Archive for February 2010
Herniated Discs & Worker Absenteeism: How to Eliminate Back Pain & Increase Productivity Virtually Over Night
Have your employees called in sick to work lately because they have a “slipped” or “ruptured” disc in the back? Have they complained that their back “went out” and that they have a burning pain centered in the lower back? Or have they complained of a shooting pain that begins in the buttocks and goes down the back of one leg?
Chances are your employees have complained to you about a herniated disc especially in the lower back. Low back pain will affect 4 out 5 people during their lifetime. In fact over 20 million Americans suffer from back pain caused by the derangement of an inter-vertebral disk.
Back injuries cause 100 million lost days of work annually and costs businesses as much as $100 billion every year.
After the common cold, back pain is the second most common cause that Americans call in sick from work. It is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization and the third most common reason to undergo a surgical procedure.
Lower back pain and herniated discs account for 15% of sick leaves. One-fifth of all workers compensation claims are due to low back pain. In comparison to other medical conditions, it causes the greatest loss of productivity.
So, how can you treat back pain and increase you productivity?
When it comes to treating herniated discs, most employees will use traditional treatments such as ice/heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications and even surgery. While these may deliver some relief, it will usually be temporary if at all.
The major problem with these traditional treatments is that they only address the symptoms of a herniated disc. They do not address the actual cause of the problem. For example, even if your employees were to have invasive surgery and get some pain relief, the fact is the root cause that caused the disc to become herniated in the first place is still there.
There is what I call the hidden cause, it is over looked by most and it is simply this…
Our bodies adapt and change to our environment and this adaptation will over time cause what are called Muscle Imbalances. Those imbalances will cause what are called postural dysfunctions.
If the dysfunctions are not addressed, they will continue to place uneven pressure and strain on the discs and sooner or later your employees will likely have another problem with that disc, or others. This means more absenteeism, higher costs, and further deterioration in your company’s productivity,
To eliminate worker absenteeism related to back pain and herniated discs and increase productivity your employees must learn to identify and address the underlying cause of their problem.
Unfortunately, most doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists don’t spend time or focus on identifying the physical dysfunctions that are responsible for the condition. So most employees jump from one useless traditional treatment to the next and suffer with continuous herniated disc flare-ups for months or years unnecessarily.
Here Are 3 Ways to Identify and Address the Underlying Causes of Your Employee’s Back Problems So You Can Cut Costs & Improve Productivity:
1. Understand how job function causes back pain: Sitting, Standing and doing repetitive motions all day long will cause, muscle imbalances. Over time this will cause postural dysfunctions that will cause your spine to go into abnormal curvature. This will cause a disc to herniated…
2. Take postural assessment photos: The most persuasive evidence you can show your employees that they are developing postural dysfunction and will over time put themselves at risk for back pain is to take photos. Photograph your employees from the front and from the side. When assessing the photos some things to look for are:
- Are the shoulders level?
- Are the hips level?
- Is the head inline with the shoulders?
- Is the trunk forward or backward of the knees?
- Do you see twisting in the trunk?
3. Hire a professional for the day: Have a qualified professional come to your office. This person should be a Manual Physical Therapist or Personal Trainer trained to assess your posture and design a corrective program.
Understanding back pain and taking action are two totally different animals. No one thinks that it will happen to them. And because it takes so long for our bodies to reach the point of pain, almost no one takes action to prevent back pain. So if back pain is an issue at your work place you should incorporate an incentive based program… one that encourages education and consistent action.
Dr. Robert Duvall, Dpt, Atc
http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/herniated-discs-worker-absenteeism-how-to-eliminate-back-pain-increase-productivity-virtually-over-night-139467.html
Two Weeks of Sleeping on the Floor – Trying to Get Comfortable During Severe Back Pain
When the pain of a sore back becomes nearly unbearable, what works best to control it? Here are a few different techniques I am trying, to make myself as comfortable as possible as I struggle to recover from a severe case of sciatica, in which my last lumbar disk has herniated and hit my sciatic nerve, making everyday life, well, really difficult.
After going to my orthopedic doctor, I tried physical therapy. It felt good in traction, when the body is pulled to take the pressure off the spine. Little did I know, that the next day, my whole body would go into major spasms. Being practically paralyzed from the pain, I knew that if I didn’t do something to help myself, then I’d most certainly end up in a hospital bed. With limited insurance, I decided to fight going, until exhausting my options. I called the doctor, and he changed my medicines to new ones, since the former kinds didn’t have an effect on the pain whatsoever.
Now, on muscle relaxants, narcotics and steroids, the pain subsides some. The only place I can find comfort is on the floor, as my bed, couch and recliners aggravate my spine right now. It is so touchy that I have to be careful how I get up, walk, turn, and I cannot bend or twist at all.
With a slab of memory foam on the floor, and a sleeping bag over top of it, the back pain forces me to work my computer from the floor. Not being able to sit up hardly at all, I am propped up by pillows only slightly, with a wedge under my knees and another behind my back for firm support. If I lie still, the pain subsides somewhat. Other people would have given up and gone to the hospital, but I am being gentle with my back, in hopes of recovery. I gave myself a time limit, if there is no improvement in two weeks, then I will go to the hospital as the doctor advised. I don’t recommend this for everyone, but when money is tight and work must be done, for me it’s worth a shot.
The steroids seem to be helping. I am now able to do more than a few days ago. I can sit up a little longer, and walk to the bathroom without doubling over in severe pain. I can get up just enough to get my food, and and feed my cats. They are concerned and sleep at my side at all times, wondering why their normally energetic owner isn’t moving much.
I have stopped physical therapy for now, to avoid more strong muscle spasms, my body is too touchy right now. Thank goodness the pharmacy has someone deliver my medicines to me. I have bottles of different meds all over my desk. It looks like a pharmacy in here. I take pills to sleep, for the pain, to relax muscles, and to keep calm during all of this. I am mellow as a marshmellow. Slowly, there is improvement. The floor is quite comfortable, and when I tried to sit up in my recliner, I realized that I’m not ready for it yet. It is a long and slow process.
Every so often I talk to my doctor, or one of his nurses. I avoid seeing friends much and rest most of the time. Work has been difficult, and I’ve had many days off (though I work from home, it is hard to work on the phone and use the computer efficiently). Thank goodness my bosses understand. As I lay here on my back, surfing the net from a horizontal position, I am learning a lot about dealing with lumbar spine problems, spine anatomy and what not to do to make the condition worse. Surfing orthopedic supply sites, I shop for a tens unit (muscle stimulator, to help control the pain) and all sorts of contraptions meant to help with back pain. I have already bought a few supplies meant to help my back, such as a hand held massager, massage recliner, back belt, ice packs, wedge pillows and memory foam. How glad I am to have them, they all have gotten quite a bit of use lately and make the situation more bearable with their convenience. Using the massage chair or the vibrating massage wand can aggravate the swelling in my back if used too much so I just use them briefly as needed. I apply heat then ice packs.
I’m doing gentle leg exercises to keep my muscles from wasting, too, when I get a momentary reprieve from the pain. Slowly, steadily, there is improvement. The pain is there but there is light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. It is a slow process, and I am encouraged but impatient.
So far, so good. I have new appreciation for my spine. Carelessly twisting, bending and otherwise abusing my back on a daily basis has probably gotten me into this position so now, newly learned habits will get me out of this mess. No more contorting my spine into a pretzel as I fall asleep on the couch in front of tv. Those days are over. This is an unfortunate but necessary learning experience. Take care of your spine and get it checked, it never hurts to be preventative, than come in later with a bad case of back trouble. Some conditions aren’t preventable, so if you get one of those, read up on the condition so you know what to expect from your treatment. It will make the whole situation less scary, the more you know.
Carolyn McFann
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/two-weeks-of-sleeping-on-the-floor-trying-to-get-comfortable-during-severe-back-pain-126032.html
Is Spinal Decompression Covered by Insurance? Utah Spinal D
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Duration : 0:2:19
Sciatica back pain treatment westchester white plains rye brook Dr Susan Friedman 914-934-2000
(914) 934-2000 Call for a Complimentary Pain Relief Qualifying Screening to find out if you qualify for chiropractic treatment to eliminate your pain. Dr. Susan Friedman offers Progressive Rehab, a combination approach for fast pain relief and long lasting results by using gentle chiropractic treatments, massage, progressive strengthening of supporting muscles to give a long lasting correction. Dr. Friedman also offer non surgical spinal disc decompression for bulging, degenerated, and herniated discs causing back pain and leg pain. Also New Breakthrough Deep Tissue Laser…A new non surgical painless laser treatment that can eliminate pain of the worst kind in minutes. http://www.westchesterspinecare.com
Duration : 0:0:58
Sciatica Back Pain Treatment Taylors Greenville Dr David Mruz Pro-Adjuster 864-292-6777
Sciatic back pain treatment Breakthrough Computerized Non Surgical Fast Pain Relief Results without the traditional cracking of the spine. Very gentle but very effective computerized treatment. Mention this video and get a FREE computerized sciatica back pain qualification assessment to determine if the Pro-adjuster will eliminate your pain. 864-292-6777 call today. http://www.eastsidechiro.com
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Duration : 0:3:27
