Strength training for longterm health

Find out how strength training can improve flexibility and to help relieve chronic back pain.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/weight-training-effectively-relieves-back-pain

Number of Americans Dealing With Chronic Pain: Answer

Did you know that between 11 and 40 percent of Americans are dealing with chronic pain? Learn how the body is affected when pain doesn't go away.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/chronic-pain/chronic-pain-a-disease-why-does-it-still-hurt

You may be coping with pain all wrong

Avoid these 5 bad habits when trying to cope with chronic pain.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/5-ways-you-may-be-coping-pain-all-wrong

Stiff Necks & When They're Dangerous - RI Chiro Article

Learn how to identify symptoms of the 3 main causes of a stiff neck and when neck pain requires immediate medical attention.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/3-reasons-you-may-have-stiff-neck

Chiropractic News: Simple Items That Can Help Relieve Sciatica

Although no single remedy works for everyone, these 3 simple items may help you find relief from pesky sciatica symptoms.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/3-simple-items-can-help-ease-your-chronic-sciatica

Easing Chronic Pain in 2017

The start of a new year is a perfect time to make changes to your routine to ease your chronic pain. Consider these 4 resolutions for better health in 2016.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/4-simple-new-years-resolutions-back-pain-relief

Are you wishing for gifts that make your life more comfortable this holiday season? Get some ideas from this gift guide for chronic pain.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/practical-gifts-help-ease-pain

Did you know these Facts about Chronic Back Pain?

Share these 3 little-known facts about chronic pain with friends and family to help them better understand the realities of the condition.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/3-little-known-facts-about-chronic-pain

When There's No Getting Rid of Back Pain

Chronic pain can be debilitating and frustrating, but learning how to manage it can help you take control and have better quality of life.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/when-theres-no-cure-your-aching-back

What is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is generally defined as any pain that continues more than 3 to 6 months. Please read the below for more information.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/depression/4-tips-help-cope-chronic-pain-and-depression?source=3tab

Painkillers Can Increase Chronic Pain

How pain killers sometimes increase chronic pain:

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/how-pain-killers-sometimes-increase-chronic-pain

Depression and Back Pain

It's not a surprise that most people suffering from chronic pain also experience depression, but did you know the reverse can be true as well? Check out the Depression Guide from Spine-Health:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/depression/depression-guide

MVAs and Whiplash - Chiropractic Treatment

Common from even seemingly minor motor vehicle accidents, cases of whiplash can be extremely severe. Because each individual case of whiplash is different, it is not possible to generalize about the chiropractic whiplash treatment.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/chiropractic-treatments-whiplash

Myofascial Therapy

Pain in an area of your body with soft tissue may be helped by treating the myofascia (trigger points) with stretching of the skin and muscles.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/physical-therapy/myofascial-therapy-treatment-acute-and-chronic-pain

Exercise and Chiropractic Therapy

Cardiovascular and strengthening exercises combined with chiropractic care are important in the management of low back pain

If a patient has a history of heart problems, it is important for the patient to consult with not only the doctor of chiropractic but their primary care physician to be certain that they can tolerate cardiovascular fitness-promoting activities. Specific instructions are given by the chiropractor with respect to proper exercise for the patient's condition before beginning any exercise program.

In general, a reasonable amount of exercise performed daily and utilizing enjoyable activities is recommended for patients undergoing chiropractic treatment.

Exercise Benefits

Many studies have reported the importance of exercises in managing acute and chronic low back pain, strengthening the low back, preventing and keeping back patients working, and to improve quality of life. The strength of the abdominal muscles was also found to be able to differentiate between those with vs. without chronic LBP.

Overall and when combined with chiropractic care, aerobic exercise helps promote proper digestion, keeps the muscles in proper tone and promotes better circulation. Walking briskly around the block at least once or twice is a convenient and popular activity.
Also, many forms of work and/or household tasks can function as an exercise program. The important point is to exercise!

Types of Exercises

There are many applicable back exercises that are available for patients also undergoing chiropractic care for lower back pain. One can classify the chiropractic patient into a flexion or extension biased category to determine the variety that is best for that patient. For example:

- If a patient feels best when bending over (flexion biased), exercises that promote low back flexion such as pulling the knees to the chest, posterior pelvic tilts, bending forward from a sitting position and others are usually helpful.

- If a patient is least symptomatic in extension, especially if leg pain centralizes or diminishes (extension biased), prone press- up type exercises usually yield the best results.

Other exercises that can help reduce lower back pain include:

-Strengthening of the pelvic (trunk) stabilizing muscles

-Stretching of the hamstrings, adductors, and other overly short or tight postural muscles

-Proprioceptive or balance promoting.

Benefits of Back and Abdominal Exercise

Weak and/or overly tight supporting muscles can have painful spasms and suffer injuries themselves,
which then prevent them from supporting the spine as needed. Compromised muscles can also lead to problems with bone structure of the spine due to poor posture from the weak muscles, thereby creating an increased risk of back pain/ injury.

Consequently, developing combined strength in stomach muscles and back muscles can:

- Reduce the likelihood of back pain episodes

- Reduce the severity of back pain

- Protect against injury by responding efficiently to stresses

- Help avoid back surgery in some cases

- Facilitate healing from a back problem or after spine surgery

- Improve posture.

Reported Efficacy of Exercise in Chiropractic Care

According to the Scientific Commission of the Council on Chiropractic Guidelines and Practice Parameters (CCGPP):

- Strong evidence supports exercise as being at least as effective as other non-surgical treatments for chronic low back pain

- Moderate evidence supports use of a graded-activity exercise program in occupational settings for subacute lower back pain

- Some evidence shows that exercises are no more effective than other nonsurgical treatments for acute lower back pain.

As with any chiropractic treatment, it is important for chiropractors to perform a focused reevaluation of an exercise program following its initial therapeutic trial to determine its effectiveness. Using spinal range of motion as a measurement of the effectiveness of exercise is just one way in which chiropractors can make such determinations.

Learn more about exercise and back pain. Visit http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/back-exercises

Guide on Depression, Chronic Pain

It's not a surprise that most people suffering from chronic pain also experience depression, but did you know the reverse can be true as well? Check out the Depression Guide from Spine-Health:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/depression/depression-guide

Choosing the Best Mattress for Lower Back Pain

Sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles and does not help keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain.
Sleep comfort is also sacrificed if a mattress does not match one's individual preferences. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce low back pain, allowing the structures in the spine to really rest and rejuvenate during the night.

Choosing the right mattress can be difficult. The following practical guidelines are designed to help patients with low back pain choose the best mattress for both back support and sleep comfort:

1. Personal preference should ultimately determine what mattress is best. There is no single mattress style or type that works for all people with low back pain. Any mattress that helps someone sleep without pain and stiffness is the best mattress for that individual. Patients with low back pain should choose the mattress that meets their standards for comfort and support and allows them to get a good night's sleep.

2. Understand and inquire about the physical components of the mattress. The coils or inner springs of a mattress provide the support. Different mattresses vary in their number and arrangement of coils. Padding on top of the mattress comes in many different thicknesses. Mattress depths typically range anywhere from 7 to 18 inches deep. Choosing the number of coils, type of padding and mattress depth should be determined by individual preferences.

3. Find a mattress with back support. A good mattress should provide support for the natural curves and alignment of the spine. The right amount of back support also helps the patient avoid muscle soreness in the morning. While there is not much clinical data about mattresses, one study found that medium-firm mattresses usually provide more back pain relief than firm mattresses.

4. Achieve a balance between back support and comfort. Overall comfort while sleeping on the mattress is equally important as sufficient back support. Sleeping on a mattress that is too firm can cause aches and pains on pressure points. A medium-firm mattress may be more comfortable because it allows the shoulder and hips to sink in slightly. Patients who want a firmer mattress for back support can get one with thicker padding for greater comfort.

5.  Know when it's time to get a new mattress. If an old mattress sags visibly in the middle or is no longer comfortable, it is probably time to purchase a new one. Putting boards under a sagging mattress to keep it from sagging in the middle is only a short-term fix for the sagging; a new mattress is still needed.

Some Considerations

Shop for the best value and quality of the mattress, not price. Mattresses with more coils and thicker padding tend to be higher quality and also more expensive; however, a higher price does not guarantee that the mattress is more comfortable or more supportive. Mattress stores often have sales and promotions, so it is a good idea to comparison-shop for the best price after finding the right mattress.

Be aware of mattress advertising gimmicks. Claims that a mattress is 'orthopedic' or 'medically-approved' should be viewed skeptically. There has not been extensive medical research or controlled clinical trials on the topic of mattresses and low back pain. The individual must determine whether or not extra features on a mattress make it more comfortable or supportive.

Give the mattress a test-run before buying. To sample mattresses, people can try sleeping on different makes and models in hotels or at other people's homes before going to a mattress store. When shopping at the store, shoppers should lie on the mattress for several minutes to decide if it is a good fit. If two people will be sleeping on the mattress, both should test it at the same time to make sure they have enough space and are both comfortable on the same style of mattress.

Purchase mattresses from stores and companies that are trustworthy. Consider the customer service offered by the mattress store, such as delivery options, warranty, and removal of old mattresses and the store's return policy. Look for mattress stores where customers can return a mattress if they are not satisfied with the quality or comfort after sleeping on it for a significant amount of time (i.e. a couple of weeks to a month).

To help preserve the quality of a new mattress, it should be repositioned every six months to ensure that the mattress is evenly worn. This includes rotating 180 degrees and flipping the mattress lengthwise on a regular basis. The Better Sleep Council advises against putting a mattress on a box spring/foundation that is not made to go with the mattress, as this may decrease the life of the new mattress.

Learn more about evaluating mattresses. Visit http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/sleep/how-evaluate-a-mattress

Is Muscle Strain Causing Your Neck or Back Pain?

Many episodes of back or neck pain are due to a muscle strain or other soft tissue sprain. This type of injury often improves with time and non-surgical care, such as medications and chiropractic manipulation. However, if the pain continues or worsens or is accompanied by arm pain, leg pain, or numbness, there is often a specific condition that requires treatment.

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Pulled Back Muscle and Lower Back Strain