Don’t Let Back Pain Keep You Down

Performing physical activities with bulging or herniated discs can be quite painful and make activities like our upcoming 5K seem impossible.  Let’s take a deeper look into what’s going on to see how you can stay out of pain:

• The discs in your back begin to degenerate (or break down) over time. This is simply caused by normal day-to-day wear and tear on the body. The degeneration process can cause them to bulge or herniate (rupture), which can cause compression on the nerves around them.  

• Sporadic mild back pain in your 20’s and 30’s may escalate as the discs dry out and further degenerate.  This could cause a more persistent ache throughout the years.

• While not all herniated discs cause the symptoms mentioned above, some can protrude into the spinal canal.  This will put them close to, or even touching, nerves that could cause existing back pain to shoot down your leg or arm (depending on the section of the spine where the disc is protruding).

• In the majority of these cases, patients can be out of pain and back to normal activities within 8-12 weeks with regular chiropractic treatment. This gives you plenty of time to get healthy for our upcoming 5K event!

Start your treatment today! You can get back on track with your work out schedule, and feel like a new person! Remember, set achievable goals that you can be accountable for! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Harper about any pain you are having, just give us a call at (205) 425-5428.


*Some information in this blog was derived from an article located at www.health.com

Get Ready, Get Set, Go 5K Prep

Looking for a new way to get in shape?  Striving for a new goal is always an excellent way to put a little extra excitement into your workout!  While small, consistent goals like keeping your heart rate up for 30 minutes per day at least 3 days per week are wonderful ways to stay healthy, getting in shape for an event is even better because it gives you a goal that you are fully accountable for.  Sign up for a local event, and go ahead and pay the entry fee so that you will stay committed.  You could even include your friends and family so that everyone is involved!  Competitive? Make it a competition so you can see who can get the best time! 

We will be hosting a 5K run/fun walk on September 8, 2012 in Bessemer, Alabama and would like to challenge you to get into shape for it.  By starting to prepare now, you can ensure yourself to finish the 3.1-mile race in a healthy way, with a time that may surprise you!  Here are a few tips & tricks that will help you stay healthy and not overdo it at first:

§         First, get a physical from your chiropractor or family physician to make sure that you are healthy enough to begin working out, and talk to them about problems you may encounter.

§         Next, talk to your doctor about how you should get started in striving for your goals.  Remember, everyone may start at a different level, and it’s important to push yourself, but be sure to know your limits.

§          Go get some properly fitting running shoes.  If you have had problems with your feet in the past, I would suggest you go to a running store and talk to them about the support that you will need.

§         The next step is to break those shoes in!  Set up a work out plan that you can stick to!  Don’t plan on working out for 2 hours per day 7 days a week because you will become discouraged.  Start small: 3 days per week for 30-40 minutes would be great.

§         Be sure to begin and end each workout by walking 5-10 minutes and doing some light stretching.  This warm up and cool down will help to prevent injury and decrease soreness.

§         Stay hydrated!!! Dr. Harper recommends that you drink 8 ounces of water every 20 minutes.  For longer workout sessions (90 minutes or more), a sports drink such as Gatorade or Powerade would be good to replace the sodium & minerals lost while sweating during your workout.  Always drink plenty of water after your workout, despite the time spent working out or the intensity.

Stay motivated!  You CAN accomplish your goals!  You WILL succeed!

We have some exciting news: Town & Country Spinal Pain Center will be hosting our first annual Fans For Fitness, 5K Run/Fun Walk on September 8th, 2012!  We would love to have you be a part of this wonderful event.  Additional news will be coming your way as we progress!

Strained from Stress?

There are many ways your can unknowingly put loads of stress on your back. Jolting activities, repetitive actions, or even just sitting with poor posture for long periods of time can put stress on your back. A lack of regular exercise can cause core muscles that support your spine to weaken. Any irregular incline in activity could lead to straining or even pulling muscles in your back.

Muscles strains are small tears in, or the stretching out of, muscle fibers. They are a leading cause of back pain. Stiffness and soreness that worsen with small activities such as bending or twisting are signs of having strained muscles, and they shouldn’t be ignored.

If you are experiencing pain from what you believe to be a muscle strain, follow these quick tips:

• To alleviate pain, start by icing the strain every 20 minutes for the first 24 hours. This will also help to reduce swelling.
• Every 2 hours, stretch gently with small movements. Lying down for long periods of time could cause muscles to tighten even more.

If the pain hasn’t reduced in 48 hours, contact your primary care physician or visit your local chiropractor. It is best to make sure your injury isn’t more severe than you first suspected.  There would be no harm in coming sooner if you are in serious pain or just want to be sure about the severity of the injury.

Regular exercise that will strengthen your core will reduce your risks for muscle strains. Don’t jump into a workout schedule that will be too rigorous for your body, as it may cause painful soreness or an injury that could set you back. Talk to your chiropractor about setting small, attainable goals. These can be paired with a large end goal like our upcoming 5K in September. This will give you plenty of time to get in shape and prevent future injuries. You will look and feel better when you achieve these goals!

*Some information in this blog was found in an article at www.health.com

Don’t Let Age Stop You in Your Tracks

Sure, age is just a number, and we all want to be forever young; but, be sure you take notice of your body and the changes it goes through with every passing year. In a previous posting, we mentioned how age has degenerative effects on the discs in your back. Therefore, we’d like to focus on how aging can have a painful effect on the body, and best practices to stay agile and prevent future pain.

Osteoarthritis is a major concern for many people as they age. It can take effect when the protective cartilage and the joints in your spinal column (or other joints) begin to wear down with age, causing one bone to grind against another. Facet joints are often affected by osteoarthritis. Those joints are the hook-shaped structures that run up and down the back of the spine. As osteoarthritis sets in, the bone often bulges out, putting pressure on surrounding nerves and causing pain.

Bending backwards and early mornings may be especially painful as osteoarthritis sets in.  You may experience serious stiffness accompanied with lower back pain that could protrude into your bottom and upper thighs, as well as up into your shoulders and neck. To prevent this pain, it’s crucial to do regular exercises that strengthen your back and core muscles. You need to stay active and flexible with your entire body to give your spine as much support as possible.

Start now! If you need to shed a few pounds, try to take it off as soon as possible. No body needs the added strain on their discs and joints. A great way to get in shape is to sign up for local events like our upcoming 5K. These events will give you a goal to work toward that you can be accountable for.

If you are already experiencing what you believe to be signs of early osteoarthritis, contact your local chiropractor for more information to learn about ways to get the pain relief that you need. Dr. Harper would be more than happy to talk with you about specific core building and back strengthening exercises you can do to give your spine the support it needs and prevent future pain. We would love to see you age pain free, and encourage all of our patients to stay active throughout their many years of life!

Looking for a way to stay agile? Set small, achievable goals everyday! Build up your strength and endurance. Soon, you’ll be ready to sign up for local events to participate in and inspire others to be healthy and fit just like you!

*Some information in this blog was derived from an article at www.health.com