Whittier Chiropractor

Obinna Heche asked:


Truely, back pain also known dorsalgia, is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine. Back pain is one of humanitys most frequent complaints. It can be a sign of a serious medical problem, although this is not most frequently the underlying cause. Typical warning signs of a potentially life threatening problem are bowel or bladder incontinence or progressive weakness in the legs. The back pain that occurs after a trauma, such as a car accident or fall may indicate a bone fracture or other injury. It can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.

Pain

However, pain may have a sudden onset or can be a chronic pain, it can be constant or intermittent, stay in one place or radiate to other areas. The pain may be felt in the neck and might radiate into the arm and hand, in the upper back, or in the low back and might radiate into the leg or foot and may include symptoms other than pain, such as weakness, numbness or tingling. Nevertheless, a few observational studies suggest that two conditions to which back pain is often attributed, lumbar disc herniation and degenerative disc disease may not be more prevalent among those in pain than among the general population and that the mechanisms by which these conditions might cause pain are not known.

Spine

Meanwhile, the spine is a complex interconnecting network of nerves, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments and all are capable of producing pain. Large nerves that originate in the spine and go to the legs and arms can make pain radiate to the extremities. The relationship between the magnetic resonance imaging appearance of the lumbar spine and low back pain, age and occupation in males. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine in people without back pain. However, arthritis can affect any joint in the body, including the small joints of the spine. Arthritis of the spine can cause back pain with movement. If the spine becomes unstable enough, back pain can become a problem.

Treatment

However, treatment of acute back pain is short term and usually successful. Treatment is then based on avoiding postures or movements that aggravate symptoms, as well as performing or adhering to postures to assist in symptom reduction. Once you have a diagnosis for your back pain or radiating leg pain, you should carefully review your treatment options. Not all treatments work for all conditions or for all individuals with the same condition and many find that they need to try several treatment options to determine what works best for them. The present stage of the condition acute or chronic is also a determining factor in the choice of treatment.

Generally, some form of consistent stretching and exercise is believed to be an essential component of most back treatment programs. The treatments with uncertain or doubtful benefit Injections, such as epidural steroid injections and facet joint injections may be effective when the cause of the pain is accurately localized to particular sites. The treatment of acute low back pain is bed rest, exercises, or ordinary activity. This is important to know because different treatments work better for each type of pain. With physical therapy, follow up treatment and prevention practices, these patients typically return to full functionality in a few weeks. Though, they may occassionally reinjure themselves and have to return for a short course of treatment.

Acupressure is closely related to acupuncture but without the needles. The idea of acupressure is to put pressure on specific points in the body, using only hands and fingers to restore balance and thus relieve pain. Herbs have been used to relieve pain for thousands of years. Todays pain relieving medications are mostly synthetic reproductions of these long used and natural herbs. The main difference is that the synthetic reproductions often produce a lot of side effects but the natural herbs they are based upon do not. Chiropractors have been manipulating spines for many years. Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases. Chiropractic medicine as we recognize it today was not actually established until 1895. The AMA was established in 1847, so they do have a jump on chiropractors as such.

Back pain is one of the most common medical problems, affecting 9 out of 12 people at some point during their lives. No conclusions can be drawn about the use of cold for lowback pain. Bed rest is rarely recommended as it can exacerbate symptoms and when necessary is usually limited to one or two days. Chronic back pain tends to last a long time and is not relieved by standard types of medical management. However, acute back pain is commonly described as a very sharp pain or a dull ache, usually felt deep in the lowerpart of the back and can be more severe in one area, such as the right side, left side, center, or the lower part of the back.



[Whittier Chiropractor]

Bruce Bailey, Ph.d. asked:


Perhaps the hardest part of having arthritis or a related condition is the pain that usually accompanies it. Managing and understanding that pain, and the impact it has on one’s life, is a big issue with most arthritis sufferers. The first step in managing arthritis pain is knowing which type of arthritis or condition you have, because that will help determine your treatment. Before learning different management techniques, however, it’s important to understand some concepts about pain.

No. 1: Not All Pain is Alike

Just as there are different types of arthritis, there are also different types of pain. Even your own pain may vary from day to day.

No. 2: The Purpose of Pain

Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong, or that you need to act. If you touch a hot stove, pain signals from your brain tell you to pull your hand away. This type of pain helps protect you. Chronic, long-lasting pain, like the kind that accompanies arthritis, is different. While it tells you that something is wrong, it often isn’t as easy to relieve.

No. 3: Causes of Pain

Arthritis pain is caused by several factors, such as (1) Inflammation, the process that causes the redness and swelling in your joints; (2) Damage to joint tissues, which results from the disease process or from stress, injury or pressure on the joints; (3) Fatigue resulting from the disease process, which can make pain worse and more difficult to bear; and (4) Depression or stress, which results from limited movement or no longer doing activities you enjoy.

No. 4: Pain Factors

Things such as stress, anxiety, depression or simply “overdoing it” can make pain worse. This often leads to a decrease in physical activity, causing further anxiety and depression, resulting in a downward spiral of ever-increasing pain.

No. 5: Different Reactions to Pain

People react differently to pain. Mentally, you can get caught in a cycle of pain, stress and depression, often resulting from the inability to perform certain functions, which makes managing pain and arthritis seem more difficult. Physically, pain increases the sensitivity of your nervous system and the severity of your arthritis. Emotional and social factors include your fears and anxieties about pain, previous experiences with pain, energy level, attitude about your condition and the way people around you react to pain.

No. 6: Managing Your Pain

Arthritis may limit some of the things you can do, but it doesn’t have to control your life. One way to reduce your pain is to build your life around wellness, not pain or sickness. This means taking positive action. Your mind plays an important role in how you feel pain and respond to illness.

Many people with arthritis have found that by learning and practicing pain management skills, they can reduce their pain. Thinking of pain as a signal to take positive action rather than an ordeal you have to endure can help you learn to manage your pain. You can counteract the downward spiral of pain by practicing relaxation techniques, regular massage, hot and cold packs, moderate exercise, and keeping a positive mental outlook. And humor always has a cathartic effect.

No. 7: Don’t focus on pain.

The amount of time you spend thinking about pain has a lot to do with how much discomfort you feel. People who dwell on their pain usually say their pain is worse than those who don’t dwell on it. One way to take your mind off pain is to distract yourself from pain. Focus on something outside your body, perhaps a hobby or something of personal interest, to take your mind off your discomfort.

No. 8: Think positively. What we say to ourselves often determines what we do and how we look at life. A positive outlook will get you feeling better about yourself, and help to take your mind off your pain. Conversely, a negative outlook sends messages to yourself that often lead to increased pain, or at least the feeling that the pain is worse. So, “in with the good, and out with the bad.”

Reinforce your positive attitude by rewarding yourself each time you think about or do something positive. Take more time for yourself. Talk to your doctor about additional ways to manage pain.

Bruce Bailey, Ph.D.

[Whittier Chiropractor]

Waleed Tawfiq asked:


Abstract:

Background and objective:

Pain is a universal, personal and subjective experience. Many factors are involved in the interpretation of this unpleasant sensation, including past experience, ethnicity and culture. Understanding these factors plays an important role in a comprehensive and multidimensional approach to the assessment and management of acute and chronic pain. The aim of this study is to determine experimental pain perception differences between Arab and western European healthy male subjects.

 

Method:

 Fifty-six healthy Arab and western European male volunteers from Queen Margaret University College recruited to examine pain threshold using the method of limits in Quantitative Sensory Test (TSA 2001) and a Dolorimeter. Thermal and pressure pain threshold was measured on the thenar eminence of the non-dominant hand. Both ethnic groups were analysed separately.

 

Result:

Total fifty-six subjects (28 Arab and 28 European) subjects completed the study. In depended t-test result indicates that no statistically significant difference was found between Arabs and Europeans hot [t (54) =1.150; p>0.05], cold [t (54) =0.568; p>0.05], and pressure [t (54) =-0.279; p>0.05] pain threshold.

 

Conclusion:

No significant statistical difference in pain thresholds between Arab and Western European healthy male subjects was evident. More research is warranted in this field to access the perceptual and psychological aspects associated with pain.

 

          

Introduction

Pain is a subjective experience (French, 1989) and the protective function of life (Turk and Melzack, 1992). A number of factors may influence pain perception, including psychological, sociological and biological. Pain is the most common symptom in people who seek medical help, and is an important growing problem in the world (Strong, 2002).

One of the most important factors affecting the pain perception is Culture. Research indicates that socio-cultural factors have a great influence on pain and it varies across different social situations. Hence, it is important to study pain reactions keeping the socio-cultural factors in mind (Zborowski, 1952). To be able to assess the pain and its effect of the patients, normative data needed for each ethnic group and recorded their normal behaviour in pain stimulation in laboratory setting.

Various methods have been used in the past to induce experimental pain in varied cultural background populations to determine the influence of culture on perception of pain of an individual (Bates et al, 1994; Juarez et al, 1999; woolf et al, 2003; Ibrahim et al, 2003; Rotheram et al, 2000, Zaidi, 1994, Zborowski, 1952, Dunn, 2004).

However, determining cultural differences was not the primary aim of the research in many of these studies. Thus, there is need for further studies to determine the influence of culture on the perception of pain in individuals. (Janal et al, 1994; Mimi et al, 2002). Culture affects the perception of pain and response to pain in different ways (Bates et al, 1993). However, to our knowledge, there has been no research to determine the effect of culture factor on the pain thresholds in respect of Western European and Arab populations. The case study by Chatuverdi et al (1997) portrays the need for this research.

In a study on medical practice in south London showed that there is a delay in South Asians receiving treatment for heart conditions (Chatuverdi et al 1997). This delay was found to be due to the failure to recognise patient behaviour as appropriate for their illness by the assessing clinicians. In other words, the clinicians did not know the normal behaviour of this group and thus failed to recognise the importance of their symptoms.

Cultural diversity is a known risk factor for the under treatment of pain (Kagawa-Singer & Blackhall, L.J 2001). Therefore, understanding the cultural factor in pain management plays an important role in successful modern pain management programs.

The areas of ethnicity and pain seem to have been less well researched than pain related age and gender. The influence of these two latter variables in pain experience has been studies in both healthy subjects and those with pain. Research concerning ethnicity is almost all limited to chronic pain.

   Various studies surrounding this topic suggest that there are different components to pain but, generally, they focus their attention on the social and behavioural dimensions. Westbrook et al (1984) and Chatuverdi et al (1997) compared the pain behaviour of Swedes, Australians, South Asians, and Europeans respectively. Despite the use of different methodologies and populations, both observed differences in pain behaviour in the ethnic groups.

  Bates (1993, 1994) suggested that the attitudes, beliefs and emotional and psychological state of an individual play an important role in the variation in chronic pain experience in different ethnic groups. These factors, which affect the pain perception, should be encountered in any pain assessment and its effect.  Regardless of the design or methodology used in the different studies, the researchers point to the importance of considering ethnic particularities if these is to be a better understanding of patients.

Different methods have been used in the past to induce experimental pain. These include the use of ischemic pain (Rosche et al, 1984), pinch pain (Simmonds et al, 1992) mechanical pain (Simmonds et al, 1992; Walsh et al, 1995) and cold pain (Johnson & Tabasam, 1999). However, the sensitivity and magnitude of stimulus response is poorly estimated with these methods (Price, 1996). Quantitative sensory test and Dolorimeter was used because its show reliability and validity in pain thresholds assessing.

The study was designed to investigate a limited area of pain perception in a closely defined population using apparatus in which the stimulus eliciting a response is quantified.

·   The premising aim of the study is to determine the difference, if any, in thermal and pressure pain thresholds of western Europeans and Arab healthy male population using Quantitative sensory test and a Dolorimeter.

·   A secondary aim was to obtain subjects normative data from healthy male Arab and Western European subjects for pain threshold. This may be useful for further research.

Method:

Prior to main study pilot study was conducted in order to test various determinants of the study design and methodology. The pilot study was conducted a week prior to the research study to prevent any previous experience, which may cause bias of the result. Two subjects who would not be involved in the main study were selected. The methodology followed during the pilot study was similar to that used in the research study. The results of the pilot study were satisfactory and indicated the feasibility of a full-scale research study.

 After obtaining approval from the university ethics committee, 56 healthy volunteer subjects were recruited from Queen Margaret University College. No examinee had a history of significant medical problems or chronic painful conditions. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects before thermal and pressure threshold measurement was carried out. Heat, cold pain thresholds were measured using a thermal sensory test (Verdugo & Ochoa, 1992).  Pressure pain threshold was measured using a Dolorimeter. The apparatus employed was a thermal sensory analyser (model TSA-2001Medoc Ltd). The Quantitative sensory threshold test device was programmed such that it would discharge five hot and cold stimulations alternately to the non-dominant hand (the thenar aspect was used) (Yarnitsky et al, 1995 & Shy et al, 2003). In order to improve the reliability of the results a starting point for the Thermode was set as 32?C (Yarnitsky & Ochoa, 1991; Hagander et al, 2000). A range of 0°C to 50° C was used during the study. The rate of change in temperature was set to 1° C/sec as the stimulus moved away from the base line (Yarnitsky, 1997).  To increase intrarater reliability the rate of temperature change was increased gradually (Palmer et al, 2000) and a temperature change of 3°C/sec was set as the stimulus returned to the base line of 32°C (Yarnitsky, 1997).

The sensory feedback data of the pain threshold levels was automatically recorded on the computer by a simple push-button response of the subject at the point where he deems the stimulus painful.  The Peltier Thermode was firmly strapped against the thenar eminence by using a tourniquet approximately 20cm in length and 2cm in width (Hagander et al, 2000; Dyck et al, 1993), and to standardise the contact between the Peltier Thermode and thenar eminence surface, the tourniquet was expanded for 2 cm before fixation to the application site. The subject was blinded to the aim of the study and, to prevent the effect of optical feedback, the subjects were prevented from seeing the monitor displaying the information.

The pressure test was performed five minutes after the quantitative sensory test was conducted to avoid possibility of the false sensation and false reaction. The subjects were informed that they would be measured for pressure threshold and that they would feel pressure induced discomfort. The subjects were also informed that the pressure would be applied to the thenar aspect of the nondominant hand, and would be will gradually increased. They were instructed to say “Stop” at the point at which they felt pain; the pressure was then are released immediately (Fischer, 1986).

 The subjects were positioned in comfortable seating and were advised to relax prior to the experiment. The non-dominant hand side and arm were supported on pillow placed on a table (Fischer, 1986).  All subjects were ignorant of the aim of the study and to avoid optical biofeedback effect were prevented from seeing the pressure scale. The Pressure gauge was applied to the thenar eminence of the nondominant hand so that it was vertical and at 90° to the skin surface. To standardise the procedure, the pressure exerted by the Dolorimeter was increased at an even rate of about 1kg/sec.  This was achieved by counting “one and thousand, two and thousand” and so on until the subject said, “STOP” at the point of unacceptable discomfort.  The resulting reading from the Dolorimeter were then recorded (Fischer, 1986).

Statistical methods:

All statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 12.0 software.

Normality assumption for the primary response variable pain score was checked using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. In depended t-test was conducted for the differences in pain threshold scores between groups were used when normality of assumption was satisfied.

Result:

The results were derived separately for pain threshold and for the comparison of the age groups. The mean age of two ethnic groups was compared. It was found that the mean age of Arab was 24.2 years with SD of 3.3 years whereas, while the mean ± SD of the European was 23.1years ± 3.0 years (Table1).

            Minimum

Maximum

Mean

Std. Deviation

Arab age

20 years

30 years

24.2 years

3.3 years

W.E Age

20 years

30 years

23.1 years

3.0 years

Table 1: descriptive statistics for the ages involved in the study.

Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test was conducted to test the normality of age’s distribution (Pallant, 2001). The result of the test indicates that there is no evidence against the claim that the distribution is normal: a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for goodness-of-fit was insignificant: Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z=1.189; p>0.05 (Table2).

age

N

56

Normal Parameters

Mean

23.70

Std. Deviation

3.219

Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z

1.189

Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed)

.118

Table 2: Normal distribution of the involved ages

The result of independent t-test of involved ages were show that There were no statistically significant differences with a P value of 0.435 (P>0.05) between the two ethnic groups suggesting an equal variance could be assumed. The result of the independent t-test for equality of means for the involved ages are found 0.116 (P>0.05) (table 2).

Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances

t-test for Equality of Means of ages

F

Sig.

t

f

Sig. (2tailed)

95% Confidence Interval of the Difference

Lower

Upper

Equal variances assumed

.618

.435

1.209

54

.232

-.682

2.753

Table 3: Independent t-test values for the equality of means of ages of Arab and European.

Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test was conducted to test the distribution of hot, cold and pressure pain thresholds of Arab and western European subjects. The Result of Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for Hot Pain Thresholds was found with value of 0.094 at a significance of 0.200.  The result of the present test shows that there is evidence that the distribution of hot pain threshold is normal distributed (p>0.05). The result of Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for Cold Pain Thresholds was found with value of 0.094 at a significance of 0.200. The result of the present test shows that there is evidence that the distribution of cold pain threshold is normal distributed (p>0.05). Finally, Result of Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for Pressure Pain Thresholds were found with value of 0.153 at a significance of 0.002. The result of the test shows the data is non-normal distributed, as the p value was less than 0.05. However, this result may due to biasing in sampling selecting (Pallant, 2001). Thus, the result was dealt as normal distributed (Table 5).

Kolmogorov-Smirnov test

Statistic

df

Sig.

Hot Pain Threshold

.094

56

.200(*)

Cold Pain Threshold

.094

56

.200(*)

Pressure Pain Threshold

.153

56

.002

Table 4: Normality test for data delivered from hot, cold and pressure pain threshold for both ethnic groups.

Using the in depended t-test test on the data for hot pain threshold (N=28), the result was found to be non-significant at P>0.05 for one tailed test, thus suggesting no statistically significant difference in the hot pain threshold between Arab and western European subjects [t (54) =1.150; p>0.05].

Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances

t-test for Equality of Means of Hot, Cold and Pressure pain thresholds

F

Sig.

t

df

Sig. (2-tailed)

95% Confidence Interval of the Difference

Lower

Upper

Hot Pain Threshold

Equal variances assumed

7.739

.007

1.150

54

.255

-.6135

2.2635

Cold Pain Threshold

Equal variances assumed

.995

.323

-.568

54

.572

-3.4112

1.9041

Pressure Pain Threshold

Equal variances not  assumed

15.407

.000

.279

42.113

.782

-.5349

.7064

Table 5:  The independent t-test result for hot, cold and pressure pain thresholds of Arab and European.

 On using the in depended t-test on the data for cold pain threshold (N=28), the result was found to be non-significant at P>0.05 level for one tailed test, thus suggesting no statistically significant difference in the cold pain threshold between Arab and western European subjects [t (54) =0.568; p>0.05]. Finally, using the in depended t-test test on the data for pressure pain threshold for both ethnic groups (N=28), the result found to be non-significant at P>0.05 level for one tailed test, thus suggesting no statistically significant difference in pressure pain the threshold between Arabs and western European subjects [t (54) =-0.279; p>0.05](table 6).

Although the result of independent t-test for hot, cold, and pressure pain thresholds show that that statistically, there are no significant differences between Arab and western European healthy male subjects. However, there were differences in standard deviation (SD) between the ethnic groups.

The SD of Europeans hot, cold and pressure pain threshold was shown to have

greater discrepancy when compared to the Arab output, as shown in the Table 2.

N

Minimum

Maximum

Mean

Std. Deviation

Arabs Hot Pain Threshold

28

40.0ºC

46.4 ºC

42.6 ºC

1.9 ºC

W.European Hot Pain Threshold

28

3.1 ºC

47.8 ºC

43.4 ºC

3.2 ºC

Arabs Cold Pain Threshold

28

10.4 ºC

23.8 ºC

18.0 ºC

4.2 ºC

W.European Cold Pain Threshold

28

11.0 ºC

28.1 ºC

17.2 ºC

5.5 ºC

Arabs Pressure Pain Threshold

28

2.0kg

4.8kg

3.4kg

0.7kg

W.European Pressure Pain Threshold

28

2.1kg

6.2kg

3.4kg

1.4kg

                     

                           Table6: The mean and SD of Arab and European hot, cold and pressure pain thresholds.

Discussion:

This study was unable to demonstrate differences in pain perception threshold between Arab and western European healthy male subjects. This is in agreement with studies examining other ethnic groups (Yosipovitch et al, 2004; Dimsdale, 2000; Greenwald, 1991). These studies, showed no significant difference in pain perception between ethnic groups. Although there are theories to explain possible threshold differences between ethnic groups (Juarez et al, 1999; Westbrook et al, 1984; and Chatuverdi et al, 1997) no significant difference was found in this study.

These results are in contrast with other studies, which show that there is a difference in pain perception between different ethnic groups (Bates et al, 1993; Elton, 1983; Melzack &Wall, 1982; McCaffery, 1999; Zborowski, 1952; Main & Spanswick, 2000; Juarez, 1999; Westbrook, 1984; Chaturvedi et al, 1997; Sheffield, 2000).

When comparing the mean values of the criteria, the Arab subjects in this study appeared more sensitive to painful stimuli than the Western European subjects.  As the Arab subjects were African in origin, the result of present study is in agreement with a study by Edwards et al (1999, 2001) which suggested that African-American subjects showed increased unpleasantness ratings at the lowest temperatures when compared to white Americans, as well as enhanced sensitivity to noxious stimuli.

One interesting factor observed in this study is that a greater degree of homogeneity was displayed by the Arab subjects for hot, cold and pain thresholds when compared to the Western European subjects.  The standard deviations for the Western European subjects for hot, cold and pressure pain threshold were higher than for the Arab subjects.  This may be explained by two factors.  The first is the origin of the Arab subjects:  due to limitations in availability, they were taken from two African countries very close culturally and sociologically.  The Western European subjects, however, were selected from a wider range group with many sub-groups and wide variation in cultural backgrounds.  Previous studies have shown wide variations within different sub-groups of the same ethnic group (Zborowski, 1950).  The second factor was the time of year at which the study was conducted.  As it was shortly after the Christmas and New Year period, there is the possibility of alcohol intake by the Western European subjects being greater than at other times in the year (Jurgen Rehm and Gerhard Geml, 2002).  Previous studies have shown that alcohol consumption may play a role in the degree of pain perception (Gustafson and Kallimén, 1988; Stewart et al, 2005).  The greater consistency of results from Arab subjects could be explained by them being less likely to have consumed alcohol.

The present study disagrees with the studies by Juarez et al (1999); Westbrook et al (1984) and Chatuverdi et al (1997), which, demonstrate differences between the ethnic groups examined and indicate the need to include cultural considerations in acute and chronic pain management.

The present study agrees with the study done by Reed et al (1995), whose results suggested that subjects’ skin pigmented levels may play an important role in pain perception The skin of the Arab subjects was generally more pigmented, and they were more sensitive to hot pain stimulation than Western European subjects.

The present study is in agreement with those of Yosipovitch et al (2004) and Greenwald et al (1991), whose results suggest that there are no differences between ethnic groups in pain threshold.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated thermal and pressure pain threshold is not affected by the ethnicity and culture of Arabs and western Europeans. Within ethnic groups, subject’s variability may be seen. Given that, the evidence from this limited study indicates little or no difference in pain thresholds between ethnic groups. Further research to investigate the psychological aspects of pain is justified.

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Whittier Chiropractor

Stephen Lau asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Stephen Lau

Pain is not localized because it is the outcome of a series of reactions in the body and the mind. Pain is felt and experienced only when the injured area sends signals through your nervous system to your brain, which receives and interprets these signals.

Pain is always connected with inflammation. When the injured area becomes inflamed, the inflammatory response intensifies, and so does your perception of pain.

What should you do when dealing with pain? Most people’s first reaction in dealing with pain is to stop the pain with a painkiller – it is understandable. However, this may not be the best option for dealing with pain, because it only temporarily relieves the pain but does not prevent the pain from happening again.

If you have chest pain, which may portend an imminent heart attack; your priority is to avoid the heart attack rather than the pain itself. In fact, sometimes pain may be a positive sign of warning of the imminence of a disease. Therefore, in dealing with pain, it is important to prevent a health crisis rather than just suppressing the pain.

Take another example: if you are prone to migraine attacks, your priority in life is to prevent a migraine episode from happening, rather than dealing with the pain that results from the crisis. Migraines are not caused by trauma, but by chemicals in your body that control pain and inflammation. Accordingly, to deal with migraines is to anticipate and control the inflammation, rather than the resultant migraine pain. Like the common cold, once it has started, taking vitamin C or a cold tablet will not stop the cold – you just have to let it run its course. Any cold medication may only further weaken your immunity down the road, just as a painkiller may make your body more toxic, and thus more susceptible to pain in future.

Therefore, dealing with pain is not to influence your perception of pain, but to stop the damage from causing the pain in the first place.

Using diet is the most effective way in dealing with pain (see my previous article), not only by preventing the occurrence of pain but also by combating the pain itself. For example, hot chili peppers contain a chemical called capsaicin, which is effective in blocking your nerves from transmitting pain messages to your brain. Capsaicin is one of the most important active ingredients in ointments used for arthritis, shingles, and post-mastectomy pain.

Apart form diet, exercise also helps you boost your pain resistance. Your body makes natural painkillers – enkephalins and endorphins. Exercise may activate these chemicals in your body. This is best explained by pain tolerance in competitive athletes. In vigorous competitive sports, the body releases endorphins to block out pain perception. The kind of exercise that stimulates endorphin release is aerobic – bicycling, running, and walking – exercise that pumps your heart and works out your lungs, as opposed to weight lifting that targets only your muscles.

Acupuncture is another way to deal with pain.

For thousands of years, acupuncture has been used by the Chinese to decrease pain by increasing the release of endorphins. Many acu-points are located near nerves. When stimulated, these nerves cause a dull ache or feeling of fullness in the muscle. The stimulated muscle then sends a message to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), causing the release of endorphins. The theory is based on the belief that there is “qi” (vital life energy) coursing through your body, and that diseases are caused by lack of balance between the positive and negative energies in an individual. Acupuncture not only generates its analgesic effects through sensory stimulation, but also removes the problem that causes the pain.



Whittier Chiropractor

Marc Warren asked:


Millions of individuals all around the world suffer from some sort of back pain or anther. Like you, they all do their best to find the solution for relieving their pain. Back pain can interrupt your daily life whether you suffer from the type of back pain that may come from improper lifting and strains to your back.

These types of pain can generally find relief by taking over the counter pain medication and deep tissue massage. However, when you suffer from chronic back pain the story can be much different. It can be challenging to find the solution for relieving this type of back pain, since everyone is different and various methods of pain relief works or does not work, according the individuals condition.

In order to relief your back pain, you will need to do a bit of research on your personal condition to find out about the various choices of treatment. Get into a regular exercise routine, while protecting you body, by paying attention to its pain signals. It is in your best interest not to continually concentrate on the pain you feel, while learning to change any pain habits you may have. Since changing these habits aid in uplifting your feelings about yourself and your pain.

You should also consider seeking support, while creating your own pain management plan of tracking the progress of the methods you use, to find out which gives you the relief you seek. Most importantly, you should stay positive in your attitude, by thinking positively, keeping your sense of humor about you. You should be eating a well balanced diet and exercising daily and enjoying your daily activities when you are with others or alone.

There are natural body controls, such as intense concern for others and outside controls such as medications, physical therapy, heat and cold methods, exercise and relaxation as well as massage techniques that aid in controlling the signals of pain our body feels when dealing with back pain symptoms. When you suffer from back pain, there are several methods you can choose from to aid your relief, these include, limiting and moderating as little medication for pain as you can handle.

Increasing your social and physical activities and enjoying an active lifestyle, changing any habit of pain you have that may be interrupting your life, such as consuming alcohol or staying in bed all day for relief, as well as eagerly learning new methods of reducing your pain. Of course, you must understand that different methods work better for some individuals, than they do for others. You will be working to find and practice the right methods for reducing your own personal pain.

One solution for relieving you pain is to visit your family physician and talking with him or her concerning your condition, while being enthusiastic about working as a team to find the best pain relief for your particular condition. You can help your physician understand your pain by being able to explain the location, the frequency and severity of your symptoms as well as letting the physician know what make the pain feel worse or better. After doing so, your physician will be able to help you figure out the best solution for relieving you pain.

Some of things you may be counseled to do is:

Use heat and cold treatments for relief

Heat treatments may include soaking in warm water or using a hot water bottle or heat packs, using a heating pad for a limited amount of time, as well as using an electric blanket and flannel sheets for warmth as well as warming your clothing in a dryer before putting them on. Or try dipping you hand in a paraffin bath to relieve your pain symptoms. You may also find relief by alternating heat and cold water bath treatments. Cold treatments would include using ice packs or frozen vegetables on the area of your pain. However, you should always practice safety first when working with heat and cold treatments, for the best results.

Wisely using your joints and exercising

Wisely using your joints include, being aware of your body position, avoiding activities that cause you pain, while planning ahead to simplify your daily tasks, using most often your strongest and largest muscles and joints. You should always practice proper lifting techniques, not staying in one position for extended periods of time, learning to balance your times of activity and rest as well as having a healthy respect for your pain.

Relaxation

Relaxation techniques may include, guided imagery to help you focus on images that bring pleasure, prayer, hypnosis, which aids by focusing attention internally, rather than persisting with concentration on your other thoughts or anxieties. You may consider using biofeedback, which involves very sensitive electrical equipment that measures the reactions of your body, as well as the use of audio tapes for relaxation guidance.

Counseling, Support and Pain Clinics

Counseling and support involve working with others, such as your physician, nurse or even a physical or occupational therapist as well as a counselor, psychologist, social worker and your pharmacist, depending upon your condition and the type of support you need. Counseling, support groups and pain clinics, involves being unafraid to seek out help when you need someone to talk with about the pain and stress you encounter with back pain. You can always ask your physician for his recommendations of these types of pain relief options to find out where to find them.

Other techniques for pain management

These pain management techniques for pain relief may include such things as, using splints to reduce pain and swelling, getting a good restful nights sleep, which aids by restoring your spirits and energy daily. Or you may use of topical deep heating lotions and massage techniques. You may even consider transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or TENS, which is a small electrical device that uses mild pulses of electricity to stimulate the nerves influenced in painful areas.

When you suffer from upper or lower back pain, with or without arthritis, you should know that you are not alone in your fight to be pain-free or to at least decrease the amount of pain you feel. There are others who are able to help you deal with and control your pain, as well as some really inspiring methods and techniques you can try when searching for just the right type of solution for your pain.



Whittier Chiropractor

Anna Hart asked:


Your back hurts. It hurts a lot. You ask, “What are the exercises to stop the back pain now?” or you plead, “Give me information on back pain exercise!”

Surprisingly, too much rest during an encounter of back pain will often make the condition worse. A day or two of rest should be followed by specific back pain exercise for complete recovery.

How Can Exercise Stop Back Pain?

Careful, thoughtful back pain exercise will help distribute nutrients up and down your spinal column, feeding your muscles, ligaments, nerves, and joints. Specific back pain exercise will stretch you back, making it supple. Other back pain exercise will strengthen your back, and make it strong. Weakness and stiffness, increased by rest, can be overcome by back pain exercise.

Exercises to stop the back pain now will also prevent future back pain, since you will be increasing your back’s ability to handle extra stress or injury.

CHOOSE EXERCISE, NOT REST, TO STOP BACK PAIN NOW

Before you begin back pain exercise, check with your health care provider. Not every back pain exercise will be right for you. If your injury is severe, a spine care specialist will recommend specific exercise techniques to meet your need. Your back pain exercise program should work the entire body, even though your primary target is the back.

What Are the Exercises to Stop Back Pain Now?

Once you decide that back pain exercise is essential, you will want to choose appropriate exercises. We recommend a doctor’s advice, and suggest that you show your doctor these possibilities.

1. Back Pain Exercises – Stretching

Stretching muscles, ligaments and tendons is essential for back health. Whether or not you are currently experiencing back pain, regular stretching of the back will give strength to overcome or prevent injury and trauma to the back. If yours is chronic back pain, plan on regular, daily stretching for as much as six months to give your back the flexibility and strength it needs. You may want to schedule more than one stretching session per day, but work carefully. Eventually, you will find that back pain exercise keeps back pain from recurring.

Set goals (expectations with due dates) for each muscle group. Decide a date by which you want each of these muscle groups to be strong. Write down each date, and determine to meet it.

Warm Up First for Safe, Efficient Back Pain Exercise!!

If there is any pain, stop or take it more slowly.

Cool down after your back pain exercise.

* Gluteus muscles. The muscles in your buttocks support flexibility in your hips as well as your pelvis. Back pain exercise should include these muscles daily.

The gluteus stretch. Sit in a straight back or folding chair. Move your bottom only forward several inches from the chair back. In that position, lightly press your feet against the floor. Now squeeze your gluteus muscles together, and hold for 5 minutes. This stretch allows you to get back pain exercise while watching TV.

* Hamstrings. Located in the back of each leg, your hamstrings help give you correct posture.

The hamstring stretch. Place one foot on a chair, keeping the other leg straight. Bend over until your chest touches the knee of the foot on the chair. Keep your chest on the elevated leg as you slowly back the other leg away from the chair. Hold your stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. This stretch gives good back pain exercise without equipment.

* Piriformis. The piriformis syndrome is caused by the piriformis muscle irritating the sciatic nerve. You feel pain in the buttocks, and referred pain from the back of your thigh to the base of the spine. Many people call this lower back pain “sciatica”.

The piriformis stretch. Lie on your back, right hip and knee flexed. Grasp your right knee with your left hand, and pull the knee towards your left shoulder. In this position, grasp just above the right ankle with the right hand, and rotate the ankle outwards. Repeat with your left side. You might want to do this back pain exercise with gentle music.

* Psoas Major. Lower back mobility can be greatly limited by a tight Psoas Major. This muscle often causes back pain that makes it difficult to kneel on both knees, or to stand for extended periods.

The Psoas Major stretch. Kneel on your right knee, left foot flat on the floor, left knee bent. Rotate the right leg outward. Place your hand on the right gluteus muscle and tighten the muscle. Lean forward through your hip, careful not to bend the lower spine. You should feel the stretch in the front of your right hip. Hold for about 30 seconds. Repeat with your left leg. If you have young children, include them in your back pain exercise.

2. Back Pain Exercises – Strengthening

Back pain can be stopped now, and greatly avoided in the future, by decreasing lower back stress. These exercises develop critical muscles in the abdomen, lower back, and gluteus. Both of these back pain exercises are learned better when working with a trained physical therapist, but if you are careful, you can learn them alone. Although you may do daily stretching back pain exercises, it is important to take a few days off each week from strengthening back pain exercises.

Lower Back strengthening. Begin by lying flat on your back on the floor. Do not push your back down on the floor. Bend both knees. Pull your navel (belly button) in toward your back while keeping your back relaxed. As you breathe out, stretch your arms upward as though you are reaching for an overhead chandelier. Gradually raise head and shoulders from the floor until your shoulder blades are barely touching the floor. Hold the position one to two seconds. Repeat 8 to 12 times. If you feel pain with this back pain exercise, stop or try to do it more gently and slowly.

3. Back and Leg strengthening. This is one of the McKenzie Exercises, named after a New Zealand physical therapist. Lie on your stomach, and push up off the floor with both hands, raising only your chest. Keep your pelvis flat on the floor. Raise your back to a comfortable stretch and hold for 8 to 10 seconds. Repeat 8 to 12 times. You should feel no pain with this back pain exercise, only a pulling up of the spine.

It is strongly suggested that any back pain exercise be done only after seeking professional medical advice.



Whittier Chiropractor