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Simple Lifestyle Changes You Can Make To Reduce Back Pain

Back pain can hinder us from taking part in the fun activities we love and can also interrupt our day to day life. However, relatively small changes to your routine and overall lifestyle can make a huge impact on your spine health! Outlined below are 6 lifestyle changes you can make to start the New Year off right. 1.       Exercise more carefully Staying healthy overall includes the health of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support your spine. By monitoring these key areas you can minimize painful flare-ups. When exercising and lifting weights, be conscious of how you lift: always use the power of your legs and keep your back straight, and stretch before any strenuous physical activity. Consider working closely with a personal trainer, physical therapist, or doctor to create a regular stretching program. 2.       Supplement your diet This may come as no surprise, but it’s important to get enough vitamin D, be it through sun exposure or a supplement. Vitamin D helps keep your bones, including your spine, healthy and strong. Additionally, remember to drink plenty of water, as doing so can enhance the height of your intervertebral disks. Did you know your body is composed mostly of

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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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How to Find the Right Mattress

Your bed may be the most important piece of furniture in your home. After all, we spend roughly a third of our lives sleeping, recharging our bodies and minds for a new day. But when that sleep is interrupted by back pain, it’s time to start learning how to find the right mattress. Decide if it’s time to get rid of your mattress. How do you know when it’s time to get rid of your mattress? Good mattresses typically have a lifespan of 10 years, but if you’re experiencing back pain, you may want to consider replacing it sooner. Choose the proper firmness. Mattress experts say many customers mistakenly think a firmer bed is a better one for dealing with existing back pain or preventing it. Those suffering from degenerative disc disease often find that the firmer mattress alleviates pain, but if that’s not your particular challenge, you won’t need the firmest mattress in the store. Too-firm mattresses can lead to pain at pressure points like the hips. A mattress that’s too soft, on the other hand, may make it difficult for you to move, and also will not give enough support. It’s important to know the difference between a

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Feeling Back Pain at Night?

It’s hard enough experiencing back pain as you go through your day, but back pain at night when you want to sleep is especially grueling.  Many patients experiencing nighttime back pain aren’t even especially uncomfortable during the day, but find that once they climb into bed, the pain may be too much to bear. These people find themselves in a nasty cycle: insufficient or interrupted sleep can exacerbate the very same pain that keeps them up each night. Nighttime back pain can be caused by a number of issues. Disc degeneration and arthritic changes as the result of aging may be to blame for some patients. A bulging or herniated disk putting pressure on a nerve can cause  back and leg pain when lying flat. Sprains or fractures and conditions such as scoliosis, spinal stenosis, or even endometriosis may also cause pain at night. It’s possible that nighttime back pain may be an indicator of spinal tumors, though this is quite rare. Typically, mechanical causes of lower back pain will get better once you are in a comfortable position, but when you roll over in bed, may wake you up. Also they are often accompanied by morning pain or stiffness. Before turning in,

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Is Sleeping in Hammocks Bad for Your Back?

During the summer it can be quite a joy to simply sit back and relax in a hammock. You can read a book, enjoy the scenery, or even take a nap. As it turns out, sleeping in a hammock can actually help you fall asleep faster and give you “better” rest, eliminating tossing and turning. Back pain often leads to discomfort, which can disrupt your sleep cycle and even prevent you from getting to sleep at all. It is important to keep in mind that a strong, supportive hammock that is properly hung is the best option for easy relaxation. Flimsy or smaller versions can lead to lower back pain, so it’s best to avoid those at all costs. Hammocks were first invented for sleeping in Central and South America, and later introduced to Europeans by Christopher Columbus, who brought several back from his voyages to the New World. As early as 1600, the British Royal Navy adopted them for use on ships, as the movement provided superior comfort for their sailors and prevented them from being thrown to the deck if waves tossed the ship. Hammocks can actually help us fall asleep faster and encourage a deeper, more fulfilling

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