Learning deep breathing techniques is one of the most effective strategies for coping with the symptoms of stress and anxiety.  By breathing slower and more deeply from your stomach, you signal your parasympathetic nervous system to produce a state of calmness.  Diaphragmatic breathing enables more air to flow into your body, calming your nerves, improving your attention span and lowering pain levels.

WHAT IS DEEP BREATHING?

The use and benefits of deep breathing can be traced back to ancient traditions including yoga, tai chi, qi gong and meditation disciplines. In yoga, for instance, breath is a key element of the practice.  Pranayama, or breath regulation, refers to the extension of the vital energy through the breath and can be understood as an umbrella term for different breathing techniques, including deep breathing.   More recently, science has delved into this topic, accumulating a considerable body of research supporting the effectiveness of these techniques.

Also known as yogic breathing, deep breathing is the voluntary regulation of breath by consciously and actively using the diaphragm to increase the depth and slow down the inflow and outflow of air.  The diaphragm is the muscle separating the abdomen and chest cavity.  Attached to the base of the lungs, the diaphragm is rarely activated when breathing unconsciously.  This translates into a shallow breathing pattern leading to poor ventilation.  On the other hand, when breathing deeply, you engage this muscle by allowing your belly to rise and drop freely, facilitating a greater.  This allows an array of positive physiological and psychological processes to take place.

BENEFITS OF DEEP BREATHING

Scientific reviews have shown that deep breathing techniques can improve symptoms in sick patients, and they are also beneficial in enhancing wellbeing in healthy people.  Different emotions have been associated with varying patterns of breathing, heart activity and activation of either the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system.  Evidence suggests that it can also inhibit sympathetic (anxiety) activity and increases a parasympathetic (happiness) response which translates to experiencing less distressing and more positive emotions.

Abdominal breathing for 20-30 minutes each day will produce a state of relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety and will help you to feel more connected to your body bringing your awareness away from the worries in your head and helping to quiet the mind.

The spine is designed to move. Each vertebra is connected to the next by a disc and 2 facet joints. It is similar to a snake, which is not surprising as we evolved from the same source. For optimum health our backs should be mobile at every joint. Our spines should be as fluid and flexible as a snake. However, they are not. This may, in part, be due to our upright posture which puts more stress on the spinal muscles and joints.

You may have noticed that young people are flexible while older people are more stiff. The older we get the more our backs stiffen up. This is because the fibres that cover our spinal joints get thicker and more brittle over time. These fibres are a kind of scar tissue and those parts of the spine that get more stress on them due to our habitual postures or repetitive work activity, tend to develop more scar tissue. This is called “wear and tear” by some people and may be the first stage of arthritis.

Chiropractic treatment releases the adhesions that form on people’s spines giving them more mobility. When you have a more mobile spine you suffer less pain. Many people think that a chiropractor’s job is about relieving back pain. It is not. It is about restoring mobility.  Reduced pain is a by-product of chiropractic treatment

The first stage in restoring health to your back is to improve mobility. When your back is more mobile it is important to work on your core strength. Core stability exercises, such as taught in a Pilates class, help to strengthen the muscles that support the spine. They also help to develop neurological control over these muscles so that they contract to protect the back at the right time. (It doesn’t matter how strong a muscle is, if it contracts at the wrong time it is useless!)

A mobile spine and strong core are the two essential components of a healthy back. One without the other is insufficient. If you spinal joints are inflexible  your spine is like a solid broom handle. The muscles around it, that move the vertebrae, are ineffective if the joints cannot move. On the other hand a flexible back without a strong core is unstable.

When your back is flexible, strong and stable then all you have to do is to use your back the way it is meant to be used. That is to be active in your daily life; Keep your whole body moving as much as possible. The beauty of being pain-free is that you don’t have to think about your back, you can just get on with the things you want to.

Most people are prone to headaches  in different parts of the head and neck, with pain ranging from mild to severe.

The majority of headaches are not serious, although they can be annoying and extremely painful. Managing the pain with medication can be helpful if the problem doesn’t persist, and, in the long term, changes in lifestyle may offer a solution.

The most common types of headache are tension and migraine, which account for 90{b67a0f01f7b147b7e978da5adbadca47e09d0d78364efaa0732b6ae8d4f320dc} of all headaches, and although doctors do not consider them to be life threatening,  they can significantly affect a persons quality of life if left untreated.

The remaining, other types, include cluster and secondary headaches which are caused by some underlying disease process.

Chiropractors and some doctors have recognised another category – the cervicogenic headache which is caused by restriction in the spinal joints of the neck. It is considered by some professionals to be a type of tension headache and may contribute to migraine and tension headaches.

More Articles on Headache:

Tension Headaches
Cervicogenic Headaches
Migraine Headaches
Cluster and Secondary Headaches
Headache Self-Help Tips

How Mindfulness Can Help

Mindfulness is a powerful tool to help address many of the causes of back pain because it puts your mind back in touch with your body. Our modern world tends to make us goal focused, looking out there, while we are unaware of the subtle tensions that arise in our bodies through everyday activity. These tensions can build up to such a degree that the body finally starts to break down, leading to pain. When you are more in touch with your body you will not like the effect of eating unhealthy food, you will feel restless with a sedentary lifestyle, you will be aware of the hormonal changes in your blood chemistry caused by stressful situations. Your habitual postures will start to feel uncomfortable, you will notice the strain that repetitive activities are placing on your body.

When you are more aware of these negative effects, you will feel compelled to make changes. Mindfulness will make you eat a better diet, exercise more, maintain better posture and, most important of all, find creative ways to deal with stress in your life.

History of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a Buddhist practice that started to filter to the west in the sixties. As more and more people found the practice beneficial, meditation centres sprang up in Europe and the USA. Mindfulness is one aspect of the Buddhist spiritual path known as the Eightfold Noble Path. Many people found the practice hard to stomach, either because it challenged their Christian beliefs. Others found it difficult because people were becoming averse to anything that smacked of religion.

Jon Kabat Zinn, an American writer and ex-Buddhist monk, is recognised as a major proponent in the secularisation of mindfulness. Since the 70’s universities around the world have been studying the effects of mindfulness, based on his work. Researchers have published hundreds of  papers that show remarkable benefits for this practice. Bangor, Exeter and Oxford are the main universities where mindfulness is studied. You can get masters degrees and other post graduate qualifications in mindfulness from these universities.

The universities developed an eight week, one evening a week, course based on thirty years of research into mindfulness practice; Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.  I include simple mindfulness practices as part of my treatments for people suffering from back pain and stress at my chiropractic clinics in Chester and North Wales, but to really get a taste for mindfulness I would recommend the 8 week MBSR training as a starting point.

I combine many other techniques with my chiropractic manipulation. Massage and stretching are vital components of any treatment plan. In the following articles I talk about different hands-on techniques that I use during treatment sessions.

Using Touch to Diagnose

As soon as I touch a patient’s skin, I am feeling the texture of the tissue, paying attention to the problem areas before deciding on the best mode of treatment. I use my knowledge of anatomy combined with touch to diagnose which muscles, ligaments or tendons are tight, damaged or scarred. I also check the attachments of the tissues to work out the appropriate place for treatment. For example, a painful tendon may have been damaged by the muscle pulling it.  Therefore, treatment would take place in the muscle body and not at the tendon.

Diagnosis is a combination of knowledge, palpation skills, experience and intuition. Intuition based on sound anatomical knowledge makes for the best individual treatment. Sometimes, my hands are guided by intuition alone, choosing where to work and which technique to use other times I am guided more by my knowledge.

Combining Techniques

There are many different massage techniques ranging from firm and painful, to feather-like gentleness; from scientifically determined to entirely intuitive. I do not go into a session determining to use one specific technique. Rather, my mind and hands determine a combination of techniques in the moment. I may switch from one application to another, from firm to gentle and from intuitive to consciously directive.  I record their findings so I can then adapt my techniques based on the results. By trying different techniques, I normally determine which are the most effective within a few sessions. The following articles describe techniques which we use at Back Doctor Chiropractic Clinics.

Introduction
Standard Massage Techniques
Deep Tissue Massage/Remedial Massage
Sports Massage
Trigger Point Therapy
Active Release Technique (ART)
Myofascial Release
Positional Release (Strain Counterstrain)
Visceral Manipulation

The most common symptoms of hip arthritis are stiffness and pain which become worse over time. The pain will start off as mild but will worsen and become more persistent if not treated.

Movement will usually relieve stiffness in the hip joints though they can get worse during periods of rest. Cold weather usually exacerbates the pain. Patients may also suffer from morning stiffness, which may typically last for 30 minutes. Some patients will experience localised pain to the groin area as well as the thigh. The hip can also have limited range of motion and pain with weight-bearing. If the condition worsens the symptoms may become more persistent and painful.

How to Diagnose Hip Arthritis?

Pain in the hip region may refer from the low back, the pelvis or the knee. The first thing a Chiropractor does is take a full medical history.  They will identify the exact location of the pain and find out what makes it worse and what relieves it.  They will also investigate the possible causes. The Chiropractor will complete a physical examination of the patient and perform several tests, including orthopaedic and neurological assessments, muscle strength/tone and postural analysis.  Of course the best way to diagnose hip arthritis is with an x-ray.

Options for Hip Arthritis Treatment

In treating hip arthritis, it is best to first consider  non-surgical and non-drug treatments. Physical therapy is recommended for strengthening and stretching the muscles.  Some aerobic exercise will further benefit rehabilitation.

Treatment for hip osteoarthritis has two main goals – to reduce pain and inflammation and rehabilitation. Once pain and inflammation are under control the chiropractor and patient work together to prevent the problem from reoccurring. This rehabilitation process may include:

• Adjustment and mobilisation of the hip and other involved areas.
• Active soft tissue therapy.
• Education on home exercises, which includes stretching and strengthening exercises.
• Lifestyle changes to prevent aggravation of the injury.
• Orthotics or shoe inserts

A course of Chiropractic treatment can improve hip mobility. By using hands-on treatment techniques and combining these with home exercise, it is possible to restore hip function if the arthritis is not severe.

Sleeping Positions to Ease Back Pain

Finding the most comfortable sleeping position to ease back pain may be somewhat of a challenge. Trying one position after another may be a bit frustrating in the beginning because all you want to do is get comfortable enough to fall asleep, but you can’t. So here are some tips on how to get a good night’s sleep.

1. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

Sleeping on your stomach puts your spine in an awkward angle. First, because sleeping on your stomach means your neck is rotated to the side and second, because it flattens the normal curvature of your spine. Both of these put a lot of strain on your back and neck muscles, which is why you wake up with worse pain.

2. Use a pillow for support.

For stomach sleepers, if you cannot sleep in any other position, place a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis to reduce the strain on your back. You may also try to place another pillow under your head to support your neck, unless it puts a strain on your back.

For side sleepers, draw your legs very slightly toward your chest and put a pillow between your knees.

For back sleepers, place a pillow under your knees to keep the normal curve of your back as well as under your head and neck for additional support. You may also try to place a rolled towel under the small of your back.

You don’t need to worry about staying in the same position the whole night. A little movement is helpful in reducing your back pain. If you stay in the same sleeping posture for too long, it might cause you more pain. Besides, you will not be able to sleep well if you keep worrying about your position.

Additional Tips to Help with Sleeplessness Due to Back Pain

1. Invest in a good mattress and pillow

These are important in getting a comfortable sleep. Make sure that your mattress and pillow provide the support that your back needs. It is important to choose something that give equal support from head to toe.

2. Try some herbs that help with sleep

Natural sleep remedies such as herbs do not just help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but it can also promote muscle relaxation. In addition, herbs are known to be a lot safer than over-the-counter medicines. You could get herbs such as valerian, chamomile, St. John’s Wort, hops, wild lettuce, and many others, either as a supplement or in tea form. You could also try some aromatherapy using lavender.

Chiropractic, Back Pain and Sleep

If you are still having difficulty falling asleep because of the pain and discomfort or if you still wake up with worse pain, you may visit Back Doctor Chiropractic Clinic in Chester or St. Asaph. Chiropractic is not only known to treat the cause of the disease, but it is also known to improve the quality of sleep.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is often associated with ageing. It is caused by a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lumbar area (lower back). The spine changes as we age and this leads to the degeneration of the intervertebral discs and facet joints. The ligaments also become thicker with age, which also contributes to the narrowing of the spinal canal. [1]

Symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis include low back pain, increased pain with walking, as well as stiffness of the legs and thighs, pain, numbness, weakness or cramping of the legs, feet or buttocks. Patients usually achieve pain relief when they sit down.

Epidural Steroid Injections

Before surgical treatment is suggested, most clinicians start with conservative measures, such as epidural steroid injections, in treating lumbar spinal stenosis.[2] The use of these injections has increased over the years. However, a recent clinical trial showed evidence that epidural steroid injections are not effective, as published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study was conducted by Friedly JL et al. (A randomized trial of epidural glucocorticoid injections for spinal stenosis. N Engl J Med 2014 Jul 3; 371:11.).

A total of 400 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were enrolled in a double-blind randomised controlled trial. These patients were randomised to injections with lidocaine plus corticosteroid or lidocaine alone for six weeks.

According to the study, no significant difference was found in between the two groups after a six-week period. No difference was also found after a secondary analysis, comparing interlaminar and transforaminal injections.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis and Chiropractic Care

Symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis can be improved with chiropractic care. Patients can achieve long-term pain relief and better quality of life with proper spinal adjustments as well as exercise and self-care techniques.

____________________

[1]
[2] http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/830500

If you are suffering from backaches, here are four tips that will help relieve your symptoms and make your daily activities less troublesome and more enjoyable.

Back Pain Remedies

1. Avoid being sedentary

Wanting to stay in bed when you’re having back pain is understandable but prolonged inactivity can delay or even worsen your symptoms. Staying active is often the best way to manage back pain. Simple exercises like walking and doing low-impact exercises can help a great deal as it helps bring oxygen to the soft tissues, which can help in reducing the symptoms.[1] Stretching can also help. However, you should know your limits and avoid strenuous activities. Over-exercising can exacerbate back pain. You can also try different movement therapies such as yoga, Pilates, or tai chi.

2. Release endorphins

Other than exercising, there are other ways to release endorphins. Acupuncture, deep breathing, eating dark chocolate, getting a massage, laughing (or even smiling), listening to your favourite music, and meditation are among them. [2]

3. Cold and/or heat therapy

Putting a cold and/or hot pack on the affected area can help a great deal in relieving your pain.

Cold pack reduces inflammation. It also prevents nerve spasms by slowing down the nerve impulses, so it acts like a local anaesthetic. Remember not to put ice directly on the skin (wrap it in a towel) to avoid ice burn. A cold pack should not be applied for more than 20 minutes at a time. [3]

Hot pack stimulates the blood flow and helps stretch the soft tissues around the spine, which can help increase flexibility and reduce stiffness. [4]

4. Get chiropractic care

Chiropractic treatment is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain using hands-on spinal adjustments. It is important to have yourself checked by a chiropractor as they can recommend a back pain programme that is right for your symptoms.

Visit us at Back Doctor Chiropractic Clinic in Chester or contact us through phone or E-mail for booking. You may also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

 _____________________

[1] http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/lower-back-pain-treatment
[2] http://www.spine-health.com/blog/6-overlooked-remedies-lower-back-pain-relief
[3] http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/heat-therapy-cold-therapy/ice-packs-back-pain-relief
[4] http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/heat-therapy-cold-therapy/benefits-heat-therapy-lower-back-pain