Weight lifting for building body carries its own risk

There is a craze in youngsters to build body these days.Copying current set of actors , they crave for similar curvy,muscular bodies.To attain this,youngsters start lifting weights like anything.They don't understand that lifting can't be done just like that,it is a specialised sport and those who do it ,have spent years and years on mastering the technique of lifting weights.Despite all this,these trained people also sometimes suffer injuries.But these untrained and uninformed youngsters don't realise the risk of the short cut they follow to make body. 
Many have suffered grave injuries,I even know the case of a youngster whose lower half of body got paralysed.So please before you start lifting weights,remember it carries risk and should be done only in the presence of some one who is very experienced.

Why health as a subject been ignored in elections

Health which is the most basic issue has totally been ignored in elections.Even media is not asking questions on why health as a subject been completely sidelined.In advance countries, the primary concern of the public is health.Here we have so many health problems but still a line has not been said by any politician worth his salt on diseases and how will they check their spread.Awareness on such issues is lacking a lot.

Bending posture is pivotal for good spinal health.

 How we harm our spine.When we bend in a humped manner,we exert force which ultimately causes ruptures.The best is to sit on knees and then pick a thing lying on the ground.

Our posture during work and sleep contributes singularly to our back pain

Now any body reading this post, by now would know that primary cause of back pain is wrong posture.Our office chair ,our sleeping posture contribute to it.Let me tell you,you are your best judge and you would know about wrong posture immediately as your body would give signals in the form of stiffening up. It is only when you ignore such signals for a long time,this results in disc or other related back problems.So please at first stage itself, make the corrections.Or if you are not able to understand,then meet a qualified doctor.

For achieving best result of spinal surgery,post operative therapies play a key role.

In case of unbearable back pain where all other medication has failed to give relief,spine surgery becomes necessary.And given the advancement in technology and skill enhancement of the surgeons these have started giving good results but best outcome is possible only when post operation therapies are used in conjunction.

Back pain and its several causes

There is a lot of confusion about back pain as there are variety of causes such as degenerated disc,prolapse disc,slip disc and several others.For common man,let's keep it simple.Let's define it as a back pain.Now one of the biggest reason for back pain is wrong posture.Yes aging and stress affects the spine but nothing affects the spine as much as wrong posture does.Our posture while working/sleeping plays the most important role in keeping our Spine healthy.

Spine transplant is a boon for young patients who suffer severe back injury in accidents.

Disc Transplant has come as a boon to those suffering from irretrievable spinal damage.Specially youngsters who suffer spinal damage in serious accidents can look forward to leading normal life thanks to the spinal transplant. Traditional surgery involved fusion.And in this to give relief to the patient,the bones were artificially fused together but it used to severely impact mobility. Particularly it was not very useful for young patients as it impacted movement and thus they could not lead normal life.Now a days artificial disc replacement is done in which a device is planted into spine and it does the role of actual Disc ,carry load and offer mobility.The overall impact of this surgery are very positive.

Frequently asked questions before spinal surgery-

Frequently asked questions before spinal surgery-

Q Can I eat and drink before my spinal?
You will need to have an empty stomach before your operation and you must follow the same rules as if you were going to have a general anaesthetic. This is because it is occasionally necessary to change from a spinal anaesthetic to a general anaesthetic. The hospital should give you clear instructions about fasting.

Q Must I stay fully conscious?
Before the operation you and your anaesthetist can decide together whether you remain fully awake during the operation or would prefer to be sedated so that you are not so aware of the whole process. The amount of sedation can be adjusted so that you are aware but not anxious. It is also possible to combine a spinal with a light general anaesthetic.

Q Will I see what is happening to me?
Sometimes you can choose. Normally a screen is placed across your upper chest so that you see nothing when surgery starts. Some operations use video cameras and telescopes for “keyhole” surgery and many patients like to see what is happening to them on the video screen. You will be aware of the “hustle and bustle” of the operating theatre when you come in. Once surgery starts noise levels drop. You will be able to relax, with your nurse and your anaesthetist looking after you. Some patients like to wear personal stereo headphones to listen to their own choice of music during the operation. The options available to you will vary, depending on a number of factors to do with your operation. You will be able to discuss all these possibilities with your anaesthetist at the preoperative visit.

Q Do I have a choice of anaesthetic?
Yes. Your anaesthetist will assess your overall preferences and needs for the surgery and discuss them with you. If you have anxieties regarding the spinal then these should be answered during your discussions, as it is usually possible to accommodate individual patients’ wishes and still use a spinal anaesthetic.

Q Can I refuse to have the spinal?
Yes. If, following discussion with your anaesthetist, you are still unhappy about having a spinal anaesthetic you can always say no. You will never be forced to have any anaesthetic procedure that you don’t want.

Q Will I feel anything during the operation?
Your anaesthetist will not permit surgery to begin until you are both convinced that the spinal is working properly. You will be tested several times to make sure of this. You should not feel any pain during the operation but you may well be aware of other sensations such as movement or pressure as the surgical team carry out their work.

Q Should I tell the anaesthetist anything during the operation?
Yes, your anaesthetist will want to know about any sensations or other feelings you experience during the operation. They will make adjustments to your care throughout the operation and be able to explain things to you.

Q Is a spinal the same as an epidural?
No, although they both involve an injection of local anaesthetic between the bones of the spine in the small of your back, the injections work in a slightly different way.

Q Where can I learn more about spinals?
This leaflet is designed to give you a brief overview about your spinal anaesthetic. If you would like more detailed information, speak to your anaesthetist or contact the anaesthetic department in your local hospital or the organisations listed at the bottom of this leaflet.

Exercises can help alleviate back pain

Normal reaction of a person to a back pain is to lie on a bed and rest.Though this approach can not faulted at the beginning but such an approach does not in any way aid in relieving the pain.Moderate exercises and that too as guided by the physician have the potential of greatly reducing the pain. Regular lower back exercises helps in distributing nutrients in the disc thus reducing the stiffness in the muscles,lessons the chances of such ailment happening again and in reducing the severity and duration of the pain.

Don't ignore pain in the heels

We have all heard of Achilles heel.How it was the weakest point of otherwise almost invincible warrior.Almost the same happens with us.But some how we don't realise it.Aching in the heels is caused by wearing of high heel shoes/sandals on a regular basis.Running/walking for long hours on hard surface can also cause aching in the back.Other factors are obesity and to certain extent aging.Mind you don't take pain in the heels lightly as if ignored, it may lead to severe back problems at a later stage.

Spinal Cord Injury

Your spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs down the middle of your back. It carries signals back and forth between your body and your brain. A spinal cord injury disrupts the signals. Spinal cord injuries usually begin with a blow that fractures or dislocates your vertebrae, the bone disks that make up your spine. Most injuries don't cut through your spinal cord. Instead, they cause damage when pieces of vertebrae tear into cord tissue or press down on the nerve parts that carry signals.

Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete. With a complete spinal cord injury, the cord can't send signals below the level of the injury. As a result, you areparalyzed below the injury. With an incomplete injury, you have some movement and sensation below the injury.

A spinal cord injury is a medical emergency. Immediate treatment can reduce long-term effects. Treatments may include medicines, braces or traction to stabilize the spine, and surgery. Later treatment usually includes medicines and rehabilitation therapy. Mobility aids and assistive devices may help you to get around and do some daily tasks.

Be Kind To Your Spine:

Be Kind To Your Spine:

Too many times, people who experience spine pain say, “I wish I would have taken better care of myself when I was younger.” All of those accidental injuries from mistakes, rambunctiousness, and judgment errors do add up over a lifetime, leading to post-traumatic arthritis.

Because spine discs and ligaments have limited capabilities to heal after being injured, young athletes and adventurers often feel the effects of those injuries years later. Eventually, back and/or neck pain creeps into daily life. Specific activities like gymnastics and football are especially hard on the spine. Injuries often result from poor conditioning and risk-taking behavior. Counsel your children about making good decisions and proper conditioning techniques. Better yet, work with professionals that specialize in sports medicine, personal training and injury rehabilitation to ensure a pain-free future for your child.

Be kind to your spine now, and it will be kind to you in the future.

All of these spine care tips offer words of advice that should be passed along to children. If spine care education is not emphasized, spine pain will continue to be as common in the future as it is now. Furthermore, if general health education is not emphasized at an early age, our children will continue to suffer the consequences of preventable diseases, painful conditions, and poor health choices. Knowledge is power. Children are our future. So please pass the knowledge onto the next generation for the sake of our future

Spondylosis

What is Spodylosis?
Spondylosis literally means stiffening or fixation of the bony building blocks of the spine (vertebrae) as the result of a disease process. Spondylosis refers to degenerative changes in the spine such as bone spurs and degenerating intervertebral discs. Spondylosis changes in the spine are frequently referred to as osteoarthritis.

Types of Spondylosis:
Spondylosis can occur in the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper and mid back), or lumbar spine (low back). Lumbar spondylosis and cervical spondylosis are the most common.

Spondylosis Causes and Risk Factors
Spondylosis is an aging phenomenon. With age, the bones and ligaments in the spine wear, leading to bone spurs (osteoarthritis). Also, the intervertebral discs degenerate and weaken, which can lead to disc herniation and bulging discs. Spondylosis is common. Symptoms are often first reported between the ages of 20 and 50. The rate at which spondylosis occurs is partly related to genetic predisposition as well as injury history.

Spondylosis Symptoms and Signs 
Characteristic findings of spondylosis can be visualized with X-ray tests. These findings include decrease in the disc space, bony spur formation at the upper or lower portions of the vertebrae, and calcium deposition where the vertebrae have been affected by degenerative inflammation.

Self-Care at Home for Spondylosis:

Self-Care at Home for Spondylosis:

Home treatment is important in pain caused by spondylosis because pain may frequently improve or resolve after several days. Bed rest prolongs the time to recovery. Therefore, it is recommended to continue normal or near normal activities.

However, do not do anything that could exacerbate the problem, such as heavy lifting.
Some people find heat and/or ice to be helpful for back and neck pain caused by spondylosis.

Sleeping with a pillow between their legs may be helpful for low back pain. Special pillows to offer additional cervical spine support have been developed for neck pain.

Spinal Injuries and Children:

Spinal Injuries and Children:
Older children tend to be more aggressive in their activities and sports, thereby increasing the risk of injury to the bones, nerves and soft tissues in the spine. Teenagers are also more likely to test the limits of their bodies, often being exhorted by commercial advertising and/or peer pressure to push the envelope.

At this point, compression fractures are more commonplace, and we begin to see occasional disc injuries. Older pediatric patients also can injure the joints between vertebral bones, causing painful stress injuries. Only very rarely do the nerve roots become compromised in older children.

Slightly older children can be convinced to minimize their activity to speed up healing times for back pain, but then they frequently return to the same injurious behavior that caused the initial damage. Here, older kids may also find themselves the victims of their own intermittent inactivity and suffer overuse injuries, similar to an adult who is a “weekend warrior”.

Myth exploded:More youngsters suffer spinal injuries than older people

Generally it is believed that is among old people that most of the spinal injuries happen.Well, this is not true at all.Yes,among elderly the incidence of arthritis/osteoporosis are common but out of the total patients suffering from spinal injuries,roughly eighty percent are youngsters.This one fact is generally not much splashed.The common reason for spinal injuries in youngsters is accidents,injuries from heavy exercises and faulty life style.
Accident by nature can not be avoided.But certain precautions like wearing a seat belt while driving a car or wearing a well strapped helmet can help in cushioning the impact of any major crash.Similarly, when doing heavy exercises it should be done in the presence of an expert and secondly if the body is giving you uncomfortable signals,you should stop at that stage itself.
About faulty lifestyle ,this  definitely can be corrected.Faulty lifestyle includes  sedate life with hardly any physical exercise, sitting at desk for long hours and that too in a faulty posture.In addition having unhealthy eating habits like eating junk food harms further.
The cost of the young person suffering spinal injuries proves too high as he loses his mobility,which ultimately affects his capacity to work and earn.
So youngsters, should take care of themselves and avoid spinal injuries at all costs.

When to Seek Medical Care for Spondylosis?

When to Seek Medical Care for Spondylosis?

•If your pain is not manageable with the prescribed treatment
•For the development of acute nerve dysfunction, such weakness in one or more limbs (For example, see your doctor if your leg is weak and you are unable to flex your foot at the ankle or walk on your toes or heels.)
•Loss of bladder or bowel control, in the setting of acute back or neck pain, such as inability to start or stop urinating, can indicate a serious nerve dysfunction and should be evaluated at the emergency department immediately.
•Numbness in the groin area, or "saddle anesthesia," meaning numbness in the distribution where the bottom would contact a saddle. This can indicate a serious nerve dysfunction and should be evaluated at the emergency department immediately.
•If back or neck pain is associated with weight or fever greater than 100 F

"Lift light and lift right"

"Lift light and lift right"

We all put immense stresses on our spine daily. Whether you are reaching into your car to pick-up a child, loading grocery bags into your trunk, or digging weeds in your yard, your back endures a daily assault-course. Each time we lift too much, or lift in an awkward way, we risk injury to our spine. To minimize your chances of injury from lifting, follow these easy steps:

If it seems too heavy, don't lift it! Get help!
Do not lift at arms length; always get close to the object.
When lifting or lowering an object, bend your hips and knees while keeping your back straight. This is known as the "power position". Do not hunch over an object, and never lift with straight legs while bending at the waist.
Never make sharp movements. Lift smoothly!
Never twist your back when moving an object. Move your feet instead!

Ways to Minimize Failed Back Surgery Syndrome:

Ways to Minimize Failed Back Surgery Syndrome:

One of the biggest worries for most people considering back surgery is whether or not the surgery will actually work.When back surgery doesn't successfully alleviate the pain, it's known as failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS).Improve your chances of having a successful back surgery by following these five tips:

1.Be confident in your diagnosis:
Spine surgery is only indicated when there is an identifiable anatomical cause of spinal instability or a pinched nerve.
See What's a Herniated Disc, Pinched Nerve, Bulging Disc...?
The number one reason back surgeries are not successful is because of a misdiagnosis of the cause of back pain. Obviously, with a wrong diagnosis, a surgeon operates on the wrong part of the spine.Ask your surgeon how confident they are about their diagnosis of the source of your pain and about the specific area they will be addressing during the surgery.Also, ask your surgeon what the alternatives are to surgery and what would happen if you choose not to have surgery.f your surgeon is not confident with your diagnosis, or if they don't answer your questions to your satisfaction, consider getting a second opinion.See Getting an Accurate Back Pain DiagnosisRemember, if you are going to have surgery, you owe it to yourself to know that you're doing it for the right reason.

2.Trust your spine surgeon:
A good surgeon will be happy to answer any questions you have. If they seem irritated by your questions, this is a sign to reconsider allowing them to operate on you.
Ask your surgeon these questions:
How many times do you perform this particular type of surgery each year?
How have your other patients fared in the past following a similar surgery?
Do you have any patients who have had the same surgery and who would be willing to talk to me about their experiences?
Who would be assisting with the surgery?

3.Know the percentages:
Even in the best circumstances, spine surgery is not 100% guaranteed to be a success. Some surgeries are known to have more predictable outcomes than others.For example, discectomies and microdiscectomies are both used to treat lumbar herniated discs that are causing pain.Before the surgery, if the pain from the herniated disc is felt in the legs (known as sciatica), the surgery is known to be more successful than if the pain is felt in the lower Also, spine fusions for spinal instability from spondylolisthesis tend to be more successful than spine fusions for multi-level lumbar degenerative disc Knowing the success rate of your specific back surgery can provide you with a better idea of what outcome to expect.

4.Commit to a successful rehabilitation
The second most common reason a back surgery does not succeed is because of improper or inadequate rehabilitation after the surgery.Before you decide to have back surgery, make sure you understand all aspects of what your rehabilitation program will entail. A good way to gain a deep understanding of the projected schedule and timing is to speak to a physical therapist.Once you know all the details of your rehabilitation plan, ask yourself if you are dedicated and self-motivated enough to stick to it.

5.Feel confident in your decision and have a plan
By preparing thoroughly for back surgery beforehand, you'll have an easier recovery.Having confidence in your decision, making accommodations at work and in your family, and truly understanding the rehabilitation program will all help minimize the stress of having back surgery.Extensive research has shown that back patients' overall experiences and ultimate outcomes from back surgery can improve significantly with psychological preparation.

Stay Healthy!!Stay Fit!!

Sitting tips

The way we sit (specially when sitting at a strech) can determine how fast or slow our spine ages.
Read how these simple tips can help prevent back problem