|
|
|
MOSAIC: First hydrogen service station
Relieving a stiff neck NECK pain is a common condition affecting more men than women, states a recent issue of the British Medical Journal. Neck problems are not life threatening, but they do cause pain and stiffness, often resulting in visits to the doctor, absenteeism from work and disability. Many conservative interventions are available for treating neck pain, including pain killers, physiotherapy and manual therapy. A study was conducted on 183 patients with neck pain for at least two weeks, in the Netherlands. These patients were divided into three groups each receiving one of the three treatment modalities. Manual therapy included hands-on techniques as muscular mobilization, specific articular mobilization,coordination or stabilization. Treatment sessions lasted 45 minutes and were scheduled once a week. The manual therapy group showed a faster improvement than the physiotherapy group and the group on medication. Being absent from work was less in the manual therapy group. Nine patients in this group compared to 12 in the physiotherapy group and 15 in the physicians group remained absent from work. Reviews have shown that staying active is more beneficial and active exercises are more effective than passive modalities such as massage, heat and traction. Chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists use mobilization and manipulation techniques. The clinical outcome measures show a better and faster result and the treatment is cost effective. Exercises are easy to perform and can be done by the patient at home. — Dr Fatema Jawad
Thank your, mother-in-law! STEREOTYPES of the nagging, critical mother-in-law may need some revising: A new study suggests that good husbands or boyfriends are often the product of great moms. Researchers interviewing 33 young couples found “significant” correlations between men’s ties to their mothers and their partners’ satisfaction with the relationship. “If he’s very close to his mother he may feel very close to his partner, probably very affectionate,” explained researcher Sarah Roberts, of Ferrum College in Virginia. Roberts co-authored the study with psychologist Sharon Stein while an undergraduate at Ferrum. She presented the findings at the recent annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, in Atlanta. Although much research has been conducted into the parent-child relationship, Roberts and Stein say the impact of the mother-son relationship on a son’s significant other has been “overlooked.” In their study — titled Mama’s Boy or Lady’s Man? — the two researchers had each male and female partner in 33 couples fill out separate questionnaires. “The questionnaire that was given to the women was about relationship satisfaction,” Roberts said, “and that given to the men was about their perceived closeness to their mothers.” The researchers found that, in general, men who said they had moms who “understood their needs” had mates who described them as “affectionate.” Men who had a strong love for their mothers also tended to date women who described them as not only their lover, but also “their best friend,” the authors report. | ||
|
|
|
|
