Obesity & Social Security: Can One Get Disability for Obesity?

spinal stenosis

Social Security has a set of Impairment Listings. At one time "obesity" had an impairment listing. Thus, if the applicant was of a certain height and weight, then the applicant received Disability. For example, if you were 5'2" and 300 pounds, then you were well on your way to winning a Disability Case if you had any impairments in addition to your "obesity".

In 1999, Social Security changed the Rules and deleted the Impairment Listing for "obesity". Social Security did say it would consider the effects of "obesity" with regard to other listed impairments such as respiratory impairments, cardiovascular impairments, and muscoloskeletal impairments (back problems).

In a recent case I had a young lady who was 400 pounds and had spinal stenosis. Prior to 1999, she probably would have met the Impairment Listing for "obesity". Since the rules have changed, we had to go to a hearing before a judge and demonstrate the severity of her back problem. We won but the primary focus of the decision was on the back problem and not her "obesity."

In another case I had the applicant was a man who was over 375 pounds with congestive heart failure. Again, prior to 1999 he would have met the "obesity" listing. Instead, we had the hearing and the judge denied the claim on the grounds he had not done enough to lose weight. The United States District Court reversed the social security judge and we were granted a new hearing. We won this time with an on the record decision. But again, this case shows the rules have changed and "obesity" no longer is the "slam dunk" winner it once was.

This may be considered AN ADVERTISEMENT or Advertising Material under the Rules of Professional Conduct governing lawyers in Virginia. This note is designed for general information only. The information presented in this note should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

Sciatica Syndrome

spinal stenosis

Pain across the low back, mid-back (lumbosacral), or on the low broad bone (sacrum), or in the joints formed by the sacrum and the hip bone (ilium), the sacroiliac joints, can precipitate an acute sciatic attack. This occurs when there is a severe trauma, a wrong movement, or anything that can cause an irritation or pinching of the nerve roots involved. When the low lumbar and the higher sacral roots that form the sciatic nerve are involved, the back, buttocks and the outer border of the thigh and the calf will be extremely painful. If the lesions involve the more numerous nerves of the lower sacral plexus (Cauda Equina), it may produce symptoms bilaterally (both buttocks), and of the lower extremities. The symptoms may also affect the groin, and can also produce sexual dysfunction.

The incidence of sciatica can increase with age and at age 60 can be as high as 50% for those with low back problems. These problems can be of many varieties. The most prevalent causes of low back pain that can result in sciatica are due to degenerative joint disease. Other causes can be; congenital defects (Spina Bifida, a defective closure of the spinal column), bulging or ruptured discs, inflammation, pinched nerve, tumor, forward slippage of a vertebra on the one below (spondylolisthesis), and osteoarthritis are but few of the possible precipitating factors of the onset of sciatica.

If any of the above conditions are present, they may remain dormant until there is a trigger mechanism that will set off an acute attack of sciatica. That trigger can be a trauma, such as a fall, golf or tennis swing, wrongly lifting an object (no matter how light or heavy), reaching for an object above your head, a minor auto accident, or any overexertion of the back that causes a severe sprain/strain. Another less obvious trigger can be such an innocuous thing as keeping a thick wallet in your back pocket and constantly sitting on it. That will cause a pressure on the sciatic nerve where it exits from the spine into the buttock area inflaming the nerve, thus precipitating an acute attack.

Misalignment of the vertebrae of the spine is one of the greatest causes of sciatic syndrome. The misalignment reduces the foramina (opening) between the vertebrae where the sciatic nerve exits the spine, causing a pinching of the nerve. The pinching results in inflaming the nerve and causing an acute attack. Poor posture over the years can also place stress on the spine with the same result. A Chiropractor can generally correct these anomalies with manipulation of the spine.

A severe sciatic attack will also affect deeper lying tissues, such as the paravertebral muscles and ligaments (the muscles and ligaments alongside the spinal column), causing inflammation, pain and muscles spasms. The severity of the muscle spasms will determine the amount of limitation of motion of back movement. In severe cases the patient will be unable to move without eliciting sudden severe, sharp, stabbing pain. The patient will present "Antalgic Posture" (bent over and unable to move). Coughing, straining or sneezing will cause a sudden sharp stabbing pain. Your Doctor will refer to this as the "Valsalva's maneuver. Lifting the leg straight up while lying on your back will increase the pain in the leg and back.

A less common form of sciatica can be due to "Spinal Stenosis" This form of sciatica resembles a circulatory condition in that it will involve the nerve roots and manifests itself by causing pain in the buttocks, thighs and or calves when walking, running or climbing stairs. Here again the causative factors can be pinching of the nerve as it exits the spine. The numbness and tingling may be more pronounced here. At times rest will alleviate the pain, but not the numbness and tingling. Another causative factor can be toxic inflammation due to alcoholism or diabetes. Although rare, diabetes can cause a diabetic neuritis.

Seeing your Chiropractor or Physician can help determine the causative factor of your condition. The Chiropractor, once the condition is diagnosed, can correct any spinal misalignment or imbalance that causes a pinching of the nerve. He will also use several modalities, consisting of physiotherapy that will reduce muscle spasms and reduce the inflammation. There are also many things that you can do to help alleviate the symptoms of sciatica. Sufficient rest is of the utmost importance. Prevent overexertion of the back in any form, such as lifting, excessive bending at work or sports. Over the counter pain relievers can take the edge off the pain. Using analgesic gels will aid in reducing the pain. Taking hot showers and the use of a heating pad can be soothing to the back.

When symptoms permit, the individual can start walking for short distances, but should be using the proper back brace to prevent further muscle injury at this time. The patient with vertebral joint arthritis may also respond to a proper back support. Wearing of a proper back brace will help the muscles that have become spastic to relax and limit motion by splinting them. Mild exercises can be started when symptoms permit. Exercise will help strengthen the back and abdominal muscles that maintain the integrity of the spinal column. Lumbosacral flexion exercises should be avoided if they make you feel uncomfortable, as they can also aggravate the condition. The overweight or seriously obese individual should make every effort to lose weight. The extra pounds place an enormous amount of strain on the spinal column.

In conclusion, the condition of sciatica can be an extremely painful and debilitating as previously stated. Do not ignore it, but make every effort to help yourself. An acute flare-up of sciatica when ignored can easily become a chronic condition that will plague you for life. Follow the previous suggestions and life will be more bearable. And remember, in the final analysis, when symptoms permit start your exercise program to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, which in the future will help prevent recurrences.

The Anatomy Of A Pinched Nerve

spinal stenosis

Minor body aches and pains are an accepted fact of life for anyone who leads a relatively active lifestyle. But when that pain becomes problematic and chronic, it may be time to consult professionals about what might be the source of that pain. A pinched nerve is often found to be the culprit when it comes to chronic pain, especially if it develops into lower back pain, neck pain, leg pain, shoulder pain or hip pain. A chiropractor may be the answer for pain relief in this situation, and we will explain how to determine if this condition might be at the root of your pain.

Symptoms

The term pinched nerve is used in medicine to describe an injury or damage to a single nerve or set of nerves for any number of reasons. The nerve most commonly affected by this condition is the sciatic nerve, and because it has bundles that radiate throughout the body, it can cause pain in areas far removed from the actual injury site. Because of this, if you show any of the following symptoms, it would be a wise idea to see your regular physician or chiropractor immediately, so that the injury site can be determined, and treatment begun.

Weakness: generally felt in an extremity, like a leg or arm, but may often present itself in the lower back as well. Feels like the muscles located in that area are exceptionally weak, and may lack basic strength while manipulating them.

Tenderness: the skin, muscle and tendons within the affected area are hypersensitive to tactile feelings, like pressure, pain, extension and compression. The entire area around the affected nerve bundle feels sore, like it had undergone severe cramps over a long period of time.

Odd sensations: you may feel odd sensations in the affected area, like pins and needles, numbness, waves of burning sensations or stabbing and fluctuating pains. These may also coincide with muscle spasms, and are brought on by the compression or contracting of the nerve bundles.

Causes

The primary cause of this condition is often simple exertion. When we work hard or play hard, we run the risk of pulling muscles, straining ligaments, and shifting some of our more fragile bones out of place, especially as we grow older. Age is also a factor for the second most likely cause behind this condition, which is bone spurs or thickening of the bones through aging and arthritis. This can be a defining factor for the location of the compression, especially when the sciatic nerve is involved.

Other medical conditions, like sciatica, herniated discs, and spinal stenosis can cause the nerve bundles along the spine to become compressed, literally pinching the nerve strands and causing pain to radiate throughout the body. This is why it is so important to be examined to determine the source of the injury or compression. Too often the site is thought to be where the pain is, when in reality, it may be far removed from it. Lastly, any injury that involves the neck, shoulder, back or spine can lead to the vertebrae that make up the spinal column to shift or compress, and the spinal nerves along with it.

Treatment Options

The treatment for this condition is usually broken down into phases of treatment options. For chronic pain episodes, treatment with corticosteroid shots, followed by periods of bed rest, will usually alleviate the most painful symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments can also be done, as well as physical therapy sessions. The key to any viable treatment plan, however, is assessments and examinations to pinpoint the injured area.

The important thing to remember about treating a pinched nerve is that over time, it can progress from a temporary injury to a permanent condition far faster than you might realize. If it happens to you, get checked, and get treated before it gets worse.

Spinal Stenosis Understanding

spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis can be a pain in the neck, literally! This condition is the result of a gradual narrowing of the spinal canal, which may place pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This most commonly affects the lumbar (low back) and cervical (neck) areas of the spine. The most common cause of spinal stenosis is aging. The rate of progression of the disease varies as people age and the changes are often quite gradual.

Causes of Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is usually a natural progression of aging but it can sometimes be caused by the herniation of a spinal disc. It may also be due to arthritis developing in the vertebral joints which decreases the space for the nerve roots which branch off the spinal cord. Paget's Disease, characterized by enlarged and deformed bone growth often affects the spine, causing stenosis.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Symptoms
The degree of symptoms vary from mild low back discomfort to a complete inability to walk.

• If the lower portion of the spinal cord is compressed, there is often weakness and pain in the buttock or leg. The pain may be due to compression of the nerve itself or because of compression of blood vessels carrying nutrients and oxygen to the nerve. Each of these processes interferes with the natural function of the nerve roots and decreases the endurance and effectiveness of the spinal nerves. Both cause pain.


• Mild lower back pain may progress to more severe pain in buttocks, thigh or leg that develops with walking and standing. The pain decreases with rest.


• Numbness and weakness in the lower leg may lead to a total lack of sensation.


• Some patients will have leg pain and numbness without any back pain.


• Positioning relieves some symptoms as they increase the amount of space for the spinal nerves. Flexing the lumbar spine and bending forward often helps.


• A patient with spinal stenosis can ride a bike, walk up a hill or a flight of stairs without having any pain. They can often walk for extended distances if they have something to lean on, such as a shopping cart.


• Walking down a hill, an incline, or a flight of stairs or when the patient must walk without the cart, causes the symptoms to reappear.


• Nerves to the bladder and bowel may become compressed and can lead to partial or complete incontinence.

Cervical Spinal Stenosis

• Pain in neck can be mild, at times, becoming more severe


• Headaches


• Pain in the neck and shoulders


• Numbness or weakness in the arm or hand


• Balance problems and clumsiness

The Severity of the Symptoms depends upon several factors:

• The original width of the spinal canal


• The sensitivity of the involved nerves


• The pain tolerance of the patient


• The physical demands of the patient's lifestyle

Diagnosing Spinal Stenosis

• Complete history to determine how long symptoms have been present and if condition is worsening


• Physical Exam to evaluate pain and weakness of extremities


• Neurological exam will identify chronic nerve root depression


• Laboratory tests to rule out unusual causes of nerve root and spinal cord dysfunction


• X-rays of lumbar and cervical spine can identify the amount of spinal degeneration or instability.


• A CAT scan (Computerized axial tomography) helps visualize the spinal column and identifies areas of stenosis.


• A myelogram, in which a dye is injected into the space occupied by the spinal cord and nerve roots, can identify problem areas.


• An EMG (electromyographic) test helps identify compressed nerve roots.

Most patients respond well to non-surgical treatment, medication and a physical therapy regimen.

Non Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy Is the Best Choice!

spinal stenosis

There are millions of people suffering from herniated and bulging discs who don't know where to go for treatment. Most of them end up having medicines which are prescribed by their family doctors. These medicines only give them relief from pain for a few hours and then the pain is aggravated. This is because a chemical solution cannot treat a mechanical problem. Though surgery is an alternative but mostly people are scared enough to go for it as surgery involves a lot of side effects and is an expensive affair too! Statistics prove that less than 50% of the surgeries have been successful. So, the pain sufferers prefer going for an alternative to get relief from their neck and low back pain.

The non surgical Spinal Decompression therapy has been a success in treating many back pain and neck pain patients. This treatment is offered by many Chiropractic centers worldwide and is considered to be a safe and effective therapy. This therapy comes in as a boon for patients who haven't got any relief from conventional methods. This therapy uses no drugs and as it is a non surgical treatment; it has practically no side effects, which thereby makes more and more people having faith into this therapy. This therapy can treat patients having low back disc bulge, Sciatica, Spinal Stenosis and Scoliosis, Herniated disc in the lower back, Cervical Spondylosis, Degenerative disc disease and Pinched Nerve.

Herniated and bulging disc is usually caused due to an injury or because of severe strain. Older people are at a high risk of getting herniated disc as there is a continuous wear and tear of the intervertebral disc. A symptom of herniated disc varies depending on the location of the problem and upon the body's response to pain. It has always been difficult to differentiate between herniated discs to other types of spinal disorders or back injuries. This could even lead to severe neck pain. The non surgical Spinal Decompression therapy can cure this by applying forces to the spine to elongate it.

Research shows that after getting treated through the non surgical therapy, the patients have reported a decrease in use of pain killers and improvement in their daily activities. They even have got relief from the severe neck and back pain. Hence, the non surgical Spinal Decompression therapy has been considered to be an effective treatment option for patients suffering from chronic back pain.

IBS and Back Pain: Possibly Steps Toward Relief

spinal stenosis

It has been quite some time since I last addressed the issue of IBS and back or lower back pain. But due to the overwhelming readership the articles I have published have gotten and the amount of reader emails I have received I feel it is time once again to address the issue and hopefully bring some notoriety to the subject. My findings over the last few years have been most enlightening.

I have long been a proponent that in some cases IBS is, or at least seems to be directly linked to spinal injury or damage. In my case it seems that way, as it does for hundreds of others who have written me, telling their stories in emails.

I want to personally thank all those that took the time to dig and find my email address. I have to admit that I usually have not made it easy. So those that did actually get an email through, and there have been many, I know had to expend some effort to actually find the email address.

Recently I got an email from a Retired Navy Master Chief who recently read my article on "Lower Back Pain and Irritable Bowel Syndrome" It is because of him, I guess that I have since been prompted to get off my keester and publish something. His story is much like my own, in fact the only difference I see in his story and my own are possibly the manner in which his back injury was delivered and our occupations.

The more email that I receive from people telling me very similar stories about their experiences with Irritable Bowel Syndrome; the more I am convinced that there is a definite link between back/neck or spinal injury and the onset of IBS.

It goes without saying that nerves that control gut operations get to and from the brain via the spinal column. So it only stands to reason that any amount of damage to those nerve corridors, conductors and conduits could and most probably do have an effect on the overall digestive system operation. It also stands to reason the worse the injury or disruption of nerve impulses to the gut, the worse IBS symptoms could or will possibly be.

I am not a doctor or spinal specialist, nor do I profess to have any knowledge but that which I personally have acquired during my own long battle with IBS, and from the accumulated knowledge of being able to compare stories sent to me by hundreds of other IBS sufferers.

There is something that I feel I must mention that I find quite profound. I have been writing and publishing in one manner or another about IBS for about 10 years now, maybe more. It was not until I published about my own observations regarding my conclusion that there was a correlation between my own spinal injury and IBS that things seemed heat up.

Once I published the first article where I suggested the connection between back pain or spinal injury and IBS, I started to get emails from many other Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers. Like I said, they had to dig to find my email address and be able to send me their stories, yet they did. This tells me that there has to be more than my own observation and speculation involved here.

Since the time of the first article where I asserted that there was a connection between back pain and IBS, I have received hundreds of emails from readers that were moved enough to actually take the time to tell their stories. After reading their stories, I was saddened as there was nothing I could tell them at the time that would help them. For most to whom I replied, my main suggestion was to demand that their primary caregiver at least consider the plausibility of the connection between spinal injury and IBS.

I know from my own personal experience with over 7 doctors that for them to consider something that isn't currently in their neatly categorized and cataloged list of symptoms and solutions, it is almost impossible to get them to consider anything else as a possible cause. Heaven forbid that a layperson should be able to tell a "doctor" anything. I have to admit that I only broached the subject with three physicians, and the result was less than hopeful.

Each one took a note, or supposedly took a note of what I had to say, and promptly moved on to the IBS play book. I call it that because all doctors seem to have the same mentality when it comes to IBS The only way to diagnose it is to go from test A to test B and then C and so on and on regardless of the results, regardless of how much of your money they spend on tests, tests that had they actually read your history they would have known had been done over and over already.

Until I got my last email from a reader I had almost given up hope that the medical profession would even consider the theory of spinal injury in relation to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. And I quote from the Master Chief's email, "Like you I've experienced the same symptoms for almost 15 years now. One of my PAs over the past two years introduced the thought that my problem was the result of some physical trauma." Personally I find this to be astounding, the first time I have ever encountered a person in the medical profession that would even consider such a thing. Granted the person was only a PA (physician's assistant) but it's a start. The Master Chief had previously outlined to me an accident he had been involved in many years earlier which involved a head injury, but from his description could have easily involved a spinal injury as well that may have gone undetected. Who can say for sure?

He goes on to give a brief history of his condition and then at the end of his email he says something I feel is indicative of not only my own experience, but also those of almost everyone who took the time to email me their stories. And again I quote" I've had three Colonoscopies in the past ten years with nothing found. I've done my best investigation to identify my "trigger" by taking certain foods (dairy, caffeine, breads, sugars, etc.) out of my diet to no avail. Right now I'm taking Align, which seems to help, but in no way makes life normal. I'm only 48 and I keep telling myself that I'm not supposed to feel this way at my age. I keep looking for the "silver bullet", something that will make everything all right- don't we all though."

His story could just as easily be my story, and the sad fact is I don't have any hard evidence which I can point to as progress in the right direction for IBS suffers. What I do have is a few more years of experience battling the beast. And during that time I have discovered some things for myself that have actually seemed to help me, and I stress" me". What I am about to impart is what I have done that has helped me battle IBS and made my life somewhat better over the last few years since I started publishing about back pain and IBS.

My "brand" of IBS and its cycle in my life has the typical symptoms associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Things such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating abdominal pain and most of the other classic symptoms, but there never seemed to be a set pattern, and there was no way to tell which symptoms would occur. For me IBS seems to be a type of cyclic happening. Actually coming to that conclusion took me almost 20 years to figure out. Not because I am stupid, but because my back injury transformed over those number of years.

To make a long story short, I had a very bad back injury when I was a young man. At the time I was told that my only options were one, spinal fusion of L1, L2 and L3. After finding out what that would actually mean as far as mobility was concerned, I decided to go with option 2 which was to let nature take its course and see if things would heal on their own to a manageable condition.

After about a year of recuperation, I did get better. I went back to work and only had occasional problems with my back for about 15 years. Then things seemed to get worse with my back. During the 15 year period I had continued problems with Irritable Bowel Syndrome that was contributed to a gallbladder issue but never acute enough to be operable until way late in the game. That's for another article and not actually relative to the findings and conclusions I intend to draw attention to here.

As my back seemed to worsen, I began to take Ibuprofen to control the pain because it worked. I finally went to a spinal specialist who diagnosed me with Spinal Stenosis, as well as having severe degradation of the lower lumbar vertebra. Nothing I had not expected, but also not much they could do.

I was able to manage my back pain so well with continued Ibuprofen use that I didn't think about it much for quite some time. What did bother me was the increase in the symptoms of IBS. They got worse and worse and seemed to be more frequent. Instead of having symptoms that came on and lasted a few days maybe once or twice a month I now had symptoms that lasted weeks, sometimes a month or more with no relief. It really wasn't easy to identify the cycle. Because the way it happened for me, it was hard to associate the two.

I would start to notice a change in my bowel movements over a period of several days which was something I had long experienced. It might be constipation or it might be diarrhea, there was never really any pattern there. But there came a point a few years ago, that my back would cause me problems enough that I would take as many as 4 200mg tabs of Ibuprofen as often as every 4 or 6 hours because the pain was getting that bad. So now I am dealing with back pain and IBS in a much more noticeable fashion.

It took me a long time to notice that when the IBS started to rear its head, that shortly after, meaning 2 to 4 days after the IBS started up, I would have a bad episode of back pain. I would take more pain medication. My back pain would get better, my IBS would get worse. After maybe a of week of taking things easy, my back pain would settle down and later on my IBS would begin to mellow out. That is if I didn't go and do something to irritate my back again, then the IBS wouldn't let up until the back pain eased up again. And thus I associated finally a causation with my symptoms.

When the though actually occurred to me that the two things, back pain and IBS were related, I set out to prove it if to no one other than myself. I quite taking the ibuprofen altogether, instead when the pain would start I would mark that indeed the IBS symptoms had preceded the back pain. I noted that as the back pain got worst so did the IBS. Now the issue was how to treat the back pain without making the IBS symptoms even harsher.

My provisional solution was to try chiropractic's. So for a time, when I would feel the Irritable Bowel symptoms coming on, I would go see my chiropractor. By doing a lower back manipulation or sciatic relief procedure, the inflammation in my lower back would be relieved, thus the pain would go away for however long, and the IBS symptoms got better.

So for me this is what I believe has been occurring on a semi regular basis. Through normal everyday work and movement the joints in my back would become inflamed, including the many years before the pain got to the point of needing regular management. Even though there was surely inflammation in the early years, the pain was negligible or possibly even imperceptible. Let's face it; we all deal with a certain amount of pain to some degree or another in our lives. My pain was such that I could do little or nothing about it, and had the ability to ignore or accept it.

My GI tract on the other hand, I believe was more perceptive of the inflammation. So my theory is such that when the inflammation starts, nerves that control the entire GI tract are affected in so much as the signals to and from the brain via the spinal cord are either suppressed or strangled off at times. As the inflammation subsides, the nerve signals once again are able to connect properly and the Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms begin to diminish.

As for the fact that the IBS became worse with prolonged use of ibuprofen is an easy concept to understand. Look at all the reports of stomach ulcers and bleeding caused by ibuprofen. Continued use served to exacerbate an already inflammatory condition in the gut.

So for now this is my solution. No NSAID products of any kind if it can be helped. Narcotics and I don't mix well so even though I don't like the risks of acetaminophen products, they unfortunately have to play a small role. My back pain is managed almost entirely by chiropractic and muscle manipulation now and my IBS is markedly better.

Is it a total cure? Absolutely not, but if I had to put a percentage on how much better it is I would have to say 65 to 70% better. And yes the IBS symptoms still occur prior to my back pain onset. And because I am a rather stubborn person, I always wait to see that my back does or will actually require manipulation before I go have it done. And on occasion, about 1 out of every 4 episodes of IBS, there will be no back pain and the symptoms will subside in a day or two.

Is this to say that there is a deeper rooted causation for my particular Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptomology? I cannot say with any certainty. But I do believe that the majority of the time it is directly related to my ongoing problems with my spine. And it may be that even though there is no perceptible back pain for the small amount of times that the symptoms occur without the back pain, that the inflammation is indeed still the root cause. Even having said that, I never go in for manipulation right away when the IBS symptoms begin, I always wait for the back pain begins or get to a moderate level.

Stubborn also translate into cheap. I don't like paying for those $80 to $120 visits to the chiropractor. So how long I suffer with the recurring symptoms each time is relative to the amount of money I have, or am willing to part with and how quickly I am willing to do it. Insurance only goes so far.

The conclusion I have come to for myself. And I cannot stress enough that every case is going to be different. But for myself, I am certain that my back injury plays a major role in my Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I am further convinced that the taking of NSAID pain relievers made my condition even worse.

I further conclude that by finding alternative methods to control pain such as chiropractic manipulation and muscle massage, I have been able to significantly decrease the severity and also the frequency of my IBS symptoms.

So, it might be worth your while to investigate for yourself these things I have talked about in connection with your own IBS symptoms. I have no affiliation with any chiropractic association or massage therapy entity that would compel me or compensate me for stating the things I have. Even if you don't feel you have a spinal injury or condition where by inflammation of the spine might be occurring, it might not hurt to seek out a local chiropractor and have an exam or just go in for a through manipulation and judge for yourself the results.

Keep in mind that for many years I had pain that I was able to almost totally ignore. We train ourselves to live with pain, not that it's what we should be doing, but it happens. So it might be possible that others who have IBS also have ignored back, spine or neck pain that could be a contributing factor in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms that are exhibited in their particular "brand" of IBS.

I do not contend that the information that I have given about what has been helpful for me will be the solution for everyone or for anyone for that matter. But I do think it's important to keep up a dialog of sorts to keep hope alive. If you have suffered long with the symptoms, you know own too well how hard it is to find any kind of practical medical support and how little hope that the medical profession has given us as far as any type of cognitive answers regarding causation or subsistence of symptoms.

My hope is that the information will lead other IBS surfers to reexamine their own "brand" of IBS and possibly follow a loosely carved path to find at least some relief. Further I would not try to assert that my symptoms are completely gone, nor do I conclude that all of my IBS symptoms are related to my spinal condition. But to me, the evidence is too compelling for me not to concede that my IBS is at least moderately connected to spinal injury.

How to Get Rid of Lower Back Pain

spinal stenosis

Getting rid of lower back pain can be attained or accomplished in several ways, but in the first place, it is significant for you to get an authentic diagnosis for your specific condition in order for you to properly eliminate your lower back condition with ease. A physician will normally organize for an MRI scan to spot the main cause of your back trouble. So make sure this is done before anything.

In most situations, lower kind of back ache will be induced through a muscle spasm. This can be brought about by several causes like sitting in a particular spot for a long period, sleeping on an aged mattress and so on.

What's more, stress as well as tension is known to contribute to back pain. In these types of conditions, lower back pain can be rid of through the use of over the counter drugs like ketoprofen, Tylenol, lbuprofen, aspirin and naproxen. These drugs will aid in the reduction of ache and swelling.

However, in severe cases of lower back condition, this can be induced by an injury sustained by the spine, often brought about by an accident or maybe lifting and twisting simultaneously.

In several situations, an injured spine will cause herniated disc condition that later bring about severe lower back ache symptoms such as spinal stenosis or sciatica; though these ailments may induce lots of inconvenience. Lower back pain relief can easily be availed to get rid of the problem.

In case a lower back problem recently occurred, you will have to rest for one or two days. Frankly, relaxation observed for lower back ache is presently seen as a cure because rest can compel the muscles to turn stiff and will increase the healing period.

It's true that over the counter medications help somewhat when it comes to easing lower kind of back trouble. However, these drugs should not be applied for a long period, as they can trigger other health conditions such as addiction, stomach ulcers and the like. One of the most preferred alternatives when it comes to eliminating lower back pain naturally is through exercise.