Standing on the bank of the Dead Sea seemed like an opportune time to introduce my series on alternative treatments for back and neck pain.

There are so many different options in the world of alternative medicine- some are wonderfully effective, and some, well- I will let you judge for yourself. This series will not be like some of the others, which came out over a short period of time. This will be an ongoing feature which will recur from time to time. I will not only review some of the more popular approaches like acupuncture and prolotherapy, but I will show you some of the more esoteric approaches as well. I hope you will stop in and check them out.

Please, keep those cards and letters coming- your input helps to make the site more interesting and fun.

Thanks for stopping by,

-Andy

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A response to a viewer question regarding the surgical procedure known as a foraminotomy. In this procedure, the hole where a nerve exits the spine is enlarged in an effort to relieve impingement of the nerve, and subsequent pain. Stenosis, or reduction in the size of this hole is a common source of sciatica, and other radiating types of nerve pain. Below is an image of the neural exit foramina between two vertebrae.

Stay tuned for updates on the Fitness Challenge, and coming next week Pilates instructor Amanda Mitchell shares her One Thing.

Thanks for all of the great feedback, and be well.

-Andy

Dehydration can definitely exacerbate back pain and stiffness. Your body is requires hydration for a couple of things: If you think of your body is a machine, adequate hydration can help ensure that your soft tissue and joints are sufficiently lubricated. More importantly, all of your activity requires the electrolytes and other nutrients which are replenished through hydration. Dehydration can cause muscle spasm and cramping in extreme cases, and a feeling of soreness and fatigue in less extreme situations.

Now, something to keep in mind is that hydration should not come exclusively in the form of water- particularly if you are participating in strenuous activity likely to result in dehydration. Something not many people realize is that you can actually become dehydrated by consuming too much water. The easiest way to understand this is with a grasp of what is known as the OSMOTIC GRADIENT- that is the idea that minerals and electrolytes dissolved in water tend to go towards places where there are less of them. So, if you consume excessive water without replacing some of the nutrients lost through sweat and activity, the water can actually draw these substances out of your tissue, worsening dehydration.

As always, consume water throughout your day, but be certain that your diet contains sufficient nutrients to replace the ones you use- in short a nicely balanced diet.

If you are running a marathon, or participating in other strenuous activity/exercise- fluid supplements fortified with electrolytes and other minerals can be a useful aid.

One last thing, hydration falls under the larger topic of nutrition. Look back at the blog in late March or early April for a segment with a nutritionist who will discuss other nutritional considerations for back pain.

Thank you for your question!