Posts Tagged ‘pain’

Could Improper Computer Use Be The Cause Of Your Back Pain?

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Chiropractors in San Diego are revealing how computer use may be the cause of your back pain. Computers can be a great tool. You can investigate the complete cheapest cost on a new Iphone, take a practical visit of a resort halfway crosswise the country or keep in touch with far-away relatives all with the snap of a button. The power of computers is only getting superior and better. And the more authoritative they get, they more time we use with them, for labor and for enjoyment. I mean, is there really any place in your life you don’t use a processor in some way?

While computer systems can make renewing over library books or filling your tax returns easy, there is one large problem. Regrettably, our body was not intended to sit in a chair with our hands propped up while we stare at a shining screen. Extended time at the keyboard can give rise to some rather malicious ailments and injury.

Low back ache is a very common ailment that occurs from central processing unit use. Using the incorrect type of chair at the mainframe is usually the culprit here – either that or not taking the time to correctly adjusts it. If you have unfortunate position when sitting this can also create an uneven distribution of weight on your spine, which leads to soreness. Another reason is an inappropriately configured desk setup. For example, do you find yourself leaning and stretching without cause as you labor?

Do you find yourself repeatedly looking up and down referencing a document when you’re at the computer? If so this may be the cause of your pain. Shoulder and neck pain can be another problem. Another killer when it comes to shoulder and neck pain is using a phone wedged into the side of your neck. Spend the couple of bucks on a hands-free headset – its well worth it!

How about hurting knees and buttocks? Believe it or not, the most common cause of hurting knees and buttocks here is just sitting on your butt way too long! Your body doesn’t like that position. If you specifically suffer from knee pain, it’s usually causes by sitting in a chair that is too high, which leaves your feet dangling and unsupported. Poor lumbar support can make the problem even worse.

The position of your mouse and computer chair also plays a critical factor. Monitor glare is the enemy for eye strain. Whether it’s artificial light or sunlight being reflected off your monitor screen, glare can cause some serious pain. Try rearranging your workspace if you regularly experience eye strain. Where do you rest your wrists when you type? Resting your wrists on a hard or uncomfortable edge can definitely be the cause of hand pain.

So how do you overcome computer soreness? One of the simplest and greatest actions is to just take regular breaks during the day. This certainly sounds easy, but it works like a charm. Let’s face it – when most of us get sucked into our computer, we don’t pay any awareness how our body feels. Take a little stretch or stroll and take your eyes off the screen. It doesn’t have to be an extended break – five minutes every hour should work wonders.

As you probably already know, chiropractic isn’t just about relieving the pain you have now, it’s about eliminating any of your future pain too! During your next chiropractic visit, please be sure to let your chiropractor know if you find yourself experiencing any of the computer related pain we spoke about here. Even if it’s not serious pain – by letting your chiropractor know about it, they can make sure it never gets serious.

“Here’s One For All You Chocolate Lovers…Maybe.”

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

When I first heard about this study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, I was jumping for joy. Why? It says eating small doses of dark chocolate over a two week period have been found to help blood vessels become more flexible.
More specifically, 11 of 21 patients eat 1.6 ounces of flavonoid rich chocolate every day for two weeks. The remaining patients ate another chocolate with low flavonoid levels. At the end of the study, the group who ate the flavonoid-rich chocolate had greater flow mediated dilation. Basically… more flexibility in their arteries. Flow-mediated dilation is also used as a marker for determining heart disease risks. Researchers also found increased levels of an antioxidant that inhibits platelet clumping called epicatechin. As a side note: Cholesterol levels did NOT increase. The conclusion of the research was: Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate may improve artery flexibility while increasing epicatechin levels that may prevent blood clots. Now you can see why I was jumping for joy.
But the sad thing is… my celebration didn’t last more than a day. Here’s why: The very next day, with chocolate bar in hand, I opened and read an email from the Health Science Institute that warned of a few “flaws” in this study. In particular, the author of the email, Jenny Thompson wrote how the focus of the study was all wrong. The truth of the matter is…Chocolate Was NOT Responsible For The Positive Health Claims In The Study! Not even close. It was the flavonoids found IN the dark chocolate that caused all the benefit.
These same flavonoids can be found in fruits such as apples, blueberries, grapes and most all vegetables… without all the processing and added sugar. And green tea contains flavonoids AND epicatechin. An important note is: Adding milk to the process (the milk chocolate bars you get at the store) destroys the beneficial antioxidant effects found naturally in the chocolate. But here’s the real kicker: Why do you think the study would seem to focus on chocolate as the “doer of good” and not the flavonoids that are readily available in obviously much healthier food (especially if you are diabetic or overweight)?
Answer: The study was funded by the Mars candy company… a huge manufacturer of chocolate. Don’t need to say anymore about that.
So what’s my advice? Sorry to say… it’s to stick with the flavonoid-rich natural foods above. And, if you are going to eat chocolate: Eat it only if you are healthy and find companies that reduce heat and alkalization while processing. This can preserve as much as 70-95% of the chocolate flavonoids.

What we know about… Easing Back Pain? More Exercise Or Less? Weights Or Aerobics? New Studies Shed Light On These Questions And More… How top athletes trigger anti-aging effects at the cellular level, and can the Wii Fit® video game help your family get fit?

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Let’s start this article with an amazing display of some incredible psychic powers. How, you ask? I’ll tell you something about yourself, even if we have never met. Are you ready? Ok, here it goes: You have suffered from back pain. And, not only have you suffered from back pain, your back pain has been a problem for quite a while and you are afraid it will stick with you for the rest of your life.

Pretty accurate statement… isn’t it? Of course it’s accurate – but it has nothing to do with psychic powers. Although “psychics” use this very technique to…

Fool People Every Day!

What you have just read is a truism. A truism is something that is true for a majority of people. In this case, statistics show 80% of people in North America will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Not only that, for 85% of these back pain sufferers, the pain will be chronic. That being said, there are things you can do to ease and possibly relieve back pain so you are not just another statistic.

One thing, of course, is Chiropractic care. Studies have shown Chiropractic care to be effective (and cost effective) in the treatment of many cases of back pain and it is clearly a great option for many back pain sufferers.

It is wise for back pain sufferers to consult a Chiropractor to find out if Chiropractic care can help and to see what their options are. Besides Chiropractic, recent research reveals some important things about easing back pain you probably do not know – but should you use…

Weights Or Aerobics To Ease Back Pain?

“People who use weight training to ease their low back pain are better off than those who choose other forms of exercise such as jogging, according to a University of Alberta study”, as reported in a December 16, 2009 article in Science Daily. “The study, done in conjunction with the

University of Regina, showed a 60 percent improvement in pain and function levels for people with chronic backaches who took part in a 16-week exercise program of resistance training using dumbbells, barbells and other load-bearing exercise equipment. “In contrast, people who chose aerobic training such as jogging, walking on a treadmill, or using an elliptical machine to ease their back pain only experienced a 12 percent improvement, said RobertnKell, an Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus.” Researchers believe they achieve better pain management results with resistance training because they are using a whole body approach. On the contrary, aerobics training generally works just the lower body.

More Exercise Or Less?

According to a University of Alberta study, if you suffer with low back pain, you should exercise MORE, not less. In the study, 240 men and women with chronic back pain who exercised four days a week had 28% less pain and 36% less disability, while those who exercised two or three days a week did not see this change.

Amazing what a day or two in the gym can do, isn’t it? The study showed working with WEIGHTS four days a week provided the greatest amount of pain relief and quality of life improvement. An important note: “Working with weights” is a very relative term. Before you start any exercise program, you should see a qualified doctor for a preworkout examination. And, all workouts should be designed to suite your individual case and needs. (We are trained to assist you in this.)

Now for some great benefits of exercise, besides your aching back…

How Athletes Stimulate An Anti-Aging Effect on The Cellular Level!

According to the Journal of the American Heart Association, new research shows exercise by professional athletes triggers anti-aging in heart muscle cells – which has a protective effect against aging of the cardiovascular system. In technical terms: Telomeres are DNA that protect the two ends of chromosomes from damage. Imagine the ends of a shoelace. The telomere is like the end of the shoelace that protects the lace from fraying; the end caps Telomeres have a shortening mechanism that limit the number of divisions a cell can undergo. This basically defines the life of the cell. Telomeres gradually shorten from cell division and this shortening leads to aging on the cellular level. The study found physical exercise by professional athletes leads to the activation of the enzyme telomerase.

Telomerase is important because it stabilizes telomere. Author of the study, Ulrich Laufs, says, “This is direct evidence of an anti-aging effect of physical exercise. Physical exercise could prevent the aging of the cardiovascular system, reflecting this molecular principle.”

The study examined 32 professional runners from the German National Track and Field Team. Their average age was 20 and their average running distance was 45 miles per week. The study also examined 51 year olds who had a history of continuous endurance exercise since youth, with an average running distance of 50 miles per week.

Will The Wii Fit® Video Game make your family “fit?”

Wii Fit® may be a lot of fun… but according to a newstudy – just having “fit” in the title doesn’t mean it has anything to do with actual fitness… at least for the entire family. A University of Mississippi study shows the game has little effect on family fitness. The study analyzed 8 families who had a Wii Fit for 3 months. The data showed the children had a significant increase in aerobic fitness, but none of the other fitness factors were increased and fitness was not increased for the family as a whole.

7 Steps To A Healthy Heart – American Heart Association Identifies Important Factors Leading To A Healthy Heart.

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Heart disease is the number one killer in America. The American Heart Association (AHA) says they have identified 7 steps to achieving a healthy heart. And, just like so many other important things in life – these “steps” may be “simple”… but they will not always be easy. Published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the AHA says ideal cardiovascular health for adults is defined by these health measures:

1) Never smoked or quit more than a year ago

2) A healthy body mass index (BMI), an estimate of body fat determined by a formula using weight and height

3) Physical activity, and more is better. (The new measure says at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise is necessary for ideal health, or 75 minutes weekly of vigorous physical activity)

4) Blood pressure below 120/80

5) Fasting blood glucose less than 100 milligrams/deciliter, a fasting measure of blood sugar level

6) Total cholesterol of less than 200 milligrams/deciliter

7) Eating a healthy diet. Healthy factors in a 2,000-calorie diet include: at least 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day; at least two 3.5 oz. servings of fish per week, preferably oily fish; at least three 1-ounce servings of fiber-rich whole grains per day; limiting sodium to less than 1,500 milligrams a day; and drinking no more than 36 ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages weekly.

The American Heart Association hopes a couple of great things happen if people follow these 7 steps: By 2020, Americans could have improved their cardiovascular health by 20%, and also reduce deaths from cardiovascular-related diseases and strokes by 20%. This would not only add many years to countless lives, it would dramatically alter the QUALITY of life. Here’s the amazing thing about the AHA’s “new” finding…It Is NOTHING NEW! I’m sure this is not the first time you been advised to eat a healthy diet, exercise, don’t smoke, don’t eat too much salt, and stay away from sugar. Barring abnormal genetics, it’s incredible how simple living a healthy life can be. The key is living up to your genetic potential. And living up to your genetic potential is NOT about fancy technology, wonder drugs or surgeries. All of these advancements may save lives ONCE YOU ARE SICK, but they have nothing to do with staying healthy. The key to living up to your genetic potential is doing all of these simple things consistently for the rest of your life. That’s where it gets a little tricky. It is easy to eat right, exercise, etc. for a few weeks or months. What is difficult is doing all the right things for years and years and years. But, it all starts with a decision. The decision to take charge of your health and life. And when you do that – anything is possible. Make your decision and take your first steps to true health today.

Did you know that in 1976, Dr. Chester Wilk and four other Chiropractors filed a lawsuit against the American Medical Association (AMA)?

Friday, March 12th, 2010

The suit claimed the American Medical Association (AMA) had participated for years in an illegal conspiracy to destroy Chiropractic.

On August 24, 1987, after endless wrangling in the courts, U.S. District Court judge Susan Getzendanner ruled the AMA had engaged in a “lengthy, systematic, successful and unlawful boycott” designed to restrict cooperation between MDs and Chiropractors in order to eliminate the profession of Chiropractic as a competitor in the United States health care system.

And here’s something interesting: During the case, the AMA took the stance of protecting patients. Chiropractors, however, showed the court Workmen’s Compensation Bureau studies validating Chiropractic care.

More specifically, studies comparing Chiropractic care to care by medical physicians were presented showing Chiropractors were “twice as effective as medical physicians, for comparable injuries, in returning injured workers to work at every level of injury severity.”

The settlement of the suit included an injunctive order in which the AMA was instructed to cease its efforts to restrict the professional association of chiropractors and AMA members. The AMA was also ordered to notify its 275,000 members of the court’s injunction. In addition, the American Hospital Association (AHA) sent out 440,000 separate notices to inform hospitals across the United States that the AHA has no objection to allowing chiropractic care in hospitals.

If you suffer from headaches, you are not alone.
The number of people who suffer from headaches every year is staggering.
And a large percentage of these headache are “tension-type” headaches. Another common type of headache is called “cervicogenic.”

This is important because a 2001 Duke University study showed Chiropractic care helped both these types of headaches both in headache frequency and severity. The study also showed Chiropractic care worked better than many other treatments.

Many headache sufferers have been helped by Chiropractic care.

If you’d like to see if we can help you like we have already helped so many others, just give us a call at 619-630-9153. Just tell the receptionist you read this letter and would like to see if we can help you with your headaches. She’ll set you up with our next appointment. And we will get you in ASAP if that’s what you want.

And don’t forget – if you have any family member or friends who suffer from headaches – give them this letter. We will do our best for you and all your loved ones!

References:

http://www.chiro.org/Wilk/

https://www.fcer.org/html/Research/DukeEvidenceReport.htm

YOU MAYBE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR YOUR HEADACHES! FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 619-630-9153.