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Show DO YOU EVER GET UP in the Morning With a LAME BACK? By EDWIN F. BOWERS, M. D. (Author of "Side-Stepping 111 Health," "Alcohol Its Influence on Mind ami Body," etc.) A GREAT American philosopher from the corn belt district once said : "Sometimes "Some-times It's jest as well not to know so much as it is to know so many things that ain't so." The solicitous inquiry which inspires our tale drops naturally Into this category. The question implies that if you get up with a lame back how it behaves the rest of the day evidently doesn't matter that you are "threatened" if not actually In the fell clutch of kidney disease. Those interested In finding out about your lame back usually volunteer the information in-formation that kidney disease is alarmingly alarm-ingly on the Increase, and also that it is love's labor lost and time scrapped to be concerned in doctoring the effects instead of plunging boldly after the original cause. All of which is true. Kidney disease, and the heart, liver and bladder conditions as well as the nervous disordere that accompany it, is undoubtedly on the increase. in-crease. But this hasu't any more to do with backache than a pig's curly tail has to do with dynamics. It's just the same Alice in 'Wonderland sense as though one said "James Smith Is redheaded and lives in Brooklyn. Therefore his wife must be fond of music." Now, here is the truth about the kidneys. kid-neys. Their regular job in life Is to filter oft a certain definite" proportion of the waste material from the body tissues. They pick out this effete matter In the form of urea and urates, dissolve theso In water, and eliminate them. If they become damaged by alcohol, overeating, lead poisoning, toxins from acute infections as scarlet fever, pneumonia, pneu-monia, bronchitis overwork, worry, severe physical strain or injury, excessive use of tobacco, venereal diseases and many other causes their work output Is crippled and their function Is greatly impaired. When this impairment is manifested the first symptom will usually be headaches not "splitting," but dull and persistent and apitrently without cause. The patient lacks ambition, Is listless and drowsy, and awakens from an apparently heavy sleep unrefreshed. The retained poisons, acting upon the nervous system. i.ffect the stomach stom-ach and the digestive organs, and appetite, digestion and elimination are all unfavorably unfavor-ably influenced. The retina and the optic nerve become involved, and while blindness rarely results, re-sults, yet frequently there may be a 50 or 60 per cent reduction in vision. Unless the process be recognized and ' checked and the body poisons actually eliminated through the skin and the bowels, bow-els, the muscle cells of the heart become weakened and the cellular structures of the body become watcr-Iopced, This..cn'Js,., the unsightly puffing under the eyes and also swelling about the aukles, together with the distressing shortness of breath that results from the water-logged condition condi-tion of the lungs. Some acute Infection, throwing an extra amount of strain upon the overworked and badly weakened or dilated heart, may terminate ter-minate the disease- Or the' gradual accumulation accu-mulation of poisons in the system that should have been eliminated may bring about a "stroke" or an attack of apoplexy and end the strange, eventful history. All of which is bad enough But it has nothing to do with backaches. Ninety per cent of all backaches have to do with nerves, muscles and tendons, and are not In the slightest degree related to the kidneys. The things that cause backache may range from hollow teeth to falling arches, and from an insignificant draught to a significant sig-nificant pair of corsets, or a hysterical attack. at-tack. In men the most frequent cause lies in some latent venereal infection usually tome uncured disorder affecting the prostate pros-tate gland. Nothing except a thorough course of treatment by a skillful genitourinary genito-urinary expert will permanently relieve this backache. Pus generating factories In the hollows nf carious teeth or around then gum margins mar-gins is also a cause of the "kidney and tfbl'JCj: rru2:lv'. jwrij" Jn?. J"f-k. The things that cause hack-ache hack-ache may range from hollow teeth to fallen arches, and from an insignificant draft to a significant sig-nificant pair of corsets, or an hysterical attack. Ninety per cent of all backaches are not in the slightest degree related to the kidneys. Skillful attention by a dentist may cure many chronic cases of this "kidney trouble." trou-ble." Keflex symptoms from Tallen arches cause innumerable backaches. A well-adjusted arch support or a properly fitting orthopedic shoe will correct these. A displaced hip joint or a "sfi ppedM or rotated spinal vertebra may occasionally cause backache not only when you gt up but most every other hour of the twenty-four. twenty-four. A good osteopath one that knows his anatomy and osteology will work wonders wifh these bucks. Hetnined urea and uric acid also cnue some rheunmtisin and lumbago. If from ten to twenty glasses of hot and cold wsiier lie drunk during each twenty-four hours, and if meat be eaten only om-e a day, and fruit, sulnds and veiret;: Mcs more f re flated, aand if alcohol Is absolutely interdicted, inter-dicted, many of these backaches will give up in disgust. And right here it may also be mentioned that a pair of dull-toothed aluminum or steel combs, grasped firmly in either hand and held so as to cross the zones affected by the backache, will sometimes work absolute ab-solute miracles of healing. In women the liiost frequent cause of backache arises from inflammation or irritation ir-ritation of the genital organs, or from aome abnormal strain resulting from a prolapsus pro-lapsus or displacement of these organs. A gynecologist who will replace the uterus in its proper position or who will relieve the local congestion or irritation will cure all the backaches these very common com-mon disorders bring about. Women may greatly aid in this indeed, in-deed, sometimes it is the only treatment they require if they will discard tight corsets which constantly force the abdominal ab-dominal organs downward and also high-heelod high-heelod shoes, which throw the body into a faulty equilibrium, and destroy hc proper center of gravity. But this is almost too much for a mere doctor to expect except in a court of last resort. So if you back aches wl en you get up in the morning or at Jiny other lime, see a competent doctor and have him make a. thorough examination. In this way you'll find out why it achCJi --TJlCU 0.vcju your- |