Elderly Care: Helping You Deal With the Dying Process
Use These Methods To Decompress Your Spine
Julio Carr
If you're dealing with a pinched nerve or another type of back pain, it's possible to get some relief when your spine is decompressed. When the discs are compressed, one or more discs may be pushed out of alignment, exerting pressure on the nerves and causing discomfort. However, when you decompress the spine by elongating it, any misaligned discs may be able to slide back into place, thus reducing your pain. Visiting a chiropractor or other health practitioner who specializes in back pain is a good idea, but you can also attempt some decompression techniques on your own. Here are some methods that you may wish to try.
Spend Time In The Pool
Having your body surrounded by water can be effective in your efforts to decompress your spine. Water can help you to elongate your spine and reduce some of its painful compression. For example, if you go into the deep end of the water with an inflatable device under your armpits, the weight of your legs will stretch them downward. Meanwhile, the inflatable device will keep your upper body from following your legs down, which will allow for some spinal decompression. The key to this exercise is to calmly float and let your legs hang for as long as necessary to give you a feeling of relief.
Try An Inversion Table
If you buy an inversion table from your local fitness store, you'll have a valuable tool to help decompress your spine in the comfort of your home. To use this device, you strap your body to a board and then gently tilt it until your head is lower than your feet. You want to keep the angle moderate so that blood doesn't quickly rush to your head and make you feel uncomfortable, but staying on an inversion table for a short interval can allow for some spinal decompression.
Perform A Modified Pull-Up
Depending on the amount of upper-body strength that you have, another way to decompress your spine is to perform a modified pull-up. Visit your gym and stand in front of the pull-up bars. Grab onto them with your hands above your head and, instead of bending your arms to propel your body upward, bend your knees to lift your feet off the ground. Hang in this position as long as you're able, and the weight of your lower body will pull down to decompress your spine. Contact a company like Hiler Chiropractic and Vax-D Decompression Center to learn more.
Share
As an elderly care worker, I have witnessed the deaths of many individuals. I have seen family members become angry, sad, and completely silent at the end. I have also seen individuals refuse to see family members out of denial. People deal with death in different ways, and the strong emotions are often unfamiliar and scary. If you have a parent or grandparent who is elderly, then I want to share with you what I know about end of life care and dying process. We are a society that does not talk about death, and this can cause great pain when a family member dies. Learn about the process and find out how to deal with your own emotions and how to love your family members at the end. If there is only a small amount of time left, then I want you to cherish the final moments.