Neck and Back Pain Relief: An Emotional Approach

Emotions are frequently overlooked as a possible contributor to back and neck pain so it was refreshing to come across an article promoting this emotional connection.

Psychological Treatments Improve Outcomes For Back Pain Sufferers:
"ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2006) — Psychological interventions for chronic low back pain are effective, a new review of studies has found. Not only do these approaches improve psychological outcomes such as depression and health-related quality of life, they also reduce patients' experience of pain."

The article went on to say:
"In the broadest analysis, psychological interventions -- alone or as part of a multidisciplinary approach -- proved to be superior to waiting lists or standard treatments on the entire range of pain-related outcomes.

When the researchers analyzed specific outcomes, they found that the largest and most consistent effect was a reduction in pain intensity. "

Though the research was not a thorough examination of all emotional techniques for neck pain relief and back pain relief - it's important to understand that the connection between emotions and pain.

For some people, enjoying neck and back pain relief through the emotional connection may take a few treatments while many others may find complete pain relief in as little as 7 minutes using a little-known technique that you can do, by yourself, at home.

Also note, releasing the negative impact of emotions is one method in a multi-faceted approach for successful pain relief - physical and nutritional components are also important to consider.

Stop Wasting Your Money on Back and Neck Pain Treatments that Don't Work

$86 Billion Spent on Back, Neck Pain: "Overall, pharmaceutical expenditures related to back and neck pain increased by 188% between 1997 and 2005, but cost associated with prescription narcotics rose by a whopping 423%.

University of Washington Medical Center clinician Richard Deyo, MD, MPH, tells WebMD that increasing use of the newer narcotics such as the drugs Vicodin and OxyContin is largely responsible for the increase, even though their use for chronic pain is controversial.

He says patients need to recognize that the drugs have many potential side effects, including drowsiness, persistent constipation, and sexual dysfunction.

Deyo co-directs the University of Washington Center for Cost and Outcomes Research, and he was a co-author of the study.

"We still don't know much about their long-term efficacy and safety for chronic back pain," he says.

"Patients need to understand that if they take these (opioid) medications long term, after a few months it will be difficult to stop. And there is pretty good evidence that long-term use may actually increase sensitivity to pain."

Too Much Surgery?

Surgery, especially spinal fusion surgery or disc replacement surgery, is also a growing and somewhat controversial treatment for patients with chronic back pain without sciatica.

"An aggressive arm of the surgical community believes that these patients benefit from surgery, but this is an area where the evidence is at best murky and confusing," Deyo says.

Orthopedic surgeon Paul Rubery, MD, agrees that the benefits of surgery are questionable in this group of patients.

Rubery directs the Spine Center at New York's University of Rochester Medical Center.

He tells WebMD that some of the blame for the rising cost of back and neck treatment belongs to the patient.

"Patients often want the drugs they see on TV or the one their uncle is on, even if an older and cheaper drug will work just as well," he says. "And these days, most patients demand MRIs, even when there is little medical indication. If patients were willing to accept time-tested treatments and take more responsibility for their health, costs would come way down.""

For more information on natural, proven back and neck pain treatments with no drugs, no surgery and no expensive equipment - visit http://www.backandneckpainresources.com/.

Tired of Tossing Dollars at Back and Neck Pain Treatments That Don't Work?

In an article in the NYTimes, author Tara Parker-Pope states that "Americans are spending more money than ever to treat spine problems, but their backs are not getting any better."

Americans Spend More to Treat Spine Woes - New York Times: "“You’d think if you’re putting a lot of money into a problem, you’d see some improvements in health status,” said Brook I. Martin, research scientist at the Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington and lead author on the study, published Wednesday. “We’re putting a lot of money into this problem, and it’s a big investment in health care expenditures, but we’re not seeing health status commensurate with those investments.”

The report is the latest to suggest that the nation is losing its battle against back pain, and that many popular treatments may be ineffective or overused. Researchers have produced conflicting data about the effectiveness of spinal surgery for back pain, although one major clinical trial, known by the acronym Sport, showed that spinal surgery patients did better than patients receiving more conservative care, which included medications or physical therapy. However, some doctors have questioned whether surgeries, injections and narcotic pain medications are being used appropriately.

“I think the truth is we have perhaps oversold what we have to offer,” said Dr. Richard A. Deyo, a physician at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and a co-author of the report. “All the imaging we do, all the drug treatments, all the injections, all the operations have some benefit for some patients. But I think in each of those situations we’ve begun using those tests or treatments more widely than science would really support.”"

So, when are you going to stop wasting money on back pain treatments that don't work?

Check out the book "Powerful Strategies for Back and Neck Pain Relief" detailing the proven strategies that health & wellness expert, Charles Gaudet, used to naturally find fast back and neck pain relief for a pain-free life!

Got Back Pain? Don't Just Sit There ... Move!

Back pain is an epidemic that continues to plague industrialized countries.

Oddly enough, people pay more attention to "fixing" their back problem than identifying the cause of back pain.

But, here's the secret: Eliminate the cause of back pain and you'll eliminate pain.

Sounds simple, right?

Well, for years we've known that sitting too long can contribute to back pain - but what are we doing about it?

The article below serves as a gentle reminder ...

HowStuffWorks "How to Sit in a Chair":
"Back pain affects eight out of 10 people, whether it's acute or chronic [source: National Institutes of Health]. The back is such a common trouble spot because we put a ton of stress on it whether we're lounging on our couch in front of the television or playing tackle football. Whatever activity we're engaged in, our spine is the central support for our upper bodies and holds us upright. Its network of interlocking vertebrae also encases our spinal cord, which serves as the main drag on the central nervous system's superhighway...."

.....

"­But don't let yourself get too comfortable for too long. Holding your body in a static position for a sustained period will always stress the muscles involved at some point. Doing that day after day invites permanent physical problems. The key to reducing back pain from sitting for a long time is motion. Every 20 minutes or so, stand up, stretch and walk around if possible.­

When you aren't confined to a chair, stand up and stay active. By exercising, you strengthen those muscles surrounding your spine. Maintaining a healthy weight will also lighten the load that your lower back must bear. With a healthier body overall, you'll feel better and sit a little taller."

To your great health!
Charlie

Shocking Lower Back Pain Statistics

Cruising the internet, I came across some shocking statistics on lower back pain.

Reading this, one can't help but ask "If we're supposed to know more about back pain than any other point in history, why is the condition getting worse?"

... and, in my opinion, it's because most of these professionals over-look the body's powerful ability to heal itself by searching for an artificial means of providing back and neck pain relief.

Pathophysiology of Chronic Back Pain: - eMedicine:

"Approximately 80% of Americans experience LBP [lower back pain] during their lifetime.

An estimated 15-20% develop protracted pain, and approximately 2-8% have chronic pain.

Every year, 3-4% of the population is temporarily disabled, and 1% of the working-age population is disabled totally and permanently because of LBP [lower back pain].

LBP [lower back pain] is second only to the common cold as a cause of lost work time; it is the fifth most frequent cause for hospitalization and the third most common reason to undergo a surgical procedure.

Productivity losses from chronic LBP [lower back pain] approach $28 billion annually in the United States."

Shocking? Absolutely.

Want lower back pain relief? The answer lies within the magnificent power of your own body ....

Want more information on how to support your body's natural ability to heal? Check out http://www.BackandNeckPainResources.com.

Question: Exercising with Back Pain?

Question:

What are some good workouts to do if you have back pain?

Answer:

Just for a minute, consider that the cause of your back pain may actually be directly related to the cause of your weight gain.

Yes, it's true that the additional stress, tension and pressure from the added weight definitely contributes to your back pain; however, I would suspect that's only one factor.

Believe it or not, most people misunderstand fat.

People believe that it's additional calories, fats or carbs that "cause" fat - but, the truth is that fat is actually designed to protect you!

In fact, your fat may be saving your life!

The foods that we eat can cause a highly acidic and toxic effect on the body (fat is a symptom, but also is back pain).

When you body is acidic and toxic, your body begins to accumulate fat in order to protect your organs and tissues from the dangerous effects of this environment ... you get rid of those toxins by consuming the right foods and the fat will just melt away faster than any diet, any pills or any exercise you can imagine! And, these foods also are known to support your body's natural ability to heal and provide back pain relief!

As far as exercise, it's best to avoid high impact at the moment to minimize any additional strain on your back (swimming, yoga, gentle rebounding (aka mini-trampoline), light weight training).

The exercise will increase your blood flow, which will help strengthen muscles and joints and eliminate toxins ... all adding to your weight loss and back pain relief.

To your health,

Charlie

Healing Back and Neck Pain Through the Power of Music

We've long known the incredible self-healing powers of the body. In this article, a fascinating your man shares his experience for healing his own back pain through music.

Bozeman Montana Local News: "Shane Colvin had a lot of back pain last year after suffering a compression fracture while sledding on Peets Hill. He found that one of the things that really helped was singing.

THOMAS LEE/CHRONICLE Singer and MSU student body president Shane Colvin has won a prestigious national scholarship to study music therapy in Ireland. “It helped me personally maintain my sanity when I broke my back,” said Colvin, 23, who is Montana State University’s student body president.

“My passion for music and my desire to finish school with a music degree were the only things that saved me.”"

Later in the article, he also goes on to say:

Music therapy is a new field, but it’s an old idea. Colvin cited the Old Testament story of David the giant-slayer playing the lyre to soothe the mentally unstable King Saul. The Greeks recognized the power of music to affect people’s moods, he said, yet the American Musical Therapy Association didn’t form until 1998.

Music therapy is less expensive than drugs, non-invasive, can speed healing, soothe pain, calm patients and assist memory, he said.

Question: Can lower back pain cause poor circulation in my feet?

I recently answered a question that I thought I would share:

"Is it possible that my lower back pain or ache will cause poor blood circulation to the feet?"

My response:

There are many causes for lower back pain and poor circulation. That said, one of the most popular causes of back pain has to do with your body's balance.

A simple imbalance in your posture (often undetectable by the untrained eye) can add stress and tension to your muscles, joints and bones causing all sorts of pain and discomfort. This stress on the body may also restrict proper blood flow.

So, to answer your question - lower back pain will not cause poor blood circulation BUT it's possible that the cause of the lower back pain may also be the cause of the poor blood circulation to the feet.

Hope this helps.

To your good health,

Charlie

Can Back and Neck Pain Relief Go Hand-in-Hand With Flu Prevention?

In an insightful article on WebMD, the author discusses "12 Tips to Prevent a Cold." Many of them are rather obvious (such as wash your hands and get plenty of sleep), but some others are a little less known.

I've taken the time to highlight those lessor known flu prevention tips because, interestingly enough, they also coincide with a few neck and back pain relief strategies in the book "Powerful Strategies for Back and Neck Pain Relief."

Why do you think this might be?

Because pain is a sign that something is not working correctly in your body - perhaps it's your health, balance, nutrition or even emotional reasons.

As you'll discover, in most cases, a pain-free body goes hand-in-hand with a healthy body.

Cold and flu prevention - naturally - WebMD:

"#4 Drink Plenty of Fluids
Water flushes your system, washing out the poisons as it rehydrates you. A typical, healthy adult needs eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids each day. How can you tell if you're getting enough liquid? If the color of your urine runs close to clear, you're getting enough. If it's deep yellow, you need more fluids.

#7 Do Aerobic Exercise Regularly
Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood; makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood; and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body's natural virus-killing cells.

#8 Eat Foods Containing Phytochemicals
'Phyto' means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. So put away the vitamin pill, and eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits.

#10 Don't Smoke
Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones.
Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia. These are the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs, and with their wavy movements, sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes."

To a pain free life in good health,
Charlie

Is Rest a Good Idea for Neck and Back Pain Relief?

Time and again, we're learning that Doctors are still telling people that resting is the best solution for neck and back pain relief - but are they right?

In some not-so-common, more severe cases (like major injury or acute pain) - resting might be the best option. But for the more common back and neck pain cases, rest may actually prolong the pain!

Research has shown the neck pain relief and back pain relief can be achieved faster by staying active! Physical activity helps to increase blood flow and stimulate the natural healing abilities of your body - resting only slows down the process.

Supporting your natural ability to heal is of paramount importance for achieving long term neck and back pain relief and, though exercise is important, total relief will come once you identify the causes of your neck and back pain and treat them appropriately.

Unfortunately, most healthcare professionals are inadequately trained in the field of neck and back pain relief as total relief comes from either one or all of the following:

• Physical healing
• Nutritional healing
• Emotional healing

If your healthcare practitioner is unable to help you address all these concerns, feel free to check out www.backandneckpainresources.com for fast and effective strategies for powerful back and neck pain relief.