Neck Pain Support Blog

A Good Office Chair Will Help Your Spinal Posture

Some of us work at a desk. Maybe we are on the computer, on the phone, twiddling our thumbs, writing blogs, and doodling.... Regardless of the task, sitting at an office desk, in an office chair is necessary. Having the right support is very important.

You don't need a souped up office chair, but some features do help.

A recent study showed that certain upgrades to an office chair can aid in having great posture while sitting. Does your office chair include any features designed to improve your spinal posture while sitting? Researchers X-rayed 28 volunteers while they stood up straight, bent forward, and sat in four chair conditions:

• regular chair
• a chair with lumbar support
• a chair with seat pan tilt
• a chair with a backrest for scapular relief

While the researchers didn’t find any one feature to be better with respect to decreasing spinal flexion (which places stress on the back and can cause injury when sitting for long periods of time) , they did report that the seat pan tilt feature resulted in significantly improved pelvic posture, which may benefit and improve the musculoskeletal system.

Having a Seat Pan Tilt Feature Can Help You Have Better Posture

Source: Ergonomics, October 2017

Additional Reading:

• Make Your Work Day at the Office as Pain Free as Possible
• Why Your Mom always Tells You to Sit up Straight and Why it Matters
• Doing Neck Traction At Home
• 5 Pillows for Neck Pain Sufferers
• Advice for Breathing for Those who Cannot Get to Sleep

 

 

The Negative Link Between Sugar and Cancer Growth

I am sure I could ask anyone off the street. Do you know someone that has cancer? Has had treatment to fight it? Has passed away from it? Sadly, the answer will be yes, and the person you asked, may have also been a patient. 

For me personally, cancer and its many forms hits too close to home. My first experience was during my first summer job in 1999 where I friended a wonderful lady named Chindi. She was from the UK, and her and I became fast friends. We would talk, have lunch together and chit chat regularly. I remember she told me about her breast cancer and how she was fighting it. The next summer, I went to visit my friend in her department. I remember I was so so excited to see her. She passed away, I was told... from Cancer. You can imagine my shock and my sadness. That was my first experience. 

Since then, it has hit very close to my own family a number of times. My grandfather passed away from non hodgkins lymphoma. My first cousin battled breast cancer just last year, and is doing well now, but its still a very scary thing. Just two weeks ago, one of my work colleagues told me about her friend who was recently diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.  I am sure this is the case for many patients, friends and family members. 

It is frustrating for me that we GIVE so much to cancer research, and yet... we are no closer to finding a cure. The treatments are still aggressive and not that great. Sure, we have come a long way, even in a decade, but I don't feel that the cancer charities and research is doing the best job that they can. I will never donate to the charities... I would rather donate to the person going through the cancer- the money is simply better spent and appreciated. 

So, it was with great interest that I read a recent article on cancer and its connection to Cancer. Sure it not new News...Something that i have known for a long time. But now the research proves it. Sugar feeds cancer cells. 

This Belgium Study, published this was published in Nature Communications and focused on how cancer develops. The study found yeast with high levels of the sugar known as glucose overstimulated the same proteins often found mutated inside human tumors, making the cells grow faster.

This is not a new idea. Back in 2008 scientists, Johan Thevelein, Wim Versées and Veerle Janssens started studying the cancer and sugar link and called it the Warburg effect- when tumor cells make energy through a rapid breakdown of glucose not seen in normal cells. That energy allows the tumor to grow.

There is a real connection between the consumption of sugar and cancer growth

The scientists confirmed two major facts: 1. Sugar causes tumors to grow 2. Sugar makes cells multiply faster. The scientists believe the sugar produces more of the most common cancer-causing genes, also known as Ras proteins, fueling aggressive tumors.

“Our research reveals how the hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth. Thus, it is able to explain the correlation between the strength of the Warburg effect and tumor aggressiveness. This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences,” co-author Johan Thevelein said in a statement.

This research does not say that sugar causes cancer. Rather,  that if you have cancer being on a low sugar diet is ideal. Sugar can cause cancerous tumors to grow and cancer cells to multiply.

Source: Sugar Can cause Cancerous Cells, study says

Additional Reading:

• A healthy tea to drink: Thyme Tea
• A breathing technique to help with anxiety and allow for faster sleep
• Tai Chi can help for chronic pain sufferers
• The Alkaline Diet
• The Intermittent Diet - the Newest Coolest Diet out there for better health

 

 

Study Shows that Chronic Neck Pain Sufferers Have a Stiff Spine

A recent 2017 study published in J Orthopedic Sports Physical Therapy showed that patients who suffer from chronic neck pain often have a stiffness in their spines. The study that neck pain can affect how a patients walks and moves. The actual motions of the spine are affected.

In this study, patients walked on a treadmill at 3 different speeds in 2 groups. Group 1 had their heads in neutral position (control group). Group 2 had their heads turned at 30 degrees in rotation.

The the Group 2 showed shorter stride length compared to group 1. Moreover, the patients with neck pain showed smaller trunk rotations , regardless of the condition or speed. The difference in the amount of trunk rotation between groups became larger for the conditions of walking with the head rotated.

This study concluded that people with chronic neck pain walk with reduced trunk rotation, especially when challenged by walking with their head turned in rotation . Reduced rotation or stiffness of the trunk during gait may have long-term consequences on spinal health.

Source: People With Chronic Neck Pain Walk With a Stiffer Spine, J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(4):268-277. Epub 3 Feb 2017

Additional Reading:

• What Can Cause a Stiff neck?
• Occipital Neuralgia: A pillow that helps with sleep and neck pain
• Work Smart so that You are Pain Free everyday
• The hunchback Posture and how you can fix it
• The Neck Pain Support Group on Facebook

The Upside and Downside of Sleeping on your Back

If you are having trouble with your sleep, one of the factors to look at is your sleep position. Is sleeping position causing you not to fall asleep or stay asleep? Is your sleeping position causing your neck pain or stiff neck when you wake up?

Back Sleeping is Ideal for Your Body

There are many positions for sleeping. Sleeping on your back, sleeping on your side, or sleeping on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach is by far the worst sleeping position. Some people get used to sleeping on their stomach and it’s hard to get out of this habit as they age.

Sleeping on your back is actually an ideal position for sleep. However it’s a hard habit to follow every night. When you sleep on your back you actually stretch out your body evenly on the mattress. There is alignment of your head neck and spine in a neutral position. I like to recommend the back sleeping position because it puts the least amount of stress on your body. The least amount of stress on the bones in your spine and the discs of the spine. Incidentally, if you have an issue with acid reflux - back sleeping is ideal. If you lay on your back and elevate your body with, for example a bed wedge or a bolster, your pillow can help you keep acid from coming up.

There are two disadvantages if you are a back sleeper. Number one is snoring and number two is sleep apnea. Both can be made worse by back sleeping.

Sleeping on your back and make your snoring worse by making it louder. Snoring is so annoying to the person sleeping next to you and it someone they may give you a gentle push to make you sleep on your side to stop the snoring sound.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes your breathing to stop and start again. It can cause loud snoring or choking sounds. Sleep apnea is often linked to heart disease and high blood pressure. If you do a lot of snoring this is something that you should look further into, possibly a sleep study. Sleeping on your back can make your snoring worse by making it louder. 

It can be difficult to sleep on your back but there are ways that you can help this. One way is to choose the right pillow for sleeping. One example of this is the Arc4life cervical traction pillow which can help you to sleep on your back. This pillow has two sides to it it has a support side and a traction side. The support side of the traction pillow allows you to keep your head and neck in neutral position. The traction side of the pillow allows your neck to be gently stretched while sleeping on your back. With this particular pillow you want to make sure you purchase the right size of pillow. If you use a pillow that is too large for example, your head will be pushed forward which can cause forward head posture. This can lead to neck pain, stiffness, and headaches.

Let your body gradually get used to sleeping on your back. Start every night in this position and train your head and neck muscles to know what this feels like. Using a supportive cervical pillow will help with this.

Additional Reading Resources:

• 5 Products You Can use for neck Stretching
• How to get used to your new cervical support pillow
• Why its better to use a pillow vs no pillow
• The key to Restorative Sleep
• The Neck Pain Support Group
• A pillow for back sleeping that works for post surgical patients

 

 

How to Start a Neck Traction Protocol for a Military Neck

A military neck occurs when the cervical spine straightens out. There is little curve or no curve at all. Also known as hypolordosis of the cervical curve or a cervical kyphosis. Can you change this curvature in your neck? YES you can. Keep in mind, it takes time. The great thing is that it can immensely help neck pain symptoms as well.

What Does Military Neck Look Like on an X-ray?

For many patients, it occurs after years and years of bad posture, a whiplash type of accident, and improper sleeping habits. It can cause muscles spasms, stiff neck, neck pain and headaches. More severe type of symptoms can be numbness and tingling, weakness and shooting pains.

Neck Traction is a great way to get the curve back in your neck. You may have tried neck traction in your chiropractors, or physical therapists office, and it may offered you relief of your symptoms. Neck traction is also a great way to train the cervical spine to help get the curve back in your neck.

Start by just using a towel roll to help stretch out your neck. This costs you nothing, and helps your muscles get used to this pulling type of motion.

Using a Towel Roll is the First Step in Doing Neck Traction

 Second, get a gentle traction unit such as the omni cervical relief pillow (its not really a pillow) or the cervipedic neck support. Both of these units that I have mentioned basically cradle your neck in a comfortable type of foam. Your head and skull lay comfortably while your neck is being stretched. This is used by a lot of health practitioners in their offices to help patients stretch their necks out.

The Omni Cervical Relief Pillow is a Gentle Neck Traction Devide

Third, get a traction unit such as the posture pump or the pronex pneumatic traction unit, which gives you a greater stretch that you can control.

The Posture Pump Gives You More Pressure and Works to Change the Curvature of the Neck

 

Doing neck traction too quickly can create a lot of soreness. Frankly many patients get turned off because they decide to do a lot of stretching all at once which can cause a lot of pain and headaches.

If you start off with a towel roll, you can really start to notice a change in your symptoms. Do this for a few weeks.  Little by little, start using a device like the omni or cervi pedic. Use this for a few weeks. Then move to a posture pump type of traction unit. Once you start with the posture pump, build up to using greater pressure. Again, its not an overnight thing - do this over a few months of time. Work up to 20-25 minutes to neck traction.

Not only will you feel better, but you will also notice a change in your actual spine. 

Additional Reading:

• How to Use a Posture Pump Easily At Home
• Another Gentle way to do Traction: With a Pillow
• Choosing the Best Cervical Traction Device
• 5 Products You Can Use toe Stretch Your Neck for Pain Relief
• Neck Pain That Results from a C5, C6, C7, or C8 radiculopathy

 

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Kelly Ripa's Chiropractor Recommend an Alkaline Diet

I Have Pain When I Breathe?...

Why am I Tired All the Time?

Behind Every Great Athlete is a Chiropractor

People don't always talk about it, but it is prevalent that many athletes see a chiropractor to enhance their performance at a sports activity. Golf, volleyball, gymnastics, Ninga Training, badminton, lacrosse, wrestling,  - you name it, there is a chiropractor lurking in the back ground helping this girl or guy reach his or her pinnacle. Helping their body achieve optimum function, no matter what sport.

 

With Chiropractic treatment:

• you can decrease wear and tear on the body
• can have treatment without medications
• have better performance
• have better flexibility
• increased energy

Studies have shown over and over that chiropractic only improves ones functional capacity, especially in the arena of sports.

In many sports, shoulder injuries can result. Chiropractic definitely helps with injured players shoulders. Studies from the Annals of Internal Medicine and the British Medical Journal both concluded adding shoulder manipulation to traditional rehab techniques showed outcome improvements and decreased pain associated with certain shoulder injuries.

A Duke University study (2001) showed improvement of headaches after chiropractic treatment. The study concluded that , “Spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate relief for headaches originating from the neck.” Since 60 to 90 percent of all headaches are linked to facet joint pain (neck), chiropractic treatments offer a significant form of relief.

A joint study from the JMPT and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic care of ankle sprains helped increase ankle motion, decrease pain and allows for better ankle function.

Finally, Chiropractic helps with Injury prevention in many sports. An study from Australia, published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders,  reported that Australian football players who used a regiment of chiropractic care had a fewer number of leg injuries than those who did not.

“Chiropractic just makes you feel so much better. When I walk out of the clinic, I feel like I’m about three inches taller and everything’s in place. And as long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.”

- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady

 

Additional Reading:

• Keeping Your Spine in Alignment allows for a better immune system
• How to use the traction side of the arc4life pillow for optimal function
• Treating the Military Neck and Loss of curvature
• Exercises to Get Rid of the Hunch Back Posture
• Why Deep Sleep is important for our brains and overall health

Simple Supplements That Can Help you Sleep Better at Night

Today I want to talk about eating properly so that you sleep well at night. Many people rely on prescription sleeping pills to help them sleep. This may be OK for the short-term but long-term it can cause many unpleasant side effects. For goodness sake's, you were trying to fix your sleeping problem but you added on a host of more health problems: headaches dizziness, difficulty swallowing, and diarrhea (just to name a few). This means probably more prescription medications - and so the cycle and reliance on medications begins.

So trying to do natural things to help you sleep is better in the long run on many fronts.

Adding supplements to your diet can make a big difference in how you sleep. Two big minerals that are important for sleep are calcium and magnesium. They both help the body to change tryptophan into serotonin into melatonin which helps the body sleep. Melatonin helps to regulate the sleep cycle. Lets quickly look at the important supplements that you can add to your diet to help you sleep at night, and help you improve the quality of your sleep.

The first one is Calcium. Calcium is a mineral that has a natural calming affect on the nervous system and helps the body to convert tryptophan which is an essential amino acid into serotonin. Seratonin can then be converted into melatonin which helps to regulate the sleep cycle. Second, is the mineral Magnesium. This is important because it helps the body to absorb and use calcium. This helps to relax the nervous system and also helps to relax muscles. If you suffer from leg cramps and muscle spasms you may have a deficiency in magnesium and this can be the cause of not sleeping well. Third, Vitamin B 12. This important vitamin works with calcium and magnesium to ensure that tryptophan is converted into serotonin which then makes melatonin. Finally, Vitamin D. The sunshine vitamin. This vitamin also works with calcium and magnesium. It helps to modulate the body's biological 24 hour clock as it relates to the sleep cycle.

You can add Melatonin, Valerian Root and Chamomile tea to your diet. Melatonin is a hormone that helps to regulate the natural circadian cycles of the body. Studies have shown that melatonin not only can help you fall sleep but also stay asleep and give you a better quality of sleep. Valerian Root is a herb that can help to provide natural way to help fall sleep. Valerian root is actually a sedative and has also been used for anti-anxiety treatment as well. Valerian can help you fall asleep faster and also improve the quality of your sleep. Finally, Chamomile tea right before be helps to provide a calming affect on the body and is used by many people to help them sleep.

Chamomile Tea can do Wonders for your Sleep

I talked many times about things that you can do to get naturally good sleep. For example keeping your room dark, using a supportive cervical pillow, not drinking caffeine right before bed, exercising during the day, chiropractic adjustments, and doing relaxing things before bedtime. All these things in addition to eating right will help you sleep better.

Source: Eat To Sleep: The Nutrition Guide, Oct 2017

Additional Reading:

1. Why Depriving Your Body of Sleep is Bad for Your Overall Health
2. Position Your Pillow Just Right to Get that Great Night of Sleep
3. Drinking Before Bed and How it Affects Sleep
4. What's the Best Sleeping Position?
5. For Restorative Sleep, You do need to be sleeping on the right pillow
6. Simple Exercise that Anyone Can Do EVERYDAY.... (no effort)

 

Updated: 09/20/2020