Medical Journeys

Posts Tagged ‘soft tissues’

I see many people who deal with daily pain in my practice. Many resign themselves to taking pain medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Others with more serious pain end up getting prescriptions for narcotics or having procedures such as epidural injections or even surgery.

Fortunately I am in a position to recommend a number of non-medical alternatives for controlling pain. Many of these are available at the local health food store. Others require a visit to a healthcare practitioner. If you are suffering from pain here are a few things you can do.

First of all you need to determine whether you are experiencing acute or chronic pain. Acute pain feels sharper in quality than chronic or what we sometimes call subacute pain. Many times acute pain is associated with inflammation. The tissues may feel slightly swollen and can be very tender to the touch. With subacute pain the tissues feel tighter and can restrict movement.

If the pain is moderate to severe and feels sharper in quality, (acute pain) then icing the painful area will help. Most people use the gel type ice packs. These are nice because they only last for about 20 minutes which is all you need. A good protocol to follow is to ice for 20 minutes then remove the ice for 40 minutes. One of the best times to use ice is before bedtime as the tissues tend to become inflamed over night. This will cause more intense pain in the morning.

Sometimes the inflammation comes and goes over a period of weeks. This is due to the damage in the soft tissues such as in your neck and back. When you go about your day the tissues absorb a certain amount of force. If the force exceeds what the damaged tissues can handle the tissue becomes inflamed. Many of my patients prematurely used heat in this case. If you heat up tissues that are inflamed you will prolong the inflammation. Using ice is a safer bet.

Another thing you can do for pain is to begin a regimen of natural anti-inflammatory substances. Many people do not know about these. There are a number of natural substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect. You can get these at your local health food store.

The natural anti-inflammatory substances include:

Bioflavinoids — these come from fruits and vegetables. There are

many bioflavinoid compounds and many natural

anti-inflammatory products contain them.

Tumeric and Ginger are commonly used spices and are sold in

capsule form in health food stores.

Boswellia Serrata is an Indian herb with anti-inflammatory properties.

Trypsin and Chymotrypsin are digestive enzymes usually taken for

digestive problems but also exhibit an anti-inflammatory effect.

The dose will depend on the product. You can consult with the store or a natural physician to determine the dose. Nutritional substances are much safer to take than even over the counter medications so side effects are at a minimum.

Lastly, some healthcare practitioners use electrical modalities such as TENS to help control pain. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Basically TENS bombards the spinal cord with electrical signals that interfere with pain. The research on TENS is mixed with regard to acute pain. In my experience with TENS I have seen both good and poor results. A lot has to do with setting up the unit properly. After using it awhile the body can adapt to the stimulus so the unit has to be adjusted regularly.

Other electrical modalities used for pain include interferential current and microcurrent. These are administered by practitioners such as chiropractors or physical therapists. Both help the tissues heal by either reducing inflammation or by stimulating the production of proteins in the cells.

One of the newer therapies used to decrease pain and stimulate healing is low level laser light therapy. The actual mechanism of healing is not known but clinical research shows that it can be effective in reducing pain and accelerating healing.

Acupuncture can also be effective in reducing muscle pain. Acupuncture is done by inserting needles or using mild electrical stimulation at specific points on the body. The points are located along meridians which are channels through which the life force flows. No one knows exactly how acupuncture works but many studies have been done that support its pain reducing effects.

There are a number of mind-body techniques that can help reduce or even eliminate pain. Meditation and guided imagery are two popular techniques that are used to reduce pain. In guided imagery you get into a relaxed state and then create an image of your pain or illness. You then imagine the image dissolving and yourself in a healthy pain-free state. Guided imagery may take a bit of practice but the results are well worth the effort.

There are many ways to treat pain aside from the familiar pills and injections that carry with them a significant risk of side effects. I always recommend trying the safer alternative methods first. In most cases the pain can be successfully treated without the dangers of medications.

Dr. Bruce Forciea is a chiropractor and author of Unlocking the Healing Code which is due for release in December 2007 by Llwellyn Worldwide. He also teaches college courses in anatomy and physiology.

Author: Dr. Bruce Forciea
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Back pain is a complaint doctors hear about frequently. People want information on backaches. They want doctors to treat pain in the back. Many want to know the causes of pain in the lower right back.

Information about the Lower Right Back

It is important to understand the structure of the lower right back if we are to understand what causes pain there.

Your back, with its spinal column of vertebrae, connecting ligaments, tendons, large muscles, and nerves, is designed to be incredibly strong and flexible. Yet things can go wrong with this awesome structure.

* Muscles can be strained

* Ligaments can be torn

* Joints can be injured

* Bones can be fractured

* Nerves can be irritated

* Discs can be herniated

* Stress can tighten back structure

The lower back seems especially susceptible to injury, since it bears the weight of the torso, and makes more movement than the upper back. Its constant work can cause parts to break down and wear out over the years.

The lower right back has soft tissues that can be involved in pain. Those large, complex muscle groups that support your spine and help you move can be strained by improper lifting or posture. In fact, muscle strain is the most common cause of lower back pain. Twisting or pulling one of the following muscles can produce pain in the lower right back.

* Extensor muscles: These paired muscles in the lower back and gluteus help support your spine. If the one on the lower right back is injured, it will be painful.

* Flexor muscles: Attached to the spines front, these muscles help you flex, bend forward, and lift things. Again, injury to the right flexor muscle can cause lower right back pain.

* Oblique muscles: This muscle group is attached to the sides of the spine. The oblique muscles help your spine rotate, and give you good posture.

In addition to simple muscle strain, injury to ligaments, joints, and bones can also cause muscle pain. If one of these structures is injured or inflamed, back muscles can go into spasm, drastically limiting your movement and cause pain in the lower right back.

Stress is a common cause of pain in the lower right back. Stress will make your back muscles tighten. This happens to every muscle in the body, as we move into a fight or flight response. Muscles that are tightened lack the energy they need to support the spine. If the stress is frequent, and measures are not taken immediately to relieve it, lower right back pain can easily develop.

Information on Chronic Lower Right Back Pain

If lower right back pain lasts more than two weeks, you are likely to stop using the aching muscles in order to protect yourself from that pain. With disuse, the muscles can waste (atrophy) and weaken. This will increase the pain, since your muscles are less able to support your spine. If you increase your protection, and continue to avoid using the muscles, the cycle will continue, with the pain worsening at each turn. Chronic lower right back pain will result. This is why doctors urge patients with lower right back pain to exercise daily.

Information about Lower Right Back Pain Symptoms

You need to understand the symptoms of your pain as well. It is difficult to treat pain without knowing clearly what and where the symptoms are. You will want to gain a sense of exactly where your lower right back hurts. Is the pain focused in one small area, or does it spread throughout the lower right back? Is it confined to the lower right back or does it radiate into other parts of the body? Here are two major kinds of pain in the lower right back.

Lower Right Back Pain Symptom #1

Is yours a deep, aching, dull, or burning pain? Does it travel down your leg? If so, your lower right back pain may be chronic back pain.

Lower Right Back Pain Symptom #2

Perhaps yours is a very sharp pain, deep in the lower right back. This symptom may be the result of a back injury.

Information on Relieving Lower Right Back Pain

My personal physician assures me that the best relief for lower right back pain is usually exercise. Gentle exercises, performed daily with warm-up and cool-down, will strengthen the core muscles around the lower back area, relieving the pain and making them less susceptible to future injury.

CAUTION: Pain in the lower right back may also be caused by kidney stones or other non-muscular problems. Be sure to ask your health care provider for advice on any back pain.

Author: Anna Hart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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