Word: lumbar
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...concerned; Becky had had headaches six months before, and the neurologist had assured her that headaches are not uncommon during puberty. But by evening the child was having convulsions and had lost consciousness temporarily. She was rushed to nearby Baptist Hospital of Miami, where a neurologist performed a lumbar puncture, inserting a needle between vertebrae in the lower back to get a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. Within an hour Becky went into cardiac and respiratory arrest. She was put on a life-support system, but soon after was declared dead...
...medical reading had led her to believe that they had not been thorough in her daughter's case. From a nursing manual, she learned that when there is evidence of severe pressure inside the skull, a lumbar puncture is usually performed only as a last-ditch diagnostic test because it can result in a portion of the brain's being pushed down into the spine, possibly causing death. According to the manual, a brain scan should be performed first...
...commonly, and incorrectly, called a "slipped" disc. In fact, the disc has not slipped. Rather it has herniated, or ruptured. Its gelatinous central region bulges out, sometimes even breaking through its surrounding wall of ligaments. The discs most likely to rupture are the one separating the two lowest lumbar vertebrae and the one separating the last lumbar from the sacrum, the next lowest region of the spine. The dislocated material often pushes against the spinal nerves, which are extremely sensitive to any pressure. The slightest movement, even a laugh, can trigger an excruciating wave of pain...
When picking up or lifting things, do not bend from the waist. Squat, keeping the back straight. That reduces pressure on the lumbar area, site of most backaches...
Poor sleep posture is a sure invitation to backaches. Use a firm mattress. Lie on the side with a bend to the knees. Avoid lying on the belly, a position that increases the spine's lumbar curve, causing that familiar sagging called swayback...