Show #443 Airing SUnday, 8/3/08
You might be an “upright” citizen, but if you find standing upright a challenge, back pain is probably the culprit. Here to explain how you can reduce or eliminate back pain without even seeing the doctor is Dr. Noel Abood from the Solon Spine and Wellness Center.
Question: Are there things we can do to reduce of eliminate back pain, without going to the doctor?
Answer: Yes. Let’s start with dehydration. The disc material in our backs is actually 90% water. Research has shown that almost everyone is dehydrated. In fact, if you are thirsty, you are already considered dehydrated. This dehydration can cause the discs to become dried out and more prone to rupture. In addition, nerves flow as an electrical pattern and need water as well.
Dehydration can cause a person to be crampy and to have pain. This condition is one of the most misdiagnosed.
Question: How can we stay hydrated?
Answer: Drink more water—8 to 10 glasses a day and more in the summer/when working out.
It takes 2-2 ˝ weeks to re-hydrate yourself. At first, your body reacts like dry ground. When water hits very dry ground, it runs off. So too, when you first start re-hydrating, you will have to urinate often. However, just as the ground begins to absorb water, so will your body, and you will start to urinate less frequently.
Question: So drinking water can reduce back pain?
Answer: Yes.
Question: This sounds "fishy" to me, but I understand most of us have another deficiency that can also lead to back problems as well.
Answer: Yes. 90% of us are also deficient in Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which are most commonly found in wild game, fish, and green leafy vegetables. Our diet no longer contains enough of these items.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids can help your skin, your heart, cholesterol levels, and even nerve repair, since they are the building blocks of nerve tissues (thus helping your back). Research has shown that they can improve ADD issues as well.
You can get Omega 3 Fatty Acid at health care stores in the form of liquid fish oil. Nowadays, this does not have a bad taste. In fact, we’ve found a company that uses farm-raised fish to lower mercury levels, and it has a lemony taste.
Question: Are there other supplements that can reduce back pain?
Answer: Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosomine Sulfate are the building blocks of cartilage and disc tissue. These tablets can help with knee, hip, and back pain.
Question: Can exercise help?
Answer: Definitely! To prevent back pain, you really have to strengthen your core, meaning your stomach, glut muscles, [point to where] and stretching your hamstrings. Pilates is a good choice.
Question: What if back pain doesn't go away?
Answer: If back pain persists, you may need more extensive treatment. My practice specializes in treating lower back pain through non-surgical lumbar decompression.
In this procedure, you are on a table that gently stretches your back at 30-second intervals. The machine mimics 0 gravity, which allows the disc material to grow in the back, re-cushioning the nerve.
You don’t have to suffer quietly with back pain, thanks to Dr. Noel Abood’s tips. To learn more, give Solon Spine and Wellness Center a call.
