What are the symptoms of heart attack?

Although chest pain or pres­sure is the most com­mon symp­tom of a heart attack, heart attack vic­tims may expe­ri­ence a vari­ety of symp­toms including:

* Pain, full­ness, and/or squeez­ing sen­sa­tion of the chest

* Jaw pain, toothache, headache

* Short­ness of breath

* Nau­sea, vom­it­ing, and/or gen­eral epi­gas­tric (upper mid­dle abdomen) discomfort

* Sweating

* Heart­burn and/or indigestion

* Arm pain (more com­monly the left arm, but may be either arm)

* Upper back pain

* Gen­eral malaise (vague feel­ing of illness)

* No symp­toms (Approx­i­mately one quar­ter of all heart attacks are silent, with­out chest pain or new symp­toms. Silent heart attacks are espe­cially com­mon among patients with dia­betes mellitus.)

Even though the symp­toms of a heart attack at times can be vague and mild, it is impor­tant to remem­ber that heart attacks pro­duc­ing no symp­toms or only mild symp­toms can be just as seri­ous and life-threatening as heart attacks that cause severe chest pain. Too often patients attribute heart attack symp­toms to “indi­ges­tion,” “fatigue,” or “stress,” and con­se­quently delay seek­ing prompt med­ical atten­tion. One can­not overem­pha­size the impor­tance of seek­ing prompt med­ical atten­tion in the pres­ence of symp­toms that sug­gest a heart attack. Early diag­no­sis and treat­ment saves lives, and delays in reach­ing med­ical assis­tance can be fatal. A delay in treat­ment can lead to per­ma­nently reduced func­tion of the heart due to more exten­sive dam­age to the heart mus­cle. Death also may occur as a result of the sud­den onset of arrhyth­mias such as ven­tric­u­lar fibrillation.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, What is that?

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful disorder of the wrist and hand. The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel formed by the bones and other tissues of your wrist. This tunnel protects your median nerve. The median nerve gives you feeling in your thumb, and index, middle and ring fingers. But when other tissues in the carpal tunnel, such as ligaments and tendons, get swollen or inflamed, they press against the median nerve. That pressure can make part of your hand hurt or feel numb.

What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?
Doing the same hand movements over and over can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s most common in people whose jobs require pinching or gripping with the wrist held bent. People at risk include people who use computers, carpenters, grocery checkers, assembly-line workers, meat packers, musicians and mechanics. Hobbies such as gardening, needlework, golfing and canoeing can sometimes bring on the symptoms.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is linked to other things too. It may be caused by an injury to the wrist, such as a fracture. Or it may be caused by a disease such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or thyroid disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also common during the last few months of pregnancy.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome

* Numbness or tingling in your hand and fingers, especially the thumb and index and middle fingers.

* Pain in your wrist, palm or forearm.

* More numbness or pain at night than during the day. The pain may be so bad it wakes you up. You may shake or rub your hand to get relief.

* More pain when you use your hand or wrist more.

* Trouble gripping objects.

* Weakness in your thumb.

How is carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed?
Your doctor will probably ask you about your symptoms. He or she may examine you and ask you how you use your hands. Your doctor may also do these tests:

* Your doctor may tap the inside of your wrist. You may feel pain or a sensation like an electric shock.
* Your doctor may ask you to bend your wrist down for 1 minute to see if this causes symptoms.
* Your doctor may have you get a nerve conduction test or an electromyography (EMG) test to see whether the nerves and muscles in your arm and hand show the typical effects of carpal tunnel syndrome.

How serious is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome usually isn’t serious. With treatment, the pain will usually go away and you’ll have no lasting damage to your hand or wrist.

How is carpal tunnel syndrome treated?
If carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a medical problem, your doctor will probably first treat that problem.

Your doctor may ask you to rest your wrist or change how you use your hand. Your doctor may also ask you to wear a splint on your wrist. The splint keeps your wrist from moving but lets your hand do most of what it normally does. A splint can help ease the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially at night.

Putting ice on your wrist, massaging the area and doing stretching exercises may help too.

Tips on relieving carpal tunnel syndrome

* Prop up your arm with pillows when you lie down.
* Avoid using your hand too much.
* Find a new way to use your hand by using a different tool.
* Try to use the other hand more often.
* Avoid bending your wrists down for long periods.

Can I prevent carpal tunnel syndrome?
Yes. See the box below for some tips on preventing carpal tunnel syndrome.

Many products you can buy–such as wrist rests–are supposed to ease symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. No one has proven that these products really prevent wrist problems. Some people may have less pain and numbness after using these products, but other people may have increased pain and numbness.

Things that may help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome

* Lose weight if you’re overweight.
* Get treatment for any disease you have that may cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
* If you do the same tasks with your hands over and over, try not to bend, extend or twist your hands for long periods.
* Don’t work with your arms too close or too far from your body.
* Don’t rest your wrists on hard surfaces for long periods.
* Switch hands during work tasks.
* Make sure your tools aren’t too big for your hands.
* Take regular breaks from repeated hand movements to give your hands and wrists time to rest.
* Don’t sit or stand in the same position all day.
* If you use a keyboard a lot, adjust the height of your chair so that your forearms are level with your keyboard and you don’t have to flex your wrists to type.

Why am I easy to Get Tired...?

Getting plenty of sleep but still exhausted? Before you blame your multi-tasking, super-woman lifestyle, learn more about what might be at the root of your unexplained fatigue.

We are in the midst of a global energy crisis but it has nothing to do with oil. The problem is unexplained fatigue.

“I’m so tired; I just can’t do what I used to do.”

“I’d love to go but honestly, I just don’t have the energy.”

“Sex? You mean right now?”

If you’re like most women, these phrases have become mantras, the echo of our collective yawn growing louder every day.

“The single biggest complaint I hear from my patients, day in and day out, is fatigue,” says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, Director of the NYU Medical Center Women’s Heart Program and associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine.

Of course, for some of us the problem is simply multi-tasking to the max and not getting enough sleep, or good quality sleep. “If you’re continually logging in just 5 or 6 hours a night, it’s going to catch up with you, no matter your age,” says Rebecca Amaru, MD, clinical instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

But if you are getting a healthy 7 to 8 hours a night and you’re still tired, Goldberg says it’s time for a check-up to uncover the causes for fatigue.

“If your fatigue goes on for more than a week and there is no explanation for feeling tired, then yes, see your doctor,” says Goldberg.

While occasionally fatigue may be a sign of a serious illness, experts say most often it’s caused by a minor problem, with a relatively easy fix.

To help you zero in on why you can’t stop yawning, here are 7 hidden causes of fatigue — potential health problems you should discuss with your doctor.

Fatigue Cause # 1: Anemia

“If you are in your reproductive years, and particularly if you experience heavy menstrual cycles, have fibroid tumors or uterine polyps, or if you’ve recently given birth, the blood loss may have caused you to develop anemia — a leading cause of fatigue in women,” says Amaru.

Problems occur, she says, when the bleeding leads to a deficiency of hemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to other parts of your body. When your tissues and organs don’t get enough oxygen, she says, the result is fatigue.

Other causes of anemia include internal bleeding, or a deficiency of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12. Anemia may also be caused by chronic diseases like kidney disease, for example. Symptoms can include dizziness, feeling cold, and irritability.

To confirm a diagnosis of anemia, your physician will give you a blood test. Treatment, she says, usually consists of iron supplements if iron deficiency is the cause, and adding iron-rich foods — such as spinach, broccoli, and red meat — to your diet.

The good news: With effective treatment, your fatigue should begin to lift in thirty days or less.

Fatigue Cause # 2: Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)

If you are generally sluggish, run down, and even a little depressed, Goldberg says the problem may be a slow thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a small, butterfly shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck and controls your metabolism, the speed at which your body operates.

“I believe that undiagnosed thyroid disorder is one of the major female health problems in this country. I think it is even more widespread than anyone realizes,” says Goldberg.

According to the American Thyroid Foundation, by age 60 approximately 17% of all women will have a thyroid disorder and most won’t know it. The most common cause, they say, is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This condition causes the body to destroy the cells responsible for producing thyroxin and other hormones secreted by the thyroid gland. The result is hypothyroidism, or a slow metabolism.

Blood tests known as T3 and T4 will detect thyroid hormones. If these hormones are low, Goldberg says synthetic hormones can bring you up to speed and you should begin to feel better fairly rapidly.

Fatigue Cause # 3: Undiagnosed Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Although most women associate a urinary tract infection with symptoms such as burning or urgency, Goldberg says in some instances fatigue may be your only clue.

“Not every woman has obvious symptoms of a UTI. Some have no symptoms or mild symptoms that go unnoticed, except for the fatigue,” she says.

In most instances, a UTI is caused by bacteria in the urinary tract, often the result of improper bathroom hygiene (wiping back to front, for example). Sexual intercourse can increase the risk because it can push bacteria from the vagina into the urethra.

If your physician suspects that you have a UTI, your urine will be tested. Treatment is quick and easy, and usually involves an oral antibiotic medication. Goldberg says the fatigue will lift within a week or less.

If your symptoms return, get tested again, she says, because in some women, UTI’s are chronic. If this is the case, talk to your doctor about preventive care, including low dose antibiotics.

Fatigue Cause # 4: Caffeine Overload

Many of us grab a coffee or cola for a quick burst of energy, but for some women, caffeine can have the opposite effect.

In an article published in the journal US Pharmacist, author W. Stephen Pray, PhD, RPh, reports that caffeine is a stimulant, but if you take too much, the tables can turn.

“In some patients, continued abuse results in fatigue,” according to Pray. And if you think this means you simply require more caffeine to get the kick, this isn’t the case. “Any attempts to solve the problem by increasing caffeine intake causes the fatigue to worsen,” he says.

The solution: Eliminate as much caffeine from your diet as possible. This means not only cutting out coffee. Chocolate, tea, soda and even some medications also contain caffeine and could be causing unexplained fatigue.

Fatigue Cause # 5: Food Allergies

While food is supposed to give us energy, some doctors believe hidden food intolerances — or allergies — can do the opposite. According to Rudy Rivera, MD, author of Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat, even mild food intolerance can leave you feeling sleepy. Eat the offending food long enough and you could find yourself feeling continually exhausted.

“Evidence indicates food intolerance as a cause of fatigue, and even suggests that fatigue may be an early warning sign of food intolerance,” he says.

If you suspect that food may be behind all that yawning, Rivera says to start with an elimination diet, cutting out foods that cause you to feel sleepy within 10 to 30 minutes of eating them. You can also talk to your doctor about a food allergy test — or invest in a home test such as ALCAT — which may help you identify the offending foods.

Fatigue Cause # 6: Sleep Apnea

If you’re not getting enough sleep, it stands to reason you’ll be tired. But what if you don’t know that you aren’t getting sufficient sleep? This is often the case with a condition called sleep apnea — a sleep disorder that causes you to momentarily stop breathing, often many times during the night. Each time you stop breathing, you awaken just long enough to disrupt your sleep cycle, usually without being aware of it. Your only clue, says Goldberg, is that you experience constant fatigue no matter how many hours you sleep each night.

According to Goldberg, sleep apnea, which is caused by an upper airway obstruction, often occurs in women who are overweight or obese. Snoring is often a sign of sleep apnea. Diagnosis requires a visit to a sleep lab, or to a doctor specializing in sleep apnea.

If you have sleep apnea, your physician will recommend lifestyle changes, including losing weight and quitting smoking. Medical treatment includes devices that keep airway passages open while you sleep. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary to ensure proper airway flow. Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk of stroke or heart attack.

Fatigue Cause # 7: Undiagnosed Heart Disease

If you find yourself becoming exhausted after activity that used to be easy, it may be time to talk to your doctor about the possibility of heart disease.

According to Goldberg, when overwhelming fatigue sets in after ordinary tasks — such as vacuuming the house, doing yard work, or commuting from work each day — your heart may be sending out an SOS that it needs medical attention.

“This doesn’t mean that you should panic every time you yawn,” says Goldberg. “Most of the time, fatigue is not the first sign of heart disease, and it’s usually linked to something far less serious.”

At the same time, Goldberg points out that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. “If fatigue following activity is significant, and no other possible reason comes to mind, see your doctor for a check-up,” she advises. If your fatigue is related to your heart, medication or treatment procedures can usually help correct the problem, reduce the fatigue, and restore your energy.

Getting Tired...?

Getting plenty of sleep but still exhausted? Before you blame your multi-tasking, super-woman lifestyle, learn more about what might be at the root of your unexplained fatigue.

We are in the midst of a global energy crisis but it has nothing to do with oil. The problem is unexplained fatigue.

“I’m so tired; I just can’t do what I used to do.”

“I’d love to go but honestly, I just don’t have the energy.”

“Sex? You mean right now?”

If you’re like most women, these phrases have become mantras, the echo of our collective yawn growing louder every day.

“The single biggest complaint I hear from my patients, day in and day out, is fatigue,” says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, Director of the NYU Medical Center Women’s Heart Program and associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine.

Of course, for some of us the problem is simply multi-tasking to the max and not getting enough sleep, or good quality sleep. “If you’re continually logging in just 5 or 6 hours a night, it’s going to catch up with you, no matter your age,” says Rebecca Amaru, MD, clinical instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

But if you are getting a healthy 7 to 8 hours a night and you’re still tired, Goldberg says it’s time for a check-up to uncover the causes for fatigue.

“If your fatigue goes on for more than a week and there is no explanation for feeling tired, then yes, see your doctor,” says Goldberg.

While occasionally fatigue may be a sign of a serious illness, experts say most often it’s caused by a minor problem, with a relatively easy fix.

To help you zero in on why you can’t stop yawning, here are 7 hidden causes of fatigue — potential health problems you should discuss with your doctor.

Fatigue Cause # 1: Anemia

“If you are in your reproductive years, and particularly if you experience heavy menstrual cycles, have fibroid tumors or uterine polyps, or if you’ve recently given birth, the blood loss may have caused you to develop anemia — a leading cause of fatigue in women,” says Amaru.

Problems occur, she says, when the bleeding leads to a deficiency of hemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to other parts of your body. When your tissues and organs don’t get enough oxygen, she says, the result is fatigue.

Other causes of anemia include internal bleeding, or a deficiency of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12. Anemia may also be caused by chronic diseases like kidney disease, for example. Symptoms can include dizziness, feeling cold, and irritability.

To confirm a diagnosis of anemia, your physician will give you a blood test. Treatment, she says, usually consists of iron supplements if iron deficiency is the cause, and adding iron-rich foods — such as spinach, broccoli, and red meat — to your diet.

The good news: With effective treatment, your fatigue should begin to lift in thirty days or less.

Fatigue Cause # 2: Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)

If you are generally sluggish, run down, and even a little depressed, Goldberg says the problem may be a slow thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a small, butterfly shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck and controls your metabolism, the speed at which your body operates.

“I believe that undiagnosed thyroid disorder is one of the major female health problems in this country. I think it is even more widespread than anyone realizes,” says Goldberg.

According to the American Thyroid Foundation, by age 60 approximately 17% of all women will have a thyroid disorder and most won’t know it. The most common cause, they say, is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This condition causes the body to destroy the cells responsible for producing thyroxin and other hormones secreted by the thyroid gland. The result is hypothyroidism, or a slow metabolism.

Blood tests known as T3 and T4 will detect thyroid hormones. If these hormones are low, Goldberg says synthetic hormones can bring you up to speed and you should begin to feel better fairly rapidly.

Fatigue Cause # 3: Undiagnosed Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Although most women associate a urinary tract infection with symptoms such as burning or urgency, Goldberg says in some instances fatigue may be your only clue.

“Not every woman has obvious symptoms of a UTI. Some have no symptoms or mild symptoms that go unnoticed, except for the fatigue,” she says.

In most instances, a UTI is caused by bacteria in the urinary tract, often the result of improper bathroom hygiene (wiping back to front, for example). Sexual intercourse can increase the risk because it can push bacteria from the vagina into the urethra.

If your physician suspects that you have a UTI, your urine will be tested. Treatment is quick and easy, and usually involves an oral antibiotic medication. Goldberg says the fatigue will lift within a week or less.

If your symptoms return, get tested again, she says, because in some women, UTI’s are chronic. If this is the case, talk to your doctor about preventive care, including low dose antibiotics.

Fatigue Cause # 4: Caffeine Overload

Many of us grab a coffee or cola for a quick burst of energy, but for some women, caffeine can have the opposite effect.

In an article published in the journal US Pharmacist, author W. Stephen Pray, PhD, RPh, reports that caffeine is a stimulant, but if you take too much, the tables can turn.

“In some patients, continued abuse results in fatigue,” according to Pray. And if you think this means you simply require more caffeine to get the kick, this isn’t the case. “Any attempts to solve the problem by increasing caffeine intake causes the fatigue to worsen,” he says.

The solution: Eliminate as much caffeine from your diet as possible. This means not only cutting out coffee. Chocolate, tea, soda and even some medications also contain caffeine and could be causing unexplained fatigue.

Fatigue Cause # 5: Food Allergies

While food is supposed to give us energy, some doctors believe hidden food intolerances — or allergies — can do the opposite. According to Rudy Rivera, MD, author of Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat, even mild food intolerance can leave you feeling sleepy. Eat the offending food long enough and you could find yourself feeling continually exhausted.

“Evidence indicates food intolerance as a cause of fatigue, and even suggests that fatigue may be an early warning sign of food intolerance,” he says.

If you suspect that food may be behind all that yawning, Rivera says to start with an elimination diet, cutting out foods that cause you to feel sleepy within 10 to 30 minutes of eating them. You can also talk to your doctor about a food allergy test — or invest in a home test such as ALCAT — which may help you identify the offending foods.

Fatigue Cause # 6: Sleep Apnea

If you’re not getting enough sleep, it stands to reason you’ll be tired. But what if you don’t know that you aren’t getting sufficient sleep? This is often the case with a condition called sleep apnea — a sleep disorder that causes you to momentarily stop breathing, often many times during the night. Each time you stop breathing, you awaken just long enough to disrupt your sleep cycle, usually without being aware of it. Your only clue, says Goldberg, is that you experience constant fatigue no matter how many hours you sleep each night.

According to Goldberg, sleep apnea, which is caused by an upper airway obstruction, often occurs in women who are overweight or obese. Snoring is often a sign of sleep apnea. Diagnosis requires a visit to a sleep lab, or to a doctor specializing in sleep apnea.

If you have sleep apnea, your physician will recommend lifestyle changes, including losing weight and quitting smoking. Medical treatment includes devices that keep airway passages open while you sleep. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary to ensure proper airway flow. Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk of stroke or heart attack.

Fatigue Cause # 7: Undiagnosed Heart Disease

If you find yourself becoming exhausted after activity that used to be easy, it may be time to talk to your doctor about the possibility of heart disease.

According to Goldberg, when overwhelming fatigue sets in after ordinary tasks — such as vacuuming the house, doing yard work, or commuting from work each day — your heart may be sending out an SOS that it needs medical attention.

“This doesn’t mean that you should panic every time you yawn,” says Goldberg. “Most of the time, fatigue is not the first sign of heart disease, and it’s usually linked to something far less serious.”

At the same time, Goldberg points out that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. “If fatigue following activity is significant, and no other possible reason comes to mind, see your doctor for a check-up,” she advises. If your fatigue is related to your heart, medication or treatment procedures can usually help correct the problem, reduce the fatigue, and restore your energy.

The Struggling Grant System

Grants have been intended to further research in all realms, most notably the cancer world, although the past 40 years have demonstrated an obvious decrease in grant funding, leading to fewer research breakthroughs in the industry. Top federal cancer officials have noted that the grant system needs to be changed because of the cautious steps, which the many cancer institutes take when funding research, but steps have yet to be implemented to curb this fact.

Many top scientists and researchers have come up with novel ideas that can either lead to developing more drugs to combat cancer, or lead to a further understanding of the causes of cancer. However, many grant programs refuse to fund such endeavors because they don’t contribute wholeheartedly towards winning the fight against cancer. Many of these industries are still hoping to discover an overarching cure for cancer, and devote more time and money to this single endeavor. Additionally, even some of the studies that can prove to be helpful in the cancer world are denied because of the lack of further research; these scientists cannot receive the proper research without grants and many are therefore caught in this catch-22 of sorts.

Cancer research was supposed to have been much more developed than it is when this type of funding originally began 40 years ago, though it was hard to predict the massive impact cancer has had through modern society. With the many different forms and many different mutations, it has become increasingly difficult to develop an overarching “cure” for cancer. Many of the breakthroughs in the industry have come about as a result of outside monetary funding and donors who contribute large amounts to specific causes. Most of the funding for major grant sites additionally come from walkathons and memorial donations rather than a larger industry. The grant review committees are also becoming increasingly cautious with their money because of the small amount of funds they have to submit for research; if they do not see noticeable promise in specific research ventures, they will reject the plan. This has hindered many further steps in cancer research because of the smaller projects that can help towards gaining a better insight into the susceptibility of cancer.

While there are many ventures throughout the nation that require more funds than the cancer industry does at a faster pace, there should at least be additional funding that supports these endeavors. For a disease, which has afflicted thousands of Americans over the past decades, we have yet to make the cancer industry a top priority in any government funding. This may not change any time soon, but recognizing the fact that research is not moving at a fast pace due to this lack of funds for grants is important towards gaining a better system to support this research.

This post was contributed by Megan Jones, who writes about the nursing colleges. She welcomes your feedback at Meg.Jones0310@gmail.com

Stress Management

What happens when you are stressed?

Stress is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to. When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy. This is called the fight-or-flight stress response.

Some stress is normal and even useful. Stress can help if you need to work hard or react quickly. For example, it can help you win a race or finish an important job on time.

But if stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects. It can be linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. It can weaken your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease. If you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse. It can make you moody, tense, or depressed. Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work or school.

What can you do about stress?

The good news is that you can learn ways to manage stress. To get stress under control:

• Find out what is causing stress in your life.
• Look for ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life.
• Learn healthy ways to relieve stress or reduce its harmful effects.

How do you measure your stress level?

Sometimes it is clear where stress is coming from. You can count on stress during a major life change such as the death of a loved one, getting married, or having a baby. But other times it may not be so clear why you feel stressed.

It's important to figure out what causes stress for you. Everyone feels and responds to stress differently. Keeping a stress journal may help. Get a notebook, and write down when something makes you feel stressed. Then write how you reacted and what you did to deal with the stress. Keeping a stress journal can help you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. Then you can take steps to reduce the stress or handle it better.

How can you avoid stress?

Stress is a fact of life for most people. You may not be able to get rid of stress, but you can look for ways to lower it.

You might try some of these ideas:

• Learn better ways to manage your time. You may get more done with less stress if you make a schedule. Think about which things are most important, and do those first.
• Find better ways to cope. Look at how you have been dealing with stress. Be honest about what works and what does not. Think about other things that might work better.
• Take good care of yourself. Get plenty of rest. Eat well. Don't smoke. Limit how much alcohol you drink.
• Try out new ways of thinking. When you find yourself starting to worry, try to stop the thoughts. Work on letting go of things you cannot change. Learn to say "no."
• Speak up. Not being able to talk about your needs and concerns creates stress and can make negative feelings worse. Assertive communication can help you express how you feel in a thoughtful, tactful way.
• Ask for help. People who have a strong network of family and friends manage stress better.

Sometimes stress is just too much to handle alone. Talking to a friend or family member may help, but you may also want to see a counselor.

How can you relieve stress?

You will feel better if you can find ways to get stress out of your system. The best ways to relieve stress are different for each person. Try some of these ideas to see which ones work for you:

• Exercise. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress. Walking is a great way to get started.
• Write. It can help to write about the things that are bothering you.
• Let your feelings out. Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to with someone you trust.
• Do something you enjoy. A hobby can help you relax. Volunteer work or work that helps others can be a great stress reliever.
• Learn ways to relax your body. This can include breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, massage, aromatherapy, yoga, or relaxing exercises like tai chi and qi gong.
• Focus on the present. Try meditation, imagery exercises, or self-hypnosis. Listen to relaxing music. Try to look for the humor in life. Laughter really can be the best medicine.

How to handle Stress?

The unmeetable deadline, the never-satisfied boss, the you-don't-deserve-him mother-in-law: We all know how pressure and aggravation make us feel. Not just in terms of emotional stress (that's a given), but how they tangibly, really feel -- the racing heartbeat, the churning gut, the dry mouth. Mental stress has always had its physical component. In fact, that's what the stress response is: the visceral priming of the body to either fight or run away from a perceived danger. Less well recognized is that even chronic, unpleasant stress, the kind that's so constant you consider it normal, can cause aches and pains that you might not attribute to emotions.

"Many people who have stress-related pain aren't even aware of what they're fearful or angry about," says Ian Wickramasekera, Ph.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at Stanford University Medical School. By some estimates, half of the patients doctors see for various common body aches are actually expressing psychological distress through physical pain. Stress experts across the country saw evidence of this after the terrorist attacks last September. "In 30 years of specializing in stress-related diseases, I've never seen more flare-ups of physical pain, even in people who'd been free of symptoms for years," Wickramasekera says. (Intrigued Stanford scientists immediately launched a study of the phenomenon.)

The source of stress-related pain lies in the brain, which, when you feel under the gun, triggers the release of cortisol, adrenaline and other hormones that prepare the body for action by, for example, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. Less noticeably, these hormones also make muscles tense up, which can cause aches and irritate nerves. Here's a guide to the areas stress hits most often, and simple steps you can take to relieve the pain:

Low-back pain

Back pain can be caused by many different factors, such as poor posture or pressure on the spine from long hours of sitting. But a classic Swedish study of low-back pain in the workplace more than a decade ago showed that women who reported signs of stress such as dissatisfaction, worry and fatigue were more likely to experience low-back pain than those who had physical stressors like doing a lot of lifting. More recently, researchers at Ohio State University found that when volunteers felt stressed (from a snippy lab supervisor criticizing them as they tried lifting an object at a certain rate of speed), they used their back muscles in ways that made them more susceptible to injury. "I expect you'd see this even more in the real world, where stress is experienced over long periods and you care more about your task," says study coauthor Catherine Heaney, Ph.D., associate professor of public health. To ease the twinge of low-back pain:

* Stand with your heels and shoulders touching a wall. Tilt your pelvis so that the small of your back presses against the wall, relieving back muscles. Hold for 15-30 seconds. Do this exercise regularly to reduce your risk of getting back pain or to relieve existing pain.

* Strengthen your abdominal muscles, which support the spine, by doing crunches three times per week Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat with hands cupped behind your ears. Feet should be together and flat on the floor, with knees bent at about a 45-degree angle. Curl your upper torso up, bringing ribs in toward hips until your shoulder blades clear the floor. Do one set of 15-25 crunches; gradually build to three sets. Also, increase endurance of the muscles along the spine, the spinal erectors, by doing alternate leg and arm raises from an all-fours position, holding each position for eight counts. Initially, do one set of 10 repetitions, building up to three sets.

Neck and shoulder pain

The neck is particularly prone to stress-related pain in part because it's already bearing the burden of your 10-pound head. Pain may start with bad habits like squeezing the phone between your shoulder and your ear, but tension in neck muscles makes the problem worse, often causing pain to radiate. A recent study in Finland found that in addition to physical factors like working with a hand raised above shoulder level, mental stress is strongly linked to the likelihood of experiencing radiating neck pain. In most cases, getting rid of pain in the neck will benefit the shoulders as well. Here is what you can do:

* Give your neck muscles an all-around stretch one step at a time. First, while sitting erect in a chair, lower your chin to your chest, letting the weight of your head gently stretch tense muscles at the back of the neck. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds.

* Next, gently let your head drop toward one shoulder. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.

* Use progressive muscle relaxation, in which you mentally focus on muscles and consciously allow them to relax. 'First, you have to isolate the muscles by actually tensing them more,' says Ronald Kanner, M.D., chairman of the department of neurology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. To do it, rest your elbows on your desk and press your face against your hands, then release, which will relax the muscles in your neck Mentally note the neck muscles you're using and, over the course of about 15 seconds, slowly release their tension. Keep focusing on your neck muscles even after you lift your face from your hands, imagining the muscles deeply relaxing.

Headaches

Tension headaches are sometimes called hatband headaches because pain occurs all around the head, although it's most intense at the temples and back of the skull. The tight areas causing the ache, however, are often concentrated in the face and neck, referring pain through muscle fibers and nerves, says MaryAnn Mays, M.D., a neurologist with the Headache Clinic at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Some research suggests that people with tension headaches are especially prone to see (or remember) everyday events as stressful, though studies are contradictory. A greater concern is that those who have headaches frequently are at higher risk of depression and anxiety. "If you have more than several headaches a month, consult a doctor to see what else may be going on," Mays says.

In many cases, however, tension headaches are short-lived and infrequent. To deal with yours:

* Go easy on over-the-counter pain relievers: Some brands contain caffeine, which, if taken too frequently, causes caffeine-withdrawal, "rebound" headaches that make the problem worse. Also consider cutting back on coffee, but don't go cold turkey. "I usually suggest drinking just one cup a day -- but having that cup every day to avoid caffeine-withdrawal symptoms," Mays says.

* Do a self-massage of muscles in the face and neck that often refer pain to the head. Start by gently pressing your fingers on both sides of your face around the hinge to your jaw, rubbing the area in a circular motion, then kneading the skin with your fingers. Next, move hands to the area just behind the jaw and below the ears, massaging gently as you slowly slide hands down your neck to the base of the shoulders.

Jaw ache

Pain on the side of the face that can radiate to the head or neck may be indicative of the jaw malady known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). But in many cases, the problem isn't the joint connecting the jaw to the skull, but muscular tension caused by clenching your teeth while under stress. "Don't rush out for a joint operation," Kanner says. Instead, ease tension in muscles that operate the jaw:

* Open your jaw as wide as you can, hold for a few moments, then gradually let it relax. "Sometimes you'll feel more pain initially," Kanner says, 'but that's a function of muscle tightness, and the discomfort should dissipate as you work the muscles."

* Try to make a habit of holding your jaw open slightly so that your upper and lower teeth don't touch. Resting your tongue against the roof of your mouth while you do this can help keep teeth separated so you won't clench or grind them.

* Stress can cause you to clench or grind your teeth at night. Speak to your doctor; she may recommend a mouth guard to both minimize damage to your teeth and cushion pressure from the jaw, which may help relieve pain.

Relieving pain from stress is only half the battle: Your body won't stop hurting until your mind feels more at ease. Here's what Allen Elkin, Ph.D., director of the Stress Management and Counseling Center in New York City and author of Stress Management for Dummies (IDG Books, 1999), suggests for four of the most common hair-tearing problems for women:

"Work is out of control." "Overloaded people are often lousy delegators and negotiators," Elkin says. Ask' yourself: Am I really the only one who can do all this? Is the deadline really written, in stone? If you say yes, ask someone who might have a different view. Try to get help or ask your boss which tasks get top priority if you can't do them all on time. That doesn't help? Gauge. the downside of missing your deadlines. Often there's more room to maneuver than we think, Elkin says. If you're still in a bind, ask yourself how not to repeat this experience. Maybe you said yes when you should have said no or maybe you should reconsider what you really want to be doing.

"My relatives drive me nuts." And maybe they always will. "People are the way they are, and their personal style probably has little to do with you," Elkin says: (In other words, if a relative or in-law is causing you stress, she's probably driving your other relatives crazy as well.) "It takes two to make one feel lousy," Elkin says. Just because others impose demands or try to make you feel guilty doesn't mean you have to play it their way. But don't overlook your role if conflict seems tough to avoid. Check your expectations about how others should behave and ask how you might be driving them crazy.

"Household hassles are overwhelming." It's tough to do it all -- so don't. "Is it so horrible if the bed linen doesn't get changed today?" Elkin says. If you can't bring yourself to trade slovenliness for sanity, enlist help from others in the household -- or, if you can, hire help from outside. If nothing else, try to gain a semblance of serenity by setting, aside time each day to do something simple you enjoy: reading the paper, having lunch with a friend or listening to music.

"I'm in a rut." "Stress isn't just about hassles, it's about lack of satisfaction, Elkin says. "Sometimes stress comes from under-doing as much as overdoing." Ask yourself what's absent from your life. Friends? Fun? Stimulation? Try to fill in the missing pieces. Consider doing community work to contribute to something beyond yourself, or taking a course to explore an unfulfilled interest. Build more exercise into your schedule - and try to include friends for conversation and perspective when you work out.

Stress, Pain & Reasons

When you're under stress -- brief or lingering, mild or severe -- your body releases chemicals that change the way your brain senses pain. In some cases, stress actually eases pain. A strange sound in a dark alley can make you forget about your aching knee, a handy thing if you decide to run. But in other cases, the body's response to stress can fuel chronic pain that serves no purpose.

In recent years, scientists have made great progress in uncovering the links between stress and pain. Each discovery sheds new light on the amazing workings of the brain. More important, the research may soon open up new avenues for pain relief.

Natural pain relievers

In the short term, stress can be a powerful painkiller. When the brain senses a serious threat or a traumatic injury, it releases a veritable pharmacy of chemicals to quickly dampen the pain. Called "stress-induced analgesia," this reaction explains why people often don't feel pain immediately following an injury. It enables a soldier in battle -- or, for that matter, a deer trying to outrun a mountain lion after escaping from its claws -- to focus on survival rather than pain. Some soldiers hit by enemy fire don't even realize that they've been injured until the battle is over.

Interestingly, the painkillers released by the body during stress are very similar to chemicals found in illicit drugs. In addition to blocking pain, these chemicals trigger the release of dopamine, a compound that provides feelings of pleasure.

In 2005, researchers discovered that stress can also trigger the release of marijuana-like compounds called cannabinoids. The study, published in Nature, found that the body's version of marijuana is highly effective at blocking out pain. As reported by the University of Georgia, researchers hope the discovery can lead to new medications that can relieve pain without the side effects of either narcotics or "real" marijuana.

Lingering stress, chronic pain

Though the body is well equipped to block out pain during fleeting moments of stress, its response to long-lasting stress isn't nearly so helpful. The brain can't keep pumping out opioids forever, and the supply eventually runs out. To make things worse, stress also damages the brain's ability to produce dopamine, the pleasure compound stimulated by opioids. In short, chronic stress can short-circuit the brain's normal response to adversity.

For some people, this chemical upheaval can set the stage for chronic pain. According to a 2004 report in Medical Hypotheses, stress-induced damage to the body's dopamine-producing mechanism may contribute to the onset of fibromyalgia. People with this condition are extremely sensitive to pain and often have unexplained pain in trigger points throughout their body. Fibromyalgia could be an exception to a basic rule of stress-related diseases. Heart disease, hypertension, depression, and other diseases can get their start when the body produces an overload of stress hormones. Fibromyalgia may be just the opposite: As reported in 2005 in Arthritis Research and Therapy, some studies -- but not all -- have found that people with fibromyalgia tend to have unusually low levels of cortisol, a hormone that the body releases in times of stress. The lack of cortisol may be a sign that body isn't responding to stress -- or fighting pain -- the way it should.

More ways stress hurts

Despite the body's best efforts at self-medication, stress can sometimes be the cause of pain. For example, a bad day at work may bring on a tension headache. Stress is also a common trigger for migraines.

And, as many people can attest, stress is hard on the digestive system. As reported in a 2002 issue of the journal Gut, stress compounds -- especially one called CRF -- can make the intestines extra sensitive to pain. Some experts believe that this sensitivity plays a large role in irritable bowel syndrome, a sometimes painful condition that is highly reactive to stress. Researchers are currently investigating drugs that block CRF as potential treatments for the syndrome.

Fear and anxiety can also fuel pain. As Robert Sapolsky writes in his book Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers (Henry Holt and Co., 2004), the mere sight of a hypodermic needle can be enough make a person's arm throb. In this case, the brain's emotions overwhelm its natural painkillers. The more a person fixates on pain -- existing or expected -- the more it hurts.

While scientists still have much to learn about stress and pain, one thing is already clear: For many people, relaxation can be a powerful pain reliever. Even the venerable Mayo Clinic suggests meditation as a potential remedy for chronic pain. Likewise, people with irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, or chronic headaches may find relief if they can reduce stress in their lives or change their attitudes about life's problems. If you have one of these conditions, cognitive behavioral therapy or another type of counseling could become an important part of your recovery.

-- Chris Woolston, MS, is a contributing editor to Consumer Health Interactive. He is a former staff writer for Hippocrates magazine and has written for Health, WebMD, and many others. He is the co-author of Generation Extra Large: Rescuing Our Children from the Epidemic of Obesity (Perseus Books, 2005).

Nature Creation April 2009 Promotion - Free Lavender Eye Cover

Nature Creation is offering Free Lavender Eye Cover to any purchase at $49.99 or higher.

Nature Creation Lavender Eye Cover is a relaxation device, which help many customers to sleep easy. The product is filled with 100% natural lavender flowers and flax seeds. It is essential to remove puffy eyes, minimizing the effects of insomnia, or to relax the eyes upon reading or driving.

The Nature Creation Lavender Eye Cover is available in 5 attractive colors, which include black, blue, green, purple or red.

In addition, Nature Creation is also offering a special 10% OFF to any amounts of purchase or 20% OFF, if you purchased above $99.99 on its website (www.naturecreation.com).

This offer is ended on April 30, 2009. So please be hurry before the promotion is expired.

Heat Therapy ... Benefits & Application

While the overall qualities of warmth and heat have long been associated with comfort and relaxation, Nature Creation heat therapy goes a step further and can provide both pain relief and healing benefits for many types of lower back pain.

In addition, heat therapy for lower back pain - in the form of heating pads, heat wraps, hot baths, warm gel packs, etc. - is both inexpensive and easy to do.

This article provides an examination of how heat therapy interacts with the body to alleviate pain as well as options on how to apply heat therapy to help alleviate many types of lower back pain.

How is the heat pack works?

Many episodes of lower back pain result from strains and over-exertions, creating tension in the muscles and soft tissues around the lower spine. As a result, this restricts proper circulation and sends pain signals to the brain.

Muscle spasm in the lower back can create sensations that may range from mild discomfort to excruciating lower back pain. Heat therapy can help relieve pain from the muscle spasm and related tightness in the lower back.

Heat therapy application can help provide lower back pain relief through several mechanisms:

Heat therapy dilates the blood vessels of the muscles surrounding the lumbar spine. This process increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, helping to heal the damaged tissue.

Heat stimulates the sensory receptors in the skin, which means that applying heat to the lower back will decrease transmissions of pain signals to the brain and partially relieve the discomfort.

Heat application facilitates stretching the soft tissues around the spine, including muscles, connective tissue, and adhesion. Consequently, with heat therapy, there will be a decrease in stiffness as well as injury, with an increase in flexibility and overall feeling of comfort. Flexibility is very important for a healthy back.

There are several other significant benefits of heat therapy that make it so appealing. Compared to most therapies, heat therapy is quite inexpensive (and in many circumstances it’s free - such as taking a hot bath). Heat therapy is also easy to do - it can be done at home while relaxing, and portable heat wraps also make it an option while at work or in the car.

For many people, heat therapy works best when combined with other treatment modalities, such as physical therapy and exercise. Relative to most medical treatments available, heat therapy is appealing to many people because it is a non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical form of lower back pain relief.

How to Apply the Heat Pack

The most effective heat therapy products are the ones that can maintain their heat at the proper temperature. “Warm” is the proper temperature. Patients should not have their heat source be hot to the point of burning the skin. The desired effect is for the heat to penetrate down into the muscles. Simply increasing the temperature of the skin will do little to decrease discomfort.

In many instances, the longer the heat is applied, the better. The duration that one needs to apply the heat, though, is based on the type of and/or magnitude of the injury. For very minor back tension, short amounts of heat therapy may be sufficient (such as 15 to 20 minutes). For more intense injuries, longer sessions of heat may be more beneficial (such as 30 minutes to 2 hours, or more).

Nature Creation products offers two options of heat therapy include moist heat and dry heat.

• Dry heat, such as electric heating pads and saunas, draw out moisture from the body and may leave the skin dehydrated. However, some people feel that dry heat is the easiest to apply and feels the best.

• Moist heat, such as hot baths, steamed towels or moist heating packs can aid in the heat’s penetration into the muscles, and some people feel that moist heat provides better pain relief.

A specific type of heat therapy may feel better for one person than for another, and it may require some experimentation to figure out which one works best. There are many different manners for heat to be applied to the lower back.

Finally, it is important to use enough insulation between the heat source and the skin to avoid overheating or burning the skin.

Please note that heat should not be used in certain circumstances. For example, if the lower back is swollen or bruised, heat should not be used. Patients should consult doctors if they have heart disease or hypertension. Heat application is also not suitable in the following cases:

• Dermatitis

• Deep vein thrombosis

• Diabetes

• Peripheral vascular disease

• Open wound

• Severe cognitive impairment

In general, if the injured area is swollen or bruised it is better to apply ice or a cold pack to reduce the inflammation or swelling.

In summary, Nature Creation heat therapy is an easy and inexpensive option to provide relief from many forms of lower back pain. It may be used alone or in conjunction with other therapies. Because it is so simple, it is often overlooked and physicians may forget to mention it, but heat therapy used in the right way can be a valuable part of many lower back pain treatment programs.

Acupuncture... is it really work?

Acupuncture involves inserting hair-thin needles into your skin to relieve pain. Find out how acupuncture works and what conditions it can treat.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin, to various depths at strategic points on your body. Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago, but over the past two decades its popularity has grown significantly within the United States. Although scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works, some studies indicate that it may provide a number of medical benefits — from reducing pain to helping with chemotherapy-induced nausea.

What happens during an acupuncture session?

Acupuncture therapy usually involves a series of weekly or biweekly treatments in an outpatient setting. It's common to have up to 12 treatments in total. Although each acupuncture practitioner has his or her own unique style, each visit typically includes an exam and an assessment of your current condition, the insertion of needles, and a discussion about self-care tips. An acupuncture visit generally lasts about 30 minutes.

Before the needles are placed, you'll lie down on a comfortable surface. Depending on where the needles are to go, you will lie facedown, faceup or on your side. Make sure that your acupuncturist uses single-use sterile packaged needles. You may feel a brief, sharp sensation when the needle is inserted, but generally the procedure isn't painful.

It's common, however, to feel a deep aching sensation when the needle reaches the correct depth. After placement, the needles are sometimes moved gently or stimulated with electricity or heat. As many as a dozen needles may need to be placed for each treatment. Once the needles are inserted, they're usually left in place for five to 20 minutes.

How does acupuncture work?

The traditional Chinese theory behind acupuncture as medical treatment is very different from that of Western medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, health results form a harmonious balance between the complementary extremes (yin and yang) of the life force known as qi or chi.

Qi is believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. These meridians and the energy flow are accessible through more than 350 acupuncture points. Illness results from an imbalance of the forces. By inserting needles into these points in various combinations, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will rebalance.

In contrast, the Western explanation of acupuncture incorporates modern concepts of neuroscience. Many practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This stimulation appears to boost the activity of your body's natural painkillers and increase blood flow.

Who is acupuncture for?

Acupuncture seems to be useful as a stand-alone treatment for some conditions, but it's also increasingly being used in conjunction with more conventional Western medical treatments. For example, doctors may combine acupuncture and drugs to control pain and nausea after surgery.

Scientific studies generally test treatments against placebos, such as sugar pills. It's difficult to conduct valid scientific studies of acupuncture, because it's difficult to devise sham versions of acupuncture. In fact, several studies have indicated that sham acupuncture works as well or almost as well as real acupuncture.

This makes it hard to create a definitive list of the conditions for which acupuncture might be helpful. However, preliminary studies indicate that acupuncture may offer symptomatic relief for a variety of diseases and conditions, including low back pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, migraines and osteoarthritis.

In addition, research shows acupuncture can help manage postoperative dental pain and alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. It also appears to offer relief for chronic menstrual cramps and tennis elbow.

Pros and cons

As with most medical therapies, acupuncture has both benefits and risks. Consider the benefits:

• Acupuncture is safe when performed properly.
• It has few side effects.
• It can be useful as a complement to other treatment methods.
• It's becoming more available in conventional medical settings.
• It helps control certain types of pain.
• It may be an alternative if you don't respond to or don't want to take pain medications.

Acupuncture may not be safe if you have a bleeding disorder or if you're taking blood thinners. The most common side effects of acupuncture are soreness, bleeding or bruising at the needle sites. Rarely, a needle may break or an internal organ might be injured. If needles are reused, infectious diseases may be accidentally transmitted. However, these risks are low in the hands of a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner.

Pros & Cons of Non Surgical Back Pain Treatments

Nonsurgical, noninvasive approaches are likely to be what you'll begin with. Low back pain often improves on its own over time or with the help of conservative approaches. People with acute low back pain generally experience substantial improvement in the first month after initially seeing their doctor. When it's time to decide on nonsurgical, conservative approaches, consider these points:

Pros	Cons
Conservative approaches are less invasive than surgery and don't require the recovery time that surgery does.	You may have to be patient. It may take a while for you to return to your desired level of activity at work and at leisure.
Conservative approaches allow your body's own natural healing process to work, which is what happens most of the time with back pain.	If you take pain medications, they may cause side effects.
You can try conservative approaches and always opt for a more-aggressive approach later.	Conservative approaches may require a change in habits, such as regular exercise to strengthen your back.
Other than your pain, your doctor may not have any physical findings on which to recommend surgery.	If your pain is severe, persistent and disabling, you may struggle with feelings to move to a more-aggressive approach.
Conservative approaches cost less than surgery.
You avoid the risks of surgery.

Back Pain Guidelines

Your sore back is a nuisance, or worse. It may prevent you from doing what you need to do — for example, work — or what you want to do, such as enjoyable pastimes. You may have reached the point of wondering: "Will I be able to keep my mind off the nagging pain today? Will my back pain ever go away? When can I get better and become more active again?" If you're like millions of other people who deal with chronic nonspecific back pain, you're more than familiar with these questions.

Chronic nonspecific back pain is different from the occasional sore back you might have for a day or two after too much gardening or painting the ceiling. Unlike instances of acute back pain, chronic nonspecific back pain is:

• Long lasting. To be termed chronic, back pain usually has been present for three months at a time.
• Recurring. Even after resolution of one long episode of back pain, pain tends to return. However, the recurrence is highly variable among people and unpredictable.

Chronic nonspecific back pain is the kind of back pain that, by definition, is "nonspecific." In other words, in most cases the cause is unknown or difficult to pin down. If this kind of back pain describes your pain, then this decision guide is for you. If you need information about back pain that's associated with a herniated disk, especially back pain that involves radiating leg pain or leg muscle weakness, see this guide's "Related links" section for a link to another guide dedicated to that topic.

Think of you and your doctor as partners in managing and treating your chronic back pain. You'll want to carefully consider all your options and the risks and benefits of each in relation to your lifestyle and what's important to you. The information in this decision guide is intended to help you understand the various treatment options, from more-conservative to more-invasive techniques, and help you decide which treatment — or combination of treatments — is best for you.

Take about an hour to go through this information in sequence by following the links at the right or at the bottom of each page. This provides proper context and helps you understand more about chronic back pain, your treatment options, and the pros and cons to consider in making your decision.

Treatment Approach:

Because chronic nonspecific back pain may result from several factors — physical, psychological and social — treatment often involves a multifaceted approach or an approach using multiple interventions.

Emphasis on improving function
The most important aspect of chronic nonspecific back pain is how it impacts your ability to function in your daily life. So, although it's important to reduce pain, the emphasis of the treatment isn't only on eliminating the pain, but on improving your ability to function as much as possible in your usual activities. As well as reducing pain and improving function, goals of treatment include giving you skills to self-manage your pain and avoiding adverse side effects of treatment.

Starting with a conservative approach
Treatment options include a variety of conservative approaches such as medications, exercise and physical therapy, and counseling, or they include more-aggressive approaches such as surgery. However, because nonspecific back pain often improves on its own or with conservative approaches, that's where you and your doctor will likely first focus your efforts. You'll likely reserve discussion of surgery or other more-invasive procedures for later consideration.

Treatment Suggestion:

Cold or heat therapy. Using Nature Creation cold and heat therapy may relieve pain and muscle tension in the initial days after back pain begins. Some studies show that heat is an effective approach for acute nonspecific back pain. As for chronic back pain, cold and heat likely won't cause harm and may be helpful, but there isn't scientific evidence at this time to prove that cold and heat are effective treatments for chronic low back pain. Cold applied to your back can reduce inflammation and swelling by constricting blood vessels. The cold also acts to slow nerve impulses and make it less likely that your muscles will contract, in this way reducing pain.

March 2009 Nature Creation Retail Promotion

New & Improved Nature Creation Warm-Up Slippers

New Product

Nature Creation Thermo Warm-Up Slippers

The ideal design of Nature Creation Thermo Slippers is to provide natural soothing therapy in the comfort of your daily life. Through out the years, we had many compliments and suggestions on what to expect and how to improve the designs and the execution of this product. We did all the researches and experiments, which finally came out in details as followed:

• New & Improved Sewing Methods
  
  
  
  • Durability and comfort are two main reasons of this improvement. We experimented extensively with various durable, but soft materials for the inner sole, padding, and outer fabrics. Yet, we always put the priority of comfort to the users. As the final designs revealed, we discovered new blend of sewing patterns to strengthen the joints and combined to better fabrics, which eventually improved the users' experiences of excellent heating & cooling effects. This new multi layers Zig-Zag sewing patterns and new fabrics will guarantee to improve the durability of Thermo Slippers.
  
  
  
  


• New Blended Formula of 9 Essential Natural Herbs
  
  
  
  • Unlike the previous blend, the new system of the sole padding contains smaller particles of natural herbs. They will not harsh or absurd the bottom foot, which allow the users to walk comfortably, while maintain the heat and cold effect on the product. The hand-selected herbs include Chamomile, Cinnamon, Lemon grass, Peppermint, Rosemary, Spearmint, White Willow, Yarrow, Yellow-Dock Root. In addition, we add Flax Seed and Wheat as the heating and cooling elements to the blends.
  
  
  
  


• Easy Opening and Sealed Pocket
  
  
  
  • It is now easier to remove or replace the sole pads on the Thermo Slippers. The improved design of the sole pads extend the flexibility, while the new sewing systems allow the Thermo Slippers to open wider to take-in & out of the padding.
  
  
  
  


• Mini Rubber Dot Bottom Sole
  
  
  
  • In order to prevent injuries due to slippery bottom surface, we add mini molecule rubber dots on this new design. This special tacky rubber will hold your feet steadily on hard and soft surfaces.
  
  
  
  


• Colors of Synergy
  
  
  
  • The thicker, but soft outer fabrics will enhance the durability & comfort, yet they match the marble colors of other Nature Creation products. Now, you can use the complete sets of Nature Creation collections and be in harmony of perfect synergy with your favorite colors. The available colors of Nature Creation Thermo Shoes are Black, Blue, Purple & Red.
  
  
  
  


• 1-Year Craftsmanship Warranty
  
  
  
  • We are confident to the quality, comfort and soothing therapy of this new & improved Thermo Slippers, which we back it up with 1-year craftsmanship warranty. If you find any workmanship defects or issues within the first year of purchase, we will replace your Thermo Slippers and extend the warranty on the replacement for an additional 1-year.
  
  
  
  

There is no doubt that you are purchasing products from a company with excellent customer services and quality in mind. We understand your high expectations and always work hard to pursuit of perfection to satisfy your needs. We are not only looking for one transaction to fulfill our commitment to excellence.  Yet, we are always looking absolute satisfaction of your clients and our business relation in the future.

If you need further assistance or like to discuss in person, please send us an email at info@naturecreation.com or call at 1-888-250-2010.

 

Neck Pains

• A bad night’s rest. How you sleep at night can affect your neck during the day. A soft mattress, pillows that force your neck into awkward angles, and uncomfortable sleeping positions may be to blame if you wake up with a sore neck. But the tossing and turning of a bad night’s rest may be less to blame than waking suddenly from a sound sleep. A sudden jerk of the neck upon awakening can leave neck muscles tight and sore.

• Body mechanics. Poor sitting and standing posture—slumped shoulders, a “drooping” head, slouching or rounding of the lower back—can cause neck pain. However, bad body mechanics are more than poor posture. Repeated tasks, such as holding the phone with your shoulder or always carrying a heavy briefcase or shoulder bag on the same side of your body, can cause muscle stiffness or imbalance. Workstations can also force you into poor positions.
• Stress. The neck and upper-back muscles are often among the first to become tense when you are under emotional stress. Whenever these muscles remain tight for a long time, they may ache, become sore, and even cause headaches.
• Neck sprains and strains. The term whiplash is often used to refer to neck sprains and strains that result when the neck is forced suddenly forward, backward, or both—such as from a rear-end collision. Contact sports, a fall, or a sudden twist can cause similar injuries. Pain from neck sprains and strains may spread into the shoulders, upper back and arms, and sometimes as far as the legs. Pain may remain for 6 weeks or longer but generally improves with normal activity. In some cases, physical therapy or special exercises may help.
• Degenerative joint disease (DJD). Between each bone (vertebra) of the spine is a cartilage disk filled with a gelatin-like substance that provides cushioning. As we age, these disks become thinner, losing some of their capacity to absorb shock. The joints of the neck may also become inflamed as a result of arthritis or bone spurs, or a disk may herniate (push outward) from its normal space and place pressure on the nerves. DJD usually occurs in people over age 40. It often causes painful muscle spasms in the neck and upper back, a dull aching in one arm, or numbness and tingling in the arm or fingers. A direct blow can also make disks bulge or break, causing problems similar to those of disk degeneration. Any persistent pain, numbness, or tingling should be evaluated by a doctor.

Prevention

Neck pain can often be prevented with a few adjustments to the way you work and rest:

• If you often wake up with a sore neck, consider sleeping in a different position, getting a new mattress and box spring, or putting a ¾-inch plywood board between the mattress and box spring for extra support.
• If you sleep on your side, choose a pillow that allows your head to rest comfortably centered between your shoulders. If you sleep on your back, choose a pillow that doesn’t push your chin toward your chest. A special cervical-support pillow or a rolled towel pinned around your neck can also help you position your spine correctly. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
• If daily stress makes your neck and upper-back muscles tense, take time out to relax. Your spine naturally curves in at the neck, out at the upper back, and in again at the lower back. An easy way to improve your posture is to focus on keeping the natural curve at the lower back. When you do this, the rest of the spine tends to pull into place, straightening your shoulders and head as well. However, be sure that your effort to straighten up doesn’t cause your neck or abdomen to stick out.
• Improve your work area. If you spend a lot of time on the phone, use a telephone headset. Keep your briefcase or purse as light as possible, and routinely switch carrying sides. When either is packed full, try to distribute the weight evenly on each side of your body by splitting the contents into two bags or briefcases. Hold reading materials and place computer screens at eye level; don’t bend over your work. Type with your elbows, hips, and knees at a 90-degree angle, and make sure you have good lower-back support.

Self-Care

Even if your neck pain is caused by an injury or a worsening condition, self-care can often provide relief.

• If your neck or upper-back muscles feel tight and sore, especially from stress, ask a friend to massage the area for a few minutes.
• Ice a sore neck for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day to relieve pain and inflammation. A bag of frozen peas or corn makes a great cold pack for the neck. Ice can be good for relieving pain even long after an injury, especially if muscle spasms are present. Switching between heat and ice may also work.
• A warm shower, heating pad, or moist warm towel can help loosen sore, tight muscles. Wait 48 hours before applying heat. Then apply heat for
  20 minutes three times a day.
• Take a pain medication. If pain persists, your doctor may prescribe other medication. When pain is at its worst, rest. Lie flat on your back for an hour or so, with a fairly flat pillow supporting your head. (Extended bed rest, however, can make neck problems worse by allowing muscles to weaken from lack of use.)
• Stretch! Reduce stiffness and soreness and gain motion and strength by moving your neck often.

Natural Remedies for Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that causes difficulty breathing.

The airways of the lungs, called bronchial tubes, become inflamed. The surrounding muscles tighten and mucus is produced, both of which further narrow the airways.

Untreated asthma flare-ups can lead to hospitalization and can even be fatal. It is not a condition that should be self-treated. A doctor's supervision is required.

Symptoms and Signs of Asthma

Asthma symptoms can range from mild, such as wheezing, to chronic coughing and wheezing during severe asthma attacks. These are some of the warning signs and symptoms:

• Wheezing and shortness of breath
  
• Difficulty sleeping due to shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing
  
• Chest pain or tightness
  
• Shortness of breath during exercise
  
• Increased need for bronchodilators (medications that open airways by relaxing the surrounding muscles)

Natural Remedies for Asthma

If you are experiencing symptoms of asthma, it's important to see your doctor to be properly diagnosed. Although alternative therapies haven't been shown to be as promising for asthma as they have for other conditions, here are eight of the more popular alternative remedies for asthma.

1) Buteyko Breathing Technique

The Buteyko (pronounced bew-tay-ko) Breathing Technique was developed by Russian-born researcher Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko. It consists of shallow-breathing exercises designed to help people with asthma breathe easier.

The Buteyko Breathing Technique is based on the premise that raising blood levels of carbon dioxide through shallow breathing can help people with asthma. Carbon dioxide is believed to dilate the smooth muscles of the airways.

A study involving 60 people with asthma compared the effects of the Buteyko Breathing Technique, a device that mimics pranayama (a yoga breathing technique), and a placebo. Researchers found people using the Buteyko Breathing Technique had a reduction in asthma symptoms. Symptoms didn't change in the pranayama and the placebo groups.

The use of inhalers was reduced in the Buteyko group by two puffs a day at six months, but there was no change in the other two groups.

There have been several other promising clinical trials evaluating this technique, however, they have been small in size and may have had other problems with the study design. Critics of the technique say that the technique is expensive, that it makes no difference in the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, that higher levels of carbon dioxide is not an effective strategy, and that any effects of the technique may be due to general relaxation.

Consult your doctor before starting any new therapy for asthma.

2) Omega Fatty Acids

One of the primary inflammation-causing fats in our diets is believed to be arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid is found in certain foods, such as egg yolks, shellfish, and meat. Eating less of these foods is thought to decrease inflammation and asthma symptoms.

A German study examined data from 524 children and found that asthma was more prevalent in children with high levels of arachidonic acid.

Arachidonic acid can also be produced in our bodies. Another strategy to reduce levels of arachidonic acid is to increase intake of beneficial fats such as EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) from fish oil, and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) from borage or evening primrose oil.

Omega-3 fatty acid capsules are sold in drug stores, health food stores and online. Look for the active ingredients EPA and DHA on the label.

Omega-3 fatty acid capsules may interact with blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin (Coumadin) and aspirin. Side effects may include indigestion and bleeding. To reduce a fishy aftertaste after taking fish oil capsules, they should be taken just before meals.

3) Fruits and Vegetables

• A study examining food diaries of 68,535 women found that women who had a greater intake of tomatoes, carrots and leafy vegetables had a lower prevalence of asthma.
  
  
• High consumption of apples may protect against asthma.
  
  
• Daily intake of fruits and vegetables in childhood decreased the risk of asthma.
  
  
• A University of Cambridge study found that asthma symptoms in adults is associated with a low dietary intake of fruit, vitamin C and manganese.

4) Butterbur

Butterbur is a perennial shrub that grows in Europe, Asia and North America. The active constituents are petasin and isopetasin, which are believed to reduce smooth muscle spasm and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Researchers at the University of Dundee, Scotland, evaluated the effects of butterbur in people with allergic asthma who were also using inhalers. They found that butterbur added to the anti-inflammatory effect of the inhalers.

Another study examined the use of butterbur root extract in 80 people with asthma for four months. The number, duration, and severity of asthma attacks decreased and symptoms improved after using butterbur. More than 40 percent of people using asthma medication at the start of the study reduced their intake of medication by the end of the study.

Side effects of butterbur may include indigestion, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrha, or constipation. Pregnant or nursing women, children, or people with kidney or liver disease should not take butterbur.

Butterbur is in the ragweed plant family, so people who are allergic to ragweed, marigold, daisy, or chrysanthemum should not use butterbur.

The raw herb as well as teas, extracts, and capsules made from the raw herb should not be used because they contain substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can be toxic to the liver and kidneys and may cause cancer.

It is possible to remove the pyrrolizidine alkaloids from butterbur products. For example, in Germany, there is a safety limit to the level of pyrrolizidine alkaloids allowed in butterbur products. The daily recommended dose cannot exceed one microgram per day.

5) Bromelain

Bromelain is an extract from pineapples. One of the theories about how it works is that it is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. In one study researchers at the University of Connecticut found that bromelain reduced airway inflammation in animals with allergic airway disease. Bromelain should not be used by people with allergies to pineapples. Side effects may include digestive upset and allergic reactions.

• Bromelain Fact Sheet

6) Boswellia

The herb boswellia, known in Indian Ayurvedic medicine as Salai guggal, has been found in preliminary studies to inhibit the formation of compounds called leukotrienes. Leukotrienes released in the lungs cause narrowing of airways.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of forty patients, 40 people with asthma were treated with a boswellia extract three times a day for six weeks. At the end of this time, 70 percent of people had improved. Symptoms of difficulty breathing, number of attacks, and laboratory measures had improved.

Boswellia is available in pill form. It should say on the label that it is standardized to contain 60 percent boswellic acids. It should not be taken for more than eight to 12 weeks unless otherwise recommended by a qualified health practitioner.

It is not clear what dose is safe or effective or how boswellia may interact with other asthma treatments. Side effects may include digestive upset, nausea, acid reflux or diarrhea.

7) Weight Loss

Numerous studies have found that obesity is a risk factor for asthma.

8) Biofeedback

Biofeedback is sometimes recommended by practitioners as a natural therapy for asthma.

15 Remedies for Back Pain Relief

If you have back pain, the first step is to be properly assessed by your primary care provider. Back pain has many causes, from muscle strain to more serious conditions such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, spondylosisthesis, osteoporosis, or a tumor, so it's important to find out what is causing the back pain.

1) Acupuncture

A study conducted at Sheffield University in the United Kingdom looked at the long-term symptom reduction and economic benefits of acupuncture for persistent low back pain. An average of 8 acupuncture treatments were given to 159 people, while 80 people received usual care instead.

After one year, people receiving acupuncture had reduced pain and reported a significant reduction in worry about their pain compared to the usual care group. After two years, the acupuncture group was significantly more likely to report that the past year had been pain-free. They were less likely to use medication for pain relief.

How does acupuncture work? According to traditional Chinese medicine, pain results from blocked energy along energy pathways of the body, which are unblocked when acupuncture needles are inserted along these invisible pathways.

A scientific explanation is that acupuncture releases natural pain-relieving opioids, sends signals that calm the sympathetic nervous system, and releases neurochemicals and hormones.

An acupuncture treatment generally costs between $60 and $120. Acupuncture is tax-deductible (it's considered a medical expense) and some insurance plans pay for acupuncture.

If you want to try acupuncture, plan on going one to three times a week for several weeks initially.

• Find an acupuncturist
  
• More about acupuncture

2) Capsaicin Cream

Although you may not have heard of capsaicin (pronounced cap-SAY-sin) before, if you've ever eaten a chili pepper and felt your mouth burn, you know exactly what capsaicin does. Capsaicin is the active ingredient in chili peppers.

When it is applied to the skin, capsaicin has been found to deplete substance P--a neurochemical that transmits pain--causing an analgesic effect.

In one double-blind study, 160 people were treated with capsaicin for 3 weeks, while another 160 people used a placebo. After 3 weeks, pain was reduced by 42% in the capsaicin group compared to 31% in the placebo group. Investigators rated capsaicin significantly more effective than placebo.

Capsaicin cream, also called capsicum cream, is available in drug stores, health food stores, and online. A typical dosage is 0.025% capsaicin cream applied four times a day. The most common side effect is a stinging or burning sensation in the area.

If possible, wear disposable gloves (available at drugstores) before applying the cream. Be careful not to touch the eye area or open skin. A tube or jar of capsaicin cream typically costs between $8 and $25.

• Capsaicin cream profile[/link]
  
• Find capsaicin online

3) Vitamin D

Chronic muscle pain can be a symptom of vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is found in fish with small bones, fortified milk and cereal, and exposure to sunlight.

Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency are:

• darker pigmented skin (e.g. Hispanic, African American, Asian) does not convert UV rays efficiently to vitamin D
  
• digestive disorders, such as celiac disease
  
• use of glucocorticoid medications for conditions such as lung diseases and allergies
  
• minimal sun exposure (elderly, institutionalized, homebound, veiled or heavily-clothed individuals)
  
• latitude and season - for example, people in Boston do not produce vitamin D from sun exposure between November and February

A study by the University of Minnesota looked at the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in 150 people with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Researchers found that 93% of patients had vitamin D deficiency. All people with darker pigmented skin (African American, East African, Hispanic, and Native American origin) had vitamin D deficiency.

Another interesting finding was that the majority of people with severe vitamin D deficiency were under 30 years of age. Season was not a significant factor.

The researchers concluded that all people with persistent, non-specific musculoskeletal pain should be screened for vitamin D deficiency.

4) Music Therapy

Music therapy is a low-cost natural therapy that has been found to reduce the disability, anxiety, and depression associated with chronic pain.

A study evaluated the influence of music therapy in hospitalized patients with chronic back pain. Researchers randomized 65 patients to receive, on alternate months, physical therapy plus 4 music therapy sessions or physical therapy alone.

Music therapy significantly reduced disability, anxiety, and depression. Music had an immediate effect on reducing pain, although the results were not statistically significant.

5) Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 has been found to relieve low back pain. A double-blind Italian study examined the safety and effectiveness of vitamin B12 for low back pain. People who received vitamin B12 showed a statistically significant reduction in pain and disability. They also used less pain medication than the placebo group.

Besides pain, other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are numbness and tingling, irritability, mild memory impairment, and depression.

Risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency are :

• pernicious anemia
  
• medications (stomach acid-blocking medications)
  
• inadequate intake of meat or dairy products
  
• infection (small intestine bacterial overgrowth, parasites)
  
• Digestive diseases (stomach removal surgery, celiac disease, Crohn's disease

Vitamin B12 muscle injections are the standard treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency. Studies have found vitamin B12 sublingual tablets (placed under the tongue for absorption) and nasal gel are also effective.

6) Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. It's involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body.

Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include muscle spasms and pain, premenstrual syndrome, irritability, depression, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and heart disease.

A German study found that mineral supplements increased intracellular magnesium levels by 11% and was associated with a reduction in pain symptoms in 76 out of 82 people with chronic low back pain.

7) Willow Bark

The bark of the white willow tree (Salix alba) has pain-relieving properties similar to aspirin. An ingredient in white willow bark, called salicin, is converted in the body to salicylic acid (aspirin is also converted to salicylic acid once in the body). Salicylic acid is believed to be the active compound that relieves pain and inflammtion.

A number of studies have compared white willow to medication or placebo:

• A University of Sydney study compared the effects of willow bark extract to refecoxib, a Cox-2 inhibitor pain medication. In the study, 114 patients received a herbal extract containing 240 mg of salicin and 114 received 12.5 mg of refecoxib every day. After four weeks, both groups had a comparable reduction in pain.
  
  
• A study in the American Journal of Medicine examined 191 patients with an exacerbation of chronic low back pain. They were randomly assigned to receive a willow bark extract with either 120 mg (low-dose) or 240 mg (high-dose) of salicin, or placebo. In the fourth week of treatment, 39% of people receiving the high-dose extract were pain-free, 21% receiving the low-dose were pain-free, and 6% of people receiving the placebo were pain-free. People in the high-dose group improved after the first week. Significantly more people in the placebo group required pain medication.

8) Yoga for Back Pain

Yoga creates balance in the body through various poses that develop flexibility and strength. A study of people with chronic mild low back pain compared Iyengar yoga to back education. After 16 weeks, there was a significant reduction in pain intensity, disability, and reliance on pain medication in the yoga group. Benefits were also seen at three month follow up assessments.

Another study compared yoga, conventional exercise, and a self care book for people with chronic low back pain. Back function in the yoga group was superior to the book and exercise groups at 12 weeks. Although there was no difference in symptoms at 12 weeks, at 26 weeks, the yoga group was superior to the book group.

9) Bowen Therapy

Bowen therapy is a type of gentle bodywork that was developed in Australia by osteopath Tom Bowen (1916-1982). Bowen therapy is more widely used in Australia and Europe, but it has been growing in popularity in North America.

Bowen therapists use a series of specialized "moves" using their fingers and thumbs. The moves typically involve the therapist pulling the skin slack away from the muscle, applying pressure, and then quickly releasing the tension.

These moves are performed on precise areas of muscles where special receptors are located. Nerve impulses are sent to the brain, resulting in muscle relaxation and reduction of pain.

The moves are not continuous - the therapist allows the client to rest for a few minutes between each move. A typical treatment is between 30 to 40 minutes.

10) Breathing Techniques

Breathing techniques that make use of the mind-body connection have been found to reduce pain. These techniques integrate body awareness, breathing, movement, and meditation. What's great about breathing techniques is that you can do them yourself at home at no cost.

One study compared 6-8 weeks (12 sessions) of breath therapy to physical therapy. Patients improved significantly with breath therapy. Changes in standard low back pain measures of pain and disability were comparable to those resulting from high quality, extended physical therapy. Breath therapy was found to be safe. Other benefits of breath therapy were improved coping skills and new insight into the effect of stress on the body.

11) Massage Therapy

When many people have back aches and pain, the first thing they think of is massage. Studies have found that massage may be effective for subacute and chronic pain. It has also been found to reduce anxiety and depression associated with chronic pain. Massage therapy is the most popular therapy for low back pain during pregnancy.

12) Chiropractic

Back pain is one of most common reasons people see a chiropractor. Doctors of chiropractic use chiropractic spinal manipulation to restore joint mobility. They manually apply a controlled force to joints that have become restricted by muscle injury, strain, inflammation, and pain. Manipulation is believed to relieve pain and muscle tightness and encourage healing.

A study published in the Spine Journal examined manipulations compared to simulated manipulations in 102 people with back pain and/or radiating pain. The researchers found that active manipulations were more effective at reducing acute back pain and sciatica with disc protrusion.

13) Alexander Technique

Alexander technique teaches people to improve their posture and eliminate bad habits such as slouching, which can lead to pain, muscle tension, and decreased mobility. This technique was created by Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955), an Australian actor who learned how to correct hoarseness in his voice by improving his posture.

You can learn Alexander technique in private sessions or group classes. A typical session lasts about 45 minutes. During that time, the instructor notes the way you carry yourself and coaches you with verbal instruction and gentle touch.

14) Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy addresses damaged ligaments (bands of connective tissue that help keep bones attached to each other) to relieve chronic musculoskeletal pain.

How does it work? Tendons and ligaments in the back often do not heal completely after injury. Bones of the spine become less stable, which can lead to chronic pain.

Prolotherapy involves the injection of a liquid solution into soft tissues such as ligaments and tendons. This triggers local inflammation and triggers the body's natural healing response which repairs the weakened soft tissues and relieves pain. Unlike drugs, prolotherapy is thought to address the underlying problem.

After locating the areas that require treatment, the doctor inserts a thin needle with the solution into the area. There is often mild pain, but it can be reduced by using a local anaesthetic. A typical course of treatment is 10 to 25 sessions for back pain. Since it is believed to repair the joint, no other treatment is necessary.

Preliminary studies have found that back pain, which often involves ligament injury, responds particularly well to prolotherapy. It is the position of the American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine that prolotherapy is a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of selected cases of low back pain and other chronic myofascial pain syndromes. Prolotherapy injections must be administered by a medical doctor (M.D.), osteopath (D.O.) or by a state-licensed naturopathic doctor (N.D.) in certain states.

15) Balneotherapy

Balneotherapy is one of the oldest therapies for pain relief. The term "balneo" comes from the Latin word, balneum, meaning bath. Balneotherapy is a form of hydrotherapy that involves bathing in mineral water or warm water.

• A study compared bathing in mineral water to plain tap water in 60 people with low back pain. They found that mineral water containing sulphur was superior in reducing pain and improving mobility compared with tap water.
  
  
• A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Rheumatology assessed spa therapy and balneotherapy for low back pain. The researchers found that the data suggest beneficial effects compared to control groups. They concluded that the results were encouraging and that large-scale trials were warranted.

Dead Sea salts and other sulphur-containing bath salts can be found in spas, health food stores, and online.

People with heart conditions should not use balneotherapy unless under the supervision of their primary care provider.