Immediate and Necessary Steps to Take After Throwing out Your Back

Around 80% of people will experience back pain in their life. This could be for various reasons, such as surgery, injury, or age.

Throwing out your back is also a common occurrence, and it happens to 90% of people. If you threw out your back, it could be a serious problem, and there are steps to take to ensure that further injury doesn’t happen.

What Does it Mean to Throw Out Your Back?

Throwing out your back is a term used to describe what happens when the muscles in your back have been strained. This happens due to lifting a heavy object incorrectly, overworking, stretching too far or awkwardly, and improper posture.

While the muscles in your back take the brunt of the pain, damage to blood vessels, tissues, or ligaments occur as well. Usually, the problem happens in the lower back.

Symptoms of Throwing Out Your Back

When you throw out your back, it can be excruciatingly painful, but there are other symptoms to watch for as well.

• Stiffness
• Inability to move
• Tightening of the muscles
• Pain
• Muscle spasms

Typically the pain shouldn’t last for more than 10-14 days, but if it does, check with your doctor to make sure there’s no serious damage.

What to Do When Your Back Goes Out

Experiencing back pain can be debilitating, and you’ll want to be back on your feet soon. To do that, there are steps to take to make sure your back heals and you’re back to normal.

1. Get Rest

One of the best things you can do when you throw out your back is to rest so the muscles have time to recover. Use pillows to support your back to reduce the strain on your muscles.

Lying flat on your back is the ideal position, but do so on a hard surface.

2. Treat The Pain

It’s hard to rest when you’re in so much pain. Treating the pain so you can get adequate rest is important and can be accomplished in a few different ways.

Try applying ice packs locally for up to 20 minutes. Taking over-the-counter medicine like ibuprofen reduces inflammation and can make you more comfortable as you rest. Applying heat can also have the same effect.

3. Exercise

Exercise might seem like the last thing you want to do when you’ve thrown out your back, but easing back into exercising keeps the muscles working. If you don’t move at all, your muscles may become weak or stiff.

After a couple of days of rest, slowly begin going back into your normal activities, but only do what you’re comfortable with. Start by doing some gentle stretching for short periods. Refrain from doing any sort of heavy lifting, twisting, or other intense physical activity until you’re back to normal.

Even after you’ve started feeling better, it’s important to take it easy, and if you start to feel discomfort, rest!

4. See A Doctor

If your pain is persistent or is not responding to OTC medications, visit your doctor to see if there is a large problem at play.

Here are some reasons you might consider seeing a doctor:

• Inability to stand
• Numbness
• Fever
• Abnormal bowel movements

Your doctor may prescribe different treatments to get you back on your feet or may order x-rays, CT scan, or MRI. They may also suggest steroids, stronger pain medications, more rest, or physical therapy.

5. Visit A Chiropractor or A Massage Therapist

Chiropractors work to keep the body aligned by adjusting the spine. If your back is bothering you a chiropractor can apply some adjustments to get you back in shape and ease your pain.

A massage therapist can give you a massage to help alleviate some of the tensions from the pulled or strained muscles.

Tips For A Healthy Back

While throwing out your back can put a temporary dent in your life, there are ways to try and prevent back problems.

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to keep your back strong. Building muscles in both your core and your back will continue to give you support and strength. Incorporating stretching techniques like yoga or pilates increases your flexibility.

Since heavy lifting is a large reason why people throw out their back, take precautions if you’re going to be doing a lot of lifting to avoid injury. You can wear protective gear like a brace or a belt that supports your back and your core. Investing in one of these is a smart idea if you do frequent heavy lifting or have back problems.

Learn and use correct ways to lift heavy objects. Always bend at the knees and keep a straight back when lifting, and never use your back to take the brunt of the weight. Awkward twisting or moving paves the way for more injury.

Recovering From A Thrown-Out Back

The good news is that the majority of the time people who throw out their back will make a complete recovery within a few weeks. With proper rest and treatment, you should be able to return to normal activities.

If your doctor prescribes any treatments, be sure to follow through on them and follow up with your doctor when necessary.

Don’t Stay in Pain

Throwing out your back is painful and bothersome, so make sure to take the correct steps so that you don’t have to suffer for long.

Are you looking for expert chiropractic care in Lexington? Our team can answer all your questions. Contact us today to set up an appointment!

Follow These 5 Steps as Soon as You Throw Out Your Back

Whether you struggled to lift a heavy object or played a little too hard out on the football field, it’s all too easy for even the healthiest adults to ‘throw out,’ their backs. If you’re experiencing back muscle strain, you’re likely to face immediate pain, followed by days or weeks of soreness.

A thrown-out back occurs when a muscle, usually in the lumbar area, is pulled or strained. In most cases, the stretched or torn tissue will heal over time. Repeated injuries or failure to give the muscle time to recover could cause the tissue to become scarred and result in permanent damage.

While many people believe throw out your back is part of aging, in fact, it’s often a sign of lifestyle choices that could be impacting your health. If you’re suffering from back muscle strain, Advanced Spine & Posture will take the opportunity to talk with you about lifestyle changes and proactive measures to improve your health. Our Las Vegas, NV clinic is no stranger to patients who have thrown out their back!

Treating strained back muscles

If you suspect you’ve throw out your back, call your chiropractor and take their next available appointment. Chiropractic care holistically treats the muscles and nerves surrounding the spine. Seeking the help and expertise of your chiropractor can help you ensure your muscles heal correctly.

In the meantime, here are a few things you can do to treat your strain, until you have the opportunity to visit a chiropractor in Las Vegas:

• Stop what you’re doing: The first thing you should do if you believe you’ve thrown out your back is stop and stand still. If you feel a strike of pain go through your back, don’t try to push through it. Instead, walk slowly to a safe area and sit down, with your back upright.
• Apply ice: Applying ice or cold packs to your injury is a great way to help reduce inflammation and ease soreness. Ice presses can also help you minimize potential tissue damage by slowing the flow of blood to the affected area.
• Sleep on your back: You’ll want to minimize activity around your back in the days following the injury. Sleep and rest on your back to reduce the amount of motion and to support the affected muscle.
• Ease back into exercise: Carefully ease yourself back into your daily routine. You shouldn’t expect to suddenly be able to return to intensive physical activity following a thrown-out back. You’ll have to ease back into your regular exercise regimen.
• Consider pain treatment: Your healthcare provider may be able to provide you with non-steroidal pain medication. They may recommend massage or supplements to help you manage pain, as well as or instead of traditional pain medication.

Advanced Spine & Posture understands the importance of chiropractic treatment for a thrown-out back. We’ve seen how debilitating it can be for our Las Vegas, NV patients! Using Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP), we work to understand the full extent of your muscle strain and deliver targeted relief that gets you back on your feet.

Schedule a consultation today, before your back suffers any more than it already has!

Chiropractic BioPhysics, or CBP, is one of the most scientific, researched, and results-oriented corrective care techniques. CBP-trained chiropractors aim to realign the spine back to health, eliminating nerve interference and addressing the source of pain, fatigue, and disease. As with all chiropractic care, CBP is gentle, painless, and non-invasive.

My Back Went Out. Do I Use Heat or Ice to Relieve Low Back Pain?

The feeling is all-too-familiar to the estimated 31 million Americans who live with back pain: Your back is out. Again.

But what exactly does that mean?

The feeling is hard to describe: For you, it may be a twinge that causes tenderness and discomfort. Or, the pain might be so intense that it hurts to make even the slightest movement. It can be concentrated in a specific area or spread out. You might feel achiness, numbness and tingling in your butt and legs.

You can lower your chances of throwing your back out by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. That means getting regular exercise, losing weight, and reducing stress. And if you smoke, you should quit.

You can also protect your back by not lifting heavy objects. If you can’t avoid it, be sure lift the right way: Bend your knees and keep your back straight. It will keep you from pulling something or hurting your back.

It’s hard to know if or when your back will go out. It could happen while you’re moving furniture or shoveling snow. But even something as simple as sneezing or bending over to tie your shoe could trigger back spasms.

When it happens, there are some simple things you can do to relieve your pain.

Rest (But Not For Too Long)

When it hurts to move, rest might seem like the right thing to do. But sitting still for too long might make the problem worse. To keep your back muscles from losing tone:

• Lie down for no more than a few hours at a time.
• When lying on your back, put pillows under your knees.
• If you’re lying on your side, put the pillows between your knees . This will help to relieve pressure.
• Get back to your normal daily activities as soon as possible.

Apply Cold

Put an ice pack on your back for 10 to 20 minutes to reduce nerve activity, pain, and swelling. And be sure to wrap the ice pack in a towel to protect your skin.

Apply Heat

Studies show that it can provide short-term pain relief. A hot shower, bath or heating pad can help relax tense muscles and reduce inflammation. But if you use a heating pad, be careful. Don’t set it on “high” or fall asleep with it on your skin. It could cause serious burns.

Try Pain Relievers

Over-the-counter medications like aspirin and acetaminophen will relieve the pain. Ibuprofen and naproxen relieve pain and swelling. Your doctor may also prescribe steroids to relieve inflammation.

Exercise

It helps build muscle strength and can speed up recovery. Stretching and strengthening exercises, like yoga, can ease chronic low back pain. Your doctor may also suggest physical therapy to make your back and abdominal muscles (your “core”) stronger. Studies show that exercises to strengthen the muscles that support the spine can reduce pain a lot.

Get a Massage

When your back goes out, make an appointment with a massage therapist. A 2011 study found that this is an effective treatment for chronic low back pain.

When to Call Your Doctor

With these treatments, your pain should go away on its own. Call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms, because they could be signs of a bigger problem:

• The pain lasts for more than 3 days.
• It moves from your back to other parts of your body.
• You also have fever or loss of bladder or bowel control.

5 Things to Do If You Throw Out Your Back

Growing up, you likely heard the expression “step on a crack, break your mother’s back,” which is of course just a figure of speech spoken by children. However, there’s another common saying you might have heard during your adult years: “I threw my back out.” The difference with this statement is that it is, in fact, directly related to pain in the spine, especially when someone has sustained a serious injury and experienced sharp, sudden back pain due to twisting abnormally or lifting something that was too heavy. If this sounds like what’s happened to you, there are a few things you should do to facilitate recovery.

1. Get Plenty of Rest

It’s important to allow irritated muscles the chance to recover, and this can be accomplished by getting some rest for a few days. If the cause of your sudden back pain is an overextended back-supporting muscle or a muscle spasm, rest is likely the first remedy you’ll want to try. Lying flat on the floor is an ideal relaxation methods when managing sudden back pain, as hard surfaces tend to be better for the back than a comfortable mattress. If a herniated disc is contributing to your pain, try lying on the floor.

2. Engage in Physical Activity

Though rest is important, you don’t want to overdo it, as the muscles that support your spine could weaken and increase your pain rather than reducing it. Once you’ve gotten the rest you need for a few days, start exercising again. Being active can strengthen the muscles around the spine, which should come as no surprise. However, you might not realize that exercising can also release hormones called endorphins, which naturally reduce pain and make you feel good.

3. Consider Physical Therapy

Certain movements may trigger acute back pain, which sometimes results from herniated discs, pinched nerves, spinal fractures, and other issues. In these instances, you may want to consider physical therapy (PT) for alleviating your pain. A physical therapist can offer specific recommendations for the type of discomfort you’re experiencing. Beneficial types of PT include:

• Massage therapy—relieves muscle tension
• Stretching—targets the core muscle groups
• Hot and cold therapy—eases inflammation and increases circulation

4. Take Medication to Alleviate Inflammation

Many over-the-counter (OTC) medications can help with inflammation, especially NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen. However, if OTC medications aren’t providing the relief you need, you may want to consider prescription NSAIDs. Talk to your doctor about drugs that might be effective, and remember strong pain medications should never be considered a long-term solution for relieving back pain.

5. Stay Hydrated

If you’re dehydrated, it’s going to be much more challenging to get vital nutrients to the areas of your spine or the soft tissues that might be contributing to your discomfort. You need to keep blood flowing to your back, so it’s important to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water each day. Drink water often, even if you think you’re already properly hydrated.

There are many possible causes of sudden back pain, and there’s also no single method for treating it. However, there are ways to minimize the risk of throwing your back out. For instance, use your hips for support when lifting heavy objects, warm up before a workout, and always pay attention to your posture. If you continue to experience this type of back pain or it worsens or spreads to other areas of the body, make sure to schedule an appointment with a trusted Los Angeles back surgeon.

Dr. Hyun Bae from The Spine Institute is a top-rated spine specialist you can rely on, specializing in procedures such as spinal fusion and decompression surgery. Los Angeles patients who want to find a solution to their back pain should call 310-828-7757 today.

How to Treat a Pulled Back Muscle in 8 Steps

A pulled back muscle can begin as a sudden, sharp pain when lifting or bending. Or it may appear gradually, getting progressively worse over several days. This common injury ranges from a minor inconvenience to an intense source of pain. It can take several weeks, and in some cases a few months, to heal.¹

A pulled muscle is the common term for a strained muscle.² A strain is a muscle or tendon injury that happens when the tissue stretches or tears. When a ligament stretches or tears, it’s called a sprain. Back pain, often due to a pulled muscle, is one of the most common issues health professionals treat.² In most cases, you can manage and treat symptoms at home. But if the pain is unbearable or makes it difficult to move, see a doctor.

Symptoms of a Pulled Back Muscle

Symptoms of a pulled back muscle depend on where the injury is. The spine is divided into three major sections: the neck, upper back and shoulders, and lower back.

For a pulled muscle in the neck, you might experience:³

• Pain in the neck and upper back area
• Limited range of motion in the neck
• Stiffness in the neck
• Pain radiating to the shoulders or arms
• Headache

Pulled muscles in the shoulders and upper back may cause:

• Pain in the area between the spine and shoulder blade
• Muscle spasms in the upper back
• Knots and tightness in the upper back and shoulders
• Pain when moving the shoulders

In lower back strain injuries, many people experience symptoms such as:

³

• Aching and stiffness in lower back muscles
• Pain that worsens with movement
• Pain that radiates to the hips and legs
• Limited range of motion
• Muscle spasms in lower back area
• Pain when sitting, standing, or walking

Causes and Diagnosis of a Pulled Back Muscle

Trauma, stress, and tension may all cause strains and sprains. Some of the most common causes include:

• Falling, especially if you hit the ground hard or fall in an awkward position.
• Repetitive movements that stress and irritate the back muscles.
• Unsafe lifting, lifting while twisting, or lifting a very heavy object. Parents sometimes injure their backs throwing or playing with children.
• Excess weight that puts excess strain on back muscles. People who are overweight, people who suddenly gain weight, and pregnant women are more vulnerable to pulled muscles.
• A sedentary lifestyle. This may weaken the back, increasing the risk of injuries.
• Poor posture when sitting or bad form when doing athletic activities.

A medical professional may suspect a strain or sprain based on symptoms and your medical history. If another injury, such as a broken bone or herniated disc, is possible, the provider may do other tests, such as an x-ray or MRI scan.³

Treating a Pulled Back Muscle in 8 Steps

No matter where a pulled muscle is in the body, the steps to treat it are generally the same. However, it’s important to talk to a medical professional before treating an injury because symptoms of other injuries, such as disc problems or a broken bone, may resemble strains and sprains. After talking to a professional, try the following steps:³

1. Apply cold. Cold helps reduce inflammation, which is the primary source of pain in the first few days. The faster you can apply cold to a pulled back muscle, the faster you may reduce pain, help control swelling, and start the healing process. Apply a cold pack for 15-20 minutes as soon as the injury occurs. Take a break of at least 20 minutes between each cold application.

2. Use compression. Applying compression bandages or using an active compression system may help reduce swelling and edema so the damaged tissues can repair themselves more quickly.

3. Rest. Right after a muscle strain, it is important to limit your activity level and avoid movements that increase pain. After the initial pain subsides, returning to previous level of activity may help prevent the muscles from growing weak.

4. Stretch. According to Kojo Hamilton, MD, as you return to activity, gentle stretching exercises may improve tissue healing by bringing more blood flow to the injured area. Applying heat to the area prior to stretching may also be beneficial. Ask a doctor about the right stretches for your condition.

5. Pain medication. Pain medications do not assist with the healing process and should only be used, in the short term, to provide relief with normal activities of daily living.  If you feel that you need pain medication, consult with your physician to determine the type and dosage that is appropriate for your specific situation. Use medication sparingly because pain is actually an important indicator throughout the recovery process.

6. Perform strength exercises. As the pain subsides, try adding strengthening exercises in addition to stretching. Allowing the muscles to weaken with too much rest may actually slow recovery and increase the chances of future injuries.

7. Get a massage. You can further increase blood flow to the injured tissues with a light massage.¹

8. Apply heat. After the first few days, alternating cold therapy with the application of heat may help reduce pain and increase circulation. Try a 20-20-20 rule: 20 minutes of an ice pack followed by a 20-minute break, then 20 minutes of heat. Repeat as necessary, allowing 20 minutes between hot or cold therapy.

For strains in lower back muscles, treatment might also include light, low-impact exercise to help maintain range of motion and build muscle strength.³ Walking, cycling, and swimming are some good options for staying active while recovering from lower back muscle strains.

After recovering from a pulled back muscle, help prevent future injury by practicing good posture and properly warming up before activity.⁵

Game Ready provides both therapeutic cold and active compression to help reduce pain, control swelling, reduce edema, and pump freshly oxygenated blood to healing tissue, all of which can help facilitate a return to normal activity. You can rent a system for use at home or find a provider near you to start your recovery today.

Sources:

1. Low Back Strain and Sprain. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Low-Back-Strain-and-Sprain. (January 26, 2019)
2. Back Strains and Sprains. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10265-back-strains-and-sprains. (January 25, 2019)
3. Campagne D. Overview of Sprains and Other Soft-Tissue Injuries. Merck Manuals. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/injuries-poisoning/sprains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries/overview-of-sprains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries. (January 25, 2019)
4. Exercises for Lower Back Muscle Strain. Spine-health by Veritas Health. https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/exercises-lower-back-muscle-strain (Feburary18, 2019.)
5. Maintaining Good Posture. American Chiropractic Association. https://acatoday.org/content/posture-power-how-to-correct-your-body-alignment. (January 25, 2019)

Here’s What It Means When You Throw Out Your Back

Jay Leno once did a monologue where he said in his 30s he had a motorcycle accident, got checked out, and was back at work the next day, but in his 60s he sneezed wrong and threw out his back for a week. You know what he means by “threw out his back”: It’s that sharp, stabbing pain that can make every movement agony, your constant companion for a couple of weeks. 

You know what throwing out your back feels like, but what does that actually mean?

But what is throwing out your back, really? 

Most of the time when you talk about throwing your back out it’s a result of when you twist, turn, cough, sneeze, or lift wrong, says David Hanscom, MD, an orthopedic complex spinal deformity surgeon and author of Do you Really Need Spine Surgery?

Dr. Hanscom says the medical equivalent of throwing out your back is spraining your ankle. “It’s very painful; you may not necessarily see a tear, but you’ve injured ligaments and it hurts a lot. The same thing can happen in the back.”

Most likely you’ve experienced acute pain in the lumbar spine or lower region of your back. You can throw out your back at any age doing any number of activities from gardening to bending over to picking something up. But it is more common as you age, which is why Leno notices he once took a walloping and walked away, but now something minor like a big sneeze can take a toll on the back.

When you sprain your ankle, you immobilize it, but you don’t have large muscles around it as you do in the back. “What happens in any part of the body is any time you injure tissue, your muscles automatically spasm to act like a splint,” says Dr. Hanscom. 

Crueler, those spasms tend to be the worst part of the back pain because back muscles are large, and seriously scream when they spasm. In addition to pain, the back often feels stuck, with significantly decreased range of motion. All this can take a couple of days to calm down and probably a good two to six weeks to get back to normal.

Most of the time when you throw out your back, you’re likely to have a small ligament strain or an annular tear, a tear in the ligament that connects your vertebra to the disc. When you’re standing upright and lifting properly, the disc works like a hydraulic.

“As soon as you bend over not using your legs, the back part of the spine opens a lot, and now instead of having a hydraulic effect you have a cantilever shearing across a disc,” says Hanscom. Then if you bend andtwist, you magnify the pressure across the disc by 400%. It’s a deadly combination.

“The way you prevent it is simply using your legs and keeping your back straight and letting the hydraulic tissue do its work,” Hanscom says.

Lifting with just your spine increases shear force on your vertebrae and discs, which makes injury much more likely.

Jordan Duncan, chiropractor and owner of Silverdale Sport & Spine—a clinic specializing in difficult to treat musculoskeletal pain conditions outside of Seattle—says he’s not sure where the origin of the term throwing your back out comes from, but it can be misleading.

“You didn’t throw your back anywhere.” It’s sort of like saying you blew out your knee. “The terminology can be fairly harmful to some people because of the fear associated with it,” says Duncan. And fear can be significant when it comes to back issues.

When people come in with back pain, they can have a lot of fear around it. What have I done to my back? Will it get better? Will I walk normally again? “What we know now is fear is inflammatory,” says Dr. Hanscom. So, when people are afraid and their immune system fires up, they can feel the pain even more. 

If you’ve lifted, bent, or twisted wrong and are in pain, there’s a few things that work well and will most likely happen if you see your doctor:

• Ice or heat. It depends on your preference. Dr. Hanscom thinks either is appropriate and he likes ice slightly better but says whichever one gives the most comfort is OK.
• Abdominal corset. Go to the drugstore and pick up an abdominal corset, a wide stretchy band that you wear around your lower mid-section. Your ab muscles supply about 40% of the support for your lower body so the corset can help unweigh the spine a little bit and ease your discomfort.
• Anti-inflammatories. Whether it’s Advil or a prescription Ibuprophen with a high milligram count from your physician, these are better than narcotics. Hansom warns, if you do need a narcotic, it should be for a very short time, a few days to a week, and you must be careful because they can cause constipation, which makes back pain even worse.
• Tricyclic antidepressant. To help you sleep and rest your back in the first few days, Dr. Hanscom likes to prescribe a tricyclic antidepressant like cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril). “Not a fan of muscle relaxers since they don’t relax back muscles specifically,” he says. Flexeril is a short-term solution to relieving nerve pain and back spasms. If your pain is severe, he may prescribe Ambien because getting sleep is important to helping you heal.
• Physical Therapy. Oftentimes seeing a physical therapist who uses modalities like heat and ice, ultrasound, massage, and other techniques including exercises to strengthen the muscles is a good idea as well.

You won’t typically get imaging right off the bat when you throw out your back unless there are other red flags, like numbness, fever, or incontinence, since it likely won’t change the treatment plan. Hanscom says he wouldn’t X-ray on the first visit nor do an MRI the first month because most people have some degree of degenerative disc changes in their backs and this won’t tell him anything. Plus, you can’t see always see a tear on MRI. 

You will likely heal up well in two to six weeks. If something is amiss after that, you should follow up with your doctor. Dr. Hanscom says you should still be able to do most things after an incidence of throwing out your back heals. However, a few sports that can be hard on the back need more caution like snowboarding, squash, and racquetball.

Keeping back muscles strong with regular exercise, lifting correctly from the legs, and not twisting when you lift are the all-important elements to prevent throwing your back out. 

Taking care of your back at home: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

A common myth about back pain is that you need to rest and avoid activity for a long time. In fact, doctors DO NOT recommend bed rest. If you have no sign of a serious cause for your back pain (such as loss of bowel or bladder control, weakness, weight loss, or fever), stay as active as possible.

Here are tips for how to handle back pain and activity:

• Stop normal physical activity for only the first few days. This helps calm your symptoms and reduce swelling (inflammation) in the area of the pain.
• Apply heat or ice to the painful area. Use ice for the first 48 to 72 hours, then use heat.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
• Sleep in a curled-up, fetal position with a pillow between your legs. If you usually sleep on your back, place a pillow or rolled towel under your knees to relieve pressure.
• DO NOT do activities that involve heavy lifting or twisting of your back for the first 6 weeks after the pain begins.
• DO NOT exercise in the days right after the pain begins. After 2 to 3 weeks, slowly begin to exercise again. A physical therapist can teach you which exercises are right for you.

EXERCISE TO PREVENT FUTURE BACK PAIN

Through exercise you can:

• Improve your posture
• Strengthen your back and abdomen, and improve flexibility
• Lose weight
• Avoid falls

A complete exercise program should include aerobic activity such as walking, swimming, or riding a stationary bicycle. It should also include stretching and strength training. Follow the instructions of your doctor or physical therapist.

Begin with light cardiovascular training. Walking, riding an upright stationary bicycle (not the recumbent kind), and swimming are great examples. These types of aerobic activities can help improve blood flow to your back and promote healing. They also strengthen muscles in your stomach and back.

Stretching and strengthening exercises are important in the long run. Keep in mind that starting these exercises too soon after an injury can make your pain worse. Strengthening your abdominal muscles can ease the stress on your back. A physical therapist can help you determine when to begin stretching and strengthening exercises and how to do them.

Avoid these exercises during recovery, unless your doctor or physical therapist says it is OK:

• Jogging
• Contact sports
• Racquet sports
• Golf
• Dancing
• Weight lifting
• Leg lifts when lying on your stomach
• Sit-ups

TAKING MEASURES TO PREVENT FUTURE BACK PAIN

To prevent back pain, learn to lift and bend properly. Follow these tips:

• If an object is too heavy or awkward, get help.
• Spread your feet apart to give you a wide base of support.
• Stand as close as possible to the object you are lifting.
• Bend at your knees, not at your waist.
• Tighten your stomach muscles as you lift or lower the object.
• Hold the object as close to your body as you can.
• Lift using your leg muscles.
• As you stand up while holding the object, DO NOT bend forward. Try to keep your back straight.
• DO NOT twist while you are bending to reach for the object, lifting it up, or carrying it.

Other measures to prevent back pain include:

• Avoid standing for long periods. If you must stand for your work, place a stool by your feet. Alternate resting each foot on the stool.
• DO NOT wear high heels. Wear shoes that have cushioned soles when walking.
• When sitting, especially if using a computer, make sure that your chair has a straight back with an adjustable seat and back, armrests, and a swivel seat.
• Use a stool under your feet while sitting so that your knees are higher than your hips.
• Place a small pillow or rolled towel behind your lower back while sitting or driving for long periods.
• If you drive long-distance, stop and walk around every hour. DO NOT lift heavy objects just after a long ride.
• Quit smoking.
• Lose weight.
• Do exercises to strengthen your abdominal muscles. This will strengthen your core to decrease the risk of further injuries.
• Learn to relax. Try methods such as yoga, tai chi, or massage.

90,000 A surgeon and a chiropractor told how to take care of the spine – Rossiyskaya Gazeta

It is believed that most people suffer from various colds. And according to statistics, they excel. But the same statistics show that most people suffer from pain in the spine. These pains do not know age – they affect both the elderly and the young alike. Is there a way out of this situation? The “RG” columnist talks about this with a professor at the Sapienza University of Rome, Jalaludin Saidbegov, and with a professor at the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Sechenov First Moscow Medical University, Grigory Evzikov.

Statistics are always convincing. Therefore, I propose to start our conversation with her. How many people in Russia suffer from back pain? Are there countries where there are no such sufferers?

Jalaludin Saidbegov: There are no such countries anywhere. And in Russia, after 35-40 years, almost everyone knows firsthand what back pain is, especially in the lower back. And these statistics are no different from other countries.

Why year after year, century after century?

Jalaludin Saidbegov: The question is not entirely accurate.The situation changes from century to century. The more civilized the society, the more such sufferers. Ruins a sedentary lifestyle. We can’t even imagine how dangerous it is when a person sits in the same position for half a day. At the same time, he watches TV or works at a computer. And at this time his intervertebral discs suffer. They no longer receive enough nutrients. These substances are produced and normally provide discs only when there is movement.

Why do athletes, especially former athletes who have their whole life in motion, suffer from these pains, perhaps more than everyone else?

Jalaludin Saidbegov: This is the other extreme.The spine undergoes excessive loads, and the discs cannot withstand these loads.

It turns out that everyone is bad? But we met not to exaggerate, but to give people hope. Give her.

Jalaludin Saidbegov: Here you are sitting in a chair. Where are your feet? Ideally, each person needs to find a chair, a table, and a bench under their feet. Almost nowhere are chairs with special backs available. And it’s really bad when in many official institutions, even in medical ones, the chairs are soft, low, unstable.In the language of science, furniture is almost universally non-ergonomic. Experts talk about these “trifles” at all international forums. We fill the Internet with our recommendations. They don’t hear us. In fact, it turns out that it is not the furniture that adapts to the person, but the person adapts to the furniture. The “furniture hazard” is especially fatal for children. For example, schools used to have desks that tried to adapt to the growth of the student. Now desks are unacceptable: they cannot accommodate a computer. There should be tables.But not the same for all children. When we order a suit or dress for ourselves, we want it to fit our figure so that we feel comfortable. So furniture, like clothes, should be comfortable for everyone. It is advisable to select it according to an individual order.

The best surgeon is the one who does not recommend surgery to everyone in a row

One can only dream of such furniture. But back to our spine. For whatever reason he does not give us rest, torments us with pains, it does not matter anymore.Tell me what to do?

Jalaludin Saidbegov: First of all, you need to find out why your back hurts. This is extremely important. Sometimes back pain is the result of severe diseases of internal organs, cancer. Tumors often “shoot” in the spine.

Grigory Evzikov: It is important to take into account the theory of “red flags of danger”. Back pain can indeed be the result of cancer and other serious diseases.Therefore, strict differentiation is required. That is, it is necessary to clearly define the cause of the pain. What is required for this? There are many diagnostic tools now. But above all, a thorough clinical examination of the patient is required. Not everything boils down to the sensitivity of the doctor’s hands. Even in our super-technological age, you need to talk to a patient. A doctor is not a robot! He must find out what caused the pain, what the patient was sick with, what his heredity was, what he was doing.

Jalaludin Saidbegov: My colleague is absolutely right.I just want to add that you do not need to look at the clock, because the time spent on such a survey allows us to suspect a number of serious diseases.

Examined. What tests should the patient undergo?

Grigory Evzikov: If you suspect a serious illness indicated by “red flags”, then, without delay, you need to send the patient to modern, albeit expensive, high-tech studies: MRI, computed tomography, electrophysiological studies of nerve conduction and so on.

Twenty years ago, they managed with ordinary X-rays. Now X-ray is almost in the backyard. Sometimes one gets the impression that in connection with the general commercialization of medicine, the patient is being prescribed a lot of expensive research.

Jalaludin Saidbegov: I believe that you are right in many respects, and you can do without them.

Grigory Evzikov: In many ways, but not in everything. Unfortunately, in the early stages of development, some serious diseases do not manifest themselves either by manual examination or by X-ray examination.Therefore, earlier we often diagnosed them at a late stage, when it is no longer possible to help the patient. We have statistics that show that the results are much better now. And precisely because modern diagnostic capabilities are expanding.

There are possibilities. Why isn’t the number of diseases decreasing?

Jalaludin Saidbegov: To what has already been said about the fact that we lead the wrong way of life, that the same furniture does not always suit us, let me remind you the main thing: overweight and physical inactivity ruin many.And let’s get down to what to do.

You, Jalaludin, a world-renowned specialist who relieves terrible pain without surgery and without medication. How did you come to this? How many years have you studied this skill?

Jalaludin Saidbegov: The mastery of hands was preceded by a huge many years of theoretical training. I was lucky that at one time I started working in the 40th hospital in Moscow and was in charge of the neurological department there.After all, our pains in the spine in many cases come from neurology. It only seems that chiropractors are some kind of needleworkers. If a chiropractor is really a specialist, then he has a good command of human anatomy, physiology, neurology, and so on. I believe that in most cases of spinal disease, it is possible to treat without surgery.

I’d like to believe it. But, unfortunately, you do not often host a reception in Russia. Are there enough specialists in our country who can help such patients without surgery? There are cases when people who vaguely represent this specialty are engaged in manual therapy.This leads to serious, sometimes irreversible complications, even death. And how can I, a mere mortal, find out: I fell into the hands of a really specialist or to the one you just mentioned? Trust the Internet? He often misleads us.

Jalaludin Saidbegov: And such a delusion is dangerous.

What to do?

Grigory Evzikov: This is the main problem of manual therapy – it is impossible to say what will turn out, who can do what.There is still an ambivalent attitude towards manual therapy. Because modern statistical methods of analyzing the results of the work of chiropractors do not give an unambiguous answer in which cases it will benefit a person, and in which it will be useless. Or it might even hurt. It must be remembered that in most cases, spinal pain is caused by muscle spasm. And in these situations, manual therapy seems to be one of the promising methods of treatment.

First of all, a thorough clinical examination of the patient is required.Not everything boils down to the sensitivity of the doctor’s hands

Jalaludin Saidbegov: I will give a primitive but very precise example. For back pain, our ancestors would lie on the floor and ask small children to walk on their backs, trample their backs. This made the condition easier. The person who had just been in pain was feeling better. These are the beginnings of manual therapy. They are still in effect. Manual therapy is needed.

Grigory Evzikov: But its place in the treatment of back pain has not yet been determined.International guidelines point to it as one of the possible methods. However, they do not guarantee the onset of a positive result after manual therapy.

Jalaludin Saidbegov: Unfortunately, my colleague is right. Although I am convinced that if you seriously engage in manual therapy, if the specialist is truly trained, then success is almost guaranteed. I believe that manual therapy may not be an additional, but the main alternative method of treating diseases of the spine.Patients in such situations are spared surgical intervention. And here I will remind you that the best surgeon is the one who does not recommend surgery to everyone.

Grigory Evzikov: Do most people need an operation? This is wrong. But in cases where surgery is needed, alternative treatments are usually useless.

Which cases do you mean?

Grigory Evzikov: First of all, we are talking about stenosis (narrowing) of the spinal canal, about large, long-term hernias of intervertebral discs with compression of the roots of the spinal cord.These are situations when the clinical picture of the disease does not lend itself to conservative therapy. In some cases, manual therapy cannot be performed, for example, with pathological mobility of the vertebrae.

Jalaludin Saidbegov: And I think that in such cases, you can help with the help of manual therapy. But very delicate.

But how do I know: go to be operated on or go to a chiropractor? Moreover, few patients are aware that, for example, implants placed in the spine can in themselves cause terrible pain.

Grigory Evzikov: Implants can cause pain only if they are inserted incorrectly. Pain associated with improper implantation that occurs immediately after surgery is rare. Pain that occurs six months, a year or more after the operation is most often associated with the emergence of new foci of narrowing of the spinal canal or pathological mobility in other segments.

New lesions – the result of surgery?

Grigory Evzikov: No.New lesions, unfortunately, are a consequence of the ongoing degenerative process in the spine.

Jalaludin Saidbegov: But we are trying to stop these processes if we approach the treatment of the spine comprehensively and consider it as a whole. Although when I see the development of gross neurological complications associated with compression in the spine, which is manifested by urinary incontinence, weakness in the legs, then this is a direct indication for an operation on the spine.The so-called cauda equina syndrome.

Grigory Evzikov: Gross compression of the roots of the spinal cord, which is manifested by the cauda equina syndrome, requires not just surgery, but emergency. This is the only way to achieve the most complete restoration of lost functions. We must work together to treat back pain. In no case should one method of treatment be opposed to another. It is necessary to use the whole range of means to help the patient, but use only those techniques that are really justified for the treatment of a particular patient.

Psychologist’s blog: what is gaslighting and how to resist it?

• Elena Savinova
• Psychologist

October 24, 2017

Photo author, Ayo Ogunseinde / Unsplash

Despite its romantic origin – from the Oscar-winning film “Gas Light” – the phenomenon of gaslighting is not connected in any way sympathy or love.

Light, which does not heat

This is a kind of subtle psychological violence, used deliberately for a long time.

Its purpose is to make a person doubt either the adequacy of his own perception of reality, or the objectivity of the surrounding world in general.

As a result, you lose touch with reality, lose faith in yourself, suspect yourself of insanity, fall into despair.

So, the hero of the film by George Cukor steals jewelry from his wife. But to assure her that it is only her imagination, she simultaneously makes various manipulations with home lighting.

The wife, of course, notices that something is wrong, but he claims that it seems to her the same way.A perplexed woman who sincerely trusts her husband begins to believe that she has hallucinations.

Do I need to explain that you can do anything with such an anxious, weak-willed person – you can also make excuses that everything is being done for his own good.

Manipulative denial of reality can relate as facts: I have never done this, never said, again you are inventing everything. So are emotions.

For example, parents prone to excessive control, trying to teach a child to “correct” emotions and feelings, often tell him: in fact, you do not think so.It only seems to you that you want it, but you want something completely different.

A gres c Ora also cry

Also, parents often deny physical abuse of children.

A man considers his wife’s tears, which are a normal reaction to his abusive words or actions, to be a manifestation of her depression and advises to go for treatment.

A girl who reports harassment is accused of provocative or even declared insane.

Non-confirmation is another name for this manipulative behavior.

It belongs to the Scottish psychiatrist Ronald Laing. Given that a person is a social being, he needs others to “confirm” the adequacy of his own actions and views.

The essence of gaslighting is a deliberate refusal to provide such confirmation, in a false denial of someone’s actions and thoughts.

This phenomenon is often observed where people are together for a long time – at work, in a family, in children’s or teenage groups.

It is based on the model of behavior of the victim-aggressor. That is, someone alone has predominantly unconscious sadistic inclinations. At the other end of the rope is a partner with a victim complex.

“Nedoprinz” and “t s -zh e -d e vochka”

Photo author, FREESTUNSPLAY.ORG

– consent to participate in this “game” of another, submission to the manipulator.

For example, a wife prefers to silently endure another attack of her husband’s moral bullying – because she depends on him financially, for the sake of children, for fear of being abandoned.

But this only encourages the gaslighter. He seeks to unbalance his partner at any cost, and then shift the blame to him for throwing a tantrum again. And thus, once again to prove their alleged rightness – that a woman has mental problems.

The need to manipulate and humiliate arises from the unwillingness to recognize oneself as guilty of deteriorating relations.Due to low self-esteem, fear of losing a beautiful and intelligent wife, envy of her success. The reason is often childhood trauma, emotional unavailability of parents.

In their reproaches, in order to annoy them more painfully, the aggressors, as a rule, appeal to the fact that a person is not able to change – to age, gender, origin, physiological characteristics.

“How can you behave like that, you’re a woman!”, “Don’t swear in front of children, you’re a mother!”, “Look at yourself – I’m also a prince!” …Are the arguments familiar?

Polite rudeness

But gaslighting is not even loud quarrels or tram abuse.

They say that people who are not indifferent to each other quarrel because of the lack of acute emotions. But due to low culture, they do not know how to experience them in another way.

Yes, and reconciliation after the storm is sweet. A healthy “showdown” is when a husband and wife, on equal terms, can express to each other everything that is boiling.

In our case, we are dealing with oppression, an attempt by the psychologically stronger to subdue the weak.And at the same time pass him off as a fool.

This is the ability to say something disgusting with a smile, outright mockery to pass off as care. Here, insults are not used, but, for example, eloquent silence when the victim enters the classroom or office.

It can be laughter behind the back and assurances that everything has just been heard. Or a fake-sympathetic question why he or she looks so bad, maybe something happened.

Gaslighters are not only spouses or colleagues in relation to each other.

This is how adult children sometimes behave with elderly parents. For example, a daughter says to an old father who wants to help: now our dad will break or burn something again. Or throws ironically condescending to the mother: “Mom, have you forgotten how old you are, that you put on this dress? The main thing – do not forget now where you are going.”

Darkness at the end of the tunnel

Photo by Cassidy Kelley / Unsplash

To resist gaslighting, it is enough to stop tug of war.

There is no need to check whether you or your partner really didn’t say or do what they are trying to convince you of. This will only sow unnecessary doubts in the mind.

You need to trust yourself more, develop confidence in your own convictions, the correctness of your actions.

If such an unhealthy relationship has developed at work, it is better to change the team. The same goes for children. If a child is bullied at school, it is better to transfer him to another educational institution.

If the gaslighter is your husband, there is no need to make excuses or prove that you are not crazy.Calmly, but firmly tell him that such an attitude offends you and in the future you will not put up with him. If nothing changes, pack your things and leave without hesitation.

After all, manipulation cannot be the basis of a healthy relationship. And the longer you live under the same roof with the gaslighter, the longer you will have to “collect” your personality piece by piece.

Lumbodynia. What is it, how to treat

Lumbodynia (back pain) is considered the first sign of osteochondrosis.It is called vertebrogenic and spondylogenic, which echoes the Latin word vertebra and Greek spondilos, which mean “vertebra”. The word lumbodynia itself is derived from the Latin lumbus, which means lower back, and algos, pain.

What is lumbodynia

Pain in lumbodynia can be chronic or acute / subacute, but in any case, it is due to the pathology of the spine. Lumbodynia syndrome is referred to as signs of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region of the spinal column, although often with this diagnosis there may be no pain at all.The severity of pain can vary and depends on the individual cumulative number of factors. It is found mainly in people of working age (25-45 years old).

Lumbar pain can be localized only on one side or on both (right-sided, left-sided, symmetrical). She most often worries in the lower lumbar region and can radiate to the gluteal region (one or both buttocks).

Types

Vertebral lumbodynia is the main manifestation of the chronic form of osteochondrosis (lumbar zone) and is more common in men.Can be of any duration (last from several weeks / months to several years). If the cause of pain is diseases of the intervertebral disc (hernia, protrusion), then lumbodynia is called discogenic.

In addition to the above, “classic”, there are other types. It can be combined with pulling pain in one or both legs (sciatica), in which case it is called lumboischialgia. (left-handed or right-handed). Depending on the distribution (on one or both limbs).Accompanies the non-root phase of lumbar osteochondrosis.

When the pain is aggravated not only by movements, but even the slightest activity, such as talking, sneezing, bending over, then this variety is called lumbodynia with muscle-tonic syndrome. Often this is accompanied by a moderate curvature of the spine, which causes a pronounced reflex tension of the muscles of the lower back (bilateral or unilateral), which provokes the onset of pain.

Causes of lumbodynia

Low back pain (lumbodynia), both chronic and acute, is most often caused by pathological processes (degenerative-dystrophic) in the spine, especially in the lumbar region.In addition to osteochondrosis, lumbodynia is caused by its complications, such as protrusion, spondylolisthesis, intervertebral hernia, spondyloarthrosis, spondylosis.

The mechanism of occurrence of lumbodynia is based on irritation of the nerves (especially sinuvertebral). Pain is especially pronounced with cracks in the annulus fibrosus. Also, the cause is anomalies in the development of the lumbar spine.

Pain can occur after a single physical overload, lumbar trauma, hypothermia, stress, sudden turns of the torso, hypothermia, staying in drafts, or being in an uncomfortable or monotonous position for a long time.Moreover, lumbodynia may appear not only after a few days or weeks, but even a few months after the provoking factor.

The risk group also includes those who are overweight, some chronic diseases, who have infectious diseases, workers in hazardous industries, those who experience increased stress, lead an adynamic lifestyle, and have been in an uncomfortable or the same position for a long time.

Symptoms

With vertebral osteochondrosis, lumbodynia has an aching character and is more pronounced in the morning.It can have a different duration, decrease or increase during the day. There are provoking factors that increase or decrease the intensity of lumbodynia. For some, it causes activity, while for others, its absence, respectively, weaken the pain by opposite actions. There may be a combination of these manifestations in the same person.

Pressure on the vertebrae and paravertebral regions in the lumbar region is usually painful. In addition, bending and many other movements are difficult and most often accompanied by pain.Patients with difficulty bend, especially forward, the angle of inclination of the trunk becomes limited. There may be severe tenderness in response to palpation of the sciatic nerve exit point to the thigh.

Physicians explain the subsiding of pain in the supine position by a decrease in the load on the lumbar intervertebral discs. Patients intuitively or consciously find the most comfortable position (in which the pain is least pronounced). Most often, this is a posture lying on its side with bent legs.

Initially, there is a moderate lumbodynia, gradually the pain intensifies, but does not reach the same degree of severity as in lumbar lumbago (lumbago), also called acute lumbodynia.Patients can move around, do work, but the quality of life is significantly reduced.

Diagnosis of lumbodynia

Lumbodynia can be diagnosed in a number of ways. The diagnosis of this disease is carried out by a neurologist. The most common is clinical examination and patient questioning, combined with static and dynamic examination of the spine, as well as with manual diagnostics. Additionally, the organs of the pelvic and abdominal cavity are examined in order to exclude diseases that act as a source of reflected pain.In addition, MRI diagnostics, radiography, ultrasound will not be superfluous. During the examination, lumbodynia is differentiated from myositis of the spinal muscles and pathologies of the hip joint.

IMPORTANT! Lumbodynia is a serious symptom that can tell a person about significant problems in the lumbar spine, ranging from inflammation to destructive diseases. That is why, in the presence of lumbodynia, you cannot self-medicate, but you must definitely contact a specialist!

Experienced doctors of the Kuntsevo treatment and rehabilitation center will conduct a thorough diagnosis and understand the causes of the symptom.A treatment plan for the patient will then be drawn up. Make an appointment with our doctor and take a step towards getting rid of lumbodynia!

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Manual therapy

You can get rid of lumbodynia only by eliminating the causes that caused it. It is this treatment that can be considered complete. In other cases, help will have a temporary effect and after a while lumbodynia will reappear, and if the treatment was inadequate, it will intensify or recur.It is important to find a good manual specialist, otherwise you may not only fail to recover, but even make things worse.

Since the main cause of lumbodynia is considered to be vertebral osteochondrosis, the cause of which, in turn, is the malfunction of the spine, it is not lumbodynia that should be treated, but osteochondrosis. In addition, having got rid of osteochondrosis, it will protect itself from the appearance of its complications, such as hernias and protrusion of discs.

One of the most effective ways to troubleshoot spinal problems is manual therapy.It is especially effective in combination with the subsequent implementation of a complex of physiotherapy exercises (exercise therapy). All this not only improves the condition, but also stimulates the recovery processes, due to which the course of the disease can sometimes not only be stopped, but also reversed.

The number of procedures is assigned individually, based on the characteristics of the patient’s health, stage of the process, complications, concomitant diseases. It is also necessary to perform exercise therapy in order to consolidate the achieved result and maintain it after treatment.

The importance of exercise therapy

Any kind of lumbodynia is unpleasant. In addition, systematic pain limits the ability to work, if not completely deprives it. Therefore, therapy should begin as early as possible, and treatment measures should be comprehensive. And, of course, the treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

Exercise therapy is initially aimed at eliminating muscle spasms and pathological processes leading to muscle edema, pain, congestion.After relieving pain, exercise therapy helps to optimize the movement stereotype, that is, to make the spine work as it should, to exclude overloading of its segments so that the discs do not undergo further destruction.

Exercise therapy is also based on the individual characteristics of the patient. These include the general state of health, the degree of neglect of the disease, the peculiarities of the location of pathologies. Experts recommend not to be limited only to exercise therapy. Exercise combined with manual therapy will not only alleviate the condition, but also prevent relapse.

You can make an appointment with a neurologist for a fee in one of the following ways:

• call by phone of the clinic +7 (495) 103-99-55,
• request a call back,
• leave a request for an appointment, through a convenient form on the website

The content of this article has been checked and confirmed for compliance with medical standards by a neurologist, reflexologist Sysuev Oleg Mikhailovich

You may find it useful:

How I cured my back by myself “Marus News

12 Apr 2017

Written by admin.Posted in ARTICLES

Almost everyone who came out of the former USSR knows very well such a beautiful, mysterious and romantic word as lumbago, although in common parlance it is banal sciatica …

We all treated it and treat it as an extremely unpleasant, uncomfortable, but inevitable, albeit relatively harmless flu. Well, once a year, you will get more ill, drink vitamin “C”, warm tea with raspberries and other herbs, some powders and pills, sweat under the covers on the TV, and that’s practically all.

Radiculitis seems to be just as harmless. At first he grabbed me once a year, then once in half a year, then once every three months, and finally “Repin’s painting“ They sailed ”: give me two weeks every month and do not sin. For 20 minutes he turned from side to side, not to mention crawling out of bed – there the real “jokes” began.

Then there was another “twisted” – arms stopped bending, could not button up the shirt not only on the chest, but also on the sleeves.It hurt like that, “my eyes drooped with my horn.” Well, and accordingly, like everyone else, I went to the hospital, where the doctor with a clever look froze some utter nonsense, in which it seems that he himself understood no more than mine. All blockades, various injections, procedures, newfangled ointments and electrophoresis, amplipulses, again blockades, again injections, again ointments, again examinations, physiotherapy exercises passed through the standart.Finally I made an MRI and found, among other things, 6 (six) intervertebral hernias.

The doctor, when I went to this examination and showed him the pictures, thoughtfully said “Yes – a – a – a!”. And right off the bat he offered me all of them to “otfigach”, in the sense of performing an operation and removing all this happiness. But God took me away from this, in a sense, despite all my medical ignorance, I nevertheless clearly understood: “Sho – something is wrong here”

After which I finally understood clearly and specifically: it is necessary either “sho – then rummage”, or finally become disabled, doomed to “sit on a needle” at doctors and pharmacies, do more and more injections, eat more and more powders and pills, until I start completely immobilized.That’s when I thought: what is the way out, what awaits me next?

I began to read articles about this, consult with professionals, and most importantly, I tried to understand the root cause of this heinous phenomenon. And finally, as it seems to me, I did understand, and when I “drove in”, I was amazed – how much everything is as intelligible as possible, simple and clear, like a piece of household soap.

Remember, in every classroom in high school, in the biology classroom, there was a demonstration skeleton? Why didn’t it crumble? Because it was supported from the sides by two vertical, parallel wooden bars.While a person is young, active, healthy, the role of these bars is played by the muscles of the back, in other words, the muscle corset.

As a person grows up, they often become less active, the muscles of the back weaken, and the hyaline cartilage begins to lose elasticity, shrink. Due to the weakening of the back muscles, the spine “sags”, and under the pressure of the body’s weight, the intervertebral discs squeeze out of the cartilage what we call intervertebral hernias.

Let’s say we succumbed to the doctor’s instructions and cut them out.But did we feel better after that? Of course not, in the overwhelming majority of cases we are getting much worse. Why? Yes, because as a result of the subsequent inevitable weakening of the muscles, the spine continues to “sag” and more and more hernias appear.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that as a result of the operation several cartilages are injured, that is, the spine gradually turns into a non-working, non-functioning organ. What’s next? We are offered more and more radical methods, we go to other cities, where metal rods are already inserted into us and these pins are fixed on the spine with screws.

First, you have to go into debt, as it usually costs several thousand dollars. Secondly, these people become disabled, who, as doctors say, may one day become relatively able to work. At the same time, the entire refrigerator is crammed with medicines, all the pockets in prescriptions, directions and analyzes.

So I clearly understood that if I don’t start, as Verka Serduchka used to say, “Sho – then roar”, the same sad fate awaits me.And he began by dropping 25 kilograms, since it is completely pointless to treat the spine and joints, but at the same time constantly carrying half a sack of potatoes on oneself. How I dropped it – this will be discussed in another article.

So, from 95 kg I “shed” to 80 and less, and then spanked a primitive horizontal bar in the corridor. climbed onto it and hung. But there is a complication – some household members are not allowed to spoil the interior. And here I can no longer help anything – wives are more likely to spend 2/3 of the family’s income, to have a constantly sick husband by their side, than to make a small concession to the idea of ​​beauty.

So, I climbed on the horizontal bar for the first time, and was really scared. Now I am 67, then I was 60, but I could not only get up, but even slightly “pry”, that’s why I dangled like a sausage. This was not just a good, but a truly powerful incentive. As a result, whether it was long or short, but soon I pulled myself up several times, albeit with difficulty.

But that’s not all – you need to feed the hyaline intervertebral cartilage. This is glucosamine with chondroxide in various versions, but not less than 1,500 units per day, taken twice a year for a month – in spring and autumn.The Israeli company “Doppel-Hertz” is quite cheap and of high quality.

I have one more problem – 2/3 of the large intestine does not work, so I need a drug of the highest purification degree. He took French, costing 40 euros, but somehow finished the course – the guts “rebelled”. But once this remedy was brought to me directly from Europe.

Yes, it also costs 28 euros there, but I drank it off, and never felt even a little discomfort, here’s our quality. But for the average person, this is literally a penny, there are enough drugs of various price categories, so there are generally no problems, all this is quite affordable.

Thus, after three months I have already forgotten what a back pain is. But to keep the device in working order, you need to climb on the horizontal bar at least 10 times a day, pull yourself up and hang as much as you can.Well, there is still to tighten the knees, turn and fix the body in different positions.

If I relaxed for one week and climb on the horizontal bar less than 10 times a day, the body sends me a signal: like hey, man, you tie it up. I didn’t get the hint – my back starts to ache for several hours. So everything is fair here, no one is deceiving anyone and no one is to blame for anything. If you stop working, get a grenade, fascist.

Now about all sorts of chiropractors and chiropractors, to whom we go every time we bake.Many of us went in for sports, and now imagine that you came to workout and without warm-up, without warming up the muscles, and this is usually at least 40 minutes, you start to “tear” the barbell or twist the “sun” on the bar.

It goes without saying that you will tear muscles, ligaments, injure joints and the spine, so no coach will ever allow you to start working “on cold”, with unheated muscles. And in the cold, fragile, nonplastic spine, where the ligaments, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, bone marrow, can you easily break into?

Can you imagine how much risk you put your body at every time? And ignorance of the laws, as they say, does not absolve from responsibility.So learn, Shura, learn. Comprehend the laws of physics and nature, for only this will give you the opportunity to live in joy, give joy to others and keep your body in order.

I repeat – if I’m not playing the fool, then the spine behaves quite tolerantly, responsibly and adequately. Yes, it is annoying to have a commitment and fulfill it every day, but again, this is a matter of personal choice. If you want to live, want not to go to the doctors and not throw money into a wind tunnel – please, the flag is in your hands.

Our medicine initially presupposes to communicate with patients, it does not need healthy ones. People have to get sick, find doctors they know who send them to IVs, blood cleansing, constant examinations, procedures, tests and money, money, money … The income of the medical and pharmacy mafia exceeds the income from the drug trade and the sale of weapons.

Not because there are no normal people left among the doctors – just, I repeat, this is how ce la vie was originally.And to be healthy, alive, to enjoy everything or not is purely your own business.

So the choice is yours.

Vladimir MARUS

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90,000 “I named my wheelchair Monica, like in Friends. It’s More Fun “: Young People’s Stories About Multiple Sclerosis | Hromadske television

Maryana and Anton, Dmitry and Miroslava. This is a young married couple dreaming of a child.A former driver who fights for the rights of patients with multiple sclerosis, and a photographer who wants to live a fulfilling life. They are all united by a common diagnosis and a desire to help others. Every year in the world, the day of May 30 is dedicated to information about multiple sclerosis. Why this diagnosis is not about memory, what other stereotypes there are about it, how patients are fighting for their lives and ability to work, and what they dream about – the heroes of the hromadske article tell.

Multiple sclerosis is a complex chronic disease that affects the optic nerves, brain and spinal cord, which leads to serious damage and disability.It is not known exactly why multiple sclerosis occurs. At the same time, identifying the problem in the early stages prevents exacerbations and slows down the progression of the disease.

Maryana Pirozhok, 31 years old

Maryana fell ill at the age of 14. At school, the girl studied perfectly well, studied in the vocal and choreographic ensemble “Zernyshko”, participated in the Olympiads. I wanted to become president. After the first exacerbation of multiple sclerosis, her health fully recovered.She entered the Kiev-Mohyla Academy for political science, but there the girl’s condition worsened.

She tells her story with her husband Anton, whom she met at the hospital, and with whom they now work together in Ukrainian community of people with multiple sclerosis .

Once I came home, looked in the mirror, and half of my lip does not move when I smile. I probably should have cried, but I was laughing. It was so weird.I tell my mother to take a look, and she replies that everything seems to be fine. Well, mother loves her child, she will not say that “oh, your face is twisted.” Then it got worse – I partially stopped feeling half of my body. We then went to the doctor, and I was diagnosed with neuritis and treated for it, but in fact it was the beginning of multiple sclerosis.

After the first exacerbation, I did not even look for information about this disease. I fully recovered and continued a full life: I went to physical education, rehearsals, ran and jumped.

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Maryana’s state of health fully recovered after the first exacerbation of the disease, she began her studies at the university. But at this time the condition began to deteriorate.

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

Already at the age of 18, I started to have exacerbations again, but I did not understand what it was. At that time, I went to a doctor who undertook to treat me and did it completely wrong. Told me it might be, not absent-minded.

I entered the Kiev-Mohyla Academy for political science, graduated from it.

It was hard for me and my friends to believe that a healthy person who got 100 points in physical education in the first trimester because he ran well, jumped and did push-ups from the floor, in the second trimester already has 63 points.

In the last courses it was difficult, because my condition worsened: I staggered while walking, my friends took me under the arm. I am very stubborn and patient, this is how I was brought up. Perhaps my qualities did not play into my hands. For then I decided to endure. But multiple sclerosis cannot be tolerated; you need to see a doctor in time.I lost four years for my health, due to the fact that I did not start hormone therapy on time

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did push-ups from the floor, in the second trimester already has 63 points. ”

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

It was like I came to the university and leaned on the walls so as not to fall. Someone saw it. And somehow I came, and we put a railing exactly in the places where I walked.

I was an active student, spoke the other day at faculties, dissolved in my student life, loved my classmates and teachers very much. And when I needed to be treated, we can say that I was abandoned by the state, but not abandoned by my university.

Last year, the Kiev-Mohyla Academy even organized the “Mohyla Mile” race – especially for me. They paid money and fled. And then the funds were transferred to me for treatment. And more than one such action was organized for me.Sometimes I just ask people on Facebook that I will have an IV and I need help. And they help. I am also very lucky because my parents are very supportive.

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“I am also very lucky because my parents are very supportive.” Maryana with her husband Anton and parents at home in Kiev

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

When I was finally diagnosed, I underwent hormonal pulse therapy.

And then I was prescribed a good drug program and started walking again.Not so good, but I could walk on my own. When this therapy ended, and it was a US assistance program, I was not warned that I needed to be treated continuously. Therefore, I missed the next year. And my condition worsened over time to what it was. I got into a wheelchair. And although I am now being treated, I, unfortunately, cannot restore my nerve endings. Bye. I hope that medicine does not stand still and something will be developed in the near future.I see that my body can recover, it just needs help.

When I was 23, I met a guy at the Multiple Sclerosis Center. He had a birthday, but he came to the hospital to get a drip. I thought, what a handsome young guy, such broad shoulders. And he was engaged in volleyball professionally. I then could not expect that we will ever get married. God! Six months later, he went to bed because of an exacerbation, and so did I. We fell in love. Since then I have learned that it is better to be together than to cope with everything alone.It is better to be with someone who will support and understand.

I named my wheelchair Monica. In honor of Monica from Friends. And then everyone started calling the stick with which my husband walks on the street, Chandler. It’s more fun this way.

I am still young and dream of a baby. But I can’t take care of him yet. And such a problem for many women, since it is women who are more sick with this disease. The ratio is about 1 to 3. I constantly imagine how a child will start to walk, open cabinets, but I will not be able to run after him.But my husband tells me that medications will appear, and we will succeed. If only until that time the reproductive system still remained normal.

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Maryana met her husband Anton at the hospital. Now they work together in the Ukrainian community of people with multiple sclerosis

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

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“I see that my body can recover, it just needs help”

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

Anton Kulagin , 30 years

Anton had his first exacerbation at the age of 16.But later he also fully recovered. I went in for sports, entered the university. Then the symptoms returned. Now, together with his wife Maryana, he helps other patients – they translate foreign materials about treatment, organize meetings with doctors.

At the age of 16 I developed a spot on my left eye and a little dizziness. I went to the ophthalmologists, they prescribed me some kind of medicine. And after a couple of weeks it passed. After 4-5 years, coordination problems began to appear.I thought, why did I become so inattentive, I can stumble somewhere. And then there was weakness in the legs. I thought it was due to the fact that I stopped playing sports. He treated his back, but his legs were getting weaker and weaker.

MRI was done, lesions were found, and I was sent to the Multiple Sclerosis Center.

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Anton learned about his illness at the age of 16. The first symptoms quickly disappeared, but within 5 years the condition worsened, coordination problems began

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

I used Google very skillfully.And there it was written terrible. I realized that my eye problem at the age of 16 was my first exacerbation, and all this time I had not been treated. It was scary.

I was immediately put on medications, and they suit me. But every year there are interruptions in supply: for two or three months, or even a year, there was no drug. It is at these moments that exacerbations occur, and strength in the legs, coordination is lost, vision deteriorates. And then it is no longer fully restored.

Now I come to the hospital and I see very young people in the queue who have come for the first time, and I remember myself.And I understand how difficult it will be for them psychologically to accept it. It would be enough at the very beginning of some visit to a psychotherapist who would explain how to cope with these feelings, that this disease cannot be cured, but is stopped by drugs, that this is not a sentence, that you remain a part of society, that you live, travel, work , you just take medications that keep your illness in check. Nobody explains anything here, you will find out everything yourself.

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“I named my wheelchair Monica.In honor of Monica from Friends. And then everyone started calling the stick with which the husband walks on the street “Chandler.” Of those drugs that are now in Ukraine, these are just the basic, the simplest and cheapest, and newer, more expensive drugs are not even in the nomenclature. Whereas other countries already provide their citizens with them.

That is why people with an aggressive type of disease, such as Maryana, in the absence of these drugs, quickly begin to use a wheelchair and become simply frail.Maryana’s treatment now costs more than 250 thousand hryvnias a year (about $ 9.3 thousand – ed.), Which we collect on our own through Facebook, friends and relatives.

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“Multiple sclerosis is not a sentence, you remain a part of society, you live, travel, work, just take medications that restrain your illness”

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

Dmitry Polishchuk, 30 years old

9000 Dmitry worked as a driver for six years.He says that life suited him. When I went to the hospital with an exacerbation of multiple sclerosis, I was shocked. Now he is one of the most active advocates for the rights of people with multiple sclerosis in Kiev.

In the winter of 2017, I began to have incomprehensible sensations. As if someone hit you on the head and it went numb. I think maybe I blew somewhere. I worked as a driver, opened windows. I did not go to the doctor. As the spring began, it got even worse, I started to rock. I went to a neurologist, she sent me right away for an MRI, and there it turned out that I had multiple sclerosis.

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Dmitry worked as a driver, he felt the first symptoms of the disease while driving. MRI showed that he had multiple sclerosis

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

To say that I was in shock is to say nothing. It was a disaster. When I got to the hospital, many different people were lying next to me: those who walk and do not walk were in a completely bad state. And when you are diagnosed with such a diagnosis, they do not explain to you that although everyone has the same disease, its course is very different.I immediately thought that I would be the same as these difficult patients. To be honest, I didn’t want to live. If my family hadn’t taken me out of the hospital, I might have done something to myself. But they took me by the ears and pulled me out.

Besides, my godfather also has multiple sclerosis, I learned about it a year before my first exacerbation. And then I thought, “God forbid, get sick with this and stay in this state.” And then “bang” – and already I am given this diagnosis.

Then I found a community of people like me on the Internet, met, later joined them, and it went on and on, and I started a new life.When there is an opportunity to communicate with people who understand you, it saves you.

I work with patients, listen to their stories, a lot of people hide the fact that they have multiple sclerosis. Because when they talk about it, they are perceived differently at work or among friends. They are afraid that they will eventually find a replacement.

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Dmitry works a lot with patients, listens to their stories, helps

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

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“If my family hadn’t taken me out of the hospital, I would probably have done something with myself.But they took me by the ears and pulled me out of there. ”

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

It is very annoying when you open up to your friends, and they:“ Are you forgetting something? ”. I say: “Yes, I forget how to walk, how to see.” They are not trying to figure out what it is. They don’t think their words can hurt.

Multiple sclerosis is not about memory. It’s about your brain being in a body that denies you movement and sensation. Today you feel good, but tomorrow your arm, or your leg, or all of them together do not work.Such an insidious disease.

After the second exacerbation, I started treatment with monoclonal antibodies, these are very powerful drugs. They need to drip every six months. I took 2 courses. We talked to the doctor, she said: “We will stop, because remission continues.” I don’t know if it’s worth stopping. Foreign sources write that it is impossible to stop, our doctors have their own vision.

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Now Dmitry Polishchuk is one of the most active fighters for the rights of people with multiple sclerosis in Kiev

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

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“Multiple sclerosis is not about memory.This is about the fact that your brain is in a body that denies you movements, sensations ” … I’ve spent 450 thousand hryvnia ($ 16.7 thousand – ed.) And I don’t feel like a healthy person, but I see that the dynamics in my brain is good. So it works.

Already in 2017, relatives and parents began to collect money, they had their own stocks, well, wrote on Facebook, opened up, asked for help, because otherwise, how would I have collected such an amount?

And during the quarantine there was generally a “super story”.The only Multiple Sclerosis Center in Kiev, where a patient can go with exacerbations, was closed and an infectious ward was made there. And people write to us: “My leg and arm are no longer working, what should I do? Where to go? ”

I understand that coronavirus is scary, but what should people with exacerbations do? Now, it seems, they have begun to open some offices in the department.

I want the government to pay attention to us. So that they begin to listen to patient organizations and change something.I would like to have a separate Multiple Sclerosis Center in Ukraine, not a department at a hospital. Wherever there were enough staff, where they would provide psychological support, they would explain everything, offer treatment options.

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Dmitry dreams of a separate medical center for patients with such a diagnosis as his, where, in particular, they would provide psychological support to patients, explained everything about treatment options

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

Miroslava Lyzhina, 32 years old

Miroslava works as a photographer.The first symptoms of multiple sclerosis appeared in her 11th grade. Miroslava wonders why so little is said about multiple sclerosis and why they have to cope with all the problems themselves.

Once at school I started to feel very dizzy, I was lying on the bed, which seemed to be shaking under me. Then it passed, but then we were all very scared.

In the second year, this is 10 years ago, my mother and I were on a bus tour of Europe. It was very hard physically.And there I felt bad: my fingers, ankles, feet, stomach became numb. There was weakness, I felt very sick, my back ached. I came home and my mother sent me right away for an MRI. I went to a good doctor in Kiev and he immediately redirected me to the Multiple Sclerosis Center.

When I found out, I was very crying, then the doctor told me: “Don’t look at anyone in the department, don’t read anything on the Internet. Because everyone has it in their own way. ” I took hormones and I was in remission for almost 6 years. All this time I have been injecting drugs for blood vessels every year.

I work as a photographer, there was a lot of work, and then I started to rock again. Then I was again treated with strong hormones, and for the last three years the disease has been actively progressing. I started to get sick with colds and this, probably, provoked multiple sclerosis. I had aggravation after exacerbation. I have been injecting hormones for 4 months in a row, which further imprisoned my immunity. That’s all the treatment. And each time, these drugs become less and less effective as the body gets used to it.

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Photographer Miroslava Lyzhina wants to talk more about multiple sclerosis, and patients with such a diagnosis would not have to cope with all the problems alone

Photo:

Miroslava Lyzhina, self-portraits

I was offered various treatment programs, but after talking with with other patients, I have seen the results are very dubious. And last year, they began to offer us to buy for our own money drugs that stop the progression of the disease – monoclonal antibodies.They are registered with us, but the state does not buy them. They are very expensive, 230 thousand hryvnia for six months ($ 8.5 thousand – ed.).

The effect of them is such that there are no exacerbations. Two months ago, I hit my head on the door, there was a concussion, I went to have an MRI scan and I was told that there were no new lesions of multiple sclerosis. But it is now impossible to get this drug for free.

If there was at least some hope that someday there would be these medicines from the state, it would be morally easier.And so you are at war with yourself, with the state, with doctors, with people around who do not know about this disease. Sometimes even relatives do not understand why one time you feel good, and the other – like a vegetable. You eat yourself from the inside, you don’t know who to turn to. Everywhere we are also asked to be silent, not to tell anyone anything. You yourself are in this boat. As if the state is against you.

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Every year in the world, the day of May 30 is dedicated to informing about multiple sclerosis

Photo:

Anastasia Vlasova / hromadske

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Orthopedics in China: 11 Clinics, verified patient reviews, fair prices

Benefits of Orthopedic Disease Treatment in China

Where Western medicine shrugs its shoulders, traditional oriental therapies can help.Orthopedics in China has not lagged behind Europe and America for a long time. The clinics also have the latest generation of diagnostic equipment, state-of-the-art surgical robots, and specialists trained abroad.

But the Chinese also have their own unique approach, which will not soon take root in Western doctors. Chinese physicians consider the body as a whole and do not treat organs separately. They eliminate not the symptoms, but the cause, removing the accompanying diseases.

Orthopedics in China – treatment without surgery

Diagnosing diseases on modern devices, they can continue treatment with traditional oriental methods: herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, acupuncture, elements of Tibetan medicine.

Orthopedics in China is often non-surgical. Of course, if necessary, a Chinese clinic will perform an operation on the joints or spine, but there is a high probability that it will not be needed.

This blended approach is called integrative medicine. Asian countries, in particular China, have succeeded in this, retaining their thousand-year experience and, having perfectly mastered Western achievements.

Orthopedics in China – popular clinics

• Seaside military hospital in Dalian.For the treatment of osteochondrosis, radiculitis, intervertebral hernia, the clinic has developed a program “Healthy spine – active life”, and for joint diseases – “Movable joints – freedom of movement.” Within 1-2 days, you will be given a thoughtful step-by-step diagnosis of the body.
• Syhe Clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Dalian . Specializes in moxibustion “Li Huozyu”. Moxibustion – heating acupuncture points with special burning sticks. The list of diseases that can be treated with moxibustion is huge.Spine diseases are no exception. In addition, pulse diagnostics are carried out at Syhe.
• Songshan Medical Rehabilitation Sanatorium in Dalian. Sanatorium “Soshan” is a state structure, and its work is strictly controlled. In addition, the prices for treatment are lower than in private clinics.
• Jenshin Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in Beijing. The first private Russian-Chinese clinic. We are especially proud of our own pharmacy, where pharmacists prepare medicines from plant, animal and mineral components.

Karelian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, Charitable Foundation (Petrozavodsk)

The Karelian Registry of Unrelated Donors of Hematopoietic Stem Cells helps to find donors for critically ill patients who need bone marrow transplantation, and other methods of treatment can no longer help.

Every year in Russia about 4000 people, adults and children, develop leukemia. Many of them can be cured by a bone marrow transplant, but in 80% of cases, none of the relatives can be a donor for these patients.In these cases, we help to find an unrelated donor from among those who are registered in our database, or those who are registered in the databases of our partners around the world.

Our database contains donors from various regions of Russia. We have a lot of actions to attract volunteers to the ranks of donors. We are looking for donors for patients from all over the world. Our registry is a member of the World Bone Marrow Donor Association – WMDA, the International Bone Marrow Donor Search System – BMDW and the Samara Search System for bone marrow and umbilical cord blood donors.More donors, more lives saved! Many bloods mixed in us and this brings us closer. Therefore, we can become closer if we help each other. Bone marrow donation is able to connect people from different countries, different continents and different worlds. Humanity has come up with a unique thing that can unite people – bone marrow donation.

Help now:

Let’s replenish the register of bone marrow donors! – fundraising for typing samples of 50 potential bone marrow donors

Participation in marathons:

04.02.2019-12.05.2019 Redouble our efforts in the fight against cancer! – The marathon was launched in honor of World Cancer Day. Petroleum Trading has doubled all donations to five charitable organizations

Shares completed:

09/25/2020 – 12/15/2020 Let’s help the bone marrow donor registry get bigger!

27.11.2019-07.05.2020 We will replenish the register of bone marrow donors!

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