A Travel Neck Pillow for the AirPlane and Airport

No one wants to have neck pain just from travelling during the holidays. It has been reported that 20% of travelers injure their back or neck in the whole travelling process. A large percentage of those report having a sore neck after being in uncomfortable positions while seated. If you are travelling during the holiday season by air plane, then you will definitely be spending some time in the airport waiting area and then sitting on an airplane. Most likely in the seated position. Trying to get some sleep in a sitting position can be difficult. There are special travel pillows that are u shaped that made especially for going around your neck in any position. They will ensure that your head and neck are aligned properly. It is very easy to have your neck flopping from side to side in a awkward position. These travel pillows can be made out of fiber or foam depending on your preference.
There is also a special neck pillow designed for people who suffer from headaches, call the Headache Ice Pillow- it uses the combination of ice (with a gel pack) and proper support for the neck to decrease inflammation and tension in the muscles of the neck.


Travel pillows will ensure that you arrive well rested and refreshed, no matter where your destination.

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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The Winter Weather is Here: Are you Shoveling Snow Properly?

Today in central Connecticut we had 6-10 inches of snow. We have a very long steep driveway, that needs to get shoveled by hand. Once in a while, our awesome neighbor will come and use his 4 wheeler with a plow hook up to plow our driveway, but we do have to shovel a few times during the winter season. Here are some tips to keep safe this season:

• Bend with the knees, not the back. When you go to pick up or move the snow, bend your knees. You may have to think about this the first few times, but your body will get used to.
  
• Brace shove handle against thigh to lift snow
  
  
• Use a good shovel with a with a bend in the handle. This allows you to stand up straighter as you push for less back strain.
  
  
• With heavy and wet snow lift smaller amounts of snow. Don’t try to push too much snow either, you can injure yourself just like if you tried to lift too much
  
  
• Do some gentle lower back stretches before you start to warm up and loosen up your muscles. Flex forward, extend back, laterally bend right, laterally bend left and hold each stretch for 10-15 seconds.
  
  
• Dress in layers and make sure you try to stay as warm as possible. It is very important to wear a hat, gloves, a scarf, and double socks. If you get cold, you muscles will tighten and you can more easily get injured when cold
  
  
• Wear a support belt if you suffer from back pain. Wearing a lumbosacral belt when you shovel will help you protect your lower back muscles. Here is a great article about how to wear a lumbar support belt: How to Properly wear a lumbar Support Belt for Moderate- Severe Lower back pain
  
  
• Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help
  
  
• Don’t be too cheap to get the driveway plowed- a back injury is not worth it if you have a back condition
  
  
• This applies to using a snow blower as well- let the plow do the work, do not try to push too much snow or move the snow blower to often with out using the motor
  
  
• If you know there is 6-10 inches coming, do some shoveling at the 2” mark and then again when the storms over. As snow sits it can get heavier, making it more likely that you may injure yourself. Fresh snow is lighter and much easier to handle. It is safest to shovel snow early, rather than waiting until the snow stops falling. If you wait, the snow may pack down to create an icy lower layer that is hard to scrape away. So shovel twice when the snow is 2 inches deep rather than waiting to struggle with the ultimate 6 or 8 inches.
  
  
• Take breaks frequently. This is no marathon against your neighbor. Your neighbor may have a 4 wheeler with a plow hook-up and you may just have your lonely snow shovel- its best to be as safe as possible.
  
  
  Shoveling snow in the New England area is inevitable during the Winter Season. We don’t like to do it, but we will because we have to drive out of the driveway and get on with our life. But snow shoveling doesn’t have to be painful and put you on the couch for a few days. Dress warm, rest frequently and keep an eye on the snow accumulation – and you will be safe this winter season.
  
  
  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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More Americans using Alternative Therapies for Pain Relief

Arc4life.com, a leader in alternative health pain relief products recently released a new new study that highlights how the US uses Alternative therapies for their health care. A recent survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 38 Percent of Adults and 12 Percent of Children Use Complementary and Alternative Medicine. This independent study substantiates more Americans are turning to alternative medicine for treatment of pain.

Dr.Matthew Bellinger, chief health advisor at Arc4life.com stated that "Neck Pain and back pain are leading causes of missed time at work, lost productivity, lost time with family and not being able to complete daily activities of living. Keeping your spine healthy should be a priority in everyone's life. Neck pain and back pain should always be treated with natural therapies before opting to use drugs or surgery, which can have many negative effects and other implications"

The survey included questions on 36 types of CAM therapies commonly used in the United States — 10 types of provider-based therapies, such as acupuncture and chiropractic, and 26 other therapies that do not require a provider, such as herbal supplements and meditation. The NIH Survey also found that "many people feel alternative medicine may work better for them than typical medical approaches, with fewer bad side effects."

The most commonly used CAM therapies among U.S. adults in 2007 were:

• Nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products (17.7 %)
• Most common: fish oil/omega 3/DHA, glucosamine, echinacea, flaxseed oil or pills, and ginseng
• Deep breathing exercises (12.7 %)
• Meditation (9.4 %)
• Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation (8.6 %)
• Massage Therapy (8.3 %)
• Yoga (6.1 %)

"As I look at this data, what I'm most struck with is how much people are turning to CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) approaches as partof the management of chronic pain conditions, particularly chronic backpain, but also neck pain and musculoskeletal pain and headache," said Dr.Josephine Briggs, director of the US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the NIH.

The 2007 survey results were based on responses from 23,000 adults nationwide.

Overall, women and people with higher levels of education were more likely to use alternative medicine techniques, the survey concluded.

Visit Arc4life for your online selection of pain relief products such as cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief, home traction units, lumbar supports and other products for pain relief

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The Dreaded Hunchback - How to Correct That Area of Your Upper Back That Pops Out and Looks Funny!

Today's Blog Post is Courtesy of Dr.Bellinger of CT Spine and Disc Center near Hartford CT. Today he discusses a special type of posture that we all call the "hunchback"- and how to take steps to correct and prevent it:

How does this dreaded "hunchback" form? This condition actually stems from poor neck and upper back posture. What happens is your upper back starts shifting up and back. So that "hunch", is actually bone.


This phenomenon happens because the neck spine shifts forward. They call this forward head posture or forward head carriage.


The whole spine works together. When one section is shifted or misaligned, it causes problems elsewhere. So as the neck spine shifts forward and looses it's normal alignment and curvature, the upper back spine starts pushing up and back increasing it's curve.


What is the concern if you have a slight "hunching" of the upper back?. First off, it doesn't look good and it will get worse, looking worse. But more important; if you have it, you know for a fact that your neck and upper back are out of alignment. This is extremely important because research shows that any spinal misalignments eventually puts pressure on nerves. Any pressure on nerves means the body is not working at it's best. This not only predisposes you for neck pain, back pain, and headaches, but can cause something even worse.

So how do you correct this "bone" that's popping out? Answer - we simply need to correct the posture and spine alignment. With this particular problem, the best way is with a good neck neck pillow and neck traction device.

A good neck pillow is one that gives the proper neck support when you sleep. The Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow supports your neck while improving alignment.

A true neck traction device will help bring the head and neck back and improve the neck curve even more quickly.

Restoring the normal neck curvature and improving forward head posture will then restore upper back posture and alignment. The upper back spine that was protruding or "hunching" up and back will move back down and forward.

Not only will this neck pillow and neck traction devise correct that ugly "hunch back", it will prevent it from ever occurring to begin with!

Source:
Ezine Health Articles: How to Correct that Area of Your Upper Back That Pops Out and Looks Funny!

Additional Reading Resources:

• End Your Neck Pain with True Neck Traction
  
• How to have Proper Neck Posture
  
• Neck pain Support Blog
  

Visit Arc4life for stiff neck, neck pain, pinched nerve in the neck and other symptoms. Arc4life specializes in cervical neck pillows, neck stretches and pain relief products for home.


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"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 !

Moms Takes Notice: New BackPack Lightens School Back Pack Load

Moms, do you cringe every time you see your kids going off to school with their back packs chock full to the point that they are going to fall over ? Personally, I notice it every morning on the way to work when the children get on the bus. These days kids have to carry heavier and heavier back packs that includes their books, lunches, sports equipment, musical instruments and other school supplies.

Kid’s backpacks should be no more than 15% of their body weight, so a seventh grader that weighs 100 lbs should have a backpack that's no more than 15 pounds.

11 year old Amanda’s back pack was so full of books that she had pain in her shoulders, back and legs. "It's just too heavy for me!" she cried.

Amanda was introduced to a special type of Backpack called an AirPack, as offered on Arc4life.com.
This backpack has a unique patented, ergonomic air transfer system. This support system is created by a hidden adjustable air chamber placed in the lower back which transfers weight to the hips. The wide, foam-cushioned straps have buckles at the top and bottom to provide a two point adjustment. These back packs self-adjust side to side to provide better fit across the shoulders. Side cinches pull the load closer to your center of gravity increasing balance and stability. These backpacks come in 3 convenient sizes: Small, Medium, Large. The Air Packs also come in a variety of colors, popular with kids.

Well how did Amanda fare with her Airpack backpack? According to Amanda,the book bag has definitely lightened her load.

“When I put on my book bag with all of its textbooks, and books, its just much lighter. If feels much better. The Pain is Off. My backpack is just…I mean its wonderful. The straps help my shoulder and I have an airpack over here which the greatest thing. I mean, It helps the spine, it helps by back.[It] carries the load off of my back and shoulders. The back pack is my favorite color- its pink. Its comfortable, its light- its just the best book bag ever. I am definitely going to keep using the Airpack. It's just wonderful !"

Additional Reading Sources:

BackPacks A Pain in the Neck
The Case of the Heavy BackPack

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of the AirPack BackPacks. Available in Small, Medium and Large.

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Source: Rachel Ray: Back to School- Watch Little Amanda Handle all her Books with her AirPack on the Rachel Ray Show


Happy Halloween from Arc4life.com

Easy Pain Relief at Home: Using Heat and Ice

You were in a whiplash type accident, what should you use on your neck? Ice or Heat? You have been suffering with low back pain for 4 months, what should you use on your lower back? Ice or Heat?

The Use of Ice and Heat Therapy has been found to be very beneficial for not only decreasing pain but also controling pain. Cold Therapy or Ice should be used in the acute phase of an injury- you bump your knee on the coffee table, immediately apply ice. This aids in decreasing inflammation and numbs the immediate pain. Ice can sometimes increase pain that arises from a trigger point, so don't use cold therapy in these cases.

Use heat therapy for the treatment of muscle spasms. It relaxes the muscles and stimulates vasodilation to help remove inflammatory toxins and by products of muscle spasm. Because using heat can increase inflammation, it should be avoided during the acute phase.

**In general, begin with using ice during the acute inflammatory phase, as long as you can tolerate it, and then move on to heat therapy.

Read more about Hot and Cold Therapy - Understand the optimum way to use heat and cold for pain relief
Photo Courtesy of QueenThings on Flickr.com

Visit Ice and Moist Heat Therapy for your acute and chronic injuries: Pain Relief for your neck and lower back


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Introducing Arc4life’s NEW Lumbar Back Rest with Ice Pack Built Right in

Trying to drive or do office work with lower back pain can be very difficult. Just trying to get into a comfortable position can be impossible.

Today I want to talk about a new lumbar cushion that is great for the car with some added benefit. This lumbar support cushion will not only support your lumbar spine but it can give you the therapeutic effect of ice or heat.

Its called the Sit Back Rest Plus- Arc4life has carried the Sit back rest for many years and time and time again our customers have agreed that it is a great lumbar support cushion. The new SitBackRest PLUS now offers therapeutic benefits- A 6 x 10 hot or cold pack that can be easily fastened via a hook-and-loop closureto the lumbar cushion. The hot and cold pack helps ease low back pain from flare-ups and day-to-day discomforts such as sitting for prolonged periods of time. Use heat for sore and muscle spasms in the lower back or chronic low back pain. If you recently have suffered from acute lower back pain after a trauma or accident to the lower back, use a cold pack to decrease swelling and inflammation and decrease the pain sensation.

The hot and cold pack on this backrest helps ease back pain from flare-ups and day-to-day discomforts such as sitting for prolonged periods of time. This lumbar cushion is shaped to fit snugly against bucketseats to maximize comfort and support while driving. The hot/cold pack is covered by a soft fabric. Hence you can easily apply directly to your skin without using a towel. To use the Hot Pack, microwave for 30 sections- kneading after to distribute the heat. To use as a cold pack, store in the freezer for a few hours, preferably over night.

Dimensions of the Sit Back Rest: 13" x 14" (33cm x 36cm). – Made of Precision Cut Foam with a Durable Fabric Cover

Dimensions of the Hot/Cold Pack: 6" x 10" (15.24 cm x 25.4 cm).
On Sale at Arc4life.com: SitBackRest PLUS- The SitBack Rest PLUS a 6x10 Ice/Hot Pack

Photo Courtesy of: Arc4life.com

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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The High Heels Controversy: Do they Really Cause Low Back Pain?

Personally, I love to wear heels- they make you look and feel taller, elongating your body, making your feet look very pretty. In fact I would love to own a pair of Christian Louboutin

If you are working in construction, nursing, or in a factory job you can get away with wearing comfortable sneakers or shoes that provide good support for your foot. But having an office job means that every once in a while, or maybe more often depending on your style, you will wear high heels. Even if your occupation does not require it, it is nice to wear high heels for a dinner or special occasion.

With all the running around that the job candidates did on The Apprentice this season, many of the woman wore heels - And some of them suffered. Claire Young, a 29 year old, 5 ft 6 business woman wore her fashion heels on every episode. Her heels measured 5 inches. According to Claire wearing heels increased her confidence level by giving her more height, and slimming down her body. Well it also increased something else: Her low back pain. On the day that the final Apprentice Episode aired, Claire was in bed with severe lower back pain, not able to move.

This morning I was watching a segment on The Today Show where they were talking about heels getting even higher- I mean like 7- 9 inches…Can you imagine that? Even models who have been wearing heels on the runway looked like they were having a difficult time walking and standing.

Truth be told, wearing heels is not the best thing for your health, particularly your lower back. Especially if you wear heels everyday, many hours a day. Wearing heels tilts the pelvis and upsets the natural s shape of your spine, creating more stress for the nerves of the lumbar spine. It can cause low back pain, knee pain, and foot pain. You can develop trouble walking, sprains, strains and conditions of the knee and ankle. Wearing heels also changes the way the muscles of the pelvis, legs, and ankle contract. Imagine walking on tipping toes all day long- how would that feel after 8 hours? Not the best. Well that’s exactly what wearing heels does to you- it changes the biomechanics of your gait (how you walk)- which then affects the alignment of your pelvis, your hips, your knees and your ankles. It’s hard to stabilize yourself wearing long heels – this can cause more falls and sprains and strains of the ankle. Finally, often times high heels squish your foot together, causing further misalignment (and Pain) to the individual bones of the foot.


For lower back pain relief from wearing heels, it helps to use a support at night while sleeping. A simple Knee Elevator placed under the knees at night can help take the pressure off the nerves of the lower back.

So how can we woman who love our heels still wear them and not suffer from the many conditions that I have painfully listed above? Wear them for shorter periods of time. You also don’t have to wear 5 inch heels- how about 2 or 3 inch heels?

So even if I do get my Christian Louboutin’s some day, I imagine that I will wear my heels on my special occasions and feel good at the same time !! – Imagine That ! - NJ

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of low back supports, lumbar rolls, lumbo sacral belts, traction products for lower back pain relief.

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The Stress – Breast Cancer Connection

Today Blog Post comes as an excerpt directly from Arc4life's October 2008 eNewsLetter : The Healthy Back and Neck

New research has been released showing both a severe stressful life event in younger year…and… several less severe stressful events can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. On the other hand, having an optimistic attitude can decrease the risk.

Researchers recruited 255 women between 25 and 45 years old who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 367 women of the same age who were free from the disease. They asked the women whether they had experienced any severe life events, such as loss of a spouse or a close relative, as well as events considered to be mild or moderately stressful, such as severe illness, job loss, or separation from a spouse. Women also completed a 15-item questionnaire to evaluate their levels of anxiety, depression, happiness, and optimism.

The researchers found women who had experienced two or more severe or mild-to-moderate life events were 62 percent more likely to have breast cancer. "This suggests that stressful events do not protect us from the effect of additional events, and even 'moderate or mild events' seem to have a cumulative effect," Dr. Ronit Peled and her team write in the medical journal BMC Cancer.

Women with breast cancer were statistically more likely to have higher scores for depression and lower scores for happiness and optimism.

However, they also found that women with a "general feeling of happiness and optimism" had a 25 percent lower risk of having been diagnosed with breast cancer.

It’s become abundantly clear over the years that stress is one of the most harmful things you can have in your life.

Continue Reading more from the October Issue of the Healthy Back and Neck eNewsletter

October 2008

1. Article - Fish Oil May Be Better Than Drugs For Preventing Heart Failure
   
2. Health Tip of the month- 6 Of The Best Foods For Under A Dollar !!!
   
3. Inspirational Story of the month- Bet You Missed This Incredible Story From The Beijing Olympics…
   
4. Testimonial of the month - Cervical traction neck Pillow- for patients with military neck
   
5. Featured product -Slim Rest Lower Back Support for Low Back Pain Relief while sitting
   

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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The Importance of using a Good Neck Pillow for Sleeping to Prevent Stiff Neck

Waking up with a stiff neck is not fun at all. It can only ruin a great day, but it can affect all the activities you planned for that day. One way to make sure you are getting the best nights sleep is to use a good cervical orthopedic neck support pillow. It can make a big difference and make sure that your neck is positioned correctly. Basically you want a neck pillow that will conform to the cervical spine shape: A C curve. This is the best sleeping position for your neck. The cervical traction neck pillow is an example of a great neck pillow for sleeping. It has two distinct sides to the pillow:

• Support Side of the pillow- support for the cervical spine and support for the neck muscles
  
• Traction Side of the pillow- this will give you a gentle stretch in your neck while you are sleeping. This is particularly good if you have arthritis of the neck, a disc herniation or bulge, or even stiffness of the neck muscles

With an effective neck pillow, you can experience a deep sound sleep because your body is able to relax. Muscle spasms are decreased because pressure is relieved when your head and neck are supported correctly. Blood flows better through relaxed muscles, thus enhancing circulation. A good neck pillow can even reduce snoring and allowing for easier breathing while sleeping because you air passages are unrestricted.

Enough cannot be said about using the right and correct neck pillow for sleeping at night. Check out Arc4life's Neck Pillow Reviews to help you choose the best neck pillow for sleeping.

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



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