Many of our patients have been taught the analogy of our discs being a “jelly doughnut” by Dr. Steve. He found the perfect visual to show exactly what he means!
Here’s a cool video about how a disc degenerates.
Tag Archives: sleep
Walking Diminishes Lower Back Pain Risk
A Spine Journal study found: “Walking for more than 3 days per week for over 30 min at a time significantly decreased the risk of developing low back pain (21-35%). The risk decreased further with increasing walking days and duration.”
Pretty cool that something as simple as walking can help with pain! Our body was made to be up right and walking. Walking can also help with bone health, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. So get out and go for a walk, its good for your health. Better yet grab your spouse or significant other hold hands and go for a walk together.
Gut Immune Cells Cut Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis
Another great reason to take care of our of second “brain”. Fascinating to see how important the gut microbiome is to our overall health!
More and more research is showing that inflammation in your gut can effect your body. The gut/brain connection is real and should be taken into account when you are sick and not feeling as good as you should. The old adage you are what you eat seem to be right more and more.
Source: http://bit.ly/2TuKrAG
Ten tips for better sleep
Who has time for sleep when life is so busy? Have a cup of coffee and you’re ready to go, right? The lack of sleep has a negative impact on one’s health. It has been shown to increase inflammation as well is impairing focus, fat loss, insulin signaling, testosterone production, and cardiovascular health.
Above are some simple tips that could help you. The link below goes into each recommendation into great depth. It’s worth reading.
This book is also a great resource for helping you figure out your sleep profile.
Spinal Manipulation Is The Treatment Of Choice For Pregnancy Related LBP
I had quite a few pregnant females come for treatment of their lower back pain. They did not know chiropractic could help them with there pain!
Did you know:
Spinal manipulation is a safe and effective tool for pregnancy-related low back pain (P-LBP). Multiple studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of manipulation for this population. Evidence-based recommendations for OB/Gyn’s include referral for chiropractic spinal manipulation.
Some facts about lower back pain during pregnancy.
- Researchers estimate that between 45-76% of pregnant women will experience low back pain at some stage of their pregnancy. (1-7) Up to 33% rate their pain as severe. (6)
- Pregnancy-related low back pain (P-LBP) leads to lower quality of life, restricted activity, and disability – with almost 25% of pregnant women taking sick leave for LBP. (2,)
- The recurrence rate for pregnancy-related low back pain is 85-90%.
- Consequently, almost 1 in 5 women who report P-LBP during a first pregnancy will avoid future pregnancies due to fear of returning symptoms.
References
1. Wu WH, Meijer OG, Uegaki K, Mens JM, van Diee¨n JH, Wuisman PI, et al. Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain (PPP), I: terminology, clinical presentation, and prevalence. Eur Spine J 2004;13:575–89.
2. Pierce H, Homer C, Dahlen H, King J. Pregnancy related low back and/or pelvic girdle pain: listening to Australian women. Abstract presented at the XI International Forum for Low Back Pain Research in Primary Care, Melbourne, Australia, 15–18 March 2011.
3. Diakow P.R.P., Gadsby T.A., Gadsby J.B., Gleddie J.G., Leprich D.J., Scales A.M. Back pain during pregnancy and labor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1991;14(2):116–118.
4. Berg G., Hammer M., Moller-Nielsen J., Linden U., Thorblad J. Low back pain in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 1988;71:71–75.
5. Mogren IM, Pohjanen AI. Low back pain and pelvic pain during pregnancy: prevalence and risk factors. Spine . 2005 Apr 15;30(8);983-91.
6. Hall J, Cleland J, Palmer J. The Effects of Manual Physical Therapy and Therapeutic Exercise on Peripartum Posterior Pelvic Pain: Two Case Reports. Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy. 2005;13(2): 94-102
7. Weis CA, et al. Prevalence of Low Back Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain, and Combination Pain in a Pregnant Ontario Population. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2018
Gut Brain Axis (connection)
Ever get really upset or nervous and get butterflies in you stomach? That’s an example of the Gut Brain connection. This connection works both ways.
A recent study adds more information to the connection between the brain and your stomach.
Your gut is directly connected to your brain, by a newly discovered neuron circuit.
The human gut is lined with more than 100 million nerve cells—it’s practically a brain unto itself. And indeed, the gut actually talks to the brain, releasing hormones into the bloodstream that, over the course of about 10 minutes, tell us how hungry it is, or that we shouldn’t have eaten an entire pizza. But a new study reveals the gut has a much more direct connection to the brain through a neural circuit that allows it to transmit signals in mere seconds. The findings could lead to new treatments for obesity, eating disorders, and even depression and autism—all of which have been linked to a malfunctioning gut.
The brain can effect your stomach and stomach can effect your brain. One can effect the other. Here are some symptoms of an impaired gut-brain axis:
- Difficulty digesting foods
- constipation or irregular bowel movements
- increased bloating and gas
- distention after meals
- intolerance to food types such as proteins, starches and/or fats
- frequent abdominal discomfort after eating
I will be posting more information about this topic in the future. So for now please eat your vegetables and cut all junk food. This will help your stomach and your brain.
\https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/your-gut-directly-connected-your-brain-newly-discovered-neuron-circuit
More on the Squat
The last post got me thinking more about squatting or getting out of a chair. We have been squatting since we were first able to walk. It’s a fundamental movement pattern. A fundamental movement pattern is one that does not need to be taught. Think of crawling or walking; a baby just does it correctly if their brain is developing well.
Don’t we all wish we could move like this? The flexablity and stability is amazing.
This pattern can be lost. Falls, accidents, injury, sitting to much, and a sedentary lifestyle can all cause changes in the body. So how does this matter? If we use the incorrect movement pattern then stress is placed on the body ( ie the lower back). Other areas of the body could be placed at risk ( the knee).
Here’s how this applies to the real word:
Getting out of a chair.
The wrong way: Back not straight(rounded), head not up.
The correct way: Back straight, head up. This one looks a little more like the baby’s picture right?
The Squat:
The squat is used daily when we pick up thing off the floor.
The wrong way: The back rounded and head down. This posture puts a greater amount of pressure on the lumbar discs.
The correct way: The back is straight and the head is up. The lumbar spine is in a neutral position. The pressure on the disc is much less.
Next time you have to pick up something have some one take a picture of you. If your back is rounded and not straight you are putting yourself at greater risk for back and disc injuries. Call the office and set up an appointment! Dr. Steve can address the issue that preventing you from moving correctly!
Muscular weakness in adolescence is associated with disability 30 years later
Like we need another reason to throw away the Xbox and computer! It’s no secret that kids are playing outside less and less theses days. This habit could lead to disability later in life!
A recent study found that there was a strong association between muscular weakness and disability. A combination of muscular weakness and low aerobic fitness was an especially important risk factor for disability. This adds weight to call for muscular strength and fitness enhancing exercise for adolescents in all BMI categories.
How can you prevent this? Turn off the Xbox and computer. Get outside, go for a walk, ride a bike or throw a football. Do something that does not require sitting!
One more thing needed to live Longer
For the past 75 years, The Study of Adult Development, run out of Harvard, has been tracking the physical and emotional well-being of over 700 men who grew up in Boston in the 1930’s and 1940’s. It is one of the longest and most comprehensive longitudinal studies of its kind, closely following subjects from their late teens and early twenties all the way into their eighties and nineties.
Many of the findings are what you’d expect: don’t drink too much; don’t smoke; exercise often; eat a nutritious diet; maintain a healthy body weight; keep on learning. The final finding is love.
The Study of Adult Development shows that the quality of one’s relationships has an enormous impact on the quality of one’s life. The more and deeper the love, the better.
I guess from now on I have to add love/meaningful relationships to my list of things to live a healthy life. Here it goes.
Dr. Steve’s big four health tips to live a healthier life: eat healthy, exercise, get adjusted and have meaningful relationships to live a long healthy life.
NSAIDs use may increase cardiovascular risk associated with osteoarthritis
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the cornerstone of pain management in patients with osteoarthritis.
The results of a study presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) suggest that over two thirds of the increased cardiovascular risk associated with osteoarthritis is linked to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Results of the study demonstrate that people with osteoarthritis had a 23% higher risk of developing CVD. The increased risk of congestive heart failure (CHF), ischemic heart disease (IHD), and stroke was 42%, 17% and 14% respectively. Investigators then calculated the impact of NSAID use on the increased risk and found that 68% of the total effect of osteoarthritis on CVD risk was due to NSAID use. The proportion of the increased risk due to NSAIDs seen in CHF was calculated at 45% and more than 90% for IHD and stroke respectively.
Come see Dr. Steve for safe, effective chiropractic care!