Tag: back care advice

Back Safe Air Travel Advice

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back saef air travle advice from our southend chiropractorThere’s one thing that can put a damper on a holiday and that’s back pain. If you are one of the many people who are taking to the skies this summer to reach their holiday destination, Arif has put together some timely advice for you.

Arif’s Back Safe Air Travel Advice

To minimise backache and to keep in good spinal health when flying for over an hour I recommend these brief points and gentle mobilising exercises.

  •  When handling your baggage keep the case as close as possible into your body and avoid jerky movements when lifting the case
  •  Pull a case off the carousel with both hands, this will spread the load and lessen the chances of twisting as you lift
  • As with most lifting bend always remember to bend your knees

On board:

  • Sit higher up on the seat with your bottom against the back of seat, raise your  height by placing the blanket and cushion provided on long haul flights under your bottom.
  • Every one to one and a half hours take a break from your seat and do some gentle mobilising exercises:
    • Find an area to stand with your back against a wall and pull one knee up to your chest with both hands holding below the knee cap. Gently tug the leg 10 times. Repeat this for each leg 3 times so that’s 10 tugs 3 times per leg.
    • Next stand with your feet just beyond hips width apart with your hands on your hips and swing gently and rhythmically from side to side for 2 minutes or longer.  This mimics the act of walking and is good for circulation too!
  • On returning to your seat, sit upright and clench your buttocks firmly, holding for 10 seconds, release and repeat 10 times. This will help to keep your circulation flowing (and provide a giggle to the passenger next to you and laughter is always beneficial:)!).
  • Use a horse shoe pillow to stop your head rolling if you fall asleep.
  • Avoid looking down to digital devices for more than a few minutes to avoid neck strain and possible headaches.

Whether you are jetting off or taking a staycation this summer we hope you have a relaxing holiday and safe travel.

Common Myths About Back Pain That May Not Be Helping You

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sports injuries treated by our southend chiropractorAt our busy chiropractic clinic in Southend, our chiropractors treat many patients each week. Our patients come from all different types of back grounds and all different age groups. We treat the very young through to patients who are in their 80s. Whilst our patients are diverse the one thing many of them have in common is back pain.

Speaking with patients, our chiropractors often hear patients repeat common myths held about back pain. Some of the most common myths held about back pain can slow down a patient’s recovery time and some may prevent a complete recovery from back pain.

Some of the most common myths shared with our chiropractors include:

Myth #1: I didn’t think I would suffer back pain

Some patients find it surprising that they are suffering from back pain. They have fallen for the myth that back pain doesn’t happen to everyone. Unfortunately this is not the case.

Back pain is on the increase. It is highly likely that most people will suffer back pain in their lifetime. A contributory factor to the increase in incidents of back pain is the sedentary lifestyle that more and more people are living.

If you are suffering back pain then our chiropractors recommend that you seek professional medical advice from a chiropractor, GP or other health care professional.

Of course prevention is better than cure which is why our chiropractors proactively seek to educate people in ways to maintain a healthy back and help avoid back pain. The Back Story programme developed by one of leading chiropractors, Arif Soomro, provides information, segmented by age group, that will help build strength and flexibility and also increase energy levels.

Myth #2: Rest is what I need 

Many back pain sufferers fall into the trap of believing that if they rest up for a few days and give their back a rest their back pain will disappear. In many instances rest is not going to help. In fact it can make the situation worse.

Research published in the Lancet earlier this year shows that exercise and manipulation with a move away from drugs to be the most effective treatment for low back pain.

Which leads us onto the third myth …

Myth #3: I just need some painkillers

Reaching for painkillers may seem like a good option but unfortunately is unlikely to provide a long term solution to your back pain. The research published in the Lancet suggests we are over medicalising low back pain.

Perhaps one of these myths has held you back from seeking help with your back pain.

The good news is that chiropractic offers an effective, safe and gentle treatment for back pain. In addition to spinal manipulation our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic provide a package of care which includes:

  • chiropractic
  • medical acupuncture
  • remedial massage
  • exercise
  • nutrition and
  • lifestyle advice

Our chiropractors aim to find the underlying cause of your back pain and provide you with a long term solution for managing your back and overall health and well being.

If you are suffering back pain or want to maintain a healthy back our chiropractors are here to help you.

 

Watch Your Back Putting Up The Decorations

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If you’re planning on putting your Christmas decorations up in the next few weeks (as many of us are!) our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic want to remind you to take care of your back. After all you don’t want to ruin your Christmas with back pain!

It’s surprising how much lifting, carrying and stretching is involved in this fun task!

From rummaging in the attic for the decorations, buying the tree, getting the decorations up, wrapping the presents there’s plenty of stresses put on your back. There’s also a possibility you may even need to use a ladder!

Why not spend a few minutes watching these two videos that demonstrate how to lift, carry and use a ladder and keep your back safe.

Yes we know the Lift and Carry one is done for gardening and the DIY one is for well DIY but the techniques all hold true for Christmas Decorating.

One thing that’s not covered in the videos is wrapping the presents! Avoid using the floor as it puts to much stress on your back so find a table or work top to work at instead.

Happy Christmas Decorating from our team at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic in Southend

 

 

 

 

 

 

Give Yourself A Gift Of Being Back Pain Free

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back care advice from our chiropractor in Southend Suffering back pain is not fun at all! Unfortunately back pain is becoming more and more common with four out of five people experiencing back pain at some point in their life.

Equally disturbing to our team of highly experienced chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic in Southend is the number of people putting up and suffering with back pain for extended periods of time. Research has revealed that over a third of British people suffer with back pain for a month or more before seeking professional medical help with one in ten people never seeking any help!

Our chiropractors often have patients share their stories of life with back pain and many of them have come to believe that they would have to live with their pain for the rest of their life.

Low back pain is one of the most common conditions that our chiropractors at Cliffs treat. There are many causes of low back pain from wear and tear to lifting things incorrectly to poor posture. Lifestyle plays an increasing part in the cause of back pain with our chiropractors treating more and more patients due to their lifestyle.

Acute, chronic and general low back pain responds well to chiropractic treatment. Guidelines from NICE and the Royal College of General Practitioners both suggest the early referral for manipulative treatment, such as chiropractic is the most effective way of dealing with acute and chronic low back pain.

Here are feedback we have received from two of our patients where they share their experiences of back pain and how Cliffs has helped them:

“If you have pain in your back, neck and/or shoulders, and live in the Southend area, I would highly recommend Cliffs Chiropractors! I was wary at first, but the team made me feel completely at ease, and my doctor, Paramjit Nandhra (Paz), is one of the friendliest, smiliest people I’ve ever met! I started going a few months ago when I was in severe pain. It has gone from a 9/10 to just 3/10 and I have even had some days completely pain free! I’m confident that if I continue, it will go completely.

Paz has taught me that a lot of the pain I had is not ‘normal’ like I had thought. Most people just put up with it not realising it can be fixed.

I’m personally not a fan of having the adjustments and find it quite uncomfortable (some people love it apparently!), but it is so worth it in the long run! I have also had X-Rays at Cliffs Chiropractor (so much easier than going to hospital) and have had acupuncture which is good. I’m also learning a lot and Paz always encourages me to ask questions.

I would highly recommend getting yourself a consultation 

“6 years ago and I’d reached the end of the line with the NHS, they’d given up trying to figure why my back and my shoulder gave me constant pain and sent me to their pain management clinic who wanted to put me on low dose muscle relaxants for the rest of my
Life – it was at this point that my friend recommended trying Paz at Cliffs Chiropractic, I was dubious but within a couple of months the difference was huge! I now visit once a month to make sure my back stays in tip top condition and honestly could not recommend them more highly! Friendly reception staff upon entering, highly skilled chiropractors in a modern, professional practice! I have since recommended the cliffs to several friends and family including my father, my wife and my mother in law and all would give a similar glowing review, if you are suffering from back pain and not visiting this clinic then you to get up and to and give it a try, you will not be disappointed!!” Chris B (Facebook Review)

If you are suffering back pain our chiropractors at Cliffs in Southend are here to help you

Give yourself a gift of being back pain free and visit us at Cliffs.

 

Don’t Let Christmas Shopping Online Be A Pain In The Back

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christmas shopping advice from our southend chiropractorWith the clocks turning back, the nights closing in and the shops starting to line their shelves with Christmas goods, your attention may be turning to your Christmas preparations. For many this starts with getting the Christmas shopping underway. More and more people are turning to the convenience of shopping online these days.

Shopping online can protect our backs from some of the rigours of going to the shops, however, spending time online on your PC or laptop, especially if you are not maintaining a good posture, can have a detrimental effect on your back.  A poor seated posture can causes many stresses and strains and slouching compresses the joints in the spine, discs are squashed and incorrect muscles are engaged.

Our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic in Southend want to share their top pieces of advice for keeping your back safe when Christmas shopping online.

  1. Avoid sitting/slouching on the sofa: As we mentioned slouching is not good for your back in general and adding hunching over your laptop or tablet on your sofa only adds to the stresses and strains on your back and neck. If you are going to spend hours online Christmas shopping then set yourself up at your desk or table.
  2. Maintain a good seated posture: Make sure your desk and seat are set up to help you maintain a good posture. Arif, one of our chiropractors has written an article and made a video to help you maintain a good seated posture. You can access the article and video by clicking this link here.
  3. Take regular breaks: Sitting for prolonged periods is not good for your back so make sure you take regular breaks at least every 30 minutes. Stand up and move around and why not take the opportunity to do some simple stretches.

Online shopping this Christmas doesn’t need to be a pain in the back if you follow our chiropractors’ advice.

Happy online shopping.

Does Your Back Pain Scare You?

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Halloween is nearly upon us and when ‘scary’ things creep up on us! Hopefully, the scariest things to creep on us will be the neighbourhood kids!

For some patients we treat at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic in Southend, the pain that they suffered before visiting us was truly scary to them. Many patients have sought medical or professional help prior to visiting us, with no answers or relief.

Alvin is one such patient. Alvin says, “For four years doctors told me there was nothing wrong with me – Cliffs diagnosed me in twenty minutes!”. You can read Alvin’s story here and watch a video  of him explaining his story here.

Another patient, Rosie, was suffering so much pain in her jaw that she visited the hospital seeking answers. The hospital put her jaw problem down to her nail-biting. Not convinced, Rosie, pursued a diagnosis and solution to her problem and visited Cliffs.

When Arif examined Rosie, he found that she had extremely limited movement in her jaw and that her ability to properly open her mouth was also quite poor. The thorough examination provided the information needed to begin an appropriate treatment plan.

Just four weeks after her first visit to Cliffs, Rosie’s pain had almost completely disappeared and she was once again feeling “fantastic”. The constant and severe daily pain that made Rosie visit a hospital was gone in the space of a month! You can read Rosie’s story and watch a video of Rosie tell her story here.

Our chiropractors at Cliffs can’t stress enough that it’s important to keep seeking health solutions to your problem. The first step is an accurate diagnosis which leads to the right treatment plan.

Don’t let your pain scare you. Our experienced team of chiropractors are here to help you at Cliffs Chiropractic in Southend.

 

 

Common Triggers Of Back And Neck Pain Revealed In Recent Research

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back care advice from our southend chiropractorRecent consumer research has looked at the trends in back and neck pain over the last five years and the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) has released the findings to coincide with BackCare Awareness Week in October. Included  in the research was the trend of common triggers for back or neck pain.

If you suffer from back or neck pain you may very well have found that there is a common trigger to your suffering. Our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic often have patients tell them this.

Here are common triggers highlighted in the research.

Sitting for long periods: The number of respondents reporting this as a common trigger rose from 35% to 45% .

The job: A fifth of respondents identified their job as being a key trigger.

Sleeping: This remains a common trigger with 11% more women reporting it as a trigger than men.

Sports and exercise: Has made it into the list of top triggers, ousting housework and DIY.

It’s interesting to see that most of these triggers involve activities that we all do every day. Maybe this is why back and neck pain are relatively common conditions! However, with a few simple changes to our daily routines we can protect ourselves from the most common triggers. Here are our chiropractors top tips to protecting your back and neck:

Stand up and move around: Take a break from sitting every 30 minutes and stand up and move around. Take it as an opportunity do some simple stretches too.

Set up your desk and PC for a good sitting posture: Setting up your office chair to ensure you maintain a good posture is essential. Arif has created a video and information with easy to follow steps to avoid back, neck and muscle problems at your office desk. Here is a link to the Sitting Posture page.

Sleeping: Ensure your bed/mattress is providing you with adequate support. Here is a link to a post on how to choose a mattress that you may find useful.

Keep active: Whilst sports and exercise has been cited as a common trigger in the research, our chiropractors can’t stress enough how important keeping active and taking regular exercise is to maintain a healthy back. Many sports injuries are a result of a person not taking time to build up the intensity of exercise, not warning up and cooling some sufficiently and poor technique. If you are unsure of the type of exercise that’s right for you seek professional advice.

The consumer research also revealed that the number of people experiencing back or neck pain on a weekly basis rose from 40% to 45%  and 65% of people experience back or neck pain every month.

Our chiropractors recommend that if you are experiencing back or neck pain for more than a few days you should seek professional help. Official government guidelines from the NICE and guidelines from the Royal College of General Practitioners suggest the early referral for manipulative treatment, such as chiropractic is the most effective way of dealing with acute and chronic low back pain.

If you, or someone you know, are suffering from back or neck pain our experienced team of chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic in Southend are here to help you.

 

 

 

 

Is Your Back Pain Making You Feel Old?

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It’s not uncommon for our chiropractors at our busy chiropractic clinic in Southend to hear patients tell them how their back pain is making them feel old.

Back pain can have a tremendous impact on your life and can be quite debilitating for some. For many back pain sufferers simple day to day tasks which we take for granted suddenly become monumental tasks.

Given that at least 4 our of 5 adults will at some time in their lives experience back pain, our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic, do all that they can to help educate people on actions that they can take to help keep their back and spine healthy.

One such initiative has been developed by our chiropractor, Arif Soomro. The Back Story programme has been developed by Arif to help people at different ages to be healthy and to counter balance the effects that modern day living in particular are having on us. By selecting your age group, you will find out about your body, the food and nutrients and exercise that will be beneficial for you at this age.

If you are currently suffering back pain then our chiropractors recommend that if you have been experiencing the pain for some time that you seek professional advice.

Chiropractic is a gentle, safe and effective treatment for many types of back pain. Low back pain is one of the most common conditions our team of experienced chiropractors treat.

If you would like to book an appointment you can call us on 01702 430 430.

 

 

Backcare Awareness Week 2018 Focuses On Back Pain In Older Adults

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back care advice for older people from our chiropractor in southendBackcare Awareness Week is on the second week of October (8th – 12) and this year the focus is on back pain in older adults.

Back pain is one of the major disabling health conditions among older adults aged 60 years and older. Many causes of lower back pain are age-related with physical and psychosocial changes. There is a distinct lack of awareness, especially in older adults to the causes and effects of back pain and pain management. This year’s Back Awareness week wants to shine a light on the subject.

Existing evidence suggests that prevalence rates of severe and chronic low back pain increase with older age. As compared to working-age adults, older adults are more likely to develop lower back pain like osteoporotic vertebral fractures, tumors, spinal infection, and lumbar spinal stenosis. NCBI (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Here at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic we are committed to helping people to live a pain free, full and active life whatever their age. Our founder, Arif Soomro, specifically developed a programme called The Back Story to help people learn more about what’s happening to their body throughout their lives and how they can increase their energy levels, strength and flexibility.

The programme is simple to use and by clicking on an age group your can learn about your body at this age, the food and nutrients that are best for it and the kinds of exercises that are best suited for the age group.

Following this progamme and making a few lifestyle changes today, and sustaining them, can give you benefits that last a lifetime.

Remember you don’t have to be perfect, you just need to start and apply!

If you are currently suffering back pain then our experienced team of chiropractors are here to help. Acute, chronic and general low back pain responds well to chiropractic treatment. Official government guidelines from the NICE and guidelines from the Royal College of General Practitioners suggest the early referral for manipulative treatment, such as chiropractic is the most effective way of dealing with acute and chronic low back pain.

You can call us on 01702 430 430 to book an appointment with one of our chiropractors in Southend.

Back Safe Baking …

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baking back care advice from our southend chiropractorIt’s that time of year again, baking mania has hit our shores as The Great British Bake Off is underway on out TV screens. Paul, Prue, Sandie and Noel are back in the tent along with contestants eager to showcase their baking talents. So far the contestants seem like a talented lot as Paul is handing out what seems like way more handshakes than usual.

Sales of baking tools and supplies surge at the start of each series as bakers eagerly await the start of the contest. And why not as baking can be so much fun and is something that all the family can get involved in.

Whether your new to baking or a seasoned hand our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Clinic in Southend want to make sure you keep your back safe when baking. Following some simple pieces of advice can often be the difference between a pain free back and a visit to our clinic!

Bakers and chefs can find themselves standing for hours at their kitchen counter tops so it may not come as a surprise that their counter tops can often be the cause of back pain that they experience. A counter top that is too high can really cause your back problems as you have to stoop over it. If your counter top is too high then spread you feet as wide as is necessary so that the surface is the right height for you. You may also want to use a chopping board of the right thickness to bring the work surface up to the right height for you.

Baking can involve quite  bit of lifting, bending and carrying.  It’s important to do these in a back safe way! You don’t want to know how many patients we have treated over the years who have bent over to pick something up and have ended up in pain!

When lifting, bend at the knees and keep a straight back.Bending over from your back is never a good idea.

When carrying an object, face the direction you are going to go in. Avoid twisting whenever you are lifting  or carrying an object.

Take regular breaks and do some simple stretches.

Keep your back ‘bake safe’ and happy baking.

If you are suffering back aches and pains our experienced chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic are here to help. Call us on 01702 430 430 to arrange an appointment.

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