Understanding Low Back Pain

There are two terms used when describing the length or duration of any condition and they are:

• Acute – Short-term which has a duration from a few days to a few weeks
• Chronic – A condition that lasts for more than 3 months

Acute pain is usually the result of a trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis and is more often than not mechanical in nature. This may be the result of a sudden jolt as a result of an auto accident, working around the house, or a sports related injury. Symptoms might include limited range of motion and flexibility, the inability to stand up straight, muscle aches, or even shooting or stabbing pain.

Chronic low back pain may have any or all of the symptoms associated with acute pain but the duration is significantly longer. The cause of chronic pain is often more difficult to determine and is often progressive.

Treatment of Low Back Pain

Treatment of low back pain can be administered by a chiropractor at a chiropractic facility. The first step would be a series of x-rays to determine if the pain is a result of a fracture or other condition that would require treatment by a surgeon.

A chiropractic facility treats lower back pain in a safe and non-invasive manner without the use of drugs. There are a number of treatment methods that might be used to relieve pain.

• Chiropractic or Spinal AdjustmentThe benefits of spinal adjustment include pain relief and long term wellness. Spinal manipulation has been documented as far back as the Egyptians and Hippocrates.
• AcupressureAcupressure is traditional Chinese medicine and was developed from its cousin acupuncture. In essence acupressure is exactly the same as acupuncture …without the needles. The needles are replaced with pressure by the fingers, hand, elbow, or devices.
• BiofeedbackThis method of low back pain treatment raises the patients awareness of quantifiable bodily functions such as blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, muscle tension, etc. and teaches the patient to gain control of the physical processes.
• TractionTraction is a treatment method that uses weights to apply constant force to gently and gradually move the skeletal structure back into proper alignment.
• TENSTranscutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is a treatment that is administered using mild electrical pulses along the nerve fibers to block pain signals sent to the brain..
• UltrasoundUltrasound is used to warm the internal tissues of the body causing muscles to relax and thus ease pain.

All of these procedures and methods are safe, non-invasive, and drug free. Chiropractors specialize in and are successful at treating low back pain and other conditions

Spinal Care Australia is the premier chiropractic care facility in Brisbane and has been successfully relieving pain and treating clients for more than 5 years. Isn’t it about time you got some relief from low back pain?

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Though most often associated with the back, a pinched nerve can be found anywhere in the body. Pressure may be put on a nerve in your lower back by a herniated disk causing pain to radiate down the back and into the legs. A pinched nerve in the wrist, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, leads to numbness in the fingers and hand.

Symptoms of a pinched nerve may include:

• A “falling asleep” sensation
• Muscle twitching and/or weakness
• A “pins and needles” feeling
• Burning or even sharp pain
• Decreased sensation on numbness

A pinched nerve may be caused by a number of conditions but all involve too much pressure applied to the nerve. Common causes of pressure are poor posture, stress, sports, obesity, and osteoarthritis.

Many people go through their normal everyday lives an have no idea that the very activities that they are involved in put them at risk of a pinched nerve. Some of the coming risk factors are:

• Overuse – Repetitive hand, wrist, shoulder, or back movements increase the chance of a pinched nerve.
• Obesity – In our society people are much larger than they used to be. Recent studies revealed that 31% of Americans and 22% of Australians suffer from obesity with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 to 35. Of those, 3% – 5% were classified as morbidly obese with a BMI of 40 or higher. Excess weight can add severe pressure to nerves.
• Heredity – The predisposition to conditions that lead to pinched nerves
• Osteoarthritis – This conditions causes bone spurs and many times nerves can become compressed
• Posture – A pinched nerve can be caused by the added pressure to your spine that is caused by poor posture.

Prepare for your first appointment by writing down a list of symptoms in specific and high detail. The more that the doctor knows the faster you will recover. Anticipate the questions that will be asked. Use this list and write down your answers.

Symptoms

1. What symptoms are you experiencing?
2. How long have you been experiencing them?
3. Are the symptoms occasional or continuous?
4. Is there an activity or body position that triggers them?
5. Is there an activity or body position that relieves them?
6. Does your job require repetitive motions?

This is just a short list and will help you be prepared to answer the doctor’s questions. Be sure to write down anything that you think is important no matter how trivial it might seem.

Chiropractors will treat your pinched nerve with safe, non-invasive, natural, and drug free methods that are designed to relieve pain and discomfort as well as promote a feeling of overall health and well being.

If you live in Brisbane Australia, check out the Best Brisbane Chiropractor – Spinal Care Australia. It is a state of the art chiropractic care facility located in Brisbane. They have been successfully treating pinched nerves as well as many other conditions for more than 5 years.

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In the typical doctor’s office patients are scheduled in 15 minute increments and the doctor rarely has time to spend really getting to know a patient. At a chiropractic centre appointments are usually scheduled farther apart to allow ample time for interaction between doctor and patient.

At your local chiropractic centre you will pleasantly discover that the approach to healthcare is somewhat different than what you have come to expect in that the treatment is natural and emphasizes overall health and well being instead of simply concentrating on the symptoms that you are currently experiencing. The chiropractic approach to treatment is non-surgical, non-invasive, and drug free. The chiropractor will address the source of pain that a patient might be experiencing as well as the state of health as a whole.

As with conventional medicine the staff at the chiropractic centre will obtain a patient’s medical history and when necessary conduct lab tests and take x-rays or other diagnostic images. Unlike a conventional medical clinic the chiropractic centre is concerned with emotional and psychological states of the patient regardless of the condition they are suffering. The body is treated as a whole, not just a bundle of parts.

Your chiropractic centre is capable of treating many common conditions such as:

• Pinched NerveThis condition is a common cause of both back and neck pain. A pinched nerve results when tissues, ligaments, bones, muscle, or cartilage surround a nerve compress the nerve itself. Common symptoms include numbness, tingling, burning sensations, and/or pain radiating from the injured area.
• SciaticaThe sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body and the main nerve traveling down the leg. Slipped disks, ruptured disks, or pinched nerves may compress the sciatic nerve causing pain.
• ScoliosisThis condition is an irregular curvature to the spine. It is generally a hereditary condition affecting only a small percentage of the population and if left untreated can result in chronic severe back pain, difficulty breathing, and deformity.
• Headaches (including Migraines)Your chiropractic centre can successfully treat a range of conditions including tension headaches, as well as migraine and cluster headaches.
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)The ulnar nerve runs from the side of the neck and to the fingers. In doing so it passes through the cubital tunnel on the side of the elbow and can become irritated due to injury or repetitive stress. The resulting condition is CTS.

You can find relief from these conditions and many more at a chiropractic centre. You can be assured that you will be treated in a safe manner free of intrusive procedures and drugs.

Spinal Care Australia is Brisbane’s premier chiropractic centre and has been treating patients with alternative therapies which are non-invasive and drug free for more than 5 years. Visit them at http://www.spinalcareaustralia.com.au and start feeling better now.

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Chiropractic is one of the most successful alternative therapies today and includes many diverse methods including acupressure, spinal and cervical adjustment, biofeedback, traction, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound and more. Chiropractors do more than treat symptoms they dig deeper to find the root of the condition. Curing the cause will result in the symptoms disappearing as a result.

There are many benefits that are enjoyed through the use of alternative therapies, here are the top four.

1. Relief from PainThe treatments administered by the chiropractor treat pain in the lower back, neck, shoulders, as well as Sciatica  and other conditions. Performing an adjustment to the back is only one of the alternate therapies offered by your local chiropractic center. There are many others designed to treat a large variety of conditions.
2. Restored Range of MotionMany patients enjoy a higher quality of life as a result of range of motion and mobility restored. Chiropractors use alternative therapies to enhance the quality of life for their patients through spinal and cervical adjustments. In many cases increases in range of motions have been noticed almost immediately.
3. Relief From Numbness and TinglingThousands of people each year receive relief from pinched nerves and the accompanying symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and pain. The realigning of the spinal column relieves pressure on nerves restoring normal sensation to the patient.
4. Overall Sense of Well BeingThe chiropractor is not one dimensional. They do indeed treat the neck, spine, and other joints but they are so much more. As practitioners of alternative therapies, chiropractors view the patient and their health as a whole and thus offer advice and counseling in areas such as nutrition, daily living, and preventative measures.

Chiropractors are practitioners of alternative therapies and view the patient and their health as a whole. Treating symptoms is not enough and they dig deeper to find the root of the condition. The philosophy is that if the cause of a condition is diagnosed and treated the manifest symptoms will disappear as a result.

You can expect to find safe gentle care at a chiropractic care facility where you will be treated naturally with total emphasis on your overall health in a non-invasive and drug free manner.

Alternative therapies have stood the test of time, they have been in use since the dawn of mankind and still survive and are accepted methods of treatment today. Chiropractors are probably the best know practitioners of these therapies and are an established and excepted profession in modern health care.

Spinal Care Australia is a state of the art chiropractic care clinic and one of the premier facilities in Brisbane. They have been treating clients in a safe and drug free manner for over five years. Visit Spinal Care Australia at http://www.spinalcareaustralia.com.au.

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That is the philosophy of the chiropractor and the chiropractic clinic. When you come to a chiropractic clinic you can rest assured that you will find relief and that the chiropractor will take care of the condition and cause, not just your symptoms. Chiropractors specialize in techniques that are completely safe, non-invasive, natural, and drug free.

Drugs are given in most cases by medical doctors to treat a symptom. If you have pain you are given some form of analgesic, if you have a chronic itch there is a pill for that, runny nose…you guessed it another pill. Chiropractors on the other hand believe in the body’s natural ability to heal, without drugs.

The conditions that might be treated by a chiropractor include:

• Headaches including Migraine
• Back pain
• Neck Pain
• Rotator Cuff Syndrome and shoulder pain
• Pinched Nerve
• Scoliosis
• Fibromyalgia
• Back pain related to pregnancy
• Weight loss
• Smoking Cessation
• Plantar Fascitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Whiplash
• Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Chronic Pain Syndrome
• TMJ and Tennis Elbow
• Knee and Hip pain
• Herniated Disc
• Slipped Disc
• And Much More

As you can see the list of conditions that can be treated at chiropractic clinic is fairly extensive and varied but it doesn’t stop there. The staff at a chiropractic clinic is trained to give counsel and advice on dietary needs, daily living, quality of life, and much more.

The treatments available are as many and as varied as the conditions that can be treated and include:

• Gonstead Technique
• Activator
• Cox Flexion Distraction
• Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique (BEST)
• Thompson Terminal Point
• Palmer Toggle Recoil Technique
• Applied Kinesiology
• Sacro-Occipital Technique (SOT)
• Logan Basic Technique
• Orthotics
• Nimmo Technique
• Motion Palpitation
• And More

Many studies over the years by both government agencies and independent authorities have concluded that chiropractic is a safe and viable alternative to conventional medicine in many cases. You can rest assured that your chiropractic clinic will provide you with the safest and most drug free care you have ever experienced and should your condition require the care of a conventional medical doctor you will be referred to the proper medical facility.

Spinal Care Australia a premier chiropractic clinic and can be found in Brisbane. Spinal Care Australia has been providing exemplary care for very satisfied clients for more than 5 years. For safe, non-invasive, healthy, and drug free care visit the Best Brisbane Chiropractor – Spinal Care Australia today.

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As our knowledge of medicine has grown massage therapy has become an accepted part of many rehabilitation and health programs. It is almost sinful that a treatment that is so relaxing can treat such conditions as arthritis, bursitis, high blood pressure, diabetes, infertility, smoking cessation, depression, lower back pain and much more.

Massage therapy can so much more than simply relax the body and alleviate stress and anxiety there are many more benefits as well. The “hidden” benefits include enhanced circulation, aid in flushing the body of toxins, and greater mobility.

With more than 250 different variations it would be impossible to describe each here but we will cover the three categories that the different variations of massage therapy fall into.

Relaxation Massage

This category of massage therapy, also called Swedish massage, is well known to be soothing and relaxing leaving you feeling relaxed, replenished, and energetic. The techniques of compression, vibration, and effleurage are used in a light massage that penetrates superficial muscles. This is the most common form of massage therapy and is the basic massage that one might receive when on a day at the spa.

Sports Massage

Though designed for athletes Sports massage is a massage therapy that is useful for anyone with chronic pain or range of motion issues. The treatment involves specific methods such as muscle energy techniques that are used to promote overall health. Sports massage generally concentrates on an area of injury or weakness.

Therapeutic

This massage therapy technique is a designed to stimulate circulation, promote relaxation, reduce stress, and reduce pain. Therapeutic massage is also thought to boost the immune system as well. This technique is a mixture of both deep and soft tissue manipulation and focuses on specific areas of pain or discomfort.

Massage therapy as been around for more than 3,000 years. With that kind of longevity it must work. One of the best places to receive massage therapy is at a chiropractic care clinic. Chiropractors are trained in many forms of pain and stress relief but can also offer advice lifestyle, nutrition, and much more.

Spinal Care Australia, a premier chiropractic care facility is located in Brisbane and has been treating very satisfied clients for more than 5 years. The friendly staff is well trained in all forms of massage therapy and can offer speedy relief of stress, anxiety, and pain in a safe healthy atmosphere. Visit http://www.spinalcareaustralia.com.au to start your massage therapy today and feel the stress and pain melt away.

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It is true that Hippocrates was the father of medicine and his words “First, do no harm” are part of the oath to which he lent his name. The Hippocratic Oath is the oath that all doctors take when becoming a doctor. It is also true that the practitioners of natural therapy were living by those words thousands of years before they were even uttered.

In the United States alone last year there were more than 5 billion prescriptions written and that number will only increase as they years pass by. To a bystander it might seem that with the filling of so many prescriptions modern medical professionals are treating symptoms instead conditions.

Chiropractors and other practitioners of Natural Therapy treat symptoms but their primary focus is on discovering and correcting the cause. When the condition is treated and cured the symptoms will disappear on their own.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a common problem from which many people around the world suffer. The cause of CFS can be and usually is different in each person. The key in curing CFS is to discover and treat the underlying cause. Usually with CFS there is more than one possible cause.

Common Causes of CFS include:

• Chronic Stress
• Heavy Metal Toxicity
• Smoking
• Illegal Drugs
• Canidaisis
• Poor Diet
• Toxins and Hyperacidity
• Psychoemotional Conflicts
• Tooth Foci
• Scar Foci
• Digestive Problems
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Food Intolerance
• Compromised Immune System
• Environmental Allergies
• Parasitic Infestation
• Endocrine Imbalance
• Viral and Bacterial Load
• Adrenal Stress
• Electromagnetic Stress
• Geopathic Stress

Once the cause or causes have been diagnosed a regime of natural therapy can begin. In the majority of cases CFS may be effectively treated and cured.

Natural therapy for the treatment of CFS may include:

Herbal Therapy

Many times a person who suffers from CFS are very sensitive to medications they opt for natural therapy in the form of supplements and herbs.

Massage Therapy

The general term for this type of natural therapy is Bodywork. Massage therapy stimulates the circulatory system, relieves pain and discomfort, and promotes a feeling of overall health and wellness. The typical treatments used in Bodywork consist of therapeutic massage, energy medicine, and myofascial release therapy.

Exercise

Most CFS patents balk at the suggestion but it is very important that these patients move around as much as they are able.

Lifestyle Changes

Many times the effective treatment of CFS involves changing the way that a patient lives. Important lifestyle changes include the improving of the diet, good sleep habits, and organization of the home to conserve energy.

When combating CFS one of the best places to find natural therapy and successful treatment is at a chiropractic care center. A chiropractic care center is a safe, healthy and drug free alternative to prescription drugs and the cold impersonal nature of a doctor’s office.

Spinal Care Australia is a state of the art chiropractic care center located in Brisbane and has been successfully treating those with CFS for more than 5 years. Their friendly, knowledgeable staff members are trained in all forms of natural therapy that is completely drug free. The opportunity for relief and recovery is knocking…will you answer the door?

Check out the Best Brisbane Chiropractor – Spinal Care Australia Today!

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The difference between modern and alternative medicine lies in the way that each views diagnosis and treatment. Conventional or modern medicine tends to focus on the disease, employing drugs, surgery, and other techniques for the course of treatment. Use of invasive procedures and powerful drugs are the way of conventional medicine. Many times modern medicine is so focused on the treating the symptoms that the treatment brings about another condition. For instance use of drugs steroids to treat one condition suppresses the body’s immune system and thus will perhaps allow another condition to arise.

Alternative medicine focuses on overall health rather than simply a single area. Alternative medicine makes use of natural methods to aid the body’s own healing powers to return the individual to a state of good health. Natural healing worked before the rise of modern medicine and that it is still being used today is evidence of its viability.

There are many myths and misconceptions about alternative medicine that are simply not true. Here are a few of the more common myths …debunked.

1.) Modern and alternative medicine is mutually exclusive

According to Dr. Monica Mykelbust of the University of Maryland most patients are best served with a combination of the two called Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Anyone suffering from immediate, life threatening, serious or painful symptoms should seek immediate medical attention from a conventional doctor. Those witch chronic non life threatening conditions could be treated with alternative medicine techniques.

2.) Those that use alternative medicine are ignorant.

Wrong. A study conducted by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences in 2005 revealed that an estimated 15 million adults use dietary supplements and/or vitamins along with their conventional medication. The study also concluded that at least one third of adults have used or will use some form of alternative medicine at some time in their lives.

3.) Alternative medicine is just a new age or hippie thing that will eventually fade away

Alternative medicine is not new or a fad. It was here long before modern conventional medicine, even before Hippocrates, the father of medicine. Alternative medicine is still around and is successful proves that it is definitely not a fad and that it will not just face away with time.

4.) Alternative medicine is all about witch doctors and the occult.

This concept is the result of a society that has been taught to fear other cultures. Don’t forget that those cultures were the foundation of many of the medical practices and modern drugs in use today.

Alternative medicine is the practice of treating the whole body instead of just symptoms or one area. That concept is foreign to anyone born in the modern age.

One of the safest places to receive alternative medicine is at a chiropractic care facility. The staff is trained in the use of natural therapies to relieve pain, increase mobility, stimulate circulation, and in the care of the whole being.

Spinal Care Australia is one of Brisbane’s top chiropractic care facilities and has been relieving pain, stress, and anxiety for more than 5 years. Visit Spinal Care Australia to and start out on the road to a brand new healthy you.

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The chiropractor and other practitioners of overall body health will look deeper and determine the cause of the pain. The pain in the thigh muscle may be caused by a compressed nerve in the back for instance. The chiropractor knows that if the pain is caused by a pinched nerve the easiest way to relieve the symptom is to cure the cause.

Chiropractic care plans may include:

• Adjustments to the spine, neck, or other key joints
• Use of modalities such as ultra sound, traction, or electrical stimulation to improve healing of soft tissue and control pain.
• Exercises designed to improve strength, coordination, and balance
• Education of the patient to improve posture, eating habits, etc.
• Various types of massage including therapeutic, sports, or relaxation
• Hot/Cold Applications
• And More

All care plans will include both short and long-term goals. Short-term goals might include the reduction of pain, resorting muscle balance and normal joint function. Long-term goals could include returning the patient to the normal activities of every day life and functional independence.

Chiropractic care plans will include a number of visits per week for a specific period of time such as 1 or more visits per week for the first 2 – 4 weeks, which will be followed by a re-examination.

At this re-examination the chiropractor will determine how well you have responded to the treatment and together with the patient will decide where the treatment goes from there. He might suggest that the current schedule stay in effect, release the patient provided the treatment was successful, or refer the patient to another specialist for further care.

Chiropractic care plans are one of the most popular forms of pain relief. Studies estimate that approximately a quarter of a million people visit chiropractors every year. Knowing what to expect will help you achieve the maximum benefit from your care plan. Chiropractic is a specialty that has a large variety of to make use of in their care plans and the patient should feel free to ask as many questions as needed to completely understand the plan and the goals associated with it.

Spinal Care Australia is Brisbane’s premier chiropractic care facility and has been successfully treating many common conditions for more than 5 years. Let the friendly and well trained staff help to ease your pain today. Visit them today at http://www.spinalcareaustralia.com.au

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The problem with physical therapy in conventional medicine is that it often concentrates on the specific joints or muscles that need rehabilitation and does not take the overall health of the patient into consideration.

Physical therapy that is administered by a chiropractic care clinic on the other hand not only helps improve the quality of life for patients through reestablishing movement potential it also encompasses their psychological, emotional, and social well being.

Chiropractic physical therapy encompasses not only the affected body part but the entire body and overall health of the patient.

In essence the chiropractor treats the vast majority of conditions with physical therapy. Physical therapy is the process of restoring movement through manual manipulation of the spine, joints and soft tissue. This is exactly what a chiropractor is specialized in.

Here is a short list of some of the common conditions that are treated by a chiropractor

• Carpal tunnel and compartment disorders
• Sports injury; Rotator cuff tears, Tennis and Golfers Elbow
• Knee, Hip and Ankle injury
• Work injury and repetitive strain
• Muscular and ligamentous sprains and strains
• Osteoarthritis
• Baby Reflux and Colic
• Low Back and Leg pain
• Sciatica and Disc problems
• Headaches and Migraines
• Shoulder and Neck pain
• Poor posture
• Scoliosis and post surgery
• Sleep Disorders
• Anxiety
• Stress
• And many more

The treatment methods of the chiropractor are safe, gentle, and effective and are tailored to the individual. The low force techniques that are used are ultimately safe for all including children and the elderly. Some of the physical therapy techniques that are used are:

• Diversified manual technique
• Drop piece TPT/Thompson
• Peripheral adjustments
• Muscle Release and Soft tissue techniques
• Rehabilitation
• Trigger Point Therapy
• Gonstead
• Kinesio Taping Method
• TENS and muscle stimulation therapy
• Activator

Chiropractors not only use physical therapy to help patients they also offer counseling and advice on quality of life and lifestyle issues such as:

• Nutrition and healthy diet
• Ergonomic setup and Postural advice
• Work and Sport Performance
• Strapping and Braces
• Sleeping posture, Mattresses and Pillows
• Personal Exercise and Rehabilitation Programs

Chiropractors are make use of physical therapy and other natural therapies to enhance the quality of life for their patients and are recognized by most insurance plans. They treat the body as a whole and do not concentrate solely on the affected areas. Treating the entire body contributes to overall health and well being.

Spinal Care Australia has been using safe, natural, drug free physical therapy to improve the quality of life for its patients for more than 5 years and is the premier chiropractic care facility in Brisbane. Start improving you health and life today by visiting Spinal Care Australia Today.

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