"Who ran away from his Nurse, and was eaten by the lion." Hilaire Belloc

Back ache relief

BACK PAIN, Back Pain, Read All About It!"

www.TheHealingFactor.com

"Ouch, my back is killing me!" Does that sound like something you've heard yourself or

someone you care about say? Today's chat is about the structure of the back, signs and symptoms

of a back problem, do's and don'ts when experiencing pain in your back.

How your back works.

Ever wonder what your back actually consists of? Biology tells us the backbone consists of more

than 30 bones called vertebrae. The vertebrae canal guards the small nerves in your spinal cord.

Which are held together by muscles, tendons and ligaments. The disks located between the

vertebrae act as shock absorbers when you walk, run to the car across the parking lot or the NYC

Triathlon. They also work when you jump away from a snake in the yard or on a trampoline.

They also allow your spine to twist, bend and extend to reach that item on the top shelf. Those

disks help with so many daily activities for people of all ages. Most of your weight is carried in

your lower back; therefore frequently people find their problems affecting this area.

Back pain can be kind of sudden completely onset or can occur over time. Every so often a back

ache can come and go, becoming annoying and slightly more painful. Back pain that lasts from a

few days to a few weeks is considered acute. Pain that lasts for three months or longer is

considered chronic. We avoid going to the doctor when suffering from acute pain, because we do

not believe the pain is bad enough. But the longer we go without proper medical care for our

back pain symptoms, the worse we allow the pain to progress. In reality, we are injuring our back

more by ignoring these warning signs. A simple acute ache could turn to something A LOT more

serious, something chronic even.

Ouch's may feel like the following:

Muscle aching

Shooting or piercing pain

Pain that radiates down your leg

Restricted flexibility or limited range of motion of your back

Inability to stand straight or for continuous amounts of time

Top 10 Most Frequent Reasons for Backaches:

1. Emotional and psychological stress (including some mental illness such as depression)

and anxiety can cause backaches due to the tension in your body.

2. Bad Posture, Pain due to slouching and bad posture is a very common occurrence. The

muscles and ligaments become miss aligned over time and can lead to backaches or even

headaches and fatigue.

3. Obesity, Added weight on your body places more pressure on your spine. This can lead

to osteoarthritis.

4. Sleeping Positions, Often times we are unaware of our varied positions of sleep during

the night. Doctors recommend either sleeping on your back with a pillow under your

knees or on your side with a pillow between your legs.

5. Sprains and Strains. You may have just twisted wrong, picked something up wrong or

that was too heavy, or you may have fallen or tripped.

6. Fractures, Fractures are similar to sprains, except a fracture may also occur in the

vertebrae in your back due to injury from sports or falls.

7. Osteoarthritis, most commonly found in older adults, is a condition which causes the

disc's to press together, causing backaches and stiffness in the affected area. This pressing

together can lead to another condition known as degenerative joint disease.

8. Herniated Discs, When a disc is ruptured, it is often called a herniated, or "slipped disc"

which will eventually lead to a pinched nerve. You should seek medical attention for a

complete diagnosis.

9. Fibromyalgia, Back pain and fatigue are common symptoms of this disorder.

10. Pregnancy, the extra weight and the way that weight is distributed usually cause back

pain affecting the lower back.

Okay... So now what?

The do's and don'ts so not to make your pocketbook empty and medical bills piled sky-high.

Do's

1. Sleep on your side or on your back with pillows under or between knees.

2. Take throw pillows to work and in the car for support.

3. Use proper bending and lifting techniques.

4. Use step ladders for reaching high places and mats for low places rather than bending or

stretching too much.

5. Apply ice pack if you see swelling.

Don'ts

1. Don't drive or ride in vehicle for over an hour and a half a day when possible and don't

slouch while driving.

2. Don't sit at a desk or computer short of an hour without stretching and standing.

3. Don't lift without bending your knees. If you think it's too heavy and you feel pain,

STOP!!

4. Don't sleep on your stomach.

5. Don't ignore pain; if you are having discomfort, something IS wrong.

6. Don't let anyone try to pop, or deeply massage your back other than a therapist or doctor.

7. Don't try to work through the pain. STOP! Relax...Take a breather. Try lying down! Don't

overdo it.

8. Don't wear shoes with no support. Ladies, heels are amazing but they are not your back's

friend.

9. Don't be a hero!!! Your back is more important than your pride.

10. Don't put off going to doctor if pain lasts more than a few days.

Now that you know the do's and don'ts when having back pain; our next step is to incorporate a

strong workout package which includes a healthy diet and simple workout routine that fits our

age and lifestyle. If only then after all else failed and the pain does not decease even a little,

maybe just maybe you should follow what my last paragraph suggests...

Doctor, Doctor, I think we need a visit.

Most of the pain may take several weeks to disappear completely; you should notice some

improvement within the first 72 hours of self-care. If it does not get better and you choose to

consult your physician, most often they prescribe medications as well as specific exercises to

increase the strength in your back. Consult or schedule the next available appointment necessary.

"Let's try and not be eaten by the lion!!!"

For More Information, Remedies, Products and Books to help you get

back in tip top shape: Please visit us at www.thehealingfactor.com