Did you know that sleeping on your back puts approximately 50 pounds of pressure on your spine?
Other positions, such as a side position, may be better.
Author: Dr. Robert Speirs DC
Condition Of The Month: Pregnancy-Related Low Back Pain
Low back pain during pregnancy is quite common. In fact, between 50-75% of all pregnant women will experience low back pain. The pain is usually caused from rapid changes in weight, posture, gait and hormones.
The average woman gains between 20-40 pounds throughout pregnancy. This weight gain moves your center of gravity forward, causing your pelvis to tilt and your lower back to sway – placing excessive stress on the ligaments, discs, and joints of your spine.
Pregnancy-related low back pain typically starts between the fifth and seventh month of pregnancy, although a significant portion of women experience pain sooner. Symptoms often begin at the base of your spine and may radiate into your buttock or thigh. Discomfort is often aggravated by prolonged standing, sitting, coughing, or sneezing. Your symptoms may increase throughout the day, and some patients report nighttime pain that disturbs their sleep. The extremes of activity seem to contribute to pregnancy-related low back pain – with increased risk for both “sedentary” and “physically demanding” lifestyles. Patients who have suffered with back pain prior to pregnancy are more than twice as likely to re-develop back pain during pregnancy.
Be sure to tell your doctor if your symptoms include fever, chills, bleeding, spotting, unusual discharge, cramping, sudden onset pelvis pain, light-headedness, shortness of breath, chest pain, headache, calf pain or swelling, decreased fetal movement, or symptoms that radiate beyond your knee.
Unfortunately, pregnancy related low back pain occurs at a time when your medical treatment options are limited. Not surprisingly, over 90% of prenatal health care providers would recommend drug-free treatment, including the type of alternative therapy provided in this office. Studies have shown that chiropractic manipulation provides significant relief of pregnancy- related low back pain. Almost 75% of women undergoing chiropractic care report significant pain reduction with improved ability to function.
Most patients will also benefit from continuing aerobic exercise throughout pregnancy. The US Department of Health and Human Services advises that healthy pregnant women may begin or continue moderate intensity aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes per week. Women should not begin “vigorous” exercise during pregnancy, but those who were preconditioned to vigorous exercise may continue. Be sure to check with your doctor prior to initiating or increasing any exercise program while you are pregnant.
Be sure to take frequent breaks from prolonged sitting or standing. You may find benefit by using a small footstool to alternate feet while standing. Sleeping with a pillow between the knees in a side lying posture may help you to rest more comfortably. You should wear shoes with good arch supports. In some cases, your chiropractor may recommend a sacroiliac belt or pelvic support belt to help relieve your pregnancy-related low back pain.
Sleep Tips for Fibro 1-5
Last week, we discussed the connection between sleep disturbance and the presence of widespread pain found with fibromyalgia (FM). This month’s topic will center on how we can improve our sleep quality with the goal of feeling restored upon waking in the morning!
1) NOISE & LIGHT: Block out noise with earplugs or a sound machine and light with window blinds, heavy curtains, and/or an eye mask. The light emanating from the LED or LCD from TVs, DVRs, or stereos has been found to suppress the pineal gland’s melatonin production (the “sleep hormone”) and thus can interfere with sleep, so try to keep them away from the bedroom. However, a small night light can assist for nighttime bathroom callings!
2) FOOD: Avoid large meals at least two hours before bedtime. Try a glass of milk, yogurt, or a small protein snack if hunger overcomes you. Milk is unique as it contains the amino acid L-tryptophan, which studies show, helps people sleep!
3) EXERCISE: Aerobic exercise during the day is HIGHLY therapeutic. It reduces stress, reduces pain, reduces depression, and wakes us up! Avoid heavy exercise within three hours before bedtime. Exercise on a REGULAR basis to promote high-quality deep sleep.
4) SLEEP HABITS: Develop good sleeping habits by going to bed at a regular time. Avoid napping in the late afternoon. A “POWER NAP” of no more than 10-15 minutes, ideally about eight hours after waking, is a GOOD THING as it can help you feel refreshed.
5) MENTAL TASKS: Avoid mentally stimulating activity one hour before bedtime to calm the brain.
If you, a friend or family member requires care for Fibromyalgia, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services!
Migrane Control? How?
Migraines can be life-altering! They can stop us from being able to enjoy a child’s piano recital, participate in family events, go to work, or simply do household chores! Wouldn’t it be nice to have ways to self-manage these miserable, often disabling headaches? Here are some options!
1. RELAXATION THERAPY: Search for a calm environment, turn off the lights (photophobia, or light sensitivity, is a common migraine complaint), minimize sound/noise (due to “hyperacusis”), and sleep if possible. Monitor the room temperature and/or use hot/cold compresses to the head and/or neck regions to relax tight muscles (heat) and reduce pain and swelling (cold). Similarly, a warm shower or bath can have similar beneficial effects.
2. SLEEP WELL: Migraines can interfere with falling asleep, they can wake you up during the night, and they are often triggered by NOT getting a good night’s sleep. To improve your sleep quality: a) Establish regular sleeping hours. Wake up and go to bed at consistent times every day, including weekends. b) Keep daytime naps short (20-30 min. max). c) “Unwind” at the end of the day – try soothing music, a warm bath, or reading a favorite book (avoid suspenseful movies). d) Don’t eat/drink too much before bedtime as heavy meals, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can interfere with sleep. e) Don’t exercise intensely before bedtime (stretching is fine). f) Eliminate distractions in the bedroom, including TV and bringing work to bed. Close the bedroom door and use a fan to muffle out distracting noises. g) If you take any medications, check for known side effects, as many contain caffeine or other stimulants that can interfere with sleep – including some meds that treat migraines! Talk to your doctor and pharmacist!
3. EAT WELL: Be consistent about when you eat and don’t skip meals (fasting increases the risk for migraine). Keep a food journal to figure out your migraine triggers and avoid foods that commonly trigger migraines like chocolate, aged cheeses, caffeine, and alcohol. Try eliminating these and see how you feel!
4. EXERCISE REGULARLY: This is MOST IMPORTANT for migraine management as it facilitates sleep cycles and stimulates the release of endorphins and enkephlins that help block pain. It also helps fight obesity, which is another risk factor for headaches.
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.
CTS Exercises?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the leading cause of numbness to the middle three fingers and thumb and affects millions of Americans each year. There are MANY potential causes of CTS, and these causes can be unclear or multi-factorial. We have discussed the importance of night splints and what chiropractic can do for CTS in the recent past. This month, let’s look at what YOU can do for CTS.
“Self-help” concepts are VERY important as they empower YOU to gain control of your condition’s signs and symptoms, thus placing less reliance on those of us who manage (in this case) CTS. There is a time for “PRICE” or, Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate, such as when most activities make symptoms worse. This is the time for splinting, reducing activities of daily living (which sometimes includes work restrictions), and the use of ice cupping or massage. Patients should initiate movement or exercise-based approaches as soon as such activities can be tolerated. Here are four different exercises you can do:
1. Fist / “Bear Claw” / Open Wide Hand: This is a three-step exercise, and you can start or stop on any of the three “steps.” A. FIST: Make a fist and squeeze as tightly as tolerated; B. BEAR CLAW: Starting from the fist position (A), open only the palm of the hand (keep your thumb and fingers bent but straighten the big knuckle joints at the base of the fingers); C. OPEN WIDE: Straighten and spread ALL your finger joints by opening up your hand as much as possible and feel for a good stretch in the palm. HOLD each position for one to five seconds (vary the “speed” of moving between the three positions – fast, medium, and slow; emphasize what feels best if you have a preference). Repeat five to ten times or until your hands feel looser.
2. “Church Steeple”: Place your hands together in front of you (“prayer position”) touching the pads of the thumbs and all four fingertips together and spread your fingers as wide as possible. Next, separate your palms as far as you can while applying pressure against your finger/thumb tips and repeat. Alter the speed and number of repetitions until your hands feel stretched out.
3. “Shake and Flick”: Simply shake your hands as if you just washed them and you’re shaking the water off to “air dry” them. Again, alter the speed and reps until they feel loosened up.
4. Forearm Stretches: Place one arm out in front, elbow straight, and fingers pointed straight, palm up (first set). Reach with the opposite hand and pull the fingers, hand, and wrist down and back towards you until you feel a strong “pull” in your forearm muscles. Hold until the forearm muscles feels stretched (5-10 seconds). Repeat this with the palm facing down for the second set to stretch the opposite (extensor) forearm muscles.
Do these on each side two to three times each (even the “good” side) EVERY HOUR (or as often as possible). Think about what you do on a daily basis and if you work in a repetitive manner (on the job or a hobby at home), try to do these exercises DURING THE REPETITIVE ACTIVITY to help keep your symptoms from getting out of control. If you can alter the position or speed of a work or avocational activity, do so for long-term prevention purposes!
If you cannot gain control of your CTS condition, you may need additional treatment options of which chiropractic offers a safe, non-surgical approach.
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 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we would be honored to render our services.
What do you mean “Balance”?
Most of us have heard of the term ‘balance’ when it comes to our diet. Learn what that word means to nutritionists.
10 Quick Back Pain Tips
Low back pain (LBP) is VERY likely to affect all of us at some point in life. The question is, do you control IT or does IT control you? Here are ten “tricks” for staying in control of “IT!”
1) STRETCH: When you’re in one position for a long time (like sitting at your desk), SET your cell phone timer to remind yourself to get moving and stretch every 30-60 minutes! Mornings are a great time to stretch.
2) BE SMART: Do NOT place your computer monitor anywhere other than directly in front of you. Shop carefully for a GOOD supportive office chair that is comfortable and a good fit.
3) POSTURE: For sitting, sit as upright as comfortably possible keeping your chin tucked in so the head stays back over the shoulders.
4) SHOE WEAR: Avoid wearing heels greater than one inch high (2.54 cm). A supportive shoe that can be worn COMFORTABLY for several hours is ideal! Generally, the “skimpier” the shoe, the worse the support, so don’t “skimp” on shoe wear!
5) SMOKING: Carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke competes with oxygen at each cell in the body literally suffocating them, which makes the healing process more difficult.
6) WEIGHT: Your body mass index (BMI) should be between 18.5 and 25. Search the internet for “BMI Calculator” and plug in your height and weight to figure out yours. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness and a great way to determine where you are at for goal setting.
7) ANTI-INFLAMMATION: Common over the counter (OTC) medications include ibuprofen and naproxen. However, recent studies show these types of medications (NSAIDS) may delay the healing process. A healthier choice is ginger, turmeric, and bioflavonoids, which are commonly bundled together in a supplement. Eat fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, and food rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin D, magnesium, and coenzyme Q10 are also smart choices. AVOID FAST FOOD as they tent to be rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which can promote inflammation.
8) ICE: This could be included in #7 but deserves its own space. Ice reduces swelling while heat promotes it. Try rotations of ice every 15-20 minutes for about an hour three times a day to “pump” out the swelling!
9) STAY ACTIVE: Balance rest with physical activity like exercise or simply going for a walk. The most important thing is to move your body around.
10) STRENGTHEN: Core stabilizing exercises (sit-ups, planks, quadruped) and BALANCE exercises are VERY important!
Chiropractic As Opioid Alternative
Chiropractic is an important part of the solution of the opioid crisis going on worldwide. This is an interesting article outlining how Chiropractic can be a part of the pain team for any number of conditions that previously have been handled with opioid drugs.
Standing Posture Tips
While sitting for prolonged periods of time can be hard on your back, the same can be said for prolonged standing.
If you must stand in one place for awhile, try keeping one foot slightly in front of the other, with your knees slightly bent.
This position helps to take the pressure off your low back
Aberdeen Chiropractic 