Health Tips

Philip G. Ney, MD, FRCP (C)
May 29, 2005

1. Sinuses.

Between the exterior and the sinus there are tiny holes which are easily plugged when the mucus becomes dried or dirty. With nowhere to go, the continuous excretion of mucus results in a pressure build up, producing both severe pain and compression of the mucus cells, which interferes with their function of discharging mucus to the exterior. As one should keep cleaning out all kinds of air passages, so people need to wash out their nasal passages. If they snuff in warm water and then forcibly eject it with a snort, they will find a lot of mucus comes with it. Alternately snuffing and snorting cleans the sinus passages and relieves the pressure that causes so much pain.

2. Lumbar and thoracic spine.

Much time and energy is spent trying to relieve the pain and disability resulting from damage to the spine. The spine serves as a support, shock absorber and a fulcrum. Because of the mechanical disadvantage, 100 lbs lifted by the arms at full extension result in a compressing force exerted on the spinous processes of 1000 – 2000 lbs. Once the vertebral body and the annulus fibrosa begin to deteriorate, there is a rapid progression resulting in pain which makes the muscles contract, further compressing the spine and producing more pain, producing more compression. The ligaments and cartilaginous material which make up much of the structure have relatively little blood supply. Those tiny vessels are very easily compressed by the contraction of powerful erector spinae muscles. That compression shuts off the blood supply and may produce an avascular necrosis resulting in more pain, producing more compression. Every joint surface needs lubrication. There must be a tiny space in the joint for oil molecules, otherwise any joint surface will degenerate and wear out.

Every bed, no matter how well constructed, will sag where the body is heaviest, mainly the midriff. Thus both head and feet slope downhill. The compression all night long results in an avascular situation for ligaments and cartilaginous material. Because avascular necrosis produces pain the muscle go into spasm resulting in more compression and lack of blood supply, producing more pain in a vicious cycle. It is no wonder that people awaken with backache.

The solution is quite simple. Instead of compression, one has to arrange for the body to decompress. Use gravity pulling on the head and the feet in opposite directions. To do this, sleep on a pronounced convex sleeping surface (PCSS). Put towels and blankets and other non-compressing material under a foam mattress at mid-body. The height of the resulting convex surface should be 8 – 10 inches above the normal. This looks like an extremely uncomfortable place to sleep, but you will soon find that it is quite sleepable, primarily because there is no pain.

One can sleep on one’s side or one’s stomach. If you sleep on your stomach, put a pillow under half your belly, another one under your shoulders and chin so that your head tends to be unsupported and slope away from the mid-body. There is no guarantee, but within a week I bet you will be pain free. It’s possible you will be taller.