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Archive for back pain

Why your back can cause limb pain

Posted by admin 
· November 17, 2021 
· 3 Comments

If you have persistent or recurring headaches or pain in your limbs or joints that can’t be explained, it could be coming from your back.

You may experience referral pain in one part of your body but it comes from another part, most commonly from your spine.

This is because our spines are very complex with many nerves that are connected to other parts of our body.  Problems with the spine, such as an injury, disc bulge or disc herniation may not necessarily present as back pain.  They can sometimes appear as knee, hip, arm or leg pain.

So how do you know when the pain you experience in one part of your body is coming from your back? There are three ways to identify if your joint or limb pain is really back pain.

  1. Do you have any back pain along with your joint or limb pain?

If you have back soreness that accompanies your joint or limb pain, it may be your back causing pain in multiple areas of your body.

2. Are you experiencing back stiffness that is limiting your range of movement? 

Stiffness in your back may be a sign of disc bulge, with the pain from your spine travelling down a nerve to another part of your body.

3. Does the joint or limb pain keep returning and your health professional can’t find an obvious cause?

If there is no obvious cause for pain on one part of your body, it could be due to pain referring from your spine.

Chiropractors are trained to identify and treat the cause of pain that refers from the spine. Early diagnosis and treatment is important to avoid more complicated health problems.

To learn more, or if you need help with identifying and treating the cause of suspected referral pain contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 6676 2270.

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Categories : Back care tips
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Beware bad posture can cause heartburn, incontinence and other health issues

Posted by admin 
· April 14, 2021 
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Bad posture can cause neck, joint and back pain but it also causes a number of other health issues such as heartburn, incontinence and constipation, according to Harvard Medical School.

Modern work and life involve spending many hours sitting at desks, looking down at smartphones or lounging on the couch. Harvard Medical School has found that poor posture causes many health concerns such as poor balance, headaches and breathing difficulties, as well as:

1. Incontinence. Poor posture promotes stress incontinence, when you leak a little urine if you laugh or cough. Slouching increases abdominal pressure, which puts pressure on the bladder. The position also decreases the ability of the pelvic floor muscles to hold against that pressure.

2. Constipation. Poor posture on a toilet, hunched over with your knees lower than your hips, can promote constipation. This position makes it harder for the abdominal muscles to help move faeces out of the body.

3. Heartburn and slowed digestion. Slouched posture after a meal can trigger heartburn caused by acid reflux (when stomach acid squirts back up into the oesophagus).

To avoid health issues caused by poor posture, it’s important to develop a habit of ensuring good posture by maintaining a neutral upright spine position with shoulders back and down at all times. 

It’s a good idea to do core strengthening exercises such as yoga and Pilates to support your posture. 

If you think your spine may be out of alignment and impacting your posture, contact your chiropractor for an assessment.

For more information about how to maintain good posture contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 6676 2270.

Source article: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/3-surprising-risks-of-poor-posture

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Is your home office doing you harm?

Posted by admin 
· August 31, 2020 
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Every week I see people with back and neck pain purely because they don’t have the right home office set up and are sitting still in one position for way too long.

When we are at a workplace, rather than home, we often tend to move around more to talk to colleagues, grab a cup of coffee, buy lunch, go to the printer etc. This activity tends to cease when working from home, and we can often forget to take those computer breaks that are critical to helping our minds and bodies reset.

To save you back, neck and joint pain – and reduce visits to your chiropractor, check out these simple tips on the attached Sunrise video for your home office set up.

https://www.facebook.com/Sunrise/videos/956274044801650/

For more information and advice contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 6676 2270

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Eight subtle signs your body needs help

Posted by admin 
· July 30, 2020 
· 1 Comment

We can all feel stiff, sore and tired from time to time but if the same pain keeps resurfacing, it may be your body trying to warn you that something is seriously wrong.

With our busy lives, it can be too easy to ignore the subtle signs that our bodies give us but by ignoring the warning signs you could be at risk of missing the early detection of a more serious issue.

There are eight common issues chiropractors see that, if left untreated, can lead to longer term issues that may require surgery or lifelong pain management.  Some of these issues may also signal potential life-threatening conditions:

Neck stiffness

While neck stiffness is quite common, particularly for people who spend long hours working on computers or using smartphones, it can also signal something more serious. Persistent neck stiffness may be the result of a degenerative cervical spine disorder which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent nerve damage, compression of the spinal cord, paralysis and in rare cases, death.

Joint pain

Joint pain is often considered a natural part of the aging process, and it can also emerge following strenuous exercise. However, persistent joint pain can severely limit your mobility and impact your overall health in the longer term. For example, limited mobility may lead to poor psychological health and obesity, which in turn can increase the risk of issues such as diabetes and heart disease.

Muscle weakness

We all get muscle weakness from time to time due to factors such as illness or an intense workout that causes muscle fatigue. However, ongoing weakness in the muscles can be a sign of issues such as nerve damage, muscular or skeletal degeneration, a herniated disc, neuromuscular disorder, or a tumour.

Numbness or tingling

While we can get numbness or tingling from sitting too long in a certain position, such as when your foot goes to sleep, having this symptom without cutting off blood circulation is an early warning sign of injury, nerve damage, a herniated disc, or even diabetes. If numbness or tingling related to nerve damage, injury or a herniated disc is left untreated, you may end up needing surgery.

Uneven posture

If you have uneven shoulders or hips, asymmetry of the back or your head rests off-centre you may have scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine. If left untreated, it can cause a reduced range of motion, pain, disc degeneration, and possibly cardiovascular and breathing problems caused by the rib cage constricting the heart and lungs.

Headaches

Headaches can be caused by factors such as stress, dehydration, low blood sugar, or misalignment of the neck or spine. Persistent headaches may be a sign of migraines, food allergies, nerve degeneration, or tumour.

Intermittent pain or stiffness

If you have pain or stiffness that comes and goes, it could be a sign of nerve damage, muscular or skeletal degeneration, or disc bulge.  Similar to other forms of pain, if it is left untreated intermittent pain or stiffness can become chronic pain, which then requires more intensive treatment and possibly surgery.

Sharp, Shooting Pain in Your Legs 

A sharp, shooting pain or tingling and weakness in your legs indicates a pinched nerve or slipped disc.  Without treatment, this can lead to longer term issues requiring long term pain medication or even surgery.

Chiropractors are trained to treat many of these conditions, or will refer you to another health specialist if they suspect a non-chiropractic issue. To find out more about the subtle warning signs your body gives you and how to treat them contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 02 6676 2270.

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Six signs you have an inflamed facet joint

Posted by admin 
· July 22, 2020 
· 1 Comment

Almost everyone gets back pain at one time or another, right? You lifted that heavy bin the wrong way, your worn-out workstation chair is a nightmare, you were rear-ended, you carry chronic tension in your shoulders, you tried to return an impossible tennis serve and threw out your back…the list goes on and on. But what if you have occasional periods of acute pain and there’s no apparent cause? This might be a signal that your facet joints are in trouble.

The facet joints are small, cartilage-lined points of contact where each individual backbone (vertebra) meets the one above and below it. They both enable your spine to flex during movement and also limit its range of motion. However, if the cartilage wears thin, pain can occur. Things like aging (wear and tear), obesity (extra weight creates a greater burden), a previous injury or trauma to the spine, and weight-bearing jobs are risk factors for facet joint damage.

If you have had no recent back strain or injury but you are starting to experience episodes of upper back pain, lower back pain, or pain that radiates outward from your spine, here are 6 clues that your facet joints may be the source of it:

  1. The pain occurs occasionally and unpredictably, perhaps scattered over several months.
  2. When the pain occurs, pressing on the skin in that area may cause soreness or tenderness; the muscles there tighten in response to pressure or movement (guarding reflex).
  3. It may not hurt to bend or lean forward, but doing it backward produces a definite “ouch!”
  4. If the pain is in the upper spine (between the base of the skull and the top of the ribcage), there may also be shooting or burning pain that radiates across the shoulders and upper back, but not down the arms or into the fingers.
  5. If the pain is in the lower back, facet joint compression can send nerve pain down into the buttocks and the back of the upper leg (pain that shoots down the front of the leg, or below the knee, is a symptom of another back problem called a herniated disc).
  6. Sitting for long periods aggravates the lower back pain episode, and riding in a car may be nearly intolerable.

Chiropractic care can help reduce facet joint inflammation. If you need help with facet joint pain contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 6676 2270.

Article courtesy of Sperling Medical Group.

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How stress impacts your body and what to do about it

Posted by admin 
· July 7, 2020 
· No Comments

For most people, 2020 has been a pretty stressful year so far. The combination of drought, bushfires and COVID-19 has either directly or indirectly affected all of us. As we emerge from these challenges, it’s time to take a look at your stress levels, and the impact stress has on your body and overall wellbeing.

What is stress?

Stress is our natural physical and mental reaction to events that occur around us. It’s our flight or fight response and is designed to protect us by giving our bodies the adrenalin hit we need to think and act quickly to escape perceived danger.

In modern life, stress can be caused by anything from daily work and family issues through to significant events such as the diagnosis of a serious illness, or death of a family member.

During your body’s stress response your heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, breathing quickens and muscles tighten.

Why stress is a concern

While in short bursts, stress can be beneficial to helping your body quickly respond to a situation and protect itself, ongoing, longer-term stress can lead to many issues including:

  • Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Eating disorders, which may cause issues such as obesity
  • Fertility concerns
  • Skin and hair problems
  • Digestive issues
  • Chronic muscle and joint pain
  • Weakened immune system.

How to stop stress

While you can’t stop the life events that cause stress, you can control your reaction and reduce stress impacts on your body.  Some great ways to reduce stress are:

  • Just breathe deeply.  When we are stressed we often shallow breathe, which puts stress on our body and causes further stress for our minds.  By just taking some deep slow breaths, it will help your body to relax a bit so that you can better cope with the stressful situation.
  • Meditate. Even if you just take five minutes to take yourself out of the stressful situation and take your mind to a calm, peaceful place, it will help you to think more clearly and keep you calmer.
  • Try yoga or pilates.  Yoga and pilates stretches help your mind to focus while also easing muscle tension.

How your chiropractor can reduce the impact of stress

When you are stressed, your muscles are tense and your nerves are on edge. As your body endures ongoing stress, it becomes much more sensitive to physical imbalances and pain. When your body feels pain this also causes stress, so it becomes a vicious cycle.

Chiropractic adjustments help your body turn off the fight/flight response by unblocking the central nervous system, improving blood circulation and easing muscle tension.  This helps to relieve irritated spinal nerves so that the body can return to a more relaxed natural state.

As a result, you are able to think more clearly and rationally because messages between the brain and nervous system move seamlessly, reducing mental stress.

To help you maintain harmony between your mind and body, your chiropractor can also provide lifestyle advice so that you can take charge in reducing muscle tension, becoming more relaxed and ensuring your body is well nourished.

For more advice about stress management and stress reduction techniques contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 6676 2270.

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Categories : Back care tips
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Free chiropractor in your pocket app

Posted by admin 
· June 8, 2020 
· No Comments

Whether working remotely or in the office, studying or playing sport, it’s important to take care of your back. It’s easy for us to take our backs for granted, until we develop back pain and other related problems.

To help keep your back in shape, the Australian Chiropractors Association has developed the Straighten Up as an ongoing community service initiative to improve your health and the way your body functions.

Consisting of a set of simple exercises and taking just three minutes to complete, Straighten Up will help improve posture, stabilise core muscle groups, and enhance health.

The exercises can be undertaken by Australians of all ages with a special program tailored for children., which helps them develop good habits for life.

The exercises can be completed at any time of day but are most beneficial when they form part of a daily routine. It’s hoped that over time all Australians will take a few minutes every day to care for their spinal health, just as they do for their dental health.

Studies conducted overseas indicate that 90% of people who adopted the exercises as part of their daily routine reported a postural improvement. Approximately 80% reported that their backs were more comfortable and that they had better core stability after practicing the activities for several weeks.

Straighten Up app

While your chiropractor can’t be there 24/7 correcting your posture, the Straighen Up App can! Designed to act as ‘Your Pocket Chiropractor’, this app aims to address the growing posture issues and back pain problems faced by Australians.

Features of the App:

  • Reminders: Set reminders to receive notifications about sitting right, stretching, taking breaks, drinking water and improving your posture.
  • Exercises: A 3-minute spinal health program designed to improve spinal health, stablise core muscle groups and enhance health.
  • Augmented Reality: Showing both good and poor posture in different settings. The augmented reality feature works in conjunction with Straighten Up postcards.
  • Locate A Chiropractor: The app shows a list of local ACA chiropractors on a map and also as a list.

Download the free Straighten Up app today through either Google Play or the App Store.

Google Play
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CALL US:
02 6676 2270

Located at 10 Toormina Crt. Pottsville 2489

We have an wholistic and personalised approach to your treatment. As part of this approach we have a good network of local medical doctors, podiatrists, acupuncturists and other health specialists to best meet your needs when necessary.

Member of the Chiropractors Association of Australia http://www.chiropractors.asn.au

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