Back Pain Portal Blog http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog for pain-in-my-back.com: Updates and commentary on back pain and health Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:35:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 It’s Official: Yoga Reduces Chronic Pain http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/155/study-reveals-yoga-reduces-chronic-pain/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/155/study-reveals-yoga-reduces-chronic-pain/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:32:39 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=155

I thought I was on the right track, because frankly, without doing yoga each week, my mobility and quality of life would be drastically reduced. On the days I do yoga, I notice a big difference in how I feel physically and mentally. So it doesn’t surprise me to see research confirming that yoga reduces chronic pain.

A new study done in Canada says that patients reported significant reductions in their pain levels, as well as a mental boost from practicing yoga. The title of the study tells the story:

An eight-week yoga intervention is associated with improvements in pain, psychological functioning and mindfulness, and changes in cortisol levels in women with fibromyalgia

My favorite two poses for back pain are demonstrated below.

Triangle Pose for Shoulder Blades and Lower Back Pain

Cat-Cow for Neck, Shoulders and Lower Back Tightness

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/155/study-reveals-yoga-reduces-chronic-pain/feed/ 0 Meditation for Body and Soul: Slowing Down the Mind http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/145/meditation-for-body-and-soul-slowing-down-the-mind/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/145/meditation-for-body-and-soul-slowing-down-the-mind/#comments Sat, 09 Jul 2011 05:25:18 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=145 This has been a tough year, demanding more of me than I am sometimes able to give. Even with all the tricks in my bag, I can find myself discouraged and get exhausted. A few weeks ago I had the chance to go sit with a yogi coming through town, to meditate and revive the spirit. What a difference it made for my body!

Meditation has a magical way of bringing things back into balance. It becomes clear how we get caught up in mental patterns that cause us pain and suffering, both physical and mental. Plus we don’t sleep well for worrying, and we don’t take care of ourselves when we are out of balance. Meditation seems to put things back into balance.

What does meditation do? Simply, it slows down the raging mind that never has a moments rest. When the mind slows down, the body slows, and we can again breathe and rest. Slowing the body slows the mind, and slowing the mind slows the body. Basically, we need to slow down, Bessy.

How To Meditate
I have been a meditator for many years. Meditation is simple. The hard part is making time to sit still, and staying there long enough to allow the mind to slow down. Just sit or lie down with a straight spine, close the eyes, and breathe in and out. Notice the breath go in and out. Just follow the breath and allow your thoughts to come and go.

Your mind may go berserk with all the things you should be doing, so just say thank you, and let it go. The mind is trying to take care of you but is in an overworked state so it doesn’t function well. So be grateful your mind wants to help you, but let it wait. Stay put for at least 10 minutes if possible, but 20 minutes is better, and work up to an hour. Any amount of time meditating helps, really. In studies they have shown that 5 minutes in alpha state can equate to 8 hours of sleep. But it may take a little while to get to the alpha (slower brain wave) state.

Here are more detailed instructions, and a link discussing meditation difficulties.
Breathing Instructions
Difficulty Meditating

Like exercise, mediation works wonders. As the wise men and women say, just do it!

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/145/meditation-for-body-and-soul-slowing-down-the-mind/feed/ 0 Dem Bones: The Thigh Bone’s Connected to the Hip Bone http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/137/dem-bones-the-thigh-bones-connected-to-the-hip-bone/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/137/dem-bones-the-thigh-bones-connected-to-the-hip-bone/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2011 07:15:08 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=137 I talked to someone today who was fresh in a foot boot after falling and injuring her ankle. She said she was going to see a chiropractor tomorrow since she was having hip pain too. It reminded me of when I fell off a ladder three feet to the ground and landed on my wrist. I told the osteopath who took my cast off that my elbow and shoulder was hurting. He informed me that the wrist fracture was healed and there was nothing more to say about it. I was still in excruciating pain, and he had no more to say.

So today I looked up the fun little song that reminds us that all our parts are connected together with our skeletal structure. Understanding this my friends, is critical to your health.

Dem Bones

Your toe bone connected to your foot bone,
Your foot bone connected to your ankle bone,
Your ankle bone connected to your leg bone,
Your leg bone connected to your knee bone,
Your knee bone connected to your thigh bone,
Your thigh bone connected to your hip bone,
Your hip bone connected to your back bone,
Your back bone connected to your shoulder bone,
Your shoulder bone connected to your neck bone,
Your neck bone connected to your head bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun’
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun’
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun’
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Your head bone connected from your neck bone,
Your neck bone connected from your shoulder bone,
Your shoulder bone connected from your back bone,
Your back bone connected from your hip bone,
Your hip bone connected from your thigh bone,
Your thigh bone connected from your knee bone,
Your knee bone connected from your leg bone,
Your leg bone connected from your ankle bone,
Your ankle bone connected from your foot bone,
Your foot bone connected from your toe bone,
Now shake dem skeleton bones!
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
Now shake dem skeleton bones!

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/137/dem-bones-the-thigh-bones-connected-to-the-hip-bone/feed/ 1 What It Means To Be Alive http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/132/what-it-means-to-be-alive/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/132/what-it-means-to-be-alive/#comments Sat, 01 Jan 2011 07:31:08 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=132 It’s new year’s day 2011 and what a week it has been. My dear friend and business partner went into the hospital just before Christmas and died a few days later… a sudden, unexpected departure. The moments are blurred and rushing by in the flurry of things to take care of, then there are moments when time stops. I think of my friend gone, and then of me still being here. What does it all mean?

Today I had this moment of total clarity of this gift of life, or what it means to live this human existence. We live on our little piece of turf, bumping into others, creating meaning and purpose and our model of internal integrity. This is the plane on which we learn and experience the highest and lowest states of existence, and then learn balance and love and contribution. The world awaits your contribution.

I don’t know if we can really know the greatness of life if we only think with our brain. Is there greater connection and comprehension that comes when we are pushed outside of our daily thoughts? There was this moment of clarity of the great gift of life and the great gift of death. Yes, death can be a gift too, with understanding.

As we get older, we must get used to loosing friends and family since we will all have our time to go. A great being once said that we live this life in order to die a good death. I think that just means that we live with integrity and find a way to be at peace with ourselves and with the world. So when we die, there is more happiness left behind than anything else, and we free ourselves from regret. We can value this time on earth and forget the limitations. We can live our own purpose and make our own contribution.

Susan, my friend, lived with great integrity. She was a poet and a social activist, giving her best to make the world a better place. And able to smile and be gentle even in the face of adversity. She left too much undone, but her greatest legacy will be all the people she touched with words and actions. I am so sad, but I am so lucky to have journeyed with her. I am still here, so that means she is still here too, with me in spirit. I hope this makes sense to you, and if you loose a loved one, you will let love expand beyond the grief.

Happy New Year 1/1/11 to my fellow beings still here with me. Let’s live this year with inner resolve to let go of restrictions and embrace possibilities.

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/132/what-it-means-to-be-alive/feed/ 0 Mobility and Disability http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/128/mobility-and-disability/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/128/mobility-and-disability/#comments Mon, 29 Nov 2010 06:43:15 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=128 Fall can be a demanding time of year. First, there are the social happenings: holiday events, family gatherings. A whole lot of moving around. Then there are the leaves to rake, potted plants to move… weather related changes. I love the yard and garden, even though what I do is limited.

I may I complain about the extra yard work and about finding the extra time for all the holiday hoopla, I am grateful that I can do them.

I lived with constant back pain for years. Being mobility disabled is a real life changer that you may already know. For my sister who is wheel-chair bound from a motorcycle accident, it is a big deal to even go to the store. My niece’s husband who underwent unsuccessful back surgery has days lost to morphine. A friend with unresolved back pain is rarely able to come to community events.

So I keep at it. I keep using the 7 steps on pain-in-my-back.com. When my back starts aching or hurting, it is asking for help, which I willingly give. It is my partner in staying mobile.

A very wise being once told me,  “Take care of what matters.” My mobility matters, so it is worth taking care of. Rather than complain about the inflammation and pain the day after raking leaves, I take arnica and do back stretches. I am grateful that I have the strength and mobility to rake leaves.

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/128/mobility-and-disability/feed/ 0 Weekend Warrior – Oh, My Aching Back! http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/123/weekend-warrior-oh-my-aching-back/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/123/weekend-warrior-oh-my-aching-back/#comments Fri, 22 Oct 2010 03:42:24 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=123 A neighbor was having a garage sale and I decided to tag along. Time to clean out the closets and garage! I started at 7 pm Friday for a sale starting 9 am Saturday. Yes, you guessed it, lots of lifting and moving into the wee hours of the night. Not good for the old back.

When the alarm rang Saturday morning, I could hardly move. My lower back was in pain. My legs and arms were sore. But I had to get up, after all that work to get ready!

Once the sale was over at 1 pm, I counted my riches and contemplated what to do to ease my back pain. Should I go straight to bed, or keep moving? I had taken some herbs and an aspirin before sleeping, which I know helped keep the inflammation down, but I was limping and moving slow. My right side was getting tighter and my lower back was really aching.

I decided to go to my 2 pm yoga class at the health club to try to stretch out the muscles that were tight. It worked perfectly. About half way through the class, doing the triangle pose, my lower back  cracked naturally as something went back into alignment. All the stretching helped to release the tightened muscles and bring balance back to my spine. I felt so much better.

I showered, went to the store, then went home and took a nice nap. I was still so sore I had to cancel a Sunday massage, but my back was no longer in pain. By Tuesday I was ready for the next stupid weekend warrior trick!

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/123/weekend-warrior-oh-my-aching-back/feed/ 0 What Causes Pain http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/119/what-causes-pain/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/119/what-causes-pain/#comments Thu, 23 Sep 2010 05:13:25 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=119 I really like addressing the physical aspects of back pain, because there are so many things that I can do that help relieve the pain. Yes, it takes action, but the payoff is so big when I can get out of pain rather than go down for a few days. So most of my website and blog are about those things that can be fixed or improved with nutrition, physical exercise or various helpful pain-relieving devices.

But this week I have been dealing with emotional pain related to financial issues. You may have some of that too. Self-employment and the economy are not easy these days.

Unresolved emotional issues affect not only my mind but my body. I am slumping. I have tense shoulders. Even my jaw clenches. None of this is good. The happiness factor is gone this week.

So what is the happiness factor? That is the ability to smile, laugh, let  go and enjoy life. Even if just for awhile. It is good for your body. Smiling relaxes the face and neck. Laughing opens the heart. It gives you the feeling that all is well, and we need that feeling.

Really, even faking laughter is good for you! That is called faking it until you make it! So this week I wish for you moments of happiness, whether from a memory or something that happens. Take a break from your worries and let peace enter your soul. That is what I am doing now.

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/119/what-causes-pain/feed/ 0 My Neck and Shoulders Hurt! http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/114/my-neck-and-shoulders-hurt/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/114/my-neck-and-shoulders-hurt/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:04:52 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=114 This month I am really focused on my neck and shoulders. This is where I / we carry so much tension! Besides the on-going desk posture syndrome, I started this venture into neck and shoulder pain because my eyes were unusually tired and hurting. Guess what! Neck and shoulder tension really affects the eyes! Not to mention posture and the entire back.

There are many good reasons we have tight neck and shoulder muscles. And there are many things to do that will help.

One big reason that our neck carries so much tension is just the weight of our head! Our little necks are literally balancing a 10-15 pound ball all day long! So to speak. If posture is good, it rests comfortably without much effort. But if the spine pulls the head to the side or pushes it forward, then the fairly small muscles of the neck are strained and spasm until they are unable to relax.

The second reason for neck tension is a shoulder muscle or pinched nerve that pulls the head off center.  But this is the chicken and the egg, because the shoulder muscle typically tightens up attempting to hold the head in place. Yes, it is all connected.

We tend to raise our chin and lower our shoulders in a forward slump. Anything you can do to reverse this forward slump is good. One of my favorites is to lay down over a rolled up towel placed crosswise under the shoulder blades. You will feel this pull your shoulders backward and your chin down.

Sitting for long periods of time in a bad posture almost guarantees neck and shoulder problems. The main solution to reverse the strain is movement, all throughout the day, to keep the muscles from tightening and locking up. If looking down, look up. If sitting, get up. If standing, sit down. Roll the neck around, look side to side, look up, look down. Stretch the arms overhead.

Check out some easy but effective things to do to relieve neck and shoulder pain below.

Warm-Up Poses - Neck Exercises Neck Exercises
Warm-Up Poses - Shoulder Lifts Shoulder Lifts
Warm-Up Poses - Eye Training Eye Training

The video below shows an exercise that only takes a few minutes and this movement will help neck, shoulders, and eyes!

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/114/my-neck-and-shoulders-hurt/feed/ 3 Oh My Aging Back! http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/109/oh-my-aging-back/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/109/oh-my-aging-back/#comments Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:18:51 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=109 Well, I had another birthday this week. That how it goes, they just keep coming along. But there is good news, despite my age and my back conditions, I have a very active life!

The truth is that I have less trouble with back pain these days than I did 30 years ago when I was so young! For years after the first car wreck, I had constant back pain, and it seemed like back pain would be a permanent condition. But alas, that is not the case.

Even 5 years ago, I would go down with extreme back pain for weeks at a time, sometimes for months. My back would go out of socket, making it difficult to sleep, and requiring constant chiropractic care.

But the last few years, I’ll get a twinge of back pain, jump into action, using the steps on the main pain-in-my-back.com website, and I’m good to go in a day or two. Sometimes the pain subsides in hours. So the difference as I’ve gotten older is that I made a commitment to take care of my back. I schedule my yoga classes like a meeting, and even give up dinner dates sometimes. It is my physical therapy. Plus, there are things I gotta do on a regular basis. Little things that make a BIG difference.  Here’s what I gotta do:

  • Keep the inflammation down with diet and herbs.
  • Watch my posture standing and sitting.
  • Stretch the muscles to keep things in balance.
  • Strengthen the muscles to stay balanced.
  • Reduce stress in lots of little ways., and do things that make me happy.
  • Get good quality sleep, and enough sleep to be refreshed.
  • Get help when needed from a chiropractor or massage therapist.
  • Keep my self-care commitment.

See, simple. Over time the injuries can get worse, or can get better. Slow steady progress has reaped great reward for my previously aching back. Happy Birthday, you sweet young thing!

]]> http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/109/oh-my-aging-back/feed/ 0 Song of the Soul http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/98/song-of-the-soul/ http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/98/song-of-the-soul/#comments Tue, 08 Jun 2010 05:55:11 +0000 Pam http://pain-in-my-back.com/blog/?p=98 Being happy goes a long way in pain management.  I have attended four memorial services this year, and each one was so full of grace and expression of gratitude for the person who had journeyed with us. I am honored to have friends who have chosen to die so consciously with such love for those they left behind.

This Song of the Soul is a joyful song, dedicated to my friend Lois Joy Meyers, who lost her battle with brain cancer after 14 years.  It was her favorite song. Words are below. Feel free to sing along!

Song of the Soul

Love of my life I am crying
I am not dying, I am dancing
Dancing along in the madness
There is no sadness
Only the song of the soul

Echo: And we’ll sing this song
Why don’t you sing along
Then we can sing for a long, long time
Why don’t you sing this song
Then we can sing along
Then we can sing for a long, long time

What do you do for a living
Are you forgiving, giving shelter
Follow your heart, love will find you
Truth will unbind you
Seek out a song of the soul

Come to your life like a warrior
Nothing will bore ya, you can be happy
Let in the light, it will heal you
And you can feel you
Sing out a song of the soul

Love of my life I am crying
I am not dying, I am dancing
Dancing along in the madness
There is no sadness
Only the song of the soul

From the collection of Andrew Draskoy
oct97

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