STTING DISEASE: BACK PAIN AND NECK PAIN CAUSES

SITTING DISEASE AND ITS PROBLEMS

There are more people worldwide suffering from Neck pain and Back pain. Among the resons for this are related to Workstyle and Lifesyle. At work most people sit for long hours. Prolonged sitting has now been identified as a problem called the Sitting Disease. This is associated with diabetes, obesity and a shortened life. Other major problems are heart attack, strokes and spine problems.

It is important to break up sitting at work. Dr Prem Pillay, a Spine Specialist, recommends that you take Micro-Breaks from sitting every 30 minutes. Please stand for 30 seconds for every 30 minutes of sitting. Another option is to have a standing work desk. Combining a sitting and standing work desk is more healthy for you states Dr Prem, and can reduce the problems of Sitting Disease. Prolonged sitting can also occur on the way to work and on the way home. Sitting in a bus, MRT train, taxi and a car for long hours particularly in City traffic is harmful as well. Standing up from sitting when and where possible for a few seconds is still helpful says Dr Prem Pillay.

Many people also have a sedentary lifestyle away from work. They come home and sit on the couch or chair and watch TV for hours. This is common in older people. Younger people also often sit at home in front of a computer to interact with their friends on FaceBook and other social media; or to play computer games. It would be better to shorten these activities. Having a proper healthy lifestyle requires some outdoor activites. For older people this should include walking and even gardening or dancing. For younger working people, regular light exercise including fast walking, swimming and cyling would be suitable states Dr Prem Pillay.

Children now have bad habits from their early years with poor posture when sitting and standing.  Many children now spend their home hours playing on laptops and ipads. This is bad for their health. Dr Prem  encourages parents to encourage their children to play outdoors when they come home from school. This is especially important for children who do not do enough sports at school.

In conclusion, Dr Prem Pillay has given a list of health tips:

1.A Comfortable Sleep Enviroment helps rest the spine. Use a firm but comfortable mattress; a spine mattress is made by many manufacturers and a good thin pillow.

2. Try to manage your weight . If you are overweight,  weight reduction does reduce loading on the spine.

3. A Good Posture while sitting, standing and working will reduce stress on the spine

4. Reduce the weight of bags and briefcases that need to be carried to and from work places.

5..Recognize spine related pain early and get the right treatment from the right specialist

Furthur info:

www.spine-neuro.org

www.singaporespine.org

BACK PAIN IN EXECUTIVES

BACK PAIN IN EXECUTIVES

There is an increase in the problem of Back Pain worldwide. According to Dr Prem Pillay , a Spine and Nerve Specialist, an important reason for this is our modern 21^st Century Lifestyle. We are sitting for long hours at work and sitting for many hours at home. Many modern office workers and executives are now suffering from Back Pain as a result of this.

Back Pain used to be seen mainly in those who worked in physically demanding jobs like builders, bricklayers, plantation workers, heavy industry workers , construction workers and miners. However, nowdays , Dr Prem Pillay has noticed that there are more executives who come to him for back pain. He has identified prolonged sitting, a poor posture, overuse of computers , frequent business travel and a unhealthy executive lifestyle as major reasons for this problem. When you sit too long, he explains, there is increased pressure in the spine discs. The spine is not one bone but about 33 bones with a soft gel like substance called the disc in between. The disc  allows flexibility and movement in the spine.  Executive work with computer work and a lack of movement can cause the spine discs to break down and come out or slip out. These slipped discs can pressure on the nerves and cause back pain, leg pain, numbness, tingling, and as the problem gets worse even weakness in the legs. The worse case scenario is becoming unable to walk, unable to pass urine or pass motion. This can happen gradually or in some people it can happen suddenly.

Executives who have back pain often go for massages to therapists. If the pain does not get better  after three visits to the therapist or comes back after massage therapy , Dr Prem recommends that you see a spine specialist. He does warm that massage therapy or physical therapy done in the wrong way by unqualified people can make the problem worse. A proper spine and nerve examination followed by an MRI of the spine can reveal and confirm the problem. X rays alone cannot show the nerves or pressure on the nerves from  a slipped disc. In some older executives, the back pain or leg pain is caused by spine stenosis. This is a narrowing in the spine canal which squeezes the spine nerves. A common story that Dr Prem hears is that the person cannot walk far without the legs feeling uncomfortable. He has to stop and rest first before walking further.

Executive back pain can often be treated without surgery. The proper medications and  therapy organized by a spine specialist can help the person recover faster and return to his normal lifestyle.

Some people require spine injections to reduce pain. The better type of spine injections treat the root of the problem. This involves a laser like spine injection to the disc to reduce the disc pressure on the nerves. This can be done as a day procedure without any surgery. In some executives the problem has become too serious and requires surgery. Fortunately modern surgery including microsurgery and microneurospine surgery has advanced to a stage that the risks are low and the recovery can be  quick.

In conclusion, more executives and office workers are suffering from back pain. If this back pain is frequent or spreads to the legs, Dr Prem Pillay recommends that you see a spine and nerve specialist for a proper check up to find out the root of the problem. A healthy lifestyle with less sitting, the right exercises and a good  diet can also lessen the chance of frequent back pain.

REFERENCE SITES:

Singapore Spine Advice

Neuro Spine and Pain Center