Archive for February, 2011

The Best Approach To Joint Pain

Does this sound familiar?

Pain in your joints keeps you from being able to exercise how you want to, go on hikes, stand for long periods of time. This chronic pain pops up when you start a new fitness routine. Maybe you make it for a few weeks, but then the pain and injury force you to stop. Or they slow you down so much that you’re not seeing the benefits you want to from working out.

So you do what everyone does for pain: take some pain relievers and ice the joint. It’s natural for us to treat the area that hurts, right? But this approach to joint pain is all wrong.

The problem with treating the pain is that you’re treating a symptom, not the underlying cause.

We’ll use Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome(fancy way to say knee pain) as our example. PFPS is commonly seen in basketball players and runners. This pain is commonly caused by either abnormal forces(muscles around the knee aren’t pulling with equal force) or prolonged and repetitive compression and shearing on the joint(running and jumping).

When we break this down, we see that one of the major causes of this pain is from the muscle groups around the joint not being equally well developed. The other cause is essentially overuse, which is the bane of every young athlete and everyone else who aggressively starts a new routine(running too much for example).

And so when people develop this knee pain, they tend to ice their knees and take some anti-inflammatories and pain relievers. But the actual cause of the pain to begin with stems from a lack of an overall fitness plan. Building up to appropriate levels of intensity will solve the overuse problems and developing all the proper muscle groups will handle the imbalance issues.

What you should be taking away from all of this is: joint and muscle pain is an indicator that something is wrong. We usually treat pain by attempting to ‘cure’ it with ice and pain medicine. But the real fix is to look at the bigger picture and develop our fitness plan to handle this stress our body is feeling. Focus on developing core muscle groups and proper form in your exercises, and most of your pain will fix itself. Rather than treating a symptom, be willing to take a step back and address the real cause. This will improve your success in both your workouts and also your life.

The Benefit of Massage Tables

Do you like giving massages? Many people who aren’t professional massage therapists give massages to family and friends. Giving someone a massage can help them relax and feel good. Helping others in this way can make you feel good too, but you’ll find that the more massages you give the more you’ll notice that you need a very important piece of massage equipment–a massage table.

Using a table will help you give better massages. Tables are cushioned and have an area where the person you’re working on can comfortably put his face. Some tables have a cut out section for the face to go when the person is laying face down. Other tables have face cradle attachments for the person’s face. This keeps the person from having to turn her head to the side while laying down for a back treatment preventing neck strain. Bolsters can be used to provide further comfort. For example, you could put a bolster under the person’s knees when she is laying face up to take pressure off of the lower back.

The size of a massage table allows you to walk completely around the person you’re massaging giving you easy access to every part of them. You can give a complete massage without straining or asking the person you’re working on to move at all.

These tables have adjustable legs allowing you to adjust the height of the table for your comfort. Having to bend down too much when you’re giving a massage puts undue strain on your back. The more back rubs you give without using a properly adjusted table, the more likely you are to get injured. Using a table adjusted to the right height will not only lessen your chances of injury but will also help you give a better massage. You’ll be able to have more fluid movements and apply more pressure to necessary areas with ease.

Most of these tables are portable. You can fold a table up and take it with you anywhere. You can buy a carrying case for your table or even a convenient wheeling cart to make it easier to move. This means that you aren’t limited to giving massages in one location. You can give a massage anywhere.

Don’t be afraid of the expense of buying a table. Tables come in a variety of price ranges these days. You can get good deals for them at auction sites too. You can also find secondhand tables advertised on some sites.

Once you finally do get a massage table you’ll recognize its benefits and wonder why you didn’t get one sooner.

Medical Massage Therapy for Pain Relief

Massage is a technique that can free your body and mind from nagging emotional stressors that weigh on your body. Unfortunately, the benefits of the treatments are not employed as often as people need them. It is very important to incorporate any service that you deem specifically beneficial to the performance of your body. Having a routine will not only help you better manage your life; it will also help you keep things into perspective. More people are finding stabilized living by allowing them to access services that dissolve stress and muscle tension.

In some countries this powerful service has been incorporated into their lifestyle as a means of staying grounded. Fortunately for those who understand the benefits of keeping their muscles clean and flexible; living a well balanced life is a revolving reality. This can be accomplished by everyone who is in search of feeling and performing at their best.

It can become quite frustrating to have the desire to do more throughout the day and have your body deny you its performance. This could be a very good time to search yourself for a new plan of approach to getting things done. If you are experiencing exhaustion you might want to have a physical examination. Just remember to ask your physician about the benefits of massage for your body type.

Muscle tension is a great and common concern for most people. If your daily routine does not include an exercise regimen your oxygen level and blood flow might be imbalanced. Bike riding, running and swimming are all great strategies for exercise. Consulting with your doctor is the smartest approach before committing yourself; and while your at it ask them about your appropriate level of water consumption.

When the body is not getting enough exercise, rest and fluids this creates an environment for contaminants. Toxins have more than likely stores themselves in your muscles and need to be out. Deep body rubs are a great way to evict those toxins out of the body and can be flushed out with water. Water consumption should be established between you and your doctor.

Some people might find that there are certain areas of their body that is sensitive to the touch. Provided that you have already been cleared by you primary physician; you might benefit from a light rubdown. This is generally referenced as a Swedish technique and is highly sought after by those who are more sensitive.

When you want to spice things up a bit, there are services that use natural resources like stones. The stones are heat and applied to a variety of tension areas of the body. The natural weight of the stone plays a huge part in the success of this treatment. The natural pressure of the stones, the heat and the flow of trained hands is delightful.

Massage is one of the best services to help people live a stress free lifestyle. It is available to everyone through a variation of techniques. It is important to explore your body and respond to its needs. Your body is your vehicle that enables you to get everything done – make sure you reward it.

Effective Home Remedies That Can Help Ease Arthritis Pain

Arthritis might cause joint issues most definitely during winter months. The cold and humid air usually go right to the bones not to mention produce a deep ache. An individual who is being affected by arthritis pain will truly seek out arthritis pain relief. A great deal of men and women are not favor of taking prescription drugs considering the dangers and uncomfortable side effects. Right now, a lot more men and women give consideration to employing something natural to cure pain. The good thing is there are actually a great deal of various natural cures for arthritis that can offer sufficient joint pain relief.

Listed here are several of the basic herbal remedies which can make helpful natural cures for arthritis like:

* Taking a long warm Epsom salt bath

The Epsom salt will always make the body feel tranquil at that time ease arthritis pain.

* Rubbing very painful joints applying hot vinegar

This is certainly powerful in alleviating joint pain and usually help whenever conducted daily.

* Have a nice warm olive oil body rub

A warm olive oil body rub is discovered to be helpful in soothing painful joints.

* Consider Omega 3 fatty acids

Be aware that arthritis is an inflammatory condition. Omega 3 fatty acids aid in getting rid of arthritis pain as it’s beneficial in relieving inflammation once taken regularly.

* Have a swim in the beach

Taking a swim in the beach or ocean is interestingly an efficient and natural cure for arthritis. The salt water in the ocean offers a great deal of benefits and one of them is minimizing arthritis pain in a natural way.

* Consider Dandelion

Dandelion is a Eurasian plant widely naturalized as a weed; it is additionally put into use to make wine and is placed on raw salad. This plant works in providing arthritis relief by means of escalating urination which supports in flushing excess fluids out from the body. Learn that inflammation is a result of a fluid build up in the body leading to more arthritis pain.

* Have a cup of hot ginger tea

Those people being affected by arthritis pain can considerably benefit from drinking a cup of hot ginger tea. The tea helps with reducing inflammation not to mention minimizing joint problems.

* Take herbal supplements

Taking herbal medicines which contains Alfalfa or Feverfew works in dealing with arthritis symptoms.

Diet changes and also exercise act as natural cures for arthritis. In case you might have arthritis, incorporate foods rich in Beta-Cryptoxanthin similar to butternut squash, grapefruit, pumpkin and apricots in your diet. Foods that are rich in Beta-Cryptoxanthin promote healthy bones and cartridge. Add fresh fruits and veggies in your diet program mainly because they are useful in keeping arthritis pain at bay. Exercise is helpful in getting rid of arthritis. Simply going for a walk everyday can tremendously assist ease stiff and painful bones. Walking is an excellent form of exercise with many different amazing benefits which has a very low effect to the joints. Swimming is another good form of exercise that is valuable in taking care of arthritis pain seeing that it gets your whole body moving in addition to takes the pressure off the body.

Losing extra weight may help provide you with natural joint pain relief while it keeps the extra pressure off your bones and joints.

Keeping the following tips under consideration may help you essentially prevent arthritis from happening and become arthritis pain free.

Could This Be The Cause Of Your Shoulder Pain?

Are you struggling with shoulder pain that seems to have come on for no apparent reason? This happens much of the time to people who either use computers a lot or otherwise have to sit at a desk for long periods. But, you don’t have to be a desk jockey. It could be that you’re a cashier or have some other occupation. Whatever you do for work, shoulder problems are frequently the result of repetitive motions done over the period of days, weeks, and sometimes years.

In these cases the discomfort usually starts as something minor. Something that is intermittent. It’s usually felt when you’re lifting something or reaching out in front of you. Left untreated and undiagnosed (as it sometimes is), the pain slowly grows and grows until its felt constantly.

Typically, the person suffering has no recollection of any trauma to the area at all. In fact, most doctors will hear “I can’t remember doing anything that would make my arm hurt so much”. This can be pretty frustrating if this is what you’re going through. Psychologically it’s a little easier to deal with pain when you know what’s caused it.

Unfortunately, some people have to jump through a lot of hoops to find out what’s actually going on. The doctor orders x-rays and MRIs to be taken. But, sometimes, these tests come back without any definite cause of the problem. And, many times, even though the tests are negative, people are misdiagnosed with a “rotator cuff strain”.

Unfortunately, going to physical therapy with the wrong diagnosis can result in a lot of time wasted. Exercises and pain management treatments are targeted at the rotator cuff muscles produce few benefits. This is because they are not addressing the real cause of the problem.

One muscle that is frequently over looked and doesn’t get that much attention in the press or media is the biceps. Most people think of bulging upper arms and lifting weights at the elbow. But this isn’t the only thing that the biceps do. The biceps are also responsible for lifting the arm at the shoulder too.

Reaching out to take something out of the closet, combing your hair, or even scratching your back require the biceps to be working well. Also, sitting at your desk and using a mouse or most any other office activity will also require that the biceps be working well.

This is because most of the arm motion happens at the shoulder when you’re sitting at the desk. If you think about it, you don’t lift anything from the floor or from overhead. Most of your work takes place right in front of you or off to your side. Doing these things over and over again are what lead to repetitive motion injuries.

One way to find out if your shoulder pain is caused by your biceps is to press into the front part of the shoulder where it meets the chest muscles. If it’s painful there, it could possibly be your biceps. Another way to check is to try to hold something straight out in front of you. Make sure it’s not heavy though. Maybe 1-2 pounds at the most. This motion isolates the biceps muscle while it moves the shoulder. If this motion produces shoulder pain, then it maybe your biceps that is sore or strained.

If you are having shoulder problems or pain. The first thing to do is to consult your health care professional. They can order the appropriate tests and treatment. And, make sure you ask them about your biceps muscle.

Relieving Pain With a Local Chiropractor

Whether you are experiencing pain because of an accident or illness or aging has your back misaligned, the services of a chiropractor can help you. Your chiropractor should have the proper training and work in a professional environment that is clean and relaxing, as well. The first thing that your treatment specialist will do is talk to you about the problems that you have been experiencing. You may want to discuss treatment options with your chiropractor, as well.

Neck pain, arthritis and disc pain can all be relieved with the assistance of a chiropractor. Reno, NV chiropractors can also relieve pain associated with pinched nerves, chronic headaches, and pain from carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have any type of chronic pain that doesn’t seem to respond to traditional treatments then it is time to see a chiropractor. Most patients who visit this specialist will experience a sense of satisfaction that simply can’t be fond with traditional medicine, and may even have long term results that aren’t available with prescription medications.

Your chiropractor will work with you to first perform an initial exam to identify the cause of your problems. After the initial exam you may be referred to a lab for more diagnostic testing or you may need some follow up care at the office. The chiropractor will treat your condition as needed, so you may require the services of another office or physician if you are suffering from any physical ailments that can be treated with another options in addition to chiropractic care. These options all ensure you are as healthy and pain-free as you can possibly be.

Your chiropractor has a code of ethics that he or she follows the same as all physicians. The treatment that you receive can help you become pain free by relieving stress on joints, but they may also provide you with information that can help you reduce pain without the use of medications. For instance, you may learn how to deal with mental stress that is often linked to pain using relaxation techniques recommended by the chiropractor.

A local chiropractor is a must have when you experience back, neck or shoulder pain on a daily basis. Even leg and hip pain can be treated by a chiropractor, and many people even rely on this type of doctor to help heal common ailments. Your chiropractor can do more than simply relive pain associated with illness or injury. Your chiropractor will even take several kinds of insurance, so you pay less out of pocket when relieving your back pain. You don’t have to suffer needlessly with a chiropractor who can provide instant relief for most types of pain.

Types Of Spinal Decompression Machines

For those suffering from chronic back pain as a result of spinal compressions, injuries, DDD or disc degenerative diseases, herniated disc and other spine diseases, spinal decompression therapy is an alternative treatment to invasive and surgical procedures. This therapy is guaranteed effective and highly recommended by physicians, chiropractors and health professionals. While spinal decompression treatment would not require you to take medications or any invasive procedure, this method utilizes a spinal decompression machine for best results.

When you have saved yourself from medical expenses, you will then have to prepare a budget for the machine that you will be using for the decompression. Spine decompression machines are state – of – the – art – technology which are computerized and capable of determining the amount of decompression that your body needs tom achieve the best cure. There are few spinal decompression machines that you can choose from if you are considering of purchasing one.

  • There is the Vax – D or Vertebral Axial Decompression which is popularly known to be the most effective and safest decompression machine. It works to increase the spaces between inter – vertebral disc to relieve pain. It is also effective in the treatment of herniated disc, sciatica, DDD and the results can be more accurate and permanent. Treatment with Vax – D takes about 15 to 30 sessions on a daily basis.
  • Another decompression machine used for spine and disc diseases is the DRX9000. DRX9000 is FDA – approved to treat chronic back pain, herniated disc, sciatica as well as degenerative disc diseases of DDD. This machine is computer – controlled that should be used accurately to prevent further injuries. This must only be used by health professionals who knew exactly the proper procedures of using the machine. Treatment with DRX9000 can last up to 50 sessions depending on the back problem. However, results vary from one patient to another.

If you are looking to purchase one from these two types of decompression machine, then you will need thousands of dollars for one machine. Yes, the machine are very expensive and so is each sessions of the therapy. If you think you can’t afford this, then inversion therapy is a good alternative. With a $200 or $300 inversion table, you can actually decompress your spine and get relief for your back pain plus more benefits brought about by the therapy through inversion

Disc Decompression Therapy

Here is the picture: You were minding your own business, carrying on about your everyday duties (lifting, bending, and stooping) or having fun and playing hard in recreational sports. Then it happened! You experienced pain in lower back and now it is radiating down into your leg. Or maybe you have been in a car accident and now suffer neck and/or arm pain. Your have tried a long list of treatments including: prescription drugs from your family practitioner, specific exercises from your physical therapist, chiropractic adjustments, and epidural spinal steroid injections for the herniated disc in the lower back or neck. Still there is no lasting relief of your pain.

Now your list of possible treatment options has narrowed. Doctors say you need spinal surgery, but that is scary and that will be your last resort. Disc decompression therapy, more commonly known as Spinal Decompression (non-surgical), is the best non-surgical treatment option left. Here is what you know: disc decompression therapy is 1) extremely safe, 2) likely effective to give you relief of lower back and leg pain or neck and arm pain, 3) FDA cleared, 4) affordable, and 5) and is your last non-surgical approach to resolve the problem and get back to the life you have been missing. So how can I improve my results with Spinal Decompression?

The most common and detrimental mistake patients make during Spinal Decompression treatment is continuing with compressive activities of the neck and especially the lower back. Spinal Decompression applies a negative pressure to the disc and an intermittent pumping effect of Spinal decompression causes the dehydrated and brittle disc to re-hydrate with nutrient rich fluid allowing the disc to repair and enliven again. The intermittent traction stimulates disc cells, called fibroblasts, to rebuild the cartilage of the disc which is necessary to hold the thick and sticky liquid of the nucleus in place. When being treated with Spinal Decompression think about the tiny cartilage cells growing and trying to knit together. Placing the disc under more pressure can allow the new tissue to tear repeatedly postponing repair and treatment success.

It is best to AVOID COMPRESSIVE activities: 1. Sitting for long periods – driving long distances, long airline flights, or enjoying a movie without getting up. 2. Standing for long periods – especially on concrete or other hard surfaces. 3. Carrying heavy or awkward items. 4. Avoid lifting, but if you must use proper lifting technique. 5. Put recreational activities on hold except for walking short distances that do not cause pain. Especially avoid weight lifting and high impact exercises of any type.

Know your positional preference. If you are treated face up more than likely extension (bending backwards) will make you worse. If you are treated face down then bending forward will probably aggravate your condition. Be patient and alert to any activity that causes your pain to worsen. If and when you return to exercises make sure you use proper form and do not exercise in a direction that opposes your treatment’s positional preference.

Remember the disc can rebuild and repair quickly with proper treatment. Spinal decompression treat does not last forever. So be patient, avoid compressive activities, and return to exercise only by your doctors direction and guidance. Otherwise, you have a great recipe for treatment failure, increased cost, greater levels of pain, and make yourself more susceptible to more invasive and costly treatments.

Health Benefits From an Ergonomic Office Chair

If you’re looking for back, neck, and shoulder aches, then a nine to five full-time job in the office will certainly help you on your aching way. These aches and pains can occur over time when you do not have an office chair and workstation that is designed for your comfort, designed to keep your body in the correct posture when seated…

Of course, the need for a comfortable office chair with proper support to lessen your everyday physical stress cannot be underestimated.

When working full-time, you tend to forget or find it hard to make the time to have any sort of workout or exercise session; because, in the morning, you are generally rushing towards work or sorting the kids out, or generally just trying to get to work on time! It’s the same when you get home in the evening; you are already tired and ready to find your favourite armchair. This kind of lifestyle is not a good thing; instead, it could make you wake up one day feeling sick and tired.

That, of course, is what you do not want to happen! Since you are the hope of your family, the shining light and provider (!), someone has to make sure the kids are fed everyday and the bills get paid at the end of the month.

Having an ergonomic office chair is one perfect solution to provide the needed comfort and back support to take the stress from your body.

According to the research of the medical fraternity, a person using an ergonomic office chair, with high quality lumber and back support and correct posture could avoid potential back pain.

Hence, it is time to make a change, a line must be drawn and an end made! Put all those old chairs in your office in the stock room or outside for rubbish collection. Help yourself and the future of your skeleton by making THE change – change them to the high quality ergonomic office chairs.

When you are in comfort, you’ll find that you will end up doing your job better and with more efficiency – not only that, but more importantly you will definitely have fun and less stressful working hours! Plus you will avoid health problems, and that is of course what it all boils down to.

Other Health Benefits

Aside from avoiding back, neck, shoulder, wrist and possible knee (!) pains, sitting at your ergonomic office chair can help you maintain proper blood circulation. This of course is beneficial in so many ways, from your heart to thrombosis later in life. Good circulation is something that we oft take for granted, but now we can resolve it simply by correcting our posture. Don’t suffer from office health problems that now seem to be so common.

Herbal Remedies: Hot and Cold Packs

Herbal remedies are preferred by a lot of people because of many reasons. These are simple, have no chemicals, do not show any side effects, do not include man-made impurities and are economical as compared to allopathic medicines. Herbs, spices, oils, essences, fruits, seeds and vegetables used in herbal remedies are naturally occurring and are rich in life-supporting and re-vitalizing elements and ingredients.

Just like modern medicine is available for almost every illness, in the same manner different herbal remedies are also available for curing most of illnesses known to mankind. One of the most common applications of herbal remedies is through hot and cold packs. All of us complain of aches, sprains and cramps on a regular basis. Our body is strained each day because of our hectic routines, posture problems, sports related aches and daily chaos. Popping pills for relieving pain everyday is not an ideal solution as it means pumping a continuous source of artificial chemicals into our system in the form of pain killers and relievers. These chemicals numb the pain for some time but pose as only a temporary cure. The ideal solution in this case is to seek help and comfort in herbal remedies. Hot and cold packs are suggested by even practitioners of allopathic medicine for relieving pain, sores and as a treatment for a variety of injuries.

Different types of hot and cold packs are available in the market. Packs with herb fillings, herbal gel, and chemical gel are all widely available and equally effective in relieving pain and soreness. Also, these are available in different sizes, with or without straps, in the shape of packs, small pillows, cushions and even as body wraps to provide you with added comfort. Hot and cold packs can be used to relieve pain in wrists, hands, arms, feet, ankle, legs, thighs, shoulders, hips, backs, spines and necks. You can choose the size and type of your choice depending on your personal preferences.

A hot and cold pack has many uses. These are reusable and you can use them as many times as you want without any fear of wearing them out. The pack is made of soft materials which would not cause discomfort to skin. Some packs also have a protective covering and do not need to be wrapped in a cloth or towel when applying them to the affected area. These can be easily used by heating in a microwave or cooling in a freezer. They come in different size and shapes. You can even have your pack customized by having one, two or combination’s of herbs (scented, non-scented) added to your pack.

  • The heat from hot packs relaxes the muscles and tissues. This causes increased blood circulation to the area of application and an added supply of oxygen which relieves pain, soreness and creates a soothing effect.
  • Cold packs numb the joints, throbbing muscles and reduce swelling.

It should be remembered that hot and cold packs should be wrapped in a cloth or towel when applying to skin for added safety. It is advisable to use them for about twenty minutes to avoid excessive exposure to heat and cold.