Can I attain some relief from Back Pain associated with a Herniated Disc, Osteoarthritis, and Spinal Stenosis?

Whether you call them hospital beds, Craftmatic Adjustable Beds, or just plain old adjustable beds they’re some of the most recognizable names for beds that can be modified. The base can be altered so the mattress can bend and adjust to any position the sleeper desires. These beds improve comfort and make life easier for those that choose them, improvements with the simple things like sitting up and watching TV, working or playing on the laptop, and of course reading. However these beds are best known for their medical benefits and while sometimes there is a negative connotation with the word “hospitals beds” rest assured these special beds called Adjustable Beds offer relief from Back Pain Osteoarthritis and Spinal Stenosis which are medical conditions that affect people’s lives.

Click Photo to See Our Adjustable Beds

Adjustable beds and Osteoarthritis:

According to Spine Health people who suffer from osteoarthritis associated with facet joints in the spine can often find relief in ways they hadn’t previously experience. Many say they find relief in a recliner or adjustable bed. Surfaces like these that help redistribute body weight allows the knees and head to be raised higher and elevates them, easing associated pressure found in normal flat resting areas like mattresses. Without such relief many of these same people often prefer a fetal position with the knees pulled up resting on their side.

Spinal Stenosis and adjustable beds:

Adjustable beds also offer the same benefits to those suffering from spinal stenosis flexible mattress repositioning . Again with the knees curled and pulled up toward the hips lying on their side in a fetal position relief is often found, but sleeping on an adjustable bed or a reclining chair allows for position adjustments to lift the knees and head in such a way that with the correct elevation pressure on the nerve is minimized or eliminated.

Adjustable beds help relieve pain associated with joint pressure:

Do you deal with back pain? Studies show that 80 percent of people will suffer from some kind of back pain at some point during their lifetimes. By sleeping on a bad or improper mattress can aggravate back pain, particularly those with conditions like Spinal Stenosis and osteoarthritis. Obtaining an adjustable bed can be one of the first steps a person can take to help you minimize back pain. Regular flat mattresses do not have the ability to properly distribute body weight and reduce pressure over the entire body. With such pressure being exerted on the body the heart is forced to work harder which reduces needed oxygen that nourish the entire body through the blood stream. Adjustable beds can be customized and positioned to the correct angles that promote proper circulation and reduce strain on the heart reduce associated results of sleep apnea and acid reflux. Adjustable beds help relieve pain associated with joint pressure put the spine in positions that reduce stresses and pressure for issues like a herniated lumbar disc and improve blood circulation throughout the body.

Article title: Adjustable Beds offer relief from Back Pain Osteoarthritis and Spinal Stenosis

What The World Series and jet lag have In common?

What The World Series and Jet Lag Have In Common

Well I can share with you that last night after enjoying one of the most exciting baseball games ever, and along side a few of my fellow friends we paid a price. That cost came in the form of less sleep. Personally I felt as though I just walked off the airplane from a long trip. It was game 6 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers and what is arguably one of the greatest series games ever played and it ended after midnight. I had been posting and tweeting on Facebook and Twitter sharing the ups and downs of the game with all who were willing. It was in the 11th inning  and David Freese took a 3-2 pitch and drove it to deep center field to break the 9-9 tie game with one of the most exciting happenings in baseball a walk off home run. It was crazy an my online celebration continued well after the game we were all to excited to go to sleep.  The next morning the walls were buzzing on my social networks. Everyone was chatting about their lack of sleep. Some  joked about taking role call while others said they felt like the lack of sleep resembled jet lag, a feeling that our beloved Cardinals share all too often I’m sure and especially during this years World Series.

This got me to thinking about today’s blog having to do with a recent new study that was released that seem to explain the feeling jet lag we  all experience when we travel.  Have you ever traveled from west to east? Well the jet lag  we experience and the Differences we feel when traveling seems to be the responsibility  within our brains. This feeling is actually a big disruption of our circadian clocks.  Forget the alarm clock that wakes you in the morning, this is a clock  in your body that sets itself and is believed to be the primary reason we experience jet lag. It often affects people more so when they’re flight takes them west to east, as apposed to the opposite direction and seems to have been solidified in a recent new animal study. Our circadian clock makes necessary regular adjustments to stay in sync light cycles of day and night. The circadian clock does this by advancing or delaying its time clock in reaction to light. These corrections usually happen with no notice. When this routine is interrupted by rapid light and dark changes in the light-dark cycle, in particular when we travel or take a long flight. Previous studies show delaying or advancing the brains clock occurs in altered pathways in an area of the human brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

This newest study has indicated that the molecular mechanisms within these brain pathways are considerably different. Science has known for years that within humans and other living organisms, advances are harder to achieve than delays. One of the best examples of this, compare the jet lag experienced in a trip coming from Europe back to the USA, Associate professor of biology Horacio de la Iglesia, from the University of Washington, said in a university news release. “One of the reasons may be that these two forms of resetting the clock involve different molecular mechanisms at the clock level,” he suggested. According to the researchers scientific findings from studies that included hamsters looks to help in efforts and help develop possible remedies related to jet lag, according to the researchers. The study was published online recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Photo Getting dirty By Herkie http://www.flickr.com/photos/dherholz/4568730107/

Not sure what’s up with the old bed?

Tired of Dealing with Back Pain? Could it Be Your Mattress?

Tired of Dealing with Back Pain? Could It Be Your Mattress?

There are three areas where your old mattress could be failing you and anyone one of them is enough to cause back pain.
1.    Lacks Necessary Support
2.    Lack of High Level Comfort
3.    Lack of Proper Firmness

Two of the more obvious signs that it might be time for a new mattress is that you are stiff and sore when you wake up, but is it possible your old mattress responsible for this pain or discomfort that you feel. Yes it is very possible that your old mattress could be a cause due to the lack of the following.

* Lacks Necessary Support

While many of us already know that our mattress is old we tend to overlook it and act as if all is OK. We convince ourselves that the bed still looks good therefore there is nothing wrong with it. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The support of our typical mattress comes from coil springs. It also comes from upholstery that can be anything from polyurethane foam layers and polyester to memory foam and latex rubber. When these mattress components wear they are unable to conform and support your body properly as well as it use to. This lack of support throughout the night can make getting a restful night’s sleep a nightmare.

* Lack  High Level Comfort

While it is true some older mattresses might offer some comfort at first it is generally short lived. With a little time lying in the mattress the innards of the bed begin to reveal themselves and their inability to offer 6-9 hours of steady comfort. This is typically due to worn out materials, and lack of what I like to call buoyancy that really shows in older mattresses. A bottoming out of sorts starts to take place because the cushioning has worn and become tired.Our sleeping position is often affected by hard spots or pressure points. This discomfort causes us to move to a less comfortable less favored less comfortable sleeping position. Some of us can wake up with back pain.

* Lack of Proper Firmness

Whether it was my teacher, grandmother, or mother I can remember being told to sit up straight as I’m sure some of you may be able to relate. The people that cared about us were concerned about bad posture. Bad posture by itself has been known to lead to back problems so it’s important that your spine be correctly supported,  and yes even while you sleep. While most mattresses use coil springs for their core support and it is durable and long lasting they do not last forever losing their original firmness. The most common problem is coil spring fatigue. Coil spring fatigue is best explained as an exhausted piece of coiled metal. Eventually weight and time not to mention countless spring oscillations causes metal fatigue and the spring rate decreases and the coil springs will give less total body support and potentially even sag.

If your bed does not allow you the same posture while lying in bed that you assume while standing, know that this is a common sign that it may be time for a new mattress. If  your mattress lacks proper support, comfort, or firmness it is very likely you are in the market for a new mattress.This  may be the primary reason you experience trouble falling asleep, wake up tired and groggy, and even feel sore or experience back pain after a night of slumber on an old  mattress. So if you have asked these two question am I Tired of Dealing with Back Pain? Could It Be Your Mattress? Look no further than the bedroom.

Photo Courtesy of “their history”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22326055@N06/2750166447/

Have you thought about how to Protect Your Sleep from Bed Bugs?

Photo by Cuttlefish bed bugs on the box spring

As you have probably heard They’re Back! In the past, Bed Bugs were considered a rarity in the U.S.; but with increased international travel, the banning of potent insecticides, and a lack of vigilance by the public, these blood-sucking critters have made a comeback.

One possible solution to the problem is Total Encasement Mattress Protectors. They help to protect your sleep and your body against Bed Bugs by completely enclosing the mattress rather than only going over the top of it and or sides and leaving the mattress partially exposed.

Educate and Protect Yourself!

What Are Bed Bugs?

The common bed bug is a small, brownish, flattened insect that feeds solely on the blood of animals. Adult Bed Bugs are very small and do not fly but can travel quickly over the floors, ceilings, and walls of your home.

Where Do Bed Bugs Live?

A bed bug can live anywhere. Let me emphasize this important fact. They can live anywhere. They survive in  a location that is protected and dark.; making your mattress a perfect spot to live. Bed Bugs tend to congregate and it is typical to find many in the same spot.

How Can We Prevent a Bed Bug Infestation?

One company offers a way to protect your mattress and pillows that is a little different than other products. It’s called the Sleepharmony Total Encasement Mattress and Pillow protectors. It is made by Glideaway Manufacturing out of St. Louis Missouri.

• When traveling, inspect your bedding and mattress for Bed Bugs.
• Avoid storing luggage on the floor or on the bed.
• When returning home from travel, put all your laundry immediately in the wash on warm or hot cycle.

This was a recent interview with Dr Ojile from the Clayton Sleep Institute on Fox 2 News in St Louis. Can Back Ground Noise Be the Key To Getting To Sleep?

Are countless thoughts keeping you awake at bedtime? John Pertzborn All the time. Angie Mock, Some back ground noise can actually be the key to relaxation That’s what Dr. Ojile says, he is from the Clayton Sleep Institute. You were just talking to Angie about some issues she’s having? All laughing Angie say’s she has plenty of them trust her as she says she busted out a few yawns just moments ago. She asks Dr. Ojile to talk about it a little.

Dr. Ojile: It’s tough to change shifts like your doing but one of the issues that’s come up is that there is a resort in Europe that’s now providing each of their guests with background music to sleep. We’re starting to see this trend around the country and in some of the areas around the world and in resorts and it applies to peoples homes as well. Some folks, and this is a strategy more than a scientific issue they need a little bit of white noise or what we call background noise to ease themselves into sleep.  You were playing some of that as we started the interview, sometimes its rainforest, sometimes it’s trickling water, they’re different sounds that are very benign, they’re not disruptive and they’re not loud.

John Pertzborn, is that the same thing, I know people that can’t fall asleep unless they have the radio or the television set on?

Dr. Ojile, It is a similar tactic but this is a healthy approach. With those other issues the brain tends to get focused on what’s on the TV, So for instance if what you need to go to sleep is a certain late night show, you cycle through sleep periodically about every 90 minutes during the night. When you get up during one of those 90 minute periods, that show is not going to be on any longer so your brain has gotten tuned into that versus the repetitive calming sound. So this is a little better strategy and again its not as much scientific as just part of your total sleep health and behavior picture but it’s very easy to perform if you need it.

John Pertzborn, It looks like the buzzer on The Price Is Right.

Dr. Ojile, That’s exactly right; it’s a very simple device. These are very inexpensive and they are very simplistic. You can adjust it to what ever you like from rain to ocean to waterfalls.

Angie Mock. This is basically to drown out not necessarily sirens or anything that’s going on in the background but just to kind of help give a relaxing…

Dr Ojile, that’s a very good point some of it is for relaxing but there can be a few minor back ground sounds. It’s certainly not going to drown out thunder or an ambulance. So that’s really what it’s for. It’s to give you this gentleness to go to sleep. It can work in some patients. I think this is a very interesting trend you’re going to see this as you go to more and more hotels. There is several hotels in the country that will give you a package when you check in which is actually a CD of music that you can put in your room and listen to on your clock radio, DVD player, CD Player etc. Some will have the music where you can just turn it on your remote control. Your going to see more of this as the resort industry tries to accommodate the needs of their residents who are our patients and see that there is a value there.

John Pertzborn, So in other words , invest in this technology you will make a million?

Dr Ojile, (Laughing) I can’t say that.

John Pertzborn, It’s a great idea though

Angie Mock, Absolutely, Why we have you here do you have any other tips for people having trouble getting to bed at night and sleep?

Dr Ojile, I think key thing is to look at this as something secondary to do. The standard things for getting to bed are still the key issues. Regularizing your bed time, regularizing your wake time, and winding down an hour our two before you go to sleep and trying not to change shifts to often.

John Pertzborn, Without looking at the internet and things that stimulate you and eating gassy foods.
Dr. Ojile Technology is the biggest issue for sure for our society today.