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What Is Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression basically refers to a cost effective, non-invasive and non-surgical treatment for disc pain in the back and neck. The treatment does not involve any needles or painful procedures. The treatment is very quick and painless. People suffering from back pain and neck pain will commonly experience pain, weakness, tingling, numbness and reduced function of the lower or upper limbs. In some cases the symptoms can be so severe that it may affect everyday activities like work and sleep.

When Do Extreme Symptoms Occur?

Extreme symptoms will normally occur when your central disc material will break through its protective disc rings and move into the area that is occupied by nerves travelling from the neck to your hand or arm or from your back to your leg and foot.

What is Spinal Decompression?

Spinal decompression is a treatment which is used by a large number of people today simply because they want to avoid expensive, painful and invasive spinal surgery. Spinal decompression can actually work quite well but the final results will depend on a large number of factors. Spinal decompression is basically the result of a traction when a negative pressure has been created in the disc during this traction.

Intersegmental Traction in Spinal Decompression

Various types of traction can be used. Intersegmental traction is one of the most common traction methods to be used. Physical therapists and chiropractors usually use this method. However, the first thing you should know that spinal decompression is actually not a therapy but the result of traction. To provide IST spinal decompression, the patient will be asked to lie on a table on their back. This table will have a roller bar which rolls up and down your spine gently. This will stretch your spinal joints and soft tissues passively. This kind of traction feels good and is beneficial for health but it does not lead to spinal decompression since it doesn’t create the required negative pressure in your disc. This treatment is also known as traction table or roller table.

How is Spinal Decompression Achieved?

Intersegmental traction is actually different from spinal decompression because the mechanisms they work with are very different and the results are also very different. To achieve effective spinal decompression the traction should be applied in a long extension axis. This means that your spinal segments should be pulled apart gently, continuously and systematically through a computerized, highly technological traction system.

With this technique a negative pressure will be created. This pressure will allow the disc material that has moved away from the central area towards the nerve to be drawn back or sucked back inside your disc. This will remove the pressure from your nerve. This will substantially result in reduced back and neck pain, leg and arm pain and will promote actual disc healing. This type of traction is known as spinal decompression because the traction created will help your spine to decompress. If you are experiencing chronic and severe back and neck pain, this can be an effective treatment.

Understanding The Harsh Side Effects Of Msg

You’ve probably seen signs for it, most likely at an establishment that serves Chinese food, but do you even know what it is they’re advertising that isn’t cooked in your food? The sign you’ve seen probably says something to the effect of, “Food cooked here contains no MSG.” We, as consumers see this and it brings a smile to your faces, as we assume that MSG is bad for us and it not being in our food is a good thing. While this is true, most of us don’t even know what MSG is, what the acronym stands for, and why it’s bad for us or for that matter, which foods it is unfortunately found in.

MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate, is a form of concentrated salt added to foods to enhance the flavor. This salt version of glutamic acid is an amino acid the body can produce on its own, but the MSG we find on store shelves is processed and comes from fermented sugar beets. Shockingly, MSG is still used quite frequently in everything from hamburger helper, a select variety of soups found in most grocery stores, some seasonings, potato chips, and a lot of items on the menu at your local fast food restaurant. Because this kind of MSG is processed, it can cause many adverse reactions, here are some major ones to look out for when consuming processed foods.

Loss of Facial Feeling

There have been a high number of reported cases of those consuming MSG in high quantities, losing feeling in their face. The facial muscles can feel tight and pressures, even a burning sensation in various parts of the body including the neck, chest, arms and legs.

Heart Palpitations

Abnormal heart rhythms, rapid fluttering and unsteady heartbeat, have all been linked to the consumption of MSG. Obviously, these symptoms are serious and pose major threats to the health of anyone suffering from them. As well as affecting the heart, MSG can have adverse effects on the lungs too, sometimes decreasing the amount of air that is able to enter, causing chest tightness and pain.

Migraines

One of the most common side effects of eating food that contains MSG, especially on an empty stomach. Due to more of the chemical being consumed and absorbed into the bloodstream, headaches are usually the first to occur, and they are ones that come with a high number on the pain scale.

The List Goes On

Nausea, wheezing, seating and vomiting are all on the list of symptoms related to the harsh health effects of MSG consumption. This food additive is loaded with salt and chemicals that can induce a myriad of illness onsets. Make sure to look at the food you are purchasing to see if the levels of MSG are high.

Consult your primary care physician or chiropractor for any medical related advice.

Acne Body Wash Buying Guide

Acne body wash for those times when acne starts to appear on more than just the face. Very commonly acne tends also to occur on other larger areas such as the back, neck, chest shoulders and even the upper parts of the arm. Although acne is well known to occur on the T-Zone (the area around your nose and cheeks) it is not uncommon for acne to appear on other parts of the body. However, treatment for body acne is the same as facial acne, there is really no difference.

Causes of Body Acne

Acne is simply the result of trapped oil produced by your oil glands. This oil can become trapped when dead skin cells, dirt and other debris mix with the oil and effectively act as a plug over the tiny hole through which the oil finds its way onto the skin. This blockage results in blackheads and if the oil becomes infected with bacteria than a pimple will result.

Oil glands are located primarily on the face, however they also exist in other areas of the body. Like the face the back and upper chest area has the highest number of oil glands. Each oil gland carries with it a small chance that it will black and cause a pimple or blackhead to form. It is not hard to imagine how body and face acne is just the same thing but in different areas.

One point worth mentioning, clothing may not directly cause acne, however if you have tight clothing over existing acne, than the friction between skin and the clothing can further irritate the skin and thus make breakouts worse. If you do have body acne, than it is best to wear loose clothing.

Acne Body Wash

Body acne is treated the same way that acne on the face is. You can treat individual breakouts by using salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. You can buy topical ointments with varying strengths that you apply directly over the pimple. Resist the temptation to pick or squeeze pimples as this can cause scaring. Using a topical ointment is normally enough to take care of the occasional breakout or pimple or two.

Any acne body wash with salicylic acid is the first step in treating acne. Additionally for preventative reasons a body wish with an Alpha Hydroxy Acid in it such as glycolic or lactic acid will exfoliate your skin and prevent blockage of the pores that leads to blackheads or pimples. Chemical exfoliates are the best choice, there is no need to rely on mechanical scrubbing to remove dead skin cells. Doing so can induce further breakouts.

For those with more severe acne problems, an acne body wash alone may not be enough. If so please see your doctor. As part of an overall treatment plan you maybe given other treatment options such as the use of retin A or antibiotics.

Best Acne Body Wash Recommendations

  • The best acne body wash should
  • Target acne and help it heal over faster
  • Keep the skin clean to prevent future breakouts
  • Be gentle enough for daily use

There is only one product that really do all that! Look for any body wash or spray that contains salicylic acid in it. However look closely at the % strength indicated on the product. Salicylic acid only really works most effectively when the minimum strength is at least 2%. Anything less than that and the product will most likely not work very effectively in both treating and preventing body acne.

Acne Body Wash Caution

Salicylic acid at 2% is also gentle enough to use daily on most skin types. However if you do experience any excessive drying or irritation, stop using the product. This is not normal and may exacerbate acne breakouts.

Laser Hair Removal In New Jersey Is The Cost Justified

Laser hair removal is a safe and effective way to remove unwanted hair from virtually any part of the body. It can be performed on the face, neck, underarms, arms, legs, back, bikini, chest, stomach, ears, and even for a full Brazilian. There are several points you need to be aware of before getting the procedure done.

Know who is performing the treatment. As the popularity increases so does the number of people claiming to be experts who perform the procedures. Ask about the experience of the provider and in general, it is better to have a physician or medical provider who understands the different lasers and skin type to perform the treatments. Ask for before and after as well as references if you are not sure.

Know the technology the centers posses where you will be getting treatments. Many providers are only experienced with one type of laser. It is better to go to someone who owns their lasers rather than renting them on a periodic basis because this shows their commitment to learn the technology and properly utilize the laser. Not everyones skin type and hair type is the same and therefore a laser that may be good on one skin type may be dangerous for someone else.

Ask about the cost. Most places will try to sell you a package. Ask about specifics as well as what exactly the package entails. At Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, all of our packages come with a lifetime guarantee, meaning you will pay only once for you laser hair removal treatments. This kind of commitment usually means that someone is dedicated and able to get you results. It also demonstrates that your laser provider is not just trying to make money from you.

Know who can and can’t get laser hair removal. Pregnant and nursing women in general should avoid laser hair removal. Also children under the age of 14 is a relative contraindication. Diseases stimulated by light such as lupus as well as poor controlled diabetes is a relative contraindication as this can cause an exacerbation of the disease or result in permanent side effects such as scarring and pigment changes.

Know the risk of laser hair removal. While laser technology as advances greatly and can be used on any skin types, there are always risks associated with the procedure. Be wary of someone who tells you there are no side effects. Laser treatments can result in pigment changes, burns and even rarely scarring. While many of these complications are temporary, they can occur. That is always why it is important to goto a medical professional rather than a technician without physician backup. While complications can occur to anyone, your provider should be comfortable dealing with them instead of turning their back on you.

Know that it is not possible to remove all your hair permanently. Results are primarily dependent on not only hair type but also skin type. The ideal candidate is light skinned with thick, dark hair. While anyone can enjoy the benefits of laser hair removal, results tend to be better in someone with darker, thicker hair rather than someone with lighter, finer hair. In general, laser hair removal is not very effective for extremely fine hair or light or white hair. Rarely, laser hair removal can even results in an increase in hair growth, although this is uncommon.

Know how many treatments you will require. While every is different, most people can expect a significant reduction within 4 to 6 treatments. Some people may require more while others may see a significant decrease after just one treatment. It is important to realize that multiple treatments are required often spaced at least one month apart. The reason for this is that hair grows in different stages and laser hair removal is generally effective while the hair is in the active growth phase. Depending on the area, about 15 to 20% of the hair is in the active growth phase and that is why you need multiple sessions.

Know the preparation before the laser hair removal treatments and after. It is important to realize that you cannot wax, pluck, or tweeze the areas you are contemplating getting the laser hair removal procedure. It is permissible to shave, bleach, or use depilatory agents to keep the hair at skin level. Remember the hair does not need to be sticking out above the skin for the treatment to be effective and in some instances may actually hinder the treatments. Laser hair removal works by targeting the root of the hair below the skin.

Know what to expect after the laser hair removal treatments. Your skin may be red and irritated with some swelling after the procedure. It may look like tiny insect bites of hives. This is normal and should resolve within a few hours but may take up to 2 days. Stay out of the sun before and after the treatments as this increase your risk for pigment changes. Also blistering or grayish discoloration of the treatment area is not normal and may signify a burn to the area or result in pigment changes. Call your laser hair removal provider should this occurs.

Laser hair removal is an excellent way to never having to worry about shaving or waxing. It does result in significant permanent reduction of hair growth. For more information on laser hair removal visit LaserHairNJ.Com.

Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, is dedicated to the latest minimally invasive and non-invasive cosmetic procedures. Laser are only handled by board certified physicians trained in each and every laser. Our goal is to educate our clients so they can decide which treatment is right for them. We offer complimentary consultations. Visit Ethos Spa for more information.

Possible Short And Long Term Effects Of Laser Hair Removal

Before you take a ride to the nearest beauty salon which offers laser hair removal in San Diego, you may want to be concerned in knowing its issues first. Yes, hair laser removal does have its dangers and limitations too just like any other medical procedures. But it doesn’t mean you can forget about this wonderful treatment for undesirable hair.

Before we go on, you really need to also realize that the standard side effects that come along laser hair removal are very minimum and temporary. Then again, you really need to always equip yourself with be enough knowledge about the treatment.

Short-term Results of Laser Hair Removal in San Diego

The first result of laser hair removal is that it’s a bit painful. If you have read regarding this treatment method and they advise you it’s painless, they’re just making some hype advertising you for the procedure. For that matter, laser hair removal hurts but its fair to middling. The feeling is like your skin is being struck by a rubber band. Always remember that laser beam is heat. It’s a very powerful form of heat that is required to raze the hair follicles.

You may also experience swelling on your skin. There are times that the laser device may lead overmuch heat that can burn down your skin. But if given by an arguably trained doctor, this side effect could become forgotten. Anyways, if this happens to you, you may just buy a topical cream or remedy to relieve the swelling. Aside from swelling, bruises and defects may also pass. After the method, you may choose to also discern redness on your skin. This is usually a very normal side effect and it will finally go away after some time.

During the laser hair removal San Diego treatment session, you might also feel a little sting sensation but that’s typical. Anyway, the practitioner will also use some anesthetic so you can undermine the discomfort. The pain may last until after several hours or even more. The doctor will provide you with some solution or any health professional prescribed medication to soothe the irritation.

One of the bad issues of hair laser removal is skin blazing. This may derive from too frequently burns and lump. Aside from looking very dreadful, blisters are very agonizing. Another stern side effect of laser hair removal is hyperpigmentation. Another irreparable consequence of this treatment method is skin discoloration. This happens should your type of skin is not really well suited for process.

Though temporary, the side effects may take it may take lengthier sometimes. It can take several days and several weeks!

Another thing to be able to should consider laser hair removal is that it doesn’t bring sustainable solution. Hair increment is prevalent and hair follicles will always recover and set about growing hair again. Nevertheless, hair removal in San Diego may be the best option to get rid of the unwanted hair and achieve a flawless and perfect-looking skin.

How To Stop Oily Skin My Own Personal Discovery

Oily skin is not something that just occurs to you when you are hitting puberty. For many of us an overly oily skin complexion can go and last well into our adult lives. However that oil that your body produces to cover your face actually serves a very important function. Firstly, it keeps your skin hydrated and prevents it from drying out. Skin that is dry is more prone to irritation and other inconveniences such as flaking skin. The oil on your skin also acts as a small protective barrier to protect your skin from bacteria and fungal infections.

Although the natural reaction is to go to the shops and find the most powerful facial cleanser on the market heed my advice. If you are going through anything like I have been through then you know how annoying it is to have oily skin. All day your skin is covered in this glossy film, acne breakouts tend to be common no matter what products you seem to use. Also because I use make up, I also have to make doubly sure that whatever I put on my face doesn’t clog my pores and make my oily skin condition even worse.

I found that controlling my oily skin was a real challenge, every time I did research on the Internet I just got more confused. Apparently there was no one single cause for my oily skin, there was actually a multitude of factors such as genetics, diet and even hormone levels. All this information just made my head spin.

Things I Discovered on How To Stop Oily Skin

After little bit more research and a lot of trial and error, I learned from personal experience a couple of things that seem to actually make a real difference in stopping my skin from getting oily and out of control.

Stop Oily Skin Tip #1

Although my natural inclination was to wash my face as much is possible, I found that this was not practical and seemed to encourage my skin to produce even more skin oil. So I found a good happy medium, now I only wash my face once in the morning and once before I go to bed. Although now I only wash my face twice a day, I am able to keep my skin clean and clear. What I discovered was even if I only wash my face twice a day, as long as I ran the water warm and not too boiling hot my skin would be kept clean without suffering from overly dry skin that would encourage my body to produce even more skin oil.

Stop Oily Skin Tip #2

In the old days we used to recommend that to control the oil on your face you would use an astringent. Now personally I have tried astringents; products that commonly contain acetone. You know what I found? Astringents were way too harsh on my skin. The only way I was going to have acetone on my body was if I was trying to clean of my nail polish. In fact nowadays I just use a toner. Nothing fancy, whether it has witch hazel or not doesn’t really matter. The only thing I want in my toner is that it contains a little bit of salicylic acid to help keep my skin acne free. A really interesting side effect of using a toner is that my skin feels really smooth and super hydrated for longer after a little bit of toner on it without even a moisturizer.

Stop Oily Skin Tip #3

Avoid facial scrubs that contain strong perfumes or harsh scrubbing elements. One of the first facial scrubs I ever used caused me to break out like no tomorrow. I don’t know whether this was because of the apricot fruit additives or the unnecessary Microdermabrasion beads, all I know was the combination of these two things made my skin much worse than it had ever been before. If you have oily skin like me, all you need is a simple pH balanced cleaner. If you need to exfoliate then stick to a separate chemical exfoliants containing hydroxy acid or salicylic acids. Don’t irritate your skin with unnecessary mechanical scrubbing, it’s the 22nd century after all.

Stop Oily Skin Tip #4

Taking care of my face was all well and good. However at the same time when I was struggling to keep my oily skin under control I also stepped on the weight scales and realised that it was time for me to shed a few kilos. It was then that I embarked on a journey of healthy eating and adding a little bit more exercise to my daily routine. I can’t claim that exercising or eating right will cure your skin off excessive oil and acne. However I do know that staying in front of the computer or TV for six hours a day eating chips while I was on my butt was normally followed up by spontaneous breakouts all over my face within 24 hours. Try it, wipe your finger across your forehead and be shocked by that lovely film of skin oil that just accumulates while you sit in front immobile for six hours doing nothing.

Finally,

Oily skin is not the enemy. You can have oily skin that doesn’t lead to break outs. The key is to keep it clean, keep your clogs unclogged and to stop touching your face during the day.

Using The Right Neck Pillow

If your tossing and turning all night or you wake up with a stiff neck, it might be time for a new pillow. Using the right neck pillow can help to relieve stiffness, pain and headaches. Using a good neck pillow will help support the natural curve that should exist in the neck and help maintain proper alignment. If you fold your pillow in half and it doesn’t start to unfold on its own, it is time for a new pillow. Also be aware of older pillows which retain dust mites, dead mites and mite excrement. Be careful of allergies to down, wool, silk, cotton or latex which often make up the material of pillows. A good alternative if you have allergies is a hypoallergenic pillow.

The average person spends approximately one third of their life sleeping. It is important to maintain good posture while sleeping to help prevent neck and back pain. Neck pain sufferers especially benefit from a good pillow to help manage their problem. There are many options out there for pillows. It is important to find one that provides good support as well as comfort. You may need to try more than one to find the one that is best for you.

Sleeping can be very uncomfortable and painful for those with neck pain. A good neck pillow will help to cradle the head and provide support for the neck and prevent distortion of normal alignment and posture. If your pillow is not providing good support, symptoms such as a stiff neck, shoulder pain, headaches and pain, numbness and tingling in the arm and hand may develop.

Using too thin or no neck pillow at all can place the unsupported neck under strain all night long. Using a pillow which is too thick or too firm can cause abnormal pressure on the joints and push the neck up to high. When sleeping on your side, it is important that the pillow fills in the space between the head and bed to keep the spine straight. If the pillow is too thick or thin, it will not do this. If you sleep on your back, a pillow with a contour will help to support the natural curve in the neck. It will help to prevent the head from being too high or too low in relation to the rest of the body which may cause strain in the neck muscles and cause uneven pressure on the joints.

Neck pillows come in different sizes and you should choose one that best fits your size. If you have a saggy bed, you may want to choose a bigger pillow. Adjustable pillows are available such as inflatable neck pillows or water pillows. Inflatable pillows use air cells in order to adjust the amount of air you put in the pillow to reach the correct height. In water pillows, you can adjust the amount of water you put in the pillow to get to an ideal height and support. These pillows are a good choice when different height levels are needed.

Memory foam pillows also provide good support. Memory foam pillows can help dampen vibrations and are a good option when on the road to avoid vibration and temperature changes. A combination pillow may be a good option for some who have a difficult time finding the right neck pillow. It combines memory foam with other fill material to provide more comfort. For those that suffer back and neck pain, a body pillow may be a good option to provide support and total body alignment.

 

Scott Maynard

Writer

Scott Maynard loves to write articles and pages covering health related topics. He is also a medical volunteer in Red Cross and a lecturer.

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