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Posts Tagged ‘pain relief’

One of this country’s leading medical problems is back pain. It is cited as one of the five most common injuries occurring in the workplace. Some of these, of course come from accidents. However, many are simply preventable. In fact, the vast majority tend to come from stress and strain on your back. It only takes a second to lift something that pulls a muscle in your back. We take a look at some of the more common causes of low back pain.

The lower back consist of five intervertebral discs. These are often referred to as the lumbar. These discs are stacked on top of each other. They are separated by soft tissue, tendons, ligaments and muscles. The bones provide the structure and rigidity while the soft tissue provides for flexibility.

One of the major shifts in our society is working with computers. Many people are seated at a computer for hours and hours throughout the day. This can affect the lower back tremendously. Sitting in fixed positions for long periods of time has impact on your body.

The lower back needs to maintain its flexibility. This is important for our normal mobility. If the back becomes stiff, then it loses its flexibility. This situation can be more susceptible to injury and discomfort.

The more common causes of lower back pain are simply strains or overuse. Small strains or overexertion can sometimes cause an imbalance in the spine. There is a constant tension on the other muscles to absorb the new balance. This can cause fatigue and stiffness and potentially lead to greater injury.

Stress and tension can build up in the body from sitting in a given position for long periods. Another way this can happen is through improper posture. These cause tension to the spine because it is not being used in its most optimal position.

Most of us don’t realize the importance of our lower back. It gives us our mobility. Small impacts to the lower back can affect this mobility as well. The lower back and spine must provide two major functions. One is to absorb shocks and impacts. The second is to transmit the weight between the upper and lower body.

Many people sustain a small injury to their lower back generally; they just hope that it passes. However, many of these situations cause the spine to become out of ballots. The person will actually begin to change their posture and adjust to the effect of the injury. It is important to see these changes occurring and to take proper corrective action before injury occurs.

Two forms of back pain are acute and chronic. Acute is less severe and for shorter durations of time. Chronic can be very painful and last the rest of someone’s life. Many types of diseases or disorders result in chronic back pain.

The vast majority of low back problems are acute back pain. This comes from injury to the soft tissues. These can happen suddenly or they may happen slowly over time. If you list too much weight, this would be a sudden case. Improper posture can lead to one that occurs slowly and time.

If you suffer from lower back pain, you should seek out natural treatments if at all possible. Stretching exercise and massage chair therapy can be very therapeutic and relieving of pain and discomfort. Check with your medical professional as to your situation and they are recommendations.

Make sure you take care of your lower back. The keys to your mobility are its strength and flexibility. Making sure that you adequately stretch and strengthen the lower back will help you maintain your mobility much longer. As always, diet, exercise and massage provide for a proper balance to maintain the vitality of your lower back.

Don’t let the discomfort of Lower Back Pain get you down. Discover how you may restore the right balance and relieve soreness, pains and discomforts. Get the relief you need from Low Back Pain when you need it with a massage chair. Get frequent massage therapy to relieve tight muscles.

Researchers in Japan have been documenting the effectiveness of far infrared ray (FIR) saunas. Apparently using FIR saunas can raise one’s body temperature in a controlled and healthy way, which induces better tissue function. The benefits of FIR sauna therapy are many. Below is a brief list of some of them.

Asthma: May be cleared up (like moving to Arizona’s dry air). A case study was reported in which a 41 year old male suffered from toxic occupational asthma, headaches, depression and other complaints. Serum analysis revealed an extremely high level of toluene (a toxin) and antibodies to isocyanate, TMA and formaldehyde (toxins). He was placed on a FIR therapy program and his lungs cleared up within 3 days. After 52 days, his health had improved by 85%. Post treatment analysis revealed no detectable levels of any volatile compounds.

Back Pain: Low level heat therapy is more effective than over-the-counter oral medications for relieving low back pain, according to the results of a nationwide study led by a sports medicine researcher at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. In the six-month study involving 371 patients, participants were given the maximum recommended non-prescription dosages of ibuprofen and acetaminophen or low level heat therapy for two days to treat acute low back pain. The results showed that the low level heat therapy provided significantly more pain relief beginning on the first day of treatment than the oral analgesics and that the effects lasted more than 48 hours after the treatment was completed. “Confirming that this treatment is effective is important to patients because it gives them a treatment option that does not have the potential risk to the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract than can accompany inappropriate analgesic usage,” said Dr. Nadler, an associate of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the medical school.

Cancer: 1. FIR therapy is helpful in the destruction of cancer cells, as they begin to die off when the malignant tissue reaches 104-106F (40-41C). It takes but a small increase in body temperature for the body to increase the production of white blood cells, which are critical to the destruction of tumors. Regular FIR sauna use is an effective approach that compliments any anti-cancer protocol. 2. Researchers from Japan report that FIR therapy can reverse cancer of the tongue. 3. In the later stages of cancer, FIR Sauna Therapy can relieve pain extremely well.

Depression: In a study of 28 mildly depressed patients , 14 were assigned to a treatment group and 14 were assigned to the control group. The treatment group received 140F (60C) far infrared therapy for 15 minutes per day plus bed rest with a blanket for 30 minutes per day. After 20 sessions over a 4 week period, the patients treated with FIR had significantly less somatic complaints, significantly less appetite loss and significantly better relaxation.

Flexibility: A FIR Sauna is perfect as a “heat therapy room” for athletes looking for a pre-workout warm-up to warm up muscles and increase flexibility, helping to prevent injury. It’s also ideal for pre-warm-up for physical therapy and massage therapy, or for a relaxing, wind-down at the end of a stress-filled day.

In a sequential, longitudinal, interrupted time series trial at the Mayo Clinic , 15 hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure underwent daily 15 minute infrared sauna treatment for 4 weeks. These serious end-stage congestive heart failure patients were maximally medicated, unable to walk across the room without shortness of breath and were unable to tolerate warm baths. When they were treated with FIR sauna therapy, symptoms improved in 87% of patients (13 of 15). Left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 30% to 34% on average, meaning that their hearts beat more efficiently and with less effort. Every patients 6 minute walking distance increased. Distance increased from an average of 388 meters to 448 meters (15% faster pace). Average plasma epinephrine (adrenaline) concentration decreased by 48% from 40 pg/mL to 21 pg/mL. Average plasma norepinephrine decreased by 30% from 633 pg/mL to 443 pg/mL. These two are both used to diagnose congestive heart failure. Diastolic blood pressure (the low number) decreased but systolic pressure (the top number) was unchanged. This means that they did not get hypertensive and the work that the hearts had to do decreased. There were no side effects (something that never happens with drugs and surgery). No patients had dyspnea (shortness of breath), angina (chest pain) or arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), or complained of excess heat. FIR sauna therapy literally saved their lives.

Inflammation: The increased peripheral circulation occurring with FIR sauna therapy provides the transportation needed to help evacuate the edema, which can help stop inflammation, decrease pain and help speed healing. Researchers have observed high success rates when applying FIR therapy to resolve post surgical infection, pelvic infection and frostbite with inflammation.

Joint Stiffness/Collagen Tissue Extensibility/Stretching : 1. In one case of rheumatoid finger joints, there was a 20% decrease in stiffness at 112F (45C) as compared with 92F (33C). Any stiffened joint and thickened connective tissues should respond in a similar fashion. 2. Tissues heated to 112F (45C) and then stretched exhibit a non-elastic residual elongation of about 0.5-0.9% that persists after the stretch is removed. It does not occur in these same tissues when stretched at normal tissue temperatures. Thus 20 stretching sessions can produce a 10-18% increase in length in tissues so heated and stretched.

Menopause: FIR therapy relieves menopause related symptoms: relieved chills, nervousness, depression, dizziness, head & stomach aches.

There seems to be an almost continual flow of new information regarding infrared ray saunas and their benefits to our health. Hopefully you enjoy this short list of the benefits that we already know about.

Contrary to popular belief, there is a difference between stress and anxiety. Stress comes from the pressures we feel in life which releases adrenaline. Anxiety, on the other hand, is a feeling of apprehension or fear. Both stress and anxiety can cause muscle stiffness and tightness. This can cause discomfort adding the feelings of stress and anxiety. Massage chairs offer a multitude of massage therapy treatments to induce relaxation and to calm the muscles and body.

Stress is caused by our interpretation of our environment. People react very differently in similar situations. For instance, say two people had to pay the rent on the first of the month and neither has money to do so. One person may say fine I will move in with a friend of mine who will not charge me rent. The other person has no such option and is left with the problem of how to pay the rent. One has no stress the other has a lot of stress.

The feeling of fear or apprehension is generally associated with anxiety. Anxiety creates feelings of doom, gloom and helplessness. Anxiety is also known to linger after the stressor is gone. In other words, the source of the stress may be gone but the feelings of anxiety stay.

Stress is the way our bodies and minds react to something. It is usually associated with something that is impinging on our current balance in life. A typical stress is the fight or flight response. Our adrenal glands release adrenaline which is a hormone that causes our heart rate to increase, our blood pressure to increase and our muscles to tense.

When we experience anxiety we have feelings of unease. We may have a situation where we do not know the outcome. Anxiety may be associated when changing jobs, changing home locations or even deaths of loved ones. Our body tends to release hormones to give the body energy and strength. However, the sustained release of hormones with prolonged anxiety can cause the body to become stiffer through time.

Anxiety can upset our normal routine. In prolonged situations the hormonal release can be destructive to the body. Anxiety is a feeling of fear and is therefore a construct of the mind. Our mind builds up the importance of a given situation and we do not know how to deal with the uncertainty. This makes the body nervous with no physical release.

Anxiety can interfere with normal life. If we have prolonged anxiety, then this can become destructive to the body. This can start a series of thoughts of helplessness and excessive worry. We begin to focus and overanalyze our situations. We can ruminate about a situation without end which causes the stress to become sustained.

The important thing to reduce stress and anxiety is to take your mind off of these thoughts. One great way to do that is with a massage chair. Massage chairs come with MP3 players and headphones. You can put on some relaxing music to relax your mind. As your mind relaxes, the massage chair will massage your full body. Various massage techniques are used to relax the different muscles of the body.

Massage chairs come with many effective massage types. The best massage techniques available have been replicated in massage chairs. Techniques such as shiatsu, Swedish, reflexology, and many more are programmed into today’s massage chairs. Everything works at the touch of a button.

Massage chairs come equipped with music players that help you to relax during the massage. It is very therapeutic to take your mind off the ruminations of thoughts about the stressful situation you find yourself involved. Playing soft rhythmical music helps the mind to relax while the muscles are being soothed and relieved. Massage chairs can be an excellent asset to help you relieve your stress and feelings of anxiety.

Arthritis affects millions of people each year worldwide. It can cause debilitating effects for the person who is afflicted, causing varying degrees of symptoms and disability. A particularly difficult arthritis is when it affects the lower lumbar. This can lead to stiffness in the lower back and sometimes severe pain. Treatments can range from physical therapy, massage chair therapy to surgery on the extreme end.

Arthritis in the lumbar spine, or the lower back, is a common problem and one which can cause a variety of symptoms. Lumbar spine arthritis is more common in older people; however, it does affect people in other age groups. Some people are more prone to developing arthritis in the lower back than others. Those that are obese, those who are involved in heavy labor, or those who have suffered a previous injury to their spine are more prone to this condition.

What is arthritis of the lumbar spine? The cervical disc that make up the spinal column are connected with joints. Arthritis makes the movement of the joint stiff and with increased stiffness comes pain. The muscle and soft tissues become tends and are hard to bend. Some cases of lumbar spine arthritis have been reported for spinal conditions such as spinal stenosis and disc degeneration.

When you have arthritis of the lumbar spine you will experience stiffness in the lower back. Sometimes the stiffness can result in severe and prolonged pain. You may notice when you rise out of bed your back is stiff. This can also happen after strenuous activity or when using your lower back muscles more than usual.

Treatments for arthritis of the lumbar spine depend on the severity and persons condition. Because of the severe stiffness of muscles and joints the initial pain associated with physical therapy can be a hurdle. The stiffness needs to be counteracted with flexing of the soft tissues. A bending, kneading, or stretching is required to restore flexibility in the soft tissues areas.

Most treatments are geared towards natural therapies. Surgery is usually reserved if no other alternatives exist. Unfortunately, with surgery comes scar tissue which causes further stiffness in the region. Natural methods are geared towards restoring the original flexibility of the soft tissues. One natural method used throughout time is massage therapy. Massage therapy is used to stretch out the muscles to assist with flexibility.

If you are not a severe case, then the doctor will try natural methods first. You may be sent to physical therapy to help rebuild the muscles in that area. Another avenue is chiropractic care. A chiropractor will look to adjust your spine to help redistribute the weight across the spine. The chiropractor looks to the restore the health of the soft tissues and muscles.

The routine may include changes to your diet and exercise. An important part of any routine is consistency. The beginning of the routine is the hardest as the stiffness is the greatest. You have to have enough willpower to overcome the initial hurdle of pain to gain greater flexibility in the joints.

Many doctors use massage chairs to assist their patients. These doctors set their patients up on specific massage routines depending on their condition. The doctor may also include stretching and warming of specific areas of the body to assist recovery.

Of all the symptoms of lumbar spine arthritis, low back pain can be the most difficult to manage and live with. The constant pain and stiffness can be the cause of much stress and can seriously alter a persons way of life. It is important to recognize symptoms and begin treatment early to ensure that the progression of the disease is slowed down. This is where massage chairs can excel and get you to a more normal routine.

Fibromyalgia or FMS is a condition that is characterized by varying degrees of muscle aches and general body pain. The pain can range from mild stiffness to severe pain. The pain can be widespread affecting the muscles, ligaments, joints and tendons. Your health care professional may recommend varying treatments depending on the situation. Many fibromyalgia patients are turning to massage chairs to help relieve aches and pains.

Massage chairs are being more recognized as a method to provide consistent massage and other treatments for the patients. Massage chairs are being utilized in chiropractic offices around the country. They provide targeted and controlled therapies.

Some health professionals believe that the pain that fibromyalgia induces comes from an excess of lactic acid. Massage therapy has been found to significantly release the build up of this lactic acid. But to reduce the build up of lactic acid, massage therapy must be obtained on a continuous basis.

Getting periodic or frequent massages is hard for sufferers of fibromyalgia. This is where technology can be a blessing. Massage chairs provide a convenient and effective means to receive certain types of massage treatments.

Patients with fibromyalgia experience greater tenderness and soreness. Sometimes massages can be uncomfortable at first. The muscles are stiff and may ache. Massage therapy starts to work on the muscles to increase flexibility. This can sometimes be somewhat painful until some amount of flexibility is restored.

A person suffering from FMS should begin with mild stretching exercises to get warmed up. These stretches should be slow and deliberate. Do not bounce or vigorously stretch your muscles. The goal is to keep the muscle loose and improve the range of motion of the muscles and the joints.

Stretching and then performing other warm up for your body is helpful. Massage chairs are great for warming up or warming down. Choose from a multitude of programs. Some massage chairs have programs and variants of those programs that number in the 400 range. The ability to target specific relief with certain massage techniques is a wonderful option.

Some massage chairs incorporate heating elements to help reduce swelling. You can activate the heat in a given area of the chair. There are also models that have traction or stretching systems. These systems can stretch the lower body and now there are some that can stretch the arms and shoulders. These can be an effective method of warming up prior to activity.

Some of the warning signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia include stiffness and pain in the joints and muscles throughout the body. There are certain tests that can help to determine if the person in fact suffers from fibromyalgia. Some physical examinations push certain pressure points are check for associated pain in that area. Always check with your doctor as to your conditions and specific remedies for your situation.

Having stiffness and aches is no way to live your life. Get ongoing relief and help rebuild your flexibility with a massage chair. The various treatments available in a massage recliner can be a huge benefit for those in need. Just having a reliable masseuse that you can activate when you need it is some the lifesaver you need. A massage chair goes to work on you when you push the button.

If you suffer from mild stiffness or more and have various levels of muscle pain or discomfort, then you may have fibromyalgia. The pain is commonly reported to be widespread within the body. It can affect soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints. The stiffness and aches can be inhibiting, so many patients of fibromyalgia are using massage chairs.

Massage chairs are being more recognized as a method to provide consistent massage and other treatments for the patients. Massage chairs are being utilized in chiropractic offices around the country. They provide targeted and controlled therapies.

Some health professionals believe that the pain that fibromyalgia induces comes from an excess of lactic acid. Massage therapy has been found to significantly release the build up of this lactic acid. But to reduce the build up of lactic acid, massage therapy must be obtained on a continuous basis.

Massage chairs provide unprecedented convenience to obtaining routine massage therapy. You can place one in your home or business and receive with massage therapy at the touch of a button. You can use it when your symptoms are acting up. No appointments, no tips necessary.

Patients with fibromyalgia experience greater tenderness and soreness. Sometimes massages can be uncomfortable at first. The muscles are stiff and may ache. Massage therapy starts to work on the muscles to increase flexibility. This can sometimes be somewhat painful until some amount of flexibility is restored.

To help restore flexibility, you need to stretch. Stretch helps to elongate the muscles. Muscles ache because they are constrained and contracted which makes them stiff. A daily stretch routine can do you wonders. Start off slow and only stretch little by little. This will help improve your flexibility.

Interestingly, many massage chairs have warm up routines and other techniques to help your body warm up. You can use a massage chair prior to stretching to warm up the body and get the blood flowing in you. Another option is activating stretching of the lower body or the arms and shoulders.

Massage chairs are now equipped with traction systems. Traction means stretching. Massage chairs can stretch the lower body, upper body and the spine. Lower body systems use the leg rest to exert a stretch from the hips to the ankles. Upper body stretching uses the chair back to stretch the arms and shoulders effectively.

Having fibromyalgia is hard on sufferers because of the stiff and aching of the muscles. The stiffness and aches are felt mainly in the soft tissues like muscles or ligaments. Physicians perform tests to determine if someone has this condition. Generally, a pressure point test is used. Pressure points throughout the body are tested to see if pain is present.

If you do suffer from aches, pains and soreness, you should really look at how a massage chair can provide you effective relief. The key with massage therapy is to receive it on a continuous basis. Repetitive massage therapy is where massage chairs excel. Just consider the in home convenience of your own massage chair and how that can really do wonders for your situation.

Deep tissue massage is found to be effective at relieving more chronic pain conditions. Lighter massage techniques do not penetrate as deeply to be effective. When a deep tissue massage is applied, it targets the deeper layers of the muscles. Muscles breakdown when used. To restore flexibility and heal scar tissue, deep pressure and stroking is applied. The stroking and pressure stretch out the muscle tissues increasing their flexibility.

After performing exercise, you may notice your muscles become stiffer. Exercise breaks down the muscle tissue making the tendons shorter and more fibrous. That is why it is good to stretch muscles before and after exercise. While stretching elongates the whole muscle, massage targets smaller regions for restoration. A deep tissue massage seeks to elongate and stretch the tendons to increase their elasticity and flexibility.

If you are a team member of a professional sports franchise, then your routinely obtain deep tissue massage. This is known to help healing form injuries and to increase range of motion of muscles. The heavy workouts cause muscles to breakdown and become tight. Loosening the muscles regains their former flexibility. However, not all of us have access to a massage therapist.

Studies show that deep tissue is effective for relieving muscle pain, tension and anxiety. Since the daily stress on our bodies is continuous, the treatments are only truly beneficial when received on a continuous, recurring basis. A one time treatment is not a one-time cure all. To get daily pain relief, the treatment must be given with sufficient frequency. This is where a deep tissue massage chair can be a tremendous asset. There is an amazing variety of potential massage therapies to target areas for pain relief.

If you are interested in massage chairs that provide deep tissue massages. Two of the best massage chair recliners come from Panasonic and Omega Massage. These leaders integrate excellent technology to provide deep tissue relief. Not only can you get deep tissue massage, but it can be complimented with lower body stretches, full body heat and even synchronized music and massage functions. The technology available is outstanding and the effectiveness of relief is there to boot.

These massage chair companies are developing therapies for persons who suffer from more chronic conditions such as chronic pain, fibromyalgia, muscle cramping and even carpal tunnel syndrome. Many new features target such areas. With air compression massage, for example, there are airbags for your hands and forearms. The program will gently squeeze, hold and then release. This gentle, repetitive action loosens the muscles, relieves aches and pains. Massage chairs can deliver full body massages from the neck to the feet.

Before running down to the store and buying a massage chair, make sure that your doctor recommends a deep tissue massage. Although deep tissue massage is effective, it may not be right for you. Deep tissue penetrates more thoroughly which could cause some pain or discomfort the next day. This is just your body telling you that the massage penetrated thoroughly. Your muscles have been stretched, elongated and restored.

To get the full benefit of any massage treatment, it must be performed at a regular, sustained interval. If you exercise regularly, then you should receive massage regularly. Each action like exercise, requires an equal an opposite counteraction like massage therapy. Life is about balance. We know the balance is always changing, so too must the counter balances. Obtaining pain relief is a counter balance to the source of the pain. The healing process is a natural reversal of the damaging process. Look to integrate massage therapy into your routine with a massage chair recliner. They are actually very cost effective in the long run.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), illness and disease are caused by imbalances or breaks in the flow of life force throughout the body. To restore its harmonious flow and health, this “qi” or life force is manipulated by the inserting fine needles into acupuncture points throughout the body. These acupuncture points are primary to the practice of acupuncture by licensed acupuncturists, and according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are dozens of them all over the human body.

In all, there are over 360 acupuncture points which can be used for stimulation. When fine needles are inserted into these points, the flow of energy through those points can be either interrupted or strengthened. By directing this energy, many health problems can be healed or improved. Tender acupuncture points may indicate area of abnormal energy flow.

Because of their fear of needles, many people are afraid to try acupuncture. Luckily, the insertion of these hair-thin needles along acupuncture points is most often painless. And during the few times when discomfort is experienced, the sensation is akin to a mosquito bite and is far less painful than receiving an injection or donating blood.

The paths or flows of energy, called meridians, formed between acupuncture points are still being mapped out by Western science. The challenge of this task lies in the fact that the meridians don’t correspond closely to the established nerve or blood pathways already mapped out by Western medicine. Some scientists are beginning to think that the meridians are located throughout the body’s connective tissue.

Western scientists are also attempting to put together the mechanism by which acupuncture points affect the body. New data is suggesting that acupuncture points are actually specialized conductors of the body’s biological electromagnetic signals. For example, the flow of a pain signal from a body part to the spinal cord and eventually to the brain are controlled by what Western science posits are “gates” throughout the central nervous system. Like streets and alleys, the body’s nerve pathways can handle a limited amount of information or flow through its pathways.

To continue with the streets and alleys metaphor, some signals are given a higher clearance than normal signals such as pain. These higher priority/clearance are like emergency vehicles – ambulances, police cars, fire trucks – which supersede the slower, lower priority signals in their quest to reach the brain. These super signals may even bump the slower signals off the road altogether, preventing them from ever reaching the brain. Acupuncture may generate these priority signals, which crowd out pain signals because of the limited throughput of the nerves. The acupuncture signals may not only diminish the speed and severity of the pain signals, they may actually prevent them from being received by the brain at all. Acupuncture may also trigger the release of chemicals and hormones which reduce pain, and they may also alert the immune system to pay special attention to certain part of the body’s roads.

Experimental and clinical evidence has found that acupuncture not only inhibits pain but also has a direct effect on circulation, blood pressure, blood cell production, and the immune system. It is believed that acupuncture points stimulate the brain and spinal cord to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord and brain, altering brain chemistry in a positive way.

Acupuncture is still in many ways a mystery to Western medicine. That by no means, however, diminishes its efficacy. Whether acupuncture works by balancing the complementary forces of yin and yang in the body or by manipulating the electrical signals of the nerves, we don’t have a definite answer yet. We do know, however that acupuncture works wonders on many modern ailments, and that it is, in many cases, at least as effective as Western modalities in eradicating pain, promoting health, and restoring well-being.