Magnesium Benefits

How Magnesium Helps Soothe Sore Muscles

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Everyone has stiff, sore muscles now and then. From overdoing it at the gym to sleeping in an awkward position, there are many reasons you might feel some muscular aches and pains. Some medical conditions or illnesses can also cause soreness. Several studies have found a remarkable, effective, inexpensive cure that is natural and safe – magnesium.

Pain – It’s all in your Head

Well, it’s in your brain, anyway. A chemical in the brain, NMDA, is responsible for pain. When this brain chemical is overly stimulated, the body experiences pain. The way the brain processes pain in an individual determines how that person will experience it and manage it.

There are very few medications that deal directly with NMDA, balancing it and decreasing its production. However, the side effects of these drugs are usually significant and undesirable. Magnesium has been found to calm production of NMDA without causing the side effects or toxicity. What’s more, magnesium is very inexpensive. It is far cheaper than pharmaceuticals at just pennies a dose. One drawback is that the FDA has not yet put its stamp of approval on the mineral that is often called the “gateway to health.”

Clinical Studies find Magnesium is an Effective way to Relieve Pain

A study published in The Journal of Physiology in October 2010, explores the effectiveness of magnesium in decreasing nerve pain. The study, conducted on rats, found a strong link between magnesium deficiency and pain. In fact, that authors of the study suggest that pain is increased, or the sensitivity to pain is increased, due to magnesium deficiency.

As people are moving away from fresh foods, processed foods are becoming more prevalent. While processed foods offer easy, quick preparation and gratification, the trade-off has been a significant decrease in nutrition, leaving most people magnesium deficient. However, adding a magnesium supplement that provides 250 to 500 mg of the mineral will not only eliminate the deficiency, but decrease the pain as well. This usually happens surprisingly quickly – after only a few weeks you will notice a definite difference.

Other Benefits of Magnesium

Magnesium has a wide range of uses and benefits for the entire body. It has long been used to treat indigestion as well as constipation when taken by mouth. For heartburn and indigestion, magnesium hydroxide has been noted as the fastest acting. It is also given to pregnant women to treat high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia). When given as a shot or by IV, magnesium helps lower blood pressure during pregnancy. It is also the treatment of choice for eclampsia because it reduces the risk of seizures that accompany the condition.

Magnesium, given intravenously, is effective in treating torsades de pointes, a type of irregular heartbeat. Additionally, it is believed to help these other conditions:

  • Angina
  • Asthma
  • Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
  • Cluster Headaches
  • Colon and Rectal Cancer
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Diabetes
  • Fibromyalgia
  • High Cholesterol
  • Osteoporosis
  • Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
  • Various types of pain including nerve damage associated with certain cancers, pain after surgery, pain after hysterectomy, and chest pain.

A healthy diet, regular exercise, and reducing the stress in your life will also help with your pain management. When your body is properly nourished it functions at a more optimal level, meaning not just less pain, but better management of it. Exercise causes your brain to produce endorphins which not only minimize pain, but also boost your mood.

Stress can make you more sensitive to pain, causing you to feel it more and experience it on a more intense level. It decreases your ability to tolerate pain and manage it. Even learning relaxation techniques and breathing exercises can help you better manage stress that you may not be able to eliminate completely. Adding magnesium to your diet can help improve your overall well being as well as decrease your pain.

Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic!

Chiropractic Benefits

Why Chiropractic Should Be A Part of Your Everyday Life

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Most people don’t even think about visiting a chiropractor until they’ve sustained an injury or need a quick adjustment to help ease pain. They typically see it as a treatment for injuries or conditions that they’ve already sustained, not as a preventative health care option. And while chiropractic care is an exceptional way to treat existing conditions and injuries, that is only half of the picture. It is also a viable health care approach that is effective in improving overall wellness. There are some very compelling reasons to incorporate chiropractic into your everyday life. Chiropractic can:

Help lower your risk of injury

When the spine is out of alignment it can put stress on other parts of the body including ligaments and joints. Regular chiropractic care helps keep the spine aligned thus reducing your risk of injury.

Elevate your mood

Chiropractic treatment can help to balance your hormones. It increases the feel-good hormone dopamine while decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. This makes it an exceptional drug free option for patients who suffer with anxiety, depression, or mood swings. As part of your treatment you chiropractor may also recommend dietary and lifestyle changes that can help even more.

Make you feel more energetic

When your spine is out of alignment your entire body suffers. You can feel stiff, sore, and fatigues. Most patients report feeling invigorated after their treatment. They can move easier and have much more energy. Part of this is due to the effect the treatment has on the body as well as the hormones that are released that provide a boost in your mood.

Help you sleep better

More than 60 percent of people in the United States, both children and adults, report having problems with sleep. Studies show that chiropractic can actually help with insomnia allowing you to get better, more restful, and more beneficial sleep.

The combination of pain alleviation, increased flexibility, and overall wellness as well as stress relieving properties allow your body and mind to relax so that you can fall asleep easier and stay asleep. Incorporating chiropractic care into your everyday routine can help you get a better night’s sleep.

Strengthen your immune system

Studies show that patients who receive regular chiropractic care have a significantly stronger immune system than patients who don’t see a chiropractor. In fact, one of the most significant studies to date that explored the connection between regular chiropractic care and a strong immune system was conducted by Dr. Ronald Pero, Ph. D. of New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute where he was the chief of cancer research. He was also a professor of medicine at New York University. The study, which spanned several years, found that patients who received chiropractic care on a regular basis had a 200 percent greater immune competence than non-chiropractic patients.

Manage your pain

Chronic pain as well as pain from injuries or certain conditions respond very well to regular chiropractic care. Any type of pain can negatively impact your quality of life, but pain medications can have unpleasant side effects that can be debilitating. It doesn’t help that many pain medications are highly addictive.

Chiropractic treatments offer a natural remedy for pain that is medication free. What’s more, regular treatments work to fix the cause of the problem so that the issue can be permanently resolved.

Make you feel better without medication

Chiropractic treatments are non-invasive and drug free. It uses the body’s own healing properties to naturally address issues and achieve results. It is low risk and very effective, treating the cause of problems, not just the symptoms the way pain medication does.

When you look at all of the benefits of regular chiropractic care and realize that those results can be achieved naturally, it’s easy to see why more people are incorporating it into their regular health care routines.

Mattress

What Chiropractic Patients Want To Know About Selecting A Mattress

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Getting a good night’s sleep is absolutely integral to good spinal health. Sometimes, though that isn’t possible. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 92 percent of people believe that a comfortable mattress is important for good, restful sleep. A bad mattress, or one that is old, or one that is simply wrong for your body can contribute to sleep deprivation, lower back pain, headaches, stiff neck, and anxiety and depression. With so much at stake, it’s easy to see just how important it is to select a good mattress.

Ask about how the Mattress is Made

Learn about the construction of a mattress and what the different components mean for your comfort. Different mattresses have different coils and they are arranged differently. The padding can vary in thickness. The depth of the mattress can range from 7 inches to 18 inches on the average. Understanding the various components of a mattress can make it easier for you to find the one that is right for you.

Look for Comfort as well as Support

A good mattress is comfortable and has good support. Support is good but if you don’t have comfort your mattress won’t be effective.

If a mattress is too firm (too much support) it will cause pain on your body’s pressure points. You want your hips and shoulders to slightly sink into the mattress. However, if you prefer a mattress that is firmer to support your back, you can get one with padding on top.

Don’t let Price be the Determining Factor

You naturally want to get the most for your dollar, but remember that you get what you pay for. A cheap mattress can translate to a poor quality mattress.

Look for quality and value rather than price. If money is an issue, do some comparison shopping to find the mattress you want for the best price.

Sales are another way to save money on your mattress purchase, but look out for advertising gimmicks. Know the meaning of the terms that are used and know what you are looking for before you go for that so-called great deal.

Educate yourself on the Different Mattress Types

Do you want a memory foam mattress or would a latex mattress work better for you? What exactly is an innerspring mattress? Are adjustable beds really all they are cracked up to be? Do some research and brush up on the different types of mattresses so that you can approach your shopping trip with confidence and as an educated consumer. It will definitely work in your favor.

In the end, it’s all about personal preference

There is no mattress that is a one size (or type) fits all. Different people will respond differently to mattresses. The best thing to do is try them out. Spend at least 20 minutes laying on the mattress before you make the decision to purchase or not.

Finally, if you find that your quality of sleep has recently gotten worse, that you are tossing and turning or wake up with pain in your back, neck, or head, it could be time to change your mattress – or pillow. If you can see your mattress sagging, that could be another indication that it is time to get a new one.

Mattresses are designed to withstand a certain degree of wear and tear, but they don’t last forever. The quality of the mattress, the weight that is on the mattress, and other factors contribute to how quickly it wears out. So if you notice any of the warning signs it may be time to get a new mattress so that you can get back to peaceful, restful sleep.

We hope this was helpful! Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic and practitioners!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Chiropractic

How Chiropractic Helps Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition that is not as straightforward as other illnesses. The symptoms can often mimic other conditions, including some that are quite serious, so they must all be ruled out before a diagnosis of CFS can be determined.

This is usually not a quick process so the patient is left dealing with troubling and often debilitating symptoms and no real answers – sometimes for months or even years. By the time a patient receives a diagnosis of CFS they are usually exhausted both physically and emotionally.

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Trigger Finger Chiropractic Benefits

How Chiropractic Helps Trigger Finger

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Stenosing tenosynovitis, also known as “trigger finger,” is a repetitive strain injury that is one of the most common injuries in the workplace. It is marked by one finger or thumb that is stuck in a bent position and pops or snaps when straightened. It is caused by an inflamed or irritated flexor tendon.

As it slides through the sheath tunnel, the back and forth motion causes the irritation which can lead to thickening of the tendon and even the formation of nodules. This can impede it movement through the sheath which can also thicken so that the opening that the tendon slides through becomes smaller.

What are the symptoms of trigger finger?

A person with trigger finger may experience several symptoms in one or more fingers or thumb including:

  • Pain when straightening or bending the finger
  • Swelling
  • A lump in the palm that is tender
  • The finger or thumb joints have a popping or catching sensation
  • Stiffness
  • The impaired tendon may suddenly break free causing the finger to snap straight or feel like it is dislocating

Some symptoms, like the stiffness, popping, and catching, may be more pronounced after periods of inactivity. The patient may find that upon waking in the morning they have difficulty, but as they move their fingers they loosen and the symptoms aren’t as bad. In severe cases the patient is unable to straighten their finger, even with help.

What causes trigger finger?

Many times the cause of trigger finger is not known. They may notice a gradual decline or they may simply wake up one day and experience symptoms. There are certain health conditions and circumstances that put some patients at a greater risk of developing trigger finger:

  • Men tend to get trigger finger more than women do
  • The most common age group for trigger finger is between 40 and 60 years old
  • It is more prevalent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and other medical conditions
  • Repetitive hand motions such as typing, gripping power tools, or playing video games
  • Activities that put a strain on the hands.

What are the treatments for trigger finger?

There are surgical and nonsurgical treatments for trigger finger, depending on the severity of the condition. When the symptoms are mild, the patient may be advised to simply rest the finger and take over the counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or NSAIDS to help reduce inflammation and minimize pain. The patient may also wear a splint to better facilitate the resting position of the finger.

In some cases the doctor may advise steroid injections administered directly into the tendon sheath to correct the problem. Sometimes this procedure only provides temporary relief and improvement, requiring a second injection. If the condition is not resolved after the second injection, the patient may be advised to undergo surgery. If the patient has had trigger finger for a long time or if they have a medical condition such as diabetes that is associated with it, injections are not likely to be as effective or a permanent solution.

Some patients undergo surgery to correct trigger finger. The surgery is purely elective since the condition is not considered dangerous. The surgery opens up the tendon sheath, the tunnel that the tendon slides through, so that it moves easier. It is usually done on an outpatient basis.

Chiropractic for trigger finger

There are two chiropractic treatments that are used for trigger finger: Active Release Technique (ART) and Graston technique. Studies have found these chiropractic techniques to be very effective in treating trigger finger.

Instrument based soft tissue therapy may also be used to help reduce tension in the muscles around the area. Chiropractors typically use a whole-body approach to help the patient achieve relief and healing. They recognize that most conditions are not limited to only what appears to be the affected area so they will employ techniques that treat the associated areas of the body as well. This provides the patient with more reliable relief without the use of invasive procedures. Chiropractic is an effective, natural way to treat trigger finger.

Visit us at www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our chiropractic doctors!

Acupuncture Benefits Edmonton

Everything You Need To Know About Acupuncture

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Acupuncture is the art of healing which was used in the ancient times. Acupuncture has been around for more than thousands of years and practiced throughout the world. Although it has treated many people successfully, there is a misconception when it comes to acupuncture. It is not understood properly in the western countries causing it to be seen as a painful retreat.

Acupuncture has many benefits, but since there is lack of awareness regarding it, there are millions of people that are missing out on this therapy.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a Chinese medical practice that does not use any medication to treat the disease. The acupuncturist inserts thin needles in the pressure points of your body. These points can be on your back, leg, head, and other parts of your body.

The needles are often inserted in the areas where there will be no pain experienced. However, what an individual should keep in mind is that the pain is experienced depending on the person’s pain endurance levels.

Acupuncture is the most popular Chinese medical practices. Over the years, acupuncture has evolved. It has become a much safer treatment and more beneficial.

People often think that acupuncture helps with pain but the truth is that I can help relieve stress and treat diseases.

Does it hurt?

Having needles inserted in your body can arouse this question. Similar to the blood test prick, acupuncture can be painful for some and some might not even feel it.

The truth about this treatment is that it does not hurt. The needles do not go deep enough into your body to encounter the nerves. The needles are so fine that one might not even feel them. Some people find the needle insertion relaxing.

The pain reason that people go for acupuncture is to finish chronic pain. The needle pressure promotes blood flow and decreases inflammation.

Is it safe?

There are no risks with acupuncture. However, it needs to be followed with guidelines. When going for acupuncture, you need to make sure you are going to practiced acupuncturists. Do not make compromises on your health. Be sure you choose the right person. Go to a place that is reputable and hygienic.

What are the Benefits?

Acupuncture has many benefits. Here are the most common ones:

• Acupuncture reduce headaches and migraines. Studies have proven that acupuncture gives long-term relief from headaches and migraines. The patients undergoing acupuncture did not need to take medication to cure their pain.
• Acupuncture decreases chronic pain that is present in your body.
• It is a great way to decrease cognitive decline that could be a result of the Parkinson’s disease.
• This therapy reduces stress levels and anxiety by balancing the hormones in your body.
• It helps fix postpartum health. Pregnant women are usually recommended to meet an acupuncturist because it helps during birth.

Would You Go For It?
After finding out the benefits of acupuncture, would you opt for it? It comes with long-term benefits and allows you to live a healthy, future life.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 or visit www.ocwc.ca to schedule an appointment with our Registered Acupuncturist!

Lower Back Pain chiropractic benefits

Lower Back Pain When Sleeping: Which Position is Best?

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Sleep. New parents chase it, Type A personalities fight it, but everyone needs it. Thing is, most people don’t get enough of it. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 45 percent of adults in the United States report that in a seven day period, lack of sleep affected their daily activities.

Sleep quantity is not as much of a problem as sleep quality. Around 35 percent of people who said they slept for 7 or 8 hours a night, still reported that their sleep quality was “only fair” or “poor”. 20 percent said that they did not feel refreshed upon waking. When a person is dealing with pain, such as lower back pain, it can make it even more difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is vital for good health. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cites insufficient sleep as a contributing factor to a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease. It is also a significant contributing factor in many machinery related crashes, work site accidents, and automobile accidents. Leading to injury, disability, and even death.

Sleep allows your body to heal and the spine to rejuvenate. It helps you handle stress better and manage pain more effectively. It is an important part of good health so making sure that you get good quality sleep should be a priority – and it is possible. These are the best sleep positions to get your best sleep when you have lower back pain.

Stomach Position

Sleeping on your stomach is usually the least back friendly sleep position, but some people can’t sleep any other way. Take the strain off of your back by supporting it with a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis. Using a pillow may put too much stress on your back, so you might need to try to sleep without one. Another alternative is to use a flatter, less fluffy pillow. Try different positions, such as drawing one leg up or splaying your legs more until you find one that is right for you.

Back Position

If you sleep on your back you likely won’t be comfortable just lying flat. Try different positions such as, placing a rolled towel under your knees or the small of your back to provide added support. Use a good pillow to support your neck. There are pillows that are made specifically for people who sleep on their backs; you may want to give it a try.

Side Position

Many people with lower back pain find sleeping on their side to be the most comfortable sleep position. If you sleep on your side, pull your knees up slightly so that they are almost perpendicular from your body. You may have to make some adjustments to how bent your legs are, before you find a position that takes the pressure off of your back. Place a pillow between your thighs and knees. You may want to use a body pillow to provide even more support all along your legs.

A Word about Your Pillow and Your Bed

The position that you sleep in can help relieve your back pain, but getting good quality sleep will help you manage your pain much better so it should be your goal to get good, restful sleep every night. You should change out your pillow on a regular basis.

Pillows can get worn and no longer deliver the support they once did. If you are waking up with neck or back pain or headaches it could be your pillow. Additionally, studies show that making your bed every day improves your quality of sleep. Make sure that the temperature is comfortable and avoid electronic devices for about an hour before bedtime. Be good to your body; make sleep a priority.

Stress chiropractic benefits

How Chiropractic Helps Relieve Stress

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Everyone experiences stress at some point in their life. In fact, it is becoming a sort of new normal in today’s hectic, fast paced, high pressure society.

However, a large percentage of the United States population is feeling a significant impact from the stress in their lives; 77 percent say they experience physical stress related symptoms on a regular basis. Additionally, 73 percent report experiencing stress related psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression. These are not accurate numbers though because many people never seek help for their stress issues.

Stress symptoms should not be taken lightly. It is important to address the symptoms and find ways to reduce the stress. Chiropractic is an effective stress reliever.

What is stress?

In literal terms, stress is the state of emotional or mental strain, pressure, or tension that result from difficulties, adverse situations, or extremely demanding circumstances. However, the very nature of stress by definition makes it very subjective. What is an adverse situation to one person may not even faze another. What one person finds to be an extremely demanding circumstance would to another barely warrant a second thought. This makes it difficult to pin down a precise, universal definition. More often, the term stress is more often used to describe the set of symptoms that are caused by stress and those symptoms can be as varied as the people who experience them.

What are the symptoms of stress?

Stress symptoms can affect the entire body, both physically and mentally. Common symptoms of stress include:

  • Sleep problems
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Muscle tension
  • Lower back pain
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Fatigue
  • Lack of motivation
  • Irritability
  • Headache
  • Restlessness
  • Chest pain
  • Feelings of being overwhelmed
  • Decrease or increase in sex drive
  • Inability to focus
  • Undereating or overeating

How do stress symptoms affect health?

Technically, stress itself does not have a negative impact on health. Some people deal with situations that others would consider to be stressful, yet they never exhibit the first symptom. This again speaks to the subjective nature of stress. Different people experience different symptoms and it is a combination of the stress symptoms and how the person handles those symptoms that adversely affect health.

Ultimately, stress symptoms can lead to some very serious conditions including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and even certain cancers. Psychologically, it can lead to social withdrawal and social phobias. It is also often directly linked to alcohol and drug abuse.

How can chiropractic help relieve stress symptoms?

Chiropractic cannot get rid of stress, but it can help relieve stress symptoms. The more stress the body endures, the more sensitive it becomes to pain and physical imbalances. Chiropractic can help with bringing the body back into balance, aligning the spine, and relieving pain.

On a larger scale, the simple act of aligning the spine helps to relieve stress in the body that the person may not even be aware of experiencing. The physical stress of a misaligned spine can exacerbate stress symptoms and make a person more susceptible to stressful stimuli in their environment.

Chiropractic helps to improve circulation which is essential in relieving muscle tension. This is integral in achieving and maintaining a relaxed, balanced state. It shuts down the fight or flight response that is a common accompaniment to stress, and allows the body to rest and heal.

Stress symptoms are should not be ignored. They can lead to several very serious health conditions. If you are experiencing stress in your life or stress symptoms (you don’t have to recognize that you are under stress to experience its symptoms) pay attention. Those symptoms aren’t likely to go away but instead get worse. Take care of yourself; get help for your stress.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 to schedule your initial assessment with one of our wellness chiropractic doctors! Start living stress free!

Chiropractic care benefits family

4 Key Ways Chiropractic Care Benefits the Whole Family

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When we think of chiropractic care, our minds automatically jump to treatment for work injuries, or issues stemming from aging. While spinal manipulations and other chiropractic treatment are highly valuable in those situations, they are not the beginning and ending of what chiropractic care can accomplish.

Adults who embrace the benefits of a chiropractor should consider treatment for their entire family, as it can provide unique benefits to each member in terms of total wellness and quality of life.

Here are four key ways chiropractic care benefits the whole family.

Injury prevention

The best way to treat an injury is to avoid an injury. It sounds simple, but many individuals don’t think of their health this way. By implementing a chiropractic regimen into each family member’s life, everyone’s spine is well-maintained and aligned, joints are looser, and necks are relaxed. For younger family members, this means sliding into third base won’t pull a muscle, studying for that exam won’t cause headaches, and taking out the trash won’t hurt their backs (even though they may still gripe about it).

For the older family members, chiropractic treatment for prevention helps avoid workplace injuries, minimizes strains and sprains from gardening or other “weekend warrior” activities, and even aids in sleeping and stress relief.

Chiropractic care also helps every family member…

Increase flexibility

As mentioned above, chiropractic treatment helps keep joints loose, and the entire body functioning properly. Flexibility is key in performing physical activity,  lessening growing pains, aging gracefully, and avoiding disease and injury. Spinal manipulation coupled with at-home exercises make it easy for each family member to be as limber as possible.

Enhance healing

A wide variety of health issues, from headaches and backaches, to immune diseases and digestive problems, can be addressed through chiropractic care. That’s because, instead of treating the symptoms of an issue, chiropractors aim toward the root cause of the problem. No matter what a person’s age, if they are dealing with issues caused by spinal misalignment or stiff muscles and joints, consulting with a chiropractor for treatment can speed up the healing process, decrease downtime, and lessen the chance of the issue recurring.

Reduce performance issues

Most individuals crave to perform at the highest level possible. Some examples are scoring well on a test, playing the best basketball game, driving safely, excelling at job duties, hiking a trail, and giving a speech. We all want to do our best and be successful.

The holistic approach of chiropractic care helps us function at top performance. While pain takes the focus away from  performing  well, and drugs can cause fuzziness and loss of concentration, chiropractic treatments give relief without side effects. No matter a person’s age, chiropractic care helps his or her body be higher-functioning and ready for life’s challenges, regardless of the form they take.

Chiropractic care benefits patients of a wide array of ages in a variety of ways. Family members should carefully consider the positive, long-lasting aspects of chiropractic treatment for themselves, their spouses, and children. A commitment to such treatment can decrease injury and performance issues, and increase flexibility, confidence, and success.

Call (780)455-2112 to get your family scheduled in for a chiropractic assessment!

Back pain core strength

How Building Core Strength Can Reduce Back Pain

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Back pain can be debilitating, causing immobility, inflexibility, and have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. It can make even the most mundane daily activities extremely difficult – and even excruciating. Building the muscles that make up your core (abdominals and back) can help support your spine and reduce back pain. In many cases, strengthening these muscles can help a patient avoid medication with its unpleasant side effects and even avoid surgery. With just a few smart moves you can greatly decrease your back pain, increase your mobility, and take back your life.

The Role of Abs and Back Muscles

The spine is the supporting structure for the back, but it also is a vital infrastructure for the entire body. It houses the central nervous system and neural impulses are transferred along what is essentially a spinal super highway.

The arms, legs, neck, and head are all connected and stabilized by the spine through an intricate network of ligaments and muscles. The back muscles and abs, or abdominal muscles, are at the center, or core, of this muscular network. They keep the body upright and facilitate movement. When these core muscles are not in good condition, it puts stress on the spine, impacting its ability to support the body. This often results in back pain and even injury in some cases.

Postural Alignment

Postural alignment is a common contributor to back pain. This is often due to weak core muscles.

As the muscles fail to do their job to stabilize the spine, the body adjusts structurally to accommodate the weakness. This can result in postures that cause joint pain as well as muscular pain and even headaches.

For instance, stooped or hunched shoulders can cause back pain, but it can also create tension in the shoulders and neck. This, in turn, can cause tension headaches and migraines in patients.

A sway back, where the lower back bows, causing the pelvis to tilt up, can cause severe lower back pain, especially after standing for long periods of time. Sway back can be the result of weakened core muscles or a combination of a weak core, combined with obesity or pregnancy.

The weight in the abdominal area pulls the spine forward so that it curves. A pregnancy sling can sometimes help with the pain, but it is just a band aid. The real cure is to strengthen the core muscles so that they are better able to adequately support the spine and body.

Foundation Training

Eric Goodman, a chiropractor, developed Foundation Training as a way to help his patients who suffer from lower back pain, but are not physically able to do Pilates or yoga. It is also designed to help those who sit for long periods of time to counteract the associated negative health effects.

Foundation training incorporates powerful yet simple movements that work to integrate the body’s muscular chains, increasing strength and realigning the core and spine. It does not require any equipment so the movements can be performed anywhere. The muscles are trained how to move properly and work together so that you the body learns to move how it is designed to move. The key basic exercise can be viewed in this video.

Creating a strong core can help relieve back pain but also have added benefits such as increase energy, better mobility, and an improved mood. By allowing the body to support itself, it can naturally relieve pain and heal certain conditions without invasive surgery or medication which can have unpleasant or even harmful side effects. When you take good care of your body, it will take good care of you.

Call (780)455-2112 to schedule your assessment with one of our wellness chiropractic doctors!