Common Causes

3 Empowering Health Resolutions for 2008

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:23:55 -0800

January 4, 2008
by: Sylvia Marten

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.

So, if we have to pick and choose a focus for our resolutions this year, I pick HEALTH. Why? As one of the most personal and potentially all-encompassing factors in our lives, there's little that is more important than our own good health. Above all else - money, careers, a home or a car, even sex - health is the one thing we can't live without and arguably the most influential factor of our quality of life. For people with chronic health conditions, such as chronic back pain, I can't think of a better focus than health and healthy living for 2008.

My top 3 picks for 2008 Health Resolutions:

Exercising. I don't mean just starting to exercise or saying you'll finally try yoga, I mean committing to making exercise part of your normal weekly routine for the rest of your life. The necessity of exercise in the combat of just about every kind of health issue and pain condition is well known. The tougher part is to accept that exercise won't be very helpful if done in fits and starts, and that just thinking about exercising doesn't count.

The most popular excuse for not exercising? "I'm too busy," which translates to "I won't." Keep in mind that even the President of the United States finds time to keep himself fit. The key, according to a 1/1/08 Chicago Tribune article, is "...make exercise a habit that you do every day at the same time. Pick the time that's best for you and just do it." So, if you're not a morning person, don't plan to do a 6am aerobics class. Whatever time and type of exercise you choose, remember the incredible benefits of exercise you will reap: looking and feeling better, reducing stress, reducing pain, and slowing or preventing certain diseases (e.g., osteoporosis, hypertension).
Quit Smoking. No brainer, right? You would think so, given the known linkages of smoking to cancer, heart disease, lung disorders, etc. Well, if you smoke and have a chronic back pain problem, you need to know two things: one is that smoking can significantly worsen your back pain, and two is that most back surgeons will refuse to operate on your back if you smoke because it inhibits the body's ability to heal after surgery. The key with smoking cessation is to surround yourself with the kind of support network you need to quit and stay smoke free. Talk to your doctor about which of the various stop smoking aids available (gums, patches, oral medications, support groups, etc.) are right for you and keep trying until you find something that works. Like exercising, the state of being called "I don't smoke" is one you need to be in for the rest of your life. Period.
Getting organized. Most people simply have accumulated too much stuff over the course of their lives and now have the dreaded "c" word: clutter. One of the worst impacts of clutter? Stress. Clutter stress at home can cause feelings of being overwhelmed and out of control, leading to overeating and feeling like there's no time to do other things such as exercise (see #1 above). Stress is also a known cause of back pain and can exacerbate many chronic health conditions. Eliminating household clutter can be liberating and euphoric, freeing up time (less clutter is easier to clean and organize) and space (making room for that new elliptical trainer or yoga mat). The key to de-cluttering: pick the clutter that is most bothersome and tackle it one project at a time, and then commit to keeping it that way.

One of the commonalities among all three resolutions is commitment. They will all take incredible self discipline and will power to achieve, not only initially but over the long haul too. The good news is that there is outside help available, if you need it, for each and every one of these. Best of all, I'm willing to bet that the physical, mental, and emotional health benefits will become the only motivator you need to stay the course. Best wishes for a healthy 2008!

Additional resources to help get you started:

[url:157,type=|term|,content=|Spine-health.com Exercise Health Center|]
Smoke Free 2008 (American Lung Association) - http://www.smokefree08.org/site/c.jeJSIZOsEjH/b.3761509/
[url:1758,type=|node|,content=|Obtaining a Solid Spine Fusion|]
National Association of Professional Organizers - http://www.napo.net/public/

Back Pain and Holiday Blues: 18 Tips to Reduce Your Holiday Stress

spine-health — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:00:24 -0800

December 7, 2007
by: Sylvia Marten

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 [url:138,type=|term|,content=|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. Travel blues may factor into the equation too - vacation blues catch us off guard as we're taken away from our normal routines and pain management support like special [url:158,type=|term|,content=|ergonomic chairs|] and [url:161,type=|term|,content=|mattresses|]. Even if it's just a temporary bout of the holiday blues, that doesn't mean you have to simply accept it. Here are some things you can do to reduce your holiday stress.

Talk with friends on the phone, or over coffee.
Talk with other people who suffer from back pain or chronic pain on the Spine-Health.com forums:

See your family doctor or psychiatrist - you may have a physiological disorder that requires antidepressants.
Improve your diet and exercise regularly, at least on non-party days. Don't stress about weight gain at the big family gathering or work holiday party. Having food you enjoy and chatting with friends releases endorphines. Live a little! On other days, make sure that you eat in moderation and get at least a half hour of cardiovascular exercise, even if that means nothing more than taking a walk. If you have difficulty with certain types of exercises due to back or neck pain, try these [url:1183,type=|node|,content=|exercise tips for people with back pain|].
Seek sunshine - the real thing is best, but if it's dark and dreary outside, spend a few extra dollars and get yourself some full spectrum lighting.
Set realistic goals and don't be the ultimate people-pleaser. Decide what's important and don't overextend yourself.
Plan a small gathering of friends or neighbors such as a dinner or wine party.
Read these Spine-Health.com articles:

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[url:6615,type=|node|]
[url:1081,type=|node|]

Make sure your plans move you toward your goal, and celebrate even minor achievements.
Cook, buy yourself some new music and/or new books to have on hand. (no depressing music!)
Go to a museum or concert.
Plan a short trip to a place you enjoy, either by yourself or with a good friend, and don't forget to take along these [url:1107,type=|node|,content=|pain-free travel tips|].
Rent movies from your local movie store or an online DVD rental company.
Hug somebody! This is no joke, hugging has positive and real physical benefits. The BBC even published the results of a study stating that hugs increase oxytocin and reduce blood pressure in women.
Meditate. According to researchers at James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia, meditation offers similar mood benefits to running or other physical exercise. If your pain restricts you from strenuous exercise, consider meditation. Don't know how? You can learn to meditate.
Go ergonomic. If you're at home, it makes sense to have [url:158,type=|term|,content=|ergonomic seating|] available. If you're going to sit and watch TV, eat dinner or pay bills, do everything you can to reduce your pain by giving your back the proper support. [url:170,type=|term|,content=|Pain management|] is a key component in managing depression during the holidays as well as throughout the year.
[url:1927,type=|node|,content=|Get enough sleep|]. Yes, you have to get to the store, wrap those gifts, bake that cake, etc...but sleep deprivation is a big contributor to depression. Be disciplined - go to bed and get 6 to 8 hours of sleep! If you have difficulty sleeping due to chronic pain, you might want to check out our articles on the [url:1315,type=|node|,content=|best mattresses for back pain|].
Clean up the house and get organized. A clean space can make you feel better about any other holiday projects you have going on.

BONUS "BEAT THE HOLIDAY BLUES" TIP:

Honor your own feelings. While nobody wants to feel depressed, recognizing your sadness can mean that something isn't working in your life the way that you would like it to. If it's something you want to change, hey, it's almost time for those New Year's resolutions, right? Pay attention to what your body is telling you, and if necessary, seek the help you need.

New Hope for Smokers with Back Pain

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:15:12 -0700

August 8, 2007
by: Sylvia Marten

There’s a unique drug now on the market for smokers trying to quit - Chantix (manufactured and distributed by Pfizer). It was actually approved by the FDA in May 2006 and given priority FDA review because of its significant potential benefit to public health.

Chantix, a prescription drug indicated for smoking cessation, is different because it acts on the brain in two ways: by providing some nicotine effects to ease withdrawal symptoms and by blocking the effects of nicotine from cigarettes if patients resume smoking.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 44.5 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes and more than 8.6 million of them have at least one serious illness caused by smoking. In particular, smokers are nearly 3 times as likely to develop chronic low back pain as non-smokers.

According to a user survey conducted on Spine-health.com, about 30% of the chronic back pain population self reports having a smoking addiction. Couple this with the fact that about 80% of those same people are candidates for [url:165,type=|term|,content=|back surgery|] – and we have trouble. Smokers are at higher risk for healing problems after fusion surgery, which means that potentially the chronic back pain problem and the smoking addiction will remain after surgery if smokers with back pain don’t quit.

It is common for back surgeons to ask their patients to quit smoking prior to surgery and commit to not smoking for at least three months after surgery (and hopefully longer, from an overall health standpoint). In recent months, we have heard anecdotally from some of our physician members that they have seen great results using Chantix with their back pain patients. Other smoking cessation aids include: [url:6745,type=|node|,content=|Zyban|] (pill), Nicotrol (nasal spray), Nicorette (gum), Nicoderm CQ (patches), Habitrol (patches), Commit (lozenges), and counseling and support groups.If you are a smoker with back pain, you should consider talking to your doctor about smoking cessation aids – to help you quit smoking and to ease your back pain.

Posted by: Sylvia

More reading:

Chantix patient information sheet at FDA
[url:1826,type=|node|,content=|Healing after spine fusion surgery|]
Varenicline (Chantix) shows greater continuous smoking abstinence