New Study Shows Smoking Linked To Chronic Low Back Pain

A recent Canadian study showed that regular smokers were more likely to have chronic low back pain. The study looked at survey data of over 70,000 people and showed that the daily smokers had about an 8% higher likelihood of back pain than the non-smokers.

The Study was published in the Clinical and Investigative Medicine.

We know smoking regularly has a lot of negative effects on the body, here’s yet another one. But you must remember, this is only one factor. If you stop smoking it may be only one piece to the ‘lose the pain’ puzzle.

Mental health (stress), proper rest, fitness, diet, sleep, and posture play the biggest role with your back. In fact these factors play a major role in your overall health. The most important thing to know is that you must take action to get rid of your back pain. Look at your lifestyle- if you know you smoke too much- cut back. If you know you don’t do any exercise- start doing some.

Source: Cigarette smoking and chronic low back pain in the adult population

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:

• Low Back Rehab: A Vital Tool To Keep Your Lower Back Pain Away
  
• Two Stretches for Lower Back Pain Relief
  
• How are NonSurgical Spinal Decompression and traction different for treatment of chronic lower back pain
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  

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“I Squat Down When I Lift, But I Still Get Back Pain!”

There are a few reasons for this. First, bending your knees and squatting helps, but you still may not be maintaining your normal lumbar lordosis. To do this, it’s recommended to hold your stomach in tight and keep your head up.

Next, avoid lifting things that are much too heavy. No matter how perfect your technique you can still injure your back by being foolish. The same goes for carrying something; don’t do it if it’s too heavy. Also, keeping things in close to the body helps with lifting or carrying things as well.

Lastly, keep in mind your lumbar discs are biggest early in the morning, making them more susceptible to injury. This combined with the fact your muscles are often more rigid in the morning can be a big negative for your low back.

Remember “practice makes perfect.” So keep these tips in mind when lifting and your back will stay healthier, and the proper way to lift will become habit.


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:

• Does A Disc Typically Resolve On Its Own?
  
• Best Way T Diagnose A Disc Problem
  
• Re-hydration helps maintain the discs
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  

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Dr Oz Talks About Prescription Pain Medication

Yesterday my wife was watching Oprah and said I should watch this episode. I did and was shocked at some of the ststs I saw. It's so scary to be addicted to pain medication, and even scarier is that it really can happen to anyone.

In our office we see alot of people on different medications. These meds are meant to help in the short term and are not something to be taken for months and/or years. At our office we use natural methods to get rid of your pain so that you can get off of these medications.

Medications are drugs, there is no difference between a street "drug" or a prescribed "drug", as Dr Oz mentions. Becareful, they both have nasty side effects.

Watching this reminded me of another show I had watched and it was about heroin addicts. To be honest, most started by taking prescriptions for their back pain and ended up switching to heroin because it was cheaper and easier to get.

If you are suffering with severe back pain and have tried almost everything, don't give up hope - DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression has been a life changer for many.

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 decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

• Welcome to CT Spine And Disc, Your Center For Spinal Decompression and Advanced Chiropractic
  
• Dr Oz talks about prescription meds on Oprah
  
• More great information on Spinal Decompression
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  
  
  

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Jerry Rice: Spokesperson for the Foundation of Chiropractic Progress

I was lucky that my father took me to his chiropractor when I was just a kid in high school. I had a sports injury and his chiropractor, my chiropractor, helped me get back out on the field. It was around this time, when I saw all the people he helped, that I knew it’s what I wanted to do…

I remember the super star 49ers team with Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, etc … and how chiropractic treatment was part of their regimen and how it was an integral part in keeping them healthy and at the tops of their game when they were winning games and even back-to-back Super Bowls.



Here’s what Rice had to say when joining the foundation: “Chiropractic care has been instrumental in my life both on and off the field, and I’m excited to share this with the American public. I have been blessed with a long and healthy career as a professional athlete, and as I move forward into the next stage of my life, chiropractic care will continue to be an important part of my game plan.”

That’s the great thing about chiropractic care is it can help so many people, from athletes at any level, to people suffering from back pain after a work injury, to people who want to maintain their health or mobility.

Listen to Jerry and make sure to visit our office if you’re suffering with back or neck pain, and if it’s been awhile, come in to see one of the Chiropractors and get your spine checked.



Source:

• NFL superstar Jerry Rice named chiropractic spokesman
  
• Foundation for Chiropractic Progress

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:

• Make an appointment at our Glastonbury Chiropractic office
  
• Welcome to CT Spine, meet each Chiropractor
  
• Chiropractic Care at CT Spine And Disc in Glastonbury CT
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• The Foundation For Chiropractic Progress Website
  

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One of the Most Commonly Overlooked Sources of Back Pain…

The quadratus lumborum muscle is one of the most common muscles to cause back pain. This muscle runs from the last rib and the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae down to the top of the pelvis on each side.

If you have pain on only one side and commonly sit alot without good back support your pain my be arising from your QL muscle. Check with your doctor to confirm this however because your pain may be arising from another muscle or something else altogether.



Pain from this muscle typically travels down to the SI joint (sacro-iliac) and lower buttocks. Also pain can often be felt around the top of the pelvis and in the groin and lower abdomen on that side.

One good stretch to do often is to lie on your side with your back towards the side of the bed. Extend your top leg back and down towards the floor. Then turn your upper body slightly in the other direction while reaching up with your upside arm. Hanging that upper leg off the side of the bed will help increase the stretch. Having someone help assist the stretch as in the picture may help facilitate more stretch also.




This muscle may be easier stretched or treated by your chiropractor. And be careful, if you are in a lot of pain, you may not be able to do the stretch for the QL’s.

If you have severe pain in your back or have a disc condition such as herniated disc, bulged disc, or degenerative disc, see your chiropractor or spinal decompression specialist for advice or treatment.


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:

• Try these two stretches as well to help relieve your back pain
  
• Stretches are often a vital component to you low back rehab
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Learn more about our Connecticut office
  

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Tips For Heavy Lifting That Can Save Your Low Back...

Here's 5 tips on lifting that can help you avoid back pain or a back injury:

1. Get help- have someone help you lift awkward shaped or extremely
heavy items. Also, use a cart or dolly if possible. If you already have a back injury then you may want to avoid heavy lifting altogether. Why chance it?

2. When possible, lighten your load- break up loads into smaller pieces
or quantities. It may take slightly longer but well worth it. Don't become a statistic.

3. Use your legs when lifting and lift and release something from a
straight-on position, never twist your body. Twisting is one of the most common ways to injure the back because it puts torsion stress on the discs and ligaments.

4. Minimize your reach and widen your stance. Your back doesn't have
to work as hard if you broaden your base and limit your reaching for things.

5. Hold items close to the body and at waist level. This is where you
are strongest and safest.

Keep these tips in mind when lifting. They will help prevent low back pain
and help you keep minimal stress on your low back discs.



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 decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

• Spinal Decompression may allow you to lift again.
  
• If you are going to do a certain amount of lifting, here's our back support belt
  
• Lumbar support belt video- Dr Bellinger shows how to use it.
  
• Over lifting can cause back problems
  
• Our lower back rest for lumbar support.
  

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Shedding Pounds Will Help Shed Your Back Pain...

Hello. Dr Bellinger here. I’ve seen hundreds of patients in my chiropractic and spinal decompression office. One thing I can tell you about back pain is that if you take off extra weight you are carrying, it will most often reduce your pain.

Extra weight causes extra pressure on your spine. This intern creates more pressure on nerves and stress to the discs. Muscles and ligaments along the spine also have to work harder to support the added load. This will also leave you at an increased risk for a back injury as well as speed up the wear and tear process.

Often times now we find that children that are obese accumulate extra breakdown and degeneration to their spine, discs, and joints. To illustrate the example try carrying around a 50lb back pack all day for just one day to see what your back might feel like with an extra 50 lbs. Now imagine doing that for 10 years.

Extra weight also can create postural shifts. For example, individuals with a large belly, it tends to pull their pelvis forward and create a hyperlordosis. This is an increased curvature of the low back spine. So, not only does the big stomach put increased stress on the back muscles and spine but it also causes spinal shifts that will automatically create nerve pressure.

Chiropractor and Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression specialist, Dr Bellinger can help put together a specialized plan to get your back healthy and loose the extra weight.

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:

• Overweight?? Discs will degenerate faster
  
• A big belly causes swayback posture
  
• Increased weight makes the pain worse but is not always the exact cause
  

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How can Stress affect my Back?

Stress is the response your body has to certain experiences. This response can be mental, physical, or both.

Stress tends to disrupt your body’s normal physiologic equilibrium (homeostasis). If your low back tends to be your weak area (sometimes you know it, sometimes you don’t) stress will often cause low back pain.

Speak to your chiropractor about ways to relieve stress, it can be vital to keep your body healthy and your back pain-free.


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:

• Specific Symptoms Associated with A Lumbar Radiculopathy
  
• Low Back Pain and Its Many Causes
  
• Eating Right for Optimal Health
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  

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Unexpected Positive Side-Effects of Chiropractic Care and Spinal Decompression.

Most of us make our first visit to their chiropractor because of back pain or neck pain. After treatment not only is our back or neck pain better, but often we have better posture, more energy, and better flexibility. Seeing your chiropractor has also been shown to prevent colds, boost our immune system, and prevent spinal degeneration.

Take unwanted pressure off the nerves and the body will function at its best. This will get rid of pain but will also keep you healthy.

See your chiropractor for low back pain and neck pain, but also use him or her to maintain your health and prevent aches and pains. For more severe back pain or back and leg pain your chiropractor may recommend spinal decompression also.



CT Spine and Disc Center offers advanced chiropractic treatment and specializes in non surgical spinal decompression. Located in central Connecticut- Seeing 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:

• Do My Leg and Back Muscles Play A Role in Back Pain And Sciatica?
  
• What is Causing My Sciatica?
  
• I have Tried Everything for my Lower Back Pain. Surgery is My Next Step...
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  

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Washington Post Discusses Top-Rated Back Pain Treatments

The June 2nd Washington Post Health section included an article reporting on survey results in April, in which survey respondents rated chiropractic/spinal manipulation as the top treatment for back pain.

Most people who suffer with back pain have tried many things to get rid of it. Hands-on therapies like Chiropractic rated in the top.

Low back pain can severely limit your life. Most people report difficulty with sleep, work, and their daily activities.

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 chiropractic care or non-surgical spinal decompression.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Read The Washington Post Article
  
• Meet Drs. Bellinger and Gill - Hartford Chiropractors
  
• Chiropractors Connecticut
  
• Consumer Reports: Rates Chiropractic Care Tops for Back Pain Relief
  

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