When you’re young your muscles continue to grow bigger and stronger, even if you put in very little effort. But by the time you reach 40, and by some estimates perhaps by the age of 30, your muscles will start to gradually lose tone and function. This process, known as sarcopenia (muscle loss with aging), can eat away up … Read More
Are you reading this article on a computer? Take a moment to think about your posture. Are you sitting with your head held forward and your shoulders and upper back rounded? This is incredibly common … and it’s also a major source of back and neck pain. Among teens, even, frequent computer use increases the risk of neck, … Read More
Wouldn’t it be nice to roll out of bed feeling flexible and spry? Unfortunately for many, the reality feels more like waking up as the ‘tin man,’ needing a generous squirt of oil to get your body moving. This stiffness occurs, in part, because when you sleep your body slows down and stops processing interstitial fluid. … Read More
By Dr. Peter Bongiorno, ND, LAc Depression can take away a person’s sense of self and also severely impair the quality of life of the people around them. Affecting about one out of every 10 people, the World Health Organization ranks it as the second most burdensome disease in the world, meaning that it will cause m … Read More
By its very nature, exercise puts stress on your body. This is actually a good type of stress, though, one that will help your muscles to become stronger. However, it’s important to refuel your body properly after a workout in order to replenish lost nutrients and energy stores. In particular, your body will typically … Read More
Pain is the most common reason why Americans visit their doctors. It’s also a leading cause of disability (including the leading cause of long-term disability).[i] Costs relating to pain — including health care costs, lost income due to decreased function, and more — are estimated to reach up to $635 billion annually in t … Read More
Here at The Healthy Back Institute, we're dedicated to helping you live a pain-free AND happy life. I stress happy because, really, it's all about the quality of your life as much as the quantity, right? But did you know the two actually go hand in hand? The happier you are the healthier you’re likely to be, not only righ … Read More
Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal narrows, compressing or "squeezing” the spinal cord and nerves inside. ("Stenosis” means "narrowing” in Greek.) Most commonly, the narrowing occurs in the lower back, which is called "lumbar spinal stenosis.” (When it occurs in the neck, it’s called "cervical spinal st … Read More
People suffering from general lower-back pain usually complain of a dull, aching feeling; a tight, "locked up” sensation that limits movement; or sharp pains. Sometimes these sensations are accompanied by radiating pain in the legs and/or feet. All these symptoms can be caused by imbalances within your physical body, mind … Read More
A number of back-pain sufferers I work with tell me they’re in way too much pain to take the steps needed for long-term relief. While they’re looking forward to solving their back pain problem once and for all, they can barely move right now. Let me now address the topic of short-term pain relief. Sometimes it’s necessary … Read More