Apparently botox isn’t just for wrinkles. According to an article by Meredith Cohn in The Baltimore Sun an assistant professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine in Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's division of pain medicine, Dr. Paul Christo, has been using botox for about four years to treat a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome, a common condition that involves compression of nerves between the base of the neck and armpit. Symptoms include neck pain, headache, numbness and weakness down the arm.
"Most of the public doesn't realize Botox is used for medical purposes," says Dr. Christo "Botox can have more than one effect. It can have a muscle and nerve benefit, and this allows people to do things they couldn't do before, like brush their hair or teeth."
It seems that just one small dose can give substantial relief for up to three months. Don’t all be rushing down to your local beautician now. To read the full article go here.
Thursday, 31 October 2013
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Having Your Leg Broken Can Help Your Knee.
As I've mentioned many times, although this is primarily a blog about back pain, I do like to sometimes include information about neck, shoulder and knee pain also, as I have suffered from them all, and believe that they are all connected in one way or another. So no apologies for this post, which I hope at least some of you will find informative.
Having your leg broken can help your knee.
Well, it worked for a children’s nursery worker from Sheffield, who by the time she was in her twenties was suffering so badly from knee problems it was affecting her life badly, according to an article by Victoria Lambert on telegraph.co.uk.
As she was very young to undergo knee replacement, she would probably have had to have it replaced several times over the years, her consultant surgeon Paul Sutton, of Sheffield Orthopaedics and the Northern General Hospital decided upon a radical new treatment.
He used a computer image-guided system to help him break and then realign her shin bone, so that instead of the inside of her knee taking all the force, the strong healthy outside edge did the work. “It is a simple theory,” explains Mr Sutton, “but the technology is cutting edge.”
The young lady is now pretty much back to leading a normal life. To read the full story use this link.
Having your leg broken can help your knee.
Well, it worked for a children’s nursery worker from Sheffield, who by the time she was in her twenties was suffering so badly from knee problems it was affecting her life badly, according to an article by Victoria Lambert on telegraph.co.uk.
As she was very young to undergo knee replacement, she would probably have had to have it replaced several times over the years, her consultant surgeon Paul Sutton, of Sheffield Orthopaedics and the Northern General Hospital decided upon a radical new treatment.
He used a computer image-guided system to help him break and then realign her shin bone, so that instead of the inside of her knee taking all the force, the strong healthy outside edge did the work. “It is a simple theory,” explains Mr Sutton, “but the technology is cutting edge.”
The young lady is now pretty much back to leading a normal life. To read the full story use this link.
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Beginners Yoga For Back Pain.
Many readers of this blog will be aware that I have learned to be open minded about the various treatment options for back pain that can be found these days.
I have looked at yoga in the past, and tried it for myself, with pretty good results I have to say.
It occurred to me that a video could be useful. I know that I always get things much better when actually shown what to do rather that read about it.
So on my interweb wanderings I found a very good video by yoga teacher Jen Hilman who demonstrates how to relieve pain due to sciatica or tension on the sciatic nerve using simple stretching and yoga poses.
The video shows you the correct way to do two yoga poses; Upward Facing Dog, (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) & The Cobra Pose, (Bhujangasana).
You can follow along with this video to ease and relieve back pain due to sciatica, stress or pain.I hope you find it useful, and I'll keep my eye out for more informative videos. As is usual these days the video is preceeded by an advertisement, but you can skip it after a couple of seconds or so. Don't let it put you off, this is good stuff.
I have looked at yoga in the past, and tried it for myself, with pretty good results I have to say.
It occurred to me that a video could be useful. I know that I always get things much better when actually shown what to do rather that read about it.
So on my interweb wanderings I found a very good video by yoga teacher Jen Hilman who demonstrates how to relieve pain due to sciatica or tension on the sciatic nerve using simple stretching and yoga poses.
The video shows you the correct way to do two yoga poses; Upward Facing Dog, (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) & The Cobra Pose, (Bhujangasana).
You can follow along with this video to ease and relieve back pain due to sciatica, stress or pain.I hope you find it useful, and I'll keep my eye out for more informative videos. As is usual these days the video is preceeded by an advertisement, but you can skip it after a couple of seconds or so. Don't let it put you off, this is good stuff.
Friday, 25 October 2013
Online Back Pain Guide.
Today on the back pain information blog I'd like to point readers in the direction of a new online clinically approved backpain guide recently introduced by the NHS in UK.
If you are not resident in UK that's fine, as it's an online service it's accessible anywhere, courtesy of the good old British taxpayer.
This is a great site, on which you can find out more about how your back works, what can (and often does) go wrong with it, and practical measures you can take on how to prevent back problems from occuring in the first place.
It also covers neck pain, which I suppose could really be called upper back pain as it's all spine related.
The guide is initially broken down into three parts, (a)types of back pain, (b)treating back pain, and (c)preventing back pain. It is then furthur broken down into subsections giving more detail and information. Including "Red Flag" signs when it's definitely time to visit your Doctor.
This tool is full of images and videos illustrating the various do's and don'ts and useful back exercises to do at home. If you never click on another link on this blog do click on this one for quality, free information all about back pain.
If you are not resident in UK that's fine, as it's an online service it's accessible anywhere, courtesy of the good old British taxpayer.
This is a great site, on which you can find out more about how your back works, what can (and often does) go wrong with it, and practical measures you can take on how to prevent back problems from occuring in the first place.
It also covers neck pain, which I suppose could really be called upper back pain as it's all spine related.
The guide is initially broken down into three parts, (a)types of back pain, (b)treating back pain, and (c)preventing back pain. It is then furthur broken down into subsections giving more detail and information. Including "Red Flag" signs when it's definitely time to visit your Doctor.
This tool is full of images and videos illustrating the various do's and don'ts and useful back exercises to do at home. If you never click on another link on this blog do click on this one for quality, free information all about back pain.
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
The Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Back and Prevent Herniated Discs
If you’re experiencing the agony of lower back pain, your first response may be to lie down and take it easy. If the pain is acute – from a recent injury – and accompanied by redness or swelling, 48 to 72 hours of rest and ice packs may be the best immediate remedy. A strain from overexertion typically corrects itself in a day or two without any need for serious medical intervention.
However, if you suffer from chronic back pain, such as that caused by a herniated disc, there are many non-surgical options available to relieve your discomfort. Water treatment therapy, medication or spinal injections are some effective alternatives for herniated disc treatment, but the most common and easily available solution is exercise. Followed safely and carefully, a regular exercise routine is the key to relieving daily pain, preventing reinjury and reducing the chance of long-term disability.
When your muscles are too weak to support your spine, backaches and injuries are more likely. This is why exercises that strengthen your back and stomach muscles can decrease or even eliminate your back pain. Exercise can be a complementary treatment to any of the other options you and your doctor decide are best. For instance, performing a back stretch prior to receiving water treatment therapy may increase the effectiveness of this herniated disk treatment. Best of all, you can practice simple exercises to alleviate back pain at home without any expensive equipment or training.
Exercising Safely
Once your health care professional has given you permission to begin an exercise program, follow these precautions to prevent a reinjury.
• Avoid standing toe touches, sit-ups, double leg lifts or lifting heavy weights higher than your waistline. These movements can aggravate a back problem and cause even more pain.
• If a movement is painful, don’t do it. Some gentle stretching might loosen up a slight bit of stiffness or soreness, but discontinue any exercise that causes severe pain anywhere in your body, even if it is recommended.
• Start slowly. If your pain is chronic or you have been inactive for a long period of time, you might only be able to perform a few repetitions of a stretch before tiring. That’s alright! Start where your body is comfortable and increase slowly as your back and stomach muscles gain strength.
• Consult with a physical therapist if you’re unsure of how to perform the exercises or if your condition worsens after exercise.
Warm Up
Spend 5-10 minutes walking or riding a stationary bicycle at a gentle pace. Light activity warms the muscles by increasing blood flow. Warming up is essential because it reduces the chance of injury while exercising.
Stretch
Shortened muscles may be the cause of your back pain. If so, stretching may be the remedy. Back muscles that are tightened or “short” can pull the spine out of alignment, causing pain and increasing the possibility of injury. Stretching lengthens the muscles and improves the spine’s mobility. Remember to breathe while you stretch. Exhale during the most difficult part of the stretch and inhale as you release the hold.
• Back Stretch – Place a mat or blanket on the floor and lie on your stomach. Bend your arms at a 90-degree angle and place your open hands on the mat in line with your chest. Keep your hands close to your body. Slowly lift your upper body off the floor and hold the position for a count of five if you can. Relax and repeat up to 10 times.
• Pelvic Tilt – Lie on your back with the soles of your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Press the small of your back into the floor (or near it) using only the stretch of your stomach muscles, not the leverage of your feet. Count to five and slowly release. Repeat up to 10 times.
• Knee to Chest – Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring one knee up to your chest, and press it into your body with your hands. Hold for 5 to 30 seconds and repeat with the other leg. Repeat up to 10 times.
• Cat Stretch – While on your hands and knees, allow your stomach to relax towards the floor. Arch your back slowly, as if you’re trying to touch the ceiling with your mid-back, and slowly relax to neutral position. Repeat up to 10 times.
Most people can do warm ups and stretches on a daily basis. Try to increase the number of repetitions as your muscles get stronger and more flexible over time. Practicing these exercises regularly in conjunction with your doctor’s herniated disc treatment plan will produce optimum benefits.
If your back pain persists in spite of exercise and alternative therapies, surgery may be the next step. New technologies such as SpineJet, a hydrosurgery tool, can be safer, faster and more effective that traditional surgical techniques for some types of spinal surgery. If you’ve been avoiding a necessary operation due to anxiety about the surgical process, speak with your surgeon about SpineJet and other modern surgical technologies that might make your procedure less intimidating. Don’t let fear stand in the way of doing what’s best for your back; take control of your health by strengthening your muscles with exercise and getting the help you need to treat and prevent herniated discs.
This guest post article was provided by Paul Kowalski who is the VP of Marketing at Hydrocision. It has been estimated that more than 60 million people worldwide experience chronic lower back pain, which is often caused by herniated or bulging spinal discs, a leading cause of disability among Americans less than 45 years of age.
However, if you suffer from chronic back pain, such as that caused by a herniated disc, there are many non-surgical options available to relieve your discomfort. Water treatment therapy, medication or spinal injections are some effective alternatives for herniated disc treatment, but the most common and easily available solution is exercise. Followed safely and carefully, a regular exercise routine is the key to relieving daily pain, preventing reinjury and reducing the chance of long-term disability.
When your muscles are too weak to support your spine, backaches and injuries are more likely. This is why exercises that strengthen your back and stomach muscles can decrease or even eliminate your back pain. Exercise can be a complementary treatment to any of the other options you and your doctor decide are best. For instance, performing a back stretch prior to receiving water treatment therapy may increase the effectiveness of this herniated disk treatment. Best of all, you can practice simple exercises to alleviate back pain at home without any expensive equipment or training.
Exercising Safely
Once your health care professional has given you permission to begin an exercise program, follow these precautions to prevent a reinjury.
• Avoid standing toe touches, sit-ups, double leg lifts or lifting heavy weights higher than your waistline. These movements can aggravate a back problem and cause even more pain.
• If a movement is painful, don’t do it. Some gentle stretching might loosen up a slight bit of stiffness or soreness, but discontinue any exercise that causes severe pain anywhere in your body, even if it is recommended.
• Start slowly. If your pain is chronic or you have been inactive for a long period of time, you might only be able to perform a few repetitions of a stretch before tiring. That’s alright! Start where your body is comfortable and increase slowly as your back and stomach muscles gain strength.
• Consult with a physical therapist if you’re unsure of how to perform the exercises or if your condition worsens after exercise.
Warm Up
Spend 5-10 minutes walking or riding a stationary bicycle at a gentle pace. Light activity warms the muscles by increasing blood flow. Warming up is essential because it reduces the chance of injury while exercising.
Stretch
Shortened muscles may be the cause of your back pain. If so, stretching may be the remedy. Back muscles that are tightened or “short” can pull the spine out of alignment, causing pain and increasing the possibility of injury. Stretching lengthens the muscles and improves the spine’s mobility. Remember to breathe while you stretch. Exhale during the most difficult part of the stretch and inhale as you release the hold.
• Back Stretch – Place a mat or blanket on the floor and lie on your stomach. Bend your arms at a 90-degree angle and place your open hands on the mat in line with your chest. Keep your hands close to your body. Slowly lift your upper body off the floor and hold the position for a count of five if you can. Relax and repeat up to 10 times.
• Pelvic Tilt – Lie on your back with the soles of your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Press the small of your back into the floor (or near it) using only the stretch of your stomach muscles, not the leverage of your feet. Count to five and slowly release. Repeat up to 10 times.
• Knee to Chest – Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring one knee up to your chest, and press it into your body with your hands. Hold for 5 to 30 seconds and repeat with the other leg. Repeat up to 10 times.
• Cat Stretch – While on your hands and knees, allow your stomach to relax towards the floor. Arch your back slowly, as if you’re trying to touch the ceiling with your mid-back, and slowly relax to neutral position. Repeat up to 10 times.
Most people can do warm ups and stretches on a daily basis. Try to increase the number of repetitions as your muscles get stronger and more flexible over time. Practicing these exercises regularly in conjunction with your doctor’s herniated disc treatment plan will produce optimum benefits.
If your back pain persists in spite of exercise and alternative therapies, surgery may be the next step. New technologies such as SpineJet, a hydrosurgery tool, can be safer, faster and more effective that traditional surgical techniques for some types of spinal surgery. If you’ve been avoiding a necessary operation due to anxiety about the surgical process, speak with your surgeon about SpineJet and other modern surgical technologies that might make your procedure less intimidating. Don’t let fear stand in the way of doing what’s best for your back; take control of your health by strengthening your muscles with exercise and getting the help you need to treat and prevent herniated discs.
This guest post article was provided by Paul Kowalski who is the VP of Marketing at Hydrocision. It has been estimated that more than 60 million people worldwide experience chronic lower back pain, which is often caused by herniated or bulging spinal discs, a leading cause of disability among Americans less than 45 years of age.
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Epidural Steroid Injection For Back Pain.
Back pain and the epidural steroid injection have become almost inextricably linked over the past few years, as these injections have frequently been used to ascertain the cause of backpain.
I myself have been subject to these as I'm guessing have many readers of this back pain blog. I have to say in my own case to no great effect as a diagnostic tool.
An epidural steroid injection (ESI, yes yet another acronym) is probably the most common injection given to back pain sufferers.
As we all know back pain is notorious in that it can be an excruciating and debilitating condition for a while and then, for no particular reason that we can see, will disappear of it's own accord. The sufferer may never have another attack. Or it may reoccur within days, weeks , months, or indeed years.
Chronic back pain however does require medical intervention, especially in cases where there is difficulty in passing water, numbness in the back or genital area, pain and weakness in the leg(s), or an unsteady feeling whilst standing. In these cases a swift visit to the doctor is called for.
Patients in this condition are very often given spinal injections for two reasons. One to find out the actual cause of the pain, and two, to treat it. Injections used to provide relief (albeit temporary in most cases) are referred to as therapeutic injections. Those used as a diagnostic tool are generally ESI's.
The epidural space is the space between the spinal cord, well strictly speaking the covering of the spinal cord, and the inside of the spinal canal. Injections into this space does ensure that any medication is able to cover all the nerve routes to give back pain relief. So ESI's are a very effective treatment and diagnostic tool.
As many readers will be aware, spinal injections of this type can be very painful in their own right, so in most cases where they are used a prior injection of the local anaesthetic lidocain is administered first. This is harmless, fast acting, and wears off usually within a couple of hours or so.
Epidural steroid injections are usually given in one of three different ways. The most commonly used method when looking to reduce back pain is what is called the translumbar approach. Here the needle is positioned between the vertebrae from the back.
Another method is when a caudal block is placed through the sacral gap (the space below the lumbar spine) and the injection is then administered into the epidural space. This method greatly reduces the chance of the needle puncturing the covering of the spinal cord (the dura).
The third way is more of a diagnostic method, involving injection around specific nerve roots to determine the exact area where the problem lies. There are a few instances where the use of spinal injections are contra-indicated, such as in the case of those taking platelet-inhibiting drugs like aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's, don't you just love all these acronyms?).
Although this technology is by medical standards now quite old it still has a valuable role in many cases of chronic back pain. If you want to learn a bit more try this link.
I myself have been subject to these as I'm guessing have many readers of this back pain blog. I have to say in my own case to no great effect as a diagnostic tool.
An epidural steroid injection (ESI, yes yet another acronym) is probably the most common injection given to back pain sufferers.
As we all know back pain is notorious in that it can be an excruciating and debilitating condition for a while and then, for no particular reason that we can see, will disappear of it's own accord. The sufferer may never have another attack. Or it may reoccur within days, weeks , months, or indeed years.
Chronic back pain however does require medical intervention, especially in cases where there is difficulty in passing water, numbness in the back or genital area, pain and weakness in the leg(s), or an unsteady feeling whilst standing. In these cases a swift visit to the doctor is called for.
Patients in this condition are very often given spinal injections for two reasons. One to find out the actual cause of the pain, and two, to treat it. Injections used to provide relief (albeit temporary in most cases) are referred to as therapeutic injections. Those used as a diagnostic tool are generally ESI's.
The epidural space is the space between the spinal cord, well strictly speaking the covering of the spinal cord, and the inside of the spinal canal. Injections into this space does ensure that any medication is able to cover all the nerve routes to give back pain relief. So ESI's are a very effective treatment and diagnostic tool.
As many readers will be aware, spinal injections of this type can be very painful in their own right, so in most cases where they are used a prior injection of the local anaesthetic lidocain is administered first. This is harmless, fast acting, and wears off usually within a couple of hours or so.
Epidural steroid injections are usually given in one of three different ways. The most commonly used method when looking to reduce back pain is what is called the translumbar approach. Here the needle is positioned between the vertebrae from the back.
Another method is when a caudal block is placed through the sacral gap (the space below the lumbar spine) and the injection is then administered into the epidural space. This method greatly reduces the chance of the needle puncturing the covering of the spinal cord (the dura).
The third way is more of a diagnostic method, involving injection around specific nerve roots to determine the exact area where the problem lies. There are a few instances where the use of spinal injections are contra-indicated, such as in the case of those taking platelet-inhibiting drugs like aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's, don't you just love all these acronyms?).
Although this technology is by medical standards now quite old it still has a valuable role in many cases of chronic back pain. If you want to learn a bit more try this link.
Monday, 14 October 2013
Drugs For Back Pain Still The Most Profitable.
I suppose it should come as no great surprise to us that, according to forecasts by Decision Resources, a well known analytic and information company in the healthcare sector, drugs produced for the treatment of back pain and arthritis related pain will continue to be the most lucrative sector of the overall market for chronic pain treatment up to at least 2020.
Lynne Taylor reports on the forecast on the pharmatimes.com website, and it make interesting reading. It also says that the market will remain at a stable £20 billion a year. Not a bad business to be in.
An interesting development is the response of the pharmaceutical companies to the growing problem of prescription opioid abuse. They are experimenting with incorporating abuse deterrent ingredients into their newer formulations.
To read more use this link.
Lynne Taylor reports on the forecast on the pharmatimes.com website, and it make interesting reading. It also says that the market will remain at a stable £20 billion a year. Not a bad business to be in.
An interesting development is the response of the pharmaceutical companies to the growing problem of prescription opioid abuse. They are experimenting with incorporating abuse deterrent ingredients into their newer formulations.
To read more use this link.
Friday, 11 October 2013
Ozone Therapy for Back Pain.
Some back pain blog readers will recall that I purchased an ozonator a while back in order to make my own ozonated drinking water as an experiment to see if it had any beneficial effect. In particular my intermittent backache problems.
Well, as far as that goes I have been drinking ozonated water every day for a while now and to be perfectly honest I haven't noticed any great difference. At my age you expect a few ups and downs, some days better than others etc. And as far as the back is concerned, I haven't had any problems recently, but as it is intermittent that doesn't really prove anything.
Anyway, that wasn't really the point of this post, I just thought I'd mention it as I found an article on cbs news.com about an experimental treatment for chronic back pain being researched by Thomas Lehnhert M.D. assistant professor of radiology at Franfurt (Germany) University.
This involves spinal injections of ozone gas and steroids, which has apparently had good results in reducing pain in more than two-thirds of a test group of 327 people with back problems related to a herniated disc.
This treatment seems most effective with this kind of problem, and could help many patients with chronic back pain to avoid back surgery, with it's problematic record.
This ozone therapy works by reducing inflammation, shrinking herniated discs and relieving pressure on the nerves which send pain signals to the brain. The steriod content of the injection acts to furthur reduce inflammation.
Promising stuff, and if you do suffer with a herniated disc you may be interested to read further here.
Well, as far as that goes I have been drinking ozonated water every day for a while now and to be perfectly honest I haven't noticed any great difference. At my age you expect a few ups and downs, some days better than others etc. And as far as the back is concerned, I haven't had any problems recently, but as it is intermittent that doesn't really prove anything.
Anyway, that wasn't really the point of this post, I just thought I'd mention it as I found an article on cbs news.com about an experimental treatment for chronic back pain being researched by Thomas Lehnhert M.D. assistant professor of radiology at Franfurt (Germany) University.
This involves spinal injections of ozone gas and steroids, which has apparently had good results in reducing pain in more than two-thirds of a test group of 327 people with back problems related to a herniated disc.
This treatment seems most effective with this kind of problem, and could help many patients with chronic back pain to avoid back surgery, with it's problematic record.
This ozone therapy works by reducing inflammation, shrinking herniated discs and relieving pressure on the nerves which send pain signals to the brain. The steriod content of the injection acts to furthur reduce inflammation.
Promising stuff, and if you do suffer with a herniated disc you may be interested to read further here.
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Back Pain Sufferers Who Work Through Their Pain Do Better.
As I'm sure I've mentioned before, when I first developed back pain years ago I was told by my Doctor to rest and not overdo things, along with the pain-killers of course.
Now we know differently (we think), and the current advice is to keep as active as possible, despite the pain. This advice seems to be borne out by recent research by Olaya Contreras at the Sahigrenska Academy University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
According to an article on science daily.com, 109 patients with acute low back pain were randomly advised in two ways. One group were told to "stay active even though it hurts." The other was told to "adjust your activity to the pain."
Unsurprisingly to me (having for some time now followed the stay active routine) the group advised to stay active recovered more quickly with fewer problems, such as depression, at the end of the trial.
The full report can be found here.
Now we know differently (we think), and the current advice is to keep as active as possible, despite the pain. This advice seems to be borne out by recent research by Olaya Contreras at the Sahigrenska Academy University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
According to an article on science daily.com, 109 patients with acute low back pain were randomly advised in two ways. One group were told to "stay active even though it hurts." The other was told to "adjust your activity to the pain."
Unsurprisingly to me (having for some time now followed the stay active routine) the group advised to stay active recovered more quickly with fewer problems, such as depression, at the end of the trial.
The full report can be found here.
Monday, 7 October 2013
Understanding The Basics of Back Pain.
I never think it hurts to get back (pardon the pun) to basics occasionally, and I found this video, featuring Dr. Vijay Vad, M.D. on the backpain again.com website.
I also believe that in order to cope with something we first need to understand it. Back pain being no exception. So some of you may find this informative and useful.
I also believe that in order to cope with something we first need to understand it. Back pain being no exception. So some of you may find this informative and useful.
Saturday, 5 October 2013
Back Pain Relief With 10 Natural Remedies
As all readers of this back pain blog will know by now, I am quite a fan of natural remedies. Not that I have anything against prescription medicines. Everything has it's place. But I definitely feel that natural methods are always worth a try.
So, when I chanced upon this article on Ivillage.com I thought I would pass it on. In it David Leopold M.D. from the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in La Jolla, California, describes ten natural methods you can try to ease your back pain. He also doesn't have a problem with conventional treatments such as muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories, but says they can often have side effects.
He starts off by stating that the very first you need to do before anything else is to rule out any serious underlying conditions such as spinal or nerve injury that might be causing your back problems. Having gotten a clean bill of health, you can then try natural remedies.
I'm not going to list them all on this post, they are comprehensively dealt with in the article, which you can find here. Some, like myself, you will undoubtedly have heard of, but I'll bet there are one or two that will be new to you. Avocado-Soybean Unsaporifiables for instance. That's a new one one to me, as well as botanical anti-inflammatories.
Anyway, check it out, you just might find something useful for your backache.
So, when I chanced upon this article on Ivillage.com I thought I would pass it on. In it David Leopold M.D. from the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in La Jolla, California, describes ten natural methods you can try to ease your back pain. He also doesn't have a problem with conventional treatments such as muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories, but says they can often have side effects.
He starts off by stating that the very first you need to do before anything else is to rule out any serious underlying conditions such as spinal or nerve injury that might be causing your back problems. Having gotten a clean bill of health, you can then try natural remedies.
I'm not going to list them all on this post, they are comprehensively dealt with in the article, which you can find here. Some, like myself, you will undoubtedly have heard of, but I'll bet there are one or two that will be new to you. Avocado-Soybean Unsaporifiables for instance. That's a new one one to me, as well as botanical anti-inflammatories.
Anyway, check it out, you just might find something useful for your backache.
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Physiocise to Treat and Prevent Recurrent Back Pain.
OK, I'll own up. I'd never heard of physiocise until I chanced upon this story on theaustralian.com site.
As you might expect, this is a relatively recent treatment in medical terms, founded by physiotherapist Anna-Louise Bouvier in Sydney, Australia, with one patient in 1995.
From those small beginnings it has expanded to 110 classes a week with two practices and 16 instructors helping 1300 people.
Physiocise is apparently a system of specialised exercises which are designed to treat and prevent recurrent back pain, taught by qualified physiotherapists.
The idea is to look at the whole body, not just the part that is in pain. The aim is to rebuild the back, posture, and body from your brain to your backside and beyond.
The holistic approach in itself is not new, but physiocise certainly has its converts. One such being Al Baxter, the Australian rugby prop-forward.
In his own words: "We were first introduced to physiocise back in 1999 and it took six weeks to see any benefit," Baxter says. "Throughout my career I have been doing the exercises and it has paid off. None more so back in 2004 when I was getting epidural injections in my spine and was told that I might not be able to play again and I couldn't do squats. I was able to strengthen my back, stop the injections and continue playing rugby for another seven years."
Well, if it works for him! I'm not sure how widely available this treatment is if you're not an Australian. I've had a very quick search and I've found clinics offering it in London, and Ireland. There's also a book. I'm sure it won't be long until it's available in most places.
If you want to read the full story you can use this link.
As you might expect, this is a relatively recent treatment in medical terms, founded by physiotherapist Anna-Louise Bouvier in Sydney, Australia, with one patient in 1995.
From those small beginnings it has expanded to 110 classes a week with two practices and 16 instructors helping 1300 people.
Physiocise is apparently a system of specialised exercises which are designed to treat and prevent recurrent back pain, taught by qualified physiotherapists.
The idea is to look at the whole body, not just the part that is in pain. The aim is to rebuild the back, posture, and body from your brain to your backside and beyond.
The holistic approach in itself is not new, but physiocise certainly has its converts. One such being Al Baxter, the Australian rugby prop-forward.
In his own words: "We were first introduced to physiocise back in 1999 and it took six weeks to see any benefit," Baxter says. "Throughout my career I have been doing the exercises and it has paid off. None more so back in 2004 when I was getting epidural injections in my spine and was told that I might not be able to play again and I couldn't do squats. I was able to strengthen my back, stop the injections and continue playing rugby for another seven years."
Well, if it works for him! I'm not sure how widely available this treatment is if you're not an Australian. I've had a very quick search and I've found clinics offering it in London, and Ireland. There's also a book. I'm sure it won't be long until it's available in most places.
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