Archive for the 'Pain Management' Category

Cure For Upper Back Pain Fibromyalgia

Monday, September 20th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain that can be experienced around the back area. Sometimes the pain is situated right around the upper back region and this upper region is known to be among the most painful and disruptive parts to feel such pain. Yet there is a very simple way of curing or lessening the pain.

So why is back pain so severe? It’s because there is a plethora of muscles that can be found at the back area especially on the upper part. These muscles are there to support you in doing different activities such as bending, lifting things up, or even staying up right while standing.

However, these muscles are also interspersed with other muscles and thousands of nerves that relay their own messages to the brain. Although much of the scientific reasons why fibromyalgia happens is still unclear, there seems to be a lot of support in the theory that when the nerves experience additional strain from the back, the pain signals to the brain are more severe, causing more pain than necessary. This is also true with regards to the lower back.

These days, fortunately, there seems to be a lot of ways in which upper back pain can be relieved. Of course there are the normal medications that are prescribed by doctors and specialists. But you cannot rely on these for the rest of your life. You need to “wean” yourself of medication and use natural therapy whenever possible.

A very easy and effective method is to use heat application. You can simply do this at home by immersing yourself in a hot bath, just to help relax those tensed up muscles. Using Epsom salts in the bath is also very conducive to melting away the pain.

If you don’t have time to have a long bath, take a heating pad and wrap it around your upper back while you are sitting watching TV or working. This is a very effective way of increasing the blood flow to the painful area and melting the pain away. If you do this regularly, you will find your pain will gradually subside.

You should also do some daily back exercises. This would help make you fit and your muscles stronger. Just search on the internet for back strengthening exercises or get a book on back pain form your local library.

Easy Solution To Shoulder Pain

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

If you ever take a moment to stop and look around at your fellow weight-lifters at your health club, it is likely that you will make a troubling observation. An inordinate number of gym patrons are forced to pause frequently throughout their weight-lifting routines in order to rub their painful shoulders. Unfortunately, shoulder pain is nagging and prevalent in health clubs, despite the fact that most pain can be avoided with a few simple precautions. One of the most common shoulder conditions encountered is shoulder impingement, meaning that the round ball of the arm bone, called the head of the humerus, rubs or grinds up against the underside of your acromion bone. Although this condition has numerous causes, one of the most common is muscle imbalance.

Many people spend much more time and effort performing overhead presses, bench presses, dips, pull-ups, biceps curls, and skull crushers than much-needed retraction and external rotation movements of the shoulder. Although these exercises are effective in developing muscles, they cause the shoulder to become inferior and internally rotated. As a result, the external rotator muscles of the shoulders do not work well because they become overstretched and inhibited. The end result is a forward- rounded shoulder posture which causes pain when reaching the arm overhead. The pain gradually becomes worse and often causes weight lifters to discontinue exercising, leading to unhappy and inactive people who may loose flexibility and muscular strength.

How do you fix this problem?

If you have severe pain with swelling, you are unable to lift your arms to shoulder level, or a long history of pain, you need to consult your Chiropractic doctor, as advanced treatment of your injuries with therapies, surgical correction, or medications may be necessary.

However, if your shoulder pain is minor and nagging, the following guidelines could be helpful:

1. Avoid movements that require you to push your arms forward or overhead until the shoulder pain is corrected. Examples of these movements would be overhead presses, chest presses, pull-ups, pull downs, dips, pushups, and chest-flies. All of these movements use muscles that primarily internally rotate and pull the shoulder complex down and forward. This will further exacerbate muscle imbalances.

2. Perform the exercises and stretches that will emphasize shoulder retraction and external rotation. This will help to restore normal muscle balance of the shoulder girdle. Examples of these types of movements include wide grip seated rows, rear deltoid reverse flies, cable or band external shoulder rotations at the level of your waist and shoulder, and doorway stretches for the chest and anterior shoulder muscles.

Symptoms of Hemorrhoids

Thursday, April 29th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

Hemorrhoids are those swollen veins that are found only in the anus and within the rectum and is usually common among many individuals. There are two types of hemorrhoids, internal and external depending on whether they are inside the rectum or outside the anus.

Studies have shown that many people are now reporting cases of hemorrhoids as they are now able to identify the symptoms associated with it.

Symptoms associated with this condition.

With an internal hemorrhoid, they are usually found inside the rectum. It often causes painless bleeding especially at the end of bowel movement. However when there is signs of blood it is often best to seek medical help. Other symptoms include the sensation of fullness which makes you feel as if you want to stool even though there is nothing. When this feeling occurs many people try to strain to pass bowel movement which only worsens the situation.

External hemorrhoids which are found around the anus usually causes pain, itching and irritation especially around the anus. External hemorrhoids occur when the hemorrhoids have prolapsed and are seen hanging outside the anus. It can also occur when hemorrhoids become twisted or a blood clot has happened. Painful lump and swelling is also another symptom of hemorrhoid.

How to prevent Hemorrhoids.

There are generally a few preventative methods to follow in order to prevent hemorrhoids.

First you can ensure that exercise becomes a daily part of you life. Secondly increase your intake of water. Studies have shown that not many people drink water and drinking water on a daily basis helps to soften stool therefore reducing your need to strain whenever you visit the bathroom. Thirdly, increase the intake of fiber in the diet.

Hemorrhoids are sometimes confused with anal fissures but what you need to realize is that though similar, they are very different. Anal fissures are caused by constipation. When stools are hard and dry the anal cavity is forced to open wider which results in tear or anal fissure.

This condition also causes sharp stinging and pain when passing bowel movement whereas hemorrhoids cause bleeding but no pain. Often times when people see bright red spots on your toilet paper and experience pain during bowel movement they usually mistake it for a hemorrhoid. But this can be an indication that you have an anal fissure

You should now be able to recognize symptoms of hemorrhoids without delay and try to find solutions or visit a doctor to try and get treatment.

I know having this condition can be a drag and it makes you feel extremely uncomfortable especially when you realize that you can’t even sit on your bottom. But do not despair. You want to know why.
Read on. There is a sure way guaranteed to get rid of yeast infection within 12 hours without hassle. If you have been desperately looking around for a cure without success then this message is for you.

Treatment for sciatica nerve pain

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

Sciatica is a common form of lower back pain and it affects people from all ages. The pain can be from mild and temporary to very severe and chronic. Most of the time the sciatic nerve pain is a result of people’s own wrong habits and lifestyle. There are many things that people can do, to ease and eliminate their pain. The main thing is to take action and not postpone the treatment.

Treatment for sciatica nerve pain

In order to treat sciatic nerve pain, it is very important to find out what causes the pain. Too often people only treat the symptoms and therefore never get long-term results. Muscle imbalance is the main cause of lower back pain. When some muscle are weak and the others tight, then this creates an imbalance. The problem is that muscle imbalances force the hip joints and pelvis out of position. When the hip joints and pelvis are not in their right position, then this can apply pressure to the sciatica nerve.

There are many treatments for sciatica nerve pain that you can use. If your pain is really severe, then it is better to use a cold pack or ice, at first to reduce the pain. Cold can lessen the inflammation around the nerve and can even prevent sciatica before it starts. What you should do is put ice or a cold pack on the lower back for around 10-15 minutes, then take it off for 10-15 minutes and put it on for 10-15 minutes. This procedure is only effective for the first 48 hours, the longer you wait the lessen the effect is.

Balancing your pelvis is another great treatment for sciatica nerve pain, because the pelvis is basically a foundation and when the pelvis is in balance, then everything else also falls into place. You can check if your pelvis is alright by laying down and placing a hand on both sides of the pelvis at belt height.

If you are doing the right treatment for sciatica nerve pain, then you will be able to eliminate the pain for good. It is important to take the treatments seriously and really know what you are doing. Doing a few exercises here and there, does nothing to help you in the long run.

Lower Back Spasms

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

Many people will at some stage in their lives experience the pain and discomfort of a lower back spasm. It often occurs when you least expect it and leaves you wondering what on earth has caused such a debilitating pain in your lower back.

Furthermore back spasms are not always selective which means that active as well as sedentary people can experience this excruciating back pain.

5 Causes of Back Spasms:

  • A back spasm usually affects the lower back muscles rather than the middle to upper back muscles of the torso and are often the result of an injury or inflammation of the spinal area or the spine itself.It is also thought that the spasm is the body’s response to protect and immobilize the spine from further aggravation.
  • Weak abdominal muscles often cause more strain and stress to be placed on the spine which can cause injury and subsequently a spasm to isolate the spine from further stress or injury. So over exertion with weak abdominal will likely result in a back spasm to prevent further damage.
  • Sportsmen may be prone to this type of condition through repetitive motion injuries or chronic overuse injuries. For instance the repetitive motion of a golfer’s swing could eventually cause spinal inflammation and injury or damage to the vertebrae or spinal discs & ligaments which will trigger a spasm as a protective measure.
  • People with weak back muscles will also be prone to this injury as extra strain will be placed on the spine for instance when lifting something heavy or perform any type of movements that could place stress on the spine.
  • Poor posture is another cause of lower back pain as it can cause the back muscles to be over strained in trying to maintain spinal stability.

In conclusion it should be noted that usually people who are not overweight, lead a reasonably active lifestyle and are in good physical condition are less prone to suffer from muscle strains and therefore less likely to experience lower back spasms.

Muscle Strains

Monday, February 15th, 2010 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

Normally a muscle strain is a slight twist or possibly a tear of a muscle or tendon. Tendons are tissues that connect our bones to our muscles; think of a tendon as a very strong version of an elastic band. These types of strains are associated with sportsmen and women, and are commonly found in areas such as the upper and lower back, upper thigh, abdomen (core section), and arms. They usually occur by over training, lifting too heavy, overstretching or over-tightening of a muscle. A lack of rest and recovery, older age, working muscles far too hard, and previous injury could put you at a higher risk of a muscle strain. There are various types of muscle strain: mild, moderate and severe. Treatment may depend on which of the three types you have.

Signs of a strained muscle include swelling and bruising, pain when moving the area and most likely some loss of strength. To determine the severity of the injury you may need a CT (computed tomography) scan, ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan or an x-ray.

I believe like most others that rest is vital to give the muscle time to recover from the injury. Anti-inflammatory solutions can also be used to decrease the swelling and pain. Doctors may suggest you have an injection into the muscle, physical therapy or in the worst case, surgery. With the correct treatment you may be able to go back into training relatively promptly. Sufficient rest and recovery as well as making sure you warm up and cool down properly will help prevent another muscle strain or worse.

Treating muscle strains

The most commonly used treatment for muscle strains is RICE, which means Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. When you apply this method you will reduce the risk of swelling and bruising, which will help to stop the bleeding of the damaged area and decrease the pain.

Rest: Rest your muscle to allow your injury to heal. I would rest for at least 3 to 7 days immediately after the injury occurs. For a severe muscle strain, rest should be for 10 to 14 days. When the pain decreases, begin normal, slow movements. If your muscle strain is in your legs or lower body, you may need to use crutches to walk.
Ice: Put a towel around an ice pack (or bag of frozen vegetables) and hold on the injured area. Do not put the ice pack directly on your skin.
Compression: Wrap an elastic bandage around the area to decrease swelling. It should be tight enough for you to feel support, but not so tight as to affect circulation.
Elevation: Keep the injured muscle raised above your heart if possible. For example if you have a strain of your lower leg muscle, lie down and prop your leg up on pillows. This helps decrease pain and swelling.
Warming up
Mexican pharmacy viagra
10 minutes of low to moderate effort on a bike or cross-trainer or walking on a treadmill with a slight incline.

Cooling down

10 to 20 minutes on any piece of cardiovascular equipment, normally the recumbent bike. Do this at a low pace as we’re only cooling down now. The other benefit of this 20 minute slow cardio process after a workout is that it helps you to burn off some unwanted body fat.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Sunday, December 20th, 2009 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

If you have muscle aches all over your body accompanied by fatigue and a general feeling of tiredness, it is an indication that you are suffering from a disorder known as fibromyalgia. Due to the effects of female hormones, women are at a greater risk than men of contracting this disease. Hormonal fluctuations in women are another factor that aggravate the symptoms of this disorder. The symptoms of this disorder develop over time and may not be noticed until several weeks from the onset of this disease.

The pain in the muscles is felt all over the body and the sufferer finds it difficult to perform daily activities at home or at work as the feeling of tiredness is felt early in the morning. A feeling of abdominal bloating is also sometimes experienced by those suffering from fibromyalgia.

People are often unable to understand the difficulties that fibromyalgia can cause to the sufferers. This is because, in all outward appearances, the people suffering from this disease look as if they are normal and do not have any physical symptoms like droopy eyelids etc.

Allergies, infection and overexertion are sometimes found to be the leading causes of fibromyalgia. The sufferer experiences tenderness in the muscles and disrupted sleep. It is this inability to get proper rest that compounds the symptoms of those suffering from this incapacitating disease. The muscle pain is usually felt in the neck before being experienced in the other parts of the body. The sufferer becomes easily irritable and is bound to feel depressed. Mild headaches and abdominal discomfort causes uneasiness and these symptoms become worse if the sufferer leads a stressful life.

If the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia prevent you from performing your daily activities smoothly, you must seek the help of your medical practitioner who will describe a course of pain relieving medicines and anti inflammatory drugs to relieve the muscle pain. Your physiotherapist may recommend relaxation techniques and aerobic exercises to relieve the symptoms and help the patient get a good sleep every night.

This will help those suffering from fibromyalgia to cope with the tiredness and effectively meet the challenges of daily life. Taking a break between hectic work schedules lessens the body ache due to muscular tension and helps you to perform your daily chores easily. This disorder is curable and you can lead a productive life if you take steps to counter the condition immediately after experiencing the symptoms.

Low Back Pain

Thursday, December 17th, 2009 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

Low back pain is a common healthcare and social problem associated with disability and absence from work. One 2005 medical study of chronic spinal pain stated that the lifetime prevalence of spinal pain has been reported as 54% to 80%, with as many as 60% of patients continuing to have chronic pain five years or longer after the initial episode. The long-term and disabling conditions of chronic and recurrent low-back problems are of major concern, from both costs and morbidity aspects.

Chiropractic care has been shown to compare favorably to medical care with respect to long-term pain and disability outcomes in many cases, but the chiropractor should carefully consider the optimum treatment plan for each patient on an individual basis. For most cases of chronic low-back pain, I recommend a three-step program of spinal adjustments, postural stabilization, and rehabilitative exercise. Combining these three elements can make the difference between a successful care program and a lingering, recurring low back condition.

Spinal Adjustments
As far back as 1985, medical research was reporting that a two to three week regimen of daily spinal manipulations by an experienced chiropractor brought significant improvement in 81% of totally disabled patients with chronic low back and referred leg pain. The patients in the study were from a university back pain clinic for patients who had failed to respond to previous conservative or surgical treatment. The researchers stated that anything less than two weeks of daily manipulation is inadequate for chronic back pain patients.

Postural Stabilization
A significant factor in reducing excessive biomechanical forces on the lumbar spine is frequently overlooked by practitioners – the use of external supports to decrease external forces. Positioning aids such as sitting postural supports (examples are postural back rests or ischial lifts for chairs and car seats), standing postural supports (such as foot orthotics and heel lifts), and sleeping postural supports (such as mattresses and pillows) can all greatly assist in the long-term management of painful lumbar spine conditions.

Rehabilitative Exercises
Corrective exercises done at home to strengthen supporting muscles are recommended as an adjunct to chiropractic adjustments and postural stabilization. Active involvement of the chronic low back patient in an appropriate exercise program has been found to be very beneficial, even for patients with herniated discs. Flexibility and strength exercises can bring about rapid improvements in lumbar spinal function as well as decreases in pain levels. Activity should focus on developing strength in the abdominals and supporting pelvic and low-back muscles.

Pain Relief Therapy

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 No Commented
Under: Pain Management

Throughout the ages, no matter what medical problem a patient suffered from, whether caused by illness or injury, one common factor always prevailed and this was pain. The only difference was the degree and intensity of the pain experienced by the patient.

Pain is the oldest medical problem and even before a medical profession existed, and the cause of the problem was not understood, the “patient” understood the pain he was experiencing. Within the medical profession, pain is always the common element that must always be addressed today.

The sense of pain has an essential protective value in that it serves to warn the body of damaging stimuli like tissue damage or an inflammatory process or reaction. Examples of such damage and inflammation include acute and chronic trauma, arthritis, osteoporosis and infections (bacterial and viral) amongst many others.

According to The International Association for the Study of Pain:

Pain is “an unpleasant and emotionally charged experience, associated with the actual or potential existence of tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.”( IASP, 1986). Linton (2005) added that pain is “expressed in behaviour.”

But what was done to relieve pain in decades gone by? Drugs were used for this: Opium after 1680, Laudanum which is a combination of Opium and Sherry after 1680 and Chloroform after 1830. Then after 1846 Anesthesia with ether was used. Prior to drug use for many injuries and infections, the life changing action of amputation was used, which often in itself caused a whole new set of problems, including chronic pain, for the patient.

And of course today, our pharmacies are filled with all sorts of pain killers, many with side effects that can cause other medical problems, including death, and in the long term are often addictive.

In recent years pain, its symptoms and causes, has become much better understood by medical professionals. Research has shown that pain can be relieved by using drug free, non-invasive pain relief therapy which is safe and simple, highly effective and non-addictive.

Millions of people throughout the world are dependent on pharmaceutical drugs and other forms of patented medication for the relief of pain which often result in serious side effects, which in many cases prove to be fatal. In the United States alone 300 000, a staggering number of people, die each year from the use of prescription drugs. [Null, et al 2003)

Now we have bio medical therapeutics – technology meets biology and with the new understanding of how pain works, pain is now able to be relieved by digitally generating specialised waveform to simulate action potentials for the relief of pain and inflammation and to repair and heal tissues.

No longer do patients have to suffer unnecessary pain or use drugs that can cause a whole new set of medical problems!

Osteoarthritis Pain Management

Friday, December 11th, 2009 No Commented
Under: Arthritis, Pain Management

Millions of people suffer with osteoarthritis pain and many spend their later years in chronic pain because of osteoarthritis, believing painkillers to be the only solution. So can sufferers expect an improved quality of life and at least reduce their osteoarthritis pain or will they to just have to knuckle down and make the best of it.

Advice from the medical profession varies so much. One GP can be an angel sent from heaven and another can be a complete waste of time. I have personally spoken to hundreds of people who have been suffering with osteoarthritis pain and some say the doctors are marvelous and others just throw away lines like, it’s just wear and tear, it’s your age, there’s nothing you can do but take pain killers.

Since I am not a doctor nor am I willing to stand in judgment I have to believe that most doctors are diligent hard working, caring people, who are doing their best to cope with a massive workload and they just don’t know all the answers. None of us knows all the answers but I believe we are all free to look for alternative ways to improve our own situation, especially where our health is concerned.

I am happy to tell you that my own father is alive and well and looking like emulating his father who reached the grand age of 93. Unfortunately Dad is going to reach that age with all his original parts. When he was in his mid fifties he had a painful calcium spur on his shoulder. His doctor told him he had too much calcium in his blood. They would do keyhole surgery and take the spur off but he must cut down on calcium.

Even then with my limited knowledge of alternative therapies and remedies I knew this was the opposite of the truth. I said Dad, you have too little calcium in your blood, not too much and its leaching what it needs from your bones. But my Dad comes from a generation who believe the doctor knows everything about the human body and is one of the few people in society that cannot be questioned. Believe it or not his bank manager is another. Well he cut down his already low calcium intake despite my advising him to supplement his diet with Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D for maximum absorption. By 65 he was the recipient of two new knees and since they were done 6 months apart he hardly walked for best part of his retirement year. And do you know Dad is eternally grateful for the wonderful job the doctors have done even though he fully expects to have them done again when 10 years has passed. And he still thinks he’s got too much calcium in his blood.

I guess what I am saying is, you are your own doctor first and foremost. Nobody knows how your body feels like you do. If you took a supplement for a month or six weeks and it made no difference you may have wasted a few pounds but you could just stop taking it, it certainly won’t hurt you. But what if it did make a difference, then you’d feel the benefit and be glad to pay for it, wouldn’t you? Only do buy a decent one, you get what you pay for. I pay 40GBP a month for my supplement regime, I have done for years and it has been worth every penny.

So eat right and take supplements. A lot of older people just don’t feel like cooking a meal, especially if they are on their own and so the quality of the building blocks they give the bodies to repair itself is often poor. Their circulation system is not what it used to be so the goodness they do get doesn’t get to the parts that need it.

The lymphatic system is the wonderful mechanism that keeps our bodies clean right from a cellular level but as we get older and especially if movement becomes painful the whole system slows down. This can leave toxins in the body and as they build up a downward spiral begins. More pain, less desire to exercise, less lymphatic drainage, more toxins. Where toxins are left in the joints they can crystalize and exacerbate the problem.

It is important for osteoarthritis patients to get exercise although they don’t always feel like it and often they really can’t manage it. The goal is to keep the joints mobile and functioning properly. Regular exercise also wards off muscle loss and may be key to managing osteoarthritis pain. Patients should consult with a physical therapist or qualified personal trainer which they would find at a good fitness centre. They will always tell them to check first with the doctor before starting a fitness program and that is good advice.

One therapy I like to use myself and to recommend to our customers is a powerful electric massage that was discovered 60 years ago and has been used all over the world in hospitals and clinics and in hundreds of thousands of private homes too. Because it aids the circulation and increases the throughput of blood in the muscle being massaged it acts as a kind of passive exercise. We have been in the health business for 14 years and mainly providing condition specific herbs and vitamin supplements but when we discovered this massage it revolutionized our business because of how quickly the benefits to customers were felt.

I have personally applied it to hundreds of people some of whom could hardly walk without extreme pain. In a 20 minute massage many have experienced amazing relief. Some have even cried as they told me it is years since they felt that good. Cycloidal Massage definitely works for at least 80% of osteoarthritis sufferers. It improves the circulation, relaxes the muscles around the joints and enhances lymphatic drainage.

There are a couple of drawbacks though. First it can be a little difficult for a person alone to treat themselves with the hand unit that I use to demonstrate the therapy. Even when there is a couple they tend to do it every day at first but eventually the partner starts to find it tiresome. Of course it loses its benefit if it is not done regularly and the benefits are cumulative if it is. At least 20 minutes three times a day is recommended.

That’s why I use Cycloidal Massage built into a rise and recline type chair. Many of my clients find it hard to get out of an ordinary chair so there are extra reasons for the rise and reline. The chair has multiple massage motors built into the electrically adjustable footstool, the seat and the back so the whole body can be treated while the client watches TV. The second drawback is the cost of course, they certainly don’t suit every budget. Unfortunately cheaper alternatives do not contain the deeply penetrating therapy that Cycloidal Massage provides. It’s probably best to take advantage of trial massage at home and then measure the benefits against the cost. Some customers who could not afford the cash price have found it is worth the 25 pounds a week or so that it costs to buy on a finance deal.

Cycloidal Massage Therapy is available in most countries and I am sure there will be someone willing to demonstrate the benefits without obligation wherever the need arises. Certainly I have traveled the length and breadth of Northern England and Southern Scotland doing just that. Our reputation is very important to us, so we do a massage in the customers home and only if they feel a marked difference in the affected parts to we recommend a purchase.

A marked difference means greatly reduced pain or even no pain at all, together with increased functionality and movement in the affected joints.

There are lots of things a sufferer can do to help themselves at least to manage the pain of osteoarthritis. To remain dependent on the medical profession is a matter of choice but my philosophy is help yourself first, seek expert medical advice as soon as symptoms are noticed in order to maintain good health and if the problem does reach crisis level don’t just go straight for the surgery. Carefully think through alternatives, look at what others have tried successfully and try it yourself.
Robert Channings founded Aglow Health in 1992 to supply condition specific herbal remedies and vitamin supplements. The business did well and became Aglow Health UK Limited in January 2001. The supplements whilst good did not meet all the needs of our clients so we partnered with one of the worlds largest manufacturers of therapy beds and chairs becoming agents for Northern England. They have been producing Cycloidal Massage Therapy Equipment for 60 years and have been building that therapy into Electrically Operated Beds and Chairs and other therapy equipment since 1970. All our therapy beds and chairs are manufactured in the UK.