Here is a scenario, you have a muscle spasm in your low back and you are leaning towards one side when you walk. What that ultimately does is putting more weight on one knee when you limp.
Now, muscles adapt to new movements fairly quickly. A week of limping may be enough to allow the knee muscles to work differently and puts different pressure onto the knee joint itself. As time goes by long after your back spasm recovers, you may notice that you get the occasional knee soreness and that might be because your joints and muscles are just used to move in the improper way.
Conversely, if you have a history of multiple ankle injuries and the ligaments are weaker, this may affect the way you walk and in turn, affect your pelvic alignment!
Most chiropractors agree that traditional mattresses should be replaced every 5-10 years. However, choosing an expensive new bed that you will be sleeping on for the next several years can be stressful, especially if you have no idea where to start. To make things more complicated, we acknowledge that there is no single style of mattress that works for everyone.
Valuable tips to help you choose one that works for you! FIRMNESS: We recommend a medium to firm mattress; however, this ultimately comes down to your personal preference. Choose a firmness that keeps your spine in a neutral position. Have someone snap a picture, then assess how you line up in your habitual sleep position. Back sleepers typically prefer a firmer mattress, while side sleepers may desire a little more cushioning.
When in doubt, go with the firmer option – you can always soften a mattress with a topper, but you can never firm up a soft mattress. Spring mattress can help distribute force better if you have a sleep partner. Latex mattresses are not the best for hot sleepers. Or just consider a separately adjustable bed if your sleep partner prefers a different mattress style.
MATTRESS TOPPERS: A topper can help dissipate pressure points on your hips and shoulders, but it is not advisable go too thick with a built-in topper; it will be like fusing a cheap mattress onto your good one. You can always add (or replace) an additional aftermarket topper if needed. If you are considering a coil spring mattress, choose one that you can flip. Built-in mattress toppers usually cannot allow that.
ASSESSMENT: When mattress shopping, wear comfortable clothes and lie down on several beds to see which one feels best. Do not judge something by the first few seconds of comfort. Lay on it for at least 10-15 minutes. Opt for vendor that offers a trial period of up to 60 days or with a reasonable return or exchange policy. However, bear in mind that anything new can be uncomfortable at first. Give a new mattress at least a few break-in nights before you abandon it (it takes 3 weeks to 3 months to get used to a new mattress, so be patient). If you noticed your mattress sags or is more than 7-10 years, that is a sign to change it!
COST: You spend one-third of your life on a mattress, we wouldn’t recommend to skimp on that investment. Conversely, the most expensive is not always the best!
Still unsure about what is out there in the market? Here is a good resource for mattress reviews https://bedbuyer.com.au (even from Chiropractors!)
Been bitten by a mosquito and now suddenly you have a blister likesore? Dont worry you may be suffering from an allergic reaction to the mosquitos saliva! In this blog we will be talking about how, why and what you can do to both prevent and treat this concern.
How Does Skeeter Syndrome Occur?
Skeeter syndrome is simply just an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite. It causes inflammation within the sore creating excess fluid forming a fluid filled blister.
What Are The Signs and Symptoms?
Before your body gets to the stage of blistering you may feel itchy, sore and red around the area where the mosquito as bitten. There is actually no difference apart from when your body reacts to the saliva within the bite. After this occurs inflammation will cause the body to fill the area and Blister!
How Can I Treat Skeeter Syndrome?
Like every other bug bite that may cause a blister like lesion you must for one not pop it! The reason being is that the body will try to repair the skin underneath the lesion that when out in the open becomes susceptible to infection. The best way to ensure you dont end up with an open wound is to gently cover and wash the area. Betadine is also a great disinfectant and can help kill any germs on the outside. Avoid scratching the area and use a cold compress to help with the itching. If swelling persists, redness and pus begins to appear visit your GP as medications may be needed to help treat the infection.
What Happens If The Blister Bursts or Pops?
Not all is lost but now you are left with an open wound! Be sure not to remove the blister as this helps protect the wound underneath and allows it to heal safely. Be sure to use betadine on the sore to help disinfect the area and use a breathable bandage such a cutifilm to help protect the sore. A light bandage will also help to protect the area without restricting breathability. Be sure to change the the film every couple of days and use salt baths to accelerate wound healing!
How Can I Prevent Skeeter Syndrome?
Prevention is simple! Aerogard spray, long sleeve tops and pants help prevent areas of skin exposed to mosquitos. Be careful of sitting in damp areas over summer or lakes as mosquitos are more prominent in these areas.
How Can Chiropractors Help?
Unfortunately for skin irritation and blistering our team of health care professionals are not able to help ease or increase the rate of healing when it comes to these types of concerns. Although if you are suffering from any muscle or joint aches our team could be the right choice to help!
Chiropractors help in many ways not just with regards to aches and pains but also functional goals. Exercise and stretching are components which need to be tailored to the individual to bring out the best in them.
What Else Do Chiropractors Help With Apart From Back or Neck Pain?
Creating a wellness plan in 2024 is simple and easy. Just think about what your goals are and write them down and set yourself a timeframe to complete these all! Remember rushing your goals may cause injury or unwanted stress so make your goals realistic and achievable!
If you are someone who wants to make a difference this new year and wants to get the added benefits of seeing a chiropractor you can call us on 9302 1023 or book online to organise your first appointment!
We offer specialized appointments for pregnancy and paediatrics also with the added benefits of various techniques used during standard appointments to enhance patient care!
Are you someone that has woken up with a sudden neck pain or maybe done an awkward movement at the gym that has caught your neck in an excruciating position? Well thankfully in this blog we will be running through some reasons of why this can occur, ways to help combat this from happening again and how you can eliminate the pain when it does happen!
How Does Neck Pain Occur?
There are many different variables that can cause neck pain. These can include simple things we do from day to day such as sitting or slouching at a desk, to sleeping on the couch or in funny positions in bed. Obviously trauma always plays a part in pain meaning that most contact sports can make you susceptible to not only neck pain but general low back pain.
How To Manage Neck Pain?
Neck pain can be managed in a few ways including stretching and massage therapy. Other natural remedies include heat or warm baths. This can help to ease muscle tension within the region.
How To Stop Neck Pain From Happening?
The easiest way to stop a pain from occurring in any region of the body is to first identify what is the cause!
This can be something as simple as a bad pillow or poor ergonomic seating at work. A quick search on sleeping positions and effective seating for desk jobs can get you sorted out real quick!
How Can A Chiropractor Help?
Chiropractors are a go to specialist when it comes to neck pain. Being that neck pain is a general term it is ideal to be assessed and diagnosed with the underlying issue from the get go. Neck pain can be a cause of muscle tightness or joint restriction and this is something a chiropractor can identify. The goals of a chiropractor may be to use chiropractic adjustments or stretches, including rehabilitative exercises to strengthen any weak muscles.
If you are someone that is currently suffering from sudden neck pain or limited neck mobility, our chiropractors may be able to help get you sorted! We have multiple clinics with both chiropractors and remedial massage therapists available 7 days late!
Melbourne Cup 2023 is here but wait have you bought your winning ticket? The point of this blog isn’t really about the races…. What it is really about is the awkward positions you will be in, the amount of screaming and drinking you will be doing and the after affects of all this and obviously how to better prepare yourself for the Melbourne Cup of 2023!
What To Bring To The Races!
There are many things but obviously slip slop slap! This Tuesday on the 7th of November we will be hitting a scorching 29 degrees in Melbourne. This is great weather for the cup but we have to make sure we are wearing sunglasses, hats and of course a nice outfit to fit into the crowd of horse racing! Sunscreen is the number one thing to remember this Tuesday and lets be honest finding a great spot to sit and protect yourself from not only the harsh weather but save yourself from a bad back the next morning is a must!
What Will Be The Aftermath Of The Races?
This is all dependant on whether or not you took care of yourself on the day! It is not uncommon for allied health professionals to get an urgent call the next day for sore back and especially falls from poor drinking decisions. Safeguard yourself and monitor not only your alcohol consumption but also look after your mates on the day of the races!
How Can Chiropractors Help?
For once this is just an accident waiting to happen kind of scenario. Our chiropractors work on musculoskeletal injuries hence why the Melbourne Cup is a great day for our team of specialists. No matter how bad the problem is our chiropractors or remedial massage therapists will be able to walk you through various treatment options and assess your physical wellbeing. If X-rays are required… which hopefully would not be needed they can be taken externally through a referral from us!
If you are someone that finds themselves in a bit of strife either on Melbourne Cup Day or the day after our team of chiropractors will be available across our locations in Melbourne. Give our team a call on 9302 1023 or book online to find a time that suits you best!
Improving posture is not an easy task hence why a majority of patients see chiropractors to help decrease unwanted curvature throughout the spine. Usually when a spinal joint has been restricted in a position for a prolonged period of time it can cause the body to automate it’s function and create change to the region affected. This change can cause pain, limited movement and postural distortions. Unfortunately it is not as easy to fix as joining a gym and pumping some weights and in this blog we will explain why and how we can make these changes for the better!
Why Doesn’t Exercise Change Posture?
Have you ever seen a hunchback at the gym? Look around, guaranteed there will be a beefed up individual with a slump like posture and this can be due to the fact of spinal joint restrictions throughout the spine. Yes, working the muscles strengthens the surrounding area although muscles are only one part of the problem! Majority of the patients that come in have very little drive to start gym routines and lift weights and hence why chiropractic care can be beneficial with prescribed therapies and recommendations to make change!
How Can We Make Changes To Posture?
The biggest way of making change is to locate the restricted joints in the spine and either seeking professional help to mobilise the area or you can part take in stretching and mobility training such as yoga and Pilates.
How Can Chiropractors Help With Posture?
A chiropractor can help with posture by using adjustments in specific joints to help remobilise them almost instantly. With the help of spinal adjustments and mobility exercises, posture is able to improve as a whole. To figure out how bad posture is both a posture scan and X-Ray will be taken if necessary to see how bad the degeneration is aswell as any other anomalies unseen from the naked eye.
If you are someone that is suffering from a hunch back or other postural deficit, reach out to one of our chiropractic specialists at The Melbourne Chiropractor and lets help correct and stabilize your spine again!
Meralgia paresthetica is a sensations of numbness and tingling after pressure from either a belt around the waist or long periods of sitting. At times this can cause nerve irritation and in turn cause these sensations to be long lasting needing treatment to help alleviate the symptoms. Meralgia paresthetica can also be easily misdiagnosed as it is something that can be closely related to more severe cases of sciatic nerve pain / disc bulges.
Reasons for diagnosis:
Complaint of numbness and tingling in the lateral thigh
Restricted hip and thigh range of motion after wearing a tight belt / trousers or having heavy pockets
Aggravated “like” pain when lateral thigh is compressed
Affected ADL’s and/or decrease concentration due to pain
Factors that could be contributing to the problem:
Trauma
Overuse of gluteal muscles or erector spinae
Obesity
Tight or heavy belt pockets
Long periods of sitting
Therapies For Meralgia Parasthetica
Advice on daily living activities/diet – This enables advice on how to change to make healthy actions into habits and may offer a valuable alternative with potential for long-term impact.
Spinal manipulation/activator/drop piece techniques – adjustive techniques have been shown to decrease pain and increase range of motion.
Trigger point therapy/handheld massager – have shown to decrease pain/tenderness, enhance both range of motion and quality of life and influence flexibility.
Prescribed stretching – Stretching has shown to reduce pain, improve functionality and overall wellbeing in patients in both long- and short-term outcomes.
Prescribed exercises – produce more beneficial outcomes in terms of increased strength, improved function and reduced pain scores.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a pain in the wrist and hand that aggravates both grappling and holding positions involving the affected hand.
Localized pain at the wrist with numbness and/or tingling
Aggravated by movements involving the wrist in flexion
Due to trauma or overuse on the affected side causing possible weakness and clumsiness when gripping objects
Affected ADL’s and/or decrease concentration due to pain
What will be done during these visits –
Physical examination upon consult including an assessment of finger and thumb range of motion
Pain scales/questionnaires to be done on the 1st visit and reviewed after the end of the 4 treatments
Advice on daily living activities/diet/general exercise/Ice protocol (if inflammation present)
Trigger point therapy and/or Handheld Massage Device to hypertonic muscles
PIR stretching to hand and forearm musculature (depending on pain tolerance)
Activator and/or spinal manipulation techniques to other areas that may be problematic (depending on many varying factors)
Reasoning behind therapies/assessments –
Physical examinations/assessments – These are all done as a precaution so that misdiagnosis does not occur. This also allows for better treatment outcomes which can be lifesaving.
Pain scales/questionnaires – these screening tools are used to support the diagnosis of neuropathic/mechanical pain and are crucial for both effective management and to reduce the risks of chronicity.
Advice on daily living activities/diet – This enables advice on how to change to make healthy actions into habits and may offer a valuable alternative with potential for long-term impact.
Trigger point therapy/handheld massager – have shown to decrease pain/tenderness, enhance both range of motion and quality of life and influence flexibility.
PNF/PIR/prescribed stretching – Stretching has been shown to reduce pain and improving functionality and overall wellbeing in patients in both long- and short-term outcomes.
Prescribed exercises – produce more beneficial outcomes in terms of increased strength, improved function and reduced pain scores.
Stretching and exercising is a great way to get the body moving again although when in pain it can cause some unwanted aches and pains!
There is no right or wrong when it comes to mobilising joints when they are stiff but when an acute condition arises rest is usually best!
Stretching when in pain can actually hinder recovery and strain the muscles associated with the issue at hand! The goal when stretching is to help prevent things from getting tight to begin with although when there is a muscle strain pulling it into lengthened positions can damage the muscle.
Exercise on the otherhand can be great when done for mobility only during acute pain. Usually walking or swimming can help mobilise areas of concern given muscles the ability to function without them getting weak and tight throughout the recovery process. Exercise in strenuous matters should be limited as compressive forces or jolting exercises can cause damage to the area of concern.
If you are currently struggling to move and and unable to walk it is probably best to see a professional before engaging in any physical types of activity especially if you are immobile.
The goal with both exercise and stretching when in pain is to comfortably move areas that are in pain without causing more discomfort. There are many variations and exercises to do depending on the condition and this can be tailored into a rehab plan when you see one of our healthcare professionals.
If you are currently suffering from any aches or pains our team of chiropractors and Remedial Massage Therapists are experienced in musculoskeletal injuries and have the ability to point you in the right direction with exercise and stretching activities!
