"I awake with neck and shoulder pain daily"....

We recently received the following email from a desperate customer looking for the right neck pillow...

Hi, im pretty new to picking a pillow for my cause i was hoping you could help me. I am a side sleeper and awake with neck and shoulder pain daily, mainly on the right side because that's the shoulder i lay on. I may have a pinched nerve but have yet to see the doc. Any sugesstions i would greatly apprciate and would give a try. Thanks ~ Davinder


Dear Davinder,

Thank you for your email- I think that I would recommend a cervical traction neck pillow for you. This cervical support pillow has two functions: support and traction. The Cervical traction Neck Pillow is for side and back sleepers. This pillow is particularly good for patients who suffer from a disc herniation in the neck or a “pinched” nerve. The traction part of the pillow is designed to support your neck in the proper cervical curve and also to maintain proper alignment when you are sleeping.

Because of the special design of the pillow, it back take a few nights to get used to. My suggestion would be to try the CLT pillow using the neck roll side of the pillow to begin with - also use the pillow for a few hours each night and then go back to your regular pillow. Slowly use the pillow a few hours greater each night. Some soreness and achiness is normal for some of our patients because they are not used to a pillow with this built in support for the neck. I am also going to give you a link for neck stretches that you can do in the A.M: arc4life.com/neckstretches. Make sure you do these only to the point of feeling a stretch, not to the point of pain. Davinder, you will notice that you may only be able to bend your neck in a small range of motion in the beginning, but this increase as you continue the neck stretches.

For more information about a pinched nerve in the neck, visit the Neck Pain Support Blog.

I hope this helps- IF you have any more specific questions about this neck pillow, please email me directly at arc4life[at]Cox.net (change the [at] to @).


Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.


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Don’t make your Back Pain An Excuse For Everything

When you suffer from lower back pain it prevents you from working, from spending time with your families, not being able to participate in special hobbies - but don’t let back pain excuse you from exercising.

For those patients who suffer from chronic back pain, they are often put out of commission for periods at a time, make a part of the family room couch.

According to the University of Michigan Health System, here are some guidelines on how to to continue exercising even with back pain.

It is very important to check with your Primary Care Physician to make sure you are okay to being any new activity. Here are some guidelines to keep yourself active:

• Low Impact exercises such as walking, swimming, and biking are generally safe for a sore back
  
  
• Before exercises, it is very important to stretch your lower back so that your muscles are warmed up. Also if you feel that your muscles are sore and tight before starting take a warm shower
  
  
• Wear Loose clothing, and don’t wear shoes
  
  
• Any time you feel pain, stop that exercise
  
  
• Avoid more involved exercises such as situps, hip twists, toe touchs or any activity that cause hyper extension in y our back
  
  
• Avoid high impact sports like soccer, football or volleyball
  
  
• Avoid Lifting weights – lifting to much weight or lifting incorrectly with bad form can aggravate a back condition.
  
  

Additional Reading Resouces:

How to Properly wear a lumbar Support Belt for Moderate- Severe Lower back pain

How to Treat Tight Muscles

Products for Lower Back Pain Relief


Visit Low Back Pain Relief- Lower Back Rests, Lumbar Support belts, and Lumbar Traction Devices




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Part II: Are you a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression?

For patients who are looking for an alternative to lower back surgery such as a laminectomy or a spinal fusion, a new computerized treatment called Non Surgical Spinal Decompression is now available.

What are the indications for spinal decompression? Non surgical spinal decompression works for patients suffering from:

• lumbar herniated disc
  
• lumbar bulging disc
  
• sciatica
  
• severe lower back pain
  
• degenerative disc disease
  
• numbness and tingling into one or both legs
  
• weakness in the legs due to a pinched nerve
  
• post back sugery pain
  
• posterior facet syndrome
  
• foraminal stenosis

Non surgical spinal decompression is a treatment option for those patients who have tried all forms of conservative treatment such as injections, acupuncture, chiropractic, medications and physical therapy, and even some that have had a surgery.

What are some of the contraindications for spinal decompression? Patients who have hardware in their back from surgery such as metal rods or screws, spinal fractures, surgical repair of an aortic aneurysm, infection of the spine, or severe osteoporosis.

As we discussed in the previous post introducing spinal decompression, the doctor will determine what the treatment will focus on. So for example if a patient’s MRI shows a herniated disc at the L4 disc, and the exam findings support that the L4 disc is affected, treatment will occur at the level of the L4 disc.

Spinal Decompression works by creating a negative pressure or a vacuum effect inside the disc. This effect causes the disc to pull in the herniation and the increase in negative pressure. This in turn causes the flow of blood and nutrients back into the disc allowing the body's natural fibroblastic response to heal the injury and re-hydrate the disc.

In our Part III of this special series, we will have a discussion with Dr. Matthew Bellinger, of CT Spine and Disc Center, and ask him specific questions about how spinal decompression works for his patients.

Please email me if you have specific questions about non surgical spinal decompression for lower back pain, sciatica and lumbar disc herniation.

Here are a partial Listing of Doctors that specialize in Non Surgical Decompression:

CT Spine and Disc Center- Dr. Matthew Bellinger, located in Glastonbury, Connecticut 860-633-8756

Spinal Decompression with the Drx9000- Understand how non surgical spinal decompression works

Lower Back Pain Relief Blog- A discussion of alternative non surgical treatments for lower back pain.


Additional Reading Resources:
Part I: A Non Surgical Way to Treat Moderate-Severe Lower Back Pain
How to Properly Wear a Lower Back Support Belt for Moderate to Severe Lower Back Pain

Visit Low Back Pain Relief - Arc4ife carries low back supports and rest as well as lumbar belt for low back and sciatica pain relief

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A Non surgical way to treat mod-severe lower back pain: Part I

For patients who suffer from mild discomfort or pain in the lower back, there are treatment options such as chiropractic, acupuncture, stretching, exercising, yoga, even medications. What about patients who suffer from moderate to severe lower back pain? Pain that is unrelenting, one that goes into the legs and the buttocks, causes weakness, pain and numbness and tingling? Often for these patients they receive little relief from chiropractic, physical therapy, injections, steroids and medications. They often have to take strong medications such as cortisone and often times, these come accompanied by unpleasant side effects.

Often times, patients have gone to their primary care physician, neurologists, chiropractors, and orthopedic surgeons. They often have alread had a lower back MRI, a special type of imaging that can reveal disc issues- such as a herniated disc, disc bulge, and degenerated disc. Problems in the disc can cause pain the leg, numbness and tingling, sciatica and high intensity that does not go away- it affects all aspects of their activities of daily activities, even work.

After trying multiple injections, medications and still no relief, the orthopedic Dr may even recommend surgery for the lower back- often times a laminectomy or a fusion surgery to take pressure off of the disc.

These patients with moderate-to severe lower back pain may benefit from a non surgical procedure called non surgical spinal decompression. Spinal Decompression significantly reduces back pain in many patients and also enables the majority of patients to return to more active lifestyles.

Spinal Decompression utilizes revolutionary technology to apply a distraction force to relieve nerve compression often associated with lower back pain and sciatica. To see a video of how spinal decompression treatment works click here.

After completing a consultation, examination and analyzing a patients MRI, the Dr can determine what level to target the decompression at. The patient is specially positioned on the decompression machine and is pulled with varying degrees of weight similar to a logarithmic curve or an accordion. When distractive forces are generated on a logarithmic curve the typical proprioceptor response through muscle spasms are avoided. By not involving the muscles of the lower back, decompression can occur at the targeted disc level. The Drx9000, by Axiom Worldwide is one such device that does non surgical spinal decompression. Because this technology is only a few years old, it is only available in certain Doctor’s offices. If you need help looking for a Doctor who does the non surgical spinal decompression, please email us at info@arc4life. com.

A patient who is undergoing non surgical spinal decompression treatment will also have cold therapy and interferential stimulation to treat muscle spasms and inflammation in the lower back. They will also be given home icing instructions, as well as special stretching and strengthening exercises specifically for the lower back region. They will also be asked to wear a special lower back brace that will aid in healing of the lower back. By limiting the motion of lower back muscles and ligaments as much as possible, its support also helps improve posture. It also serves as a reminder to use proper lifting techniques to protect the lower back as much as possible.

In the Part II Discussion about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression I will discuss:

• What happens during a session of Spinal Decompression
  
• Are there any side effects or contraindications for Spinal Decompression
  
• How is Spinal Decompression different from other treatments of lower back pain
  
• What are the more specific indications for Spinal Decompression
  

Please email me if you have specific questions about non surgical spinal decompression for lower back pain, sciatica and lumbar disc herniation.
Here are a partial Listing of Doctors that specialize in Non Surgical Decompression:
CT Spine and Disc Center- Dr. Matthew Bellinger, located in Glastonbury, Connecticut 860-633-8756

NYC Spinal Decompression Center- Dr. Steven Shoshany located in New York City 212-645-8151

Executive Express Chiropractic and Spinal Decompression- Dr. Eben Davis located in San Francisco, California 415-392-2225

Additional Resources:

How to Properly Wear a Lower Back Support Belt for Moderate to Severe Lower Back Pain
Visit Low Back Pain Relief - Arc4ife carries low back supports and rest as well as lumbar belt for low back and sciatica pain relief

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What's the best neck pillow for aches and knots?

Today's post comes from Yahoo Answers- Everybody suffers from aches and knots in the neck. So here is the question:

Question:What's the best neck pillow for aches and knots? I have this neck pillow that vibrates. Well, I took out that mechanism that causes it to vibrate, because it feels like it's shaking my brains, and that's not very comfortable. I've just been using it to sleep with now, and I'm looking for a neck pillow that might gently knead the neck muscles. Any ideas? I tried several searches, but I can't seem to locate one that does that. Maybe you know from personal experience, which one is the best. Thanks so much :)

Answer: Here is a great neck pillow that will give you a gentle stretch in your neck while you are sleeping: the Cervical traction Neck Pillow.
If you look at the design of this pillow you will note that this pillow has a "v" in the center and other other side is a neck roll. The V Part actually gives your cervical muscles a gentle stretch when you are sleeping. This is really good especially if you have a decreased cervical curve in your neck. The other side of the pillow supports you head and neck, making sure that it is properly supported while sleeping.

How about instead of getting a pillow that "vibrates" or "kneads"- get a home portable T.e.n.s Unit for your muscle spasms. Do this during the day, when you are awake for about 20 minutes. Use ice (acute neck pain) or heat afterwards (chronic neck pain). Also you can use a natural pain relieving gel like biofreeze to work on the cervical paraspinals and suboccipitals.

Source(s): Yahoo Answers

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.


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Tuesday November 4, 2008 - Today is finally Election Day here in the US. Everybody get your voice heard by voting !