Category: chiropractor southend

Top Tips on Having a Great Relationship With Your Chiropractor

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People who have good relationships with their chiropractors tend to have better health outcomes. So here are three great bond-building tips from our Southend chiropractor:

1: Prepare for your appointment

Preparing for an appointment means more than getting there on time! In order to optimise the time you have with your chiropractor, plan in your mind what you want to achieve out of the visit. The worst thing is leaving an appointment and then remembering afterwards the things you wanted to mention. So plan ahead.

2: Share your concerns as well as your complaints

It may seem natural to simply tell your chiropractor about the symptoms you’re experiencing, but it is equally important to be open about your concerns too. Chiropractors are trained to address your worries as well as your symptoms, so be open and honest.

 3: Prioritise your problems

Make a list of all the issues you want to address and let your chiropractor know how many things are on it at the start of your appointment. Your chiropractor can then arrange as many appointments as needed to assess each of your problems.

A good chiropractor/ patient relationship requires good communication. Don’t be afraid to express how you feel or what you want to achieve out of your appointments. Your chiropractor will appreciate your effort and honesty.

Summer Holiday Pain Busters

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back care advice when travelling from our southend chiropractorIf you suffer with back pain or neck pain, the thought of a long trip or journey can be daunting. Let’s face it, the seats in cars, airplanes, buses, and trains aren’t exactly the most comfortable. And even sitting still for a prolonged period can in itself cause/ worsen pain in the back and neck. So here are some tips from our Southend chiropractor to help you travel with ease this summer:

If you’re susceptible to back pain, carrying a heavy bag will likely be more than just an inconvenience! To avoid added strain, take a light suitcase with wheels and a handle for rolling it. But remember that you’ll still need to lift a wheeled suitcase up and down the stairs or in and out of the car. Therefore, instead of stuffing all your holiday must-haves into one large suitcase, take a few smaller bags instead.

When lifting a heavy item, back strain most often occurs near the end of your range of motion. This is why it is better to move slowly when lifting heavy luggage and to break the action into smaller parts. For example, if you’re lifting a bag into an overhead bin, try lifting it to the top of the seat first, then into the bin in a separate motion. Similarly, you can take it in steps to load a heavy suitcase into the boot of your car. This may mean lifting it first to a chair or stool, then lifting it into the boot. Other important lifting tips to remember include:

  • Always bend at the knees and use your leg muscles rather than your back muscles to lift
  • Avoid twisting your low back while lifting; pivot with your feet instead
  • Carry heavy items as close to your body as possible
  • Make sure you distribute weight evenly on each side of the body
  • When carrying a one shoulder bag, switch sides regularly to avoid putting strain on one side of your back.

Take these tips on board (excuse the pun) when you head off on your travels this summer. They could just save you from agonising back pain.

Why Babies Even Need Chiropractors Sometimes

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Walter Russell thxLast month we launched the Back Story campaign. Its aim is to help all of us improve our health and wellbeing by adopting some very simple habits that will have life-changing benefits.

The Echo is backing the campaign, and in a recent edition, Arif raised awareness about helping our children … even when they’re only nine days old like Walter Russell.

Walter is now a happy three-month old boy, however, this is a far cry from the traumatic start Walter had in life. His mother’s 36-hour labour combined with the early breaking of her waters resulted in Walter having sepsis – a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to infection causes injury to its own tissues.

Walter spent the first five days of his life in Southend Hospital – three days on the intensive care ward then a further two days under close observation before being allowed to go home. The newborn also had to have a lumbar puncture to confirm that he didn’t have meningitis.

Read Walter’s story and how Arif helped him and can help other babies too by clicking on the image below.

Echo Back Story babies and toddlers

 

Congratulations To Our Official Blood Suckers …

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Don’t worry we haven’t recruited Dracula or a host of Vampires.

Arif and Melanie are now both certified phlebotomists. Congratulations to both of them as they bring new skills to the clinic to help more of our wonderful patients.

Arif and Melanie trained to be phlebotomists at Maxis Healthcare. The instructor at Maxis was excellent. They also spent a day in an NHS clinic to gain experience in order to become fully qualified.

Arif says of their qualification “This will expand our services to our patients we will be introducing some comprehensive screening services for many conditions including cardiovascular disease analysis. We’re very excited to be able to offer these services to our patients.”

Just another example of the progressive attitude Cliffs has to the health and well-being of our patients.

A few shots of Arif & Melanie in training.

phlebotomy training

 

Common Sleep Mistakes That Cause Back Pain

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Getting more back pain than forty winks at night? Check these two common sleeping mistakes from our Southend chiropractor and you could discover the guilty culprit:

Sleeping in the wrong position

Your sleeping position could be causing your back pain. If you sleep on your back, try placing a pillow beneath your knees. If you snooze on your stomach, put a pillow underneath your lower abdomen. And if you’re a side sleeper, tuck a pillow between your knees.

Sleeping on an old mattress

If you’ve had your mattress for 7 years or more, it probably isn’t doing your spine any favours. If you can’t invest in a new mattress right now, adding plywood underneath your existing mattress may help to reduce your back pain and discomfort.

Sleep is crucially important to the overall health of your spine. Don’t let back pain get in the way of a good night’s rest.

Prevent pregnancy back pain

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pregnancy back care advice from our southend chiropractorExpecting a baby? Experiencing back pain? You’re not alone!

According to our Southend chiropractor, most women will encounter some degree of back pain or discomfort during their pregnancy. And while back pain may develop at any point during a pregnancy, it most commonly occurs during the later stages as the baby grows bigger.

The good news is there are simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of pain and discomfort you feel. We share these at the end of this post, but first of all, let’s take a look at what causes back pain during pregnancy.

There are a number of factors that can lead to back pain during pregnancy with some women even experiencing an achy spine at the very early stages.

Here are some of the most common reasons for back pain or discomfort during pregnancy:

Hormone surges

Hormones released during pregnancy allow ligaments in the pelvic area to soften and the joints to become looser in preparation for the birth. This change in joints and loosening of ligaments can affect the support your spine normally experiences.

Shift in the centre of gravity

When carrying a child, your centre of gravity gradually moves forward as your uterus and baby grow. This causes a change in posture which can lead to back pain. Poor posture and bending over can trigger or increase the pain you experience in your back

Weight gain

Every pound you gain during pregnancy is an extra pound of weight your spine must support.

Stress

Preparing for a new arrival is exciting but also stressful at times. As stress usually manifests in weak areas in the body, and because your back may be weaker due to the reasons above, you can experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.

So what can you do to reduce the risk of back pain during pregnancy?

The physiological aspects of growing a child mean that it isn’t always possible to completely prevent back pain during pregnancy. But there are steps that you can take to reduce the severity or frequency.

These include:

  • Carrying out the exercises advised by your health care provider that support and help strengthen your back and abdomen.
  • Squatting instead of bending over when you need to lift or pick up something.
  • Avoiding high heels and other unsupportive shoes.
  • Avoiding sleeping on your back.
  • Wearing a support belt under your lower abdomen.
  • Having your back adjusted by a good chiropractor.
  • Getting plenty of rest and keeping your feet elevated as much as possible.

We wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy!

Three things you should know about chronic pain

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It’s hard when someone you care about is in pain. But you can make life a lot easier for your loved one by gaining an understanding of what they’re going through. With that in mind, our Southend chiropractor shares three things you should know about chronic pain.

Pain is real

Never assume that your loved one is exaggerating their pain. Chronic pain is very real, even if there is no known cause. Remember that everyone with chronic pain wants nothing more than to live a pain-free life. So saying things like “It can’t be that bad” or “Stop thinking about it” is just going to fall on deaf ears.

Pain does not equal unhappiness

It is important to understand that your loved one can be happy and experience pain at the same time. Therefore you shouldn’t assume that someone has “healed” simply because they seem to be having a good time.

Pain is personal

Everyone experiences pain differently. It is very common for two people to have the same condition and one may complain of severe pain while the other displays no symptoms whatsoever.  This is especially true when it comes to back pain.  Listen to how the pain feels  for your loved one instead of assuming  that they must feel a certain way because of what you’ve heard from someone else or read in an article.

The more you know about your loved one’s chronic pain, the more you can empathise with them, and the more you can help as a result.

 

 

 

 

Top Tips To Keep Your Kids Healthy on Holidays

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travelling with small children advice from our southend chiropractorGoing on your first family holiday is one of the most exciting things you can do. With every cute little sunhat and bottle of kids sun cream you buy, your mind conjures up a new image of your little one happily building sun castles on a paradise beach. But there’s also the worry: what if your bundle of joy falls ill while in another country? What are you meant to do without the safety net of your family doctor or health visitor on speed dial?

Our Southend family chiropractor recommends that the best thing you can do is be prepared. The more equipped you are for the unexpected, the more confident you’ll be.

Before you set off on your holidays, bear in mind that every environment comes with its own unique health risks. In other words, your children may be exposed to different bacteria and viruses that can take a little getting used to. This may be the culprit if your little one suddenly develops a “cold” while the rest of you swelter in the overseas temperatures!

If you’re travelling to a different climate, your child may also encounter unusual bites, allergies or rashes that may raise an eyebrow or two! But don’t panic; this is very common. The best thing to do is pack plenty of medicines with you that you know your children will respond to. This will save you a lot of stress if you can’t get hold of them at the local pharmacy while you’re abroad.

If your child has a complex medical history, it’s also worth asking your doctor to write a letter outlining any details of the condition, medications and treatment history. Even better, get it translated into the language of the country you’re travelling to.

Similarly if your child has serious allergies, it’s worth arranging a card that details what they’re allergic to and how serious the condition is. Allergy UK offers these cards in 27 different languages. You can find out more at allergyuk.org.

Remember that your holiday is meant to be a fun experience. It’s good to be prepared, but  don’t let your anxieties put your enjoyment in jeopardy. Relax, have fun and lap up a blissful week or two in the sun with your family.

Stand Taller, Feel Better & Get Fitter

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a spine chilling pictureTo highlight the importance of taking our health and especially our posture more seriously Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic have launched the ‘Back Story’ campaign, using a spine-chilling image to drive home the message.

The Echo is backing our campaign and covered the launch of the campaign at St Thomas More High School. Arif was also interviewed on BBC Essex.

You can read the article in the Echo by clicking on the image below.

Echo Back Story

You can listen to Arif’s interview on BBC Essex below.

 

 

Exciting News! Our New Sister Clinic In Chelmsford Is Opening Soon

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opens julyWe are very excited to announce that we are opening a sister clinic in Chelmsford.

Work is progressing well on the clinic and all hands are on deck for the opening at the beginning of July.

Melanie will be working at the Chelmsford clinic where she will be providing chiropractic, medical herbalism, functional medicine and phlebotomy services. In addition, there will be a massage therapist offering massage.

But don’t worry if you are in Southend or the surrounding areas, Arif and Paz will still be focussed on taking care of you guys:)

If you know anyone in Chelmsford, or around that area, please let them know that Cliffs will be there to help them.

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