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Archive for the ‘Lower Back Pain’ Category
Monday, June 7th, 2010
 Lemongrass, noted for its use in Thai cooking, is both a delicious citrusy herb and a remarkable natural healer. In traditional medicine, lemongrass has long been used around the world to treat fever, flu, and headaches as well as aid digestion.
Lemongrass for headache and migraine relief
One of the most common medicinal uses of lemongrass traditionally has been for headache relief.
Now it’s been proven to be at least as effective as aspirin – only safer. A five year study of plants used in traditional medicine recently reported in Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine that lemongrass shows similar activity to aspirin in treating headaches and migraines.
According to Dr. Darren Grice from the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University in Australia where the study took place, “Headaches and migraines cause abnormal activities in our bodies, such as altering our serotonin levels and interfering with the normal function of our blood platelets.”
Dangerous blood clots caused by this abnormal clumping of platelets can starve the brain of oxygen and lead to strokes. Eugenol, a compound found in lemongrass, was found to help prevent this excess clumping of blood platelets.
Just prior to migraines, high levels of serotonin causes blood vessels in the brain to contract, lowering the pain threshold. Then during the migraine itself, serotonin levels drop, causing blood vessels to expand – frequently leading to the throbbing pain migraine sufferers experience. Eugenol helps normalize the release of serotonin and may be effective in helping prevent migraines in the first place.
Lemongrass as a health and digestive aid
Drinking lemongrass tea or eating foods prepared with the herb promotes digestion and provides relief from flatulence. It also helps the body eliminate toxic substances including cleansing of the kidney, pancreas, liver and bladder.
Lemongrass has natural antimicrobial properties, helping the body fight off bacterial, fungal and viral infections. As an antipyretic, lemongrass helps reduce fevers from colds and flu. That’s how lemongrass also became known as fever grass.
One common home remedy from India mixes a few fresh strands of lemongrass with two or three cloves, a cinnamon stick, and turmeric powder which is boiled in milk, drained, and drunk to provide cough and cold relief after it cools. Thailand’s popular Tom Yum Kung soup is a delicious dish also thought to help fight cold and flu thanks to its use lemongrass as a central ingredient.
As an antifungal, the essential oil from lemongrass can help treat athlete’s foot. Rubbing it on the skin is also thought to increase blood flow to the area and is used to improve circulation (for this reason it has even been recommended as a treatment for sciatica, lower back pain, and arthritis).
Another common reason to rub it on is for a natural insect repellent. You probably are already familiar with this use of the herb’s oil by its common name, citronella.
Lemongrass even fights cancer
New research has found even more impressive benefits from the plant. Perhaps most exciting to date is a report from researchers at Ben Gurion University in Israel who discovered during in vitro testing that the compound citral found in lemongrass actually causes cancer cells to self destruct – without harming healthy cells – at a concentration equivalent to a cup of lemongrass tea.
The results have been promising enough that even many conventional doctors now recommend cancer patients drink several mugs of hot lemongrass tea on days they receive radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Now there’s a step in the right direction.
Lemongrass can be found in most well stocked grocery stores either fresh or frozen. Indian or other Asian markets are another good place to look. Or, simply grow your own. While lemongrass is a perennial which thrives in tropical climates, it can be grown as an annual in cooler climates.
Related references
Rashid, S. Native lemon grass fights headaches like aspirin. Griffith News. 2010 Mar 2.
Dudai N, et al. Citral is a new inducer of caspase-3 in tumor cell lines. Planta medica. 2005 May;71(5):484-8
Sommer, A. Fresh lemon grass fields in Israel become mecca for cancer patients. ISRAEL21c. 2006 Apr 2.
Sue Chao, et al. Inhibition of methicillin-resistant Stapphulococcus aureus (MRSA) by essential oils. Flavour and Fragrance Journal.
2008;Â 23:444-449
Inouye S, et al. Combined effect of heat, essential oils and salt on fungicidal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes in a foot bath. Nippon Ishinkin Gakkai Zasshi. 2007;48(1):27-36.
Posted in Back Pain, General Health, Lower Back Pain, Pain Relief, Uncategorized, back pain at work | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
“We tend to get what we expect.” — Norman Vincent Peale
 Allow me to be blunt. I have helped literally tens of thousands of people from around the world overcome back pain and sciatica. I have failed to help many thousands more. And almost always the difference lies in the attitude, expectations, and willingness of the person I’m trying to help to actually be helped.
One might reasonably think if someone asks for help, that they are prepared to take action on the advice given in response. For example, by reading this very article you’ve indicated you would like information on how to get rid of lower back pain.
So what separates those who take action and achieve success from those who will not? Belief.
No, this isn’t an Amway convention. But Mr. Peale was right when he said we get what we expect. That’s because our belief drives our actions. If we believe we can overcome chronic lower back pain we’re much more likely to implement the advice given. If we do not believe the advice will work for us, we’ll either give it only a half-hearted attempt then blame the advisor or technique when it fails to deliver the results we would like, or we won’t even try at all.
This isn’t some pie-in-the-sky concept without impact on the physical world of back pain either. It’s a proven fact that even with chronic lower back pain treatments our expectations and attitudes directly affect the outcome. Literally.
Take a just published five-year study of over 700 patients diagnosed with subacute or chronic lower back pain as an example. Patients were randomly assigned to either a standard advice and treatment from their general practitioner, or the standard advice and treatment from their general practitioner plus six group sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy.
In layman’s terms, both groups got standard medical treatment for their lower back pain but the second group also atteneded six sessions of group therapy with the primary goal of “patient education to counter negative beliefs about lower back pain.” The only difference between the two groups is the second group was taught how to change their attitude about their back pain and prospects of recovery.
End result? The second group experienced measurably increased lower back pain relief and freedom from disability than the control group. Other studies have repeatedly found the same impact of emotional thoughts and beliefs on physical pain and recovery.
So if you want to accomplish any goal, including relieving your lower back pain, you first need to believe that you can achieve it. You don’t have to sit in a group therapy session, but if that’s what it takes for you then it’s probably worth it to end your back pain, right?
A less expensive option is to participate in an online back pain forum with other people facing similar challenges. Plus you can find several more mind-body healing techniques here.
Here’s the bottom line. If you want to change the way your lower back, and indeed your whole world, feels then consider putting this final word of advice from Mr. Peale into practice:
“Change your thoughts, and you change your world.” — Norman Vincent Peale
Related references:
Lamb, SE. Group cognitive behavioural treatment for low-back pain in primary care: a randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness analysis. The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 26 February 2010.
Kröner-Herwig B. Chronic pain syndromes and their treatment by psychological interventions. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2009 Mar;22(2):200-4.
Lindell O, Johansson SE, Strender LE. Subacute and chronic, non-specific back and neck pain: cognitive-behavioural rehabilitation versus primary care. A randomized controlled trial. BMC musculoskeletal disorders. 2008 Dec 30;9:172.
Smeets RJ, et al. Treatment expectancy and credibility are associated with the outcome of both physical and cognitive-behavioral treatment in chronic low back pain. The Clinical journal of pain. 2008 May;24(4):305-15.
Posted in Back Pain, Lower Back Pain, Uncategorized | 9 Comments »
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
 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.
Posted in Back Pain, Herniated Disc, Inversion Table, Inversion Therapy, Lower Back Pain, Sciatic Pain, Teeter Inversion Table, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
 Ever hear, “if it was that easy, everyone would be doing it?” Sometimes, they probably would be if only they knew about it.
Strengthening your body’s core muscles helps increase your body’s stability and balance. Strong core muscles and stability help you avoid lower back pain. So, strengthen your core muscles.
Wait. That sounds suspiciously like a lot of work.
Sure it is. And if you want those rock hard, magazine cover abs you’re going to need to spend a certain amount of time focusing on exercise. And watching what you eat. And getting enough sleep. And so on.
But you’re not interested in me selling you a pipe dream fantasy world of appearing on the cover of some health magazine, are you? I’ll bet you’d rather have a simple solution for improving your core muscles and stability to avoid lower back pain. Wouldn’t it be nice if a simple, elegant solution was already in hand?
Maybe it already is. Like that big blue exercise ball gathering dust in the corner of your living room. Or readily available in the Pilates room at your local health club.
Physical therapists have used exercise balls (they call them stability balls) for over four decades to help their patients increase stability and strengthen core muscles. There are many, many terrific exercises which take advantage of the unique features of an inflated exercise ball to help you build abs of steel. Or at least strengthen your core muscles enough so you can perform dangerous activities like rolling out of bed in the morning without throwing your back out.
Simple. But today I promised you easy. Here it is, in just two steps:
Step 1: Go get one of those inflated blue exercise balls (blue is optional, inflated isn’t)
Step 2: Sit down on top of the exercise ball
Easy enough?
No, I’m not kidding. Truth is you’re not going to build rock hard abs just by sitting on an exercise ball. But you can make incremental improvements in your core strength and stability every day.
Still don’t believe me? Here’s how it works.
When you sit in a normal chair, like the one you’re sitting in right now, your body doesn’t have to do anything. It just sits there.
Sit on an exercise ball and you introduce a measure of instability. Suddenly your body has to use your back and abdominal muscles to make very small adjustments in order to maintain stability. It’s called “active sitting” because your muscles actually work to keep you sitting instead of just flattening out.
When you first sit on the exercise ball you might find it uncomfortable because your body isn’t used to working just to remain seated. If you can only stay on 30 seconds the first time, then stay on 30 seconds. Try for 45 seconds or a minute the next time.
As your core muscles grow stronger and you gain better stability and balance from daily sitting on the exercise ball, you’ll be able to comfortably increase the amount of time spent sitting on one. By the time you can comfortably sit on the ball for 20 minutes or longer, you’ll find it fun to actually roll your hips around on top of the ball while sitting. It feels great and gives your core muscles an even better workout – plus it doesn’t even feel like a workout!
Best yet, you don’t even have to make time for exercise. Just roll your desk chair back and use your exercise ball instead. How’s that for easy?
There are a couple of considerations when choosing an exercise ball.
First, choose one with the right height for you. Your hips and knees should form a 90 degree angle when your feet are flat on the floor. In other words, your thighs should be parallel to the floor or slightly pointing downwards while sitting on the exercise ball.
Secondly, please spend the $30-$40 for a durable exercise ball that won’t explode on you, dumping you unceremoniously onto the floor and possibly injuring you. If you use a ball that you inflate yourself with an air pump, follow the instructions on fill level.
Finally, avoid wearing sharp items that might puncture the ball while you sit on it. Common sense, but you’ll thank yourself later for heeding it.
Related references:
Panjabi MM. Clinical spinal instability and low back pain. Journal of electromyography and kinesiology. 2003 Aug;13(4):371-9.
Posner-Mayer J. Ball Dynamics International. 1995. Swiss Ball Applications For Orthopedic And Sports Medicine; pp. 2–3.
Posted in Back Pain, Back Pain Exercises, Lower Back Pain, Stretching, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
Friday, February 5th, 2010
 Arnica is a member of the daisy family native to mountainous regions of Europe and Siberia. Its flower has been used in herbal medicine preparations to treat muscle aches and inflammation for nearly five centuries.
Although arnica is available as a homeopathic remedy to be ingested, most scientific evidence points to topical application as a cream to be the most effective way to get the plant’s anti-inflammatory and pain relieving benefits. Those benefits, according to multiple studies, rival the effectiveness of NSAIDs like ibuprofen.
Arnica as an anti-inflammatory
The main therapeutic effects of arnica are derived from its compound helenalin. Although the complete process by which helenalin works is not fully understood yet, it appears to play a role as an inhibitor in the complex process of protein regulated immune response which leads to inflammation.
Arnica improves circulation and stimulates white blood cells to eliminate congested blood (such as hematomas) for faster relief of swelling and bruising. This decreased pressure typically results in less pain at the site of injury.
Medicinal uses of arnica
Besides treating muscle aches and pains, arnica has also been found effective at providing tendon and joint pain relief for conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. Some preparations have taken advantage of arnica’s antibacterial and fungicidal properties for treating other external conditions as varied as eczema, acne, and burns.
How to take arnica
Arnica is most commonly used as a component in topically applied pain relief creams which usage has been scientifically proven to benefit the recipient when applied externally. Some homeopathic remedies are sold with extremely diluted arnica in forms safe for internal use including tablets, liquid, powders and teas.
Cautions
Arnica should never be directly ingested except in standard homeopathic preparations. Arnica should not be used while pregnant or breastfeeding, particularly as some compounds found in arnica may induce labor. Avoid rubbing arnica into open wounds or broken skin.
Posted in Back Pain, Lower Back Pain, Nutrition, Supplements, Uncategorized, back pain at work | 3 Comments »
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