When Is Spinal Decompression My Right Choice?

February 22, 2012 By hjbackpa Leave a Comment

Thousands of back pain sufferers continue to seek medical help to ease or eradicate their spinal problems. As our bodies age, the degree of pain and damage to our spinal system can increase for many reasons. In our youth, it would have been ideal to be handed a crystal ball and set of red flags to alert us of the impending damage that our bodies would experience during our life span. We could then begin to plan “preventative maintenance” of our spinal system to avert irreversible spinal problems. Unfortunately, the reasons for our back pain problems are made aware to us in our later years by medical professionals following that dreaded doctor’s visit. As many of us have heard often, our backs may have gone through accidents and trauma that resulted in muscle, nerve, bone, and tissue damage to our spine. Other causes may have been physical abuse due to impact sports, incorrect weight training, construction heavy lifting, sitting in the office extended periods, daily poor posture, and a myriad of other non-conforming body movements that ultimately threw the spinal system out of alignment with the rest of our limbs and body.

It is man’s experience historically, that back pain becomes more noticeable and serious enough after 25 plus years of age. During this early period and for the next 10 years, pain sufferers either take the high road or low road to recovery (or prevention) if you will. In other words, that person will either exercise and stay active regularly, addressing certain body movements that will slow down the damaging back pain symptoms or, he will choose a sedentary or limited lifestyle that will only worsen the unknown causes of his back pain. Unfortunately, by the age of 35 to 50 years, back pain sufferers begin to flood the offices of orthopedic doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists, only to be told following an x-ray, MRI and other tests, that their back pain condition and physical being are in the serious stages. At this point, the patient is diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis or herniated discs, resulting in pinched nerves and sciatica. Perhaps his condition is one of scoliosis, a misalignment of the spine, or degenerative disk disease due to arthritis, or spondylolisthesis, a slipping of the lumbar vertebrae in the lower spine.

The question then becomes how to treat the patient’s particular spinal problem. Depending on the patient’s diagnosis and spinal demise, he will be advised of his options as to the best treatment program by medical professionals. These can range from epidural shots in the lumbar, thoracic, or cervical sections of the spine; prescribed medication such as hydrocodone for pain relief, naproxen for inflammation of spinal parts, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS); physical therapy to strengthen core and back muscles that support the spinal sections; and last but not least, the dreaded surgery in extreme cases.

So, having presented the medical side of the back pain sufferer’s dilemma, there are options outside of the medical arena that are worthy of consideration by the back pain sufferer. These options should be considered carefully in conjunction with the knowledge and understanding that the back pain sufferer has gained during the discovery and diagnosis stages of his condition. It is not implied that this person should attempt to diagnose his own back pain problem nor should he take medications that are not prescribed by his doctor for his particular back pain condition.

Option 1 – He can embark on a program of self-administered natural health supplements and healing aids in lieu of damaging NSAIDS as mentioned earlier.

Option 2 – He can pursue corrective exercises and activities which are assisted, or self-administered under the direction and resources of spine medical facilities or professional health organizations such as The Back Pain Institute. One such program focuses on the merits of using “Spinal Decompression” for back pain relief. The degree of treatment using this method can vary from opting for a costly high level specialty staff to provide the service, to what we’ll refer to as a lower level self-directed home endeavor.

What is Spinal Decompression?

Most everyone will experience compression of the spinal bone and vertebrae system due to gravity, as they get older. This mechanism ultimately results in muscle imbalances that create poor posture and may result in herniated or bulging discs that result in pinched nerves that cause back pain symptoms.

Spinal decompression occurs when your body is placed in an inverted position (hence Inversion Therapy), or any stretching exercise or mechanism, that relieves the pressure on the spinal system. The most common form of achieving self-induced spinal decompression is by using an “inversion table” at home. A lesser scaled-down back stretching program can be accomplished using the Nubax Trio decompression device.

Spinal decompression can generally be achieved in three ways (in the order of most to least costly):

a) You lie on a traction machine (split couch or rack) while your chest and pelvis are strapped, and traction (or gradual stretch) is applied electronically by professional staff

b) Your body is placed on a table in a partial or fully inverted position (hence Inversion Therapy) for a set time (used by physical therapists or other professional providers, or self-administered at home)

c) At home applying gentle traction to your back using any of these methods:

1) hanging by both of your arms from a door or tall static object (remember the monkey bars)

2) sitting on the floor between two chairs with elbow and forearms resting on both seats, while lifting
your bottom off the ground and letting your body hang

3) using a portable back stretcher such as the Nubax Trio decompression device. Of these three, the
Nubax device is perhaps the most comfortable and less risk of injury to your spine or limbs.

When Should You Consider the Spinal Decompression Option?

To answer this, lets consider two arguments.

First, if you are being seen by an orthopedic or spine specialist, you will almost always be administered a traditional program as related to your particular problem. In basic terms, he will perform diagnostics using x-rays, ultrasound, or MRI to form his conclusion about your condition; then he will prescribe pain killers, initiate epidural shots in the problem area, or suggest back surgery. But these doctors will almost never recommend or suggest Spinal Decompression. There are perhaps many pros and cons regarding this approach which suggests that it is either not very lucrative for them, or there are still differences of opinion as to the validity of such a method yielding reliable or safe results.

Secondly, there are medical professionals who actually practice the art of administering Spinal Decompression using “inversion therapy” or “traction therapy” under controlled conditions (intermittent stretching). Although these methods have been around for a long time, technology has only recently yielded modern equipment and facilities for these types of therapy, and there are now specialty medical personnel willing to set up shop for these services. It is recommended that anyone considering an inversion or spinal decompression approach, first consult with your spine doctor to determine if you are a candidate, based on certain body limitations and restrictive conditions that may not be in your best interest. It is possible that you may have certain body limitations and and restrictive conditions such as high blood pressure, which could be detrimental to your health and back condition. Keep in mind that many health insurance programs may not cover such professional services.

Choosing to pursue a self-administered decompression option can be a personal choice but it may come with risks. A person must realize whether his physical condition is capable of supporting repetitive stretching of his spine and other body parts when using for example a commercially available Inversion Table or other available back stretchers such as the Nubax Trio decompression device. Many stores such as Walmart and Sporting Outlets sell inversion equipment but the “buyer beware” slogan is always implied. If you opt to get one, it is recommended that you purchase a quality inversion table such as the Teeter Hangups. Common sense should dictate whether such a purchase meets your needs without harming your body. Another factor to consider is your age. Most persons who are physically fit and well-conditioned in their early years will probably coast through a decompression session without adverse effects. However, this may not fare so well with older folks who lack the stamina and well-being necessary to meet the challenge.

You are probably one of many back pain sufferers who will be advised, by those who have “been there done that”, not to agree on back surgery because spinal decompression may very well relieve your symptoms and eradicate your problem. For those not wanting to seek costly chiropractic or physical therapy help for their back pain, consider a low-scale low-impact decompression home exercise program using the Nubax Trio stretching device. Most medical back-pain personnel will emphasize the importance of supplementing back stretching with strengthening one’s core and back muscles that support the spinal column. Many people have discovered their back pain gone or reduced after following a routine home decompression program along with other stretching and strengthening exercises.

Written by Bert Juarez (The Cybergent)
Back Pain Health Avenue

Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Relief Tagged With: back stretching, home decompression program, inversion, inversion table, natural health, nubax, nubax trio, spinal decompression, spine relief options, spine stretching, stretching devices, teeter hangups, therapy

How to Be Healthy in Hard Times

February 9, 2012 By hjbackpa Leave a Comment

The Dow is falling! The dollar is shrinking! The economy is tanking!

We all need to take a deep breath and chill out. Slowdowns are an unavoidable part of regular financial cycles. We go through these business slumps every so often, and our economy always comes roaring back, stronger than before. Meanwhile, our personal resolve to stay well never changes.

Why not save the money spent on all those cleansing herbs, cholesterol supplements and tension headache pills and, instead, focus on diet and peace of mind? If we think smart as well as healthily, why shouldn’t a flatter wallet translate into a better diet? Let’s run through a few of the proven ways spending less can actually improve pain-free wellness.

Make Smart Choices

When it comes to healthy eating, research proves it’s smarts, not just cash-on-hand, that makes the big difference. One recent study says, “Higher socioeconomic groups ate less fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, and ate more fiber, fruits and vegetables, and had more calcium in their diet.” They might be able to afford four meals a day of beefsteaks and cheesecake, but educated people know better.

What’s more, eating healthier can save money. For example, starting with breakfast, why not buy oats instead of high-priced sugary cereals and drink veggie juice or water instead of sweetened drinks? Morning, noon and night, always drink plenty of water. Dehydration, after all, is one of the main culprits of poor health and increased pain.

Only taking the time to research a few recipes holds you back from eating tasty, inexpensive and good-for-you lunches every day of the week. Give spicy chicken and roasted vegetable tortilla wrap a try. How about couscous mixed with chopped vegetables and fresh herbs? Have you tried lean roast beef on rye with horseradish and rocket leaves? Wellness was never so delicious as it is nowadays. Be grateful.

Our dinner menus can always use more green leafy vegetables. Fresh-wash the veggies for salads, of course, and steam those side-dish greens, to protect their natural taste, texture and color. The big plus is you won’t need to add fat to cook them. As a main course, one of everybody’s healthy favorites is salmon, full of those essential omega 3 fatty acids. And for later, there are easy recipes that make the simplest fresh fruit for dessert seem almost sinful.

Find Peace of Mind

For wellness-conscious consumers in hard times the mind, as well as the body, must be healthy. The other half of a wholesome traditional lifestyle is peace of mind. Of peace of mind, one expert says, “It is a state of inner calmness and tranquility, together with a sense of freedom, when thoughts and worries cease, and there is no stress, strain or fear.”

How will putting ourselves through unnecessary stress and tension do our checkbook any good? Instead, take the larger view. Life calls out. Enjoy spiritual or mindful walks. Spend less time reading newspapers or watching TV news or reality shows. Avoid negative people. Don’t nurse grudges or get jealous. Have the serenity to accept what cannot be changed.

Some specialists in stress-reduction recommend concentration exercises, to make it possible to put counter-productive thoughts and worries out of your mind. Also, practicing a form of meditation, even if for only briefly each morning or afternoon, can become among the most rewarding minutes of your day.

Get Up and Move

During this coming year, take a little regular exercise and start getting in shape again. Yoga suits the younger, and tai chi is for the older. Although lesser-known than yoga, calm, deliberate, graceful tai chi is as effective as it is inexpensive. No special clothes are needed, no mat or balance balls.

All these simple things can help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, beef up the essentially fatty acids and good fats, relax you, reduce stress and even save you money. Bottom line? Someday you may look back on the ’08 downcycle and feel grateful. In flush times or lean, what makes all the difference is educating ourselves. Think smarter, live cheaper, get healthier.

“How Reducing My Exercise
to Four Minutes a Day Helped
Me Lose Two Pounds in One Week
— Mary Smith, DeMoines, IA”

When Mary Smith quit going to the gym, she finally lost those 12 extra pounds. Her favorite jeans fit again. She felt great. And the compliments from her husband were pretty nice too. But how did she lose weight by getting off the treadmill? Mary tried The No Excuse Workout.

This program uses the latest in interval training. It’s so effective; your body burns calories for hours after you quit exercising. Better yet, it works best when you do less. In just four minutes you can burn up to 879 extra calories a day. That’s the same as two McDonald’s Double Cheeseburgers! Or a quarter of a pound of fat! No wonder Mary lost two pounds in her first week:

“I couldn’t believe that four minutes a day would help me lose weight. But I had nothing to lose, so I tried it.
I almost fell over when I stepped on the scale. In the first week I lost two pounds.
If it hadn’t happened to me, I wouldn’t have believed it!”

You too can train your body to burn fat and lose the weight in just four minutes a day.
Find out how The No Excuse Workout can work for you… Click here now.

Filed Under: Health

Is Refurbished Fitness Equipment as good as new?

February 4, 2012 By hjbackpa Leave a Comment

People often shy away from Refurbished Fitness equipment, but generally this is only because they aren’t familiar with the term refurbished. In today’s world saving money is important. If you can cut costs without sacrificing value is the aim of the game. No matter if you’re a seasoned deal hunter or just out trying find a bargain, a piece of refurbished fitness equipment may be just what you’re looking for shape up your body and your bank account.

Most times when someone hears the word refurbished they think something is wrong with the item, or it’s defective. How ever nothing could be further from the actual meaning of the word. Refurbished could mean that an item has been damaged but it also holds several other meanings as well. Refurbished fitness equipment could be customer a customer return. Most equipment stores do offer some sort of return/refund policy on most items in their store. Most cases when an item is returned the store will return the unit to the manufacturer for inspection, and repackaging, however the item can no longer be deemed as new. The manufacturer would then redistribute the equipment as refurbished fitness equipment. This same situation is what would occur if an item were damaged during shipping. There’s a good chance that nothing is wrong with the unit, but the retailer or customer decides that they do not want anything damaged in shipment. Because the item is no longer brand new, it could never again be sold as such. But, if there were problems corrected by the manufacturer, the unit then becomes refurbished.

It’s possible that an item labeled as refurbished fitness equipment could have some simple cosmetic damage, possibly a dent or scratch, or possibly a more serious cosmetic defect. However cosmetic damage doesn’t mean that there is a serious problem with the functioning of the equipment, but it is no longer brand new. Hence if the manufacturer inspected it, it’s now considered refurbished.

If a piece of fitness equipment is on demo or display at a store, often it’s replaced by a new unit and the demo is removed from the sales floor. Generally these demo pieces are sent back to the manufacturer for inspection. The reason for an inspection to take place is to ensure there are no damages or defects, most often the item is repackaged and sent back to a retailer dealing in refurbished fitness equipment. In a situation like this the only thing separating a brand new item and the refurbished unit is the fact that one was on display.

Other refurbished classifications may involve a box that was simply opened by mistake, directions that are missing or overstock of a particular item. The bottom line is that, whenever a product is returned to the manufacturer for any reason, it is then inspected. If repairs are needed, the manufacturer takes care of those repairs before repackaging the item. If it’s a simple case of missing directions, they are replaced. The product is then shipped and resold as refurbished fitness equipment.

Other reasons for product being deemed refurbished could be an open box model, or a unit missing directions. When a product is returned to the manufacturer and they are required to inspect it or make some repairs before it is re-saleable the unit becomes refurbished. It could be as simple as missing directions, or a repair to a part of the item. The fact is that the original manufacturer makes the repairs, and then ships them out to be resold.

When purchasing refurbished equipment it’s important that you’re familiar with the stores refund and warranty policy. If there isn’t one it may not be the best idea to make your purchase there. When possibly ask your sales person if they know why the item is refurbished, and what the original problem may have been.

The contents of this refurbished fitness equipment article are intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered, or used as, medical advice or recommendations. Before starting any fitness routine, you should consult with your family doctor or a licensed physician to learn what risks, if any, exist.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: exercise equipment, fitness equipment, refurbished fitness equipment

Sitting on the Job? It May Be Ruining Your Back!

December 5, 2011 By hjbackpa 1 Comment

How bad can sitting at the office or in a car or truck all day really be? Well… it can cause several structural imbalances in your body which can actually be the cause of back, neck and shoulder pain.

Yes, we Americans have found ourselves in a day-to-day work and life environment where we sit, sit, sit. We sit at work, in the car, on the couch, at the table, on a park bench. And all this sitting has not only caused a decrease in healthy physical activity, it has led to weight gain and yes, chronic back pain.

Below is a list of the numerous physical conditions that develop over time from prolonged sitting, and what you can do to minimize the effects.

1. The longer you sit the more likely your pelvis will flare, meaning it can rotate outward, inward,
backward or downward. And it can happen on one or both sides. Even worse, you can develop a
combination of these incorrect positions. For example, you can have one side rotated forward,
outward and high, while the other side rotated backward, inward and low.

2. The longer you sit the more likely your glutes will flatten. This means they will weaken, as lack
of use “shuts them down.”

3. The longer you sit the tighter and more dominant your hip flexors will become in order to stabilize
your pelvis. What happens is that your hip flexors will inhibit your glutes from working. That’s right:
your hip flexors will ”turn off” your glutes and the only way to get them going again is to minimize the
sitting to restore physical balance.

This is a good time to give you a quick test. Do it slowly and in control as this may not be for everyone. So do it at your own pace and risk. If you have had a THR, DO NOT perform this activity.

Begin by putting your heels together. Rotate your feet outward like a duck and then squeeze your butt.
You should notice a very strong contraction. Relax. Now rotate your toes inward so that your toes
are touching and your heals are rotated out as far as they can go. Now squeeze your butt. You will note
much less of a contraction. That inability to squeeze your glutes is proof that your glutes are inhibited
or ”turned off” and a sure sign that you need to get your butt stronger.

Please feel free to do 10 to 20 of these toe-in glute squeezes per hour every day, to keep your glutes working.

4. The last major effect of siting is that your pelvis will tend to tip backwards. This puts undo stress on
your pelvis, SI Joint, and your entire spine. It is virtually impossible to keep your pelvis in a neutral
position for an entire workday, so at some point during the day you lose it and when you multiply
that by 20 to 30 years… you have a life time of back related issues, unless addressed.

Action Steps to minimize the effects of sitting at work

When the phone rings, stand up… If you do not need to be typing, get out of the sitting position for 5 to 10 minutes and you will give your body a great break. In fact, talking on the phone is a great time to do the toe-in glute squeezes. How many can you do in a 10 minute call?

Change sitting positions… I personally have four different settings for my desk. I sit in my chair, I have a kneeling chair, I sit on a therapy ball (size 75cm) and I kneel on a foam pad that puts my pelvis straight and at just the right height. Now I do not use all of them everyday but rather rotate them on different days.

Use Trigger Point work to release your hip flexors… The best why to do this is to seek a massage therapist; however you can use a foam roller, as well as other trigger point devices on the market, such as the Trigger Point Self-Treatment System.

Learn about and study about Muscle Imbalances… There is nothing more important then keeping your pelvis and spine in the most neutral and most stable positions possible. The Healthy Back Institute provides an excellent program in muscle balance therapy. Unlike most treatments which only deliver temporary relief, if any at all, muscle balance therapy delivers lasting relief to 8 out of 10 people who use it because it addresses the underlying cause of the pain, not just the symptoms. If you suffer from any type of back pain, neck pain or sciatica, now is the time to learn more about this breakthrough new treatment. Click here to learn more…

Some Recommended Sitting Resources

In addition to the self-help actions described previously, the following recommended items can be very effective in reducing or eliminating aches and pains due to prolonged sitting. They can either be used singly or in combination with each other:

1.   Freedom Back Support Cushion
          2.   Back Joy Core Plus
         3.   Back Pain Office Chair

Now that you know the ill effects of sitting all day, and what to do to correct the imbalances from it, don’t wait 20 or 30 years to make a change that you can do right now.

Filed Under: Back Pain Exercise, Back Pain Products Tagged With: back pain, back pain office chair, backjoy core plus, freedom back support cushion, glutes, hip flexors, neck pain, pelvis, sciatica, SI Joint, side rotated, sitting, structural imbalances, trigger point

Are the Foods You are Eating Keeping You in Pain?

October 12, 2011 By hjbackpa 2 Comments

An Anti-Inflammatory Diet Could Be the Ticket to Feeling Better

When I say the word “inflammation,” it’s likely to evoke thoughts of painful joints and muscles, swelling, and a loss of mobility. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease, to name just a few?

The amount of inflammation in your body varies and is dependent on a number of factors – including your activity level, the amount of sleep you get, the degree of stress in your life, and even the foods you eat. What you have to realize is that these factors are cumulative – meaning they build up over time. And the more that any or all of these factors get out of whack, the risk for disease increases.

Early in life, these levels can be so low that you might not even be aware that you have any inflammation in your body. That’s because our bodies do a fairly decent job of controlling the inflammation – at least for a while. Then one day you wake up and you’re in your 40s and something is just not right. That’s when the fear begins to set in, and you think to yourself: What did I do wrong? or What can I do now to help myself?

The first step is to get your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels tested. C-reactive protein is produced by the liver, and the level of CRP rises when there is systemic inflammation in the body. Ask your doctor about this (you may have to demand to have the test done). All it requires is a blood sample that will be evaluated by your doctor. And because diet can play a large role in how much or how little inflammation you have, you may want these levels looked at by a registered dietician who can help you formulate an appropriate eating plan.

If you have pain due to inflammation, you may choose to take the traditional medical path, which includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, and even joint-replacement surgery in extreme cases. The good news is that there are natural ways to fight inflammation without the undesirable side-effects that often result from the treatments listed above.

What You Eat Makes All The Difference

The food we eat is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to controlling inflammation. The typical American diet consists of too much fat, tons of sugar, loads of red meat, and a frightening amount of processed foods – all of which are likely to increase inflammation and contribute to obesity, which itself is can cause inflammation. By switching to an anti-inflammatory diet plan consisting of healthy whole foods, you can actually decrease inflammation and ease the pain and discomfort associated with it.

The first step is to avoid processed foods, foods high in sugar, and junk food whenever possible. Instead, choose fresh whole foods, especially anti-inflammatory varieties such as lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. But choose carefully. Many vegetables and pre-packaged “health” foods can actually work against you. Use this handy list of the best and worst foods for controlling inflammation:

Inflammatory foods
Sugar, from any source
Processed foods
French Fries
Fast Foods
White bread
Pasta
Ice Cream
Cheddar Cheeses
Snack Foods
Oils such as vegetable and corn
Soda, caffeine and alcohol

In addition to these dietary changes it is also recommended that you:

* Maintain a healthy weight – There is no question that eating healthy is not easy nowadays, whether you’re at home or at a restaurant. But at the very least, you must try to decrease your intake of sugars and hydrogenated oils and increase your daily intake of fiber. Ideally, you should be consuming 35 grams of fiber (that is a ton of fiber, but it’s worth shooting for).

* Get better sleep – 7 to 9 hours of sleep is a must for optimal health; getting a good night’s sleep is key to controlling systemic inflammation. If you are having a difficult time sleeping and you don’t want to take addictive medicine, you may want to try a natural sleep aid called Sleepzyme which has helped many folks sleep better. Click here to try a FREE 30-day supply and start sleeping better and waking up feeling great!

* Relax more often to lower stress levels – Find time for yourself throughout the day to focus on your breathing and clear the clutter from your mind; learn to stay focused on the most important tasks in your life.

* Exercise on a regular basis – People always ask me: What’s the best exercise to do? I always tell them: Do something you like to do and, if your body can tolerate it, aim for 15-20 minutes three times a week.

* Demand to have you CRP levels tested – This simple blood test is the best indicator of the amount of systemic inflammation in your body. Have the levels evaluated by a certified health care provider who can suggest the most appropriate action.

So, if you are in pain and you’ve made a conscious decision to help yourself get better, then focus on a corrective diet, take care of your body and health with a proper lifestyle, and avoid harmful meds by using natural pain relief enzymes such as the following:

Featured Product:

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Robert English – Queensland, Australia

Here is a quick 50 second back pain relief technique for anyone who travels… (or doesn’t!) From Kevin Gianni.

Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Relief Tagged With: anti-inflammation diet, diet, eat right, inflammation factors, sleepzyme, systemic inflammation

Take control of Arthritis, and Get Your Life Back!

October 7, 2011 By hjbackpa 2 Comments

Red, burning, swollen and so stiff you don’t want to move…that’s what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a daily basis. If you know this all to well, you are probably one of the 46 million Americans (that’s 1 out of every 5 people) that are living with arthritis every day. To better understand how to get relief from this debilitating disease we need to dive deeper into its root cause.

Some of the types of arthritis which are associated with inflammation include:

* rheumatoid arthritis
* gout
* tendinitis
* bursitis
* polymyalgia rheumatica

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis actually means joint (arthr) inflammation (itis). Arthritis can be used to define a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints or any part of your body. Additionally, it can damage the joint cartilage which can lead to joint weakness, instability and visible deformities that can interfere and, in severe cases, limit a person’s ability to perform most basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, using a computer keyboard, washing dishes or brushing your teeth. Arthritis can affect anyone regardless of age and most commonly affects joints in the knees, hips, hands and spine. If left undiagnosed and not treated properly, arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the joints, bones, organs, and skin. Not to mention dramatically impair your quality of life.

Arthritis-related conditions primarily affect the muscles and the bones but it is also considered to be systemic, affecting the whole body. Arthritis can cause damage to any bodily organ or system, including the lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, skin and even the heart. The Arthritis Foundation sites two independent studies (Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota) both of which prove that the widespread inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is linked to heart disease and an increased risk of early death.

No one really knows the exact cause of arthritis but there are certain risk factors to keep in mind:

* Genetics – likely to contribute to risk but no one knows how much.
* Age – the older you are the more at risk you become.
* Weight – maintaining a healthy weight will ease the load on the joints.
* Previous Injury – major injuries are likely to contribute to risk.
* Occupational Hazards – repetitive, high demand jobs increase risk.
* Certain Sports – high level, high demand sports can contribute to arthritis
(however, general exercise is always a plus)
* Illness or infection – an infection in the joint or gout can lead to arthritis.

What we do know is that when you have arthritis your immune system goes into over-drive and causes the joints to swell and become inflamed. Therefore, treating the inflammation becomes key in managing the pain and discomfort associated with this condition.

Sadly enough, the Arthritis Foundation reports that half of those Americans with arthritis don’t believe anything can be done to help ease their pain. You may be in that situation yourself, having thrown your hands up in frustration and simply decided to live with your pain. The good news is that by reducing the inflammation you can significantly ease the painful symptoms associated with arthritis.

Here are a few ways to reduce your inflammation:

* Exercise – less weight equals less stress on joints
* Diet – Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-grain products; limit sugar,
salt and fat (especially saturated fat found in animal products)
* Rest – a good balance between rest and activity is the key to joint health
* Over-the-counter and prescription medications – while these may provide temporary relief by masking
the pain they are not always get to the root of the problem – inflammation. They can also have serious
side effects, specially with long-term use.
* Natural anti-inflammatory supplements – probably the most promising natural approach to reducing
inflammation in a long while. We recommend looking for supplements containing systemic enzymes
and all-natural herbal ingredients.

By taking these simple steps to reducing inflammation you will be well on your way to managing your arthritis pain and it devastating effects on your mind and body. Everyone should strive to achieve a healthy and active lifestyle for optimal health and wellbeing.

Finally… A Safe, Effective, All Natural Pain Reliever

Dan Monahan had reached the point where he was willing to try anything – anything to ease the constant pain and inflammation in his leg. He could no longer walk. Even standing was uncomfortable.

His doctor gave him several prescription medicines but nothing helped. Pain was ruining his life. When Dan saw an ad for this natural pain reliever, he was skeptical. How could this product work when every prescription his doctor gave him hadn’t? But he decided to give it a try. Let Dan tell you what happened:

“Was I pleasantly surprised! After only 2 to 3 days on the activation dose, I noticed reduced inflammation and less pain in my leg.”

After just three weeks, Dan started walking again. This all natural product worked for Dan when all of his prescription drugs hadn’t. You can relieve your constant, burning pain when prescription drugs no longer work – just like Dan did – with Heal-n-Soothe.

That’s because Heal-n-Soothe works differently than prescription drugs. Here’s how:

Prescription drugs reduce inflammation by switching off important compounds your body needs. Many are vital to your health. Eventually, you may need more drugs to get the same relief. Or worse, you experience dangerous side effects caused by drugs that are supposed to help you feel better.

Heal-n-Soothe works with nature by adding more of the enzymes that naturally reduce inflammation. With Heal-n-Soothe, your body has everything it needs to repair and renew your muscles and joints. You have less pain as a result – with no life threatening side effects.

So if you’re in constant pain and prescription drugs no longer help, don’t wait another second. Click here to ease your pain and cool inflammation with Heal-n-Soothe!

Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Relief Tagged With: arthritis pain, Back, back pain relief, ease inflammation, Heal n Soothe, natural pain relief, Pain, relief arthritis

The Health Dangers of Poor Posture…

September 17, 2011 By hjbackpa 13 Comments

One of the worst things you can do for your back is to sit down. That’s because the “C”-shaped posture most people slump into puts serious stress on the spine. You may not feel any discomfort right now, but the medical consensus is bad posture will cause you pain… sooner or later.

Health-aware people need to take proactive steps. Especially nowadays when so much time is spent sitting in front of flatscreens. On the other hand, the economy is tough, and the average person can expect to pay $60 to $90 for an hour massage, while the cost of chiropractic care ranges from $40 to $100 per session.

Luckily, one of the world’s oldest, easiest and most-effective posture-correcting and tension-relieving exercises is cost-free.

“Sinking your weight” is a traditional wellness treasure you can practice anywhere, effortlessly, and without ever moving a muscle. Now is a great time to learn how to stand up in a whole new way.

Start by standing up straight, feet a shoulder’s-width apart, arms loose by your sides, anywhere it’s quiet and comfortable. Relax. Pretend you are a puppet hanging by one golden thread from the top of your head. Notice how the neck stretches out, and your shoulders settle down.

Are you under the mistaken impression that keeping certain muscles tense is what holds you up? Not so. The simple point of sinking your weight is to relax as much as possible each and every muscle group from the top of your body to the soles of your feet. We begin by consciously loosening the neck, shoulders, back, chest… right on down to the toes.

A beginner’s first pass will never sufficiently relax all the muscles. Expect to keep repeating your scan-check, paying closer attention to each group. The process of loosening up from head to toe begins to feel as if you are slowly sinking your body weight down the length of your body. First, the torso starts to feel lighter.

The hardest part of the body to free-up is the pelvis. Ideally, it should be tilted slightly forward, your buttocks tucked in a little. When you sink your weight, you will need to keep checking back to consciously re-relax those hips again.

Standing up for a while, especially if you aren’t used to it, can cause your legs to tire. You know the feeling — your thighs and calves begin trembling or get that old burning sensation. What people usually do, if we have to keep standing, is to shift our weight. This displaces the muscular tensions somewhere else in our legs but doesn’t change the problem, which soon sets in again.

You can completely conquer twitchy tired legs — be able to stand comfortably indefinitely with perfect posture — by learning how to sink your weight into your thighs, past the knees and down through your calves. This is tricky, but, with a little practice for a few minutes a day, the twitchy discomfort goes away.

A time comes when you hang by the golden thread, settle your weight down through your body and, finally, right through your feet into the floor. From then on, even simple walking will feel lighter, more limber, sometimes almost like dancing. More importantly, your posture will be undistorted by the spinal stress and muscular tensions “C” slump-sitting causes.

While ‘sinking your weight’ for free is the smart way to keep you healthy and happy, those looking for a more attractive modern workplace alternative may be interested in utilizing a specially designed ergonomic office chair. Ergonomic chairs can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, however, a small price to pay when compared to the huge benefits derived in comfort, corrective posture, and reduction of back pain when used correctly. “The Best Chair for Bad Backs” is one recommended by The Healthy Back Institute, and is effective in reducing “C” slump-sitting. More information on this popular product can be found by clicking here.

Filed Under: Back Pain Exercise, Back Pain Help Tagged With: back pain chair, best back pain chair, ergonomic chair, office back pain chair, pain relief chair, posture chair

Rheumatoid Arthritis And Joint Pain Relief

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 3 Comments

Arthritic Pain Hurts!

Arthritis is a disease that affects almost everyone at some point in their later years. Women seem to be affected affected much more than men. Arthritis belongs to a group of more than 100 different diseases that cause pain, inflammation, stiffness and functional problems in one or more joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a very painful condition. This is due to the immune system that attacks the joints of the body, allowing inflammation and pain. In some cases, damage to internal organs can be caused by the immune system too. Professionals are not sure why the immune system reacts in this way, nor do they know how to get rid of the disease.

However, in recent years tremendous progress has been made in reducing and managing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis Symptoms:
Symptoms often begin in small joints and work their way into the larger. Swelling and joint pain are common symptoms, and stiffness after sitting or lying down, and red hands. Additional symptoms can also be a mild fever, fatigue and weight loss.

Treatment Options

Sometimes patients trying to relate disease progression to different foods they eat. There are special diets or miracle foods that offer cures for patients with arthritis. In some cases when patients avoid certain foods while consuming others, this can present changes in the evolution of their disease. Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis show an improvement when their diet intake includes fish fat. In patients with gout, avoiding alcohol and food rich in protein helps.

Your diet is a crucial factor when it comes to your health. Preventing joint problems can be as simple as eating the right foods. To help combat joint disease and pain, our body needs the proper nourishment. An unhealthy diet makes you more prone to joint pain and other problems. It is very important that patients consult their doctor first, before making any changes in their diet in order to combat arthritis.

Effects of pain can range from stiffness in the affected joints, fever, fatigue, insomnia and even depression. These conditions severely affect the lives of many people. Fortunately, joint pain products are now available in the market to help ease the effects of arthritic and joint pain.

Joint pain can happen to people who often use a manual screwdriver, wash windows, play tennis or musical instruments like the violin. Repeated twisting movements or activities that strain the tendon can cause elbow pain. Easey braces for the elbow joint, along with rest, can help relieve pain.

Treatment can begin once a formal diagnosis is made. The goals of medicine are the management of pain and slowing the progress of arthritis. In recent years, new drugs have become available and have shown useful for improving the quality of life for patients. However if the joints get too badly damaged, the patient can be encouraged to have surgery done to regain mobility and function.

Treatment using natural remedies

Some people who are concerned about the effects of medicines or surgery to relieve arthritis and joint pain may wish to explore alternative medicine such as natural cures and home remedies as found in The Homemade Medicine e-Book. This resource was written by Charles Silverman, an Naturopathic Doctor, and lists natural cures and home remedies used by professional Holistic Practitioners, for various illnesses and distressful body conditions, including arthritis. The remedies are intended to provide relief from your symptoms as proven in clinical trials. Care should be exercised in following the natural remedy path as a person may have a more serious underlying condition that should be evaluated by a doctor.

eBook Resource: The Homemade Medicine e-Book

Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Relief Tagged With: Arthritis, Joint, Pain, Relief, Rheumatoid

Tips To Finding The Right Back Pain Relief Products

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 6 Comments

Which Medicine?

Are you in despair for back pain relief? Then you must have tried various back pain relief products to combat it. However, if you haven’t yet managed to get relief from the discomfort, you should look for something else. In such a situation it is always advisable to consult an orthopedic professional immediately. You’d not be the only one to do so… according to a study, every year about 13 million people visit orthopedics in America with chronic backache problems.

There can be various causative symptoms of backache – mild to severe. People often complain about backache that can originate from different parts of their back. While some people feel the upper part of their back sore, for some people it’s the middle portion or the lower part. Whatever it is, the excruciating pain causes acute discomfort, hampers your physical activities, and impairs your quality of life.

There are numerous back pain relief products available in the market today. However, it requires a good amount of research and patience to search out the most appropriate ones. It helps to have an idea of where the pain resides or originates. This is at best subjective but treating one’s own pain at home has become more common place when seeking relief from acute injuries and chronic problems.

For people looking for more effective or natural remedies other than normal pain killers, consideration should be given to “Homeopathic” and “Systemic Enzymes”.

Homeopathic medicine is one of the overlooked treasures of natural healing you can turn to when suffering from pain. Often distributed in liquid tinctures or lactose sugar pellets, homeopathic remedies are a safe and easy way to treat yourself with little-to-no side effects.

Homeopathic medicines are generally distributed as pellets or liquids, and are found online and at many health food stores and pharmacies around the country. If you decide to use pellets, take as prescribed on the bottle. For liquid forms, a dropper is used, and dosage is measured in drops.

Homeopathic remedies are generally dissolved sublingually–taken under the tongue. The popular brand names are Hyland’s, Newton’s and Doliso’s. Newton’s remedies are the most commonly recommended by some doctors in clinics for patients with pain.

If you suffer back pain, try using Arnica. Arnica is available as a topical cream, a lotion, and in pill and droplet forms. It is considered one of the best remedies for first aid back pain relief.

Bryonia is considered a good remedy if you have a cough, or a cold along with back pain.

Nux vomica is also a good choice for back pain, especially at night when it may interfere with sleep.

The Newton ‘Aches and Pains Relief Complex’ is a good clinical homeopathic remedy for backache from causes such as strains, nerve injury or pulls from strenuous workouts.

For those with shooting neck pain, belladonna is the choice. Guaiacum is also a great remedy for stiff neck due to cold or draft. And for those with chronic neck pain due to spondylosis, Calc Carb is the best choice. And Newton’s ‘Muscle Ease’ is a simple remedy for those who have muscle tension, due to stress and overexertion.

For those with tearing burning stiffness and shoulder pain, it is best to use Rhus Tox. With shoulder pain radiating to the whole arm with weakness, choose Chelkidonium. Of course, Newton’s ‘Aches and Pains Relief Complex’ can be used for general shoulder and neck pain.

For pain from a sprained ankle with stiffness and swelling, use Rhus Tox. For weak ankles susceptible to sprain, use Ledum. Weak ankle tendons and ligaments indicate the use of Ruta. Combining Newton’s ‘Aches and Pains Relief Complex,’ along with arnica cream can work wonders.

For acute cases of sciatica, the remedy of choice is Colocynthis. Of course, the aforementioned belladonna and ruta also work well. Newton’s ‘Sciatica Relief’ formula is great for inflammation of the nerves in the lower back and legs.

Systemic Enzymes

Unlike digestive enzymes that break down proteins to help us digest our food, systemic proteolytic enzymes (SPEs) when consumed on an empty stomach, enter our circulatory system, bringing nutrients and oxygen-rich blood that remove the metabolic waste produced by inflammation. These enzymes also remove excess “fibrin” found in patients with sciatica, arthritis, chronic back pain and other debilitating conditions, which cause a reduction in blood flow. Unlike pain killers that don’t heal, SPEs support the body’s ability to heal itself, and they reduce the signs and symptoms of a chronic condition.

Although enzymes go to work immediately, the reduction of pain and inflammation, and healing process and outcome will be different for everyone. There are a number of factors that bear on how fast the enzymes will work for you, including dosage, quality of sleep, diet, and physical activity. Even the very treatments you are undergoing to try to get better could be holding you back.

A very popular anti-inflammatory product available for back pain is called Heal-N-Soothe™. It is a natural and more effective alternative to Aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, and others that may have dangerous side effects. The product contains the world’s best enzyme formulators which are a blend of 11 ingredients (including Tumeric) that have a cascading effect, which means that they help support the work of the enzymes and deliver even more beneficial results.

Click here for more information on Heal-N-Soothe™ .

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Filed Under: Back Pain Products, Back Pain Relief Tagged With: Back, Find, Pain, Products, Relief, Right, Tips

Effective Back Pain Exercises

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 3 Comments

The answer to a healthy back is appropriate exercise. The problems associated with back pain can be minimized with exercises. It is widely known that regular exercises will improve the appearance and health in general, but very few realize the benefits that good physical conditioning can have on their back pain.

The benefit of exercises for the back depends on the following three key principles:

To attain satisfactory aerobic fitness. To focus part of the exercising on the muscle groups that supports the back. To avoid exercises that cause heavy stresses on the back

The right kind of exercise program helps in keeping the back pain under control and can make it easier to continue doing the daily chores. A break from vigorous exercise can be taken if the pain becomes worse. A Doctor or physiotherapist can be consulted before starting an exercise program for deciding on the type of exercises that can be done to relieve back pain and to stay fit.

Warm up is important before exercise and deep inhaling has to be repeated before each exercise. Regular exercise helps a lot and if it is skipped for a day, unavoidably walking can compensate it, to some extent.

Exercises to strengthen the back and hip muscles:

Wall slides exercise helps to strengthen the back and hip muscles. Leg muscles also get relieved. By standing against a wall on your back, try to slide down with knees bent. The bend should be 90 degrees and count till 5. Then come back to standing posture. This has to be continued for five times.

Raising the leg also helps in strengthening back and hip muscles. Lay down on the stomach. Try to tighten the muscles of a leg and bring it up. Count till 10 and bring it down. Continue this for 5 times each for both the legs.

Sitting up partially strengthens the abdomen muscles. Lie on the back and keep the knees bent. Raise the head and shoulder above the floor and try to reach the knees with hands. Leg rising also benefits stomach and hip muscles.

Exercises to minimize the back pain:

An aerobic conditioning program for 30 minutes, three times a week is ideal for overall fitness. Recommended aerobic exercise includes Bicycling, swimming and brisk walking. Aggravation of low back pain can happen if step aerobics and exercises like jumping and running are practiced. Aerobic exercises make the heart and other muscles consume oxygen more efficiently.

Swinging back legs could strengthen the muscles of hip and back. Stand in the back of a chair and raise a leg up and down without bending the knee. Repeat this for each leg.Posture training for sitting, standing, sleeping and even during motion is needed if posture is a factor. The type of shoes viz. High Heels that are worn can also affect the posture by adding more stress on the lower back by changing the posture.

Stretching exercises can be done for keeping the muscles flexible and less prone to injury.

Physical therapy: There are different forms of physical therapy viz. Passive Physical therapy and Active Physical therapy. Passive physical therapy includes Heat/Ice packs, TENS units and Iontophoresis. Active Physical therapy is the exercises like Stretching for back pain exercise, Low-impact aerobic conditioning and strengthening for back pain exercise.

While there are merits if a pattern of good conditioning is followed the wrong type of exercise may actually worsen the low back pain. Activities that pass on too much stress on the back like lifting heavy weights, jumping, running, step aerobics and climbing are not advised. Slow Cycling on a recumbent stationary bike can also relieve back stress. To sum up, exercise will decrease the severity and frequency of lower back pain and can be prevented when a comprehensive exercise program is followed.

Inversion Therapy

An alternative to exercise and medication to fight back pain is inversion therapy. Most doctors will focus on treating the symptoms of back pain using anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, electrical stimulation and the like. However, they tend to ignore the biggest factor that contributes to back pain, that of spinal compression. Spinal compression translates to the force of gravity on our bodies that creates pressure and stress on all our muscles, bones, joints, and ligaments.

The spine is the most affected by this gravity force. Both gravity and muscle imbalances shove our vertebrae together, pressing on the discs, which in turn become herniated resulting in nerve root pressure or back pain. Inversion therapy aims to treat this resulting back pain by reducing the influence of gravity and the compression of the vertebrae and discs. This allows the muscles and ligaments that encase the spine to relax.

Inversion therapy is accomplished using an Inversion Table which allows you to lie on your back relaxed at various inclines or inverted position. This position eliminates some or all gravitational compression, depending how far back you position your body. Inversion therapy is safe, quick, and effective in increasing the space between the vertebrae bones, thus relieving back pain. When in doubt, a back pain sufferer should consult his doctor because certain human body conditions such as high blood pressure, bone diseases, and medical implants or fusion surgery may preclude that person from using an inversion table.

While there are many styles of inversion tables offered, they are in essence built to perform the same inversion function. A recommended inversion table is the Teeter Hang Ups table which you may want to read further on by clicking here. Many back pain sufferers have achieved success and reducing or eliminating their back pain after using this popular product.

How to Lose Belly Fat without Painful Exercises

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 3 Comments

If you are one of the many individuals wishing to lose that belly fat but don’t have the time or energy to exercise it off, you may want to instead start cleansing your body using detox methods. This relatively safe process can achieve weight Loss, create energy and give you more vitality.

The “Complete Body Cleansing Program” is a great solution and can be purchased at any local GNC Store. It is a two-day solution that you should follow exactly as directed, in order for this process to work properly. This will help decrease the fat from your stomach, waist and upper body. While taking the solution for the first two days, be sure to drink plenty of water and reduce your intake of meat, sugar, soda and salt. The best foods to eat during this time are fruits and nuts (unsalted). You can eat your regular meals, but I suggest only a smaller portion then normal and decrease the amount of bread as well.

It is strongly recommended that you supplement your detox program with basic exercise. Walking can be a great asset at this point. Walking on a treadmill for 30 mins or more will help get rid of the belly fat. If you don’t have access to a treadmill, walking around your neighborhood park or school track is better too. It would be best to wear a jersey or hoodie to help work up a sweat. Sweating is the other main activity that will help reduce any body fat. Try sweating as much as you can, but don’t over do it. Be careful and drink plenty of water! You should follow this routine for two to three weeks, drinking plenty of water, reducing your intake of salt, sugar, bread and meat, and walk on the treadmill or around your neighborhood or school track.

It is recommended that you purchase one “Complete Body Cleansing Solution”. If for any reason you feel that you need to purchase another box of the solution, please be careful and wait at least two months before taking more of the solution.

A second option to body detoxification is more fully explained in 12 Steps To A Complete Body Detox – A Natural Path To Superior Health. This is a complete body detox program developed by Calvin Newstead. Written in pdf format, this ebook will walk you through the process of a complete body detox, creating superior health that will bring you energy, youthful vitality, and help lose that belly fat you dread so much.

eBook Resource: 12 Steps To A Complete Body Detox

Back Pain Exercises-Fitness and Health

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 5 Comments

Back pain exercises can help many people with back pain achieve significant results. Back pain affects the ability of people to work, and around the world, is a common cause of absence. Evidence of back pain can be debilitating and frustrating if not treated.

The areas of the body most affected are low back pain in the waist, lower lumbar back pain, or pain from the neck down.

There are many factors that contribute to the development of back pain:

Spinal aging, degenerative discs, osteoporosis, arthritis, skeletal conditions due to degenerative changes in the spine. Low back pain generally starts around age 30 and women are at greater risk due to the effects of menopause.

If you are a business that requires you to handle heavy objects, do bending and lifting such as at a construction site, and you are not doing any back pain exercises to relieve yourself, you are at high risk of developing severe pain in the back.

Other factors causing pain to radiate to your back can stem from certain infections in the kidneys, bones, and inflammation of key organs. Poor posture, obesity, pregnancy, smoking, minor fractures, scoliosis and skeletal deformities, stress and depression, may all cause acute or chronic low back pain.

Some important things to consider in managing your back pain are:

Consult health care providers or physical therapists prior to taking on an exercise program. Perform regular exercises to strengthen the back muscles to alleviate back pain. Stick to a fixed program. Avoid activities such as bending, sitting or standing more than 30 minutes which may increase your pain.

Bouts of severe pain in the back may require you to take non-prescription pain relievers and muscle relaxants. Go to the gym and work with a fitness trainer who is trained properly and can give you the correct exercise program. Cardio exercises such as swimming and brisk walking that do not put pressure on your back are helpful. Spinal muscular spasms usually cause back pain as a result of underlying conditions.

It is important to strengthen the abdomen, spine, and hip and thigh muscles to alleviate lower back pain. Perform stretching to relieve muscle stiffness.

Recommended exercises

Crunches -

Lie with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross arms over your chest or put hands behind your neck. Tighten stomach muscles and raise your shoulders off the floor. Breathe out as you raise your shoulders. Don’t lead with your elbows or use arms to pull your neck off the floor. Hold for a second, then slowly lower back down. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Hamstring Stretches -

Lie on your back and bend one knee. Loop a towel under the ball of your foot. Straighten your knee and slowly pull back on the towel. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Do 2 to 4 times for each leg.

Wall Sits -

Stand 10 to 12 inches from the wall, then lean back until your back is flat against the wall. Slowly slide down until your knees are slightly bent, pressing your lower back into the wall. Hold for a count of 10, then carefully slide back up the wall. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Press-up Back Extensions -

Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. Push with your hands so your shoulders begin to lift off the floor. If it’s comfortable for you, put your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders and hold this position for several seconds.

Bird Dog -

Start on your hands and knees, and tighten your stomach muscles. Lift and extend one leg behind you. Keep hips level. Hold for 5 seconds, and then switch to the other leg. Repeat 8 to 12 times for each leg, and try to lengthen the time you hold each lift. Try lifting and extending your opposite arm for each repetition.

Knee To Chest -

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the other foot flat on the floor. Keep your lower back pressed to the floor, and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Then lower your knee and repeat with the other leg. Do this 2 to 4 times for each leg.

Pelvic Tilts -

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Tighten your stomach by pulling in and imagining your belly button moving toward your spine. You’ll feel your back pressing into the floor, and your hips and pelvis rocking back. Hold for 10 seconds while breathing in and out smoothly. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Bridging -

Lie on your back with knees bent and just your heels on the floor. Push your heels into the floor, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor until shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line. Hold about 6 seconds, and then slowly lower hips to the floor and rest for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Lift Weights -

Done properly, lifting weights doesn’t usually hurt your back. In fact, it may help relieve chronic back pain. But when you have acute (sudden) back pain, putting extra stress on back muscles and ligaments could raise risk of further injury. Ask your doctor whether you should lift weights, and which exercises to avoid.

Aerobic Exercise -

Aerobic exercise strengthens your lungs, heart, and blood vessels and can help you lose weight. Walking, swimming, and biking may all help reduce back pain. Start with short sessions and build up over time. If your back is hurting, try swimming, where the water supports your body. Avoid any strokes that twist your body.

Pilates Moves -

Pilates combines stretching, strengthening, and core abdominal exercises. Under the instruction of an experienced teacher, it may help some people with back pain. Be sure to tell your teacher about your back pain, because you may need to skip some moves. A free DVD copy of Pilates is available for you by Clicking Here.

Exercises To Avoid

Leg Lifts -

Leg lifts are sometimes suggested as an exercise to “strengthen your core” or abdominal muscles. But lifting both legs together while lying on your back can make back pain worse. Instead, try lying on your back with your right leg straight and left leg bent at the knee. Slowly lift right leg up about 6 inches and hold briefly. Lower leg slowly. Repeat 10 times, then switch legs.

Sit Ups -

Although you might think sit-ups can strengthen your core or abdominal muscles, most people tend to use muscles in the hips when doing sit-ups. Sit-ups may also put a lot of pressure on the discs in your spine.

Toe Touches -

Exercise is good for low back pain — but not all exercises are beneficial. Some may aggravate pain. Standing toe touches, for example, put greater stress on the disks and ligaments in your spine. They can also overstretch lower back muscles and hamstrings.

Correct Your Own Back Troubles

In addition to the above exercises, you may want to check out Backpain Goodbye, an easy self-help program for back pain, sciatica, and bulging disk relief. It was developed by Robert Feddes, a former back pain sufferer, and provides excellent insights into understanding your back pain mechanics, as well as exercises and action items that can help relieve or even rid of your back pain.

Filed Under: Back Pain Exercise, Back Pain Help Tagged With: Back, Exercises Fitness, Health, Pain

Neck Pain Help In Littleton CO | Back Pain Can Occur Anywhere Along the Spine

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 16 Comments

Dorsalgia, or back pain, is a remarkably common occurrence. Pain can present itself anywhere along the spine, from the neck to the coccyx. Because the spine protects and carries the spinal cord, and provides nerves to much of the body, some forms of back pain combine with symptoms of numbness or tingling, especially in the extremities. Any significant back pain or change in sensation should be discussed with your primary care physician, promptly.

Understanding the Source of Back Pain – There are many different issues that can lead to back pain. Fractures, strains, disk injuries and excessive bone growth can all create a situation where the back begins to hurt. Determining the cause of the back pain is essential to the development of an effective treatment plan. There are some common causes for back pain:

Poor posture. Posture is very important if you want to reduce the strain placed upon your back. When you stand or sit straight you align the spine in such a way as to create the most stable, least fatiguing stack. The vertebrae lay one upon the other in a manner that reduces any strain upon the back muscles.

Lifting or moving things. Overexertion is a common cause of back pain as well. Spending a weekend helping your friend move is commendable, but not if you suffer from back pain. The strain on your body is considerable, and muscular aches or tears are no surprise.

Exercising too much. For those people who feel a need to be in the gym every day, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. When you do the same exercises day after day you eventually create an overuse injury. The simple solution is to vary your workout frequently.

The Most likely Regions of Back Pain – Some areas are just more likely to experience problems than others. The cervical spine and lumbar spine, or the neck and back, have significant curvature, and work almost constantly throughout the day. Herniated discs are common, although people don’t always realize when a disc herniates unless they experience pain.

Treatment Varies with Type and Severity of Injury – Research is always being carried out with the intent of improving the outcome for those suffering from back pain. Surgical improvements mean that common back surgeries are safer and more effective; still almost all back pain is treated non-surgically. Physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, massage therapy and stretching will help resolve most back pain without higher level treatments. Most back pain is preventable, and, even better, treatable at home. Regardless of where you hurt, icing is always a good idea to reduce inflammation within the sore tissues. Exercise helps you strengthen the muscles surrounding your spine, making injuries less likely. With as much as 80% of the population admitting that they experience periodic back pain, research will continue to focus upon not only treatment, but also the cause. It is hoped that eventually enough new ideas will be generated to eliminate back pain altogether.

If you’re experiencing low back pain try these simple moves with Adi to bring strength and integrity to your spine and core. By giving your hip flexors, hamstring and psoas muscles a nice stretch, this sequence will keep your back feeling limber and prevent pain in the future.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Lower Back Pain Help – Here is What You Can Do

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa Leave a Comment

Millions of people across the globe suffer from back pain at least once in their lives. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have to deal with back pain only once. For many people, help is nearly impossible for them to find. However, if you do not go to your doctor to be treated for your condition, it is likely that you are causing your pain to continue instead of resolving the issue.

The cause of your back pain will be a determining factor in the help treatment for your lower back pain. For example, if you simply pulled your muscles, it is likely you will be treated with instructions for stretching your back to build the muscles, possibly an anti-inflammatory medication and some rest.

In general, a doctor will order some tests to determine the severity of your injury. These tests usually allow the doctor to see nerve damage and spinal damage. The course for treating lower back pain due to nerve damage or spinal issues is generally different than treating a muscle injury in the back.

Back pain is one of the most frustrating aliments for an individual and a doctor. It can be difficult for the doctor to diagnose the problem and often the individual can not pinpoint the cause for it. This often causes the pain to be covered up with medications and not treated at the root.

Although medication often relieves the pain, it is not always the best course of treatment. If you are prescribed a medication by your doctor, it is best for you to not use the medication for long periods of time. Also, if the medication does not seem to be relieving the pain, you should contact your doctor and request further testing be done.

Obtaining a proper diagnosis is the only way you are going to get the help you need. In too many cases, the doctors are willing to pull out the prescription pad to cover up the root of the problem instead of treating the cause of the problem and solving the issues altogether.

It is important that you pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you know there is still a problem even after your doctor has prescribed medication for you, you can request he or she do further testing to determine the root of your back pain and finally get the lower back pain help you need and deserve.

There are alternative options that you can pursue, which include diving into lesser known back pain programs which have been developed by authors that have been there, done that. It just takes a little faith and determination in staying with these programs. There is always valuable lessons to be learned and ways of doing things that one may have not imagined. In this light, you may then find the following pain relief programs useful in combating your back pain:

7 Seconds To Pain Relief

Bullet Proof Back System

Fixing You: Back Pain: Self-Treatment for Sciatica, Bulging and Herniated Disks, Stenosis, Degenerative Disks, and other diagnoses

Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Products Tagged With: Back, Help, Here, Lower, Pain

Back Pain Help

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 5 Comments

If you’ve never needed back pain help before, chances are 8 out of 10 you will. This is particularly true as your body ages and your back and spine take a beating over time. Getting help for your back pain is second only to the common cold when it comes to healthcare provider visits in the United States. And it’s right at the top of the list of occupational health hazards.

Although help for your back pain is readily available, terminology and methods used can be confusing at first. Here we’ll demystify some of the common back pain terms and diagnosis methods you’ll run into along the way as you seek help for your back pain.

All back pain is classified as either acute or chronic back pain.

– Acute indicates a sudden onset of pain, typically with severe lower back pain and limited mobility

– Chronic back pain refers to lower back pain or acute back pain episodes recurring for more than three months

You’ll likely be asked the following as you seek back pain help from your healthcare provider:

– How the pain begins: either acute (sudden) or insidious (gradually increasing pain over a longer period of time – days or longer)

– How often the pain happens and how long it lasts

– Back pain with intervals of no pain in between episodes

– Back pain with pain always present

– Where it hurts – the spot on your body where pain is felt

– Your estimate of how bad the pain is on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain of your life)

During your search for help with your back pain, when you ask almost any healthcare provider to “help with my back pain,” they will start with one or more of these diagnostic methods to better enable them to provide accurate help for your back pain.

– You’ll usually need to answer a number of questions related to your personal and family medical histories in addition to questions specific to your back pain

– A physical evaluation to assess various postures and movements ranges and related back pain symptoms

– Testing with particular attention to reflexes, muscle strength, and general nervous system and circulatory system conditions

– Internal examinations including x-rays, MRIs, CAT scans, etc.

You should first research what might be causing your pain and once you have identified the causes, you can treat them. In the meanwhile, check out this video on how to eliminate back pain at work:

Recognized as one of the top fitness trainers and natural health experts in the United States, Jesse Cannone has been helping people live healthier lives for more than a decade. He is an amazing example of how far passion, drive and determination can take you.

Most people would have been content with being a highly successful personal trainer and post-rehabilitation specialist with a thriving fitness business in the Greater Washington, D.C., area. But when Jesse saw that so many of the clients who came to him were suffering with lower back pain and sciatica, he made a decision that would not only change his life but the lives of millions of others – from Atlanta, Georgia, all the way to Queensland, Australia.

The decision was to focus all his attention on helping the millions of people who struggle with back pain, neck pain and sciatica. Then, with the help of massage therapist Steve Hefferon and a hand-picked board of medical advisors, he created the world’s first self-assessment and self-treatment program for back pain and sciatica sufferers. The system, which is called Lose The Back Pain®, has proven extremely effective and over 35,000 copies have already been sold in 85 countries.

Having personally worked with hundreds of clients, Jesse has developed a no-nonsense approach to fitness and wellness that has helped people all over the world weed through all the weight-loss and fitness hype to discover what really works.

Click here to learn more about Jesse Canone’s how to Lose The Back Pain® system.

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Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Products Tagged With: Back, Help, Pain

Pain Relief Management

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 6 Comments

Medical professionals define pain as a less than comfortable cerebral or sensory event. This can be related to stress or emotional damage, or indeed to damaged body parts. Pain is an individual ordeal and can be a completely different experience from one person to another. Pain Relief Management is a control method utilised by medical experts in order to assist sufferer’s to handle their pain. Qualified physicians assist sufferer’s being affected by acute, continual, or intensifying pain, by greatly reducing, or eliminating the cause.

Stress can result in intense pain and although this is reversible, the root of the problem must first be addressed. Persistent, or continual pain is due to certain issues that can’t be simply identified. In such a scenario, it will be extremely difficult to treat it; classic cases are referred pain, neuropathy, and cancer.

When you’re being affected by these kind of circumstances, pain management is presented individually, based on the diverse requirements associated with the person in question. Pain is a warning sign associated with these diseases, so to be able to eliminate it straight away, would be out of the question.

Pain management uses several discipline strategies at the same time, and is only used by qualified experts. The strategy is a mix of collaborative procedures, including sleep inducing drugs or narcotics, and pain relief drugs or analgesics. Also, the strategy additionally involves psychotherapy and biofeedback, generally recognised as psychological measures.

Clinicians of pain regulation are considered authorities and this is their own healthcare area. Medical professionals who put into practice pain relief consist of psychiatrists, neurologists, anesthesiologists, and psychiatrists. Professionals such as these are experts in dealing with pain, either by the utilisation of prescription medications, and/or additional interventional measures, such as stress relief through gentle exercise with yoga and similar practices.

Medical staff and health professionals offer specialized focus on pain treatment, because its a crucial realm in the medical domain. While working with various kinds of illnesses, pain management is ordinarily included in the treatment process, particularly in cases of major injuries, tumors, and other malignancies.

Having the support of the health professionals, nurses, and various other concerned team members, an individual will more thoroughly understand their situation. In knowing what they’re having to coping with, it becomes less difficult to handle the overall pain.

Pain is not the exclusive domain of the physical. A number of women and men are inclined to suffer from emotional pain and it is crucial that these pain afflicted people visit the appropriate medical practitioner. In case a specific healthcare specialist is unable to deal with the pain origin, the individual should be directed to the pain management specialist appropriate to their condition.

Not all individuals want to use prescription medications and various other interventional procedures offered by medical professionals. A few will declare they do not wish to experience the unwanted effects of these kinds of drug treatments, or prescribed drugs. Concerning people who are weary of making use of traditional treatments to handle pain, he or she can decide on all natural pain relief management methods.

Complementary, or alternative approaches, consist of methods like yoga, Reiki, herbs, and additional holistic means of minimizing pain. In the event that you choose some of these approaches and are new to the idea, it would be advisable to consult with your general practicioner beforehand. Concerning herbal treatments, you can explore the world wide web for localized herbal healthcare specialists to assist you with any questions.

For those who wish to find out further information pertaining to yoga or Reiki, it is best to speak to these practitioners in your locale. Gaining information from these specialists will assure you of the safety, along with the effectiveness of these methods. There are also internet sites that can assist you in finding videos, CDs or DVDs related to alternative and relaxation approaches.

Pain Relief Management can be dealt with by choosing either, established medications, or solutions using the natural approach, the choice being up to individuals who can decide on the recommended remedy that accommodates their particular situation.

Written by chris meagher

eBook Resources: The Homemade Medicine eBook
Pain-Free Choices eBook
Your Best Health Under The Sun

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Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Relief Tagged With: Management, Pain, Relief

Pain Relief Options: Natural and Medical

July 22, 2011 By hjbackpa 3 Comments

At some point in our lives, we will experience some sort of chronic pain that we positively hate and wish to go away. But as much as we seek pain relief immediately and despite the discomfort, the truth is that pain is useful to our survival as it alerts us to problems within our body. Pain also prevents a person from further injuring themselves and so it can be very useful. But, while useful, we all seek pain relief from time to time because-well, it hurts!

Oral Pain Relief

Now when most people think of pain relief, the first thing that comes to mind is aspirin or some other form of oral medication. In fact, we have been conditioned to believe that “you take something for the pain” and this usually involves a pill of some kind. For severe or chronic pain, opiates are most often prescribed. Morphine and heroine are two common opiates, and you will generally see cancer patients given these pain medicines as pain relief of last resort. Opiates are considered highly addictive and generally reserved for terminally ill patients.

Anti-depressants once were prescribed solely to treat depression and other mental illnesses. However, recent research has concluded that anti-depressants do relieve certain types of physical pain and are often used in pain relief applications to help a patient sleep.

Anti-seizure medications are prescribed to deal with sharp or acute pain caused by malfunctioning or damaged nerves. They most often deaden or numb the nerves themselves so pain signals do not reach the brain.

Less severe forms of oral pain relief generally come in the form of aspirin or ibuprofen. Ibuprofen are specifically designed to reduce inflammation and are therefore recommended for things like muscle aches while aspirin are more useful on headaches and fever reduction.

Pain Relief From Injections

One of the more severe but useful types of pain relief come in the form of injections. Cortisone treatments are common in athletes and involve an injection directly into the muscle or nerve causing the pain. This sort of pain relief is very effective, but it cannot be done on regular intervals due to tissue damage. Therefore, it is only recommended for temporary relief of acute pain.

Dentists also use this form of pain relief when they inject your mouth with Novocain-or, a local anesthetic. These injections will numb your nerves so that they are no longer sending signals to the brain. The inflammation or source of the pain will remain, but your body won’t feel anything until the local wears off.

Nerve Block Pain Relief

This type of pain relief is related to injections but deals with specific nerve blocks within the body. Called a ganglion or plexus, a nerve block will affect a group of nerves relating to a specific organ or part of the body. The doctor provides an injection of a specific nerve blocker in order to temporarily relieve pain to that organ or part of the body. It is different than a local anesthetic in that it has been specifically designed to affect one type of nerve so it is specialized pain relief and tends to be more expensive than standard cortisone shots or Novocain.

Physical Therapy as Pain Relief

Physical therapy is often viewed as a means to rebuild damaged muscles and nerves after a trauma. However, physical therapy is also used as a natural form of pain relief. Whirlpool therapy, deep muscle massage, and ultrasound are all forms of physical therapy used in natural pain relief treatments.

Electrical Stimulation Pain Relief

Known as TENS, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is an alternative to more traditional pain relief treatments. Without using any needles or medicine, pain is relieved when tiny electrical impulses are applied to the skin. The electrical current then stimulates nerve fibers in other parts of the skin and has the affect of relieving pain. The effects are only short term but TENS has proven itself as a legitimate means of pain relief and is a standard component of many physical therapy programs.

Acupuncture Pain Relief

While not widely recognized by the medical community as a legitimate form of pain relief, this Oriental treatment has been around for centuries and is considered by its adherents as a very effective pain management tool. Acupuncture specialists use lots of thin, small needles on various pressure points of the body. The pressure points in which a practitioner applies the needles will depend on the source of the pain. Although not a proven form of pain relief, acupuncture does remain one natural alternative to more traditional and accepted forms of pain management.

Acupressure Pain Relief

A modified treatment for back pain similar to acupuncture without the needles, is using acupressure self-treatment in the comfort of your own home. This is best know as Trigger Point Therapy. Trigger points are tiny contraction knots in our muscles and tissues which are the primary cause of pain 75% of the time and a factor in almost every painful condition. These occur when an area of the body is injured or over-worked, or develop over time through muscle strain from repetitive movements at work or play, postural strain from standing or sitting improperly for long periods at the computer or in your car, emotional stress, anxiety, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, and toxins in the environment. Everyone has trigger points; the question is to what degree.

If you have lingering pain, tightness, or restriction of certain movements, you’re experiencing the effects of a trigger point. If you are a pain sufferer interested in pressure massaging your trigger points in the comfort of your own home, rather than seeking an expensive accupressure massuese, you may want to try the The Trigger Point Self-Treatment System specifically designed to target, release and deactivate all your trigger points.

Surgery

In very severe cases and when other forms of pain relief have failed, surgery may be the last best chance to end chronic pain. In most cases, a surgeon will go in and actually severe nerve connections so that pain receptors in the brain no longer receive signals. Again, this is a method of last resort because as we stated earlier-pain can be useful and necessary to our survival. Doctors don’t like completely severing nerve endings as they will no longer be able to alert your body to problems-but when other forms of pain management fail, surgery may be the only viable alternative.

Topical Pain Relief

Finally, there are also topical ointments, creams, and liquids that can be directly applied to an affected area for temporary pain relief. Topical pain relief has the advantage of being quicker to reduce pain than oral medicines without being as invasive as the injections. While topical pain relief is not recommended for relief of chronic pain, it is highly effective with short term alleviation of minor aches and pains.

Pain relief is something we all must concern ourselves with from time to time. There are a wide array of medical and natural pain relief options available to you, and the one you choose will depend on the nature of the pain and your own comfort level with the treatment. For relief of minor, short-term pain, oral medication is most preferred, but topical pain relief options are growing in popularity and should be considered as a viable option in most cases.

For a topical and natural pain relief product that doesn’t smell or burn your skin, try Rub On Relief to help manage and prevent any of your everyday aches and pains.

Product Resources: Pain Relief Cream with 8 Homeopathics
Trigger Point Self-Treatment System

Filed Under: Back Pain Help, Back Pain Products, Back Pain Relief Tagged With: Medical, Natural, Options, Pain, Relief

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