How Can You Prevent Dowager’s Hump?

I have patients tell me on a regular basis that they are afraid of developing Dowager’s hump.  The hunched-over posture like the picture above.

Hunched-over bad posture is called forward head posture by chiropractors and orthopedists.  It can be caused by multiple things, including trauma, bad habits, depression, bone disorders and smoking, just to name a few.

The problem happens when the bones of the spine mis-align in a direction the body can’t self-correct.  The direction is straight forward.  The bones will not self-correct because there are no muscles pulling in the direction needed.  There are no muscles behind you that will pull a bone straight back.  So when an injury happens that pushes a bone of the spine forward, it gets stuck.  Muscles can’t pull it back into alignment.

Over time, people get more and more spinal bones out of alignment forward.  And, the bones creep farther forward.  At first, you feel like its harder to stand up.  Then, it gets to the point where you can’t stand straighter no matter how hard you try.

As you get into old age, the combination of the bones being out of alignment and weakness of the bones (osteoporosis) can cause fractures in the spine.  These fractures drive the person even farther forward, leaving them hunched over permanently.  This gives you the Dowager’s hump.

I’ve seen many exercise programs that attempt to correct Dowager’s hump, but they do little or nothing about it.  Anyone who puts out an exercise program for Dowager’s hump has an incomplete understanding of the problem.  You see, you have no muscles that pull in the direction needed to get the bones re-aligned.  If there were, the body would correct it on its own, or a even little exercise would work.  But it doesn’t happen.

How can Dowager’s hump be prevented ?

First, get your posture corrected by a chiropractor that is trained to correct forward head posture. (not all are)  Even if you have bad posture problems already, much can be done to get you standing straight, relaxed and pain free.

Second, do all the things you know are good for you.  Eat right, don’t smoke, take vitamins and exercise.  That will keep your bones from getting weak.

If you or someone you care about has posture problems, you can get a free no-obligation consultation from me, Dr. Paul Kramer at Pain Free Great Posture.  Just call Jennifer or Pat at 262-251-8306 and you can get an appointment.

For more information on how I treat posture and back pain, log on to: www.painfree-greatposture.com  or  www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com

The Dangers of Medication for Back Pain

The most common medications prescribed for back pain are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.  (NSAID’s)  The medication works by stopping the swelling associated with injured tissues.  By controlling swelling, you can reduce the pain and promote healing.  At least that’s how they work in theory.

The research does show that NSAID’s are effective in reducing back pain.  However, there can be severe side effects.

16,500 people die every year as a result of taken prescription pain medication and another 20,000 people die from taken over the counter pain relievers. (New England Journal of Medicine 1999) The deaths occur mostly form gastro-intestinal bleeding because these drugs are really tough on the linings of the stomach and intestines.  But, there are other dangers as well.

The number one reason for liver failure in America is the use of NSAID’s.  The kidneys also get damaged and failure of these vital organs is also.  1000 doses of NSAID’s in a lifetime doubles the risk of renal disease. (New England Journal of Medicine 1994)

Those who consumed the highest amounts of NSAID’s increased their risk of dementia including Alzheimer’s dementia by 66% (Neurology, 2009)

What the drug companies won’t tell you is that chiropractic has been shown to be five times more effective than the NSAID’s Celebrex and Vioxx in the treatment of chronic  low back pain. (Spine 2003)  And, chiropractic has an impeccable safety record.

To find out more about how I treat back pain, log on to www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com

Depression – What Works?

Depression can come from many different causes.  While I do recognize that some people may need medication to help their depression, it is pretty clear that medication alone is not the answer.

Did you know that several studies have shown the benefit of exercise as an anti-depressant ?  In fact, one study showed that exercise for 30 minutes, five days a week was as effective as psychotherapy in cases of mild to moderate depression.

Speaking of psychotherapy, one type of therapy seems to work the best.  Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most effective type of psychotherapy.  If you feel your depression is serious enough to see a therapist, this is the type of therapist to look for.

You should also have your vitamin D levels checked.  A 2008 study in the Journal of Internal Medicine found a relationship between low serum levels of Vitamin D and depression.  Supplementation of Vitamin D seemed to reduce the symptoms.  From my own clinical experience, I would suggest you get you D levels checked, especially if your depression symptoms get worse in winter.

Omega 3 fatty acids have also been found to be very effective in treating depression.  A study in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that those receiving Omega 3’s along with therapy did significantly better than those with just therapy alone.  It is also important to get rid of all trans-fats and omega-6 based oils.  These include any hydrogenated fat, soy oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, vegetable oil and corn oil.  Use only olive oil, flax oil, walnut oil or coconut oil.  Also, cut down on the amount of meat you eat.  You don’t need to be a vegetarian, but you shouldn’t eat more than 8 oz. at any one meal and no more than a pound a day.

One little tidbit that I have found to work well is to incorporate brown rice in the diet.  Brown rice has anti-inflammatory properties which is good for the brain.  Also, I learned from a Chinese medicine practitioner, that sleep and dream quality goes up when incorporating brown rice in the diet.  I found that if you replace wheat and corn with brown rice, you can make a major positive impact on your health.

I have also found that many people who are depressed, also suffer from chronic pain.  To find out more about how I treat these disorders, you can set up a free consultation by calling Jennifer at 262-251-8306.  She will set up an appointment with me and we can go over your situation.  Then, I can make some recommendations.  To learn more about me, you can log on to www.painfree-greatposture.com

Whiplash – What Can I Do To Help?

Whiplash occurs when the neck is suddenly and forcefully jerked, and is typically associated with car crashes.  The speed at which the neck is forced upon impact is faster than we can contract our muscles in attempt to stop the forceful movement.  This results in muscle, tendon, and/or ligament over-stretching, even tearing.  Symptoms include stiff and painful neck movements, weakness or, the head “feels heavy” making it challenging to “hold up” as well as headache, and sometimes dizziness, ear noises, TMJ or jaw pain, and “mental fog.” What should be done if a whiplash injury occurs?

The amount or degree of damage to the soft tissues – that is, the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and disks of the neck — will be the deciding factors as to how much rest vs. activity should be initially performed.  If there are no fractures, dislocations or other injuries resulting in an unstable cervical spine (neck), studies have shown rest and a soft collar is actually harmful when compared to early return to activity and exercises.  Chiropractic treatment, which essentially exercises the joints of the neck, has been shown to speed recovery when performed sooner rather than later after a whiplash injury.  A handy way to classify the injury includes four categories: 1) Pain with no significant abnormal clinical findings; 2) Pain with mild clinical findings and range of motion loss; 3) Pain with neurological injury (resulting in radiating arm pain); and 4) Pain associated with fracture and/or dislocation.  Those suffering with category 1 or 2 injuries should minimize rest, collar use, proceed with life’s activities and not be afraid to do desired activities.  More aggressive exercise and, utilizing chiropractic adjustments as soon as possible is very effective in the first two categories of injury.  Category 4 (fractures and dislocations) injuries require the use of a rigid collar usually for 4-6 weeks as rest/protection is imperative. Category 3 demands careful monitoring by your chiropractor as neurological problems like arm pain and numbness, muscle strength weakness, must be watched during the healing process.  The use of ice is helpful with all four categories of injury and exercise training is important and can be started sooner in the first two categories of injury.

What can you do if you sustain a whiplash injury?  The first order of self-help is the use of ice.  This is a much better choice over the use of heat as ice reduces swelling and pain while heat can increase swelling because it brings in more blood flow into an already swollen area.  The heat may feel good during its use but most patients report the pain either returns shortly thereafter or feels worse.    The good news is that you will never hurt yourself by using ice but, you can make it hurt worse by using heat too soon so, when in doubt, use ice!  The next, very important, recommendation is to utilize exercises to stretch and strengthen the neck and upper back region. The “general rule” of exercise is slow repetitions staying within “reasonable” boundaries of pain.  That is, a good, stretch type of pain is encouraged while avoiding sharp pain.  We have discussed several very practical neck stretches and strengthening exercises previously and we will again address this in the future. Posture correction and keeping your head back over your shoulders is very helpful as well. We realize that you have a choice in where you choose for your healthcare services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for whiplash, chiropractic care is a logical first choice and we would be honored to offer our services to you.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR WHIPLASH!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 262-251-8306

What Does Vitamin-D Have To Do With Back Pain?

Vitamin D deficiencies have long been the culprit of many aches and pains.  This problem is widespread, especially in the northern United States.  Because, the winters are long, people don’t get enough sunshine to make there own vitamin D.  Aches and pains are usually widespread, but a recently published article zeroed in on low back pain.

The article was published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine in 2009.  It found that some people with chronic low back pain or failed back surgery were deficient in Vitamin D.  When the Vitamin D deficiency was brought back to normal, through supplementation, their pain improved.  In some cases, the pain completely went away.

The article stated that physicians should have a high suspicion for vitamin D deficiency in patients with chronic low back pain.  It also recommended blood testing for patients before and after surgery.

Personally, I am recommending a vitamin D test for anyone in chronic pain.  This year, I have joined up with Labcorp labs, to provide this type of testing to my patients.

I have found that vitamin supplementation, combined with chiropractic care that focuses on rebuilding posture, yields dramatic results.

For more information on how I treat back pain log on to: www.newbackpainreliefinfo.com