World of Education/World of Education.iso/world_b/bkache56.zip/PART2.EXE/REMED.TXT

Text File | 1992-12-04 | 10KB | 162 lines

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                                 HOME REMEDIES
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       What should you do when you need FAST relief from a sudden back
       spasm or painful backache? What home remedies and course of
       action helps during a backache attack? What other lifestyle
       changes might reduce back pain and strain?

       Backaches tend to be a matter of degree and intensity. Sometimes
       the pain is mild with only a sense of stiffness. Other times
       quite severe. It may be worse when bending or may only happen
       when your back is cold.

       One indicator to watch for is the sudden onset of pain which
       radiates down into the foot or lower leg which could clearly
       indicate the presence of a ruptured disc. However, if the pain
       remains localized to your back or upper thigh, the chance of
       disc rupture is lower - not zero, just lower. If you fear that a
       ruptured disc is the source of the pain head for bed
       immediately, call the doctor and try to curl up on your side
       with your knees pulled up and bent.

       But let's back up a step. What course of action should be taken
       for various degrees of back pain which come on suddenly?

       For mild back stiffness and pain take aspirin or tylenol if you
       are allergic to aspirin. Avoid all but VERY brief periods of
       sitting or riding in a car, sleep on a firm mattress on your
       side or back with knees elevated by a pillow. Do the pelvic tilt
       and other mild exercises twice a day to ease muscle stiffness,
       place a warm water bottle beneath your back before exercises and
       while at rest on your back. Avoid bending, lifting, overstuffed
       or soft chairs. Eat while standing and work while standing, if
       possible.

       For severe back pain consider the following. Contact your
       physician immediately. Take aspirin or tylenol for pain in the
       dosage recommended by your physician. Ice packs for ten to
       fifteen minutes the first 24 hours of the attack may decrease
       pain and relieve muscle spasm; check with physician if this is
       advisable. Do not overchill skin or back. After the first 24
       hours ask physician if application of mild heat is allowed to
       relax muscle stiffness. Attempt to stay in bed while you lie on
       your side or back with knees elevated. Get out of bed only for
       VERY brief trips to bathroom. Take warm showers and NO sitting
       baths. Watch for signs of numbness in toes or lower legs. Watch
       for signs of fever by checking your temperature. Avoid ALL
       sitting for the first week. Avoid back exercises for first four
       to five days until pain and stiffness has subsided. After that
       time try pelvic tilt and light knees tucks to chest. Follow up
       with second visit to physician. Determine a recommended back
       exercise or therapy program in consultation with physician.

       Another simple home remedy for mild back pain is to lie on the
       floor on your back and place both legs in an elevated position
       on the seat of the chair. Thus the knees are bent and the pelvis
       is slightly tilted reducing some back strain. In fact any
       resting position on your back which allows the knees to be bent
       and the feet elevated reduces back strain. A small warm water
       bottle under the small of the back for short periods reduces
       muscle spasm and may further reduce the pain. Any time you put a
       water bottle under your back be sure to wrap it in a towel and
       use only a small amount of warm water so that the water bottle
       remains relatively flat. Your back cannot remain flat while you
       lie on a water bottle the size of a balloon. Keep the water
       bottle flat!

       Some people report relatively rapid relief if a corset or back
       brace is worn for a few days following an attack of back pain.
       This is usually fitted to your back by a physician or physical
       therapist. But remember that the back brace is merely
       stabilizing a weakened spinal column and for the most part
       preventing supporting muscles from developing healthy tone.
       However if a physician tells you to wear a back brace or corset
       for an extended period of time - such as in the case of disc
       rupture or specific surgical recovery, by all means follow your
       doctor's instructions. If arthritis is also a compounding cause
       of your backaches, aspirin's strong anti-inflammatory effects
       are usually beneficial in reducing joint inflammation.

       As an unusual twist, try doing a few of the back exercises like
       the pelvic tilt and knees pulled to chest maneuver laying on
       your back in the bathtub partially filled with warm water. You
       will be surprised at the extra flexibility and relief from pain
       you can get exercising in a warm bathtub.

       Are there special foods or vitamins which have been implicated
       in correcting backaches? Vitamin A or C deficiency can cause
       scurvy and a type of back pain. Vitamin D deficiency causes
       rickets and consequent back pain. Osteoporosis has been
       connected with vitamin D and calcium imbalance.

       For the most part, though, these are specific vitamin-linked
       problems, not overall dietary problem patterns found among most
       back pain patients. Some research has indicated that Vitamin E
       in its role as anti-oxidant may slow some forms for joint
       deterioration, aging and pain in adults. Dehydration or lack of
       water can cause some existing joint and disc problems to flare
       up painfully. About the best that can be said from a sensible
       dietary standpoint is to drink additional water - 6 to 8 glasses
       per day and perhaps take two or three ordinary vitamin tablets
       per week if you are concerned about your diet and back pain. It
       may not help, but it certainly cannot hurt.

       Consider wearing flexible shoes or sneakers for several weeks
       after an attack of back pain. Women's high heels are notorious
       for causing back pain and a change to different footwear
       permanently may further reduce chances of back pain. Also check
       for worn out heels and soles which may slip or provide improper
       support and cause falls and other types of back injury. The role
       of shoes and back pain has been established. When in doubt try
       wearing tennis shoes for several weeks and see if back comfort
       is increased.

       When sitting for long periods of time, consider stretching your
       legs, wiggling your toes and finding a way to put one or both
       feet on a footrest. As you sit, try to contract your stomach and
       buttock muscles and tilt your pelvis every ten minutes despite
       your sitting condition. Most people unconsciously cross their
       legs while sitting which is simply an attempt by the body to
       tilt the pelvis and raise one leg higher than the other. You
       don't cross your legs because your leg becomes more comfortable,
       but because your BACK becomes more comfortable! However,
       crossing your legs while you sit is no substitute for a footrest
       and occasional stretch break.

       As mentioned in earlier tutorials, try adjusting your work
       schedule to alternate between standing and sitting positions.
       When you stand, shift one foot then the other on a six to ten
       inch high footrest.

       As you stand, try to do a "mini" pelvic tilt by slightly bending
       your knees, tensing your buttocks and thrusting your lower
       pelvis forward. Do this three or four times an hour and hold the
       tilt position for about ten seconds. You can even do this in a
       supermarket checkout line since the maneuver is barely
       perceptible and is a matter of merely a slight bending of knees
       and tilting of hips.

       Also consider the statistics or "odds" that you will have
       backaches and take corrective action: tall people are prone to
       backaches as are overweight people. Pregnant women and women
       during and after menopause are also prone to back pain. Office
       workers and computer users who sit for long periods of time are
       frequently backache patients. If you are in a risk group for
       backaches, use these tutorials to trace the most probable cause
       and consult with your physician on a course of action.

       This tutorial is merely a starting point! For further
       information on back care and back pain, be sure to register this
       software ($25.00) which brings by prompt postal delivery a
       printed, illustrated guide to back pain written by a physician
       plus two software disks. From the main menu select "Print
       Registration Form." Or from the DOS prompt type the command
       ORDER. Mail to Seattle Scientific Photography (Dept. BRN), PO
       Box 1506, Mercer Island, WA 98040. If you cannot print the order
       form, send $25.00 to the above address and a short letter
       requesting these materials. End of chapter.