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- November (11)
- Keep your neck comfortable while you fly.
- Back pain is hard to diagnose. Here’s why.
- Neck spasms can be triggered by awkward movements or stress-related muscle tension
- 3 Techniques for Coping with Chronic Sciatica
- Protecting Your Neck Over the Holidays
- 11 Tips to Relieve Headache with Neck Pain
- 5 Unusual Office Chair Solutions
- 5 Tips For Preventing Tech Neck Pain
- How Soft Tissue Injuries Can Cause Neck Strain
- How to Use Tennis Balls for DIY Lower Back Pain Massage
- 21 Ways to be a Savvy Chiropractic Patient
- October (11)
- Best Yoga Poses for Sciatica Relief
- Immediate Treatment for a Back Muscle Strain
- 9 Lesser-Known Tips for Easing Neck Pain
- 3 Hamstring Stretches to Relieve Lumbar Herniated Disc Pain
- How Massage Can Ease Sciatic Pain
- What really happens when you pull a lower back muscle?
- Here’s how back pain is caused by movement
- Try these exercises to ease upper and middle back pain
- Is My Pain Sciatica or Something Else?
- Can Neck Pain Cause Dizziness?
- 2 Reasons Why Walking Is Good for Your Lower Back
- September (8)
- 5 Things You Should Know About Chronic Pain
- Is Your Upper Back Pain Related to Your Arm Numbness?
- Heat, or ice? When to use each for back pain relief.
- These 3 yoga poses can help loosen up your aching back.
- Here’s how to plan for driving long distances with back pain.
- These two everyday things might be triggering your sciatica.
- The underlying cause of leg weakness.
- Neck stiff? This could be why.
- July (8)
- 3 Things That Might Be Causing Your Sciatica
- Should I Nap During the Day?
- Consider these neck pain tips for the next time you fly.
- Summer tips for staying healthy.
- Clearing up the confusion about text neck and skull horns
- How to find the right seat to support your back.
- Here’s what you need to know about neck strains.
- Feel better by doing this just one hour each day.
- June (12)
- How to Get Sciatica Pain Relief Through Exercise
- 6 Strategies to Baby Your Back
- Best Laptop Setups
- Before you take the open road this summer, learn how to protect your back
- What’s causing my stiff, sore back?
- This may be the reason your upper back or shoulder blade hurts
- 6 things you should know about getting a good night’s sleep.
- It’s Men’s Health Week. Here’s a helpful guide for guys with spine pain.
- Try these 3 beginner stretches to ease your sciatica pain.
- Traveling this summer? Keep these 3 tips in mind.
- Here’s how to know if your lower back pain is serious.
- Did you know there are different types of pain that can affect your back?
- May (6)
- Here’s how to keep your back healthy and happy next time you golf.
- These 9 tips for soothing neck pain may surprise you.
- Don’t let these summer activities aggravate your back pain.
- Too much rest could be bad for back pain. Here’s why.
- If you like to use a heating pad to soothe back pain, keep these tips in mind.
- Pull a back muscle? Follow these steps for pain relief.
- March (8)
- Do your back a favor and try this for 60 minutes every day
- The 2 neck pain symptoms you need to get treated for right away
- Here’s what you need to know about cervical osteoarthritis
- Stress may cause lower back pain
- Learn the 3 most common reasons for sciatica pain
- How to Support Someone With Chronic Pain
- 3 Ways to Improve Forward Head Posture
- Don’t do these 6 things if you have a herniated disc.
- 2018
- December (9)
- Here are 6 surefire tips for lowering your stress before bedtime.
- Do you have osteoporosis? Here’s how you can best protect your spine.
- If you have sciatica pain, these are the yoga poses to try.
- 2 Common Mistakes That Provoke Sciatica Symptoms
- 3 Simple Ways to Indulge Your Spine
- 3 Symptoms That May Indicate You Have Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease
- Exercise is key for better back health
- Smart, simple ways to keep your neck healthy this holiday season
- Here’s how to prevent and treat a stiff neck from sitting in an airplane
- 2017
- November (9)
- How Cooler Weather Affects Chronic Pain
- Try out 3 quick tips for helping your lower back.
- Warning: these 3 everyday things are hurting your neck.
- Sciatica symptoms flaring up? Try these easy hamstring stretches
- Here’s how heating your back pain can lead to relief
- See why resting for too long is actually bad for your lower back
- Here are 2 reasons to avoid phone use in bed if you have neck pain.
- Take control of your chronic pain with mindful meditation.
- Sitting Disease is the new health epidemic. Here’s how you can beat it.
- October (9)
- Taking a long drive? Here are 3 little-known tips to relieve lower back pain on road trips.
- How much do you know about the connection between sleep and chronic pain?
- How to know if your lower back pain is serious.
- The Importance of Aerobic Exercise for Easing Lower Back Pain
- Understanding Cauda Equina Syndrome
- 4 Experiences That Basically Sum Up Living With Chronic Lower Back Pain
- Poor posture causing your back pain?
- The truth behind cracking your neck
- An inside look at bone spurs
- March (12)
- 5 Tips for Flying Back Pain Free
- 4 Myths about Back and Neck Pain
- What You Need to Know about Neck Arthritis
- How to Treat Lower Right Back Muscle Strain
- Everyday Tips for Back Pain Relief
- Signs of a Herniated Disc in the Lumbar and Cervical Spine
- Minimize your back pain by incorporating these two tips into your daily routine.
- How Soft Tissue Injuries Cause Neck Strain
- 1 Hour to Ease Your Back Ache and Boost Your Mood
- 3 Things to Consider When Deciding Whether to See a Doctor for Your Lower Back Pain
- How to Exercise with Sciatica
- What You Need to Know about Spondylosis
- January (12)
- Weight Training Effectively Relieves Back Pain
- Is Piriformis Syndrome the Same Thing as Sciatica?
- 8 Crucial Insights for Back Pain Sufferers
- Understanding Spinal Anatomy Helps You Talk to Your Doctors
- 3 Lesser-Known Causes of Lower Back Pain
- Snacks, Supplements, and Scents to Help You Sleep
- Could My Back Pain be Caused by Stress?
- 5 Ways You May Be Coping With Pain All Wrong
- Should I Use Ice or Heat for My Lower Back Pain?
- How Posture Can Aggravate a Lumbar Herniated Disc
- 3 Simple Items That Can Help Ease Your Chronic Sciatica
- Which Mattress Is Best for Lower Back Pain?
- 2016
- December (9)
- 4 resolutions for better health in 2016
- 4 tips to cope with back pain as you navigate the joy and stress of the holiday season
- 3 tips to ease your sciatica symptoms during long car and plane rides
- What’s a Slipped Disc?
- 4 Big Reasons Why Back Pain Is Hard to Diagnose
- A Guide to Spinal Anatomy and What Can Go Wrong
- Put Your Knowledge to the Test
- Treat Sore and Strained Muscles
- 7 strategies to help you manage the upcoming holiday season.
- November (15)
- 3 little-known facts about chronic pain
- how to effectively use heat therapy
- Do you use your phone in bed?
- simple stretch to help relieve sciatic pain
- 3 common habits to prevent pain and stiffness
- 3 simple suggestions
- The New Health Epidemic: Sitting Disease
- 6 Questions to Ask During Open Enrollment
- Mindful Meditation vs. Chronic Pain
- Treating your Sciatica
- Simple clues to determine cause of neck pain
- 7 natural ways to relieve chronic back pain
- 3 hamstring stretches
- Keep your spine happy and healthy
- reality of living with chronic lower back pain
- October (12)
- 3 tips for a more pleasant trip
- Chronic Pain Quiz
- 3 Simple Tips for Chronic Neck Pain Relief
- Should I Worry About My Neck Cracking?
- Sciatica Symptoms
- Is Poor Posture Causing Your Back Pain?
- The National Pain Strategy
- First Aid Remedies
- Finding the Right Mattress
- Test Your Knowledge
- Which is better for your lower back pain
- Methods to Cope with Chronic Pain
- July (12)
- Five Ways to Keep Your Spine Healthy and Happy
- 7 Sleeping Tips for Chronic Pain
- Pokémon Go and Neck Pain
- Mobilizing the Spine Joints
- Avoiding Bed Rest
- Mild Nuisance that Comes and Goes
- Chronic Pain
- Aerobic Exercise
- Lumbar Herniated Disc
- Exercise and Chiropractic Care
- Treatment for Sciatica
- Top 12 Tips for Buying a New Mattress
- May (11)
- All About Spinal Decompression Therapy
- Exercise for Better Back Health
- Calcium is Needed for Strong Bones
- Sitting at work
- Neck Pain
- Sitting in Front of a Computer
- Home Exercise Equipment
- The Spine Can Produce Pain
- A Modern Spine Ailment: Text Neck
- The 3 Worst Things You Can Do To Your Neck
- American Chiropractic History of Treatment for Back Pain and Neck Pain
- 2015
- February (11)
- Evolution Chiropractic Medicine health care
- Depression Guide
- Differential Diagnosis
- Chiropractic Therapy and Exercise
- Back Pain and Neck Pain
- Stretching Exercises Sciatica Pain Relief
- Chiropractic-treatments Whiplash
- Back Muscle Spasm
- Chiropractic Examination and Treatments
- Leg pain and numbness
- Cervicogenic Headache
- 2014
- May (53)
- Back to the basics
- Evaluation Patient
- Reactions Following a Chiropractic Adjustment
- Chiropractic Adjustment Lumbar Spine Low Back Video
- Tai Chi theory
- Treatment a Cervical Herniated Disc
- Manipulation Under Anesthesia Pain
- Treatments Low Back Pain During Pregnancy
- Video What Causes a Stiff Neck
- How are you sleeping these days?
- Ice Massage Back Pain Relief
- Sacroiliac Joint Problems
- Cold Laser Therapy
- Aerobic Exercise
- Muscle Strain
- Compassion
- Chiropractic Treatment
- Strong Hamstring Muscles
- Axial Pain
- Myofascia
- Non Surgical Treatment Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction Video
- Lumbar Spine Anatomy and Pain
- Sacroiliac Joint Anatomy
- Osteoarthritis Treatments
- Snow Shoveling Techniques
- Chiropractic Examination
- Leg Pain
- Occipital Nerve
- Hamstring Stretching
- Back Muscle Spasms
- Joint Cavitation
- History of Chiropractic
- Subluxation
- Integrating Chiropractic Care Other Doctors
- Assessment of Back Pain
- Herniated Discs
- Persistent leg pain
- Stenosis
- Headache
- Joint Dysfunction
- Home Exercise
- Evolution Chiropractic Care
- Depression Guide
- Assessment of Lower Back Pain
- Exercise
- Lower Back or Buttock Pain
- Do-it-yourself massage ideas
- Soreness
- Ease your Back Ache
- Ice Massage
- Herniated Disc
- Fibromyalgia
- Welcome to Our Blog
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Posts for: October, 2018
Understanding the anatomy and inner workings of your spine will help you stay mindful of how to best protect your spine as you go through your day. This top-to-bottom guide to the spinal anatomy can help you understand the potential problems.
See Spinal Anatomy and Back Pain
The spine is comprised of three sections: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar.
Watch Spine Anatomy Interactive Video
Your neck is susceptible to strain or injury
The spine begins at the base of the skull in a section called the cervical spine. This consists of 7 vertebrae and extends through your neck to your upper back.
Acute neck pain is most often caused by a muscle, ligament or tendon strain (such as from a sudden force or straining the neck). These injuries will usually heal with time and nonsurgical treatments to alleviate the pain (such as ice/heat, medications, chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, etc).
If your neck pain lasts longer than two weeks to three months—or if you experience mainly radiating symptoms like arm pain, numbness or tingling—there is often a spinal problem. The most common examples are:
Your middle back is not usually a source of pain
The 12 vertebral bodies in your upper and middle back make up the thoracic spine. The firm attachment of the rib cage at each level of the thoracic spine provides stability and structural support and allows very little motion, which means that thoracic spine injuries are rare.
See Thoracic Spine Anatomy and Upper Back Pain
However, irritation of the large back and shoulder muscles or joint dysfunction in this area can be very painful.
A disc herniation in the lumbar spine can put pressure on the nerve root, causing radiating pain down the back of the leg (sciatica). Watch Lumbar Herniated Disc Video
Your lower back is the most prone to injury
Your lower back (lumbar spine) has the least structural support and endures the most strain, making it the most frequently injured area of the spine.
Watch Lumbar Spine Anatomy Video
The motion in the lower spine is divided between five motion segments, although a disproportionate amount of the motion is in the lower segments (L4-L5 and L5-S1). Consequently, these two segments are the most likely to be injured. For example, a herniated disc in this area can cause pain and possibly numbness that radiates through the leg and down to the foot (sciatica).
See Sciatica Causes
Most short episodes of lower back pain are caused by muscle strain. Even though this doesn't sound like a serious injury, pain in the low back can be severe.
See Pulled Back Muscle and Lower Back Strain
But, as with the cervical spine, if pain lasts a few months or is accompanied by radiating pain or tingling in the legs and feet, a structural problem with the vertebrae or discs is the likely culprit.
See Cervical Discs
The base of your spine can cause pain too
Below the lumbar spine is a bone called the sacrum, which makes up the back part of the pelvis. This bone is shaped like a triangle that fits between the two halves of the pelvis, connecting the spine to the lower half of the body.
The sacrum is connected to part of the pelvis (the iliac bones) by the sacroiliac (SI) joints. Pain here is often called sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and is more common in women than men.
See Treatment Options for Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
The coccyx, or the tailbone, is at the very bottom of the spine. Pain here is called coccydynia and is more common in women than men.
Take advantage of the many educational videos and articles we have provided on our site to become an expert on your spinal anatomy. Understanding how your spine works, and how things can go wrong, can help you take steps to protect and strengthen it.
Learn more:
Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerve Roots
Causes of Pain in the Lumbar Spine
Foam rollers—you’ve probably seen these cylinders in the gym or being used by athletes on the sidelines of a game. Did you know that they may be just the thing you need to ease your neck strain?
See Neck Strain: Causes and Remedies
Foam rolling and other forms of massage can help ease pain when it originates in the neck muscles. SeeCervical Spine Anatomy and Neck Pain
Foam rollers have become a popular way for people to treat muscles with self-myofascial release, or self-massage. Experts think they work by increasing blood flow to the muscles and alleviating soft tissue adhesions, sometimes referred to as muscle "knots" or "trigger points."
See Trigger Point Exercises for Neck Pain
An analysis of 12 high quality studies found that massage can provide short-term pain relief for those with idiopathic neck pain, compared with standard care.1
See Neuromuscular Massage Therapy
Foam rolling is specifically to relieve muscle pain, so if you have neck pain that’s caused by a problem such as degenerative disc disease or arthritis, check with your doctor before you attempt using a foam roller.
See Cervical Osteoarthritis (Neck Arthritis)
Tips for foam rolling safely and effectively
If you’re ready to try foam rolling to ease your neck pain, keep these tips in mind:
See Cervical Spine Anatomy and Neck Pain
- Foam rollers should be used on muscle, not bone or joints. Avoid using it horizontally on your neck, directly over your spine. Instead use it vertically, rolling out from either side of your spine.
- Slowly roll the foam roller until you find a tender spot or trigger point. Then apply gentle, steady pressure to that spot until pain subsides, but no longer than 60 seconds.
- Foam rollers should cause slight pain or discomfort as they release muscle knots, but not severe pain. If you feel sharp or stabbing pain, stop immediately.
- Avoid using a foam roller on your lower back, since back muscles are rarely the cause of low back pain and foam roller may make other low back conditions worse.
- Because muscle knots in your neck or shoulders can be hard to reach, you may find that a theracane or trigger point massager works better for you than a foam roller.
Combined with stretching exercises, physical therapy, and medication, foam rolling can be a simple and effective way to relieve neck pain.
See Neck Stretches
Learn more:
Chronic Neck Pain: What Condition Is Causing My Neck Pain?
What to Consider Before Starting Exercises for Neck Pain
If you have issues with your back, you may have been surprised at how hard it can be to arrive at a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.
See Getting an Accurate Back Pain Diagnosis
Your doctor will typically take your symptoms and medical history into account when making a diagnosis.
Read: Lower Back Pain Symptoms and Diagnosis
If you have ever wondered why this is, look no further. Here are 4 big reasons why back pain is hard to both treat and diagnose:
See Back Pain Overview: A Guide for Understanding Back Pain
1. Diagnostic challenges
There are numerous potential issues when it comes to diagnostic tests. But the preeminent problem is that there is no single diagnostic test that can provide an accurate back pain diagnosis.
See Back Pain Diagnosis: Diagnostic Tests for Indicators of Back Pain
So then, many diagnostic tests have limited value, and some may even be controversial. Of course, this does not mean that your medical professional cannot accurately diagnosis your back condition. For example, certain common conditions, like a lumbar herniated disc that leads to sciatica symptoms, can often be diagnosed quickly and accurately through a variety of tests, questions, and image scans.
See Diagnosing a Lumbar Herniated Disc
But the inadequacy of any single diagnostic test helps to explain why you may receive different diagnoses from different doctors.
See Introduction to Diagnostic Studies for Back and Neck Pain
2. Trial and error
It is important to note that even if you correctly identify the underlying problem with your back, this does not necessarily dictate the proper treatment plan. There is typically more than one way to treat a back condition, and finding the treatment that works best for you can often times be a process of trial and error.
See Back Pain Treatment: Non-Surgical Options for Pain Relief
For example, some people with leg pain caused by a disc problem find that an epidural steroid injection provides great pain relief. Others find that it has no effect at all. So it is important you work closely with your doctor, and are clear and honest about your symptoms and the effectiveness of various treatments.
See Injections for Back Pain Relief
3. Subjective experience
Pain is a very personal experience. What may be mild back pain to one person can feel severe and overwhelming to another. This means that the same condition can require completely different kinds and levels of treatment for different people. For example, over-the-counter medication may be sufficient to treat the pain from a common back condition for most people. But your subjective experience may dictate that you need a more robust treatment plan to handle your intense pain.
See Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain
4. Back pain can lead to a lack of sleep
The majority of people with chronic pain suffer from some sort of sleep problem. This can create a painful cycle, as a lack of sleep can make your pain worse; and more intense pain can make it more difficult to fall asleep.
See Chronic Pain and Insomnia: Breaking the Cycle
All this means that it may be difficult to treat your chronic back pain because you need to treat both your pain and your sleep problem. This can be tricky, as you have to try to juggle and combine two treatment plans into one cohesive whole.
See Pain Management for Chronic Back Pain
With all the above factors, along with the advances in imaging and treatments, no one doctor can be an expert in regards to all spinal problems. This makes it all the more important for you to educate yourself on your symptoms, conditions, and treatment options. The more you know, the better chance you have of finding meaningful and lasting pain relief.
Learn more:
Non-Surgical Treatments for Lower Back Pain