Tips for healthy back

 Working for long hours in office.Pay attention to sitting posture.Remember your posture decides your back health.Here are few tips which can help you in keeping your back healthy
1 Exercise every day 
2. While bending bend you legs and not  your back.
3  Maintain a good posture – chair on which you work should be properly aligned with your seat
6.Take short breaks
7.Avoid junk food,smoking and drinking.
8.Keep your weight in check.Obesity is the mother of all health problems.
9.Learn to relax

How to identify Primary Symptoms of Spinal Disc Problem

We have number of times discussed Spinal disc problem on this platform. But how is that we at lay men's level, can catch symptoms of a Spinal problem. Its symptoms are pain, numbness, tingling pain starting from the back and going through the back leg and reaching the foot. Best diagnosis is done through MRI. Pain initially may be so severe that it may make even walking a difficult exercise for a short time. Initially a bit of rest is fine but beyond that one must start walking as that aids healing in a big way.

Knowledge of handling spinal injuries can be a boon at the time of distress

The recent Nepal Earthquake has made all of us question ourselves and our system- Are we prepared to face such calamity? Natural disasters like earthquake come unannounced. But what is needed on our part is better awareness and knowledge to tackle such situations. At the time of earthquake, a large number of people lose their lives due to lack of information on handling medical emergencies.

It is well known not the earthquake that causes deaths, but the building debris that fall on the person which causes injuries of the neck and the spine  during that period. When an earthquake strikes, people often bend down to save their lives. In such a situation, the rubble from the buildings fall directly on a person’s back, which leads to traumatic spinal injuries and the most common of them, are spinal fractures and cervical injuries. Traumatic spinal injuries often cause neurological deficits; which if not treated well in time, can in future lead to permanent neurologic injury. Untrained rescue workers are the first one to offer help but they are not aware how a person who has suffered back and neck injury needs to be immobolised before being lifted. It is pull drag method which further aggravates the condition of the affected person.

Spinal Immobilization, in-field care, proper lifting techniques and transport during rescue operations plays a very important role while coping up with a natural calamity, and especially, for the trauma patients. Certain things need to be kept in mind while handling spinal emergencies. The injured person should not be dragged. At least 5 or more people should be there to carry the patient, with one holding and supporting the head, one supporting the neck and shoulder, minimum two people standing on opposite sides of the patient holding the back and the pelvic area and one person holding the legs. Immediately shift the patient and make him lie on a hard board. Make sure that there is no abnormal twisting, turning or bending of the neck and back. Another thing to be kept in mind is that the neck should be immediately immobilized by a hard cervical collar, as failing to do so can cause cervical injury. Proper transportation and timely treatment can save many lives.

Always remember, our safety lies in our own hands. At the time of earthquake, it is important not to panic and maintain calm. The moment, you feel that an earthquake is coming move out to an open area or to the middle of the street, and stay away from electricity poles, trees and buildings, as they might fall down. Also, avoid using lifts on case of moving out of a building. But, if you can’t move out, follow the simple technique of “Drop, Cover and Hold On”. Hide under a sturdy desk or table and hold its legs firmly. You can also, sit next to a sofa or bed in a foetal position for your safety. Stay away from windows and lamps. If driving, stop your car at the side of the road and not in the middle especially, under a highway. In a crowded place like malls or restaurants, you can protect your head with your arms and hide under a seat or table. New theory has been propounded that if you lie next to triangular object, then the chances of the survival are the maximum since the debris don’t directly hit but slide down. According to this if you hide under a hard board, the heavy debris can break it and lead to more serious injuries.

Proper education regarding disaster management and how to handle any medical emergency at the time of any natural disaster, if given right at the school level can making our coming generation, a well prepared and more responsible citizen who is capable enough of helping a fellow citizen in such times of distress. It is important that general public is also trained in basic trauma care like proper lifting and carrying of injured person to prevent further aggravation of Spinal and neck injury.

Spinal Cord Stimulation:Revolutionary technique for treatment of Chronic back pain

We have all heard of  cardiac pacemaker  and how it can revive a critically and irreversibly damaged heart by  generating electrical impulses called cardiac impulses or action potentials required for proper pumping of heart thus acting as a true life savior in otherwise hopeless condition. Quite similar to it is, spinal cord stimulator, a device used to exert pulsed electrical signals to revive the already damaged spinal cord peripheral nerves of the patient when everything else has failed,thus giving relief from chronic pain.

Approved by the FDA in 1989, spinal cord stimulation (SCS), a form of neuro stimulation technology has over the years become a standard treatment for patients with chronic pain in their back and or limbs and those who have not found pain relief from other treatments. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a pain relief technique that delivers a low-voltage electrical current continuously to the spinal cord to block the sensation of pain.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in the simplest form, involves stimulating electrodes implanted in the epidural space, an electrical pulse generator implanted in the lower abdominal area or gluteal region with the conducting wires connecting the electrodes to the generator, and the generator remote control. As pain changes or improves, stimulation can be adjusted as necessary.

Most patients who qualify for neurostimulation therapy report a 70 to 90% reduction in overall pain, as well as an increased ability to participate in normal family and work activities. Many patients find that they can decrease or stop taking painkillers or other pain medications after undergoing spinal cord stimulation. Given these benefits, there has been ongoing research and advances in spinal cord stimulation technology, and many individuals suffering from chronic pain find that neurostimulation positively impacts the quality of their lives. However, it is important to note that the degree of pain relief experienced from spinal cord stimulation or peripheral nerve stimulation varies from person to person.

In general, neurostimulation works by applying an electrical current to the source of chronic pain. SCS is the most commonly used implantable neurostimulation technology for management of pain syndromes. As many as 50,000 neurostimulators are implanted worldwide every year.

Types of incurable diseases where Spinal Cord Stimulation is used for treatment

One of these is Arachnoiditis , a painful condition caused by inflammation of the arachnoid, one of three linings that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.It impacts the nerves and causes symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and a distinctive stinging and burning pain in the lower back or legs. Other symptoms include debilitating muscle cramps, twitches, spasms, and bladder/bowel/sexual dysfunction. Some of the known causes of this are irritation from chemicals arising from Spinal procedures and epidural steroid injections;bacterial or viral infections; spinal cord injury; or complications arising from spinal surgery.There is no cure for this condition except spinal cord stimulation & neuromodulation.

One more disease where only spinal cord stimulation & neuromodulation only works is Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) , an uncommon nerve disorder which causes intense burning pain, usually in the arms, hands, legs or feet. Along with the pain, the patient may experience extreme skin sensitivity and changes in the color, temperature or moistness of the skin .Causes are largely unknown but it can occur after an injury, either to a nerve or to tissue in the affected area.

Besides Spinal Cord Stimulant is used in several other conditions such as Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) ,where surgery for back pain was done but the patient does not recover.In such cases too,SCS  works wonders. Other conditions include  Nerve damage, neuropathy, or neuritis  and motor neuron disorders(MND’s) which are classified as incurable diseases.

All in all Spinal Cord Stimulation is a measure of last resort and generally helps in reducing the chronic pain the patient might be suffering from ,thus giving him or her a chance to have better quality life.

Understand the plight of those who go through chronic back pain

When we talk of chronic back and neck pain very few normal people are able to relate to it.Just imagine you have a flu for few days and how sick you feel.And what if you continue to suffer from this flu for years and years together ,how will you feel then.This is what a person with chronic back and neck pain goes through.They may walk sometimes for about 10 minutes,but this is once in a blue moon.They may look healthy from appearance but only they know how difficult it is for them to cope up with this pain.Fortunately the medical science has advanced so much that there are almost no conditions in which medical intervention can not make a difference to the patients condition.Non invasive techniques,special injections,surgeries so many options are available.And when ever one has a pain which qualifies to be called a chronic one,such medical interventions can be quite a boon.
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