Bed rest

Bed rest is a doctor's prescription to spend a longer period of time in bed.

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Adverse effects

Prolonged bed rest has long been known to have deleterious psychological effects, such as muscle atrophy and other forms of deconditioning. Besides lack of physical exercise in was shown that another important factor is that the hydrostatic pressure (caused by gravity) acts anomalously, resulting in altered distribution of body fluids. Even physical exercise in bed fails to address certain adverse effects.^[1]

Common cases

Bed rest is commonly prescribed in the following cases.

• For sufferers of acute pain in spine or joints; for example, in the case of backache the unloading of the corresponding spinal segment decreases the intradiscal pressure, and it would bring relief in cases such as compression of spinal nerve. The prescribed duration of bed rest vary and opinions differ. ^[2]

• Bed rest is prescribed for some maternal or fetal complications of pregnancy, such as preterm labor, high blood pressure, incompetent cervix, or fetal growth problems. In the past it was a general prescription during any kind of pregnancy, now deprecated.^[3]

• Heart diseases

• Bed rest is an important measure in the cases of chorea (disease). In the mild cases in may suffice for treatment.^[4]

See also

• Bed rest cure

References

1. ^ Susan L. Woods (2004) "Cardiac Nursing", ISBN 078174718X, p. 921.
2. ^ Richard S. Weiner (2002) " Pain Management: A Practical Guide for Clinicians", ISBN 0849309263, p. 741
3. ^ Nancy A. Bowers (2001) "The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook", ISBN 0737303069, Chapter 12: Bed Rest
4. ^ NINDS Sydenham Chorea Information Page of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke