Being a very unpredictable disease, epilepsy frequently rules the lives of those attacked by it. The solitary way to maintain control over symptoms is by using assorted combinations of anti-convulsive drugs and developing a well-balanced style of living that keeps excesses of all kinds away.
Mysoline, is an anti-convulsive drug that stops seizures triggered by epilepsy. This form of long-term treatment can be taken for an indefinite period of time. However long you keep taking it, be absolutely sure a close contact with your doctor is maintained for a professional monitoring of your condition.
Treatment Specifics
This medication should be administered as suspension or capsules, and quantity depends on the intensity of the problem, body weight and age. If you choose Mysoline in liquid form, keep it in a dark location and vigorously shake the bottle prior to every usage to ascertain you get the accurate amount.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. If it is within 1 hour of your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Warnings
The only health circumstance that is totally mismated is porphyria, an inherited metabolic disorder.
At the conclusion of treatment, never discontinue taking this medication abruptly, as this may contribute to stronger seizures than you’ve experienced previously. Withdrawal must be a gradual process.
Taking into consideration the fact that this drug is, for the most part, administered for an eminently
long period of time, intermittent blood tests are imperative to maintain an accurate view of your health condition, and to inhibit any possible system decline in quality.
Beware of drug interactions
Prior to beginning any new drug therapy, make sure it doesn’t interject with this medication.Or you risk to jeopardise the effectiveness of either. Medications that are susceptible to Mysoline incumbrance include: estrogen based oral contraceptives, certain antibiotics, blood-thinning drugs, anti-depressants and steroidal drugs
On that account, try to abstain from all alcoholic drinks while using this medication. In order to circumvent possible unwanted side effects, it is important to inform your health care provider on the use of this drug.
There are an abundance of other drugs that can be safely mixed with Mysoline without triggering any negative effects. Your doctor is the most qualified person to talk to when needing to interpret other assorted health troubles that inevitably appear.
Use this medication exactly as prescribed. Do not change from one manufacturer’s product to another without consulting your doctor.
Continue taking Mysoline even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
Mysoline gives you the effectiveness of phenobarbital plus additional protection. A patient whose seizures have not been controlled by phenobarbital may have better results from Mysoline.
study in children-which also included Depakote (valproate)-focused on the rate of side effects. Only 8% of the children who were given Mysoline had to stop taking it because of side effects. Phenobarbital, which can be an excellent medication, often is avoided in children because of the possibility of mental slowing. By using Mysoline alone, children can enjoy many of the same benefits while avoiding this problem because the amount of phenobarbital produced by breaking down the Mysoline is low.
It is important to remember that no single combination of antiepileptic medications is perfect for everyone. Sometimes, a series of combinations must be tried before finding what is best for the individual patient.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a common but poorly understood illness that can cause a wide range of symptoms. CFS is widespread in the United States. Although it can occur at any age, it usually hits between the ages of 20-40. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome mainly affects women but can affect men as well. It can come and go and ranges in severity of symptoms. Depending on the symptoms, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can make living a normal life very difficult.
There are a wide range of symptoms one can have when they suffer from CFS. The most common symptom and hallmark of this illness is severe, disabling fatigue and exhaustion. This symptomm is one of many that can occur with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Other common symptoms often found in CFS suffers are: all over weakness, sleep disorders, aching muscles and joints, loss of appetite, headaches, swollen lymph nodes in neck or armpits, sore throats, mild fever, intestinal problems, anxiety, depression and mental confusion.
No one knows the exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome but it commonly shows up after a viral illness. There are common theories as to the cause of CFS including; prior contraction of Epstein-Barr Virus. Other experts believe that CFS is related to a problem with immune function in one’s system. Blood pressure, chemical sensitivities and other theories are also being studied.
In Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, there are many variables that can contribute to the severity of symptoms one experiences. Some sufferers are laid up in bed for weeks at a time, some just a few days and then there are some who lead their normal lifestyle. However difficult or cumbersome your symptoms are it is important to remember that there are steps you can take to improve your symptoms.
The important factor for CFS sufferers to focus on is to remember that there is good treatment to relieve fatigue and suffering. There are many natural treatments and supplements you can take to increase energy, decrease pain, reduce anxiety and depression. There is hope.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers find great relief when implementing a natural treatment plan that incorporates a detoxification, rejuvenation, and maintenance system. These three components work together to build an environment where your body can heal itself. You can relieve the exhaustion and pain associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a mysterious illness but there is good help out there to help you cope with your condition. Research the treatment options available to you and start experiencing life with much more energy and less pain.
Copyright (c) 2007 Hailey Harris
One of the myths of the health and fitness industry is that of chronic tendinitis. From runners with bad knees and hips to tennis players with bad elbows or baseball pitchers with elbow and shoulder pain, the diagnosis is often tendinitis. But with an incorrect definition of the problem, treatments may be ineffective at best or even counterproductive at worst.
In reality, there is really no such thing as chronic tendinitis. Once a tendon is injured, the inflammation rapidly builds up as the body attempts to isolate the injury and prevent any further use or damage to the joint. This, of course, is tendinitis, as the joint swells and becomes inflamed, tender to the touch, and painful for the athlete to keep using.
But this kind of tendinitis caused by a blunt force trauma injury is not as common as the type of pain that most active people may experience throughout their lives. Much more common than twisting an ankle or falling from a ladder onto one’s back is the repetitive stresses that lead to chronic pain in a joint. This may be from years of running leading to a chronically sore knee or the dreaded “tennis elbow.”
In these cases, where the pain lasts for longer than a day or two, the issue is usually not tendinitis — an inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the joint. Instead, the issue is probably tendinosis — an actual structural change in the soft tissues as a consequence of the demands placed on it. If someone spends hours a day hunched over a computer with a strained neck and a rounded lower back, it is not inflammation that is the problem; it is that the tendons are starting to change in response to that demand of sitting all day.
Furthermore, the treatments for tendinitis and tendinosis will be very different. Inflammation of the joint may respond well to anti-inflammatory medication, ice, and elevation. These treatments are used for the sole purpose of reducing the inflammatory response, reducing circulation to that area of the body, and giving the joint time to rest and repair itself.
But for tendinosis, there is usually no problem with inflammation at the area of pain. Instead of helping the joint repair, use of anti-inflammatory medicines may actually weaken the tendons and soft tissues of the joint, as well as contribute to further changes in the joint’s structure. This will cause healing to take longer as the result of treating the problem with the wrong solution.
A more useful approach to helping reduce the pain of tendinosis is to begin to reeducate the joint and soft tissues through a combination of treatments. Foam rolling, massage therapy, or spinal decompression (for spinal issues) can help break down and stretch tissue. In addition, stretching to relax and reeducate a group of muscles and tendons can also help reduce pain, increase range of motion through a joint, and prevent future overuse injuries.
It is also important to reeducate the joint by practicing proper movement patters. Fixing one’s running form, or practicing weight lifting movements in the proper manner with lighter weights and then progressing to heavier ones only once the form is excellent, can go a long way towards preventing tendinosis. Once a joint is no longer painful, it is important to fix any errors in movement patterns and address the causes that lead to the chronic pain.
It is important for everyone — both active and sedentary — to realize the difference between chronic painful tendinosis and local pain caused by tendinitis. Chronic pain in a joint that lasts longer than a few days and has no discernible cause like spraining an ankle or being struck by something is more likely to be a problem with the structure of the joint itself changing, and the treatment will be very different than resting and icing a twisted ankle.
If you are suffering from Low Back Pain and it is believed to be of muscular origin, I would suggest the diagnosis is good news. Low Back Pain caused by trauma to the localised muscles in the region can be treated just as simply as any other muscular injury:
1) Relative Rest:
For the first day or two there is no harm in giving your back a little rest. By rest, I mean avoid aggravating it. This will vary from person to person, depending upon the severity of the pain.
Some people are able to be quite active and not aggravate their pain at all, as it is only when they become reasonable strenuous their pain increases. Under theses circumstance, although proceeding with caution, I would encourage them to be reasonably active.
On the other hand, some people will be almost confined to bed! Now without doubt the days are long gone whereby health professionals would advise people to spend days on end in bed (well hopefully anyway!) However, there is a time and a place for complete rest. If your pain is that bad you feel even the simplest of movements causes intense pain, your back is crying out for some rest and if this means in bed, then so be it.
However, even when in bed I would suggest you still move about every now and then if possible. Ideally I would suggest you move every 20 minutes or so, even if this is simply to change position or move slightly to one side and then back again.
How long can I stay in bed for?
As I have mentioned above opting for bed rest, although under extreme conditions is acceptable, it is still a last resort. I would suggest you stay in bed for no longer than 36-48 hours. By this time, especially if you are taking appropriate medication as well, you should find you pain is beginning to settle down and therefore you are able to become more and more active. If this is the case, complete bed rest is no longer needed.
However, if you find that after this period of time your pain is no better at all, it is definitely time to call a health professional. I am not implying there is anything to be concerned about, but nevertheless, the pain should be settling down by now and if it is not, it needs to be assessed professionally.
2) Exercise
Following relative rest, you should then begin to integrate an appropriate exercise programme. Initially, simply being active is more than enough exercise. However, as the pain begins to settle further, you would need to embark upon an appropriate exercise programme to address the cause of your back pain and also any scar tissue which may be present as a result of the muscular strain or tear.
With regards to appropriate exercises to address the cause of the problem, this may involve either stretching or strengthening exercises or a combination of the two. If the muscle which was strained was particularly tight, then it will need to be stretched out. However, the same, or other muscles, may also be weak. If this is the case, they may be trying to take on a workload which is too much for them, once again resulting in a strain. In these circumstances, the muscles concerned will need to be strengthened.
Finally, there is obviously a combination of the two, where some muscles may be tight, yet others maybe weak. Under these circumstances a combined exercise programme of stretching and strengthening is indicated.
If I may just add one thing before I finish and that is the diagnosis of a muscular strain is very commonly over diagnosed. As I mentioned at the top of this article, if it is a muscular strain you are suffering with, a fairly rapid 100% recovery should result, providing the appropriate action is taken.
If you feel you have taken the appropriate action and your pain is still not shifting, I would suggest it is not a simple muscle strain which is the diagnosis. Your pain may still be caused by tight and / or weak muscles (muscle imbalance), something which an exercise programme can readily resolve, I am just suggesting it is not a simple muscle strain and therefore may take a little longer to cure.
Chickenpox is a contagious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus. It leads to a skin rash that is itchy and after a few days transforms into blisters.
Chickenpox virus is transmitted by air and reaches a healthy organism by mouth or by nose. If an infected person coughs or sneezes and the small particles of saliva reaches a healthy person the virus will get into the lungs and then into the blood stream.
If a person has had chickenpox the chances for it to develop this disease again are quite small. Chickenpox is very contagious and generally 90% of those who live close to the infected person will catch the virus if they are not immunized against it. It seems that chickenpox occurs more often during later winter and early spring moths.
Due to the vaccination campaign started in 1995 the number of cases of chickenpox has decreased. Before this vaccine was invented a lot of children developed complications or even died of this illness.
Generally chickenpox does not cause complications and health well, but in 1% of the cases lung infections, encephalitis or liver affections can occur. Skin infections are also possible to appear.
Once a person developed chickenpox the virus will hide in the nervous cells and will rest for some years. If during the lifetime that person will have immune system problems the virus will wake up (reactivate) and will cause another disease called shingles. This is a painful disease that affects the face and trunk nerves and also causes a rash to appear.
The reasons for the immune system to weaken are other serious diseases that attack the human organism. These diseases are: AIDS, cancer, and diabetes. Even some treatments can weaken the immune system: the immunosuppressive drugs.
The symptoms of chickenpox are: fever, itchy, red bumps that transform into round blisters with a red base. These symptoms generally occur after 10 to 20 days from virus contact. These blisters will form a crust and will eventually dry. It is important to let these blisters dry because if you break them they might leave some anesthetically sings on the skin.
Diagnosing is made easily. The doctor can do that if knowing whether you have been vaccinated for chickenpox or not, or if you have ever had chickenpox before. He will also take a look at the rash and will want to know if you have been into close contact with a person that has chickenpox. If the doctor still has doubts regarding your affection he will order some blood tests (ELISA and FAMA) but they are rarely ordered because doctors usually recognize chickenpox easily.
Your truck driver calls. He was in an accident in Pennsylvania. He is being taken for a drug and alcohol test. A number of thoughts race through your mind. Are they taking him for a DOT required test because of a death or a citation with treatment away from the scene or towing? No, the driver assures you. He is not being cited. You then assume there must be a reason that leads the officer to think drugs or alcohol is involved-odor of breath, eyes, gait, speech, actions, something. Again, your driver assures you that he is clean. You remain understandably skeptical. But it may not be warranted.
Pennsylvania law provides that a police officer investigating an accident involving a motor carrier vehicle pursuant to a required investigation “shall request that the driver of the vehicle submit to testing for alcohol and controlled substances.” 75 Pa. C.S.A. §3756(a). The costs of the test must be paid by the driver’s employer. 75 Pa. C.S.A. §3756(a). A driver who refuses commits a summary offense. 75 Pa. C.S.A. §3756(b). They can be sentenced to pay a fine of up to $200. 75 Pa. C.S.A. §3756(b). This is not to be confused with the “implied consent” testing of commercial drivers. 75 Pa.C.S.A. §1613(a). This section provides that upon driving a commercial vehicle in Pennsylvania, a commercial driver “is deemed to have given consent” for a drug or alcohol test. 75 Pa.C.S.A. §1613(a).
That section requires that such testing may be administered by police officer’s finding of “reasonable grounds to believe that the driver was driving a commercial motor vehicle while having any alcohol in his system.” 75 Pa.C.S.A. §1613(b). The commercial driver’s refusal to submit to testing will result in the loss of his commercial license for at least one year. 75 Pa.C.S.A. §1611. In contrast, Section 3756 is basically an “investigate-an-accident-require-a-test” law. There is no requirement in the law for “reasonable grounds” or “probable cause”. That may be a problem for its ultimate enforcement.
If your driver is sent for Section 3756 testing, 9 chances out of 10 it will be by a local police department. There are many in law enforcement who question the application of a law that provides for such testing without a requirement of “probable cause”. Whatever its ultimate Constitutional outcome, we want you to be aware of the law. When your driver calls from a Pennsylvania accident, you will know that the requirement of a test may be just that and nothing more.
January 20th, 2012 in
Alcohol |
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How does a breathalyzer device work?
There are two technologies commonly used in breath alcohol testing: platinum fuel cell and semiconductor.
Platinum fuel cell breathalyzers are the ‘gold standard’ of hand-held alcohol testers for both personal and professional use. They are the choice of professional users such as law enforcement and serious personal users such as concerned parents and individuals who require measurement accuracy they can trust.
In fuel cell instruments, the breath is directed into a fuel cell with dual platinum electrodes where it is oxidized and generates electrical current. The higher the alcohol content of the breath, the greater the current output of the fuel cell. By precisely measuring the current produced in the fuel cell, an accurate measure of breath alcohol content (BAC) is recorded.
How accurate are breathalyzer tests?
Platinum fuel cell technology, in combination with the advanced measurement algorithms that are used in professional units are extremely accurate and very reliable. Unlike semiconductor devices, platinum fuel cell technology reacts only to alcohol and not to other airborne substances such as gasoline, cigarette smoke, acetones and ketones. Contrary to popular myths, a precision fuel cell tester cannot be fooled by inhaling instead of blowing, pennies in the mouth, gum or breath mints.
In alcohol testers, you get what you pay for. Semiconductor testers, while inexpensive, are not to be trusted. These testers can give positive alcohol readings even when no alcohol is present. Semiconductor testers require frequent re-calibration and have a short working life. Independent scientific testing has repeatedly found a wide variation in alcohol readings produced by the leading semiconductor devices when tested against a known alcohol concentration.
Are there any significant differences between the breathalyzer devices that law enforcers use versus the devices for sale to consumers?
Law enforcement breath testing is serious and important work requiring instruments of high precision and reliability. Fuel cell, rather than semiconductor technology, is used. LE units are rigorously tested and maintained to very high standards, and they are tested and approved to evidential standards by the Department of Transportation, as well as approved by each state.
Consumer breathalyzers must be cleared by the FDA to be legally sold in the US. The FDA does not require that consumer breath testers meet the same standards of accuracy and precision as required by law enforcement. This has allowed the proliferation of cheap and unreliable imports that probably do more harm than good.
What are some advantages to a consumer owning a personal breathalyzer?
Only a precision breath tester can provide an accurate measure of BAC at any point in time. Other techniques such as “drink tables” and “drink software” may be education but they are not reliable measurement tools. Only a good breathalyzer can account for the many variables affecting individual alcohol intoxication, such as sex, age, percent body fat, health and how much alcohol was in the drink.
Useful consumer applications include:
Home bar and party use Self-testing Morning after testing Office and holiday party safety Parental testing and education Responsible recreational vehicle use
If you suffer from an illness that causes joint pain, such as osteoarthritis, it is possible that vitamin deficiencies might be contributing to the problem. Although using vitamin supplements including vitamin D, the antioxidant vitamins A,C and E, and essential fatty acids will not cure your joint pain, they can significantly relieve your symptoms and prevent the illness progressing.
Arthritis takes many different forms and is the most common chronic illness in America. It is occurs when the cartilage that naturally protects and cushions the joints is worn away causing inflammation and a great deal of pain. Vitamin D deficiency does not cause arthritis but can increase its severity and consequently the symptoms.
Some vitamin D occurs naturally in the body and is produced by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight for a limited period of time. People who live in climates where they are exposed to very little sunlight are particularly encouraged to take Vitamin D supplements for this reason. Although vitamin D is found naturally is some foods such as eggs and fatty fish, most people need to eat foods fortified with vitamin D to get their recommended daily allowance.
Vitamin D deficiency means that the body is not able to naturally rebuild cartilage in your joints when it is worn away. This leads to a more rapid development of arthritis. A deficiency of vitamin D can also lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets, so it is recommended that young babies are given vitamin D supplements if they are breast fed as breast milk will not provide them with sufficient vitamin D.
Deficiencies of antioxidant vitamins accelerate the development of joint pain in a very different way. Vitamins A, C and E are able to neutralise free radicals in the body that can attack joint tissue and contribute to the symptoms of arthritis. Free radicals also cause other serious diseases such as cancer, so making sure you get enough antioxidant vitamins either in your diet or in supplements is essential.
Vitamin A is found naturally in retinol from dairy products, as well as egg yolks, oily fish and beta-carotene in orange and yellow vegetables. To ingest vitamin C naturally you need to eat citrus fruits, broccoli, peppers or tomatoes. Vitamin E can be gained by eating vegetable oils, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, spinach, and avocado. These vitamins are widely available in vitamin supplements if you think you may not get enough in your diet.
Another vitamin substance that you may be deficient in if you have joint pain is essential fatty acid. Taking this as a supplement will not prevent the onset of arthritis, but it will reduce inflammation and therefore reduce pain.
If you are suffering from joint pain, ask you doctor or pharmacist to recommend a vitamin supplement that incorporates all of these substances. Reversing your vitamin deficiencies may not cure the source of your joint pain, but it will certainly allow you to lead a more comfortable and active life.
Although some contemporary research suggests that the moderate consumption of alcohol can do wonders for the body, anything in excess is always bad. There have been several cases of people drinking themselves to death. And indeed it does happen, with some of the most usual alcohol-related diseases being liver diseases. Liver failure is absolutely no laughing matter. So it’s always best to watch your drinking anytime you’re partying and never, ever go on alcohol binges when you’re depressed. These can severely shorten your lifespan.
Liver failure is a road with many segments. And from the excessive ingestion of alcohol stems the problem of fatty change. Otherwise known as steatosis, this is the accumulation of fat in liver cells. These can be seen as fatty globules under the microscope. Alcoholism can cause really large fat globules. This can lead to alcoholic hepatitis. Acute hepatitis is an inflammatory reaction to the cells affected by fatty change. And this reaction probably predisposes to liver fibrosis.
Liver fibrosis itself is asymptomatic but its progression can really give people problems as cirrhosis is one of the worst conditions an alcoholic can get. Cirrhosis is a late stage liver disease that is marked by fibrosis and a totally altered liver architecture. It is so dangerous it can lead to liver failure if not treated properly. Late complications of this condition would include portal hypertension, coagulation disorders, ascites, and others including hepatic encephalopathy and hepatorenal syndrome.
The later stage of fibrosis and cirrhosis are probably irreversible although they can be maintained with effort for a long period of time. This is unlike fatty change and alcoholic hepatitis, which you can pull yourself out from with the proper balance of fasting and effort. Becoming an alcoholic can severely endanger your liver and your life.
Curvatures of the spine are generally primary, as in the case of the thoracic and sacral regions, or secondary, as in the cervical and lumbar regions. The primary and secondary curvatures are important, critically so, to our ability to stand upright, hold our heads up, and even walk on two legs. When the spine curves in other ways, in ways that are counter to proper biomechanics, then we have a problem. We will discuss some of the pathological expressions of these curvatures in this article. We will be primarily interested in two, scoliosis and what is referred to as a list, a minor form or scoliosis caused by a breakdown in structure or function. Both scoliosis and list will cause varying degrees of pain, ranging from mild to severe and affecting the neck, back, and legs. Neck pain, back pain, and sciatic nerve pain or sciatica may be alleviated or even eliminated, depending on the severity of the curvature and the measures used to offset it. We will discuss treatment through exercise as an offset strategy below.
Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spine, often causing severe neck pain, back pain, and even sciatica in adults and adolescents. In most cases, scoliosis is idiopathic in nature, meaning it has an unknown cause or a cause that is not readily apparent. Interestingly, recent estimates maintain that more than one million individuals in the United States alone have the disorder, eight times as many women as men. Scoliosis is classified in one of two ways, structural or functional. Within the classifications, scoliosis may take on either a primary or compensatory role depending on the level, the severity, and other abnormalities present. In any case, and in all of its various manifestations, scoliosis can be a debilitating, even disabling condition with considerable neck pain, back pain, and sciatica associated with it. However, the affects of scoliosis, even in its most severe manifestations, may be alleviated by engaging in an intelligent, individualized, and medically supervised exercise program.
Scoliosis is most prevalent and generally appears most frequently in adolescence and, at this stage, is called adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. While many causes have been suggested, there is no consensus within the medical community, hence the idiopathic designation. As with classification and manifestations, scoliosis may present itself in one way if an individual has cerebral palsy or spina bifida and quite another way if these conditions are not present. The variable nature of the condition is part of the reason why there is no real consensus concerning etiology or cause. Scoliosis often worsens during the adolescent growth phase and, once again, depending on the manifestation and classification, neck pain, back pain, and sciatica are often present in varying degrees.
The curvatures of the spine associated with scoliosis are classified according to their location on the spine and consist of a primary, fixed curvature with compensatory curvatures above and below the primary location. Generally, the deformity will present slowly, growing increasingly severe with the adolescent growth phase or growth spurt. As scoliosis progresses, the hips will become unequal and the iliac crest, the blades of the pelvis on each side of the lower back, will be elevated, higher on one side than the other. Coincidentally, the shoulder blades will become more obvious, protruding on one side or the other, and upon bending over, the curvature itself will appear to be much worse, even exaggerated, compared to what is viewed when the individual is standing erect. In most cases, the earlier the manifestation in childhood and the higher up on the spine the primary, fixed curvature is found, the worst the potential outcome or prognosis may be. This is not to say that there is no hope, there certainly is. It’s just that in such cases, without surgical intervention, the outlook may not be very good. In worst cases, scoliosis will even affect the heart and lungs due to the restrictions placed on them for space in the thoracic cavity. Once again, this can and should be surgically corrected if at all possible.
Once again, the most common type of scoliosis curvature entails a primary, fixed curvature with a secondary compensatory curvature. In other words, the spine attempts to re-establish a center of balance, if you will, by curving in the opposite direction from the first or primary curvature. The body will attempt to correct itself and the results, particularly if the fixed, primary curvature is dramatic, may be drastic. The combination of curvatures may impact the vertebrae, the core musculature, and even the internal organs. Scoliosis may be structural, as in the case above and, if that is the case, the vertebrae may rotate on each other and the rib cage may become deformed. If the scoliosis is functional, as in the case of a curvature compensating for one leg being shorter than the other, the condition can and should be corrected as soon as it presents itself. Neck pain, back pain, and sciatica may be considerable in both types, structural and functional, particularly if the curvature is allowed to worsen over time.
While there are many presentations and manifestations of abnormal spinal curvatures, we will describe only a couple of additional examples, one is what is referred to as a list. A list is a lateral tilt beginning at T-1, the first thoracic vertebra. The first thoracic vertebra is situated high on the back or spine just below the prominent “bump” you may feel at the base of your neck called the vertebral prominens, the seventh thoracic vertebra’s spinous process (C-7). If you were to drop a plumb line, a string with a weight at the end of it, from T-1 it will fall to one side of the spine or the other at what is called the gluteal cleft. A list may be caused by a herniated disc or it may be due to severe muscle spasms, particularly those affecting the para-vertebral muscles. A list is generally the least severe and easiest to correct manifestation of a kind of scoliosis, one in which no compensatory curvature is present. In other words, the spine doesn’t attempt to offset the curvature with another in the opposite direction. A list is also the type of curvature most amenable to correction through exercise, although it may still be extremely painful, causing neck, back, and sciatic nerve pain (sciatica), it is not as structurally devastating as the more severe manifestations of spinal curvature may be. However, even the most severe categories individuals can and do benefit from an individually designed, medically supervised exercise program. Neck pain, back pain, and sciatica may be alleviated or eliminated entirely if the right procedures are followed properly and consistently.
Another condition worth noting is what is referred to as a “razor back.” The “razor back” is evident when a rotary deformity of scoliosis causes a hump, particularly apparent when the individual bends over. The last manifestation of an abnormal curvature we will discuss is the flattening of the lumbar spine or lumbar curve. The flattening out of the secondary curvature of the lumbar spine, one vitally important in weight bearing, is suggestive of either a herniated disc or ankylosing spondylitis. Both of these may cause considerable pain and, while medical supervision is absolutely crucial, an exercise program to strengthen the para-vertebral muscles and the rest of the core muscles should be pursued vigorously. The results should be immediately apparent with a significant reduction in neck pain, back pain, and sciatica.
The curvatures of the spine have developed over millions of years and they are crucial to our ability to hold our heads upright and to walk on two legs. However, once in a while nature goes a little off kilter and the results can be catastrophic. Abnormal curvatures of the spine, particularly scoliosis and what is referred to as a list, or the list, are only two of many. Whenever an abnormal curvature is present or begins to present itself, medical assistance should be sought out immediately. Once a diagnosis has been established, or even while you are waiting for a diagnosis, an exercise program should be considered. Once you are cleared medically, an intelligent, individualized, and supervised program of stretching and exercise should be integrated into your daily routine. Not only will you feel better, you may in fact offset some of the structural damage and significantly reduce the neck pain, back pain, and sciatica you are undoubtedly experiencing, as well.