Archive for July, 2010

Having a pinched nerve can cause you to experience all sorts of conditions that will make you feel uncomfortable at times. A pinched nerve is usually the result of getting older and or some sort of serious condition that you had but did not know about. Sometimes you will only experience minor symptoms that you may feel you can cope with. Other times you will experience conditions that will require you to get immediate help because of the severity of the symptoms. If you get these types of symptoms you will need to get immediate medical help. Losing control of your bladder or bowel is one symptom to cite. This may be an extreme example, but it has happened and it is usually the result of not getting a condition treated properly when you could have. If you feel you may have a pinched nerve and you want some treatment for it then you need to visit ocspinaldecompression.com and see what can be done before your condition becomes to severe.

If you are curious to know if you have a pinched nerve, it is actually easy to identify the symptoms. One of the major symptoms will be the shooting pain that will shoot down one or both of your legs when you put pressure on it. When you sit down and put pressure on your lower back as well, you may also experience this pain. When this happens it is going to be extremely uncomfortable for you. Sudden movements and pressure in these areas will further aggravate the condition. With the access to right professionals who can provide immediate relief from severe pain, physical therapy offers help in treating these condition. By simply visiting OCSpinalDecompression.com, you can learn all you need to know and if you want long-term treatment, physical therapy is all you need then.

Think for a second about all the strenuous activities you do throughout your day that can be causing you these problems or lead to you having a pinched nerve. Do you work in a job that is physically demanding? Are you doing things at home which you know you should not be? Have you done things in the past, which may have put unnecessary strain on your back? As you begin to get older and lose some of the strength you once had in these areas, this can catch up with you. A simple x ray will be able to get to the root of the problem. And this is important; because only once source is detected can you really begin any type of serious treatment like physical therapy.

Usually, older people have a higher risk of acquiring a pinched nerve and might be suffering already from a condition that they might not aware of. Loading up on various drugs is not the answer and this can sometimes cause more problems then what it is worth. The best advice to help you prevent getting a pinched nerve is do all you can to keep your lower back muscles strong, consult a physician as often as you need to, and get the proper treatment immediately if you feel you may have a pinched nerve or other type of serious problem concerning your back.

To learn more about how you can start doing this right now, you can visit OCSpinalDecompression.com.

Visiting Dr. Ken Erickson for physical therapy if you are suffering from a pinched nerve or if you feel any dangerous conditions like a bulging disc or herniated disc can help you out. Click www.OCSpinalDecompression.com to get started in getting help. Also published at Having A Pinched Nerve: This May Lead To Symptoms Which Will Need Prompt Medical Treatment.

Information Regarding A Herniated Disc And Associated Treatments

Suffering from a herniated disc can cause leg pain, back pain, and even weakness in the extremities. For some people the condition can be very painful. In very severe cases, it can even affect how an individual is able to live their life on a daily basis.

In a healthy spine, the bones are given cushion by soft discs. These discs help to keep your spine moving properly and absorb any shock. However, if a disc is damaged, it can bulge out from the spine or even break apart. When this happens, it is considered to be a herniated disc. It is also known as a ruptured or slipping disc.

This is fairly popular in people who are aging, because discs become less lubricated as we grow older. However, this can also happen due to injury that may have occurred to the spine. It is common to gain herniated discs after receiving a severe back injury. However, if the disc itself is not pressing on one of the nerves in your spine, you may actually not even feel any pain from the disc itself.

If the disc is pressing on a nerve, it can be the cause of numbness or pain. It is the common cause of other ailments, such as sciatica. If you are experiencing pain, tingling, or any sort of numbness around the back or legs, this can be caused by the disc as well. It is best to get examined to find out what the severity of your condition is and receive proper treatment for it.

People often think that when they are suffering with this condition, the best option is to rest. This actually causes more harm than good. Resting should happen shortly only if there is a lot of pain being experienced by the individual. Too much rest can cause the muscles to weaken, which is why it is recommended that individuals stay active, even doing activities such as walking.

Pain that is typically associated with the condition can be treated in a variety of ways. Ice packs and heating pads can be useful in relieving some of the pain. These can be used for fifteen minutes during intervals of a couple of hours. If there is a problem with swelling, medication may be prescribed.

Herniated discs cannot necessarily be prevented, but there are precautions that you can take to keep your discs in healthy condition. Try your best to keep proper posture and lift objects safely. Exercising regularly and keeping yourself at a good weight is also recommended to take strain off of your back.

Over time, a herniated disc can heal itself. It can take around one to six months. If it does not heal, surgery can become an option. Usually it isn’t a requirement in most cases. You should discuss your personal condition with your doctor to find out what will be the best decision for you.

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The Relationship Between Alzheimer’s And Dementia

When discussing the health of seniors, few discussions get very far before Alzheimer’s and dementia are mentioned. While they are commonly discussed it is not always clear what the relationship between dementia and Alzheimer’s really is. Below is a discussion of dementia and how it relates to Alzheimer’s as well as some information of other form’s of non-Alzheimer’s disease summarized from the 2010 report on Alzheimer’s from the respected Alzheimer’s Association.

Sometimes you will hear people discussing the health of a particular senior and they may ask if the person has dementia or Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s has gotten so much attention over the years that for many it is a distinct disease from dementia but the fact is that Alzheimer’s is simple a form of dementia. It is also the most common form of dementia representing between 60 and 80 percent of all cases. It differs from other forms of dementia in the way it attacks the brain. Damage results from the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein fragments in the brain that results in neuron destruction. Twisted protein strands of a protein known as tau are also part of the signature of this devastating disease.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia accounting for between 60 and 80% of all cases. It affects the region of the brain responsible for making new memories and so Alzheimer’s patients begin to show symptoms by having a reduced capacity to remember new information. Some of the warning signs of Alzheimer’s include the following;

* Misplacing items and increased disability in retracing steps * Reduced capacity in planning and solving problems * Confusion with time or place * Increase difficulty with familiar tasks of home or work * Withdrawal from work or social activities * Loss of memory severe enough to disrupt daily life * Development of problems with speaking or writing words * Confusion regarding spatial relationships and visual images * Poor judgement * Mood or personality changes become noticeable

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia causing between 60 and 80% of all cases but it is not the only form of the disease. The next most common form is vascular dementia. In this case, damage to the brain comes from arterial blockages that reduce blood flow inside the brain. Usually this damage is the result of a series of small strokes. While many of the symptoms of vascular dementia are similar to Alzheimer’s, memory loss is typically not as severe as is commonly seen in Alzheimer’s.

Mixed dementia is recognized as a much more common form of dementia being the third most common. It is characterized as having symptoms and damage from both Alzheimer’s and vascular disease. But it can also be caused by other less common forms of brain damage like Lewy bodies which is caused by deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein inside brain nerve cells.

There are many more underling causes of dementia that we can discuss but these other forms are increasing rare and we have discussed the most important and common aspects of the disease. The take aways here are that Alzheimer’s is simply a form of dementia, not a separate disease. And since it is far and away the most common form, it is the most important to understand.

If you have a loved one in your life that is in need of assisted living, we can help. Caring Senior Placement can help you find the perfect place for your senior to live. Find out more at www.caringseniorplacement.com.