How to Treat Back Spasms

Back spasms send many people to the doctor and emergency room each year to deal with the excruciating pain and sometimes fear. While serious medical conditions can cause back spasms, a herniated disc or sports injury for example, often it results from muscle misuse and/or sedentary living.

Things You'll Need

• Ice pack
• Heating pad
• Chair
• Pillows
• Physician recommendations

Treat back spasms with cold initially, such as a ice pack, to limit swelling and blood flow, both which produce increased pain following an injury. Cold may help for future muscle spasms as well, especially if a heating pad fails to provide relief. Otherwise, switch to a heating pad and use this on the surrounding muscles if the back spasms continue.

Rest as much as possible during the first two to three days, if needed, to allow the muscle injury to heal. Try to maintain some mobility, however, unless directed otherwise. Though painful, walking a minute or two several times a day will help prevent other muscles from tightening due to disuse.

Elevate your legs to treat back spasms and take pressure off of the back. The best position for many sufferers is to lie on the floor with knees bent at a 90-degree angle and the lower legs resting on a chair seat. Other measures include elevating the legs on pillows or placing the feet on a foot stool while sitting, elevating the knees above the pelvis. Poor pelvic alignment can make one more susceptible to back spasms.

Talk to your physician or pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that you can take to treat back spasms. Most patients will do best with an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen or naproxen, but some individuals may be directed to take aspirin or acetaminophen. If medical treatment is sought additional medications such as muscle relaxers may be recommended.

Try gentle back and leg stretching exercises designed for back strain as you improve, unless this aggravates the back pain. One effective exercise involves laying on the floor with the knees bent and the soles of the feet placed on the floor. Grab a knee and pull it gently towards the chest, hold for five to 10 seconds and release to the original position, then switch to the other knee. Repeat five to 10 times on each side. Note that exercise is best started some days into the healing process, when pain is less severe, or when the doctor recommends.

Use distraction and relaxation techniques to treat back spasms and reduce suffering. Whether it is meditation or reading, keeping your mind off of the back pain can help you relax, breathe effectively and promote healing.

How to Get Rid of Candida in the Stomach

Candida albicans is a type of yeast that lives in the body. In small amounts, it is harmless. However, there are several factors that can encourage candida to flourish, including an excess of refined sugar, or a weakened immune system due to diseases such as cancer. Your body will normally keep candida in check, using healthy bacteria to kill it, however if your body is deficient in healthy bacteria, you may experience symptoms of an overgrowth of candida. Candida frequently affects the digestive system, including the stomach.

Things You'll Need

• Acidophilus supplement
• Acidophilus milk
• Yogurt with acidophilus

Identify possible candida symptoms. Symptoms of widespread candida growth include bloating, gas, fatigue, headaches, cravings for sugar and alcohol, mood swings, diarrhea, vaginitis, depression, sinus inflammation, irritability, low libido, dizziness and earaches.

Restrict sugar as much as possible. Refined sugar encourages the growth of candida. Sources include white and brown sugar, syrups—including corn, maple, and rice—honey, maple sugar and sorghum. If your symptoms are especially severe, you may want to restrict your fruit intake as well, as fruit contains natural sugar that may contribute to candida.

Minimize products that contain yeast, including bread, rolls, pastries, muffins, crackers, bagels and similar products. Not only does yeast encourage candida growth, but these products also typically contain refined sugar as well.

Eliminate alcohol, as alcoholic drinks can contribute to candida problems. It is also beneficial to eliminate or significantly reduce coffee intake, both caffeinated and decaffeinated.

Refrain from taking antibiotics unless you must. Antibiotics destroy the healthy bacteria that grows in your digestive system. Without sufficient “good” bacteria to counteract candida, candida can rapidly multiply and overwhelm your digestive system.

Take an acidophilus supplement every day to encourage the cultivation of healthy bacteria. There are also other acidophilus-enriched food products you can buy, such as acidophilus milk and yogurt. Be sure to check all yogurt labels for the words “live cultures” and “acidophilus.”

How to Stop Drooling During Sleep

it is possible to stop drooling during sleep. The remedies for this condition can range from behavior modifications to the treatment of an underlying medical condition, such as an allergy or an abnormal sinus.

Breathe through your nose. Most people drool during sleep because they have a tendency to breathe through their mouths. During sleep, when you are unconscious and unaware, you don't have the same control over your bodily functions and emissions as you do during your waking hours. For people who breathe through their mouths, it's normal for saliva to start to work its way down and out through your partially open mouth. When you breathe through your nose, and with your mouth closed, your saliva will stay in your mouth.

If your nasal passages are restricted, a visit to your local allergist or ear, nose and throat doctor may be a wise step to ensure that you keep your nasal passages clear. Not only will this keep you from drooling during sleep, it will cut down on your susceptibility to colds and other respiratory conditions.

Visit your allergist or ear, nose and throat doctor to determine if sinus and/or nasal problems prevent you from breathing through your nose. If your nasal passages are chronically inflamed, and you simply breathe out of your mouth due to necessity, a trip to the appropriate physician can do wonders to shrink your nasal passages and/or relieve your stuffy sinuses, which will enable you to breathe easily and effortlessly through your nose. .

Get used to sleeping on your back. When you sleep on your back, it's virtually impossible to drool during sleep. Even with your mouth open in this position, your salivary excretions stay confined to the insides of your mouth, exactly where they belong. So, experiment with lying on your back immediately after getting into bed for the night. Even if you prefer to sleep on your sides, or on your stomach, beginning your night's sleep while on your back will do a great deal to prevent you from drooling while you sleep. And if you wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself on your side or stomach, immediately switch back to lying on your back. Over time, hopefully, your body will get used to that position and start to remain in that position.

How to Boost a Woman's Stamina

Low stamina can be a sign of too much stress, not enough fun, a poor diet or a hormonal imbalance. Although inconvenient, it usually isn't a serious medical condition and can be treated by changes in your activity level, diet or lifestyle choices. Although some aspects of building stamina are universal for men and women, there are some specific things for women to look at while seeking to increase their level of energy.

Get More Exercise

1. Get at least 20 minutes of moderate exercise daily, working hard enough to break a sweat but breathing normally enough to hold a conversation.

2. Focus on aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging or swimming. In women, aerobic exercise beats resistance workouts for increasing energy levels.

3. Track your workouts in a journal. The sense of accomplishment will augment the natural energy-increasing traits of getting a good workout.

4. Participate in a fun run. Most metro areas will have at least one a month, ranging from a 3K jog to a full marathon. Choose something appropriate and invite friends to prepare with you.

See to Your Diet

1. Eat right. Your body needs the right combination of foods to operate at peak efficiency. Avoid processed foods, caffeine and sugar. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

2. Take a women's multivitamin, not a generic multivitamin. Women's vitamins are formulated to replace minerals women use less effectively as they get older.

3. Eat foods high in natural sugars, thiamine and manganese, which your body needs for high energy. Examples include oranges, bananas and pineapples.

4. Eat more protein. That green salad may help your figure, but protein is what your body needs to keep the muscles moving. Protein comes best from nuts, meat and legumes.

5. Increase your iron and calcium intake, both of which grow more important as women get older. Get iron from spinach, pork and legumes. Get calcium from spinach and milk. Another excellent source of calcium is calcium-enriched orange juice.

Manage Your Stress

1. Get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of low energy during the day.

2. Demand time off. It's still true that, in many homes, the mother is the primary housekeeper and child raiser even if she works a full-time job. Do what you have to for your children and spouse to take part in household responsibilities.

3. Get active. Perhaps counterintuitively, high activity often leads to higher energy. Take a class, join a club or give time to a local charity. Better yet, invite a friend to join you.

How to Sleep Through The Night

Most people have endured the frustration of waking in the middle of the night to toss and turn without being able to fall back asleep. One bad night of sleep can throw off the entire next day and create a pattern of sleepless nights. Routine insomnia might signal a problem, but if waking if the night is an occasional problem, some simple adjustments to your routine can make all the difference.

Watch What You Eat
What you eat at dinner, or even earlier in the day, can come back to haunt you hours later. Avoid fatty or spicy foods in the hours before bedtime. Fat takes longer for your body to digest than do carbohydrates. Try eating a carb-rich dinner such as pasta or a sandwich to prevent your stomach from churning all night. That being said, a bedtime snack can actually help you sleep, provided it's the right kind of snack. Opt for foods that include tryptophan, an amino acid that helps you sleep. Snack on cheese or turkey slices, yogurt or a handful of nuts and pumpkin seeds.

Drink in Moderation
Drinking any beverage before bed can lead to several bathroom breaks during the night. Beginning at dinner time, drink only enough to quench your thirst, and go the bathroom right before getting into bed. Avoiding caffeine for at least four hours before bed is common advice, but avoiding alcohol is just as important. It may be easier to fall asleep after you've been drinking, but alcohol disrupts your sleep cycle and can make you wake up during the night.

Improve Your Environment
If you wake up in the middle of the night for no discernible reason, think about how your body feels. If you're sweating or shivering, or if your arm is asleep or your neck is aching, some physical discomfort might be to blame. Consider investing in a new mattress and pillows, and layer several thin blankets on your bed so you can adjust your coverings based on the season. Keep your room very dark and cool. Sharing your bed with anyone other than your partner will disrupt your sleep too, so consider outlawing children and pets from climbing in with you.

Reset Your Clock
One bad night of sleep is all it takes to throw off your internal clock for days. Resist the urge to sleep in or nap after a night of restlessness, so you'll be ready to sleep that night. Use light to help reset your clock. When you get up for the day, go outside into the sun for a few minutes, or turn on all the lights in your house to signal your body that it's time to be awake.

Other Solutions
Exercising during the day is not just good for your waistline, it's beneficial to your sleep patterns. Even something as simple as a 20-minute walk in the afternoon can help you sleep better at night. Doing something relaxing close to bedtime, such as writing in a journal or reading, can help you sleep better, too. If nothing seems to be working, consult your doctor. You might have a medical issue that's interfering with your sleep. If all else fails, your doctor might recommend you take medication to help you fall asleep and stay asleep all night.