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.

When a spinal disc is herniated, you can have various pain problems. In some cases, a nerve gets pinched, causing arm and leg pain. While many herniated discs are minor enough that they heal on their own, some people face chronic back and neck pain. If the herniated disc is quite severe, your doctor may advise you to consider surgery. Yet you can also look for non-surgical treatments, including chiropractic care and decompression of the disc.

Your chiropractor will start with an overview of your health and will look for several things.

Are your reflexes intact?

Is there loss of muscle strength?

Is there loss of sensation along the nerve path?

He will also look carefully at your posture, using x-rays as necessary to pinpoint the exact problem.

For most patients, disc injuries are related to a herniated disc, and your chiropractor can provide various treatment options and adjustments to relieve your pain and other symptoms.

For a few, your disc injury may be so severe its beyond the help of your chiropractor. If you are experiencing loss of strength, sensation, reflexes or other unusual findings, a spine surgeon may be more appropriate.

In either case, the key to relief is getting in and finding a solution that works for you as quickly as possible.

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.

Hamstring Stretch – Lie on your back on the floor with both legs straight. Bend one of your legs at the knee into a comfortable position. Stretch your other leg up in the air above you. Take a towel and wrap it over your outstretched foot. Pull down on the foot with the towel as you push back with your leg. Relax and repeat.

Active Stretches – these stretches also encourage movement and stretching of the joints, but are a bit more strenuous.

Bridges – Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Holding your knees together and keeping your hands at your sides, tighten your buttocks and abdomen. Raise your hips up and lower them down slowly. Relax and repeat.

Leg Raises – Lie on your stomach on the floor. Keeping your arms at your sides, flex the muscles of one leg and raise the leg an inch or two off the floor. Lower the leg and repeat the exercise with the other leg.

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.

Chiropractors perform their “magic” by making adjustments to the body. This includes adjustments to the back, neck, and joints of the body. It can also be combined with other activities, such as a deep tissue massage, or simply a conversation about good foods and nutrition.

In many cases, with just one treatment, patients feel an immediate difference in their level of pain. For some patients, the pain is completely gone. Chiropractic care focuses on repairing the damage to the body with a natural approach, instead of medications.

If you have been hurt in an accident, minor or severe, and find yourself with pain that knows no relief, consider visiting a chiropractor. A few adjustments, a few treatments later, and you just might find yourself free of pain and able to live a normal life. You do not have to live with the after-effects of a car accident – chiropractic care can bring you the relief you need.

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.

Chiropractic treatment has been shown to reduce and even eliminate certain back problems. A chiropractor works his magic by making adjustments to the bones in your back and neck. Combined with various natural treatments, such as deep tissue massage and hot/cold treatment, many patients find almost immediate relief.

The same way that you seek regular checkups from your doctor, you can seek regular, preventative treatments from your chiropractor.

Many patients have found that by seeking treatment before an injury, they can avoid the injury. Basically, a few minor adjustments each year can help keep injury at bay. A fully aligned spine isn’t at as much risk as one that is out of adjustment.

If you experience back pain, regardless of the level of severity, consider visiting a chiropractor. He could potentially relieve your pain in a completely natural manner. If your doctor has advised you to seek back surgery, make one stop before you go under the knife. Giving a chiropractor a chance to alleviate your pain could help you avoid the risk of back surgery. Chiropractic care is an alternative to surgery, prescription medications and other invasive forms of pain management.

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.

4. Adjust your monitor so that it is at eye level. This will help you avoid looking up or down all of the time, which can strain your neck over time.

5. You can buy desks that have “arms” designed to hold the monitor in front of you at an acceptable height.

6. Your feet should be flat on the floor when sitting in your chair. Adjust the height accordingly.

7. Tilt the seat of your chair forward to avoid pressure on your thighs while sitting.

8. The back of your legs behind the knees should be about two inches from the seat of your chair.

9. Keep your mouse near your keyboard and avoid using a wrist rest. Wrist rests have been linked with carpal tunnel syndrome.

10. Your backrest should press slightly against your back and follow the natural curves of your back. If necessary, use a folded towel or small blanket to fill in empty spots.

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.

Disc pain in your back can occur in your neck or your actual back. It usually involves lower back pain and leg pain. The lower back is often a target for herniated discs because this area of the back gets used the most during the average day. If you suffer from recurring lower back pain and leg pain, you could have a herniated disc.

If you have continual pain, its important to find out the root cause, and begin to work at relieving that pain. Pain only gets worse over time, and becomes more difficult to control as it progresses.

If you head to your doctor he will examine you and possibly order different procedures, such as x-rays, CT scans and MRIs. All of these procedures will assist your physician in pinpointing the source of your pain. However, these will not help diagnose the problem. They will simply confirm what they learn my understanding your medical history, and how it relates to your current problems.

Treatment of your herniated disc can vary. Depending on the severity of your pain, your physician may prescribe medications or recommend surgery in extreme pain situations. Or you can try chiropractic care instead. Chiropractic care provides adjustment over time, and helps to alleviate your pain by heading to the root of the problem. Chiropractic is not a “get better quick” method. Instead, it focuses on returning your spine to its original condition, and helping your improve your health overall.

If you’re looking for a new way to treat the pain in your back, maybe its time to focus on a new way to stay healthy – chiropractic care.

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.

2. Take walking breaks – Many of us these days have desk jobs.  We sit and stare at a computer all day long.  This really isn’t good for your back.  Prolonged sitting can lead to slouching and decreased blood flow to your back (among other things).  Be sure to give your back a break by getting up, stretching, and walking around on a regular basis.  This keeps things moving and hopefully encourages better posture when you sit back down.

3. Work out your work space – While its important to get up from your desk occasionally, its also important to make sure your working conditions don’t sabotage your efforts.  Do whatever you can to make your workspace as ergonomically correct as possible. Invest in a new chair that helps promote your posture. Be conscious of how you sit, and make sure your desk, computer, and other tools are in perfect position for your daily activities.

4. Lift with your knees – Lifting is a huge cause for back strain or pain.  When you lift things be sure to lift with your knees not your back, keep the object close to your body, and don’t twist.  Careful lifting can help you avoid a major pain in the back.

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.

Proper attire also plays a role in preventing or reducing back pain. High heels may be fashionable, but they do nothing for your back.  Supportive shoes with a small heel allow for proper balance and positioning of your body (namely your spine).

Healthy weight and diet can drastically affect your back. A higher weight means greater strain for your back, invariably leading to discomfort or pain.  Attaining or maintaining a proper diet and body size will reduce back strain.

Inactivity can potentially cause back pain. Do ever get up from hours at the computer and have to work out the kink in your back?  Break up the periods of physical inactivity by stretching or walking to help your back (and your entire body) get back in the right position to support you as you work.

Adjust your workstation to accommodate your back needs. Do what you can to make sure your chair and computer positioning are supportive and ergonomically correct.

Consult a chiropractor for adjustments to avoid or address back pain.

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.

3. Leave yourself reminders - You probably don’t even have to think about it to have bad posture.  Good posture on the other hand will require some degree of focus.  Leave yourself reminders to help you do posture checks several times a day.

4. Be sure to move – If you sit too long, you are more likely to slouch.  Help yourself out by standing up every half hour or so.  Even if you just stand up, walk across the room and come back, you’ve still given your body a chance to shift.  This also gives you a chance for a posture check.

5. Sit properly – You can’t improve your posture by slouching when you sit.  Encourage your new good habit, by practicing even when you’re sitting.

6. Wear proper shoes – Ladies, those killer high heels that look so stylish are also killer on your posture.  Help your posture out and minimize your use of heeled shoes.

7. Take care of your back – Many people complain that their back hurts. Slouching may be more comfortable. Yet if you feel pain, that’s the sign of something more serious. Make an appointment today with your chiropractor, and you’ll soon feel better all the way around.

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.

Walk, don’t run. Your control and response time are greater when you are walking.  Since your not on a treadmill or at the gym limit yourself to walking whenever possible.

Don’t walk distracted.  Reading, writing and other such activities divert your attention and your eyes from the path you are on.  Save these activities for a stationary moment.

Wear good shoes. Be sure your shoes have sufficient traction to help steady you in case you do start to slip or trip.

If you do sustain an injury as a result of a slip, trip, or fall, don’t be discouraged.  There is help.  A chiropractor can do much to help you get well and get back on your feet.  With their unique approach to physical health, chiropractors are uniquely equipped to help with the disjointedness that comes from a fall.  Your chiropractor can help realign your spine, knees, ankles and other body parts typically affected by a fall.  By correcting the faulty alignment caused by a fall, chiropractors assure that not only will you feel better, but you will heal better as well.