\r\n \r\n Alternative Answers for Back Pain
\n
\nAcute and chronic pain effects over 100 million people in the United States each
\nyear. While pain is best known and characterized as subjective, meaning only the
\nperson who is experiencing it can explain what it feels like, pain is often
\ncalled the Universal equalizer. Pain affects people differently. What may be
\nperceived as only a minor nuisance to one person, may be completely debilitating
\nto someone else. Pain is a warning that something isn\'t quite right. Pain is not
\na disease in itself but the result of an underlying condition or due to injury.
\nPain is not just a physical sensation or psychological event, but a combination
\nof these and other components.
\n
\nBack pain can be caused by a variety of situations such as accidents,
\nmusculoskeletal disorders, improper lifting, bending, sports activities,
\nmisalignment of the vertebrae of the spine and disease. It can also appear out
\nof nowhere with no obvious cause. A viral illness may possibly be a cause, or
\nemotional trauma, such as fear or resentment. In the vast majority of cases,
\npain is caused by stasis of blood and or our body\'s energy resulting in muscle
\nspasm, trauma and immobility. a variety of situations such as too much or
\nimproper lifting, bending, sports activities and misalignments of the vertebrae
\nof the spine. It can also appear out of nowhere with no obvious cause. A viral
\nillness may possibly be a cause, or emotional trauma, such as fear or
\nresentment.
\n
\nThe pain may be acute or it may develop slowly over a matter of hours or days
\nout of a minor discomfort. In acute form, back pain can render a person
\nhelpless, enabling them to get up from a sitting or lying position or to even
\nfeed, wash, or dress themselves.
\n
\nIn the vast majority of cases, acute back pain comes from muscle spasm. Many
\npeople with acute back problems think they are suffering from a slipped disc,
\npinched nerve, spinal subluxation, or a torn ligament or muscle, when in fact
\nintense muscle spasm is the sole or primary cause. Spasm of back muscles is
\nmaintained by a nervous reflex through the spinal cord that sets up a vicious
\ncycle: spasm and inflammation lead to more spasm and inflammation. Although the
\ncycle can develop due to injury, the ultimate cause is often in the brain, which
\ncan interfere with muscle physiology through the spinal cord.
\n
\nPain is a vicious cycle: spasm and inflammation lead to more spasm and
\ninflammation. Although the cycle can develop due to injury, the ultimate cause
\nis often in the brain, which can interfere with muscle physiology through the
\nspinal cord. Chronic (long term) and acute back (and neck) pain are common
\nexpressions of stress and emotional stress. This demonstrates the true
\ncomplexity of the mind/body interaction. Many times it is the brain\'s distortion
\nof muscle function that sets us up for pain by preventing muscles from
\nresponding freely to physical stresses.
\n
\nAcute pain can result from disease, inflammation, or injury to tissues. This
\ntype of pain generally comes on suddenly, for example, after trauma or surgery,
\nand may be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. The cause of acute pain
\ncan usually be diagnosed and treated, and the pain is self-limiting, that is, it
\nis confined to a given period of time and severity. In some rare instances, it
\ncan become chronic.
\n
\nChronic pain is widely believed to represent disease itself. It can be made much
\nworse by environmental and psychological factors. Chronic pain persists over a
\nlonger period of time than acute pain and is resistant to most medical
\ntreatments. It can often cause severe problems for patients.
\n
\nIn assessing pain, a useful approach is to assess pain intensity (sensory), pain
\nrelief (cognitive), pain location, pain distress (affective), behavioral
\npatterns or other similar sensory aspects of pain.
\n
\nWithout a doubt, added stress and strains can take its toll on your spinal and
\nnervous system. Maintaining a physically fit body, awareness of body positions,
\na clean and detoxified internal system, keeping fears, stress and insecurities
\nin check and careful execution physically, through each day are all great ways
\nto avoid daily aches and pains.
\n
\nProper alignment of the head over the shoulders over the hips over the knees
\nover the feet, are also imperative in maintaining a pain-free body. Firm
\nabdominal muscles help to keep the back straight and strong. Bad posture habits
\ncan lock your muscles into positions you are not even aware your body is taking
\nwhich can put unwanted strain on the lower back.
\n
\n
\nExercise: The Back Strengthener
\n
\nDo this exercise up to 4 times a day.
\n
\nLay on the floor, stomach down. Slowly lengthen out the spine as you raise one
\narm and the opposite leg. Exhale as you raise up into an arch. Hold this as your
\ntake two deep breaths. Slowly release back to the floor. Inhale, as your raise
\nup the other arm and opposite leg, exhale. Hold this arch agian for two deep
\nbreaths. Lower down. Inhale. Then raise both arms, leaving both feet on the
\nfloor. Exhale. Hold the arch as you take two deep breaths. Slowly lower down.
\nInhale. Raise both feet off the ground, leaving both arms on the floor. Exhale.
\nHold the arch for two deep breaths. Slowly lower down. Inhale. Lastly, raise
\nboth arms and both legs off the floor. Exhale. Hold this full arch for two deep
\nbreaths. Slowly lower down. Inhale. Repeat entire sequence one more time. This
\nexercise should flow easily with the breath. (Always feel the energy pulling out
\nin both directions from the top of the head and hands and out the bottom of the
\nfeet.) Try to arch up further each time. This amazing exercise will relieve back
\npain!
\n
\nExercise: Abdominal Work
\n
\nAb work can be done on a daily basis. By strengthening the abdominal wall you
\nare helping to support the lower back. 300, 400, 500 situps are not only a waste
\nof time but allows for that many more attempts to injure yourself. It is the
\nquality not the quantity of sit ups that makes all the difference. SLOW and
\ncontrolled is the most powerful approach. Stretching a sore back will actually
\nenhance the healing process. One good stretch for lower back pain is to gently
\nbring your knees up to your chest. Once there, put a little pressure on your
\nknees. Stretch, then relax. Repeat. Stretching will help the muscle calm down
\nsooner than just waiting for it to calm down on its own.
\n
\nExercise: Sciatic Pain
\n
\nSciatic pain is generally the result of pressure on the sciatic nerve. When an
\nintervertebral disc presses on the nerve root as it leaves the spine it causes
\npain and often numbness along the route of the nerve which travels down the
\nbuttock, down the thigh and sometimes down into the lower leg. This can result
\nin a feeling of weakness as well. This is sometimes caused by a disc prolapsed
\nor "slipped disc". Since sciatic pain can be the result of a disc prolapsed, it
\nis the prolapse that we need to understand. The prolapse is most often the
\nresult of a harmful habit or pattern of bending and putting stress on the spine.
\nA herniated disc in the back, spinal stenosis and piriformis syndrome are also
\nmedical disorders that can cause sciatica.
\n
\nStretching a sore back will actually enhance the healing process. One good
\nstretch for lower back pain is to gently bring your knees up to your chest. Once
\nthere, put a little pressure on your knees. Stretch, then relax. Repeat.
\nStretching will help the muscle calm down sooner than just waiting for it to
\ncalm down on its own.
\n
\nA variation on this exercise is to lay on your back and gently bring one knee up
\nto the chest. Keep the opposite leg elongated along the floor. Keep the energy
\nof that foot moving out through the foot. Squeeze and hold the knee to the
\nchest. You can make small circles with the knee. Pull your abs in and slowly
\nlower the knee. Switch sides.
\n
\nStabilizing exercises are also best for strengthening the back. The most
\nimportant aspect is sensing and controlling motion in the spine. Once learned,
\nthe body can eventually take over and do this without the level of concentration
\nit takes early on.
\n
\n
\nExercise 1.
\n
\nIn a standing position, cross right ankle over left knee. Now slowly bend your
\nstanding leg. Sit back in the position so you feel a stretch in the buttocks. To
\nincrease this stretch, use one hand and gently evert your foot by simple pulling
\nthe toes toward you. Keep the foot on the knee. Make sure you sit back into the
\nbuttocks in this sitting position. Switch legs.
\n
\n
\nExercise 2.
\n
\nLaying on the floor with knees bent, arms at sides, tighten abdomen and slowly
\nraise alternate legs 3-4 inches from the floor. With the arms, lower the
\nopposite arm over the head.
\n
\n
\nExercise 3.
\n
\nLaying on the floor with knees bent, feet on the floor, bridge upward, slowly
\nraising the buttocks from the floor. These should all be performed with a rigid
\ntrunk. The pelvic tilt will be used to find the most comfortable position for
\nthe low back.
\n
\n
\nExercise 4.
\n
\nThis same pelvic position is maintained while performing stabilizing exercises
\nfrom the prone (on the stomach) position: With elbows bent and hands under the
\nshoulders, raise one leg 2 to 3 inches from the floor. With elbows straight and
\narms stretched about the head, raise an arm and the opposite leg 2 to 3 inches
\noff the floor.
\n
\nExercise variation can be done on hands and knees, raising the arms and legs
\nonly as high as can be controlled, maintaining a stable trunk and avoiding any
\ntwisting or sagging.
\n
\nRaise one leg behind with the knee slightly bent and no arch in the back or
\nneck. Raise one leg with the opposite arm with the knee slightly bent and no
\narch in the back or neck.
\n
\nExercise: Piriformis Syndrome
\n
\nLay on your back and gently bring one knee up to the chest. Keep the opposite
\nleg elongated along the floor. Keep the energy of that foot moving out through
\nthe foot. Squeeze and hold the knee to the chest. You can make small circles
\nwith the knee. Pull your abs in and slowly lower the knee. Now gently stretch
\nthe knee so that it crosses your midline and hold the knee there for 15-30
\nseconds. Switch sides.
\n
\n
\nhttps://www.peacefulmind.com/back_pain.htm\r\n

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