I'm sure that most of us know that the Christmas and New Year period is a common time for back problems as we subject ourselves to stress, strain and unaccustomed physical exercise.
Here are some more excellent tips from Joe DiVincenzo on the Gloucester times.com website.
We usually concentrate on various methods of pain relief once we already have a bad back or other painful condition.
These tips are more preventative and aimed at trying to avoid back pain altogether.
That said, if you are already suffering from a bad back, or recovering from one, I’m sure you will find these strategies useful.
To read all about them go here.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Friday, 28 December 2012
Can a Shakti Mat Help Your Back Pain?
If you are like me you are probably saying to yourself “What’s a shakti mat”? Well, apparently it’s a cushioned mat with thousands of plastic spikes on the top. And according to website abclocal.com is soon about to be the subject of a major marketing campaign.
As reported by Ali Gorman, the mat works for back pain (amongst other things) by using the principle of acupressure.
For back pain you lie on the mat either in a thin T shirt, or preferably nothing, then the 6,200 plastic points get to work.
The first 3-7 minutes can feel uncomfortable (surprise) then it feels good. Using the mat for 15 to 20 minutes a day can help relieve back pain, reduce stress, help you sleep better, give you more energy, plus other benefits. So says Jeff Schnoll of Shakti USA. Well, he would wouldn’t he?
Still, it does seem to have positive benefits for many people. I have checked and found that these are available in many places online. They seem to range from around £13.00 upwards in UK. So not too expensive to give it a try.
If you want to learn more, and watch a video demonstrating the mat in use, click this link. If anyone tries one, or already has tried one, let me know how you get on.
As reported by Ali Gorman, the mat works for back pain (amongst other things) by using the principle of acupressure.
For back pain you lie on the mat either in a thin T shirt, or preferably nothing, then the 6,200 plastic points get to work.
The first 3-7 minutes can feel uncomfortable (surprise) then it feels good. Using the mat for 15 to 20 minutes a day can help relieve back pain, reduce stress, help you sleep better, give you more energy, plus other benefits. So says Jeff Schnoll of Shakti USA. Well, he would wouldn’t he?
Still, it does seem to have positive benefits for many people. I have checked and found that these are available in many places online. They seem to range from around £13.00 upwards in UK. So not too expensive to give it a try.
If you want to learn more, and watch a video demonstrating the mat in use, click this link. If anyone tries one, or already has tried one, let me know how you get on.
Monday, 24 December 2012
6 Tips for Learning to Deal With Your Back Pain.
I have been told by readers that they like lists of hints and tips, as although they may already know many, they usually find something of interest that they can use.
Lets hope that some of you can find something here. This is an article by Mick Bates on the Register Herald.com website in which he gives us half a dozen tips on dealing with your back pain.
Something I learned from this article, not earth shattering to be sure, but I had no idea. Back pain is the second most common reason to visit a Doctor. What’s the first? Cold symptoms! I really didn’t think anyone went to their Doctor with a cold these days. Still, you live and learn.
You can find this list of good common sense tips here.
Finally a tip that I have used myself to good effect when suffering from muscular back pain. In fact my back played up yesterday for the first time in ages and this method came up trumps again.
Lie on the floor with a tennis ball under your back until you hit that tender spot. You’ll feel a sharp pain at first, but it will dissipate as the tension is released. Get moving. It really is a ‘use it or lose it’ proposition. There you go, give it a try.
And, it being Christmas eve and all, I'd like to wish all my readers a very happy, and hopefully pain-free, festive season. I shall no doubt be partaking of a bottle or two of my favourite remedy, red wine. Purely for medicinal purposes of course!
Lets hope that some of you can find something here. This is an article by Mick Bates on the Register Herald.com website in which he gives us half a dozen tips on dealing with your back pain.
Something I learned from this article, not earth shattering to be sure, but I had no idea. Back pain is the second most common reason to visit a Doctor. What’s the first? Cold symptoms! I really didn’t think anyone went to their Doctor with a cold these days. Still, you live and learn.
You can find this list of good common sense tips here.
Finally a tip that I have used myself to good effect when suffering from muscular back pain. In fact my back played up yesterday for the first time in ages and this method came up trumps again.
Lie on the floor with a tennis ball under your back until you hit that tender spot. You’ll feel a sharp pain at first, but it will dissipate as the tension is released. Get moving. It really is a ‘use it or lose it’ proposition. There you go, give it a try.
And, it being Christmas eve and all, I'd like to wish all my readers a very happy, and hopefully pain-free, festive season. I shall no doubt be partaking of a bottle or two of my favourite remedy, red wine. Purely for medicinal purposes of course!
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Lower Back Pain Could Indicate a Hip Problem.
It is not uncommon to hear the phrase, “My back went out!” The question is: Where did it go and when will it be back?
So says Dr. Dale Buchburger in an article on the auburn pub.com website.
He goes on to describe how between the ages of 30 and 50 our lifestyle often changes, together with a reduction in our activity levels, resulting in weight gain and a corresponding weakness of the trunk, back and hip muscles.
Key weakness areas are the hip flexors, hamstring, gluteal, and lower back muscles.
He tells us how we can test our risk of developing lower back pain ourselves at home, and what to do about it.
A very good article. To read it all go here.
So says Dr. Dale Buchburger in an article on the auburn pub.com website.
He goes on to describe how between the ages of 30 and 50 our lifestyle often changes, together with a reduction in our activity levels, resulting in weight gain and a corresponding weakness of the trunk, back and hip muscles.
Key weakness areas are the hip flexors, hamstring, gluteal, and lower back muscles.
He tells us how we can test our risk of developing lower back pain ourselves at home, and what to do about it.
A very good article. To read it all go here.
Saturday, 15 December 2012
Quadriceps Weakness Could be Causing Your Knee Pain.
According to Dr. Manish Patel, principal medical practitioner in the offices of Southampton Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center, on the campus of Southampton Memorial Hospital, this could well be the case.
In an article on the tidewater news.com website he says that “If the quadriceps tendon is weak, this can cause the kneecap to have higher pressures when the knee bends. This in turn can cause pain in the front of the knee and can cause cartilage problems on the surface of the kneecap called chondromalacia of the patella.”
By strengthening the quadriceps we can help to reduce this pain. He suggests that instead of running, a stationary exercise bicycle or elliptical machine would be a better bet.
You can read the full article here.
In an article on the tidewater news.com website he says that “If the quadriceps tendon is weak, this can cause the kneecap to have higher pressures when the knee bends. This in turn can cause pain in the front of the knee and can cause cartilage problems on the surface of the kneecap called chondromalacia of the patella.”
By strengthening the quadriceps we can help to reduce this pain. He suggests that instead of running, a stationary exercise bicycle or elliptical machine would be a better bet.
You can read the full article here.
Thursday, 13 December 2012
8 Great Stretches to Counteract Back Pain Caused by "Computer Posture."
I found these great stretches by Derek Heintz on the sdgln.com website. Derek is one of the leading fitness experts in San Diego. Having received his formal training in Exercise Science at the University of California.
He developed these stretches in order to counteract the effects of sitting at computers for long periods and developing what he calls “computer posture”.
I know from personal experience, using the computer for quite long periods does aggravate my back pain, so anything to help relieve that has to be good.
The stretches, which are all illustrated and very simple and easy to do, will help neck, back, shoulder, elbow, knee and hip pain as well as headaches.
There are eight stretches in all and you only need to do them once a day (more if you wish) and hold each one for 30 seconds. So less than five minutes a day. I’m definitely going to try these. If you want to have a go yourself use this link.
He developed these stretches in order to counteract the effects of sitting at computers for long periods and developing what he calls “computer posture”.
I know from personal experience, using the computer for quite long periods does aggravate my back pain, so anything to help relieve that has to be good.
The stretches, which are all illustrated and very simple and easy to do, will help neck, back, shoulder, elbow, knee and hip pain as well as headaches.
There are eight stretches in all and you only need to do them once a day (more if you wish) and hold each one for 30 seconds. So less than five minutes a day. I’m definitely going to try these. If you want to have a go yourself use this link.
Sunday, 9 December 2012
Vertebroplasty Not Recommended for Back Pain.
This is quite an interesting story on the outpatient surgery.net website. In which the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is strongly recommending against this previously popular procedure for treatment of spinal compression fracture to relieve chronic back pain.
For those of us who didn’t know (and I was one of them) here is the wikipedia definition of vertebroplasty:
“Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are medical spinal procedure where bone cement is injected through a small hole in the skin (percutaneously) into a fractured vertebra with the goal of relieving the pain of osteoporotic compression fractures.”
Although the evidence now suggests that the procedure has no real benefits, patients that have already undergone it should not be concerned as there are also no reported negative side-effects.
I’d be interested to hear if any of my readers have had this procedure and how they got on.
To read the story in full go here.
For those of us who didn’t know (and I was one of them) here is the wikipedia definition of vertebroplasty:
“Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are medical spinal procedure where bone cement is injected through a small hole in the skin (percutaneously) into a fractured vertebra with the goal of relieving the pain of osteoporotic compression fractures.”
Although the evidence now suggests that the procedure has no real benefits, patients that have already undergone it should not be concerned as there are also no reported negative side-effects.
I’d be interested to hear if any of my readers have had this procedure and how they got on.
To read the story in full go here.
Friday, 7 December 2012
The Beneficial Effects of Tai-Chi on Back Pain.
For this very short post I have a link for you that was kindly sent to me by a reader this week on the beneficial effects of Tai-Chi on Fibromyalgia.
Recent studies have shown benefits for sufferers of other chronic conditions also, including back pain. I thought it would be of interest to all my blog readers, so here is the link. Thanks Jane.
Recent studies have shown benefits for sufferers of other chronic conditions also, including back pain. I thought it would be of interest to all my blog readers, so here is the link. Thanks Jane.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Potholes Cause Back Pain and Neck Pain.
Here’s something I’m sure many of us will have no problem relating to. Especially here in the UK where successive governments have managed to reduce spending on the roads to the point that in many places there are more potholes than there is road! (I ride a bicycle a lot, hence the mini rant.)
A recent article on the india times.com website quotes Professor and head of orthopaedics department of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Dr Sajal Mitra, as saying a large number of people suffer from back and neck pain due to driving on bad roads.
Much of the pain would be temporary and go away after a while. However, prolonged exposure could cause spondylitis.
He went on to say "Rough roads send vibrations and jerks through the body that can cause damage. Driving on bad roads regularly can cause permanent spine damage.”
Food for thought as the roads continue to get worse. Read the full story here.
A recent article on the india times.com website quotes Professor and head of orthopaedics department of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Dr Sajal Mitra, as saying a large number of people suffer from back and neck pain due to driving on bad roads.
Much of the pain would be temporary and go away after a while. However, prolonged exposure could cause spondylitis.
He went on to say "Rough roads send vibrations and jerks through the body that can cause damage. Driving on bad roads regularly can cause permanent spine damage.”
Food for thought as the roads continue to get worse. Read the full story here.
Friday, 30 November 2012
Overusing Painkillers for Your Back Pain can Cause Headaches.
Well, I am making some progress on my computer problems, so, for the time being, I'm back in business.
I can personally relate to the information in this article on the Australian Herald Sun website.
According to consumer group “Choice” regular use of over the counter painkillers to combat back pain and other conditions (I would suspect it refers to prescription painkillers also but they would only be available through a doctor) can cause withdrawal headaches when the user stops taking them.
This in turn leads you to take more pain killers, so the cycle continues. I recall when I first started having knee pain years ago, before seeking medical advice I was purchasing over the counter painkillers in an attempt to relieve the pain myself. Realising I was probably taking too many, and suffering terrible headaches.
Fortunately I worked out that it was probably that my body had got used to the painkillers and wanted more, so I managed not to take them for a few days and the headaches stopped. Still had the knee pain of course, and then I did go to the doctor, which is what I should have done in the first place.
I think many of us that have suffered chronic pain have been in this situation. It’s quite scary to think that you can effectively become addicted to over the counter medications.
You can read the full article here.
I can personally relate to the information in this article on the Australian Herald Sun website.
According to consumer group “Choice” regular use of over the counter painkillers to combat back pain and other conditions (I would suspect it refers to prescription painkillers also but they would only be available through a doctor) can cause withdrawal headaches when the user stops taking them.
This in turn leads you to take more pain killers, so the cycle continues. I recall when I first started having knee pain years ago, before seeking medical advice I was purchasing over the counter painkillers in an attempt to relieve the pain myself. Realising I was probably taking too many, and suffering terrible headaches.
Fortunately I worked out that it was probably that my body had got used to the painkillers and wanted more, so I managed not to take them for a few days and the headaches stopped. Still had the knee pain of course, and then I did go to the doctor, which is what I should have done in the first place.
I think many of us that have suffered chronic pain have been in this situation. It’s quite scary to think that you can effectively become addicted to over the counter medications.
You can read the full article here.
Thursday, 29 November 2012
11 Tips on How to Prevent Back Pain.
A short post today. I am experiencing major problems with my computer at the moment, and it looks like it may take me some time to get it sorted.
Anyway, this article from the helium.com website is fairly self explanatory and gives a useful list of eleven tips on how to prevent back pain, by Amanda Stagnetto, ranging from the best way to read in bed to the proper height for your ironing board and more.
Find it here.
Anyway, this article from the helium.com website is fairly self explanatory and gives a useful list of eleven tips on how to prevent back pain, by Amanda Stagnetto, ranging from the best way to read in bed to the proper height for your ironing board and more.
Find it here.
Friday, 23 November 2012
Gin Soaked Raisins Relieve Back Pain!
This is a quirky article that I couldn’t resist including, by Sarah Perry on the seattle times.com site.
It would appear that many people swear that by eating just nine raisins that have previously been soaked in gin each day dramatically helps their arthritis pain.
One theory is that the juniper used to flavour the gin had some benefit. However research has failed to prove a link.
There’s no worries about the alcohol content either, as nine raisins soaked in gin and the gin then evaporated only contain one drop of alcohol.
If you want to test it yourself the article has the recipe. If you do, let me know how you get on. Find the article here.
It would appear that many people swear that by eating just nine raisins that have previously been soaked in gin each day dramatically helps their arthritis pain.
One theory is that the juniper used to flavour the gin had some benefit. However research has failed to prove a link.
There’s no worries about the alcohol content either, as nine raisins soaked in gin and the gin then evaporated only contain one drop of alcohol.
If you want to test it yourself the article has the recipe. If you do, let me know how you get on. Find the article here.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Writing Can Help Your Back Pain.
Interesting story here by Julie Deardorff on the Chicago Tribune.com website about the benefits of writing to treat physical ailments, including chronic back pain and neck pain.
According to a new program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness, writing and keeping a journal can help sufferers understand what triggers their pain. And over a period of time it actually changes the nerve pathways that carry the pain signals from your back (or neck or shoulders) to your brain and diminishes the pain signals over time.
So says Northwestern's Dr. John Stracks, a mind-body specialist and one of a few dozen physicians in the country that treats the condition Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), or mind-body syndrome. Common symptoms include back pain, neck pain, gastrointestinal issues and migraine headaches.
Read the full story here and maybe find out if keeping a journal would help you.
According to a new program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness, writing and keeping a journal can help sufferers understand what triggers their pain. And over a period of time it actually changes the nerve pathways that carry the pain signals from your back (or neck or shoulders) to your brain and diminishes the pain signals over time.
So says Northwestern's Dr. John Stracks, a mind-body specialist and one of a few dozen physicians in the country that treats the condition Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), or mind-body syndrome. Common symptoms include back pain, neck pain, gastrointestinal issues and migraine headaches.
Read the full story here and maybe find out if keeping a journal would help you.
Monday, 19 November 2012
Lower Back Pain Myths.
A brief post today, but very interesting in my opinion.
Here is a story I found by Luke Sniewski on webcpa.com exposing three common myths about lower back pain, and giving a few “smart choices” for protecting your lower back.
If you believe in exercises to strengthen your back, stretching, and doing sit-ups you should probably read what he has to say here.
Here is a story I found by Luke Sniewski on webcpa.com exposing three common myths about lower back pain, and giving a few “smart choices” for protecting your lower back.
If you believe in exercises to strengthen your back, stretching, and doing sit-ups you should probably read what he has to say here.
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Yoga Poses to Relieve Back Pain.
We have mentioned Yoga before, but here I have found two sites which show specific poses (not exercises as such) which help to relieve back pain. I found these on fitsugar.com this morning and used them myself as my back was playing up, and can vouch for their effectiveness, in my case anyway.
Each pose has easy to follow instructions and you can find them here.
The other site is opposing views.com and they have on this page a short video of Maya Feinnes demonstrating a couple of easy yoga poses to help the back. Also on this page you can download two yoga practises.
Use this link and try it for yourself.
Each pose has easy to follow instructions and you can find them here.
The other site is opposing views.com and they have on this page a short video of Maya Feinnes demonstrating a couple of easy yoga poses to help the back. Also on this page you can download two yoga practises.
Use this link and try it for yourself.
Saturday, 17 November 2012
"Slouch Factor" Could be Responsible for Your Bad Back.
I suppose we all know by now that bad posture is a major factor in back pain, and this article on responsesource.com highlights the fact that with winter pretty much under way TV watching will increase, with the inevitable result of doctors seeing more patients with back pain.
Research shows that 28% of the UK population already spend over 15 hours seated per day Monday to Friday. However the winter TV schedules will mean that for the next three months avid watchers will spend up to an extra two days slumped in the sofa.
Tim Hutchful from the British Chiropractic Association warns: “As a nation we clearly like to sit down and whilst resting is good for our bodies there is almost twice as much pressure on your back when you are sitting incorrectly than there is if you stand up. Sitting for prolonged periods of time as inactivity coupled with incorrect posture lays us open to back pain.”
The article goes on to give a few helpful tips to avoid what they are calling “The Slouch Factor”. You can also download a simple three minute exercise routine. Read all about it here.
Research shows that 28% of the UK population already spend over 15 hours seated per day Monday to Friday. However the winter TV schedules will mean that for the next three months avid watchers will spend up to an extra two days slumped in the sofa.
Tim Hutchful from the British Chiropractic Association warns: “As a nation we clearly like to sit down and whilst resting is good for our bodies there is almost twice as much pressure on your back when you are sitting incorrectly than there is if you stand up. Sitting for prolonged periods of time as inactivity coupled with incorrect posture lays us open to back pain.”
The article goes on to give a few helpful tips to avoid what they are calling “The Slouch Factor”. You can also download a simple three minute exercise routine. Read all about it here.
Monday, 12 November 2012
Listening to Your Knees Can Help Osteoarthritis Diagnosis.
As regular readers of this back pain information blog will know, although I do concentrate on back pain, due to my personal history (see about me over on the right there) I do have an interest in knee problems also.
So for those of you that also have knee pain you may be interested in this very interesting story I found by Roger Dobson on the Daily Mail website.
Joints, and knees in particular, make noises when they move. Usually we do not hear them, and the noises a healthy joint makes are different to the noises made by a knee suffering from osteoarthritis.
Professor John Goodacre, of Lancaster University’s new School of Health and Medicine, is one of the developers of a new machine designed to listen to knee joints and detect the early signs of osteoarthritis in just a few minutes.
The technique, known as acoustic emission, has been used in the past by engineers to detect faults in bridges and aeroplanes, but has been refined by Professor Goodacre and his colleagues to the point where it is now becoming a valuable diagnostic tool. Until now there has been no reliable test for early diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knees.
Perhaps if this had been available a few years ago I might have hung on to my own knees a little longer. Read the full story here.
So for those of you that also have knee pain you may be interested in this very interesting story I found by Roger Dobson on the Daily Mail website.
Joints, and knees in particular, make noises when they move. Usually we do not hear them, and the noises a healthy joint makes are different to the noises made by a knee suffering from osteoarthritis.
Professor John Goodacre, of Lancaster University’s new School of Health and Medicine, is one of the developers of a new machine designed to listen to knee joints and detect the early signs of osteoarthritis in just a few minutes.
The technique, known as acoustic emission, has been used in the past by engineers to detect faults in bridges and aeroplanes, but has been refined by Professor Goodacre and his colleagues to the point where it is now becoming a valuable diagnostic tool. Until now there has been no reliable test for early diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knees.
Perhaps if this had been available a few years ago I might have hung on to my own knees a little longer. Read the full story here.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Titanium Spring Helps Back Pain.
Although apparently there are over 25,000 people in Europe with one of these Titanium springs in their back I have to say that I had never heard of this technique until I found this article on the newschannel5.com website.
A U shaped Titanium spring called a coflex is inserted into the spine between two vertebrae to prop up the narrowed spinal canal.
This technique is used to treat spinal stenosis, which is traditionally treated by fusing vertebrae together. This works but limits mobility, it also has a long recovery time of up to one year.
The coflex is flexible, providing a spring effect, and the recovery time is as short as one month.
This seems a real breakthrough in back surgery, offering hope to many with chronic back pain. Check out the full story, with a very interesting case study here.
A U shaped Titanium spring called a coflex is inserted into the spine between two vertebrae to prop up the narrowed spinal canal.
This technique is used to treat spinal stenosis, which is traditionally treated by fusing vertebrae together. This works but limits mobility, it also has a long recovery time of up to one year.
The coflex is flexible, providing a spring effect, and the recovery time is as short as one month.
This seems a real breakthrough in back surgery, offering hope to many with chronic back pain. Check out the full story, with a very interesting case study here.
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Low Back Pain? 6 Ways to Tell if You Have a Pinched Nerve,
There are many causes of back pain, and one of the most common is a pinched nerve.
The clinical presentation of a pinched nerve can vary from patient to patient, but if you are suffering back pain and you think it might be due to a pinched nerve, here are 6 ways that you can tell, as detailed on the gloucester times.com website.
This is not an exhaustive list but could assist you in diagnosing your problem. Use this link to find them.
The clinical presentation of a pinched nerve can vary from patient to patient, but if you are suffering back pain and you think it might be due to a pinched nerve, here are 6 ways that you can tell, as detailed on the gloucester times.com website.
This is not an exhaustive list but could assist you in diagnosing your problem. Use this link to find them.
Monday, 5 November 2012
Science Fiction Treatment for Chronic Back Pain.
It is often said that technology moves forward at such a pace that we actually live in the future. I’m a great fan of technology and gadgets, one of my favourite TV shows being the gadget show.
This story I found on the future of things.com website really fascinated me. Apparently an electronic jacket called the Sinovo has been developed which provides heating, cooling and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapies as well as preventing back pain through biofeedback.
It also has an inbuilt alarm which sounds when bad posture is detected.
Read the full details about this amazing invention here.
This story I found on the future of things.com website really fascinated me. Apparently an electronic jacket called the Sinovo has been developed which provides heating, cooling and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapies as well as preventing back pain through biofeedback.
It also has an inbuilt alarm which sounds when bad posture is detected.
Read the full details about this amazing invention here.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Brain Training for Back Pain.
I’m sure that, like me, you get fed up with people saying “It’s all in the mind”, however new research carried out at Warwick Medical School, at the University of Warwick, has shown that there are ways to reduce the amount of lower back pain that we feel, without resorting to drugs or operations, as reported on the saga.co.uk website.
This, in very simple terms, involves training your mind to understand and cope with your pain.
Professor Sarah E Lamb and her team at the Warwick Clinical Trials Unit carried out a randomised controlled trial of 701 patients from GP practices in England, who had sub-acute or chronic low back pain.
The patients were randomly allocated to two groups: 468 people received a single session of advice on back pain, followed by one and a half hours of group cognitive behavioural intervention for six weeks. The 233 people in the control group received just the single session of advice.
The study, published in The Lancet, found that one year after the trial, the group that had received the cognitive behavioural treatment had improved significantly.
This study looks really promising, and I’m all for anything that helps without taking too many drugs, with possible addictive consequences.
To read the full article use this link.
This, in very simple terms, involves training your mind to understand and cope with your pain.
Professor Sarah E Lamb and her team at the Warwick Clinical Trials Unit carried out a randomised controlled trial of 701 patients from GP practices in England, who had sub-acute or chronic low back pain.
The patients were randomly allocated to two groups: 468 people received a single session of advice on back pain, followed by one and a half hours of group cognitive behavioural intervention for six weeks. The 233 people in the control group received just the single session of advice.
The study, published in The Lancet, found that one year after the trial, the group that had received the cognitive behavioural treatment had improved significantly.
This study looks really promising, and I’m all for anything that helps without taking too many drugs, with possible addictive consequences.
To read the full article use this link.
Saturday, 3 November 2012
10 Tips to Prevent Morning Back Pain.
Well, here we are in November already, with the spectre of Christmas looming ever closer. I thought we'd start this month with some practical tips to help us in our seemingly never-ending battle with backpain.
Here are 10 great tips posted on the living well.ca website which I thought you may find useful. Especially if you tend to wake up with a stiff or painful back. Simple stuff, but if adhered to regularly could be really beneficial. You can find them here.
One of the tips mentions stretches, to save you the trouble of finding the link on the site yourself here it is.
Here are 10 great tips posted on the living well.ca website which I thought you may find useful. Especially if you tend to wake up with a stiff or painful back. Simple stuff, but if adhered to regularly could be really beneficial. You can find them here.
One of the tips mentions stretches, to save you the trouble of finding the link on the site yourself here it is.
Sunday, 28 October 2012
How a towel can help your neck and back pain.
It’s always great to find practical tips that cost nothing, using items that every home will have, and that actually work.
As I have mentioned before I do suffer occasional neck pain. So when I found this article by chiropractor Diana Doty on the naples news.com website I had to try it out. Guess what? It’s great.
It’s also really simple, involving rolling up a bath towel and placing it behind your neck when you sleep. As I say I have tried this and it works a treat.
You can also do the same thing, placing a rolled up towel in the small of your back which apparently is good for back pain. I can’t vouch for this one, not having tried it yet, but I’m sure it could prove very useful.
To read about the principles behind this, and how to get the size correct for you, positioning etc. you should read the short article at this link.
As I have mentioned before I do suffer occasional neck pain. So when I found this article by chiropractor Diana Doty on the naples news.com website I had to try it out. Guess what? It’s great.
It’s also really simple, involving rolling up a bath towel and placing it behind your neck when you sleep. As I say I have tried this and it works a treat.
You can also do the same thing, placing a rolled up towel in the small of your back which apparently is good for back pain. I can’t vouch for this one, not having tried it yet, but I’m sure it could prove very useful.
To read about the principles behind this, and how to get the size correct for you, positioning etc. you should read the short article at this link.
Monday, 22 October 2012
Cymbalta for Back Pain
I have read before about the possibility of certain anti depressant drugs having the potential to be used in the relief of back pain.
According to a story by Jane Demerica on helium.com apparently the anti-depressant drug called Cymbalta (Duloxetine) has been found to be very effective in treating chronic low back pain. It is also useful in treatment of Fibromyalgia and Diabetic nerve pain as well.
This seems quite an exciting development. Although this study is U.S. based I believe that Cymbalta is available as an anti depressant in the UK also, so we may soon have another weapon in the arsenal against back pain.
If you want to find out more you can find the full story here.
How a towel can help your neck and back pain.
It’s always great to find practical tips that cost nothing, using items that every home will have, and that actually work.
As I have mentioned before I do suffer occasional neck pain. So when I found this article by chiropractor Diana Doty on the naples news.com website I had to try it out. Guess what? It’s great.
It’s also really simple, involving rolling up a bath towel and placing it behind your neck when you sleep. As I say I have tried this and it works a treat.
You can also do the same thing, placing a rolled up towel in the small of your back which apparently is good for low back pain. I can’t vouch for this one, not having tried it yet, but I’m sure it could prove very useful.
To read about the principles behind this, and how to get the size correct for you, positioning etc. you should read the short article at this link.
According to a story by Jane Demerica on helium.com apparently the anti-depressant drug called Cymbalta (Duloxetine) has been found to be very effective in treating chronic low back pain. It is also useful in treatment of Fibromyalgia and Diabetic nerve pain as well.
This seems quite an exciting development. Although this study is U.S. based I believe that Cymbalta is available as an anti depressant in the UK also, so we may soon have another weapon in the arsenal against back pain.
If you want to find out more you can find the full story here.
How a towel can help your neck and back pain.
It’s always great to find practical tips that cost nothing, using items that every home will have, and that actually work.
As I have mentioned before I do suffer occasional neck pain. So when I found this article by chiropractor Diana Doty on the naples news.com website I had to try it out. Guess what? It’s great.
It’s also really simple, involving rolling up a bath towel and placing it behind your neck when you sleep. As I say I have tried this and it works a treat.
You can also do the same thing, placing a rolled up towel in the small of your back which apparently is good for low back pain. I can’t vouch for this one, not having tried it yet, but I’m sure it could prove very useful.
To read about the principles behind this, and how to get the size correct for you, positioning etc. you should read the short article at this link.
Saturday, 20 October 2012
APOS Therapy for Back Pain and Knee Pain
Don’t you just hate acronyms? They are trotted out at every opportunity and we are made to feel stupid if we don’t immediately know what they stand for.
So, sufferers of back pain and knee pain will know all about APOS therapy won’t you? No, neither did I, but you may well be hearing more about it in the future as the therapy has been licenced exclusively to Bupa in the UK for the past two years or so.
To put you out of your misery it stands for ‘All Phases of Step’ therapy, and was developed by two Israeli doctors following seven years of research.
In a very basic form it involves having a couple of lumps of rubber stuck to the bottom of your shoes. OK it’s a little more technical than that. The principal is that by changing the shape of the sole of your footwear, you can change the muscles you use to walk. This in turn can reduce or even eliminate much pain.
Bupa are now treating around 3,000 patients with backpain and knee pain from their centres at Solihull and Reading, with a very high success rate.
To learn more about APOS, together with a case study, you can access a report posted on Running Free Online here.
Just putting apos therapy into your search engine brings up lots of stuff you can check out. Looks very promising.
So, sufferers of back pain and knee pain will know all about APOS therapy won’t you? No, neither did I, but you may well be hearing more about it in the future as the therapy has been licenced exclusively to Bupa in the UK for the past two years or so.
To put you out of your misery it stands for ‘All Phases of Step’ therapy, and was developed by two Israeli doctors following seven years of research.
In a very basic form it involves having a couple of lumps of rubber stuck to the bottom of your shoes. OK it’s a little more technical than that. The principal is that by changing the shape of the sole of your footwear, you can change the muscles you use to walk. This in turn can reduce or even eliminate much pain.
Bupa are now treating around 3,000 patients with backpain and knee pain from their centres at Solihull and Reading, with a very high success rate.
To learn more about APOS, together with a case study, you can access a report posted on Running Free Online here.
Just putting apos therapy into your search engine brings up lots of stuff you can check out. Looks very promising.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
The School of Hard Knocks is Good for Your Back Pain
According to a story on science daily.com a recent study by researchers at the University at Buffalo and the University of California, reveals that, for people with chronic back pain, having a little adversity in your life can be protective and beneficial.
A study of nearly 400 adults suffering with chronic back pain, who also had experienced some lifetime adversity, reported less physical impairment, disability and heavy utilization of health care than those who had experienced either no adversity or a high level of adversity.
So says the author of the study, Mark Seery, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Buffalo University. He does however emphasise that the key to the benefit is the experience of "some" prior adverse events as opposed to many or none at all. So don’t all go rushing out trying to get some hardship into your lives.
This is a fascinating study, and although it may seem a little way out there, the results do seem to prove the point. Although I’m not too sure of the practical applications.
If you want to read the whole thing, and it does make interesting reading, go here.
A study of nearly 400 adults suffering with chronic back pain, who also had experienced some lifetime adversity, reported less physical impairment, disability and heavy utilization of health care than those who had experienced either no adversity or a high level of adversity.
So says the author of the study, Mark Seery, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Buffalo University. He does however emphasise that the key to the benefit is the experience of "some" prior adverse events as opposed to many or none at all. So don’t all go rushing out trying to get some hardship into your lives.
This is a fascinating study, and although it may seem a little way out there, the results do seem to prove the point. Although I’m not too sure of the practical applications.
If you want to read the whole thing, and it does make interesting reading, go here.
Monday, 15 October 2012
The Bowen Technique for Chronic Back Pain.
It is a constant wonder to me that after a long time researching back, knee,neck and shoulder pain I still come across methods and techniques that are new to me.
The Bowen technique is one of those. I found this article by Brian Murphy on the healthyway magazine website. Apparently it is a natural, holistic therapy pioneered by Thomas Bowen (1916 –1982), who devoted his life to developing and refining the method in Geelong, Australia after the Second World War.
The therapy consists of a series of rolling ‘moves’ over muscle and connective tissue using light touch. It is different from massage and is only applied briefly at precise points on the body. With periods of rest between each series of “moves.”
The body can respond quickly to this therapy and some long standing complaints have disappeared after just one treatment. Making it very cost effective.
The world over, Bowen Practitioners have found an ever-increasing number of conditions that respond extremely well to the treatment, including: acute/chronic back pain, shoulder pain/frozen shoulder, whiplash, stiff neck, sports injuries, sciatica, migraine, infant colic, fibromyalgia, ME, stress, MS, digestive problems, hayfever, sinusitis, facial pain, menstrual problems, knee/ankle problems, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Repetitive Strain Injury.
This sounds really interesting. I have found that by entering bowen therapy practitioners along with your area you can find lots of places who provide this therapy if you want to give it a go.
The Bowen technique is one of those. I found this article by Brian Murphy on the healthyway magazine website. Apparently it is a natural, holistic therapy pioneered by Thomas Bowen (1916 –1982), who devoted his life to developing and refining the method in Geelong, Australia after the Second World War.
The therapy consists of a series of rolling ‘moves’ over muscle and connective tissue using light touch. It is different from massage and is only applied briefly at precise points on the body. With periods of rest between each series of “moves.”
The body can respond quickly to this therapy and some long standing complaints have disappeared after just one treatment. Making it very cost effective.
The world over, Bowen Practitioners have found an ever-increasing number of conditions that respond extremely well to the treatment, including: acute/chronic back pain, shoulder pain/frozen shoulder, whiplash, stiff neck, sports injuries, sciatica, migraine, infant colic, fibromyalgia, ME, stress, MS, digestive problems, hayfever, sinusitis, facial pain, menstrual problems, knee/ankle problems, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Repetitive Strain Injury.
This sounds really interesting. I have found that by entering bowen therapy practitioners along with your area you can find lots of places who provide this therapy if you want to give it a go.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
Quick Tip to Combat Deskbound Back Pain
Lots of backpain endured by people today is a direct result of enforced lack of movement due to having to work at a desk all working day. Fortunately there is a very simple and cost effective answer.
You are probably aware of the ergonomic “ball chairs" available which can cost anything from £70 and upwards. Well you can simply use an ordinary exercise ball costing from as little as £15.
Many people swear by them, and todays employers are increasingly sympathetic to you bringing your own chair into the office, especially as it usually results in an increase in productivity.
Here is an excellent article by Geoff Ruddock on gearfire.net giving ten reasons to use an exercise ball as a chair. I have just done a quick search and found many exercise balls from as little as £12.60 for a 55cm one. I just might get one myself.
You are probably aware of the ergonomic “ball chairs" available which can cost anything from £70 and upwards. Well you can simply use an ordinary exercise ball costing from as little as £15.
Many people swear by them, and todays employers are increasingly sympathetic to you bringing your own chair into the office, especially as it usually results in an increase in productivity.
Here is an excellent article by Geoff Ruddock on gearfire.net giving ten reasons to use an exercise ball as a chair. I have just done a quick search and found many exercise balls from as little as £12.60 for a 55cm one. I just might get one myself.
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Stress as a Cause Of Back Pain
As most backpain sufferers will be aware, there are many causes of this problem, but one of the less well known triggers is stress.
Stress is something we all go through to some degree or other at some point in our lives. Some of us are more prone to it than others and have to deal with it on a regular basis.
For many it is an emotional problem with no physical pain involved. For others however stress can be responsible for a whole range of physical troubles, ranging from colds and flu to, of course, chronic back pain.
Stress related backpain, although feeling perfectly real to the sufferer, is actually psychosomatic. You feel the pain and aching although there is not an actual physical problem in itself.
Of course it can be argued that if you are feeling the pain then it's perfectly real (to you at least) and that's what counts. Good point. The problem is that this type of backache is not relieved by the more usual natural treatments. We need to go a bit deeper.
One of the first things to do if you are stressed and experiencing a bad back is to try to calm yourself down. Easier said than done, however, with a bit of adjustment to your way of thinking it can be done.
One of the best ways to achieve this is by meditation. Don't worry, you don't have to get involved in mysterious spiritual techniques to do this. Simple reflection on the more positive things in your life for a few minutes up to half an hour can do the trick.
If you want a bit of help on getting started with basic meditation I can recommend the excellent free guide by Elizabeth Scott, M.S. on about.com which you can find here.
At the same time look at your diet. Try to avoid the intake of stimulants like caffeine, too much sugar etc.
Just these two tips could help free you from the misery of stress related back pain.
Stress is something we all go through to some degree or other at some point in our lives. Some of us are more prone to it than others and have to deal with it on a regular basis.
For many it is an emotional problem with no physical pain involved. For others however stress can be responsible for a whole range of physical troubles, ranging from colds and flu to, of course, chronic back pain.
Stress related backpain, although feeling perfectly real to the sufferer, is actually psychosomatic. You feel the pain and aching although there is not an actual physical problem in itself.
Of course it can be argued that if you are feeling the pain then it's perfectly real (to you at least) and that's what counts. Good point. The problem is that this type of backache is not relieved by the more usual natural treatments. We need to go a bit deeper.
One of the first things to do if you are stressed and experiencing a bad back is to try to calm yourself down. Easier said than done, however, with a bit of adjustment to your way of thinking it can be done.
One of the best ways to achieve this is by meditation. Don't worry, you don't have to get involved in mysterious spiritual techniques to do this. Simple reflection on the more positive things in your life for a few minutes up to half an hour can do the trick.
If you want a bit of help on getting started with basic meditation I can recommend the excellent free guide by Elizabeth Scott, M.S. on about.com which you can find here.
At the same time look at your diet. Try to avoid the intake of stimulants like caffeine, too much sugar etc.
Just these two tips could help free you from the misery of stress related back pain.
Sunday, 23 September 2012
Manipulation for Back Pain 'Carries Stroke Risk'
This somewhat controversial article by health editor Jeremy Laurance was first aired on the independent.co.uk website some years ago. However, many of us use or have used, or may be considering visiting a chiropractor or osteopath as a treatment for chronic back pain, and we should certainly be aware of any risk before submitting to any intervention.
The premise is that people seeking treatment for neck and/or back pain from a chiropractor, osteopath or physiotherapist offering spinal manipulation may be putting themselves at risk of a stroke or other serious injury.
This view is supported by the results of a pilot survey of 239 consultant neurologists, which found 24 who recalled at least one case of a serious neurological complication after manipulation of the cervical spine (the neck) occurring in the 12 months from August 1998 to July 1999. The commonest injury was a stroke caused by damage to the arteries in the neck or the blood vessels in the brain.
This included one woman admitted to hospital four hours after having her neck manipulated, who was found with damage to her vertebral artery, which was blocked by a blood clot. Next morning she was barely conscious and had to have surgery to reduce the swelling in her brain. She was left with problems walking.
Now it is certainly not my intention to discourage anyone from using manipulation for their problems, (I have used both chiropractors and osteopaths myself, with good results) and there are some risks involved with almost any treatment, but a stroke is a significant thing and we should be aware. The risk is admittedly very small, but it is there.
You can read the full article here, and there is even more information at this link.
The premise is that people seeking treatment for neck and/or back pain from a chiropractor, osteopath or physiotherapist offering spinal manipulation may be putting themselves at risk of a stroke or other serious injury.
This view is supported by the results of a pilot survey of 239 consultant neurologists, which found 24 who recalled at least one case of a serious neurological complication after manipulation of the cervical spine (the neck) occurring in the 12 months from August 1998 to July 1999. The commonest injury was a stroke caused by damage to the arteries in the neck or the blood vessels in the brain.
This included one woman admitted to hospital four hours after having her neck manipulated, who was found with damage to her vertebral artery, which was blocked by a blood clot. Next morning she was barely conscious and had to have surgery to reduce the swelling in her brain. She was left with problems walking.
Now it is certainly not my intention to discourage anyone from using manipulation for their problems, (I have used both chiropractors and osteopaths myself, with good results) and there are some risks involved with almost any treatment, but a stroke is a significant thing and we should be aware. The risk is admittedly very small, but it is there.
You can read the full article here, and there is even more information at this link.
Monday, 17 September 2012
Shoes for Back Pain and Knee Pain.
I suppose it’s pretty much a given that we have known for some time that bad (incorrectly fitting) shoes can cause us problems. Aggravating existing conditions, and making us prone to them if we don’t already have them.
In this story on express.co.uk by Cheryl Stonehouse it is reported that a 48 year old supermarket manager from Warwickshire has been wearing a particular brand called FitFlops, an Italian Ciabasan half-shoe slipper that is said to boost circulation, for around a year.
She says they have contributed to a weight loss of two stone (28lb) as well as curing her painful feet.
She is quoted as saying "My doctor diagnosed plantar fasciitis 18 months ago and said there was very little that could be done. Since I started wearing the FitFlop sandals and a pair of their boots for the winter the pain has almost disappeared. " I wonder if they’d work for gout?
Medical opinion is divided, but there is no doubt that anything that encourages a decent posture can do nothing but good for our backs and knees.
To read the full story click here, where you can also find reviews on four different brands.
In this story on express.co.uk by Cheryl Stonehouse it is reported that a 48 year old supermarket manager from Warwickshire has been wearing a particular brand called FitFlops, an Italian Ciabasan half-shoe slipper that is said to boost circulation, for around a year.
She says they have contributed to a weight loss of two stone (28lb) as well as curing her painful feet.
She is quoted as saying "My doctor diagnosed plantar fasciitis 18 months ago and said there was very little that could be done. Since I started wearing the FitFlop sandals and a pair of their boots for the winter the pain has almost disappeared. " I wonder if they’d work for gout?
Medical opinion is divided, but there is no doubt that anything that encourages a decent posture can do nothing but good for our backs and knees.
To read the full story click here, where you can also find reviews on four different brands.
Monday, 10 September 2012
Chronic/Acute Back Pain and The Feldenkrais Method.
A little while ago I was e-mailed by a reader who asked if I knew anything about the Feldenkrais method for coping with back pain.
I had to confess to my ignorance, never having heard of it. However I have now had the chance to do a little research and came up with a good brief description of what it is and what it can do for you on wikipedia.
Apparently this method was developed by Russian-born Moshe Feldenkrais, DSc, in the mid-20th century after he suffered a devastating knee injury.
Today's findings on neuroplastcity appear to support his theory, and today followers include professional athletes and dancers as well as people suffering from medical conditions that cause loss of function and/or chronic or acute pain in the back, neck, shoulder, arm, hip, leg or knee.
To learn more about the Feldenkrais method click here.
If you think it might be something you could benefit from you can find classes simply by entering “Feldenkrais method classes” into your search engine, together with your local area. If you do, as always I would love to hear of your experiences.
I had to confess to my ignorance, never having heard of it. However I have now had the chance to do a little research and came up with a good brief description of what it is and what it can do for you on wikipedia.
Apparently this method was developed by Russian-born Moshe Feldenkrais, DSc, in the mid-20th century after he suffered a devastating knee injury.
Today's findings on neuroplastcity appear to support his theory, and today followers include professional athletes and dancers as well as people suffering from medical conditions that cause loss of function and/or chronic or acute pain in the back, neck, shoulder, arm, hip, leg or knee.
To learn more about the Feldenkrais method click here.
If you think it might be something you could benefit from you can find classes simply by entering “Feldenkrais method classes” into your search engine, together with your local area. If you do, as always I would love to hear of your experiences.
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Back Pain Killed in Five Days with Comfrey Root Extract.
This article by Fiona Macrae originally appeared on dailymail.co.uk in 2009, and it may be old news to some of you, but then again it might be new and of interest to others.
It quotes a study by academics at the German Sport University in Cologne, subsequently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
120 people with upper back pain or lower back pain were involved. Half of them were given an ointment made from extract of the comfrey plant to rub on the affected area, and half were given a dummy ointment. They were obviously not told who got what.
After only five days the subjects who had used the comfrey ointment reported an average incredible 95% in the reduction of pain. That’s pretty amazing.
The other interesting fact was that the subjects who got the dummy ointment also reported a reduction in pain, but only an average of 35%. As I’m always saying, the power of the human mind should not be underestimated.
The academics concluded: 'Comfrey root extract showed a
remarkably potent and clinically-relevant effect in reducing acute pain.'
If you’d like to read the full article, use this link, and if you think you’d like to try it for yourself just put “comfrey ointment” into your search engine, there are several suppliers. If you do, please let me know how you get on.
It quotes a study by academics at the German Sport University in Cologne, subsequently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
120 people with upper back pain or lower back pain were involved. Half of them were given an ointment made from extract of the comfrey plant to rub on the affected area, and half were given a dummy ointment. They were obviously not told who got what.
After only five days the subjects who had used the comfrey ointment reported an average incredible 95% in the reduction of pain. That’s pretty amazing.
The other interesting fact was that the subjects who got the dummy ointment also reported a reduction in pain, but only an average of 35%. As I’m always saying, the power of the human mind should not be underestimated.
The academics concluded: 'Comfrey root extract showed a
remarkably potent and clinically-relevant effect in reducing acute pain.'
If you’d like to read the full article, use this link, and if you think you’d like to try it for yourself just put “comfrey ointment” into your search engine, there are several suppliers. If you do, please let me know how you get on.
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Back Pain Relief with Wii Technology
Well, here we are in September already, and the paralympics are well under way. It's very difficult to say what I feel about these games without sounding patronising, which I am most certainly not.
However, I watch these competitors and cannot help feeling awed and inspired. The situations they have been through and overcome to be here is indeed a lesson to us all. Certainly puts my problems into perspective.
Anyway, back to backpain, and I thought readers would be interested in this fascinating item, reported on bbc.co.uk by Fergus Walsh, where the use of a motion sensor, similar to the type of thing used in the Wii and other game controllers, is linked to a pain blocking implant.
The sensor can tell when a person is standing, sitting, lying etc. and adjusts the implant accordingly for maximum effect relating to the position of that person.
It’s not as complicated as I seem to have made it sound and it’s well explained in the short video on one particular case study which you can find here.
For those of us who suffer with neck pain I have found three simple exercises on associated content.com by Rose Twain. These exercises can be done at your desk any time you have a few moments. Simple but effective, I shall be using these myself.
If you want to have a look and try them out for yourself use this link.
However, I watch these competitors and cannot help feeling awed and inspired. The situations they have been through and overcome to be here is indeed a lesson to us all. Certainly puts my problems into perspective.
Anyway, back to backpain, and I thought readers would be interested in this fascinating item, reported on bbc.co.uk by Fergus Walsh, where the use of a motion sensor, similar to the type of thing used in the Wii and other game controllers, is linked to a pain blocking implant.
The sensor can tell when a person is standing, sitting, lying etc. and adjusts the implant accordingly for maximum effect relating to the position of that person.
It’s not as complicated as I seem to have made it sound and it’s well explained in the short video on one particular case study which you can find here.
For those of us who suffer with neck pain I have found three simple exercises on associated content.com by Rose Twain. These exercises can be done at your desk any time you have a few moments. Simple but effective, I shall be using these myself.
If you want to have a look and try them out for yourself use this link.
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Pine Bark Can Reduce Your Knee Pain!
According to an article on medicalnewstoday.com it has been found that a substance naturally occuring in pine bark, Pycnogenol, reduced pain by as much as 43% in a trial involving 35 volunteers suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. It also reduced stiffness by 35%.
That sounds pretty impressive to me, and as a fan of the use of naturally occurring substances to control and relieve pain I look forward to furthur developments.
You do have to wonder how these things are found. I mean did someone just decide to have a chew on a tree because they were in pain?
If you want to check out the full article, and it is fascinating, click here.
That sounds pretty impressive to me, and as a fan of the use of naturally occurring substances to control and relieve pain I look forward to furthur developments.
You do have to wonder how these things are found. I mean did someone just decide to have a chew on a tree because they were in pain?
If you want to check out the full article, and it is fascinating, click here.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Alcohol as a Remedy for Back Pain
Here’s an interesting little snippet I found on wddty.com. As you may know (if you didn't you do now) as well as red wine I am partial to the odd glass of cider, not that processed stuff whose name I won’t mention, but is advertised heavily and has never seen an apple in it’s life. But the proper article, again I am fortunate in having two local establishments within walking distance, one serving Stowford Press, and the other Aspells, lovely stuff.
Right, the point is that in this short piece it mentions that research done at Leiden University in the Netherlands has proved that people who drink alcohol regularly are are far less likely to suffer from any type of arthritis, but rheumatoid arthritis in particular, where the risk was lowered from between 30% to an amazing 99%.
Alcohol as a remedy for back pain, whatever next? Click here if you want to read it, you need to join the site, but it's free and there's some good stuff there. I’m off to the pub. Until next time.
Right, the point is that in this short piece it mentions that research done at Leiden University in the Netherlands has proved that people who drink alcohol regularly are are far less likely to suffer from any type of arthritis, but rheumatoid arthritis in particular, where the risk was lowered from between 30% to an amazing 99%.
Alcohol as a remedy for back pain, whatever next? Click here if you want to read it, you need to join the site, but it's free and there's some good stuff there. I’m off to the pub. Until next time.
Monday, 20 August 2012
Glucosamine Not a Back Pain Cure.
Are any of you taking glucosamine supplements as a treatment for chronic back pain? I have to say I have taken them in the past but now stick to cod liver oil and omega 3 capsules. Basically on the grounds of cost, as personally I couldn’t tell the difference.
Anyway it is a fact that many people with bad backs and arthritic joints have been taking glucosamine for years to help ease their pain.
A story reported on news discovery.com cites a study conducted in Oslo, Norway, funded by the Norwegian Low Back Pain Association, the Norwegian Chiropractic Associations Research Fund, and the Wilhelmsens Research Fund.
This is a study involving 250 people over a period of six months, which came to the conclusion that glucosamine supplements were no more effective than a placebo. In other words they don’t work. To read more about the study go here.
Obviously it does no harm to take them, and I personally believe that if you think something is doing you good then whether or not it’s all in the mind doesn’t really matter.
After all, it's all about what works for you in the end.
Anyway it is a fact that many people with bad backs and arthritic joints have been taking glucosamine for years to help ease their pain.
A story reported on news discovery.com cites a study conducted in Oslo, Norway, funded by the Norwegian Low Back Pain Association, the Norwegian Chiropractic Associations Research Fund, and the Wilhelmsens Research Fund.
This is a study involving 250 people over a period of six months, which came to the conclusion that glucosamine supplements were no more effective than a placebo. In other words they don’t work. To read more about the study go here.
Obviously it does no harm to take them, and I personally believe that if you think something is doing you good then whether or not it’s all in the mind doesn’t really matter.
After all, it's all about what works for you in the end.
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Spicy Help for Back Pain.
I’m sure we are all aware of the benefits of some spices for our particular problems. One remedy that I use regularly, is ginger.
Ginger has been recognised since Roman times, and probably before, for it’s medicinal properties. It contains both volatile oils and phenol compounds, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Making it a useful weapon in the management of pain in general, as well as back pain.
I know it does help me. You can take it as fresh ginger juice, and sometimes I do this with the aid of my trusty juicer, I usually add it to apple and orange juice. You can make up your own juice according to taste.
You can use dried ginger, but it is apparently not quite so effective, and I’m lucky to have a store that stocks fresh ginger quite close to home.
Because it can have quite a powerful effect it is generally recommended that you keep your intake to about a teaspoon a day, half a teaspoon twice a day. This is a long term thing and you should try, as I do, to maintain your intake each day.
One of my favourite ways to take ginger is as a tea. You can simply grate ginger into a jug, add hot water (not quite boiling) and there you are, strain into your favourite mug. Well, that’s the simplest form. I find that a bit harsh for me so I add honey and lemon to taste.
Try it and see what you think. Don’t expect instant results but I’m sure you’ll see a benefit after a while.
Talking of spices, it’s also well known that curry contains anti-oxidants that are most beneficial for treating inflammatory pain. Maybe we should get ourselves down to the local Indian take away, get a nice vindaloo and wash it down with a mug of ginger tea. Now there’s a thought!
Ginger has been recognised since Roman times, and probably before, for it’s medicinal properties. It contains both volatile oils and phenol compounds, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Making it a useful weapon in the management of pain in general, as well as back pain.
I know it does help me. You can take it as fresh ginger juice, and sometimes I do this with the aid of my trusty juicer, I usually add it to apple and orange juice. You can make up your own juice according to taste.
You can use dried ginger, but it is apparently not quite so effective, and I’m lucky to have a store that stocks fresh ginger quite close to home.
Because it can have quite a powerful effect it is generally recommended that you keep your intake to about a teaspoon a day, half a teaspoon twice a day. This is a long term thing and you should try, as I do, to maintain your intake each day.
One of my favourite ways to take ginger is as a tea. You can simply grate ginger into a jug, add hot water (not quite boiling) and there you are, strain into your favourite mug. Well, that’s the simplest form. I find that a bit harsh for me so I add honey and lemon to taste.
Try it and see what you think. Don’t expect instant results but I’m sure you’ll see a benefit after a while.
Talking of spices, it’s also well known that curry contains anti-oxidants that are most beneficial for treating inflammatory pain. Maybe we should get ourselves down to the local Indian take away, get a nice vindaloo and wash it down with a mug of ginger tea. Now there’s a thought!
Monday, 13 August 2012
Could the Devil’s Claw Beat Your Back Pain?
I’m sure many of you have heard of Devil’s Claw. This is a plant that is native to South Africa, particularly Namibia, which provides the majority of the worlds supply.
This ugly looking plant (just google devil’s claw plant on images, you’ll see what I mean) has been used as an alternative medicine for thousands of years. First coming to Europe in the early 1900’s, principally at that time as a digestive aid.
However it has been subsequently discovered to contain compounds called harpagosides, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and are very effective in the treatment of back pain and neck pain, also rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Devil’s claw extract has now become one of the major sellers in the field of alternative pain relief. Especially in Germany, where it accounts for over 70% of sales for rheumatism relief.
It is quite a powerful treatment, and does have some side effects with some people. I personally tried this some years back, and whilst it did give me some relief from my chronic back pain it aggravated my tinnitus to the degree that I stopped taking it.
If you want to know more check this article out by Cathy Wong on altmedicine.com.
I’d also be very interested to hear of any of your experiences if you have tried it yourself, just e-mail me here.
This ugly looking plant (just google devil’s claw plant on images, you’ll see what I mean) has been used as an alternative medicine for thousands of years. First coming to Europe in the early 1900’s, principally at that time as a digestive aid.
However it has been subsequently discovered to contain compounds called harpagosides, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and are very effective in the treatment of back pain and neck pain, also rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Devil’s claw extract has now become one of the major sellers in the field of alternative pain relief. Especially in Germany, where it accounts for over 70% of sales for rheumatism relief.
It is quite a powerful treatment, and does have some side effects with some people. I personally tried this some years back, and whilst it did give me some relief from my chronic back pain it aggravated my tinnitus to the degree that I stopped taking it.
If you want to know more check this article out by Cathy Wong on altmedicine.com.
I’d also be very interested to hear of any of your experiences if you have tried it yourself, just e-mail me here.
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Tap Your Back Pain Away.
This technique actually relates to acupuncture, which we will no doubt look into in future posts. It’s called EFT or Emotional Freedom Techniques. It involves not needles, but tapping various acupuncture points whilst at the same time focussing on an upsetting feeling or memory.
In the story I found on prweb.com it is claimed that this can produce often dramatic results. This technique was first found to help stress, anxiety and depression. However others are focussing on physical pain whilst tapping and finding that too is dissolving, sometimes permanently.
Hertfordshire-based therapist Peter Donn first came across this technique back in 2003. He subsequently trained in both EFT and TFT (Thought Field Therapy) and started treating people professionally.
He offers one day workshops teaching the techniques, and the results do seem impressive. Including one lady who had suffered 18 years of back pain requiring daily pain-killers whose pain disappeared during her first session and hadn’t returned a week later.
Another participant at this workshop said 12 years of back and neck stiffness had disappeared (and remained gone three months later).
Sounds impressive, and I’m all in favour of non-invasive treatments where at all possible. If you want to read the whole thing go here.
In the story I found on prweb.com it is claimed that this can produce often dramatic results. This technique was first found to help stress, anxiety and depression. However others are focussing on physical pain whilst tapping and finding that too is dissolving, sometimes permanently.
Hertfordshire-based therapist Peter Donn first came across this technique back in 2003. He subsequently trained in both EFT and TFT (Thought Field Therapy) and started treating people professionally.
He offers one day workshops teaching the techniques, and the results do seem impressive. Including one lady who had suffered 18 years of back pain requiring daily pain-killers whose pain disappeared during her first session and hadn’t returned a week later.
Another participant at this workshop said 12 years of back and neck stiffness had disappeared (and remained gone three months later).
Sounds impressive, and I’m all in favour of non-invasive treatments where at all possible. If you want to read the whole thing go here.
Friday, 3 August 2012
Get Rid of Your Back Pain For Good With Just One Injection!
This sounds just too good to be true, but according to an article by Roger Dobson on dailymail.co.uk in a study by orthopaedic consultants in China, 19 per cent of patients treated no longer experienced pain, with a further 72 per cent having slight pain that required no medication.
This was after just one single injection of a substance called methylene blue. This apparently reduces the level of nitric oxide, which is involved in inflammation.
I seem to recall using methylene blue years ago when I kept tropical fish, to treat them for nitrate poisoning amongst other things. Very effective it was too. Also very cheap, but of course if this treatment works effectively for chronic back pain just watch the cost escalate.
Other specialists around the world are excited about this development.
One of these, Professor Nikolai Bogduk, pain specialist at the University of Newcastle's Bone and Joint Institute in Australia had this to say:
“If the results are true, this intervention will revolutionise the treatment of lower back pain. Spinal surgery for back pain will be rendered obsolete. Against these figures, the results of surgery, rehabilitation, behavioural therapy and any other treatment for back pain pale into insignificance.”
This is certainly one to keep an eye on. To read the full story use this link.
This was after just one single injection of a substance called methylene blue. This apparently reduces the level of nitric oxide, which is involved in inflammation.
I seem to recall using methylene blue years ago when I kept tropical fish, to treat them for nitrate poisoning amongst other things. Very effective it was too. Also very cheap, but of course if this treatment works effectively for chronic back pain just watch the cost escalate.
Other specialists around the world are excited about this development.
One of these, Professor Nikolai Bogduk, pain specialist at the University of Newcastle's Bone and Joint Institute in Australia had this to say:
“If the results are true, this intervention will revolutionise the treatment of lower back pain. Spinal surgery for back pain will be rendered obsolete. Against these figures, the results of surgery, rehabilitation, behavioural therapy and any other treatment for back pain pale into insignificance.”
This is certainly one to keep an eye on. To read the full story use this link.
Monday, 30 July 2012
Shock Your Back Pain Into Submission.
A lady suffering chronic back pain after a fall, finally found relief with electric shock treatment. So goes a story on ivanhoe.com the american newswire service which caught my eye.
Not as vicious as it sounds. It involves a fine wire being inserted in the epidural space of the spinal cord through which electrical pulses are sent. Controlled by the patient via a remote control device.
These pulses effectively block the pain, reducing it to a tingle in this particular case. After months of being restricted to the bed or couch because she was unable to sit due to excruciating low back pain. The results were instantaneous.
The treatment is being used by Dr. Jerry Lewis (great name eh? I bet he gets loads of fun with that), pain medicine specialist at Baylor Plano in Plano, Texas, and so far is showing great promise.
Maybe this is something else we may have the option of over here before too long. I should imagine a lot of people could benefit from this treatment.
For full story details click here.
Not as vicious as it sounds. It involves a fine wire being inserted in the epidural space of the spinal cord through which electrical pulses are sent. Controlled by the patient via a remote control device.
These pulses effectively block the pain, reducing it to a tingle in this particular case. After months of being restricted to the bed or couch because she was unable to sit due to excruciating low back pain. The results were instantaneous.
The treatment is being used by Dr. Jerry Lewis (great name eh? I bet he gets loads of fun with that), pain medicine specialist at Baylor Plano in Plano, Texas, and so far is showing great promise.
Maybe this is something else we may have the option of over here before too long. I should imagine a lot of people could benefit from this treatment.
For full story details click here.
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Eat Ginger Daily to Ease Your Back Pain.
I don’t know about you but I do enjoy spicy food, and this study by Professor Patrick O’Connor of the University of Georgia in sciencedaily.com a few months ago piqued my interest.
Professor O’Connor made two studies examining the effects of 11 days of raw and heat-treated ginger supplementation on muscle pain. For example the kind of back pain you experience after too much exercise, like digging.
The studies revealed that the daily consumption of ginger reduced muscle pain by as much as 25%. It made no difference whether the ginger was raw or cooked.
Interesting, as it had previously been believed that heating the ginger, say by cooking, increased it's pain relieving properties.
That's quite a reduction in pain, and seems like a good case for increasing my curry intake. You can read the original report here.
Professor O’Connor made two studies examining the effects of 11 days of raw and heat-treated ginger supplementation on muscle pain. For example the kind of back pain you experience after too much exercise, like digging.
The studies revealed that the daily consumption of ginger reduced muscle pain by as much as 25%. It made no difference whether the ginger was raw or cooked.
Interesting, as it had previously been believed that heating the ginger, say by cooking, increased it's pain relieving properties.
That's quite a reduction in pain, and seems like a good case for increasing my curry intake. You can read the original report here.
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Cure Chronic Low Back Pain by Growing Your Own Discs!
Yet another tale from the realms of science fiction you might think. However there are two separate stories on this theme that I have found.
The first, more of interest to chronic back pain sufferers, in an article in The Mail online tells how Swedish researchers have been able to grow human stem cells that help a damaged disc to regenerate.
The significance of this is that disc degeneration is known to be a major cause of low back pain. However it has always been thought that once damaged, back discs cannot heal themselves.
But researcher Helena Barreto-Henriksson of Gothenburg University and her team have discovered areas in discs very similar to stem cells, which have the potential to grow back.
Initial work has shown how animals with damaged discs injected with human stem cells improved by the cartilage repairing itself.
The potential here is far-reaching. Just imagine your back pain being cured by a simple injection! No surgery, and permanently effective. This is one story worth watching.
I can also foresee a time, assuming this research leads somewhere, when many sufferers of chronic back pain wouldn't even get to that point. As soon as back discomfort was narrowed down to disc degeneration, injections could be given to heal the discs before it became a big problem.
How's that for an example of sensible research? If you have the time the full article is well worth a read, you can find it here.
On the same theme, but even more fantastic because it has actually been done, is this story from thesun.co.uk by Andrew Parker. A 33 year old lady from Rugely, Staffordshire, has had an operation where knee cartilage grown from her own cells has been put back into her knee, making a knee replacement unneccessary.The first, more of interest to chronic back pain sufferers, in an article in The Mail online tells how Swedish researchers have been able to grow human stem cells that help a damaged disc to regenerate.
The significance of this is that disc degeneration is known to be a major cause of low back pain. However it has always been thought that once damaged, back discs cannot heal themselves.
But researcher Helena Barreto-Henriksson of Gothenburg University and her team have discovered areas in discs very similar to stem cells, which have the potential to grow back.
Initial work has shown how animals with damaged discs injected with human stem cells improved by the cartilage repairing itself.
The potential here is far-reaching. Just imagine your back pain being cured by a simple injection! No surgery, and permanently effective. This is one story worth watching.
I can also foresee a time, assuming this research leads somewhere, when many sufferers of chronic back pain wouldn't even get to that point. As soon as back discomfort was narrowed down to disc degeneration, injections could be given to heal the discs before it became a big problem.
How's that for an example of sensible research? If you have the time the full article is well worth a read, you can find it here.
This is truly fantastic. I just wish this procedure had been available when I had to have my knees replaced. It’s still fairly new, and the surgeon, Ashvin Pimpalnerkar, is doing just ten of these operations a year so far.
How incredible is that? Check out the full story here.
Friday, 27 July 2012
Back pain miracle cure – or is it?
This is a bit of a strange post. My back pain, which has actually been pretty good lately, (I do try to look after it and try lots of things I discover on my researches), has been a bit niggly in the past day or two.
I’m not sure if in some way it is related to my latest attack of gout, which has been pretty painful. Today actually starting to feel better. Well enough to hobble over to the park with Winnie earlier. It’s only 5 minutes away thank goodness.
The thing is I have recently been researching oxygen therapy. I still don’t really know if it’s a load of old twaddle, although many people swear by it. The fact that Michael Jackson was a big fan doesn’t actually inspire me with confidence.
It is being promoted as a bit of a miracle cure-all. Everything from cancer (pretty bold, I’d be wary of that one) to acne, and most things in-between.
It got me thinking about my chronic back pain anyway, and apparently, apart from breathing pure oxygen, not very practical, the best way is to ingest it.
There are various methods, one using hydrogen peroxide in water. Sounds simple but you need to use the right hydrogen peroxide at the correct dose. Too complicated for me anyway.
Then I discovered ozonators. Apparently if you bubble ozone through a glass of water (not tap) you are in effect oxygenating it, and if you drink this you are providing your body cells with extra oxygen which is wonderful and cures everything!!
To cut a long story short I have purchased a home ozonator, very reasonable price, brand new off ebay, and I’m waiting for it to arrive so I can have a go and see if it does anything for my back pain and/or gout.
Watch this space and I’ll let you know how I get on. Any fellow sufferers out there who have used this as a treatment for chronic back pain, or for anything come to that, I would be delighted to receive your comments and pass them on. Contact me here.
By the way if you want to read more about oxygen healing therapies, and in particular ozonated water, I found a site which explains it better than I, click here to read what they have to say about it.
That’s all for today, have a nice pain-free one.
I’m not sure if in some way it is related to my latest attack of gout, which has been pretty painful. Today actually starting to feel better. Well enough to hobble over to the park with Winnie earlier. It’s only 5 minutes away thank goodness.
The thing is I have recently been researching oxygen therapy. I still don’t really know if it’s a load of old twaddle, although many people swear by it. The fact that Michael Jackson was a big fan doesn’t actually inspire me with confidence.
It is being promoted as a bit of a miracle cure-all. Everything from cancer (pretty bold, I’d be wary of that one) to acne, and most things in-between.
It got me thinking about my chronic back pain anyway, and apparently, apart from breathing pure oxygen, not very practical, the best way is to ingest it.
There are various methods, one using hydrogen peroxide in water. Sounds simple but you need to use the right hydrogen peroxide at the correct dose. Too complicated for me anyway.
Then I discovered ozonators. Apparently if you bubble ozone through a glass of water (not tap) you are in effect oxygenating it, and if you drink this you are providing your body cells with extra oxygen which is wonderful and cures everything!!
To cut a long story short I have purchased a home ozonator, very reasonable price, brand new off ebay, and I’m waiting for it to arrive so I can have a go and see if it does anything for my back pain and/or gout.
Watch this space and I’ll let you know how I get on. Any fellow sufferers out there who have used this as a treatment for chronic back pain, or for anything come to that, I would be delighted to receive your comments and pass them on. Contact me here.
By the way if you want to read more about oxygen healing therapies, and in particular ozonated water, I found a site which explains it better than I, click here to read what they have to say about it.
That’s all for today, have a nice pain-free one.
Thursday, 26 July 2012
Back Pain Zapped By Sound Waves.
I suppose this idea isn't exactly new. I remember years ago buying an "ultrasonic" massager for my knees. I think it was called a Novafon or something similar. I've still got it somewhere, I'll have to try and find it.
The point is it was supposed to produce sound waves which penetrated through the tissues and somehow stimulated blood-flow and promoted healing. I was a bit desperate at the time and went for it.
Wasn't bad actually as I recall. Still didn't prevent me from having my knees replaced eventually.
Sorry, getting off the point a bit. I was reminded of all this today when I chanced upon an article in The Mail Online by Roger Dobson. Sound wave therapy is now being used by Doctors as a treatment for chronic back pain.
This works by generating heat in the deep tissues, which apparently de-activates the nerves in the spine transmitting the pain.
A big benefit of this procedure for alleviating the symptoms of back pain is that it is non-invasive and cost effective compared to surgery. Although it involves the use of an MRI scanner.
the results seem pretty impressive, with an overall 62% decrease in back pain, and a 55% decrease in disability.
An interesting footnote to this article reports that scientists have discovered that spearmint tea can ease the pain of arthritis. Specifically osteoarthritis of the knees.
Pity I didn't know about that when I was going through my knee problems. Anyway, it's an interesting piece, if you want to read it all click here.
Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm now going to re-do the pointing the scaffolders made a total mess of when they removed their scaffolding. It's not ladder work, so with any luck I won't put my back out!
The point is it was supposed to produce sound waves which penetrated through the tissues and somehow stimulated blood-flow and promoted healing. I was a bit desperate at the time and went for it.
Wasn't bad actually as I recall. Still didn't prevent me from having my knees replaced eventually.
Sorry, getting off the point a bit. I was reminded of all this today when I chanced upon an article in The Mail Online by Roger Dobson. Sound wave therapy is now being used by Doctors as a treatment for chronic back pain.
This works by generating heat in the deep tissues, which apparently de-activates the nerves in the spine transmitting the pain.
A big benefit of this procedure for alleviating the symptoms of back pain is that it is non-invasive and cost effective compared to surgery. Although it involves the use of an MRI scanner.
the results seem pretty impressive, with an overall 62% decrease in back pain, and a 55% decrease in disability.
An interesting footnote to this article reports that scientists have discovered that spearmint tea can ease the pain of arthritis. Specifically osteoarthritis of the knees.
Pity I didn't know about that when I was going through my knee problems. Anyway, it's an interesting piece, if you want to read it all click here.
Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm now going to re-do the pointing the scaffolders made a total mess of when they removed their scaffolding. It's not ladder work, so with any luck I won't put my back out!
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Is Your Chronic Lower Back Pain Genetic?
An interesting story in anesthesiologynews.com may point towards you needing the right parents to avoid lower back pain.
A study at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit by Adam Shuster, DO, seems to show a link to the possible heritability of chronic low back pain.
A team of investigators found that, among 203 back pain patients who completed a survey, 43% reported having a first-degree relative with back pain requiring intervention.
Among those with a family history of this complaint, 20.4% had at least one child with back pain.
Although not definitive, this study could go towards understanding the high incidence of chronic lower back pain where there is no specific cause
Check out the full story here.
A study at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit by Adam Shuster, DO, seems to show a link to the possible heritability of chronic low back pain.
A team of investigators found that, among 203 back pain patients who completed a survey, 43% reported having a first-degree relative with back pain requiring intervention.
Among those with a family history of this complaint, 20.4% had at least one child with back pain.
Although not definitive, this study could go towards understanding the high incidence of chronic lower back pain where there is no specific cause
Check out the full story here.
Monday, 23 July 2012
Back pain reduced by breathing slowly.
According to an article in sciencedaily.com, research performed at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center shows that slow breathing at a controlled rate can significantly reduce the pain felt by chronic pain sufferers.
This does seem to bear out previous findings that Zen meditation and yogic breathing can have a beneficial effect on pain levels.
I suppose if you think about it we quite often instinctively do this. I know that if I have skinned a knuckle or hit a finger with a hammer, after the expletive I have often taken a deep breath, let it out slowly, maybe a couple of times.
Perhaps we should try it consciously. If you want to read the full article go here.
This does seem to bear out previous findings that Zen meditation and yogic breathing can have a beneficial effect on pain levels.
I suppose if you think about it we quite often instinctively do this. I know that if I have skinned a knuckle or hit a finger with a hammer, after the expletive I have often taken a deep breath, let it out slowly, maybe a couple of times.
Perhaps we should try it consciously. If you want to read the full article go here.
Sunday, 22 July 2012
Back pain relief in just five minutes a day!
Here are four practical exercises you can do at home, taking just five minutes a day. Presented by Lydia Sherlock on the Telegraph website, health section.
These are “core strengthening” exercises based on the Pilates system. Very easy and straightforward to follow, and you don’t need to be an olympic standard athlete already to do them.
I’ve tried them, and will certainly be incorporating them into my back pain relief regime.
Use this link to get them, print them out for convenience and have a go.
These are “core strengthening” exercises based on the Pilates system. Very easy and straightforward to follow, and you don’t need to be an olympic standard athlete already to do them.
I’ve tried them, and will certainly be incorporating them into my back pain relief regime.
Use this link to get them, print them out for convenience and have a go.
Saturday, 21 July 2012
Will we soon be getting immunised against chronic pain?
Science fiction? Well, according to a recent article on the BBC News website bbc.co.uk it could soon be science fact.
It reports that a research team at Liverpool's Pain Research Institute, led by Dr Andreas Goebel has been testing treatment involving the injection of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in a study involving 13 patients who had been experiencing chronic pain for at least 6 months.
The results seen promising, with a significant reduction in pain reported in just under half the patients treated, with the relief lasting five weeks after just a small dose.
Dr. Goebel said the real effect could turn out to be much greater, as higher doses could be given, together with repeated treatments. The treatment would also be able to be easily administered at home.
I can see this being a real help to many chronic back pain sufferers in the not too distant future. To read the full article use this link.
It reports that a research team at Liverpool's Pain Research Institute, led by Dr Andreas Goebel has been testing treatment involving the injection of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in a study involving 13 patients who had been experiencing chronic pain for at least 6 months.
The results seen promising, with a significant reduction in pain reported in just under half the patients treated, with the relief lasting five weeks after just a small dose.
Dr. Goebel said the real effect could turn out to be much greater, as higher doses could be given, together with repeated treatments. The treatment would also be able to be easily administered at home.
I can see this being a real help to many chronic back pain sufferers in the not too distant future. To read the full article use this link.
Friday, 20 July 2012
TENS doesn’t work for chronic low back pain!
This could be a bit controversial, but according to this article by Rosemary Frei in painmedicinenews.com research by the American Academy of Neurology’s Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee shows that:“the use of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain in neurologic disorders has concluded the modality does not work for chronic low back pain”
I don’t know if any of you are using TENS therapy for anything. I have friends who swear by it. Never having tried it myself I cannot comment. But I reckon we will see more on this story.
To read the full article use this link. You do need to register on this site to read the articles, but it’s free, and there is a tremendous amount of interesting stuff here.
Another study by neurologist Richard M Dubinsky, MD, MPH of Kansa University Medical Center
seems to back this view up. You can read a review of his study on the effectiveness of TENS as a treatment for chronic back pain here.
This one is going to run as they say. If any readers have experience of this they wish to pass on, email me at thebackman@live.com to let me know.
I don’t know if any of you are using TENS therapy for anything. I have friends who swear by it. Never having tried it myself I cannot comment. But I reckon we will see more on this story.
To read the full article use this link. You do need to register on this site to read the articles, but it’s free, and there is a tremendous amount of interesting stuff here.
Another study by neurologist Richard M Dubinsky, MD, MPH of Kansa University Medical Center
seems to back this view up. You can read a review of his study on the effectiveness of TENS as a treatment for chronic back pain here.
This one is going to run as they say. If any readers have experience of this they wish to pass on, email me at thebackman@live.com to let me know.
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Hot Chili Peppers can block your back pain!
No, not the band, but the capsaicin contained in hot chili peppers. Apparently a similar substance is generated by the body at the site of pain.
According to an item in Science Daily.com “Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have discovered how to block these capsaicin-like molecules and created a new class of non-addictive painkillers”.
Again, nature seems to be showing us the way to treat our pain. This is a very interesting development and could lead to a whole new natural, non addictive treatment for the millions of chronic back pain sufferers now relying on opiate derivatives.
You can check out the full article here.
According to an item in Science Daily.com “Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have discovered how to block these capsaicin-like molecules and created a new class of non-addictive painkillers”.
Again, nature seems to be showing us the way to treat our pain. This is a very interesting development and could lead to a whole new natural, non addictive treatment for the millions of chronic back pain sufferers now relying on opiate derivatives.
You can check out the full article here.
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
A Doctor’s experience of back surgery.
Now, if you have downloaded and read my free report (link over on the right there, just above my "Who am I" sidebar) you will know that I am not a fan of back surgery to cure back pain unless it is completely unavoidable, and that is the take of much of the medical profession.
So when I read this article on the BBC 4 website by Dr. Mark Porter, the well known media Doctor, (he's well known in the UK, trust me!) about his own experience with backpain and referred leg pain I thought you might be interested.
Dr. Porter says “I have always advised patients of mine to grin and bear the pain in the hope that Mother Nature will eventually heal the wound and do a better job than a surgeon, but my experience has changed that stance and I am now far more pro-surgery than I used to be. My pain never settled despite throwing the British National Formulary at it — and when I started to lose feeling and power in my left leg, a neurosurgeon suggested a microdiscectomy and I agreed”.
If you want to read the outcome, and how he is now, go here to find out.
So when I read this article on the BBC 4 website by Dr. Mark Porter, the well known media Doctor, (he's well known in the UK, trust me!) about his own experience with backpain and referred leg pain I thought you might be interested.
Dr. Porter says “I have always advised patients of mine to grin and bear the pain in the hope that Mother Nature will eventually heal the wound and do a better job than a surgeon, but my experience has changed that stance and I am now far more pro-surgery than I used to be. My pain never settled despite throwing the British National Formulary at it — and when I started to lose feeling and power in my left leg, a neurosurgeon suggested a microdiscectomy and I agreed”.
If you want to read the outcome, and how he is now, go here to find out.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Just talking about it can ease your back pain.
The Daily Mail carried this article recently by Fiona Macrae, and the Med-India website featured the same story. This could be the next big thing.
According to the Mail:
“A study of hundreds of adults with chronic back trouble found that those given a short-course of talking therapy were still reaping the benefits a year later”.
It goes on to say: “With the treatment judged better value for money than physiotherapy or acupuncture, it could provide a relatively cheap and easy way of helping the millions of Britons whose backs cause them daily pain”.
This is a fascinating one indeed, It’ll be interesting to watch the progress of this therapy. To check out the whole article click here.
According to the Mail:
“A study of hundreds of adults with chronic back trouble found that those given a short-course of talking therapy were still reaping the benefits a year later”.
It goes on to say: “With the treatment judged better value for money than physiotherapy or acupuncture, it could provide a relatively cheap and easy way of helping the millions of Britons whose backs cause them daily pain”.
This is a fascinating one indeed, It’ll be interesting to watch the progress of this therapy. To check out the whole article click here.
Being Overweight could be good for your back pain
This item in the Medical News Today website I found absolutely fascinating. Probably like yourself I have always believed that being overweight was a bad thing if you had a bad back or joints.
Well not so according to Tapio Videman, MD, DMSci, Heritage Senior Scholar of Rehabilitation Medicine at University of Alberta.
He and his team have done research which shows that more physical loading may in fact slightly delay disc degeneration.
Videman based his findings on his studies of identical male twins. Identical that is except one of the twins weighed on average 29 pounds heavier than the other, that’s just over two stones to you and I in the UK.
What he found was that there was not only no evidence to show that the extra weight was harmful to the discs, but in fact the heavier twin had slightly less disc degeneration.
Great, I can carry on eating the pies then!
You can read more on this story here:
Well not so according to Tapio Videman, MD, DMSci, Heritage Senior Scholar of Rehabilitation Medicine at University of Alberta.
He and his team have done research which shows that more physical loading may in fact slightly delay disc degeneration.
Videman based his findings on his studies of identical male twins. Identical that is except one of the twins weighed on average 29 pounds heavier than the other, that’s just over two stones to you and I in the UK.
What he found was that there was not only no evidence to show that the extra weight was harmful to the discs, but in fact the heavier twin had slightly less disc degeneration.
Great, I can carry on eating the pies then!
You can read more on this story here:
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