1. My Back Pain started when I was injured in an accident or when I lifted heavy weights in wrong postures.
It is very much possible there is an overlap of Vertebra of the Back Bone (Spinal Cote). Such overlapping is called Spondy-lolis-thesis. Go to the Back Bone Exercises section and learn how to make our Back Bone healthy. Do these exercises on daily bases and rest for long period of time. Remember, less work and more rest will help you to Cure Back Pain. In the end, the last thing to do is to go and see the doctor if the Back Pain is too much or is not vanishing. But remember, this is the last option not the first one. I do not prefer any patient to eat medicines as to cure one thing, you are sacrificing too much. Medicines, especially when it comes to joints medicines or any medicine related to bones, have side effects. Medicines use for treatment of bones cause damage to the stomach. Please also read Back Pain related Newspapers in order to learn more.
2. I feel that my Back Pain is traveling down to my legs.
Well, it means that you have a misplaced Back Bone (Spinal Cote) Disk. The Back Bone is made up of many disks, all join together to make the Mighty Back Bone. In this case you have to Rest, Rest…. and Rest. I think you understand what I want to say here. You have to give as much rest to your Back Bone as possible. Do not work long hours and never to sit for long period of time. This is a very serious matter, so take it seriously because this problem can end up in a disaster. There is a stage of this Back Pain when the patients no longer have bladder or bowel control. In this situation, immediately consult a doctor. Do not delay; it is possible that there is some serious problem with your Kidney. Anyway, also consider to get in touch with Back Pain related Newspapers to keep your self up-to-date from current Back Pain News.
3. I have a Back Pain where my age is over 60.
Bad News, go at once to the hospital. This is not any joke, I am pretty much serious. If the Back Pain is started without any other reason than the one that your age is over 60, then its time for you to leave everything to rest in a bed in the hospital and take the medicines prescribed by the doctor. Looks like you are on a long trip to the Hospital. If you ignore your Back Pain, then in few days you are going to experience the most horrible nightmare that you have never seen. At this age, you do read Newspaper right? So, find the latest Back Pain Development News and New ways to prevent it.
4. I experience Back Pain with any movement.
Here we go again. The third Back Pain FAQ (above one) and this one, both are terrible. I wish no one have this kind of a Back Pain. If you are experiencing Back Pain in almost all movements or even more worst, if you experience Back Pain all the time, even in the bed, then this is very much serious. You most drive straight to the hospital and do a complete check up. Explain everything in detail to the doctor. The doctor must also check your kidneys too. This is very bad News for the person with above problem.
5. I have Back Pain when I sit too long or when I bend.
Now this is not as problematic as the above two matters are (FAQ 3 and 4). It is possible that you have a pulled muscle causing the Back Pain or may be the Pain is because of a misplaced Back Bone Disk. Anyway, it does not mean that you forget about Curing the Back Pain. You have to take this matter seriously as failing to do so can cause many long term problems. First of all, apply heat to the point where you feel the Pain. Heat does not mean any thing that’s too hot; just apply any thing that can warm the Lower Back a bit. Rest as much as you can. Don’t sit too long reading a Newspaper or a Magazine. There are Magazines which helps you do different exercises, read them; exercise can help in this situation. The process of Curing Back Pain can take few months. In the end, if the Back Pain is not getting better then contact a doctor at once.
6. My Back Pain come and go all the time.
Were you injured in the past? Do you remember any incident that may had hurt your Back Bone way back in your child hood? Try to remember any thing that may help you in the diagnoses of your Back Pain. As I mentioned before, do read latest updates in Newspapers because research is going on the cure and prevention of Back Pain. Its best in this situation that you consult a doctor but first do a flash back in your memory and see what could have happened to your Back Bone in the past because the doctor will surely ask this question so it is good that you are already prepared to answer his questions.
7. My Back Pain come started in childhood.
Try to remember the root cause of the beginning of your Back Pain; this will help in analyzing what exactly is the cure that you require for your Back Pain. Please also read Back Pain related Newspapers in order to learn more. In this case, it’s best to consult a doctor.
8. I think my Back Pain started with a Fever.
Back Pain can start if you have a fever. Most common reason for Back Pain with a fever is the common FLU. Get medication to get rid of the FLU; it will Cure the mighty Back Pain too. If this does not help in reducing the Back Pain then please refer to the 10th FAQ.
9. My Back Pain is one sided.
There is a 90+ chance that you have a serious Kidney problem. Please refer to the 10th FAQ. I saw a research in a Newspapers and it showed that more than 30 percent people with Back problem have a serious kidney problem.
10. I have a fever, Blood in my urine and it burns during the urination.
Well now we are talking. These are the symptoms that indicate DANGER. This is the worst situation, one can ever imagine. Your kidneys are not in a good shape. There is some serious infection in your kidneys which needs to be cured As Soon As Possible. It’s also possible that there are stones in your kidneys. Surprised? Well these stones are not the one that you might be thinking they are; these stones are produced inside the kidneys for different reasons like, excessive use of Calcium can produce these stones. Immediately drive to the hospital and take a long leave from our office. Treatment can take some time.
11. My Back is stiff and sore.
Apply low heat to the affected area. Use anti inflammatory medicines; if there is no improvement then contact your doctor at once.
12. Are you Pregnant?
I have some Bad News for you. Back Pain starting for pregnant women is very common and more then 50% pregnant women are affected by Back Pain during the pregnancy period. Some times the Back Pain continues even after the delivery. Good care should be taken for the proper posture of the pregnant women to avoid Back Pain. Wrong postures are the root cause of all kind of Back Pains especially for pregnant women. Contact your doctor for further information.
13. My Back Pain is centered.
You have a slipped or over lapping Back Bone Disks. Have plenty of rest and learn about the proper standing, sitting and sleeping postures. You will find all this on this site. Contact your doctor in case the Back Pain is growing instead of minimizing.
14. My back Pain is running down towards the Legs.
Immediately contact your doctor. This is a very dangerous symptom. You can even loose control of the bleeder and even worse, you can lose control of any body movement; perhaps, all body movements. It’s also possible there is some serious problem with your Kidneys. It’s an Emergency, go to the doctor at once.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Sciatica Treatment - What's The Fastest Sciatica Treatment Available Today?
If you're like me, you know about back pain. All about it! I don't get it often, but when I do ... boy do I know it's there!
The most common cause of back pain in North American adults is sciatic pain. So in this article I want to tell you about sciatica, look at a possible cures for you, and make a personal recommendation.
OK ... sciatica treatment. Let's start with a quick description of the problem.
You have nerves running all through your body, which feed huge amounts of information to the brain and are absolutely critical to your functioning. Your biggest nerve is the sciatic nerve. It is attached to your lower spine, runs across your buttocks, then down your legs as far as your ankles.
When that nerve gets irritated or pinched or rubbed up the wrong way you feel pain. Although pain generally is notoriously hard to pinpoint, the pain from an upset sciatic nerve is usually felt in the lower back, or at the back of your leg above or below the knee.
At times it will be excruciating. (Do I sense you nodding in recognition?) Often it is dull and troublesome. It can be very, very persistent.
So, what can you do?
Normally, the first reaction is rest. And a couple of days of rest can be helpful. Surprisingly, however, resting for any longer only tends to make the pain worse. And none of us have that much free time anyway. So, rest is not the long-term answer.
There's got to be another way. And there is; do more exercise!
Either do strength-building exercises, that will make your abdomen and back muscles stronger, and give better support to your lower back.
Or do stretching exercises. These will gently push and pull on tight, inflexible muscles that may be the source of the pain, and in a few days the pain will have gone. Keeping up stretching exercises will give you quicker recovery and work to help you get no future flare ups.
Or, equally effective, do light aerobic exercise. Things like walking and swimming. These sort of exercises will move fluids and elements around your body, building a better healing environment for you, and will also release your natural pain killers, the endorphins.
So, for some people, exercise and movement is going to help sometimes.
If that fails, over the long term, however, I recommend you look around for a well qualified doctor who is a sciatica specialist.
Be demanding on yourself as you look. Choose the best specialist you can find. Don't shop around for the cheapest deal. Ask questions until you find a good practitioner. Someone with years of experience treating sciatica, who is a surgeon and, if possible, teaches medicine at a school, would be ideal. Sciatica treatment is hard to get right, and unless you work hard to find a well-qualified specialist your treatments are likely to be short-lived.
The most common cause of back pain in North American adults is sciatic pain. So in this article I want to tell you about sciatica, look at a possible cures for you, and make a personal recommendation.
OK ... sciatica treatment. Let's start with a quick description of the problem.
You have nerves running all through your body, which feed huge amounts of information to the brain and are absolutely critical to your functioning. Your biggest nerve is the sciatic nerve. It is attached to your lower spine, runs across your buttocks, then down your legs as far as your ankles.
When that nerve gets irritated or pinched or rubbed up the wrong way you feel pain. Although pain generally is notoriously hard to pinpoint, the pain from an upset sciatic nerve is usually felt in the lower back, or at the back of your leg above or below the knee.
At times it will be excruciating. (Do I sense you nodding in recognition?) Often it is dull and troublesome. It can be very, very persistent.
So, what can you do?
Normally, the first reaction is rest. And a couple of days of rest can be helpful. Surprisingly, however, resting for any longer only tends to make the pain worse. And none of us have that much free time anyway. So, rest is not the long-term answer.
There's got to be another way. And there is; do more exercise!
Either do strength-building exercises, that will make your abdomen and back muscles stronger, and give better support to your lower back.
Or do stretching exercises. These will gently push and pull on tight, inflexible muscles that may be the source of the pain, and in a few days the pain will have gone. Keeping up stretching exercises will give you quicker recovery and work to help you get no future flare ups.
Or, equally effective, do light aerobic exercise. Things like walking and swimming. These sort of exercises will move fluids and elements around your body, building a better healing environment for you, and will also release your natural pain killers, the endorphins.
So, for some people, exercise and movement is going to help sometimes.
If that fails, over the long term, however, I recommend you look around for a well qualified doctor who is a sciatica specialist.
Be demanding on yourself as you look. Choose the best specialist you can find. Don't shop around for the cheapest deal. Ask questions until you find a good practitioner. Someone with years of experience treating sciatica, who is a surgeon and, if possible, teaches medicine at a school, would be ideal. Sciatica treatment is hard to get right, and unless you work hard to find a well-qualified specialist your treatments are likely to be short-lived.
Natural Back Pain Relief - Acupuncture
Do you know, in the USA alone back pain is the second most common form of neurological disorders that a person is going to suffer. Although there are many prescribed medications a person can use in order to treat back pain, there are also a number of natural back pain relief treatments a person may want to consider using instead.
However when it comes to treating any kind of back problem the first thing a person should do is discuss the matter with their doctor or health care provider. There are many different reasons which can cause back pain. Anything from a muscle strain through to more serious conditions such as spinal stenosis or a herniated disc or it could have been caused by spondylosisthesis or osteoporosis.
In some cases it may be caused because a tumor is growing on the spine for example. But before you can actually treat the disorder whether using prescribed or natural treatments you first need to find out the cause in order that you can use the most effective back pain treatment possible.
Below I am going to take a one particular form of natural back pain relief that a person may want to consider using instead of prescribed medication.
Acupuncture is considered to be beneficial in helping to reduce the long term symptoms that many back pain patients suffer.In fact in studies carried out at Sheffield University in the United Kingdom, they carried out a study of 239 people. Out Of these, 159 people were treated by providing them a course of 8 acupuncture treatments whilst the other 80 were provided with normal back pain treatments.
After one year it was found that those being treated using acupuncture not only had reduced amounts of pain but they found themselves also worrying less about the pain as well. Whilst after carrying out the treatment for 2 years the patients being treated using acupuncture were reporting that they were in most cases pain free from the second year and were now beginning to use less medication.
When it comes to using acupuncture as a natural back pain relief treatment, a person can generally expect to pay between $60 and $120 for the treatment but it is tax deductible as it is considered to be a medical expense.
Also if you are considering using this method to treat your back pain then it may be wise to check your medical insurance plan as the provider may well cover the costs of such treatment within theirs. Plus, you need to be aware that initially you will need to see the acupuncturist between 1 and 3 times a week for several weeks in the beginning before the effects can be felt.
However when it comes to treating any kind of back problem the first thing a person should do is discuss the matter with their doctor or health care provider. There are many different reasons which can cause back pain. Anything from a muscle strain through to more serious conditions such as spinal stenosis or a herniated disc or it could have been caused by spondylosisthesis or osteoporosis.
In some cases it may be caused because a tumor is growing on the spine for example. But before you can actually treat the disorder whether using prescribed or natural treatments you first need to find out the cause in order that you can use the most effective back pain treatment possible.
Below I am going to take a one particular form of natural back pain relief that a person may want to consider using instead of prescribed medication.
Acupuncture is considered to be beneficial in helping to reduce the long term symptoms that many back pain patients suffer.In fact in studies carried out at Sheffield University in the United Kingdom, they carried out a study of 239 people. Out Of these, 159 people were treated by providing them a course of 8 acupuncture treatments whilst the other 80 were provided with normal back pain treatments.
After one year it was found that those being treated using acupuncture not only had reduced amounts of pain but they found themselves also worrying less about the pain as well. Whilst after carrying out the treatment for 2 years the patients being treated using acupuncture were reporting that they were in most cases pain free from the second year and were now beginning to use less medication.
When it comes to using acupuncture as a natural back pain relief treatment, a person can generally expect to pay between $60 and $120 for the treatment but it is tax deductible as it is considered to be a medical expense.
Also if you are considering using this method to treat your back pain then it may be wise to check your medical insurance plan as the provider may well cover the costs of such treatment within theirs. Plus, you need to be aware that initially you will need to see the acupuncturist between 1 and 3 times a week for several weeks in the beginning before the effects can be felt.
Chronic Pain
Experiencing bodily pain of any kind can have a very detrimental effect on anyone. It prevents you from doing even the most mundane daily tasks and for some people who suffer really severe bouts of pain, it can be quite debilitating. Many people think that suffering from chronic pain is only experienced by a certain demographic – mainly old people or those who have suffered from injuries. Recent statistics show that one in five people may suffer from moderate to severe chronic pain.
The over-all picture for chronic pain means that even people at their prime can suffer from some form of pain. The bad thing about suffering from chronic pain is that its effects are not only physical but can also affect the mental and psychological well-being of patients. It is not uncommon for chronic pain sufferers to experience depression and anxiety because of their situation.
Alleviating chronic pain is a goal that all pain sufferers want to achieve. Unfortunately, not everyone can be successful in curing or conquering pain. There are many options currently available for pain alleviation. There are drugs, homeopathic remedies and different therapies that are constantly being developed in order to help pain sufferers. Some of these are actually effective in lessening or even completely eliminating pain. Others are just temporary measures.
There are a number of general types of treatments for chronic pain. The most recognizable and probably the most popular among patients are drugs. There are a number of different drug types and formulations that are being used to alleviate or eliminate pain.
One group, known as opioids, can provide short term analgesic effects. These medications can be taken orally, injected, inserted rectally or used applied through the skin. Unfortunately, opioids can also have negative side effects like addiction or chemical dependency.
Another group is known as the non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. Some NSAIDs actually have limited benefits when it comes to long term chronic pain and may even have detrimental long term effects.
Recently, different approaches are being done in order to address chronic pain. One of these new approaches is cold laser therapy. This type of photomedicine is said to be safe, drug-free and has shown encouraging benefits in terms of pain relief. The method uses a pulsed laser, infrared and visible red radiation in order to stimulate blood circulation and metabolism at the intracellular level.
Another method that is gaining popularity is EM Signal Therapy which uses frequency modulated electromagnetic fields in order to promote repair of damaged tissue.
The over-all picture for chronic pain means that even people at their prime can suffer from some form of pain. The bad thing about suffering from chronic pain is that its effects are not only physical but can also affect the mental and psychological well-being of patients. It is not uncommon for chronic pain sufferers to experience depression and anxiety because of their situation.
Alleviating chronic pain is a goal that all pain sufferers want to achieve. Unfortunately, not everyone can be successful in curing or conquering pain. There are many options currently available for pain alleviation. There are drugs, homeopathic remedies and different therapies that are constantly being developed in order to help pain sufferers. Some of these are actually effective in lessening or even completely eliminating pain. Others are just temporary measures.
There are a number of general types of treatments for chronic pain. The most recognizable and probably the most popular among patients are drugs. There are a number of different drug types and formulations that are being used to alleviate or eliminate pain.
One group, known as opioids, can provide short term analgesic effects. These medications can be taken orally, injected, inserted rectally or used applied through the skin. Unfortunately, opioids can also have negative side effects like addiction or chemical dependency.
Another group is known as the non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. Some NSAIDs actually have limited benefits when it comes to long term chronic pain and may even have detrimental long term effects.
Recently, different approaches are being done in order to address chronic pain. One of these new approaches is cold laser therapy. This type of photomedicine is said to be safe, drug-free and has shown encouraging benefits in terms of pain relief. The method uses a pulsed laser, infrared and visible red radiation in order to stimulate blood circulation and metabolism at the intracellular level.
Another method that is gaining popularity is EM Signal Therapy which uses frequency modulated electromagnetic fields in order to promote repair of damaged tissue.
7 Steps to Eliminate Lower Back Pain - Permanently!
Well, you are in good company. Over 80% of adults experience lower back pain at some stage. Most leave it for months or years before they do anything about it. Yet there are some simple steps to follow that can eliminate your lower back pain – completely and permanently.
Step 1: Muscle Stretches Yes I know you know about stretches. There are countless ones about and all say they are the miracle cure to your lower back pain… only if you do them this way or that.
But there are no miracle stretches. Sure there are better ways to stretch, but the most important aspect is not how to stretch. The most important aspect of stretching is stretching the right muscles at the right time. There are certain muscles that cause lower back pain. Stretch these and lower back pain will ease, stretch them at the right time and you will not only remove lower back pain you will improve your flexibility in half the time or quicker.
Step 2: Muscle Strength So which gym am I promoting or which type of exercise is best. In fact – if you don’t improve the nerve supply or the blood supply to your muscles, no exercise will create the benefits you need. If a muscle has its’ nerve or blood supply compromised, then no matter which exercise you do, the muscle will not gain strength.
Without muscle strength, you fail to have your joints supported. Also if one muscle is too weak it can callow another to tighten. So you need to know the best stretches and strengthening techniques or your muscular system will not heal 100%.
Step 3: Joint Mobility Your joints need to move freely and easily. If the joint gets “sticky” then the muscles around it will tire out or tighten up. If a joint moves well the muscles are able to function correctly and stay in their ideal state of tension.
But… surely moving joints is in the domain of Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Physio’s. Actually there are many techniques that you can use at home to get your joints moving freely and easily. Add in the muscle techniques and the major causes of lower back pain are eliminated, simply and easily.
Step 4: Inflammation Inflammation can be removed through medication, supplements, Homeopathics and other natural products. You can also use Acupressure or Acupuncture (although Acupuncture is hard to use at home – who wants to stick needles in themselves anyway) which are both highly effective at removing inflammation.
If your joints are tender to touch, if your muscles are sensitive also, then inflammation is likely there. Removing it helps the area heal faster. Left there too long and the area will stiffen and become slower to heal, and even scar tissue can form as a protection.
Step 5: Posture Is you posture correct, do you stand up straight? Well don’t be alarmed, neither of these is important. Posture is a function of lower back pain, energy levels and general health. If you are suffering lower back pain, then your posture changes to accommodate it. If you are tired then you will slouch and have a less ideal posture. Posture is important to help the long term removal of lower back pain and the next step is vital in all postural issues.
Step 6: Rest Rest means rest. Yes you should relax and rest, stop using your spine each day for at least an hour. Take time here and there to lie down and stop fighting gravity. Gravity is the biggest cause of stress on your spine and muscles.
Lying down is the only way you can rest against gravity. If you lie down a few times a day then your muscles will not tire as easily, joints will have less pressure on them, your disc in your spine will not be squeezed as often and your energy levels in general will be better.
All you need to do is every few hours, take a 5-10 minute break and lie on the floor. When you get home and watch TV, lie on the floor or sofa to rest while you watch the TV. All these help to ease tension off your spine and will also benefit your posture – as if you are less tired, if your muscles have more energy – your posture will improve.
Step 7: Seek Help If in doubt seek help, if lower back pain persists see your doctor. Lower back pain will usually ease itself within a few weeks. If you use the steps above then you can shorten this time considerably. However if lower back pain persists… seek help. If you follow these 7 steps to eliminate your lower back pain, you will find pain disappears quickly and easily. If you fail to complete any of these steps, or worse if your practitioner does, then lower back pain will return at some stage. To find out which muscles to target, how to move your joints and all the details on the other steps just visit our web page on lower back pain.
Step 1: Muscle Stretches Yes I know you know about stretches. There are countless ones about and all say they are the miracle cure to your lower back pain… only if you do them this way or that.
But there are no miracle stretches. Sure there are better ways to stretch, but the most important aspect is not how to stretch. The most important aspect of stretching is stretching the right muscles at the right time. There are certain muscles that cause lower back pain. Stretch these and lower back pain will ease, stretch them at the right time and you will not only remove lower back pain you will improve your flexibility in half the time or quicker.
Step 2: Muscle Strength So which gym am I promoting or which type of exercise is best. In fact – if you don’t improve the nerve supply or the blood supply to your muscles, no exercise will create the benefits you need. If a muscle has its’ nerve or blood supply compromised, then no matter which exercise you do, the muscle will not gain strength.
Without muscle strength, you fail to have your joints supported. Also if one muscle is too weak it can callow another to tighten. So you need to know the best stretches and strengthening techniques or your muscular system will not heal 100%.
Step 3: Joint Mobility Your joints need to move freely and easily. If the joint gets “sticky” then the muscles around it will tire out or tighten up. If a joint moves well the muscles are able to function correctly and stay in their ideal state of tension.
But… surely moving joints is in the domain of Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Physio’s. Actually there are many techniques that you can use at home to get your joints moving freely and easily. Add in the muscle techniques and the major causes of lower back pain are eliminated, simply and easily.
Step 4: Inflammation Inflammation can be removed through medication, supplements, Homeopathics and other natural products. You can also use Acupressure or Acupuncture (although Acupuncture is hard to use at home – who wants to stick needles in themselves anyway) which are both highly effective at removing inflammation.
If your joints are tender to touch, if your muscles are sensitive also, then inflammation is likely there. Removing it helps the area heal faster. Left there too long and the area will stiffen and become slower to heal, and even scar tissue can form as a protection.
Step 5: Posture Is you posture correct, do you stand up straight? Well don’t be alarmed, neither of these is important. Posture is a function of lower back pain, energy levels and general health. If you are suffering lower back pain, then your posture changes to accommodate it. If you are tired then you will slouch and have a less ideal posture. Posture is important to help the long term removal of lower back pain and the next step is vital in all postural issues.
Step 6: Rest Rest means rest. Yes you should relax and rest, stop using your spine each day for at least an hour. Take time here and there to lie down and stop fighting gravity. Gravity is the biggest cause of stress on your spine and muscles.
Lying down is the only way you can rest against gravity. If you lie down a few times a day then your muscles will not tire as easily, joints will have less pressure on them, your disc in your spine will not be squeezed as often and your energy levels in general will be better.
All you need to do is every few hours, take a 5-10 minute break and lie on the floor. When you get home and watch TV, lie on the floor or sofa to rest while you watch the TV. All these help to ease tension off your spine and will also benefit your posture – as if you are less tired, if your muscles have more energy – your posture will improve.
Step 7: Seek Help If in doubt seek help, if lower back pain persists see your doctor. Lower back pain will usually ease itself within a few weeks. If you use the steps above then you can shorten this time considerably. However if lower back pain persists… seek help. If you follow these 7 steps to eliminate your lower back pain, you will find pain disappears quickly and easily. If you fail to complete any of these steps, or worse if your practitioner does, then lower back pain will return at some stage. To find out which muscles to target, how to move your joints and all the details on the other steps just visit our web page on lower back pain.
Grow Your Chiropractic Business With Massage Therapists
One group of professionals you may consider adding to you network are licensed massage therapist or LMT’s. It is a good idea to know a few massage therapists because you will have patients ask you who you recommend from time to time. Your patient will be very thankful if you refer them to a good LMT, especially if they were going to resort to a blind attempt of finding someone credible by using the phone book. If your philosophy is sound, you should not be intimidated by massage therapists and understand that what you do is very different. You should also be able to explain these differences. Unfortunately sometimes the general public may not know the difference between massage therapist and chiropractors. That’s fine; this can be another opportunity to educate your patients.
Your first necessity is to come into contact with a reputable massage therapist. Introduce yourself to as many as possible throughout your town or area of practice. Many will offer you a tour of their facility and sometimes even a free massage. Take them up on the free massage if offered. This will give you a chance to see how good they are at what they do and give you more time to work on your new network relationship by visiting with them. When you are visiting with these LMT’s you are interviewing them at the same time. They are probably interviewing you also. Ask yourself questions like, “is this someone I would trust with my patient”, “could I see myself becoming a client of this person?” They need to have a respectable facility, reasonable fees and a philosophy that is somewhat close to your own. The last thing you want to do is refer a patient to a bad business that does not share your same philosophy. This could jeopardize your relationship with your patient.
I recommend you have about 4 to 5 massage therapist that you have built a rapport with. They need to be spread out in your area of practice for two reasons. First your patients do not want to drive all over town to get to your recommended LMT. Second this gives you a spread out area to receive your referrals from. Once you have your 4 to 5 LMT’s you can trust and refer to, you also have 4 to 5 LMT’s referring to your business. As always it is a good idea to keep in contact with each of them periodically to maintain your network.
When you refer a patient to a LMT, call them and let them know you sent that patient over to their business. Do no be afraid to put light pressure on them to refer you a patient or two when the timing is right.
Occasionally LMT’s will want to barter with you. You may want to do the same. It is your decision. This may be the chance you are looking for to build your network relationship even stronger.
A great way that I have found to start the referral process with LMT’s and build my practice at the same time is to offer a monthly special. For example, in the month of July refer a friend or family member to our office and receive a free 30 minute massage from a licensed massage therapist. Post signs in your office, have your receptionist tell patients and tell them yourself. This inspires patients to refer people to your office and at the same time allows you to start the referral process with your network of LMT’s. Run the special only once every few months. This puts a since of urgency to your patients to receive their free massage. The only down side is you pay for the 30 minute massage. This is a small price to pay to add a new patient to your growing practice, and some massage therapist will give you discounts for your paid referrals. Again, it’s a win, win, win situation for everyone involved.
Your first necessity is to come into contact with a reputable massage therapist. Introduce yourself to as many as possible throughout your town or area of practice. Many will offer you a tour of their facility and sometimes even a free massage. Take them up on the free massage if offered. This will give you a chance to see how good they are at what they do and give you more time to work on your new network relationship by visiting with them. When you are visiting with these LMT’s you are interviewing them at the same time. They are probably interviewing you also. Ask yourself questions like, “is this someone I would trust with my patient”, “could I see myself becoming a client of this person?” They need to have a respectable facility, reasonable fees and a philosophy that is somewhat close to your own. The last thing you want to do is refer a patient to a bad business that does not share your same philosophy. This could jeopardize your relationship with your patient.
I recommend you have about 4 to 5 massage therapist that you have built a rapport with. They need to be spread out in your area of practice for two reasons. First your patients do not want to drive all over town to get to your recommended LMT. Second this gives you a spread out area to receive your referrals from. Once you have your 4 to 5 LMT’s you can trust and refer to, you also have 4 to 5 LMT’s referring to your business. As always it is a good idea to keep in contact with each of them periodically to maintain your network.
When you refer a patient to a LMT, call them and let them know you sent that patient over to their business. Do no be afraid to put light pressure on them to refer you a patient or two when the timing is right.
Occasionally LMT’s will want to barter with you. You may want to do the same. It is your decision. This may be the chance you are looking for to build your network relationship even stronger.
A great way that I have found to start the referral process with LMT’s and build my practice at the same time is to offer a monthly special. For example, in the month of July refer a friend or family member to our office and receive a free 30 minute massage from a licensed massage therapist. Post signs in your office, have your receptionist tell patients and tell them yourself. This inspires patients to refer people to your office and at the same time allows you to start the referral process with your network of LMT’s. Run the special only once every few months. This puts a since of urgency to your patients to receive their free massage. The only down side is you pay for the 30 minute massage. This is a small price to pay to add a new patient to your growing practice, and some massage therapist will give you discounts for your paid referrals. Again, it’s a win, win, win situation for everyone involved.
Protecting the Lower Back
Except for severe accidents, the most common case of lower back pain happens when an intervertebral disc bulges out (herniates) and presses on the spinal nerve. This bulging out of the disc is often caused by uneven compression of the disc due to excessive bending or twisting of the spine, especially when the spine is under compression. Incidentally, the bending or twisting of the lower spine is controlled by the tilt and rotation of the pelvis. Because excessive anterior pelvic tilt will cause hyperextension of the spine, and excessive posterior pelvic tilt will cause excessive flexion of the spine, the safest position is “neutral spine” which causes neither anterior nor posterior pelvic tilt. It is no surprise that some of the most effective measures for protecting the lower back involve maintaining neutral spine and avoiding excessive compression forces.
Risk factors and How to Mitigate Them
Inflexible Hamstrings and GlutealsThe hamstrings and gluteals are the primary extenders of the hip joint and most of them are attached to the pelvis. If they are too tight, they will tend to pull the rear of the pelvis downward and cause a posterior pelvic tilt. This increases the risk of injury for someone who has to bend over for any reason. In addition, tightness in the gluteals and hamstrings limit the ability to bend at the hips. This is a major problem because if someone has to pick up an object from the floor, and he/she cannot bend the hips far enough, he/she is likely to do the rest of the bending with the spine. The obvious solution is to stretch the hamstrings and gluteals regularly. Whenever stretching these or any other muscle groups, it is ideal to stretch them for at least 20 seconds.
Inflexible Psoas and Latissimi DorsiThe psoas are among the major hip flexors, while the latissimi dorsi (plural) function to pull the upper arms down by the sides. The psoas are attached to the lumbar spine and if they are too tight, they can pull the lumbar spine forward and hyperextend it. The latissimi dorsi also have attachments at the lumbar spine. If someone is reaching upward, inflexibility in the latissimi dorsi and the psoas can combine to severely hyperextend the lumbar spine. As is similar to the first situation, the obvious solution here is to regularly stretch the psoas and the latissimi dorsi.
Weakness of the Abdominal Muscles and the Spinal ErectorsThe abdominal muscles and the spinal erectors function to stabilize the spine and prevent it from bending or twisting to any excessive degree. This ability is often referred to as “core stability”, and it is a major factor in protecting the lower back. In addition, the transverse abdominals and internal obliques compress the abdomen and increase the inner abdominal pressure which pushes up on the diaphragm and takes much of the compression loads off the spine. Power lifters and other athletes who lift extremely heavy weights often use weight belts to augment this function. It is therefore clear that weak abdominals and spinal erectors allow the spine to bend and twist into abnormal positions while doing almost nothing to relieve the compression forces. Strengthening the abdominals and the spinal erectors are the obvious solutions to this problem. In addition, keeping the abdominals pulled in (also known as the “drawing in maneuver”) will activate the transverse abdominals and internal obliques. Not only will this reduce the chronic compression of the spine, but it will also strengthen these muscles and increase their resistance to fatigue.
Poor posture, Improper Working Conditions, and ObesitySpending long hours in a slumped over or hyperextended position creates chronic stress on the intervertebral discs without giving them enough rest for recovery. Obesity is also a major risk factor for lower back problems because the chronically excessive compression and bending stresses create similar conditions. In addition, the sedentary lifestyle that leads to obesity is not conducive to strengthening the abdominal and lower back muscles in order to resist these excessive loads. Maintaining proper posture throughout the day is important. If your job forces you to maintain abnormal postures, then try to take regular breaks to give your back a rest. Also, an obese person would do well to go on a proper fat loss program.
There are obviously many factors which can cause lower back problems, and combining these factors will drastically increase the risk. However, there are also many things that we can do to reduce the risk. Although we can never completely eliminate the risk of lower back problems, a healthy lifestyle can certainly reduce the chances of injuries.
Risk factors and How to Mitigate Them
Inflexible Hamstrings and GlutealsThe hamstrings and gluteals are the primary extenders of the hip joint and most of them are attached to the pelvis. If they are too tight, they will tend to pull the rear of the pelvis downward and cause a posterior pelvic tilt. This increases the risk of injury for someone who has to bend over for any reason. In addition, tightness in the gluteals and hamstrings limit the ability to bend at the hips. This is a major problem because if someone has to pick up an object from the floor, and he/she cannot bend the hips far enough, he/she is likely to do the rest of the bending with the spine. The obvious solution is to stretch the hamstrings and gluteals regularly. Whenever stretching these or any other muscle groups, it is ideal to stretch them for at least 20 seconds.
Inflexible Psoas and Latissimi DorsiThe psoas are among the major hip flexors, while the latissimi dorsi (plural) function to pull the upper arms down by the sides. The psoas are attached to the lumbar spine and if they are too tight, they can pull the lumbar spine forward and hyperextend it. The latissimi dorsi also have attachments at the lumbar spine. If someone is reaching upward, inflexibility in the latissimi dorsi and the psoas can combine to severely hyperextend the lumbar spine. As is similar to the first situation, the obvious solution here is to regularly stretch the psoas and the latissimi dorsi.
Weakness of the Abdominal Muscles and the Spinal ErectorsThe abdominal muscles and the spinal erectors function to stabilize the spine and prevent it from bending or twisting to any excessive degree. This ability is often referred to as “core stability”, and it is a major factor in protecting the lower back. In addition, the transverse abdominals and internal obliques compress the abdomen and increase the inner abdominal pressure which pushes up on the diaphragm and takes much of the compression loads off the spine. Power lifters and other athletes who lift extremely heavy weights often use weight belts to augment this function. It is therefore clear that weak abdominals and spinal erectors allow the spine to bend and twist into abnormal positions while doing almost nothing to relieve the compression forces. Strengthening the abdominals and the spinal erectors are the obvious solutions to this problem. In addition, keeping the abdominals pulled in (also known as the “drawing in maneuver”) will activate the transverse abdominals and internal obliques. Not only will this reduce the chronic compression of the spine, but it will also strengthen these muscles and increase their resistance to fatigue.
Poor posture, Improper Working Conditions, and ObesitySpending long hours in a slumped over or hyperextended position creates chronic stress on the intervertebral discs without giving them enough rest for recovery. Obesity is also a major risk factor for lower back problems because the chronically excessive compression and bending stresses create similar conditions. In addition, the sedentary lifestyle that leads to obesity is not conducive to strengthening the abdominal and lower back muscles in order to resist these excessive loads. Maintaining proper posture throughout the day is important. If your job forces you to maintain abnormal postures, then try to take regular breaks to give your back a rest. Also, an obese person would do well to go on a proper fat loss program.
There are obviously many factors which can cause lower back problems, and combining these factors will drastically increase the risk. However, there are also many things that we can do to reduce the risk. Although we can never completely eliminate the risk of lower back problems, a healthy lifestyle can certainly reduce the chances of injuries.
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