The Cervical Spine " Part Four

By Jonathan Blood Smyth

Patient sometimes report than they wish their arm could be cut off when they are unlucky enough to suffer from the agonising pain of a nerve root impingement. Patients presenting with nerve root lesions look very tired as they have not slept for several nights, are not in the mood for jokes and hold their arm protected in a typical position. Depending on which nerve root is responsible the area of the pain in the arm varies, with pain running in severe waves down the limb and also feeling exceptionally sharp in nature. An immediate increase in pain severity follows any tension or stretch applied to the affected nerve root.

Patients typically find there are only one or two comfortable positions for the arm and maintain these carefully to ease the pain. They may hold the arm against the tummy or place the hand on top of the head to achieve relief. Countering the pain and the inflammation is very important in the early stages and patients should take maximum permitted doses of strong analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent the escalation of pain mechanisms in the nervous system. Manual treatment is risky due to the condition's highly irritable nature but some input can be given to ease the joint movement and increase circulation.

Much of the management of nerve root lesions consists of not aggravating the condition at all as the results can be very unpleasant if the therapist goes in too hard. Wearing a collar, joint mobilisations, maintaining the least painful position and cervical traction are all possible treatments for this problem as we wait for nature to gradually settle down. As the disc, nerve or joint settles the patient breathes a sigh of relief as the pain reduces, they can get some sleep and start moving their head and doing normal activities again.

Therapeutic efforts can be intensified once the pain shows some sign of settling down but the therapist still needs to be aware of the potential for worsening with treatment. The neck can be gently restricted at night be wearing a soft collar and the patient encouraged to perform regular range of motion exercises within pain limits to increase mechanical inputs to the nervous system. The patient should continue to take painkillers for longer than they feel they need to initially as the syndrome relies on control of pain to settle and patients need to be able to do gradually more without too much pain.

If the arm pain does not settle after six weeks or so a referral to a spinal specialist may be useful. These kinds of syndromes almost always settle with time but the pain can be so severe that it is questionable in some cases whether we should wait for the length of time settling down might take. The examination will determine the history of the event, previous difficulties with the neck if any and the areas of symptoms and what aggravates or eases them. The physical examination is quite limited due to pain but consists of neck ranges of motion, muscle power, sensibility and reflex testing.

Since it is very likely that a single nerve root will be responsible for the pain it is also likely that a particular arm area will be painful and that particular muscle weakness, sensory loss and reflex changes will be present. These will reflect the changes which have occurred in the parts of the arm function which are controlled by the compromised nerve root. More than one nerve root affected is a red flag for medical referral.

After the examination the surgeon will have a clear idea of which nerve root is the likely culprit and will order an MRI scan to image the segment of the neck responsible. If a large disc protrusion is evident on the scan then a surgical removal of the disc prolapse is possible although this is less commonly performed than in the lumbar spine. After the recovery period it is useful for patients to keep themselves fit and try to return to as normal activity as possible in order to forestall any chances of developing consequences from the syndrome.

About the Author:

Jonathan Blood Smyth, editor of the Physiotherapy Site, writes articles about Physiotherapy, back pain, orthopaedic conditions, neck pain, injury management and physiotherapists in Kent. Jonathan is a superintendant physiotherapist at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK.

Tips to Have Your Own Gym, In Your House

By Ricardo Daryans

I receive emails everyday from aspiring lifters all over the world, and one of the most common questions I'm asked is "Do I have to join a gym in order to build a strong, muscular body?" The answer, my friend, is no. With the right equipment and planning you can follow an equally effective bodybuilding program from the comfort of your home without ever having to set foot in a gym.

Maybe you can't afford a gym membership due to your financial situation. Maybe you lead a busy lifestyle and would prefer to save time by training at home. Maybe you're simply too embarrassed or uncomfortable to train in a regular gym setting at the moment. Whatever your reason, don't worry!

I currently workout at a gym with my training partner but have to say that my years spent lifting at home were fantastic. I didn't have to worry about the travel time to and from the gym. I could simply slip downstairs whenever I felt like it and all of my equipment was there waiting for me.

I could listen to whatever music I wanted to, as loud as I wanted to without having to worry about those around me. I could grunt, yelp and scream through my sets if I was in the mood without disturbing anyone (hey, squatting to failure isn't easy okay?) or train shirtless if I felt like it.

And, at the end of the workout, you don't have to get into your car to go back to your place to rest.

Ok, there's not only good news. It's almost impossible to have in your home to have certain pieces of machinery such as a leg press or calf machine. And because of that, there'll be some exercises you could not do there.

But, even if you can't afford that machinery, you can plan out a proper bodybuilding routine. All that fancy equipment is not crucial, and you can swap some of that exercises for freeweight substitutions.

Here is the basic equipment that your home gym should contain: 1) An adjustable barbell with freeweight plates. 2) Adjustable dumbbells. 3) A bench with incline adjustments. 4) A chin-up bar. 5) A squat rack.

If you can't afford a squat rack then you'll have to be creative. The bottom line is that you must have some sort of apparatus that will allow you to safely unrack a loaded bar and drop the bar onto a safety catch (or the floor) if your strength gives out during the lift.

About the Author:

Get the number one natural bodybuilding program, the Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail Method and achieve the best results in a few weeks.

The Importance Of Dental Insurance

By Howard Marshall

Liquidity crunch these days is upto such a stage that it is very essential for every human being to make use of even the single savings. Most of the savings has never been around more than a year. Dental insurance is one of those insurance which is extremely short.

The dental care is a huge concern in every individual's life. Most of the dental clinics irrespective of their places strongly recommend dental treatments such as cosmetic dental treatments, teeth cleanings, tooth whitening and tests. They recommend people to go through these dental treatments in any case once in six months.

The fact is that most of the people do not know how valuable these dental insurances. A lot of people are less informed about the significant role that the dental insurance plays in covering all your dental treatments. For this reason it is very much obligatory to know about these insurances & make the maximum use of their advantages. The essential services such as exams, x rays; teeth cleaning etc are unquestionably covered by the schemes hosted by these kinds of dental insurances. Since the dental treatments concerned in veneers are very high-priced, the dental insurance declines to cover it all.

Regularly visiting a professional dentist for cleanups and checkups can help prevent dental problems and help maintain optimal dental health. Any person concerned about their well-being and dental health should not wait for a toothache to have to visit a dentist. Dental experts help prevent gum disease through professional dental treatment to avoid decay and gum disease complications like periodontitis. Dental visits also help combat oral cancer, which causes deaths by the hour everyday in the United States alone, as announced by The Oral Cancer Foundation.

Any health-conscious person would want to avoid losing teeth. You may do this by maintaining proper oral hygiene, avoiding sugar, and eating according to good nutritional guidelines. . Expert maintenance, care, and service provided by professional dental experts effectively keep oral hazards at bay. Professional examinations play a vital role in discovering early gum disease. Remember, gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults the world over. Regularly checking up with a dentist could avoid the need for tooth replacement.

Oral problems can usually be avoided by frequently visiting a dentist (at least twice/year). This would make the need for emergency dental care unnecessary. As long as checkups are regularly done with your dentist, an emergency would not arise unless it was due to fracturing a tooth, or the failure of a previous root canalled tooth. The early detection of dental cavities, gum disease, and broken fillings may be solved with simple dental treatments. However, should these problems go untreated, root canal operations, gum surgery, and teeth extraction might be the only solutions available.

At the end of each year it is essential for the associate to confirm how much you have made from these profits. Complimentary dental care is also a part of it. It's your money and your insurance and you are the one who should make use of all these profits offered in the policy of dental insurance. It is also important to decide the ideal and official dental insurance source. You can look for them effortlessly as many of them are available online on specialized websites 24 hours a day.

About the Author:

Do you want to know how dental care can prevent diseases without replacement or repairs? Then log on to http://www.infodentalhealth.com and know more about dental treatment, dental care, dental insurance, dental health care and much more.

Alternate Remedies In Curing Fibromyalgia

By Michael Byrd

Fibromyalgia is a truly nasty disorder, and some patients even feel more sick when undergoing medical treatment. However, there is hope! Because I have observed promising results with alternative treatments for Fibromyalgia- and even seeing patients undergo complete reversals. Wouldn't it be great to be well again?

For those who are willing, they may begin by implementing changes in their lifestyle. You could do this by eliminating the stressful situations that you encounter everyday. You could also find better methods of reducing stress and relaxation. Exercises such as deep breathing and meditation are very helpful in dealing with the depression and anxiety associated with Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).

The next activity is to begin doing light aerobic exercises like swimming or walking. These exercises may take some effort at the start, however they are helpful in reducing stress, so it's worth the initial pain. You should start slowly, gradually increasing until you are doing this for half an hour, four or more times a week.

You also need to make sure you get plenty of sleep. It helps to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Fibromyalgia's chronic pain generally causes fatigue, therefore you need to get adequate sleep whenever possible. You need to do everything needed to making your sleeping quarters comfortable, relaxing and quiet. It's also worth knowing that you shouldn't watch the news before going to sleep, as well as to avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar in the evening, because these interfere with sleeping patterns.

With regards to eating and drinking, improving your nutrition is a crucial step to consider. In achieving a vibrant, healthy life, getting as much high-quality nutrition helps. In attaining optimum results, it helps to include a whole food program in your diet. This includes organic whole grains, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as plenty of omega-3 rich fish. You also need to ensure that you keep your fat intake to around 30% below your daily calorie levels, and consume free-range meat if possible. In addition, drink lots of clean water- at least eight glasses a day. If you smoke, it would be best to stop this time.

Another vital nutritional factor to consider is that you need to get at least 1,000 i.u's of vitamin D. Dr. Michael Holick, director of Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University, notes that people who have aching bones and muscles, are simply suffering from vitamin deficiency.

While you may do everything to eat the healthiest diet possible, most studies indicate that you still can't get all the required nutrition from the food you eat. It would be best if you take whole food supplements which are essential for good health, as the American Medical Association even recommends doing this.

In overcoming fibromyalgia, the most important thing to consider is to take better care of yourself. To do this, you need to eat right, exercise regularly, take time to relax, and inform everyone that you've got a new method for having more fun. You could listen to your favorite music, take a warm bath, get a massage, walk your dog, watch a feel -good movie, and whistle a happy tune. Live a great life!

About the Author:

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What is Noni?

By Dr. Tim Hollingshead

The scientific name of noni is morinda citrifolia and more commonly as noni, beach mulberry, Indian mulberry, or great morinda, among others. The tree on which the noni fruit grows is native to Southeast Asia, but has been spread extensively through Asia and Pacific Islands.

The plant produces fruit all year. The fruit starts out green, but matures to a yellow or almost white color. The pungent odor of the ripened fruit gives rise to the less than appealing name such as "cheese fruit". The noni is a hardy plant capable of growing in a wide variety of habitats.

More recently, overzealous promotion has led to a similar range of claims. One website claimed that noni juice benefits and uses include inhibiting "pre-cancer function and growth of cancer tumors!" On the same website, a man claimed that after only 3 weeks of drinking noni, his arthritis was gone and he was no longer impotent.

So what is the truth about natural noni juice?

What is the nutritional content of Noni Juice - What is in noni? What are the vitamin, minerals, and antioxidants that make it so beneficial? Does it have an ORAC score?

Noni Juice benefits and uses - You've heard the claims, but what can you really expect? Can it reduce cholesterol? And does it back up the claims?

Noni Juice products - How do you pick which juice to buy? What should you look for in a quality product? Does it matter whether the fruit comes from Hawaii, Samoa or French Polynesia? Does the processing method matter?

How much to pay? Does price always equal quality? What would a fair price be for a quality product? Has it been diluted or reconstituted with water?

About the Author:

The truth is that even though natural Noni juice may not live up to all of the promotional hype, it is an excellent nutritional supplement rich in important nutrients. The potential benefits clearly make it a drink to consider as part of your well-balance diet.