The Right Insurance for Back Surgery

If you are looking for good Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery then you should definitely consider the use of a solid Doctor. There is no reason that you should just assume that you will be able to work with one of these off the bat though, you are going to need to do some research before you figure out who can be trusted to work on your body. Your body is extremely important, and for this reason you should not trust it to just anybody, because it can mean some very bad things. The use of the right type of tactics in this situation are definitely something that should be considered, and they include good research skills with regard to looking into your Doctor before they do surgery.

You really need to look into who will be fixing your Lower Back Pain thoroughly before you decide on someone. After all if they mess up then you could be faced with some pretty severe consequences, and this is not something that anyone wants to end up dealing with. There are just way too many different things that could come up, so it is important that you look at what other patients had to say. Once you have an idea of what has been done you can move forward on your new procedure in order to make some things happen. It is just going to be a matter of committing to the effective management of your own medical care going forward, otherwise things could get messy.

Setting Up a Consultation Prior to Having Surgery

When you are looking at having Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery it is important that you remember to look at the whole picture before moving forward. With the wide range of different options out there for this surgery it is vital that you know where your choice falls within the spectrum. It is just as important that you know how qualified your Doctor is, because they are going to be making the calls on this procedure. You need to have someone doing it who is knowledgeable and trustworthy, because otherwise you could definitely fall into a bad place. There is no reason you should allow this to happen, so you really should do your best to ensure that you are in a place which is going to encourage your development health wise.

The use of these procedures to relieve Lower Back Pain is not revolutionary, and in fact it has proven to be very useful over time. Bearing this in mind it is no wonder that so many people have chosen to go ahead and look at all of their options before they make a final call. This is not something that you should just jump into, so make sure that you understand the procedure implicitly before you have it done. Once everything is over you should be able to make a call one way or the other. Be sure to look at what other people had to say about the Doctor you consulted with before you make a final decision.

Remedies For Back Pain

If you are looking for remedies for back pain and want a more natural approach rather than prescription drugs then you might get a solution to your back pain using herbs and supplements.

Herbs have been used in medicine around the world for thousands of years and the western countries are only now realizing their full potential. There are many different herbs that can be used , it is often a case of finding the right combination as they often work together.

The other thing to do is to make sure you are not low in vitamins. One of the vitamins that can make a difference is Vitamin B 12. This is a very important Vitamin and a deficiency can cause lower back pain.

If the cause of your back pain is inflammation of the back tissue , you can use herbs to help rather than anti inflammatory tablets. Bromelain helps relieve inflammation and lessen the pain. Bromelain is sourced from the stem of the pineapple.

To help get relief from tight muscles that are causing pain, taking chamomile either in tablet form or drinking chamomile tea can help. Although you will get some effect immediately chamomile has an accumulative effect, therefore the linger you use it the stronger the relief from it.

Other herbs that can be used to help with pain include wild lettuce and devils claw, these have been used over a long time to help with pain and inflammation. Studies show that they help with back pain.

Going and talking to a herbalist to get a more extensive list of herbs will help. Often the herbs will not have the side effects that taking pain killers and anti inflammatory tablets can have. If you are taking any other form of medicines, make sure you let the herbalist know.

Relief From Chronic Back Pain

Chronic back pain causes a lot of suffering for the older person. However taking supplements and vitamins  together with the right exercises can help you keep your spine healthy. Vitamins are not a miracle cure for chronic back pain, but they can help to keep the spine healthy by helping to rebuild discs and prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. To keep your bones strong it is important to have enough Vitamin D, magnesium,vitamin C, potassium and calcium. For the body to be able to absorb calcium we need vitamin D, which we get from sunlight. Because of our life styles and where we live many people are short of vitamin D and therefore need to take supplements.

We know calcium is necessary in building our bones,but to absorb any calcium supplements you take you need to take vitaminD.

To help build bone density,you can do load bearing exercises like walking and doing weights . If you are worried about your bone density you can have your bone density checked by your Doctor.

Our bones are constantly being rebuilt and repaired and need vitamin C  to help us produce the collagen and elastin required.

If we are unable to repair and rebuild our bones, they will soon become brittle and very easily damaged.  Prevention is very important if we want to keep our spine healthy.

Any disc problems can be very painful and stop you from leading an active lifestyle.

Supplementing with calcium and magnesium for your bones can help with your discs, but you also need vitamin C, B vitamins, zinc and essential fatty acids.

If you are suffering from herniated disc problems the chances are you will be lacking in vitamin C.

Muscle strain and weakness add to the stress that our discs must handle. Studies have shown that vitamin C can offer significant relief of muscle and nerve pain in the lower back. It nourishes muscles, making the production of healing collagen and elastin possible.

Inflammation is also a problem that is often widespread through the body. Inflammation causes the body to use up vitamin C very quickly. Therefore, inflammation is doing more than causing you pain, it is also putting your discs and other connective tissues, like bone, at risk.

Studies have shown that taking vitamins can prevent bone degeneration, and if you also have a simple exercise program that includes weigh bearing exercises you can increase your bone density.

It is never to late. If your spine is healthy and the muscles supporting it strong you are going to have less chance of chronic back pain.

Life Gear Inversion Table Review

The next  table is one I am no really familiar with, the Life Gear Inversion Table, but it is one that is highly recommended from one of my clients Abe Rogers.  Abe is 58 years old and a former Marine.  He has some aches and pains from years of working in construction.  Recently retired, he decided to buy the Life Gear table to help with his back pain.  Here is his review

After hearing the reviews about inversion tables from some of our friends we decided to buy one for ourselves. We purchased the Life Gear Inversion Table. This has worked very well for us. It has fold up functions which helps to move it around the house easily while organizing the workouts. The most important element about this inversion table is it is stable and strong in its construction. It does not wobble or bend irregularly when a person is on it. In fact, I weigh about 210 pounds and it keeps me stable upon it. So you can imagine the degree of balance the equipment provides. Overall the inversion table is safe and secure to use.

While buying an inversion table we made sure that the table has solid construction and balance. Also we tried to avoid mesh back as our friend pointed out it is less comfortable and feels bit painful on the back. Actually before purchasing an inversion table I had read through numerous reviews on the internet. As a result, I found out that most people are satisfied with the functions of inversion tables but were overwhelmed with expensive costs. I searched for an inversion table that is both optimum in price and quality.

Solidly built for stability and balance

Lifegear inversion table is made with a strong tubular steel framework for stability and balance. The design of the table provides a scope for hours of safe workout with carefree use. The benefits of using this table are relieved back stress, strengthened spinal cord and enhanced blood circulation. After I used the inversion table for the first time I experienced a lighter body and relaxed muscles. This was maybe because of loosening of stiffened muscles in the back.

The equipment can also be used by athletic individuals for increasing the flexibility and performance.  Moreover, a good inversion table can be simply used as a relaxing chair after the gym workout or as a pain reliever. I was before consuming epidurals for pains which just worked as numbing agents. But now by using this table, my back stays pain free and strong. I have a greater flexibility and can perform larger stretches easily.

How Life Gear inversion table works?

From what I have learned and experienced I surely recommend having an inversion table for your health needs. Many customers including me are happy about its results after regularly using it. The model of inversion table is built on supporting Inversion therapy which reverses the gravity effects which induce pains in the body.  In other words, inversion table aligns the body downwards perpendicular to the force of gravity. This action increases the space between vertebrae and elongates the backbone. The positive effects of doing this are relieved stress and lesser amount of pain.

You may have observed that on a stressed and tired day, pains in the body elevates to a higher level. The Inversion table  calms and relaxes the muscles and works on stretching the muscles that are sore. We usually don’t realize the way in which we bring up stress in our body. It can be during driving, working or can be simply by anticipating future events. I usually find my shoulders tensed up after working for hours in front of the computer. My back aches and stretching them brings only soreness in them. After using the inversion table I have felt more relieved about these problems. Before and after going to office I spend some 5 minutes on the inversion table to relieve my body from pains.

Will an MRI help find the cause of your back pain – IF you have no ‘Red Flags?’

These are danger signs that there’s something serious hidden inside your body and causing your back pain. You know, things that might kill or cripple you if left undiagnosed and thus not treated early.

Red flags come in several types:

1) Injury-related problems such as fractures, dislocations, spinal instability and severe sprains;

2) Nerve damage was signs and symptoms like numbness, burning pain, tingling radiating down the arms or legs may be a red flag warning sign that the nerves are being irritated or pinched.  Permanent damage may result – especially if the symptoms progress day after day or as a result in loss of bowel or bladder control, loss of balance or muscle weakness;

3) Infection-related problems such as disk infections, vertebra infections like osteomyelitis, infection spread from other sources to the spine or to the soft tissues around the spine;

4) Cancer – most often spread from other cancer sources like the breast, prostate, female organs, etc. – this can be very painful with severe night pain a common symptom;

5) Back pain from internal organs like the liver, kidneys or spleen. Sometimes even bowel problems like ulcerative colitis or diverticulitis masquerade is back pain. Abdominal aortic aneurysm may also present as back pain and may result in sudden death;

6) Heart problems like atypical angina may have mid back or upper back pain as a primary symptom;

Red Flags In Back Pain Are Rare

The good news is that red flags in back pain are pretty rare – less than 1-2 in one hundred (some say 1-2 in a thousand), so your odds of having something dangerous like this are pretty low.

Plus, a 5 minute run through a 44 question questionnaire can easily help you determine if you have any back pain red flag.

Action Steps:

1) Take the Back Pain Red Flag Questionnaire if you have back pain lasting more than a day or two or if you have any question about the cause of your back pain.

2) Think twice before you get an MRI of on your back if you have no back pain red flags. Remember, the journal Lancet is a widely-recognized authority, you should pay attention when their published analysis shows no benefit to routine lumbar imaging (x-rays, MRIs, CAT scans) without an indication of a serious underlying condition.

Note: Many people end up with back surgery they don’t need on a “herniated lumbar disc” or a “degenerated lumbar disk” that is not actually the primary cause of their lumbar spine (or neck) pain – because the “MRI shows it!” Here in the states, we do 40% more back surgery than any other country in the world with no improvement in pain relief…There are better ways to get relief. (Watch the video, please)

Hulk Hogan's Back Pain - What's Causing It? And, Why Is He Stuck?

We’re Still Trying To Find Out What’s Wrong…

Fact: Back Pain Cause Is Not Identified In Four Out of Five Cases

Seems Hogan is back in the hospital again – For the second time in as many weeks. Radio frequency ablation surgery last week apparently did little to help his pain, so the next step for conventional medicine is to implant a spinal cord stimulator or a morphine pump. Over time those could make Hulk the “Quarter-Million Dollar

Man”, just from implant and maintenance expenses alone.

This is on a trial basis to see if it will give him some pain-relief. If so, then a more permanent implant will be placed. When it works nerve-stimulators can provide relief for 2-3 years at a time. Mind you, it’s NOT complete relief. But with end-stage back pain – and the conventional medical approach, any lasting relief is a blessing.

Too bad for Hulk…If he’d been better-informed early – things might have been different.

Why can’t doctors find out the cause of Hogan’s back pain and fix it?

The Conventional Medical Approach FAILS In Over 80% of Cases

It’s a FACT! For someone with acute back pain, the cause will not be accurately identified over 80% of the time.

A large study in the journal Spine noted “NO” correlation between facet joint osteoarthritis and low back pain. What that means is that just because a CT Scan or MRI shows advanced facet (or “z” – zygoapophyseal) arthritis with narrowing and spurs in a patient with low back pain. The two are NOT necessarily related.

“Z” joint arthritis is often not painful.

So why would doctors zap Hogan’s facet joints – in essence frying the tiny nerves to the joints?

That’s one choice in  what’s called the “conventional medical approach.”

You take your back to the doctor and give it to him to fix the pain problem for you. That’s what doctors are supposed to do…Right?

Wrong!

There is an alternative approach – and alternative view – on back pain treatment.

Conventional Surgeons/Pain Specialists vs. Alternative Medicine

According the Orthopedic Knowledge Update, Volume 2, page 153 (published by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the North American Spine Society) the “conventional medical approach” is a FAILED way to treat acute non-specific back pain – the most common type.

Failed treatment?

1. No prompt pain-relief. Treatment is typically delayed – “Until we find the cause.” (Doesn’t happen 80-90% of cases) All you get is time off-work, narcotic pain pills and maybe some muscle-relaxers, an expensive MRI and off to the “specialist.”
2. No peace-of-mind for the patient. Instead of quickly ruling out the “Red Flag” causes of back pain and comforting the patient – Takes 10 minutes, no tests – A long series of expensive tests and consultations is the rule.
3. The (outmoded) standard is – to get the diagnosis first – THEN you can get the right treatment. (But, that “cause” or diagnosis for back pain never comes in too many (80-90%) cases)

That’s where most back pain gets started…

What is the real cause of Hogan’s back pain?

It’s most-likely multifactorial. Multiple causes. A seemingly minor injury occurs to one piece of anatomy (watch the video) – Say, for example, the facet capsule. Then there’s a tear to the anulus of the disc, and later a bit of disc degeneration, plus repeated muscle strains and scar tissue develop. Finally, some inflammatory chemicals are produced by these injured tissues and begin irritating the nerves in the area. Once the pain sticks around for a few weeks – the dorsal horn of the spinal cord starts to get funky with some nerve chemicals acting strangely – and the pain signals get magnified. (And – taking narcotics for more than 4-5 weeks may accelerate that process)

You’re STUCK! With Chronic Lower Back Pain

The result?: For too many people, repeated procedures, unnecessary surgery and chronic or recurrent back pain are the result.

What about complementary medical treatment? Some call it alternative medicine: Chiropractic, Oriental medicine, acupuncture, natural remedies?

Well…considering that the International Journal of Clinical Practice just published (August 30, 2010) a review of “Chiropractic Fatalities” and found that “numerous deaths have been associated with chiropractic neck manipulations. There are reasons to suspect that under-reporting is substantial and reliable incidence figures do not exist.” Consequently, chiropractic is not recommended. And there is no valid clinical proof it might help in chronic back pain.

Are There Any Good Alternative Treatments For Chronic or Recurrent Low Back Pain?

Although I’m not familiar with the specifics in Mr. Hogan’s case, so can only speak generally about his specifics, I know about end-stage back pain treatment. From the current spine literature and 30 years as an orthopedic surgeon, I can say that too often “more surgery”, “more procedures”, and “more costly gizmos” to kill pain are a formula for continued failure.

You CANNOT expect to hand your low back pain off to someone to “fix” for you. Does not often work.

Back pain (acute – less than 6 weeks) will often get better over time. But there ARE fast-relief alternative solutions available – with good clinical proof to back them up.

Last week I covered some good early options. This week lets cover a few LATE back pain alternative treatment options.

• In far too many cases, precise identification of the back pain pattern has never been done. Consequently, the only physical therapy LBP victims have experienced has been relatively generic “core-strengthening” with a low success rate. It is almost never too late for “pattern-recognition” and an aquatically-based exercise program.

• Narcotic pain medication use should be short-term only in most cases. New alternatives include meds like Celexa to treat the pain and depression that’s usually there with chronic low back pain. Or long-acting tramadol may be added, testing shows some good response. The newest oral medication is Nucynta which also performs well for chronic back pain.

• In addition, topical pain-relief medications can be a very useful treatment. These come in a range of options from “hot pepper” cream, to a 95% successful herbal remedy, and prescription NSAIDs that Cochrane Reviews rates as “good” for pain-relief.

I’m just scratching the surface here, with a number of additional options that could play a positive role in long-term back pain-relief: several dietary changes will help – ranging from additional Vitamin D to decreasing fats/cholesterol for starters. Then there are bad habits to change such as smoking and poor exercise patterns that play a supporting role in chronic back pain.

BUT…That seems so HARD!

See how these alternative treatments are different? People with back pain actually have to take a pro-active role in gaining (or regaining) control of their back pain (neck pain, too). And many people would rather believe the myth that another spine specialist with a “new-tech” procedure (like disc replacement?) can “Fix my back.”

In many cases, several alternative therapies – taken together – will do the trick!

• 17% better with alternative “A”
• + 22% relief with alternative “B”
• + 16% improvement with alternative “C”
• Gets you two-thirds better. (Amazing what “compound benefits” can do if you’re willing to put some effort into it.)

To get more insider’s secret tactics for your back pain with new, alternative treatment strategies…Watch the video now…