What Specific Muscle Tightness do 90% of my Back Pain Patients Have?

Most have some tightness or spasm or maybe trigger points in the lower back musculature, but everyone is a little different. It might be tightness in the quadratrus lumborum, spasm of the paraspinals or knots in the gluteus medius.

As far as tightness goes for one specific muscle, the answer is hamstrings. Always keep in mind that the whole body works together and everything attaches. The calves attach to the hamstrings, the hamstring muscles to the gluteus muscles, and the gluts to the lower back.


Keeping the leg muscles loose is extremely helpful in restoring the low back’s function. The hamstrings are one of the biggest and most powerful muscles in the body. Stretching them on a regular basis will help your back. And now you know; if you are suffering from back pain, chances are you have some tightness in your hamstrings.


Picture Source: Meet the quadratus lumborum

Additional Reading Resources

• What Are The Best Exercises if You Have a Herniated Disc?
  
• Why is back Pain So Common?
  
• Back Pain When Standing
  
• Alternative to Back Surgery
  
• The Muscle Experiment- Bodyweight Training Program That Shows How To Build Pounds Of Massive Muscle without weights
  
  
  
  The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

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The Benefit of Electrotherapy used in Conjunction with the Chiropractic Adjustment

At CT Spine and Disc Center, we use other therapies in addition to the chiropractic adjustment. Such therapies include vibration, moist heat, cold therapy and electrotherapy. Electrotherapy is often used to relieve pain and relax muscle spasms. Often times, the electrotherapy is used in conjunction with a hot or a cold pack.

Electrotherapy can be used in the “interferential” or “premodulated” form- both of which treat pain.

For muscle spasm reduction, a medium frequency wave length called “Russian stim” is often used.

Using electrotherapy involves applying pulsating electric currents to certain areas of the body, such as the low back, mid back, or neck via electrodes. This process elicits responses from nerves which are involved in pain sensation and muscle contraction information. The stimulation of sensory fibers will help block pain while stimulation of motor fibers will produce pulsatile contractions of the muscle groups innervated by the nerves being stimulated.

Electrotherapy is often used for:

1. Chronic pain that does not go away
   
2. acute pain
   
3. relaxation of muscles
   
4. increase of blood flow to the treatment area
   
5. muscle re-education
   
6. increasing range of motion
   
7. prevention of atrophy of muscles
   

Electrotherapy can be used to relieve pain and muscle spasm without increasing inflammation or swelling. Also, no heat is produced when using electrotherapy.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

• Home Electrotherapy
  
• Jeanie Rub Massager
  
• Glastonbury chiropractic
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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One of the Best Defenses Against Back Pain: PREVENTION

Healthy Teeth, Just as Important - HEALTHY SPINE

It’s well known that if you have back pain, a great treatment to get rid of it is chiropractic care. So, it may not come as a surprise to say to you that one of the best ways to prevent ever having back pain is to see your chiropractor.

I can tell you that the majority of my colleagues, their patients and my own patients that have had regular chiropractic treatments are a much healthier group than those who haven’t.

Think about this- you see your dentist once every six months for a teeth cleaning and to get your teeth examined. This is to prevent cavities, plaque build-up, etc … What do you think is more important, your teeth or your spine? Your spine, of course! It holds your nervous system. After the age of 65 the majority of individuals have less than half a mouth of real teeth.

If you have built up a lot of arthritis or degeneration, preventative or supportive care is extremely important. Especially if you’ve had past disc injury or disc pain your chiropractor may be your sole option for drug-free relief.

And now with the DRX 9000 spinal decompression you can keep your discs healthy and pain-free.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

• glatonbury chiropractors
  
• Find A Chiropractor Glastonbury
  
• moist heat for back or neck pain
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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What are the Best Exercises if you have a herniated disc?

I have a herniated disc in my lower back at the L5-S1 level. I want to start doing some exercises but I don't want to aggravate the herniated discs. I have been walking and it really hurts after walking for 10 or so minutes. I was thinking about doing sit ups but I don't know if that will cause more pain. Any Advice on what I should Do?

Start with simple stretches first. While lying on your back, knee to chest and then double knee to stretches work well. Next, some simple core exercises will help. Start with gentle crunches, do not do full sit ups. The core area is the region in your mid section so anything in the abdominals, low back or attached muscles are good regions to work.

Another great thing is gentle traction of the back. Try hanging from a chin up bar or something similar to stretch out the back. Something else that works very well are what I call chair exercises.

Sit in a sturdy chair with armrests, place both hands on the arm rest and slowly elevate your body or rear end of of the seat. You don’thave to push your whole body up in the air. Just unloading of the pressure will help.

All that being said, what I find is truly the best way to heal disc pain or herniated disc is non surgical spinal decompression. I have placed a link below to learn more. If you use therapy like this to help heal the back , stretches and exercises will work that much better to help prevent future back injury and pain.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

• Low back pain video
  
• Low back pain chiropractor
  
• Lumbar inversion traction
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Yet Another Positive Study for Chiropractic Care!

Recent June 2010 survey review in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine shows chiropractic to be a great help for low back pain. Seventy-four of the surveyees used chiropractic for back pain and “66% reported significant benefit.”

The analysis looked at six CAM therapies. CAM stands for Complimentary Alternative Modalities and includes chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, herbs, yoga, and relaxation techniques.

There is no denying it- chiropractic is one of the best and safest options for low back pain. Technically, your chiropractor isn’t really an alternative care provider anymore; he or she is main stream. It is clear from not only this survey review, but all of the continuous positive studies that for back pain your doctor of chiropractic should be your first choice.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

• American Board of Family Medicine
  
• glastonbury chiropractic care
  
• About us at ct spine
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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-How to Find the Best Mattress and Pillow for You-

So many of us are affected by difficulty sleeping, inability to fall asleep or waking frequently throughout the night. Aside from sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, a major cause for problems with sleeping comes from the mattress and pillow you are using.

You should get a new mattress every 10-15 years. I’ve had friends who’ve kept their mattress well over 20 years, and complain often of back and neck pain. By simply switching to a mattress that is not worn out they could easily do wonders for their ability to sleep and to wake up without pain or tightness.

So how do you know which is the right mattress for you? By trying it out! Picking a mattress that you will use for the next decade is a big investment, and not a decision to be made quickly. Pick a mattress that has a trial period (most of the good ones do). Trial periods can be anywhere from three months to a few years. This way you can sleep on the mattress and judge after time whether it is helping your sleep or hindering it. As for hard or soft mattresses, it depends on the person. Just make sure you have adequate support for your neck, shoulders, and back. Also, keep in mind that the majority tend to sleep on something too soft.

Once you have a new mattress, it’s time to take a look at your sleeping position. The best position for your spine is to sleep on your back with a pillow under your bent knees, to take pressure off your lower back. Another good position is on your side with a pillow between your legs, keeping them hip-width apart. Unfortunately, sleeping on your stomach is the worst position, and a favorite of a lot of people. It strains your neck as you have to turn your neck to breathe. It’s a tough habit to kick, but it’s worth it to wake up with no back, shoulder or neck pain. Try falling asleep on your back by putting pillows on both sides of your body to help prevent rolling over. Also our “V” pillow helps hold you on your back by holding your neck in place.

Your pillow is the final element in a good night’s sleep. If you prefer sleeping on your back, choose a pillow that won’t thrust your neck forward (avoid multiple pillows). If you are a side-sleeper you’ll need a thicker pillow for more neck support. The best thing to do is to take your current pillow in to your next chiropractic visit. Show your chiropractor, and if he or she doesn’t seem to think the pillow is providing enough support, ask them for suggestions.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

• pillow questions
  
• Positioning products for better sleep
  
• Guide to good posture
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Why Does Spinal Decompression Really Work?

Over the years now, I’ve seen so many copy cats, others who claim the use decompression but don’t, and people who claim they can get the effects of decompression with simple exercises.

My feeling is that anything that can help your back is great, but for lasting back pain relief DRX 9000 decompression has been the best overall tool.

I’ve used traction, flexion distraction, exercises and more to help disc pain patients. They often help, but give only temporary relief. I will note, however, that after someone has completed a course of the non-surgical spinal decompression, those prior noted treatments will often work very well to maintain the low back. The reason is because once we finally get some good healing in the disc with the DRX, then other treatments, treatments that didn’t work well in the past, may actually work.

To answer the question above: spinal decompression works because when it decompre
sses the spine it actually creates a suction effect pulling disc material back into place. Once we do this regularly we can get the disc to stay and heal.

So, I often have patients do certain exercises or follow up with traction, inversion, or chiropractic care, but for a patient with a chronic disc problem or severe back pain the DRX 9000 treatment cannot be matched.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

• glastonbury chiropractor
  
• spinal decompression connecticut
  
• glastonbury spinal decompression
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Do You Suffer From Back or Neck Pain as a Result of Your Computer or Phone?

I thought this was funny when I had first heard it but it's really not that funny for those who have neck or back pain due to it...

What I'm refering to to is "laptop-itis" and/or "text-neck"! More and more people are presenting these days with neck pains or back pains from curling over a laptop for hours on end, or constantly looking down at their phone or doing everything they can to hold it by their ear while trying to do 10 other things.

I actually see this all the time too. It's no wonder people come to see us because of a neck or back strain from texting or typing or searching the web on their little phone.

Here's what you want to do to avoid back or neck pain in this case:
When using a laptop, just like a desktop computer, try keeping your elbows and knees at 90 degree angles and keeping your eyes even with the top half of the monitor or screen. In some cases this will be impossible since your laptop may be on your lap, so just make sure you take periodic breaks and stretch your neck and back.

The same goes for texting or using your phone, try to take breaks and stretch out. I like simple half rolls for the neck and periodic head retraction exercise. For the lower body, simple trunk twisters to loosen up the lumbar spine and pelvis.

CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

• neck pain from texting
  
• neck pain and back pain treatment
  
• questions about pain due to texting or spending to much time at the computer
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  
• Healthy Computer Habits
  

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What to Ask when your Doctor Suggests Surgery...

If you go to your doctor for back pain and he or she suggests surgery, it can be an overwhelming feeling. There is a lot to think about, and it’s important to remember to take your time and go over all your concerns with your doctor before heading into surgery.

It’s important to know what the risks are for the surgery being suggested. Ask your doctor to go over these with you before making your decision. Ask your doctor for research and statistics to read on the suggested surgery for more information. If it seems your doctor isn’t taking your questions seriously, or not providing enough information, get another opinion from a different doctor or surgeon.

You also want to ask for other options. A good surgeon will be familiar with alternative treatment options and willing to discuss them with you. Also keep in mind that spinal surgery is rarely needed immediately, so take your time to learn about these other treatments, and give them a chance to work.

Surgery is a big step, and a very important decision for you to make. Your doctor’s opinion is important, but keep in mind that it’s your body and your health in question here. Weigh your options and get all the information first, before you make the decision for surgery.


CT Spine and Disc Center is located in Glastonbury, Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

• spinal decompression connecticut
  
• back pain
  
• more on ct decompression
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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What To Do Immediately, If You Throw Your Back Out!

Typically when an initial injury like this happens, there will be inflammation. By the way, it won’t always be on the surface with redness and swelling, but it may be more internal. Ice is a natural anti-inflammatory and it will also dull the pain. A great thing to use is a gel-pack. These are nice because you can sit against it comfortably because it’s soft. You can also thaw it out a few days later and microwave it to make it a hot-pack.

Next, we recommend rest. This also helps the injury relax and inflammation to reduce. You may also want to keep hydrated- drinking lots of water helps hydrate your discs and flush inflammatory agents and toxins out of your system. Sleeping with a pillow under your knees helps to put your back in better position. After a couple days of rest we do, however, recommend moving around more.

Of course, something else that’s important is to call our office. This goes especially for the individuals where the pain persists after a couple days or gets worse.


CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression.
Additional Reading Resources:

• hot and cold therapy products for home use
  
• visit our office for pain relief
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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