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How Weight Loss Can Affect Back Pain

Sure, it’s easier to gain weight than it is to lose it – but at what cost? Studies show that a healthy diet and exercise can help combat obesity and metabolic disease, and prevent future back problems. Weight loss can improve back pain for both men and women of all demographics. I have many patients who have successfully improved their chronic back pain with weight loss and regular exercise. Physical activity increases the exchange of nutrients between spinal discs and other spine structures. When an individual doesn’t participate in enough physical activity, the spinal discs are deprived of the nutrients needed to stay healthy and strong. Increased body weight causes extra stress on the lumbar vertebrae, facets joints, and disks, which can lead to increased rates of injury and pain. People who have difficulty losing weight and keeping it off are at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis, a chronic condition that causes sore or stiff joints due to the breakdown of cartilage that cushions those joints, especially when their BMI is too high. Major Benefits of Weight Loss More energy to participate in everyday activities Potential for improved body/self confidence Lower propensity for stiffness and weakness of joints Minimized recurrence of lower

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Massages Aren’t Just For Pampering

The holidays are just around the corner! If you’re thinking of purchasing massage gift certificates to pamper your loved ones – a particularly nice stress reliever, especially during the manic month of December – you should also know that the medical community recognizes certain massages as a credible treatment for many types of back pain. Massages are specifically known for helping muscle strain in the lower back, upper back, and neck; osteoarthritis of the spine; and fibromyalgia. There are several theories about how massage works to relieve pain and tension. One theory is that it triggers the release of the pain-relieving substances called endorphins into the brain. Other theories suggest that massage therapy stimulates the nervous system in ways that relieve pain.

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Top Products for Easing Back Pain

It’s that time again:  the season of giving! It can be tough to give gifts that are both thoughtful and useful – no one wants to give something that’s going to get tossed the next day – but if you know the recipient well enough, a product that can help ease their back pain might just hit the spot. While the cause of back pain is different for everyone, we’ve spotlighted some of the top products that patients have said help them to prevent or calm existing back pain in their daily lives. And while you’re browsing, think about how these could help your own back pain, too.

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Surprising Causes of Back and Neck Pain

Nearly all adults will experience minor neck or back pain in their lifetime. In fact, it is estimated that 31 million Americans experience lower back pain at any given time. Fortunately for the majority of adults, only 10% of these cases are severe and debilitating. Many causes of back neck pain are common knowledge, such as old mattresses, strains from heavy lifting, or whiplash. However, there are some surprising habits that may be the source of your back and neck pain throughout the day.  “Text neck” – Your addiction to your smartphone or tablet may be affecting your posture more than you realize. The leaning forward, hunched-over position can strain in your neck and upper back and cause minor pain or “text neck.” Holding your phone at eye level and taking breaks from your phone goes a long way to prevent or reduce this pain.  Old shoes or flip flops – Reducing back pain starts from the bottom up! Shoes that lack proper support, such as flip flops and shoes with worn-down soles, can throw off your alignment and cause significant lower back pain. Wearing comfortable, supportive shoes and getting rid of older shoes can help you avoid this common

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Text Neck and Other Pain from Digital Devices

You may be familiar with the term “Tennis Elbow,” but have you ever heard of ailments like “Blackberry Thumb” or “Text Neck”? Digital devices no doubt improve our ability to communicate and pass information, but there are also some negative effects to be wary of. Text Neck, as it is commonly referred to, is one of the most recent tech-related maladies to gain notoriety. It refers to the headaches, arm, shoulder, and neck pains that occur when one spends too much time in the common posture for using cell phones, tablets and e-readers. To show just how prevalent this term is becoming, an initial Google search for Text Neck yielded about 123 million results, whereas only hours later, the number increased to about 126 million results! In addition to headaches and joint pain, people may also experience extreme fatigue and muscle spasms as a result of improper posture while using these devices. Physicians across the nation are seeing these effects manifest in people who are much younger than  one might expect a person suffering from joint or neck pain to be. Scott Bautch, a spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association, notes that “by age 14 approximately 7% of teens are having daily symptoms of back pain,

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