Upwards of 70% of your body is composed of good old H2O. Some claim as little as a 2% drop in fluids can leave you itchy, groggy, constipated, and feeling generally rotten all around.
It certainly makes sense to stay hydrated. Drinking enough water helps ensure our bladder and kidneys flush toxins out of our bodies. It helps our bodies digest food. And it can even prevent headaches, joint aches and muscle pain.
So what does this have to do with your spine? Quite a bit it turns out. Not only is over 70% of your body made up of water, but a similar ratio exists in the discs that cushion the vertebrae in your spine. It turns out dehydration is a little talked about but significant factor contributing herniated and bulging discs.
A decrease in disc water content is associated with spinal disc degeneration. As the discs break down, cracks form in the fibrous outer ring of the disc leading to fluid loss. The inner core becomes weaker as it shrinks and comes under more stress until conditions become ripe for the disc to bulge or herniated.
Exactly how much water is enough can be a matter of significant debate. The most commonly given “rule” is to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. It’s really more of a “rule of thumb” though as the amount your body really needs largely depends on your gender (males tend to require more water), weight (larger mass requires more water), activity level, and environment among other factors.
Allow me to make drinking water simple for you. If you’re thirsty, drink a glass of water. Seriously. If you’re not thirsty but are experiencing some of the symptoms of mild dehydration, try drinking a glass of water anyways. Normally if you’re drinking enough water your urine will be clear or pale yellow. Be aware that it’ll typically be darker first thing in the morning, after a meal, or when taking water soluble vitamins like riboflavin.
When your body is properly hydrated, your spinal discs are able to reabsorb fluids at night while you sleep. Many individuals with back pain have gotten fast relief by using inversion therapy tables which release pressure on the discs through gentle gravity-based traction. This allows fluid to soak back into the spongy interior of the disc so that it can heal and properly support your vertebrae.
So yes, water is the stuff of life. And the stuff that’ll help your spine stay healthy too.
Related references: H2O: Hydration; Marketing Health Promotion, Wellness, and Risk Information for Spinal Cord Injury Survivors in the Community. Craig Hospital. Englewood, CO.
Wognum S, Huyghe JM, Baaijens FP. Influence of osmotic pressure changes on the opening of existing cracks in 2 intervertebral disc models. Spine. 2006;31:1783–8.
Zhao F, et al. Discogenic origins of spinal instability. Spine. 2005 Dec 1;30(23):2621-30.
Nosse, L.: Inverted Spinal Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 59: 367-370, Aug 78.
In this video we do an in-depth review of both inversion therapy and a device called the Nubax Trio. While both are great at decompressing the spine, they each have their advantages and disadvantages. Find out which one is right for you in this video.
Easy to assemble – can be set up in minutes without a second person.
Very easy to use – just about anyone, regardless of age or physical condition can use it. We have customers who are over 90 years old using it!
Lightweight but strong – making it easy to store or move around yet durable.
Traction Control – Allows you to control the amount of traction applied which can be very helpful. You can start out very light and then slowly increase the amount over time.
Few Contraindications – here are very few people who can’t use it.
CONS
No Cervical Traction – so this is not going to help much for upper back and neck pain.
Used for nearly 2000 years, inversion therapy has millions of success stories and has been shown in studies to reduce the need for back surgery by over 70%. Here’s a list of the pros and cons:
PROS
Complete spine – inversion decompresses the entire spine and even other joints like the ankles, knees and hips though you can’t increase the amount of traction (at least not easily).
Easy to use – most people can get into and use an inversion table without issue. However, some people do not feel comfortable going to full inversion and some older adults or people with severe weakness may find it difficult.
Additional Exercises – there are quite a few exercises that can be performed on an inversion table that can help strength your legs and abs as well as stretches to improve flexibility.
Relaxing – many people find that inversion therapy is very relaxing for them, putting them almost into a meditative state which delivers additional benefits.
CONS
Set up – while not difficult, most inversion tables require two people to set up.
Weight and Size – most inversion tables are fairly heavy (to be safe) and take up quite a bit of space. Though most can be folded up to reduce space.
Contraindications – there are a handful of health conditions where inversion is not recommended. You can find a complete list in the FAQ’s by clicking on the link below.
A recently published study out of Denmark was widely reported by news agencies around the globe last month to prove a link between genetics and back pain. But how much can you really blame your back pain on your genes?
After reviewing the similarities and differences of 7,664 pairs of twins – about 56% fraternal and 44% identical – researchers claim they were able to establish a similarity in back pain risk and pain. By studying patterns in both types of twins, the genetic and environmental risk factors can be better understood.
The attributed level of genetic risk for back pain varied by what area of the back was affected. Neck pain was most commonly associated at 39%, followed closely by lower back pain at 38% then thoracic, or mid-back pain at 32%.
Also, this research contradicts other research that has proven that the environment has the greatest effect on our cells and how they develop and change. Watch this video to learn more about how our genes actually work:
Inversion therapy has been used for thousands of years to treat various forms of back pain and sciatica. Here’s what we think about this popular inversion table…
If you’ve purchased or used a Teeter inversion table, please post your comments.
If you suffer from any type of back, neck or sciatic pain, you need to drop what you are doing right now and listen to this audio program!
This program sells normally for $79 and it literally contains the secrets to getting lasting relief. No kidding… the information that you’ll discover on this audio you won’t hear from your doctor and you won’t find anywhere else.
I hope you use it to eliminate your pain and get your life back. Please be sure to post your feedback below after listening and share this with anyone else you know who might benefit.
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The Healthy Back Institute - 333 Main St. Suite #201 Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Phone: 800-216-4908 Fax: 866-843-4319
The Healthy Back Institute is a Get Healthy and Fit Company
Upwards of 70% of your body is composed of good old H2O. Some claim as little as a 2% drop in fluids can leave you itchy, groggy, constipated, and feeling generally rotten all around.
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