"When Is My Back The Most Vulnerable, and What Can I Do To Prevent Pain and Injury?"

There are two times during your day when your low back is at the most risk for pain or spasm. The first is when you wake up in the morning. When you first wake up, the discs in your back are somewhat swollen with excess fluid in the joints of your spine. This is why you are taller in the morning, and also why you are more vulnerable.

Your back is also more vulnerable after you have been sitting for a long period of time. This can be long car or plane trips, or sitting at your desk at home or at work. As you sit, your tendons and ligaments lengthen into the position you are sitting in. The longer you are sitting, the more at-risk you are when you do get up.

It’s important to know when your back is at the most risk, so you can be prepared for those times and know what to do to stay protected and pain-free. When you first wake up, don’t do any twisting or bending right away. Also, avoid sitting down right after you wake up too. It’s good to do simple motions to warm up your back for the day. Taking a walk or doing simple movements will help “wring out” that excess fluid from your spine.

While seated, keep your posture in mind. Slumping forwards will reinforce the risks, so sit up straight. If at all possible, choose seats with good lumbar support. If you are taking a long car trip, stop every hour or so to stretch and walk. If you are on a plane, try to get up during the flight and walk around a bit if possible. Once you’ve landed, do some quick back-bends to stretch before bending or twisting to gather your belongings.

Knowing when you are at risk for injury, and knowing what you can do to prevent it, are great steps toward less back pain. Talk to your chiropractor if you have any other questions on what to do to help keep your back safe.


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:

• "chiropractic helped my back"
  
• chiropractic blog
  
• ct spine in the news
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Lower Back Pain Relief with the DRX 9000

The first stage of care for our back pain patients is to get them pain and symptom relief. The DRX 9000 gets this process going quickly by helping to expand and re-hydrate the discs. This is accompanied by rest at home, drinking more water, wearing a back support belt, and using ice.


The second stage of back pain relief is joint and muscle motion. We start with a series of stretches and start to get our patients doing simple activities like walking. Interferential electric muscle stimulation is also used to help release muscle adhesions and increase blood flow.


The last stage is muscle strengthening. Walking not only promotes joint motion and blood flow, but it also helps to strengthen the core. This is essential to keeping our back healthy and strong. We also utilize some back strengthening exercises as well as balance and proprioceptive exercises.


If you have any questions about DRX 9000 Spinal Decompression, or to find out if you may be a candidate for this treatment, visit http://www.ctbackdr.com/.


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:

• The Differences in Various Lumbar Disc Conditions
  
• Heat vs Ice for Lower Back Pain Relief
  
• Lower Back Rehab: A vital tool to keep back pain away
  
• Two tips to avoid back pain
  
• What is Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Chiropractic: One of the Best Treatments to Correct and Prevent Golf Injuries...

The most common golf injury is a strain to the lower back. This causes low back pain, loss of motion, and muscle spasm. There are a few reasons that back pain is so common in golfers.

#1 - Poor posture and swing mechanics - It has been shown that with an incorrect swing or unorthodox swing it is much easier to injure your back. This applies not only to tee or fairway shots but putting too. We've all seen some pretty aweful swings out there, some that even look painful. Some instruction from your local golf pro can make a big difference in making sure your swing mechanics are good and safe for your back.

Putting can put alot of stress on the back also. Wether putting or teeing of it's important to have have good posture. Mainly this requires more of an upright posture with knees slightly bent. Keeping the legs straight and flexing the low back forward too much will increase back and disc pressure.

#2 - Lack of a warm up - The pros all have a stretch/warm up routine. They go out on the range and hit some balls before they play. This is not the case for most weekend golfers; they jump right on the course, no warm up, no stretches, and take a big swing for their first shot of the day - a long drive off the 1st tee. This brings me to #3...

#3 - Swinging to hard, and or doing too much - No matter how perfect your swing is, if you overdue it or try to swing like Tiger for the first drive, you may be asking for trouble. Try to swing easier, this will save your body for many more rounds of golf later on. The same goes for playing or practicing too much. Sometimes it can be too many hours on the putting green or at the range that sets your back into spasm and as a result keeps you off the course for weeks.

Consider these three reasons for back injury and use your chiropractor to help correct postural misalignments, keep the spine mobile and flexible, and address the start of any possible back injury or strain.

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:

• Tiger Woods Injured Himself Last Tournament
  
• Some things to help treat the other common golf injuries: shoulder, wrist, hands, and neck.
  
• The PGA Tour website has some tips to prevent injury
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Mastercard Commercial With Chiropractor

Just thought it was cool that they used going to the chiropractor in the latest mastercard comercial I saw.

Here's the link to watch it: mastercard commercial

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:

• David Archuleta, past runner up on American Idol, goes to the chiropractor.
  
• Glastonbury Chiropractor
  
• Chiropractor testimonials from our office.
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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My Chiropractor said “Motion is Life!”

What this means is that our bodies and spines are made of a bunch of moving parts. When these moving parts, otherwise known as joints, shift out of place and get stuck it becomes a problem.

Our backs have 24 vertebrae and 72 joints just in the spine alone, so moving parts will get stuck or shift out of place occasionally.

When things get stuck and can’t move inflammation builds up increasing pressure on nerves; this makes pain worse. So the next time you have back pain keep moving. A lot of times the body will allow things to shift back in place. Not only that, it helps increase circulation, inflammation is able to dissipate out, nutrients and hydration are able to get back into the joints and tissues better.

This doesn’t mean ignore your pain, but try to stick with motions that feel good. Something that works really well is simple walking. Stick with flat ground and something softer (like grass vs. pavement) may feel better.

This is another reason chiropractic adjustments work extremely well. They get joints moving again; this, in turn, relieves nerve pressure and pain.

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:

• Glastonbury Back Pain
  
• Glastonbury Chiropractors
  
• Chiropractor's Dr Bellinger and Dr Gill
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Glastonbury Chiropractor Helps Shoulder Pain and Upper Back Pain Patient

Dr. Bellinger has helped many patients over the years with many conditions such as shoulder pain, upper back pain, headaches, neck pain and leg pain. Rich C. has been a long time patient of CT Spine and Disc Center, in Glastonbury CT. He is disc jockey and relies on chiropractic treatment to keep him healthy, strong and pain free. Success Story #38



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 Posture- Does it Really Matter?
  
• What is Causing My Sciatica?
  
• Back Pain Relief with the Right Back Support Pillow
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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Why Is Back Pain So Common?

Your spine is made up of 24 vertebrae or spinal bones and 72 joints just in the spine alone. Spinal bones connect or join at the disc and at the facets (two on each side). Moving joints will move out of place occasionally.

Your back is like a machine that has a number of moving parts. Things break down, parts need to be maintained, fuel must be supplied.

For your lawn mower, you can run it until it can’t run anymore. If it has a major breakdown you can go out and buy another. With our spine, however, we ony have one and we can’t get another. So we MUST maintain our back and spine health.

It is these factors that make low back pain so common. A lot of us don’t maintain our spine or do things to keep our backs healthy. We run it into the ground, then back and leg pain occurs or something worse. Sometimes we maintain our backs and try to stay healthy, but one of these moving parts, one of our many joints, goes out of place and puts pressure on nerves causing pain.

But, keep in mind, those of us who maintain the backs will have far fewer episodes of back pain, and when and if an episode occurs, it is much easier to fix.


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:

• DRX9000 Glastonbury
  
• Chiropractic Glastonbury
  
• Causes of Back Pain
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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2 Tips to Avoid Back Pain

Today’s Blog Post comes from Dr. Bellinger’s April 2010 Newsletter that he mails to his patients every month.

Back pain is no fun. It is also a MAJOR problem for our healthcare system and economy. Here are some important facts about back pain, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA):

• 31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time.
  
• One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.
  
• Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.
  
• Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain, and that’s just for the more easily identified costs.
  
• Experts estimate as much as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their lives.
  
• Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not caused by serious conditions such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer.
  

There are two different types of mechanical stress that can cause back pain. First is a blatant injury to the lower back area. . This can be anything from a car accident, sports injury or slip and fall. This cause of back pain is easy to understand. Trauma to your spine causes injury to the soft tissue (ligaments, muscles and disks). This is why the first tip is to make your home, work area and car as “back safe” as possible. Home and work should be kept uncluttered so you do not slip and fall. This is especially important at night, when lighting may be dim. A seatbelt should always be worn while driving and your headrest should be checked and adjusted to your height to minimize damage from a crash. If you are in a car accident, you should be examined by a doctor trained to handle these types of injuries. Chiropractors are well-trained in the diagnosis and treatment of car accident injuries. Back pain caused by the trauma of car accidents and falls is obvious.

What’s not obvious is the other type of mechanical stress: MICRO-TRAUMA. Micro-trauma is a small amount of bad force applied to your back or spine. This small amount of bad force does not seem to be a big deal and usually does not cause pain or discomfort right away, but over time, micro-traumas add up and can cause major problems. An example of such a micro trauma is incorrect posture – either sitting, standing or sleeping. Either one of these three, over time, can ruin the structural integrity of your spine and cause major pain. That’s why tip #2 is to make sure you have the proper bed and chair and always keep good posture. If you need advice on any of this, your Chiropractor is an expert and can help you. And you should try not to stand, sit or lay in one position too long. Motion is important – when in doubt, change position! Prevention of back pain is one of the most important things you can do in your life. Minimizing both big and small stresses on your spine is one important way to accomplish this goal.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Glastonbury Chiropractor offers non surgical solutions to lower back pain
  
• Specialized treatment for Sciatica, Herniated Disc, Bulging Disc, and Degenerative Disc
  
• Common Back Pain Patient
  
• Lower Back Sprain vs Lower back Strain
  
• Back Pain While Standing
  

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

Long Time Back Pain Sufferer Speaks …

Listen to what one of our patients had to say:



After seeing his doctor and a surgeon, Pete realized he didn’t want to be cut. He knew there had to be another way to end his back pain. He had seen a chiropractor in the past which helped; but this particular doctor’s treatments were very painful to do. Luckily, Pete and his wife found our office, and he hasn’t suffered major back pain since.

Because Pete did so well, he comes in periodically for chiropractic adjustments for whichever ache or pain he presents with. Success story #37.


CT Spine and Disc Center is located in Hartford County 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:

• chiropractic information and the drx9000
  
• Question about Spinal Decompression or seeing a Chiropractor
  
• Glastonbury Decompression Patient Testimonials
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  

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Case Study: Common Back Pain Patient

Mr. xyz goes to his doctor because of back pain. His doctor prescribes something, but it doesn’t help. He goes back, gets some stronger pills- they help a little, but make him so fatigued he can’t work when he takes them, so he stops staking them. On his next time back he is referred to another doctor for an injection. He is also sent for a picture of his back.

He gets a shot, which seems to help at first, but two weeks later his pain is back. He goes back for a second and then third shot, but they don’t seem to help.

He then is given a referral to another doctor, because they told him the pain may be “in his head.” The patient protests, “my pain is real,” and doesn’t return to this doctor.

His life now consists of trying everything from different medications to late night infomercial products that promise to end back pain. He continues with a limited work schedule, taking pain medications daily, trying to only take the really strong stuff when he needs to.

So many patients go through this vicious cycle never learning about non-surgical spinal decompression. I’m here to tell you to never give up on fixing your back pain. Non-surgical spinal decompression is available right here in Glastonbury, Connecticut. If someone is not a candidate for the decompression, they may respond well to one of our many gentle chiropractic treatments.


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:

• Read what our patients have to say
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression
  

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