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Jan 08 0

Get Moving and Reduce Pain in 2018

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With a new year comes a fresh start, and it’s common to make a few resolutions focused on self-improvement. A YouGov survey found that exercise tops the list of most common 2018 resolutions.

Chances are that after a holiday season filled with lots of eating and drinking, you’re thinking about getting back into shape. But you might be worried about that mild—but consistent—pain that you put off for the past six weeks.

However, a safe and careful workout regimen can actually relieve your pain symptoms. Exercise is a known endorphin trigger, so a good workout sends feel-good chemicals throughout the body, which boosts your mood and decreases pain. Strengthened muscles remove pressure from the aching parts of your body and improve mobility and circulation. Movement can also reduce inflammation in your nerve tissue and limit the need for medications.

If you suffer from chronic pain, you should always receive proper guidance before beginning an exercise program. Think of your workout as any other health prescription. A qualified health professional should develop a tailored treatment for your needs. Talk with your doctor first about finding an expert to help you create a comprehensive program that works the whole body.

It’s best to strive for a balanced program that includes all of these training exercises:

Walking or other light aerobic exercise brings oxygen and nutrition to your muscles to keep them healthy while rebuilding stamina, boosting energy, and reducing stiffness and pain.
Stretching at least once a day helps increase flexibility and improve range of motion, which will ease everyday movement. Stretching after a few warmups during your workout may also help you to tolerate training better.
Strength training with light weights will improve tone and strengthen your muscles.

Plus, studies show strength training can help treat depression.

Yoga—specifically a gentle combination of postures, breathing, and meditation—reduces the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic pain. It also helps build endurance and energy and improves sleep and concentration.

Once you get into your routine, you should start slowly and gradually increase your efforts as you gain strength, flexibility, and confidence. Be patient and do not try to push your body to the limit. Too much activity will make pain worse and strain muscles. Try to exercise every day, but remember to move at your own pace. If you’re working out with a class, don’t worry about keeping up. You will be able to do more on some days than others.

Exercise is always just one option when dealing with pain. If you don’t feel any relief after a couple of weeks, talk with your doctor about other noninvasive pain management techniques.

Most importantly, you need to stick to the routine once you establish it. Your health and comfort is important, and this is not a New Year’s resolution that you should let slide.

T’is the season of back pain

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T’is the season of back pain

Winter can be hard on your back. This month it’s carrying bundles of presents and hanging decorations. Soon it will be shoveling snow and slipping on ice. Strains aren’t limited to activities either. When the temperature drops, it’s quite common to feel an acute pain in your lower back. In fact, it’s the second most common reason to see a doctor.

Whenever it gets cold, your body has the natural instinct to tense up. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your back tighten and become less flexible. Not only will you feel pain, but you’re much more prone to injuries. Cold weather also drives everyone indoors, so you’re moving your body less, and you probably replaced your exercise routine with more eating and drinking.

What’s the best way to avoid unnecessary pain? In many cases, warmth is the key. We even shiver because the motion helps our bodies create heat. Wear the right clothing to keep you warm, stretch your muscles regularly, and stay active. Even if you’re about to do any repetitive bending and twisting, you should warm up your muscles with stretching and light lifting. Keeping limber can reduce pressure on muscle tendons and ligaments. You may also want to apply a heating pad to sensitive areas.

If you spend the warm months exercising and moving around outside, find activities you can do indoors, such as joining a gym or walking around the mall. Try your best to avoid the holiday eating and drinking binge because extra weight puts extra strain on your back.

Of course, there are times when you can’t prevent the pain because you turned awkwardly or slipped on the ice. Luckily, treatment is available. For mild pain, you can get by with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication as well as rest and light exercise.

For moderate to severe pain or pain that sticks around for a couple of weeks, it’s time to talk with a doctor. An interventional pain doctor will set you up with an appropriate patient-specific treatment plan. Diagnostic procedures can help provide immediate temporary relief, but once the specialist determines the source of the pain, there are several treatments available. Cortisone injections can supply long-term relief to specific areas of the back including the joints, vertebrae, and nerve roots.

Since there are important structures such as nerves, blood vessels, and spinal fluid nearby, a well-trained interventional pain doctor should perform any spinal injection you receive.

Whether you’re active or hibernate over the winter, take care of yourself. You never want a little problem to grow into a much larger issue.

www.nwapain.com

Fight the Holiday Stress…On Your Neck

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Fight the Holiday Stress… On Your Neck

For many, December is the most stressful time of the year. You might be preparing for the end-of-year review at the office or getting your house ready for winter. Add to that the cooking, baking, cleaning, decorating shopping, traveling, and countless other activities surrounding the holidays, and you can easily find yourself feeling overwhelmed.

Even if you don’t consciously feel the stress, sometimes your body is telling you that you need a break. You might initially dismiss neck pain as the result of sleeping awkwardly or turning your head too quickly, but after a few days of constant pain, you should reconsider the source of the discomfort.

Stress-induced neck pain is either triggered or increased by psychological or emotional factors. Built up tension takes its toll on your body, and you often feel tightness or spasms in your neck. In some cases, an injury strains the neck muscles, but the pain continues for days or weeks afterward as stress caused by the injury builds. Chronic neck pain can also cause factors that add more stress to your life such as irritability, fatigue, and even depression.

Regardless of the initial cause, stress-induced neck pain is not “all in your head,” and the symptoms are real. By focusing on treating both your mind and body, you can avoid long-term issues.

Stretch your neck. Regular stretching can loosen muscles, increase blood flow, and maintain or expand your range of motion.
Feel-good endorphins from moving your body will provide mental relief as you strengthen and condition your neck. Ask your doctor for appropriate neck pain exercises so that you don’t cause more strain.
Treat yourself to a massage. In addition to helping you relax, a gentle massage eases tension by helping blood flow to sore muscles. Alternating heat and cold application also helps relieve pain.
Learn relaxation techniques. Activities such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and even art or music can help you slow down and relieve stress.
Develop a support system. When you feel like you have too much on your plate, friends and family can help carry the load. Talking about your stress in a formal setting either in-person or online can help reduce the burden on your mind.
It’s easy to lose focus on what’s most important—especially during the holidays. Learn to let inconsequential things go if they’re affecting your health.

The first step to enjoying a happy and healthy new year is taking care of yourself this holiday season. Unexplained neck pain might be your body’s way of telling you to slow down and relax.

If neck pain persists after a couple of weeks, talk with your doctor about other treatment options. There could be a reason to consider noninvasive pain management techniques.

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T’is the season of back pain