Fast sciatic nerve pain relief is possible with the safe and effective chiropractic treatment options we offer here at Synergy Wellness. But first, we need to understand what it is and what it is not. Since sciatica is a very common reason for back and leg pain, it’s understandable that pain from unrelated causes is often mislabeled as sciatica. In those cases, it could stem from strained or damaged muscles or ligaments.
Sciatic nerve pain is often uncomfortable, distracting, and even debilitating. Starting in the lower back, it can extend down the leg and into the foot and toes. The source of actual sciatica pain comes from irritation of the sciatic nerve. Pressure or pinching of this sciatic nerve that originates in the L4 and L5 vertebrae in your lower back is the cause of most sciatica pain, hence its name. If you take a look at the sciatic nerve diagram, you’ll see that the sciatic nerve is the large nerve that runs down the back of each leg. Like a large river created by smaller streams, five pairs of nerves exit the spine in the lower back to form the two sciatic nerves. Read More “Sciatic nerve pain relief”
Chiropractors trained in the Cox® Technic method use Cox flexion distraction technique for the successful treatment of chronic pain.
About one-third of Americans report that they suffer from some form of chronic pain. It is also the number one cause of long-term disability in the United States. According to a 2019 Dept. of Health & Human Services report, pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined.
Many Americans suffer from chronic lower back pain, neck pain, and migraines caused by a long list of conditions that can be treated with non-invasive chiropractic care. When treating chronic pain stemming from disc herniations and bulges, spinal stenosis, and nerve pains like sciatica, one chiropractic technique is considered the Gold Standard and is the most researched chiropractic procedure. It’s called Cox flexion distraction Technique.
Read More “Cox flexion distraction technique for chronic pain”
There are differences between osteopathy and chiropractic care, and knowing them can help you. Choosing a healthcare provider is an important decision and many people struggle with determining the right fit for themselves and their families. The seemingly endless list of fields and specialties doesn’t necessarily help. As you consider the kind of over-all care you are seeking, you will also want to factor in any current health concerns and personal preferences.
When it comes to back pain, most people choose to see either a chiropractor or an osteopath, but that is not the only problem they can help you with. Many people often wonder what chiropractic and osteopathy differences even are. The chiropractic and osteopathic fields do share many similarities; however, there are a number of important differences as well.
Temporomandibular disorders are irritating at best and debilitating at worst. Jaw clicking and popping. Headaches. Earaches or tinnitus. Inflammation or jaw locking. Does any of this sound painfully familiar? Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD), frequently miscalled TMJ (temporomandibular joint), are a common cause of facial discomfort. The pain commonly associated with it can affect one or both sides of your face. It stems from problems with the jaw itself or facial muscles and nerves. More women than men are affected by TMD. These disorders mostly occur in patients between the ages of 20 and 40.
The temporomandibular joint acts as a hinge connecting your jaw to the temporal bones in front of your ears. As with other joints, cartilage and discs act as a buffer between the bones. This “hinge” allows for the up and down and side to side movements necessary for talking, yawning, smiling, eating, laughing, and more. You typically use this joint over 5,000 times a day. In other words, it does a lot of work! You can probably guess that problems with the muscles, tissues, bones, or nerves in this area can have a major impact on your well-being and quality of life.
The standing desk is gaining in popularity. Is getting one the best option for you?
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 some that may surprise you. Take a look at this list. Read More “Is a standing desk for you?”
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.
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. Read More “Standing desk or traditional desk?”
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.
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. Read More “Bulging disc vs herniated disc: What’s the difference?”
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.
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.
Knowing how and when injuries in the workplace occur is the first step to accessing the work environment for risk factors.
Once these factors are identified, they can be systematically addressed. A corporate wellness plan with Dr. Dave through Synergy Wellness can help you with a customized risk assessment for your workplace.
Desk workers and anyone else who spends most of their day sitting are at risk for back injuries. Introducing good ergonomics can minimize this risk.
Here are some of the most common problems associated with poor office ergonomics:
Or it can be caused by sudden or unexpected events:
The human body isn’t made to stay in one position for too long. Maintaining one position for prolonged periods of time reduces tissue elasticity in tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Overreaching, twisting, and repetitive motions put strain on a limited area. This causes physical stress that leads to discomfort and pain. There are a number of things you can do to correct possible problem areas.
Maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle is always a good place to start no matter what. It’s not enough, however, to combat all the stress put on a body during the course of a typical office workday.
Get up and move. Take regular microbreaks throughout the day to break up the monotony. Alternate standing and sitting activities. Implement a variety of stretching techniques to use throughout your day.
Evaluate your workstation setup. Slouching and poor posture are the bane of the office worker’s back. Choose a chair that properly supports the lumbar region, and set the height to keep your feet flat on the floor and your legs parallel. Make sure your arms hang comfortably and your elbows rest at about a 90-degree angle. You will also want to adjust your keyboard and monitor to fit with the chair height or use an elevated footrest. Keeping your arms and wrists in a comfortable and aligned position will reduce strain in this area. The Mouse Trap is a good exercise to help alleviate the stress put on the right shoulder from the use of a computer mouse.
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Chiropractic care involves more than just spinal adjustments. Incorporating regular chiropractic checkups can catch current work-related problems before they get worse and avoid future issues. Our highly skilled and experienced massage therapists provide massage therapy to reduce stress, tension, and fatigue right in our office.
Start a Corporate Wellness Program. If your company does not offer a corporate wellness program, I highly suggest you request or start one. While many times seen as just an extra add on, these programs actually offer extensive benefits to both the employees and the company. A well implemented wellness program not only addresses injury and sickness prevention but also includes management of current health issues. Some of the more prominent benefits of these programs include but are not limited to the following:
Visit our website for information on the benefits of a wellness program through Synergy Wellness.
Register here for a Free Digital Ergonomics Assessment
If you are suffering from problems due to poor ergonomics in your workspace or want to start a wellness program for your company, don’t wait. Contact Dr. Dave today!
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.