Healthy Advice for Fit Living

Ever had back pain? Most of us will answer yes. The pain can be anywhere from a dull ache to one which causes permanent loss of work.

What Are The Causes?

Majority of low back pain is caused by strains on the muscles and ligament in the back. Other more serious are due to a protruding disc or very rarely a tumor or infection.
Limit my remarks to muscle or ligament strain as well as some words on sciatica and disc problems.

The Best and Easiest Treatment For Back Pain

Research and treatment has changed over the past 20 years. It was no more than 20 years ago that strict bed rest was prescribed for long periods of time.

Now here is what you should do:(

1. Today we use bed rest for a maximum of 1-3 days.
2. Anti-inflammatory medication, like Advil or Aleve, along with muscle relaxants are the mainstay of today’s treatment.
3. I also recommend using ice packs for the first 24 hours and then use heat alternating with ice (15 minutes on and 15 minutes off) helps the pain and relaxes the muscles.
4. Call your doctor if after 4-5 days you are not getting any better or if you have trouble controlling your bladder or bowels.
5. If you have severe agonizing back pain, more than you have ever had, go to an emergency room. You may not have muscle train but have trouble with the aorta (the large blood vessel that carries blood to your legs)and you could be starting to have a tear in it.

Sciatica Is Very Painful? It is a..

..term that is sometime used interchangeably with low back pain.

True sciatica is low back pain combined with a pain through the buttock and down one leg.
The pain usually goes past the knee and may go into the foot and toes. Sometimes, weakness in the leg muscles or toe occurs with sciatica.

What About A Disc?

It is caused by the pinching or pressure on a nerve coming out of the spine that goes to a leg or an arm. There is a weakness of the ring around the disc and allows the disc to protrude or herniate into the nerve. This becomes weakened with age or lifting the wrong way.

Treatment of both sciatica and disc

Initially is the same as for a back strain. Surgery should be considered ONLY as the LAST RESORT if it does not get any better over a period of 6 -10 weeks.

At this stage it is always worth another opinion from a neurosurgeon. As mentioned in another part of this article if there is a sudden change in leg or foot weakness or loss of bladder or bowel control seek medical attention urgently.

Best Prevention Of Back Pain Is Key

..because once you have a back problem you are susceptible to it happening again and again.

1. Learn how to lift. Lift with your knees. In other words squat before you lift and don’t bend over what you are going to pick up.
2. If your work involves a lot of lifting use a waist belt.
3. Exercises to tone your muscles can help as well as stretching.

Looking For Exercise Equipment

To build up your abdominal and back muscles I have had excellent service from Workout Warehouse.

There is equipment that you should consider like a ProForm 650 Strength System. This system will easily improve the tone and strength of your back.

Save Yourself Radiation Back X-rays – Be Careful
1. As a rule routine back x-rays are not helpful or needed. This has been shown in numerous studies. Don’t get any un-needed radiation.
2. As a rule of thumb if your back isn’t getting better after 4-6 weeks of conservative treatment than your doctor may opt to get an MRI or Cat Scan of your lower back. These are the tests of preference, but only after conservative treatment.

Ask your doctor what will change in my treatment if it shows I have or not have a disc? There should be good options that she/he has

Alternative Forms Of Treatment for low back pain?
Studies have shown the appropriateness of chiropractic or osteopathic care and manipulation.

Compared side by side with medical care the time for healing was about the same for both and the cost for traditional medical care was more than chiropractic care. Remember – xrays are not needed.

If this is caused by muscles or ligaments and sometimes disc and sciatica you will improve

Here is an excellent book by Dr Harris H. McIlwain that has methods of treating your back pain and keeping yourself pain –free.

Should I sleep On A board?

A 2003 study from Spain found that a medium firm mattress is the best. This study, though, was a not a large scale study so definite conclusions should not be made. It did find that the mattress should contour to your body and distribute the weight equally.