4 Signs You Should See a Chiropractor

Chiropractors are experts in treating a very wide range of affections, most of which are associated with pain.

Here are some of the symptoms that tell you it is time to make an appointment with a chiropractor:

• Chronic headaches – while headaches can be the symptom of many affections, some of them very severe, the most common cause is poor posture that causes the muscles in the neck and in the back to become tense or a pinched nerve in the back. Chiropractors can give you relief or even completely cure posture-related headaches with just a few treatment sessions;
• Pain or limited motion range related to sedentary lifestyle – spending most of the day sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen has a negative impact on the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments of the back, of the arms, the shoulders, the hip and the legs. Chiropractors can restore the lost range of motion in the back and in the limbs with specialized movements;
• Stiffness and pain in the neck – the best chiropractor Lowry health care professional can efficiently treat acute or chronic affections in the neck area as well;
• Pain in the lower back – perhaps the most common problem that people turn to chiropractors with.

What are the Symptoms of Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, also known as wear and tear disease or degenerative joint disease, is a very common problem that usually affects the knees, the hips and the hands. The affection takes long to develop – it starts with the minor deterioration of the cartilage in the joint, which usually aggravates and sooner or later leads to changes in the shape and the structure of the surrounding bones as well. Esteemed stem cell therapy Lowry providers explain that these are some symptoms that indicate osteoarthritis is developing in one or several of your joints:
– Pain in the affected joint – the affected joint may hurt during or after exercise and the pain might also be triggered by weather changes, such as extreme drops in temperature;
– Stiffness – reduced motion range is another very common symptom of osteoarthritis;
– Tenderness – the affected joint might feel tender to even the lightest pressure;
– Strange noises coming from the affected joint – a sensation of grating, popping and cracking noises are also common signs to indicate osteoarthritis;
– Swelling, heat and redness – the joints affected by osteoarthritis often develop inflammations that manifest in the form of swelling and redness. Very often, arthritic joints are also warmer to the touch than the surrounding, unaffected areas.

Knee Strengthening Exercises

We all know how important it is to get regular physical exercise, but many people suffering from knee pain are worried that exercise might worsen their pain. While certain forms of high-impact exercise, such as jogging, are not recommended for people who suffer from knee pain, there are many forms of exercise that help with knee pain by strengthening the muscles in the affected area, thus ameliorating the pain and making it possible to enjoy a wider variety of exercises. Here are some knee strengthening exercises recommended by preferred knee pain treatment Denver physical therapists: 

• Straight leg raises – lie on your back on the floor, bend one of your legs with your foot flat on the floor, straighten the other leg and raise it a couple of times. The exercise will strengthen your quadriceps and the muscles in the front thigh;
• Hamstring curls – lie on your stomach, tighten the muscles in one leg and lift the leg. The exercise is great for strengthening the bottom and the hamstrings;
• Calf raises – stand facing something that you can lean on lightly, such as the back of a chair or a wall, raise your heels as high as you can, with the muscles in your calf tightened. The exercise will work your legs from the thigh to the tip of your toes.

The Health Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is essential for the mind, the body and the soul, the quality of the resting period influencing the way we function during the day. Here are some of the most important health benefits of getting a good night’s sleep:

• The impact on heart health – poor sleep is associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and it also has an impact on the condition of the blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. To maintain the health of your heart, you should get 7-9 hours of sleep, preferably starting before midnight;
• Stress levels – our bodies need to endure high levels of stress during hour waking hours. Poor sleep adds even more, putting our body into high alert even when it needs some stress-free time, while good, relaxing sleep helps us cope with next day’s stress more efficiently;
• Inflammation – lack of sleep or poor sleep increases the level of stress hormones in the body, which worsens inflammatory processes. Good-quality sleep, on the other hand, reduces these inflammations and strengthens the body’s immune system, making it more resistant to illnesses;
• Memory and mental performance – good sleep helps our brain perform at its very best, maintain proper focus and ensuring our memory works well, too.

If you are not feeling as healthy as you would like, schedule an appointment with Downtown’s Healthcare, https://downtownshealthcare.com/, medical professionals. Downtown’s Healthcare offers a variety of services to treat and heal a number of conditions. It is their goal to provide professional services and quality treatment.

What are Some Ways to Alleviate Pain without Medication?

Chronic pain, defined as pain that persists for longer than three months, is a very common experience for people of all ages, all over the world. While pain medication is certainly one of the ways to manage the condition, pain killers can have lots of side effects, especially if taken for longer periods, there are many other, natural ways to alleviate the sufferings, many of them without any medicines. Here are some examples:

• Regular exercise – even a quick walk around the block can have a serious positive impact on chronic pain. Try to include moderate exercising into your routine at least three times a week – you will start feeling better almost instantly;
• Massage therapy – there are many massage techniques that alleviate pain by relaxing the muscles and calming the nerves. A good massage session will not only soothe your pain – it will make you feel refreshed and energetic as well;
• Physical therapy – a physical therapist can help you with special stretching exercises that release the tension in your muscles and with strengthening exercises that will tone your entire body, will improve your range of movement and will improve your posture to prevent the pain from coming back.

Talk to a team of medical practitioners with great Denver regenerative medicine reviews for additional information on how to alleviate your pain.

What Are Some Benefits of Trigger Point Therapy?

Trigger point therapy is a method that includes various techniques to release the tension that causes muscles to develop knots and to induce muscle relaxation. The most common techniques are special, targeted massage and the application of mild pressure in the tension knots. The best alternative chiropractic Lowry specialists corroborate that Trigger point treatment comes with many benefits – here are some:
– Collateral benefits of releasing tension – treatment applied to the muscle knot will not only release the tension in the affected area – it will also reduce the associated headaches and will improve mobility as well;
– Quick results – the positive results are noticeable after the first treatment session;
– No medication needed – trigger point treatment is performed entirely in the specialist’s office and it does not involve the administration of any medication;
– No pain involved – in most cases, trigger point therapy is painless. In very severe cases, the first few treatment sessions might involve some discomfort or minor pain when the tense area is being massaged, but even that discomfort will go away soon;
– Improved circulation – trigger point therapy improves blood flow to the affected area, thus promoting healing;
– Help with a number of conditions – the treatment comes with proven efficiency in the treatment of arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica and TMJ disorder.

The Benefits of PNF Stretching

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching, usually referred to simply as PNF stretching, is a type of advanced training aimed to relieve muscle tension through following a contract-stretch-contract pattern, usually with assistance from a helper. The technique was initially used in clinical settings, in neuromuscular rehabilitation programs, then it quickly became popular due to its efficiency and is now widely used in settings such as gyms.

Trained knee pain Denver treatment therapists confirm that there are many benefits to implementing PNF stretches:

• Improved range of motion – PNF is more efficient in improving both passive and active motion range that traditional, static stretching;
• Quick results – PNF delivers noticeable results almost from the first stretching session;
• Quicker recovery after high-intensity workout – PNF is very efficient in preventing the formation of muscle knots as well as in helping muscle tissue and fibers recover from the microscopic damage associated with intensive training;
• Improved performance – PNF improves blood circulation, which contributes to better performance;
• Increased joint strength – this feature makes PNF a great tool to prevent sporting injuries of the joints;
• Better coordination – by improving strength and by ensure optimal functioning for the muscles, PNF contributes to better overall balance as well as to better coordination of the limbs.

The Most Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is a very common affection, so common that most people have had at least one episode by the age of 40. In some cases, lower back pain goes away on its own, in others, it can be helped only with medication, chiropractic treatment, physical therapy or surgery.

Knowing what can cause lower back pain is important to be able to avoid it. Experienced alternative chiropractic Denver specialists confirm that these are the most common causes of lower back pain:

• Sprains or strains that affect the muscles or the ligaments in the lower back area – sprains and strains can lead to the sudden appearance of pain, such as in the case of lifting a heavy object with an incorrect movement or to pain that develops slowly, worsening over time, like in the case of poor posture;
• Degenerative disc disease – the discs that separate the vertebrae lose their moisture content with age. The process decreases the resistance of the discs to the forces resulting from movement and might lead to the development of painful tears in the discs;
• A herniated disc – the jelly-like substance in the discs might break through the outer layer of the discs, causing inflammation and nerve compression that cause pain.

 

The Most Common Symptoms and Causes of a Herniated Disc

The vertebrae in our spine are separated by flexible discs that have a tough, rubbery exterior shell and are filled with a jelly-like substance. These discs fulfill multiple, very important roles: they are the spine’s shock absorbers, they keep the vertebrae together and they ensure the spine’s mobility.

One of the most common problems that affect spinal discs is herniation, a form of mechanical damage that causes the outer shell to rupture and the jelly inside to protrude through the vertebrae and that might lead to the pinching of the spinal nerve. Here are the causes and symptoms of the condition:

• What causes herniation – discs can deteriorate and weaken with age or they can become herniated by a sudden strain, such as the strain experienced when lifting a heavy object or during a sudden twist;
• The symptoms of a herniated disc – the symptoms may vary greatly, depending on the spine area affected and the severity of the herniation. The most common symptoms are severe pain in the back that often radiates towards the limbs, reduced mobility and numbness or tingling that affects not only the area with the herniated disc, but that also radiates in the body parts that are served by the pinched nerve. if you have been living with these symptoms, look for a chiropractic specialist with great Denver chiropractor reviews to meet with for additional information and care.

The Stages of Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is a condition that affects a significant percentage of the adult population all over the world. The condition involves the deformation of the fluid-filled sacks called discs that separate the vertebrae. According to an in demand chiropractor in Denver near me, the discs can endure a lot; therefore, the affection develops over the course of decades and usually aggravates slowly – here are the stages of the affection:

• Stage 1 – in this incipient phase, the balance of the spine becomes affected, with the nerves, discs and the overall posture suffering minor, usually invisible changes. The condition in this phase is usually not accompanied by any pain, only by minor discomfort;
• Stage 2 – the most common symptoms of this phase are discomfort, minor pain and general fatigue caused by the muscles and the ligaments in the spine trying to correct the incorrect posture;
• Stage 3 – in this phase, posture deteriorates even further as nerve compression becomes worse. This stage is also associated with severe pain that in many cases radiates into the hips and the legs. If left untreated, the condition might lead to pain that affects the neck as well as the shoulders and the arms and it might transform into even more severe affections, such as spinal stenosis or osteoarthritis in the spine.

What can Cause Chronic Knee Pain?

Many people deal with temporary knee pain at least once in their lives, which is different from chronic pain. Temporary knee pain occurs due to an injury/ accident. On the other hand, chronic knee pain is not always attributed to an accident; it is most often the result of different causes or conditions. These include:

• Osteoarthritis: painful inflammation and joints damage caused by degeneration
• Tendonitis: pain in the front of the knee, which worsens when you climb stairs or walk on a slope
• Bursitis: inflammation caused by overwork or repeated injury to the knee
• Gout: a form of arthritis resulting from the accumulation of uric acid
• Baker’s cyst: an increase in synovial fluid behind the knee
• Rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic inflammatory autoimmune condition; it is painful and may eventually cause joint deformity as well as joint deformity
• Bone tumors: osteosarcoma (the second most common bone cancer), most commonly occurs in the knee

Factors that can aggravate chronic knee pain include:

• Improper skeletal alignment
• injuries to the knee structure, which can cause bleeding and swelling
• knee overload
• infections
• improper muscle tension
• physical activity performed without warming up

Regardless its cause, chronic knee pain requires tests and diagnoses.  Expert Knee pain treatment Denver physicians confirm that this may include include blood tests, physical examination, X-rays, CT or MRI scans and other imaging tests.