Our Spinal Anatomy: Causes of Backaches

By Harshad J

Our spinal anatomy is unique, and it comprises of strong bones. Ligament and tendons in our back are flexible, and the back also has large muscles and highly sensitive nerves.
The human spine has been designed in such a way that it can be very strong, and this is necessary, so that the spine can protect the highly sensitive nerve roots. But while being strong, the spine has been made to be highly flexible, and ensures mobility for us in many different ways.
Backache nevertheless is a very common occurrence and afflicts most of us at some or the other point of time in our lives. Back pain can often be attributed to different structures of the spine, and there are often some specific causes that lead to backache. One could suffer from backache when the larger nerves that branch out to the arms and legs are irritated. Similarly, backache could be caused when the smaller nerves that interconnect the larger nerves to the spine are irritated.

Alternately, backache may be caused as a result of strain in the large paired back muscles, which are also known as erector spinae. Or backache could even be caused when the bones, joints, ligaments or tendons sustain an injury. The disc space too could be a cause of pain.
Anyone can be susceptible to back pain and related conditions, and to understand back pain, treatment options and relief in a better way, one must know more about the structure of the spine.
Our spine broadly comprises of four regions, and these include the cervical spine or the neck, the thoracic spine or the upper back, the lumbar spine, which is the lower back and the sacral region, which is the bottom of the spine.
The cervical spine has vertebral bones, and these progressively become smaller as they reach the base of the skull. The cervical spine facilitates movement of the neck. The top two spinal discs ensure rotational motion, while C5-C6 and C6-C7 discs enable the flexion movement.
When one suffers from any problem related with the cervical spine, it is not just the cervical spine or the neck which is affected, but the same can influence other parts of the body, as the nerves from the spine run down to all our body parts. As an example, when one suffers from a cervical herniated disc, the pain can radiate down the arms, and sometimes right up to one's hands and fingers.
The lumbar spine or the lower back supports all the weight of our torso and that makes it a lot more prone to injuries. In human beings, there is a disproportionate degree of movement in the lower segments and discs of the lumbar spine (L3-L4 and L4-L5), and correspondingly these discs are more likely to suffer the effects of everyday wear and tear. Similarly, the two lowest discs, (L4-L5 and L5-S1) are most susceptible to herniation.

So it is the lower lumbar spine which is most likely to cause lower back pain, and through the nerves that run down to the rest of the body, this can cause sciatica, or numbness that radiates down the legs or feet.
Lower back pain, in many cases is caused due to muscle strain, which can cause trauma in muscles and soft tissues like tendons and ligaments, and can lead to lower back pain. But soft tissues have a sufficient supply of blood, which brings oxygen and nutrients, and facilitates the healing process and pain relief.

Use the Decompression Back Belt to get over lower back pains, and carry on with your day with a smile!
The belt decompresses the intervertebral joints, provides traction, renders relief from pain in no time, and facilitates the healing process to a great extent.
Wear the decompression back belt under your clothes without others noticing, and carry on with your day like you always do! You can wear it while sleeping, driving, cooking, gardening, and forget that you ever had backache!

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Steroid Use for Back Pain and Sciatica

By Anthony Galante

Back pain is something that many people will do just about anything to relieve. Unfortunately, some of the "instant" remedies offered do not really do anything to address the cause of the pain; these "fixes" only offer temporary relief of the pain, all but ensuring the pain will return at some point in the future. One of these "fixes" is often a steroid injection.
How Effective are Steroid Injections?
Doctors often prescribe steroid injections as part of the "program" for pain relief as well as a precursor to surgery. This is often looked at as a form or therapy before doing a radically invasive procedure, such as a spinal fusion. Realistically, though, the relief experienced is only a temporary cure and offers no real benefit to the patient, other than those brief moments of limited pain relief.

A secondary concern is the danger involved in receiving too many injections, especially over a short time period. Most doctors will advise against anything more than two to three injections per year. There are also some adverse and dangerous side effects associated with spinal injections, such as:

• Stroke
• Paralysis
• Loss of vision
• Death

So, the question is do you want a "risky" and temporary cure or do you want something that will offer a more permanent, long-term relief of your back and/or sciatica pain?
Using a Chiropractor to Treat Back and Sciatica Pain
Chiropractic adjustment is a treatment method that has been used for years to treat these types of pains. Unlike injections, adjustments paired with physical therapy are very effective in providing long-term relief of both back and sciatica pain. After undergoing an initial physical with your chiropractor, a long-term plan of treatment and exercise will be laid out to address your specific problems.
As mentioned, part of the treatment is observed physical therapy as well as exercises you can do on your own to aid in the recovery process. Some of these treatments and exercises are:

• Stretching the Hamstring - most people do not realize how integral the hamstring is in back pain. When your hamstring muscles are tight, they pull on your lower back muscles, leading to discomfort and/or pain. Over time, this can also lead to sciatica problems.


• Core Exercise - a strong core can help alleviate many of the problems that arise and cause back problems. Having a strong core will also enable you to be able to do many of the targeted exercises used to both prevent and treat lower back and sciatica issues.


• Low Impact Aerobic Exercise - your doctor may prescribe something as simple as walking a few miles every day (starting out slowly and then gradually building your distance). As you get stronger, you can quicken the pace and increase the overall aerobic effectiveness of the exercise.

Part of the physical therapy will also be to learn how to do these exercises properly. As you may already know, improper technique is one of the leading causes of injury to athletes.

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Should I Be Doing Osteopathic Exercises During Pregnancy?

By J Russell Hart

Osteopathy, a form of drug-free, manual medicine that focuses on total health through treating and strengthening the musculoskeletal system, will positively affect the body's nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems. Pregnancy is a perfect time for a woman to be introduced to the practice of osteopathic medicine. This is a time of change for many women and it isn't uncommon for most to experience some lower back pain.
Pregnancy puts an enormous amount of strain upon the body, not only from weight gain but also from the changes that occur to the tendons and ligaments which support the lower back and pelvic area. The average amount of weight gain put on during pregnancy is 25 pounds and those 25 pounds are usually located directly over at the abdominal area. This puts a lot of strain on the spine and back muscles, usually resulting in lower back pain.
Other reasons for lower back pain include postural changes that occur from the growing weight of the child, hormone release that causes the ligaments in the pelvic area to become more relaxed, psychological stress the pregnancy, previous history of back pain and poor daily posture.

Doctors of osteopathy are able to give women tips and direction to decrease their lower back pain as well as exercises that will help relieve the stress on their body. Importantly, women should not get talked out of exercising. The only reason to stop exercising when pregnant is if you are on bed rest. With just several adjustments to the intensity of the workout you are doing, you are able to do your regular schedule without too much difficulty. This exercise will help improve your overall health, cardiovascular strength and get your body ready for the rigors of delivery.
Osteopaths also work with women in a natural way to decrease the stress placed on their bodies, both from the weight of the pregnancy and the emotional weight when they are adjusting to becoming parents. Massage can regularly relax and soothe tension in the lower back muscles along the spine and can be a wonderful adjunct to relieving lower back pain.
Because the practice of osteopathy is aimed at using natural and drug-free ways of dealing with illnesses and disease, a doctor of osteopathy will work with a pregnant woman to develop a well rounded and nutritious diet to keep both her and her baby well-nourished. A sensible diet that does not include the list of "do not eat" foods will help ease the burden on the body as well as on the mind.
Other advice from your osteopaths can help change your posture and help you learn to use your body correctly throughout your pregnancy. And osteopaths can not only help with lower back pain but also heal the pain from sciatica, neck and shoulder pain, wrist pain, pelvic pain and chest and neck pain. Treatments in the office will be supplemented with exercises and other forms of self-help which the pregnant woman can perform at home.
An osteopath who is working with a woman dealing with pregnancy will also recommend to her that she never bend over to pick anything up but rather squat with her back straight. Avoid wearing high heels because these put an extra strain on the lower back. Avoid sleeping on the back because it places an extra strain on the back and decreases the blood supply to the legs. Some women find any support hose will give extra stability to the lower back and find that resting occasionally during the day with the feet elevated take pressure off the lower back and reduce ankle swelling.

Doctors of osteopathy will also show women proper stretching techniques to increase the flow of blood to joints and muscles that will help decrease pain. They can also help women with relaxation techniques that assist the muscles and relaxing while being stretched to avoid any muscle injury or spasm. Many women report that they continue with these exercises well after giving birth because of the increased flexibility and decreased muscle strain they experience.

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Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

By Anthony Galante

Just say the word "sciatica" and people cringe. If you have never suffered from it, consider yourself lucky. If you have had it or still do have it, you already know this condition can literally buckle your knees. This condition is actually the result of other medical issues, and not a "condition" that just develops on its own.
Causes
The sciatic never begins in the lower back and then continues down the back of each leg. This nerve generates some of the sensations you feel on the bottom of the foot, lower leg, and rear of the thigh. It also controls the muscles located in the lower leg and knee areas. Some conditions that can cause pain in this nerve are:

• Pelvic fracture or injury
• Tumors
• Slipped and/or herniated disks
• Spinal stenosis

Common Symptoms and Effects
There are different levels of pain, from mild annoyance to completely debilitating. It usually starts as a throbbing pain and continues as a constant ache. Over time, it can cause numbness or burning sensations in the affected areas.
The smallest of movements (and actually lack of movement) can cause the pain level to heighten. For instance, lying on your belly sleeping all night, long periods of standing or sitting, and even something as simple as sneezing can cause excessive pain.
Treatments
To be sure you have sciatica, it is best to visit your general practitioner full a full diagnosis. In most cases, your doctor will recommend a specialist for further testing. Once diagnosed, the specialist will probably recommend some focused exercises and stretching, the use of ice and/or heat to the affected area, and physical therapy.
In addition to these standard treatments, doctors will often recommend additional treatments, such as chiropractic care and/or medical injections. Because everyone is different and their bodies react differently to these treatments, every case is unique and will be treated as such.

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