Back pain is one of the most common ailments that prompt visits to the doctor. Often we think surgery may be the only option, but the truth is there are many conservative treatments you can take advantage of to become back pain free. Learn how you can combat back pain without the dangers of invasive back surgery.
If you are suffering from back pain and are not physically active, now is the time to develop a physical fitness routine. Exercise will increase blood flow throughout the body and help in the healing of joints and muscles while increasing flexibility. In fact, you are less likely to suffer from back pain in the first place if physically active. Aerobic exercise is especially good for promoting a healthy back. If you already have an exercise routine, you may need to tailor it to help prevent further injury and promote healing.
When exercising, be sure to stretch adequately each time to prevent activity related back injuries and unnecessary muscle soreness. Stretching will also help increase flexibility and range of motion to help aid in the healing process. Remember to consult your doctor before starting any new fitness routine. They can offer appropriate advice in creating the optimal routine for you, as you do not want perform physical activity that will create further back problems. There are also many specific exercises your doctor can offer you to strengthen your back muscles, protect you from further joint injury, and promote the healing process.
Combine stretching and exercise with physical therapy. A physical therapist can aid you in healing to further increase flexibility, blood flow, and the range of motion beyond what general exercise and stretching can do for you. Therapists are specially trained at creating a physical therapy regimen that takes into account your specific injuries and pain areas with a focus on healing. They will develop an individualized program unique to you to relieve pain and create a healthier back so as to prevent future pain and injury as well.
Physical therapy includes visits to the office at regular intervals. The therapist will work with you personally and most often will teach you activities you will be required to do at home. At first physical therapy in itself may be painful and seem to create more soreness. However, you need to follow the therapies and advice given if you want to heal from back pain. If you complete your physical therapy to the finish, you will be well on your way to a healthier back and can become back pain free.
Sometimes it is possible to heal from back pain without the aid of drug treatments, but drug therapy may become necessary. Many pharmaceuticals available for treating back pain focus mainly on pain relief, so it isn’t suggested to rely on such drug therapies alone, but they can be helpful in combination with the other techniques of exercise, stretching, and physical therapy. There are also many anti-inflammatory medications that can be taken orally or by injection that will offer physical benefits, such as the reduction of swelling, as you embark on your journey to healing your back and becoming pain free. Heat therapy has also been shown to be very effective, especially when used in combination with other conservative therapies.
For the best results, use a combination of conservative treatments developed by your doctor for the optimal treatment program for you. Though sometimes surgery may be unavoidable, you can often heal from back pain without it by creating a healthier back and in the process a healthier you.
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Saturday, June 9, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Neuromuscular Therapy - What Is It And What Does It Do
Massage therapy has been used for thousands of years to help relax and calm people as well as offer physical healing. Neuromuscular therapy is used to relieve pain and specific problems a patient is experiencing. It is used to focus pressure on certain areas of skeletal muscle and can reduce pain and tension, but also help balance your posture and lengthen as well as strengthen tissues. These areas are often myofacial trigger points.
Myofacial trigger points are hyper irritable spots located within skeletal muscle. These spots are associated with nodules of bands of muscle fibers. These nodules become small contractual knots and therefore cause pain to the patient. By focusing on these points with neuromuscular therapy, a massage therapist with the right training can help decrease the contractions and this help relieve the pain. It is a great therapy to assess, treat, and help prevent soft tissue injuries and thus relieve chronic pain. Neuromuscular therapy is often used by occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurses, chiropractors, and those that practice osteopathic and physical medicine.
The technique of neuromuscular therapy (sometimes referred to as NMT) was developed by Dr. Stanley Leif and Boris Chaitow. Both were trained in chiropractics and naturopathy, which is a philosophy that seeks to improve health by focusing on the body’s innate ability to recover. They worked with Dewanchand Varma and Bernard MacFadden to help develop neuromuscular therapy in order to help patients suffering from soft tissue dysfunction. One part of neuromuscular therapy focuses on the fact that the body can heal itself. Stimulation from neuromuscular therapy can help hasten the natural healing process.
A neuromuscular therapist takes into account many aspects of the patient before beginning therapy. Things like age, stress, prior therapy, family history, diet, and nutrition will be looked at. By looking at the patient’s history and health, they can ascertain what type or how much therapy is needed. They may work with the patient’s primary physician if certain conditions exist. For example, if an elderly woman with a calcium deficient diet had hip or lower back pain; the therapist will need to watch for possible osteoporosis or hip fractures. They may need to alter their procedures to accommodate such patients. They will also look at posture distortion to see what other pains that can be causing.
The therapist will use their thumbs, fingers, and elbows as well as pressure bars during the massage. The pressure bars help release the muscular contractions. One good thing about neuromuscular therapy is it concentrates on placement much more than degree of pressure, so a good deal of pressure is not normally necessary.
Who can be helped by neuromuscular therapy? Anyone that suffers from chronic pain can be helped by neuromuscular massage. Whether you have chronic pain due to an occupational injury, a sports injury, or an automobile injury, if you suffer from chronic pain, you may want to give neuromuscular therapy a try. Others that respond well to neuromuscular therapy are those that suffer from sciatica, rotator cuff dysfunction, carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and even migraine headaches.
Annalisa Zisman, a proficient author and tutor, she is a leading practitioner for many massage courses
Annalisa specializes in Indian Head Massage
Thai Foot and Thai Herbal Compress Massage techniques.
Myofacial trigger points are hyper irritable spots located within skeletal muscle. These spots are associated with nodules of bands of muscle fibers. These nodules become small contractual knots and therefore cause pain to the patient. By focusing on these points with neuromuscular therapy, a massage therapist with the right training can help decrease the contractions and this help relieve the pain. It is a great therapy to assess, treat, and help prevent soft tissue injuries and thus relieve chronic pain. Neuromuscular therapy is often used by occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurses, chiropractors, and those that practice osteopathic and physical medicine.
The technique of neuromuscular therapy (sometimes referred to as NMT) was developed by Dr. Stanley Leif and Boris Chaitow. Both were trained in chiropractics and naturopathy, which is a philosophy that seeks to improve health by focusing on the body’s innate ability to recover. They worked with Dewanchand Varma and Bernard MacFadden to help develop neuromuscular therapy in order to help patients suffering from soft tissue dysfunction. One part of neuromuscular therapy focuses on the fact that the body can heal itself. Stimulation from neuromuscular therapy can help hasten the natural healing process.
A neuromuscular therapist takes into account many aspects of the patient before beginning therapy. Things like age, stress, prior therapy, family history, diet, and nutrition will be looked at. By looking at the patient’s history and health, they can ascertain what type or how much therapy is needed. They may work with the patient’s primary physician if certain conditions exist. For example, if an elderly woman with a calcium deficient diet had hip or lower back pain; the therapist will need to watch for possible osteoporosis or hip fractures. They may need to alter their procedures to accommodate such patients. They will also look at posture distortion to see what other pains that can be causing.
The therapist will use their thumbs, fingers, and elbows as well as pressure bars during the massage. The pressure bars help release the muscular contractions. One good thing about neuromuscular therapy is it concentrates on placement much more than degree of pressure, so a good deal of pressure is not normally necessary.
Who can be helped by neuromuscular therapy? Anyone that suffers from chronic pain can be helped by neuromuscular massage. Whether you have chronic pain due to an occupational injury, a sports injury, or an automobile injury, if you suffer from chronic pain, you may want to give neuromuscular therapy a try. Others that respond well to neuromuscular therapy are those that suffer from sciatica, rotator cuff dysfunction, carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and even migraine headaches.
Annalisa Zisman, a proficient author and tutor, she is a leading practitioner for many massage courses
Annalisa specializes in Indian Head Massage
Thai Foot and Thai Herbal Compress Massage techniques.
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