“Doc, I try to do my exercises but I have to hit the ground running in the morning….to get the kids ready for the school bus….I have morning meetings….I’m not a morning person….I’m pulled in 100 directions during the day….I forget about them until I’m in bed….I exercise on my job and that’s enough…”
I’m sure we’ve all rationalized our inability to keep up with exercises, especially after our episode of low back pain (LBP) subsides. In fact, only about 4% of LBP patients continue doing their exercises after their pain subsides. That means 96% of us with chronic, recurring low back pain DO NOT exercise even though we know we should. We feel bad, even guilty for not exercising. So, what can we do to “trick” ourselves into being more compliant with our low back exercises? First, let’s accept the fact that most of us cannot consistently “fit in” exercise into our busy schedules. With that said, the TIMING of when to do the exercise may be more important than even doing them at the same time every day. In other words, do a few exercises when you need them the most. For example, if you’re working at a computer for more than 1 hour, and you start to feel back pain from the prolonged sitting – especially if your work station set up is less than ideal – do one or two sitting exercises right at your work station, BEFORE your back pain gets any worse. If you wait too long, the exercises may not be of much benefit. Setting a timer next to your screen that beeps every hour is a good reminder to do one or two simple exercises and only takes a minute or two. Many inexpensive digital watches can be set to beep on the hour/every hour or, you can set a “timer” to beep after 60 minutes as a “gentle” reminder. Some cell phones also have a timer feature. Here are three sit down low back exercise options (try them all and decide which one(s) feel most productive/helpful):
If you do the math, it would take a minute for #1 and #2, 30 seconds for #3 (total 2.5 min.). If that’s too long, hold for 5 seconds. If that’s too long, do 1 rep, not 3. You get the idea…..MAKE IT WORK! Modify the dose to fit your schedule or ability to stretch. If you do this AT THE TIME you start to feel tight or sore, you can PREVENTa LBP episode! We realize you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for low back pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future. Content Courtesy of Chiro-Trust.org. All Rights Reserved.
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 Headaches are a common complaint in patients presenting for professional care, including chiropractic management. Patients with headaches seek chiropractic care because they find manipulation or adjustments applied to the cervical spine and upper back region are highly effective in reducing the intensity, frequency and duration of the headache pain. This is because the cervical spine / neck, is often the origin of the headache as the three nerves in the upper neck (C1, 2 and 3) pass through the thick, overly taught neck muscles in route to the scalp / head. When the muscles of the neck are in spasm, the nerves get “pinched” or squeezed by the overly tight muscles resulting in headache pain. Each nerve runs to a different part of the head and therefore, pain may be described as “…radiating over the top of head (sometimes into the forehead and eyes),” or, into the head and over the ear, sometimes reaching the temple. Also, an area located in the back and side of the head is the area where the C1 nerve innervates, so pain may also be reported in that location. When more than one of the C1-3 nerves is pinched, the whole side to the top of the head may be involved.
In the October 2009 issue of The Spine Journal, Western States Chiropractic College, Center for Outcomes Studies, reported benefits are obtained with the utilization of spinal manipulation in the treatment of chronic cervicogenic headaches. The word “chronic” means at least 3 months of headache pain has been present. This new study compared 2 different doses of therapy using several outcome measures including the pain grade, the number of headaches in the last 4 weeks and the amount of medication utilized. Data was collected every 4 weeks for a 24 week period and patients were treated 1-2 times/week and separated into either an 8 or a 16 treatment session with half the group receiving either spinal manipulative therapy or a minimal light massage (LM) control group. The results of the study revealed the spinal manipulation group obtained better results than the control group at all time intervals. There was a small benefit in the group that received the greater number of treatments with the mean number of cervicogenic headaches reduced by 50% in both pain intensity and headache frequency. The importance of this study is significant as there are many side effects to medications frequently utilized in the treatment of headaches. Many patients prefer not taking medications for this reason and spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) offers a perfect remedy for these patients. Couple SMT with dietary management, lifestyle modifications, stress management, and a natural, vitamin/herbal anti-inflammatory (such as ginger, turmeric, boswellia) when needed, a natural, holistic approach to the management of chronic headaches is accomplished. We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future. Content Courtesy of Chiro-Trust.org. All Rights Reserved. 
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could assess three common types of treatment for neck and back pain to determine which is the most effective? Here is a look at three studies that compared three popular forms of care for chronic spinal pain to determine the short-term and more importantly, the LONG-TERM benefits of chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, like Advil).
The FIRST published study included a pilot group of 77 patients complaining of chronic spinal pain (neck, mid-back, or low-back pain). These patients were separated into one of the three treatment groups and received either NSAIDs, acupuncture, or chiropractic manipulation. Patients received care for four weeks with outcome measures (questionnaires) used to assess changes in pain and disability. After a 30-day time frame, only patients who received chiropractic manipulation (CM) reached a level of statistically significant improvement, supporting CM to offer the best SHORT-TERM BENEFITS for those with chronic back/neck pain. The SECOND study included 115 patients, again randomized, to receive either one of the same three treatments, but this time the outcome data was gathered two, five, and nine weeks after the start of treatment. Again, those who received chiropractic manipulation (CM) experienced the best overall improvement at nine weeks. The THIRD study involved follow-up from the same patient group from the SECOND study two years later. Once again, participants completed outcome assessments that measure pain and disability. This time, the results showed that only patients in the chiropractic manipulation group maintained long-term improvements in pain and disability. There have been other studies looking at the efficacy and benefits of SMT (spinal manipulative therapy) both in comparison with other forms of care (as presented here) as well as with different conditions or diagnoses. Perhaps the most exciting results were published in 2008 by the International Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain. They divided patients into four groups (Group 1: Neck pain with little to no interference with activities of daily living – ADLs; Group 2: Neck pain that limits ADLs; Group 3: Neck pain with radiculopathy or radiating arm pain from a pinched nerve; Group 4: Neck pain with serious pathology such as cancer, fracture, infection, and/or systemic disease.) The researchers concluded that chiropractic care was highly recommended especially in Grades 1 and 2 (which includes the majority of neck pain sufferers). Interestingly, many multidisciplinary physician groups now incorporate chiropractic care as part of their “team” approach, which also offer pain management in the form of medications, injections, PT, and when necessary, surgery. They have seen the value of spinal manipulation for neck pain and often seek out chiropractic because it’s safe, beneficial, and cost effective! We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. If you, a friend, or family member requires care for neck pain or headaches, we would be honored to render our services. Content Courtesy of Chiro-Trust.org. All Rights Reserved. Sign up to receive our health related articles. 
There are MANY different types of headaches, of which migraines are a common type. This discussion will concentrate on some unique characteristics that are associated with migraine headaches. This information may help you understand what type of headache you’re having. A unique feature of migraine headaches is that prior to the start of the headache, there is often a pre-headache “warning” that the migraine is about to commence. This is often referred to as an “aura,” and it can vary from a few minutes to a few hours, or in some cases, two days prior to the start of the migraine. Here are some of the more common “warning signs” that you are having, or are about to have, a migraine:
• Neck pain. In an online survey, the National Headache Foundation found that 38% of migraine patients “always,” and 31% “frequently” had neck pain accompany their migraine headache. • Frequent urination. This can precede the migraine by an hour or as much as two days. • Yawning. A 2006 article in the journal Cephalgia reported that about 36% of migraine sufferers describe yawning as a common pre-migraine warning. This can occur quite frequently, such as every few minutes. • A “sensory aura” may occur on half of the body, moving from the finger tips through the arm, across the face, or elsewhere and usually includes a temporary lack of feeling as if the body region is “half asleep.” • Nausea and vomiting. This is a common aura. According to the American Migraine Study II (a mail survey of more than 3,700 migraine patients) 73% reported nausea and 29% vomiting. Another study reported that migraine sufferers who have nausea/vomiting usually have more severe migraine headaches and get less relief from migraine medications compared to those who do not get nausea or vomiting. • Other common auras or “sensitivities” during the migraine include bright light, noise, and/or smells (like perfumes), and many migraine sufferers seek refuge in a dark, quiet room and try to sleep. • Physical activity. Routine activities such as walking, climbing steps, running, weight lifting, or sexual activity can trigger a migraine and/or increase the intensity of an existing migraine headache. • Trouble speaking. Difficulty “getting the words out” or formulating thought (staying on task) can be another warning sign of an impending migraine. Obviously, if this is the first time this symptom has occurred and it’s “…out of the ordinary,” we’ll have to make sure it’s not something more serious (…like a stroke)! • Weakness. This may occur in an arm or leg or entire half of the body (left or right side) and also could be a more serious sign of a stroke, but it is also a fairly common pre-migraine aura. • Visual aura. This can include double vision and / or vertigo (balance loss with a spinning feeling). This often occurs in a special type of migraine called a “basilar-type migraine” and symptoms can include dizziness, double vision or loss of vision. The balance loss is often associated with a “bad migraine” and occurs when the migraine is stronger or more intense than usual. • “Headache hangover.” This usually occurs after the migraine has passed and people describe a feeling of being “wiped out.” Symptoms can include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, and extreme energy loss. In many cases, adjustments applied to the neck and upper back, especially when delivered BEFORE the migraine, can reduce the intensity and in some cases STOP the migraine from even starting! We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. If you, a friend, or family member requires care for headaches, we would be honored to render our services. Content Courtesy of Chiro-Trust.org. All Rights Reserved. |
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