Winter has certainly hit with a vengeance this year. Snowfall records have fallen all along the eastern seaboard. The deep south has seen rare snowstorms. And with several more weeks of winter to go, we can expect to see a lot more of the white stuff across much of the United States. Snow shoveling is great exercise. But lo … Read More
Back Pain Treatment Machine
As we move into the second decade of the 21st century, technology continues to move forward at blinding speed. Yet even I was surprised (actually, I laughed out loud) the first time I heard about a robot designed to treat back pain. But I soon found out this was no joke. It works so well that athletes from every major sport … Read More
Stress and Back Pain
Don't Let Stress Keep You in Pain Stress can do far more damage to your health than just make your shoulders and upper back tight. Few people realize that stress can not only cause many different health ailments like back pain, but it can also keep you in pain and prevent your body from healing. Our thoughts, emotions and … Read More
Your Role in Health Care
As the debate continues to rage on in Congress over health care reform, one fact remains crystal clear: real health care starts at home, not in the doctor’s office or emergency room. For most of us, it is what you do on a daily basis that has a larger impact on your overall health than what is done when you finally make it t … Read More
Pros & Cons: Cortisone Injections
Cortisone shots are given as symptomatic treatment for a wide variety of repetitive stress injuries, arthritis, and other ailments. Commonly the injection consists of a mixture of a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory and a local anesthetic to minimize pain from the injected medicine. Most cortisone injections are conducted in … Read More
My wife's "back went out" … here's what she's doing
When people say back pain affects everyone, that really is the truth! Not only did I struggle with middle back pain (and a bunch of other ailments like shoulder problems, knee pain, tendonitis) years ago before becoming an "expert" ... but my wife has also had several bouts of back pain over the years brought on initially … Read More
Dealing with an Upper Back Pinch
You know the feeling. A pinch between the shoulder blades. It Simply tilting your head all the way back is painful. And that crick in your neck when you turn your head, ouch! Whether you sit all day at a desk working on a computer or use your neck and shoulders all day like a hair stylist, an upper back pinch is an increasi … Read More
Lumbar Back Supports… Do They Really Help?
When back pain strikes, regardless of the cause, our first instinct is to get rid of the pain as quickly as possible. Typically that means sitting or lying down and avoiding just about all movements in hopes the pain will go away. Unfortunately that instinct is one of the most ineffective treatments for back pain, but not fo … Read More
A Rare Case of Upper Back Surgery
Upper back surgery made the news earlier this year when U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln underwent a procedure to remove part of a herniated disc which was pinching a nerve in her back. What is particularly interesting about this surgery, beside the fact it was on a sitting U.S. Senator, is how uncommon the need for upper back s … Read More
3 Steps To Help Correct Your Sitting Posture
Most of spend most of our day sitting, beginning at the breakfast table then the commute to work, sitting behind a desk all day and then a television at home after work. We sit when we eat, when we work and when we relax, which is truly many hours of sitting, and probably slouching. This amount of time sitting down can have … Read More