Archive for the ‘Wellness’ Category

Aniruddha Badola asked:


Did you know that over 75 million people in the USA alone have some sore of chronic pain and reoccurring pain. Pain is one of the major causes of employees missing work and disability. This is according to research from the Journal of General Internal Medicine published in their issue for June 2008. Believe it or not, no one has been able to figure out the best way to relieve pain.

However, there are a few products that are well know for relieving pain, Here is a brief product profile for some over the counter gel products taken from www.gnrcatalog.com, a health professional product site.

IBUNEX & GLUCONEX – TOPICAL IBUPROFEN AND GLUCOSAMINE

Ibunex and Gluconex creams deliver the benefits of Ibuprofen & Glucosamine without the negative side effects associated with taking oral pain relievers.

BIOFREEZE®

The natural ILEX base allows BIOFREEZE® to be absorbed quickly for fast, deep penetrating pain relief.

SOMBRA NATURAL PAIN RELIEVING GELS

Fast-acting gel begin to work immediately when massaged onto affected areas, a light, refreshing citrus scent of orange peel extract.

ROLL AWAY THE PAIN

For the temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints associated with arthritis, simple backache, spasms and strains. Contains Methyl Salicylate, Menthol, Lidocaine and HCI.

I really hate to see people in pain. Please keep in mind, that I am not a physician or have any experience in pain, pain management or physical therapy. I just think, that instead of just treating the pain area, that some more effort should go into locating the real source of the pain. This just seems to me to be an efficient way of locating the cause of the pain.

a) Find out where the pain is really coming from by determining if the pain is caused by the area where the pain is located or if it is caused by the nervous system.

b) If the pain is coming from the pain area, find out which activities are causing the most pain by having your patient list every activity that causes their pain and next to each activity put a number next to the activity that would rate the extent of the pain.

c) Create a Rating list for the physician and the client. So both can refer to them as they do that activity and as treatment is provided to see if the rating has improved or not.

d) Re rate the pain after the number of visits that the physician determines improvement should be noted.

I realize that this doesn’t stop the pain but finding the cause instead of just treating the pain maybe a step in the right direction. In the meantime the gels listed above and more can be purchased from the GNRCatalog.com site by health care professionals or for the end user you can go to SelfCareCentral.com. I would like to hear from anyone their thoughts, ideas, solutions and/or remedies for Low back Pain, pain management.

Author: Donna Nocero



Whittier Chiropractor
Igor S asked:


Nowadays pain management programs are in great demand in Brooklyn, NY. Pain management programs are important for ongoing pain control, especially in the case of acute or chronic pains. There are many healthcare centers in Brooklyn NY, offering pain management programs that are effective in providing lasting relief from pain.

Acute pain is a warning from the body about some internal body problem. Chronic pain means long term pain, which decreases the functionality of individuals and cause them to experience poor sleep quality and depressed mood. It is usually linked to a chronic disease and is very often an organic warning calling for immediate medical attention.

People suffering from chronic pain require early diagnosis, assessment, and suitable pain management programs. For diagnosis and treatment, it is necessary to undergo either neurological exam or diagnostic tests such as nerve and muscle tests. Chronic pain management programs are the first step towards lessening or eliminating the pain.

Pain management specialists in Brooklyn, NY, use a multifaceted approach to treat pain. Pain management programs also include educating people on how to live with the chronic pain. Brooklyn, NY pain management programs are available to patients with all types of pain, including back pain, cervical (neck) pain, facial pain, headaches, spinal nerve root pain, spinal ligament pain, facet joint pain, osteoporosis, myofascial pain, cancer pain, pelvic pain, other neuropathic pain, and more.

Pain management programs in Brooklyn, NY, also includes proper exercise, manual techniques, medical follow-up, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), cutaneous stimulation, radiofrequency radio ablation, physical therapy, massage therapy, laboratory assessments, surgically implanted electrotherapy devices, injections and administration of analgesics, muscle relaxants, narcotic medications, anti-convulsants and antidepressants. Self pain management treatment plans (massage, relaxation and medication) are also available to manage pain.



[Whittier Chiropractor]
Aniruddha Badola asked:


Lower Back Pain, affects both those unaccustomed to physical activity and regular exercisers.

The first step to understanding the various causes of low back pain is learning about the normal design anatomy of the tissues of this area. Important structures of the low back that can be related to symptoms there include the bony lumbar spine vertebrae, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area. Many muscle groups that are responsible for flexing, extending, and rotating the waist, as well as moving the lower extremities, attach to the lumbar spine through tendon insertions.

Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days. Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Low back pain may reflect nerve or muscle irritation or bone lesions. Most low back pain follows injury or trauma to the back, but pain may also be caused by degenerative conditions such as arthritis or disc disease, osteoporosis or other bone diseases, viral infections, irritation to joints and discs, or congenital abnormalities in the spine. Obesity, smoking, weight gain during pregnancy, stress, poor physical condition, posture inappropriate for the activity being performed, and poor sleeping position also may contribute to low back pain. Occasionally, low back pain may indicate a more serious medical problem.

Nearly everyone has low back pain sometime. The risk of experiencing low back pain from disc disease or spinal degeneration increases with age. Low back pain unrelated to injury or other known cause is unusual in pre-teen children.

A variety of diagnostic methods are available to confirm the cause of low back pain:. Discography involves the injection of a special contrast dye into a spinal disc thought to be causing low back pain. Computerized tomography CT is a quick and painless process used when disc rupture, spinal stenosis, or damage to vertebrae is suspected as a cause of low back pain. Most low back pain can be treated without surgery. Exercise may be the most effective way to speed recovery from low back pain and help strengthen back and abdominal muscles. Medications are often used to treat acute and chronic low back pain. Musculoskeletal pain syndromes that produce low back pain include myofascial pain syndromes and fibromyalgia. Other skeletal causes of low back pain include osteomyelitis orsacroiliitis infections of the bones of the spine.

Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. When low back pain strikes, we become acutely aware of just how much we rely on a flexible, strong back. The causes of low back pain tend to be interrelated. Most people have at least one episode of recurrent low back pain. The term “low back pain” is used to describe a spectrum of symptoms. Depending on the cause, low back pain may be dull, burning, or sharp, covering a broad area or confined to a single point. Leg symptoms can be caused by lower spine problems that place pressure on a nerve to the leg; they can occur on their own or along with low back pain. Your health professional can assess acute low back pain by talking to you about your medical history and your work and physical activities, and doing a simple physical examination. However, some episodes of low back pain are signs of more serious conditions. Low back pain can result from something simple, like cleaning house or lifting a heavy box, or it can be caused by a diagnosable spine condition like a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease.

Effective pain relief may involve a combination of prescription drugs and over-the-counter remedies including BioFreeze. Some type of Lumbar Support is also important for constant support for low back pain. Wonder-Roll which is a self inflating lumbar support pillow is a good solution that you can take anywhere with you.

The vast majority of lower back pain conditions will get better with time and can be addressed with non-surgical treatments, such as osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation, physical therapy, pain medications, etc.. Low back pain responds very well to appropriate conservative treatment such as physical therapy and proper medication which can be prescribed by your physician.

Author: Donna Nocero



Whittier Chiropractor
Steve Hefferon asked:


Would you have back pain if every part of your body were perfect? The answer has to be… No, it’s pretty safe to say you wouldn’t have any pain if your body were perfectly aligned, perfectly balanced and in a perfect state of being.

But here’s the thing—you don’t have to be perfect to be pain-free. In fact, you can have serious conditions like Spinal Stenosis and even a Herniated disc and still have no pain—regardless of the type of job you have or how you think the condition developed or even the unique situation that you find yourself in today.

Don’t believe it? The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine just reported it.

They published a study in which researchers performed an MRI on 98 people who had no back pain. And the researchers found that nearly two thirds of them had some kind of abnormal disk condition.

The researchers conclude:

“Many people without back pain have disk bulges or protrusions… Given the high prevalence of these findings and of back pain, the discovery by MRI of bulges or protrusions in people with low back pain may frequently be coincidental.”

That’s right. They called having a bulging or protruded disc and having back pain a coincidence. Proof positive that you can have a condition and not have pain. Indeed, there are millions of people with existing back problems right now who do not even know that they have the condition and surly don’t have any pain at all.

How do you become one of those people?

Living with the condition and living pain free.

Let me say something that may be uncomfortable for you to hear. There is a good chance your condition will never go away. That may sound scary, but it is possible. Herniated disks don’t typically un-bulge themselves and then heal them self to the way they were when you were 15. Spinal Stenosis doesn’t come and go.

And yet, you can still live without pain. In fact, you probably already have.

If you have gone just one minute of one day since your last flare-up without pain, you’ve proved you can have your condition without pain.

How can this be? If the condition didn’t go away, what changes? It all has to do with the alignment of your body, the position of your pelvis, the curvature of your spine and the stability of your body as a whole as you go through your day.

Now, there are a couple of ways to try to relieve that irritation permanently. Sure, you could have surgery. That’s one option to treat your pain. But most surgeries fail within 3 to 5 years. Why? Because they don’t address the reason why the condition became symptomatic in the first place. In other words they don’t fix what’s really causing your condition to develop–they just remove the irritant that is causing the pain.

So what does? I understand you think you’ve tried everything—chiropractors, physical therapy, cortisone shots, acupuncture, massage, anti-Inflammatories and probably 20 others. But ask yourself one question. Answer it truthfully.

Has anyone ever looked at your body as a whole and told you specifically what your postural dysfunctions are and what specifically is causing your body to look like it does?

Furthermore has anyone spelled out for you why your pelvis is the way it is? Did they tell you specifically which muscles are tight, which muscles are weak and then give you a very specific and very targeted corrective program to achieve postural balance and stability, which is the single more important thing you can do to alleviate your pain and gain control of your life?

Stability is Everything when looking for pain relief

The only way to stop the irritation is to bring your body back to a more neutral, more balanced and more stable state. When you do that, everything works better—your back, your hips, your shoulders, your SI joint, everything. Once your body is balanced and stable you can do all the things you love to do and do them with the confidence that you are safe, strong and protected against further injury.

As the NEJM proved, you don’t have to be perfect to eliminate pain. You just need to work toward creating a more balanced and neutral state for your body. When you work toward pelvic stability, you help your spine maintain a neutral position. Then you can use your body as it was intended to be used.

That’s how you can have the condition and not have pain. You most likely won’t need surgery. You won’t wake up every morning stiff. You can return to your life and do all you want to do.

Why is Muscle Balance Therapy so different?

First, you should understand that there is no single set of exercises that can specifically help a Herniated disk or Spinal Stenosis or any condition for that matter. So I urge you not to search the Internet for back pain exercises and just do any old stretch or exercise without knowing the underlying reason you are doing it for.

You must also understand that the Corrective Exercise Program you will get form Muscle Balance Therapy is not based on your diagnosis but rather on corroborating evidence from both physical and visual assessments that are used to ensure you are doing the correct and safest program possible for you and your current condition.

Muscle Balance Therapy is based on the biomechanical principle—the more balanced and stable your body is the better your body will work and the less pain you will be in. So before we start we must first know which muscles are out of balance, meaning we need to know specifically which muscles are tight and which are weak. Once we know those, then we can create a very specific and targeted stretch and exercise program to restore balance. And again that only comes from doing the specific assessments…

Let me just review this point one more time, there is no such thing as a single exercise for and medical diagnosed form of back pain like a herniated disc or Spinal Stenosis. So when you ask me will, I just had and MRI and was just diagnosed with 4 Herniated Discs, Degenerative Disc Disease all levels, Spinal Stenosis and oh I was born with Scoliosis and 17 years ago I was in a major auto accident, will your system work for me the answer is will always be yes…

In fact, I tell everyone it great to know your specific diagnosis but now forget about it, you can not change the facts and you can not change the past. Rather, focus your energy on the things you know you can change and as you restore balance you will restore function.

That brings us to the third unique aspect of Muscle Balances Therapy and that is that we have to perform what we call the Unbalanced Workout. This means that you will not benefit from just blindly strengthening or stretching all your core muscles. That is not the way to do it.

The reason is that you could be stretching or strengthening muscle groups that do not need to be stretched or strengthened and you can make your condition worse. Here is the secret: The difference between having pain and not having pain is in millimeters of movement and the more specific the physical approach the faster and safer the results will be.

The fourth difference is not in our exercises, because there are no new exercises in the world. Rather, it’s the confidence you get knowing that the exercises that you are doing are working the muscles in the best way possible for you and your situation.

The Secret

Everyone understands that one approach can not be the answer to every possible circumstance, and we know that, so here is the secret, as you work with Muscle Balance Therapy and address root cause issues like physical balance and postural stability, please understand that we encourage you to seek out those same modalities that failed you before, they all have value in the process of healing but not until you address the important stuff first.

You know the list of things that you have tried; I contend that this time Massage, Inversion, Supplements, Trigger Point Therapy, Heating Pads to name a few will all work to speed your healing and help you achieve optimal health for the rest of your life.

Is Muscle Balance Therapy perfect? It’s close. Does everyone get 100% pain relief? Most do.

I can say with all honesty that there is 100% chance you will improve from your current state. We have a list of 50 ways that your body and life will benefit and 100% pain relief is by all measures a bonus. So it boils down to this: Would you be happy with 80%, 60%, even 50% reduction in pain yet able to do all the things you love to do? Would that improve your quality of life?

I have dedicated the last 15 years of my life and endured both personal and professional sacrifice to create a safe, systematic approach to addressing all forms of back pain that can be used by young and old alike. And I have never been closer then I am right now with the concept of Muscle Balance Therapy to be able to say that you have just learned one of the best lessons anyone with back pain can hear.

I’m not promising miracles, but I do promise a complete and thorough as well as safe approach to managing, treating and even eliminating your pain.

I have seen amazing results again and again for those people that put in the effort and believe in them self knowing that they are doing the right thing.

Let me leave you with this last thought and one that I believe holds the most power. The human body is intrinsically designed to heal its self, we as individuals just need to give our bodies what is needed and remove what is not needed, Muscle Balance Therapy puts that power to heal yourself back in your control.

If I could barrow a line from my good friend Bob Proctor, the cure to ignorance is knowledge and the answer to fear, worry and doubt is study, understanding and faith. Faith builds enthusiasm and enthusiasm accelerates healing. How good it that!

So if you don’t believe me that you can have your condition and not have pain let me teach you what is possible. If you worry and are filled with doubt I urge you to study what is already available to you and the more you know the better off you will become.

That is true for all things and will be true till the end of time.

Source

1. Jensen, M.C., et. al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331:69-73

2. Bob Proctor, The Winners Image, ©1995 -2008



Whittier Chiropractor
Igor S asked:


Body pain is a condition experienced by most individuals once in a while. Pain management clinics help in providing total relief from pain. At Brooklyn, in New York there are a number of pain management clinics providing value added services to a wide range of patients.

Acute pain usually occurs due to physical injuries and this can be cured by proper diagnosis and treatment, whereas for chronic pain diagnosis and treatment are difficult. Pain management clinics in Brooklyn, NY utilize pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic and psychological measures to relieve acute and chronic pain. These pain management clinics have medical practitioners such as anesthesiologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists for providing effective pain management. Some practitioners concentrate on pharmacologic treatment, some others focus on interventional procedures such as steroid injections, neurolytic blocks, spinal cord stimulators, facet joint injections, and intrathecal drug delivery system implants. Physiotherapists, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and chiropractors offer their services in advanced pain management clinics in Brooklyn.

Dentists for treating facial pain and specialists to help in improving relaxation are also part of pain management clinics. These practitioners coordinate to provide proper pain management. Anti-inflammatory drugs are delivered orally to relieve the pain. Some drugs are delivered transdermally, rectally or as injections. Neuro stimulation and electrical stimulation facilities are available in pain management clinics to reduce the sensation of pain. Other sophisticated devices for relieving pain are also available in these pain management clinics in Brooklyn, NY.

Physiotherapists administer appropriate exercise techniques to patients that help in controlling body movement and restoring the functions of muscles and joints. Pain management programmes in these clinics which last for 2 to 4 weeks help patients recover their overall health. Surgeries are provided for correcting the underlying problems that are causing the painful condition. Some pain management clinics in Brooklyn also make available alternative therapies which include Chinese healing methods like acupuncture.

If you are one suffering from acute or chronic pain, avail yourself of the service of a pain management clinic in Brooklyn and lead a happy and pain free life.



Whittier Chiropractor
Mark Smith asked:


The health of your back depends to a great extent on your posture and body movements, your ability to cope with stress, and your exercise regime.

Many types of back pain can be blamed on weak abdominal and back muscles. That’s why most doctors oppose prolonged bed rest for back pain and instead recommend light physical activity along with pain relief medication and other proactive treatments.

Physical activity may not only provide pain relief, but it can also prevent future back pain. Along with pain relief medication, many doctors and physio-therapists tailor individualized exercise routines to treat patients who suffer from various types of back pain.

A typical exercise program for back pain may involve stretching and strengthening exercises, flexing, and endurance training. A variety of exercises and techniques are available for back pain relief; your doctor can help you choose an appropriate routine, taking into account the cause and severity of your back pain.

Advantages of Exercise for Back Pain Patients

Along with a healthy diet, doctors recommend exercise as an important component of a healthy lifestyle for most people, not only those who suffer from back pain.

The potential benefits of an exercise program for back pain may include: * Immediate, short-term pain relief * Stretching of tight, contracted muscles * Strengthening of weak muscles, which can contribute to back pain * Reducing mechanical stress on the back * Stabilizing the back * Increasing the ease and efficiency of body movements * Improving posture, which can guard against future back pain * Minimizing the frequency and magnitude of chronic back pain * Increasing the likelihood of quicker recovery from back pain in the future * Improving fitness to prevent future injuries

A Basic Exercise Program for Back Pain Relief

A basic exercise program for dealing with back pain involves strengthening the back and supporting muscles. If you have injured your back or have other health problems such as osteoporosis, start the exercises only after consulting with a doctor.

You can start on a gentle stretching and strengthening routine if you have no serious spinal problems.

Exercise #1 For Back Pain Relief:

Abdominal contractions gently stretch the back muscles: 1. Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your hands below the ribs. 2. Tighten your stomach muscles to squeeze the ribs toward the back. Do not hold your breath. 3. Keep your muscles contracted for five seconds and then release. 4. Repeat ten times.

Exercise #2 To Prevent Back Pain:

Even when you no longer have back pain, doctors often recommend that you continue exercising to strengthen the back. Choose exercises that help align your body correctly and improve your posture to prevent back pain from recurring. For example, curling against the wall can help improve your standing posture. 1. Stand with your back against the wall, with your feet approximately six inches away from the wall. 2. Bend your knees and drop your head and shoulders. 3. Pull your stomach in and slowly roll up one vertebra at a time against the wall.

Exercise #3 To Prevent Back Pain

Strong abdominal muscles prevent many types of back pain so exercises that involve those muscles are often part of physical therapy programs designed to avoid back pain. For example, diagonal crunches not only strengthen the stomach muscles, but also keep the tummy from sagging. 1. Lie on your back. Place your hands behind your head. Bring your knees to your chest at right angles to the waist and cross your feet at the ankles. 2. Exhale slowly while raising your trunk, and move your right elbow as much as you can to the left knee. Slowly lower your trunk. 3. Repeat with the left elbow and the right knee. 4. Repeat ten times.

To improve fitness, you may wish to include stamina-building exercises such as aerobics. As these exercises are more rigorous, start them slowly and only after checking with your physician.

Always warm up before the physical activity and cool down afterward. Walking or light jogging, bicycling, and swimming are some exercises that can provide excellent aerobic conditioning.

Alternative Exercise Therapy Options for Back Pain Relief and Recovery A variety of alternative exercise therapies and programs are available to help alleviate, cure and prevent future back pain. Some of the more popular programs are:

* Tai Chi Chuan: This gentle martial art form provides exercise for the body, while helping the mind to concentrate. The movements relax the muscles, free the joints, and ease tension. Some people suffering from back pain use this technique along with pain relief medication.

* Yoga: This ancient Indian tradition involves a wide range of mind-body exercises including postural and breathing exercises, deep relaxation, and meditation. Many yoga postures focus on increasing spinal strength and flexibility, which can provide back pain relief. According to researchers, regular yoga practice may also prevent some types of chronic back pain.

* Chi Kung: Also known as Qigong, this ancient Chinese system of exercise focuses on breathing and posture while teaching the mind to concentrate. Chi Kung therapists claim that this system may be used effectively for back pain relief.

* Feldenkrais Method: This exercise technique aims to increase the ease and efficiency of body movements. Therapists try to increase your awareness of body movements, while teaching you to recognize and correct muscle tension.

* Buteyko Breathing Technique: This Russian therapy involves exercises in slow breathing and holding the breath. Therapists claim that this technique reduces muscle tension and can provide back pain relief.

Note: When you perform any type of exercise, it is imperative to distinguish between pain and the feeling of exertion. Pain is a signal from the nerves that a certain activity is wrong for you. If you experience pain while exercising, including back pain, you should instead start with mild exercises that feel comfortable.

Treating AND Preventing Your Back Pain

Exercise can be an important part of an effective treatment program for back pain. Customizing an exercise program that’s suitable for you can help you safely strengthen your back, improve your stamina and fitness, and prevent future back pain.

For more information on back pain and effective pain relief options, consult the online knowledge base at eDrugstore.md. To order prescription pain relief medications at discount prices, visit eDrugstore.md home page and look for the pain relief section.



Whittier Chiropractor

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