There’s just so much to think about- preparing a nursery, making your home safe for baby, determining a birth plan, making sure you’re eating right, finding the right stroller…the list goes on and on!

One thing’s for certain, the discomforts of pregnancy can make even tying your shoes a chore- nevermind trying to assemble a crib!

Ask any pregnant woman how they’re feeling, and one common complaint comes up again and again- back pain. With all you have to do, you can’t let an aching back keep you stuck in bed!

Back pain in expecting mothers is usually caused by the physical and chemical shifts in the body.

This kind of back pain can vary in severity from minor discomfort to debilitating pain that can even make standing painful.

For great temperary relief, Baseline Nutritionals’® Essential Relief™ works deep to relax, soothe, and heal.

Here are some tips to relieve and prevent back pain in expecting moms:

Proper Diet:

Remember that just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean that you should overeat. The problem with eating too much is that you’ll gain excessive pounds of fat in addition to normal pregnancy weight gain.

The more excess fat you gain, the more stress will be on your already stressed frame.

That is why it’s important to maintain a healthy diet. Being able to manage your weight during pregnancy can help reduce the back pains that you’ll feel.

Using seat cushions:Being pregnant come with a completely different (and awkward!) posture! Even sitting can be uncomfortable!

One of the ways to counter this is to purchase and use seat cushions. The seat cushion will provide additional lumbar support which will lessen the stress that  bad seating posture can do to your back.

The Back Joy Core is a great option to help ease back stress. It’s unique design “floats” your spinal system and pelvis, providing instant relief.

Using Soft Back Braces

If the pain is really crippling, then some doctors may prescribe using a soft back brace. These kinds of braces are usually available at shops that cater to mothers and pregnant women.

A soft back brace can help in providing support for your back while keeping pressure off the front area where your tummy is.

The support helps by limiting the back muscles range of motion

However, women should keep in mind that a soft back brace worn for a long period can weaken back muscles as well irritate the skin in that area.

Again, pregnant women should take note that it’s always a good idea to consult with your Ob-Gyn before following any of these tips.

Every pregnancy is different so, make sure your doctor approves any measures you may take to relieve back pain.

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If you’re one of these people, you should know that this type of severe back pain could be a sign of a more serious condition.

One of these possible conditions could be the presence of kidney stones, the side effects of which include back pain. Although this back pain can be temporarily treated with something like Heal-n-Sooth, a more lasting solution is, of course, to rid yourself of the kidney stones.

To do this, I strongly suggest using Dr. Jon Barron’s Full Body Detox, which will cleanse not only your kidneys, but your liver, colon, blood, and gallbladder. You’ll be amazed at how good your body can feel!

Here are some warning signs that your back pain is caused by kidney stones:

1. The Location of the Pain:

Kidney stones often do not cause symptoms in the early stages. That’s why it’s normal for people to assume that the back pain that they’re feeling isn’t related to kidney stones.

One way to know if your back pain is connected to kidney stones is to think of where the pain is occurring.

 If you suddenly feel a sharp, cramping pain in the lower abdomen, it may be caused by a kidney stone moving in the urinary tract.

Also remember that back pain caused by kidney stones is usually focused in one area (the side near the kidneys) rather than the whole back.

2. Other Pains and Symptoms:

Aside from having back pains, if you are also experiencing pain in the groin area or while urinating then you should consider the possibility that it may be related to kidney stones.

Other symptoms of kidney stones, aside from back pain, are finding blood in your urine, or having a slight to moderate fever.

 Simply treating the pain with topical creams or anti-inflammatory drugs won’t work like it will for a normal back ache. You need to treat the cause of the pain with a Kidney Detox.

Good luck, and Good Health!

 If you feel like your back pain could be caused by kidney stones, you should call your doctor right away.

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The fact is, even the way you sit or stand can already have an effect on your body. An improper posture while sitting, lying down, walking or even just standing up, can already lead to additional strain on your neck and back muscles, as well as the nerves. This excess and unnecessary strain can build up over time and give you the aches that you feel on your back and neck.

That is why it is important for you to know if you have a poor posture, and then correct it as soon as possible. Here are some things that you should know about your body’s proper posture:

Leaning your head forward:

Forward head posture is when your head is drifting and leaning forward. People would usually resort to this posture while they are working with a computer, reading a book, driving, or watching television or movies. When people are in this kind of position, they would usually strain the muscles at the back of their necks.

This is why people should eliminate this position as much as possible. They should start reading with their books propped up against a frame, take periodic breaks while working on the computer, or even while they are driving.

Slouching:

While it may seem more comfortable to slouch, it would actually lead to more pain if you continue doing it over time. This is because slouching, whether while standing or sitting down on a chair, actually causes unnecessary strain on the back nerves and muscles, thus causing back pain.

If you’re prone to slouching while at your computer, you should consider getting an ergonomic support, such as the Back Joy Core. The Back Joy Core will correct your posture while you sit, and it “floats” your spine and pelvis for ultimate comfort.

To correct this, you should always try to keep a straight back while you are standing. When sitting down, you should always try to sit up straight as well, and try to lean your back parallel with the chair.

Carrying items:

One of the things that affect our posture is the way we carry items. Heavy backpacks, or even briefcases and purses can force us to adjust our posture to lean to one side. This would again strain the nerves in our backs and necks which would ultimately cause pain.

That is why it is important to avoid having to carry a heavy luggage as well as a bag that is simply worn over one shoulder. This is because it can place too much weight on one side of the body. As much as possible, you should try to find a bag that would help in distributing the weight evenly between your back and shoulders, such as the Healthy Back Bag.

If you find yourself doing the examples mentioned above, then you should try to follow the tips about correcting them.  However, you should remember that just as bad posture is caused by repetitive bad positions, correcting them can also take some time. You should work through them, so that your neck and back pain would eventually be lessened.

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Here are some tips to aide you in a speedy recovery:

Pre-surgery planning:

Have everything you need taken care of ahead of time so that your recovery time can be relaxing

Remember that the days after surgery can be difficult as you are still adjusting to the effects of the operation.

Physical Therapy:

Because of the pains that are commonly associated with back surgery, many are prone to just lie down in their bed and relax.

The problem with that is being sedentary is not in the best interest of recovery. You need to have movement in order for your back muscles and joints to regain their strength and mobility. That is why it is important to engage in some physical activity, such as physical therapy.

During physical therapy sessions, you will be provided with various exercises that would help ease your back into a good working condition.

Continued checkups:

The thing with back surgery is that it can be quite unpredictable. Yes, you may already be feeling great after a few months, but back pain may suddenly flair up again. That is why it’s important for you to have continued checkups with your doctor to ensure that your back is healing properly.

Change in Lifestyle:

Remember that your back was injured and is on its second life. You should not risk re-injuring it. 

It is important that you try and change your lifestyle after surgery. You should start eating a healthier diet and try to avoid engaging in highly strenuous activities that may further damage your back.

By following these tips, you will be well on your way into having a great recovery!

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Although this is frequently the case, there are times when pain is caused by an internal imbalance, such as having an imbalanced  Ph level.

What is a Ph Level?

A Ph level is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the Blood. The Ph scale ranges from 0 to 14. Usually, the Blood Ph is around the neutral area which is 7.00. A level less than 7 means that the blood is in the acidic side of the scale, while greater than 7 means it leans towards alkalinity.

How it relates to the body:

The immune system of the body performs at its peak when the blood is at its usual neutral levels (usually, ranging from 6.2-7.5). This is because it’s difficult for disease and health disorders to sustain themselves in this neutral zone.

However, if the body  tilts toward the acidic side, all sorts of things can get out of hand. Symptoms may appear such skin eruptions, headaches, colds, and sinus problems.

Pain and the Acidic Ph Level

As mentioned above, an acidic Ph level can manifest itself as symptoms like headaches and colds. However, once this acidic imbalance goes on for an extended period of time, worse discomfort can occur, such as back and neck pain.

Having an acidic Ph level can make your muscles tight leading to fatigue, soreness, and pain. The soreness and pain are usually caused by your acidic body not getting enough vitamins and nutrients. This lack of nutrients causes the muscle to stiffen, which causes discomfort.

What can I do about it?

The good news is that there are a few things you can do to combat this situation. First, you can try to change your diet. You should cut back on acidic foods, and foods that are pre-packaged or  processed.  Next, you should also try to relax more, as stress plays a part in Ph levels.

Lastly, you should take supplements that help to restore and balance your Ph levels. I strongly recommend Baseline Nutritionals’ ® Private Reserve Superfood ™ .  It’s really just an all-around awesome supplement.

Hopefully the tips above can help you to correct your body’s Ph level, and reduce or eliminate your aches and pains!

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? You feel tired for no reason.

? You have trouble getting up in the morning, even when you go to bed at a reasonable hour.

? You are feeling rundown or overwhelmed.

? You have difficulty bouncing back from stress or illness.

? You crave salty and sweet snacks.

? You feel more awake, alert and energetic after 6PM than you do all day

1. What is it?

Adrenal fatigue is produced when your adrenal glands cannot adequately meet the demands of stress.* The adrenal glands mobilize your body’s responses to every kind of stress (whether it’s physical, emotional or psychological) through hormones that regulate energy production and storage, immune function, heart rate, muscle tone, and other processes that enable you to cope with the stress. Whether you have an emotional crisis such as the death of a loved one, a physical crisis such as major surgery, or any type of severe repeated or constant stress in your life, your adrenals have to respond to the stress and maintain homeostasis. If their response is inadequate, you are likely to experience some degree of adrenal fatigue.*

activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours a day.* With each increment of reduction in adrenal function, every organ and system in your body is more profoundly affected.* Changes may occur in your carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, blood sugar balance, energy production, fluid and electrolyte balance, cardiovascular function, sleep patterns, mood, menstrual and menopausal symptoms, and even sex drive.*

1. How is it caused?

Adrenal fatigue is a collection of signs and symptoms, known as a “syndrome,” that results when the adrenal glands function, but not at their optimal level*. Most commonly associated with intense or prolonged stress, it can also arise during or after acute or chronic infections, especially respiratory infections such as influenza, bronchitis or pneumonia.* As the name suggests, its paramount symptom is fatigue that is not relieved by sleep.* However, it is not a disease or as readily identifiable as diabetes or a growth on the end of your finger. You may look and act relatively normal while experiencing adrenal fatigue and may not have any obvious signs of physical illness, yet you live with a general sense of unwellness, tiredness or “gray” feelings.* People whose adrenals are fatigued often have to use coffee, colas and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to prop themselves up during the day.*

1. What are the common treatments?

Lifestyle modifications can be initiated to treat this condition. Simple changes such as more laughter (increases the parasympathetic supply to the adrenals), small breaks to lie down, increased relaxation, regular meals, exercise (avoiding any highly competitive events), early bedtimes and sleeping until at least 9 AM whenever possible can all benefit those experiencing adrenal fatigue.

1. What can I do right now to help myself feel better?

While managing their adrenal fatigue, most people feel better after drinking a glass of salty water, especially in the morning. Sometimes the laxative Magnesium Citrate is recommended. However, the management of AF is recovering.

You could also try to strengthen your body and make it easier to relax through exercise or various massage therapy.

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One of the more painful breakdowns that can happen to our body is when our spinal discs are the one that degenerates. This is because once these parts of the body break down, it may put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, which often leads to pain and may affect nerve function. This is what is commonly known as Degenerative disc disease.

How is Degenerative disc disease caused?

The degeneration of the discs usually happens simply because of age. As we age, the spinal discs break down and lose the fluid that allows it to act as the shock absorbers of our spinal cords. This is because the fluid is the one that enables the disc to expand and create the gaps between the vertebrae and the spinal cord and nerves.

Aside from age, another situation that can cause degenerative disc disease is improper posture. Our improper posture would create muscle imbalances and increase the pressure that disc would usually receive. This increases the rate of the wear and tear and would hasten degenerative disc disease.

You should note that degenerative disc disease is not something that would happen in one night, except if caused by physical trauma such as a sports injury. It would usually occur after a long time of continous pressure on the nerves.

What are the common treatments for Degenerative Disc Disease?

All the common treatments try to reduce the pressure that is bearing upon the nerves as well as stabilize the joints to prevent it from occurring again. There are various options for one to be able to do that such as: cortisone shots in the inflamed area, ultrasound treatment and electric stimulation, therapy and exercise, as well as taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Some doctors may also suggest surgery for those people who are really suffering from a serious case of degenerative disc disease.

What can I do right now to help myself feel better?

Well there are a various treatments that would help you in strengthening your back as well as decompressing the spine. You could try inversion therapy which would use gravity to try and remove the tightness in your vertebrae.

You could also try the various exercises and therapies, such as those set forth by muscle balance therapists, that would help in strengthening your back muscles and ensuring that they are balanced. This would help you by removing the unnecessary strain on your spinal cord caused by weak joints and muscles on your back.

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Passing it off as simple back pain due to wear and tear is actually quite dangerous because of the bones that are involved. As such, one should really know more about vertebral compression fracture so that they would be able to have the proper treatments for it if ever it happens to them.

What is Vertebral Compression Fracture?

Simply put, vertebral compression fracture is when the vertebra of the person collapses or breaks down for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the fracture happens to a single vertebra while others may affect more than one.

People suffering from vertebral compression fracture would usually complain of pain in their backs that would then radiate into their legs and buttocks. The severity of the pain that one who is suffering from vertebral compression fracture feels is usually directly proportional to the severity of the fracture in the spine.

What are the causes of Vertebral Compression Fracture?

There are usually two main causes for Vertebral Compression Fracture. The first one is the break down because of wear and tear or other conditions such as osteoporosis (a condition where there is an abnormal loss of bony tissue which results in fragile and porous bones).

The other common cause of vertebral compression fracture is physical trauma. This trauma can because by an injury while performing a highly physical activity (such as sports) or by getting into an accident.

What are the common treatments for Vertebral Compression Fracture?

The common treatments for vertebral compression fracture would usually vary depending on people who were actually able to diagnose that they are suffering from the condition and those that are passing it off as simple back pain.

For those who are not aware that they are suffering from Vertebral compression fracture, the usual recourse would be to use non steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), pain killing creams, or even cortisone shots directly to the painful area.

On the other hand, those who get that they are suffering from vertebral compression fracture could opt to get prescription medications and calcium supplements to help stave off osteoporosis.

What can one do to prevent Vertebral compression fracture?

While one would not be able to stop aging (the leading cause of the wear and tear of the bones), you would be able to do methods to strengthen them as well as help in prevent additional wear and tear.

For starters, you should try to involve more calcium in your diet to give your bones the minerals and nutrients that it needs to remain strong. You should then try practice proper muscle exercises to help prevent the strains that poorly developed muscles would give your body.

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However, what many are not aware of is that the upper back and the neck are also prone to the similar conditions that the lower back is exposed to. It is not uncommon for the upper back to experience pulled muscles, arthritis, disc problems as well as other physical issues that are commonly associated with lower back pain.

That is why it is important to become more aware of your upper back as well.

What are the Causes of Upper Back Pain?

As mentioned earlier, upper back pain can be caused by having pulled muscles, arthritis or other disc problems. These conditions are usually brought about by two things, muscle imbalance or direct injury to the area.

Muscle imbalance is the overdevelopment of some muscles while the others are underdeveloped. These cause additional strain on the area which could lead to more pain. Muscle imbalances can be developed by a variety of reasons. It could be caused by an improper workout, or even by just assuming poor postures while working or doing regular activities.

What are the Common Treatments for Upper Back Pain?

Because upper back pain can hinder people from doing their regular activities, many would opt to pop some pain killing pills just to be able to resume in doing their tasks. There are also some people who would want to rub some pain relief cream on the affected area.

Another common treatment for upper back pain would be to visit chiropractors or massage therapists to get treatments done on their backs. These people may use electronic stimulation, physical pressure, or even heat to try and make the person feel better.

Unfortunately, these treatments would usually just provide a solution for the painful symptoms but not the root cause of the upper back pain.

What can I do to prevent upper back pain?

To prevent Upper back pain, it would be important to avoid injuries to that area as well as to avoid muscle imbalances. You may want to engage in muscle balance therapy to ensure that you would be able to develop your muscles properly without risking additional strain to your body.

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Actually, it is quite important to try and examine what kind of pain you are feeling. The feeling of physical pain actually varies greatly and has different types. It is important to know about the type that you have, as it is one of the ways for you to be able to find the proper treatment for the pain.  It is also important because pain is usually a symptom of a condition, knowing what kind of pain you have would help you avoid aggravating it.

The different types of pain and painful reactions:

Stiffness: Stiffness would be your body’s inability to move to its full range of motion without experiencing any form of pain. They would usually affect the joints in the arms, legs, shoulders and the neck. They would usually happen because of poor circulation of fluids in your joints and muscles, as well as the breakdown of the said joints themselves.

Numbness or Tingling Sensations: These two would usually occur in the extremities such as the hands and the feet. The numbness is usually caused by a lack of circulation of the bloody, while the tingling sensation is caused by blood rushing back in. It could be because of an external obstruction, such as sleeping on a limb or wearing accessories that are too tight fitting. There are some instances wherein the numbness is caused by some biological deficiency.

Inflammation: Inflammation can usually involve the joints or the muscles themselves. This is what usually happens when the joint or muscle is irritated or injured to some extent. It could also happen because of the stasis of fluids in the body. Inflammation is usually characterized by pain and swelling as well as redness and heat.

Swelling: Swelling is when the affected body part becomes puffy or larger than usual. It is usually because there is a collection of fluids (blood being one of them) in the affected area. Physical trauma is one of the main causes for swelling to occur.

Distending and Throbbing Pain: Distending and Throbbing pain is when you feel like there is something that is pushing the painful area from the inside (making it feel like it’s throbbing). This is usually caused by a buildup in tighntess and pressure in the area.

Now that you understand the different types of pain and painful reactions better, it would be easier for you to describe them and find out more about the conditions that are causing you to feel these different types of pain.

Hopefully, you would be able to use this to your advantage and find an effective cure for your condition.

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