Back Pain Causes and Treatment

Causes of Back Pain

There are many causes of back pain. Back pain may be a result of poor posture, whiplash from an automobile accident, sports injury, a slip and fall or some other type of injury that breeds pain to this section of the body. Fortunately, chiropractic adjustments can relieve much of the trauma caused by back pain.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Back Pain

One of the greatest benefits of chiropractic care for back pain is the treatment is performed in a non-surgical, non- evasive manner.  There is no cutting of any sorts to body parts, and no drugs are involved in chiropractic medicine. This makes chiropractic treatment for back pain a healthy and safe alternative to traditional surgery and medications.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain

There are several tips in the prevention of back pain:

• Healthy diet and exercise
• Maintain an active lifestyle
• Avoid extended inactivity or bed rest.
• Warm up or stretch before prior to exercise
• Maintain proper posture
• Wear comfortable shoes
• Sleep on a supportive mattress
• Lift objects using your knees

To find out more about chiropractic treatment for back pain and other healthy articles visit www.abcclinics.com

Back Pain

Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills Treats Headaches

Chronic Headaches verses Minor Headaches

Many people suffer from headaches. Some headache sufferers have chronic headaches all of the time that greatly affect their everyday lives, while others suffer from minor headaches on an infrequent basis. Whatever the cause and frequency headaches are always an unpleasant disturbance to everyday life.

Several Lifestyle Habits Trigger Headaches

Common triggers for headaches include:

• Stress
• Certain foods like chocolate, caffeine, nitrates, cheese, nuts, win and others
• Some medications
• Changes in sleeping habits
• Hormonal changes
• Tension in the neck

Chiropractic Care in Temple Hills is an Effective Treatment for Headaches

Fortunately chiropractic care has been proven to be an effective remedy for many headache sufferers. Studies have shown that spinal manipulations by a chiropractor can greatly decrease the extent to which the headache causes pain to the body of the sufferer and even sometimes alleviate pain all together.

Chiropractic adjustments at our Temple Hills clinic can also greatly decrease the severity and frequency of headaches. Headache sufferers are therefore recommended to undergo a treatment trial period to see if the cause of their headache can be remedied with chiropractic care. 

Stretching and Its Benefits to Our Bodies

Exercise and stretching are great for the body and is phenomenal combined with chiropractic care.

Stretching and its Benefits to our Bodies

Many people wonder about the benefits of stretching. We all know it is good to take a stretch before a long workout. Professional athletes swear by stretching on a regular basis right before practice and also prior to a big game. However, regular stretching is not only beneficial for athletes. Exercise and stretching are great for the body and breed phenomenal results combined with chiropractic care. Stretching regularly can aid in the prevention of bodily injury that may occur from normal household duties such as bending down to load the dish washer or moving a heavy box upstairs from the basement. 

Making a habit of stretching will help prevent injury.  A great routine to have is creating a morning stretch time right upon waking up or prior to bed each night. This exercise may only take a few minutes. In fact you can set a stretch routine time of 15 minutes a day.

There are several vital stretches that can be done at home. One tool that can be used to assist in at-home stretches is an exercise ball. By utilizing an exercise ball you can perform a whole body stretch right at home! Now let’s discuss a quick daily stretch routine that can be extremely beneficial to your overall health and fitness.

Chest Stretch

To perform chest stretches lay your back onto the ball and then roll your body down until your back is properly supported by the ball. Relax your body and arms, allowing them to fall to the sides. Repeat 3-5 times.

Whole Body Stretch

With your legs held wide, put your hands on the ball and roll the ball outwards, facing the ball and pressing your head against your chest to stretch your hamstring. Repeat 3-5 times.

Back Stretch

While standing in front of the ball place your right hand against it sideways with your thumb pointing outward. Roll the ball towards your left and keep your head straight. Repeat 3-5 times.

Balance with Ball

Standing on your left leg only, hold the exercise ball on top of your head and your right leg straight out behind you. Using slow motions steadily move the ball toward the ground, shifting your left leg behind you, letting the ball assist you in maintaining balance. Now let the ball roll out a bit to lengthen your entire body. Repeat 3-5 times.

Always remember to consult a physician prior to any new workout routine for a proper analysis of preexisting injuries or illnesses that may prevent the new workout.

Reference: http://exercise.about.com/library/blrelaxingstretch.htm

Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hill's 10 Easy Ways to Slim Down

Slim down with Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills

To successfully lose weight and keep it off, eating well and exercising are key (the secret, of course, is to eat less and move more).

Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills Recommend’s these 10 easy weight-loss tips:

1. Slow down.

When eating, it takes 20 minutes for your body to register fullness. And according to a University of Rhode Island study, you can save 70 calories by eating slowly over about half an hour versus eating in under 10 minutes. If you ate slower at every meal, that would translate into losing about two pounds a month. An easy way to slow down your eating is to put your fork down between bites—or consider using chopsticks.

2. Use a smaller plate.

As serving sizes have increased, so have plate sizes—and seeing appropriately sized portions swimming on a giant plate can make you feel like you're not getting much food. Put your main meal on a 7-inch plate, which is about the size of a salad plate or child-size plate. Choose a 1-cup dessert or cereal bowl instead of a soup bowl, a 6-ounce wineglass rather than a goblet. When you’re eating out, ask for an extra salad plate and transfer the proper-size portions of your food onto it when you’re served your entree. Then ask the waiter to take away and wrap up the rest.

3. Eat breakfast.

Research shows that regular breakfast eaters tend to be leaner and that dieters are more successful at losing weight—and keeping it off—when they eat breakfast. Pack your breakfast with protein and fiber—both will help keep you satisfied all morning. Think: whole-wheat toast with peanut butter or an omelet stuffed with vegetables.

4. Plan for the occasional treat.

Studies suggest that feeling deprived—even if you are consuming plenty of calories—can trigger overeating. And making any food off-limits just increases its allure. So savor a small treat: it won’t break your diet! Two squares of dark chocolate or ½ cup of (nonpremium) ice cream clock in at under 150 calories.

5. Step away from the screen.

Turn off the TV and the computer and enjoy your meal without distractions. Making an effort to be mindful, no matter what you’re eating, can help break the tendency to overeat—and help you feel more satisfied. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who ate lunch without distractions felt fuller 30 minutes after eating, and ate less when they snacked later, than people who played solitaire on a computer during their midday meal.

6. Eat water-filled foods.

Foods with high water content—such as soups, salads, cucumbers and watermelon—help you feel satisfied on fewer calories. (Interestingly, drinking water alongside foods doesn’t have the same effect.) And research has shown that starting your meal with a broth-based soup or salad (not drenched in dressing) may help you eat less of your main course.

7. Snack on pistachios.

Studies show that people who eat nuts tend to be leaner than those who don’t, and a recent Harvard study revealed that nuts are a top food for driving weight loss. In particular, unshelled pistachios are a great choice, as removing the shells slows you down and seeing evidence of what you’ve eaten may prevent you from reaching for more. In a recent study out of Eastern Illinois University, people who were given unshelled pistachios consumed 41 percent fewer calories than those offered nuts with the shells already removed. With all nuts, be mindful of your portion size, as they’re calorie-dense: a 1-ounce serving of pistachios (49 nuts) contains 157 calories.

8. Up your fiber intake.

Increasing your daily fiber intake can help you prevent weight gain—and possibly even encourage weight loss—according to research out of Brigham Young University in Utah. Over the course of the two-year study, the researchers found that people who increased their fiber intake generally lost weight and those who decreased the fiber in their diets gained. Adding fiber-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains, helps you feel satisfied on fewer calories; plus, filling up on high-fiber foods usually means crowding out less-healthy, higher-calorie choices.

9. Divide your plate—and you’ll stay satisfied longer.

Trim calories without feeling deprived by dividing your plate like this: Fill half the plate with low-calorie—yet satisfying, fiber-rich—vegetables. Divide the other half of the plate into two equal portions (quarters). Fill one of these quarters with a lean protein, such as chicken, fish, lean beef or tofu. (Research suggests that, gram for gram, protein may keep you feeling fuller longer than carbohydrates or fat.) Fill the other quarter with a filling, fiber-rich whole grain, such as brown rice or quinoa.

10. Get 8 Hours of sleep.

Skimping on shut-eye can pack on the pounds, possibly by altering hunger hormones. Other recent research—out of Harvard—shows that missing even an hour or two of sleep may make you more likely to give in to junk food the next day. Why? The prefrontal cortex—part of the brain responsible for self-control—is compromised by sleep loss.

Chiropractic Temple Hills

Rosa Rehab Temple Hills Chiropractic Kids Health Corner

Rosa Rehab Temple Hills Chiropractic Treatment Can Aid in the Relief of Many Childhood Ailments

When kids enter daycare or school for the first time, many seem to constantly be sick. Germs are everywhere, from toys to desks, to other kids. However, allowing your child to be adjusted regularly by a chiropractor can help ease the symptoms or even prevent the onset of many upper respiratory infections.

Rosa Rehab Temple Hills Chiropractic Treatment Slows Drainage and Clears Predisposes of Common Childhood Ilnesess

Cervical spine dysfunctions prevent proper lymphatic drainage through the deep cervical lymph nodes. By slowing this drainage, bacteria cannot be rapidly cleared and predisposes kids to common childhood illnesses such as tonsillitis, sinus infections, otitis media (ear infection), common colds, and bronchitis.

Cervical adjustments help restore this drainage allowing the lymphatic system to filter bacteria and viruses from our kids’ bodies, keeping them healthier. Give your children the gift of better health!

Rosa Rehab Temple Hills Chiropractic Treatment

Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills Treats Piriformis Syndrome

Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills Treats Piriformis Syndrome

Our Temple Hills Chiropractor treats piriformis syndrome. For most people the sciatic nerve passes right beneath the piriformis muscle, but in approximately 15% of the population, part of the sciatic nerve goes through the piriformis muscle.

The piriformis muscle is located in the buttocks and reaches from the pelvis (sacrum) all the way to the upper thigh-bone (femur). Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle spasms due to issues in the spine or sacroiliac joints, or from overuse.  The symptoms of piriformis syndrome can be very painful and disabling. Fortunately, for the majority, chiropractic treatment at Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills has proven to be very effective in relieving these symptoms.

Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills Treats Lower Body Pain Caused by Piriformis Syndrome

Sympotoms of Piriformis Syndrome include pain to the lower back, groin, perineum, buttock and hip. Piriformis syndrome can also cause dyspareunia (painful intercourse) and pain in the rectum during defecation. The most common symptom of piriformis syndrome is lower back pain that travels through the buttocks and down the leg.

Rosa Chiropractic Temple Hills Provides Proper Diagnosis for Piriformis Syndrome

Other pains are often mistaken to be piriformis syndrome. One underlying difference between piriformis syndrome and other ailments is piriformis syndrome has neurological symptoms associated with it such as pain, numbness, pins and needles feeling, tingling and weakness. If you or a loved one is suffering from symptoms of piriformis symptoms please visit www.rosachiropractictemplehills.com to learn more about treatments options available.

Laser Therapy and Pain Relief

Laser Therapy and Pain Relief

By James White, DC and Kendra Kaesberg-White, DC

Light amplification of stimulated emission of radiation (laser) is a light beam from the electromagnetic spectrum. Unlike conventional light sources a laser beam travels in only one direction and is monochromatic with its photons (little packets of energy) which are all identical in size, traveling equidistant in time and space.

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been investigated and used clinically for over 30 years, mostly in Eastern Europe and Asia. The ability of lasers to cut, cauterize and destroy tissue is well known. These same or similar lasers at lower powers can nonthermally and nondestructively alter cellular function. This phenomenon, known as laser biostimulation, is the basis for the current use of lasers to treat a variety of articular, neural and soft tissue conditions.1

A variety of names have been used to describe the same type of low-level laser: biostimulation, low energy, low reactive, low intensity, soft and or cold laser. In current practice, LLLT uses low output levels (15100 mW), short treatment times (10-240 seconds), and low energy levels (1-4 J/cm2).1

The mechanism and effectiveness of LLLT has been compared with ultrasound therapy,2 and should be considered as an extension to the accepted physiotherapy modalities that currently utilize parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as shortwaves, microwaves, infrared, and ultraviolet therapy.1

Lasers produce nonionizing, electromagnetic radiation that is extremely monochromatic, polarized and coherent.3 Laser light has been reported to penetrate human tissue in the ranges of .8-15mm,4,5 but the majority of the light will be absorbed within the first 4mm.6,7 Although this may seem superficial, it should be noted that chemical processes may be initiated and mediate physiological effects at a deeper level.8

The initial studies utilizing LLLT on nerve tissue produced mixed results regarding nerve conduction velocity and distal latency. These earlier studies utilized low powered HeNe lasers (<=1mW) and resultant low energy densities (<=.012 J/cm2).1 More recent studies utilizing higher energy densities and deeper penetrating lasers have found alterations in distal nerve latency and conduction velocity by a few to many percent, and which can last for periods of 30 minutes or greater.1,9-11

It appears that nerve tissue has a photosensitive component, which results in a biostimulation blockade response following laser exposure.12 It is felt that LLLT reduces the excitability of the nerve cells by an interruption of the fast pain fibers with a resultant reduction in pain.12-15 LLLT has also been shown to accelerate the repair process of crush damaged nerves and improve function in both the CNS and peripheral nerves after injury.1,16-18 Laser Safety LLLT is a relatively safe procedure. Due to the low level, nonthermal nature of the laser, there is no tissue destruction or other hazards that you would find associated with the higher powered lasers. The FDA has classified the most commonly used low level lasers as a class III, nonsignificant risk, medical device for investigations use only.19 Because of the coherent nature of the laser beam, ocular damage is the main concern for the LLLT user. The operator should not attempt to stare directly into the beam. Suitable goggles to attenuate the wavelengths would be used by both the operator and patient.20 Other suggested contraindications would be to avoid exposure to sensitive tissue such as fetus, gonads and malignancy.20 Clinical Studies A number of papers have shown a reduction of pain with laser treatments directed over acupuncture points.21-24 Altered skin resistance with a reduction of pain were also noted in subjects who receive LLLT over muscular trigger points.25-26 A group of subjects with chronic tendinopathies, that had been previously treated unsuccessfully with physical therapy, NSAIDS, local injections, and or surgery, had an 87 percent success rate in pain reduction following the application of LLLT.27 In a study involving over 4,000 subjects who had suffered from conditions such as degenerative arthritis; muscle pain; tendinitis and tension myalgia. More than 80 percent of the subjects found a marked lessening of their symptoms following irradiation with an IR laser.28-30 In a study involving a total of 69 subjects and 302 total laser treatment sessions, more that 80 percent of the subjects with chronic radiculopathies and over 90 percent of the subjects with chronic neuropathies experienced a greater than 50 percent total relief of pain following LLLT.14

In a similar study involving 60 total patients and 111 total laser treatments, it was shown that LLLT produced an immediate reduction of pain in 79 percent of the subjects.15 In a study involving over 100 subjects and over 500 laser treatments, it was observed that acute soft tissue pain syndromes showed a dramatic response following the initial laser treatment with a marked reduction in tissue swelling, bruising and good pain relief.31 Subsequent treatments (2-3) produced further improvement.31 It was also noted that chronic pain syndromes were slower to respond to LLLT (average of eight treatments), although 75 percent of the subjects noted significant pain relief.31 A two-stage survey of 116 chartered physiotherapists in Northern Ireland, who utilize LLLT as part of their clinical practice, ranked LLLT effective for the treatment of myofascial and postoperative pain syndromes; rheumatoid arthritis; muscle tears; hematomas; tendinitis; shingles; herpes simplex; scarring; burn and would healing.32 In this same survey, LLLT was ranked first, on the basis of relative effectiveness, when compared with four other modalities (interferential therapy, shortwave diathermy, ultrasound, and pulsed electromagnetic therapy), for use in pain relief and wound healing.32

Suggested Mercy Conference Review Low Level Laser Therapy: Low level laser therapy (LLLT) is a conservative procedure that utilized visible red and/or infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is used as a physiotherapy modality for a variety of articular, neural and soft tissue conditions. Rating: Investigational to promising, awaiting FDA approval.

Evidence: Class I, II, III. Conclusions Laser therapy is gaining laboratory and clinical data to prove its effectiveness. LLLT has gained acceptance for treating a variety of osseous, neural and soft tissue conditions in many parts of the world. The acceptance in the U.S. has been limited because of the rigors of the FDA approval process. Many of the earlier studies involving laser use lacked proper scientific controls. Today there are many controlled studies that are well-designed and multicentered. These studies include the use of modern electrodiagnostic and magnetic resonance imaging to monitor the subjects response in an effort to objectively study the role of LLLT in treating neuromusculoskeletal pain. There is a current need for clinical investigators to research these new laser medical devices. Additional research is required to obtain data concerning success rates in treating specific conditions, length of exposure, frequency of treatments, and related therapeutic protocols. James J. White, DC Kendra Kaesberg-White, DC Belleville, Illinois 

Jessica Barnhart, D.C.

4269 Branch Ave 

Temple Hills, MD 20748

301-316-2111

Chiropractor in:

Temple Hills, Clinton, Oxen Hill, Forestvile