Thursday, February 14, 2008

What Causes Tinnitus?

What Causes Tinnitus?

There may be times that you would hear an unusual ringing in your ears- beware you might be experiencing tinnitus. Tinnitus is a sensation in the ear, which constitutes a feeling of fullness of the ear. You can also feel some sort of pressure in it. The loud ringing within you is also dominant feeling and it is mostly a very long and sustained sound. It could last for just a few seconds but the loud ringing sound is very disturbing. And if you have Meniere's disease and tinnitus strikes it would last for a longer period.

Tinnitus is an ear problem. Most ear problems can be caused of a number of factors of which the most common one is the infection inside the ears. The infection could manifest itself in different ways and can affect specific parts of the ear. Ear infections are usually due to poor hygiene.

Wax build-up in the ears causes ear infection too. When those ear fluids come in contact with dirt, wax forms. If the ear is not cleaned regularly, wax can buildup to the extent it causes major problems.

Foreign objects in the ear canal can definitely pose some health risks. Anything, no matter how small, that finds its way inside the ear would pose to be a problem. It would also cause multiple ear infections when not attended immediately.

Tumors growing inside the ear would cause some hearing loss. Tumors are abnormal growths and tumors may either malignant or benign. Once you experience some abnormality in your hearing, consult your physician at once.

Injuries may cause ear problems as well. Physical injuries, even if not directed to the ears may cause some serious problems. If some parts of your head may be damaged, it may cause some hearing problems even if the damage is far away from your ear.

To take care of your ears and be free from tinnitus, do not expose yourself to too much noise. Loud music would gradually cause hearing problems and try not to use headphone much if possible. When the first signs of problems in the ears are observed, check with your doctor right away.

Jason Rickard

Hyperacusis And Social Issues

Hyperacusis And Social Issues

Hyperacusis is a condition where one develops an abnormal sensitivity to everyday sounds and noises. They may also be sensitivity to high pitched sounds. It is a chronic condition which is associated with tinnitus or ringing sounds in the ear. Young and old, who have both normal hearing and a hearing loss may suffer from hyperacusis.

It is a condition that develops in one slowly, maybe due to head injuries. Some research has also proven that some brain chemistry dysfunction resulting from poor intake of some chemicals leads to hyperacusis. Sometimes job related noise exposure, drugs or surgeries of the brain, ear and any other related surgery may lead to hyperacusis.

A person suffering from hyperacusis usually experiences inner ear pain or a feeling of fullness, like pressure, in the ears. This is the reason such people have a low threshold to sound, and find it difficult to take part in much social activities. They may in fact, consider themselves socially unfit, by not being able to withstand the sounds that are associated with social activities.

Hyperacusis sufferers usually end up with tinnitus (ringing sounds in the ears). Sometimes they may also find it difficult to sleep because of the stress level they suffer from. Another cause of hyperacusis is Phonophobia. Phonophobia is a condition where the person develops a fear of being exposed to some sounds, thinking that the sounds will damage their ear.

The best way of diagnosing hyperacusis is through hearing tests that detect sound sensitivity. Otolaryngologists, who are ear, nose and throat physicians, are also well versed in making a medical evaluation of hyperacusis.

The best treatment is through in-depth discussion of the tests performed to diagnose hyperacusis, explanation of the anatomy and physiology of hearing mechanism and how it is associated with hyperacusis helps control hyperacusis. This therapy focuses in educating the patient on hyperacusis, and to relieve their fears and concerns about it. Some patients may be advised Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), which is a habituation-oriented therapy.

With TRT, the patient's reactions to hyperacusis are reduced by using sound therapy. With the help of sound therapy, the patient's sensitivity to sounds is decreased, to help them view sound more positively. TRT is usually a combination of counseling and sound therapy where the patient is exposed to low-level sound for a few hours everyday.

Then there are alternative treatments where people are advised to take minerals like magnesium, zinc or herbal preparations like Ginkgo biloba, B vitamins or homeopathic remedies to help cure hyperacusis. Treatment varies with the patient, and the physician.

Jason Rickard

Vertigo: A Symptom Leading To Miniere's Disease

Vertigo: A Symptom Leading To Miniere's Disease

Vertigo is the feeling of whirling or spiraling that takes place as a result of a disorder to a person's balance. Subjective vertigo happens when a person feels dizzy from within while Objective vertigo is when the person feels that the things around him move.

Vertigo is, in fact, a symptom, it is not a disease on its own. It is a disorder in the vestibular system. The vestibular system is responsible for joining together the stimuli of the senses and a person's movements and it is also responsible in keeping the object in imagery focus, even if the rest of the body part is moving.

Vertigo can be one of the symptoms of Meniere's disease. Patients with this disease exhibit hearing loss and feels pressure in their ears. They also suffer from tinnitus, a state of severe imbalance. Vertigo is the most dramatic and the most disruptive symptom of Meniere's disease. When vertigo attacks, the patient should immediately head to see his doctor for treatment as it usually hits in succession within a short period of time.

If you experience a vertigo attack, you would suddenly feel wobbly and perceive all the things around you are spinning. Your eyes can also beat from side to side. You will also feel nauseous and sweaty. It would feel as if you are riding a real shaky ship amidst a hurricane for hours.

Meniere's disease binds vertigo to the definite hearing loss of a person. Although research shows an average of 0.01% to 0.07% people attains this disease. People above 40 are more prone to it. For people younger than that, cases are considered rare. It is also true with children.

If you have vertigo, chances are, you have contracted Meniere's disease. You should not waste any time and head for treatment immediately. Vertigo is one symptom that should never be taken for granted. Once it strikes, take a quick rest and immediately set and appointment with your physician.

If vertigo does lead to Meniere's disease, don't fret. Mineare's disease can be easily cured. Just heed your doctor's advice and recovery would be quick and easy.

Jason Rickard

Understanding The Symptoms Of Vertigo

Understanding The Symptoms Of Vertigo

Have you been a little lightheaded lately? If you happen to set your eyes on an object and you see it spinning, then your dizziness may lead to something serious. If your wooziness is coupled with a whirling sensation, chances are you may be experiencing vertigo. Vertigo is a medical term for dizziness that can lead to a balance disorder.

Vertigo is also known as "hallucination of motion". Individuals having this ailment begin to see blurred motions of stationary objects. It has almost the exact feeling of being in an unstoppable merry-go-round.

It may be left untreated many times, but vertigo is actually one of the most widespread medical problems among adults. In United States alone, around 40% of individuals experience the symptoms of vertigo at least once. This fact is so reported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Studies show that vertigo is more common in women than in men and as a person grows older, he or she may experience more frequent attacks of vertigo.

Vertigo is usually associated inner ear infection, which is also referred to as labyrinthitis. Fluid-filled canals or labyrinths have very small hair cells that are responsible for sending impulses to the human brain. The brain then identifies the individual's correct body orientation. Once the small organs in the labyrinths gets irritated, then these cells may send incorrect messages to your brain. When this happens, you would feel a sudden drowsiness. Since the ear is responsible for the body's balance, once your ears are malfunctioning you may often observe yourself getting dizzy and out of balance.

Vertigo can also be caused by balance disorders and inflamed vestibular nerves. If you are physically injured in a part of your ear, chances are you would suffer from vertigo as well. It is important to take not that vertigo is not a disease in itself. It may be a symptom to a more complicated illness like tumor and stroke.

At the first signs of vertigo, immediately consult your doctor for proper advice. The common treatment for vertigo is meclizine. The symptoms of vertigo usually go away on its own but comes back after a few weeks or so. If you experience any signs of vertigo, never tell yourself that's it's just a simple headache and would soon go away. As passé as it may sound, prevention is always better than cure.

Jason Rickard

Understanding Vertigo

Understanding Vertigo

Vertigo is a condition where you experience dizziness with a change in the normal environment. Sometimes feeling a movement in space too is a sign of vertigo. However, it is not the case that all types of dizziness is vertigo; but certainly all vertigo is dizziness.

The true form of vertigo is a severe form of dizziness that results in movement hallucination. Such people suffer from a peripheral vestibular disorder like benign positional vertigo. These conditions in turn lead to tinnitus and hearing loss. With vertigo, you get the impression that you and your surroundings seem to move and you may experience some vomiting, tilting, and a feeling of falling through space. Some cases also lead to eyes jerking back and forth uncontrollably. It commonly lasts for periods ranging from a few days to a few weeks and though these symptoms generally improve, they may persist for a few weeks to a few months.

There are many causes for vertigo, the most common one being the Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo (BPPV). This is a disorder of the inner ear, whose cause is not exactly known. However, it is usually an upper respiratory tract infection or a blow to the head that seems to be responsible for it. This is because it leads to a dislodgement of crystalline structures in the ear's balance detectors. This form of vertigo is most prevalent, especially when the head moves up and down, or when turning in bed. These attacks generally last 30 to 60 seconds and its occurrence can be reduced by avoiding positions which bring on vertigo.

Vertigo is also caused through labyrinthitis. This is a condition of the inner ear, which is associated with inflammation, maybe nerve deterioration, an upper respiratory infection or may occur independently of other situations. A symptom of various central nervous system disorders like multiple sclerosis, neck injuries, epilepsy, some forms of migraine, cerebellar and brain stem tumors and acoustic neuroma can be vertigo.

There is no common treatment for vertigo. Your physician has to do a complete medical evaluation to find out the true cause, and correspondingly advise the right solution. If some medication is found to cause your condition, lowering the dosage or discontinuing it can eliminate it all together. Some doctors also advise Vestibular rehabilitation therapy, which is the most popular physical therapy used for the treatment of vertigo. Here, dizziness is minimized, balance improved and falls prevented by restoring the normal function of the vestibular system through exercises that make the brain adapt, and compensate the cause of vertigo. Some types of vertigo are also treated through medication while multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular disease, and tumors may need medication, radiation or surgery.

Jason Rickard

Understanding Back Pain Treatments

Understanding Back Pain Treatments

To understand your back pain is the best method of its treatment. If you commence taking over the counter medications, the pain may instantly stop, only to re-emerge with double vigor. Any medicine does two things, either it delivers the goods. Or it damages the goods. Either positive effects or negative side effects! Back pain treatments have to be understood in this context.

Taking unrecorded painkillers have done enough damage to back pain sufferers. It is therefore better for you to visit a pain management clinic that understands the root cause of the pain, and then commences a treatment that is suitable in your case. It is reported that over 60 % of the people who opted for the treatment at pain management clinics, regularly for a period of one year, have experienced substantial decrease in the level of suffering.

The main advantage of taking treatment in the pain management clinic is that a group of specialists take care of your problem. These health care providers normally include, apart from your family physician, psychologist, physical medicine specialist, neurologist, anesthesiologist and most importantly the physical therapist.

Pain clinics also offer non-drug therapies like physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, breathing exercises, TENS (Transcutaneoius Electrical Nerve Stimulation), self-hypnosis, biofeedback, hot and cold therapy.

Pain medications that directly and instantly relieve you of back pain include steroids to reduce inflammation, muscle relaxants and tension reducing medications. But before deciding about the clinic, examine its creditability. That is, whether it has the Certification by the American Academy of Pain Management.

By way of additional verification, please see whether the clinic holds the certification by the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine.

Along with the medication, physical exercises and stretches go a long way in permanently getting you rid of the pain problem. The recurring back pain problem may adversely affect your day to day activities. It has a direct bearing on your working efficiency, with pain anywhere in the body, you can not concentrate.

If you take treatment on the lines indicated above, most probably you will be relieved of your back pain problem permanently. If these treatments, including physical exercises do not work, surgery is the only alternative. Surgery is again, a risky proposition. But why surgery is necessary depends upon the consensus arrived at by your personal physician in consultation with other specialists.

Javier Fuller

What Is The Right Medication For Your Back Pain?

What Is The Right Medication For Your Back Pain?

Back pain medicine is a misnomer. But if you say that back pain medicine is a part of the overall back pain treatment, the statement is quite correct. The main problem with back pain medicine is the diagnosis of the back pain. You have only one back, the nomenclature of pains are many. Any wrong treatment could result in damaging consequences.

The investigations part is the first; the medicine part will follow it. This is true in all types of diseases. But in case of back pain treatment, its importance is more. This is for the most vital parts of the human system are involved in the mess of the back pain. Spine for example! Any wrong treatment which will cause damage to the spine, is inviting overall disaster for the body. Nerve centers near the brain which is another very sensitive part!

There is nothing lacking in the investigation part of the back pain saga! You can have the strength and intensity of your back pain, with tests like physiologic assessment, electro diagnostic assessments like needle electromyography and nerve conduction studies. The results of these tests provide guidelines for the course of further treatment and the extent of injury that causes the recurring back pain.

Initially, rest was considered as the best medicine for back pain. But in reality bed rest is not the cure. It is the cause of the malady. Several studies have shown that this bed rest therapy is the root cause of aggravating the pack pain. Rest even in reclined position increase the intra-disc pressures and in theory worsen the pain.

What is required is activity modification. The patient should be allowed and encouraged to do the normal activities and practice the art of conducting such activities, bearing the pain aspect in the mind.

Your activities should not be controlled by the pain factor. Rather, you should practice the art of living and work with the pain. When the various parts of your body realize that they can not escape their responsibilities, they will know how to cope up with the responsibilities. This is the real back pain medication!

There are a number of Physical Therapy Modalities of which the back pain is most afraid of. This is the area of decisive battle. Either you win or your back pain wins. Mostly you win!

Cold packs and massages, superficial heat (hydrocolloid packs), ultrasound (deep heat) are good for relieving the back pain even in the acute stage. These treatments need to be given under expert supervision only.

Javier Fuller

Learn Right Back Pain Exercises

Learn Right Back Pain Exercises

Utter the word 'back pain' and almost everyone in the crowd will wince and appear familiar with the symptoms of this ailment. This is simply because back pain is one very common problem today. The official estimates worldwide show that back pain afflicts at least 2.5 million adults everyday. That is, at some time or other in their lives people have been victims of back pain in its acute form or in its mild form.

Back pain is usually felt in the region of the lower back and therefore to alleviate the pain the best answer is to concentrate on the region of the spine in that location.

For the rehabilitation of people who are chronic sufferers of back pain, the answer lies in exercise to rehabilitate the spinal area in the location of the lower back. A proper exercise regimen can also prevent the recurrence of back pain and thus make the victim feel free of the many physical and psychiatric developments that result from back pain.

But then, the regimen of exercise comes with a note of caution. A haphazard set of exercises done in any odd and whimsical manner is more harmful for the sufferer. Since this exercise system is not an act of body building or muscle toning but is meant to be a way to alleviate, prevent and even cure the problem of back pain, the pattern of exercising has to be done with its ultimate aim in mind.

This is possible only when the victim of back pain adopts a controlled, gradual, and progressive system of exercising, preferably according to the advice of the doctor, so that the back pain problem is solved satisfactorily.

Just why exercise has such a profound effect on back pain is easily understood if we examine the benefits of exercising for getting rid of the problem of back pain. It is a well-known fact that exercise creates movement and movement distributes the nutrients in to the disc space between the bones of the lower spine. Thus, to keep discs, muscles, ligaments and joints healthy, exercise is the best answer.

The advantages gained from exercising is best understood by back pain sufferers because the moment they become lax about their exercise routine, the irritating symptoms of a forthcoming episode of back pain come into focus. There are joint pains, stiffness in the region of the lower back and even a feeling of weakness and de-conditioning. The moment the exercise system is put back into the place these problems, related in and around back pain, just disappear magically.

The types of exercises best suited for victims of back pain are stretching exercises. In combination with stretching exercise for back pain one can also do strengthening exercises, and enjoy the obvious benefits. Of course the best way to exercise for back pain sufferers is to do low impact exercises. These include cycling, walking, swimming, and water therapy.

While these exercises are for the more common forms of back pain, one must also be on the alert if the symptoms of back pain show no signs of decreasing when regular exercising has done no visible improvement for back pain. If back pain persists to the same degree for more than three weeks after a sincere and meticulous round of exercising, it is time to consult the doctor. After all, it is better to be safe than to be sorry later.

Javier Fuller

When Nothing Seems To Work—Try The Opposite!

When Nothing Seems To Work—Try The Opposite!

From working with back pain sufferers my entire adult life, I've learned that when people are suffering, they will go to great lengths to find relief. Unfortunately, too many people are given very useful but incomplete information about what to do in order to get relief and regain control of their lives.

I also know that people who are suffering can develop feelings of fear, anger, betrayal, and even hopelessness when their treatments don't deliver as promised. The trust they once had with their health care provider starts to diminish, and they don't know where to turn. Here is an e-mail I got from a young girl that illustrates my point:

I've tried every homeopathic remedy and every remedy with all these anecdotal positive results. I will never again be duped. I'm sorry, but I am jaded with this type of thing. I'm not spending a dime on anything with promises. Mostly they are false.

It is my belief that if our health care providers helped to educate us a little more, we consumers would have a better chance of understanding our condition, and we could make better decisions about what is best for us.

A must-read book

To help you look at your back pain from a different angle, I want to tell you about the best book I have ever read. It's called "Think Inside the Box," by David Deutsch. Actually, I recommend that you listen to the audio CDs to get the full impact of how he learned to think in new ways and how he can teach you to do the same. The book is primarily about thinking creatively, but all the lessons can be carried over into your everyday life.

One of the most fascinating topics he presents is called "doing the opposite." I know the concept is as old as man, but what I'm about to tell you is so simple that you are going to have to try it for yourself.

Stop doing what people tell you

Let me give you two examples of what I'm talking about. There is a good chance that you have read an article about trying yoga or Pilates as a way of keeping your back healthy. Well, yoga may be just fine for someone who doesn't have a back condition. But here is what you must know.

No matter what condition you are suffering from, your back pain is a physical problem that was created by imbalances in your body. Therefore, it will require a physical solution—that's what rehabilitation is all about. Unfortunately, it is often the case that what is taught or done in your rehab does not work toward bringing your body back to a more balanced state.

Consider the yoga example: We know that yoga is a well-balanced program—and that's the problem. You need an "unbalanced" workout to get your body back into balance. With yoga, you will be strengthening all of your muscles. And if you strengthen a muscle—or a group of muscles—that is already too strong, you'll make your imbalance even greater and your condition will get worse.

The unbalanced workout has to be a very targeted action plan based on your specific imbalances. That's why you should never start an exercise program such as yoga or Pilates without first knowing where your body is out of balance.

The unbalanced workout is also referred to as "muscle-balancing therapy." It will only strengthen muscles that need to be strengthened and stretch muscles that need to be stretched. When you employ a therapy that has a very set program, it is easy to follow and results are easy to recognize.

Are you doing the same thing every day?

What you must also understand is that your imbalances are the result of what you do in your everyday life—your workouts, sitting, the activities of your job, and your own personal habits. I'm not going to tell you to stop doing what you need to do. But what if you slightly changed the way you do them, or even tried to do the opposite.

- Instead of sitting at your desk, try kneeling. I kneel at least 30 percent of the time I spend at my desk. I have a small foam pad that puts me just high enough to type.

- When I do sit, I sit on a therapy ball. And guess what? I don't sit still like my momma told me to. I move my hips in every direction, which means I'm working on my core balance all day long.

- When most people are standing in line at the store or talking to someone, they tend to stand on one leg and kick the other leg out to the side, with their hands on their hips. Instead, I try to stand at attention, with both of my feet exerting equal pressure on the floor and my hands behind me.

One more thing to try

Have you heard the phrase, "You don't know what it's like until you walk a mile in my shoes"? Well, if you're going to try that one, you're going to have to walk backwards. Yes, every morning I walk backwards for at least 20 minutes, varying the speed and the length of my steps. I've gotten so good at it that I don't even have to look back—even when someone is coming.

I know you are all going to go out and try this, so let me give you some quick tips: Start slow. Hold on to someone for support in the beginning. Walk on the edge of a path so you can use the edge as a guide. Know that the path you're walking on is smooth, like a high school track.

You're on your own

My hope is that you will read the book I recommended and learn to think a little differently. My hope is that you can change your daily activities just a bit. My hope is that you get my point that doing the same thing over and over again may not be the answer, and it may be one of the reasons you have struggled for so long.

You may not have to do the complete opposite to find the one thing that will give you relief. But whatever you do, be sure it makes sense for you and your condition.

Steve Hefferon

Back Pain At The Office

Back Pain At The Office

It's getting to be so bad that by Monday afternoon, you're already tired of being at the office. You're not even thinking as far ahead as Friday. Just getting to hump day is going to be challenge enough.

In reality, it's not the folks you work with who are getting you down—they're tolerable, mostly, although there is that one guy in accounting. Where do they find these people?

It's not even your boss, who, if he knew even half as much as you do, WOULD be a shoo-in for Executive of the Year.

No, the biggest pain in your neck is actually located a bit lower. And it's really what's making working where you do seem a lot worse than it actually is.

Face it. It's your aching back that's sucking the joy out of your nine-to-five existence and making you feel 10 years older to boot.

Sure, you've learned to tolerate the bad coffee, pointless meetings, and lame jokes in the course of your day. But you just can't tough it out when it comes to back pain, which can range from dull, nagging aches to those unexpected twinges that feel like you've been hit with a taser gun.

If it's any consolation, you're not alone. More than 31 million Americans have low back pain at any given time. The bad news about back pain is that it not only lives with you all day at the office but it also comes home with you at night. It may even dog your weekends.

How do you develop pain?

If you are experiencing back pain at the office, you may think that it is coming from all the sitting, standing, and lifting that you have to do. And, indirectly, it does. But it is actually more about how the body has to adapt to all the sitting, standing, and lifting than the activity itself. Let's take sitting as an example.

Because of the amount of time you spend sitting, your body must gradually adapt itself to that position. This happens in a number of ways. The first thing it must adapt to is how the weight goes through your hips and pelvis. Then, there is the way you sit—upright, slouching, or something in between. Most importantly, it's what happens to the muscles while you're sitting. For example, your hip flexors will get tight from being in a shortened position and your butt will get weak and flabby from being in a relaxed state.

That simple combination of tight hip flexors and weak glutes is called a "muscle imbalance." The result of these muscle imbalances will be postural dysfunctions of your pelvis and spine. These imbalances send both your spine and pelvis into abnormal positions, the combination of which can be devastating to a person with a healthy back and catastrophic for a person suffering from any form of back pain.

What can you do about it?

What you must also understand is that your imbalances are the result of what you do in your everyday life—your workouts, sitting, the activities of your job, and your own personal habits. I'm not going to tell you to stop going to work. But what if you changed the way you present yourself at your desk?

  • Instead of sitting at your desk, try kneeling. I kneel at least 30 percent of the time I spend at my desk. I have a small foam pad that puts me just high enough to type and see the monitor.
  • I sit on a therapy ball—and guess what? I don't sit still like my momma told me to. I move my hips in every direction, which means I'm working on my core balance all day long.

Action steps to take

Because you have to work and because the quality of your life depends on your career, you need to be able to make the most of your situation. Let me give you just a few tips to help you through the day:

Sitting

When I sit, I sit with my legs in all different positions—sometimes bent, sometimes behind me, other times stretched out in front or even to the side of me, keep the legs moving.

Every 10 minutes or so, I will work my body in some way—and, yes, that includes walking away from my desk. But more than that, I make it a habit to stand up when the phone rings. I also stand when I have to read something or when I'm rearranging the stack of stuff on my desk for greater productivity.

Standing

If your job requires you to stand all day long, be sure you have quality footwear and a neutral shoe insert. Our body mechanics start when our feet hit the ground. It is best if your feet are in the most neutral position possible.

One negative body pattern that many people fall into is to continually shift their weight from one foot to the other. The problem with this is that most people find eventually decide that one leg will be more comfortable than the other, and then that leg will get most of the weight most of the time. This will wreak havoc on the pelvis and spine. Better to put equal on each foot as much as you can, and learn to correct when you catch yourself shifting your weight or leaning on one leg too much.

Lifting

A third obstacle on the job can be situations where you have to lift anything over 10 pounds repeatedly. Again, it's not the activity itself that puts you in jeopardy; it's your body's inability to tolerate the stress of the weight. In other words, you should be able to lift anything you want to and not have any difficulty doing it. The problem occurs when your body is suffering from the muscle imbalances and postural dysfunctions that we talked about earlier—and you don't even know it.

So, when you lift that object and you get injured, think of it as the straw that broke the camels' back. Your body was already in a compromised state, and it just needed that last bit of stress to send you in to a painful condition.

Stress

It's an unavoidable fact of life at the office, and it can also play a role by causing your muscles to tense up, which makes you more prone to injury. Stress also lowers your tolerance for pain. In some cases, minimizing stress on the job can be a daunting task, but deep-breathing exercises, walking around the block, or even talking about your frustrations with a trusted friend can help.

In closing, I want to leave you with this message: Even though the workplace can be a hazard to your health, if you do find yourself having back pain, remember that your thoughts and your beliefs about your situation will have a direct impact on your ability to recover and how fast you recover. That's why it's critical to learn all you can about your condition and take action as soon as you can...

Steve Hefferon