Are Inversion Tables The Solution To Back Pain?

January 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Inversion tables are often recommended for the treatment of back pain.  They are sold on the home shopping channels and are touted as the solution to one’s back pain.  Are inversion tables the solution to back pain?  Read the below article for one doctor’s opinion on this subject.

I am often asked in the clinic if inversion tables really work for people with low back pain (LBP). Many of my patients have seen advertisements on TV or on the inter net that promise pain relief and functional improvement with the use of inversion tables. But do inversion tables really help low back pain?

Back Pain and Inversion Table

Back Pain and Inversion Tables

While doing some research into the benefits and risks of inversion therapy, also known as gravitational traction, I came across a study by Tekeoglu, et al. The study measured the amount of traction that was achieved by using inversion tables. Thirty people with low back pain were put on an inversion table and x-rays were used to measure the amount of separation of the lumbar vertebrae that occurred. A group of 30 people with no LBP were also measured.

The results indicate that both the LBP group and the no-LBP group showed distraction of the spinal bones during gravitational traction. Therefore, gravitational traction may be effective in separating the lumbar vertebrae.

Sounds great, right? But wait…does inversion traction help low back pain? While researching, I came across a website that cited the study by Tekeoglu. This website concluded that gravitational traction is effective for low back pain. Hmm. Wait a minute. The real study said that the inversion provided traction, not relief from LBP. And many high quality studies have shown that traction is not very effective in the treatment of LBP.

When choosing the treatment or modality you use to treat low back pain (or any other medical condition) you must be careful about evaluating the research. Sometimes the conclusions drawn by one group may be different than the conclusions published by the actual researchers.

The risks of inversion tables (changes in heart rate, blood pressure and eye pressure) might possibly outweigh the benefits of (maybe) reduced low back pain. Plus, inversion tables can be quite expensive.

A proven low cost treatment for LBP is postural correction and low back exercises. Your physical therapist can teach you how to care for your own back and prevent future problems with your condition.

So, in the opinion of this doctor, you should look at other alternatives to relieving your back pain.  He believes that the side effects of using an inversion table might outweigh any benefits.  I recommend that you visit with your own physician before you form an opinion of inversion tables as a cure or solution to your back pain.

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Back Pain and Home Remedies

December 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Those of us with back pain are always looking for some relief.  We’ve tried chiropractors, orthopedic doctors, physical therapists, pain medication, you name it.  However, not many people think of back pain and home remedies in the same thought.  Home remedies are nothing to laugh at.  After all, what did our ancestors use for back pain relief back before there were prescription medications, ibuprofen and acetaminophen?  They, of course, used home remedies.  Some of them are quackery, but there are actually some which really do work.  The following article gives a few examples of some home remedies that you might consider the next time you have an attack of back pain.

Backache is the most common ailment which is troubling the man-kind from ages. It is causing uneasiness in the present

Back Pain and Home Remedies

Back Pain and Home Remedies

generation as well. Lower back pain, back pain or lumbago is a discomfort in the lower back region. The pain may vary from mild to severe. The intensity of pain varies from one person to another. The pain may be a sudden attack or take a chronic form and thus called acute form. In acute form, the pain starts suddenly whereas in chronic form, the pain may last for 3 – 4 months. This is a most common problem in pregnant women because of stretching of ligaments around uterus. There are some home remedies for back pain which help in treating the condition to some extent. Here are some of them.

Back Pain Home Remedies:
Home remedies for back pain are used with more safety compared to drugs, particularly pregnant women. Following are some remedies for backache:

Massaging: Massage the affected area with the herbal oils using knuckles and slowly increase the pressure. You will feel better after a few minutes. This helps to relieve tension and also relaxes the muscles.

St. John’s Wort: Application of St. John’s wort oil gives relief from the pain.

Eucalyptus oil: This is another beneficial remedy for back pain. Massage the affected area with eucalyptus oil. You can also use mustard oil for massaging.

Basil: Take a cup of water and boil 10 basil leaves in it. Boil the decoction until it reduces to half the quantity. Let it cool and later add salt to it. Drink this mixture every day. If you have severe back pain, drink it twice a day.

Garlic: Another effective home remedy is garlic. Include garlic in your diet.

Guggulu: Every day eat half a tablespoon of guggulu after having meals. This must be taken twice a day with the warm water.

Ice: Ice also helps in reducing the inflammation of the back pain. Switch to hot packs after a few days.

Diet: Include lettuce, cucumber, cabbage, carrot, tomato and also include two lightly cooked vegetables like carrot, spinach and cauliflower in your diet.

Exercising: Exercise regularly for about 30 minutes.

Honey: Add a tablespoon of honey to a glass of warm water and drink it. This soothes the back pain.

Vitamin C: In some cases, vitamin C deficiency can also lead to backache. Hence, increase vitamin C intake in the diet.

Reduce weight: If you are overweight, first reduce weight, as spine cannot bear the extra pressure.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain:
Bend Knees: While lifting heavy objects, first bend your knees. This prevents the tension in lower back which results in the damage of spinal cord and back muscles.

Do not twist: While lifting objects, do not twist. This will have bad impact on the vertebrae.

During pregnancy: During the last couple of months of your pregnancy, do not lift heavy objects.

So, don’t be afraid to try some of these home remedies.  They may not totally eliminate you back pain, but they can possibly give you some relief.  The good thing about home remedies is that they are non-invasive and usually use items which are readily available at home or over the counter.  Back pain and home remedies do go together.  Don’t be afraid to try!

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Back Health Equipment

November 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Those of us who have lived with back pain are always looking for new devices and back health equipment that might help us alleviate or lessen our back discomfort. Of course, in these tight economic times, cost is always a priority.  The U.S. Athletic Training Center has come up with some creative ways to find cost-effective ways to treat back problems.

All of us get sore and tight muscles from work or from working out. They usually don’t

Lacrosse Equipment

Back Health Equipment

goaway unless you to do something to stretch out the cramp, but that doesn’t mean visiting a medical office.

You can do some things at home, just as they’re done by physical therapists. The massage and stretching might need a couple of inexpensive pieces of equipment. I’ve used them myself, with the guidance of a physical therapist.

If any sport hurts you, U.S. Athletic Training Center is the place to get better. Some of the tricks athletes have learned here, they can do at home using three simple devices: the stick, the lacrosse ball, and the foam roller.

Inexpensive, effective and simple is the way to go,” said Gary Guerriero, who runs the place. He discovered these tools about ten years ago.

“I first started using a baseball, but it was too firm and rolled around, so then I used the rubber ball and they had a tendency to stick and were a little firmer,” he said.

A lacrosse ball is perfect. Put it on a cramped muscle and use your body weight to stretch out the cramp. Like a massage, only you’re the masseur. Roll two balls in a towel, and use them to relax tight muscles on either side of the spine.

Brent Milner does triathlons for fun.

“I usually get some sciatic pain, and using the ball will relax the sciatic pain if you’re consistent about it and do it regularly,” he said.

The stick is two handles and a bunch of plastic rollers. You’re actually rolling the muscle and flattening it out so you can get normal length in the tissue.

A travel version of the stick can be thrown in the suitcase and used when you work out on the road.

The foam roller is not for travel, but at home you can roll out spasms or just lie on it after a long day to relax your spine muscles.

“I would think you would need an expensive machine to feel the way I feel. It’s an inexpensive instrument, really,” pro basketball player Nate Brown said.

Another trick to prevent a return of a muscle cramp is after using the devices, strengthen the muscles.

“Once you get relaxation of muscles, you want to train them to work properly,” Dr. Joseph Feinberg, of the Hospital for Special Surgery, said.

Feinberg adds that training muscles with a therapist or other professional is the way to do it correctly. Another lacrosse ball exercise– roll your feet over one after a run. There are some other workouts you can do with the gadgets that you can find on the web. 

We’ve provided links to some of them below.

—
Online:

www.performbetter.com
www.power-systems.com
www.thestick.com

So, if your back muscles and your funds are tight, try a little creativity to help loosen up those back muscles and easy your discomfort.  As always, before trying anything too creative, be sure and check with your doctor or physical therapist to make sure you don’t get carried away.

To see the original source of this article, please click here.

 

 

 

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Back Problems While Driving

November 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

For those of us with back pain, we understand the concept of back problems while driving.  In fact, driving or riding in a car can be one of the worst things you can do for a bad back.  Well, the good news is that, according to Edmunds.com, some car makers are addressing this problem by trying to make cars more back friendly.

Inadequate car seat support may be responsible for triggering back pain, reports

Car Interior

Car Interior For Back Problems While Driving

Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive information.

And while there are improvised ways to ease and prevent back discomfort — like purchasing an inflatable pillow or moldable seat supports — most new cars now offer technically advanced lumbar support adjustments.

“Back-comfort systems are becoming more sophisticated in cars and sometimes are accompanied by heating, cooling and massaging options,” says Edmunds.com Sr. Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. “This is welcome news for the majority of the population who will experience back pain problems at some point in their lives.”

According to Edmunds.com data, 80 percent of 2011 model-year vehicles offer lumbar support as standard or optional equipment. Some 44 percent of models offer driver and passenger lumbar support as standard equipment, and 31 percent offer driver-only lumbar support as standard.

Specific examples of available back-soothing technology are:

  • The SEL, Limited and SHO trim levels in the 2012 Ford Taurus feature six-way lumbar support and a rolling pattern massage.
  • The 2012 Lexus LS 460 comes with a 16-way power driver seat for lumbar support. The L trim level also offers seats with heating and cooling.
  • Massaging seats are also offered on the 2012 Jaguar XJ, the Executive versions of the 2012 Volvo S80 and the Executive and V8 Luxury versions of the 2012 Volvo XC90.

Owners of older cars – or those who are simply unhappy with the back support in their vehicles – can find lumbar supports at stores such as Relax the Back or Healthy Back or online.

Drivers can learn more about the different types of back comfort systems in their next new car by visiting Edmunds.com at http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/baby-your-back-when-you-re-behind-the-wheel.html.

This in encouraging news for those of us who suffer with back pain while driving, especially those who spend a lot of their time on the road.  Hopefully, we can expect to see a lot of advances in this field that will help alleviate back problems while driving.

To view the original source of this article, click here.

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Filed Under: Back Pain Relief Products, Better Back News, Chronic Back Pain Management

Memory Foam Bedding

August 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Memory foam bedding is a unique kind of bedding composed of a viscoelastic foam which absorbs the pressure from the contours of your body. This quality of memory foam bedding being able to adjust to the contours of your body and its temperature sensitivity helps to give your body immense comfort. Memory foam bedding responds to your body’s warmth and molds and shapes to your head and neck, thus diffusing pressure for a less stressful sleep environment. When equalization between head weight and the elasticity of the memory foam is achieved, your head and neck posture will be ideally aligned with your spinal column.

Memory foam bedding can be seen to have many benefits compared to standard bedding. Memory foam bedding will not compress or degrade like conventional bedding does. Memory foam is hypoallergenic, making it free of impurities and perfect for allergy sufferers. Memory foam is known to be of great help in reducing pain in the joints. Memory foam is naturally resistant to dust mites creating the perfect solution to this very common problem.

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Memory Foam Neck Pillow

August 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Using a memory foam neck pillow can relieve the pain in your neck and head often associated with using regular pillows.   A memory foam neck pillow is beneficial because of the custom shaping properties of the new high quality viscoelastic memory foam called “sensus” foam.   This state-of-the art memory foam is made up of thousands of microscopic cells which gently relieve pressure while providing a cradling support for your head and neck.  The memory foam neck pillow is temperature sensitive – your body heat interacts with the viscoelastic foam and gently contours and molds to your neck and head.  This helps relieve neck ache and stiffness by ergonomically cradling your head and supporting your neck.  Studies have shown that sleeping with a contoured memory foam neck pillow can drastically reduce and in some cases relieve snoring altogether.  Nothing can relieve back pain quite like a good night’s sleep.

For more information on memory foam neck pillows, click on the picture below.

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Back Inversion Table

August 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Inversion therapy using a back inversion table is one example of how spinal traction can be used to relieve back pain. Today inversion therapy has been the subject of a great deal of clinical studies and can therefore no longer be called an alternative treatment. Inversion therapy can help relieve back pain as well as provide many other health benefits. A back inversion table can help relieve back pain by diminishing the influence of gravity, reducing the compression of the vertebrae in your spine and neck and allowing the supporting muscles and ligaments to relax. By doing this, inversion therapy can result in diminished back pain, realignment of the spine, and rehydration of the discs in your spine. It can also result in relaxtion of muscles as well as encourage good posture.

Inversion therapy is usually considered safe, there are some circumstances under which you should not consider using a back inversion table. If you suffer from high blood pressure or other cardiac defects, inversion therapy would probably not be a good idea for you. It is also advisable to avoid inversion therapy if you suffer from glaucoma or have had a detached retina. If you are unsure whether you should try inversion therapy for back or neck pain, please consult with your physician before proceeding.  Click on the picture below for more information.

Relax The Back (Fitness Landing Page)

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Back Pain Relief Products

August 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

In the last few years, there has been an explosion of back pain relief products in the marketplace. There products to help deal with back pain in the home, in the office/workplace or while traveling. We are going to examine several of these back pain relief products on this website.

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