All of us experience upper back tension and pain at some time or another (pain between the shoulder blades, across the back of the shoulders or pain in the upper back that causes headaches). This type of discomfort usually happens as a result of increased stress in our lives; due to increased work loads, job stress, family problems etc. The question I hear a lot is "what can I do to control it?"
My first response is (and I'm sure you've guessed it) see your Chiropractor. But, being a Chiropractor myself I know that there are a few good exercises that you can do on your own that can help a lot. I know this because I do them myself to loosen up my upper back.
Below is a new video I posted that shows how you can also do these exercises.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
ALERT: Stress relief for this economy
We are all being hit hard. Your job or your spouse’s job may be in jeopardy. We all need relief. You may be feeling run down and stressed out over the economy and wondering what you can do.
I don’t have any easy answers. But I want to give you some relief. We all know that stress, whether its emotional or physical makes everything else tougher to handle and creates even more stress.
Listening to the new Presidents speech I was particularly taken by the following quote:
"You know, there’ a lot of talk in this country about the federal deficit. But I think we should talk more about our empathy deficit – the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes; to see the world through the eyes of those who are different from us – the child who’s hungry, the steelworker who’s been laid-off, the family who lost the entire life they built together when the storm came to town. When you think like this – when you choose to broaden your ambit of concern and empathize with the plight of others, whether they are close friends or distant strangers – it becomes harder not to act; harder not to help."
This made me think, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? I have a successful Chiropractic clinic and what can I do to help people feel better during this economic squeeze.
I immediately thought of Massage, I offer it in my clinic and now have an intern from Northwestern. So … why not give away a free relaxing and energizing massage to help people combat the stress they are feeling.
I am giving away free massages from now till the end of February.
Spots are filling up fast, so call now and reserve your spot now to get some relief.
Call: Meehan Chiropractic and Sports Rehab at – 815-267-3707
I don’t have any easy answers. But I want to give you some relief. We all know that stress, whether its emotional or physical makes everything else tougher to handle and creates even more stress.
Listening to the new Presidents speech I was particularly taken by the following quote:
"You know, there’ a lot of talk in this country about the federal deficit. But I think we should talk more about our empathy deficit – the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes; to see the world through the eyes of those who are different from us – the child who’s hungry, the steelworker who’s been laid-off, the family who lost the entire life they built together when the storm came to town. When you think like this – when you choose to broaden your ambit of concern and empathize with the plight of others, whether they are close friends or distant strangers – it becomes harder not to act; harder not to help."
This made me think, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? I have a successful Chiropractic clinic and what can I do to help people feel better during this economic squeeze.
I immediately thought of Massage, I offer it in my clinic and now have an intern from Northwestern. So … why not give away a free relaxing and energizing massage to help people combat the stress they are feeling.
I am giving away free massages from now till the end of February.
Spots are filling up fast, so call now and reserve your spot now to get some relief.
Call: Meehan Chiropractic and Sports Rehab at – 815-267-3707
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Weekly Health Tips
Mental Attitude: researchers comparing the IQ of chidren raised in orphanages to those who were rescued at some point by foster parents discovered a dramatic difference. In some cases, it meant the difference between borderline retardation and average intelligence. One-on-one care at a young age has a definite impact on cognitive and intellectual development. According the this work, the earlier children are taken out of the institutional environment, the less stunting occurs. Children rescued before age 2 showed a 15 point IQ increase. Children raised by their biological parents still did much better than both groups – at about 10-20 points higher than the foster care group.
Associated Press, Dec. 2007
Health Alert: Incontinent Memories. A study from Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center suggests people taking anticholinergic drugs face a risk of memory and cognitive problems. Such drugs are used to treat high blood pressure, asthma, Parkinson’s disease and incontinence. Those taking the medications showed a 50% faster decline in cognitive skills and memory.
Associated Press, April 2008
Diet: Breast Cancer and Weight. Keeping off weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer greatly increases a woman’s chance of survival. Comparing survival rates with body mass index calculations, researchers found that for every 11lbs gained after the initial diagnosis, the risk of death from breast cancer or other causes increased by 14%. Women classified as obese died at twice the rate of normal-weight females.
Reuters, Dec. 2007
Exercise: Calories Burned at Rest! Our bodies burn calories as a result of workouts, increased daily activity, and something called “afterburn”, which is an added of strength training exercise. “Depending on how hard you work out, your metabolism can stay elevated for up to 48 hours after you’ve finished lifting.”
Gary R. Hunter, PhD, University of Alabama at Burmingham
Chiropractic: Simple Back Pain Demonstration. Try this: Sit-up straight and have a friend put their hand flat on your low back. Then pretend to drive, work on the computer, read a book, etc. You should feel the muscles of the low back tighten. This is a simple demonstration of how the low back fatigues as everyone holds these positions all day long, over the entire workweek, over their entire lives. Daily stretching and routine chiropractic care can help diminish the effects of everyday activities.
Wellness/Prevention: The Secret of Longevity. Researchers form the University of Cambridge report they have found four basic lifestyle habits that can add 14 years to your life when all are observed: Don’t smoke; get regular physical activity; eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily; and drink alcohol only in moderation.
Quote: “The patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don’t take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop.”
Quentin Regestein
Associated Press, Dec. 2007
Health Alert: Incontinent Memories. A study from Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center suggests people taking anticholinergic drugs face a risk of memory and cognitive problems. Such drugs are used to treat high blood pressure, asthma, Parkinson’s disease and incontinence. Those taking the medications showed a 50% faster decline in cognitive skills and memory.
Associated Press, April 2008
Diet: Breast Cancer and Weight. Keeping off weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer greatly increases a woman’s chance of survival. Comparing survival rates with body mass index calculations, researchers found that for every 11lbs gained after the initial diagnosis, the risk of death from breast cancer or other causes increased by 14%. Women classified as obese died at twice the rate of normal-weight females.
Reuters, Dec. 2007
Exercise: Calories Burned at Rest! Our bodies burn calories as a result of workouts, increased daily activity, and something called “afterburn”, which is an added of strength training exercise. “Depending on how hard you work out, your metabolism can stay elevated for up to 48 hours after you’ve finished lifting.”
Gary R. Hunter, PhD, University of Alabama at Burmingham
Chiropractic: Simple Back Pain Demonstration. Try this: Sit-up straight and have a friend put their hand flat on your low back. Then pretend to drive, work on the computer, read a book, etc. You should feel the muscles of the low back tighten. This is a simple demonstration of how the low back fatigues as everyone holds these positions all day long, over the entire workweek, over their entire lives. Daily stretching and routine chiropractic care can help diminish the effects of everyday activities.
Wellness/Prevention: The Secret of Longevity. Researchers form the University of Cambridge report they have found four basic lifestyle habits that can add 14 years to your life when all are observed: Don’t smoke; get regular physical activity; eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily; and drink alcohol only in moderation.
Quote: “The patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don’t take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop.”
Quentin Regestein
Friday, January 2, 2009
Change4Life
A great video to start the year with.
This video is part of a British campaign to improve peoples health. The British are facing the same problems with chronic health problems that we are (obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes etc.). The spot above was made by the people who brought us Wallace and Gromit (if you have children you'll remeber "Curse of the Were-Rabbit").
I particularly like the message of the video "Eat Well, Move More, Live Longer". Too many of us eat poorly, move minimally and as a result live less. If that isn't bad enough, we pass this on to our children and as a result we are seeing rising rates of obesity and adult onset diabetes in elementary school children.
The take home message is: get out, get moving and eat more real food (not fast food or processed food). I know its winter time and going outside can be tough but we all need to move (especially our children) so be creative - if there's snow make a snow man or snow angles, race around the house (as long as its safe). Get moving and stay moving.
For more information on this campaign: http://www.nhs.uk/Change4life/Pages/default.aspx
It has some nice tools for better diet.
This video is part of a British campaign to improve peoples health. The British are facing the same problems with chronic health problems that we are (obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes etc.). The spot above was made by the people who brought us Wallace and Gromit (if you have children you'll remeber "Curse of the Were-Rabbit").
I particularly like the message of the video "Eat Well, Move More, Live Longer". Too many of us eat poorly, move minimally and as a result live less. If that isn't bad enough, we pass this on to our children and as a result we are seeing rising rates of obesity and adult onset diabetes in elementary school children.
The take home message is: get out, get moving and eat more real food (not fast food or processed food). I know its winter time and going outside can be tough but we all need to move (especially our children) so be creative - if there's snow make a snow man or snow angles, race around the house (as long as its safe). Get moving and stay moving.
For more information on this campaign: http://www.nhs.uk/Change4life/Pages/default.aspx
It has some nice tools for better diet.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Weekly Health Tips
Mental Attitude: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
Thomas Jefferson
Heart Alert: Don’t Ignore the Warnings! According to researchers from Boston Univeristy’s Slone Epidemiology Center, one in 10 children uses at least one cough medication during any given week, and younger children are the most frequent users. Just over 10% of children ages 2-5 were given antihistamines, 9.9% were given decongestants and 7% were given cough suppressants. Even more startling, 7.6% of children under age 2 received antihistamines, 5.9% received decongestants and 9.4% received cough suppressants. The Food and Drug Administration issued a Public Health Advisory recommending parents and caregivers not use over the counter cough and cold products to treat children under age 2, announced it was in the process of reviewing whether the warning should be extended to older children (ages 2-11). In October, drug manufacturers announced they were extending the warning to include children ages 4 and younger, a move supported by the FDA. Apparently, some parents have not heard the warnings or are choosing to ignore them.
Diet: School Food Experiment. An experimental program banned candy, scaled back on snacks, handed out raffle tickets when positive food choices were made and spent time teaching good nutrition to teachers, kids and parents. The number of becoming obese dropped to half that of comparable schools that did not implement this program.
Associated Press, April 2008
Exercise: Interval Training. Lack of time is the number one reason people give for not exercising regularly, and lack of results, once they do start a exercising, isn’t far behind. Interval training every other day is a great solution for both of these common complaints. On the days you exercise, try intense bursts with periodic rest (5 minutes of exercise followed by 10 minute rest, repeat this 2-3 times).
American Council on Exercise
Chiropractic: Why Does it Hurt, I Didn’t Have an Accident? Often tissue fatigue is the answer. Overuse of muscles and soft tissue from repetitive motion can cause micro-tears. At a certain point, the tissue simply fails. It is then prone to inflammation and tightness, which cause pain.
Wellness/Prevention: Be Careful With Your Soap! Antibacterial agents: we have become overly obsessed with killing germs in the name of preventing illness. Antibacterial soaps are not only unnecessary, but may be harmful. The FDA classifies Triclosan, the most commonly used antibacterial agent, as a drug. The EPA classifies Triclosan as a pesticide.
Quote: “Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing that truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides in each patient a chance to work.”
Albert Schweitzer, MD
Thomas Jefferson
Heart Alert: Don’t Ignore the Warnings! According to researchers from Boston Univeristy’s Slone Epidemiology Center, one in 10 children uses at least one cough medication during any given week, and younger children are the most frequent users. Just over 10% of children ages 2-5 were given antihistamines, 9.9% were given decongestants and 7% were given cough suppressants. Even more startling, 7.6% of children under age 2 received antihistamines, 5.9% received decongestants and 9.4% received cough suppressants. The Food and Drug Administration issued a Public Health Advisory recommending parents and caregivers not use over the counter cough and cold products to treat children under age 2, announced it was in the process of reviewing whether the warning should be extended to older children (ages 2-11). In October, drug manufacturers announced they were extending the warning to include children ages 4 and younger, a move supported by the FDA. Apparently, some parents have not heard the warnings or are choosing to ignore them.
Diet: School Food Experiment. An experimental program banned candy, scaled back on snacks, handed out raffle tickets when positive food choices were made and spent time teaching good nutrition to teachers, kids and parents. The number of becoming obese dropped to half that of comparable schools that did not implement this program.
Associated Press, April 2008
Exercise: Interval Training. Lack of time is the number one reason people give for not exercising regularly, and lack of results, once they do start a exercising, isn’t far behind. Interval training every other day is a great solution for both of these common complaints. On the days you exercise, try intense bursts with periodic rest (5 minutes of exercise followed by 10 minute rest, repeat this 2-3 times).
American Council on Exercise
Chiropractic: Why Does it Hurt, I Didn’t Have an Accident? Often tissue fatigue is the answer. Overuse of muscles and soft tissue from repetitive motion can cause micro-tears. At a certain point, the tissue simply fails. It is then prone to inflammation and tightness, which cause pain.
Wellness/Prevention: Be Careful With Your Soap! Antibacterial agents: we have become overly obsessed with killing germs in the name of preventing illness. Antibacterial soaps are not only unnecessary, but may be harmful. The FDA classifies Triclosan, the most commonly used antibacterial agent, as a drug. The EPA classifies Triclosan as a pesticide.
Quote: “Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing that truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides in each patient a chance to work.”
Albert Schweitzer, MD
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Health Tips
Mental Attitude: Adjusting Your Attitude. “Change surroundings and take long journeys. Strictly avoid frightening ideas. Indulge in cheerful conversation and amusements. Listen to music.”
Cornelius Celsus, (ca 25BC- ca 50) Roman encyclopedist and physician
Health Alert: United States, Using Drugs for Health?
Top five countries in drug expenditure per capita.
US $752
France $599
Canada $559
Italy $512
Iceland $494
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Diet: Restricted Over-Indulgence. Researchers from the University of Alberta have discovered diet drinks and snacks, at least in juvenile rats can actually promote weight gain. They found after a period of being fed such dietary items, they tended to go “hog wild” when presented with normal foods. While the reason for the effect (which was not seen in adult rats) is not clearly understood, the authors suspect the youngsters’ appetite mechanisms were thrown out of kilter by the specialty foods. In light of this study, they recommend that children be fed a diet of well-balanced foods in their natural form.
Obesity, Aug 2007
Exercise: Strength Training – Just 20 minutes of basic exercises, two days a week, will help firm and tone the whole body. Strength training will modestly increase metabolism, helping to burn more calories, even when you are resting.
American Council on Exercise
Chiropractic: Muscle Tension Test. Remember you are continually re-injuring yourself by carrying groceries, shoveling, sitting at a computer, sleeping wrong or lifting wrong, etc. Try this: sit-up straight in a chair, have a friend feel the muscle tension in your shoulders. Then lean your head and shoulders forward simulating working on the computer. The tension instantly increases, which will lead to muscle soreness if sustained for a long period of time. So watch your posture, stretch and take breaks.
Wellness/Prevention: Sunlight Cuts Breast Cancer. Sunlight exerts a powerful effect against advanced breast cancer. The effect was only significant in light-skinned women, but it translated into a 47% lower risk of the disease. Researchers suspect vitamin D, formed in light-skinned individuals exposed to the ultraviolet rays, is responsible for the benefit. Vitamin D formation is reduced as skin tone darkens.
American Journal of Epidemiology, Oct 2007
Quote: “Without health, life is not life; it is only a state of languor and suffering.”
Francois Rabelais
Cornelius Celsus, (ca 25BC- ca 50) Roman encyclopedist and physician
Health Alert: United States, Using Drugs for Health?
Top five countries in drug expenditure per capita.
US $752
France $599
Canada $559
Italy $512
Iceland $494
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Diet: Restricted Over-Indulgence. Researchers from the University of Alberta have discovered diet drinks and snacks, at least in juvenile rats can actually promote weight gain. They found after a period of being fed such dietary items, they tended to go “hog wild” when presented with normal foods. While the reason for the effect (which was not seen in adult rats) is not clearly understood, the authors suspect the youngsters’ appetite mechanisms were thrown out of kilter by the specialty foods. In light of this study, they recommend that children be fed a diet of well-balanced foods in their natural form.
Obesity, Aug 2007
Exercise: Strength Training – Just 20 minutes of basic exercises, two days a week, will help firm and tone the whole body. Strength training will modestly increase metabolism, helping to burn more calories, even when you are resting.
American Council on Exercise
Chiropractic: Muscle Tension Test. Remember you are continually re-injuring yourself by carrying groceries, shoveling, sitting at a computer, sleeping wrong or lifting wrong, etc. Try this: sit-up straight in a chair, have a friend feel the muscle tension in your shoulders. Then lean your head and shoulders forward simulating working on the computer. The tension instantly increases, which will lead to muscle soreness if sustained for a long period of time. So watch your posture, stretch and take breaks.
Wellness/Prevention: Sunlight Cuts Breast Cancer. Sunlight exerts a powerful effect against advanced breast cancer. The effect was only significant in light-skinned women, but it translated into a 47% lower risk of the disease. Researchers suspect vitamin D, formed in light-skinned individuals exposed to the ultraviolet rays, is responsible for the benefit. Vitamin D formation is reduced as skin tone darkens.
American Journal of Epidemiology, Oct 2007
Quote: “Without health, life is not life; it is only a state of languor and suffering.”
Francois Rabelais
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Weekly Health Tips
Mental Attitude: Tips for a Positive Mental Attitude. 1. Smile 2. Laugh 3. Greet people courteously 4. Be enthusiastic 5. Dream, set a goal, aim high!
Srivathshem Nagarajan
Health Allert: Killer Bacteria! In 2005, MSRA (methicillin-resistant-staph aureus) was responsible for 94,360 serious infections and 18,650 hospital stay-related deaths in the United States (more death than AIDS). The prevailing thought is that bacteria “learn” to become resistant to new antibiotics faster as their mutation rate surpasses our ability to make new effective antibiotics.
Centers for Disease Control/Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 2007.
Diet: Oil the Heart. Portable heart defibrillators can help save lives but according to a new report from the High Center at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, many more lives could be saved if people just ate more fish or at least took fish oil supplements. A computer simulation, based on the results of past research data, found a 6.4% total death reduction resulted from an increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. In contrast, defibrillators saved about 1% of the virtual population.
The American Journal of Medicine, Sept. 2006.
Exercise: Increased Cardio/Aerobic Exercise Leads to Weight Loss. Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion over sustained periods of time (typically a minimum of 20-45 minutes). Walking is a weight-bearing aerobic exercise, as are jogging, rope skipping and dance (as well as my favorite – Boxing). Non-weight-bearing aerobic exercise includes bicycling, swimming and rowing.
American Council on Exercise.
Chiropractic: How fast can a patient with neck pain expect to feel better with chiropractic care? British authors studied which neck symptoms respond the quickest to hands-on treatment. Overall, considering all possible neck complaints, about 70% of patients reported immediate favorable responses to manipulation. However, if patients complained about specific things like headaches, shoulder or arm pain, reduced arm or neck movement, neck pain, or upper or middle back pain, the percentage of those who reported immediate improvement in pain rose to an incredible 95%!
Journal of Manipulative and Physiologiacal Therapeutics, March 2008.
Wellness/Prevention: “Cancer has one prime cause! The replacement of normal oxygen respiration of the body’s cells by an anaerobic (oxygen deficient) respiration” Dr Otto Warnburg 1883-1970 Nobel Prize 1931. So don’t stop your deep breathing exercises, as nothing is more important than a constant source of oxygen from slow deep breathing.
Quote: “Diseases are penalties w pay for overindulgence, or from our neglect of the means of health” Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (May 25, 1803 – January 18, 1873) was an English novelist, poet, playwright and politician.
Srivathshem Nagarajan
Health Allert: Killer Bacteria! In 2005, MSRA (methicillin-resistant-staph aureus) was responsible for 94,360 serious infections and 18,650 hospital stay-related deaths in the United States (more death than AIDS). The prevailing thought is that bacteria “learn” to become resistant to new antibiotics faster as their mutation rate surpasses our ability to make new effective antibiotics.
Centers for Disease Control/Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 2007.
Diet: Oil the Heart. Portable heart defibrillators can help save lives but according to a new report from the High Center at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, many more lives could be saved if people just ate more fish or at least took fish oil supplements. A computer simulation, based on the results of past research data, found a 6.4% total death reduction resulted from an increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. In contrast, defibrillators saved about 1% of the virtual population.
The American Journal of Medicine, Sept. 2006.
Exercise: Increased Cardio/Aerobic Exercise Leads to Weight Loss. Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion over sustained periods of time (typically a minimum of 20-45 minutes). Walking is a weight-bearing aerobic exercise, as are jogging, rope skipping and dance (as well as my favorite – Boxing). Non-weight-bearing aerobic exercise includes bicycling, swimming and rowing.
American Council on Exercise.
Chiropractic: How fast can a patient with neck pain expect to feel better with chiropractic care? British authors studied which neck symptoms respond the quickest to hands-on treatment. Overall, considering all possible neck complaints, about 70% of patients reported immediate favorable responses to manipulation. However, if patients complained about specific things like headaches, shoulder or arm pain, reduced arm or neck movement, neck pain, or upper or middle back pain, the percentage of those who reported immediate improvement in pain rose to an incredible 95%!
Journal of Manipulative and Physiologiacal Therapeutics, March 2008.
Wellness/Prevention: “Cancer has one prime cause! The replacement of normal oxygen respiration of the body’s cells by an anaerobic (oxygen deficient) respiration” Dr Otto Warnburg 1883-1970 Nobel Prize 1931. So don’t stop your deep breathing exercises, as nothing is more important than a constant source of oxygen from slow deep breathing.
Quote: “Diseases are penalties w pay for overindulgence, or from our neglect of the means of health” Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (May 25, 1803 – January 18, 1873) was an English novelist, poet, playwright and politician.
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