Apr
3
If you have been experiencing back pain, neck pain or even pain in your arms and legs, you may have a herniated disc. Herniated disks can happen without warning – for example, if you have been in a car wreck or suffered a slip and fall. Herniated discs can also develop over an extended period of time due to bad posture, imbalanced hormones or even because of a genetic pre-disposition.
But what is a herniated disc? Can you self diagnose? And once you know you have a herniated disc, what are your options?
Your spinal column contains vertebrae and spinal discs. The spinal discs act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. The discs contain a soft center. If this soft center ruptures or bulges through the wall of the disc, you have a herniated disc.
There are actually many terms for these kinds of injuries, including herniated disc, slipped disk, ruptured disk, and bulging disk. The bottom line: one or more of your spinal discs is damaged. Read more
Nov
15
Exercises That Can Help Your Back Pain
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When you suffer from back pain, you want relief as quickly as possible. While your physician may prescribe painkillers or advise you to take an over-the-counter medication, medicine may not always do the trick, nor may it be the best thing for you. Sometimes, you need to try other things to get relief from your back pain. Exercise is one of the most natural ways you can help ease your back pain. Through a series of stretching and other mild exercises, you can increase your flexibility and relieve your back pain.
Passive Stretches – these stretching exercises help keep your joints moving. Hold each stretch for about 20 seconds.
Back Stretch – Lie on the floor on your stomach. Using your arms, push the upper part of your body up, making a gentle curve of your back. Relax your stretch and repeat. Read more
Aug
17
Why Chiropractic Should Be Part Of Your Recovery Plan From An Accident Or Injury
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It happens every day – someone is involved in a minor fender-bender and, after exchanging insurance information, all parties involved go home. Most people don’t give the little wreck another thought. After all, they feel fine right now and the accident wasn’t serious. However, what many people fail to realize is that some injuries, especially injuries to the spine do not show up right away. You can be in a minor accident and wake up in excruciating pain the next day or even several days later.
Whether you have a case of whiplash or just some bumps and bruises, you need relief from your pain. When you visit your doctor, he or she will likely point you in the direction of the nearest pharmacy. For many people, the thought of filling their bodies with over-the-counter or prescription drugs is not something they want to do. So they begin looking for alternatives.
A visit to the chiropractor can relieve your pain without the use of any drugs. Read more
Aug
10
Millions of people suffer with prolonged back pain every day. The root of the problem can be a variety of things, including work-related strain and permanent damage from an injury.
Regardless of the reason for the back pain, the prospect of living with pain every day is daunting. For some patients, the pain is unbearable and they turn to surgery in hopes of getting some sort of relief. What many back pain sufferers do not realize is that chiropractic care can help alleviate back pain, thus allowing you to avoid surgery.
Chiropractic treatment has a proven track record of alleviating pain without risky surgery. Back surgery has no guarantees – it is usually the last resort of a patient in pain. Read more
Aug
5
Whether you work from a home office or an office away from home, it is important to have an ergonomically correct workspace. Otherwise, you run the risk of having various health problems. For instance, tendonitis, back pain and neck pain are just a few of the potential problems. The following ten tips will help you create an ergonomically correct office, leaving you free to focus on work rather than managing your pain.
1. Keep frequently used items within reach. This will help you to avoid a lot of stretching and reaching.
2. Keep your keyboard flat on the desk. Even if it has an adjustment to lift it up, keep it flat.
3. Your armrests on your desk chair should be adjusted to ensure that your arms are parallel to the floor and your wrists are at a natural angle when typing. Read more
Jul
8
What Is A Herniated Disc?
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It can be a real pain in the neck to have a pain in your back. Millions of people suffer from some sort of back pain at some point in their life. Some of the pains are minor and can be relieved with rest and anti-inflammatory medications. Others are more severe and recurring, causing you to constantly live in pain.
While some types of back pains are easy to diagnose, it can be more difficult for doctors to diagnose a herniated disc. It can be helpful for you to understand what a herniated disc is and what symptoms to look for. With this knowledge, you can better explain your pains to your doctor and possibly speed up a diagnosis.
When talking with different members of the health industry, you may actually hear a variety of terms. “Herniated disc”, “pinched nerve” and “bulging disc” are all commonplace in conversation, yet may mean different things to different people. “Ruptured disk”, “slipped disc”, and “collapsed disc” only add to the confusion. Read more
Jun
30
How to Prevent Back Pain
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Back pain is one of the most common complaints among Americans today. In fact, approximately half of all Americans will suffer from back pain this year, and approximately 80% of Americans will experience a back problem at some point in their lives.
Back pain is also one of the most commonly cited reasons for missing work. Its estimated that back pain has caused Americans to spend $50 billion on relief each year. The sad thing is, much of this could be prevented. With minor changes in our lifestyle, we can drastically reduce our chances to suffer from back pain.
1. Eat right and exercise – It seems like everywhere you go people are touting the benefits of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Well, here is another benefit to add to the list. A healthy lifestyle typically leads to a healthier weight. This means less strain on your back and improved muscle tone to support it. Read more
Mar
24
Whether it is a minor twinge or a debilitating throb, back pain can be a serious impediment to daily activities.
Unfortunately, this type of irritation is a common occurrence for many people. In fact, studies suggest that as you are reading this, 31 million Americans are suffering from back pain. With such high numbers, it comes as no surprise that back pain complaints are the second most common cause for doctor visits.
With such an alarming number of individuals afflicted, it would be wise for each of us to practice a few simple tips to help prevent or reduce back pain.
Proper posture is very important to back health. Slouching can cause undo stress to the muscles, ligaments, and bones in your support column. Standing and sitting with proper posture will help maintain a strong, supportive, less painful back. Read more
Jan
26
How to Improve Your Posture
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Are you interested in looking taller and more confident? Do you want to strengthen your core, shoulders, and neck? If you answered yes to either of these, consider adjusting your posture. Improve your posture to improve your image. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
1. Think tall - This may sound crazy, but it works. If you want good posture; think tall, light, and confident thoughts. If you trudge around feeling lazy, lethargic, and negative, your posture will show it. Give your back a boost through your thoughts and attitudes.
2. Check your posture - It is difficult to achieve good posture if you don’t know what it is supposed to look or feel like. Stand sideways in front of a mirror. Adjust your position until your ears, shoulders and hips are aligned. Another test you can use requires a wall. Stand against the wall with your heels, backside, shoulders, and head touch the wall. These two test can help you get used to the look and feel of good posture.
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Jan
19
Studies have shown that slips, trips, and falls are a major source of workplace injuries each year. In 2002, it was reported that 37% of reported workplace injuries were the result of a slip, trip, or fall. OSHA concurs with these reports, citing the frequency and danger of these types of injuries. Thankfully, there are precautions employees can take to protect themselves from these injuries, and services they can seek to help them recover in the event of an injury.
Here are a few things you can do to be proactive and protect yourself from a fall:
Watch where you are walking. If you see a tripping or slipping hazard you are much more likely to avoid it than if you are looking away.
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