Oh My Aching Back

Individuals who have chronic, recurring, or acute back pain know the seriousness of how painful everyday movement can be. Approximately 70 to 85 percent of the population will be subjected to some type of back pain, whether the pain occurs in the upper, middle, or lower back. Americans spend an average of $50 billion a year to treat back pain, $86 billion on neck and back treatment combined (Web Md, 2015). Back pain a major loss of job productivity, medical treatment, and absenteeism from work which also account for over $100 billion in America’s economy (Osborn, 2015). This statistics shout out a need for Americans to understand which type of back pain he or she is experiencing and how to find an appropriate alternative to surgery or unnecessary medications to treat the discomfort. Back pain may be triggered by sports activities, workouts, bad ergonomics, and lack of exercise, poor diet, arthritis, inflammation, and stress. Stress is the greatest contributor to back pain. Experts equate stress in back to employee’s huddles over a computer keyboard to complete work deadlines. Poor posture at the computer is a main ingredient for neck and back pain. Muscles that are exacerbated by holding the muscles in the shoulders, rounded and pushed forward and the neck begins to sink down in the body, which forces the back to constrict to a new posture. Muscular distortions of this nature cause the back muscle to tighten and create major discomfort. Today’s office worker is forced to work at the computer station for hours on end. A human body is not accustomed to such a stationery position. One of the many ways to save a back is to set an alarm, get up from the chair, and move about the office for 5 minutes. Movement can curve or prevent back. Five minutes out of every hour will help the body to increase circulation, blood flow and help the body help itself. Inflammation is often the leading cause of most back pain. The body will show some or all of these symptoms when and inflammation occurs: redness, joint swelling, joint, pain, joint stiffness, and loss of joint function. A muscle inflammation occurs when the body releases certain chemicals to an affected area that is injured or has infection, resulting in swelling. Fluids that reach the tissues cause nerve stimulation and pain. A massage therapist, who has the proper training, may be able to alleviate back pain. An individual will describe an area of inflammation followed by when the pain is most prevalent. This will encourage the massage therapist to stimulate the blood flow in that particular area and joint manipulation. Sciatica pain is the sciatic nerve, which runs from the blower back down the back of the legs. When an individual has sciatic pain, he or she will feel burning the leg when sitting, along with leg weakness, shooting pain and more. Sciatica pain is linked to lumbar spinal stenosis, disc disease, pregnancy and other factors. Piriformis syndrome originates in the glutes and there is pain and tingling in that region. The piriformis becomes compressed on the sciatic nerve. Some daily routines that may inflame the piriformis are sitting in a car seat or running. Pain can often be felt when climbing stairs or sitting for long periods of time. Firm pressure applied to the piriformis can greatly relieve the pain. The sacroiliac (SI) joints are located on the sacrum and one is on the right iliac bone and the other attaches to the left iliac bone. The SI joins connect the spin to the pelvis. These joints are held firmly in place by a group of strong ligaments. Walking in an abnormal pattern may disrupt the functionality of the SI joints. Another reason for SI joint dysfunction may be one hip is higher than the other. Additionally, gout, Ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and any arthritis can be contributing factors to SI joint dysfunction. The lumbar spine can be treated to relieve tension in the SI joint. Massage is beneficial for helping inflammation of the SI joint. Another way to save a back is to get a massage regularly. Many individuals are seeking the help of a massage therapist, who are able to manipulate the muscles of the body, create circulation, and aid in the deceasing the stress level. Massage can help the body unwind, ease the psyche, and improve range of motion and circulation. Finding a massage therapist that has specific knowledge of the body and muscular system is beneficial for assistance in tapping into the parasympathetic systems. With the right massage sleep becomes regular and stress seems to melt away. These are two key ingredients to a healthy and happy productive you.