Spinal Decompression

If heel pain is the first thing you experience as you step out of bed in the morning, you know this is not a good way to welcome the day. You do not have to continue suffering. Pamper your feet with the following three easy tips can help you relieve the heel pain and may help you jump right out of bed while whistling Dixie with the sunrise.

Tip One: Calf Stretch

Tight calf muscles are the typical cause of heel pain. Stretching the calf muscles on a regular basis will take much of the stress off of the Achilles tendon. This tendon attaches the calf muscle to the heel. Tight calves pull the Achilles tendon at the attachment site of the heel bone and may be responsible for heel pain. Calf stretching is easy to do and will elongate and loosen up your tight muscles overtime with consistent practice. There are many tools available to help you stretch your calves safely and effectively stretches without stressing the Achilles tendon. Each stretching tool has its own unique features, but they all will allow you to stand on an incline with flat feet to stretch your calves.

Without using a stretching tool, perform a calf stretch by standing twelve to twenty-four inches away from a sturdy wall. Extend both arms straight out in from of you. Place both palms on to the wall. Do not lock your elbows, but keep your arms straight and firmly on the wall. Step away from the wall with one foot so that you are in a lunge position. Your front foot should be directly under your shoulders and your back foot should be behind your body. Keep your back leg straight and bend your front knee. With your back foot flat on the floor, hands on the wall, and front knee bent you will feel stretching in your calf. Hold this position for a count of ten and repeat three times each day. Make sure to stretch both sides. You do not need to step back very far to feel the stretch. However, as you become more flexible, you can get a deeper stretch by pointing your back knee down towards the ground with your foot flat on the floor.

Tip Two: Cool Massage

Supporting your weight, often in uncomfortable shoes is a difficult job for your feet. Prolonged standing, walking, running and jumping and landing along with wearing poor shoes and pronation or flat footedness stress your feet and often result in heel pain. Actually, overworking your feet can cause microscopic breakdown in the muscles and the fascia of the bottom of the feet. The body forms scar tissue or adhesions automatically to repair these microscopic tears. These adhesions develop into knot-like formations and may cause pain as you bear your weight down on them. When you are stressed and overworked a little pampering can rejuvenate your body and mind. The same is true for your overworked stressed out feet.

To pamper your feet treat them to a cooling massage. Fill a twelve ounce bottle with water and freeze it. Place the frozen water bottle on the floor and your foot on top of the bottle. Using moderate pressure roll your foot back and forth on it. This cooling massage pampers you and your feet in two ways. First, the cooling effect of the ice activates endorphin secretion from your brain. Endorphins are natural pain relievers and decreasing the inflammatory response. Second, rolling the frozen bottle under your feet massages your feet and breaks up the adhesions that cause pain. Pampering you feet with this incredible cool massage will also stretch the plantar fascia and muscles of the foot and relieve tension at the heel. You can also use this technique with a golf ball be followed by placing your feet in an ice bath for ten to fifteen minutes.

Tip Three: Trigger Happy

Massage and trigger point deactivation of your calf muscles and feet will relax your muscles and can bring you significant pain relief. First, you need to locate the key area on your calf to massage to relieve heel pain. The area to massage is located on the back of your calf halfway between your foot and your knee. This is where the muscle begins to curve outward and form the belly of the calf. Apply deep direct pressure in this area can deactivate a trigger point that is responsible for referring pain to the heel of the foot.

Love Your Feet:

If these tips do not relieve your heel pain consult with your doctor or podiatrist. Your heel pain might be caused by a heel spur. One more tip, be nice to your feet. Use good judgment when choosing shoes Do not let style reign over substance when selecting footwear. When you squeeze into a fabulous pair that was on sale or wear shoes that are worn out and falling apart you are abusing your feet. Simply, if the shoes hurt your feet, do not wear them. With fashion sense and common sense you can find stylish properly fitted shoes. Love your feet, after all they are your best support system.

Chiropractic care is very effective for treating spine related disorders. It is the most powerful and natural curing method. The popular chiropractic techniques are Laser Therapy, Cox Spinal Decompression, Full Spine Diversified etc.

There is a need for regular monitoring of the spine. The stress and tension which occurs due to malfunctioning of the spine can affect physical and mental activity of the person up to great extent. The spine is a common bony site for metastatic involvement. The upper bone structure of our body includes rib cage and spinal cord, and is supported by the Central Nervous System or Peripheral Nervous System. A spine is the foundation for the bone system and Nervous System of our body.

Problems Associated With Spine Disorders

The problems which are associated with the malfunctioning of the spine are Trigeminal Neuralgia, Horner's Syndrome, Bell's palsy, Dizziness, Allergies, Sinus problems, Leg and arm numbness, Seizures including Epileptic, Carpel tunnel Syndrome, Scoliosis, Sciatica, Neck and back pain, auto accident injuries, athletic injuries, chronic pain or stress, asthma, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, migraines and other headaches. There are also several instances for the dislocation of discs such as degenerative discs, bulging discs, herniated discs, thinning discs, and disc degeneration with oseophyte formation.

Chiropractic Treatment

In most of the cases people suffering from neck ache and back pain problems do not know where to go for an effective treatment and they remain confused, frustrated and anxious. In this regard chiropractic treatment is the most powerful and natural curing method, which is the most viable treatment method. It helps people in achieving new levels of fitness and wellness. The services of chiropractor professional were used to offer comprehensive health care and medical services to athletes in the winter Olympics, which occurred in Canada 2010.

Techniques of Chiropractic treatment

The chiropractic treatment is clinically effective in offering quality treatment options. Some of the modern chiropractic techniques are Applied Kinesiology, Laser Therapy, Orthopedic Extremity Adjusting, Motion Palpation, Myofascial Release, Instrument Adjusting, Sacro-Occipital, Palmer Specific, Cox Spinal Decompression and Full Spine Diversified. The techniques provide considerable improvement in patient's health and overall well-being. The treatment provides new hope to the patients suffering from neck and back pain problems.

The chiropractic techniques are specifically tailored for your individual health and provide treatment to all the spine related problems like Sports Injury, Spinal Stenosis, Headache, Scoliosis, Whiplash, Neck Pain, Back Pain, Pinched Nerve, Herniated Disc and so on.

What spinal decompression does is create a vacuum effect in the spine so that the disc material is suctioned back into place between the spinal bones.

You see, between each spinal bone or vertebrae there is a disc. This disc is a gel like material that acts as a shock absorber and as a spacer.

Without this spacer the neural foramen (openings where nerves exit off the spinal cord) don't remain open and free from pressure.

Disrupt the disc and you lose the hole where nerve roots exit out of and you disrupt the anatomy of the spine.

When a disc is injured it may bulge or leak out of the area it normally should be. When this happens it may put pressure on nerves and also since it is no longer contributing to the mass or height of that "spacer" you lose the normal opening of the foramen that the nerves stemming off the spinal cord exit out of.

Additionally, as a side note - closing of the neural foramen or spinal canal from leaked disc material and inflammation is a major cause of stenosis. In fact, that's what stenosis is, a closure of those holes.

So what Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression does exactly is create a negative interdiscal pressure which makes the disc space like a vacuum. When this happens it pulls the bulged or herniated disc fragment back into place. This then re-heightens the disc taking pressure of the nerves, allows inflammation to dissipate and restores the stability of the disc and the spine.

As this treatment is done over a period of usually 4-8 weeks the disc can then heal back in the position it belongs.

As the disc is suctioned back into place nutrients and hydration will come into the disc as well. If pressure is alleviated from the nerves long enough the body starts to restore the outer collagen fibers of that disc, holding the disc material in place. This is how Spinal Decompression has proven to have lasting effects. Most importantly, removing the nerve pressure alleviates your back pain.

Low back pain is the most common job related disability. Construction has the highest rate of back injuries in all types of industry, except for transportation. The rate of back injuries in construction, 25%, is notably higher than the average rate for all other industries. The costs of missed days of work and back injury claims are higher than any other type of industry. In 2004, construction had the most lost time due to back injuries with 51.2 injuries per 10,000 full-time workers.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2005, a total of 4.2 million injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry and approximately 2.2 million of these resulted in days off work or restricted duties. Each year, a back injury causes 1 out of 100 construction workers to miss work. The amount of work missed averages 7 days but it can extend as long as 30 days. These injuries are a huge economic burden to the construction industry due to lost productivity and absenteeism, medical costs and benefits. The Bureau of Labor Statistics points out that middle-aged workers who have severe low back pain and carry out physically demanding work, as in construction, are much more likely to leave the industry due to disability than are other workers. The Bureau speculates that the number of back injuries is actually even higher due to under reporting,

Most of the back injuries to construction workers affect the low back. Within the construction field, masonry workers have the highest rate of back injuries, approximately 1.6 times higher than the average rate for all of the construction trades. Back problems are the most common among these workers as they do heavy lifting and carrying.

Factors Associated with Back Injury

• Stressful living and work activities


• Poor body mechanics when lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying things


• Repetitive lifting of awkward items, equipment, boxes, etc.


• Twisting while lifting


• Bending while lifting


• Reaching while lifting


• Lifting an object that is too heavy or unwieldy for one person to handle safely


• Fatigue


• Poor footing such as on a slippery floor or uneven ground


• Lifting with a forceful movement


• Maintaining bent or stooped posture for prolonged periods, fatiguing muscles


• Staying in one position for too long with no stretch breaks, allowing muscles to become stiff


• Poor layout of work area


• Poor posture when sitting


• Poor physical condition - losing the strength and endurance to perform physical tasks without strain


• Vibration from a motor such as in a lift truck, a delivery truck, or from using a jackhammer for long periods resulting in increased muscle tension

Determining the cause of low back injuries in construction can be difficult because of the variety of work that is involved and the different methods that can be used to accomplish a job. The materials handled, body positions that are necessary, and the work conditions are different for each of the trades. Identifying the types of general construction tasks is the first step in designing safer ways to get the job done. When improved methods are used, there is a greater chance of reducing worker injury.

A project funded by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. (NIOSHA) evaluated the construction industry to identify areas of risk so more appropriate interventions could be developed. It identified:

High Risk Construction Tasks

Framing

• Working at ground level and having to reach up when using a saw, nail gun, etc.


• Lifting building materials from ground level


• Manually lifting trusses to top of a second story


• Lifting and carrying plywood flooring


• Lifting assembled walls


• Moving materials to a second story

Drywall

• Lifting sheets of drywall from ground level


• Completing prep work such as sanding or cutting at or near ground level


• Installation of dry wall sheets near ground level


• Overhead installation of drywall on ceilings or high walls

Masonry

• Distributing blocks or bricks throughout worksite from delivered piles with a wheelbarrow


• Redistributing blocks or bricks from temporary files using a bucket or by hand


• Erecting scaffolding


• Lifting and positioning metal framework


• Lifting and placing flooring of scaffold


• Lifting bricks or blocks up to people on a scaffold by hand or using a bucket


• Laying a brick or block foundation


• Laying brick near or below ground level


• Lifting bags to mixer


• Shoveling

With the huge volume of low back injuries in construction, employers suffer as well as the workers. According to Liberty Mutual, the largest workers' compensation insurance provider in the US, back injuries and overexertion injuries from lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying or holding an object cost employers $13.4 billion every year!

For decades now, pain doctors have been injecting steroids around the spine for pain relief from multiple conditions. These include relief of the pain from herniated discs, bulging discs, facet arthritis, and degenerative disc disease.

Do they work? Yes they do. Multiple studies show the benefits of steroid injections for alleviating pain, improving function, and avoiding surgery for multiple painful conditions. However, they are not without their downside.

For example, steroids are a huge anti-inflammatory substances. This is great for pain relief. But the method by which steroids provide pain relief is with cortisone, which knocks out inflammation high on the flowchart of how anti-inflammation works. At this high level on the chart, it also emulates the cortisone that is produced by the adrenal glands and may affect those glands.

If the adrenal glands receive feedback that the body is receiving cortisone from another source, the response may simply be to cut back its own production. When the body cuts back its production, and the steroid wears off, then it may take a while for the adrenal glands to realize it needs to ramp up production again. The body may suffer some deleterious effects while that process is occurring.

Steroid injections have very low side effects overall. However, they may transiently raise blood sugars and cause a small weight gain. This is because although the steroid material is injected into a defined area, that steroid may slowly get absorbed into the blood stream and have that effect. Usually it is mild and transient.

Physicians performing injections are cognizant of these effects and therefore limit the amount of steroid injections given. In the case of an older citizen trying to function and enjoy life, he or she may suffer from arthritis in the spine, knees, hips, and shoulders. If a limit is set at say 6 injections per year, there is no way to cover all these areas. If a steroid injection lasts for 3 months (typical), that one joint will receive 4 injections per year. A typical patient with facet arthritis of the spine will have pain at multiple levels - is that one or two levels going to get injected and suck up all the injections for the whole year?

Clearly there is room for improvement in this area, as limiting treatment based on the "weakest link" being simply too many injections from steroids leads us to the obvious question - Isn't there a better injection substance?

What if a material existed that could have the same (or better) pain relieving effects of steroid injections, however, be non-steroidal? What if that substance also showed promise for cell regeneration, of which steroid doesn't do?

That question is one of the most burning and appropriate questions for interventional pain management. There is a potential revolutionary option for pain management on the horizon and that is... stem cell injections.

Years ago stem cell therapies developed a questionable reputation based on the fetal harvesting. There are ways now to get stem cells without dealing with the fetus or any embryonic origin. For instance, there is a stem cell rich product that is obtained from live willing donors from amniotic fluid.

The stem cell rich injection product is non-steroidal based and anti-inflammatory. The anti-inflammatory qualities come from chemicals called cytokines, which act like a steroid in the sense they alleviate pain, but do not have the steroid side effects. In addition, the stem cell rich injection material is FDA regulated and processed at an ISO certified lab, so all major diseases are ruled out.

The stem cell rich injection material has been used for years in the US over 3000 times successfully so far for spine fusion enhancement, wound healing assistance, and scar barrier around the spinal cord. Pain management is the obvious next step.

So the hope is results for pain relief as good as steroid without the side effects. The real question is, will it help with cell regeneration?

There was a rabbit study looking at this (Im et al, JBJSB, 2001) and the results showed cartilage defects can be enhanced by the implantation of mesenchymal stem cells. Other studies have shown amniotic fluid to have a very safe risk profile for human injections once processed according to the FDA's Current Good Tissue Practices.

If a stem cell rich injection product from amniotic fluid that is FDA regulated actually allows for cell regeneration along with immediate pain relief, the potential is for patients to achieve a longer lasting pain relief effect. Some of the cartilage degradation and defects could be benefitted with the injections, and that would potentially allow for lengthier, lasting pain relief. Studies looking at this are underway, and we will know soon enough.

Today's modern woman has become much more knowledgeable in diet, nutrition, weight loss, exercise, sports and physical activity, and methods for maintaining wellness and general fitness - about which chiropractors have considerable expertise that they are eager to share. Chiropractic wellness programs are particularly well-suited to the special needs of pregnant women, new mothers, women who are overweight, who are in stressful situations, and others who need to protect and strengthen their bones, nerves, joints, muscles and overall health.

Millions of women rely on chiropractors because of the caring interaction that develops between patient and doctor and because of chiropractic's effective combination of expert care, effective spinal adjustments, exercise and nutritional guidance, and lifestyle counseling.

Chiropractic offers demonstrated relief for many of the specific health challenges that affect women based on their female anatomy and the fact that the female body is designed to be able to bear children. Pregnancy and the menstrual cycle are centrally important health matters for women. Being pregnant, preparing for pregnancy, and recovering from childbirth are just some of the uniquely female issues. Pain during the menstrual period (dysmenorrhea), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and chronic pelvic pain are among the distressing conditions which disrupt the otherwise healthy lives of many women.

Older women are much more likely than men to develop Alzheimer's disease (which burdens the afflicted with near-total memory loss and reduced mental functioning) and osteoporosis (in which the bones become weak, brittle, and porous; the posture stooped with the shoulders rounded). These are just two of the problems of aging that women must be aware of and can take steps to prevent.

Women may get headaches during menstrual periods and pregnancy, as well as under ordinary circumstances. Women are more likely to be bothered enough by headache pain to seek a way to overcome it. When the bones of the spine lose their normal position or motion, the sensitive nerves and blood vessels to the head become compromised. When these delicate tissues are stretched or irritated, they can produce certain types of headaches. While aspirin or other medications may cover up the symptoms, they do not really correct the cause of the headache.

Similarly, women are often victims of osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) and have a 200 to 300 percent greater chance than men of suffering rheumatoid arthritis.

Because the nervous system controls and coordinates all of the different functions of your body, any disruption in nerve communication to your organs and body tissues will result in abnormal function. Chiropractors help restore normal nerve function and communication, thereby allowing your body to work normally and naturally.

The result is often a reduction in pain and inflammation, as well as prevention of further deterioration. Research has also demonstrated that arthritic changes begin in the spinal joints in as few as three days after a joint becomes fixated. Relief from pain and prevention of further deterioration are among the many "side effects" of regular chiropractic care.

Spinal stenosis is a condition whose effects can range from mild irritation to debilitating pain and even paralysis. Learning the symptoms, causes and treatment options may help you avoid drugs and surgery.

Stenosis can occur in either the cervical spine in the neck or the lumbar spine in the lower back. Lumbar stenosis is the more common; according to Spine-Health.com, about three-fourths of all cases occur in the lumbar spine. Stenosis involves the compression of nerve roots that exit the spinal canal. There are three types, named for the location of compression:

1) Formainal: The foramen is the space through which a nerve leaves the spinal canal. This is the most common type of spinal stenosis; it occurs when bone spurs, which develop along a vertebra due to disc degeneration, compress the nerve. Discs act as shock absorbers. As they degenerate, bone friction causes tiny shards of bone to develop.

2) Far Lateral: This type of stenosis occurs beyond the foramen. Compression can be caused by a bulging or herniated disc, or by a bone spur.

3) Central: This involves obstruction of the nerves within the spinal canal. It is generally caused by a bulging disc and ligament overgrowth within the spine.

Cervical stenosis is generally considered a more dangerous condition than when it occurs in the lumbar spine. This is because the spinal cord, that dense bundle of nerves, is present in the upper spine but ends in the upper part of the lower back. From there, the nerves fan out into a horse's tail pattern, hence acquiring the name "cauda equina." There is more risk of paralysis associated with impingement of the spinal cord. That said, lumbar stenosis can, in rare cases, involve severe nerve damage that leads to bladder and bowel loss of control, sexual dysfunction and inability to walk.

Bone spurs formed due to facet joint arthritis may also impinge nerves, causing stenosis.

Symptoms

Spinal stenosis often causes localized back or neck pain and refers pain to either the legs or the arms. There may also be tingling, weakness and numbness along the affected nerve's pathway. People with lumbar stenosis often have sciatica.

One way to tell if stenosis is causing your pain is to monitor when symptoms reside. People with this condition experience relief when sitting and leaning forward, as these positions create more space in the spinal canal and take pressure off nerves. Imaging tests such as MRIs, CTs and dye injection may be used to confirm the diagnosis.

Natural Treatments

Light, guided exercise is often prescribed to strengthen the muscles that support the spine and to maintain cardiovascular health, which ensures proper blood flow to areas of the spine. Exercises for lumbar stenosis usually involve forward bending. Examples of such exercises can be seen at http://spinalstenosis.org/blog/sciatica-exercises/. Cervical stenosis patients may perform isometric exercises which strengthen neck muscles without stressing joints. Exercise helps support the spine and manage pain. A physical therapist should guide you through what exercises are safe for you.

Chiropractic care can help your symptoms if a misaligned spine is aggravating your condition. Restoring alignment will take pressure off of discs and nerves.
Chiropractors can also perform decompression treatments, which increase disc space and can resolve stenosis caused by herniated or bulging discs.

Acupuncture and acupressure are alternative treatments that have had immense success in relieving pain of many types. They both involve the application of stimulus, either needle points or touch, to energy meridians, which some in Western culture equate with nerve bundles. It is worth a try for anyone looking to avoid reliance on pain medication.

Surgery is only recommended for people with severe stenosis that poses a threat to the spinal cord or the patient's ability to walk or control bladder and bowels.

Knowing the cause of your pain equips you to make smart choices about your treatment options. If you have back or neck pain that radiates and is relieved by sitting and leaning forward, you may have spinal stenosis. Share this information with your doctor and improve your chances of pain relief.

There are many reasons why someone suffers from lower back pain. Common reasons include injuries and aging. Our spine is naturally protected by the vertebrae and cushioning it are the intervertebral disks. The main function of the intervertebral disks is to cushion any impact or shock experienced by the spinal cord and protects it from any damages. However, sudden huge impact can cause the spine to be damaged despite of the protective measures. Aging also contribute to a significant percentage of people suffering from back pain mainly due to degeneration of the disks due to wear and tear.

There are many methods to treat back pain. One of the more popular methods is the decompression of back or Spinal Decompression. Spinal Decompression is a non-invasive treatment which means that there is no incision or injections required. It is also non-surgical and it's relatively cost effective as compared to other methods such as surgery.

Spinal Decompression uses the mechanism of traction which straightens the backbone and relieves pressure in the back. The patient will be lying on the back and motorised traction will help to create negative pressure in the intervertebral disks and that helps to relieve the pain. The spine is gently stretched and this stretching motion will change the position of the spine, allowing them to realign to their normal position. Spinal Decompression also increases oxygen flow to the spine, allowing better exchange of nutrients and increasing healing rate.

Being a non-surgical and non-invasive method, the cost of treatment will be much cheaper as compared to surgery. During surgery, the bulging disks will be trimmed to prevent it from pinching onto the nerves which causes pain. Surgery is expensive and ranges from $20000 to $25000. Surgery is also much more dangerous as compared to Spinal Decompression. The usual cost for each Spinal Decompression treatment ranges from $100 to $200 and patients will usually improve within 20 sessions.

However, Spinal Decompression is not meant for everyone. Patients who are pregnant or suffering from current illnesses such as cancer, osteoporosis, neuro-disorders or cognitive dysfunction are not allowed to undergo decompression of the back.

This is a non-surgical, non-invasive and low risk treatment for back pain which most people are able to undergo. Most doctors will often leave surgery as the last resort as it carries the highest risk amongst all treatment options. As such, there is no harm in giving Spinal Decompression a go.

A herniated disc sometimes pushes on a spinal nerve and causes sciatica. The sciatic nerve is actually not one nerve root but a compilation of multiple nerve roots including the fourth and fifth lumbar nerve route along with the first sacral nerve root which combines together into a large nerve call the sciatic nerve.

This is why when the sciatic nerve is being compressed, in layman's terms called a pinched nerve, it is termed sciatica. Typically depending on which nerve root of the sciatic nerve is actually being compressed up around the spinal column, is where the patient will have the pain in his leg anatomically. In order to avoid surgery from a herniated disc, what are the treatment options available in the acute phase of having sciatica?

First of all, the best way to avoid surgery is to undergo a series of treatments at a pain management center. The first treatment that will probably be initiated will include narcotic medications along with muscle relaxants and starting physical therapy. In addition, it is prudent to start Tylenol and anti-inflammatories as well. Patients should take a gastric protection medication such as an H2 blocker so that they do not get a gastric ulcer.

Physical therapy may help substantially along with treatment from the chiropractor of spinal decompression therapy to decompress the sciatic nerve. The medications may make life much more tolerable, and if the patient is also having back pain a back brace may help as well. A lot of the time narcotic medications do not work very well for sciatica pain. If this is the situation then taking Lyrica or Neurontin can help with the nerve pain and can help modulate this type of pain.

Along with the medications,a treatment agenda helping substantially with the acute pain from sciatica would also include interventional pain treatments. This would include an epidural injection or series of injections which consists of steroid medication being injected under x-ray guidance around the area of the pinched nerve. This will not fix the area of the pinched nerve, it will simply bathe the area with soothing steroid medication to help decrease inflammation and hence the pain associated with it.

Some people still think it is a good idea to spend time in bed when you have back pain and leg pain from a pinched nerve. Studies actually show that this is a bad idea as you can actually make the situation worse. Getting out of bed and ambulating along while trying to do most of your activities of daily living is much better in the long run.

So the combination of medications along with a back brace, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment and spinal decompression therapy, along with interventional pain treatments is the best combination of treatments that we have in this day and age to try and prevent the need for surgery. Although a discectomy surgery has small risks associated with it, they are real and it is much better to avoid surgery if at all possible. We know that at a years time after surgery, if the patient was able to avoid surgery, the results are equivalent.

Drug abuse amongst kids is more common than you may think. Parents need to educate themselves on drug use and watch out for signs of drug use. Learn more here about what drugs kids are using, fifteen tell-tale signs to watch out for, and what you can do.

According to the National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA), abused drugs include tobacco, alcohol, prescription medications, anabolic steroids, cocaine, crack, heroin, inhalants, LSD, marijuana, MDMA or ecstasy, methamphetamine, PCP, and club drugs like special K, Vitamin K, jet, soap, G, and roofies.

In 2008, abuse of marijuana was reported by 11.8 percent of 8th graders, 26.7 percent of 10th graders, and 32.8 percent of 12th graders according to NIDA. The same year, NIDA revealed that recreational abuse of Vicodin and OxyContin had increased over the last five years among 10th graders. According to a poll conducted in 2009, nearly 1in 10 high school seniors reported non-medical abuse of Vicodin; 1 in 20 reported abuse of OxyContin.

Your own medicine cabinet may be a deadly source of drugs for your child. Opioids are prescribed to alleviate pain and are commonly abused by kids. Opioids include Vicodin, OxyContin, Darvon, Dilaudid, Demerol and Lomotil. Another class of drugs being abused is central nervous system depressants used for sleep disorders and include barbiturates such as pentobarbital sodium or Nembutal and benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax. Commonly abused stimulants used for ADHD and narcolepsy include Dexedrine, Ritalin, Concerta and amphetamines like Adderall. Some common street names for these prescription drugs are oxy, cotton, blue, 40, and 80.

Educate yourself on the latest street names for drugs and look for them in your child's communications. Monitoring your child's emails, text messages and social media sites provides necessary insight into your child's life that you might not be privy to any other way. If you suspect your child is on drugs your first hunch is usually correct. Hopefully, you know your child better than anyone else. Find out what is going on with your child immediately if you see any of these tell-tale signs.

1. Severe Shifts in Mood


2. Unexplained Change in Personality


3. New Friends


4. Lack of Interest in Favorite Sports or Activities


5. Avoiding Family or Family Activities


6. Decrease in Appetite


7. Spending More Time in Bedroom


8. Feeling Down and Being Quiet Most of the Time


9. Falling Grades


10. Skipping School


11. Lack of Respect for Family Rules, Chores, or Curfews


12. No Interest in Personal Hygiene


13. Defensive Attitude When Drug or Alcohol Use is Suspected or Mentioned


14. Weight Loss or Weight Gain


15. Dishonesty and Stealing

Your child can become a complete stranger in the blink of an eye if you ignore any of these signs. Do not hesitate to get professional help. If you are not sure, seriously consider drug testing your child at home. There are lots of instant drug testing kits to choose from that are widely available at Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens and other well known drug stores. The prices are reasonable and range anywhere from twelve to thirty-eight dollars. You can easily and quickly test your child for drugs and alcohol in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Avoid online services that require the mailing of samples via FedEx due to the possibility of poor testing methods or fraud. If you are uncomfortable with drug testing you child, go to your family doctor or a state approved lab test facility in your area.