Back Massage: A Proven Way to Relieve Back Pain

Back pain is a common ailment; however, people may get better within a few weeks through massages. Massage is known to improve blood flow and eases tension, thus providing relaxation to muscles. While gentle massages are pleasurable, it does not necessarily offer relief to sufferers of acute low back pain. Combining massage with other treatments, such as physical therapy and chiropractic, is likely to produce best results. In addition, back massages, in combination with non-medical treatments, back exercises and good diet, ensures gradual pain relief.
Benefits of Back Massage Therapy
According to the American Massage Therapy Association, research proves that massage therapy provides many important health benefits, including:
Improvement in blood circulation in the body, which aids in the recovery of muscle soreness due to physical activity.
Relaxation of muscles for an improved range of motion. Muscle relaxation also helps in the treatment of insomnia.
Increased endorphin levels. The increase in endorphin levels is actually one of the greatest benefits of the massage therapy. Endorphins are body chemicals that lend a feel-good feeling, which is very effective in managing chronic pain.
It is important to ensure that precautions are exercised while receiving massage therapy. Your muscle should relax in response to the pressure applied by a massage therapist, in the absence of which, it is possible that muscles are inflamed. In such cases, you should not opt for back massages as a treatment option and consult his/her doctor for the treatment. Most muscle spasms require four massage treatments, usually spread over a six weeks period, to achieve best results. If muscle spasms do not respond to the neuromuscular therapy within two massages, try using another therapy.
If you have severe lower back pain, it is advisable that you undergo thorough medical checkup before commencing the massage therapy.



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Top Tips To Treat Low Back Pain

Low back pain is practically a universal problem. The crucial things to remember are that this problem is common (most people get it), painful (incredibly), medically minor (most of the time), and that the cause is nearly always an injury that requires time to heal completely. Medication cannot speed the healing process. If there is any sign of nerve damage, if a fracture might have occurred, or if the pain just won t go away, see the doctor. Sudden pain with minor or no injury occurring a bit higher in the back may represent a collapsed fracture of a vertebrae; this is the most common complication of osteoporosis and is a very frequent problem. This kind of fracture usually requires about six weeks to resolve, and many older people will have several such fractures over time.
The purpose to treat acute low back pain is to prevent chronic, long-lasting low back pain. You want natural healing, and then you want to strengthen the involved parts so that the problem doesn t happen again.
Think of low back problems as similar to a sprained ankle. An injury causes bruising and swelling for two or three days, and then slow healing begins to become evident, even though you cannot see what is actually happening. The pain improves in less than a week, but six weeks is required fro full healing. Re-injury is costly, since the healing process will have to start again from the beginning.
Do not take painkillers and muscle relaxation and then go on as if your back were all right, this practice will likely result in re-injury. Either take medication and rest flat in bed, or listen to the pain message and do only what you can do in reasonable comfort.
Don t apply heat to the area the first day; if anything, use cold packs to decrease pain and swelling. Heat may be cautiously applied after the first day, but it won t help much. A firm mattress or a bed board is part of the standard advice. Back problems vary, however, and if you are more comfortable at night and the following morning with a slightly softer mattress, use that. Aspirin or other mild pain relievers are probably all right, but they won t help much. A small pillow or folded towel beneath the low back may increase your comfort when sleeping flat. When you get up, draw your knees up, then roll side-ways and sit up. The position of lying on your side, knees up, is more comfortable than lying on the back for many people, and it is all right.
You doubtless have some accompanying muscle spasms. Although painful, they are protecting your injured back. If you can outlast the discomfort without muscle relaxants and without a lot of pain medication, your back may heal more strongly, and you decrease the chance of re-injury.
Exercises shouldn t be started for a week or so, until things feel much better, and then they should be begun slowly. Exercise is designed to make recurrence less likely by toning the muscles and ligaments so that the spine has greater strength. Abdominal muscles assist spinal stability and should be part of the exercise program. If you have some weight to lose, get started with the weight reduction right away.
Exercises should be repeated twice daily and gradually increased in number and in exertion. Toe-touching, side-bending, and twisting exercises are not particularly good. For the back, you are more interested in strength than in suppleness.
Good posture helps. Sit in a straight chair. Keep your shoulders back and down. Have a good mattress on your head. Lift heavy objects using your legs, not your back. Never lift from a bending forward position. Avoid sudden shifts and strains, particularly those actions that throw the upper body backward. Tennis, for example, should not be rushed as your back recovers. You can safely walk, swim, or bicycle along before it would be safe to resume an activity like tennis.
Adequate calcium in your diet is important to minimize the chance of fractures. If you don t have four servings a day of calcium-rich foods such as non-fat milk or low-fat ice cream, then calcium supplementation is advisable. This is very important for women. Women over 65 should have at least 1,500 mg of calcium daily and men at least 1,000 mg. a glass of milk contains about 250 mg. The best supplementation is calcium carbonate, which is available as Tums, Os-Cal, or other similar brands. Women should discuss the pros and cons of estrogen supplementation with their doctor. Premarin and similar drugs can significantly reduce the chance of osteoporotic fractures.
Raymond Lee is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is the Founder of Bodyfixes Group specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. He is currently the author of the latest edition of "Neck Exercises and Workouts." Visit http://www.bodyfixes.com for more information.



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Setting Realistic Goals for Weight Loss

Diet may be a fad diet or a healthy diet. People often start a fad diet for fast weight loss. They do not realize that quick weight loss and a fad diet is not the answer for their weight problem. They may lose weight initially but that may not be permanent. The fad diets recommend to eat a certain group of foods and eliminate some foods or a group of foods from the diet. Such diets are not without a danger. Understanding the benefits and risks involved with weight loss surgery is absolutely vital to making an informed decision
Certainly some people such as Michael C. The Atkins diet has provoked a significant amount of controversy since it was first published. The recommendation to eat a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet went against the dietary recommendations of many established medical institutions. The Atkins diet was denounced as unsafe, particularly if used as a life-long weight loss plan. Over the past five to ten years, there have been numerous studies that come down on both sides of determining if the Atkins diet is safe. The last version of the Atkins diet included the admission that calories do matter, and the advice to eat only enough to satisfy hunger . Safest diet so far is recipes for kimkins diet
The Mediterranean diet is increasing in popularity because it is not based on popularized fads but rather a model which comes from literally thousands of years of use. The Mediterranean diet is inspired by the traditional dietary patterns of the Mediterranean area, particularly Italy, Greece, and Spain. Understanding how the Mediterranean Diet differs from the typical American diet can help us to improve our eating habits and enjoy improved health through enjoyable dietary changes.. See http://www.kimkins-diet.info/what-is-the-kimkins-plan/woman s-world-kimkins-article.php. Certainly some people such as Michael C. Terry is an expert in recipes for kimkins diet for over 20 years. More sources at http://www.kimkins-diet.info/what-is-the-kimkins-plan/kimkins-wikipedia.php



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Erectile dysfunction in Diabetes - An Ayurvedic view

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability of a man to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for his sexual needs or the needs of his partner. Erectile dysfunction is sometimes called as impotence .
The term "erectile dysfunction" can mean the inability to achieve erection, an inconsistent ability to do so, or the ability to achieve only brief erections.
Men with diabetes usually face erectile dysfunction. About 75% of diabetic men suffer from erectile dysfunction or impotence. The erectile dysfunction develops earlier in diabetic men than non diabetic men.
Erection requires a sequence of events. Erectile dysfunction can occur when any of the events is disturbed. Nerve impulses in the brain, spinal column, around the penis and response in muscles, fibrous tissues, veins and arteries in and around the corpora cavernosa constitute this sequence of events. Injury to any of these parts which are part of this sequence (nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, fibrous tissue) can cause ED.
In ayurveda physiology of erection and ejaculation is described as follows
Vrishunow basthimedram cha naabhyuuru vankshnow gudam Apaanasthaanamantrasthaha shukra mootra shakrunti cha
The apaanavayu one of the five types of vayu is located in the testicles, urinary bladder, phallus, umbilicus, thighs, groin, anus and colon. Its functions are ejaculation of semen, voiding of urine and stools .
Shushruta explains the process of erection and ejaculation as When a man has desire (iccha) to have sex, his response to touch increases ( Vayu located in skin causes flow of signals from skin to brain, thus causing sensation of touch. Generally Vata controls the flow of signals in nervous system.). This causes arousal or harsha . Arousal or Harsha intensifies actions of vayu and at this moment highly active vayu liberates the teja or heat of pitta. Thus tejas and vayu increase body temperature , heart beat and blood flow causing erection.
Diabetes damages blood vessels and nerves (neuropathy) throughout body. When blood vessels and nerves which control erection, are damaged, they do not communicate properly and the blood flow to penis tissue is impaired. This causes erectile dysfunction.
According to ayurvedic text ashtanga sangraha , diabetes is caused due to vitiation of vata. pitta, kapha and rakta (blood). Vitiated doshas affect almost all tissues of body in diabetes. According to ayurveda the process of erection occurs due to involvement of vata, pitta and rakta . The process of erection will be normal when vata, pitta and rakta are in normal and balanced condition.Vitiated vata fails to cause normal flow of signals and arousal does not occur. Vitiated pitta and rakta fail to complete the process of blood flow to penis.
Simple remedies to avoid erectile dysfunction in diabetes:
Mix a pinch of turmeric with juice of embelica officinalis (Amla) and consume this in early morning.
Drink triphala concoction daily in early morning.
Juices of neem, guduchi (giloya) and Embelica officinalis prove beneficial if consumed in early morning.
Obese patients have to exercise regularly and aim at reducing weight.
Practice yoga and meditation regularly to keep stress level low.
This article is copy righted. The author Dr.SavithaSuri is an Ayurvedic Physician and web master of Ayurhelp.com . Read complete article at Erectile dysfunction in Diabetes - An Ayurvedic view drsavithasuri@gmail.com



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