Archive for December, 2011

Don’t Let A Bad Back Squash Your New Years Resolution!

Friday, December 30th, 2011

tips for new years with a bad backEveryone can make a New Year’s resolution – right? The tricky part is actually sticking to it and resolving whatever the issue is at hand! When back pain and sciatica are involved in your life it can complicate your plans and their is no exception to the rule when it comes to goals or resolutions!  Below are some tools from About.com which may help make keeping your New Year’s resolutions easy, fun and rewarding…

1. Posture and Core Fitness

If good posture, stress management, “me time”, or injury healing is your goal, then knowing how to establish core support can offer the foundation from which you can maintain your efforts. Use this practice to release unnecessary tension and before you do Pilates or other abdominal fitness work. The practice is very relaxing, as well.

2. Head, Neck and Shoulder Tension

If your target area is in your neck, shoulders and/or head, there are some guided imagery and simple movements that can be very effective in releasing the tension that causes pain. The key to using guided imagery is to relax, yet remain alert.And don’t forget to stretch. Just remembering to take time out of your day to stretch your neck or back can make a noticeable difference in your tension level.

3. Taking Personal Responsibility for Chronic Pain

The resolution to take responsibility for chronic pain can be a challenging road, because you are making a commitment to be alert and present through your journey toward the health of your spine. When you take responsibility for your pain, you are to be commended – for your refusal to back down from the obstacles that bar you from using your personal resources to regain your wellness. Taking Personal Responsibility for Chronic Pain offers an orientation to self-empowering behavior in the face of this challenging situation.

4. Assertiveness

For many people with chronic pain, getting their physicians to listen to them and respect what they have to say is the biggest challenge of all. Have you thought of assertiveness training? Learning how to be assertive requires practice in speaking up for yourself. But this tool can help you get want you need from your medical practitioners.

5. Breathing Techniques

Many pain management programs include breathing exercises to help control the pain reaction. Understanding how breathing works may prove helpful in keeping yourself motivated to do your exercises.

 

 

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Can Certain Foods Ease Back Pain?

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

foods for back painAccording to an article in Readers Digest, there is new meaning to the phrase “comfort foods…” As we all now certain foods can make us feel better on an emotional level, but – is it possible that certain foods can ease back pain? Researchers claim that their findings may someday make for a tasty prescription! “We’re not at the point where you’re going to go into a physician’s office and be prescribed tofu for your pain,” says Jill Tall, PhD, a professor at Youngstown State University in Ohio, who has studied how food helps relieve discomfort. “But I do believe that as an adjunct to traditional therapies, there are some possibilities.” According to the article some promising edible antidotes include:

Cherries. Anthocyanins, which give tart cherries their deep red color, have anti-inflammatory properties similar to those in aspirin, says Muraleedharan Nair, PhD, a food-safety researcher at Michigan State University. The benefit hasn’t yet been studied in humans, so we don’t know the optimal doses, but barring any health problems, such as diabetes or acid indigestion, why not pick a few berries this summer? (Raspberries and, to a lesser extent, strawberries also contain pain-fighting anthocyanins.)

Soy. It may help relieve some osteoarthritis pain. In a study of 135 men and women, those who took 40 grams of soy protein a day for three months improved their range of motion and reported fewer aches. Men saw the most benefit. It’s still not clear exactly how soy helps, but the isoflavones are thought to have anti-inflammatory effects, says Srinivasa N. Raja, MD, a pain-management specialist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Caveat: You’d have to eat a ridiculous amount of edamame to reach 40 grams a day, so try adding soy protein powder to shakes.

Sugar. The sweet stuff can reduce the perception of pain, especially in children. Studies show when we consume sugar — sucrose, better known as table sugar, in particular — we hurt less. It seems to enhance our body’s natural pain-relief system. But we all know the unhealthy effects of too much sugar, including an expanding waistline, so make sure you don’t overindulge with this tasty sweetener.

So make sure this holiday season you take advantage of these delicious treats and potentially ease your back pain too!

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Sciatica Pain Treatment: Can Acupuncture Treat Chronic Back Pain?

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

sciatica-pain-treatmentAcupuncture has been used for centuries as a chronic pain treatment, and often as a sciatica pain treatment. According to wikipedia, acupuncture is based on the premise that bodily functions are regulated by the flow of an energy-like entity called qi. Acupuncture aims to correct imbalances in the flow of qi by stimulation of anatomical locations on or under the skin called acupuncture points, most of which are connected by channels known as meridians. Acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of ailments, but is foound especially helpful in the treatment of chronic pain.

Acupuncture is believed to decrease pain by increasing the release of chemicals that block pain, called endorphins. Many acu-points are near nerves. When stimulated, these nerves cause a dull ache or feeling of fullness in the muscle. The stimulated muscle sends a message to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), causing the release of endorphins (morphine-like chemicals produced in our own bodies during times of pain or stress). Endorphins, along with other neurotransmitters, block the message of pain from being delivered up to the brain.

Although acupuncture is not a cure for sciatica pain, it is very effective in treating several diseases and conditions. Acupuncture is most effective at treating chronic pain, such as headaches; menstrual cramps; and low back (sciatica pain), neck, or muscle pain. It can also be used to treat arthritis, facial pain, pain from shingles, and spastic colon and colitis conditions. Acupuncture has also been successful in treating obesity and addictions such as nicotine or drugs. Acupuncture also can improve the functioning of the immune system!

If you are suffering from sciatica pain, what’s stopping you from trying acupuncture as a sciatica pain treatment? There are many acupuncturists that are now offering a sliding fee scale for low income households – and quite frankly the fees are minimal compared to traditional medicine!

 

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Back Pain Tips: Tips For Cleaning House With A Bad Back

Monday, December 12th, 2011

tips for cleaning house with a bad back or sciatica painCleaning is already a task which most people dread to do, but when you suffer from low back pain or sciatica, cleaning can be a REAL pain in the butt! I have compiled a list of tips below which may be helpful when attempting to clean house – check it out!

Equip yourself properly. Make sure to use small bottles and easy to carry packaging. You can always by the larger “better buy” sizes and pour them into smaller containers as you use them up. Another idea is to organize your cleaners in a tote style container on rollers which you can easily roll from room to room.

Pace Yourself. You may be feeling pressure to clean the entire house, but the fact is cleaning one room at a time may give you better results! When you choose one room to tackle at a time you can put all of your focus into one area and be extremely thorough. This will also help reduce your anxiety and the pressure of feeling like you need to get everything done at once. Another positive aspect to this technique is  it gives your back the much needed rest it deserves in between cleans.

Centralize your cleaning tools. Keep all your cleaning supplies in a central area so they are easy to access. If you have a two story house keep a set of supplies upstairs and a set downstairs to reduce too much running around. Another good tip is to keep all of your mops, brooms, dusters etc. on one of those organizer racks so they are easy to grab and to put back into place.

Reduce the laundry load. Make sure to keep a stool or chair handy in the laundry room. This way you can sit and relax while folding clothes rather than standing. Consider a laundry shoot – to prevent further back pain when lugging loads of laundry to and from the washer and dryer.

Use handles. Make sure to utilize long handles for your cleaning tools such as dusters, mops, brooms, swiffers etc. This will minimize the strain you place on your back.


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Can’t Get To Sleep? Try These Tips To Get Better ZZZs

Friday, December 9th, 2011

sleep tips Can’t Get To Sleep? Try These Tips To Get Better ZZZs:

Listen to relaxing music or use a noise machine: Many people enjoy listening to certain sounds while trying to fall asleep – you can listen to relaxing classical music or try the repetition noise of a bedside fan.

Stick to a sleep schedule: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night. If you don’t fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing. Go back to bed when you’re tired. If you agonize over falling asleep, you might find it even tougher to nod off.

Create a bedtime ritual: Do the same things each night to tell your body it’s time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed.

Pay attention to what you eat and drink: Don’t go to bed either hungry or stuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine — which take hours to wear off — can wreak havoc with quality sleep. And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night.

Try reading to wind down: Reading can be an excellent way to wind down after a long day. It destracts your mind from whatever it’s on and allows you to calm down and be worry free!

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Sciatica & Back Pain Causes: Is Obesity To Blame?

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

With the rise of obesity in America, one can only ponder the types of health conditions which may occur as a result.

sciatica and back pain caused by obesityAccording to the The Obesity Society, one-third of obese patients suffer from musculoskeletal conditions, specifically back pain. While there is no one specific reason why obese patients develop back pain, there are several contributing factors that increase the likelihood for back pain. Dr. Angela Hee explains:
“Being overweight can increase the stress and strain of the muscles and ligaments in the spine, especially in the lower back. The lower back curve can become distorted, causing the pelvis to tilt in an abnormally exaggerated manner. Poor posture, lack of spinal flexibility, and weak core muscles may lead to sprains and strains, nerve impingement, herniated discs, and degenerative arthritis.”
The key to a healthy diet and good nutrition is balance. People should consume adequate amounts of vitamins and nutrients. Consuming a balanced amount of recommended vitamins and nutrients is also important because certain nutrients and vitamins work in concert while others work against each other. A balanced diet should include a range of healthy foods and, if appropriate, nutritional supplements.

Gentle exercise will help greatly with weight loss, however be sure to discuss further with your doctor before attempting any type of exercise regiment.

 

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A Holiday Wish List For Back Pain Relief!

Monday, December 5th, 2011

holiday wish list for back pain reliefAre there some products that you are in need of to help relieve your back pain? Why not add them to this years Christmas list?! Below is a list that we compiled of items usually found helpful to help relieve back pain:

  • Supportive pillows for your neck and for between your knees while you sleep – some people enjoy using a body pillow.
  • A heating pad, ice pack or moist-heat pack to ease the intense pain of flair-ups.
  • Non-invasive, low impact exercise tapes such as yoga.
  • An orthopedic back support for your car or for your desk chair
  • A yoga ball to sit on while at your desk.
  • A supportive, ergonomically designed chair for your desk.
  • Aromatherapy products such as bath salts or lotions.
  • Supportive shoes or perhaps gel inserts for your current pair.
  • Ergonomic supports for your wrists if you work at a computer.
  • A headset to use if you spend a lot of time on the phone.
  • Travel aids that ease the strain on your neck and spine, such as a cart or comfortable backpack case to carry your laptop, or a neck pillow for sleeping on the airplane.
  • And last, but not least, you might want to wish for a gift certificate for a massage with a licensed massage therapist – if the source of your pain is musculoskeletal, this might be quite helpful.

Do you have an item on your holiday wish list that isn’t listed here? Please let us know on the comment section within this post!

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