Can a Mattress Cause Back Pain?

Published on: 02 November 2018 Last Updated on: 03 September 2024
Mattress Cause Back Pain

Unfortunately, back pain is common that we start treating it as a normal part of our daily life. However, back pain, as well as any other pain, should not be tolerated or ignored. Many people have problems with back pain at night or in the morning after they wake. What’s the cause of this? Is it your sleep position? Or maybe your mattress?

Is Your Mattress The Cause of Your Back Pain?

The first step in treating back pain is to identify its source. However, that’s not always as easy as it sounds. The pain can be caused or aggravated by multiple factors. Typically, factors that contribute to back pain the most are age, old injuries flaring up and an inactive lifestyle. Sometimes, jumping into a new exercise or activity can also cause back pain.

In most cases, we are all aware of the factors mentioned above. However, there are also some factors that many people ignore or just overlook. For example, if you wake up every morning in pain, there is a huge possibility your mattress causes the pain. Sleep experts and mattress specialists, in fact, say that your bed should be your first suspect if you can’t sleep comfortably at night.

After all, since we spend approximately one-third of our lives sleeping, we should be aware that mattresses wear off over time and require replacement. Also, your sleep habits change as you age, and what worked for you when you were young, may not suit your sleeping needs today.

However, the good news is that if your mattress is at the root of the problem, you can quickly address it by getting a new one. With so many models out there, it may be rather hard to select a new bed. Fortunately, Counting Sheep can help you! Counting Sheep’s experts have spent years of researching different mattress types and people’s sleeping needs and created an unbiased mattress guide that will definitely help you make any mattress related decision with quickly and with ease. With their guide, you won’t have to worry about mattress related back pain anymore, and you will wake up every morning feeling refreshed and pain-free.

How to Determine if My Mattress is Causing My Back Pain?

Use the following checklist to determine whether your mattress is most likely the source of your pain and discomfort.

Take notes where and when the pain appears: If it’s mattress related, it is generally muscular. Your bed is the one to blame if you wake up in the morning stiff and achy, but feel better as the day goes on. The pain is also relieved by stretching, yoga or light exercising. Symptoms are typically present to the middle back or lower back.

Consider the age factor: If your mattress is more than seven years old, it will most likely cause back pain. Years of usage lead to wear and tear, and your body will definitely feel it. Also, keep in mind that your body changes as you age and that now you may have different sleep needs or preferences.

Look for sagging spots: If your mattress is sagging, your spine won’t be properly aligned during sleep which will cause back pain. Your spine has to be in a neutral position, and not curving down.

Listen to your body: If you feel lumps or springs poking you when lying down, there is a good chance your bed is contributing to your back pain.

Check your bed after vacation: When you sleep somewhere else than your bed, you recognize right away if the mattress is saggy, lumpy or simply too hard. Since most of us keep our bed longer than we should, we are used to sleeping on a less-than-optimal surface. After a vacation, your mattress will feel a little less familiar than before, and this is the perfect time to conduct another evaluation test.

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Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory

Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory In Adult Gerontology Nursing

Any Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP), or individual considering moving into this booming area, will probably be aware that it involves more than supporting patients through short term illnesses or meeting their needs in a hospital or nursing home. As a rule, the older a patient gets, the more likely they are to experience chronic health complications which interfere with their day-to-day tasks. For much of history, such patients were written off, encouraged to take to their beds and be supported entirely by others, doing very little. They often didn’t live very long. But all that changed on account of one remarkable nurse, Dorothea Orem, whose legacy continues to shape the nursing profession today. This article examines her groundbreaking self-care deficit theory and looks at how AGNPs might use it for their nursing career. Dorothea Orem Dorothea Orem was born in Baltimore in 1914 and studied nursing in the late 1930s. This was a time when nursing schools were still a new phenomenon and there was a lot of experimental thinking in the nascent profession. Though she spent time on the wards as a staff nurse, she also worked as an administrator and consultant over the course of her career, spending her later years focusing on theory. A naturally focused and attentive person, she soon began recording observations about the patients she worked with, leading to her self-care deficit theory of nursing, for which she strongly advocated for her entire life. It was theory which, in its early years, transformed the way nurses thought about patients and their duties. It laid the foundations for nursing today. Universal Self-Care Requisites Orem’s theory recognizes eight universal self-care requisites, or SCRs. Here, universal refers to things every human needs, regardless of circumstance. Air is needed for respiration. Water is needed to maintain a healthy level of hydration. Food is needed to maintain healthy energy levels and prevent starvation. Elimination or toileting, a polite way of referring to the expulsion of urine and feces from the body, is required too. In addition to these four things, Orem posits that every patient needs a balance of physical activity and rest. Everyone needs social interaction, but also some alone time. People need to manage their lives to avoid or remove hazards, and, finally, they need to promote normality. This means that they need to achieve and maintain a way of living and relating to the world which is normal for them as individuals and does not involve psychosis. Health Deviation Self-Care Requisites When patients are recovering from injury or illness, or living with a chronic illness or disability, they can be described as experiencing a health deviation. This is not pejorative – it simply establishes that they differ from the norm. Health deviations are more common in older demographics, as they have additional self-care requisites. These requisites include following doctors’ instructions (taking medicine on time), identifying problems caused by their conditions and attending to them effectively (sitting down until a dizzy spell passes), and knowing when and how to seek help from a caregiver or healthcare professional. It is also important that these patients can understand and accept that their bodies have changed and can adjust psychologically to cope with it. What Is A Self-Care Deficit? A self-care deficit occurs when people are no longer able to carry out basic tasks. This can be because a disability makes them physically impossible to perform, or a number of other reasons. For example, some people get so overwhelmed by the way their bodies have changed that they stop trying to live. This doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve sympathy – it is an understandable response to an extreme situation – but it might mean that there is potential for improvement. For some people, self-care deficits are permanent or are likely to worsen due to progressive illnesses. For others, however, they can be temporary, even in extreme old age. Self-care deficits stemming from a broken arm, for example, will normally dissipate after the arm heals, but this is less likely if the patient has learned to feel helpless in the meantime. Assessment, Diagnosis, And Implementation When using Orem’s theory, nurses have three steps to work through. The first is undertaken during the initial assessment of a new patient and involves identifying any self-care deficits. These are not always obvious from looking at a patient and the process may require gentle but persistent questioning. Some people may be embarrassed and hesitant to talk if they are unable to care for themselves. The second involves full diagnosis of the deficits, including establishing causes. The third step is to draw up a treatment plan based on these diagnoses. In her work, Orem stressed the importance of recognizing that every patient is a unique individual, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this type of planning. In each case, AGNPs will need to work with the patient to establish the most effective way forward. Five Ways Nurses Can Help There are five strategies nurses can use to address self-care deficits when establishing patient care plans: For the most severely incapacitated patients, it may be necessary to perform actions on their behalf, such as washing or dressing them. Patients struggling mentally or who lack confidence can be guided through actions, ideally to the point of independence. Patients can be taught new ways of approaching day to day tasks which make them easier to accomplish, such as taking a break to have a shower in the afternoon if it is too hard to find the energy at other times. AGNPs can focus on the patient’s environment, making it easier for them to carry out self-care activities, such as suggesting kitchen gadgets to reduce the physical effort involved in preparing meals. Finally, AGNPs can train a family caregiver to provide appropriate support. These five strategies involve numerous actions, skills, and tools that nurses can use. Patients may need particular assistance with the following tasks. Helping With Eating Patients should always be encouraged to do as much for themselves as is reasonably possible. When it comes to eating, nurses should start with encouragement. Many older people lose their appetite and don’t feel motivated to eat, especially when it requires effort. So, an AGNP can point out that they have more energy when they manage to eat regular meals. If the patient can get food to their mouth by themselves, nurses should resist the temptation to assist, even if they sometimes drop the food. Instead, nurses can reassure them that this is not uncommon and all they need to do is take a little more time. Nurses should also be alert to the possibility of choking issues and arrange X-rays if concerned. If some food proves difficult to eat, they can discuss the possibility of dietary adjustments. Helping With Toileting Nurses should reassure patients that, awkward as they may feel, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. The nurse must ensure they can transfer on and off the toilet safely and consider options like raising the height of the seat or installing grab. If there is a risk of falling, AGNPs may suggest bedpans for use when no caregiver is present. If adult diapers are needed, nurses should ensure that patients know how and when to change them (even if they are not soiled) and how to protect their skin against rashes or bruises caused by wearing them. Finally, nurses can also discuss medical options for softening stools or speeding up or slowing down digestive transit. Helping With Dressing And Grooming A balance must be struck between helping patients be more independent in dressing and grooming themselves and enabling them to maintain a style or standard of appearance that is natural for them. Some older men prefer to be clean shaven but end up growing beards because it is easier to trim a beard than it is to shave safely and neatly, for example. Some clothing options can be easier to get into than others, depending on a patient’s particular mobility difficulties. Simple devices such as a stick with a hook on the end can make adjusting the back of a garment or doing up a zip much easier. Nurses should pay particular attention to footwear to make sure patients can stand or walk safely. Reducing Hazards Whether a nurse is helping a patient to move around and complete self-care tasks in a hospital ward, a care home, or their own home, they must always pay attention to hazard prevention. Hazards can include mess, a layout created without regard for disability, or other people or pets moving around. Nurses can start by ensuring that the patient is aware of the risks and can recognize dangerous situations. They should discuss simple measures like installing handrails or changing routines to make it easier to keep the area tidy. Nurses can also ensure that the patient can summon help if something goes wrong, by persuading them to install an alarm system or carry a charged mobile phone at all times, for example. Care With Communication Often, older patients who have self-care deficits also have difficulty with communication, whether due to physical or cognitive disability. Depending on their lifestyle in recent years, they may also be unfamiliar with modern technologies, but shy about admitting this. It is important for nurses to make sure that when they are addressing issues around essential needs, the patient understand them properly and vice versa. It can be helpful to use pictures in communication, which are often available in support materials. When meeting a patient in the place they are going to be living, the nurse and patient can explore it together (in stages, if necessary) so both parties can directly identify issues. Seeing Each Patient As An Individual An essential tenet of Orem’s theory is that patients must be treated as individuals. This increases the chance that they will stick to treatment plans, as well as directly improving their psychological wellbeing. Any nurse that’s interested in Orem’s theory and is considering joining this field will be looking into gerontology nurse practitioner programs online. The best courses place a lot of emphasis on adaptability and on learning how to manage different types of patients in different environments. The program at the University of Indianapolis, for example, encourages students to develop the patience and listening skills essential to getting to know patients and making them a part of the process. This communication and relationship building is essential to developing plans which will really benefit patients over the long term. The course at the University of Indianapolis is an eight-semester program designed for working nurses, involving part-time study and an intensive clinical placement. The Nursing Profession Continues To Benefit Thanks to Orem and her self-care deficit theory, patients are no longer left to waste away as they begin to struggle with old age. Generations of nurses who have practiced this theory have observed that, even in later life, patients can often improve and regain their self- care abilities with the right support. Advances in assistive technologies continue to make this even easier. The right support, focused on facilitating and encouraging independence, enables seniors to go on living satisfying lives on their own terms for much longer. Even when they need extensive practical support, giving them more control helps to maintain their morale and ability to navigate the final chapter of their lives. In the process of providing this support, AGNPs also get what they really want; to see their patients thrive, no matter what they must overcome to achieve it. Additionals: 8 Awesome Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate Psychedelic Therapy for Mental Health Conditions How Does Children’s Health Impact Parental Lifestyle?

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Testosterone

11 Effective Ways To Improve Testosterone Levels In Your Body

Testosterone and how it affects our body: We are generally aware of testosterone as the sex hormone responsible for ‘manhood’. This hormone is also known as “Human Growth Hormone” (HGH). It is entirely right that it is essential for playing a critical role in metabolism, stimulating sexual desire, increase libido, sexual arousal and satisfaction. Both men and women produce testosterone but females produce it in relatively lower quantity than men. Testosterone is secreted in testes and adrenal glands in men, whereas in women, it is produced in the adrenals and ovaries. This hormone peaks during the early twenties and then goes on to decrease by 10% in the successive decades of aging. Besides all this, it is also required for maintaining healthy pain response, sufficient levels of RBC, regular sleep patterns, bone density, muscle mass, and high energy levels. As we grow, our testosterone levels start declining. Our lifestyle is also responsible for lowering of testosterone levels. Insufficient nutrition, low vitamin-D levels, weight gain, inadequate exercise and prescription drugs (statins) are some of the main reasons for the lowering of testosterone levels. 40% of men over 45 years are affected by low testosterone level. Visible symptoms of low levels are observed in decreased sexual drive, frequent mood-swings, difficulty in concentrating, Good level of Testosterone Poor level of Testosterone Sharper mind Fatigue Happy Moods Risk of Alzheimer’s disease High confidence levels Depressed Healthy Heart Increased fat tissues Healthy libido Erectile dysfunction and poor libido Strong and healthy bones Risk of osteoporosis Full of energy Short of memory   Naturally effective ways to increase Testosterone Levels in your body: Boosting your testosterone level turns out to be a basic necessity to keep yourself healthy and effectively productive at all levels. It will improve your energy levels, confidence, and happy moods to tackle day to day problems of your life in a much more pleasant manner. It is always better to adopt a lifestyle which helps you in improving the T-levels so as to attain its numerous health benefits. However, if nothing seems to work out to improve your testosterone levels, you should consider medical assistance from a reputed organization. Talking about which, professionals from Kingsberg Medical can help you with any doubts regarding your growth hormone therapy or current levels of testosterone in your body. ● Get adequate and quality sleep: Getting enough sleep at the right times of the day tends to be one of the most effective natural ways to raise testosterone levels. Most people require 6 to 7 hours of sleep during the night. The body resets itself every night and releases chemicals like cortisol, which contribute towards the balancing of overall hormone levels and prevent lowering of T-levels. Some endocrinologists claim that one hour of sleep between 10 pm and 2 am has similar healing effects on your body which are resulted by two hours of sleep before or after this time. So ideally, one should go to bed around 10 pm and wake up at around 6 am for optimal hormone balance. ● Stress reduction: People with lower testosterone levels are often found to be struggling with frustration, unforgiveness and anger issues. This chronic stress kills your quality of life. You need to find ways to relieve your stress to keep your testosterone levels up. To begin with, you can make a list of people you wish to forgive and then do so. Also, it is essential if you can turn to religious books or personal growth books. You can also seek the help of a personal counselor. Take care of your emotional issues, resentment, unforgiveness, anger and frustration and you will find yourself much more relieved and stress-free. Ultimately, raising your testosterone levels naturally. ● Fasting intermittently: Intermittent fasting is one of the most natural testosterone boosters. It has been observed to increase the T-level by 200 % or even up to 400 %. A study conducted by a medical school found that growth hormone levels increased manifold in men who didn't consume any calories for 24 hours and growth hormone levels are further correlated with testosterone. Basically, intermittent fasting means that you skip your breakfast and eat your meals close together. You can eat three meals per day with three hours of an interval, starting at noon and ending by sunset. This paves the way to a relaxation routine of your organs, particularly liver which is known to be highly related to testosterone levels in your body. ● Use of healthy fats: Another natural way is to add a lot of healthy fats in your diet. If you have a dire habit of consuming junk food and too many carbohydrates, then you must get rid of those habits and add healthy fats to your food habits. There are three categories of healthy fat. Firstly, healthy saturated fat is right for your health. It is generally found in coconut oil and raw fermented dairy products, like yogurt or milk cheese. Avoid conventional dairy products because it dampens your testosterone. The other type of fat that your body needs is omega-3 fatty acids. You can readily consume chia seeds, Flaxseeds and walnuts to keep up the supply of vital omega-3s. Lastly, monounsaturated fats are also gainful in naturally hiking the level of testosterone. ● Use of Vitamin-D and other vitamin supplements: Another crucial nutrient to restore healthy testosterone levels is vitamin D3. In case of those suffering from vitamin D deficiency, it is absolutely necessary that you get out in the sun regularly in order to get your body detoxified and have the essential dose of Vitamin D. Herbs like ginseng benefit healthy testosterone levels, making it yet another natural testosterone booster. The best way to increase your vitamin-D levels is sun exposure. You only need 20-30 minutes of exposure to a large amount of skin. If your skin isn’t conditioned to this exposure, start slow walking with 10 minutes a day and gradually work up to 20-30 minutes. ● Figure out a Balanced Diet: It's apparent that having good eating habits is significantly essential when you need to keep your testosterone level rich and maintain your overall health. Low testosterone levels and overweight contributes to a variety of inflammatory conditions and impaired neurological function. Overeating and irregular dieting disrupt hormone levels. This effect is mostly observed in athletes and people who are very active. The best diets are those that include mostly whole foods and offer a healthy balance of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. A healthy and nutritious diet keeps all hormones levels in the body balanced and promotes optimal long-term health. ● Lower body fat and weight: It has been observed that lower body fat and weight loss help increase testosterone levels naturally. When you consider the effects of insulin resistance and poor sleeping habits has on testosterone, it really makes sense that it is all closely interlinked with obesity. Obese males tend to have 50% fewer testosterone levels than those who are not overweight. So basically, you need to cut out on processed sugars from your diet, which has links to insomnia, obesity, diabetes and a number of other hormone disorders. ● Heavy-weight Training: If you want to boost your testosterone level naturally, then this one of the best ways to do so for those who are physically capable of exercising at a gym. Hitting the gym for least three days a week and lifting heavy weights can do the job for you. Strength training helps in providing T-levels in your body so that you can overcome the deficiency of the growth hormone. Burst training not only boosts T-levels, but it also helps keeps your testosterone elevated and prevents its decline. Burst training involves exercising at 90–100 % of your maximum effort for a short interval in order to burn your body’s stored sugar (glycogen). Along with improving your T-levels, this way you can effectively burn between 3–9 times more fat, lower your resting heart rate, keep blood pressure in check and your brain young by increasing blood circulation. ● Review medication and detox liver: While prescription medications help manage a variety of health conditions, they are one of the most common reasons for low testosterone levels. Several medications used for lowering cholesterol may partially work by reducing testosterone. If you suspect your low testosterone is due to prescribed medications, you should bring these concerns to their doctor's attention. Your liver is very crucial to have effectively decent testosterone levels. An improperly functioning liver can take a severe hit on the amount of this hormone present in your body. Men with cirrhosis of the liver tend to lose testosterone level with the growing disease. So it is very vital that you have a healthy liver to keep up your testosterone level naturally. ● Practice deep breathing: Deep breathing helps in calming an overactive nervous system and relax the body. This lowers stress hormone and improves the production of sex hormones like testosterone that are needed for growth and repair. The best way to adopt this way is to do yoga exercises or carry out a simple exercise in a field involving deep breathing in and out for about thirty minutes a day. It will improve your respiratory system and supply fresh oxygen to your brain cells to rejuvenate the processing of thinking and release hormones in your body balancing out the requirements of testosterone by your body at an optimal level. ● Maintain Zinc and Magnesium levels: Make sure to balance out your zinc and magnesium levels.  Both these nutrients are vital factors to testosterone production in your body. You can try out methods like using pumpkin seeds to deal with low levels of these elements in the body. Studies suggest that focusing on improving Magnesium level can have a significant impact on the net level of testosterone in a person. It has been observed that taking supplements for at least one month might increase testosterone in general. You need to carry out various thoughtful dietary changes to boost your level of magnesium and zinc deficiency. This can be done by including items lime dark leafy greens vegetables and whole grains in your regular diet. Zinc is also an ingredient in dark green vegetables, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Creatine which occurs naturally in salmon, tuna, and beef has proved to be a reliable source of increasing testosterone. Advice: Those who are concerned about their testosterone levels should see their doctor. In case, you need a therapy it is always better to adopt natural ways as well to improve it. Read Also: 7 Healthy Habits That Make Us Look Younger Flexoplex Reviews: Is It The Best Joint Supplement Of 2019?  

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Ear Health

Important Habits to Protect Your Ear Health and Hearing

Hearing loss isn't always something that can be prevented. Sometimes loss of hearing is just something that happens as you get older. But in an increasingly loud and busy world, hearing loss might be caused early or worsened by the environment around you. And once you're hearing is gone, it can be gone for good. Can you imagine life without being able to hear? It's a scary thought for many and should be. And yet, very few of us take the proper precautions in protecting our ears and our hearing. That changes now. If you're committed to the concept of ear health and protecting your hearing, read on. We'll discuss several ways to help ensure that your hearing stays strong and true for many years to come. The Case For Earplugs : You likely rolled your eyes back in your youth when your parents advised you to wear earplugs to that rock and roll concert. But they were on to something. Approximately 15% of Americans lose hearing as a result of too-loud work or leisure environments. If you work or spend lots of time in an environment where the sound level forces you to shout to be able to communicate, it's likely that the sound levels there are dangerously high. This loudness could be due to a concert or club, or even more often, due to some form of loud and consistent machinery. If you know that you spend many hours around this kind of noise level, you should absolutely invest in a good pair of earplugs. Earplugs are easy to obtain, generally affordable, and can even be made individualized for your ears upon request. They can dampen the level of sound coming in from your environment by a significant margin, helping to curb the possible loss of hearing. Keep The Volume Low : According to the World Health Organization, over a billion people each year are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of audio devices. Earbuds, like the popular headphones designed by Apple, are especially dangerous for ear health as they fit directly into the eardrum. If you're a music lover, you probably spend a lot of time listening to music on headphones. If you care about the health of your ears, though, you should make an effort to keep the volume at a lower level. Doctors recommend a philosophy they've dubbed the 60/60 rule. The rule is a recommendation that you listen to music through headphones at 60% volume for less than 60 minutes a day for the benefit of your hearing. Even when not listening to headphones, you should aim to keep music played at a normal level to ensure long-lasting ear health. Avoid Cotton Swabs : One of the most common items in any household bathroom cabinet is a jar of cotton swabs. These little tools have been used by people to clean out ear wax for years and years, but it's only more recently that their nefarious reputation has begun to reach the public. It actually turns out that a little wax in the ears is both healthy and normal. Ears are self-cleaning organs and the wax in your ears actually serves to prevent dust and other particles from entering your eardrum. If you do have excess wax, it is not advisable that you use a cotton swab. You can very easily damage your eardrum by using a cotton swab. Instead, considering using a damp towel to gently clean around the canal. There are also various ear wax solutions that are available in stores. These are applied to the ears overnight and can help to dissolve and soften ear wax so that it can flow out of the inner ear on its own. Keep Your Ears Dry : Another frequent cause of ear damage is extra moisture. Excess moisture can allow bacteria to enter the ear canal and cause serious problems, such as a swimmer's ear or other infections. Following swims at the pool or beach, showers or baths, or any other water-related activity, you should be sure to gently towel-dry your ears. If you can feel the moisture in your ear following swimming or bathing, tilt your head to the side and tug lightly on your eardrum to help water drain out. There are also specially designed swimmer's earplugs available on the market, which can help prevent water from entering your eardrum during a swim. They work great for any age, kids or adults, and can be individually fitted for your ear by a licensed physician. Consider Getting Regular Check-Ups : Especially as you get older, you should ask your physician to incorporate hearing screenings into your regular checkups. Hearing loss doesn't happen in a flash of light, it is a very gradual process. It's recommended, then, that you have yearly consultations with a hearing healthcare professional, who can recognize the signs of hearing loss while it is still in the early stages. Taking action against hearing loss is important, as is discussing it with your doctor. Loss of hearing has been linked to other health concerns such as depression, dementia, and heart disease. Establishing a relationship with your doctor in regards to ear health early on can contribute to better overall health later on. If you do find yourself losing hearing, you should ensure to invest in a proper hearing aid. With all the advances in rechargeable hearing aids over the past few years, they now serve people with hearing impairment much better.  A well-designed hearing aid can help improve the quality of life for someone who has lost hearing and can stave off the other health issues previously mentioned. If you're interested in the best hearing aids on the market, you can learn more here. Read Also : 5 Dental Hygiene Tips For A Healthier Smile Essential Health Benefits Of Coconut Oil Must-Have Appliances For A Healthier Life

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