Archive for January 2010
3 Major Reasons You Suffer Back Pain
The curse of Back Pain is becoming a more common ailment and although anyone can at some point in time face it, a number of factors can increase the risk of suffering from it. These risks can emerge from a wide variety of factors from activity that is undertaken purposefully to lifestyle habits that you might not have thought would have an effect on the health of your Back.
Back Pain can become more common with age but this does not mean that you have to accept it as part of becoming older. And it is not just the older generation that is more prone to it as often it is those in their 30′s and 40′s that can suffer greatly. This is much more prevalent among those less physically fit. Where back and abdominal muscles are allowed to become weak they may not properly support the spine. It is common for those who have been inactive all week to consciously undertake exercise in a concentrated period over the weekend. Whilst this has benefits they are unfortunately more likely to suffer painful back injuries than people who make moderate physical activity a daily habit. Studies show that low-impact pilates exercise is good for the discs that cushion the vertebrae, the individual bones that make up the spine.
Many diseases can cause or contribute to back pain. These include various forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, and cancers elsewhere in the body that may spread to the spine. In addition, lifestyle choices such as smoking may not directly be the cause, it increases your risk of developing low back pain and sciatica. As an example, by continuing smoking it may contribute to pain by blocking the body’s ability to naturally deliver nutrients required by the disks of the lower back. As a result of smoking, it is not uncommon for repeated coughing to have a detrimental effect on the muscles around the back leading to pain. And just for good measure, smoking has been found to slow the healing process which will have the effect of prolonging pain as a result of back injuries, back surgery or broken bones. Another lifestyle choice of a diet high in calories and fat, combined with an inactive lifestyle, can lead to obesity, which can put stress on the back.
Another reason for the onset of back pain is from activity which is related to types of work. Having a job that requires heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling, particularly when this involves twisting or vibrating the spine, can lead to injury and back pain. In complete contrast, undertaking an inactive job such as sitting at a desk for long periods of the working day may also lead to or contribute to pain, especially if you have a poor sitting posture that places undue pressure on the spine which can be due to the choice of an inappropriate chair. This can lead to the muscles becoming out of alignment and thus creating unnecessary strain on them.
Michael Tasker
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/3-major-reasons-you-suffer-back-pain-723734.html
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My Aching Back!
You’ve probably heard, or uttered, those words. Doctors hear them often. Back pain is one of the most common complaints in medical practice.
Causes of Neck and Back Pain
What would cause a sharp searing pain on my right back side? What causes upper back shoulder pain and neck pain? What causes neck and back pain?
These are but a few of the questions asked by millions who suffer back pain each year – about 6 million in the U.S. alone. An estimated 80% of us will experience back pain sometime in our lives. It may occur by itself, or be accompanied by other symptoms such as fever and chills.
The causes of back pain are many, making diagnosis difficult and critical. We recommend that you see your doctor for all back pain. Most causes of back pain involve no serious underlying problem, and the pain can be relieved in a few days or weeks. If the causes of back pain you experience involve other symptoms, the tips offered here are not to be followed without medical advice.
Causes of Back Pain in the Lower Back
Low back pain affects the lower part of your back – between the bottom of your ribs in back down to the top of your legs.
Doctors break down low back pain into three categories according to how long you have had it:
1. Acute Low Back Pain – you have had it less than 6 weeks
2. Sub-acute Low Back Pain – you have had it 6 to 12 weeks
3. Chronic Low Back Pain – you have had it longer than 3 months
Causes of back pain in the lower back are most often linked to strain of back muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Sometimes the cushion between the bones is strained. Sometimes you will know the exact causes of back pain in your lower back. Other times, it may hit without warning.
Causes of back pain in the lower back include:
* past injuries that are not fully healed
* incorrect lifting techniques
* incorrect posture
* little exercise
* vehicular accidents
* improper setup of your work area
* long hours at a desk
* long hours by the TV
* obesity
* pregnancy
Causes of Back Pain in the Mid Back
The causes of back pain in the mid back usually fall into the category of irritation or injury to muscles and ligaments of your middle spine – the area along the backs of your ribs.
Some or all of the following may be causes of back pain in your mid back:
* past injuries that are not fully healed
* incorrect lifting techniques
* incorrect posture
* little exercise
* vehicular accidents
* improper setup of your work area
* long hours at a desk
* long hours by the TV
* obesity
* pregnancy
Causes of Back Pain in the Upper Back and Neck
Some people refer to this as upper back shoulder pain and neck pain. This pain is felt in the area between the back of your chest and the base of your skull.
Causes of back pain in your upper back, unrelated to the shoulders and neck, are usually muscular irritation and joint dysfunction.
Shoulder and neck pain are more common than pain in the center of your upper back. Your neck supports your head. Made of seven, stacked vertebrae bones that are cushioned by cartilage discs bound together with ligaments, your neck is very mobile. Muscles provide movement and support to your neck.
Your neck is more susceptible to injury than the rest of your upper back. Trauma, poor posture, and degenerative diseases such as arthritis, are the most common causes of back pain in the neck area. Whiplash is another cause of back pain in the neck.
If you were a vehicle passenger involved in a rear end collision, you may have suffered whiplash injury to your neck. The impact of the collision would force your head back and then forward at a great speed. This would stretch your neck and upper back too much and too quickly, resulting in a strain or tear to supporting ligaments, muscles and discs. It could even irritate your upper back nerves.
Your shoulder is a ball and socket joint that offers a large range of movement. Like your neck, this mobile joint tends to be more susceptible to injury. Your shoulder joints depend on shoulder muscles to keep them stable. Causes of back pain in the shoulder area usually involve these muscles.
Incorrect posture can cause both neck and shoulder pain.
* Standing with your shoulders slouching, chin jutting forward, can put extra strain on your ligaments and muscles.
* Sitting with your head down for long periods of time as you work at a desk or read can exert similar strain.
* Slumping in your seat is another cause of shoulder and neck pain.
* If you tend to sleep on your stomach, your sleeping posture could be the cause of back pain.
Other Causes of Back Pain
As shown above, causes of back pain are most often linked to strain of back muscles, ligaments, or tendons. There are many conditions other than strain, however, that can cause back pain. Below is a partial list:
* Arthritis – causing joint inflammation
* Herniated disc – irritating nearby nerves
* Spinal stenosis – spinal canal narrowing that compresses nerves
* Spondylolisthesis – slipped vertebrae resulting in pinched nerves
* Vertebral fractures – resulting from trauma or osteoporosis
* Degenerative disc disease – aging process that breaks down discs
Whatever the causes of back pain, the most effective prevention is to overcome incorrect posture and incorrect lifting techniques.
Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/my-aching-back-108372.html
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After 20 Years of Punishment… Farewell to the Phenomenal Agassi
By Camilla Mancini
Andre Kirk Agassi has been one of the greatest professional tennis players in history. With a rollercoaster career he had shown to all the tennis world followers what it means to love the sport. For a total of 101 weeks he got to be the No.1 in the World rankings.
Taught by his father, Mike Agassi, Andre started playing at a very young age. At his short 16 he started his professional career and won his first top-level singles title at Itaparica on 1987.
No one ever reached a top-level as fast as Agassi did: in 1988 he won 6 tournaments and by the end of that same year he had earned more than $2 million in prize money, with only 43 tournaments played.
On those first Years his image gave a lot to talk about, his long blond scruffy hair and his untraditional for a tennis player attitude and looks started to turn him into a showman and caught the people’s attention.
In 1990, the 20 year-old Andre got in to the French Open where he put the press upside down with his rebel outlook; in fact he named for the press, his fluorescent lycra, shirt and headband costume, the “Lycra, hot lava look”.
The president of the French and the International Tennis federations back in to those days, Philippe Chatrier, appreciated tradition and soon criticized Agassi’s unorthodox clothing, to what Agassi respond: “These bozos will look for anything to talk about. You should see my next outfit, if you think this one’s wild… I think you should have freedom to express what you feel. Wearing colors is what tennis needs. Without colors I’d still be me but I’d be more boring.”
During these years his rebelliousness against the All England Club’s rules about color clothing, kept him out of the Wimbledon Tournament. For three years he insisted that he didn’t possessed any suitable attire for the championships, in other words nothing in white color _ the request to all players is to wear only white cloth.
At his 21 he realized that while he was wasting his time with the press, his comrades Sampras, Chang and Courier were passing ahead him taking all the honors away, and leaving him on the back of the row. Therefore he accepted Wimbledon’s rules and went to the tournament that same year.
The acceptance to the regulations of the Centre Court gave Agassi his first Grand Slam, After he defeated Goran Ivanisevic in a tight five set final, in his second participation in the Wimbledon Open.
Agassi used a baseline style of play, thanks to his short backswing and excellent hand-eye coordination, he could made contact with the ball ‘inside’ the baseline _something really hard to do even for professional players.In fact John McEnroy among others called Andre the best service returner ever to play tennis; Brad Gilbert (coach) also said he was the best ball striker in the history of tennis.
Getting more focus Agassi started to care more about his healthiness and with that advantage began to use a new strategy that consisted on wear down his opponents, making them run too much. For this reason his opponents gave him the nickname “The Punisher”.
After a wrist surgery in 1993, he came back feeling and playing better than ever. As a result won his second Grand Slam at the US Open in 1994, after beaten Michael Chang in the quarterfinal and Michael Stich in the final.
Andre also founded during this time the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation created to provide recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk children in Southern Nevada; “I have been very blessed and had many opportunities available to me” said Agassi.
Next year Andre played against Pete Sampras in the Australian Open final, capturing is first triumph on this tournament after a great four set final. That year was probably the best one in his career; he won 72 matches and just lost 10 and for the first time and for 30 weeks in a row got to be World No. 1 in the ranking. In 1996 ‘The Punisher’ got the gold medal in the Atlanta Olympics after beating the Spain Sergi Bruguera in straight sets in the final.
However 1997 wasn’t going to be a good year. Agassi’s love for tennis was apparently being killed by Hollywood’s bad publicity. His turbulent relationship and marriage with the actress Brooke Shields, was keeping him away from his career. In November that year his ranking felt down to the World No.141 position and during the entire year didn’t won any top-level titles.
During 1998 he began to worry more about his performance and physical condition in the sport competitions. He participated in several events, always trying to get back in the track. By the end of the year he proved what an excellent and dedicated sportsman he turned into. Winning 5 titles in 10 finals and jumping on the rankings from the World No. 141 at the start of the year, to the No. 6 at the end of it; making it the highest leap to the top 10 ever made in history.
In 1999 got divorced after the 2-years-marriage with Shields. One down for love, but great things for his tennis career came along. Agassi beat Andrei Medvedev in a five-set French Open final, this way becoming the fifth man to won the four Grand Slams singles titles. As prove to his adaptability, Andre is also the only one of the quintet who won the four titles in four different surfaces. Plus he reached the final at the Wimbledon Open, where he lost to Sampras and later a second Us Open trophy gave the perfect finale to a World No. 1 Andre Agassi’s year.
Keeping a right patch 2000 and 2001 gave him two more Australian Open titles. In addition, during these two years Agassi awarded us with some of his best matches:
2000: what many people regard as one of the best matches ever seen at Wimbledon was the final against Patrick Rafter.
2001: at the Us Open quarterfinals played against his compatriot, Sampras although Andre lost it is considered to be one of tournament’s all-time greatest matches.
On October 22, 2001 Andre got married for the second time, with former tennis player Steffi Graf, who dated before his divorce Brooke Shields was over.
In 2002 one more time Agassi took part on the US Open final, alongside with his ‘archienemy’ Pete Sampras. On this match, that end up being their last duel, Sampras defeated “The Punisher”; after it, Pete stopped participating in competitions and in 2003 he officially retired. Meanwhile Andre’s victories at the Miami, the Rome and the Madrid Masters, helped him finish the year as the oldest year-end No. 2 at 32 years and 8 months.
On May 11, 2003 regained the top position in the world rankings, being the oldest player to hold that spot. His eighth Grand Slam arrived that year, in company with 2 ATP Tour titles and an ATP Master Series victory.
With 34 years, won his 17th ATP Masters Series title, the Cincinnati Masters; he won in 7of the nine Masters Series, missing only Hamburg and Monte Carlo. In 2005 he reached his current record of 60 titles, the last one in the ATP Tour in Los Angeles.
During the French Open in 2005 he lost against Jarkko Nieminen for a pain related to a pinched sciatic nerve. He kept playing in several events, but a persistent back injury continued troubling and at Wimbledon when he lost after the three rough sets with Rafael Nadal the media started to speculate about his retirement.
Agassi had a difficult start this year. He was still in recover from his back-leg and ankle pains. After all the suspense, he finally announced this year, on June 24, that the 2006 US Open was going to be his last tournament.
To play this week Agassi needed cortisone and anti-inflammatory injections for the pain, “I take pride in the striving” said Agassi about his situation and his decision to play until the end.
All his fans were wondering on Sunday if he was going to be able to fight back well against the 25-year-old Benjamin Backer. Since despite all the pain he was having and the extra-effort he was making, he made it through before, in his first two matches against Andrei Pavel and Marcos Baghdatis.
As we all know by now our dearest Andre couldn’t make it, although he pushed himself to the limit. Agassi was beaten on Sunday by the German, who was defeated the very next day by Andy Roddick.
By the end of the match we saw an Agassi with eyes full of tears as the crowd stand up and applaud him for around four minutes. Among the crowd his wife and kids showed him their support. Also joining the people in the ovation was Becker, who said later to the press: “He was my idol growing up”, as he gave his opinion about Agassi.
No one really cared about the scoreboard; ‘The Punisher’ gave more than what he was expected to give. He said to his fans in the field: “The scoreboard said I lost today… But what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what is I’ve found…”
I can say for all of his fans as well as for me that we are going to remember Andre Agassi forever, especially for those like me who grew up watching him ascend into the top positions.
His image, the desire of success and the effort, everything he gave us, was and is until today, somehow, inspiring. Even on his first rebel years he fought for what he believed in, when he felt he did all he needed to do to place back in the top, and there’s where lays the difference between greatness and mediocrity.
So, farewell Andre and thank you for everything you gave us in these wonderful 20 years!
Camilla Mancini
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/after-20-years-of-punishment-farewell-to-the-phenomenal-agassi-53875.html
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Natural Solutions And Remedies For Pain Relief
Posture – Slouching is when you drop your shoulder forward and your head downward. The tendency is for your back to work extra just to maintain your balance. As a result, it puts pressure on your vertebrae, which will likely cause your back to ache. Stop slouching and start to stand and seat straight. This will not only make your look good, it will also make you feel good.
Massage Therapy – Massage helps relieve back pain, shin splints, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel type symptoms, neck stiffness, sciatica, bursitis, headaches, tennis elbow, and low back stiffness by treating trigger points. Trigger points are accretions of waste products in the region of a nerve receptor which manifest themselves in the forms of dull ache, hot or cold, harp pain, pins and needles, and tingling among others.
Exercise – Your bones should carry your weight. But if your weight exceeds the carrying capacity, then you should be feeling pain right now. There are certain exercises that strengthen the bones. Meanwhile, loosing weight is another way to relieve the stress on your bone. People who are either obese or overweight and experiencing pain might not realize that the main contributor to the pain they feel is their weight.
Balneotherapy – “balneo” (from balneum) is a Latin word meaning bath. Balneotherapy is a kind of hydrotherapy that involves bathing in warm water or mineral water. Researches found that balneotherapy possesses significant beneficial effects for people experiencing body pain. Balneotherapy meanwhile should not be applied to people with heart condition unless supervised with primary care provider.
Sleeping position – the best way to sleep is on your side with your knees bend with a pillow between your legs. For pregnant women who experience back pain, sleeping on the side would be the best remedy for it. Place a pillow under your abdomen to support its weight.
Vitamin D – pain can be a manifestation of Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D can be found in fortified milk and cereals, soya milk, margarine, fish, and sunlight.
Hot and cold – back pain can be alleviated by applying cold pack at their back. Other people find heat to be a source of Relief. A combination of either hot or cold and massage would also work for other people. Trying out any of these would not do you harm so feel free to explore the possibilities of finding Relief to either of them.
Rest – at the office, an all day’s work would mean seating for long hours. This is okay if you are maintaining a good posture all throughout the day. However, the temptation to slouch is great that you completely forget you are slouching. After that, you complain about the pain at your back. Surprisingly, a few minutes of rest is all you need help remove the pain.
John Furnem
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/natural-solutions-and-remedies-for-pain-Relief-85337.html
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What Are The Causes Of Pain In Lower Right Back?
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 spine’s 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.
Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/what-are-the-causes-of-pain-in-lower-right-back-117782.html
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