More Americans are looking beyond Western medicine to help relieve their back, neck, and spinal joint pain, including osteoarthritis of the backbone. In this specific article, we discuss Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), which is also called Complementary and Integrative Medicine.
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Interchangeable Terms
When an option (not mainstream) practice is combined with standard (mainstream) medicine, it�s called �complemental� or �integrative� health care. It�s called �alternative.� when it�s used in place of traditional medicine Nevertheless, these terms are frequently used interchangeably.
Complementary Alternative/Integrative Treatments
Although treatments might be combined you will find five general types of CAM therapies.
1. Alternative Medical Systems
Naturopathic or naturopathy medical care may include water therapy, massage, and herbal drugs.
2. Head-Body Techniques
Head-body techniques may help a patient with back or neck pain to utilize their head to change or restrain their symptoms in a way that is positive, therefore reducing pain.
3. Biologically-Based Therapies
Biologically-based treatments feature nature-based substances such as botanicals and dietary supplements to ease pain. Natural substances contain ginseng, ginkgo, fish oil, or Echinacea and could be obtainable in different kinds, including a tea, aromatherapy oils, syrup, powder, pill, or capsule.
4. Body-Based Practices
Body-established practices include different types of massage, body alignment techniques, osteopathic manipulation and chiropractic.
5. Energy Therapies
Energy therapies unblock energy fields or may help shift. Qi gong (eg, breathing techniques), Reiki (eg, stress reduction/relaxation), and magnets are treatments based on transferring energy.
Is Alternative, Complementary Or Integrative Therapy Right For You?
To assist you decide, look at the next points.
If insurance coverage is essential to you, be sure to consult your health insurance provider before you select a CAM treatment to make certain the professional is insured.
Learn as much as you can about the alternate treatment you’re enthusiastic about.
Take into account that although a complementary alternative treatment may be popular, that doesn�t make it correct for you personally.
Unlike mainstream medical care and procedures, some (if not most) alternative therapies are not scientifically validated by clinical trials and/or research studies. The amount of human players is frequently little, while there may be studies supporting a particular practice.
Simply because a material is natural doesn�t mean it can�t damage you, cause illness or allergic reaction, or a serious interaction with a drug. For instance, blood pressure can be raised by ginseng.
Always tell your treating physician about all of the herbs, vitamins and nutritional supplements (in any kind) that you take, particularly if you’re scheduled to get a neck or back process (eg, spinal injection, operation).
Select your alternative therapy professional with all precisely the same attention and concern you would for pain management specialist or a back surgery.
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Sources:
Rosenzweig S. Overview of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Merck Manual. Consumer Version.� www.merckmanuals.com/home/special-subjects/complementary-and-alternative-medicine-cam/overview-of-complementary-and-alternative-medicine.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What�s In a Name? March 2015. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/integrative-health.
Complementary and alternative medicine, abbreviated as CAM, is described as a variety of healing medicines and practices which are available outside of conventional treatments. CAM practices are believed to provide a much more natural and holistic treatment approach for the wide array of injuries and conditions that exist today. In fact, back pain is one of the most common complaint people turn to complementary and alternative medicine.
Many individuals have found relief from their spinal complications through the use of complementary and alternative medicine practices.
Complementary and alternative medicine therapies and practices can be utilized on their own to treat back pain as well as other symptoms or these can be combined with conventional medicine. As with any new form of treatment however, it’s essential for the individual to thoroughly discuss the variety of CAM therapies that are available to them with a healthcare professional and determine which of the following would be best for their specific issue.
Common CAM, or complementary and alternative medicine, approaches for back pain include:
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine and it is commonly utilized to treat a variety of painful conditions and their symptoms. This practice involves the insertion of very thin needles into specific pressure points on the body, ultimately helping to relieve pain and other symptoms. A current research study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, demonstrated that acupuncture can be an effective method for treating chronic pain. The utilization of acupuncture as a form of complementary and alternative treatment has long been controversial where some individuals believe it to be nothing more than a placebo and that patients experience pain relief only because they wish to experience relief. However, the NCCAM study provides evidence that acupuncture is an effective form of treatment.
Stretching and yoga: Yoga combines stretching exercises with breathing techniques and mindful awareness to help focus on the area causing the painful symptoms. Physical activity can help improve strength, flexibility and mobility while improving back pain.
Chiropractic care: Although it is considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine, chiropractic care requires a license for practice in all states. Moreover, chiropractors, or doctors of chiropractic, cannot prescribe medications but they can diagnose and treat back pain using chiropractic techniques and methods, such as spinal adjustments and manual manipulations. Chiropractors may also recommend a series of stretches and exercises according to the patient’s type of injury and/or condition and depending on the severity of their symptoms, to further help treat the individual’s back pain as well as speed up the recovery process.
Massage therapy: A 2011 study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, found that massage therapy can provide short-term benefits for individuals with back pain. When visiting a massage therapist, make sure to inform them about your specific symptoms in order for them to provide you with special treatment.
Herbal medicines: Herbal medications are available as capsules, tablets, teas and essential oils. Remember that herbs can interact with each other and with conventional medications, so be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any herbal remedies you plan to take.
Many people can often find it difficult to know which type of complementary and alternative medicine practice they should begin with, especially for a common complication such as back pain. Make sure to research all CAM specialists carefully, searching specifically for licensed practitioners, and be sure to ask your healthcare specialist for trustworthy recommendations of each. Your health depends on it.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
You get up with it. You go to sleep with it. An incredible number of men and women live with chronic back or neck pain every day. What’s chronic pain? It is technically defined as pain that lasts for 12 weeks or more�even after pain isn’t any longer acute (short-term, serious pain) or the injury has healed.
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Accurate Analysis
Getting an exact identification of the reason for neck pain or your back is vital to the outcome of your treatment plan. Depending on the severity and cause of your pain that is chronic, you might need to find out different specialists in addition to your own primary care physician�pain medicine specialist, orthopaedic spine surgeon, neurosurgeon, physiatrist, rheumatologist, physical therapist among others. Over time your chronic pain need to be reevaluated, and may transform, which might affect the way it is handled.
Your chronic back or neck pain treatment generally features a variety of treatments to maximize results that are great. A number of the treatments your doctor prescribes and recommends may include:
Physical Therapy:
Extending and strengthening muscles is vital in the treatment of neck pain or chronic back.
Chiropractic Care:
Depending on your own diagnosis, chiropractic care may be recommended by your doctor. Studies have demonstrated that two weeks of day-to-day exploitation by a chiropractor can result in considerable progress in a few patients with persistent low back pain and referred leg pain.
Medicines:
There are lots of different prescription medications to take care of neuropathic pain, inflammation, muscle spasms, and pain. Additionally, you will find drugs to treat conditions that often accompany chronic pain, including drugs that will help you sleep, alleviate depression, and reduce nervousness.
Processes:
Your doctor may recommend a spinal cord stimulator, spinal injections, drug heart, or spine surgery. You can get a second opinion, in the event you might be uncertain about the treatment plan recommended.
Coping skills:
Never underestimate the power of your head. Your mood and mental perspective can greatly make an impact on your level of pain. Talk with a trained specialist to understand relaxation and coping skills.
Complementary Treatments:
Many physicians recommend acupuncture and other types of traditional Chinese medicine. Speak to your doctor about these choices.
A couple of words about …. age, fitness, body weight
You probably involve some control over body weight and your level of fitness, although you can�t stop aging or its effects. While you can�t stop the clock on the cellular changes that are recognized to accompany aging�such as loss of muscle mass and bone density �you can take little steps today to build a more stronger�you tomorrow.
It�s understood that patients with chronic back or neck pain may not feel like being active, going to the gym and even adhering to a home exercise program. Yet, being active can help chronic pain because during exercise your body releases endorphins�your body�s natural painkiller.
Moreover, by teaming up together with and/or your physician physical therapist you can start to build abdominal muscles that are strong �essential to your own body�s center strength which helps support your back.
Did you know that by simply losing even 5 to 10 pounds you can reduce back pain? It�s true. Carrying around extra weight translates to added stress to the low back that may exacerbate pain.
Conclusion
In many instances, aggressive and early treatment of chronic back or neck pain can make a life-changing difference. But remember that knowledge is power: Be certain you comprehend your alternatives before deciding which route to take.
Viewers can�t get enough of the informative clip that sees a chiropractor helping a patient suffering from lower back pain.�Dr Jeffrey Gerdes of the ChiroCare and Rehab centre based in North Carolina, US, talks his way through the demonstrationHis patent tells him: �I�m getting excruciating pains in my back and they�re very instant and they�re immobilising.�It�s so excruciating that I have to stop for a second and re-coup so I�m not sure what�s happening.� The doctor asks her to lie on her side and gently cracks her back.
CRACKING:
But the sound that emerges leaves him stunned. �Wow, gosh that was loud,� Dr Jeffrey says.Viewers can�t get enough of the footage, with more than 876,000 people watching the clip on the chiropractor�s YouTube channel.But many seem to have been distracted more by the stunner getting treatment than the actual techniques involved.�Well, did anyone else manage to take any of that in?� one viewer said.
Walk into any�HIIT�class or CrossFit box and chances are you�ll be asked to do a variation of a plyometric jump. Box jumps, frog leaps and tuck jumps help you improve your�VO2 max�(speed), flexibility and�range of motion. But that�s not all. Their explosive power works your entire body, while getting your heart rate up.
Kat Ellis, head trainer and instructor at�Uplift Studios�in New York City, says, �Plyometrics are a mix of stability and strength, and create a strong foundation for doing explosive�weightlifting�moves like the�clean and jerk�and�snatch.�
But if you�re not nailing down the form of these moves properly, you can risk injuring yourself and cause strain on your joints. That�s where tempo training comes in. Modulating movement based around a tempo allows the body to activate fast twitch muscle fibers and to learn to distinguish the difference between speed and power, Ellis explains. �The body finds a moment of explosive activation. For example if you�re doing a�push-up, concentrate on lowering the chest down for three seconds and pushing back up to a plank in one. The tempo, is 3-2-1, push.�
Plyometrics help develop�core strength�and joint stability, too. �Tempo training forces you to slow things down. You�re regressing the exercise to make sure your whole body is truly engaged,� Ellis explains.
According to the�National Academy of Sports Medicine, plyometrics are broken down into three phases: the eccentric phase, the amortization phase and the concentric phase. Take the box jump, for instance. The eccentric phase is when you�re in a half-squat position with your knees bent. When you drive from your heels to jump, that�s the amortization phase. The concentric phase is when you finally land on the box and release the energy and tension in your muscles. With that said, take Ellis�s lead, as she breaks down these three popular jumps.
Progression 1 How to:�Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-distance apart with your toes slightly turned out to the sides. Raise your arms at your sides with your hands overhead and palms facing forward (a). Sit into a deep sumo squat with your butt back and down so your weight is evenly distributed from your arches to your heels (b). Press up from the squat and lift your right leg up to hip height, bending your right knee (c). At the same time, engage your right oblique muscles so you bring your right thigh towards your right elbow (d). Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side. Alternate for five reps on each side.
Progression 2 How to:�Sit back into a deep sump squat position with your hands overhead together and palms facing forward (a). Driving from your heels, jump up, bending your knees so your thighs touch or brush up against your thighs (b). Land softly into a sumo squat before jumping again (c). Do five to eight reps.
Progression 1 How to:�Stand with your feet hip-distance apart with your toes facing forward (a). Sit into a squat with your arms at your sides raised to shoulder height, palms facing each other (b). As you stand up from the squat, lift your right leg to hip height with your right knee bent (c). At the same time, place one palm on top of the other to meet your right knee. Repeat on the left side (d). Alternate for five reps on each side.
Progression 2 How to:�Start in a squat position with your arms at shoulder height and palms facing each other (a). Jump up as high as you can, driving your knees towards your chest, almost touching the palms of your hands (b). Re-extend your legs to land softly on the ground (c). Do five to eight reps.
Progression 1 How to:�Stand behind a box or step with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees (a). Step one foot at a time onto the box, keeping the slight bend in your knees, and then step back down one foot at a time (b). Do five reps.
Progression 2 How to:�Stand behind a box with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees (a). Jump onto the box with both feet, landing with your knees slightly bent (b). Jump back down and repeat for five to eight reps. Note: If you�re doing this move in a CrossFit WOD, standard technique is to straighten your legs at the top of the box, standing tall, before hopping or stepping back down.
GIFs: Tiffany Ayuda / Life by Daily Burn
This article originally appeared on DailyBurn.com.
(HealthDay News) — Blood tests to diagnose and monitor rheumatoid arthritis may be thrown off by obesity in women, a new study suggests.
“Physicians might assume that high levels of inflammation mean that a patient has rheumatoid arthritis or that their rheumatoid arthritis requires more treatment, when in fact a mild increase in levels of inflammation could be due to obesity instead,” explained study author Dr. Michael George, who’s with the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia.
Blood tests for C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) can help physicians check the severity of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients, the researchers said.
Previous studies have suggested that obese women may normally have higher CRP and ESR levels. So, the authors of this study decided to take a closer look at the issue.
The study included information from more than 2,100 people with rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers then compared that information to data from the general population.
A higher body mass index (BMI — an estimate of body fat based on weight and height) was associated with greater CRP in women with rheumatoid arthritis and women in the general population, especially in severely obese women. There was also a modest association between obesity and ESR.
Conversely, in men with rheumatoid arthritis, a lower BMI was associated with greater CRP and ESR.
The findings may help improve understanding of the link between weight and inflammation. It may also help doctors learn more about how this relationship differs between women and men, the study authors added.
The findings were published April 10 in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.
“Our results suggest that obesity may lead to increased levels of CRP and ESR in women with rheumatoid arthritis,” George said in a journal news release.
“The increase in these levels of inflammation was not because rheumatoid arthritis was worse in these women,” he said.
“In fact, we found that obesity leads to very similar increases in these lab tests even in women without rheumatoid arthritis,” he added.
Doctors should be careful when interpreting the results of these lab tests since both rheumatoid arthritis and obesity can contribute to inflammation levels, George said.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (JCCP) is the official peer-reviewed journal of the ICA Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics. It is committed to publishing research, scientific and professional papers, literature reviews, case reports and clinical commentaries for chiropractors and other health care professionals interested in the treatment of the pregnant, postpartum and pediatric patient. Through the publication of these papers and the dissemination of this information, the JCCP seeks to encourage professional dialogue and awareness about chiropractic pediatric care to help enhance patient care and improve patient outcomes.
Editors: Sharon A. Vallone, DC., DICCP., Cheryl Hawk, DC, PhD.
We are hopeful that this venue will provide field clinicians interested in maternal health and pediatric chiropractic with current research, case reports and clinical commentary that they will find both useful and informative. �We invite you to submit your own research or scientific writing for consideration for publication in this journal.
Some people who rely on fitness trackers to see how hard they work out may want to rethink this approach, according to a small study that suggests the increasingly popular devices may get more accurate heart rate readings when users are at rest than during exercise.
The study tested four popular wristbands, each of which has a light-emitting diode (LED) that measures heart rate from tiny changes in skin blood volumes by using light reflected from the skin.
Participants in the study – 40 healthy adults – wore two trackers on each wrist and compared resting and exercise heart rate readings on the devices to the gold standard used by doctors: an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) test.
At rest, the Fitbit Surge got heart rate measurements that most closely matched the ECG results, and the Basis Peak was furthest off. In tests that also included the Fitbit Charge and Mio Fuse, none of the trackers got exercise heart rate readings that came close to the ECG.
These results suggest that while the trackers may help monitor daily activity, it’s not clear the heart rate readouts would be accurate enough to help patients with certain health problems make medical decisions, the authors note in Annals of Internal Medicine.
“At any moment, the tracker could be off by a fair bit, but at most moments, it won’t be,” said lead study author Lisa Cadmus-Bertram of the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
“This is why our paper doesn’t suggest that the commercial trackers we tested would be sufficient for medical applications where high precision is needed during exercise,” Cadmus-Bertram said by email. “Yet for the typical recreational user, they may still provide feedback that’s useful and motivational.”
To assess the accuracy of the trackers, researchers examined heart rate data for participants who were 49 years old on average and slightly overweight.
First, they looked at the amount of agreement between the readings from the trackers and the ECG tests.
When participants were seated, researchers took readings for the trackers and the ECG tests at one-minute intervals for 10 minutes.
The narrowest range of differences between the trackers and the ECG, indicating the most accuracy, was for the Fitbit Surge. The range for this tracker ranged from an underestimation of 5.1 beats per minute to an overestimation of 4.5 beats per minute.
The widest range of difference at rest was for the Basis Peak, which ranged from an underestimation of 17.1 beats per minute to an overestimation of 22.6 beats per minute.
When participants exercised on a treadmill, the ranges were even wider. The Mio Fuse ranged from an underestimation of 22.5 beats per minute to an overestimation of 26 beats per minute, for example, while the Fitbit Charge range from an underestimation of 41 beats per minute to an overestimation of 36 beats per minute.
The study is small, and researchers found only limited repeatability with results for the same participant under the same conditions.
Still, the findings are an important first step in understanding the clinical validity of wrist trackers many patients already use, said Dr. Daniel Cantillon, a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio who wasn’t involved in the study.
“We need data testing these devices among patients with specific disease states, such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation and other chronic medical problems, where it is possible that additional variation will occur with physical activity,” Cantillon said by email.
In particular, patients with the most common heart rhythm disorder, atrial fibrillation, shouldn’t rely on the trackers to detect abnormal rhythms, said Dr. Sumeet Chugh, a researcher at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles who wasn’t involved in the study.
“There is a lot at stake here,” Chugh said by email. “When it comes to the use of wrist-worn trackers, we need to be confident of accuracy comparable to treadmill testing if we are going to use the information for patient care.”
A spokesperson for Fitbit told Reuters Health that Fitbit trackers “are not intended to be medical devices” but instead “to give a more informed picture” of overall health. “Extensive internal studies . . . show that Fitbit’s PurePulse technology performs to industry standard expectations for optical heart rate on the wrist,” the spokesperson said.
Mark Gorelick, Chief Science Officer at Mio Global, said in a statement that the company’s technology “helps consumers understand the intensity of their exercise, based on their personal profile and heart rate data, and empowers them to proactively manage their health and reduce risk of lifestyle-related diseases.”
We started off this week with a BANG! Today is no different. There is no strength work, which means that you should expect a metcon that is a little on the longer side. Have Fun!
-Jon Jon
Metcon:
A) 2 Rounds:
500m Run
15 Clean and Jerks
(RX: 135/95)(Sc: 115/75)
B) 2 Rounds:
500m Row
50 Air Squats
C) 2 Rounds:
1000m BIke
25 KB Swings
(RX: 55/35)(SC: 44/25)
Supplemental Work:
1) Bent Over Rows- 3�10
2) Lat Pull-downs- 3�10
3) DB Bench Press- 3�10
4) Seated DB Shoulder Press- 3�10
Exercise can help with back pain�you’ve probably heard that before. And Pilates tops the list of “helpful for your back” exercises.
This shows 4 Pilates moves to prevent pain. Of course, talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise plan.
Warm-up Your Spine with this Exercise
Cat/Cow
The cat/cow stretch lengthens and strengthens the muscles along your spine.
Start on hands (shoulder-distance apart) and knees (hip-distance apart).
Inhale and look up as you slightly arch your spine. Then exhale, engage your abdominal muscles, and draw your belly button toward your spine as you gaze at your navel. Repeat 5 to 10 times every day.
Chest Lift
Not Your Average Sit-up
The chest lift is similar to a basic crunch. The difference? This move deeply targets your abs.
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat (hip-distance apart). Bring hands behind head with fingertips touching. Elbows are wide open.
Inhale, and then as you exhale, pull belly button toward the spine and lift the shoulders off the ground (leading with chest). Really use your abs to lift�not your neck. Inhale again as you release toward the ground. Repeat 6 to 8 times daily.
Pelvic Curl
A Pose to Help Ease Low Back Pain
Doing this exercise regularly teaches you how to engage your abs to help support and lengthen the low back.
Start by lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat (hip-distance apart).
Arms are straight along the sides of your body and palms are touching the ground. Inhale deeply and engage your abs as you lift your hips off the floor�vertebra by vertebra.
Exhale and roll back down very slowly, engaging core muscles. Link breath with movement. Repeat 3 to 5 times daily.
Child�s Pose
An Easy, Restorative Stretch
This move really stretches tight, sore low back muscles.
From hands and knees, bring hips toward heels, and stretch arms in front of you so palms are touching the ground.
Press forehead gently to the floor and do some deep belly breathing. Bring hands toward the legs to slowly sit up. Repeat 3 times daily.
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