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Obesity’s Impact on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, & Diabetes

The AHA! Team — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 05:26:48 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Losing weight can reduce sciatica, hypertension, and cancer risk, as well as reverse type 2 diabetes. A is for Arthritis In the ABCs of the health consequences of obesity, A is for Arthritis, as I discussed in my previous blog post, and B is for Back Pain. Being overweight is not just a risk factor for low back pain, but it is also a risk factor for sciatica (a radiating nerve pain), as well as degenerating lumbar discs and disc herniation. Similar to what we learned in the arthritis story, this may also be due to a combination of the excess weight, high cholesterol, and inflammation associated with being overweight. Why cholesterol? Studies of autopsies and angiographies show that the lumbar arteries that feed our spine can get clogged with atherosclerosis and starve the disks in our lower back, as you can see below and at 0:47 in my video The Effects of Obesity on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, and Diabetes. B is also for Blood Pressure. Excess visceral fat—for example, internal abdominal fat—can physically compress our kidneys. The increased pressure can effectively squeeze sodium back into our bloodstream, increasing our blood pressure. Together, the combination of obesity and hypertension can have “disastrous health implications,” but the good news is that just a few pounds of weight loss can help take off the pressure. Losing excess weight has been described as “a vital strategy for controlling hypertension.” In fact, researchers found that losing around nine pounds (4 kg) may lower blood pressure about as much as cutting salt intake approximately in half can. C is for Cancer. As many as three-quarters of people surveyed “were unaware that being overweight or obese increased a person’s risk of cancer,” when, in fact, based on a comprehensive review of more than a thousand studies, excess body fat raises the risk of most cancers, including esophageal, stomach, colorectal, liver, gallbladder, pancreatic, breast, uterine, ovarian, kidney, brain, thyroid, and bone marrow (multiple myeloma) cancers, as you can see below and at 2:00 in my video. It could be the chronic inflammation of obesity or perhaps it is the high insulin levels due to insulin resistance. (Besides controlling blood sugars, insulin is also “a potent growth factor” that can promote tumor growth.) In women, it could also be the excess estrogen. After the ovaries shut down at menopause, fat takes over as the principal site of estrogen production. That’s why women who are obese have up to nearly twice the estrogen levels circulating in their bloodstream, which is associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer and dying from it. The data on prostate cancer aren’t as strong, though obesity is associated with increased risk of invasive penis cancer. Cause-and-Effect One of the reasons we’re confident the link between obesity and cancer is cause-and-effect—and not just an indirect consequence of eating poorly—is that the overall risk of cancer goes down when people lose weight, even through bariatric surgery. Researchers found that those experiencing a sustained weight loss of about 40 pounds (19.9 kg) after surgery went on to develop around one-third fewer cancers over the subsequent decade, compared with matched individuals in the nonsurgical control group who continued to slowly gain weight over time. The exception, though, is colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer “Colorectal cancer is the only known malignancy where the risk of being diagnosed with disease seems to increase after obesity surgery.” Indeed, after bariatric surgery, the rate of rectal cancer death may triple. The rearrangement of anatomy involved in one of the most common surgeries—Roux-en-Y gastric bypass—is thought to increase bile acid exposure along the intestinal lining. This causes sustained pro-inflammatory changes even years after the procedure, which is thought responsible for the increased cancer risk. In contrast, losing weight by dietary means has the potential to decrease obesity-related cancer risk across the board. D is for Diabetes. As presented in a consensus statement from the International Diabetes Federation, obesity is considered the single most important risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, which is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations, and adult-onset blindness. Ironically, many of the leading drugs used to treat diabetes (including insulin itself) cause further weight gain, creating a vicious cycle. So, again, using lifestyle medicine to treat the underlying cause is not only safer, simpler, and cheaper, but can also be most effective. If you missed my previous video, check out The Best Knee Replacement Alternative for Osteoarthritis Treatment. Coming up next? See related posts below. I continue the topic of weight control with these videos that may be of interest to you: Is the Obesity Paradox Real or a Myth? and Friday Favorites: What’s the Ideal BMI and Waist Size?. For more on back pain, blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes, check out their topic pages. Key Takeaways Obesity increases the risk of low back pain, sciatica, and lumbar disc degeneration due to excess weight, high cholesterol, and inflammation, which may restrict blood flow to the spine, and the loss of even a few pounds, can help reduce blood pressure and prevent related health complications. Obesity raises the risk of many cancers, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer, due to chronic inflammation, high insulin, and, in women, increased estrogen levels post-menopause. Weight loss, including through bariatric surgery, significantly lowers cancer risk, except for colorectal cancer, where the surgery may increase the risk due to bile acid exposure. Obesity is the primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which can lead to severe complications. Lifestyle changes targeting obesity can be more effective than medications, which may cause further weight gain. To read the original article click here.

The post Obesity’s Impact on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, & Diabetes appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Obesity’s Impact on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, & Diabetes

The AHA! Team — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 05:07:54 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Losing weight can reduce sciatica, hypertension, and cancer risk, as well as reverse type 2 diabetes. In the ABCs of the health consequences of obesity, A is for Arthritis, as I discussed in my previous blog post, and B is for Back Pain. Being overweight is not just a risk factor for low back pain, but it is also a risk factor for sciatica (a radiating nerve pain), as well as degenerating lumbar discs and disc herniation. Similar to what we learned in the arthritis story, this may also be due to a combination of the excess weight, high cholesterol, and inflammation associated with being overweight. Why cholesterol? Studies of autopsies and angiographies show that the lumbar arteries that feed our spine can get clogged with atherosclerosis and starve the disks in our lower back, as you can see below and at 0:47 in my video The Effects of Obesity on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, and Diabetes. B is also for Blood Pressure. Excess visceral fat—for example, internal abdominal fat—can physically compress our kidneys. The increased pressure can effectively squeeze sodium back into our bloodstream, increasing our blood pressure. Together, the combination of obesity and hypertension can have “disastrous health implications,” but the good news is that just a few pounds of weight loss can help take off the pressure. Losing excess weight has been described as “a vital strategy for controlling hypertension.” In fact, researchers found that losing around nine pounds (4 kg) may lower blood pressure about as much as cutting salt intake approximately in half can. C is for Cancer. As many as three-quarters of people surveyed “were unaware that being overweight or obese increased a person’s risk of cancer,” when, in fact, based on a comprehensive review of more than a thousand studies, excess body fat raises the risk of most cancers, including esophageal, stomach, colorectal, liver, gallbladder, pancreatic, breast, uterine, ovarian, kidney, brain, thyroid, and bone marrow (multiple myeloma) cancers, as you can see below and at 2:00 in my video. It could be the chronic inflammation of obesity or perhaps it is the high insulin levels due to insulin resistance. (Besides controlling blood sugars, insulin is also “a potent growth factor” that can promote tumor growth.) In women, it could also be the excess estrogen. After the ovaries shut down at menopause, fat takes over as the principal site of estrogen production. That’s why women who are obese have up to nearly twice the estrogen levels circulating in their bloodstream, which is associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer and dying from it. The data on prostate cancer aren’t as strong, though obesity is associated with increased risk of invasive penis cancer. “We’re confident the link between obesity and cancer is cause-and-effect” One of the reasons we’re confident the link between obesity and cancer is cause-and-effect—and not just an indirect consequence of eating poorly—is that the overall risk of cancer goes down when people lose weight, even through bariatric surgery. Researchers found that those experiencing a sustained weight loss of about 40 pounds (19.9 kg) after surgery went on to develop around one-third fewer cancers over the subsequent decade, compared with matched individuals in the nonsurgical control group who continued to slowly gain weight over time. The exception, though, is colorectal cancer. “Colorectal cancer is the only known malignancy where the risk of being diagnosed with disease seems to increase after obesity surgery.” Indeed, after bariatric surgery, the rate of rectal cancer death may triple. The rearrangement of anatomy involved in one of the most common surgeries—Roux-en-Y gastric bypass—is thought to increase bile acid exposure along the intestinal lining. This causes sustained pro-inflammatory changes even years after the procedure, which is thought responsible for the increased cancer risk. In contrast, losing weight by dietary means has the potential to decrease obesity-related cancer risk across the board. D is for Diabetes. As presented in a consensus statement from the International Diabetes Federation, obesity is considered the single most important risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, which is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations, and adult-onset blindness. Ironically, many of the leading drugs used to treat diabetes (including insulin itself) cause further weight gain, creating a vicious cycle. So, again, using lifestyle medicine to treat the underlying cause is not only safer, simpler, and cheaper, but can also be most effective. If you missed my previous video, check out The Best Knee Replacement Alternative for Osteoarthritis Treatment. Coming up next? See related posts below. I continue the topic of weight control with these videos that may be of interest to you: Is the Obesity Paradox Real or a Myth? and Friday Favorites: What’s the Ideal BMI and Waist Size?. For more on back pain, blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes, check out their topic pages. Key Takeaways Obesity increases the risk of low back pain, sciatica, and lumbar disc degeneration due to excess weight, high cholesterol, and inflammation, which may restrict blood flow to the spine, and the loss of even a few pounds, can help reduce blood pressure and prevent related health complications. Obesity raises the risk of many cancers, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer, due to chronic inflammation, high insulin, and, in women, increased estrogen levels post-menopause. Weight loss, including through bariatric surgery, significantly lowers cancer risk, except for colorectal cancer, where the surgery may increase the risk due to bile acid exposure. Obesity is the primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which can lead to severe complications. Lifestyle changes targeting obesity can be more effective than medications, which may cause further weight gain. To read the original article click here.

The post Obesity’s Impact on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, & Diabetes appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Laser Light Therapy Stimulates Regeneration

The AHA! Team — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 08:05:16 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – I want to share a shocking statistic with you… Around 80% of all the pharmaceuticals sold in America — both prescription and over-the-counter — are manufactured in China. Elsie has been a patient at the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging for years. So when she called me in tears, I told her to come in right away… Elsie was leaving on her dream vacation to Africa in less than a week. But she could barely stand up. Her lower back pain was so severe she didn’t even think she could handle the 19-hour flight from Miami to Kenya. Let alone the six-hour drive from the capital city of Nairobi to the Maasai Mara Reserve, where she was going on a week-long safari. Elsie was desperate for relief but didn’t want to manage the pain with prescription or over-the-counter muscle relaxants or painkillers. She was worried that the side effects of these drugs would ruin her trip. When she walked through the front door of the clinic, Elsie was hunched over and clutching her lower back. I brought her into the exam room, where we had our laser therapy set up. I’m a big believer in non-invasive low-level laser therapy. It works for both acute and chronic pain. It combats pain by stimulating cells to reduce inflammation and speed up healing. And studies back it up. In one study, 30 patients with chronic lower back pain were randomly divided into a red light laser group and a laser placebo group. Both groups underwent treatment three times a week for four weeks.1 The patients were evaluated throughout the study with both pain questionnaires and thermography. By the end of the study, the researchers wrote that the “scores of the Pain Disability Index and maximum pain intensity during day and night significantly reduced” in the patients who received laser therapy. Two additional studies of 151 people found that the relapse rate in patients who had laser therapy compared to a control group was significantly lower after a six-month follow-up evaluation.2 At the Sears Institute, I use different colored lasers to treat different issues. Here’s a quick look at what red, blue, and green lasers can treat… Red Reduces pain Strengthens immune system Increases mitochondria energy Stimulates blood flow Regenerates damaged tissue Improves circulation Reduces inflammation Blue Anti-inflammatory Speeds wound healing Relieves pain Boosts immune system Activates telomerase Releases nitric oxide Green Increases nitric oxide Improves blood flow Increases oxygen Reduces blood pressure Reduces pain/inflammation Boosts sexual function I get a lot of questions about how this therapy works. Here’s what I tell patients like Elsie… During the procedure, different wavelengths and outputs of low-level light are applied directly to the targeted area. The body tissue then absorbs the light. The red and near-infrared light causes a reaction, and the damaged cells respond with a physiological reaction that promotes regeneration. You will feel the laser when it touches your skin. However, the entire procedure is painless and noninvasive. You won’t feel any vibration or heat. Each treatment usually takes just a few minutes. I talked to Elsie once she came back from her trip. It was her dream vacation in every way – and the entire trip was pain-free. Stretch Away Pain Every Day While laser light therapy helped Elsie recover in time for her trip, I also gave her some simple stretches to do in order to keep herself loose and limber. You see, as we age, our flexibility decreases. Certain muscles shorten, and your ligaments get weaker, causing you to lose your range of motion. This can cause a host of back problems. One of the first things you should do is to make stretching a part of your daily routine. This stretch is one you can do before you even get out of bed: Sit up with your legs straight out. Slowly try bending forward to touch your toes. Hold for about 5 seconds and repeat 10 times. While still sitting up, turn your torso to the left and then to the right. Repeat 10 times. Lay back down. While lying flat on your back, bend your right knee, grab it with both hands and try bringing it up to your chest. Hold for a few seconds, and then release. Repeat with your left leg 10 times. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS References: 1. Momenzadeh S, et al. “Evaluation of the effects of intravenous and percutaneous low level laser therapy in the management of myofascial pain syndrome.” J Lasers Med Sci. 2016 Winter;7(1):16-20. doi: 10.15171/jlms.2016.04. Epub 2016 Jan 7. 2. Yousefi-Nooraie R, et a. “Low level laser therapy for nonspecific low-back pain.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Apr 16;(2):CD005107. To read the original article click here.

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Decades of Research Confirms: Popular OTC Drug Linked to Harm in Developing Babies

AHA Publisher — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 07:00:45 +0000

Karen Sanders via NaturalHealth365 – Is taking acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol®) during pregnancy harmful to developing babies? A growing scientific consensus says yes. Unfortunately, this growing consensus is not based on “new” data. In fact, the call for “precautionary action” is based on at least 25 years of scientific data involving thousands of mothers and children. Household Painkiller Taken During Pregnancy Harms Developing Fetus in MULTIPLE Ways, Growing Research Shows Acetaminophen (also called APAP, or paracetamol outside the United States) is in the spotlight thanks to a consensus statement published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology. The September 23, 2021, statement, endorsed by an international team of 91 scientists, public health experts, and medical doctors, states that pregnant women should “forego [acetaminophen] unless its use is medically indicated.” One possible medical indication would be fever reduction, as maternal fever is a known cause of neural tube defects. However, research indicates the majority of pregnant women who take acetaminophen are doing because of things like headaches and back pain – not fever. The question is: Do pregnant women (and their healthcare providers) truly understand the possible risks associated with this common over-the-counter drug? Just looking at the drug insert for acetaminophen should be a reason to pause, where it admits that it “is not known whether acetaminophen can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.” It’s known now, however. In a statement to CNN, Dr. Shanna Swan, co-author of the consensus paper and professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, says there’s a “significant body of evidence that suggests that [acetaminophen] disrupts the reproductive development of animals and humans.” This includes evidence showing that acetaminophen use in pregnancy increases the risk of undescended testicles in male offspring, which is associated with decreased fertility and sperm count later in life. In their consensus statement, the global team of researchers points to years of concerning data, including 29 observational studies including more than 220,000 mother-child pairs showing adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. It’s not clear yet how acetaminophen can damage developing babies, but the drug is known as an endocrine disruptor. (Two other popular pain relievers, aspirin, and ibuprofen are already linked to birth defects.) Of course, acetaminophen is no stranger to adverse health effects. It remains the leading cause of drug-induced acute liver failure in the United States and is a leading cause of emergency department visits and hospitalizations. The negative impact of acetaminophen isn’t limited to fetuses only. Ten years ago, Reuters reported on a study from The Journal of Urology which found that men who regularly used over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol were almost 40% more likely to suffer from impotence. Why Would Officials Rush to Expose Pregnant Women and Young Children to New Injections? You might wonder: why now? Why, after years of support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and other organizations, is acetaminophen during pregnancy coming under fire? Dr. Swan puts it simply: the growing accumulation of data over time. “As time progresses,” she states, “stronger and stronger evidence suggests that we’ve only been underestimating risk [of maternal acetaminophen use.]” This is an important statement, especially in the context of brand-new mRNA injections currently being pushed on pregnant women and children – despite the complete lack of long-term safety data. Is the potential benefit of these drugs truly work the known and unknown risks? Should pregnant, nursing, and trying to conceive women truly have to choose between taking these drugs or else lose their jobs and lose access to public spaces? Is this ethical? Sources for this article include: CNN.com Nature.com NIH.gov Medlineplus.gov Statnews.com Reuters.com AAFP.org FDA.gov NIH.gov To read the original article click here.

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Goodbye to Back Pain with “DynaSeat” – an Office Syndrome Behavior Adjustment Seat

AHA Publisher — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 07:00:50 +0000

Chulalongkorn University via Newswise – A team of Chula doctoral students has created a smart “DynaSeat” to adjust sitting behavior to prevent neck pain and promote fast recovery after office syndrome. When it comes to office syndrome, many people are more or less familiar with this popular digital-age disease, be it neck pain, shoulder stiffness, tingling from the upper arms to the fingertips, that compromise the quality of life and work. There are many ways to cure the symptoms, including relaxation massage, medication, acupuncture, and physical therapy. Additionally, one can buy a fascia and muscle relaxant device. The symptoms may improve for a while but will chronically recur because the root cause has not been solved. “Office Syndrome” is an ailment that takes time to accumulate. By the time one notices the symptoms, they are already suffering and healing takes time. One of the main reasons is poor posture and prolonged sitting. Therefore, the proper sitting position is one way to prevent office syndrome. Nipaporn Akrakittichok, Biomedical Sciences Program, Chulalongkorn Graduate School and Phuriphat Wawngernngam, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences explained the initial concept of DynaSeat, an innovative behavioral adjustment seat to prevent office syndrome that just won a Gold Medal and Very Good Award in a Collegiate Innovation Contest 2020 at the Thailand Research Expo 2020. According to the research team, DynaSeat has three main components: an inflatable seat, a controller, and an application with two functions designed to adjust sitting behavior. “The first function is Dynaseat that will inflate the air into the seat forcing the users to move when they are uncomfortable, unbalanced, or sitting poorly for too long. A red light indicates that the user should correct the sitting position. Report of user’s sitting behavior is available in real-time on the application on how the user sits — crouching, leans to the left, or crossed-legged, for example. The analysis is done by pressure sensors that measure the pressure of the airbag in the seat, so the users can learn how to adjust their sitting posture to prevent stiffness. Once the posture is correct, the indicator will turn green,” said Nipaporn. The other function is DynaRest which reminds the user to get up after a while. “When the Dynaseat user has been sitting for a long time, the system will remind the user to get up and take a break from work. A timer is set to see if the user is away for less or more time than specified by the program. Increments will be rolled over to the next cycle. This program allows the user to move and not to sit still for prolonged periods of time.” Nipaporn cited the results of the experiment that Dynaseat prevented up to 70 percent neck pain and 80 percent back pain in the samples who tried the smart seat. “We also tested people with neck pain from office syndrome, and found that using Dynaseat, along with physical therapy, improved neck pain problem for patients in as little as 1 month, compared to the typical 2 months most of the patients would usually need for symptoms to subside.” Using Dynaseat, along with physical therapy, improved neck pain problem for patients in as little as 1 month This research project came under the supervision of Professor Dr. Prawit Janwantanakul, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, and received support from Chulalongkorn University Technology Center (UTC), Srithai Auto Seats Industry Co., Ltd., and Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI). At the moment, Dynaseat is in the commercial development process to come up with a marketable design at an affordable price for consumers. In the future, we are planning to expand the project to cover other areas such as airplane seats, public transportation, movie theatres, etc.,” concluded Nipaporn. To read the original article click here.

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Back Pain Down Your Leg? Discover Natural Relief for Sciatica

AHA Publisher — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 08:00:04 +0000

Dr. Matthew Roe via NaturalHealth365 – Sciatica pain can cause severe and debilitating pain along with tingling, burning, numbness and weakness of the legs. Sciatica usually occurs when the sciatica nerve is irritated or compressed by a problem in the lower back sending pain down the buttock, hamstring, calf and foot. This is a serious health issue. It is estimated that 40% of the population will experience some degree of sciatica pain in their lifetime. Sciatica pain can vary and encompasses mild cramping, a tightening sensation in the hamstring or calf muscles to an all out constant shooting pain from the buttock down to the foot. And, in case you’re wondering: the sciatic nerve runs from the lower part of the spine down the back of both legs forming what can be though of as an electrical cable to and from the brain. What Exactly Causes Sciatica? When the upper cervical spine is misaligned, it puts pressure on the nerve channel that travels all the way down the back and to the sciatic nerve. This happens when the head and neck are off balance and the body is compensating by raising one shoulder and one hip thus putting pressure on the lower back. Pressure is also caused by the shortening and tightening of the piriformis muscle. This is almost always due to months or years of muscle imbalances in the hip rotator muscles. The piriformis muscle is a flat, band-like muscle located in the buttocks near the top of the hip joint. This muscle is important in lower body movement because it stabilizes the hip joint and lifts and rotates the thigh away from the body. This is what enables us to walk, shift our weight from one foot to another, and maintain balance. Basically, the piriformis is used in almost every motion of the hips and legs. To Avoid Pain: Understand the Cause A study in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, published in 2005, showed that about 70 percent of sciatica cases are caused by the pirifomis muscle. If the piriformis is tight (and it often is), it exerts pressure on the sciatic nerve and pushes it against the tendons beneath it, which can cause excruciating pain; this is known as the “piriformis syndrome.” Other causes include spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back; degeneration disc disease, the breakdown of cushions between the vertebrae; a herniated or bulging disc; or back injury. Spondylolisthesis, which can causes sciatica pain, is a slippage of one vertebra so that it is out of line with the one above it, narrowing the opening through which the sciatica nerve exits. What Is the Best Way to Treat Sciatica? Obviously, weight management, physical activity such as walking and stretching and avoiding prolonged sitting are essential components to pain-free living. One of the most overlooked causes of sciatica is poor posture, which increases the compression of the sciatic nerve. When standing or sitting keep the back straight and shoulders back – to relieve some of the pressure. When sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your knees or when on your side, place a pillow between your knees – to relieve pressure. Adjust the height of chairs – so your feet are flat on the floor and the knees are a little higher than the hips. Keep your feet flat on the floor and do not cross your legs when sitting. You may also want to lie on the floor with a heating pad for relaxation purposes. Should I stretch? The quick answer is yes! There are specific stretching exercises that are helpful. Exercises which stretch the hamstrings are needed. Most low back pain and sciatica problems will benefit from a regular routine of hamstring stretching. Tightness in the hamstrings places increased stress on the low back and often aggravates or even causes some of the conditions that lead to low back pain and/or sciatica pain. The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located in the back of the thigh. They run from the pelvis down to the knee, and help bend the knee and extend the hip. Most daily activities do not stretch the hamstrings – which causes them to become tight and specific stretching exercises are needed to keep them healthy and extended. Relieve Back Pain with Massage and Physical Therapy Massage is a wonderful tool as is some specific yoga exercises. Yoga is considered therapeutic and should be done when the movements are easy to perform. Key point: don’t overdo it. Physical therapy exercises incorporating strengthening, stretching, and aerobic conditioning are often components of a good sciatica treatment program. For example, the goal of chiropractic care is to restore spinal movement, thereby improving function while decreasing pain and inflammation. Depending on the cause of the sciatica, a chiropractic treatment will use spinal adjustments along with ice/heat therapy, and rehabilitative exercises for maximum results. What Is Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care? Upper cervical chiropractic treatments allow the body to correct a spinal misalignment – which drastically increases the pressure on the discs of the low back. It doesn’t correct the spine with any snapping, popping or twisting of the neck or back. The adjustments are not only safe and effective but gentle. When in the mist of a sciatica flare-up, it is important not to use vigorous manual adjustments because pressure to an inflamed nerve can create more irritation. So while chiropractor care is typically used to help with sciatica pain it is also important to note that nerves are extremely sensitive to compression. Remember, while suffering with severe back pain, gentle chiropractic adjustments can be quite beneficial. About the author: Dr. Matthew Roe is a practicing upper cervical chiropractor and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science. He has a Doctor of Chiropractic degree graduating Cum Laude from Life University College of Chiropractic. Having studied with the best Upper Cervical specific doctors in the world he understands true healing. His practice focus is to help people fine true health naturally. For more information about Dr. Roe – visit: WinterGardenChiropractors.com Sources for this article include: Health.Harvard.edu, NHS.uk, Spine-Health.com, Mayoclinic.org To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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New Therapy Provides Relief in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

AHA Publisher — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 07:00:27 +0000

University of Rochester Medical Center via News-Medical Net – A new study has found that tanezumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits nerve activity, provides relief in patients with chronic low back pain, one of the leading reasons why people seek medical care and the number one cause of disability worldwide. “This demonstration of efficacy is a major breakthrough in the global search to develop non-opioid treatments for chronic pain,” said John Markman, M.D., director of the Translational Pain Research Program in the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Department of Neurosurgery and lead author of the study which appears in the journal Pain. “There were also improvements in function linked to the reduction in pain severity.” This is the first study that shows long-term relief for chronic low back pain with a single dose of tanezumab delivered under the skin once every two months. The study was conducted in 191 sites across eight countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. Researchers are increasingly finding that certain proteins circulating in the bloodstream heighten the sensitivity of cells in the nervous system to pain. One of these proteins, called nerve growth factor (NGF), may explain why some individuals experience more intense and chronic back pain. Tanezumab is an NGF inhibitor. The patients with chronic low back pain enrolled in this study did not previously have relief with at least three different types of pain medication, including opioids, and were considered “difficult-to-treat.” Patients with symptoms, signs, and x-ray evidence of moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis, a disorder commonly found in older patients with chronic low back pain, were excluded from the study. Tanezumab has not been associated with the often serious adverse side effects seen with opioids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are often used to treat low back pain. However, this class of drugs has been linked to joint problems, which are sometimes serious enough to require joint replacement. Because of this concern, the researchers followed participants for an extended period and determined there was a low rate of serious joint problems requiring joint replacement. “In the future, clinicians may have to weigh the different risks of lumbar fusion surgery, chronic opioid use, or NSAIDs against the unique risks of a rare but rapidly progressive form of joint problem associated with blocking nerve growth factor. I expect that that the tradeoffs between benefit and risk will be different for osteoarthritis than for chronic low back pain.” John Markman, M.D., Director of the Translational Pain Research Program in the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Department of Neurosurgery. To read the original article click here.

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Like Patching a Flat Tire: New Fix Heals Herniated Discs

AHA Publisher — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 07:00:59 +0000

Cornell University via Newswise – A new two-step technique to repair herniated discs uses hyaluronic acid gel to re-inflate the disc and collagen gel to seal the hole, essentially repairing ruptured discs like you’d repair a flat tire. Newswise — ITHACA, N.Y. – After a rupture, a jelly-like material leaks out of a herniated disc, causing inflammation and pain. The injury is usually treated one of two ways: a surgeon sews up the hole, leaving the disc deflated; or the disc is refilled with a replacement material, which doesn’t prevent repeat leakages. Each approach on its own isn’t always effective. A collaboration led by Cornell University professor Lawrence Bonassar combined these two methods into a new two-step technique that results in a “patched” disc that maintains mechanical function and won’t collapse or deteriorate. “This is really a new avenue and a whole new approach to treating people who have herniated discs,” Bonassar said. “We now have potentially a new option for them, other than walking around with a big hole in their intervertebral disc and hoping that it doesn’t re-herniate or continue to degenerate. And we can fully restore the mechanical competence of the disc.” Bonassar’s research group seeks engineering-based solutions for degenerative disc disease. Over the last decade, the group has developed a collagen gel that incorporates riboflavin, a photoactive vitamin B derivative. Instead of sewing up a ruptured disc, the researchers can patch it by applying their gel and shining light on it to activate the riboflavin. The resulting chemical reaction causes fibers in the collagen to bond together and the thick gel stiffens into a solid. Most importantly, the gel provides a more fertile ground for cells to grow new tissue, sealing the defect better than any suture could. The technique only takes five or 10 minutes and can be applied in conjunction with a discectomy, the hourlong procedure by which the leaked nucleus pulposus is removed from the nerve root. The technique could be used to address other types of disc degeneration, or integrated into other spinal procedures and therapies. The paper, “Combined Nucleus Pulposus Augmentation and Annulus Fibrosus Repair Prevents Acute Intervertebral Disc Degeneration after Discectomy,” published in Science Translational Medicine. To read the original article click here.

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Oh My Aching Back: Do Yoga, Tai Chi or Qigong Help?

AHA Publisher — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 08:00:58 +0000

Florida Atlantic University via EurekAlert – Researchers provide comprehensive review of effects of movement-based mind-body interventions on chronic low back pain. It’s a pain. About 80 percent of adults in the United States will experience lower back pain at some point. Treating back pain typically involves medication, including opioids, surgery, therapy and self-care options. Efforts to reduce opioid use and increase physically based therapies to reduce pain and increase physical function and safety are crucial. Patients are often advised to use non-pharmacological treatments to manage lower back pain such as exercise and mind-body interventions. But, do they really help? In a review published in the journal Holistic Nursing Practice, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s College for Design and Social Inquiry and Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing evaluated the evidence of effects of three movement-based mind-body interventions on chronic low back pain. They examined yoga, tai chi, which combines gentle physical exercise and stretching with mindfulness, and qigong, a traditional Chinese meditative movement therapy focused on body awareness and attention during slow, relaxed, and fluid repetitive body movements. Little is known about the effects of movement-based mind-body intervention, in particular qigong and tai chi. Researchers compared and contrasted yoga, tai chi and qigong by examining frequency and duration of these interventions; primary and secondary outcomes; attrition rates and possible adverse events; and results. Findings from their review provide empirical evidence regarding the benefits of yoga, tai chi, and qigong, which have been recommended by health care providers for patients with lower back pain. “Back pain is a major public health issue often contributing to emotional distress such as depression and anxiety, as well as sleep issues and even social isolation,” said Juyoung Park, Ph.D., corresponding author and an associate professor in the Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work within FAU’s College for Design and Social Inquiry. “We reviewed data to determine the effects of movement-based mind-body interventions on chronic back pain, psychological factors, coping strategies, and quality of life in people suffering with back pain. Our goal was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the effects of these interventions to be able to offer information across disciplines to implement evidence-based interventions to reduce such pain.” Of the 625 peer-reviewed articles the researchers identified, 32 met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Results found that the majority of these articles showed movement-based mind-body interventions to be effective for treatment of low back pain, reporting positive outcomes such as reduction in pain or psychological distress such as depression and anxiety, reduction in pain-related disability, and improved functional ability. Among the key findings, researchers discovered that longer duration and high-dose yoga intervention showed reductions in back pain while tai chi reduced acute lower back pain in males in their 20s. Tai chi also was more effective than stretching for lower back pain in young males. In the general community, tai chi showed greater reductions in pain intensity, bothersomeness of pain symptoms, and pain-related disability than the control intervention. Because there are only three qigong studies to date, it was unclear to the researchers whether this intervention is useful in treating chronic lower back pain. Existing research suggests positive benefits of yoga, however, tai chi and qigong for lower back pain are still under-investigated. “Two of the studies we examined in our review were focused on the effects of movement modality, specifically yoga, in veterans. Many military veterans and active duty military personnel experience chronic low back pain and are affected by this pain more than the general population,” said Cheryl Krause-Parello, Ph.D., co-author, a professor and director of Canines Providing Assistance to Wounded Warriors (C-P.A.W.W.) within FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, and a faculty fellow of FAU’s Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-HEALTH). “Our review provides emerging evidence that movement-based mind-body interventions could benefit veterans and others experiencing chronic low back pain.” The review included both randomized and nonrandomized studies with a total of 3,484 subjects ages 33 to 73 years old. Study sample sizes ranged from 25 to 320 subjects. The majority of articles reported on yoga (25), followed by tai chi (four), and qigong (three). Most of the yoga studies were conducted in India, followed by the U.S., while other studies were conducted in Australia (tai chi) and Germany (qigong). People with chronic low back pain are at increased risk of functional limitations, job-related disability, and potential long-term disability. Moreover, the economic burden of chronic low back pain is high due to the cost of medications such as opioids, procedures, hospitalization, surgical treatment, and absence from work. “Yoga, tai chi and qigong could be used as effective treatment alternatives to pain medications, surgery, or injection-based treatments such as nerve blocks, which are associated with high incidence of adverse effects in treating lower back pain,” said Park. “We need more clinical trials and empirical evidence so that clinicians can prescribe these types of interventions with more confidence for managing lower back pain in their patients.” To read the original article click here.

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