Leading a Well-Balanced Life

By Dr. Steven Warfield

When most of us talk about leading a well-balanced life we are usually referring to a healthy division of work and play.  It’s a remix of the old saw, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”  However, when a chiropractor talks about leading a well-balanced life, he or she is usually being literal in that a person’s sense of balance or lack thereof is vital to their overall health. 

While a sense of balance is something that most of us take for granted, what many people do not realize  is that the body’s ability to balance itself is part hard-wired and part learned.  Watch any infant take their first steps or observe a toddler trying to make its way across the room and you will get some idea of the fact that while all the mechanical elements are in place, the art of bipedal locomotion isn’t something that works right off the bat.  (This in itself seems strange, since many quadrupeds can not only walk, but run within hours of being born.)

Loss of balance many times can also come to those in later years.  Even though they have spent seventy or eighty years walking upright, all of a sudden they find themselves stumbling for no apparent reason, or they begin bumping into things.  If left to their own devices, these balance anomalies can result in tragic falls that can sometimes break bones. What’s even more tragic is the fact that if this loss of balance is reported early then many times more serious consequences can be avoided down the road.

A Balancing Act

To gain an understanding of what causes loss of balance it is important that you understand the fact that balancing on two legs is a complicated process that has many components. 

Wikipedia states that, “Balance is the result of a number of body systems working together: the eyes (visual system), ears (vestibular system) and the body's sense of where it is in space (proprioception) ideally need to be intact. The vestibular system, the region of the inner ear where three semicircular canals converge, works with the visual system to keep objects in focus when the head is moving. This is called the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). The balance system works with the visual and skeletal systems (the muscles and joints and their sensors) to maintain orientation or balance. Visual signals sent to the brain about the body's position in relation to its surroundings are processed by the brain and compared to information from the vestibular, visual and skeletal systems.”

If any one of these elements is impaired then it can affect the body’s ability to successfully navigate 

Vestibular System (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

from Point A to Point B.  Many times the symptoms that appear are subtle.  We’re not talking drunken 

sailors here.  Worse still is the fact that some of these symptoms are indicators of more serious health issues, while others are easily correctable.  While inner ear or vision abnormalities can be the root cause of loss of balance, the spine can also be to at the heart of balance issues. In the first place a healthy spine is the key to balance since all the mechanics of walking are carried via the spinal column.  Anything that interferes with nerve impulses can impede balance.  People with poor posture or low back pain don’t realize how the muscles, tendons, and ligaments control their ability to walk upright until they find themselves having trouble getting out of bed or they take a tumble after missing a step due to their spinal issues.  Any trauma to the lower back or spine can also severely hinder your sense of balance.

Toeing the Line

One of the simplest tests you can perform to see if your sense of balance is impaired is

US Navy 110520-N-ZK021-009 Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Jerry Cotter, left, from Belding, Mich., assigned to base security, performs a mock field sobri (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 to make like a traffic cop carrying out a field sobriety test.  Find a straight line on your carpet or tile floor and walk it, noticing if you start to diverge from the straight and narrow.  Next, stand still and then extend one leg forward and hold this position for a few seconds.  Then extend one leg sideways.  When you do this are you able to easily compensate as far as balance is concerned, or do you almost immediately begin to lose your balance?   If the cop insde you would not let you get back into your car if you were so impaired, then it’s time you admit to yourself that you need to seek professional help before you wind up as a statistic.

In 2002, the National Safety Council cited falling as the leading cause of injury related deaths in older adults. In fact, one third of the people, age 65 years and older, have at least one fall a year. In the United States, there are 35 million older adults, that calculates to more than 10 million falls a year in this country alone. The leading cause of sensory loss in older adults is Peripheral Neuropathy. Called the "silent" epidemic, Peripheral Neuropathy comes on so slowly that many people don't even notice the changes that are happening. Then the symptoms take hold and before you know it, the person takes a fall. http://edmontonchiropractor.com/2011/loss-of-balance/

Symptoms of balance disorders can include:

1.      Vertigo

2.      Sweating

3.      Ringing in the Ears

4.      Nausea

5.      Difficulty Speaking

6.      Bumping into Objects

7.      Disorientation

How Do You Restore Balance?

Currently there is no pill that can cure balance disorders or vertigo.  The only way to correct the problem is to identify the underlying causes.  Chiropractic treatment can help identify and treat many factors that can cause a loss of balance.  Treatment begins with an examination that can detect anomalies and imbalances of the spine.  Even if the root cause of the imbalance does not have its basis in the spinal column, a chiropractor can help pinpoint the problem.  Your chiropractor can also bring a number of treatments to bear including spinal alignments, exercise, diets and supplements that are designed to get to the bottom of your problems and help you reestablish a well-balanced life.

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://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com

The ABC's of Chiropractic Care

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Combining the Greek words “cheir” (hand) and “praxis” (action), chiropractic is a term used to describe a medical treatment done almost entirely by hand. Hands on therapy such as the adjustment of the spine, is crucial to successful chiropractic care. Chiropractic subscribes to the concept that the human body has a powerful ability to heal itself, and that the body’s structure (namely that of the spine) is closely related to its function, and that the relationship between the two contribute to the individual’s overall health.

Chiropractic is the second largest healthcare profession in the world. Chiropractic has proven uncannily adept at relieving neck, back, shoulder, knee, wrist and headache pain, with only a series of spinal adjustment and without the discomfort, inconvenience or risk that comes with surgery and other invasive procedures.

Causes of spine and joint pain are numerous, from muscle sprains, ligament injury, disc herniation, and fibromyalgia. Chiropractic treatment is an excellent, non-surgical method for getting relief from the discomfort and the ability to enjoy life normally again.

Most PPO's and private insurance, as well as Medicare and Tricare, now cover chiropractic, as do all state workers compensation programs. Let the Chiropractic physicians at The Back Institute give you the treatment you need. Don't wait, click the button on your right or call 904-269-2437 today to schedule your free consultation.

Back pain, for those afflicted with it, can become a lifelong debilitating problem. They key to dealing with it is to find the most effective way of keeping it in check. Back pain rehabilitation not only helps reduce the severity of your back pain at the present time, but also provides strengthening and a measure of protection from future injuries. 

Back rehabilitation strengthens the muscles of the back, improving both flexibility as well as the overall range of motion. Through processes in stretching strengthening, and balance, you will achieve a wider range of motion, tolerance of and resistance to further injury, as well as improvement of balance and posture. This process is done through the use of various exercises and related devices such as exercise balls or resistance equipment such as Vax-D pictured at right.

Take steps to avoid uncomfortable or lazy postures, and when lifting, remember to do so properly, at the knees to avoid damage to the spine. Begin with lighter exercises, and utilize deep breathing and other relaxation techniques to help control the level of back pain.

The expert physicians with The Back Institute know what it takes to get you back on your feet and moving again after a back injury. Let us help you; fill out the form to your right or call 904-269-2437 today to schedule your free consultation.

Rehabilitation Methods and Practices

•      FREE consultation and initial evaluation - review of findings with doctor!

•      We help you strengthen your back and prevent future injuries from occurring.

•      Use exercise equipment to increase flexibility and range of motion.

•      We help you get back on your feet and moving 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://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com

Are You Running Yourself Ragged?

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Running is a great way to stay in shape.  It promotes heart health and muscle tone, while decreasing blood pressure and even spurring weight loss.  On the flip side, it can also result in a number of injuries brought about by the fact that the human body was never designed to run on concrete.  So on today’s blog I thought I’d cover the pluses and minuses of running.

Have a Heart

Without a doubt, running is one of the best things you can do for your heart.  It not only strengthens the heart muscle, but it also lowers your blood pressure and increases HDL cholesterol levels which helps stave off heart disease. As your cardiovascular system becomes stronger, it will pump more blood and oxygen to the rest of your body, which results in increased endurance and deceased body fat.

Studies have also shown that rigorous exercise strengthens the bones and stimulates the production of white blood cells that are crucial to fending off disease.  Improved circulation helps deliver these microscopic disease fighters faster to the places where they are most needed.  It is also known that cardiovascular exercise such as running can significantly reduce your risk of cancer.

Now for the flip side of the coin.  Many runners suffer from repetitive motion injuries caused by running on unyielding or uneven surfaces, inadequate running shoes, and running up steep slopes.  Statistics tell us that more than 70% of runners (whether professional or amateur) will sustain some kind of injury at one point or another in their lives. Some of the injuries will be the result of stress to their legs or joints, while others involve their backs.  Everything from shin splints to tendonitis and/or stress fractures are common complaints with runners.

Break a Leg

Stress fractures as the name implies are characterized by a crack or break in the bones of the leg or foot  that are caused primarily by repetitive stress. (In older patients it can also be caused by Osteoporosis.)  That is the definition of the term.  However the causative factors can be a bit more complicated.  Stress fractures while affecting the bones are in many cases triggered by an imbalance of the muscles. For instance, a weak or overworked muscle can cause increased stress on an adjacent bone.  Sometimes an imbalance of the back can interfere with the nerves that actuate the muscles of the legs or feet.  As the runner continues on his or her way, the miscommunication combined with the repetitive nature of running can ratchet these stresses up to the point where the bone can no longer sustain the load. 

Are You Pulling My Leg?

Another common source of pain in the lower leg, particularly one that begins nearly as soon as you start running is shin splints. Typically this condition begins as a dull ache in the front of the lower leg. Upon closer inspection the knee may appear swollen and inflamed as well.  Also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), shin splints can be caused by a number of triggers, including everything from worn-out shoes, running on rough or uneven terrain or even not running for a long period of time.  In short, anything that causes a sudden increase in muscle activity in the calves can result in shock that the tibia is forced to absorb.  If left untreated, shin splints can result in stress fractures. (Women are two to three times more likely to have stress fractures resulting from shin splints then are men.) 

Treatment of MTSS includes rest, as well as putting ice packs on the affected area.  It is also important to allow any swelling to subside before returning to full activity.  Your chiropractor may also recommend a number of exercises that strengthen the lower leg and hip muscles.  It is also imperative that individuals stricken with shin splints gradually return to full activity in order to avoid a relapse. 

Tendonitis Anyone?

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel of the foot. When this tendon becomes stressed and inflamed, people (particularly runners) will experience everything from pain in their heel, to swelling and tenderness in the ankle, along with stiffness of the joint.  Like stress fractures, Achilles tendonitis can be brought on by misalignments in the back.  Unlike them, the pain associated with tendonitis is worst at the start of exercise only to lessen as the workout progresses.

Treatment for the condition revolves around resting the ankle and applying cold to reduce inflammation.  Just as with MTSS, it can take months to heal Achilles tendonitis, during which time you need to gradually ramp up your activities in order to avoid relapse and/or complications.

Run Away

Icon Runners MillaSagradaFamilia2005 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Runner’s knee is a painful condition that can develop in anyone that overworks their knee joint.  Typified by a dull ache that develops around the knee, the pain is most pronounced when either bending or twisting the leg.  This condition can be caused by a number of factors, including direct trauma to the knee (such as that caused by a fall), misalignment of the kneecap, overstressing of the tendons, or even flat feet.  While the being predominantly relegated to runners, runner’s knee can also strike any athlete that does a lot of knee bending or jumping, such as cyclists, soccer players, football players and basketball players.

Typical symptoms of the condition are pain around or behind the kneecap, pain when bending the knee, or pain when walking, squatting, kneeling, running or sitting.  While in severe cases surgery is needed to remedy this condition, the good news is that in minor to moderate cases, resting, icing and elevating the knee along with stretching and strengthening exercises can help speed recovery.  Along with treatment, your chiropractor may also recommend wrapping the knee and/or adding arch supports to your shoes.

While running can be a terrific way to ward off illness and stay in shape, the most important thing to remember is not to overdo it.  By pacing yourself and dealing with any aches or pains that crop up during or after a run you can maximize the benefits of running and minimize the damage done.  Because the last place you want to run to is the doctor’s office.

Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments forback pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat autoaccident victims with state-of-the-art technologies. If you or anyone you know suffers from herniated discs, degenerative discs or spinal stenosis,visit http://chiropractor-orange-park-fl.com/ & http://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com

When Can Pain Be a Plus?

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Nobody likes pain, be it the pain of a stiff neck, a headache or your aching back.  So where’s the plus side of pain?  Pain in and of itself is just the body’s warning system trying to tell you that something is amiss, that you might be pushing your body beyond its limits.  In short it works like your home’s smoke alarm which tells you when a fire is imminent.  What you do about it and how fast you respond to these warnings can be the difference between an overdone pot roast to the fire department breaking down your door.

The same can be said of your body’s pain response.  Were we to feel no pain, our lives would literally be on the line 24/7.  In fact there is a medical condition known as CIPA (Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis), that literally renders people with the condition unable to sense pain of any kind.  While this sounds like a gift to anyone who suffers from chronic pain, what you need to understand is that people born with the condition can do irreparable harm to their bodies without even knowing it. 

In a report by NBC News on an infant with CIPA: The doctor put drops in Ashlyn’s eye to stain any particles that might be irritating it. The infant smiled and bounced in her mother’s lap while the dye revealed a massive scratch across her cornea. “They put the dye in her eye and I remember the look of puzzlement on all their faces,” Ashlyn’s mother says. “Ashlyn was not fazed by it by any means.”

Once CIPA was confirmed, the problems became even more pronounced for her parents. “There were many things they couldn’t anticipate. Ashlyn’s baby teeth posed big problems. She would chew her lips bloody in her sleep, bite through her tongue while eating, and once even stuck a finger in her mouth and stripped flesh from it.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6379795/ns/health-childrens_health/t/rare-disease-makes-girl-unable-feel-pain/

Far from being a blessing, CIPA can turn out to be a curse with a lifetime of injuries.  Those with CIPA can expect to collect their fair share of burns, strains, sprains and broken bones that if left untreated can lead to more serious conditions.  While CIPA sufferers can overcome pain, one thing that they are just as susceptible to as the rest of us is infection.   Because while CIPA covers up the pain, it doesn’t stop the complications that injury can bring.

  

The Pain Pill Cover Up

This is one of the reasons that I am often astounded at the ways in which the public has been taught to deal with pain.  Turn on any television and it won’t be long before you come across an advertisement touting one kind of “pain reliever” or another.  Some of these pain pills are available over the counter and some require a prescription.  But one thing is universal.  These pills do not “relieve” pain.  What they do is mask it.  And therein lays the rub.

Just as those with CIPA, by masking the pain, what we are doing in essence is removing the battery from the smoke detector instead of confronting the fire.  (Which is why it’s illegal to do so in most states.)  While I’m not suggesting that people should suffer in silence every ache and pain that comes along, what I am suggesting is that when you hurt, there is an underlying cause that needs to be diagnosed and treated.  This is the real way to eliminate pain, by putting out the fire. 

What most people do not consider is that in many cases simple aches and pains if treated promptly can mean quick and long lasting relief.  Masking the pain and ignoring it can lead to complications, infection and more radical treatment down the road.  And unlike those with CIPA, many analgesics are habit forming to those who use them and that can lead to even more complications. 

While nobody starts out trying to become addicted to prescription pain pills, it’s a habit that’s all too easy to start and all too hard to quit.  Statistics show that twenty percent of the population in the US reports abusing prescription drugs at least once in their lives. Just as with CIPA, it is possible that there is an inherited predilection toward addiction.

Andrew Saxon, MD professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington stated that, "It's clear that some people have a genetic predisposition to addiction. There's something different in their brains to begin with and prolonged drug abuse likely creates further chemical changes.” http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/prescription-drug-abuse-who-gets-addicted-and-why

With more powerful and longer lasting pain killers flooding the market, it’s the availability of these substances that produce the kind of pain that chiropractic treatment alone can’t cure.  While not everyone who uses analgesics will wind up sliding down the slippery slope to addiction, the best long term solution to pain is to heed the warning and seek medical treatment that can put out the fire and keep your house in good order.

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. If you or anyone you know suffers from herniated discs, degenerative discs or spinal stenosis, visit http://chiropractor-orange-park-fl.com/ & http://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com

I Have to Hand it to You

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Believe it or not the hand is one of the most sophisticated parts of the human body.  It is also the most complicated, each hand having 27 bones.  (The foot only has 26.)  14 of which are the phalanges of the fingers, 5 metacarpals and 8 carpal bones.  The metacarpals are the bones that connect the fingers with the wrist.  Add to this the web of muscles, ligaments and tendons used to articulate the hand, fingers and wrist and you have an exceptional work of biomechanics.  You also have an exceptional number of ways in which to experience discomfort and dysfunction.   

Many of the maladies that occur in the hand and wrist are due to repetitive motion injuries.  This is not unusual, especially if you spend most of your day working on a computer.  Another common source of hand strain has to do with people who are engaged in sports that require repetitive use of the upper body, such as weight lifting, golf and tennis.

Below I have detailed a few of the more common medical conditions that can occur in the hand and wrist along with their treatments. 

Trigger Finger

While it sounds like a condition that only cowboys and Jesse James would contract, trigger finger can afflict most anyone.  The condition is associated with the locking of a thumb or finger in either a bent or straight position.  Caused by a thickening of the sheath that surrounds the tendon, the condition tends to afflict those whose work or hobby rely on repetitive gripping motions.  Farmers, Musicians and industrial workers often encounter the condition since they use repetitive thumb and finger movements often.  Trigger finger is more common in women than men and tends to happen most often in people who are 40 to 60 years old. It is also more common with people who have either arthritis or diabetes. 

Sometimes painful, sometimes merely annoying, the condition can be treated by immobilizing the finger by using a splint.  If the symptoms persist, the addition of anti-inflammatory compounds such as ibuprofen or naproxen may be added to the treatment regimen.  Some doctors may also recommend steroid injections.  Typically it takes from six to eight weeks to treat the condition.  But some will recover within a few weeks by resting the finger and using anti-inflammatory drugs.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This condition may start with a dull throbbing in the wrist that could soon expand to include pain in the fingers and/or arm.  The symptoms can include everything from numbness to tingling in the fingers to a weakening of the hand itself.  Too much time spent at the computer keyboard is one cause of this condition, as well as any activity that requires repetitive flexing of the tendons in the hand or wrist, along with prolonged gripping activities such as working a computer mouse.

Typical treatment for carpal tunnel includes manipulation of the wrist and elbow as well as adjustment of the upper spine.  Other treatment modalities such as ultrasound and wrist supports designed to keep the wrist in the proper alignment can be employed by your chiropractor.  Resting the affected area as well as applying cold packs may also be necessary.

Treatment time for the condition varies from patient to patient depending upon its severity along with possible contributing factors such as a pinched nerve.  While both men and women are equally susceptible to this malady, middle age is the most common time in life for carpal tunnel syndrome to occur.

Tendonitis of the Wrist

The first signs of this problem are usually associated with pain and swelling a half inch from the base of the thumb.  Sufferers of this malady will find it exceedingly difficult to grasp objects or any other movement that requires the use of the thumb or the wrist.  While typically caused by the swelling of the sheath surrounding the tendons connecting the wrist and thumb, if left untreated, the pain may spread to the thumb or the forearm.

Common to baseball and tennis players, more than four million Americans are treated for tendonitis annually.  After diagnosing the condition, the chiropractor will treat the cause of the tendonitis, as opposed to treating the symptoms.  Treatment may include a combination of manipulation, ultrasound, immobilization, ice, electrical muscle stimulation and/or massage.  With proper treatment it isn’t unusual to see a reduction in pain and inflammation within three to six weeks.  Once healed, your chiropractor may also recommend stretching exercises to help keep the condition from repeating.

Other conditions of the hand include such things as arthritis, Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, mallet finger and gamekeeper’s thumb, all of which can cause discomfort and dysfunction in the hand or wrist. Should you or someone you know exhibit symptoms or show signs that their hand or wrist are bothering them, the most important thing is to seek treatment before complications set in.   Because as sophisticated as our hands might be, the one thing they can’t do is heal these conditions all by themselves.

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://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com

The Facts About VAX-D

By Dr. Steven Warfield

As I pointed out in my last blog Above the Curve, 50% of adults experience a back or neck injury during their lifetime.  The bad news is that depending upon the nature and severity of the injury, many times this has meant surgery followed by a long, slow, painful recovery.  The good news is that modern advances in medical technology have produced a non-surgical alternative to going under the knife for many people.  Some would call this a miracle.  We refer to it by its trade name: VAX-D.

More precisely called vertebral axial decompression therapy, VAX-D is a computer controlled machine that works by slowly lengthening and decompressing the spine creating a negative pressure within the discs.  This reversal of pressure creates an intradiscal vacuum that not only takes pressure off pinched nerves, but helps to reposition bulging discs and pull extruded disc material back into place.  Imagine you are holding an Oreo cookie. The cookie parts are the vertebra of the spine. The cream center is the disc. If you squeeze the cookie we get the cream pushing out. That is similar to a disc bulge. Now imagine if the cream were really sticky and couldn’t pull away from the cookie parts. If we gently pulled the cookie parts away from each other the cream  would get pulled back toward the center of the cookie. This is similar to what VAX-D does.

Developed by Dr. Allen E Dyer MD in 1989, VAX-D treats herniated and degenerated disks by lowering spinal pressure. This lowered pressure actually creates a partial vacuum that allows the disc to retract.  Many times even severe protrusions can be retracted to their proper position using this treatment.

The equipment itself consists of a split table upon which the patient lies face down. (Anyone who has ever had a massage will relate to this.)  The patient is placed in a pelvic harness and extending his or her hands forward both hands grasp two patient-operated handgrips.  To start the treatment, the table separates in two, stretching the patient’s lower back.  If the patient should start to feel any discomfort, releasing the handgrips stops the treatment immediately.  This way the patient is always in control of the procedure. 

How Effective is VAX-D?

VAX-D is classified as a Class II Medical device that has been approved by the FDA.  A study conducted in 1994 by the Division of Neurosurgery, Health Sciences Center, San Antonio Texas and another study conducted in 1996 by the University of Illinois in Chicago concluded that between 70-75% of patients with herniated discs, degenerated discs or facet syndrome experienced significant reduction in pain.  It is important to note that the patients who volunteered for these studies had unresolved chronic back pain despite previous treatment that included bed rest, pain medications, physical therapy, and/or previous back surgery.

What Makes VAX-D Different?

VAX-D is not traction.  While traction has been used for decades to treat herniated discs, it is uncomfortable.  Conventional traction uses two harnesses, one for the chest and another for the pelvis.  Using your body’s own weight to decompress the spine can cause the muscles to tighten in an effort to resist the stretch.  This can produce additional discomfort.  VAX-D on the other hand totally eliminates the chest harness and uses intermittent stretching that gradually increases force which means your body’s own muscles do not tense up and fight the treatment.  And unlike traction, only VAX-D can create a vacuum effect which relieves disc pressure without pain or risk of injury to the patient.

Typical VAX-D treatments last from anywhere from 20-45 minutes.  The recommended treatment regimen is 24 sessions followed by a maintenance program.  While there is no guarantee that VAX-D will work for you, it has proven effective more than 70% of the time when treating acute or chronic lower back pain, leg pain and numbness, sciatica, and even for those with back pain where other treatments including surgery have proven ineffective.

Is VAX-D Right for You?

Vax-D is used by Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Medical doctors. Contact Dr. Dave Edenfield or myself to determine if VAX-D is right for you.  Basically you have nothing to lose but your pain.

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://chiropractic-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