It’s The Month for Romance. But Do You Really Love Your Back?

It may be the month for love and romance but how much do you cherish your back? If you’re like a large chunk of the population, then the answer is likely to be “not enough”. According to our leading Southend chiropractor, not enough people take the appropriate measures to look after their spinal health – and chronic pain and discomfort is often the result.

Our trusted chiropractor in Southend has put together three simple-to-implement tips so that you can give your back the TLC it truly deserves (it is an incredible mechanism, after all!):

1: Get Your Posture Sorted
Don’t slump in your chair, don’t hunch over your desk and avoid walking or standing with those rounded shoulders. Maintaining a good posture is possibly the simplest way to achieve a healthy back and avoid developing long-term painful back conditions.

2: Get Moving
Exercise is one of the best ways you can strengthen your back muscles with walking, swimming and cycling being the most effective.

3: Get a Good Mattress
Visit a reputable mattress shop and get professionally advice on whether your mattress provides the right support for your weight and build and any back condition you have.

To book an appointment with our award winning team of chiropractors, contact Cliffs Chiropractor in Southend on 01702 430430.

How to Ease Your Pain with the Power of Your Brain. Advice From Our Leading Southend Chiropractor

managing chroninc pain advice from cliffs chiropractor southendIf you suffer from chronic pain, you will know the frustration that can occur on a daily basis. For some patients, chronic pain can arouse even stronger emotional reactions such as anxiety and fear. According to our leading chiropractor in Southend, chronic pain is highly influenced by the way in which an individual’s brain processes pain signals. This means that to a certain extent, the brain has the ability to manage and even decrease pain through breathing, focusing and imagery techniques, which can be used alongside chiropractic and other treatments.

Our award winning Southend chiropractor highlights some effective ways to train your brain to manage your pain:

1: The Breathing and Relaxation Technique

  • Make sure you are completely comfortable and relaxed in a place where you know you won’t be disturbed. Ideally, place yourself in a reclining position in a dark room. Either close your eyes or focus on a single point only.
  • Slow down your breathing by inhaling deeply and slowly through your nose while counting to ten. Then purse your lips and breathe out slowly through your mouth. Again, count to ten.

2: The Altered Focus Technique

Whilst in the relaxed position and breathing as mentioned in the point above, try to focus your attention on a specific part of your body that doesn’t cause you any pain. Then imagine altering the sensation in that area. If you’re focusing on your hand, for example, imagine it becoming warmer and warmer. This powerful technique will help take your mind away from the source of pain.

3: The Transfer of Sensation Technique

If you can use your mind to create sensations in a non-painful part of the body, then you can try transferring that sensation to the source of pain. For example, you can use your mind to create pleasant sensations in a non-painful hand, then place that hand on the source of pain. As you do so, imagine transferring the pleasant sensation onto the area that’s causing you pain.

4: The Pain Movement Technique

Use your mind to imagine moving your pain from one area of your body to a place where you think you would be better able to cope with it. If you’re suffering from chronic back pain, for example, “move” the pain to your foot, hand, or even out of your body and into the air. Some people are better able to cope with pain in certain parts of their body than others, so imagine a pain transfer that’s right for you.

There are ways to manage your chronic pain, so don’t suffer in silence.

To book an appointment with our dedicated team of chiropractors, contact Cliffs Chiropractor in Southend on 01702 430430.

“For four years Doctors told me there was nothing wrong with me – Cliffs diagnosed me in Twenty minutes!”

Our team of Chiropractors in Southend regularly see patients who have been living with undiagnosed back conditions for months or even years. Quite often, these patients have made numerous trips to their GPS, only to suffer the agonising frustration of being told “there is nothing wrong” or “there is nothing that can be done.”

Alvin had been suffering from back pain for four years and even though he visited his GP on countless occasions and underwent various examinations, he was told over and over again that nothing was wrong. But when Alvin woke up one Sunday morning in such severe pain that he couldn’t get out of bed, he knew that he had to seek a different opinion.

“I had to phone my boss and tell him that I couldn’t physically get up to make it to work,” said Alvin, who works as a builder and a videographer. “My jobs are extremely physical – one job requires me to carry heavy camera equipment and contort into difficult positions to get those great shots and the other sees me building houses.” You can watch Alvin’s video below.

At Cliffs Chiropractic in Southend, we pride ourselves on our diagnostic skills and after just twenty minutes of examining Alvin, we were able to confirm that he was in fact suffering from a painful bulged disc in his spine. Just like most of our patients who have previously been left undiagnosed, Alvin was instantly relieved to discover the true cause of his restricting back problems.
Now, a month after starting appropriate treatment, Alvin is a different person to the worried, strained and frustrated young man who came to us in agonising pain.

He’s feeling physically great, is back working his two busy jobs and is more upbeat than ever!

When asked what advice he would give to other patients suffering from back pain, Alvin told us this; “If you’re experiencing problems with your back and your Doctor has told you that there’s nothing wrong or there is nothing they can do to help you, go and see a chiropractor! For four years, I was told there was nothing wrong with me and just given painkillers to help me along. Now, after just one month of seeing a chiropractor, I am feeling a lot more alive!”

It’s success stories like Alvin’s that inspire us to keep doing what we’re doing. Seeing a patient smile again is the biggest reward we could ever wish for.

Leading Chiropractor in Southend Backs New 4-Step Plan to End Back Pain

Leading Chiropractor in Southend Backs New 4-Step Plan to End Back PainSuffering from chronic back pain or discomfort can make you feel like you’re in an incredibly lonely place. The things you used to enjoy doing may now have become daunting challenges; leaving you in a daily cycle of agony, monotony and frustration.

But you are not alone; as 2.5 million people in the UK complain of severe daily back pain!

These are 2.5 million people who could end their agony in four simple steps, according to the British Chiropractic Association.

And it’s got a lot to do with sitting correctly.

The Office for National ­Statistics have recently revealed that neck, back and muscle conditions were responsible for thirty-one million days of work being lost last year alone.* But could this really be linked to sitting down for too long?

Our award winning Southend chiropractor believes so; and research suggests the same.

Dubbed as the “new smoking” and the UK’s “sedentary epidemic”; sitting puts twice as much pressure on the spine than standing. And sitting for more than four hours at a time is being directly linked to conditions such as cancer, diabetes and dementia.

In an age where millions of people are needlessly suffering – many of these under 30 – there has never been a more crucial time to make a stand against back pain!

As a renowned chiropractor in Southend, we treat back pain sufferers on a daily basis and we work collaboratively with each of our patients to educate them on the importance of sitting in a safe position. While our modern sedentary lifestyles mean we regularly sit for up to ten hours a day, small changes can make a big difference to our spinal health.

Our leading Southend chiropractors believe that following these four simple daily steps could eliminate back pain for massive amounts of people:

1: Sit up straight – at home, in work and while you’re in the car.

2: If you use a desktop computer, adjust the screen so that the top of it is level with your eyebrows and tilt your chair forward slightly.

3: Stretch, change position and move from your chair every 20-30 minutes.

4: Stay hydrated by replacing caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee for water.

A worrying 86% of people recently surveyed by the British Chiropractor Association were either currently experiencing some sort of neck or back pain or had in the past.

As a Southend chiropractor dedicated to patient education, we believe that simple and practical advice can significantly help to bring this number down.

To book an appointment with our dedicated team of experts contact us today on 01702 430430.

*Based on new research from the British Chiropractic Association.

Did you see Arif in the newspaper?

Arif at Cliffs Chiropractor SouthendArif recently appeared in the Colchester Gazette and Southend Basildon Echo. As a trained paediatric chiropractor, Arif is a leading spokesperson in the UK for children’s backcare.

In this article Arif outlines the challenges that our children increasingly face in keeping their backs and bodies healthy and advocates that parents should set a good posture example. So sit up straight everyone! You can read the entire backcare article here.

“Parents are always telling their children to sit or stand straight, but do they look at their own postures in the mirror? Back care in children should
be habit like brushing your teeth, seeing the dentist or opthalmologist.” says Arif.

Arif goes on to warn “Back pain is not just about posture, either. If you sit in a slumped way you are compressing your lungs, your heart needs to work harder to get blood and oxygen around the body and your brain needs oxygen to work. If children are slumped it affects their learning.”

Read the entire backcare article here.

If you are worried about your child’s posture and back or you may even be concerned about your own posture and back then don’t hesitate to get in touch with Arif and the team at Cliffs. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

Bake off is back so mind your back in the kitchen with these tips from a leading chiropractor in Southend.

That’s right, the Great British Bake off is back and aren’t we all just chuffed about it. The show has become a TV giant and every year it excites and inspires millions of us to get into the kitchen and start baking.

As experienced chiropractors in Southend we encourage people to take up new activities, however, as any professional, amateur or first time baker will tell you, baking can be a physically demanding activity.

Whether you’re baking bread, cakes or some amazing ‘showstopper’ you’re in for a mini workout. It’s part of the fun but we do want you to be careful and look after your back at all times.

Tips on keeping your back safe when baking

Here are our tips to follow to keep your back safe if you’re planning some baking time:
• Ensure the counter you’re working on is set up at the right height. If it’s too low you end up stooping over and if it’s too high, you’ll end up over stretching. Either way you’ll end up you run the risk of putting strain on your back.
• When you need to lift the heavy baking trays in and out of the oven or if you need to lift anything heavy in and out of the kitchen cupboards make sure you do so with a relaxed, straight back and keep your legs a hips width apart and your knees bent.
• When you are carrying any weight then always face the direction you want to go to in order to avoid twisting your back.
• Take regular breaks and don’t overstrain your back. If you can feel it getting tight or feel a bit of pain, just take a short break and recover before getting back into it.

There you have it, enjoy the Great British Bake Off and enjoy your baking and stay safe from our team at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend.

It’s not just sunburn that can hurt your back this summer suggests Cliffs Chiropractor Southend

Whilst most people have learnt that slapping on the suntan lotion is a good thing to do before spending time lounging in the sun, most people are unaware of the impact that lying or sitting for long periods can have on their back.

If you’re planning some R&R in the sun this summer, here are our top tips to keep your back safe:

• Take a break from sitting or lying every 20 – 30 minutes. Stand up and move around – include a few simple stretches too.
• If you’re planning on reading on your lounger, put your book/ipad/kindle on the floor and read over the edge of the lounger. Placing a small pillow under your lower abdomen will help you avoid arching your back and neck upwards and causing unnecessary strain. You may want to consider listening to audio books!
• Keep hydrated and drink plenty of water
• If you do decide to get active and play some outdoor games remember to warm up before getting too strenuous!

Why not incorporate a great and simple exercise programme into your daily routine that will improve your posture and help reduce the risk of back pain. The Straighten Up UK  programme put together by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) for all ages.

If you are suffering from back or neck pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

30+ and male – watch your back advises Cliffs Chiropractor Southend

Consumer research undertaken by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) earlier this year revealed that many men will start to experience back pain at around 37!

The BCA findings have also found that 82% of men in the UK expressed that they have or have suffered back and neck pain. This number has risen from 75% a year ago.*

Almost half (47%)of men claimed that moving heavy objects is a top trigger for causing back and neck pain, 41% admitted they do nothing to proactively care for their backs.

The impact of back and neck pain

As an experienced team of chiropractors in Southend, we see first-hand the impact that back and neck pain has on our patients’ lives. It can be significant from affecting their ability to work, lifestyle and overall health

How can you protect your back and neck?

We are passionate about helping people be pain free here at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend and we have included basic advice to help you keep your back and neck safe when performing the most common problematic activities.

Lifting & Lowering:
When lifting a heavy object, or even your kids, remember to bend your knees. Avoid bending from your waist as this increases the stress on your lower back.
Putting an object down can often lead to as many problems as lifting. Whenever possible put objects down onto a surface at waist height rather than on the floor.

Carrying:
To reduce the strain on your back and neck keep objects you are carrying as close to your body as possible.

Sitting:
Whether you’re sitting on the sofa watching TV, using your laptop or sitting at your desk, being mindful of the way you’re sitting is really important. Always make sure you are sitting comfortably with good back support at the base of the chair. Check your head position – your head needs to be directly over your body to reduce the strain on your neck and back.

Finally, it is important to keep active. Move around and changing position every 20 to 30 minutes. Taking regular exercise can be beneficial but you want to be mindful of the exercise you are taking and ease yourself in gradually to any new form of activity. Remember that high endurance based activities can put your body under huge amounts of stress.

If you are suffering from back or neck pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.
* Consumer research conducted 07.01.2015 to 20.01.2015 on behalf of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA). Sample – 2,127 UK adults of which 908 were men between the ages of 16 and 55+. 2014 figure taken from the BCA’s 2014 consumer research of a sample of 956 men.

Do you have an angry, crying baby? Craniopathy for babies at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend could help you

Here at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend we treat patients of all ages. A lot of people, have been surprised by the number of babies, pregnant ladies and children that attend the clinic.

Arif, one of our chiropractors is a Fellow of the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association and Member of the Royal College of Chiropractic Paediatric Faculty. Craniopathy for babies is also a specialty of Arif’s.

Giving birth can sometimes alter the shape of the baby’s head and can make breathing quite hard for the baby. By gently using hands and fingers to correct distortions and compressions to a baby’s cranium, spine and pelvis it is possible to alter the shape of the head, normalise neural function and restore a child to a peaceful, happy and healthy state. Improvements can be noticed in just a few days. Above all these are very safe procedures and highly preferable to medication.

Jack is only 10 weeks old and has only slept for 40 minutes at a time. When awake he cries with a high pitch and his mother describes him as ‘angry’.  After two treatments in 5 days he slept for 5 hours. He was in pain following a traumatic birth and a plate strain to his skull. We can only guess how bad his headache was. It is important to remember babies do feel pain and don’t need drugs to mask it. They need non-invasive effective treatment that treats the cause not the symptoms.

Watch this Youtube clip to hear more about Jack’s story:

If you have a distressed baby or would like to know more about craniopathy for babies then please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

Do you have a distressed baby? Cliffs Chiropractor may be able to help

Many of you have been surprised by the number of pregnant ladies, babies and young children that attend the clinic. Many of you have also been surprised that we offer craniopathy as a treatment for babies.

Arif one of our Chiropractors at the clinic is a Fellow of the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association and Member of the Royal College of Chiropractic Paediatric Faculty. Arif also treats babies by using craniopathy.

Giving birth can sometimes atler the shape of the baby’s head and can make breathing quite hard for the baby. By gently using hands and fingers to correct distortions and compressions to a baby’s cranium, spine and pelvis it is possible to alter the shape of the head, normalise neural function and restore a child to a peaceful, happy and healthy state. Improvements can be noticed in just a few days. Above all craniopathy is a very safe procedure and is highly preferable to any medication available.

Here is Matilda’s story and how she was treated with craniopathy:

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.