Acute versus chronic back pain

Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. Chronic pain is measured by duration, pain that persists for more than 3 months is considered chronic. There may have been an initial mishap – sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain – arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.

Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States; only the headache is more common. Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days, but others can take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions.

Back pain is generally categorized as Acute or Chronic. Acute or short-term back pain typically lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature and is the result of a trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different.

Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. Chronic pain is measured by duration, pain that persists for more than 3 months is considered chronic. There may have been an initial mishap – sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain – arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.

Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States; only the headache is more common. Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days, but others can take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions. Back pain is generally categorized as Acute or Chronic. Acute or short-term back pain typically lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature and is the result of a trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different.

Tips for better sleep

Do you have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep? Do you wake up tired and feel like you have to nap during the day? Even with a top-of-the-line memory foam or latex mattress, sleep can still be difficult for a number of reasons such as stress and poor day-to-day habits. Whatever it is, bad sleep does more than just make you tired; it aversely affects your health and cognitive capacity.

Fortunately, there are numerous methods to improve your sleep that are simple, easy, and do not involve a prescription.

Try out these suggestions and start experiencing a deeper, more fulfilling nights sleep.

• Try to keep a regular sleep pattern by habitually going to bed and waking at the same time every day‚ even on weekends and vacations. After some time, your body will naturally get accustomed to your sleep cycle and it will become easier to have a good nights rest.
• Avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. Coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and medications that contain caffeine stimulate your body and mind and can keep you from falling asleep and sleeping soundly. Even though alcohol can make you feel sleepy, drinking around bedtime can also disturb sleep.
• Regular daytime exercise can improve nighttime sleep, but since it too can be stimulating and keep you up, avoid exercising within 3 hours of bedtime.
• Avoid daytime naps, which can skew your body’s notion of sleep and thus interfere with nighttime sleep. If you feel you cannot get by without a nap, set an alarm for 1 hour or less and get up immediately when it goes off.
• Reserve your bed for sleeping. Your body and mind need to associate your bed with healthy sleep, and watching late news, reading a suspense novel, or working on your laptop in bed can keep you up later than expected and stimulate your mind, making it hard to fall asleep. If you want to perform late night activities in bed, try utilizing a backrest or leg rest to put your body in an optimal position for comfort and health.
• Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. There are specialized mattresses available, such as our Healthy Back Pure Latex line, which are designed to cool your body a crucial few degrees if you get too hot during the night.
• Sleep with a ‘Hot Water Bottle’. This method, popular in the United Kingdom and Europe, provides comfort and warmth in your bed, and can help alleviate sore joints and muscles. The Hotties Micro Hottie is the market leader for hot water bottle type products, and is available at the Healthy Back Store.
• Avoid liquids and spicy meals before bed. Heartburn and late night trips to the bathroom are not conducive to good sleep.
• Instead of working right up to bedtime, try performing relaxing activities such as listening to soft music or taking a warm bath to get you ready to sleep. These processes help your body and mind wind down from a hectic day, and a warm bath also may soothe aching muscles.

Yoga may reduce lower back pain

According to a recent study reported by HealthDay News, people who practiced yoga experienced a decrease in chronic lower back pain marked by less discomfort and feelings of depression in just six months.

In the study led by Kimberly Williams, a research assistant professor in the department of community medicine at West Virginia University, researchers divided 90 people, aged 23 to 66 and who had mild to moderate functional disability as a result of chronic lower back pain into two groups. One group did 90-minute sessions of Iyengar yoga twice a week for six months. The other group continued their normal routine of medical therapy or treatment.

Iyengar yoga, a form of hatha yoga that is becoming very popular in the United States, builds strength, flexibility and body alignment through a series of specific poses aided by props. These props help minimize the likelihood of injury or strain, and allow disabled and elderly participants to achieve beneficial positions that would be difficult on their own.

The study found that at the three-month and six-month marks, a greater proportion of those who had participated in yoga reported improvements in their pain and functionality than those who had not.

“I have found yoga and Pilates are great for chronic lower back pain,” Dr. Todd J. Albert, chairman of the department of orthopedics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, said. “There is so much concentration on core strengthening, which is critical for people who have been de-conditioned. Lower back pain can cause people to stop exercising because of discomfort or fear of causing further injury to their back. The lack of activity can cause the back muscles to become ‘de-conditioned’ or weakened, setting up conditions for even more chronic pain.”

“Exercises such as yoga help reverse muscle weakness by strengthening the mid-section, including the back extensors, abdominals and gluteus, which are key for stabilizing the trunk and decreasing the load on the spine. Strengthening those muscles is like creating a brace around your torso,” Albert explained.

Perhaps the most surprising finding of the study was that the yoga participants also reported fewer symptoms of depression. “There is so much data excitingly pointing to the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual benefits of yoga,” said Mary Lou Galantino, a professor of physical therapy at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. “ I also believe there’s a social aspect to yoga. It can foster a sense of community and overarching well-being”. According to Galantino, the “holistic approach to one’s well being” through “proper breathing, postures, and meditation” is what alleviates depression for many people who are and are not experiencing chronic pain or a disability.

Galantino’s one worry is that “if we westernize it and make it solely an athletic program, then you may not receive all of the benefits.” According to Williams’ research, this worry can be hushed at least for now, as her participants who practiced yoga consistently felt better both physically and mentally in a matter of months.

There are many alternative ways to treat lower back pain, which represents between 20% and 25% of medical claims and exceeds $34 billion in annual direct medical costs, other than yoga, and even participants who do practice the ancient exercise should supplement it with other types treatment. Fortunately, there are numerous easy methods to help with nagging back pain all day including ergonomic office chairs, on-the-go Lumbar Supports, and state-of-the-art home massage chairs. However, if you are looking for real treatment of lower back pain instead of just alleviating it, a spine-straightening inversion table is what you need. All of these products, including an assortment of exercise products from mats to props for Iyengar yoga, are available at HealthyBack.com. Take your first step towards a painless, healthier, and perhaps even happier future.

Rock your office like a BOSS

Find comfort in your office... like a BOSS. Classic tall back executive style and presence never felt so good! Imposing height, ergonomic comfort - perfect for directing your minions. We bring you : The Presider, learn more here. or buy it here.

Chill(ow) out!

Beat the heat and cool down your aches and pains with the Chillow. Be the first to write a review on the product page then post on our Facebook wall and we'll send you an extra one as a thank you!

The best latex bed collection for back relief

Over the years buying a mattress has become a major investment. There is the cost associated with a new bed purchase, but also the important personal cost of selecting the right mattress for each individuals needs. And when considering that most mattresses last upwards of 10 years, selecting a bed that fulfills these ever-changing needs is crucial. The challenge becomes- finding the world’s best bed!

The Healthy Back Bliss Pristine Pure Latex is the top-of-the-line mattress and they are certain there is nothing in the world quite like it. Composed of Natural Talalay Latex, the finest and most durable latex material in the world and proudly produced in the United States, the Pristine is made of an unprecedented 100% premium latex. In all, the full 12 inches of this uniquely blended latex provide the most luxurious and plush mattress available. Containing three specialized layers that provide optimal balance and pressure relief, support, and durability throughout the night and the lifetime of the mattress.

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How do you choose the perfect mattress in just one visit to a store?

Well, at Healthy Back - we hope that our ergonomic experts can accurately select the best bed for your comfort and back relief needs (that's why we have such a long - 180 day - comfort guarantee). But even that is not enough for some picky sleepers. Check out this article about spending the entire night in a Healthy Back store to choose the perfect mattress!

Back to the salt mines...

Now that we're back to work after our relaxing 3 day weekend, here's a tip for all you computer jockeys. A good rule of thumb is to adjust your desk height to about 27 inches. This will help you relax your shoulders and reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.