Back Pain Trapped Nerve
The human central nervous system makes the world’s most sophisticated computer look like an abacus.
And like any sophisticated communications and processing system, the central nervous system sends and receives millions of simple messages simultaneously. It’s often not the complexity of the messages that is so amazing, but the speed and accuracy which it processes them.
Having said that, let us consider an issue that affects millions of people every day; that of back pain trapped nerve.
In order for us to get our minds around the complexity of such a data processing marvel, let us take a very simple analogy, and from it, learn some principles that can lead us onto a road to recovery, and to a better life.
This particular analogy depicts the spinal column, which accommodates the bulk of the central nervous system.
Imagine if you will, a bunch of humble cotton reels and a collection of thin slices of foam about ½ an inch [or 12mm] thick and the same diameter as the cotton reels, and to complete the picture, a flexible piece of tubing about a metre long [3feet] ….got that in your mind?
What I want you to do is to place the cotton reels one on top of each other, but with one foam disc in between each reel until you have a stack about one metre in height.
Once you that in place, slide the flexible tube down the centre of the column to create a metre high structure that has the ability to bend a little. Got it?
Now, I want you to get some string [did I forget to mention the string? Sorry] Start attaching lengths of string to the top surface of the top cotton reel, then after you attached about ten, next attach the other ends of the string to the bottom surface of the bottom reel. Not too tight, but not to loose either. What we now have is a depiction of a spinal column, true, it’s primitive by comparison yet it’s helpful to our understanding. Imagine that out from the flexible tube comes, along its length, some cotton threads and some even finer threads.
Now, just in case you haven’t already arrived at the place of understanding, the cotton reels represent the vertebrae, the foam slices are the inter-vertebral discs, the flexible tube is the spinal cord, the strings are the muscles, and the other threads are the nerves that emerge from the spinal column.
Having established that in our minds, fix the column firmly at the base so that the column is vertical; the column should, if the tension in the string is reasonable, remain vertical as intended.
Next, we are now going to INCREASE the tension in the strings and watch what happens. Gradually, the foam discs begin to compress. If we increase the tension sufficiently, the discs become compressed to the point that they are barely visible, and it would seem have completely disappeared. Imagine the compression that the entire column is experiencing, and in particular the threads that emerge from the tube?
Now, release the excessive tension in the strings, and watch what happens. The entire column’s tension reduces, and the foam discs return to their original thickness. [It’s worth making the important point that the longer the discs remain compressed, the more difficult the task to restore the original thickness, however let’s not allow the analogy to dissuade us excessively here, the restoration of thickness does happen, it just takes a little longer].
Next, we need to repeat the exercise, but with one all-important difference; begin to increase the tension in the strings ON ONE SIDE ONLY, and see what happens. The column begins to bend, and the foam also begins to compress more ON ONE SIDE ONLY. In human terms, when the spine loses it’s vertical aspect when viewed from the back, this is what is known as scoliosis, a condition that in many cases is reversible, even without surgery [regardless of what you may have been led to believe. I personally had a significant ‘C’ curve scoliosis for almost ten years, but have now been free of that condition for a quarter of a century].
Now, back to the column; imagine what effect the scoliotic compression is having on the threads emerging from the tube, particularly on that side.
The compression on the threads, and the foam, will continue, dare I even need to say it, until the entire column is de-compressed.
And, dare I even need to say, until this is done effectively, pain will persist. [Sciatica is typically the result of this type of non-symmetrical compression].
The amazing computer within us will continue to send unrelenting messages of warning [PAIN] telling us that something is seriously wrong, and needs to be addressed URGENTLY.
Back For Life teaches the sufferer why back pain trapped nerve exists, [amongst so many other things], and equips the sufferer to do that all-important de-compressing of the spine, or not only will the column remain compressed, BUT THE PAIN WILL CONTINUE.
A number of options present to the sufferer, but apart from using medication, or the questionable efficacy of invasive surgery, a sufferer cannot achieve pain reduction without spinal de-compression.
Many health-care professionals will employ the practice of external mechanical spinal traction, which can certainly be effective in achieving de-compression, HOWEVER, the frequency and availability of the traction devices generally makes this practice of mechanical traction less than ideal, particularly when you compare the efficiency of you being able to achieve the exact same result EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE.
Back For Life teaches you not only why this needs to be done on a routine basis, but also how to do exactly that.
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