Spinal Decompression

So you think you're a little on the short side (sorry for the pun) and you're thinking of doing something about it, that is why you're surfing the internet to see if there's a natural solution to what you think is a big problem for you. Of course, you're like most people who want to add a couple or more inches to their height, you're thinking of getting into yoga to grow tall. You may have heard somewhere that yoga helps you grow taller and you're doing some research to make sure before you take the plunge and get started on the hard work of learning and regularly practicing yoga.

What makes someone taller than someone else is mostly do with the length of someone's bones, not so much the arms. And when it comes to yoga and growing tall, doing yoga does not make bones grow. Your bones cannot be stretched by practicing yoga no matter how hard you try and the only way to do that is through painful surgical procedures which is something not recommended even to your worst enemy.

Even though practicing yoga to grow tall seems to be a possibility, this is normally not because you have added a couple of inches of bone but through practicing certain yoga positions that help stretch and elongate your spine, this in turn creates space and if you develop the spinal muscles, your spine would eventually have the capacity to hold the space and because your body is now properly aligned making you hold yourself up properly, you will most likely appear taller.

Unlike most sports and exercises, yoga positions encourages your body to stretch and lengthen. So doing yoga to grow tall is not going to happen if you're expecting to be much taller than you already are (unless you're a teenager and you're still growing then the growth is just natural, not something to do with doing yoga). But yoga will make you more aware of your body as a whole, how to carry yourself, how you stand and sit naturally and this factor alone will increase your awareness of your own posture and if you haven't been walking and standing straight, after doing yoga you will. And the fact that you're walking and standing straighter will make you appear taller to yourself and those around you. Be happy with that as sometimes it's easier to create the illusion - I mean what is make-up for if not to create an illusion - and be healthy at the same time than opt for growth enhancers in the form of pills and other drastic surgical solutions.

After a few yoga lessons, you'll find your posture will have improved and the straightening of your torso area feels like you've gained a couple of centimetres. People have reported to have gained up to 3 inches of height doing yoga to grow tall. This is usually based on the theory that if you practice yoga positions that focus on stretching you'll soon see a development and toning of your back muscles first before the straightening and lengthening of the spine and finally, there will a gradual strengthening, thickening and decompression of the spine. All of which is supposed to make you appear taller.

So if you feel you haven't got the best posture that you can possibly have and you feel you can improve in this area - then the possibility of the end result of you doing yoga to grow tall is you appearing a couple of centimeters taller - why not try it? It's definitely not only going to be good for you in terms of your general fitness but also your mental and emotional well-being. But if you're already a health junkie, doing pilates and other forms of stretching on a regular basis, therefore your posture would most likely to be at its best, practicing yoga to grow taller may not create much of a difference for you.

For those who are natural slouchers, if you're excited by the possibility of extra inches, remember you really have to practice yoga regularly on a daily basis if possible to really see a difference. Some basic sit up yoga positions that may help are the Sukahasana (developes the lower back) and the dog and cat which works on the spine. Have fun and above all look after your body, you only have one. Stay safe!

Nerve injuries occur from all different types of medical problems. The issue can range anywhere from a gunshot injury to a blunt force trauma associated with a motor vehicle accident to compression from a tumor. It's a good idea to have an understanding of the different ways a nerve can be injured. That way one can understand the prospects for recovery.

The first type of nerve injury is called a neurapraxia. In this injury the nerve itself maintains all of its internal connections. The anatomy of the inner nerve root is not altered and the injury simply represents a physiologic block of the nerve conduction.

Examples of a neurapraxic injury include having a tourniquet in place to stop bleeding. This may be during surgery or in a trauma situation to prevent too much blood loss. Having the tourniquet in place for too long may cause permanent injury to the peripheral nerves in the extremity. This is why surgeons often let down the extremity tourniquet every hour or so to let blood flow come back into the region and replenish the peripheral nerves.

Another type of neurapraxic injury is when an alcoholic passes out and sustains what's called a "Saturday Night Palsy". Normally as humans sleep they move around a lot. This prevents our nerve roots from being compressed in one position for too long. If a person is overly intoxicated he or she may not move around and end up with a compression injury, such as having an arm over a park bench and it being compressed consistently overnight.

As long as the neurapraxic injury has not been continuously in place for an extended period of time, there is potential for recovery, maybe even complete recovery. Out of the three types of nerve injuries, neurapraxia is typically the best for recovery since the anatomical structures are themselves intact.

The next category of a nerve injury is termed an axonotmesis. This injury represents an anatomical interruption of the internal peripheral nerve structures, the axons, however the connective tissue external framework remains predominantly intact.

This type of nerve injury requires significant regrowth of the axon, not just a "waking up" of the existing axon as with a neurapraxia. The axon needs to regrow along its path towards the target muscle it controls. In adults, this growth occurs at a rate of 1 inch monthly, or about 1 mm per day.

An example of an axonotmesis injury is in a car accident where the crush injury is more severe than a neuropraxia. The recovery possibilities are pretty good as the framework telling the axons where to go is intact.

The last type of nerve injury is the most severe and is termed neurotmesis. This occurs when there is actually a transection or disruption of the axon along with the connective tissue. A gunshot or knife injury may result in this injury. Early surgical treatment is typically recommended as spontaneous recovery is very unusual.

Many people in this country suffer from pain in lower left side of back.

Because the pain is only on one side of the back, many doctors have trouble finding the actual cause. Many people go through years of endless visits to the doctor and the hospital, expensive rounds of testing, dangerous drugs, and treatments that do nothing to cure the problem.

However, if you know the true causes of pain in lower left side of back, you can avoid going through these trials by choosing a treatment that addresses the true root of your spinal problems.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Other Intestinal Problems

Pain in left lower side of back may be caused by problems with your gastrointestinal system, including sensitivities to certain foods or other bowel problems.

If your pain only occurs after eating certain foods and is accompanied by other symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, this inflammation may be the cause of your problems. However, there are other causes of bowel problems. Many people have intestinal problems accompanied by pain in left lower side of back because of a muscle imbalance. If this is the case, these problems can be resolved by muscle balance therapy.

Kidney Stones

It is easy to tell if the pain in lower left side of back is caused by this common problem. Usually, the pain will be accompanied by other symptoms such as problems urinating and blood in the urine. Luckily, most doctors test for this problem routinely through urinalysis, and it also shows up during MRI's and other imaging techniques.

Lower Back Problems

This is the most common cause of pain in lower left side of back. These back problems may range from misalignment, a herniated disc, or any other several different disorders. Regardless of the exact diagnosis, the cause is usually the same: a muscle imbalance. Just as a muscle imbalance can cause gastrointestinal problems, it can also cause spinal problems. When you treat this muscle imbalance, you will be eliminating the cause of pain in lower left side of back and therefore getting rid of the pain itself.

Muscle Imbalances

Many people misunderstand the role of muscles in the human body. They do not just aid in movement; they also provide a vital support for organs and bones. If your muscles are out of balance, even slightly, this will cause any number of physiological problems, all of which can then cause lower left back pain. Doctors tend to treat this pain with drugs, surgeries, and therapies that work with the back itself. Only by curing the muscle imbalance you can rid yourself of pain in lower left side of back for good.

Curing Muscle Imbalance

Luckily, a muscle imbalance can be treated with a simple, inexpensive, and flexible treatment, freeing you forever of all of these painful symptoms, including pain in lower left side of back. This treatment, called muscle balance therapy, is offered by a program known as "Lose the Back Pain", which will help you determine the muscle imbalance causing your pain and treat it in a customizable program that you can do in the privacy of your own home. If you have pain in lower left side of back, you owe it to yourself and your family to reclaim your healthy, active, pain-free life by trying this innovative, effective, and affordable program.

One of the main advantages of open MRI over traditional MRIs lies in its sleek and compact design which has made it more spacious and least confining. This new diagnostic device is extremely beneficial to patients who may be large in size and those who are claustrophobic. Not only does it provide a more relaxed environment for patients but also makes it easy and convenient for them to undergo the scan.

Notable Features of Open MRI

Though both types of MRI function along the same lines, the open MRI device is more powerful than its predecessor. Its enhanced imaging technology renders hi-definition pictures in 3-D cross section that can help a physician determine the medical condition afflicting the patient. Today, they are used extensively by health centers, hospitals and even clinics for identifying:

• Facial/neck abnormalities
• Infection
• Disorders of the brain
• Abnormalities of eye
• Cardiac conditions
• Disorders in blood flow and blood vessels
• Spinal diseases
• Early detection of tumor
• Abdominal diseases
• Knee and shoulder injuries
• Musculoskeletal disorders

They generate lesser degree of noise in the form of knocking or thumping and patients generally don't require earplugs. In most cases patients don't need to be administered a contrast agent; this is especially true in the case of a liver scan. Children who may have anxiety in undergoing the scan can have their parent or guardian beside them.

High Accuracy and Early Detection

The advantages of open MRI over traditional MRIs are unsurpassed, especially when it comes to the patient's safety and comfort. The parameters of the sophisticated device can be changed for detailed view of the region which requires scanning. Physicians recommend open MRI owing to its high accuracy which helps in early detection of serious conditions such as cancer and tumors.

You may have not heard of Spinal Decompression Therapy. This FDA approved rehabilitation method for spinal disc pain works by gently stretching and decompressing the spine. The decompression is done by a machine that mechanically stretches the spine slowly and gently. This action takes pressure off the compressed spinal discs.

Over a series of visits to the medical office, cycles of decompression and partial relaxation are used to enhance the diffusion of water, oxygen, and nutrient-rich fluids to the inside of the discs from the outside. The therapy accomplishes this by manipulating the spine in various directions, which can reduce the size of bulging or herniated discs. This then allows any torn and degenerated disc fibers to begin the healing process.

Use has been made of traditional "static" traction spinal therapy has been used for a long time. Static traction means that the pressure applied at a steady amount, then released. Though some patients have reported reduced pain with this therapy, the problem is that muscular spasms can occur as a side effect of the treatments. This newer therapy differs from the older one primarily in the way that pressure is applied in intermittent amounts, rather than static.

The possibility of muscle spasms is significantly reduced in the new therapy Because it is intermittent, and causes nutrients to be injected into the spinal discs. This new therapy can cause a suction that pulls water and nutrients into the disc, thereby reducing pain and increase healing. If you have a herniated disc the intermittent decompression can draw these fluids back into the disc, thereby reversing the cause of the pain to a certain extent.

The cost of the new therapy will vary between individual patients. Although the costs of individual sessions vary between $35 and $100, the main determinant of overall cost is the number of sessions a person needs. An average is around 20 to 50 sessions, but some people need many more, some less. While many have reported quick results, some others have required 20 or more sessions before experiencing any pain reduction. Also there is a significant minority that did not feel any reduction in pain from the therapy.

The FDA has authorized the use of spinal decompression machines, but currently there is very little clinical evidence that this new therapy works. The few studies that have been done reported little to no advantage. In fact, a number of therapy providers have been sued in court for making claims of improvement that they could not substantiate.

Because there is little research available there are not many insurance companies that would be willing to pay for this type of therapy. Regardless of these circumstances, the use of the new decompression machines is starting to gain in popularity, with many installed in local chiropractic offices. In addition, many financially well off people are even buying their own machine, even though they cost several thousand dollars, just so they can have a therapy session at their convenience.

Spinal decompression therapy's great attraction is the non-surgical out-patient nature of the procedure. Even though little hard evidence for success exists, there have been many reports of significant reductions in pain after having the therapy. In fact, Patients reporting at least some improvement exceed 80% in some clinics. Due to the completely subjective nature of these reports, each person will have to make up their own mind about getting spinal decompression therapy.

Surgical dressing will be done over any incision after returning from surgery. The dressing is removed a number of days after surgery. The patient can have sutures underneath the skin which are dissolved while healing happens. There are some instances that staples are used as sutures which are visible.

They are normally detached 2-3 weeks after surgical operation by a nurse or surgeon.Before surgery, it is necessary to talk to the surgeon and anesthesiologist regarding the management of pain. Pain relief includes medication by oral means and through IV.

Therapy through IV

The intravenous line in the arm gives fluids and nourishment. Fluids will be stopped once the patient resumes drinking and eating. Intravenous line is also needed in blood transfusions. Antibiotics are given through IV after surgery to get rid of infection for a number of days.

Regarding diet, the patient is allowed to take in little sips of water in the first twenty four to thirty six hours or until the stomach is prepared to take in food. If he or she can tolerate eating, he/she is allowed to take regular food. Other patients are not permitted to drink or eat within 24 to 48 hours after surgery.

Deep breathing exercises after surgery:

- Put your hands over your stomach. Do the nose breathing. You will observe that the stomach rises and the chest enlarges. Control your breath within two seconds. Exhale through the mouth and you will observe that your abdomen goes down. Always cough next to deep inhalation exercises. This aids in clearing the lungs.
- Take plenty of deep inhalation.
- In your subsequent breath, inhale through the nose and control your breath within two seconds.
- Afterward try to cough 2 or 3 times in succession
- You can do plenty of "double coughs" to clear the lungs. You will learn from the nurse how to operate incentive spirometer, an apparatus that will help you breathe deeply. The device can be used 10 times per hour while the patient is awake.

It is important to maintain good circulation of the legs post spinal surgery. Walking and leg exercises can help in circulation. The patient can also put on chronological compression boots which mechanically inflate as well as deflate, which help in pumping the blood in the legs back to the heart.

Positioning activities after lumbar fusion surgery

The patient is on bed after surgery. The nurse helps him/her to "log roll" sideways as the need arises to avoid stiffness and help good circulation. Logrolling is the activity that turns the shoulders and hips at similar times without moving the back. He/she can have one pillow under the knees to reduce stress at the back. The patient must not lie down on his/her stomach because this will create strains that are not needed at the back.

Activity out of bed

It is nice to have small walks in the lobby of the hospital. If sitting, select a solid, hardback chair. Refrain from sitting longer than twenty minutes within a time. It is good to stroll around or lying down to relax. Do not bow or lift Bend the knees and maintain the back straight in straightening up and stooping.

The exercise activity will differ depending on the type of surgery. Some exercises are the following: ankle pumps, quadriceps setting exercises and gluteal setting exercises.

Recovery from lumbar fusion surgery or any form of surgical operation is attainable as long as you follow the prescribed instruction of the surgeon and other health providers.

Tyler, a good friend of mine, has taken a new lease on life. And I'm really glad he has. For several years he was a wreck. He had the ideal job, a roadie for a famous rock and roll band. And then it happened. While helping to lift a massive speaker column into place, he injured his back and had to be taken from the job to the emergency room on a stretcher.

The injury was just the beginning of a long nightmare. Tyler suffered from a herniated disc. This is a condition where the gel-like substance contained in the discs of our spines bulges out of one of the discs, putting pressure on surrounding muscle and nerve tissue. The condition often comes about as a result of trauma or continued strain to the back.

It took a while for the doctors to come to this diagnosis. Before figuring it out they had Tyler on heavy pain medication and physical therapy three times a week. Nothing seemed to help. It wasn't until the third MRI was taken, more than a year after the accident, that they noticed the herniated disc. During this time Tyler almost became addicted to pain medicine. He'd also have to go and receive painful injections called epidurals, usually with limited relief. The doctors suggested surgery but Tyler wanted to avoid that if it was at all possible.

Finally Tyler took matters into his own hands. He signed up for group therapy. The focus of the group was pain control. This is where things began to look up for him. He learned of a treatment called spinal decompression. In many back injuries like his, one vertebrae presses down on another. This is often what causes the herniation of the disc or 'rupture' as it's sometimes called. Spinal decompression is a relatively uncomplicated, non-surgical procedure that simply separates the discs and takes the pressure away from the traumatized vertebrae. And more often than not, once the pressure is released, the pain stops.

Here's how it works. A patient is placed on a comfortable padded platform called a decompression table. He's secured with padded, yet firm blocks and straps so his body is stable. Once he's securely in place, the table begins to move beneath his body, gently moving the vertebrae apart. This is done slowly in a gradual way over the course of the treatment. If at any time during the treatment there is a problem the patient or an attendant can immediately stop the decompression with an easily accessible safety switch. Most people receiving such treatment for the first time are amazed at the relief they experience.

The treatment is effective for a number of neck and back ailments such as sciatica, arm and leg numbness and tingling, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, generalized back and neck pain and of course, herniated discs.

Tyler told me that he's gotten his life back. He no longer needs physical therapy or massive doses of pain medication every day. Of course, he's decided his days as a roadie are over too. That's okay, I'm just happy he's not suffering.

For people with sciatica, conservative treatments like physical therapy, chiropractic care and non-surgical decompression are usually sufficient. Minimally-invasive microdiscectomy is a common surgical procedure performed on those whose pain has not been relieved by conservative means, or for those who present severe symptoms such as incontinence that require immediate intervention.

A common cause of sciatica is a disc herniation in the lumbar spine. As the exterior ring of the disc weakens, the fluid in the disc's center begins to leak out and irritate nerves exiting the spine. The sciatic nerve roots exit the spine from vertebrae L4 to S3. Nerve irritation causes sharp, radiating pain from the lower back to the legs, muscle weakness and numbness.

Microdiscectomy entails the removal of the small piece of disc material responsible for impinging the nerve. Many who have had the surgery find that, though pain levels improve, strength does not return to the muscles of the affected leg.

Success rates for microdiscectomy and other spine surgeries are reported to be around 95% by surgeons. However, these rates often reflect that the surgeon was successful in removing a disc piece, or that bones actually fused in a spinal fusion procedure. The actual relief of patients is not always included in the definition of a procedure's success.

A study of 91 patients with disc herniation and leg paresis (slight paralysis/weakness) who underwent microdiscectomy showed that success rates, in terms of strength recovery, were far from 95%. Only 75% of patients in the study had regained strength in the affected leg a year after surgery. While this represents a majority, a full quarter of participants did not regain strength; this is a notable percentage. See a summary of the study at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22193841.

Microdiscectomy is often successful at relieving pain, but it can't reverse nerve damage that was already done before the procedure. If the sciatic nerve incurred damage that interfered with its ability to send motor and sensory impulses down the leg, this will not spontaneously recover after surgery. This means that, if you have severe muscle weakness to begin with, microdiscectomy may not be a better option than conservative treatments to relieve nerve impingement. Decompression, traction and exercise therapies should be pursued rigorously before considering surgery.

Nerve Regeneration

Nerve damage is often permanent; there is no standard treatment for regenerating the sciatic nerve once damage has occurred. Experimental treatments like stem cell therapy and growth factor therapy are promising options, but access to them is limited. Your best bet for these treatments is to search for trial studies to participate in or to travel out of the country for treatment.

Omega-3 fatty acid consumption, whether from foods or supplements, may encourage nerve repair soon after injury. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111103856.htm for more on this.

Electrical stimulation of nerves may also help them repair and regrow. This method has been tested on severed sciatic nerves in rats and was shown to promote regeneration. Inquire with local physical therapists, chiropractors and other health professionals about the availability of functional electrical stimulation in your area.

Microdiscectomy treatment is not likely to relieve severe leg weakness, since this is often caused by nerve damage. While it is important to resolve the cause of sciatic nerve impingement, a surgical procedure may not be the best option due to cost, recovery time and risks. While severe nerve damage is often permanent, there are new methods of nerve regeneration being explored.

Many people who have herniated discs have no symptoms and therefore aren't even aware of the problem. When they do feel pain, it's because the ruptured disc is pressing on the neighboring nerves or the spinal cord. Where the pain is felt in the body depends on which nerve the disc may be pressing on. For example, many people with herniated discs feel no pain at all in their back, and yet they have excruciating pain shooting down their leg. In this case, the bulging or herniated disc is pressing on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is one of the largest nerves in the body and runs down the leg, and this is where the pain will manifest. The point however is that just because you might not feel pain in your back, it does not mean you do not have a bulging disc.

If it's presumed you have a back injury, MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT scans (Computed Tomography) are the best ways to get a proper diagnosis. X-rays do not usually help determine if a disc is herniated or not. Generally speaking, if you have no or little pain and yet you've been diagnosed with a herniated disc, chances are the disc is not pressing on any nerves.

This should not be a signal to not take action however. Even if no pain is present, it is advised that you consult with your doctor or physiotherapist and start core function and postural alignment treatments immediately to avoid your disc bulging any further.

I am making use of this article to share with you the ways to grow taller. Are you also shocked like rest of the people? Many look at me with wide eyes and mouth open when I talk about ways to grow taller. Do you feel that I am playing pranks on your emotions? Relax and listen to me, there are several ways that actually have proven effective in increasing height.

I will share with you the best five ways to grow taller, which has been practiced by many and obtained results:

o Stretching exercises- Even though after a certain age bones stop their growth, it is possible to appear taller if you do stretching daily at home. They help in strengthening the bones and functioning of the muscles. Remember you will get results immediately as there are levels of development according to which growth takes place. First level includes toning of the back muscles. Spinal decompression and straightening is the second stage of progress. Finally in the third stage there is progressive spinal disc regeneration and thickening. They can increase your height maximum up to 3 inches.

o Supplements- If there are no vital ingredients in your diet your growth will not be proper. Make sure that your meals are rich in calcium, proteins, amino acids and vitamins. Calcium promotes strengthening and proper functioning of the muscles and bones. Proteins and amino acids are the building blocks of life which stimulates the growth hormone.

o Human Growth Hormone- This is one of the most expensive ways to grow taller. Growth is based on the production of growth hormones. Synthetic hormones are invented to promote growth in people having short stature. Years before doctors had invented this treatment mode by extracting this hormone from the brain tissues of the cadavers. I personally do not advise in adopting this method of increasing height.

o Lengthening of the limbs- This is a surgical intervention which is done by placing internal or external rods inside the limbs and elongating it gradually. You have to take utmost care to avoid infections after doing this technique. People who are too bothered about their appearance go in for such ways to grow taller.

o Dressing according to your body- Many times certain dresses makes you feel taller. Wear a dress that suits your body structure. Dresses containing stripes always make you appear taller than your normal height.

I have only explained you a few ways to grow taller, most of them still remaining. Remember that you can increase your height at any age with a little effort and dedication.