Back Pain

With spring break around the corner, and travel season looming, many people with chronic back pain aren't looking forward to vacation; they're worried about how to manage the pain associated with a long flight.

Like most of us, you probably start out each new year with the best of intentions: full of hope that THIS is the year you'll finally do "X" (fill in the blank with your #1 item). If you're like me, I dutifully make my list of New Year's Resolutions (usually at least 10 items long), only to get discouraged by late January and in pretty much full abandonment by March.

Ah yes, the holidays are upon us once again, and with them the holiday blues. Not everyone is in festive spirits, especially those of us with chronic pain. Often, chronic back pain leads to depression, and alternately depression can worsen physical pain. The added anxiety and stress of all the holiday planning and expectations can intensify feelings of sadness.

Any mattress that helps you sleep comfortably and wake up feeling refreshed, without pain and stiffness, is the best mattress for you. There is no single mattress that works for all people. You should choose the mattress that provides adequate support and meets your standards for comfort and allows you to get a good night's sleep.

Many people feel very uncomfortable in their office chair. And there are lots of good office chair reviews if you're looking for a new option. But what if the problem is not your specific office chair but the fact that you're sitting on one at all? If this may be true for you, then here are some office chair alternatives to consider.

Traveling is hard on our joints, muscles and nerves for two main reasons: 1) it requires us to use our bodies in ways they're not used to, such as hoisting luggage over our heads into the bin and yanking it off the moving baggage claim, and 2) it requires us to sit still for long periods, often in a cramped space.

Medicare has decided it will not pay for lumbar artificial disc replacements in people over 60 years of age. The reasoning for the CMS' (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) decision is the lack of data on using such devices in the 60+ population, according to Scott Boden, MD, a Spine-health.com Medical Advisor.