Muscles and Nerves in Back Pain

Back pain has affected millions of people around the world. Back pain is caused from trauma, injuries, inappropriate bending and lifting, and disease. Back pain is common, yet some people suffering back pain for a few short months, it disappears and is never felt again. Others will feel the pain daily for the course of their lifetime. What causes back pain? First, we must consider the muscles and nerves in back pain, as well as particle muscle diseases to answer the question correctly.



The muscles are where we get our strength to move, since it exerts pressure that forces the bones to move. The muscles are the locomotive mechanisms that are constantly interrupted by the actions we take and the gravity and influence of the weight that affects us from the earth. When we perform asymmetrical actions, the muscles achieve a degree of strength from the spinal column. It supports this structure of the muscles to a degree. On the other hand, the muscles that promote movement, i.e. these systematic structures enable us to lift, pull, walk, swim, stand, etc.


During movement, the muscles will act by contracting. This means the muscles shrink, expend, tighten, and narrow, and so on. Due to the shifting the muscles start to absorb shock, which the muscles will release pressure, or tension. The muscles then control what actions we conduct. We see this when the muscles allow us to sit, walk, etc. In fact, the first thing that hits the ground when we walk is the heel, which is why we experience heel pain at some point of our lives. The bearing weight is placed on the heel, which the muscles react allowing one to drop the remaining foot to the ground, bending the knee to continue movement.



The spinal column assists the muscles in many ways. Yet, the spine is made up of neurons, or nerves, which promote our sensory and motor skills. The motor nerves emerge from the muscles activities. Specifically, these motor nerves are sponsored by the voluntary muscle activities, which promote body motion. The nerves will transmit from the brain and then the spinal cord, impulses that travel to the glands and the muscles. When we move, the action is enforced by the motor nerves.

We also have sensory nerves, which relate to sense organs and sensation. We use sensory nerves to heighten our awareness and to transmit communication to the joints.



The sensory nerves continue sending the messages down to the muscles. Once the message reaches the muscle it travels to the organs and blood vessels, and continues to the skin and finally reaches the cranium. In short, we get our feelings and senses from these nerve signals.



Motor impulses and sensory messages combine to alert the motor unit. The motor unit is made up of fibers that compose the nerves and muscles. The motor unit is also the motor neuron that acts on muscle fibers and nerve fibers.



Back pain includes muscle spasms, which start when one of these fibers cannot act with the other fiber. What happens is the muscles undertake involuntary actions, such as usual tighten of muscle contractions. If the contractions are restrained further, thus it can cause extreme weakness and/or paralysis. Now, if the muscles and fibers are not working correctly, i.e. the muscles are not producing enough contraction, or the muscles are producing too many contractions, thus it causes back pain.



Damage can occur when the muscles are not contracting with the muscle and nerve fibers. To learn more consider over stimulating spasms, nerve fibers, tendons, and ligaments.

Methods for Treating Common Back Pain

If your back pain does not require medical attention, i.e. if you feel you over exerted the muscles you can perform a few actions at home to, perhaps relieve your pain. The common treatments include bed rest, pain remedies, cold or hot pads, massage, relax, and so on.


Sometimes when we pull the muscles pain relievers can help reduce the pain. Common over-the-counter meds include ibuprofen, aspirin, or meds with acetaminophen included. You should avoid taking ibuprofen and aspirin combined to treat common back pain. In addition, if you have asthma, allergies, or polyps, leave ibuprofen and aspirin alone.



Cold packs work well, yet if you have conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or related symptoms you should avoid using cold packs. Cold packs can reduce back pain otherwise if you allow the packs to remain on your back long enough to reduce muscle spasms, pain, or inflammation. Leave the cold pack on the area where your pain is for at least twenty minutes.


Later you can apply hot packs to the area. Avoid placing hot packs over areas where scar tissue is present. In addition, if you have poor circulation, avoid placing hot packs in this area as well. Leave the hot packs on your back for at least twenty minutes as well. Do not use heating pads, since experts believe that the pads are unsafe. You can take a hot, steamy bath or shower, or purchase hydrocollators and place it on the area. You can find hydrocollators at pharmacy, or areas where medical equipment, meds, etc, are sold.



If you muscles are tight, you may benefit from a massage. If someone you know is willing to give you a massage, ask him or her to rub the area gently. Otherwise, you may find local massage therapists in your area, which offer affordable treatment. If the massage increases your pain, ask the person to stop. You may need medical treatment. You should avoid massages if you have fallen and injured your back, or if you were recently in an accident. Seek medical help first.



You can also relax the back if your muscles are tense. Relaxation promotes wellness, since the muscles can rest from over-exertion.


To avoid complicating common back pains you should move around at least 20 minutes each day. Throughout the day we sit, lie on the back, stand, walk, etc, which all applies gravity pressure to the spine. We can learn proper sitting strategies to avoid complicating common back pain.



When sitting you can roll a towel up and situate it at the lower back and on your chair. This will provide the lumbar support. If you have, certain conditions however avoid using such support. Conditions such as spine stenosis or spondylolisthesis can become irritated if you use back supports in such a way.






At what time you sit, try to use a chair that has armrests so that you can use the rests to lower your self in position. Avoid placing the legs directly “in front of you,” and do not bend when you lift your self from the chair. Avoid twisting when rising from a seated position as well.

To minimize back pain you should avoid sitting for long hours. Walk around in intervals if you have a job that requires you to sit for long hours. At what time you sit, try to position your knees so that they are somewhat above the hips.

Common back stress can be reduced, yet if you try remedies at home or at work and the remedies fail, you may need to seek medical advice.

Macrobiotic Diet Helps Balance Your Diet and Your Life

Macrobiotics devotees believe that food, and food quality, affects our lives more than is commonly thought. It is thought to affect our health, well being and happiness. They focus on moving away from processed foods, and moving toward more natural and more traditional methods of food preparation. They claim it is better to choose food that is less processed, more natural, use more traditional methods of food preparation for themselves and their family.

Macrobiotics emphasize locally-grown, organically-grown whole grain cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruit, seaweed and fermented soy products, combined into meals according to the principle of balance between yin and yang properties, rather than scientific dietary guidelines. Macrobiotic diets follow the idea of Yin and Yang. Cereals, fruit, beans, nuts and vegetables, and rice make up the main part of the diet and are considered neutral and are naturally balanced in terms of Yin and Yang. Foods which are either extremely Yin in nature or extremely Yang in nature are eaten very rarely if at all. Very Yin products include coffee, tropical fruit, sugar, soft dairy products, vegetables, alcohol and honey. Very Yang products include poultry, meat, firm dairy products like hard cheeses, and eggs.

The macrobiotic diet is high in natural, unprocessed foods, complex carbohydrates, and vegetables. It is low in saturated fats, whilst providing the essential fats. Food should be organically grown and eaten fresh. The Macrobiotic lifestyle also governs how food should be prepared. No microwave should be used - rice must be cooked in a pressure cooker. Food should be eaten and chewed slowly, in a relaxed manner.

Low-fat high-fiber diets are also believed to play a role in preventing some types of cancer. And the macrobiotic emphasis on fresh, non-processed foods may be beneficial to those dealing with certain food allergies and chemical sensitivities. Followers assert that the balance and harmony of the macrobiotic diet and lifestyle create the best possible conditions for health. They claim that the diet yields many positive health effects, including a general sense of well-being, and some studies actually show that people on the diet have a decreased risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer.