When suffering from back pain, perhaps the most common question asked by the patient is whether relief can be felt by applying a hot pack or cold pack. Plus whether he should apply heat or ice? The best way to know this is, is perhaps to know exactly what heat and ice packs do to the pain and how both heat and ice work on an area affected with pain. Knowing this information is useful because that way one can take the decision to apply either ice or hot packs immediately if needed.       Heat and ice usually work in the same mechanism. A cycle of spasms causes pain in the body. An application of hot or cold actually breaks this cycle. As a result, the brain   Read more…

Tags: Back Pain Relief Heat or Cold Packs, hot and cold packs, hot and cold packs for back pain, Prevention, Treatment

  In the United States of America, back pain is one of the most common ailments and the reason for many people taking days off from work. The result is a huge loss in its economy. However, this ailment can be prevented and controlled with a little change in lifestyle. This ailment affects the lower portion of the back as well as the upper portion. For both of these cases, there are different treatments for getting relief from the pain.         Our back is a combination of different tissues, muscles, nerves and tendons interconnected. There are also complex joints. Most importantly, there are the discs of the spine that have gelatin like cores.     This video by Dr. Shane Mangrum discusses the 4 top causes of   Read more…

Tags: lower back pain relief, Prevention, Treatment

  There are, of course, many treatments available for treating back pain. However, there are patients who do not want to take oral medication due to the fear of side effects. There is an alternative to this, back pain relief patches are also available to treat back pain.   The patch is applied directly to the skin above the affected area and should provide the sufferer with some relief. In order to apply the patch, the patient first needs to clean the affected area, then pat the skin dry. When you are ready to apply the patch, simply take the plastic coating off from one side then spread the patch smoothly onto the skin above where the pain is.   You will need to apply the patches for around seven   Read more…

Tags: back pain patches, Back Pain Relief Patches, Treatment

  The American Chiropractic Association has recommended chiropractic therapy as the best cost effective therapy for back pain relief and observed that scans lead to unnecessary back pain relief surgery, which typically involves high cost and significant after effects. Chiropractic treatment has long been recommended as the best conservative method of treating chronic back pain. Many medical bodies have in fact recommended alternatives in the form of non-pharmacological treatment such as chiropractic and massage therapy.   Recent medical bulletins have mentioned that imaging tests are found to be unnecessary as a procedure prior to the surgical treatment of back pain. Surgery should be seen as the last resort after other alternative methods of treatment have been tried and exhausted. Patients who are asked to undergo imaging tests have been advised   Read more…

Tags: back pain mri scans, scans for back pain, Scans Lead To Unnecessary Back Pain Relief Surgery, Treatment

  Today’s modern lifestyle we are living is very bad for the back. Most of us have to drive long distances frequently and sit in front of the computer for hours and sometimes days at a time. These habits can cause weight gain and as people gain weight they often change their posture to accompany the extra weight. Incorrect posture can cause back pain and can make people more likely to suffer from it. So as we cannot change these habits, it is better to find methods which prevent pain from occurring.       Taking some pain killing pills may give you relief temporarily but it does not solve the root cause of the pain. It will keep coming back as soon as the effect of the medicine wears   Read more…

Tags: Back Pain Relief Exercises, Yoga For Back Pain Relief

  The use of spinal cord stimulators for spinal cord stimulator surgery for back pain relief were recommended by the Food and Drug Administration in the USA, wherein a pulse generator is used to assess the position of the patient through paddle leads, which are inserted into the spine through minimum insertions.   The use of cylindrical leads has been recently recommended as they are capable of sending energy everywhere throughout the body whereas paddle leads send energy only to the spinal cord. Energy consumed by paddle leads is minimal, which therefore reduces the need for changing a battery until after a long period of use. Doctors say that patients who experience a paddle lead implant have gone on to say that that while the neurostimulator was activated, they felt   Read more…

Tags: spinal cord stimulator surgery, Spinal Cord Stimulator Surgery For Back Pain Relief, Treatment

  There are many kinds of back pain treatment available to patients. The pain can often vary in intensity and type. That is why the treatment can vary from patient to patient. If the pain is only minimal it often goes away on its own with no treatment at all. But if you want to get some temporary relief, then you can take over-the-counter medication like paracetamol, ibuprofen or similar drugs. However, there are many instances where these medicines do not help. It is then that you should go to a medical practitioner for alternative treatment.       If your back feels stiff or hard then a hot pack or a cold pack may help you get some relief but you should, of course, also seek medical advice. Hot   Read more…

Tags: back pain medication, Lower Back Pain Treatment, pain relief, Treatment

  There are many causes of back pain. However, it results mostly when there is imbalance in your back muscles. It also results from the modern lifestyle of sitting around a lot and driving long distances. This kind of lifestyle can lead to weight gain which in turn can lead to bad posture as your body has to shift in order to counteract the extra weight. Incorrect posture can lead to pain in the back.     Here is a wonderfully informative video from fitness expert and college basketball coach Scott Thom. He demonstrates his top 5 back stretches of all time.       If you are involved in sports then it may be that you are working with certain parts of your body and neglecting your back. In   Read more…

Tags: Back Pain Relief Exercises, lower back pain relief, stretches for lower back pain

  Neurologists have observed through review of muscle relaxants for chronic back pain relief that the use of Cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxant, may have harmful side effects that cause cardiac problems and sedation. This medicine had failed in the scientific tests for being used as an antidepressant, but it was subsequently used as a muscle relaxant. Another drug named Carisoprodol was banned by the European Medicines Agency for the emotional and physical dependence of the users taking it.   Doctors have been advised not to prescribe Carisoprodol as it has been found to be a sedative hypnotic agent and subject to misuse by many. There are older types of medication in the form of Methocarbamol, also known as Robaxin, and Mataxalone, also known as Skelaxin. Although they have been found   Read more…

Tags: muscle relaxants for back pain, Review Of Muscle Relaxants For Chronic Back Pain Relief, Treatment

  Back pain can be very depressing and may affect every area of your life, including your work, your social life and your personal life. When pain appears regularly, you may feel a tingling in your muscles, or a numbness, when this pain occurs take it seriously and do not ignore it as it may develop into something acute and chronic. Many lower back pain relief products are available on the market that can help you get relief.       The first product to look at is the back brace. This brace is soft and flexible so that you can bend it and wear it around your body underneath your clothes. The back brace supports your back muscles so that they can relax. This way the stress is taken   Read more…

Tags: Back Pain Relief Products, Lower Back Pain Relief Products