“We are facing some extremely challenging times. Advice from experts can give us insight into what direction we should take. Tell us your story of how you had to overcome to become the person you are today. We all need to be inspired with positive words.” -Dr. Dennis Weinstein, Chiropractor in Lansing
Types of Back pain
As any good chiropractor would tell you, there is no single cause of back pain. This is because back pain can occur due to various reasons, and affect different areas. It is important that you have an understanding of the nature of your ailment before going to the chiropractor for treatment.
Location Of The Pain
Back pain is classified in two categories, depending on where the pain occurs.
Upper Back Pain
Pain in the upper back, shoulders or neck is termed as upper back pain. There can be certain causes of upper back pain, such as stretched tendons or damaged ligaments due to strenuous physical work. Upper back pains aren’t as common as lower back pains, and can be treated by taking pain relievers such as Paracetamol or by visiting a Chiropractor.
Lower Back Pain
Like the name suggests, lower back pains are directed at the base of the back, and occur due to the overstretching of muscles in the lower back or direct injury to that area. This pain can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as lifting something heavy or bending in an awkward position. Treatment for lower back pains is the same as for upper back pains.
Duration Of The Pain
Besides location, pain can also be classified according to duration.
Acute Back Pain
A short term pain, lasting from a few days to weeks, is called an acute back pain. There may be numerous causes of this pain, the most common being blunt trauma caused by Ankylosing spondilytis, arthritis or other medical conditions.
The symptoms of this pain can range from muscular aches and incorrect posture to shooting pains in the buttocks and back of the legs. Acute back pain can lead to serious problems, but is generally harmless, and most people tend to let it heal itself.
Chronic Back Pain
If the pain lasts for more than 3 months, it is termed as chronic back pain. The cause of chronic back pain can rarely be determined without the help of a Chiropractor or other medical professional. This long term pain gets progressively worse with time; immediate treatment is necessary to prevent further complications.
Now that you know what type of back pain you suffer from, you can act on them by looking up for home treatments online, or doing exercises which may stimulate the back. It is also recommended that you visit your nearest chiropractor who could suggest you treatment options.
Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Posterior view of lumbar region for electrostimulation electrode placement.jpg
Types of Diets Recommended by Chiropractors
Chiropractic Care gives great importance to a healthy and balanced diet. A lot of ailments and diseases can be avoided just by adhering to a proper diet. A good diet can help a person to lead a long, healthy life, control weight, blood pressure and heart rate.
It is a fact that Americans are overfed, while being undernourished. Scores of fast food chains have made unhealthy eating habits a part of the American lifestyle. Such high cholesterol foods coupled with a sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity. With obesity come a lot of complications including heart diseases and blood pressure problems.
There is no doubt that a well-balanced diet consists of a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, a reduction in caffeine intake and saturated fats.
A chiropractor may recommend one of the following diets based on your body’s needs:
High Protein Diet
A high protein diet is recommended for those who aim to build muscles without accumulating too much fat. High protein foods include:
- Turkey breast
- Fish
- Cheese (low fat varieties)
- Beef (low fat)
- Tofu
- Beans
- Eggs
- Milk
- Nuts
Heart-Healthy Diet
A heart healthy diet usually consists of a lot of vegetables and fruits along with large intakes of whole grains. It may also contain low-fat meats, including fish and poultry. Special emphasis should be given to fish as it is a very healthy source of protein, Omega 3 and little fat.
Following combination of fruits and vegetables are extremely nutritious and a healthy choice for heart-healthy dieters:
- Pineapples
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Oranges
Vegetarian Diet
A vegetarian diet can be recommended for those who prefer to lead a meat-free lifestyle, for whatever the reason. Several types of diets are based on vegetarianism:
Lacto-Vegetarian: These diets include no meat of any kind or eggs. However they do include dairy products like butter, milk, cheese and yogurt.
Ovo -Vegetarian: This diet contains no red meat, seafood, poultry or even dairy products, however it does include eggs.
Vegan: The strictest of all, excludes all meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Flexitarian: As its name implies, this diet is flexible. It mainly consists of vegetables and fruits, with occasional consumption of meat, fish or poultry.
No matter which diet is recommended by a chiropractor or dietician, a balanced lifestyle that includes plenty of activities can go a long way in extending the life of a person.
Image Used under Creative Commons license. Photo Credit: Blueberry Maple Quinoa by SweetonVeg
Risks of Leaving the Sciatica Untreated
Sciatica is very painful medical condition in which the patient experiences extreme pain and tingling sensations in his back, hip, legs and thighs. The pain is caused as a result of pressure exerted on the nerves, either due to any inflammation in the vertebra or the narrowing of the spinal canal. Piriformis syndrome, lumber spinal stenosis and spinal disc herniation are common causes of sciatica pain in individuals. Chiropractic treatment is highly effective for relieving the patients of the painful condition.
Why Is Prompt Identification And Treatment Important?
It is very important for patients to recognize the symptoms and seek professional medical assistance for their sciatica condition. The doctor takes prompt prescribed tests to identify the cause of the sciatica pain in order to focus his attention on the specific treatment required for the condition.
If a patient does not seek medical assistance for his sciatica problem, it may result in exaggerating his condition with the period of time. A number of possible problems can arise for the patient besides the continuous pain in the back and the hip region.
Permanent Nerve Damage
Patients who do not seek prompt medical help for their sciatica run a high risk of suffering from permanent nerve damage. In case of a permanent damage to the sciatica nerve, the patient will experience excruciating pain in the back and legs, which will not be alleviated to a satisfactory level, even with the use of pain relieving medication.
The different treatment methods like water and physical therapy become extremely painful for the patient because of his severe nerve damage.
Paralysis in the Affected Limb
The patient experiences a loss of feeling in the affected limb, which in some cases also leads to difficulty in movement, and ultimately paralysis. The affected leg becomes devoid of all sensation and movement, hampering the patient already troubled with the excruciating pain.
Loss of Bladder Control
Patients who do not get medical treatment for their sciatica problem can experience a loss of control in their bladder and bowels. This adds to the problems already faced by the patient while dealing with his sciatica condition.
A pressurized sciatica nerve causes severe pain, tingling and numbing sensations in the legs and thighs, and cramps along with fever. Patients should seek prompt medical assistance for the correct identification and treatment of sciatica before the condition becomes incurable. Chiropractic treatment is considered as very effective for the treatment of sciatica pain in individuals.
Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Leg pain by The Clear Communication People
Improve Productivity by Eliminating These Things
We’re busy people. We fill every hour of every day with tasks to the point that we cry, “If only I had more time!”
One way to get more time is to become more efficient at what we do. There are a few activities that suck us dry that could either be eliminated from our daily activities, or we must change our behavior surrounding them.
Social Media. While social media is a fabulous way to stay in touch with friends, family, and clients, it can also drain away valuable hours without our even noticing it. Even if you’re using social media for business, allocate specific times you will update your status, search for tweets to retweet, or otherwise promote your business.
Cell Phones. Many people justify a smartphone by saying that it allows them to stay productive by staying on top of things for work. But after reading the previous paragraph, you might want to limit your cell phone usage because most people use it to stay in touch via social media with friends. Turn the phone off or set it on airplane mode because even a vibration indicating that you some kind of message will distract you from a given task and every distraction takes time to recover from.
Work Distractions. Studies have shown that when an individual is working on a project that consumes their entire focus they are very productive. Interruptions in the form of a phone call, a smartphone vibration or just a knock on the office door will pull that individual out of their laser focus. And even though your colleague says, “It will only take a minute,” getting back into that original groove of focus can take as long as fifteen or twenty minutes. Is it any wonder we feel that we work really hard every day and have gotten very little to show for it? Establish set hours where you will work alone and uninterrupted in order to accomplish tasks and then have regular office hours where you are available to collaborate with coworkers and team members.
Internet connection. This is just as bad as the smartphone problem, and considered one of the top time wasters in today’s world. Having your computer continuously connected to the internet is no good if you’re constantly refreshing emails, googling things that have nothing to do with your project, reading news headlines or just watching YouTube videos of cute animal antics. Again, to manage your time here, set up specific hours where you handle email and do your online research. The rest of the time, keep your internet connection on your computer turned off.
By handling these top four time wasters, you may be surprised to find that you have hours left at the end of your day.
Photo Credit: Subway Stop via Chris Ford at Flickr
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- …
- 15
- Next Page »
