Archive for neck Pain Ventura
After Brain Radiation Exercise Can Aid Recovery
Posted by: | CommentsExercise is a key factor in improving both memory and mood after whole-brain radiation treatments in rodents, according to data presented by Duke University scientists at the Society for Neuroscience meeting. “This is the first demonstration that exercise can prevent a decline in memory after whole-brain radiation treatment,” said lead researcher and graduate student Sarah Wong-Goodrich of the Duke Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
Program Helps Kids Switch Over to Healthy Behaviors
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Triple intervention enforces message at home, school and in the community, researchers say
TUESDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) — A family, school and community intervention program improved children’s eating and exercise habits and reduced the amount of time they spent in front of the television, a U.S. study has found.
The eight-month program, called The Switch, included 1,323 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at 10 schools in Lakeville, Minn., and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The program was developed by the Minneapolis-based National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF). Read more
Treating Arthritis with Bee Venom
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Bees have obviously been around for a long time. My knowledge of bees was that they produced honey, which I like, and give stings, which I don’t. But it turns out that even the stings have beneficial properties.
There is a growing number of people that practice apitherapy, the use of beehive products, which includes honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom. Apitherapy has been around for a long time. In fact, Hippocrates, the Greek physician and philosopher, used bee venom to treat joint pain and swelling. But it is not just the holistic practitioners that use bee venom for treatment of pain and inflammation but those who practice conventional medicine have also been exploring the use of bee venom for treating a wide variety of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis, chronic back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis.
Honeybee venom contains 40 ingredients, at least 18 of which reduce pain and inflammation. These include mellitin, an anti-inflammatory agent which is one hundred times stronger than cortisone, adolapin, which is both anti-inflammatory and pain-blocking, dopamine and seratonin. It is believed that the combination of substances in bee venom causes the release of natural healing compounds in the body.
A study conducted by researchers in South Korea published in late 2004 delved into the contribution of mellitin. They found that mellitin inhibited the release of inflammatory genes that are involved in immune reactions. They concluded that “The potency of melittin in the inhibition of the inflammatory response may be of great benefit in degenerative and inflammatory diseases such as RA”.
Traditionally, bee venom was administered with live bees. For many people, the treatment, or the thought of getting stung, was a hindrance to trying this therapy. Manyapitherapy patients, however, find that the relief from their chronic pain far outweighs the discomfort from stings. Some of these patients endure up to 80 bee stings a day, although for most three to four stings, three times a week is effective. There are also injectable forms of venom, as well as creams and ointments.
Here are a couple of good resources: Bees Don’t Get Arthritis
Originally posted 2007-10-30 12:43:03. Republished by Old Post Promoter
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Eating healthy on the cheap
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We’re all cutting corners these days and finding ways to make our dollar go further. That might mean eliminating lavish items and activities, and even paring down the basic necessities. While some of us are tightening our wallets when it comes to spending, many are expanding their waistlines by turning to inexpensive, low-quality food. According to Slate, fast food giant McDonald’s is making a killing off the nation’s recession, with sales in 2008 surpassing the previous 2 years. They opened nearly 600 additional stores in 2008.
Many people have the perception that eating healthy is expensive and in fact, a luxury. We maintain that buying wholesome food is possible, even if your family is sticking to a tight budget. The truth is, buying processed foods and eating poorly can lead to a variety of diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. Choosing fresh, healthy foods can improve your diet, quality of life and also prevent food-related illnesses, saving you costly bills at the doctor’s office.
With just a little preparation and grocery list in-hand, you can make healthy shopping an affordable and achievable goal. Check out graduate Michelle Pfennighaus’ blog, where she shares some of her penny-pinching tips for eating healthy food on a budget.
1. Cut back on animal products
2. Eat more beans and whole grains
3. Learn to adore the bulk aisle, buy only what you need
4. Drink water, cut back on bottled beverages
5. Eliminate prepared/processed food
6. Use what you have already, even if it means changing a recipe a little.
7. Plan, plan, plan. Don’t put it in your cart without knowing what you’re going to do with it.
Finally, be creative with your shopping and meal planning and have fun!
The Pros of Protein
Posted by: | CommentsYou’re starving. Your stomach is screaming with hunger, demanding that you fill its emptiness with food. Unable to ignore the strengthening pangs, you examine the contents of your kitchen and to your horror, find that there’s not much. Your options are limited to pretzels, last night’s onion rings or some …
Headaches Are a Pain in the Neck
Posted by: | CommentsOur pillow, bed, or sleep position is not always the reason for our stiff and painful neck when we get up in the morning. We also attempt to figure out what is taking place when we move our neck suddenly and feel a sharp pain that feels as if something has suddenly slipped out of position or is pinching a “nerve.” Though it may seem so, one singular event is hardly ever the cause of most neck problems, but instead the cumulative effects of unsuitable sitting posture, poor work and lifestyle habits, and lack of healthy exercise for strength and flexibility. Naturally, some neck challenges are due to traumatic events such as a whiplash accident, a fall, or a sports injury.
To understand neck pain, it is helpful to be aware of the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the neck are comprised of posterior joints, called facets, that attach vertebrae to one another and serve to pilot the motion of the spine. The inter-vertebral discs link the bodies of the vertebrae and are made of a form of strong cartilage that surrounds a soft material in the center, called the nucleus. The discs act as shock absorbers and spacers between the vertebrae. The spinal cord is located between the facets of the vertebrae. Spinal nerves go out from the spine between the vertebrae and supply energy to muscles and organs of the body. They also carry sensory impulses, including pain information, from the body to the brain. The nerves that leave from the neck are assigned to the entire upper extremity including the shoulder, elbow and hand, as well as structures of the head and neck. The neck has a natural forward curve when observed from the side that helps properly balance the weight of the head, as well as to decrease stress on the neck joints. For more information please feel free to visit your Colorado Springs Chiropractor.
Risk Factors: Neck Pain and Computer Use
Many people are now employed to sit at a desk in front of a computer. The use of computers has risen dramatically, and many individuals spend eight to ten hours a day slumped over the keyboard and staring at the monitor. When we sit with our head in a forward bent position-the posture that most desk workers assume-the ligaments that hold the facets together and the muscles in the neck are put under tremendous strain. Furthermore, the normal forward curve of the neck may become reversed and produce more stress on the surrounding tissue of the neck. All of this can lead to spinal problems including disc herniation and subluxations, which are the main causes of spinal nerve irritation. In addition to general pain, spinal nerve pain in the neck can produce symptoms including headaches, eye problems, giddiness, arm and hand pain (and paraesthesia), as well as shoulder pain.
Headaches and Chiropractic Care
Headaches or migraines are commonly associated with dysfunction of the cervical spine. When the cervical vertebrae lose their natural position or motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels that are connected with structures in the head are stretched or inflamed thus causing symptoms from a dull ache to throbbing pain. In many conditions the tight knots in the muscles of the neck, called trigger points, can also refer pain to the head. Many other factors are connected with headaches such as toxic fumes, certain foods, additives such as MSG, alcohol, caffeine, and stress. Still one must always look at the tissues and alignment of the neck when considering the cause of headaches and migraines. Chiropractic care has been shown to extremely valuable in the treatment of headaches. Your Colorado Springs Chiropractor can give you further information regarding treatment and pain relief.
Whiplash and Chiropractic Care
Many people are involved in car accidents. Rear-end collisions are the most common. During such a collision, the head of the passenger in the front vehicle is forcibly jerked back, and then forward, causing injury to the structure of both the front and back of the neck. This sort of trauma is often called a whiplash. Even at low speeds, the amount of force generated by such an accident is very intense and can cause damage to the ligaments, muscles, facet joints, discs, and spinal nerves. Whiplash injury includes neck pain and immobility, and other symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vertigo, arm and should pain, tingling in the hands and fingers, and weakness of the arms and hand. Immediate evaluation and x-rays are crucial in order to rule out a fracture. However in almost all cases, the injuries are mainly to the soft tissues and joints. Proper care is crucial in rehabilitation from the pain and symptoms of whiplash, and also to prevent future disability. Your Colorado Springs Chiropractor is extremely knowledgeable in the area of whiplash injury, and is more than capable of managing the case from injury to recovery.
Ventura Neck Pain: Is Your Old Pillow a Pain in the Neck?
Posted by: | CommentsVentura neck pain: Very few people know that many pillows really need to be replaced every few years. Because pillows compress and get lumpy there is no way you can get a good night’s sleep once they are past their prime!
Do you wake up in the morning tired and terribly exhausted and with a dull ache in your neck? Maybe you have a hard time concentrating and focusing throughout the day as a result of neck pain or lack of sleep. If you’ve had trouble with neck pain it is likely because your pillow doesn’t support you and align your spine the way it should.
The best solution for your neck pain and discomfort is to discard your old pillow and replace it with a new one. You may opt for down feathered, poly-filled, or a foam-type pillow such as Temper Pedic makes. There are even buckwheat hull filled pillows you can choose as a replacement option!Whatever pillow you choose, quality is what will deliver the comfort that will grant you a better night’s sleep.
While pillow shopping, you’re likely to find pillows that cost less, but peaceful rest is worth the price of quality if you’ve been experiencing insomnia, an aching back or neck pain. Every major hotel and resort around the world stocks quality pillows as guests’ comfort is their top priority. If you’ve ever wondered about the great night’s sleep you’ve gotten while on the road, it could be the pillow that’s the reason just as much if not more than the mattress.
Any Ventura chiropractor will say there are several factors that will help you choose a quality pillow when it is time for replacement.
First, consider the material and any known allergies you might have. Second, consider the style of pillow that will be most comfortable. Foam material pillows are specially designed for individuals requiring a therapeutic sleep posture for health reasons and sleep comfort. Even if there are no medical conditions affecting your sleep position, you may simply prefer the comfort foam pillows provide. Others find a soft, plump down-filled pillow most comfortable. You may need to try out several different types of pillows before you find the ideal choice for you.
Be sure to select the right pillow size so that your head is neither too high nor too low, as this can put stress on the neck and actually inhibit breathing. Size selections of pillows range considerably, from smaller sizes such as 15 x 10 x 2.5 inches up to 34 x 14 x 4 inches. Standard size pillows generally measure 25 x 19 inches.
How often will you need to replace your pillow? It depends on your sleep style and of course, the type and quality of the pillow you buy. Nearly all well-made pillows will last several years. Some pillows will last up to 15 years! Check with the manufacturer of the pillow for details about how long it will last.
No matter what type of pillow you decide on, one thing is guaranteed. Once you lay your head down on a supportive new pillow you will never hang on to an old one again!
Ventura Neck Pain: Upper Back Pain
Posted by: | CommentsVentura neck pain: Upper back pain is not as common as the lower back pain. But pain is pain. When the pain process starts, it is unbearable. The two common identified causes of upper back pain are:
1. Muscular irritation (also known as myofascial pain)
2. Joint dysfunction.
There can be many other causes- injury, accidents, upper disc displacement and many more.
There is a great deal of stability and less motion in the upper back, which is thoracic spine region. So, spinal disorders are not very common. Conditions like herniated disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and spinal disability can cause upper back pain, but such cases are few. This being the case, it is difficult to identify the causes for the upper back pain, precisely. Even an MRI Scan or CT Scan will not be of much help. So, it is not easy for the doctor to find a surgical solution, if the pain persists for a long period.
Modern amenities are not without the accompanying problems. A poor posture over a period of time creates strain in a particular region and that region happens to be your upper back, in case you are a computer operator and work throughout the day in front of your PC. Neck pain and shoulder pain are the comrades -in arms -of the upper back pain.
Here are some more causes of upper back pain:
1. Lack of strength in the particular region.
2. Injuries and damage to the muscles of the region caused through repetitive motions i.e. working in a particular machine in a particular manner. Take for example, hand molding machines. On an average a person does 1500 hand-operated motions in a working schedule of 8 hours.
3. Muscle strains and sports injuries.
Here again. You have to understand your back pain. With the nature of your work known to you, identify the area of your upper back, which is mostly strained. Do such yoga asanas, which help to ease the stress in that area. Do regular oil massage. If this is done in a systematic manner, there would not be any cause for the upper back pain to happen.
Because upper back is a big area, and also ‘muscle junction’, you have to adapt to a system of doing several stretching and strengthening exercises.
If you get the upper back pain, do not panic. Avoid hard medications and painkillers at any cost. Even best of the hospitals, the renowned specialists and Ventura chiropractor, have understood the virtue of physio-therapy. Follow it now, for your suffering is due to your past failings and negligence!
Ventura Neck Pain: Are You Looking For Natural Pain Relief Medication?
Posted by: | CommentsVentura neck pain: There is probably nothing more debilitating than chronic pain. Defined as pain lasting for six months or longer. Chronic pain afflicts millions of people. There is no way for you to be completely sure of preventing chronic pain. It can strike at any stage of your life, whether because of an accident or disease.
Chronic pain often long outlives its original cause, worsening over time and taking on a life of its own. Recent research has shown that chronic pain is destructive to your body. The longer chronic pain goes untreated, the worse it becomes. Chronic pain unleashes a cascade of harmful hormones, such as cortisol, that adversely affect your immune system and kidney function. You can’t expect it to go away by itself.
Many chronic pain sufferers wind up taking huge amounts of anti-inflammatory drugs. The NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen put them at risk for gastrointestinal bleeding and liver dysfunction. The newer class of pharmaceutical pain relievers, the COX-2 inhibitors, while an improvement in terms of side effects, still may cause some abdominal distress.
Anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin and Aleve, were implicated in the deaths of 16,000 people in the USA in 2000, due to bleeding ulcers and related complications, according to the Federal Drug Abuse Network. Research is also uncovering the fact that anxiety and depression are not so much responses to pain as the consequences of it.
Functional-imaging scans reveal similar disturbances in brain chemistry for both chronic pain and for depression. Pain and depression share the same neural pathways, the same circuitry. Allopathic physicians to treat depression and pain use the same medications. Depression and stressful events can enhance pain.
Chronic pain sufferers usually respond to stress with more pain. Serotonin and the endorphins that modulate healthy brain functioning also modulate depression. If you have chronic pain it uses up your serotonin like a car running out of gas.
It’s important to reduce the level of prostaglandins in your body. The compounds that cause you aches, pain and inflammation that makes your life miserable. It helps you to relax your muscles and to reduce swelling. It improves blood flow to areas such as your joints.
Most likely, you or someone you know suffers from some form of joint pain. With the recent removal of VIOXX and Celebrex from the market, millions of people are searching for an all-natural alternative. Finally, you have an all-natural and safe solution that is now being sold stating that it is the ONLY pain relief health supplement that includes a complete list of active botanicals in one easy to take supplement. You might have it seen on TV.
With this you can relieve your chronic pain of osteoarthritis, rheumatism, neuralgia, stiff joints, shingles, neck ache, and lower back pain. It also provides welcome pain relief from carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, fibromyalgia, muscle and joint pain, pinched nerves and sprains.
It is stated that it’s the most powerful anti-inflammatory agent on the market today and best of all it’s 100% natural and safe. Additionally, it acts as a highly effective lubricant in your joints, muscles and other tissues. It is also an immune system modulator, which can be effectual against autoimmune conditions. All of these characteristics contribute to its ability to act as an analgesic by removing the source of pain (inflamed and irritated tissues) so that there is no pain impulse.
Taking this product is NOT a substitute for treatment by a physician or Ventura chiropractor for chronic pain conditions, but the active ingredients can help to control this sort of chronic and severe pain without causing the side effects associated with many artificial pain relievers.
Ventura Neck Pain: How To Acquire Complete Back Pain Cure?
Posted by: | CommentsVentura neck pain: The worst part of the back pain is that it stabs you from the back. You can’t see the area of the back pain. Some areas, you can’t even touch. Touching the pain area does not get you the cure, but you do get some psychological relief!
With the strained backside, virtually you are unable to do simple activities, like reading a book or newspaper. You just moan, unable to bear the pain. Some one has to help you to apply therapeutic oil or balm in the affected area.
Back pain is one of the frequent complaints relating to the Computer Age. Those who sit and work in a particular posture, with no or a little physical activity often complain of back pain. That is for the simple reason that you demand too much from a particular part of the body, leaving other parts high and dry. As per the statistics, over 65 million people suffer from back pain in the USA alone.
Though there are many over the counter medications for the back pain in general, you can’t say that it is your medicine as well. The cause and specific conditions relating to the back pain vary from individual to individual. On the basis of your specific complaints and indications, the health care professional will advise you about the line of treatment.
Different types of medicines have different types of approach to tackle the back pain. The medicines which contain natural ingredients do it this way. They help to free the spots of inflammation by removing the toxins and impurities from near the spine, shoulders and neck.
When this is done, blood flow to that area is increased, which hurries the process of healing. The anti-inflammatory agents help to reduce soreness, discomfort and burning pain in the affected areas. Natural ingredients promise long term soothing relief.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen work in a different way. They help to reduce the inflammation and pain significantly, even when you suffer from acute pain. But the common side effect of this type of medication is that they cause gastrointestinal upset.
The third category of medicines to treat back pain consists of those drugs that act as analgesic, and they are meant for acute pain. But the side effects are quite harmful like liver and kidney damage. Therefore, analyze and think properly, whether these are medications or poison!
Medical practitioners, sometimes, prescribe opioids for back pain patients, and they must be having reasons for taking such drastic steps. These medicines can be habit forming.
Well, Massage therapy, Ventura chiropractor and Acupuncture are one of the most successfully tried and accepted treatment for back pain. These along the medicines can do wonders for you.
Finally, any back pain treatment needs to be in accordance of the nature and cause of your back pain.