As inevitable as death and taxes, occupational stress has become the new normal for most Americans. It could be considered a major workplace health hazard. Merriam-Webster defines stress as “a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation . . . that tends to alter an existent equilibrium.”

Daily stress at work can lead to everything from actual physical illnesses and injury to substance abuse and depression. A Michigan public health study concluded that poorly managed anger (which is a common result of ongoing stress) can lead to a 2.5 times higher risk of death from heart disease.

Stress will always be a part of life. How we deal with occupational stress can change our health for the better or worse.

Our bodies are geared for a fight or flight response to stressors that resolve or finish quickly. Most occupational stress in today’s modern work environment is prolonged and rarely takes a break. Your body’s response that is meant to be short-term (increased heartbeat and respiration, increase in adrenaline and other hormones, etc.) becomes more long-term and just adds fuel to the fire.

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Should you have a standing desk or traditional desk? When should you sit, and when should you stand?

Without a doubt, there are numerous negative effects of regular, prolonged sitting. Over time, these negative effects can even cause cascading health issues. If you spend the majority of your day sitting at a desk, you are probably very familiar with a few of them. But there are many that may surprise you. Take a look at this list.

Dangers of sitting too much

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Weak legs
• Weight gain
• Increased risk of certain cancers
• Slows down brain function
• Shorter life span
• Altered posture and alignment
• Muscle tension
• Weakness
• Increased risk of heart disease
• Decreased overall cardiovascular health
• Increased risk of depression
• Increased risk of anxiety
• Poor digestion
• Poor blood circulation
• Increased risk of diabetes
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Higher cholesterol
• Bulging or herniated disks
• Slower metabolism

This has led to countless ideas and ergonomic products designed to alleviate the strain that long-term sitting puts on the body. One such product gaining in popularity over the last few years is the standing desk. What better way to avoid the pitfalls of sitting in a chair all day than to eliminate the chair altogether?

That leads us to consider the numerous negative effects of regular, prolonged standing. Good upright posture is necessary regardless of whether you are sitting or at a standing desk. This requires substantial effort from your muscles. Insufficient blood flow to loaded leg muscles used for standing increases pain and fatigue in your neck, back, and legs. Below are some other negative effects.

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Bulging disc and herniated disc are commonly used terms for intervertebral disc problems. People also use terms like slipped and ruptured, but a disc does not actually slip, and ruptured just refers to a disc that has herniated. This can understandably cause some confusion when you just want to figure out what is wrong and how to fix it. For simplicity, we will stick with bulging and herniated for the rest of this post.

What are intervertebral discs, and what do they do?

In between each of your vertebrae, except the atlas and axis (C1 and C2), are flexible, gel-like pads. They are called intervertebral discs. They act as shock absorbers for your spine. These cushions absorb and disperse impact energy and provide spinal flexibility for bending and turning. Each disc is made of a tough cartilage surrounding a softer inner core called the nucleus pulposus.

Being an integral part of your spine, this puts them right next door to the bundle of nerves serving your spine and other areas. This is important to note because a bulging or protruded disc can press on these nerves and cause pain. Those nerves serve other parts of your body. That means you may feel pain in other areas, not just in your back.

Bulging disc vs herniated disc

A bulging disc is simply that: a disc that is bulging outside of its normal parameters between vertebrae. Wear and tear or damage from misuse can cause the disc to be pushed out farther than it should be. Age is also a very common factor as discs become compressed over time. A disc does not always bulge out evenly all the way around. It can often only be ¼ to ½ of the disc that is affected.

Herniated discs, on the other hand, happen when cracks form in the tougher outer layer of cartilage. That allows the softer core to protrude. Over time, an untreated bulging disc can develop into a herniated disc. They can also occur from trauma such as a car accident. Herniated discs are commonly called ruptured discs or slipped discs. As stated before, a disc cannot slip. A disc is attached to the top and bottom of the vertebrae. What can slip are the vertebrae themselves. The term slipped disc would be more accurately called a slipped vertebrae or a subluxation.

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Ergonomics in the Office and its Role in Corporate Wellness

Ergonomics in the office doesn’t have to look like a workplace full of space-age furniture and strenuous stretching routines. It can be as simple as adjustable chairs and microbreaks.

Back and neck pain are commonly reported workplace injuries, and not just from bad lifting. Seemingly benign activities such as sitting in an office chair for too long can cause problems. Workers who spend large amounts of time sitting at desks benefit from applying simple ergonomic principles in their work environment. Doing so can help avoid work-related injury and pain. Corporate wellness programs like the ones offered through Synergy Wellness have been shown to reduce lost work time due to illness and injury.

What is ergonomics?

Merriam-Webster defines ergonomics as “An applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely.” In a typical office environment, this simply means the workspace and tools are designed or laid out to reduce stresses on the body. Facilitating a healthy work environment and habits reduces health-related productivity loss. The proper chair can help maintain a healthy posture. An ergonomic keyboard can reduce the risk of carpal tunnel. In essence, the tools conform to the needs of the worker instead of the worker conforming to fit the tools. With that in mind, let’s discuss how a focus on proper ergonomics in the workplace can reduce common health complaints of office workers and increase their overall health, well-being, and productivity.

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Dizziness and Vertigo Causes and Chiropractic Treatments

The majority of people will experience the sensation of dizziness at one time or another in their life. Many times feeling lightheaded, faint, or off balance is a short, isolated experience, but it can also be more chronic and debilitating.

Vertigo is generally described as a sensation of motion where a person or their environment seems to move or spin uncontrollably. This condition can occur regardless of bodily position, such as standing, sitting, or lying down. Mild to severe attacks can be short-lived or last for an extended duration. It is often associated with other symptoms:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Hearing loss
• Malaise
• A feeling of pressure or fullness in the ear
• Tinnitus or ringing in the ear
• Sweating

Vertigo is more than just a feeling of being light headed. It can intensify simple movements, significantly burdening your everyday life.

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Chiropractic care can help with headaches as well as other conditions. If you have ever suffered from a headache, you are not alone. The majority of people worldwide will experience a headache of some kind in their lifetime. With a loss of 157 million workdays and over $50 billion dollars lost each year due to headaches alone, that’s a big deal! There are many types of headaches from mild to severe, and the causes can range from minor, like allergies, to life-threatening, such as an aneurysm. Identifying the cause of your headache and correcting it is the first step toward effective treatment and possible prevention of future ones. Below, we will touch on some of the most common types of headaches, address preventative measures, and discuss available treatment options.

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What is scoliosis?

As a parent, one of your most important goals is to help your child have the best health possible. Early screening for scoliosis can assist you in achieving your goal.

Scoliosis is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine of 10 degrees or more, causing a C-shaped or S-shaped curve, that affects approximately 3% of the population. The majority of those who have scoliosis begin to develop the condition early in adolescence with the onset often corresponding with pubertal growth spurts. Male and female gender differences should be taken into account since girls (age 10–14) begin this growth spurt and achieve skeletal maturity at a younger age than boys (age 12–16), therefore it can affect them sooner and is also more common in girls. Screening during these years is important when looking for and controlling spinal deformities. In rare cases, infants may show signs of spine curvature due to improper formation of the spine in the womb.

Early screening for scoliosis by a trained professional is important as scoliosis can go unnoticed in young people because it’s rarely painful in the early stages and, as with most health issues, the sooner it is caught, the more likely and easier it may be to fix. Fortunately, if caught before they become too severe, most curvatures of the spine can be treated without surgery.

Types of Scoliosis

Scoliosis can be broken into two main classifications: structural and functional. Structural scoliosis is considered fixed. This means the spinal twisting cannot be changed, though muscle tone around the area can be improved and possibly reduce progression. Functional scoliosis is more treatable and can often be completely reversed if caught early on. With this type, the changes in shape or structure are not permanent and are a secondary issue caused by another underlying condition.

Here are four of the most common curvature types:

Watch a Video Discussing the 4 common types, 2 classifications along with exercises I personally used to correct my scoliosis.

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Stretching is a part of a good workout process.

Stretching, also called flexibility exercise, refers to one of the four types of exercises called the balance, strength, endurance.

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Lower Cross Syndrome: Causes and Chiropractic Treatments

Comprehending the various symptoms present with lower back pain is vital in the diagnosis of an ailment. Importantly, it’s through thorough history, symptoms, and examination that an illness or medical condition can be appropriately diagnosed with a suitable treatment plan.

Notably, one of the more common low back conditions is known as Lower Cross Syndrome. This medical condition is also referred to as Pelvic Crossed Syndrome or Hyperlordosis, and it’s defined as a postural dysfunction that results in an increased arch in an individual’s lumbosacral area of the body.

Keenly, one arm of the cross indicates the muscle that is usually overly facilitated and the other arm of the cross indicates the muscles that are traditionally inhibited or weak.

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Recover from pain and soft tissue injuries at the speed of light with cold laser therapy 

MR5 Active Pro with LaserStim

With the rising need for alternative treatment options for musculoskeletal conditions, it seems that the world is moving to the future—where the possibilities are endless. More technologies are now transforming the medical industry—giving hope to millions of patients and key industry stakeholders. For instance, Synergy Wellness Chiropractic & Physical Therapy in New York City takes advantage of this innovative, safe and effective technology, and the discovery of MR5 Active Pro with LaserStim has made it possible to treat different musculoskeletal conditions in the most convenient, effective way.

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