LOW BACK PAIN Treatement- exercises, preventive measures medications

LOW BACK PAIN

Some physicians believe that almost every American over the age of 40 experiences some degree of pain in the lower back. The lower part of the spinal column does not have the support of the rib cage as does the upper part. The spine is made up of vertebrae. Between the bodies of the vertebral bones are disks which act as shock absorbers. Ligaments bind the bones together. And, Acute Low Back Pain This may be produced by a fall, blow, lifting a heavy weight, pushing a car, shoveling snow, etc., or there may appear to be no cause.

The pain is usually severe and there is difficulty in walking and standing. Most acute attacks yield completely, or show decided improvement, after a few days of complete rest in bed with a very firm mattress, preferably with a bed board under it (the board should be about six inches smaller than the mat- tress so sheets can be tucked in, and so no one will bump against it). Aspirin is helpful, but the doctor may prescribe a stronger pain reliever such as Darvon, Demerol, or codeine. Many muscle-relaxant medications are advocated for relief of the muscle spasm which contributes so much to pain. It is doubtful that they live up to their claims.

Muscle spasm will be helped by warm, moist packs which should be changed frequently to maintain warmth and should not be scalding finally, muscles of the lower back and of the abdomen as well are designed to give the spinal column support. Young people who are vigorous in sports and physical activities rarely are troubled by backache unless there is a direct injury.

It is usually the person who gradually has lost physical fitness, whose supporting muscles have weakened, who has put on excesspoundage, and who has developed poor posture, who is a candidate for low back pain. Many persons erroneously ascribe backache to "kidney trouble" and waste money on medicines to "flush" the kidneys. Similarly, the uterus has been blamed by many women for their backache. Only rarely is a anal positioned womb the cause. Hot, since excessive heat can include muscle spasm.

A bath in comfortably warm water is helpful if there is no problem about getting into and out of the bath. A soothing way to apply warmth to the back is to have the patient sit on a stool or waterproof chair set in the bathtub; place a large towel over the shoulders and upper back; and have the shower trickle comfortably warm water onto the towel and down to the painful area in the low back. When done for 15 to 20 minutes at a time several times a day, this can be very helpful.

 If an attack of low back pain is so severe that there is inability to sleep, or if there is urgency about shortening the attack, then a short stay in a hospital may be helpful. In the hospital, strong pain relievers can be given by injection; this helps not only to reduce suffering but to stop muscle spasm. 

Asthma cure - symptoms treatment medications preventive measures

 A patient knows that he is sensitive to pollen or a pet or a certain food. This helps in diagnosis. The physician can perform sensitivity tests for various common allergens. True bronchial asthma almost always responds to certain medications, and the relief provided by these constitutes still another aid in diagnosis. Not all cases of asthma are clearly allergic. There are asthma patients who seem to be reacting to infections of their bronchi or sinuses.

 Some physicians believe that such patients are sensitive to allergens in bacteria or' viruses (intrinsic asthma). Other doctors believe that there is an extrinsic allergen which is not apparent and that the infection only intensifies symptoms. The conflict is hard to re- solve because it is difficult to desensitize patients to the many bacteria and viruses that inhabit and infect the respiratory tract and sinuses.

There is also a type of asthma which seems to be entirely emotional. Yet, many allergists believe that in such cases there is a basic sensitivity to some allergen such as house dust and that emotional tensions act as a trigger or intensifier of symptoms. All of this must be considered by the physician when he diagnoses asthma and the outlook for the patient. 

If attacks are definitely related to an inhalational allergen such as ragweed or cat dander, then the physician knows the outlook is good. The patient will either avoid the allergen or be desensitized to it. And if avoidance or desensitization is not 100 per- cent productive, the patient will do well with one of the medicines used for treating asthma. Similarly, a patient with a strong emotional component can be helped greatly by psychotherapy.

For the patient with frequent attacks without clear-cut cause, there are several possibilities:

(1) The patient may do very well on the medications to be discussed shortly and with the help of other preventive measures.

(2) The patient may not respond well to treatment, may experience almost constant breathing difficulty, and se- verity may be great enough to en- danger the lungs through slow development of emphysema.

(3) In addition to the outlook described in (2), the patient may experience repeated bronchial infections not easily controlled with antibiotics.

(4) The patient may have frequent, extremely severe attacks. During such attacks, called status asthmaticus, the patient be- comes blue from lack of oxygen, exhausted from straining to breathe, and seems on the verge of death. Fortunately, with modern asthma therapy, death is rare but intensive care in a hospital is required. Windows should be kept closed, with a door ajar into an adjoining room with window open. Parched, dry air in the home should be avoided. 

An electric humidifier is valuable. Short of that, pans or trays of water can be kept on radiators. 

Insect bites can be dangerous-preventive measures

We are not alarmists and have no wish to frighten people away from enjoying outdoor life. However, insect bites can be dangerous. Fortunately, there are preventive measures. Those who know they are sensitive to bees, etc., should carry cards indicating so, and should also be trained by their family doctor or an allergist in the use of a special kit available for emergencies.

 Also, there is effective desensitization treatment for those allergic to bee, wasp, and other stings. It makes good sense for anyone who is allergic in any way and who receives a bite by a bee, wasp, hornet, or yellow jacket to discuss with his doctor the advisability of carrying an emergency kit on the assumption that since he is allergic to other things, he might become so to these insects from a second sting

.

 In terms of general sanitation and comfort as well as for protection against bites, foods should be covered when camping or cooking outdoors, and patios and other areas should be treated with insect repellent. Sensitive people should consider wearing white clothes which are less likely to attract bees than gay colors.

 Also long sleeves and trousers will reduce danger of contact with stinging insects. If you are ever confronted with a person suffering a severe reaction to an insect sting or bite, and if an emergency kit with adrenaline and anti- histamine is not available, you can do some good by placing a tourniquet between bitten or stung area and the heart, applying ice to the inflamed area, and rushing the victim to the nearest doctor or hospital. Emotions and Allergy You may ask how emotions can have any effect in the reaction between an allergen and an antibody.

Usually, in this country, the source is a food handler who may have no symptoms or only very mild ones, and whose unclean hands transmit the disease. In some countries, water is infected, or human Feces may be allowed to contaminate food-growing areas; in some parts of I he world, human feces are used as optimizer.

Since amebic infection can cause pain and disability from diarrhea and may lead to death if the infection spreads from intestine to other parts of the body-it is important to understand basic facts about its transmission. With this knowledge, primary preventive measures can be used. Where dependable, clean water is not available and the traveler or camper must rely on questionable sup- plies or use wells, streams or lakes, water must be boiled for ten minutes or treated with special chemical disinfectants.