Life With My Pet Back

Hi all, Sorry I have not been posting lately, I have been feeling quite poorly with flu and a chest infection but am recovering now :) I have some good things to bring you planned including two people I have come to know who I think will inspire you and make our days brighter. I will be posting links to their work on here soon. If you have succumbed to the flu or this chest infection and are coughing a lot like I was then do try to support your back when coughing. If you have back issues a hard cough can really rack your body and hurt your back. I got some bad backache just because of the physical stress on my body when I was cough , cough , cough. Just some support can help and I got my hubby to do some gentle massage on my back to ease the muscles. I was unable to do any exercise for the last month so I am going to ease myself back into it gradually over the next few weeks so as not to strain my back. I am still taking it easy but will try to post more often. Thank you to those of ...

If you are in UK you may be interested in this news article in the Guardian today. It refers to people with back pain being able to refer themselves to an NHS physio and cutting out Dr referrals. Straight to the specialist. I wonder if it will help to speed up the time it takes to get started on physio treatment? When I first went for physio via a Dr referral I was on a 3 month waiting list. When you are in pain 3 months is a long time. Physio did not help me much unfortunately but I think people should be able to see one quicker than that to see if it can help. Lose The Back Pain System Lose the Back Pain, is a system of self assessments to determine what physical imbalances you may have that may be causing your pain, then specific and targeted exercises to follow to address the imbalances, along with pain reduction strategies.  Follow Jasmine Ann Raintree's board Back And Sciatic Pain Strategies. on Pinterest.

J ust a word to the wise... If you start with back pain and you do not know what is causing it do go check it out with your doctor first. Back pain may be just that; back pain. Pain in your lower, mid or upper back. It may have come on suddenly -you did something and your back "went out" or gradually where you have been getting twinges and achiness for some time. Back pain can just creep up on you. Your back pain may be caused by any number of root causes/conditions including muscle imbalances, a strained back through improper lifting or with weak muscles, herniated or "slipped" disc(which may have its root in muscle imbalances), spinal stenosis, fibromyalgia, arthritis or many other things. Back pain may also be a symptom of kidney problems or cystitis to name a few. Best to rule out those things which do require immediate medical attention and know what you are dealing with. For symptoms you must not ignore and must see a doctor about urgently and ...

Cauda Equina Syndrome is something that my physio told me to be watchful about when I was first diagnosed with herniated discs and sciatica in both legs from hip to toes. I was really worried about it but it is relatively rare. I did not ever experience cauda equina syndrome but I was glad I knew the symptoms. It is however useful to equip yourself with knowledge about it so if you get any symptoms you take swift action. I was horrified to read on a forum recently that a man had low back pain and was suffering loss of bladder control for over a week and had not yet been to see his doctor about it! If you do experience the symptoms listed please seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional quickly. Very good useful information on causes, presentation, management, investigations, complications and prognosis of this condition at website patient.co.uk Cauda Equina Syndrome Follow Jasmine Ann Raintree's board Back And Sciatic Pain Strategies. on Pinterest.

Hi there! Well I have been away on my holidays for a few weeks and I had a wonderful time :) It was great to see new sights and experience new things and get out of the routine. I also met up with family I haven't seen in quite a while and had a lovely relaxing time and a much needed break. The only thing that bothered me all the time I was away was the sleeping. The bed was beautiful, clean and fresh and lovely and to most people the bed would have been just fine. I think me and my back are just fussy. However I have now got so used to my memory foam topper that any other bed seems not quite right. I had some problems getting comfy and found that my back muscles actually ached in the mornings which doesn't happen at home. So I have resolved to try to track down a portable travel memory foam topper that I can use whenever I go away. Keeping my back happy keeps me happy! Follow Jasmine Ann Raintree's board Back And Sciatic Pain Strategies. on Pinterest.

Here are some hints and tips on getting the best out of the Lose The Back Pain System and how to approach the exercises. Everyone is different but this is just an idea of how you might approach all the information you will receive when you get your copy of lose the back pain system. Its just advice and suggestions , not prescriptive :) When you first receive the lose the back pain system I would advise you watch the 2 DVDs first through before you do the assessments. Then familiarise yourself with the rest of the material. Next take your photos as instructed on the DVD. You will clearly need someone to help you take these photos. Then do the assessments, take you time over these and go back and do them again if you are not sure. You can do these alone but it may be helpful if you have someone with you. Lose The Back Pain System Lose the Back Pain, is a system of self assessments to determine what physical imbalances you may have that may be causing your pain, then specific...

Hi to my friends, I have a beautiful video for you today that sends a shiver up my spine every time I watch it. All about Love and Compassion in our world. It is covering wider issues but made me think about how Love and Compassion affect us when we are coping with back and sciatic pain. With regard to our own healing, I do believe that Love and Compassion for ourselves is very important. I used to hate and fear my back for the pain it caused me and I was afraid of what was happening to me....I had to learn to love it again to take the necessary steps to care.... Love yourself just as you are then you will be able to help yourself better to heal. We all know it is also important to love and show compassion to each other especially through difficult times. I know that it was the unfailing love, support and faith in me of my wonderful husband, the caring and support I received from other back pain sufferers and recoverers, one very special friend and Steve Hefferon from Lose the Back...

I've got a great article for you today about the "hidden cause" of so many diseases and conditions like chronic pain, heart disease, stroke, alzheimers and others.  Article courtesy of The Healthy Back Institute.   If you suffer from any type of ache or pain, whether it's big or small, acute or chronic, or if you want to learn about how you can reverse and prevent damage caused by these diseases and conditions, then you I'm sure you are going to find this quick read very eye opening. What is Inflammation and How Does It Cause Pain? Inflammation is a response from your immune system in response to an irritant. For example, if you sprain your ankle, your immune system creates a protein called a Circulating Immune Complex (CIC for short). The CIC travels down to the injured ankle and causes pain and swelling. The pain you feel is to inform you of the injury or damage. And the swelling is protective as it prevents you from moving it and...

I wanted to touch on a topic today that can be very distressing if you are suffering with it. As I have not suffered this myself I am going to give you a series of links to people in the field and to relevant support groups which I hope are helpful to you. We are talking about Arachnoiditis. No it is not about spiders! This is a chronic condition of the spine. It is inflammation of the arachnoid layer of the meninges. That is the protective layers found around the brain and spinal cord and it causes severe pain. I certainly do not want you to try and diagnose yourself from any description I give here but some of the common symptoms may be; Weakness and numbness or tingling in the legs Feeling of crawling insects on the leg Cramps and twitching Severe shooting pain And/or bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction. If you have these symptoms you must seek medical attention from your healthcare provider. To understand and read more about it here are detailed and descrip...

I have read that back pain can cause depression and stress and depression and stress can cause back pain. I do feel stress has a part to play but how much? Certainly I wasn't depressed before I got back and sciatic pain but I did feel stressed.... I did get very "down" and felt hopeless when I was in a lot of pain and nothing seemed to be working.... It wasn't until I decided I just could not go on like that in pain , hardly mobile and completely not living life the way I wanted to -I really hit rock bottom. I had thought that "they" would cure me and was disillusioned and felt abandoned when "they " couldn't. I managed to get positive again and I started researching things for myself instead of relying on others to cure me. I learnt more about my condition. I found the Lose the back pain website and when the Lose The Back Pain system I ordered started to work and I got help support and advice from them and the other people on the s...

Degenerative Disc Disease!! When I was told I had that I felt sick to my stomach. I knew I had Sciatica and back pain , I did not know I had an Actual disease!! Well after I did some of my own research turns out that Degenerative Disc Disease is in fact not a disease at all. Degenerative Disc Disease, often known as DDD , is a natural part of getting older. It happens. It is not contagious or of risk to anyone else. With time everyone experiences some changes in their discs. Some people will get symptoms associated with that process, others will not. It showed up on my MRI scan quite clearly that I had DDD in my L4/5 and L5/S1 discs which showed up black on the scan results and a narrower space than the other discs. DDD is where the gel type substance in the discs dries out. The discs over time, lose their shock absortion role and become more stiff. In addition the ligaments around the disc tend to become brittle which leaves them at risk of tears. Degenerative disc disease is ...

Don't you just love high heels!  They are stylish and look sleek and beautiful.  However much as I love my shoes, they are no longer my regular shoe of choice and if you have back pain they maybe should not be yours. Why? Well look at yourself in a full length mirror in your underwear while wearing them. First stand with no shoes on and see how your spine curves-there should be a gentle "S" bend but nothing too exaggerated. Then put on your heels(we are talking 2" plus here.) Do you see how they throw your spine out of its normal alignment? Does your spine curve more? Is the lower spine now an exaggerated curve? Take them off and stand and you will see the difference. If your spine is held in that posture throwing the hips forwards and downwards for too long, too often, you are likely to develop muscle imbalances and pain. If you already have back pain and have particularly a forward titled pelvis like I had, then you are doing yourself no favours. With ...

Whenever I hear about new things which may help you I like to post them here. I have been told recently about this product "Rub on Relief" which I think is worth spending a little time on. Now I don't think a pain relief cream alone can cure all types of back and sciatic pain though it may help you to cope better. If it can ease pain long enough for you to sleep, rest and work on your stretching and strengthening exercises etc most importantly -without side effects- that is a good step towards recovery. I could not take any pain relievers during my back pain due to the powerful and very unpleasant side effects I experienced so I dealt with pain 24/7 and suffered lack of sleep and various degrees of pain night and day, and had to progress slowly with my exercise and stetching rehab. Maybe a cream like this would have given me some much needed relief...for which I would have been so very grateful and allowed faster progress.... Please read the information below and ...

Hi there! You have to sometimes give yourself permission to r-e-l-a-x..... Sometimes we all need to take a little "time out". I tend to run around a lot then need some time and space to just "be" and gather myself...then I find I am more productive and effective. I also need to be careful not to get too stressed as that invariably starts that niggle in my back indicating to me that I am overdoing it. My back now seems to be a barometer for me not to overdo it!! I am also a big one for making lists of things to do and I do that at work and at home. Presently I have huge to do lists for both!! When I get a bit overwhelmed I find my lists keep me knowing what is needing to be done. However, I think they also put some pressure on as they sit there until ticked off. If you have back and sciatic pain it may well take you longer to achieve the things you need or want to do, simply because you are dealing with pain, tiredness, lack of mobility....etc Then ...

It is the anniversary of the passing of our gorgeous, big hearted, golden hearted golden retriever boy. We shared so much in the short ten and a half years we lived our lives with him. I can completely vouch for the saying " Its a Goldens World, we just live in it" From the second he walked in the door our lives changed...for the better. I was never happier than when we were a little family with our Golden boy. Beautiful walks, silly antics, laughing until our sides ached, never ending hoovering, the love of a wet dog....the gracious paw offered to make it all better when I was feeling sad... Though we had our fair share of trials during this time, some of them very harsh, he helped us during those times too in ways only he could. FUN was his word! Well that and FOOD :) I wrote a memorial tribute to our "little man in a golden suit" if you would like to meet our golden boy. Paws In The Sand    Taking some time out for reflection....

Take control of Arthritis, and Get Your Life Back Article courtesy of The Healthy Back Institute. Red, burning, swollen and so stiff you don't want to move... that's what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a daily basis. If you know this all to well, you are probably one of the 46 million Americans (that's 1 out of every 5 people) that are living with arthritis every day. To better understand how to get relief from this debilitating disease we need to dive deeper into its root cause. Some of the types of arthritis which are associated with inflammation include: * rheumatoid arthritis * gout * tendinitis * bursitis * polymyalgia rheumatica What is Arthritis? Arthritis actually means joint (arthr) inflammation (itis). Arthritis can be used to define a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints or any part of your body. Additionally, it...

I have known about this poem for many years but forgotten about it until I found it on this website The Dont Quit Poem. I think it is very apt for anyone dealing with back and sciatic pain and all the things we have to go through. I wish I knew who wrote it but from what I can find it is anon.   It is important to never give up looking for your solution and to "keep on keeping on" as my Auntie used to say... I was so close to giving up and resigning myself to a life of limited mobility. Everyone else(apart from my husband) had pretty much given up on me ever getting better.   Even professionals told me it was accept surgery with a long recuperation and no guarantees or learn to live with it.   So after a period of total inaction I decided to get grateful for what I did have and in the game again and with a much better, clearer and more proactive mental attitude, determined to find another way.... So I hope this is a little bit of inspiration for you if you are go...

Hi there, Today I want to show you this article by Jesse Cannone of The Healthy Back Institute talking about back pain at work or specifically if you work in an office environment. People often think an office environment is going to be easy on your body, after all there is no hard physical work. However prolonged periods of sitting, computer work and lack of movement can be as bad for your back and if you already have back pain and sciatica you need to take extra care of your back at work. As an office worker myself spending a lot of time in meetings, computer work and also doing a lot of driving, I am very aware of the stresses on my back so this article is well worth reading, especially the Action Points. Back Pain at the Office By Jesse Cannone, CPT, CPRS It's getting to be so bad that by Monday afternoon, you're already tired of being at the office. You're not even thinking as far ahead as Friday. Just getting to hump day is going to be challenge enough. ...

Hi there, I am so happy it is nearly Spring here :) Longer days and shorter nights and more sunshine(hopefully!),nesting birds and the garden starts to burst into life again :) One of the things Spring means to me is more time in the garden. I love my garden. However , with herniated and dessicated discs in my lower back I have learnt to protect my back and do my gardening in a slightly different way... Back pain is often cited as a culprit of causing back injury, especially in the spring when us gardeners have perhaps been taking it a little easier in the winter then burst into action with the first flowers!!! Also if you have a back issue gardening may seem a daunting task rather than a pleasure. If you want to avoid back pain from gardening or are keen to know how to still carry on gardening with back issues read on... For tips for  gardening with back pain please read   Tips for Watering the garden  If you already have back and sciatic pain and sti...

Every now and again I like to read inspirational quotes and poetry to give me a lift and motivation, or just to realise that someone else has been there before... I love these quotes which I think can apply themselves to if you are coping with back pain and sciatica. Its all about having the courage, determination and hope to keep on going , keep on searching and trying and wanting to beat this thing. I know a few quotes wont make back pain disappear but if they help a little then thats good. If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this:  Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say,  "I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me. Ann Landers I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. Mother Teresa The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of...

I Love my Baths again :) I am the person who loves low lights, candles and scented aromatherapy oils... However, with back and sciatic pain that little luxury proved difficult. It can be very hard when you are suffering from back pain and sciatica to do some of the normal things everyone else takes for granted...such as taking a bath. If you have severe and debilitating back pain you may need to take professional advice and may require adaptations to your bathroom. As I am not an expert in these things I will not comment on options here but you may wish to investigate through your healthcare provider. For others at first it may be easier for you to take a shower. When I initially got back and sciatic pain my physiotherapist recommended I did not take a bath at all but shower instead. If you have a separate shower cubicle it is perhaps easier to just go in and stand than to even try for a bath. If your shower is the shower over the bath type like mine then its a bit more comp...

OK Constipation and back pain, not a topic you want to discuss with your family and friends but one that does come up. If it affects you, one you will know can be miserable, painful and make you feel very unwell- the last thing you need on top of back pain and sciatica...Also sometimes being constipated may create pain in the lower back so it is worth taking it seriously. You will know you are constipated if you do not go as often as you normally do, if you have to strain more than usual and if you have a feeling of not completely emptying your bowels. When you do go the stools may be hard and lumpy smaller or larger than normal for you. On top of that you may also experience stomach pain and bloat, not want to eat and feel sick . There can be many causes of constipation.  If constipation goes on for any length of time and/or you are in pain you should see your doctor. Be prepared to talk with them about your bowel movements and any changes in your health, lifestyle and diet. Clear...