Back Pain Treatment Options – Traditional Ways

Author: Kaylee Hayden

Knowing back pain treatment options is important when you realize that approximately 85% Americans complain of back pain by the time they are 50 years old. Backache is the most frequent cause of limiting activity among working adults. It could be caused due to injury or irritation of muscles, nerves, ligaments, joints, bones, and spinal discs. So, what are the various options for treatment? Here are some of them.

Non Invasive Therapies

Exercise: Strengthening muscles that support the spine with back and abdominal exercises reduce and eliminate back pain. Stretching exercises which help lengthen shortened muscles and increase mobility of spinal joints are often recommended by physicians. These exercises could vary with age.

Meditation: Over-the-counter and prescribed medications include anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin, Naproxin, and ibuprofen) which stimulate the healing process and reduce discomfort and swelling, muscle relaxants, and acetaminophen (Anacin-3, Tylenol, and Phenaphen). Opioids (a morphine derivative that can be additive) is normally prescribed as a last-resort medication by a physician.

Manual Manipulation Therapy: Delivered by a chiropractor physician, this practice is widely used to treat the lower back pain.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): A non-invasive technique where a low-voltage electrical current is delivered to electrodes attached to the skin. This is an alternative or addition to medication.

H-wave stimulation: H-WAVE type stimulators become necessary when patients fail to respond adequately to conventional treatments of diabetic peripheral neuropathy including analgesics, creams, anti-depressants, inhibitors, anti-seizure medications, and blood glucose normalization.

Orthotics: A field of medicine which involves designing and manufacturing devices (orthoses) to support or correct musculoskeletal deformities.

Physical Therapy: Those suffering from chronic back pain and stiffness in the lower part of the spine are generally provided with physiotherapy to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life.
Invasive Therapies.

Injections: Epidural steroid (low back pain and sciatica), facet joint (facet joint block), sympathetic nerve blocks, and selective nerve root epidural injections are given to relieve pain. Proliferant injections are very effective in eliminating aches caused by strained, scarred ligaments. This method is used as a back pain treatment option to relieve discomfort before further investigations.

IDET: Intradiscal electro-thermal coagulation of the nucleus has been specifically designed to treat intervertebral disk disorder pain.

Nucleoplasty: A spinal disc herniation, often called a slip disc, is corrected by burning the nucleus using this procedure.

Microsurgical Discectomy: A minimally invasive surgery especially for lumbar ischemia.

Major surgeries: These include complicated procedures such as removal of a portion of the vertebral bone called the lamina, relieving pressure on nerves that are being compressed, treating nerve roots or spinal cord compression, spinal cord stimulation, and morphine pumps.

Though not proven, a leading health website reported an experiment involving injections of ozone gas into the spine for relief of herniated disc-related lower back pain. This could soon become a standard in the United States, so it would help to know more about this back pain treatment option.


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Gall Bladder Back Pain

Author: Saurabh Jain

The gall bladder back pain is usually caused due to the inflammation or improper functioning of gall bladder, which is a small pear-shaped organ on the underside of the liver, in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Its main function is to collect and store bile, which is used by the body to digest fats. Bile is made in the liver cells (hepatocytes) and consists of water, electrolytes, bile acids, phospholipids and bilirubin. It assists in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K.

Causes Of Gall Bladder Problems

Gall bladder diseases and problems are fairly common and affect both men and women. The symptoms can vary from indigestion and nausea to vomiting and pain in the right upper abdomen. This pain also radiates to the lower back, resulting in gall bladder back pain. Other symptoms include:
1.Fever due to inflammation in the gall bladder
2.Abdominal bloating
3.Severe heartburn and gas
4.Jaundice
5.Diarrhea

Some of the gall bladder problems are caused by:
1.Production of toxic bile by the liver
2.Inadequate production of bile
3.Excess amount of cholesterol in bile, leading to the formation of gall bladder stones
4.Infection in gall bladder
5.Hormonal changes during pregnancy
6.Blood disorders or infections

The lower back pain can be attributed to a gall bladder disorder problem that results in gall bladder pain called biliary colic. Biliary colic occurs when gallstones block the small duct that drains bile to the small intestine. Gallstones or biliary calculi are small stones formed from a mixture of cholesterol, bile pigment and calcium salts. The formation of gallstones is a very common disorder and affects approximately 15% of the people at the age of around 50. However, in most cases, complication and infections don't arise until gallstones block a bile duct, which then leads to severe pain lasting from 30 min to several hours. In such circumstances, you must undertake an ultra sound test to confirm the presence of gallstones and then get the proper treatment with the help of a doctor.


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Ways And Means For Back Pain Prevention

Author: Kaylee Hayden

Back pain prevention is high on the medical agenda in the United States. Why? This is because it affects almost everyone in their lifetime. The ideal way to prevent discomfort in the back is by maintaining strong back muscles. A good fitness program must include strengthening and aerobic exercises at least two to three times every week.

By adopting a straight posture while sitting and standing up, you are taking a huge step towards back pain prevention. Do not bend your back while lifting objects. You could bend at the knees or hips to do so. Losing weight reduces strain on the back and also gives you a “feel-good” effect. Stop smoking. Using tobacco has led to severe health hazards, and you can add bone loss to that list.

Studies have shown that even elderly people benefit from regular strength-building exercises. These benefits include faster responses, better balance, reduced risk of osteoporosis, and improved mental alertness. Running a risk of developing osteoporosis depends on how much bone mass is built between the age of 25 and 35 and how quickly it is lost while growing older. Calcium and vitamin D in sufficient quantities along with regular exercise will ensure that your bones stay healthy and strong.

A high percentage of pregnant women complain of backache. This is caused due to the added weight that’s caused by pregnancy. Another reason is that the extra baby weight is carried in the front, which shifts the center of gravity forward, thus putting more strain on the lower back. Here, back pain prevention is possible by following the exercise program recommended by the physician. Kneeling on one knee while lifting objects and carrying the load closer to the body helps. You could try sleeping on your side with a pillow between the knees to reduce the pressure. Fortunately, most back aches occurring due to pregnancy resolve in time.

Exercise Tips

If you have had an accident or sports injury earlier, you need to consult a physician before starting with a back pain prevention program. The following tips should help you.

Stretching slowly and avoiding any sudden movement
Avoid overstretching to the point of discomfort
Repeat each exercise four to five times unless specified otherwise by your physician
If you feel dizzy while standing, stop immediately and sit down
Exercise regularly

Examples Of Back Exercises

Partial Sit-Up: Bend your knee, raise your head slowly with shoulders off the floor, and hold the position for 10 seconds
Press-Up: Lie down with your hands near your shoulders and pelvis on the floor. Then press up painlessly and hold it for 10 seconds. This is to be repeated 10 times
Knee-to-Chest Raise: Slowly pull the knees up to the chest in a lying-down position with neck and back relaxed and hold it for 10 seconds. Repeat this 10 times

Backache affects most people at some or the other in their lifetime. Preventive measures including regular exercise, diet, and adopting a good body posture go a long way in back pain prevention.

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Back Pain Exercises For Effective Back Pain Relief

Author: MichelleS

When I talk about tailoring a back pain exercise program to my clients specific needs, I have in mind the specific condition - provided that one can be identified - that is the root cause of your chronic back pain.

Many, if not most, back pain problems elude specific diagnoses agreed on by different kinds of practitioners. Some conditions, however, are easily recognized. And according to the results of a recent US survey, specific back pain exercises that take these back problems into account offer the best chance of improvement.

Whether or not you can name your condition, you may still be able to categorize your back problem according to the nature of your pain, the type of situation that may aggravate your pain, and the area of your back that hurts most.

Please don't feel at a disadvantage if you can't rattle off a bona fide medical term such as 'herniated disc' or 'scoliosis' that neatly pigeonholes your backache. Hardly anyone knows such things for certain. More than half the above mentioned US survey respondents had received two or more different diagnoses from two or more practitioners. Most of these discrepancies represented major differences of opinion - not just variations in terminology. So don't pit too much emphasis on the type of back pain you have been diagnosed with - as it could be wrong anyway.

The good news is that even if you never find out exactly what's wrong with your back, you can still get well. After all, you do know your own symptoms, and that knowledge will help you 'categorize' your own pain, so long as serious medical conditions have been ruled out as the cause of your chronic back pain.

Following is a list of what we have found to be the seven most common categories of back pain or causes of back pain (for obvious reasons, some of the names sound more specific than others):

neck pain
osteoarthritis
sciatica
scoliosis
spondylolisthesis

You may be able to place yourself in one of the above categories, or you may feel that you belong in two or more of them. Indeed, if you have a herniated disc, you may well have sciatica as a result.

Low back and neck pain are frequent companions. And osteoarthritis may superimpose itself on one or more existing back problems.

According to the US survey results, for example, cycling turns out to be an excellent workout for people with scoliosis.
The right back pain exercises can have a profound effect on your health and well being, and will make a considerable impact on helping to relieve back pain. But not every type of exercise will be suitable for your type of back pain. Find out which lower back pain exercises work best and which you must definitely avoid at topbackpainexercises.com

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Benefits of Exercises To Build The Back Muscles

Author: The Muscly Jerk

Exercises to build the back muscles should form a part of your daily exercise routine. Most of us forget to exercise the back muscles though they are vital for maintaining proper posture and preventing debilitating back pain later in life. A strong and healthy back prevents injuries to the back in the normal course of life.

Back injuries and back pain are one of leading problems that most men and women face in their life times. Many have to restrict their activities because of pain. Exercises to build the back muscles can strengthen them and make them supple and pliant so you can do a variety of tasks with least discomfort. As somebody said only the person who suffers back pain understands how difficult it can become to do even the most simple of tasks like bending and retrieving a toy.

Modern lifestyle where we sit on bad chairs with bad postures is a major reason why back pain has become almost normal part of most people's lives. The lifestyle of people in older days involved a lot of physical labor, bending and stretching and they never had back problems. Long hours sitting in front of computers with head bent forward with no support for the back can weaken your pain and easily injure it.

The exercises to build the back muscles are simple to do and don't take much time. About 10 minutes are quite enough to strengthen your muscles for day-to-day activities. It is one of the reasons why we easily and conveniently forget to do them. Before you start your exercises to build the back muscles learn a little about your back. Your back comprises of three main areas the upper-back, middle back and the lower back. Every part is important and needs to be exercised. There are any number of websites and articles that will teach you simple to do exercises to build the back muscles.

However, if you want the chiseled body builder look you need to really work hard at it. It requires a fitness regime that is quite intense and takes a lot of effort. You have to be prepared to spend hours in the gym every week, building your muscles through weight training and properly nurturing the muscles through well balanced diet and body building supplements. Your muscles need a lot of food to grow and become bigger and recover from workouts when body building.

You can choose the level of exercises to build the back muscles that suit your needs.

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Lower Back Pain Exercises And Their Benefits

Author: Saurabh Jain

Lower back pain exercises are very important for the treatment of back pain and the strengthening of the back muscles. These exercises should be recommended by one's orthopedic surgeon or the physiotherapist and need to be carried out regularly in the correct manner, in order to derive maximum benefit.

Doctors recommend different exercises in accordance to the condition of a patient. The exercises recommended in the initial and final stages of the treatment also vary. Walking, swimming, biking and aerobic exercises are commonly recommended lower back pain exercises.

In the initial stages of the treatment, doctors recommend exercises involving upward and downward movements of ankles. Exercises, such as the abdominal contraction, wall squats, heel raises and straight leg raises, involve tightening of the abdominal muscles while moving the knees or heels.

In the intermediate treatment program, one can perform back pain exercises, such as the single knee to chest stretch, the hamstring stretch and the lumbar stabilization exercise with the Swiss ball. It is important to ensure that the abdominal muscles remain contracted during each exercise. For this, one needs to lie on his/her back with knees bent and hands resting below ribs.

The advanced lower back pain exercises program involves exercises such as the Hip Flexor Stretch, the Piriformis stretch and the lumbar stabilization exercises with the Swiss ball. Some exercises strain the lower back and should be avoided. These include the hip twists, the hurdlers stretch, sit-ups with straight legs and any kind of stretching exercise that requires quick and bouncy movements. Physical activities, such as swimming and walking, are very good for the strengthening of the back. One must seek proper guidance before taking up any exercise for the treatment of back-related problems.



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Learn Right Back Pain Exercises For Desired Back Pain Relief

Author: Kanishk manchanda

Learn Right Back Pain Exercises For Desired Back Pain Relief

Utter the word 'back pain' and almost everyone in the crowd will wince and appear familiar with the symptoms of this ailment. This is simply because back pain is one very common problem today. The official estimates worldwide show that back pain afflicts at least 2.5 million adults everyday. That is, at some time or other in their lives people have been victims of back pain in its acute form or in its mild form.

Back pain is usually felt in the region of the lower back and therefore to alleviate the pain the best answer is to concentrate on the region of the spine in that location.

For the rehabilitation of people who are chronic sufferers of back pain, the answer lies in exercise to rehabilitate the spinal area in the location of the lower back. A proper exercise regimen can also prevent the recurrence of back pain and thus make the victim feel free of the many physical and psychiatric developments that result from back pain.

But then, the regimen of exercise comes with a note of caution. A haphazard set of exercises done in any odd and whimsical manner is more harmful for the sufferer. Since this exercise system is not an act of body building or muscle toning but is meant to be a way to alleviate, prevent and even cure the problem of back pain, the pattern of exercising has to be done with its ultimate aim in mind.

This is possible only when the victim of back pain adopts a controlled, gradual, and progressive system of exercising, preferably according to the advice of the doctor, so that the back pain problem is solved satisfactorily.

Just why exercise has such a profound effect on back pain is easily understood if we examine the benefits of exercising for getting rid of the problem of back pain. It is a well-known fact that exercise creates movement and movement distributes the nutrients in to the disc space between the bones of the lower spine. Thus, to keep discs, muscles, ligaments and joints healthy, exercise is the best answer.

The advantages gained from exercising is best understood by back pain sufferers because the moment they become lax about their exercise routine, the irritating symptoms of a forthcoming episode of back pain come into focus. There are joint pains, stiffness in the region of the lower back and even a feeling of weakness and de-conditioning. The moment the exercise system is put back into the place these problems, related in and around back pain, just disappear magically.

The types of exercises best suited for victims of back pain are stretching exercises. In combination with stretching exercise for back pain one can also do strengthening exercises, and enjoy the obvious benefits. Of course the best way to exercise for back pain sufferers is to do low impact exercises. These include cycling, walking, swimming, and water therapy.

While these exercises are for the more common forms of back pain, one must also be on the alert if the symptoms of back pain show no signs of decreasing when regular exercising has done no visible improvement for back pain. If back pain persists to the same degree for more than three weeks after a sincere and meticulous round of exercising, it is time to consult the doctor. After all, it is better to be safe than to be sorry later.


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Back Pain in Pregnant Women--Causes and Solutions

Author: Orit Cox

Back pain in pregnant women is a frequent problem. As many as three quarters of expectant mothers experience back pain during some phase of their pregnancy. So, why does your low back hurt during pregnancy?

Pretty much, it can be reduced to changes in your body posture due to the stretching abdomen, and hormonal shifts.

Hormones cause the ligaments and tendons in the body to loosen in preparation for childbirth. Postural changes occur as your center of gravity changes. The muscles that surround your spine must work harder.

This article will explore the causes of back pain during pregnancy, discuss the different types of back pain that occur, and provide information about what can be done to prevent and relieve prenatal back pain.

There are two common types of low back pain in pregnancy, lumbar pain and posterior pelvic pain.

Lumbar pain is similar to the kind of back pain you may have experienced before you became pregnant. Lumbar discomfort is felt in the lower spine, at the level of, or slightly higher than, your waist. It can also result in pain that radiates to your legs.

Lumbar discomfort can be triggered by sitting or standing for extended periods of time or by repetitive lifting.

Posterior pelvic pain is low back ache that is experienced behind the pelvis, below the waist, and/or across the tailbone or sacrum. It can also be felt in the buttocks, on one or both sides, or in the back of the thighs. You may also have pubic pain. Posterior pelvic pain occurs four times more frequently than lumbar pain during pregnancy.

Posterior pelvic discomfort can be aggravated by bending, twisting, rolling, climbing stairs, and prolonged leaning forward such as occurs when you sit at a computer for extended periods of time.

Posterior pelvic pain is often mistaken as sciatica. When you have sciatica, it causes discomfort not only in the low back, hips, buttocks, and thighs, but also in the legs. With sciatica, the leg pain is generally more severe than the spinal pain, and is accompanied by numbness, tingling, or pin-pricking sensations. This aching and numbness generally radiates all the way into the toes. Numbness may also extend to the groin and genital areas.

Sciatica is generally caused by a herniated or bulging disk.

Your risk of low back pain during pregnancy increases if you have had back aches before becoming pregnant or during a previous pregnancy. You also have an increased risk of prenatal back pain if you are carrying twins or are overweight.

In order to maintain a healthy back during pregnancy, it is essential to engage in a regular exercise regimen. Exercise is essential for controlling and avoiding back pain. When your muscles are weak and inflexible, you are more likely to hurt. Regular exercise will stretch and strengthen your muscles and ligaments to better support your spine and prevent pregnancy back ache from occurring.

Specific exercises to alleviate low back pain during pregnancy include pelvic tilt exercises, Kegel exercises, back stretches, hamstring stretches, chest stretches, and wall squats. For detailed information on how to do these stretches and exercises, you can visit http://www.pregnancymomandbaby.com/backexercisesforpregnancy.html

Take extra care to be aware of how you bend and move. That alone can help prevent discomfort before it begins.

Back pain in pregnant women can be frustrating, for sure, but you can find relief. Be sure you are getting adequate rest, nutrition, and exercise, and you will be on the way to eliminating backaches for good.

If your back pain if very intense, is rhythmic and feels like menstrual cramps, or is causing numbness, you should contact your health care provider.

Orit Cox is a Holistic Health Practitioner and massage therapist in San Diego, CA and content writer for PregnancyMomandBaby.com, an information resource for pregnancy and mothers. Orit is also the author of The Pregnancy Pain Guide, featured at PregnancyPainRelief.com, where you can discover easy-to-implement techniques to relieve back pain from pregnancy.

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Exercise Back Pain Away

Author: Mike

Exercise Back Pain Away

According to past research and studies, nearly 80% of all Americans will experience some type of back pain in their lives. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons believes this as well, as they say 80% of us out there will encounter some type of problem with our back before we die.

Traditionally, the treatment for lower back pain is increasing core strength to increase flexibility on muscles that are tight, which will provide better stabilization of the spine and exercises to correct the imbalances of the muscles. The muscles that surround the spine will provide stability and support of the spinal column.

Every muscle between the hips and shoulders are included as well, as these muscles are referred to as the core muscles. Back pain can be a result of muscle imbalances caused by any of these core muscles. If the back of your thighs are weaker than the front of your thighs, there will be an uneven pull on the front of your spinal column.

There are some effective ways that you can integrate core strength training exercises into all of the exercises you perform, rather than doing just the traditional crunches and sit-ups. One such way is by breathing effectively. Deep breathing will utilize your diaphragm muscles which will help support the spinal column and lengthen the spine, which is great for your lower back and supporting you when you walk or run.

The tummy tuck and bridge lift can also help you to reduce back pain and strengthen the core
muscles as well. The tummy tuck exercise is a simple pelvic tilt that draws the abdominal muscles away from the floor. Do perform a tummy tuck, simply lie face down on the floor and squeeze your glutes to strengthen your spine.

Instead of pressing into your thighs, you should instead reach your tailbone down towards your
heels. Perform 15 reps of each exercise and alternate them until you have completed a couple
of sets.

For the bridge, place your feet on a bench or on the floor and scoop your pelvis upward, as your
rib cage should stay low to reduce any irritation to your spinal muscles. The bridge will help to
relieve stress on your back and focus the muscle contractions into the glutes and the hamstrings.

Other exercises for lower back pain are the lumbar side stretch, hip flexor stretch, and calf
stretches, as all three can help to alleviate pull on your spinal column.

Hip flexor stretch When doing a hip flexor stretch, bring one foot forward in a bent knee, 90 degree angle, while your other leg is on the floor behind you with your foot pointed upwards toward the ceiling. The hip flexor stretch will help to open up the muscles of your back on the side of the spine near your hips. You can also squeeze your glutes as well to deepen the stretch with each breath you exhale. You should begin to feel a stretch in your back leg, in the thigh front and the hamstrings on your front leg.

Lumbar side stretch
This stretch will bring your legs wide with your knees bent while you sit or stand. Simply bring
one hand down towards your foot on the inside of the thighs and your other hand behind your head.

The last stretch will open up your Achilles tendon, which is the most distant pull on the spine. For this, place an object under your foot and lean the weight of your body forwards. Maintain a fluid breath while you hold stretches for 30 seconds or so. After a while, you should begin to feel a stretch behind your knee and shin.

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Back Pain Relief

Author: Paul J. Marshall

For many humans who suffer with back pain, they live in constant agony;|I know how you feel. Living with back pain is liviing in constant agony. finding a back pain relief remedy is probably important to you and whilst there isn't a cure as yet, some treatments can help sufferers. Pain relief is possible with the medications available but that is all they do and the reason for the pain continues.While there are a host of prescription medications that help with pain relief, many are doing nothing more than masking the symptoms instead of tackling the underlying cause of the agony.

Many people with spinal problems become addicted to the medication that relieves the back pain but this should really be the responsibility of a doctor. The problem with the back is just how sstrong it is and at the same time how easily it can become damaged. Once spinal injury has occurred it can be a permanent condition, often caused by something as simple as bad posture.

Of course the most common way to injure your spine is by lifting heavy weights or lifting them incorrectly. Many people are now turning to other methods of gaining back pain relief which do not include the use of drugs. Tense muscles in the back can be eased just by gentle stretching; this provides relief and is simple to carry out.

Another type of treatment uses reflexology to massage the feet. It is a very old natural therapy which helps to relieve many chronic ailments. Often to compensate for our pain, the back muscles over compensate. Reflexology can help provide relief by improving the circulation which in turn relaxes these hard worked muscles.

The traditional Chinese medicine therapy acupuncture is now providing back pain relief with people suffering spinal problems in the West. The use of needles in Traditional Chinese medicine could be over 5,000 years old. The Chinese believe we all have this special energy force flowing through us, when we become sick it doesn't flow correctly. Acupuncture needles when inserted at particular points can release this energy. Many sufferers swear by the use of acupuncture and results from many tests often back this claim. This treatment has indicating the patient does receive pain relief by using this method.

Relief can also come from another Chinese treatment like tai chi which is a form of yoga but not so strenuous. Tai Chi focuses on breathing techniques and is a great way to relax your back. Whilst it involves some stretching and breathing exercises it is not too strenuous which means that anyone, young or old can take part in Tai Chi.

Natural back pain relief should really start with more frequent exercise which will not only help ensure the back is more flexible but help prevent spinal problems.


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Yoga For Back Pain - Yoga Helps Back Ache

Author: Alien

If you have a back problem, it's best to get an okay from your doctor before trying yoga. Back pain is often the result of a biomechanical imbalance in spinal structures. Yoga for back pain has been accepted by many chiropractors and back specialists. Before beginning yoga for back pain,consult your doctor to make sure you don’t make matters worse.

Back pain can be caused by a number of situations, from slipped discs to damaged muscles or ligaments. However, back pain can also be caused by infections, bone spurs or tumors. When yoga for back pain is implemented, the pain is reduced by stretching and strengthening the spine. You must exercise proper posture and this should be practiced so that you can get relieved from the back pain even when you’re not practicing yoga. Back pain is increasingly a problem for many adults. The problem can sometimes lie in the fact that the spine is compressed and the back muscles are tight and weak. Since yoga postures aim to strengthen the spine as well as lengthen and stretch muscles, it can be ideal for many back pain sufferers

Yoga For Back Pain Exercise...

You can observe your body's natural tendency to compensate for poor spinal posture with this simple back pain exercise.

From a standing position hold a plastic water bottle in your hands.

Try raising your arms forward and up halfway until they are parallel to the ground.

You will notice a slight backward displacement of your shoulders.

After a short while as you hold this position you'll also notice muscle tension in your shoulders and upper back.

This is because you body is changing its posture or "compensating" to maintain its balance while holding this position.

Recommendation on Yoga for Back Pain

It is very important to make sure that exercise is the right treatment for your particular condition. It is wise to consult a doctor before starting any exercise program.

Yoga is a fantastic physical and mental activity. It might not cure every type of pain, but it will increase your general health. A physically and mentally healthy person is always more prepared to deal with back pain than a person in poor health.

And this compensation requires the contraction of the muscles in your shoulders and upper back.keeps you from enjoying many of life’s activities, then try yoga for back pain and finally live life as you once did.

Precautions to be taken for Avoiding Back Pain

Your back can continue to be healthy and strong by a regular practice of yoga for back. Work out the poses even if you are not experiencing any back problems. Keeping your back healthy is the best way to prevent low back injury.

Only self-care cannot help you manage and relieve back pain, it can help you prevent it.

For instance, when you’re picking up something heavy, never try to lift objects that are too heavy for you. Lift by bending your knees, not your back. Keep your back straight and your head down and lined up with your back.

Keep the object close to your body, dividing the weight evenly throughout your body as you lift. Never twist your body when lifting.

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Dealing with Lower Back Pain: Symptoms, Causes & Prevention

Low back pain is pain affecting the lower part of the back. It is described as acute if it has lasted less than 6 weeks, it may also be sub-acute if it has lasted 6-12 weeks and chronic if it has lasted more than 12 weeks.

Low back pain is extremely common, costing millions in lost work, as well as millions in medical, state and insurance resources every year. Most back pain does not signify any serious underlying problem, and generally sort itself within a few days to a few weeks. This is one major reason why it gets neglected the most. Most people have the wrong postures that further aggravates the problem.

Symptoms
Low back pain generally refers to pain or ache somewhere between the bottom of the ribs, at the back, and the top of the legs. The pain often begins suddenly, and may follow an obvious strain or injury, but it is largely seen that it occurs "out of the blue", or comes about extremely slowly.

The pain may travel to or be felt elsewhere. It often goes into the buttocks, but may further get intensified down the leg and even into the foot. Pain of this sort may be worse on bending and even worse while sitting, especially in an easy chair. Sometimes turning over in bed or sitting up are extremely agonizing. Coughing or sneezing in these situations can often make the pain much worse, throwing the muscles of the back into a painful spasm.

Back pain may be combined with pain into the leg, traveling down below the knee, otherwise known as sciatica, since the main nerve to the leg (the sciatic nerve) is being irritated by pressure applied on it.

Causes
Low back pain is rather common from person to person. The main cause for low back pain is a strain of the muscles, or other soft structures (for e.g. ligaments and tendons) connected to the backbone. Sometimes it is the cushion between the bones which get strained, and which bulges out and presses on the nearby nerves. Exactly what is injured varies from person to person, but you may also get differing theories depending on whom you ask. Although the experts may not agree on what is causing the problem, there is a surprising amount of agreement on how best to improve the situation.

Some common reasons for Back Pain
There are several reasons why you experience back pain. The first thing is to rule out any other obvious conditions, which cause this. There are a number of "red flags", or warning signs, which are factors, which lead the doctor to arrange for more rapid investigation and treatment than would otherwise be necessary. Pain usually gets manifested in your system due to the following reasons:
* The pain that follows a violent injury, such as a road traffic accident
* Constant pain that only gets worse in time
* Pain is in the upper part of the spine
* You have had cancer in the past or at present, there is a possibility that you might experience pain
* You are on steroids.
* You have lost significant weight.

Prevention
Although the list for causing back pain could be endless, there are some general precautions you could take to stay healthy.
* Try to stay fit.
Regular exercise to keep generally fit is more important than any specific exercises aimed at the back muscles.

*Be aware of the posture and position you are in during your daily activities.
If you have to lift heavy objects, share the load with other people, and try to hold the weight in close to your body, bending at the knees when possible rather than your back.

*If carrying shopping, try to carry similar loads on both sides, and make a number of journeys, rather than trying to carry too much at one go. Consider the use of a shopping trolley.

* School bags are typically far too heavy and often worn on only one shoulder.
Try to leave books that you do not need that day in your locker or at home, and wear a rucksack type of bag correctly positioned on both shoulders.
By Prerna Salla
Published: 1/27/2005

"Bodybuilding Sins" That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 5

Welcome to article number five in our 5-part series "Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts". In this article we are going to cover some basic, yet powerful training principles that are often overlooked and are responsible for nearly all bodybuilding injuries…

If you missed any of the previous articles, you can view them using the links below.

Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article no.1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises
2. Article no.2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
3. Article no.3 - Targeted Stretching
4. Article no.4 - Targeted Exercises
5. Article no.5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article no.5 - Rest, Recovery and Injury Prevention

Many of the injuries that bodybuilders suffer from could be easily prevented just by allowing the body enough time to rest…

While most bodybuilders dread hearing the word "rest", many fail to realize that there is far more to rest than just avoiding overtraining. When you perform a tough workout you not only stress that muscle or muscle group, you also place stress on the cardiovascular, neuromuscular and components of the immune system…

For example, many bodybuilders will train their chest 2-3 times a week and spend an hour or more performing dozens of exercises just for the pecs…

While this may sound ok to some, when you add in the stress of other workouts it can quickly add up to too much stress in one or more ways. I hear bodybuilders all the time say "I let my body rest by splitting up my workouts" and "I worked chest yesterday so today I’ll train my back"… that’s NOT rest!

When you train your back, your chest still gets worked, stressed and it also slows down your bodies ability to recover from stress and repair damage from previous workouts…

So don’t kid yourself and think that you can train this way over the long term… it may take years or just a few weeks, but sooner or later your body will break down!

Let me give you a real life example from my experience…

I, like nearly every single bodybuilder out there, created muscle imbalance unknowingly by following the workouts recommended in all the books, magazines, etc…

I trained 4,5 and sometimes even 6 days a week and thought that I was resting enough by splitting my workouts… to make a long story short, after just a few years I had tendonitis in both triceps because I worked chest, tri’s and shoulder too often, too intensely and didn’t balance out my training…

I also had lower and middle back pain, knee problems and IT band tendonitis because my lower body workouts weren’t balanced… I spent too much time doing heavy squatting, too often and neglected important muscles…

These injuries stayed with me for months, years and I still can have an occasional flare up if I don’t stay consistent with a balanced training program. I was able to create all this damage by the age of 22… I am now 28 and will have to spend the rest of my life trying to prevent these old injuries from coming back and causing more pain and problems…

Don’t do what I did! And if you already have, you better act fast and take a serious look at your training and your goals because if you don’t, you will spend the rest of your life in pain and frustrated by all the injuries, big and small.

So here’s my…

5-Step Formula for Quickly Eliminating and Preventing Aches, Pains and Injuries

Step 1. Rest and Recovery

The first thing you need to do is REST! And no, I don’t mean take a day or two off… I mean no workouts for at least a week or more… you need to give your body a chance to reduce the inflammation before you can begin work on eliminating or correcting the cause of the problem.
You may also want to use things like a heating pad, hot tub or massage to help reduce the inflammation and speed up the healing and recovery…

Step 2. Identify Muscle Imbalances

The next thing you need to do is find out which muscle imbalances have created your injury or are causing your pain and work towards correcting them… you can do this quickly and easily by performing physical assessments in which you are looking for strength and flexibility imbalances in all opposing muscle groups.

You can do these assessments yourself and they are covered in our Lose the Back Pain Video http://www.losethebackpain.com/

Step 3. Increase Flexibility in Tight Muscles with Targeted Stretching

In order to correct a muscle imbalance, you need to increase the flexibility and range of motion in the muscles that are too tight and causing a problem.

As we discussed in the previous articles, you have got to know what muscles NEED to be stretched before you start stretching. General stretching may or may not help… it may even make things worse! You have got to target the right areas and the only way to ensure that you are, is to do assessments and find out.

Step 4. Strengthen Weak Muscles with Targeted Strength Exercises

The other major step in correcting muscle imbalances is to strength the weak muscles that are being overpowered by the strong and tight opposing muscle(s).

The same is also true for strengthening… you have to make sure that you choose the right exercises and the only way to know for sure is thru assessments… don’t use guesswork when choosing exercises!

Step 5. Monitor and Modify Your Program

The key to long term pain relief and injury prevention is to consistently monitor your progress and adjust your program… for example, as you work on correcting and preventing muscle imbalances the strength and flexibility of your muscles will change and therefore, you must then re-assess and change your program and workouts accordingly.

You will typically see changes in your strength, flexibility and bio-mechanics in as little as 2-4 weeks so I recommend that you re-assess yourself at least every 4-6 weeks.

So there you have it… 5 simple steps that you can take right now to work on eliminating any pain or injuries you currently have AND make sure you never create any new ones to deal with in the future.

Following these steps will not only help you eliminate aches, pains and injuries and it will also allow you to train more intensely and productively to get you the results you want.

Hope you enjoyed and benefited from this article series and we look forward to hearing of your success.

-------------------
Article courtesy of Jesse Cannone of http://www.losethebackpain.com/. Find out exactly what’s causing your back pain and injuries and the steps you need to take to quickly get rid of your pain and become injury free.
By Jesse Cannone
Published: 5/28/2005

Back Pain's Newly Discovered Cause

This article is about a cause of back pain which most people, including doctors, don't understand.

This back pain cause is not disease such as cancer or arthritis. It is not injury such as falling off a ladder. Also, it is not a mentally caused pain...it is a very real pain.

This back pain is caused by incorrect use of voluntary muscles. Voluntary muscles are muscles you can control. Do this. Lift your arm. There you used voluntary muscles.

You can cause pain by using, or not using, your voluntary muscles incorrectly. By using one hand to bend the fingers of your other hand backward you can cause pain. This is an example of incorrectly using voluntary muscles and causing pain.

This discovery, called Denlinger's Discovery(TM), is about another cause of pain throughout the human body and how to fix it. Denlinger's Discovery came about by applying engineering basics to the human body. Using these engineering basics one can also increase the load carrying capability of the body. In this article we'll only look at one function, of several functions, of the back.

In 1759 a Switzerland born scientist named Leonardo Euler (1707-1783) developed the first, most basic formulas about the relationship of the height to the thickness of a column. A summary of this formula is that the thinner a column or post, as compared to its height, the more likely it will fail (ie, break) by bending rather than by crushing. Also, if the column has supports in the middle to keep it from bending, it will be able to carry a much heavier load.

Here's an experiment you can do. get a long, skinny twig from a tree or bush. Stand it up on a table vertically and push down on the top with a finger. Feel how easily it bends. If you push too hard it will break. Next, place your other hand on the side to keep it from bending so much and press down on the top again. Feel how much stronger the twig is now.

You can see an example of this principle applied in daily life by looking at a very tall television transmission tower. Typically these towers have wires, called guy wires, going from the middle (often from quarter, half and three quarter points or more) down to the ground. These guy wires keep the tower from bending in the middle, so it can carry a load to a much greater height.

The spine in the lower back of the human body has voluntary muscles which can act like guy wires to keep the spine from bending from side to side. Looking in the Doctor's Bible, "Gray's Anatomy", you can see these muscles in one of the drawings looking at the rear of the body. These muscles are called "quadratus lumborum" (they are shown in a posterior view of the back and described in the section on Deep Muscles of the Abdomen). Correctly using these voluntary guy-wire-type muscles per Euler's formulas could fix a problem called scoliosis. Currently doctors use braces and even surgery to correct scoliosis. As long as the muscles and nerves are in place and not damaged and the person is willing and able to learn how to use them and s/he then trains his or her guy-wire-type muscles the scoliosis problem could be fixed by correct use of voluntary muscles.

The same basic principle of preventing too much bending, using other muscles, can be applied in another direction to strengthen the spine by preventing too much curve forward and backward. There are other engineering basics which can be applied to the back and other parts of the human body which will be covered in other articles.

By Dennis Denlinger Published: 4/7/2008

Causes of Hip Pain and Lower Back Pain

During a person's lifetime one thing that is common is that people will suffer from lower back pain. Most of the time the cause of low back pain is a bump or even an accident. When this happens it is usually a mild case and treatment is usually easy. Controlling the occurrences of back pain can sometimes be very difficult, making it harder to control the occurrences of the back pain. For instance, back pain can be the symptom of certain spinal conditions that many are born with and not discovered until the pain starts. You can help reduce and eliminate the pain once you can find out the source of the pain.

Consider these things if you are under 60 years old Age and lower back pain do play a role. Older people, usually those over 60, are categorized into a separate group. They often suffer from conditions such as arthritis and other degenerative conditions that are known to cause back pain. For the people who are under sixty, there are really 3 main group or categories. These are characterized by some common symptoms:

Herniated Discs - Numbness and pain that shoots down the legs from the low back. Pain increases with long periods of sitting or standing. Degenerative Disc Disease - Making certain moves and being in specific positions can cause the onset of back pain. This pain can become chronic and extremely painful. Stress Fractures - Can be very painful and caused when walking or standing. If you are older: A cause of back pain common for those that are older is Osteoarthritis. This can stiffen your back and cause pain. The onset of this pain is usually in the morning or late at night. Another type or cause for the elderly is lumbar spinal stenosis. What happens is there is pressure put on the nerves of the spine and usually will cause pain in the legs. Low back pain by disc degeneration is also common.

Muscles around and supporting the discs go into a spasm causing chronic back pain. Mechanical pain is common because the disc that is degenerating is becoming inflamed. By replacing the bad disc with an artificial one you help relieve the pain associated with degenerative disc disease. Less know conditions for low back pain Some of the lesser known conditions of low back pain make it more difficult to diagnose therefore making it more difficult to treat.

What causes lower back pain:

Fibromaygalia Sciatica Spinal tumor Poly Neuropathy Sacroiliac joint syndrome Piriformis syndrome Infection. These less common causes for back pain can be treated if diagnosed correctly. Some good news If you can determine the cause of lower back and hip pain, it is easier to find a treatment for the pain. By treating the back pain correctly you will be better off.

Do you have lower back pain? Imagine how great it would be to be back pain free. Get our FREE report telling you how to rid yourself of back pain. Also, showing you ways to get rid of neck and upper thoracic pain too.
By Steve Madigan
Published: 4/12/2008

Simple Exercises To Relieve Back Pain

Exercise is very good for you, as as I'm sure you appreciate, but it's particularly good for you as an upper back pain treatment, if you adopt a couple of simple guidelines, and practice the right workouts. Here's a list of easy and effective physical exercises that should help relieve back pain and offer some gratefully received chronic back pain relief:

Shift and lift: This is a great exercise that helps to strengthen the muscles around your mid and lower back, hips and buttocks (in particular) while sitting in the office. Even though this is something that you can practice while sat at your desk, owing to the nature of the 'lifting' factor of the exercise, I would suggest that you don't do this while there's other people too close to you, for example. They may get the wrong idea about you!

Regardless of that, this is a great exercise for reducing any stiffness or soreness that may arise from sitting still for long periods of time, and it will help strengthen those muscles too!

Start off by sitting down in a comfortable but upright chair, relax and then clench the muscle in one buttock and hold for a couple of seconds, lifting your cheek slightly at the same time. Relax and rest for 1 or 2 seconds and then repeat. Do this 15-20 repetitions with each buttock.

Hip sway: This is neat little exercise to do if you are standing for any length of time, as it relieves the tautness in your legs and increases the blood flow within your legs, hips and back. It also reduces or even eliminates chronic lower back pain that many individuals are affected by if they are required to stand up for any length of time.

Start from a standing position, completely relax your right knee, while at the same time pushing your left hip out to the side. Pull the hip back in again, and repeat the same action 15-20 times. Afterwards, allow your left knee to bend and relax, and drive your right hip out in the same manner.

Lifting: Go find a bag - a supermarket plastic bag, or anything else with extended handles for lifting will do the trick. Place something fairly heavy in the bag - what you put in isn't important, but make sure it weighs at least a couple of kilos (filled plastic bottles are just right for this, as a liter bottle of water weighs pretty much a kilo).

Place your arm straight down by your side, bend at the knees until you can reach the bag on the floor and then straighten your legs and lift the bag. Once you're back upright again, hold the upright position for a few seconds, and then bend your knees to touch the bag down again.

Repeat 15 times with the bag on one side of your body, then repeat it on the other side. When done correctly - that is, by bending at the knees and not from your back - this is a very powerful exercise for strengthening the middle and lower back, glutes and hips, but it will also help to keep your arms and thighs in great shape.

Shrugging: This is a really easy exercise that not only helps keep your lower back toned, it is also a great way of expelling the tautness that builds up in your shoulders and neck. It's also very good for toning your arms and shoulder muscles. It's and exercise you can do pretty much anywhere so whenever you get a minute - get shrugging.

For the starting postiion, just shrug your shoulders all the way up to your ears (or at least as far as you can), then extend your arms sideways from your body until they are parallel to the ground and turn your palms so they face outward. Finally, tilt your head to the side to touch your shoulder and hold that position for a few seconds. Return to the beginning and do the whole thing again, but this time, tilt your head to the other side.

Tens of thousands of people are laid low with back pain every year. For some, the lucky ones, it resolves within a few weeks with a judicious combination of exercises supplemented by painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. But what of the rest? There are a myriad of different specialists involved in the treatment of back pain and upper back pain treatment, each with their own opinion as to the likely explanation and the best way of putting it right. Having said that, the use of acupuncture as a method for providing at least some chronic back pain relief seems to have some merits.

By Mike Spencer Published: 9/5/2008

Yoga For Back Pain - Yoga Helps Back Ache

If you have a back problem, it's best to get an okay from your doctor before trying yoga. Back pain is often the result of a biomechanical imbalance in spinal structures. Yoga for back pain has been accepted by many chiropractors and back specialists. Before beginning yoga for back pain,consult your doctor to make sure you don’t make matters worse.

Back pain can be caused by a number of situations, from slipped discs to damaged muscles or ligaments. However, back pain can also be caused by infections, bone spurs or tumors. When yoga for back pain is implemented, the pain is reduced by stretching and strengthening the spine. You must exercise proper posture and this should be practiced so that you can get relieved from the back pain even when you’re not practicing yoga. Back pain is increasingly a problem for many adults. The problem can sometimes lie in the fact that the spine is compressed and the back muscles are tight and weak. Since yoga postures aim to strengthen the spine as well as lengthen and stretch muscles, it can be ideal for many back pain sufferers

Yoga For Back Pain Exercise

You can observe your body's natural tendency to compensate for poor spinal posture with this simple back pain exercise.

From a standing position hold a plastic water bottle in your hands.

Try raising your arms forward and up halfway until they are parallel to the ground.

You will notice a slight backward displacement of your shoulders.

After a short while as you hold this position you'll also notice muscle tension in your shoulders and upper back.

This is because you body is changing its posture or "compensating" to maintain its balance while holding this position.

Recommendation on Yoga for Back Pain

It is very important to make sure that exercise is the right treatment for your particular condition. It is wise to consult a doctor before starting any exercise program.

Yoga is a fantastic physical and mental activity. It might not cure every type of pain, but it will increase your general health. A physically and mentally healthy person is always more prepared to deal with back pain than a person in poor health.

And this compensation requires the contraction of the muscles in your shoulders and upper back.keeps you from enjoying many of life’s activities, then try yoga for back pain and finally live life as you once did.

Precautions to be taken for Avoiding Back Pain

Your back can continue to be healthy and strong by a regular practice of yoga for back. Work out the poses even if you are not experiencing any back problems. Keeping your back healthy is the best way to prevent low back injury.

Only self-care cannot help you manage and relieve back pain, it can help you prevent it.

For instance, when you’re picking up something heavy, never try to lift objects that are too heavy for you. Lift by bending your knees, not your back. Keep your back straight and your head down and lined up with your back.

Keep the object close to your body, dividing the weight evenly throughout your body as you lift. Never twist your body when lifting.
By Mike Hussey
Published: 10/29/2007

http://easyjobstoearn.blogspot.com/