Spinal Decompression

'Height increasing exercises' may seem strange to the individuals who subsist in this world with a belief that tall height is hereditarily dependent and nothing can be done in order to get rid of it. No doubt, genetic factors have an importance, but various other aspects are there that can avert one from getting the potential stature.

Here are given some height increasing exercises, one can follow these after consultation of experts

Swimming

Swimming is a good exercise that aids in lessening compressive powers applied to the spine. When one swims, disks in vertebra tend to expand and it thus aids in adding some inches in height.

Wall stretching exercises

Height increasing exercises involve wall stretching exercises that are helpful in adding few inches in stature. Keep the back against wall and then raise both hands as elevated as possible. In this posture, one will be standing on his toes in fully stretched pose. It helps in removing any curvature of spine and elongates the spine.

Rope skipping

Rope skipping also helps in giving a boon to muscles and bones of thighs as well as lower leg. It causes body to extend and become flexible.

Sprinting at high speed

Sprinting at high speed is the best exercise used by various sports person and athletes. Often, high speed running causes some micro cracks in bones of legs, however these tend to heal within a week or two and aid one to increase height naturally.

Height increasing exercises offer an ideal way to encourage physical boost in one's stature naturally, even subsequent to the puberty age. There are various exercises available for increasing height; however the most effective is spine stretching exercise which is actually a spinal decompression exercise that aims exclusively to lengthen spinal column.

Summary

Height increasing exercises have really proved of great significance when it comes to identifying ways of growing taller naturally. One can realize miraculous results within short duration if does these exercises daily.

Sciatica is a common problem that people can sometimes experience. It is the term used by the medical community for pain, numbness, or weakness that is in the leg. However, despite what many believe, it is not a medical condition, but rather the result of a medical condition that you may already be experiencing. The cause is from pressure being applied to the sciatic nerve or nerve damage in the area.

Some people describe the experience as a tingling feeling that is present in their legs. Others say that it is more like a burning sensation. In individuals who have very severe cases, they may not even be able to move properly. There have been cases of it happening in both legs, however it usually only happens in one. Pain can be felt in the hip or back of the leg. Individuals may also report feeling pain in their feet as well. Your doctor can figure out if you have sciatica from several different types of tests. This can involve MRIs, blood tests, or x-rays. This can also involve tests that reflect on your range of motion. In example, someone that is suffering from the ailment may have problems bending their feet down or may reflect weak reflexes. There can also be weakness in the bending of the knees.

If the condition is treated before the nerve damage has the chance to worsen, there is a good change that the individual can recover completely. Other times, full recovery might not be possible and may leave the individual with a loss of motion. Pain can also become more consistent and prolonged. For this reason, it is important to get the problem diagnosed fairly soon. Treatments offered can reflect on what type of damage has been done to the nerve and what the cause of it is. The best cases involve non surgical treatments where the individual recovers quickly. Situations where damage is caused to the nerve via pressure being put on it requires for this to be treated by surgery. The doctor might also prescribe injections or medication to treat pain and stop inflammation.

Other treatment options might include physical therapy. This can improve the range of motion in the individual and promote more muscle strength. Combined with other treatments, it can help individuals regain their movement and function again. For those who stand or sit often at their job, the doctor might request changes or suggest different methods to get the work done. Regarding the severity of the nerve damage, prevention techniques can differ greatly. What might work well to prevent pain for one individual may not work at all or completely for another individual. It is best to have these prevention measures created by a doctor personally so that they apply more specifically to the individual and their own circumstances.

In order to receive the best results in the recovery of the individual from sciatica and its pain, an examination should happen as promptly as possible. Even if the individual only suspects the possibility, it should be considered and treated seriously. If pain continues without proper care, nerve damage can increase and make it more difficult for the individual to recover correctly.

For those suffering from chronic back pain as a result of spinal compressions, injuries, DDD or disc degenerative diseases, herniated disc and other spine diseases, spinal decompression therapy is an alternative treatment to invasive and surgical procedures. This therapy is guaranteed effective and highly recommended by physicians, chiropractors and health professionals. While spinal decompression treatment would not require you to take medications or any invasive procedure, this method utilizes a spinal decompression machine for best results.

When you have saved yourself from medical expenses, you will then have to prepare a budget for the machine that you will be using for the decompression. Spine decompression machines are state - of - the - art - technology which are computerized and capable of determining the amount of decompression that your body needs tom achieve the best cure.

There are few spinal decompression machines that you can choose from if you are considering of purchasing one. There is the Vax - D or Vertebral Axial Decompression which is popularly known to be the most effective and safest decompression machine. It works to increase the spaces between inter - vertebral disc to relieve pain. It is also effective in the treatment of herniated disc, sciatica, DDD and the results can be more accurate and permanent. Treatment with Vax - D takes about 15 to 30 sessions on a daily basis. Another decompression machine used for spine and disc diseases is the DRX9000. DRX9000 is FDA - approved to treat chronic back pain, herniated disc, sciatica as well as degenerative disc diseases of DDD. This machine is computer - controlled that should be used accurately to prevent further injuries. This must only be used by health professionals who knew exactly the proper procedures of using the machine. Treatment with DRX9000 can last up to 50 sessions depending on the back problem. However, results vary from one patient to another.

If you are looking to purchase one from these two types of decompression machine, then you will need thousands of dollars for one machine. Yes, the machine are very expensive and so is each sessions of the therapy. If you think you can't afford this, then inversion therapy is a good alternative. With a $200 or $300 inversion table, you can actually decompress your spine and get relief for your back pain plus more benefits brought about by the therapy through inversion.

Imagine having back pain for a year, five years, or even a decade, and finally getting so frustrated you opt to go for a surgery that the doctor assures you will get rid of your pain and allow you to regain a normal lifestyle again. This is the exact story that was reported on MSNBC just a short while ago. In the next few paragraphs we can briefly recap the story of Ms. Scatena, but before we do I am going to some something completely out of the ordinary for my monthly newsletter. I'm going to let the cat out of the bag and give you the punch line right off the bat.

Patients who opt to have back surgeries and spinal fusions are way less likely to go back to work and are in desperate need of more opiates. Now this is NOT my opinion. I'm going to take a neutral stance on this and just going to lay down the story, give a few references as to where these statistics are coming from, give you insight into what a majority of "celebrity" back surgeons and pain management doctors have to say about it, and leave it at that. So let's get started. The story starts in the town of Scottsdale Arizona in the blazing heat. There was a woman, in great physical shape except for excruciating back pain. She jumped from doctor to doctor and after thinking she was getting the best advice and doing her research she finally decided to opt for surgery. She suffers from spinal stenosis of the lumbar spine. For those of you that are wondering what spinal stenosis is, it is generally a narrowing of the canal through which the spinal nerves travel. It puts pressure on the nerves which in turn cause pain, and if you've been reading this monthly newsletter for any length of time, you're well aware that....

Pressure = Pain Pressure causes pain fibers to experience pain, causes rubbing, irritation, and then the insuring inflammation to compound the problem. So Nancy opted to try and alleviate the pain by going through a "spinal microsurgery procedure". Immediately following the surgery Nancy Scatena was concerned she may have made the wrong decision. Just a month after surgery her pain was back in full swing and more excruciating than ever. So there she sat with unrelenting back aches and pain and her doctor prescribing medication after medication. None of which did more for her than barely taking the edge off. And just like the 27 million other Americans that suffer back pain every year she sat (or actually tried to sit comfortably) wondering what her next move should be. So just like many of us, she turned to a friend that recommend she go see yet another surgeon who her friend referred to as...

A Miracle Worker This new miracle worker-as she was referred to-assured her that this second operation would fix everything. And she decided to go with her friends' recommendation and have the surgery. And for just a few weeks the pain was better. Then It Came Roaring Back On MSNBC they say that about 600,000 Americans opt for back surgeries of some sort. But they go on to say that many surgeons and pain management experts say that most, back surgery is full of empty promises. And here are the facts as to why. And these numbers are actually from a study done in Ohio. I'll take out all the "doctor-ese" of the story and just lay out the facts. They looked at just under 1500 patients in the workers compensation system, half of them had surgery, half of them did not. So here is how it breaks down.

• 26% of those that had surgery returned to work


• 67% of those that did not have surgery returned to work.

So if that isn't troubling enough, the real shocker is that those that did have surgery for their back pain had a...

41% Increase in Pain Medications! So what does that actually mean? Well the head researcher in the study was a doctor named Dr. Traung Nguyen who is a researcher from the University of Cincinnati. Medical Colleagues claim that this study is evidence that back surgeries don't alleviate pain from degenerative discs.

Why Would They Continue To Do Procedures That Studies Show Don't WORK?

You're completely on point if you're asking yourself that same question. After all, the study provides "clear evidence". Some sources say economics. Spinal surgery is a lucrative procedure. In the Spine Journal, they report an EIGHT fold increase in invasive procedures that fuse two or more vertebrae over the past 15 years. This the little know dirty little secret that has public health experts and surgeons up in arms about back surgery.

In fact, one of the leading experts is publicly stating back surgery and the legitimate need for spinal fusions has gotten "WAY BEYOND WHAT IS REASONABLE AND NECESSARY" Another interesting statistic is that there are some parts of the country where spinal fusions are FOUR times more likely than the national average. All this comes from Charles Burton who is THE medical director for the Center for Restorative Spine Surgery in St Paul.

Is He Alone? Nope. Not at all. Dr William Webb who is the chairman at the University of Pennsylvania and the Chief of Neurosurgery of Pennsylvania Hospital says that "there is some success in treating back pain but as a whole we are less successful at treating back pain." As if that isn't convincing enough that surgery for back pain is the last resort, if it even should be an option at all (surgery is only clinically indicated when muscles begin to atrophy or there is bladder or bowel incontinence, otherwise it is an elective procedure). Dr. Dorisk Cope, who is a professor and chair for pain management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, admits that....

"It's a case of, if you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail." So that brings us back to this month's newsletter message. The hammer and nail analogy refers to a "carpenter" trade. You wouldn't go to the carpenter and ask him to fix your plumbing. Why? That's not his specialty, in fact he probably doesn't know much, if anything about plumbing at all. Just like surgeons don't know much about Non-Surgical Methods. And we should be thankful about that. After all, if the surgeon was spending time to learn about Non-Surgical technologies and procedures then he is not getting better at surgery which is what we really want him to be good at right? The truth of the matter is that if someone has bowel or bladder incontinence, or muscle wasting or damage to the nerves, then more than likely they need to see a surgeon ASAP.

But Pain By Itself? Based off what many in the research, teaching, and neurosurgical circles are saying it just not as effective as the general population, portal of entry doctors, and the surgeons themselves would like to think. While I agree that for many there is no magic bullet, what I am saying is that if someone has a pressure "diagnosis', a herniated, bulging disc, a disc pressing on a nerve cause stenosis, sciatica or neuropathy, or they have a failed surgery, there may still be hope. If you have a compression problem, if you're suffering from pain, void of bladder, bowel or muscles wasting problems then maybe non-surgical spinal decompression is the answer.

Spinal Stenosis sufferers everywhere --rejoice! A new day is upon us! Yes I'm talking about the recent popularity of the use of cetylmyristoleate (CMO) to combat the UGLY pain associated with joint pain and Spinal Stenosis pain.

Cetylmyristoleate CMO), was first discovered way back in the early 1960's at The National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. by a research chemist named Harry Diehl. While he was studying the immunity of mice, Mr. Diehl accidentally discovered an ester substance with a waxy /milky-like form that could travel to the joints and lubricate the region that was degenerating. With the newly "lubed" joint, comes the added benefit of joint pain relief and better mobility.

It wasn't until 1994 that Mr. Diehl introduced cetylmyristoleate (CMO) to the general public.

First published in the 1994 issue of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and with the double clinical studies that followed, it was concluded that cetylmyristoleate(CMO) is effective in the treatment of many forms of arthritis joint pain and spinal canal degeneration.

Needless to say, many of us spinal stenosis sufferers are thankful for the arrival and rise of this new joint pain supplement!-- The lubricating properties go right to work, reducing and in some cases, eliminating the pain associated with medium to severe cases of any type of joint related ailment, including degenerative arthritis; gout; spinal stenosis; bursitis and fibromyalgia.

So the cetlylmyristoleate (CMO) goes to work immediately-- and before too long, you just feel better and you also move better too! -- it improves your lifestyle--all naturally and without the use of harmful drugs.

What I like about cetylmyristoleate is the fact that so many doctors use it, and swear by it because of the lubricating properties that are in it. They approve it and many of them recommend it to their patients to aid in their recuperation from Spinal Decompression therapy and from the excruciating pain of degenerative arthritis; and also from spinal canal degeneration.

As we age our body stops producing bone and cartilage nutrients. The spine discs degenerate; the spinal canal narrows (exposing nerve endings) and the inflammation is painful and constant. In many lumbar and cervical spinal stenosis cases cetylmyristoleate (with its fatty acid lubrication) helps to alleviate the excruciating pain.

Keep in mind that not all joint pain relief systems work on everybody. Research shows that cetylmyristoleate(CMO) helps about 80% of those who use it in about 3 weeks.

You might want to consider using a quality cetylmyristoleate product if you suffer from medium to severe joint pain; spinal stenosis pain or if you are hampered with poor mobility and range of motion.

With millions of back pain sufferers worldwide searching for alternative ways to find chronic back pain relief, non-surgical spinal decompression therapy arises. Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy has successfully treated many back pain sufferers who received unsatisfactory results with traditional treatment methods such as bed rest, physical therapy, pain medications, acupuncture, surgery and traction. As new clinical research demonstrating the positive outcomes of this form of therapy continues to surface, it may not take long before it is widely considered to be an effective treatment option for chronic back pain conditions.

In a recent study published in Pain Practice, patient outcomes indicated that chronic low back pain improved with treatment on the DRX9000 True Non-surgical Spinal Decompression System™.

The study titled, "Treatment of 94 Outpatients With Chronic Discogenic Low Back Pain with the DRX9000: A Retrospective Chart Review" indicated that patients with a mean pain duration of 535 weeks (Over 10 years) reported a mean verbal numerical pain intensity rating equal to 6.05 on a 0 to 10 scale prior to treatment with the DRX9000™.

Patients were treated at four clinics throughout the United States. They received 30-minute DRX9000 sessions daily for the first 2 weeks tapering to 1 session/week.

After the completion of the DRX9000 True Non-surgical Spinal Decompression System therapy, the mean verbal numerical pain intensity rating decreased to a statistically and clinically significant rating of 0.89.

Furthermore, patients also reported a decrease in analgesic use and improvement in activities of daily living.

The authors were able to follow-up at a mean 31 weeks with 29 patients and reveal mean values of 83% improvement in back pain and satisfaction of 8.55 on a 10-point scale. None of these 29 patients reported requiring surgery. The authors also acknowledge that there are other spinal decompression systems available commercially. However, they suggest that the design difference between these devices, "may lead to differing physical responses to therapy, so studies of one type of apparatus should not readily be applied across all machines."

As more clinical research demonstrating positive results utilizing this form of treatment is disseminated, the question may no longer be whether it's effective but rather who offers it.

To learn more about the DRX9000 True Non-surgical Spinal Decompression System and available clinical research, please visit us here [http://axiomworldwide.com/drx9000.aspx].

This article is not intended nor should be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician before considering any medical treatment method available.

Discectomy is one of the most widely used surgical procedures for treating bulging, herniated, ruptured and extruded discs anywhere in the spine. This surgical technique involves removing some of the disc in the hope of relieving any pressure that the bulge or rupture is enacting on delicate and sensitive neurological tissue, such as the spinal cord or a spinal nerve root.

Although traditionally a fully open surgical procedure, disc removal is now almost always performed using minimally invasive methods. This is great for patients, since the less damage incurred during the procedure, the faster the recovery, the less the chance for complications and the better the possibility for providing marked pain relief. Most procedures are referred to as microdiscectomies or microendoscopic discectomies, since they utilize the smallest of incisions and the least degree of anatomical injury to the patient. These newer operations allow a number of small incisions to replace one large surgical cut and also facilitate reaching the spine through the front or side of the body, preventing the need for muscular dissection and the messy rehabilitation needed to correct this devastating damage.

The partial disc removal procedure is case specific, meaning that it is custom tailored to the exact needs of each patient. In some cases, a small amount of disc material is removed, while in others, a sizeable percentage of the overall disc is excised. Typically, the surgery will be performed to treat one of two diagnosed conditions. Spinal stenosis is when the implicated disc is thought to be applying pressure to the spinal canal and possibly the spinal cord itself. In these cases, the disc will be trimmed at the center line or the areas of posterolateral herniation, depending on where the impingement occurs. In cases of foraminal stenosis leading to a suspected pinched nerve, the posterolateral and far lateral aspect of the disc will be trimmed to relieve pressure on the compressed nerve.

One of the problems with discectomy is the incredibly common recurrence of herniations, often worse than the originally treated condition. This occurs in a large percentage of treated patients. This can make the entire procedure worthless and even land the patient in a worse state than before the surgery. I see this often in the patients who write too me on my various websites each week. However, the real catastrophe of the surgery is the fact that most are not needed at all. This is because the condition has been misdiagnosed in what is actually occurring, wherein the disc is taking the blame for sourcing pain, when all along it is innocent of any symptomatic expression. This is an epidemic concern and explains why so many back pain treatments fail...

Avoiding back surgery is always advised whenever possible. Remember that many spinal operations are not needed, nor are they proven to be effective in most cases. In fact, statistics clearly show that the majority of patients will have a recurrence of symptoms either immediately or within a matter of weeks or months after the procedure. Very few patients enjoy symptomatic resolution for the 10 years necessary to deem an operation a complete success. Unfortunately, almost none of the patients operated on each year have any idea of this until after they themselves endure the misery of failed back surgery syndrome and their doctor stops taking their calls.

There are many alternatives to surgery and most will work better, even in cases of misdiagnosis. At least no new damage will be done when avoiding invasive anatomical injury. Spinal decompression is a great option for contained symptomatic bulges and herniations, while simply allowing time to pass can work wonders for even the most acute discs. Never forget that in the great number of cases where disc herniations exist, but ARE NOT the actual source of pain, NO treatment is needed at all. This comes as a shock to patients, such as myself, who spent years of their lives and more money than can be easily counted pursuing worthless and unnecessary treatment which provided no relief, but certainly did wonders to make their physicians, chiropractors and therapists wealthy.

Part I - Spine Stretching Exercise

Height increase is the idea that one can perform exercises or other methods (other than limp lengthening surgery) to induce physical increase in one's height naturally, even after puberty age.

The height increase exercise that is most often mentioned is the spine stretching exercise.
Spine stretching exercise essentially is a spinal decompression process that aims specifically to elongate the spinal column.

The rationale behind spine stretching exercise is that since the earth exerts gravitational pull on everything that rest on it which obviously includes your body, thus by offsetting this gravitational pull one can restore his/her natural height. Gravity pulls down the natural gaps between each spinal disc of your spinal column and can decrease your natural height up to 1-3 inches. It is a known fact that when you wake up in the morning, you can be about 1-3 inches taller. This is because the laying down position of sleeping throughout the night has relaxed the spine in such a way that the decompression from gravity has been neutralized. Unfortunately, within a few hours of being upright (include in both sitting and standing position) the spinal compression from gravity would you shorten again.

The spine stretching exercises focus on training your spine to resist this gravity pulls by constantly helping your spine to relax and to restore the natural fluidity within those spinal column gaps between the discs.

There are many activities that are known to be effective for spinal decompression. The most common spine stretching exercise is hanging on a bar with your body suspense in midair. This is typically done with a traditional pull-up bar. The concept is simple which is utilizing the strength of your arms and shoulder to support your entire body weight. This way your body is being pulled down by gravity but unlike normal upright walking, your feet do not counteract against the gravitational pull. So instead of decompression of the spine, you got a relaxed spine that is being pulled straight downward. It is recommended that hanging to be done on daily basis and with each session lasting at least for 1-5 minutes. The duration for hanging sessions tend to be quite short due to the demanding arms and shoulders strength. But this should be improved over time as the arms and shoulders got stronger from repetitive training.

One great debate that has been ongoing is whether the height obtained from stretching is permanent. There seems to be evidence for both scenarios. A good number of people who experience immediate gain from spinal stretching such as hanging have reported that height increase has been lost after abandoning the stretching routine. One explanation for height loss from lack of maintenance is that those individuals lack physical activities, in particular with their core muscle around the spinal column. When the core muscles are not strong enough, the gravity would eventually take back the height gain. For those reports that height increase was permanent, those tend to be individuals who are physically active and have a strong core that can maintain the loosened state of the spinal column.

That is why it is not enough to merely stretch out the spine regularly, but also to build strength around your core to ensure the height increase would be permanent. Core muscle training is the solution.

Stay tune for next part on core muscle training.

more info on height increase exercises, visit Height Increase Specialty [ http://www.heightshop.com ]

Pelvic pain can be extremely painful and disabling to patients. Treatment options are limited, especially if surgery has been performed with residual pelvic pain. Pain doctors can help many patients with pelvic pain with an interventional pain management injection.

A superior hypogastric plexus block involves the administration of a dose of pain killing medication near the region of the nerve collection in front of the fifth lumbar and first sacral vertebral bodies. The hypogastric block usually involves a series of several injections, repeated at weekly intervals.

Who can benefit from the Injection?

This treatment has brought relief to many patients who suffer from pain located in the PELVIC structures, to include pain located in the region of the bladder, lower intestines, as well as the uterus, and ovaries in women, and the prostate and testicles in men.

Does it Work?

A hypogastric plexus block is a short, minimally invasive procedure that can be extremely effective. The benefits of a superior hypogastric plexus block can be temporary for some people and the amount and duration of pain relief vary from person to person. Some tend to have relief for weeks where others can benefit from the block for years.?Fortunately, the procedure is a low risk, nonsurgical treatment that if successful the first time, will most likely continue to provide pain relief with repeat treatments.

What's the Bottom Line?

The Superior Hypogastric Plexus Block can effectively treat pelvic pain that does not respond to other medications. Make sure your pain doctor has considerable expertise in these blocks as the needle ends up being placed in a potentially delicate area.

The lumbar area, commonly referred to as the lower back serves as an important structure in the human anatomy. It is vital for structural support, movement, and protection of certain tissues. Therefore, when the lower back gets injured due to accidents or diseases, many bodily functions are affected as well. Lower back pain can happen at any age, but naturally occurs to those beyond age 40.

The major causes of lower back pain are:

1. Lumbar radioculopathy - when the nucleus polposus, the gel-like center of the lumbar disc, leaks out due to compression, it irritates the nerves located near the disc as it makes its way out of the spine. This causes such symptoms as lower back pain, tingling, and numbness of the legs.


2. Bone encroachment - any condition that result in the movement or growth of the vertebrae in the lumbar spine which, in turn, compresses the space for adjacent spinal cord and nerves.


3. Bone and joint conditions - these can be congenital (acquired since birth) degenerative (due to aging), or caused by inflammation, for example, arthritis.

Spinal decompression offers a long-lasting, safe, non-invasive, non-surgical, and cost-effective way of treating lower back pain. It works by using a machine, DRX 9000, to apply the forces needed to decompress injured discs and vertebrae. This relieves the discs of excess pressure, and relieves us of pain and other symptoms. Its mechanism involves the continuous cycle of stretching and relaxing of the spine in order to separate it from the bone and create negative pressure inside the injured discs.

The vacuum created from the negative pressure also works to assists the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the injured discs, thereby regenerating homeostasis, and accelerating the healing process.

Spinal decompression promises instant relief of pain and requires only a few analgesics to be taken after the treatment. It is more reliable than the traditional spinal surgery since only minimal side effects can occur. Muscle spasms, due to excess forces applied on the back, are prevented by the continuous oscillation process of elongation and rest as the machine senses when the muscles become too tense.

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.