Study: Natural Treatments Work Better Than Medication For Neck Pain

January 8th, 2012 AmeeL

A recent study confirms that natural treatments for neck pain are more effective than medication. This may come as a shock to some, since the medical community’s knee-jerk reaction to pain is to prescribe a pill or administer an injection.

Most people experience neck pain at some point in their lives. For some people, the pain is severe and persists beyond a few days. Luckily, you don’t need to resign to drugs. A study of 272 people with neck pain published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found at http://www.annals.org, shows both spinal manipulation and exercises done at home under the advisement of a physical therapist to reduce neck pain significantly better than medications, whether over-the-counter or narcotic. Spinal manipulation and exercise proved almost equally effective. The study assessed short- and long-term outcomes.

Spinal manipulation can be obtained through a chiropractor or osteopathic doctor. If you have a misalignment of the spine, nerve impingement or muscle tension, gently manipulations of the spine can help. Neck exercises keep the muscles that support the head and cervical spine toned, relieving pressure off spinal discs and reducing muscle fatigue and strain. Strong muscles can maintain proper alignment of the spine, thereby reducing future complications. You can find the exercises prescribed to the study group for neck pain treatment at http://www.annals.org.

After a year, about half of the participants in both the exercise and the manipulation groups reported 75% pain reduction, with only 33% of the medication group reporting similar efficacy of treatment.

Aside from the fact that it removes drugs from their pedestal, this study also suggests that neck pain patients can save money and be more empowered by seeking out exercises first before spending time and money at the chiropractor’s office. The manipulation group saw their chiropractors 15 times on average, whereas the exercise group consulted with a physical therapist only twice. Add to this the the concern that cervical spine manipulation comes with risks, and home exercise with advice emerges as a more appealing neck pain treatment option.

Studies like this one are slowly changing the mindset of doctors and patients alike. Treatment by chemicals is a lucrative and convenient option, but most drugs don’t cure pain – they mask it. They also come with a host of side effects and long-term concerns, such as gastrointestinal disorders and dependency. Stretching and strengthening your neck will not upset your stomach, and you won’t become addicted to it. It is time for patients to stand up against pill pushers and assert their right to effective, safe treatment. Neck and back pain management can come in a variety of forms, and drugs should be one of the last.

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Can the Flu Cause Severe Lower Back Pain?

January 4th, 2012 AmeeL

Flu season is here, and many are experiencing the fever, cough, sore throat, aches and pains, runny nose and fatigue commonly symptomatic of the influenza virus. Some also experience flu back pain. This pain can be severe, and some are worried that it could indicate a serious medical condition.

Back pain, even when severe, is a normal symptom of the flu virus. A number of things may contribute to back pain when you have the flu. One is that the virus is attacking many cells within your body, and your body responds with large-scale inflammation. Inflammation is meant to isolate threats and facilitate healing of tissues. Fever, a common feature of the flu, is an example of inflammation on a whole-body scale.

While inflammation serves a purpose, it is painful. This, combined with the fact that the flu virus attacks nerve endings, leaves you with a ripe situation for aches and pains. These are often felt in the arms and legs, but can also be expected in the lower back.

Another flu symptom that can cause severe back pain is dehydration. Fevers entail sweating and increased metabolic activity within the body, both of which use up the body’s fluid supply quickly. Dehydration will be worse if you also have diarrhea or vomiting. If you’re deficient in fluids, you also have less electrolytes than needed; these chemicals serve a variety of functions within the body, including the facilitation of muscle contractions and cellular metabolic processes. If electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium are not replenished regularly, your muscles suffer cramps, twitches and aches. This is why many people drink electrolyte beverages after rigorous physical activity and while sick.

Beware of heavily-sugared electrolyte drinks; high sugar intake creates an insulin spike within the body that sets off your inflammatory response, which you’re already experiencing enough of when you have the flu.

It is possible that your vitamin D levels are low during flu time, as this vitamin is involved in the proper functioning of the immune system. Supplementation may help you recover faster; it may also help to treat back pain, since vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of the electrolytes calcium and magnesium.

Natural Pain Relief

Most people run to the pharmacy when they have the flu. Over-the-counter medicines may help to reduce throat and nose symptoms, but it is generally best not to suppress your fever with medication unless you are very young, old or have a medical condition. Over-the-counter medicines don’t really cure the flu, because they don’t attack the virus. They mask symptoms and contain ingredients that can cause drowsiness, hyperactivity, stomach problems and other complications. You generally benefit more from letting the fever run its course. Fever means inflammation, and inflammation means pain. There are a few things you can do to decrease the back pain you feel with the flu.

Make sure you’re getting enough fluids and electrolytes. Supplementing vitamin D or eating foods that contain it, such as tuna, salmon, shiitake mushrooms and cod liver oil will increase your chances of maintaining proper electrolyte levels.

Ingesting anti-inflammatory foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants will help to decrease the inflammation in your body naturally. Turmeric is one spice that is hailed for its anti-inflammatory properties and can be added to a variety of dishes. Applying cold flannels to your back may also help ease the pain.

While it may be tempting to stay nestled in bed all day when you have the flu, make sure to get up every hour or so, if possible, to do some light stretching. Immobility will worsen your muscle pain.

Caution

Nausea, back pain and fever are also symptoms of other, more serious medical conditions besides the flu. Both kidney infection and endemetriosis may be indicated, particularly if you lack other flu symptoms like sore throat and runny nose. If your back pain is accompanied by a fever and you have any question as to whether or not you have the flu, see a doctor immediately.

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Back Pain Diet: Using Food As Medicine

January 2nd, 2012 AmeeL

Back pain is one of the most common health complaints heard today. Many are seeking natural back pain home treatments that can take the place of pain medications. It has been confirmed that diet plays a role in back health, meaning you can help to alleviate your pain by eating helpful foods and avoiding harmful ones.

There are three areas that diet directly affects related to back pain: inflammation, bone health and muscle health. There are numerous causes of back pain; finding a one-size-fits-all solution is not possible because of this, but maintaining a diet that optimizes bone and muscle health while keeping inflammation down can help to manage any type of back pain.

Inflammation

Wherever an abnormality exists in the body – whether infection, injury, bacteria or toxins – inflammation is present. The body surrounds endangered areas with inflammatory fluids to block off the threat from the rest of the body and to flood the area with healing materials. While it serves a purpose, the immune system can overreact at times, causing inflammation to be excessive or to hang around past its utility. People with back pain – whether muscular, joint-related, bone-related or discogenic – tend to have inflammation that exacerbates their pain.

A diet high in refined sugars increases inflammation in the body. Consuming a lot of sugar causes an insulin spike in the body, which, as a perceived threat, sets off the inflammatory response.

An anti-inflammatory diet can be effective at minimizing your back pain. Certain foods work to modulate the immune system and reduce the inflammatory response. The most commonly known are antioxidants (found in blueberries, cherries, sweet potatoes and many other foods) and omega-3 fatty acids (contained in salmon, flax seeds, walnuts and fish oil supplements). A study published in 2006 found fish oil supplementation to be a viable alternative to NSAID use, which has been tied with liver and gastric risks. The study can be viewed at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Another class of foods that fight inflammation is COX-2 inhibitors like ginger and turmeric; these inhibit the chemical pathway inflammatory chemicals must take.

Bone Health

Healthy bones are essential to avoiding chronic back pain, whether young or old. A 2003 study published in Spine measured vitamin D levels in 360 patients with lower back pain without a known cause. The participants were between ages 18 and 52. 83% were found to have vitamin D deficiencies. The study can be found at http://journals.lww.com.

Vitamin D receptors in the intestines allow calcium to be absorbed from the foods we eat through the intestinal wall to many parts of our bodies, especially bones. Calcium is what makes our bones hard and strong, and without vitamin D, we cannot adequately use it. The vitamin is usually absorbed through the skin from sunlight, but can be obtained through diet. Many types of fish, including mackerel, herring, salmon and tuna contain high amounts of vitamin D. Cod liver oil and shiitake mushrooms are also plentiful sources.

On the flip side of vitamin D is calcium. Dairy products are most known for their calcium content, but it can also be found in dried herbs like savory, thyme and celery seed, in sesame seeds, in almonds and in flax seeds.

Muscle Health

Protein is needed regularly to provide muscles with energy and restore them after work. Cheese, beans, lean meats, pumpkin seeds, cottage cheese and fish (including tuna and salmon) are all high in protein.

When considering protein intake in relation to back pain, it is not only relevant what you eat; it matters how often you eat. If muscles are not provided with protein once they have run out of fuel, they will grow fatigued. Fatigued muscles are at higher risk of injury and also put the spine at risk as they fail to support it. Eating when your body tells you to is an important component of a back pain diet. Develop the habit of bringing protein-rich snacks with you to get you through the day, such as pumpkin seeds and cottage cheese cups.

From the above information you can see that there is overlap between the categories; salmon helps fight inflammation and provides both vitamin D and protein, for example. Flax seeds and fish oils also multitask to protect our backs. These overlappings help to simplify the development of a diet to reduce back pain.

Eating foods that reduce inflammation, facilitate bone health and protect our muscles from fatigue can be beneficial to any type of back pain. You can fight pain naturally by using food as medicine.

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Worst Gym Exercises For Beginners

January 1st, 2012 AmeeL

For many people, the New Year is a motivator to make positive changes. One of the most common resolutions people make every year is to get fit. This often involves eating healthy and exercising. Many people solidify this commitment with a gym membership. Make sure your noble goal of fitness doesn’t lead to back pain by learning the worst gym exercises for your back.

You can picture it now, bursting into the gym the first week of January ready to tackle the world, along with your love handles. Sometimes, this enthusiasm can lead you to jump on any machine and overdo it. The best weapon against hurting yourself at the gym is informing yourself about what exercises are dangerous. The following popular gym exercises are best avoided by newcomers.

Bench Press

The bench press is effective for building giant pectoral muscles. Yet a number of flaws make this exercise unideal for any gym goer, particularly new ones. First, the bench you lay on interferes with your ability to move your shoulder blade. This requires extra movement from the shoulder joint. Also, lowering the bar to your chest drops your elbows lower than your back, demanding a range of motion that is beyond most shoulders. Injuries to the shoulder are common among bench pressers. See http://www.pponline.co.uk for very detailed information on the effects bench presses have on the shoulder.

Another concern with bench presses is muscle imbalance. Many who perform the exercise do not balance it with upper back exercises. If the pectorals are stronger and tighter than the upper back muscles, they will pull the head and neck down creating postural dysfunction. This can lead to serious back and neck pain.

Dead Lifts

In many ways, dead lifts are a great way to get a balanced workout. Lifting a weighted bar from the floor to hip level from a squat position, you work out your legs, hips, back, stomach and arms. Its emphasis on the core is what makes it both a great exercise for gym-goers and an off-limits exercise for newcomers.

The dead lift is a serious workout. It requires a strong core to support the spine. If your core is not already developed and balanced, your abdominals will likely not be able to help your lower back muscles support your spine. This can lead to lower back muscle strain and spinal injury. Once your core is developed, approach the dead lift with caution; the form you must practice it with is an exact science.

Ab Machine Workouts

When we think of a fit person, we often picture 6-pack abs. What many people don’t realize when they begin working out is that the core muscle group, consisting of the abdominal, lower back, hip and buttocks muscles must be balanced to protect against postural dysfunction and back pain. Machines and exercises that work out the abdominal muscles without training the lower back muscles put you at risk of muscle imbalance. Many ab exercises, such as the sit-up, also strain your hips and spine. Go for core workouts over miracle ab machines.

Leg Extensions

Leg extension exercises employ a machine that is loaded with weight; you lift this load by straightening your legs, giving your quadriceps a tough workout. This exercise is largely considered harmful to anyone, but should be strictly avoided by new gym-goers.

One flaw with this exercise is that it over-stresses the knee joint. Another major problem is that it isolates a muscle that is commonly overdeveloped to begin with. Even people who lead sedentary lives tend to have stronger quads than hamstrings. Tighter, stronger quads will pull the pelvis downward in the front, since the hamstrings are not exerting an equal and opposite pull on it. This causes the lower back to arch more and the buttocks to stick out. Muscles in the hip are strained and spinal discs are subjected to increased pressure.

Being aware that muscle imbalance is a risk of exercise will help you avoid it. The above are not exercises for beginners. Start slow at the gym. You may best protect yourself against injury by starting with body weight exercises, saving weight-loaded machines for a time when you have already attained some basic muscle tone. Your New Year’s resolution to get fit shouldn’t leave you with pain. Use caution at the gym, vary your exercises and if possible consult a physical trainer to ensure your form is correct.

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