[at-l] Dutch Treat's spine

[shane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Shane Steinkamp)]

> I can feel an area in his back that feels like
> small pieces of bone or some kind of fragments
> immediately next to his spine.

Did he sustain some kind of injury?  Where on his spine is this?  I am
really concerned by this and would appreciate it if you could clarify.  Is
his spine straight?  Does he have any swelling?  Discoloration? Bruising?

If you can feel something like that, my first thought is that he needs to be
in a hospital...baring that here are a few things you can try.  Spinal folk
remedies...  I am NOT a doctor, but I am a massage therapist, so take it for
what its worth if you can't get him to a doctor...

Barring that, put him on the floor, flat on his back.  Tell him to relax.
Take his feet and drag him a few feet.  Now take his arms and drag him back.
Take his feet and drag him again.  Not take his head, and GENTLY try to pull
his head straight off his body.  If he keeps laying on the floor, this may
give him some relief.

Second thing to try...  Put him face down in the bed.  Get a rolling pin.
Roll the rolling pin up and down his back slowly, using as much pressure as
he can comfortably tolerate.  Tell him to relax and enjoy it.

Third...  Get some oil.  Any oil will do.  Sunflower oil is pretty nice.
Put a little oil on is back and using the palm of your hand, slowly massage
around the affected area in a COUNTERCLOCKWISE direction.  Important to get
the direction right.  Do it for a long time.  15 minutes or so.  Spiral out
from the pain, and back in and over it, using as much pressure as he can
comfortably tolerate.  Keep working counterclockwise.  Tell him to relax and
to breathe.  If he doesn't relax and breathe, but tenses up, it won't do him
any good.  After the spiraling, use the heel of your hand and using
pressure, slide up and down the muscle columns on either side of his spine -
not the spine itself.

Fourth... Do you have any way to hang him upside down?

Fifth... Repeat the massage with something like Bengay or Sportscreme - some
warming analgesic.  If you have none, a LITTLE red pepper, some camphor, and
a little menthol (Vicks) will work as a substitute.  Plain Vicks vapor rub
will also substitute.  Put hot compresses on the area and keep the area
warm.  DO NOT apply ice to his spine.

Sixth...  Roll a towel so that it's 3" in diameter.  Put it on the floor.
Lay him on the floor, on top of the towel so that his spine rests on the
length of the towel.  Tell him to relax.  Sit on his chest.  This will serve
to correct any misalignment in his upper spine.  If he's having lower spine
problems, do NOT sit on his tummy.  Leaving him on the towel and having him
relax will help.

That's about all the advice I could give you.  If you can't get him to a
doctor, a chiropractor will do.  Make sure he has an x-ray before they go
twisting him, however.  I'd have recommended twisting him, but I'm concerned
that you can feel something definitely wrong.

Shane