Tips to avoid the problem of back and neck pain while driving

Long driving hours often cause stiffness in the back and neck. Also, sitting in the same position for long affects the blood circulation of our body and can cause severe back pain. People, many a times, modify their car seats on their own. For instance, removing the head rest which can be extremely risky as it makes your neck more prone to pain. Remember that our vehicles are designed in a way that they provide an ideal sitting posture to the driver. So, it is better not to modify the basic structure of seat that may lead to any spinal problem.

 

In case you consistently feel pain the back while driving, try changes in your posture while driving. First and foremost, it is important to sit in a posture where both your knees and hips are at the same level. Another thing, adjust your seat at an angle of 100 to 110 degrees, in order to support the upper part of your body. Following these tips can to a large extent help in preventing back pain.

Treating Spinal Tuberculosis

Timely diagnosis of Spinal Tuberculosis can help in better treatment. Today, various treatment modalities are available, be it surgical treatment or non surgical one. Surgical options for treatment of Spinal TB include decompression of spine. Whereas, non surgical treatments include draining of infected areas and immobilisation of spine for proper cure can be followed. One should take a diet rich in protein. Regular physiotherapy can also prove beneficial. Negligence can lead to humped back, distorted posture and permanent paralysis.

Diagnosing Spinal Tuberculosis

After identifying the preliminary symptoms of ‪Spinal Tuberculosis‬, consulting a specialist is advised. Your doctor may suggest you to conduct few ‪‎diagnostic procedures‬ like CT scans, MRI scans, a test of enthrocyte sedimentation rate and tuberculin skin test. 

Based on the results the line of treatment is decided. Various treatment options are available today in the form of operational and non-operational procedures. So, the sooner the problem is detected, the better for patient.

 

Spinal Tuberculosis: Symptoms to look out for

‎Back Pain‬ if accompanied with fever, night swears and anorexia for more than 3-4 weeks, it is time for you to visit a doctor immediately, as these are the primary ‪Symptoms of Spinal Tuberculosis‬. In addition to this, if your coughing continues for long due to which you are facing problems like weight loss, stiffness and ‪‎pain‬ in the limbs and difficulty in sitting or walking, please don't ignore. Consulting a doctor timely, can help in preventing further damage to the ‪spine‬, as lack of treatment can lead to spinal deformity like ‪kyphosis‬ or ‪Collapsed Spine‬.

Spinal Tuberculosis

Thanks to the major awareness campaign led by the government, today we have achieved quite a success by making people aware about Tuberculosis‬ (TB) as a disease and its treatment prospects. But, sadly people are totally unaware about TB of Spine Yes, you read it right, there is a spinal problem known as TB of spine Or Spinal tuberculosis‬. Spinal tuberculosis, also known as Pott’s Disease, is a condition in which the vertebrae ‬ gets infected with tuberculosis. It is caused by myco-bacterium which is spread by the way of blood or breathing droplets from an infected person in your lungs. This bacterium due to weak immune system thrives and grows and reach the blood stream, from where it infects a number of organs including the spine Early diagnosis followed by adequate treatment can completely cure spinal tuberculosis.

Herniated Disc Treatment

The primary goal towards the treatment of Herniated Disc is to provide patient relief from pain As a general course of action, anti-inflammatory medicines along with some pain killers are given. Then keeping in mind the cause behind Disc Herniation ‬, further treatment is decided. But for some patient surgery in the early stage is quite beneficial. Patients who suffer from herniated disc due to pinched nerve and are facing problems like weakness in arms or legs, should definitely consider surgical intervention. Surgical help if not taken timely, can result in permanent nerve loss.

Disc Herniation

Disc Herniation  is most commonly found in Lower Back‬ (Lumbar region) but it can also occur in the cervical (neck region) or Thoracic ( Upper Back region) spine. Apart from physical examination performed by the doctor, CT Scan or MRI are also conducted to diagnose Spinal Disc Herniation. Based on the cause of this problem, your doctor will determine further course of treatment.

Herniated Disc and it's causes

‎ Herniated Disc also known as spinal disc herniation‬ is caused by two primary reasons, i.e. a)Pinched Nerve b) Disc Pain. In case of pinched nerve, the pain is not there in the disc but in the surrounding nerves. When the gel like material ooses out from the disc, it leads to pinching or irritating sensation in the nerve. This nerve pain then radiates to the leg or arm. While Herniated Disc caused as a result of disc pain is due to the disc space which causes pain

Preventing Disc Herniation

Diagnosing Herniated Disc becomes a tricky part, thanks to its symptomatic similarities with Sciatica Pain. Generally, it is identified with steep or pinching pain in the lower back area which goes down to the leg causing weakness or numbness in one or both leg.

Lack of physical movements or exercises play a big role in development of this problem. So, the best way to avoid becoming a victim of this disease is to follow the right ergonomics and perform exercises regularly. Besides, a correct diet too has an important part in preventing any spinal diseases to occur. So, have a healthy diet which is full of micro nutrients, Vit B, D and calcium.

Know about Spinal Disc Herniation

Disc Herniation has become quite a common problem these days owing to wrong postures which puts a lot of pressure on the vertebrae. Due to the excessive pressure, the spinal disc begins to break leading to leakage of gel like material present inside. This leakage can irritate the nerves present around the spinal disc which can cause pinching pain in the lower back, numbness or weakness in either of the legs or arms. 

 

Your Posture is the key towards a Healthy Back

The best way to avoid being affected by back pain is to maintain a Correct Body Posture. While sitting make sure that your back is in a straight position, so that no extra pressure is put on spine. While lifting heavy weight don't bent suddenly rather keep in mind Right Posture. Follow a regular exercise regime to enjoy the happiness of Healthy Back.

Back Pain can also be an indication of body trouble

Many a times, back pain can also be caused due to some diseases related to kidney such as kidney infection or kidney stone. Besides, back pain is also a common symptom of problems related to nervous system. Not just that, spinal infection too can lead to back pain. 

Factors causing Back Pain

The problem of Lower Back Pain is more found in those who are either involved in sitting jobs or who have to lift heavy weights. In addition to this, there are also some categories of people who are more prone to this problem like people over the age of 60, women post menopause, obese people and those suffering from VitaminD deficiency.

Ignoring lower back pain for long can cost you in the form of Spinal Disc Prolapse or Spinal Arthritis

Sedentary Lifestyle is one of the prime reasons behind the increasing number of back pain cases. As discussed in the earlier posts, there is a high possibility that prolonged back pain can take the form of Spinal Disc Prolapse or Spinal Arthritis if not treated. Stretched Muscles in the back, stiffness, pinching pain which makes it difficult to move, sit or stand along with pain in the area around the lower back are some of the symptoms one should look out for. In case, you are experiencing these symptoms, please don't ignore and get yourself examined by a Spine Specialist.

Wrong Posture and Back Pain

Sudden back pain is generally an outcome of Wrong Posture while sitting, standing, sleeping or while lifting things up. This pain usually subsides with small precautions undertaken for a period of 10-15 days. But if it doesn't and one continues to follow wrong posture, it can lead to Spinal Disc Prolapse. This problem which is currently seen in a lot of young patients can in future take the form of SpinalArthritis.

Ignoring back pain can cost you

LowerBackPain‬ has increasing become a problem affecting people from all age groups. Generally, an outcome of bad ‪‎lifestyle‬, this problem if continues over a period of time can take the form of ‪‎Spinal Arthritis‬. In fact, prolonged lower ‪backpain‬ isn't just an indication of ‪‎arthritis‬ but can also be a sign of problem related to kidney. So, if you are facing ‪backache‬ for long, please don't ignore and visit a specialist today.

Spondylolisthesis‬: Diagonis and Treatment

An X-Ray of the back is generally taken to diagnose ‪Spondylolisthesis‬. Your doctor will check for any kind of fracture or crack in the ‪vertebrae‬ or any slipped bone in the X-Ray, based on the results, the doctor may suggest further CT Scan or MRI to move ahead with the right course of treatment.

The treatment for Spondylolisthesis generally starts with restricting certain movements that can further cause any damage to the vertebrae. ‪Physiotherapy‬ is suggested to the patients to strengthen the core ‪‎back‬ and stomach muscles. Besides, ‪pain‬ killers and anti-inflammatory medicines are given to relieve the pain. If you are overweight, reducing some is always advised. 

For patients with extreme cases, getting a surgery done is another good option. The surgery involves either removal of a slipped out bone/ tissue to reduce the pressure on the spinal cord or the bone can be fused back to the original position. But in certain cases, both of these processes are done simultaneously in the same surgery. Post the surgery, the patient has to wear a brace for some time. After rehabilitation, the person can get back to his routine life.

Series on Spondylitis-Part 2

Moving on with the series on Spondylitis, today will discuss about its symptoms. Similar to any other problem of the spine, the most basic symptom of this disease is back pain.  In addition to this, problems like buttock pain, pain that moves down from back to the leg, numbness or weakness in the legs, pain that becomes worse after bending,difficulty in walking are the other signs of Spondylolisthesis. In some extreme cases, one may even suffer from loss of bladder or bowel control.