stop back pain injuries

Back strains and injuries can happen anywhere, but a great many happen at work. Back strain represents one of the largest segments of employee injuries. Only the common cold accounts for more lost workdays.

As you may have learned from personal experience, back injuries can be extremely painful and long lasting. They can keep you in bed for extended periods of time, and occasionally, they may even require surgery. For some people, back pain never really goes away.

The National Safety Council says that overexertion is the cause of about 31 percent of all disabling work injuries. Injuries to the back occur more frequently than do injuries to any other part of the body, so it's very important that employees understand just what types of acts are likely to strain their backs and how to perform tasks in ways that reduce the risk.

Why So Many Injuries?

To understand why there are so many back injuries, it's useful to understand what's in your back to be injured.

Basically, the back holds up your entire body. The spinal column, which runs down your back, is an S-shaped stack of bones called vertebrae. These vertebrae are connected by ligaments and separated by soft disks that cushion and protect the bones. At the center of the spinal column is the spinal cord, and from there, nerves run out to other parts of the body.

The back does its job with the help of muscles attached to the vertebrae. These muscles work with the stomach muscles to keep the spinal column in place and keep the back strong.

When you experience back strain or pain, it's usually related to the muscles or ligaments. The pain results from overusing or stretching those muscles or moving them in ways they're not meant to move.

You can injure your back with just one wrong move--the kind of thing that can happen bending over or twisting--or by a buildup of stress on weak muscles.

Protect Employees' Backs

The best way for employees to protect their backs against the many back hazards on the job, and off, is to develop habits that reduce the strain on the back. For example:

Slow down. Back injuries that result from slips, trips, and falls can often be prevented by walking instead of running from place to place. It's also helpful to wear shoes with nonslip soles and, of course, to look where you're going.

Stretch first. Your back muscles, and the stomach muscles that help them, benefit from stretching before heavy use. It's a good idea to stretch gently before lifting or other back activity. Gentle stretches at the beginning of the day, and periodically during the day, also help keep your back muscles flexible.

Rest your back. When you sleep, your back gets a rest from carrying your body around. To give your back the best rest, sleep on a firm mattress. The best sleep positions for your back are on your side with your knees bent or on your back with your knees elevated.

Avoid unnecessary lifting. Whenever possible, use material-handling equipment--hoists, hand trucks, dollies--rather than your body to lift. And when you transport material on a hand truck, push, don't pull, it.

Break down large loads into small, manageable pieces.

Get help from a co-worker when lifting heavy or awkward loads.

Employees should also look for ways to limit the number of times they have to lift. If they plan jobs so that materials and tools have to be moved and placed only once, it means less strain on their backs. And also train them to keep materials on shelves, pallets, or tables at waist height when possible. Lifting from and to that height is less of a strain than a higher or lower placement.

Back Protection exercises

Strong, flexible, well-conditioned backs are healthy, safe backs. Help your workers prevent back injuries by teaching them these tips and some quick and easy back exercises.

One way to help prevent back injuries is to improve the condition of your back. Here are some tips that you can pass along to your workers to help them keep their backs in shape:

Physical conditioning of your back means not only improving your back muscles but also related muscles, such as the ones in your stomach and thighs. Regular exercise should help keep your back strong, maintain your flexibility, and prevent strains and sprains.

Staying flexible and limber is also important. Your exercise program should emphasize flexibility so that you can bend, turn, and twist your back without injury.

Try to lose excess weight that contributes to poor posture and puts a strain on your back muscles. Your exercise program should also help you lose weight--another way that exercise helps keep your back healthy.

Finally, consult your physician before starting an exercise or weight loss program.

Here are some of the exercises your workers can do to prevent back injuries.

These exercises are intended to improve conditioning and flexibility while helping workers lose or maintain their weight. But remember to have them consult with a doctor before starting an exercise program.

A program of walking for 30 minutes a day will help strengthen muscles and prevent weight gain.

A daily program of stretching exercises will help improve your flexibility and keep your back in good condition. Stretching exercises might include bending backwards or sideways, rotating your hips, or twisting gently from side to side.

Sit-ups help strengthen your stomach muscles, which in turn help support your back.

Leg lifts help strengthen the muscles in your hips and buttocks. These can be done when you're standing or when lying on the floor.

Another good exercise is squats. These strengthen your back, stomach, and leg muscles, and also help you practice good lifting techniques.

The story behind WWF`s panda logo

The inspiration came from Chi-Chi: a giant panda that had arrived at the London Zoo in the year 1961, when WWF was being created. Aware of the need for a strong, recognisable symbol that would overcome all language barriers, WWF`s founders agreed that the big, furry animal with her appealing, black patched eyes would make an excellent logo.

The first sketches were done by the British environmentalist and artist, Gerald Watterson, in 1961. Based on these, Sir Peter Scott, one of those founders, drew the first logo, and said at the time..."We wanted an animal that is beautiful, is endangered, and one loved by many people in the world for its appealing qualities. we also wanted an animal that had an impact in black and white to save money on printing costs."

the black-and -white panda has since come to stand as a symbol for the conservation movement as a whole.

end your back pain now

Slipped disc

What is a disc?

The spine is made up of the vertebrae (the bones making up the spine), which have cartilage discs between them.

The discs consist of a circle of connective tissue with a central gel-like core. This makes the spine flexible and at the same time acts as a protective buffer.

In the centre of this column of vertebrae and discs is the spinal canal, which contains the spinal cord stretching from the brain-stem down to the first or second lumbar vertebra. It continues as a bundle of nerve fibres called the cauda equina stretching down towards the sacrum, which is the extension of the spine. Between each vertebra, the spinal cord has nerve root connections to other parts of the body.The spine is divided into three parts:

• neck (cervical vertebrae)
  
• chest (thoracic vertebrae)
  
• the lower back (lumbar vertebrae).
  

The spine is connected to the ribs at the chest.

What is a slipped disc?

A slipped disc is when the soft part of the disc bulges through the circle of connective tissue. This prolapse may push on the spinal cord or on the nerve roots. However, it is worth noting that 20 per cent of the population have slipped discs without experiencing any noticeable symptoms.
The term 'slipped disc' does not really describe the process properly - the disc does not actually slip out of place, but bulges out towards the spinal cord.

What is the cause of a slipped disc?

A slipped disc occurs due to the breaking down of the circle of connective tissue with advancing age. This causes a weakness allowing the soft part to swell.

Slipped discs most often affect the lower back and are relatively rare in the chest part of the spine.It is possible that hard physical labour can increase the likelihood of a slipped disc. They are also occasionally seen following trauma such as an injury from a fall or a road traffic accident.

At what age can a slipped disc occur?

A slipped disc in the lower back is most often seen between the ages of 30 and 50. In the cervical vertebrae around the neck, slipped discs are most often seen between the ages of 40 and 60.

What are the symptoms of a slipped disc?
A slipped disc can be symptom free. If it causes pain, it is primarily due to the pressure on the nerve roots, the spinal cord or the cauda equina.

Symptoms of nerve root pressure
Paralysis of single muscles, possibly with pain radiating to the arms or legs. There may also be a disturbance of feeling in the limbs.

Symptoms of pressure on the spinal cord
Disturbance of feeling, muscle spasms or paralysis in the part of the body below the spinal cord pressure. For example, pressure on the spinal cord in the chest area will cause spasms in the legs but not in the arms. Pressure on the spinal cord may cause problems with control of the bladder.

Symptoms of pressure on the cauda equina
The symptoms can include loss of control of the bladder function, disturbance of feeling in the rectum and the inside of the thighs and paralysis of both legs. These are serious symptoms and anyone developing them should contact a doctor immediately. (They are so-called 'red flag' symptoms.)

How does the doctor make a diagnosis?
It is possible to make a diagnosis from the patient's history and the doctor's physical examination.
In many cases it is possible to determine which disc is affected. This can be confirmed either by a CT scan, MRI scan or a myelography - an injection into the spinal cord canal.

The doctor will decide which examination is necessary.

An ordinary X-ray of the spine is usually taken as well, but is much less use diagnostically than a scan or myelogram.

It is important to make a correct diagnosis because several other diseases have similar symptoms. Any 'red flag' symptoms must be acted upon without delay.

How is a slipped disc treated?
It is generally agreed that a slipped disc should be treated conservatively, with surgery being considered only when other approaches to treatment have failed.

The treatment will typically mean a brief period of bed-rest with appropriate painkillers. Physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment should also be explored.

Whether to have an operation or not, is a decision for a specialist.

• When there are symptoms of pressure on the spinal cord or on the cauda equina, an operation should be performed as soon as possible.


• Cases involving serious or increasing paralysis should be treated as an emergency and admitted to hospital for assessment immediately.

When there are changes in the symptoms, a doctor should be consulted. Significant changes in bladder habits or control, increasing paralysis of the limbs or muscle spasticity should always receive immediate medical assessment.

Based on a text by Dr Per Rochat, Dr Henrik Wulff Christensen, chiropractor and Jan Hartvigsen, chiropractor

earthhour

Bukit Cherakah

Bukit Cherakah mungkin satu tempat yg tak asing lagi bagi kita di Shah Alam. saya ada beberapa pengalaman yg nak dikongsikan bersama disini. seingat saya pertama kali saya masuk ke kawasan tersebut ketika mengikuti amali first camp subjek Sel 202 pada awal 2002. ketika menjalani aktiviti jungle trekking, kami di tunjukkan oleh instructor beberapa tapak haiwan daripada keluarga kucing. tapak tersebut agak besar dan baru juga. kami disuruh berhati2 dan berwaspada sepanjang perjalanan tersebut.

ketika membawa sekumpulan pelajar pada tahun 2005 naik ke Bukit Sapu Tangan, saya dan seorang rakan ternampak kelibatnya pula. tanpa membuang masa kami membakar 2,3 biji mercun bola dengan harapan ia akan beredar jauh dari kawasan tersebut. alhamdulillah tiada apa yg berlaku ketika itu. untuk pengetahuan semua, sebelum itu kami memang dimaklumkan dengan kehadiran haiwan tersebut. sebab itulah kami membawa mercun sebagai langkah berjaga2.

akhir tahun 2007, saya dan beberapa orang rakan terserempak dengan sekumpulan pelanduk yang lalu berhampiran tapak perkhemahan. sedangkan sebelum ini tidak pernah berjumpa langsung. sejak dari dulu lagi tapak perkhemahan tersebut sememangnya meriah pada waktu siang dengan kehadiran monyet2 yg digelar "harun" oleh segelintir instructor. oleh itu, kepada sesiapa yg ingin berkhemah dan menjalani aktiviti di situ, suka saya ingatkan agar menyimpan barang makanan, brng2 berharga dan apa sahaja dengan sebaik mungkin. jangan terkejut kalau ada terlihat monyet membawa lari barangan tersebut. dan jangan pelik jika dapur anda bersepah gara2 dibiarkan terdedah.

jangan lupa menghormati dan menjaga keindahan alam. generasi akan datang juga berhak menikmati flora dan fauna di sini.

Penyakit Chikungunya

1. Apa itu Penyakit Chikungunya?
Chikungunya adalah sejenis penyakit bawaan nyamuk. Chikungunya pertama kali dikesan melalui ujian darah di Tanzania pada tahun 1953. Semenjak itu ia berlaku di negara-negara Afrika, Asia dan akhir-akhir ini ia berlaku di beberapa buah tempat di Negara Eropah. Ia endemik (selalu berlaku) di kebanyakan negara Sub Sahara Afrika, India, Asia Tenggara, Indonesia dan Filipina. Ia bukanlah satu penyakit misteri yang tidak diketahui puncanya.

2. Bagaimana penyakit ini boleh berlaku?
Chikungunya adalah demam yang disebabkan oleh virus daripada genus Alphavirus di dalam keluarga Togaviridae.

3. Adakah ia berjangkit?
Ya. Virus Chikungunya berjangkit melalui gigitan nyamuk Aedes albopictus atau Aedes aegypti yang membawa virus tersebut. Nyamuk Aedes juga menyebarkan virus penyakit demam denggi.

4. Apakah masa pengeraman bagi Chikungunya?
Masa pengeraman bagi Chikungunya boleh menjangkau dari 3 hingga 12 hari tetapi pada kebiasaannya di antara dari 3 hingga 7 hari.

5. Apakah tanda-tanda dan gejala penyakit ini?
· Demam panas mengejut
· Sakit teruk pada sendi
· Ruam pada badan
· Sakit kepala
Seorang pesakit boleh demam dari 1 hingga 7 hari (kebiasaannya 5 hari).
Penyakit Chikungunya boleh disalah anggap sebagai demam denggi kerana tanda-tanda penyakit yang menyerupai demam denggi.

6. Adakah penyakit ini boleh membawa maut?
Di Malaysia, Chikungunya tidak pernah dilaporkan boleh menyebabkan pendarahan atau kematian. Tetapi, sesetengah pesakit mengalami gejala yang berpanjangan. Pesakit yang berumur boleh mengalami kesakitan berulang pada sendi sehingga beberapa bulan atau tahun.

7. Apakah rawatan bagi penyakit ini?
Seperti penyakit-penyakit yang disebabkan oleh virus, ia tiada rawatan yang khusus. Selalunya rawatan diberi berdasarkan gejala klinikal yang dialami oleh seseorang pesakit. Kebanyakan kes yang terjadi hanya memerlukan rawatan pesakit luar sahaja. Tiada vaksin bagi penyakit ini.

8. Apakah yang perlu dilakukan jika dijangkiti penyakit?
Jika mengalami tanda-tanda dan gejala penyakit Chikungunya, orang ramai adalah dinasihatkan segera mendapatkan rawatan di klinik atau hospital terdekat.

9. Cara pencegahan penyakit Chikungunya
. Bersihkan kawasan rumah dan persekitaran supaya bebas daripada tempat-tempat pembiakan nyamuk Aedes. Ini boleh dilakukan melalui aktiviti gotong royong. Adalah terbukti tiada kes baru yang dilaporkan di kawasan-kawasan yang melakukan gotong- royong.
· Periksa rumah dan persekitaran sekurang-kurangnya seminggu sekali untuk memastikan tiada pembiakan nyamuk Aedes.
· Dapatkan rawatan dengan segera di klinik atau hospital berdekatan sekiranya mengalami tanda dan gejala penyakit.

10. Bolehkah kawasan saya dijangkiti penyakit Chikungunya?
Boleh, kerana penyakit ini dibawa oleh nyamuk Aedes albopictus dan Aedes aegypti yang terdapat di negara kita.

SUMBER: KEMENTERIAN KESIHATAN MALAYSIA