The Woes of a Winter Wonderland

by Dr. Dave Edenfield

While NE Florida dodged a bullet this time when it comes to winter’s worst, this doesn’t mean that area residents will get off Scott free when it comes to dealing with aches and pains brought on by the cold.  (Aren’t you glad you don’t live in Atlanta?) Maybe we in Jacksonville don’t have to worry about shoveling snow (and all the back strain that goes along with it), but when the temperature turns chillier many Floridians begin to feel winter’s icy grip playing up and down their spine.  The reason that back pain is more acute during this time of year is due to the fact that cold weather brings on tension that acts as a catalyst for back and neck issues.  Another factor has to do with the fact that when the weather is cold, most people cut back on many of the physical activities that they normally perform in warmer climes.

As a rule, the less exercise you do the tighter your back becomes regardless of the temperature.  This can set up a vicious cycle, especially for people who tend to lead a more sedentary lifestyle.  Office workers in particular feel the brunt of the season since the very act of sitting in front of a computer can cause the back to tense up even in the warmer months.  One of the remedies I recommend to those who work at a desk is to get up and do some stretches every hour or so.  If you are more of an outdoors type and find the weather a bit too cool for comfort, take a drive to the mall and walk around it a couple of times. Particularly in the winter, any exercise is better than no exercise. (Playing a video game on Xbox does not count.)

Winter Weight Gain

Worst of all is the fact that winter sets in just after the Christmas holidays, when people tend to overindulge in food and sweets.  The problem with the calories consumed during the holidays is that a new year’s resolution alone is not enough to make them melt away.  If we don’t make an effort to work them off they will only accumulate over time.  When you consider the fact that according to the CDC 65% of adults and 18% of children in the US are considered overweight, the combination of overeating and inactivity during the depths of winter can combine into a perfect storm that can take their toll on the back.

If you do feel that you need to lose weight, do not rely on fad diets that can prove ineffective or even dangerous since they tend to adversely affect blood chemistry.  Everything from mood swings to decreased immune response can be caused by diets that urge people to shun certain types of food.  Besides, restricting food intake without adding exercise (and dietary supplements) also tends to disrupt the metabolism.  This is one of the reasons that most diets are doomed to failure, since it is much easier to put the pounds back on once the diet has ceased.  That doesn’t mean that dieting can’t help you shed some weight.  You just want to make sure it isn’t going to do you more harm than good.  (If you are considering going on a diet, especially if you are diabetic or are taking cholesterol or heart medication, consult your chiropractor first.)

Posture can also take a big hit during the winter months since most people tend to hunch their shoulders to ward off the cold.   Footwear such as boots while stylish is another factor that can add to the state of imbalance imparted to your spine brought about by the falling temperatures.  Many people also tend to pack more items into purses, briefcases and shoulder bags during the winter months, much like a bear preparing for winter hibernation.  The difference is that a bear once hibernated will not eat until it wakes up in the spring.

When it comes to beating back the woes of a winter wonderland, the enemy isn’t simply the cold, it is dealing with a profound lack of inertia.  So my advice is to my fellow Floridians is to keep moving and thank your lucky stars you don’t live in Chicago, home of the Bears.

Tips to Prevent Winter Back Woes
• Maintain a healthy diet and weight.
• Remain active during the winter months
• Warm up or stretch before exercising or after remaining seated for prolonged periods.
• Strive to maintain proper posture.
• Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

Dr. Dave Edenfield  and Dr. Steven Warfield are part of the team of doctors and therapists at http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com and http://endyourpain.orgwho are dedicated to helping you and your family lead  healthier, happier and pain-free lives.  

Above the Curve – How the US spends its healthcare dollars on spinal treatment

By Dr. Steven Warfield

While it’s common knowledge that healthcare costs in the US have skyrocketed during the past few years, most people have no idea how these costs break down for care associated with back and neck conditions.  While from 1999 to 2008, the costs of healthcare rose an astounding 95%, annual expenses for chiropractic care when adjusted for inflation were relatively stable.  This is a good thing, since more than 50% of adults will experience a back or neck injury during their lifetime.  In fact back pain is the second most common reason that adults in the US seek medical care.  (Upper respiratory infections top the list.)

While it’s hard to put an exact dollar figure on the costs associated with spinal issues, it is widely accepted that somewhere in the neighborhood of $90 billion will be spent this year alone on the diagnosis and treatment of back and neck pain.  Everything from x-rays and MRIs, from surgery to physical therapy are attributable to back and neck injuries.  Not to mention prescription and over-the-counter pain killers.  (Don’t even get me started there.) However, these costs do not include the $10-$20 billion in earnings that will also be lost due to missed days at work while convalescing.  When you add everything up, this brings the total cost for spinal treatment at well over the $100 billion mark.

While these numbers seem alarming, so is the incidence of spinal injury.  While slip and fall or automobile accidents are responsible for a significant amount of back and neck problems, these are by no means the only culprits.  Everything from overdoing it at the gym, to playing golf, tennis or some other sports-related activity can result in spinal pain.  So too can activities around the home or work.  In fact, one of the most common ways to throw your back out is to simply lift something the wrong way.  Puttering around in the garden is also another way in which to injure your back.

Kid’s Stuff

If you are a parent, caring for young children can present something of a minefield.  Whether it’s tripping over toys, or simply the strain of picking up your child, when it comes to back and neck strain, childcare is not kid’s stuff.  Even during play time, many times adults will overdo it in their zeal to compete with or corral a tot.  Not to mention the fact that toting baby paraphernalia slung over one shoulder is sufficient to cause spinal wear and tear that can ultimately result in a trip to the chiropractor.

Other than covering yourself in bubble wrap and refusing to get off the sofa, what can the average person do to enjoy an active lifestyle while avoiding back and neck strain.  (Let me count the ways.)

1.      Make sure your bedding provides sufficient support for your back and your neck.  This means checking everything from your mattress to your pillows. 

2.      Chair Check – Does your office chair have an adjustable lumbar support and more importantly is it properly adjusted?  If you routinely find yourself slouched behind your desk then it is time to either adjust or replace your chair. 

3.      Your computer is not your friend. Especially if you spend all day sitting in front of one.  Most desktop computers and all laptops and tablets force the user to lean forward to type while viewing the screen.  My advice is to get an external monitor for your laptop and to raise the level of the monitor at least a foot above the desktop.  This will allow you to sit upright and avoid the condition called shoulders forward that is primarily caused by the modern workplace.

4.      Lift with the legs as opposed to the back.  If you must lift something off the ground, the correct way to do so without straining your back is to squat down, grasp the item and then stand straight up. Do NOT lean forward, grasp the item and then straighten your back.  This is the surest way I know to strain your back.

5.      Hire a Coach – If you haven’t been to the gym in ages, or played a round of golf or game of tennis in more than a year, the last thing you want to do is go at it full bore.  Especially if you are over forty.  At least not without supervision.  Today there are scads of professional trainers who make their living by evaluating and supervising sports-minded people.  (Another person to consult regarding exercise would be your chiropractor, since he or she has been trained in everything from stretching routines to nutrition.) 

6.      Don’t let your green thumb turn you into a dead duck.  Aside from the fact that many garden implements can be considered lethal weapons, just the act of digging, pruning and/or planting is a hotbed for back and neck strain.  (So is shoveling snow, although we don’t have that problem here in sunny Florida.)  The secret to getting the most out of your gardening is to take it a little at a time, make sure you stay hydrated and be extra cautious around tasks that involve climbing trees and operating power tools.

While health costs in the US are predicted to do little but rise, that doesn’t mean that with a little common sense you can’t enjoy good health and save yourself an unnecessary trip to the doctor.  That in itself is priceless. (Or failing that I can probably get you a good price on bubble wrap.)

Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments for back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat auto accident victims with state-of-the-art technologies.  For more information visit http://endyourpain.org 

or http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com

Wakey Wakey, Is Your Neck or Back Achy Achy?

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Environmental stresses that can adversely affect your neck abound in the modern world.  Everything from chairs with poor or no lumbar support, to laptop computer screens that cause your neck to crane forward for hours on end can produce both long term and short term aches and pains that can take a toll on your lifestyle.  But the cruelest rub of all is the fact that many people start off the day with neck strain or pain before the morning commute even begins.  This is caused by pillows and/or mattresses that are anything but form fitting.

Banged Up Before Breakfast

If you routinely wake up with a headache, stiff neck or aching back, chances are either your pillow or mattress is to blame.  When choosing bedding you should take a lesson from Goldilocks.  Avoid mattresses and pillows that are either too hard or too soft and sleep only on the ones that are just right.

Finding Bedding That’s Just Right

Firm Mattress:  The term firm is nebulous, since a firm mattress that is comfortable to one sleeper is  like a bag of bricks to another.  While firmer mattresses are generally preferable in terms of support to ones that are very soft, in the final analysis the decision is up to the individual.  As a rule avoid mattresses labeled as ultra-firm unless otherwise advised by your physician.

When choosing a mattress, the last thing you want to do is climb atop one in a store for all of thirty seconds only to find out later that what seemed like a good fit was really way too stiff for either you or your bedmate to tolerate all night long.  Buying the wrong bed can be detrimental to your relationship.  What I recommend is that you and your partner test drive any bed you are considering by having both parties lie down on it for at least five minutes.  Particularly if you are petite and your spouse is built like King Kong, finding the right mattress could take a bit of trial and error.   

Plush Mattress: Pillow top mattresses are all the rage these days.  But they could prove too soft or even too hot since the topper tends to rise up to engulf your body while the mattress beneath can be either too soft or too hard to take for any extended period of time.  From a chiropractic point of view, plush mattresses as a rule do not offer sufficient support to maintain the ideal back curvature.  As a result, the muscles and soft tissues of the back and neck tend to increase their tension in order to offset this problem, which many times results in back and/or neck pain.

The Best of Both Worlds: Today there are a number of hi-tech mattress materials such as memory foam that are used to provide both support and body-cradling comfort.  This is especially helpful if you like a harder mattress while your partner prefers a stiffer one.  Some beds even allow each bedmate to tailor the hardness or softness on their side of the bed.  Since a mattress is a long-term investment for most people, don’t be in a hurry to buy one until everyone is satisfied with the decision.

Pillow Problems: Even the best bed in the world will not guarantee you a restful night’s sleep if your

 pillow doesn’t provide adequate neck support.  If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night with your neck contorted into an unnatural position or if your neck is typically stiff or sore as soon as you roll out of bed, then chances are your pillow is to blame.  So what is the best pillow to use?  Just as with bedding, there is no simple answer to this question.  In fact when it comes to pillows, there are many makes and models from which to choose.  Whether a pillow is filled with foam, feathers, goose down or some space age material matters not if it is uncomfortable. 

Next, you want to choose a pillow that positions your neck in a neutral position.  Any pillow that is too high can cause pain upon waking.  On the other hand, a pillow that is too soft can cause the neck to bend toward the pillow and lead to neck strain and pain as well.  The ideal pillow is one that not only offers proper support and comfort when sleeping in one position, but one that can adjust whether you lie on your side or your back.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Speaking of sleep posture, people who predominantly sleep on their sides typically require a softer mattress than those who sleep mostly on their backs.  Sleeping on your stomach is never a healthy position in which to sleep, since it not only puts added pressure on the neck, but it also makes breathing difficult since it presses on the diaphragm.

This Old Bed

The real culprit for many people is a bed that is simply too old.  While a plush mattress tends to sag when weight is applied, there is a big difference between a mattress that was designed that way and one that is worn out.  One way to tell if it is time to buy a new mattress is to pull back the covers and lay a yardstick across the mattress.  If there is any space beneath the ruler, then it is time to head for the nearest bedding store.  Another test is to sit in the middle of the mattress in order to see if the edges rise.  If the mattress resembles a banana with someone seated in the middle then the inner support system is shot.

Taking the Show on the Road

Another suspect when it comes to back and neck strain, has to do with the quality of hotel mattresses.  Particularly if you are forced to do a lot of travelling for business purposes, I can’t stress enough that choosing lodging that provides top quality bedding is far more important than a free breakfast any day of the week.  So important is this topic that there are actually websites dedicated to hotel bedding, such as http://www.mattress-wiz.com/best-hotel-mattress-reviews.html and http://mattreslo.com/best-hotel-mattresses/.  

While top quality bedding can cost thousands of dollars, it is well worth the investment since it can cost much more to have your aching neck or back put right again. 

Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments for back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat auto accident victims with state-of-the-art technologies.  For more information visit http://endyourpain.org or http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com

Can Laser Therapy Help Alleviate Arthritis Pain?

by Dr. Dave Edenfield

Arthritis is a painful, prevalent condition that afflicts millions every year. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), rhematoid and osteoarthritis, in particular, affects nearly 14 percent of adults age 25 and over. Symptoms are wide ranging. Pain associated with resulting limited mobility is often debilitating, as well. Evidence indicates laser therapy may provide significant relief.

What’s the difference?

Although certain types of arthritis manifest very similar symptoms, their underlying causes may be very different. For example, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis both result in painful joint and limb stiffness; one originates from mechanical degenerative causes while the other is an affliction of the autoimmune system, however. Other types such as infectious or hemorrhagic conditions stem from site bacteria or bleeding. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, laser therapy helps reduce pain and improves site flexibility for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Therapeutic lasers did not elicit similar results for osteoarthritis.   Reports do indicate positive effects for patients with milder forms of the condition. <http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts/abstracts00/1961.html>.

How does it work?

When you get hurt or feel pain, celling signaling is partly responsible for telling your brain “what’s what.” Neurotransmitters deliver pain messages. Think of them as a kind of “mailman”; synapses are the roadway the mailman drives along. Laser therapy works <http://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic/news/14600/1/article/> by exciting these biochemical responses. Of course, your body already does this without laser therapy; processes stunted by injury, however, may not affect cell signaling properly diminishing a person’s ability to heal. Laser treatments give the body an added healing edge, so to speak. Pain from extreme site immobility, for example, is sometimes the result of inflammation; a naturally occurring autoimmune response to illness or injury. In some cases, inflammation can go awry perpetuating further strain or injury and so forth. Arthritic patients often experience perpetuating symptoms under such conditions. Energy emitted from lasers excite mechanisms that drive the metabolism and nervous system that remedy illness. It results in increased hormone, cell and neurotransmitter production.

What’s the “buzz?”

In the future, laser therapy will allow for more personalized, individual attention to specific needs. Rather than a simply randomized effect on problematic tissue, scientists will soon have the ability to isolate or “tweeze” individualistic cells. This will allow practitioners to more effectively deal with a host of rheumatoid disease and subsequent effects.

Dr. Dave Edenfield is part of the team of doctors and therapists athttp://lakewoodchiropracticjax.com who are dedicated to helping you and your family lead a healthier, happier and pain-free life.

Roughing the Public - The Ugly Truth About Sports Injuries

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Have you read the sports page lately?  If you have you will have noticed that a lot of attention has been given to concussions and other sports injuries in the NFL.  In fact, a recent lawsuit brought against the NFL by a number of former players received $765 million in damages for job-related injuries that resulted from the excessive amount of concussions that players in the league were subjected to during the course of their careers.  As a result, the league has changed the rules to try to mitigate these kinds of injuries.  Helmet to helmet hits are now penalized and players who take a blow to the head are often sidelined, or even taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion.  Some pundits have even called for sensors to be installed in helmets that could document the punishment that is inflicted upon players.  While some fans claim that the changes that have been handed down are an impediment to the game, many more, including a number of former players would agree that these safeguards are warranted, since the damage that was done to some retired NFL players were life changing.

While the controversy continues to rage over how and why to handle these kinds of high profile sports injuries, what the majority of the public has failed to realize is the fact that sports injuries aren’t only incurred by professional athletes.  Everyone from weekend warriors to retirees and even school children are susceptible to injuries resulting from sports activities.  As far as the statistics go the relevance and costs associated with sports injuries is on the increase.

Bad News for Boomers

A recent article onactive.com reported that “While many baby boomers people between the ages of 37 and 55 are exercising more, many end up in hospital emergency rooms suffering from sports related injuries, according to Yale orthopedic surgeon, Robert A. Stanton, M.D., who wants to raise awareness about this growing problem and offer preventative strategies. Statistics show that most sports-related injuries affecting this age group come from bicycling, running, skiing and in-line skating. Although the injuries were relatively minor, Stanton said the bruises and sprains added up to nearly 90,000 injuries in one year a 42 percent increase in the past decade.”’

While these statistics might come as a surprise to some adults, they certainly don’t to ER doctors who have to deal with the carnage first hand.  Worse still is the fact that so many of the injuries that are dealt with in ERs across the country are preventable. 

Said Doctor Stanton, clinical instructor of orthopedics at Yale School of Medicine. "By following preventative steps, such as warming up, wearing bike helmets and knee pads, and increasing the rate of activity by only 10 percent per week, baby boomers will have fewer injuries."

Of course, sports injuries are not only relegated to baby boomers.  In fact, the age group with the highest rates of hospitalization and death due to traumatic brain injury are not pro athletes but senior citizens.  Unlike past generations, senior citizens today are more active and mobile than those that came before them.  With the advent of motor vehicles, the incidence of severe trauma many times occur with the start of an engine.  And I don’t just mean the four-wheel kind.

A recent report by AARP cited an explosion in the number of older people riding motorcycles.  “It’s not uncommon for us to see a 65-year-old guy and his 58-year-old wife ricing on the back of a Harley,” reported Dr John Morris, chief of trauma at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

http://www.aarp.org/health/medical-research/info-08-2010/health_discovery_seniors_still_have_game_but_injuries_take_a_toll.html

Sports Injuries are Not Kid Stuff

While the elderly are seeing an explosion in sports injuries, the same holds true at the opposite end of the spectrum.  USA Today reported that 1.45 million kids per year have serious sports injuries.  These include everything from strains and contusions, to fractures and concussions.  These injuries result in costs of nearly a billion dollars per year and involve twenty percent of kids who are taken to the emergency room. 

As you might guess, a number of these injuries are the result of participation in organized sports.”Using data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, the report focused on pediatric sports injuries related to 14 common sports activities, including football, cheerleading, soccer and basketball. More than 46.5 million children played team sports in 2011, says the report.  It finds that in 2012, 12% of all ER visits (163,670) involved a concussion, the equivalent of one every three minutes. Nearly half (47%) were in kids ages 12 to 15.”

While these statistics sound alarming, the truth of the matter is that many of these injuries are preventable.  By doing things like stretching before exercising or participating in sports, by using protection such as pads and helmets when biking or skateboarding and by taking yourself out of the game and seeking treatment when you or someone you know overdoes it on the playing field, we can all reduce the incidence and severity of sports injuries.  The real cost of sports injuries does not only come from the time and money that it costs the public to recover from an injury.  It also costs in terms of time missed from work.  The ugly truth about sports injuries is that they don’t have to sideline your life if you use common sense. 

If you are feeling less than picture perfect after your next golf game, tennis match or other athletic event, consult your local chiropractor.  They are experts in not only mitigating pain and helping patients recover from injury.  They can also offer a wealth of knowledge when it comes to everything from stretching exercises to nutrition. 

Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments for back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat auto accident victims with state-of-the-art technologies.  For more information visit http://endyourpain.org or http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com