Wellness Posts by DrBack

Back Pain-Get Back To Basics!

support@wellness.com — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:45:07 Z

Wellness.com - Back Pain-Get Back To Basics! by DrBack

Sprains, Strains, Excess Weight, Injury, Stress, and Poor posture are well-known sources of back pain.

However, other causes may surprise you. For example, it is well established that smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and can lead to spinal degeneration. Even a bout of sharp coughing or sneezing can strain a muscle in your lower back.

Common causes

Poor posture. Long periods of poor posture can cause muscle strain. Don't slouch - stand up straight with your shoulders straight and chest out. When you're sitting, sit up straight in a firm, high-backed chair. If you have to sit at a desk for long periods of time, take frequent breaks to walk around.

Improper lifting. Decrease the risk of muscle pain and strain by lifting heavy loads properly. Squat and lift with your knees bent and back straight. Lift gradually and keep the load close to your body. Tighten your waist and stomach muscles. Don't move suddenly or lift objects higher than your waist. Stop immediately if you begin to feel back pain. Don't try to lift something awkward or heavy by yourself.

Poor physical condition. Obesity can strain your back muscles. In fact, for every five pounds of excess weight you carry on your abdomen, an estimated 20 pounds of pressure is placed on your back muscles and spine. With your GP's OK, exercise regularly. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and keep your back, abdominal, and leg muscles in shape.

Emotional stress. Stress can cause your back muscles to become stiff, causing strains and spasms. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep, slow breathing.

A soft, saggy mattress. If your mattress doesn't provide enough support, try putting a board under it. If that doesn't work, it may be time to invest in a new mattress.

Ageing. As you get older, you're likely to experience changes in your back. Muscles and connective tissues become less elastic. Bone mass decreases. A loss of muscle strength and mass may cause posture and balance changes. Your disks - structures that act as cushions between vertebra lose fluid and flexibility. All of these can result in back pain.

Arthritis. Arthritis is a common culprit in back pain as well. This is especially true with osteoarthritis
- a "wear and tear" condition that develops after decades of using your back to twist, turn, pivot, and pull. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It may affect some backs more than others depending on factors such as lifestyle and heredity.

One form of arthritis - ankylosing spondylitis can lead to significant stiffness and pain, especially in the lower back. In this condition, the joints and ligaments between vertebrae become inflamed and progressively fuse, or grow together.

Fibromyalgia. Another chronic condition that's characterized by back pain is fibromyalgia. People with this condition often feel pain in the neck and shoulders.

Herniated disk. You've probably heard someone blame back pain on a "slipped disk."
Disks don't actually slip out of place. However, injury and normal wear can cause a disk to bulge, rupture, or herniate.

When this happens, the disk may pinch a nerve connected to the spinal cord. The result is pain - typically in the sciatic nerve that begins in the lower back and runs along the buttocks and legs.

Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a loss of bone mass. Bones become more brittle and weak, making them vulnerable to stress and injury.

The risk of osteoporosis increases with age, especially after menopause for women. Regular weight-bearing exercise and a diet rich in calcium can help prevent osteoporosis when started early enough.

Pregnancy. As a woman's body progresses through a pregnancy, it goes through a number of changes. For example, pregnant women often compensate for the weight of a growing baby by changing the way they sit, stand, walk, and lift. These changes in posture and movement can put extra stress on muscles and ligaments, a source of back pain.

Near the end of pregnancy, a woman's body prepares for childbirth. For example, joints in the pelvis begin to loosen and expand. This extra instability can also lead to back pain.

Referred pain. Sometimes back pain is referred. That is, it develops as a symptom of another condition. Examples include:

h bladder infection
h cancer
h diabetes
h endometriosis
h kidney stones
h infections in the spine
h ovarian cysts

If your back pain occurs with fever, loss of bowel or bladder control, or weakness or pain radiating down your legs, consult your doctor right away.

Spinal Stenosis. Each of your vertebra contains a central small hole. Vertebra are stacked on top of each other, and the succession of holes creates a canal to house your spinal cord. In spinal stenosis, this canal may be small at birth or become narrowed, possibly putting pressure on the spinal cord or nerves that radiate out from the spinal cord.

This can happen for various reasons, including bone disease and osteoarthritis. Sometimes disks herniate and protrude into the canal. Some options for treatment include pain relievers, steroid injections, and surgery.

Prevention:
Keep in mind that your health habits can prevent many common sources of back pain. "A lot of back pain is based on inactivity and excess weight, these factors just accentuate the normal degenerative processes that occur with ageing."

You can take immediate steps to prevent problems. "Just about anything that gets you moving a little more, losing some weight, and being careful about your posture is going to help!"

Ankylosing Spondylitis

support@wellness.com — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:06:10 Z

Wellness.com - Ankylosing Spondylitis by DrBack

Response to a recent email:

Hi Allan,

Thank you for email requesting advice about your Son aged 35 yrs diagnosed as suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Latest research has shown that 96 percent of people who have the condition carry a genetic marker called HLA-B27. It's thought that this marker is involved in the process of developing ankylosing spondylitis.

Not everyone who has the HLA-B27 marker will develop the condition. If someone with the marker has children, there is a 50 percent chance that they will pass it on to them, but there is still only a small chance that the child will go on to develop ankylosing spondylitis.

From what you have said all of the diagnostic tests that your Son is getting are appropriate.

Self-help

It's important that he stays fit, do plenty of exercise and keep a good posture. Exercising may provide relief from the pain and it may also control how bent his spine becomes. Swimming is an ideal activity as it strengthens your muscles without putting weight on your joints. His GP or physiotherapist may also recommend:

Making sure that he keeps his back as straight as possible when he is sitting

lying face down (prone) for 20 minutes a day to prevent your spine from becoming set in a bent position sleeping on a firm bed to stop his back from curving

A physiotherapist will also be able to give him more advice about exercises to help him keep as much movement as possible. These might involve breathing exercises to keep his ribs and chest flexible, and others that target his back, arms and legs.

He may find that heat treatment helps with ankylosing spondylitis. Having hot showers or baths, and using hot water bottles or electric blankets can also ease the pain. He may find an ice pack helps relieve a particularly painful area.

Anti-inflammatory medicines

Painkillers that you would normally take for a headache may give him enough relief. However, if they don't help, his GP may prescribe anti-inflammatory medicines. These are known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). He can buy some NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (eg Nurofen), from your pharmacist - it's best for him to speak to his GP or pharmacist before taking these. Other NSAIDs, such as diclofenac (eg Voltarol), have to be prescribed by your GP. NSAIDs will reduce inflammation and pain so that he can continue to exercise.

However, these medicines can have serious side-effects such as stomach pain or bleeding from the stomach. He should see his GP immediately if he experiences any pain that feels like indigestion while taking NSAIDs.

He may also be prescribed steroid injections that his GP will inject directly into joints that are very painful.

Disease-modifying medicines

These affect the actual disease process of ankylosing spondylitis. They are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and don't work as well in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. It may take some time before he notices any effect. They can also have serious side-effects so he will need to see his GP regularly for check-ups. Examples of these medicines include methotrexate (eg Maxtrex) and sulfasalazine (eg Salazopyrin).

Biological therapies

Three new medicines called infliximab (Remicade), etanercept (Enbrel) and adalimumab (Humira) have been shown to be successful in treating some forms of arthritis. These are given by injection. They can also have serious side-effects - His GP will explain these to him. These may be suitable if other medication has not helped.

Surgery

It's unlikely that he will need surgery, but if his hip or knee becomes severely affected his doctor may recommend replacing the damaged joint. He may need to have surgery on his spine or neck to correct a very bent back. However, this is very rare and is usually only done if his stoop is so severe that it prevents him from looking forward.

You can only do what you are both doing now!

Thats being very supportive parents !

For further detailed information please visit: http://www.nass.co.uk/

Best Wishes,

Back Pain - Are You At Risk?

support@wellness.com — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:39:08 Z

Wellness.com - Back Pain - Are You At Risk? by DrBack

Your Family and You

For the most part back injuries are caused by mechanical issues, and the tendency to get such injuries is not inherited.

However there are family-related behavioural tendencies, and these behaviours - while not "inherited" as such may easily be passed down from parents to children. When we grow up, these ingrained habits of daily living may lead to back injuries.

Poor posture, lack of interest in exercise, and a tendency to be overweight are all patterns of behaviour we learn from our parents. As adults, its valuable for us to make conscious efforts to revise these unhealthful patterns, being proactive in developing new behaviours that support our goals of health and well being.

And, various health issues that actually may be inherited can increase a person's susceptibility to back pain and back injury. Your chiropractor will be of assistance in identifying such additional risk factors.

Are there risk factors for back pain? And, if there are, what can I do to keep myself healthy and well? Your GP can help answer these questions and more.

One primary risk factor relates to exercise. Everyone has heard, "if you don't use it, you lose it". If you're not exercising regularly, your back muscles are deconditioned and much more susceptible to injury - the strains and sprains we're accustomed to calling "back pain".

Muscles get stronger when they're required to do work. Also exercise helps "train" the soft tissues around a joint - the ligaments and tendons - these supporting structures "learn" how to withstand mechanical stresses and loads without becoming injured. Basically, when you exercise - when you do any kind of exercise - your body gets "smarter" and you're less likely to get those annoying back problems.

A related risk factor is weak abdominal muscles.

When you were a kid, at some point one of your gym teachers probably told you to "suck in your stomach". Actually, it turns out that was pretty good advice. Your abdominal muscles support the muscles of your lower back. If your abdominals are weak or if you're not using them - letting them hang out and droop instead of keeping them activated - your body weight has to be held up by the muscles of your lower back. They're not designed to do that - they're designed to move your spine around. And eventually, these lower back muscles will give way under the excess strain. The result is a very painful lower back injury.

There are many easy-to-do exercises for your abdominal muscles. The key is to actually do them - and do them after you're finished doing the rest of whatever exercises you've scheduled for that day. How often? Three times a week is plenty. Abdominal routines are quick - no more than 10 minutes. And, remember to use your abdominal muscles throughout the day. Imagine your abdominals are being pulled in and lifted up. This is not a "tightening" - your thought should be "activate". Your body will know what to do, once you've started adding consistent abdominal training to your exercise routine.

Risk factors for back pain may also be found in your personal and family medical history. During your initial visit to your chosen Physical Therapist, Chiropractor, Osteopath, Physio etc, they will ask you about accidents and surgeries you've experienced, and discuss any important elements in your family history. For example, surgery to remove an inflamed gallbladder or appendix or to repair a hernia may result in weakened abdominal muscles. A motor vehicle accident or a fall from a height may have caused injuries that healed with soft tissue scarring.

Learning about your potential risk factors and taking appropriate action will help ensure that you have a stronger, more flexible, and healthier lower back.

References:

Jones MA, et al. Recurrent non-specific low-back pain in adolescents: the role of exercise. Ergonomics 50(10):1680-1688, 2007
2Cherniack M, et al. Clinical and psychological correlates of lumbar motion abnormalities in low back disorders. Spine J 1):290-298, 2001
Plouvier S, et al. Biomechanical strains and low back disorders. Occup Environ Med 2007 (in press)

Magnetherapy What Do you Think?

support@wellness.com — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:58:53 Z

Wellness.com - Magnetherapy What Do you Think? by DrBack

For thousands of years Chinese, Egyptians, Chaldeans, Arabs, Greeks, Romans and Indians have used magnets to heal. According to legend, about 2500 years ago, a shepherd named Magnes found mineral stones sticking to the metal nails in his sandals. That mineral received the name magnetite. In 2000 B.C., magnetic stones are mentioned in the oldest medical textbook ever discovered, the Yellow Emperor¡s Classic of Internal Medicine. In the 4th century B.C., the philosopher Aristotle was fascinated by magnets. And near the turn of the millennium Cleopatra, the beautiful Egyptian queen, is reported to have worn a magnet on her forehead. In the 4th century, Martel, a French doctor, used magnets to heal hand and feet's pain. In the 6th century, Alexandre de Tralles cured joint's pain with magnets.

Hall Abbas, Arab doctor, used it to treat spasms and feet's pain. In the 16th century, Paracelsus the European doctor, used magnets for inflammation. He was a brilliant thinker and a pioneer for many future magnet healers. In the 17th century, the court physician to Elizabeth I, William Gilbert, published De Magnete. It was the first comprehensive book on magnetism. He used ¡§lodestones¡¨ (magnets) to heal bleeding and for its astringent's properties. Maxwell, King Charles II's doctor wrote a book about magnet's healing powers. In the 18th century, the French Royal Society of Medicine concluded that magnets are antispasmodic, relieve strong pains and "cannot be ignored nor contested".

The German doctor Mesmer was a famous, but controversial magnet healer. It¡s questionable whether he did more to advance or hinder magnet therapy. He was a flamboyant showman and public relations self-promoter. Patients flocked to him and this gave magnet therapy much publicity, for better or for worse. In the 19th century, Doctor Magiorani and Charcot used it successfully too. In 1925, a French doctor, Durville, wrote a book about magnetotherapy, giving instructions to cure dozen of ailments with magnets. In 1976, in Boston (U.S.A.), the first International Conference on Biomagnetism was held. In 1991, in Munster, Germany, the eighth International Conference on Biomagnetism featured 240 presentations and attracted 400 participants. Magnetic therapy has arrived. In 1983, one of the greatest discoveries ever in magnetics was announced. Rare earth neodymium biomagnets were invented which are 700% as powerful as the older ceramic magnets. The neodymium biomagnets hold their charge indefinitely, with no significant loss of power after 10 years. At first, their cost was prohibitive, but now they are very economical. Today magnet therapy is seeing resurgence in use and is an officially approved therapy in over 45 countries worldwide.

During the past several years, magnetic devices have been claimed to relieve pain and to have therapeutic value against a large number of diseases and conditions. The way to evaluate such claims is to ask whether scientific studies have been published. Pulsed electromagnetic fields which induce measurable electric fields have been demonstrated effective for treating slow-healing fractures and have shown promise for a few other conditions. However, few studies have been published on the effect on pain of small, static magnets marketed to consumers. Explanations that magnetic fields "increase circulation," "reduce inflammation," or "speed recovery from injuries" are simplistic and are not supported by the weight of experimental evidence.

The main basis for the claims is a double-blind test study, conducted at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, which compared the effects of magnets and sham magnets on knee pain. The study involved 50 adult patients with pain related to having been infected with the poliovirus when they were children. A static magnetic device or a placebo device was applied to the patient's skin for 45 minutes. The patients were asked to rate how much pain they experienced when a "trigger point was touched." The researchers reported that the 29 patients exposed to the magnetic device achieved lower pain scores than did the 21 who were exposed to the placebo device. Although this study is cited by nearly everyone selling magnets, it provides no legitimate basis for concluding that magnets offer any health-related benefit.

Although the groups were said to be selected randomly, the ratio of women to men in the experimental group was twice that of the control group. If women happen to be more responsive to placebos than men, a surplus of women in the "treatment" group would tend to improve that group's score.
* The age of the placebo group was four years higher than that of the control group. If advanced age makes a person more difficult to treat, the "treatment" group would again have a scoring advantage.
* The investigators did not measure the exact pressure exerted by the blunt object at the trigger point before and after the study.
* Even if the above considerations have no significance, the study should not be extrapolated to suggest that magnets could relieve other types of pain.
* There was just one brief exposure and no systematic follow-up of patients. Thus there was no way to tell whether any improvement would be more than temporary.
* The authors themselves acknowledge that the study was a "pilot study." Pilot studies are done to determine whether it makes sense to invest in a larger more definitive study. They never provide a legitimate basis for marketing any product as effective against any symptom or health problem.

Two better-designed, longer-lasting pain studies have been negative:

* Researchers at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine have reported negative results in a study of patients with heel pain. Over a 4-week period, 19 patients wore a moulded insole containing a magnetic foil, while 15 patients wore the same type of insole with no magnetic foil. In both groups, 60% reported improvement, which suggests that the magnetic foil conveyed no benefit.
* More recently, researchers at the VA Medical Centre in Prescott, Arizona conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study involving 20 patients with chronic back pain. Each patient was exposed to real and sham bipolar permanent magnets during alternate weeks, for 6 hours per day, 3 days per week for a week, with a 1-week period between the treatment weeks. No difference in pain or mobility was found between the treatment and sham-treatment periods.

Magnets have also been claimed to increase circulation. This claim is false. If it were true, placing a magnet on the skin would make the area under the magnet become red, which it does not. Moreover, a well-designed study that actually measured blood flow has found no increase. The study involved 12 healthy volunteers who were exposed to either a 1000-gauss magnetic disk or an identically appearing disk that was not magnetic. No change in the amount or speed of blood flow was observed when either disk was applied to their arm. Magnetherapy, Inc, of Riviera Beach, Florida Beach, a company that has been subjected to two regulatory actions, manufactured the magnets.

Conclusion

I concur with my esteemed medical researchers, the facts are there is no scientific basis to conclude that small, static magnets can relieve pain or influence the course of any disease. In fact, many of today's products produce no significant magnetic field at or beneath the skin's surface.

References:
Mayrovitz HN and others. Assessment of the short-term effects of a permanent magnet on normal skin blood circulation via laser-Doppler flowmetry. Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine 6(1):9-12, 2002. Morales halts unproven claims for magnet therapy. News release, April 9, 1998.
Vallbona C, Hazelwood CF, Jurida G. Archives of Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine 78:1200-1203, 1997.
Stephen Barrett, M.D. A Skeptical View.

Joint Supplements Do They Work?

support@wellness.com — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:49:09 Z

Wellness.com - Joint Supplements Do They Work? by DrBack

For at least twenty years there has been a debate about the treatment of osteoarthritis, about the use of the joint supplements glucosamine and chondroitin. Osteoarthritis is a condition that causes problems of wearing out of the normal smooth cartilage surfaces of the joints. Often called wear-and-tear arthritis, osteoarthritis causes joint pain, swelling, and deformity. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis.

What do the supplements do?

Glucosamine and chondroitin are two molecules that make up the type of cartilage found within joints. Inside your joints, cartilage undergoes a constant process of breakdown and repair. However, to be properly repaired, the building blocks of cartilage must be present and available.

The theory behind using the glucosamine and chondroitin joint supplements is that more of the cartilage building blocks will be available for cartilage repair.

Glucosamine is a precursor to a molecule called a glycosaminoglycan-this molecule is used in the formation and repair of cartilage.

Chondroitin is the most abundant glycosaminoglycan in cartilage and is responsible for the resiliency of cartilage.

However treatment with these joint supplements is based on the theory that oral consumption of glucosamine and chondroitin may increase the rate of formation of new cartilage by providing more of the necessary building blocks.

So does glucosamine and chondroitin supplements increase cartilage formation?

While it is an interesting theory, oral consumption of glucosamine and chondroitin has not been shown to alter the availability of these cartilage building blocks inside an arthritic joint. It has not been shown that consumption of joint supplements increases the quantity of these cartilage building blocks within any joint.

Has any research been done to investigate the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin?

There have been numerous studies to examine the treatment effects of glucosamine and chondroitin over short periods of time. Most of these studies last only one to two months; however, they have indicated that patients experienced more pain reduction when taking glucosamine and chondroitin than patients receiving a placebo. The improvement experienced by these patients was similar to improvements experienced by patients taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) that have been a mainstay of non-operative arthritis treatment. The difference is that NSAIDs carry an increased risk of side effects including gastrointestinal complaints and bleeding.

The joint supplements glucosamine and chondroitin have few side effects, and thus their use would be preferred if the effects of pain reduction were indeed the same. Furthermore, there is an indication that NSAIDs may increase the progression of arthritis, whereas glucosamine and chondroitin may offer a more protective effect to the cartilage surface.

So when it comes to choosing joint supplements there are many options. Use caution when choosing both the supplement and brand. Recent studies have shown that some brands come far short of the label claims. In one study of eleven chondroitin products, tests showed four of the products contained less than half the stated amount of chondroitin. How do you choose a product?

The Arthritis Foundation says to pick the most reputabile brand - don't try to save with a cheaper imitation.

How do glucosamine and chondroitin work?
Glucosamine and chondroitin are two molecules that make up the type of cartilage found within joints. Inside your joints, cartilage undergoes a constant process of breakdown and repair. However, to be properly repaired, the building blocks of cartilage must be present and available. The theory behind using the glucosamine and chondroitin joint supplements is that more of the cartilage building blocks will be available for cartilage repair.

Extracts C/o Dr J Cluett MD.

Your Back Pain Diagnosis Check List!

support@wellness.com — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:37:40 Z

Wellness.com - Your Back Pain Diagnosis Check List! by DrBack

When you present yourself to you're GP suffering with Back Pain.

Your GP should use various techniques in his or her assessment of the symptom: Back pain. These may include a physical examination or other medical tests. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

1. When did the back pain start?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.

2. Did the back pain start after any injury or lifting?
Why: helps to determine cause of back pain e.g. dysfunction of intervertebral disc, back muscle strain, compression fracture of the spine, spondylolisthesis.

3. Nature of the pain?
Why: may reveal its likely origin e.g. aching, throbbing pain can indicate inflammation such as spondylitis; deep aching diffuse pain can indicate referred pain such as painful menstruation; superficial steady diffuse pain can indicate local pain such as a muscular strain; boring deep pain can indicate bone disease such as bone tumour or Paget's disease; intense sharp stabbing pain superimposed on a dull ache can indicate sciatica.

4. Where is the back pain worst?
Why: is it central or peripheral, thoracic area or lumbar area.

5. Is your back pain worse when you wake in the morning or later in the day?
Why: Inflammatory pain is worse at night and in early morning; mechanical back pain due to injury is worse at the end of the day and after activity; Continuous pain present day and night is suggestive of infection or bone tumour.

6. Aggravating and relieving factors?
Why: inflammatory back pain causes pain at rest, relieved by activity; mechanical back pain due to injury is exacerbated by activity and relieved by rest; osteoarthritis causes pain with or after activity and relived with rest; pain aggravated by standing or walking and relieved by sitting suggests spondylolisthesis; back pain due to dysmenorrhoea is worse at start of menstrual period.

7. Recent history of gastro-enteritis?
Why: may indicate reactive arthritis.

8. Past history?
Why: osteoarthritis (a common cause of back pain is spondylosis (synonymous with osteoarthritis and degenerative back disease) ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis.

9. Past cancer history?
Why: of cancers that may spread to bones e.g. breast, lung, prostate, thyroid, kidney, bladder, adrenal, melanoma and colorectal.

10. Sexual history?
Why: can determine risk of Reiter's syndrome.

11. Risks of Osteoporosis?
Why: early menopause, premenopausal estrogens deficiency e.g. amenorrhea, cigarettes smoking, high caffeine intake, high alcohol intake, low calcium intake, physical inactivity, chronic corticosteroid use, Cushing's disease, hyperthyroidism, chronic renal failure.

12. Medication?
Why: e.g. warfarin may cause cauda equine compression due to haemorrhage; corticosteroids can lead to osteoporosis.

*Please remember that this is a two-way process!

Terry O'Brien

Caudia Equina Syndrome

support@wellness.com — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:34:32 Z

Wellness.com - Caudia Equina Syndrome by DrBack

What is Cauda Equina Syndrome?

The rare condition that affects the nerve endings at the bottom of the spinal column which can have severe consequences to a person's mobility if it is not dealt with immediately is known as Cauda Equina Syndrome.

This condition weakens the nerves, which then receive electrical impulses sent from the brain that permit the lower limbs and pelvic organs to carry out they purpose properly. If this condition is not dealt with it can cause permanent paralysis, problems with the bowel and bladder and impotency.

This condition can occur if a person has suffered a viral infection, narrowing of the spinal canal or a slipped disc which has not been treated. Also many spinal injuries are bought on by a violent jolt or blow such as one might obtain if involved in a car accident. Spina Bifida is a congenital deformity (an abnormality in the closure of the spinal canal) which can also play a part.

Symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome

This condition has an extensive and altering mix of symptoms related to it but remember if any of the symptoms below are experienced then you should seek advice from your GP straight away.

Stiffness when standing
Tingling prickling feeling in the legs, buttocks, thighs or feet
Numbness or pain in the legs
Bowel Dysfunction
Bladder weakness
Impotency

If any symptoms mentioned above appear over a continued period of time you should visit your doctor and give as much details as possible about the nature of the pain and the symptoms you have been experiencing.

In some cases the condition is only a temporary one that can be cured but for that to happen you have to give your doctor as much information as you can, that is very important. In these less serious cases the myelin covering that surrounds the nerves can become damaged so this can result in a temporary dysfunction, which can last quite a few weeks to a number of months.

In the more severe cases, the nerves (axons) be damaged but the good thing is that the nerves that run to the muscles (motor nerves) can grow back but this can be quite limited and can usually only be achieved after having surgery.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will examine you and assess your stability, reflexes, ability to stand and walk and also muscle strength. Your doctor may also ask for blood tests to be done and in severe cases a lumbar puncture too, which is when a needle is inserted into the lower spinal column to draw fluid for testing.

On top of this your doctor may also need x-rays, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT (Computerised Tomography) scans to try and put together a more thorough picture.

Again it is extremely important that if you believe you have any of the symptoms mentioned that you contact your doctor at once so that he or she can take the proper steps to try and limit the damage. It is vital to remember that not only can this problem cause severe problems with the spine and the lower limbs but it can have unpleasant effects on the bowel, bladder, and sexual organs, which, if not treated, can lead to almost certain paralysis.

It is also very important to make sure that you continue sitting with the correct posture in the workplace and if it is necessary for you to lift any heavy objects then you do so in the proper way.

Terry O'Brien

Cure Your Back Pain

support@wellness.com — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:04:30 Z

Wellness.com - Cure Your Back Pain by DrBack

First, let us consider some of the facts.

Most pain is felt in the joints or the point where a muscle attaches to the bone. With the back for example, it is the lower joints that seem to be much more susceptible to pain than the ones higher up, although the upper back is by no means excluded.

The joints are the one place where an imbalance can manifest because they can be tilted or twisted. What happens to the nerve, ligament or disc as a result of that joint moving is the pain you normally feel.

What I have discovered in practice is that there are usually only one or two main groups of muscles, setting up the imbalances and causing the joint to move or the pressure to build up on a muscle making it stiff or tight and painful to move.

If the muscles that set up this twist (usually structural muscles) are worked on correctly, the pressure that causes the twist, tilt or tightness is released, along with the pain.

Using a 'hands on' form of bodywork is the most effective way of identifying and correcting these problem muscles but finding someone who can do a good job quickly and effectively, and without it costing the earth is probably the most difficult part.

When a back develops problems it is not normally something that has just happened but rather a build up of imbalances over time. It tends to involve the whole body in some way and
therefore requires a holistic approach to get a lasting cure.

There are not enough skilled hands on therapists these days that can recognize the problem muscles and then know how to restore their length and function and put the body back into balance again as is required. Too many therapists want to use machines or stretching and exercise to fix back pain and these methods are flawed in many ways as we'll discover.

Lets face it, if they worked I wouldn't need to be writing this book as people would get over their problem as quickly as it came.

Without using the hands on approach and the fact that most causes of back pain don't show up on x rays or scans, therapists are guessing as to what the problem is most of the time.

Unless they are skilled at working on the body using their hands they can't monitor progress or feel compensations that need to be removed, but just as importantly they can't recognise when the problem does not involve the muscles and may require totally different approach.

I know I could never have learnt what I have without putting my hands on the body.

Due to the repetitive nature of bodywork and the fact that the basic anatomy of the body never changes, you are constantly learning how every different type of body feels, strong, healthy, weak, stressed, young or old. Believe it or not you can even get a clue to what a person eats and their personality from the feel of their tissue.

Any therapist who doesn't get their hands on the body regularly such as a GP/doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, Pilates or yoga instructor etc, is severely handicapped right from the start when it comes to treating back pain. There is no way, without the vital information you get from the feel of the body, they could devise the best way of approaching a particular person's back problem.

What's the Alexander Technique?

support@wellness.com — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:00:57 Z

Wellness.com - What's the Alexander Technique? by DrBack

The Alexander Technique is used to help to teach people about how efficiently and effortlessly they can use their bodies in everyday life. Often, we develop bad posture and habits without being aware of this, and expend too much energy or muscle force to achieve a task. Alexander Technique teachers help to adjust the client's posture to recognise the difference between current habits and what it feels like to use muscles with minimum effort and in a relaxed, fluid way.

Posture
The Technique teaches how to become more aware of your own posture, balance and movement in everyday life. The lessons usually last for between 30 and 45 minutes and are normally on a one-to-one basis. The teacher uses his/her hands to gently correct any muscular imbalances and encourages the body to a better alignment. This is a direct body experience, so the client becomes familiar with the sensation of correct alignment in his or her own body. This can feel strange initially, as the body is not used to using it's muscles in this way, and the new methods of movement need to be practised with constant awareness as to how we choose to use our bodies in everyday tasks. It is a process of re-educating the body by learning how to stand and move correctly. This leads to health benefits as often-poor spinal posture will lead to other symptoms like poor breathing due to restriction in the throat and diaphragm areas. Breathing and how we breathe is an important aspect of the Alexander Technique.

Successful remedy
An Australian actor, Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955), developed the Alexander Technique. He suffered from respiratory problems as a child, which later affected his voice and career in the theatre. He tried many remedies without success and eventually began a process of self-observation to try to find a way of curing himself. He realised that the voice problem was a result of muscular tension in his whole body and that his thought patterns also had a great part in contributing to the tension that had become an ingrained habit. Alexander studied his posture with the aid of mirrors to see how this was affected when he recited and as a result could see that his body alignment was incorrect. He gradually taught himself to correct his posture and found that he had cured his voice problem. He went on to pass the technique to others and eventually opened a clinic to help people to learn about their own use of posture.

So tell me again, what happens in a session?
As I have explained previously, in an Alexander Technique session, your teacher observes how you move and helps you understand how your movement style relates to your symptom. S/he instructs you - with words and touch - to approach movement differently. Using a unique hands-on method to elicit your primary control, s/he gives you an experience of dynamic expansion. With this expert guidance, you learn how to replicate that expansion on your own. This powerful shift gives your body a highly responsive co-ordination.

Can I learn the Technique on my own?
Habits are, by their nature, unconscious. Though you may try to effect changes by yourself, it takes the trained eyes and hands of a teacher to help you perceive and change your ingrained patterns. With a gentle, supportive touch, your teacher helps you notice areas of tension and experience your body in a new way.

How long does it take? What does it cost?
Duration of study depends on your initial condition and personal goals. To enjoy the full benefit, a recommended course is 30 private sessions. Lessons average 30-45 minutes. Rates vary depending on your teacher, although here in the UK they range between £30 and £45.

Terry O'Brien
Back Trouble UK.

Paediatric Pain, Eliminate Your Baby's Pain!

support@wellness.com — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:05:58 Z

Wellness.com - Paediatric Pain, Eliminate Your Baby's Pain! by DrBack

Help eliminate your baby and child's pain
and discomfort safely and easily

Paediatric Physical Therapy i.e.Osteopathy, Chiropractic etc, understands children's bodies undergo stresses just like adult bodies, but the resulting symptoms in children can be a little different.

These stresses and strains can be "normal" as in a strain from the birthing process that hasn't self resolved, or due to an incident/accident that doesn't seem major at the time (i.e. falling on bottom, knocking head etc).
In adults, strains tend to show themselves as pain, headaches, tiredness etc, and we are usually able to identify the feeling. Babies and children with strains may present with crying, irritability, behavioural issues and so forth rather than pain.

Cranial osteopathy is ideal for babies and children because of its effective gentleness, with most conditions improving within 3-4 sessions. Light pressure is applied where necessary to release stresses and tensions in the child's body.

Most children feel relaxed during and after treatment, giving a good night's sleep. Some may have a burst of energy after a session, before setting down. As children's nervous systems are particularly amenable to osteopathy, we find that early treatment can prevent many difficulties later in life.
Osteopathy helps resolve many infancy & childhood issues

Birth Trauma
A newborn's cranium compresses as a normal part of the birth process. Difficult deliveries, as well as normal deliveries can affect the expansion of these bones. Gentle cranial osteopathy for babies can often resolve this situation in a few treatments.

Colic/reflux
Babies with colic usually have recurrent milk regurgitation and a prolonged period of distressed crying that worsens in the evening. Our osteopathic training allows us to check and treat any parts of the baby that may be contributing to the colic symptoms.
These include irritation of the nerve that helps control the stomach, which may be strained as it passes through the top of the neck - an area that undergoes considerable torsion during the birthing process. The upper back and ribs can also be restricted, which creates extra pressure on the babies stomach and makes babies stomach feel artificially full.
Feeding difficultis
Sometimes babies have difficulty feeding; feeding can take a long time and is often associated with difficulties winding. Baby's neck, face and throat muscles can sometimes be stretched or strained during the birthing process, and may result in discomfort for the baby. These muscles may get tired earlier than they should, resulting in feeding difficulties.

Crying irritable baby
Some babies are fractious, and parents have great difficulty settling their child. These babies often prefer to be carried. An osteopath can check if the baby has any areas of discomfort, either in the back of the neck and head or through the upper back. If these areas are under strain, each time baby is placed on their back to sleep, they will often become distressed.

Recurrent ear infections
The ear canal in a young child is very short and can therefore be easily infected. Many children suffer ear infections more than once, which can be distressing to both the child and their family, and may then require further medical intervention such as grommets. Osteopathy for children aims to ensure that any residual birth strains in the cranium or neck are not impeding drainage from the ears. Osteopathic treatments can be used alongside normal medical treatment such as antibiotics.
Asthma
Many children suffer from asthma, and whilst osteopathy is not a cure, it can help in the reduction and management of symptoms.
Children with asthma often change their breathing pattern to cope with the stresses of asthma episodes. This can result in over use of certain respiratory muscles and structures, which may eventually restrict the breathing further. Osteopathic management of asthma is a good adjunct to medical treatment.

Headaches
Children's headaches can start occurring at the ages of 7-8, along with growing pains, vulnerability to sprains, and other aches and pains. The pressure of bony joints of the skull as they fully form at this age can aggravate the problem.

Osteopaths and other Physical Therapists are often correctly thought of in relation to ailments such as stiff spines, sciatica, shoulder and knee strains or a 'cricked' neck, but much more can also be amenable to Physical Therapy treatment.

Plenty of non-muscular-skeletal conditions can be treated using a wide variety of Physical Therapy techniques.

Terry O'Brien