Find a way that you can make a positive contribution to your friend's life. Doing this may help the person pay more attention to you. Create a sense of community or even family with this friend. Being able to find ways to help a friend out also establishes a relationship based on the need to give and take from the friendship instead of just taking all of the time. Offering to help a friend out in a role that establishes you as an expert can also lend to your credibility and improve the level of attention you get in the future from this friend. For example, if you are really good at math, offer to help with homework, and show your friend how useful your math skills are. Knowing that you are the best person to turn to for math help will probably increase the amount of attention you get from this friend beyond just math homework as well. Instead of talking about the same old things, look for some new and interesting topics to discuss with your pal. If you always talk about the same thing you make it too easy for others to ignore or even predict what you are going to say. Keep a little bit of mystery in what you talk about or parts of you that you share with friends. That way, they will be sure to listen as to not miss a thing. In the same vein, take the time to really listen to the interests of your friends so you can contribute in a meaningful way in conversations about subjects they like. Most people enjoy knowing that they are truly being heard and appreciated. You can surprise your friend with anythinga gift, a gathering or a lunch date out. This does not need to cost a lot of money either. The point is not to buy their affection. Instead, you are making it a point to show that your friend is special to you. A thoughtful gift can actually be free or cost very little, but still carry a lot of meaning. Show your friend you listen to what they talk about by remembering a special day or even just sending them a new song from a favorite artist. Again, it's the thought behind the gesture not a price tag or dollar amount that matters. Act like you deserve attention and maybe your friend will pay you in kind. Make sure your friend knows you want to spend time with them. Put in the work to be a true friend and make it known that you expect that to be returned to you as well. Make a commitment to yourself to not settle for anything less than being a priority in your friend's life. You have to believe you are deserving of this type of connection and love.

Summary: Offer your helping hand, if needed. Shake up your usual conversations. Surprise him or her with something. Expect to be a priority.

Seek professional help from your doctor immediately if you feel any numbness or tingling in your groin or legs, if you lose control of your bladder or bowels, or if your walk is affected. You should also see your doctor if you are unsure of the cause of your back pain or if it is getting worse. You will need further evaluation if you develop a fever or any new symptoms. Schedule an appointment. Be able to describe the exact nature of your back pain, how frequently your back hurts, what activities have become unbearable due to back pain, and any additional information that your physician might find useful. Your doctor will prescribe NSAIDs for general back pain, but can prescribe stronger medications if the pain becomes unbearable. Depending on the severity of the back pain, a doctor may suggest a steroid injection. Some people get relief for months or years when a steroid is injected into areas of the spine that suffer from extreme inflammation. Chiropractic professionals are dedicated to the non-surgical treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Generally, they focus on your spine and the surrounding areas. Chiropractors use manual (hands-on) treatment to focus on lower back pain and herniated disc issues. This trained professional will prescribe necessary exercises much like a doctor prescribes medication. Physical therapists will teach you how to stretch and strengthen your back muscles. They'll also help you prevent unnecessary strain. Egoscue practitioners specialize in posture therapy. He'll focus on your back pain and identify any posture problems you may be having. He'll examine the way you walk, sit, and sleep. Afterwards, he'll outline a series of exercises that will help reduce pressure and tension in your back. The two best massages for lower back pain specifically are a quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle massage and a gluteus medius massage. The QL massage focuses on the connection between your ribs and your pelvis - an area that is normally a source of lower back pain. This area becomes strained when your lower back remains mobile while your upper body sits still or when you sit slumped in a chair. Your therapist can stretch and massage this area with a QL massage. The gluteus medius massage works wonders in tandem with the QL massage. When the area between your ribs and pelvis becomes strained, it immediately causes strain in your upper buttocks region as well. A practitioner will insert thin needles into precise points throughout your body. Most acupuncturists argue that their needles stimulate the production of endorphins, serotonin, and acetylcholine. These are powerful painkilling chemicals naturally produced in your body. While the medical community is still out on the exact scientific effects of acupuncture, on-going clinical trials are hopeful. Certainly, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence (by patients) to support acupuncture's effectiveness. A Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) unit may be used as a treatment option to help block severe nerve pain. This is not a cure. It is merely a pain management technique. It essentially blocks pain signals to the brain, so you don't notice your back pain as much or at all. Only consider this technique after consulting your doctor and if all other methods have failed.

Summary: Know when to seek help. Visit a doctor. Consider a steroid injection. See a chiropractor. Go to a physical therapist. Get a massage. See an acupuncturist. Use a nerve stimulator.

Baking soda can do an amazing job of absorbing unpleasant odors and neutralizing the air in a room. If you've recently cooked with garlic and find that the smell has lingered in your kitchen (or other rooms in your home) longer than you'd like, pour about 1/4 cup (32 g) of baking soda into a bowl. Place the bowl on a counter and leave it for 23 days. At the end of this time period, the garlic smell should be gone. If you're concerned about your fridge smelling like garlic, you can just leave an opened box of baking soda in the back to absorb bad odors. Leave the open box in the back of your fridge overnight and, by morning, the garlic odor should have vanished. If the garlic smell remains after you've left baking soda in the fridge overnight, clean the interior of the fridge to get rid of the smell. First, remove all of the food from the shelves and drawers in your fridge. Then, dampen a sponge with vinegar. Use the sponge to wipe down all of the interior surfaces of the fridge. This should get rid of the lingering garlic odor. In general, vinegar is a great cleaning agent and deodorizer. Fill a pan with 23 cups (470710mL) of tap water and heat the water to a simmer. Then add a few cloves, an orange peel, and 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks. Let the homemade potpourri simmer for at least 15 minutes to fill your kitchen with a pleasant aroma that will cover up any unpleasant garlicky smells. If you don't have spices on hand or prefer the smell of citrus fruits, try simmering 1 sliced lemon, some orange rind, and a handful of mint leaves in water. Select a bowl from your cabinet and fill it with 1 cup (240mL) of white vinegar. Vinegar absorbs smells from the air around it and can clear the air in your kitchen (or any room in your home) after you've cooked with garlic. By the time morning comes, the bowl of vinegar will have gotten rid of the unpleasant garlicky smells. If you don't have vinegar on hand, don't worry. You can use coffee grounds instead. Fill a bowl with 1/2 cup (64 g) of freshly ground coffee and leave it out overnight.
Summary: Leave a bowl of baking soda in a garlicky area to remove the smell. Wipe down the interior of your fridge to remove absorbed odors. Simmer pleasant-smelling spices in a saucepan for 1520 minutes. Set a bowl of vinegar out overnight to absorb unwanted garlic smells.