Oct
27
How To Find Lower Back Pain Relief
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One of the most common ailments for people is back pain. About 80 percent of all people have dealt with back pain at one point or another during their lives. Most back pain is not caused by serious conditions and lower back pain is one of the top five reasons for a person to go to their doctor. With back pain being such a common problem, it is no surprise that chiropractors see so many patients each year.
If you find yourself experiencing back pain, your first line of defense should be to make an appointment with your doctor or your chiropractor. If your back pain cannot be diagnosed as a medical condition, your doctor may prescribe pain relievers and refer you to a chiropractor. Chiropractors address back pain in a different way than regular physicians. They aim to treat the source of the back pain. This can be achieved through various means.
Aug
4
Understanding How The Spine Works
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What’s the most important part of your body? While you could convincingly argue a number of ways, your spine would be at the top of the list. Your spine gives your body structure and support. You couldn’t stand, sit, run, jump or play without it. It allows you to bend and move freely, and be flexible to do anything you choose to do in this world.
The spine is also designed to protect your spinal cord, which connects a series of nerves to your brain, and allows you to control your movement. Without your spinal cord, you could not move, and your organs could not function. In order to stay healthy, keeping your spine and spinal cord healthy and functional should be at the top of your list.
The spine is made of 24 bones, called vertebrae. A normal spine will have an S-shaped curve when you look at it from the side. This allows for an even distribution of weight, and keeps you healthy as you move day to day. When you experience stress, injury, disease, or trauma, this curve can begin to change. Nerves are affected or injured, and respond accordingly. Over time, this can have a profound impact on your overall health.
Chiropractic care is designed to keep your spine adjusted and working properly. When the spine doesn’t function properly, it loses its ability to protect your nerves. And if your nerve system isn’t protected, it allows problems to creep in, causing damage throughout your system. If caught early enough, adjustments can improve the condition of your spine. While it may not be able to correct your spine to original condition, major improvements can be made over time. And the only way you can see if chiropractic care is a solution for you is to start with comprehensive initial consultation.
We are a Blair Chiropractic office, and start with a series of x-rays to find out the current condition of your spine. We believe in educating you along the way – the only way to gain improvement is if you take control over your health, and help your body improve.
Are you ready for better health? Stop by for your initial consultation today.
Jul
15
School is starting all across Colorado here in the next few weeks. And one of the coveted traditions of many children is picking out a special backpack to take to school. Some start as early as first grade, and as they grow and weigh down their backpacks with sports and school supplies, it can quickly become a serious health issue.
Here are good rules of thumb to follow when buying and packing a child’s backpack.
1. Selection. Choosing the right size backpack is the most important step to safe backpack use. Choose the right size for your child, and make sure straps can be adjusted to fit your child.
2. Pack Right. The maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 15 % of the child’s body weight. Teach your child the importance of packing a backpack, what they should carry in it, and what they can leave at home or at school. Tip: If the backpack forces the wearer to move forward to carry, it’s overloaded.
3. Lift Right. Face the pack, bend at the knees and use both hands to check the weight of the pack. Lift with the legs. Apply one shoulder strap and then the other. Tip: Don’t sling the backpack onto one shoulder. Distribute the weight evenly across your back.
4. Wear it Right. Use both shoulder straps – snug, but not too tight. Tip: When the backpack has a waist strap – use it.
Backpacks are a popular and practical way for children and teenagers to carry school books and supplies. When used correctly, backpacks can be a good way to carry the necessities of the school day. Be sure your child’s school allows students to stop at their lockers throughout the day.
Backpacks are designed to distribute the weight of the load among some of the body’s strongest muscles. However, backpacks that are too heavy or are worn incorrectly can cause problems. Improperly used backpacks may injure muscles and joints. This can lead to severe back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as long term posture problems. Share these guidelines to help your kids select backpacks and use them safely.
Do not ignore any back pain in a child or teenager. It’s never too young to begin seeing a chiropractor. A chiropractor can adjust a child and keep them on track for avoiding back pain later in life. .
Jun
15
Tips To Help With Back Pain Treatment
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Pain in the lower back is a common concern for nearly 90% of the American population and will occur at some point in their lifetime. This is not a specific disorder rather, it is often a symptom of a variety of causes such as: overexertion, injuries to muscles and bones, tumors, falls, improper lifting, ill-fitting shoes and a poor back support mattresses just to name a few.
The causes can be as varied as the treatments subscribed to affect relief. Simple, over the counter types of aspirin, analgesic muscle rubs, soaking in a tepid bath with Epsom Salts are the most common forms of relief and are appropriate for short-term back pain. Persistent lower back pain can be harder to diagnose and sometimes even more difficult to deliver relief. The majority of physicians will at first subscribe mild to moderate pharmaceutical medications and muscle relaxants then monitor the patient’s progress. However, when these don’t work, more than half begin to look elsewhere, and look towards chiropractic care.
If your spine is mis-aligned or you have soft tissue damage that is causing pain, there is no pharmaceutical that can fix it. Chiropractors provide physical solutions to help the body heal from many conditions that are physical in origin. Spinal manipulation can be quite beneficial during the first signs of lower back pain. If the spine is in its proper alignment, muscles and nerves resort to their natural path in conjunction with the body. The objective of chiropractic adjustment reduces pressure on the spine, which results in increased range of motion. It reduces nerve irritability and muscle spasms, which results in reduced pain and improved mobility.
Chiropractors are licensed and recognized health care providers with training and standards as rigorous as any medical student. They are subjected to the same testing procedures and monitoring by state and national peer-review boards. Medicare, Medicaid and Workers’ Compensation programs all cover chiropractic care. And study after study shows the superiority of chiropractic in helping patients with a host of conditions. And the best benefit of all is that it is a non addictive form of pain relief.
The next time you incur mild to moderate lower back pain, consider making an appointment with your local chiropractor first and experience for yourself the non-pharmaceutical benefits of spinal manipulation.
Nov
3
With homework levels at an all time high, its no wonder more kids are experiencing more back pain. To help your child stay healthy throughout the school year, take a look at these backpack safety tips:
1. Proper fit is essential to carrying the load properly. The backpack should extend to, but not beyond the top of the shoulders or the top of the buttocks.
2. The load of the pack should not exceed 15% of the child’s weight. For example, a 70 lb. child should carry no more than 10.5 lbs.
3. Pack carefully. Carry heavier objects as low and as close to the back as possible. Only pack what is absolutely essential. Go to your locker more often instead of carrying everything in your pack.
4. Use both straps. Even though it might not be cool, do not use only one strap. Straps should also be snug, but not tight. When carrying heavy loads, use the waist strap for added support if the backpack is equipped with one.
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Oct
14
10 Dangerous Thoughts About Back Pain
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Are you living with back pain? Have you ever had one of these thoughts when dealing with your back pain?
- Maybe it will go away
- It comes and goes
- It’s not that bad
- It only hurts when I ___
- I know what my problem is, it’s ___
- I was told I have to live with it, so I do
- My doctor could not find anything wrong
- I have been this way for years, why change now
- I don’t want to know
- It’s because of my age
If you are feeling back pain, it’s your back’s way of telling you there is a problem. Chiropractic care is essential for wellness. Chiropractic removes interference from your nerve system so there is no static on your lines. Chiropractic care keeps your spine and nerve system free from interference so that your body can function at its best all the time. Not just to eliminate your back pain, but to concentrate on whole body wellness as well.
