/does-back-pain-lead-to-brain-drain-123388.html

Back pain can grind your day to a halt, leaving you stiff, exhausted, and unable to complete even the simplest of activities. For those who suffer from recurring back pain, finding ways to alleviate the suffering becomes of the most importance. Often, these sufferers turn to medication as a way to navigate through their day with as little discomfort as possible. But, truth be told, medication only masks the symptoms of an underlying problem that will only remain if not properly addressed.

More natural methods of treating back pain – such as back pain exercise – offer the opportunity to treat the fundamental issue; and the way in which it does this is by strengthening the back muscles. Often, back injury, and subsequently pain, is the result of weak back muscles that succumb to the stress of our lifestyles. A sedentary work environment where you spend hours hunched over a desk, a job requiring heavy lifting, and anything in between can cause injury and trigger back pain if your muscles are not up to the challenge. Back pain exercise works to strengthen your body so that it can strongly and confidently stand up to daily abuses.

First and foremost, back pain exercise must be supervised closely by a doctor – either by your general practitioner, a physical therapist, or chiropractor. An experienced medical professional can skillfully tailor a back pain exercise program to address your specific needs and areas of concern. In this way you can work to remedy your existing injury and prevent future pain.

Your doctor may recommend a back pain exercise program of light aerobic exercise, including walking that will help limber joints and muscles. Further down the road, you may begin a weight lifting regime as part of your back pain exercise program that will help to strengthen muscles.

Additionally, part of strengthening the back, as any doctor will tell you, is strengthening the front. Your back is supported by a strong core of abdominal muscles. Strengthening abdominal muscles will go a long way to alleviating back pain and preventing injury. To this end, your doctor may recommend a program of yoga or Pilates as part of your back pain exercise program that will work to strengthen and elongate core muscle groups thus providing stronger support for your back muscles.

Many doctors also consider a regimented stretching program to be an integral part of back pain exercise. Stretching keeps muscles limber and improves flexibility thus providing a line of defense against injury.

Back pain exercise should be an individual program specifically designed to alleviate your pain and heal your injury. With consistent effort and medical supervision you will find that your back pain subsides and you are living a much stronger, healthier life.

Michelle Bery
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/using-back-pain-exercise-for-recovery-100882.html

After many a valiant searches and researches, it is now universally accepted that, it is not medication but yoga that is the most effective treatment for various types of back pain. This is, however, not to say that all types of yoga exercises relieve back pain. Your yoga teacher will be able to tell you, depending upon the severity of your back pain, the types of exercises you need to start with.

There are specific poses for relieving the back pain. Yoga exercises should not be done under pressure or with artificial compulsion. That is, hold on to each poses for 5 to ten seconds. Yoga is never done on bare floor. Use a mat or any soft supportive surface. Yoga exercises need to be done regularly. Morning hours are preferred though.

Some of the important yoga postures mentioned in relation to back pain are Cat Stretch, Wind Releasing pose, Corpse pose, Sage Twist, Palm Tree, Fish pose, Locust, Bending forward pose and many more.

The problem with the modern lifestyles, whether in office or at home, is that your body gets limited type of physical exercise. For example, you sit in a particular position in the office, for 8 to 10 hours. Other parts of the body are virtually left lazy. Even blood circulation is at times impaired. Toxins get deposited and the blood circulation is not proper so the problems start in that area.

Treatment for back pain has much to do with muscle relaxation. If muscles are stressed in particular part of the body, that surely means you have pain. Your local herbal medicine specialist or the Chinese Medical practitioner will be able to help you relieve your back pain, with medical formulations tested for back pain for thousands of years. The virtue of this sort of treatment is that they do not create any side effects.

Medication is okay, when you have back pain, herbal or any other. But, the real solution to get rid of the problem once and for all is to understand your body alignment. An insignificant looking thing may be the cause of your recurring back pain.

For example, the chair on which you sit. You sit in this chair for hours together and even if the alignment is slightly wrong, you suffer for the whole day. You feel uncomfortable, go on shifting from angle to angle, but over a period of time, your body will protest in the way, it should- by reporting pain. Unless the basic cause of the pain is treated, any medication is not going to do you any good.

So, home back pain relief methods are the best, only you have to chose your method and follow it with regularity and sincerity.

Ashish Jain
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/how-to-seek-back-pain-relief-82119.html

All back pain sufferers learn over time the methods that work best to help with pain and healing. At one time we all thought that bed rest and some anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen were our only choices, but over time we’ve learned there are a great number of choices when treating the discomfort of back pain.

Heat versus Cold. Some people swear by the use of ice packs and cold massage. These packs can be store bought or you can use a package of corn or peas from your freezer. Wrap the cold pack in a cloth and then gently massage the painful area for five to seven minutes. Once the area begins to feel numb that is the time to stop. Others prefer heat. A hot water bottle or heating pad applied to the lower back for fifteen to twenty minutes can chase away the back pain in a matter of days.

There are exercise options. The best choices come down to Tai Chi or yoga. Viniyoga is an excellent gentler approach to yoga that is for back pain sufferers. It builds core strength and stability while allowing the spine to stretch. This helps take pressure off the vertebrate and can be very useful for those suffering from back injuries. The stretching aspect of yoga lessens the tension on the muscles, increases blood flow and promotes healing. Tai Chi is similar in that it too promotes healing and prevention of back pain by the use of gentle movement and non-impact exercises. It teaches you how to improve your posture and balance. Tai Chi also helps to build muscle strength and balance.

Perhaps the best answer is a combination of one of the above exercises programs and nutritional supplements. Supplements are used to rebuild bone and cartilage, reduce pain and inflammation, as well as relax muscles. They are divided into two groups. The first ones build strength and the second relieves pain. When deciding to use nutritional supplements it is best to first discuss it with your doctor. Make certain that your back problem is not caused by something more serious that requires medical intervention. Your doctor can help you determine the correct dosages of the supplements.

Some useful strength builders are Glucosamine sulfate, calcium, magnesium and vitamins C and D. All of these will help to build bone and cartilage. Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B, assists with the healing of cartilage. White willow bark, boswellia, bromelain and turmeric are also anti-inflammatories. Devils claw diminishes muscle pain, is an anti-inflammatory and will enhance the affects of regular pain medications. S-Adenosylmethionine strengthens the muscles.

Another useful method of back pain relief is water therapy. This allows someone with a back injury or severe back pain to exercise in a way that makes the physical effort much less. Although you will do very similar exercises to what you’d do out of the water, the buoyancy supports your weight, making it easier to do the workout. As well, warm water therapies are a good method of reducing pain and relaxing the muscles.

With so many options open to the average person when dealing with back pain choosing the right one can be somewhat daunting. An exercise program is definitely recommended and a gentle program offers benefits without being too demanding. Stay away from aerobics or isometrics as they are both too high impact for back pain relief and can do more harm than good. Cold or heat therapies are also a matter of personal preference. Nutritional supplements can be very beneficial as they strengthen and rebuild those damaged areas. They lessen pain and inflammation while improving the pain in your aching back.

Using a combination of all of these is likely the best answer. But maybe a little preventative medicine wouldn’t hurt either. Work on good posture. Hold yourself straight; keep your shoulders back and your head up. Don’t lead too sedentary a lifestyle or you’ll regret it. If sitting at your desk all day, make sure that after twenty minutes of sitting you take twenty seconds to flex those muscles. This will help prevent muscle pain. Walk. A good preventative program may make these other choices unnecessary.

Pete Wyatt
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/be-your-own-pain-manager-a-selfguide-to-back-pain-relief-52105.html

Copyright (c) 2009 Nancy Rishworth

Do you have lower back pain? You have lots of company – Americans spend approximately $50 billion each year on pain relief for back pain. Lower back pain is one of the most common back ailments – it’s a leading cause of missed work. You don’t have to let the pain control your life. Back exercises can give you increased flexibility and allow you to live pain-free without medication.

Back exercises improve strength of the core muscles, those muscles that support your back, your abdominal muscles, and your legs. This group of muscles is also responsible for your posture. With flexibility programs, you can strengthen those core muscles and eliminate or reduce your lower back pain.

Many exercises improve the strength of core muscles. A regular program of resistance training (e.g., weights), walking, bike riding, swimming and aerobic exercises will strengthen core muscles. But adding flexibility programs, core stability and therapeutic exercises is one way to add even more value to your exercise routine.

The first stage of lower back exercises is to slowly work on building abdominal and core strength. Exercises such as abdominal crunches, pelvic tilts, and leg lifts all help to strengthen the core muscle group. Gradually, you can add more challenging exercises, such as squats to your regimen.

Back exercises are greatly aided with the addition of flexibility programs. Whether you are incorporating some stretching exercises, yoga, or pilates, these exercises help you stretch your muscles. When you stretch your muscles, you actually lengthen them. This helps improve your posture.

Flexibility programs are also great methods for relieving the pain. Stretching exercises help develop flexibility in the spine. Stretching may be one of the most important methods for easing the pain. Simple stretching exercises release some of the tension in lower back muscles. When you release muscle tension, you eliminate the tightness and possible muscles spasms.

Another great option for lower back exercises is to incorporate a Swiss exercise ball, or an inflatable exercise ball, in your routine. Working out with these fitness balls, or simply using them in flexibility programs, helps you develop greater core strength as you try to stabilize yourself on the ball.

Lower back pain doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying your life. When you work to incorporate these exercises into your routine, as well as stretching and flexibility, you enjoy a life with a significant reduction in pain.

Nancy Rishworth
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/lower-back-exercises-eliminate-pain-716100.html