Back Neck Pain

The cervical spine is composed of vertebrae that extend from the base of the skull to the upper part of the torso. The surrounding ligaments and muscles are the ones providing its stability and motion. But the strong support of these structures is still unable to stop the necks’ susceptibility to injury. One of the existent injuries to this area is the “pinched nerve,” which can be due to disk damage, tight muscles, or bony deposits. It causes either acute pain or chronic and recurrent gnawing pain that radiates from the base of the neck up to the scalp, and down to shoulders, arm, and fingers. This is usually accompanied with headaches, dizziness, stiff muscles around the neck, and tingling or numbness--which decreases the overall range of motion and mobility of the individual. To treat this agonizing type of neck pain, apply the following steps.

Instructions

The conservative treatment

1. Heat the room. Place a warm towel around your neck to relieve muscular tension and pain in the neck.
2. Massage muscles of the neck with a cream or oil, menthol. Make sure that the massage side rather than directly on the spine.
3. Chiropractic planning. This is a good hand, and precise tuning of the cervical spine.
4. Use of acupressure and acupuncture is helpful in relieving pain and relaxes the neck muscles.
5. Place bet a session with a physiotherapist deal. This opens up a hole in the neck, which helps alleviate the pain.
6. Recreation and support the neck brace and back muscles to relax.

Performance Home

1. Especially when standing or sitting comfortably in a neutral neck. Click on the chin to chest and hold his head in his hands. Exhale and bend your neck feel a little "more, until you look on the ground floor. It is tension in the neck and hold for 5 seconds. Breathe out and tolerated back in the neutral position and relax. Repeat 5-10 times longer .
2. Sit on, let your chin on your chest and breathe slowly, turn right. Hold the stretch for 50-10 seconds. Then exhale, relax, turn your head back in the middle and neck in neutral. Do the same with the left. Repeat 10 times.
3. Especially when standing or sitting with his neck in neutral. She bends her head slightly to the right (still) for 10 seconds, and bring his head back toward the center. Do the same with the left. Repeat 50-10 times.You can continue to the finish line by placing his right hand above your head and your left hand up on the left arm. Slide the head to the right and left, press the left shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds, and threw back his head, before and relax.
4. Sitting and neck in neutral, slowly lift your arms as high as possible. Hold for 10 seconds and relax. Repeat 10 times.

Drugs

1. Reduce pain, swelling and irritation of the throat, take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
2. Take muscle relaxants and severe neck muscle stiffness.
3. Chronic neck pain can be depressing. If you are taking certain antidepressants may be helpful .

Back and Neck Pain

In the search for quick relief of chronic pain in the neck and back pain? It would be nice to remove the pain forever, to live without pain?

You are not alone. Back and neck pain is suffering an epidemic and the millions of people around the world also.

Most people go to the doctor to find relief and get a variety of painkillers, but I do not know that there are risks common treatments that a doctor can not tell you? Exactly. His research on the Elimination of back and neck pain, which can cause more harm than good.

Anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are a common medication chronic back pain and neck. And appear "neck joint, and the readmission of asylum seekers in pain, ibuprofen or aspirin, to the hope of pain relief. Expected in extreme cases, major surgery, many people accept the plan for the treatment of fans!
 Believe it or not, traps, anti-inflammatory drugs and surgery are astounding. A recent article in Science Daily:

"Mortality NSAID complications is higher than that of serious diseases like cervical cancer and AIDS."

NSAIDs are known to contribute to high blood pressure, stomach and intestinal ulcers, liver and kidneys.

In fact, 71 percent of people of all anti-inflammatory drugs 3 months, 1 day, century, or problems with more experience in the small intestine after a study in the Journal of the American Gastroenterology Association publishes.

These complications are only superficial and experiencing the second highest number of patients with complications after surgery.

If you suffer from sciatica, herniated disc, and a series of back problems and the other in the neck, you may consider surgery. Now, before I under the knife, you should know that it said is a serious side effect of surgery, the doctor.

In the United States today, more than 250,000 procedures performed annually, and this number represents only the lumbar spine surgery. Many health experts agree that most actions are premature and unnecessary, and most functions have failed. Many people can rearrange the dangers of surgery.

Consider this, Mr. Arthur said White, a respected surgeon:

"I earn a living by debris from other doctors who have work ahead of inadequate diagnosis and inadequate training."

The team failed back surgery (FBSS) is one of the many things that are directly connected with the operation. FBSS is a condition that occurs during spinal surgery. Unfortunately, this problem is very common and something that the average patient feels a bit before it's too late. The victims often suffer from FBSS pain and mobility, which is actually worse than before surgery.

If you experience pain from top to bottom, middle or back pain, neck pain, problems with sciatica, herniated disc, neck tension, chronic pain, back pain or just in general, there is no hope for you that is not an expensive intervention, and surgery is not painful and dangerous drugs is caused by NSAIDs.

So if you are more safe and effective, neck pain looking for, you should know that there are many natural alternatives to credit - as a specific alternative treatments, always carefully selected exercises for the neck, better nutrition and more.

Remember that knowledge is power. When it comes to pain in the neck and back, a lot of questions, not only unclear, advice or treatment, which has led them astray, come. You have a body, you embrace your power and protection!.

Do you suffer from back pain? Is it more in the shoulder or neck, maybe it's the lower back? Are you seeking any treatments to help alleviate the pain and heal the affected area? Massage chairs have stepped up to offer a variety of treatments and offer Hawaiian massage. Hawaiian massage uses long, flowing strokes, some deep tissue and in some cases stretching. The Hawaiian massage can be a great treatment for back pain in the lower back, shoulders and neck.

Hawaiian Lomi massage means "Loving Hands" to represent working gently, yet deeply to relieve those problem areas. The Lomi Lomi massage is a holistic massage used throughout the entire body, but it is particularly effective up and down the spine. The Lomi Lomi massage originated with the ancient Polynesians and then was further developed by the master healers of Hawaii.

These ancient practitioners saw the total energy flow through the body. They say that energy flow was sometimes hindered in certain regions, yet flowed in others. In time a holistic approach to healing and well being was developed. But specifically what they found was areas of energy blockage could be manipulated. With the development of different massage techniques, the energy flow of the body could be restored. This restoration brought back balance to the body.

Hawaiian massage uses flowing, rhythmic motions that help to loosen and elongate muscles. These rhythmic motions feel like waves moving about the body. These full body strokes help to release blockages to the energy flow in the body, releasing tension and soothing aches and pains. The swaying motions are also coupled with more pressure to work deeper into the muscles. The Hawaiian massage helps to bring back flexibility to sore and aching muscles and tendons.

The premier massage chair brands like Panasonic and Omega have Hawaiian massage therapies. Panasonic has a full Hawaiian massage program in some of their recliners. Omega has Hawaiian massage therapy with gentle swaying motions. The gentle swaying motions help to loosen the muscles around the shoulder and neck. This releases stiffness and built up stress. The gentle swaying motion is effective for loosening the compression on the lower back. These flowing strokes of this massage help to lessen the pressure on the discs elongate the muscles and release built up tensions.

Massage chairs have come a long way over the years. The technology that is integrated into these mechanical masseuses is nothing short of impressive. Most massage chairs have the capability to perform an array of massage therapies. Hawaiian massage has certain advantages for relieving stress, tension and aches in the back, neck and shoulders. Let the "Loving Hands" of these robotic masseuses show their fondness for relieving your aches and pains.

This is a story about what happened to a mate of mine who showed me the radiologist's report from the X-Ray of his back.

There is a central disc protrusion with a focul annular tear... facet joint arthropathy and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy... there is a dics bulge which is paracentral to the left side and extended in to the foramen and far laterally... there is mild crowing of the cauda equine... there is no evidence of spinal canal stenosis... blah, blah, blah.'

So what is an ordinary person to make of this gobbledegook?

Well, it's extremely difficult to make anything of it. You can Google 'ligamentum flavum' and discover that it is 'a strong ligament that connects the laminae of the vertebrae.'

Then you need to Google 'laminae of the vertebrae' and find that the laminae are 'two flattened plates of bone extending medially from the pedicles to form the posterior wall of the vertebral foramen. The Pars Interarticularis is a special region of the lamina between the superior and inferior articular processes. A fracture or congenital anomaly of the pars may result in a spondylolisthesis.'

Then you'd need to Google 'pedicles', 'vertebral foramen', 'Pars Interarticularis', 'lamina' and 'spondololisthesis'... and on and on it goes. You need a PhD in Latin, surgery and probably rocket science to work all this out. Certainly it will take you a long time to get full bottle on it.

Is all this asking too much of an ordinary bloke with a crook back? You betcha.

Anyway, as part of my research I went looking for images and found a diagram on which the Ligamentum Flavum waqs highlighted.

At least I now know where the Ligamentum Flavum is, though I can't tell from the radiologist's letter what has caused the hypertrophy - which for those who don't know what 'hypertrophy' means, it means 'it's got bigger'.

Why has the Ligamentum Flavum got bigger? That is the burning question.

It is a pity that the radiologist does not address this issue. Radiologists must see these things all the time. You'd think that sooner or later they'd want to know what the cause of the hypertrophy was, just out of interest.

But what is the cause of it getting bigger and inflamed? I've searched high and low and can't find the answer to that.

But what all this points to is that the radiologist's report is certainly beyond the limits of an ordinary explanation for an ordinary bloke to understand. It's pretentious. It's medical grandstanding. It's useless to the consumer who wants to know in straight forward terms

1. What's wrong?

2. What caused what's wrong to go wrong?

3. What he or she can do to restore poor function to good?

The radiologist has not answered any of these questions, just looked at an X-ray and stated a few facts.

The information to the consumer is useless.

But, and I beg the question again, what does the average bloke do with this information.

Well, of course the information is not for him is it? It's for his doctor.

Now I understand that the doctor is meant to read the report from the radiologist and ascertain the cause.

Most can't do that.

In the case of my mate, the doctor certainly didn't do that. All that happened was that he was told that it was probably not necessary to have an operation to cut off the disc protrusions, and to go home, lie on his bed and bring his knees up to his chest. He was also sent over to the chemist for a packet of anti-inflammatory pills and some Panadeine Forte.

End of story. Case closed; at least until it gets worse and it is time for the scalpel.

SEARCH FOR THE CAUSE So what is the cause of the problem?

Well somewhere along the line there's a good chance that muscles attached to the pelvis have become weak and/or tight causing the pelvis to tilt and twist. (Coupled with this, the muscles of the front, back and core of the trunk have become weak and can't support the vertebrae in their correct alignment.)

You can work out which muscles are tilting and twisting the pelvis by taking note of your ability to sit up straight against a wall.

If you can't sit up straight in this position, with your bottom close to the wall, your hamstring and calf muscles are too tight - usually hamstrings. Try it and see. If your bottom is well away from the wall, as in the second diagram, it means your tight hamstring and calf muscles have tilted your pelvis backwards. If that has happened the 'S' shaped curve of the spine will have become a 'C' shape. The bones are out of alignment. You feel the pain. The pain is telling you to get back into alignment by loosening off calves and hamstrings.

If you can't sit up straight in this position your buttock muscles are too tight. One buttock will usually be tighter than the other. Not only is your pelvis tilted backwards, but it is probably twisted around as well. The bones above it move out of alignment to compensate. Ligaments, tendons and muscles are stretched beyond their pain threshold. Discs start to bulge. You feel pain. The pain is telling you to get your body back into alignment by loosening off your buttock muscles.

You can also work out the likely cause of the problem if you have someone poke you in the buttock muscles while you are in the hip crossover and reverse frog positions

In hip crossover and reverse frog positions, people with back and neck pain will usually have tight buttock muscles. When poked in the buttock museles (with some vigour), people with low back pain may find the pain quite intense. One side will usually be tighter than the other, symptomatic of a pelvis that's twisted. The pain is usually a symptom of muscles that have been stretched beyond the pain threshold by bones that have been pulled out of alignment by muscles somewhere that are too tight.

Sounds a bit convoluted doesn't it? Well it is, but the search for the ultimate cause of back pain may indeed be a convoluted process that ends up with the cause of the pain being well away from the place in the back where it's painful. In fact you can count on that.

Of course, like most things, it's probably a bit more complicated than that.

THE MUSCULO-SKELETAL ECOSYSTEM

On a global level the body is an ecosystem, in this case a musculo-skeletal ecosystem and it stands to reason that a weakness or tightness in one part of the system may well lead to a problem in another part or the system; which is all the more reason to keep the musculo-skeletal ecosystem, strong and flexible.

WHERE DO YOU GO TO FROM HERE? Well, you need a set of set of strength and flexibility exercises designed to treat the cause of the problem - get the pelvis square and strengthen the muscles of your trunk, front, back and core. In the mean time stay tuned, highly tuned and remember, the cause of the pain is rarely at the site of the pain.

Many patients see me after ruining their chances for quick recovery from back and neck pain. They try to fix themselves at home using the wrong kind of care to help their spinal problems. They use heat, when they should use ice. They rest when they should move. Worst of all, they delay necessary care hoping their problems will magically disappear.

It's important to use ice early on in most cases of back or neck pain. Using ice from 5-20 minutes while protecting the skin with a soft cotton towel can provide quick relief. This is especially true if the injury is new or intense in nature. We see this care given to professional athletes everyday on TV. A football player will get ice immediately after an injury. Why not do the same for ourselves?

Later on, hot tubs or hot showers can be excellent for achy, old injuries and provide relief and increased mobility.

The old electric heating pad places potentially dangerous electrical currents near delicate injured tissues. Many scientists feel this interferes with the body's inborn healing potential. Heating pads temporarily mask pain, while prolonging the problem by disrupting the bodies bioelectrical repair systems at the cellular level.

Another old fallacy that prevents quick recovery is the idea that we must rest in bed when we have back pain. This myth is so entrenched, that even physicians who should know better, recommend bed rest. While this may feel good initially, it can lead to rapid loss of strength of the muscles around the spine that help keep it erect. Rapid de-conditioning leads to longer periods of intense pain and stalls the recovery process. Science has shown, that people who stay active with back pain, do better than those forced to rest in bed.

Of course the best way to mess your spine up and perhaps your entire life is to do nothing. Worry. Imagine the absolute worst as you let your spine deteriorate. Don't even consider calling a chiropractor that specializes in these injuries. Take ibuprofen and other medicines that undermine the integrity of the natural self-healing systems necessary for full recovery. Delude yourself into thinking "if one pill is good, many pills are better." Of course, this is a prescription for disaster.

It's shocking how often people don't use ice, remain active and avoid needless pain by calling a qualified doctor of chiropractic. Suffering prolonged back or neck pain due to the wrong kind of self-care is a tragedy that no one should endure.

Back pain and sciatica are treatable! Back pain and sciatica sufferers are not doomed to the surgeon's blade. A bad back can be dealt with effectively, without surgical intervention, if proper bad back strategies are implemented early and followed consistently.

Have you ever gotten out of bed and felt that nagging feeling in your back, a kind of stiffness that doesn't seem to want to go away with normal movement? Have you ever started to bend over and felt that twinge in the lower back, perhaps radiating down the leg? Have you ever bent over to pick up a child, a pet, even a package and felt a blast of pain? Has your back pain and sciatica ever gotten so bad you had to stop what you were doing and rest?

If you have answered yes to any of the questions above, you are in good company. Unfortunately, back pain and sciatica are a pain complex suffered my literally millions of Americans every year. In fact, almost half a million people are operated on every year for what most people refer to as a bad back. Severe and chronic pain may be caused by many things but is often the result of the stress, strain, and trauma we impose on our muscles, connective tissue (tendons and ligaments), discs, and even the vertebrae themselves. While it is true that many back injuries are the result of significant trauma and disease, the majority of back pain and sciatica results from normal, day-to-day activities. The activities resulting in back strain and injury may be as mundane as working around the garden, sweeping the driveway or raking leaves, shoveling snow (always a good one), lifting laundry or grocery bags, household chores, and picking up children or grandchildren.

Often, simple adjustments to movement and behavior, properly and consistently implemented, go a long way towards preventing or at least minimizing back strain and its consequences. A few bad back strategies in particular are quite effective in minimizing the consequences of back stress and strain: first and foremost, be aware of body position while engaged in activities that may impact the back, particularly the lower back; next, maintain good posture through exercise, conscious thought, and eventually, habit; third, make sure to stretch often, usually as part of a total exercise program; along with the third bad back strategy, integrate a consistent, individualized, and professionally supervised exercise program into your life; next, make sure to always know your limits; and, always listen to that still, small voice in your head, if it says you're pushing it, you probably are; finally, lose weight. Significantly, added weight may have more of a negative impact on back health that any single factor. If you are carrying extra weight, you are placing incredible stress and strain on you back. The combination or all of these strategies, tied to an intelligent weight loss and exercise program, will do wonders, often alleviating, then eliminating, back pain and sciatica

Ultimately, a medical consultation may be the wisest strategy, particularly if your back pain and sciatica continue for more than a few days. Do not wait for it to worsen! If you have engaged in an exercise program and are losing weight, you should begin to experience relief quickly. You will be amazed at how soon after beginning an intelligent, focused, and individualized exercise program you start feeling real relief. If you do not, see your physician and he or she will recommend a good orthopedic surgeon or neurologist. Don't wait until you are disabled to get help, it is not necessary and the damage may be irreversible without surgery.

Bad back strategies are easy to implement and, from personal experience, are easily made habits, allowing you to significantly minimize, and ultimate eliminate, your pain. After years of pain and surgeries, weight loss and exercise, along with the other strategies mentioned above, allowed me to re-enter life as a participant and not just as a spectator, miserable, depressed, and disabled. It is not easy and it takes conscious effort but it is doable and the results are amazing! So remember, posture, positioning, lifting, exercise, and weight loss. If you follow these five bad back strategies you will alleviate, and eventually eliminate your back pain and sciatica.

Yoga exercises are helpful in strengthening your connection with gravity, extending your spine, and improving the capacity of your lungs. Practicing yoga can train you to use gravity to achieve functional movements and improve your alignment and posture for greater ease in movements and less tension in the muscles. Yoga also opens your breathing mechanism as well as provides your adrenal glands and nervous system a break and access to the parasympathetic nervous system. This will lead to better digestion and immune defenses in the body. Problems in the adrenal glands and nervous system cause stress and the so-called fight or flight response.

Back pain can be caused by constant exposure to vibration of the entire body over prolonged periods. The more intense and the longer you are exposed to this vibration, the higher the risk of getting a back injury. And when you start suffering from back pain, constant whole-body vibration can aggravate the pain.

Intervertebral discs absorb impact of vibration by acting as a cushion to the spine. Basically, a herniated disc is a disc with a hole in it. In a herniated disc, the tough external membrane of the disc (which is called the annulus fibrosis) is broken and the soft internal membrane (which is called the nucleus pulposis) extrudes. When the extrusion touches a nerve, pain takes place.

Generally, yoga is beneficial for the health of the spines. Research done with modern imaging techniques has shown a new model of spinal health: curved, flexible, and plastic (not stiff or straight). Aside from that, modern lifestyles that are sedentary in nature such as using computer and driving for long periods can result in poor posture, which in turn causes discomfort and pain in the lower back.