How Can I Ease My Back Pain?
Question:
I've had long episodes of backache, and now that I have a desk-bound job, it's often very painful and is affecting my sleep. There are two main areas: my lower back- I've been told my pelvis and hips are dislocated - and between my shoulder blades. I also have pain in my right shoulder.
Answer:
Most backaches and pain are muscular rather than skeletal in origin. Homo sapiens inherited back trouble because our ancestors started to walk upright. If you look at the spine, all the weight of the organs is in the front. Because of this, the body tends to fall forward so the back muscles act like the ropes of a pulley, to keep us erect, (Think you always fall forwards when you faint.) If your posture changes and you stoop forwards - due to a desk job, lots of forward-bending work (eg, lifting) or exercises such as sit-ups and rowing –the spinal muscles will be overstrained.
Animals have their body weight supported horizontally by the spine. Their vertebrae are thicker and bigger towards the neck and shoulder area to support the heavy head. In humans, the lumbar vertebrae in the lower spine are broader and tougher than those in the neck because our vertical weight must be supported by vertebrae and cushioned by discs (which also become thicker going down the spine).
Two problems can cause the discs to become painful. They become compressed and pinched vertically, due to weight and gravitational force, or, more commonly, squeezed laterally so they bulge out sideways - mostly in one direction so you get one sided pain. lf you put a round hot-water bottle - the disc - between two square or round blocks of wood -the vertebrae - and twist them in opposite directions, the water bottle will twist too and bulge in one place (discs rarely bulge in both directions, causing bilateral pain).
The old-fashioned treatment for back pain was traction, which attempted to release vertically compressed discs - but since these were uncommon, it didn't work well. Osteopaths and chiropractors were more successful because they corrected lateral torsion (twisting) by manipulating sideways. In my experience, lateral spinal problems are caused by tightness of muscles in the corresponding area. The logic is that only muscular spasm or tightness on one side, due to repetitive strain or posture, can cause the spine to twist or the face joints to dislocate or misalign, which both cause pain. Groin injuries (due to repetitive movements in one direction, as in golf or squash, or carrying with one hand), abdominal muscle strains, or strains or injuries in the upper thigh muscles and tendons make the spine twist in one direction as the body tries to find a comfortable position. This changes the posture and creates the torsion that causes the lumbar discs to bulge. Moreover, the spine bends forward as the body tries to minimise discomfort, so the person strains the 'pulley system' muscles in the lumbar back, the buttocks and the hamstrings at the back ol the thighs. The more you bend forward, the harder they have to work and the tighter and more uncomfortable they become.
My findings are written up in Dr Ali's Ultimate Back Book. Most back problems can be treated - surgery is necessary in very few cases. I'm not sure what you mean by a dislocated pelvis but I recommend osteopathy, plus acupuncture for your shoulder.
You should also try the following
Diet
* Avoid acid-forming foods such as citrus fruits, pineapples, mangoes, rhubarb, vinegar, nuts, chillies, white wine, champagne and brandy. Excess stomach acid leads to indigestion and heartburn, and increases aches and pains; muscle tendons become sore and more prone to injuries.
* Drink 1.5 to 2 litres of still water daily and avoid coffee, alcohol and excess salt as they dehydrate the body. Dehydration causes muscle spasm and pain in the kidney areas,
* Lose excess weight: my new Weight Loss DVD gives you dietary advice, massage and exercises which will also help your back.
Yoga
Therapeutic iyengar yoga will help you, particularly these postures: embryo, supine twist, locust, cobra and downward dog. See my book Therapeutic Yoga co-written with Jiwan Brar. Find a qualified yoga teacher locally.
Massage
Get a friend or sports massage therapist to massage the muscles of the entire spine, the buttocks and hamstrings (back of thighs), focusing on the side that hurts. Also massage your right arm and shoulder with Joint oil.
For further information
About back pain and other related problems write mail to.
Questions and Answers
Article Tags:
backache
,pain at lower back
,pelvis and hips are dislocared
,pain between shoulder blades
,yoga for back pain
In Neuro-scientific medicine, applied studies more popularly generally known as translational research. It aims to supply plausible diagnostic, preventive or treatment strategies. This research practice is anticipated to create technologies, drugs and methods aimed at prevention and treatments for diseases
Sports tape, elastic therapeutic tape or athletic tape is a strip of cotton with acrylic adhesive used for treating injuries related to sports, athletics as well as other physical disorders. It is porous, non-elastic and lightweight but it also has a high tensile strength which makes it ideal for giving compression and firm support for the body.
Every time I stroll through a herbal or scented garden, I'm entranced by the way it calms my stress and relaxes my anxious mind. It's almost as if Nature laid the plants out especially for me. Parks and gardens are as old as civilization itself. In fact, even Adam and Eve are said to have had their own garden to explore.
Ma Huang is also known as ephedra. The acrid, slightly bitter and warm herb has been used in TCM to promote urination and sweating, and rid of cold, sooth wheezing asthma, etc. as it calms dyspnea, asthma, cough, etc., by enhancing the functions of lung and bladder channels.
Melatonin with valerian is considered to be a top notch pill which can surely assist a lot in getting rid of various sleep disorders and it is primarily utilized for better sleep when you are going through insomnia. Sleep is very important and one should get a proper sleep every night in order to stay perfectly alright in all perspectives. Life can surely excel in a better way if a good and healthy sleep is attained every day though people who are unable to get it on regular basis have to go thr
Lichen planus affects either the skin or, as in your case the mouth, when it's known as oral lichen planus. Sometimes people suffer from both, so you may develop lichen planus on the skin, even after this extended time. Many people suffer from the condition for years.
The most common cause of scrotal itch is skin lesions such as psoriasis and eczema, when people can scratch so intensely that they make the skin bleed. But these conditions are of course visible and you say there is no rash, so we must think again. One possibility is nervous itching which is not uncommon, especially as the scrotum is an erogenous zone where the nerves are very sensitive. The scrotum can itch with or without any skin lesions, as can the scalp, back, legs, arms and buttocks.
This very common and debilitating condition is a type of 'referred' pain, which originates in the lower back or gluteal (buttock) region but is felt on the side of the leg, sometimes reaching as far as the little toes. It's called sciatica because it affects the thick, cord-like sciatic nerve, which starts under sheaths of gluteal muscles and goes right down the outside of each leg.
You are suffering from what is commonly called repetitive strain injury (RSl). When you play, you hold the bow with your fingers and move the arm repeatedly. These repetitive movements use one group of muscles over and over again. The muscles get strained and then injured because they rarely get a chance to recover properly. Musicians are not the only ones affected.
This skin condition typically affects people on their cheeks, chin, nose and forehead. As well as spots and rashes on the affected area the main feature of rosacea is a distinct bright rosy-red patch. Because it appears on the face, people with rosacea can find it disconcerting, especially as it may grow more pronounced with heat, exercise or strong emotions.
Discuss this Article
