The Healing Benefits of Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been implemented for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine.  Today, quite a few sufferers all over the world are experiencing relief from their arthritic pain and other health challenges by coming in to see an acupuncturist on a routine basis.  In keeping with traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy, small needles are inserted into the body at specific points that are known to affect multifarious areas of the body.  In traditional therapy, only the needles are used, but on occasion and particularly in recent years, minute electrical currents are sent through the needles into the body, has been found to be an especially effective technique for arthritic pain.  Despite the fact that it may seem though it would hurt, it hardly ever does and, in fact, almost all people experience relaxation and pleasurable sensations during acupuncture treatments.
Chiropractic Treatment Eases Pain and Slows Joint Degeneration

For over a hundred years, chiropractors have been helping people suffering from back pain due to arthritis and other arthritic problems. A chiropractor treats people who are suffering from musculoskeletal and nervous system problems. Arthritis is generally inflammation and degeneration of particular joints within the skeletal system. Chiropractic medicine treats the aberrations of the vertebral column that restrict the activity of the nervous system. These misaligned vertebra, in addition to producing arthritic changes in the spine, can lower resistance and immunity, hence causing new health conditions. A proficient chiropractor has superb observational and diagnostic skills that assist in ascertaining physical aberrations and joint problems. Many chiropractors perform neurological tests and orthopedic examinations. Some will evaluate the posture of a person in order to identify postural deviations and may also study gait to determine faulty movement patterns that may produce new arthritic changes as well as add to current arthritic pain. Chiropractic care non-invasive, drug-free treatment and in addition will offer advice and provide education about the benefits of individual lifestyle changes, such as in exercise and nutrition, that will help to slow down joint degeneration in the body.

So, if you are experiencing arthritis, back pain, headaches, neck pain, hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or balance challenges, and you’d like to do more for your body than simply taking medication, chiropractic and acupuncture may be able to help.  One way to find out  for sure is to go in to see a good chiropractor, like Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, or an acupuncturist in the area, and to permit an alternative healthcare professional to clarify for you definitively what these healing methods are going to be able to do for you.  It’s very possible that you will experience some relief from your pain even after only one visit.  With subsequent visits, you will maintain your improvements, and you might just discover that these natural treatments work best to relieve your painful arthritis.

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However, in addition to the neck pain relief you’ll receive by your Oxnard Chiropractor by day, there is something important you can do for your neck at night. Neck pain is commonly exacerbated by sleeping on an inappropriate pillow. That’s why it’s so important to use a good pillow, one that is designed to support your neck.  Some pillows are just too hard, while others far too soft, and others are just plain too flat. If you sleep on a pillow that has inadequate neck support, you will probably wake up with neck pain, and possibly back pain and shoulder pain as well.

Cervical pillows are specially designed to take care of neck and shoulder problems and offer support to the natural lordosis (curve) of the neck.  An orthopedic pillow supports the head, aligns the neck vertebrae in a neutral position,  supports the head, and allows better shoulder rotation.

Even a good pillow, however, needs to be renewed periodically due to the breakdown in materials. Although some brands of pillows cost more, they frequently last longer.  A good quality orthopedic pillow, whether it’s down feathered, a foam-type, or poly-filled, will offer you needed comfort and support.

A good, cervical pillow should form itself to support your neck and head in the healthiest position whether you sleep on your back or side.  Support on both your side and back positions is extremely important,  and you will want to consider your own personal sleeping habits when choosing a pillow.  If you are in the habit of sleeping on your back, then you will need to select a pillow that has been especially designed to provide neck and upper back support. If you are a side sleeper, then you will want a bit higher pillow that will supply enough room for your shoulder position. When you are sleeping on a proper orthopedic, it should provide enough support to inhibit your head from going sideways, or rolling and tilting unnaturally.

The most effective way to find an orthopedic pillow that is appropriate for you  is to consult with a health care professional, Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard.

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Younger generations growing up in the digital age are also joining the ranks of the “typing wounded.” Surveys at two universities found that 40 to 50 percent of undergraduates experienced upper-extremity pain from using their computers. Colleges do not build dormitory furniture to be ergonomically adjustable, said Dr. Benjamin Amick, scientific director of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, who was a co-author of those studies. “They build it to be indestructible.”

In addition to repetitive stress problems, sitting at your computer too long places your upper back in a sustained, stressful posture, especially if you tend to lean forward when you’re working. This also puts your neck at an unnatural and strained angle. Lower back pain, in addition to being generated by simply sitting for long periods of time without getting up and moving around, is aggravated by bad posture.

Problems caused by extended computer use can not only lead to an inability to perform your work duties, but can keep you from enjoying the rest of your life, too. Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, can assist in eliminating the neck pain, and/or upper and lower back pain that you are currently experiencing. After that, it is important for you to become mindful of your body as you sit at your computer, and to give your body what it naturally needs. You can cultivate the habit of both sitting straight in your chair (as opposed to slouching) and relaxing your shoulders. This will help to relieve tension in your lower and upper back and neck. Take time to stretch periodically to ease muscle tension and encourage healthy blood flow. If your work station permits, sitting on an exercise ball can not only aide in keeping you in a beneficial posture, but can help to strengthen your core muscles as well. (Make sure that the ball is the right size so that when you are seated on it your arms are at a ninety-degree angle to your keyboard.)

Dr. Bolt offers these tips: Good posture for ease of movement, variety in the motions that you do, and short breaks to relax and stretch will go a long way in keeping your computer work (or play) pain-free.

Partial source: The New York Times, Health Review, June 22, 2009

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