Archive for January, 2010

Sciatic Discomfort – Quick Tips to Help Keep Your Sanity

Jan 20

Posted by admin in Sciatica | No Comments

Accurate Diagnosis of your condition – The first thing is to get an accurate diagnosis of why you are in pain. Often times sciatica is caused by muscle tension or imbalances which can directly affect the discs and vertebrae in your back which results in a irritated sciatic nerve. Other ’structural’ problems with your spine can also cause this irritation and that is why an accurate diagnosis is essential for finding the best treatment.

Heat and Cold Packs – many people report gaining relief through the use of heat and cold packs particularly where the problem lies with increased muscle tension. Alternating between both hot and cold packs on the affected area has also been reported as a good pain reliever. The hot pack promotes blood flow and can release tensed up muscles and the cold pack helps in reducing the amount of inflammation so you are getting the best of both worlds when alternating between the two.

Physiotherapy – this is something that I have not had any success with in dealing with my sciatica, however combined with the right exercises and assuming that your condition is suitable to be treated this way there is no reason not to give it a go. Many doctors see physiotherapy as the first step to easing the problem and once again the blood flow in and around the muscles and loosening of joints may be beneficial to you.

Anti Inflammatory/Pain Relieving Medication – No doubt one of the most important steps to easing your sciatic pain is to reduce any inflammation of the offending area and of course to limit your pain so you can get on with life. Unfortunately this is where the use of NSAID’s or non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs is the road most doctors take. Sure, they may ease your pain and reduce inflammation but if you had any idea of the unwanted effects these drugs can have on you I’m sure you would think twice.

Many back pain and sciatica sufferers are forced to use these drugs long term, previously myself included, as most back complaints are not easily or quickly resolved. This long term us of NSAID’s can have lasting effects on your health. Problems with kidneys, the liver, the intestines and the stomach lining itself are not uncommon and of course add to this the noticeable side effects like cramping, headaches and drowsiness just to mention a few.

So how do we protect ourselves against these problems while still getting the pain relief and reduced inflammation that we need? The answer is natural medicines that do the same job without jeopardizing our future health. There are many great all natural products on the market these days and for peace of mind there really is no other choice.

Craig Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/sciatic-discomfort-quick-tips-to-help-keep-your-sanity-635100.html

Why You Need Chiropractic Care and How to Work With Your Chiropractor to Get Optimal Results

Jan 20

Posted by admin in Pinched Nerve | No Comments

Are you seeking treatment for back and neck pain? Are you weighed down by headaches or migraines? Are you still bothered by a pinched nerve, or a sports injury that just won’t heal? This article’s intention is to offer you an introduction to chiropractic care and provide you with guidelines for choosing a Sydney North Shore Chiropractor.

 

Chiropractic treatment is a form of physical therapy concerned with the functioning of your spine and central nervous system. Chiropractors provide their clients with the foundation to stay healthy by utilizing the power of their own bodies to promote natural healing in an efficient manner.

 

This physical therapy explores the connections between the anatomy of your spine and its effects on your health. The health problems that arise as a result of misalignments of the vertebrae in your spine can be effectively treated by a chiropractor.

 

Numerous North Shore Chiropractic clinics exist in the North Sydney, Neutral Bay and Cremorne areas. If you are contemplating chiropractic treatment, these are some questions you need to ask them:

 

1. Will your Australian Health Fund reimburse some of your money, and if so, how much of it?

 

2. Have they dealt with issues similar to yours before?

 

3. What is the price of each session?

 

4. Do they have discounts if you purchase multiple sessions?

 

5. Do they aim to treat the root of your problem and put you on the path to greater energy and wellness?

 

The last point is very important. In addition to adjusting your spine and alleviating your neck or back pain, their job is to guide you toward total wellness.

 

The following guidelines should assist you on your journey to better health:

 

1. Make regular visits to your chiro so as to aid your spine and nervous system to function at their best and assist in building good health;

 

2. Consume those foods which will help your body to work in the best way it can by providing it ample the nutrients;

 

3. You must drink plenty of water; it flushes your system of toxins and keeps you hydrated;

 

4. Regular exercise will improve both your health and your energy;

 

5. Make sure you get plenty of rest so your body can recuperate and build up more energy;

 

6. Keep a positive mental attitude;

 

7. Learn about other ways to enhance your health.

 

A professional chiro should educate you along in the process so that you understand the basis of what they are doing. Chiropractic treatment is no immediate cure. A few sessions may be required to resolve your sports injury and additional care may be needed to maintain and build on your progress. Your emotional, physical and chemical aspects should be examined, in order to truly improve your overall wellbeing.

 

Before bringing your children to your health professional for a spinal adjustment, you need to ensure that they are comfortable working with children.

Jerry Carpos
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/why-you-need-chiropractic-care-and-how-to-work-with-your-chiropractor-to-get-optimal-results-687274.html

Relieving Back and Neck Pain With Qigong

Jan 20

Posted by admin in Neck Pain | No Comments

This exercise, known as The Wise Owl Gazes Backwards, is particularly beneficial for those who have had any problems with neck or back pain or stiffness. The deep breathing adds more oxygen to the blood. The gentle stretching then brings more blood to the tense area, and the highly oxygenated blood delivers nutrients and carries away toxins, helping to cleanse and relax the stiff or painful area.

The slow, deep breathing used in all qi gong exercises is a natural relaxation method than can help to ease tension in all areas of the body, not just in the muscle groups that are being worked here. Remember to mirror the position by completing the exercise in equal numbers on each side of the body. That way you ensure that you are providing equal benefit to the muscles and tendons on each side, which will help to keep your body in proper alignment.

From the ‘wu ji’ starting position, lift the left foot and step to the left so that you feet are now shoulder’s width apart. The head should remain lifted up, but not tilted. If it helps to get this positioning correct, imagine that there is a string in the middle of your head that is gently lifting the center of the top of your head away from your body and towards the ceiling. This helps to ensure correct posture throughout the exercise. Keep your eyes focused ahead of you on some point in the distance.

Move your hands from the ‘wu ji’ position in front of your thighs so that they are now next to your hips, but your wrists are now bent so that your palms are facing the floor. Check your pelvic positioning – it should be in the tucked position and your knees should be slightly bent.

Inhale deeply and slowly as you turn your head slowly to the left, and exhale and you turn your head to look as far backwards over your left shoulder as is possible for you. Do not turn the waist or lift or move the shoulders. It is only your neck and head that should be moving. Fix your gaze at some distant point over your shoulder and gently hold the stretch.

Now slowly begin to turn the head back as you inhale and exhale as you return to the starting position. Pause for a moment, then inhale deeply and slowly, turning your head to the right. Again, be sure that your hips, waist and shoulders all remain still and that the source of the movement is your head and neck muscles.

Exhale as you turn your head as far back over your right shoulder as is possible for you, fixing your gaze once again at some point in the distance. When every last bit of air is expelled from your lungs, begin to inhale again, moving your head slowly back towards the front and returning to the starting position as you exhale.

You should perform a minimum of eight sets of this stretch in order to gain the most benefit. This is a helpful exercise that can be performed just about anywhere. If you need to deepen the stretch, then as your head is turned over a shoulder, gently press the palm of the opposite hand downwards.

James Chen
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/relieving-back-and-neck-pain-with-qigong-99945.html

Pain Relief From Lower Back Pain Requires Some Discipline

Jan 20

Posted by admin in Lower Back Pain | No Comments

At some time in your life you will probably experience lower back pain. It is classified in the medical community as either acute (i.e. temporary flare-ups) or chronic (i.e. long lasting). Under any circumstances, it can be quite disabling, and is a condition that accounts for more sick leave than anything else.

Acute lower back pain is usually brought about by some kind of trauma such as heavy lifting, a fall or car accident. The cause is usually no mystery. The damage occurs and symptoms are felt in muscle tissue, ligaments or tendons. Occasionally, of course, there may be a vertebrae fracture.

The causes of chronic lower back pain are less obvious. Onset occurs over a long period of time. Frequently the underlying cause is osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, disc degeneration or disc herniation. Diagnosis of these conditions is often quite complex.

Treatment of lower back pain is most often dictated by the underlying cause. Fortunately, almost all back pain sufferers can be treated non-surgically.

Opinions regarding the best treatments vary widely. The most obvious are pain medications, NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, muscle relaxants and analgesics such as aspirin or acetaminophen. Beyond that, however, there are some very concrete steps that can be taken that are effective beyond any doubt for most people.

Exercise: For both acute and chronic lower back pain there is no more beneficial course of treatment than staying active and exercising. And, there is probably no better exercise for back pain than back stretching, an excellent method of achieving natural pain relief.

Back stretching exercise can help relieve lower back pain, often without medication. However, there are a few things you have to consider before you do any back stretching exercises in order to make sure that you don’t cause more harm in the process. This is where it is important for you to know the cause of your back pain since, if the injury is anything other than soft tissue injury, muscles, etc., stretching might actually do more harm. Beyond that, before undertaking any back stretching exercise it is crucial that you know how to do the exercises.

One of the best ways to learn how to do back stretching exercises is to purchase DVDs that demonstrate and guide you step by step through each of the routines. It is also very important to keep in mind your present state of health, body weight and ability to perform such exercises in order to ensure that you receive benefit and prevent inflicting any harm in the process.

If you back muscles are prone to strains and sprains, you should make simple back stretching exercises part of your daily routine. Stretching your back muscles as soon as you wake up will prepare your back and the entire body for the day ahead, and you are much less likely to suffer any sprains or strains throughout the day. Also, if you take a few minutes and stretch your back muscles at night before you go to bed, you will again have relaxed your back muscles from the day’s stresses and tensions.

Again, while there are a whole host of opinions about controlling lower back pain, simple, regular back stretching exercise offers the best long term pain relief.

Robert G. Knechtel
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/pain-relief-from-lower-back-pain-requires-some-discipline-110841.html

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