Do's And Don'ts For Pain

                    


Do's and Don'ts for Pain

(Wonder what to do with the pain?)

***Pain is an indicator of something bigger.  Think of an iceberg where the pain represents the tip or what you can visibly see, and the cause of the pain is under the surface, which is much, much larger than the visible portion of the iceberg.

Ice therapy is probably the best recommendation for most types of pain as inflammation and “hot” nerve endings are the norm.  Generally 10-15 minutes of ice therapy every hour or two for the first few days is your best bet.  I would recommend our Tri Fold gel packs that double up as a moist heat pack.  Other ice recommendations include:

            -Direct ice massage: Use a Styrofoam cup and fill with water.  Once the water has frozen, peel off about ½ inch of the foam to expose the ice.  Circular motions or figure 8’s are recommended over the painful site for 3-5 minutes.  Remember to use a towel as water will drip everywhere.  Re-freeze the cup until your next treatment.

Heat therapy should be administered when a muscle is tight and won’t allow for full range of motion.  Generally applying ice for 10 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of heat every hour is most effective.  Remember that you don’t want to put “oil on a fire” or heat something that is swollen.

What to Do To Relieve Low Back Pain

Double knee-to-chest stretch

·  Lie down on back ·  Pull both knees in to chest until you feel a comfortable stretch in lower back ·  Keep the back relaxed ·  Hold for 45 to 60 seconds

Pelvic tilt exercise

·  Lie on back with knees bent, feet flat on floor, and arms at sides  ·  Flatten small of back against floor (Hips will tilt upward.)  ·  Hold for 10 to 15 seconds and release Gradually increase your holding time to 60 seconds

Lower trunk rotation stretch

·  Lie on back ·  Keeping back flat and feet together, rotate knees to one side ·  Hold for 45 to 60 seconds

Trunk flexion stretch

·  On hands and knees, tuck in chin and arch back ·  Slowly sit back on heels, letting shoulders drop toward floor ·  Hold for 45 to 60 seconds

Alternate arm-leg extension exercise

·  Face floor on hands and knees ·  Raise left arm and right leg. Do not arch neck · Hold for 10 seconds and release ·  Raise right arm and left leg. Do not arch neck ·  Hold for 10 seconds and release

Prone Lumbar Extension

·  Lie on your stomach and place your hands on the floor near the sides of your head ·  The easiest part would be to simply rest on your elbow, while looking straight. · Slowly, if you can, push your upper body off the floor by straightening your arms, but keep your hips on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax your arms, moving back to the floor

What to Do To Relieve Neck and/or Upper Back Pain

· Chin Tucks and generally neck range of motion exercises are simple and most important.  Your goal is go through neck flexion, rotation and bending to both sides and extension so that you are improving circulation and stimulating the nervous system.  Lying on our Traction pillow will ease tension and slowly elongate tight spinal joints and muscles.

· Dr. Anderson’s Favorite Stretching Exercises (Handout)

Other tips include:

Epsom salt baths have proven to pull out inflammation and relax tight muscles and joints.  Always rinse your body after the bath to remove any salt residue.

Artic Omega Fish oils have been shown to reduce inflammation and increase fluidity of the joints.

Protrypsin enzymes naturally reduce inflammation by breaking down acidic buildup of injured cells.

Glucosamine helps to repair joint surfaces, tendon and ligament attachment points and cartilage damage.

***Please remember that supplements can be full of fillers or may become rancid.  Dr. Anderson has researched many products and recommends consulting with him before purchasing any supplements.

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