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Can a disc herniation cause paralysis? The spinal cord stops high up in the spine (lumbar 1) so there are only nerve roots in the lumbar spine. Nerve roots are very tough structures, so even a sizable disc herniation is very unlikely to cause paralysis. Rarely, a large disc herniation can cause loss of bowel or bladder control due to damage to the sacral nerves, or progressive weakness in the legs due to damage to the lumbar nerve roots. If you experience either of these conditions, medical attention should be sought immediately. I am 35 years old and already have chronic low back pain. Can I expect that my pain will continue to worsen and that I will become more crippled as I get older? Individuals in their thirties and forties are more likely to experience significant back pain than those who are in their sixties and seventies. This is probably due to the fact that as the spine ages and degenerates, there is less motion and consequently less pain related to the motion. Also as we age the proteins in the disc space will eventually wear out, and these proteins tend to be the source of inflammation and pain. As a result, your back pain is more likely to improve with age rather than get worse. My child has recently been diagnosed with scoliosis. What are the chances she will have back pain in adulthood? For all intents and purposes, her chances are about the same as the general population; about 80% likelihood that she will have low back pain at some point. Scoliosis represents a structural deformity primarily in the thoracic (chest) spine, and has not been shown to be painful in childhood or adulthood. You should however consult a chiropractor so that proper motion can be restored to those joints that are affected. My father died of bone cancer. Could my back pain be from cancer? Cancer pain will typically be continuous, with pain at night usually worse than the day pain. It is also usually associated with constitutional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, or fatigue. Most people who develop metastasis to the bone will already have a known primary bone tumor. If your pain is activity-related and you do not have any constitutional symptoms, it is very unlikely that your pain would be from a bone tumor. I am scheduled to have a fusion surgery. Will I be able to go up steps after the surgery? Steps after surgery are usually not a problem. However, your surgeon will probably want you to limit bending, lifting and twisting motions after the surgery to allow the fusion to successfully set up (see also lumbar spinal fusion). I had a microdiscectomy two weeks ago and continue to have numbness in my leg. The pain in the leg is gone, but will the numbness be permanent? Numbness in the leg usually takes longer to go away than the pain. It can take several weeks to months, and may even take up to a year for the numbness to go away. If the numbness is still there after a year, then it is probably permanent. You should consult a chiropractor who specializes in the treatment of the lower back. If I need surgery should I see an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon for my spine problem? The first thing to consider is IF you REALLY need surgery. An honest surgeon will tell you that surgery has a high failure rate, estimated at 50% within the first two years. But there ARE cases where conservative care does not handle the problem. My opinion is to start with a chiropractor who treats many cases of lower back pain. If you don't have at least 20% relief in the first three weeks, you should ask for a referral. And don't be hesitant to seek another opinion from another chiropractor. I have seen many people make the statement "I didn't get results with chiropractic." When I then ask them how many chiropractors they saw they tell me "Oh just one". What you need to understand is that there are MANY different techniques to treat back problems in the chiropractic field. What works for one patient may not work for the next. You should NOT GIVE UP hope and KEEP SEEKING for the doctor who will finally help you. I know from experience that the honest, compentent doctor will see to your best interests and if he can't help, he'll do everything he can do to find someone who can. In the 21 years I have practiced, I can count on my hands and feet the number of people who really needed surgery. This is out of thousands of cases. In a case where surgery is necessary (and this is only about 20% of the time) you should neither see an orthpaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. In our opinion you should see a spinal surgeon. A spinal surgeon is a physician who has gone through a residency training program in either neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery. After that training is completed, the surgeon has then gone to do a spinal fellowship, which is a one to two year additional training program. During this fellowship time, the surgeon works with and learns from mentors who only do spinal surgery and have dedicated their practice to diseases of the spine. This subspecialization should also be found in the spinal surgeon’s practice. You do not want to go to an orthopaedic surgeon who does hips, knees, shoulders, etc. or a neurosurgeon who also does brain surgery, etc. Therefore, you should see a spinal surgeon who has a fellowship in spinal surgery and has dedicated his or her practice to diseases of the spine. I have referred to neurosurgeons that do primarily back surgery and my patients have received great results, but it is important to know that these doctors do primarily back surgeries over any other surgery in their practice. This is a word to the wise. Remember that surgery is the LAST alternative for the majority of back problems. Those who need surgery on an immediate basis include those people who have lost bowel or bladder control. Read about the myths and reality of back pain for more information. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I am 35 years old and already have chronic low back pain. Can I expect that my pain will continue to worsen and that I will become more crippled as I get older? Individuals in their thirties and forties are more likely to experience significant back pain than those who are in their sixties and seventies. This is probably due to the fact that as the spine ages and degenerates, there is less motion and consequently less pain related to the motion. Also as we age the proteins in the disc space will eventually wear out, and these proteins tend to be the source of inflammation and pain. As a result, your back pain is more likely to improve with age rather than get worse. My child has recently been diagnosed with scoliosis. What are the chances she will have back pain in adulthood? For all intents and purposes, her chances are about the same as the general population; about 80% likelihood that she will have low back pain at some point. Scoliosis represents a structural deformity primarily in the thoracic (chest) spine, and has not been shown to be painful in childhood or adulthood. You should however consult a chiropractor so that proper motion can be restored to those joints that are affected. My father died of bone cancer. Could my back pain be from cancer? Cancer pain will typically be continuous, with pain at night usually worse than the day pain. It is also usually associated with constitutional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, or fatigue. Most people who develop metastasis to the bone will already have a known primary bone tumor. If your pain is activity-related and you do not have any constitutional symptoms, it is very unlikely that your pain would be from a bone tumor. I am scheduled to have a fusion surgery. Will I be able to go up steps after the surgery? Steps after surgery are usually not a problem. However, your surgeon will probably want you to limit bending, lifting and twisting motions after the surgery to allow the fusion to successfully set up (see also lumbar spinal fusion). I had a microdiscectomy two weeks ago and continue to have numbness in my leg. The pain in the leg is gone, but will the numbness be permanent? Numbness in the leg usually takes longer to go away than the pain. It can take several weeks to months, and may even take up to a year for the numbness to go away. If the numbness is still there after a year, then it is probably permanent. You should consult a chiropractor who specializes in the treatment of the lower back. If I need surgery should I see an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon for my spine problem? The first thing to consider is IF you REALLY need surgery. An honest surgeon will tell you that surgery has a high failure rate, estimated at 50% within the first two years. But there ARE cases where conservative care does not handle the problem. My opinion is to start with a chiropractor who treats many cases of lower back pain. If you don't have at least 20% relief in the first three weeks, you should ask for a referral. And don't be hesitant to seek another opinion from another chiropractor. I have seen many people make the statement "I didn't get results with chiropractic." When I then ask them how many chiropractors they saw they tell me "Oh just one". What you need to understand is that there are MANY different techniques to treat back problems in the chiropractic field. What works for one patient may not work for the next. You should NOT GIVE UP hope and KEEP SEEKING for the doctor who will finally help you. I know from experience that the honest, compentent doctor will see to your best interests and if he can't help, he'll do everything he can do to find someone who can. In the 21 years I have practiced, I can count on my hands and feet the number of people who really needed surgery. This is out of thousands of cases. In a case where surgery is necessary (and this is only about 20% of the time) you should neither see an orthpaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. In our opinion you should see a spinal surgeon. A spinal surgeon is a physician who has gone through a residency training program in either neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery. After that training is completed, the surgeon has then gone to do a spinal fellowship, which is a one to two year additional training program. During this fellowship time, the surgeon works with and learns from mentors who only do spinal surgery and have dedicated their practice to diseases of the spine. This subspecialization should also be found in the spinal surgeon’s practice. You do not want to go to an orthopaedic surgeon who does hips, knees, shoulders, etc. or a neurosurgeon who also does brain surgery, etc. Therefore, you should see a spinal surgeon who has a fellowship in spinal surgery and has dedicated his or her practice to diseases of the spine. I have referred to neurosurgeons that do primarily back surgery and my patients have received great results, but it is important to know that these doctors do primarily back surgeries over any other surgery in their practice. This is a word to the wise. Remember that surgery is the LAST alternative for the majority of back problems. Those who need surgery on an immediate basis include those people who have lost bowel or bladder control. Read about the myths and reality of back pain for more information. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
My child has recently been diagnosed with scoliosis. What are the chances she will have back pain in adulthood? For all intents and purposes, her chances are about the same as the general population; about 80% likelihood that she will have low back pain at some point. Scoliosis represents a structural deformity primarily in the thoracic (chest) spine, and has not been shown to be painful in childhood or adulthood. You should however consult a chiropractor so that proper motion can be restored to those joints that are affected. My father died of bone cancer. Could my back pain be from cancer? Cancer pain will typically be continuous, with pain at night usually worse than the day pain. It is also usually associated with constitutional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, or fatigue. Most people who develop metastasis to the bone will already have a known primary bone tumor. If your pain is activity-related and you do not have any constitutional symptoms, it is very unlikely that your pain would be from a bone tumor. I am scheduled to have a fusion surgery. Will I be able to go up steps after the surgery? Steps after surgery are usually not a problem. However, your surgeon will probably want you to limit bending, lifting and twisting motions after the surgery to allow the fusion to successfully set up (see also lumbar spinal fusion). I had a microdiscectomy two weeks ago and continue to have numbness in my leg. The pain in the leg is gone, but will the numbness be permanent? Numbness in the leg usually takes longer to go away than the pain. It can take several weeks to months, and may even take up to a year for the numbness to go away. If the numbness is still there after a year, then it is probably permanent. You should consult a chiropractor who specializes in the treatment of the lower back. If I need surgery should I see an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon for my spine problem? The first thing to consider is IF you REALLY need surgery. An honest surgeon will tell you that surgery has a high failure rate, estimated at 50% within the first two years. But there ARE cases where conservative care does not handle the problem. My opinion is to start with a chiropractor who treats many cases of lower back pain. If you don't have at least 20% relief in the first three weeks, you should ask for a referral. And don't be hesitant to seek another opinion from another chiropractor. I have seen many people make the statement "I didn't get results with chiropractic." When I then ask them how many chiropractors they saw they tell me "Oh just one". What you need to understand is that there are MANY different techniques to treat back problems in the chiropractic field. What works for one patient may not work for the next. You should NOT GIVE UP hope and KEEP SEEKING for the doctor who will finally help you. I know from experience that the honest, compentent doctor will see to your best interests and if he can't help, he'll do everything he can do to find someone who can. In the 21 years I have practiced, I can count on my hands and feet the number of people who really needed surgery. This is out of thousands of cases. In a case where surgery is necessary (and this is only about 20% of the time) you should neither see an orthpaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. In our opinion you should see a spinal surgeon. A spinal surgeon is a physician who has gone through a residency training program in either neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery. After that training is completed, the surgeon has then gone to do a spinal fellowship, which is a one to two year additional training program. During this fellowship time, the surgeon works with and learns from mentors who only do spinal surgery and have dedicated their practice to diseases of the spine. This subspecialization should also be found in the spinal surgeon’s practice. You do not want to go to an orthopaedic surgeon who does hips, knees, shoulders, etc. or a neurosurgeon who also does brain surgery, etc. Therefore, you should see a spinal surgeon who has a fellowship in spinal surgery and has dedicated his or her practice to diseases of the spine. I have referred to neurosurgeons that do primarily back surgery and my patients have received great results, but it is important to know that these doctors do primarily back surgeries over any other surgery in their practice. This is a word to the wise. Remember that surgery is the LAST alternative for the majority of back problems. Those who need surgery on an immediate basis include those people who have lost bowel or bladder control. Read about the myths and reality of back pain for more information. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
My father died of bone cancer. Could my back pain be from cancer? Cancer pain will typically be continuous, with pain at night usually worse than the day pain. It is also usually associated with constitutional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, or fatigue. Most people who develop metastasis to the bone will already have a known primary bone tumor. If your pain is activity-related and you do not have any constitutional symptoms, it is very unlikely that your pain would be from a bone tumor. I am scheduled to have a fusion surgery. Will I be able to go up steps after the surgery? Steps after surgery are usually not a problem. However, your surgeon will probably want you to limit bending, lifting and twisting motions after the surgery to allow the fusion to successfully set up (see also lumbar spinal fusion). I had a microdiscectomy two weeks ago and continue to have numbness in my leg. The pain in the leg is gone, but will the numbness be permanent? Numbness in the leg usually takes longer to go away than the pain. It can take several weeks to months, and may even take up to a year for the numbness to go away. If the numbness is still there after a year, then it is probably permanent. You should consult a chiropractor who specializes in the treatment of the lower back. If I need surgery should I see an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon for my spine problem? The first thing to consider is IF you REALLY need surgery. An honest surgeon will tell you that surgery has a high failure rate, estimated at 50% within the first two years. But there ARE cases where conservative care does not handle the problem. My opinion is to start with a chiropractor who treats many cases of lower back pain. If you don't have at least 20% relief in the first three weeks, you should ask for a referral. And don't be hesitant to seek another opinion from another chiropractor. I have seen many people make the statement "I didn't get results with chiropractic." When I then ask them how many chiropractors they saw they tell me "Oh just one". What you need to understand is that there are MANY different techniques to treat back problems in the chiropractic field. What works for one patient may not work for the next. You should NOT GIVE UP hope and KEEP SEEKING for the doctor who will finally help you. I know from experience that the honest, compentent doctor will see to your best interests and if he can't help, he'll do everything he can do to find someone who can. In the 21 years I have practiced, I can count on my hands and feet the number of people who really needed surgery. This is out of thousands of cases. In a case where surgery is necessary (and this is only about 20% of the time) you should neither see an orthpaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. In our opinion you should see a spinal surgeon. A spinal surgeon is a physician who has gone through a residency training program in either neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery. After that training is completed, the surgeon has then gone to do a spinal fellowship, which is a one to two year additional training program. During this fellowship time, the surgeon works with and learns from mentors who only do spinal surgery and have dedicated their practice to diseases of the spine. This subspecialization should also be found in the spinal surgeon’s practice. You do not want to go to an orthopaedic surgeon who does hips, knees, shoulders, etc. or a neurosurgeon who also does brain surgery, etc. Therefore, you should see a spinal surgeon who has a fellowship in spinal surgery and has dedicated his or her practice to diseases of the spine. I have referred to neurosurgeons that do primarily back surgery and my patients have received great results, but it is important to know that these doctors do primarily back surgeries over any other surgery in their practice. This is a word to the wise. Remember that surgery is the LAST alternative for the majority of back problems. Those who need surgery on an immediate basis include those people who have lost bowel or bladder control. Read about the myths and reality of back pain for more information. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I am scheduled to have a fusion surgery. Will I be able to go up steps after the surgery? Steps after surgery are usually not a problem. However, your surgeon will probably want you to limit bending, lifting and twisting motions after the surgery to allow the fusion to successfully set up (see also lumbar spinal fusion). I had a microdiscectomy two weeks ago and continue to have numbness in my leg. The pain in the leg is gone, but will the numbness be permanent? Numbness in the leg usually takes longer to go away than the pain. It can take several weeks to months, and may even take up to a year for the numbness to go away. If the numbness is still there after a year, then it is probably permanent. You should consult a chiropractor who specializes in the treatment of the lower back. If I need surgery should I see an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon for my spine problem? The first thing to consider is IF you REALLY need surgery. An honest surgeon will tell you that surgery has a high failure rate, estimated at 50% within the first two years. But there ARE cases where conservative care does not handle the problem. My opinion is to start with a chiropractor who treats many cases of lower back pain. If you don't have at least 20% relief in the first three weeks, you should ask for a referral. And don't be hesitant to seek another opinion from another chiropractor. I have seen many people make the statement "I didn't get results with chiropractic." When I then ask them how many chiropractors they saw they tell me "Oh just one". What you need to understand is that there are MANY different techniques to treat back problems in the chiropractic field. What works for one patient may not work for the next. You should NOT GIVE UP hope and KEEP SEEKING for the doctor who will finally help you. I know from experience that the honest, compentent doctor will see to your best interests and if he can't help, he'll do everything he can do to find someone who can. In the 21 years I have practiced, I can count on my hands and feet the number of people who really needed surgery. This is out of thousands of cases. In a case where surgery is necessary (and this is only about 20% of the time) you should neither see an orthpaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. In our opinion you should see a spinal surgeon. A spinal surgeon is a physician who has gone through a residency training program in either neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery. After that training is completed, the surgeon has then gone to do a spinal fellowship, which is a one to two year additional training program. During this fellowship time, the surgeon works with and learns from mentors who only do spinal surgery and have dedicated their practice to diseases of the spine. This subspecialization should also be found in the spinal surgeon’s practice. You do not want to go to an orthopaedic surgeon who does hips, knees, shoulders, etc. or a neurosurgeon who also does brain surgery, etc. Therefore, you should see a spinal surgeon who has a fellowship in spinal surgery and has dedicated his or her practice to diseases of the spine. I have referred to neurosurgeons that do primarily back surgery and my patients have received great results, but it is important to know that these doctors do primarily back surgeries over any other surgery in their practice. This is a word to the wise. Remember that surgery is the LAST alternative for the majority of back problems. Those who need surgery on an immediate basis include those people who have lost bowel or bladder control. Read about the myths and reality of back pain for more information. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I had a microdiscectomy two weeks ago and continue to have numbness in my leg. The pain in the leg is gone, but will the numbness be permanent? Numbness in the leg usually takes longer to go away than the pain. It can take several weeks to months, and may even take up to a year for the numbness to go away. If the numbness is still there after a year, then it is probably permanent. You should consult a chiropractor who specializes in the treatment of the lower back. If I need surgery should I see an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon for my spine problem? The first thing to consider is IF you REALLY need surgery. An honest surgeon will tell you that surgery has a high failure rate, estimated at 50% within the first two years. But there ARE cases where conservative care does not handle the problem. My opinion is to start with a chiropractor who treats many cases of lower back pain. If you don't have at least 20% relief in the first three weeks, you should ask for a referral. And don't be hesitant to seek another opinion from another chiropractor. I have seen many people make the statement "I didn't get results with chiropractic." When I then ask them how many chiropractors they saw they tell me "Oh just one". What you need to understand is that there are MANY different techniques to treat back problems in the chiropractic field. What works for one patient may not work for the next. You should NOT GIVE UP hope and KEEP SEEKING for the doctor who will finally help you. I know from experience that the honest, compentent doctor will see to your best interests and if he can't help, he'll do everything he can do to find someone who can. In the 21 years I have practiced, I can count on my hands and feet the number of people who really needed surgery. This is out of thousands of cases. In a case where surgery is necessary (and this is only about 20% of the time) you should neither see an orthpaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. In our opinion you should see a spinal surgeon. A spinal surgeon is a physician who has gone through a residency training program in either neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery. After that training is completed, the surgeon has then gone to do a spinal fellowship, which is a one to two year additional training program. During this fellowship time, the surgeon works with and learns from mentors who only do spinal surgery and have dedicated their practice to diseases of the spine. This subspecialization should also be found in the spinal surgeon’s practice. You do not want to go to an orthopaedic surgeon who does hips, knees, shoulders, etc. or a neurosurgeon who also does brain surgery, etc. Therefore, you should see a spinal surgeon who has a fellowship in spinal surgery and has dedicated his or her practice to diseases of the spine. I have referred to neurosurgeons that do primarily back surgery and my patients have received great results, but it is important to know that these doctors do primarily back surgeries over any other surgery in their practice. This is a word to the wise. Remember that surgery is the LAST alternative for the majority of back problems. Those who need surgery on an immediate basis include those people who have lost bowel or bladder control. Read about the myths and reality of back pain for more information. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
If I need surgery should I see an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon for my spine problem? The first thing to consider is IF you REALLY need surgery. An honest surgeon will tell you that surgery has a high failure rate, estimated at 50% within the first two years. But there ARE cases where conservative care does not handle the problem. My opinion is to start with a chiropractor who treats many cases of lower back pain. If you don't have at least 20% relief in the first three weeks, you should ask for a referral. And don't be hesitant to seek another opinion from another chiropractor. I have seen many people make the statement "I didn't get results with chiropractic." When I then ask them how many chiropractors they saw they tell me "Oh just one". What you need to understand is that there are MANY different techniques to treat back problems in the chiropractic field. What works for one patient may not work for the next. You should NOT GIVE UP hope and KEEP SEEKING for the doctor who will finally help you. I know from experience that the honest, compentent doctor will see to your best interests and if he can't help, he'll do everything he can do to find someone who can. In the 21 years I have practiced, I can count on my hands and feet the number of people who really needed surgery. This is out of thousands of cases. In a case where surgery is necessary (and this is only about 20% of the time) you should neither see an orthpaedic surgeon or neurosurgeon. In our opinion you should see a spinal surgeon. A spinal surgeon is a physician who has gone through a residency training program in either neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery. After that training is completed, the surgeon has then gone to do a spinal fellowship, which is a one to two year additional training program. During this fellowship time, the surgeon works with and learns from mentors who only do spinal surgery and have dedicated their practice to diseases of the spine. This subspecialization should also be found in the spinal surgeon’s practice. You do not want to go to an orthopaedic surgeon who does hips, knees, shoulders, etc. or a neurosurgeon who also does brain surgery, etc. Therefore, you should see a spinal surgeon who has a fellowship in spinal surgery and has dedicated his or her practice to diseases of the spine. I have referred to neurosurgeons that do primarily back surgery and my patients have received great results, but it is important to know that these doctors do primarily back surgeries over any other surgery in their practice. This is a word to the wise. Remember that surgery is the LAST alternative for the majority of back problems. Those who need surgery on an immediate basis include those people who have lost bowel or bladder control. Read about the myths and reality of back pain for more information. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. A few months ago, she started complaining of back pain. When I finally got her to see a doctor, she was told they did not get all of her original cancer out and that it has metastasized to her spine. Is there anything that can be done to help her at this stage? There are many treatment options for your mother's spinal metastases See the section on cancer for more detailed information. Most importantly, she should be able to obtain excellent pain relief and a good quality of life. I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I was involved in a car wreck when I was 40 and fractured my mid-back. I was operated on by a spine surgeon and had rods put in my back with a bone graft. I now suffer daily pain in my back with severe spasms occasionally going down into my legs. Is there anything that could be done for my back pain? First of all, the source of your back pain needs to be diagnosed. If the fusion stabilization did not heal completely, we call this a non-union. This may be the source of your pain. After this diagnosis is made with imaging studies, the spine could be restabilized and result in relief of your symptoms. Occasionally, the types of symptoms you describe are present even with a solid fusion and stabilization. Cardiovascular conditioning, back-stabilization exercises and avoidance of smoking should provide you the best chances of improvement. My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
My child is 6 years old and constantly complains of back pain. The pain is the worst at night. His greatest relief is with baby aspirin. My pediatrician ignores this. What can I do? First of all, back pain in children is extremely rare and should always be evaluated with great concern. Sometimes the pain is behavioral, but in others, there may be a real problem occurring that causes the pain. Two common reasons in children for back pain are infection and tumor. A thorough examination and workup must be performed by a spine specialists to make sure that these conditions are not present. Please ask your pediatrician for a referral to a spine specialist. I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I started having pain in my lower back about one month ago. It was mild and I could control it with over-the-counter medications. But now the pain has started to go down the back of my leg and even goes to my foot at times causing soreness. Is this sciatica? What would you recommend? Yes, this is a very good description of sciatica. I would recommend a visit with your chiropractor for a physical examination. The chiropractor should be able to determine a list of possible diagnoses for the cause of your sciatica. The diagnosis can be confirmed with an MRI scan or some form of imaging of the lumbar spine. Treatment depends on the diagnosis. About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
About two years ago I fell and injured my coccyx. I sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow for pain relief. Is there anything else I can do to relieve the pain? The coccyx is the lower part of the spine lying below the sacrum in-between the buttocks. This area can be injured by direct blow or fall and sometimes fracture. A severe bruising injury to this area is very painful. Many times it is most painful while sitting, when getting up from a sitting position or when straining to sit down from a standing position. The pillow you are using is a good way to relieve the pain when sitting. Chiropractic manipulation of this area can help resolve the pain. Occasionally, injections of Cortisone may be necessary into the painful area to relieve the pain and sometimes this relief will be permanent. The usual course of this painful syndrome called coccygodynia (painful coccyx) will slowly resolve over time. For complete information regarding this condition go here. I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I am a 68-year-old woman who has had low back pain off and on for many years. When it gets bad, I usually just take it easy for a few days and it seems to go away. About six weeks ago, I slipped slightly while getting out of the shower, and since then I have had a dull but persistent ache in my back that at times shoots down into my left thigh and leg. Rest does not help nor have anti-inflammatories that I have been taking. The pain is waking me up every night, which it has never done before. What would you suggest? The two things that concern me are the shooting pain down into the left thigh and leg (sciatica), and the fact that your pain wakes you up in the evening. I suggest a visit to your chiropractor for a thorough history and physical examination, and he may require an MRI or some other form of imaging of your spine. You may have a pinched nerve either from a herniated disc, degenerative disease or some other process causing your pain. To locate a chiropractor go here. I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I have recently started to have a nagging backache that never seems to completely go away. My husband says it is because I sleep on my stomach. Could this be the cause of my backache? What position do you recommend for sleeping? It is possible that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate your back. Sleeping on your stomach tends to reduce the natural curvature in the lower back and puts more pressure on the joints. Although we all change positions every 90 minutes or so during sleep, I recommend sleeping on your side or back. For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
For the past five years, I have been suffering with low back pain on and off. This pain moves down to my knee and sometimes into my lower leg (sciatica). It seems to be worsening. It increases when I walk as little as one block. Leaning on some kind of support like a shopping cart enables me to walk farther. I have been taking over-the-counter pain medications but do not feel it is helping. Can you suggest something that would relieve my pain? I am concerned not only about your back pain but also your leg pain. I feel that because of the length of time you have been having symptoms, you should undergo some form of imaging such as an MRI. There may be a herniated disc or some other condition causing a pinching of the nerve that goes down your leg. Most often chiropractic and a home-exercise program can provide long-term relief. I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I am a laborer at a local tackle shop and often have to lift heavy boxes of bait and dry ice. Although I always wear a brace while working, I recently felt a sharp pain in my back while lifting a box. Since that time, I have continued to have some pain in my lower back but mostly I am having pain and tingling in my leg up into the hip area. I have been to a chiropractor weekly for the last month with very little relief. I was diagnosed with mild spinal stenosis as a teen-ager but was never treated for this. Could this be contributing to my current back problem? Yes, the spinal stenosis could be contributing to your back problem. If you have a pre-existing spinal stenosis and add a degenerative arthritic condition to the spine, then nerve compression can occur. You should ask for a possible MRI or CT scan from your chiropractor or be referred to another chiropractor for a different method of treatment. I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I am 38 and am in excellent health. Six months ago I started having severe cramps in my right leg and back, which kept me in bed for two weeks. Eventually the cramps disappeared but I was left with constant numbness and tingling in my right calf and foot. X-rays confirmed a problem with my sciatic nerve. Can you tell me what to do to relieve the constant ache and numbness in my calf and foot? Also, my lower back has been weak and I am unable to resume a regular exercise program. It appears as though you have had these symptoms in your right leg for many months. It is good that the cramping type of pain has eased but worrisome that there is numbness and tingling as a residual. X-rays are actually unable to confirm a problem with the nerve and usually an MRI scan or some other type of sophisticated imaging is required in order to confirm this diagnosis. Usually the back and leg symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic therapy. Another very common cause for this type of pain is damage to the blood vessels surrounding the nerve. In this case Cataplex® E2 can definitely help heal the damage. You should be able to return to your regular exercise program and eventually ease your right leg symptoms. You may require an MRI scan before treatment. I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
I am 22 and work out avidly. I ride my bike 20 to 30 miles three or four times a week and in-line skate on the other days. I am a nonsmoker in excellent physical condition. I recently started having irritating, nagging low back pain during the day. I am OK in the evening but sometimes I am awakened by the pain. A hot shower generally relieves my back spasms. What should I do? Your history is typical of avid athletes. You have already done many of the things that we recommend to patients who have back pain. Although cardiovascular conditioning is one of the first steps, many times the muscles that support the back become fatigued during the other activities that you are doing. Specific back-stabilization exercises can be incorporated into your workout routine to help strengthen your back and allow the muscles to support the spine during other activities of daily living. These can be taught by a chiropractor in a few sessions. What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
What can I do to protect my back when I lift heavy objects? What is proper lifting technique? To prevent low back pain when you lift heavy objects, let your lower body do most of the work. Squat down in front of the object while keeping your back straight. (This position protects your back, but it can be hard on your knees.) Tighten your abdominal muscles as you unbend your knees to lift straight up. Keep the object as close to your chest as possible and do not twist at the waist; your shoulders and hips should always be aimed in the same direction when you lift heavy objects or carrying heavy objects. Never pull a heavy object when you can push it instead. For shifting very heavy objects, get help. Use pushcarts, wheelbarrows, and forklifts when they are available. What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
What kind of mattress is best for someone who experiences back pain? Which sleep position is best? To prevent low back pain when you sleep, use a firm, not necessarily hard, mattress. Sleep on your side with your knees slightly tucked up; this position puts the least strain on your back. A pillow between your knees reduces the pressure even more. If you prefer to sleep on your back, use a pillow under your knees. Sleeping on your stomach will put the spine into an unnatural position and can lead directly to morning backache. Some people use a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood under a sagging mattress to provide better support. Other people use a waterbed, which distributes body weight more evenly than other types of mattresses do. A good rule of thumb is to use whatever is most comfortable for you. For 30 years the International Chiropractic Association has endorsed mattresses manufactured by King Koil. Visit their web site here. How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
How will I know when it's time to buy a new mattress? Because mattress "loss of comfort and support" is so gradual, you may not realize that your current sleep set is not as supportive as it used to be. Experts agree that it is a good idea to replace your sleep set every 8-10 years to insure you are getting the healthful, restful sleep you deserve. Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
Why is it important to sleep on the best mattress you can afford? It's the quality of the construction that determines how long your mattress and foundation will last. The best assurance of good performance over many years is to buy the very best quality sleep set you can afford. "Bargain" bedding is no bargain when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. For only pennies a night, you can sleep on the best. How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
How do I shop for a mattress? Shop together, if two people are sleeping on the mattress. Wear comfortable clothes and plan on lying down on the sleep sets in your natural sleeping positions. Stay relaxed and roll around and lie on your side. With proper edge supports you will not feel as if you want to roll off the edge of the bed. (Sitting on the edge of the bed is another good test.) This is the best way to test the comfort and support of the mattress that's right for both of you. And because mattresses and foundations are engineered to work together, always buy bedding in sets. What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
What types of exercises are safe for someone with back pain? Exercising when you have back pain can help you feel better faster and prevent more back problems. A gradual return to normal activities, including exercise, is recommended. Even if you have mild to moderate low back pain, you can do the following without putting much stress on your back: Walk short distances. Stretch and do flexibility exercises. Use a stationary bicycle. Swim. It is important that you start slowly and gradually build up the speed and length of time that you do the exercise. At first, your symptoms may get a little worse when you exercise or become more active. Usually, this worsening is nothing to worry about. However, if your pain becomes severe, contact your healthcare provider. Once you can return comfortably to normal activities, your healthcare provider may recommend additional aerobic and back exercises. Be careful with vigorous exercises. Vigorous exercises such as running, jogging, and other forms of aerobic conditioning are good for your heart and lungs, but the regular impact of your feet hitting the ground or floor can be hard on your spine and knees. The twisting motions involved in some vigorous racquet sports put pressure on the spine just as twisting while lifting boxes does. Contact sports result in frequent back problems, and even back injuries. If you prefer vigorous forms of aerobic activity, it is extremely important for you to add stretching and flexibility exercises to your routine. If possible, do these exercises immediately after you finish each run or each game, when your muscles are warm. Swimming, stationary cycling, and brisk walking provide the advantages of aerobic exercise without additional stress on your spine.
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