When you hear the word ultrasound most people think about pregnant women receiving the procedure to check on the development or gender of her baby. Ultrasound can also be used to treat things like kidney stones, uterine fibroids, and certain types of cancer. Ultrasound therapy can be used to treat a variety of conditions and act as a therapy for those with body pain.
What is Ultrasound Therapy?
Ultrasound therapy is a treatment that helps reduce muscle pain by using sound waves. The high-frequency waves stimulate deep inside muscle tissue to minimize pain, stiffness, and swelling. This promotes proper circulation in the body and reduces painful movement. The treatment is well received because the procedure is a painless and non-invasive way to help people with chronic pain.
The different types of Ultrasound
There are two main types of ultrasound: thermal and mechanical. In thermal ultrasound, the wand makes the tissue vibrate and heat up. This type of ultrasound is typically used to treat soft tissue pain and musculoskeletal issues. The other type is called mechanical ultrasound, also referred to as cavitation ultrasound therapy. Mechanical ultrasound therapy uses waves created by the machine to create pressure differences in tissue fluids, which lead to the formation of bubbles. When these bubbles interact with body tissues they burst and create small shockwaves. The shockwaves can be used to break down kidney stones, making them easier and safer to remove.
How does it work?
The ultrasound machine works by sending an electrical current through crystals inside the ultrasound probe or better known as the ultrasound wand. The wand vibrates, causing waves to travel through the skin, deep into the muscle tissue. The waves then transfer energy to the tissues to provide the needed treatment. Ultrasound can focus on tissues deep within the body without affecting other tissues close to the surface. While receiving your ultrasound therapy your medical provider can adjust the frequency and intensity of the ultrasound and the duration of the procedure to achieve the best results.
What does it do?
Ultrasound therapy can be an effective way to treat the swelling of muscles, joints, and ligaments. The mild heating effect of the ultrasound helps reduce inflammation and heal muscle pain. The ultrasound also aids tissue fluids called lymph and makes it easier to travel through the body. Lymph is a vital fluid in the body that transports white blood cells throughout the body. Due to this ultrasound has been known to promote healing in the body.
What to expect
On the day of your treatment, you should wear loose clothing that can be easily removed, depending on the area in which you will receive the treatment. Before your treatment, the technician performing the procedure will assess the skin to check for any wounds or infections. If your skin is clear, then the technician will begin by applying a gel or cream to your skin. This will form a barrier to protect your skin and help the ultrasound waves reach the muscle tissue. The ultrasound wand will then be lightly pressed onto your skin.
What does it feel like?
Some people may not feel anything, but some people say that they feel a slight warmth or tingle on the skin. If the ultrasound wand is held in one spot for more than five seconds it can bring slight discomfort but it should never be painful. If you’re feeling discomfort let your technician know.
Get help
Natural health center offers ultrasound therapy through our highly trained team of pain management specialists. They will develop a customized treatment plan to treat you. If you are interested in ultrasound therapy contact the Natural Health Center in Clifton, NJ. To schedule an appointment, call us at 973-370-9155 or fill out our online contact form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
September is National pain awareness month and aims to raise awareness about people dealing with forms of chronic pain. Nearly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain – more than the amount of people that have diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined.
Understanding Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is long-standing pain that persists beyond the usual recovery period or occurs along with a chronic health condition, such as arthritis. Chronic pain may be ‘on’ and ‘off’ or continuous.” This is different from other pain, such as acute pain, which comes from inflammation, injury, or surgery and only stays for a few weeks. Chronic pain can feel many different ways and often comes in the form of aching, burning, shooting, squeezing, stiffness, stinging, and throbbing.
Chronic pain often causes a decreased quality of life for people coping with the ailment. It can cause you to pull away from loved ones, events, or things you’d usually be able to do that you no longer can. Chronic pain can also cause people to need to take off work and abandon responsibilities to cope with the pain they’re experiencing.
People with chronic pain are 64% less likely to view their job as rewarding. Working with pain can also cause heightened levels of stress, which can lead to depression and other ailments. The economic burden of chronic pain is major, it cost United States an estimated $560 to $635 billion in 2010, due to a combination of medical costs and productivity lost.
Treating Chronic Pain
There are many people dealing with chronic pain on a daily basis. Chronic pain is treated in a multitude of ways and the approach often depends on factors like the type of pain you have, the cause of pain, and your age or overall health. There are many medications made for treating chronic pain. Such as anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants, topical products, etc.
However, a lot of people are deciding to make lifestyle changes to cope with their newfound ailment. There are basic health and lifestyle changes people are reverting back to in order to take care of themselves. Stress can often hinder coping with chronic pain and it is beneficial to reduce it as much as possible.
Some methods are practicing mindfulness and doing things you enjoy or find relieving. Another factor is exercise, low-intensity workouts are often stress relievers for people and have numerous benefits to your health. Also, eating a healthy and anti-inflammatory diet is beneficial to chronic pain as well as getting good and basic nutrients. Sleep is also a vital factor in health and stress management.
Feel Better
Chronic pain can have a major effect on your quality of life. At the Natural Health Center we will work with you to help relieve your pain. Everyone’s healing process is unique and takes place on a different timetable. However, we’ll look for the root cause of your pain and give you the best chance of recovering and returning to your favorite activities.
If you are suffering from chronic pain, contact the Natural Health Center in Clifton, NJ. Our board-certified doctors have helped people with chronic pain work to alleviate their suffering. To schedule an appointment, call us at 973-370-9155 or fill out our online contact form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
When the temperature starts to cool, a lot of us become aware of how the weather can affect our wellbeing–emotionally, mentally, and physically. If you struggle with joint pain or are diagnosed with arthritis, you might know just how the cold can easily lead to painful and achy joints. As chiropractors, many of our patients come in during the winter due to increased joint pain and stiffness. It is a common belief that those with troublesome joints may be able to predict the weather, but where does this come from, and is it true?
Does The Weather Affect Joint Pain?
Unfortunately, there are no studies that prove arthritis or joint can predict the weather. However, there is enough evidence to prove that your condition can become inflamed or irritated by colder weather. We have a few ideas as to where this myth may have come from.
During colder weather, the barometric pressure drops and can cause your joints to expand and place additional pressure on surrounding nerves inflaming your condition. Additionally, when the temperature drops, fluid can become more viscous making it difficult for them to flow freely preventing them from working properly which may increase sensitivity and pain. People are also often less active in colder weather making joints likely to stiffen.
Signs of Joint Inflammation
Discomfort
Fatigue
Grinding or cracking sound
Increased stiffness
Limited motion
Pain in the joint
Redness, swelling, or tenderness around the joint
Weakness and instability
Can Chiropractic Care Help?
If your joint pain is caused by damage over time due to joint misalignment, poor posture, or overworking of the joint, then chiropractic care can help. Chiropractic manipulations and soft tissue therapies can reduce joint restrictions and misalignments which can help to remove painful symptoms, reduce inflammation, and restore your range of motion.
It is important to note though that we cannot restore the damage that is already done or the loss of cartilage. During your consultation, we will determine the cause of your joint pain and decide what form of treatment is right for you.
What Can You Do?
While no one can control the weather, there are a few tips you can take to limit your risk of joint pain due to cold weather. Keep yourself as warm as possible with layers of clothing and compression garments. If it’s cold outside, opt for gentle indoor exercises and stretches to keep your joints mobile and loose during the winter.
The colder weather is just one of the many stressors that may cause chronic pain, fatigue, and joint discomfort. By visiting our office regularly for treatment, we can reduce and prevent severe aching joints this winter. For more information on how we can help you combat the cold and our services or to schedule an appointment, contact Natural Health Center of Clifton today.
October is finally here–and that means it is National Chiropractic Health Month! During this month, we join hundreds of practices across the nation in encouraging the public to seek out the benefits of chiropractic care, and this year’s theme is “Keep Moving!”.
We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected many of us in our ability to venture outside of the house and be active. Lack of physical activity can impact not only our physical health but also our mental and emotional health. Over the last two years, many have discovered just how beneficial daily movement and exercise can be to our overall health and feeling of well-being.
Keep Moving Campaign
This year our campaign is all about movement and how important daily exercise is to our health and wellbeing. You may wonder how this connects to chiropractic care… As experts in utilizing a drug-free, whole-person approach to your health, the condition of your bones and muscles is important. Lack of movement and physical activity may lead to weight gain and increase your risk of joint pain, injuries, cardiovascular health problems, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
An Active Approach
Daily physical activity strengthens your bones, muscles, and joints while improving your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Here are some tips you can use to get you moving throughout the day!
Exercises for the Workplace
When in the office, we understand it can be difficult to exercise, but there are ways of strengthening your body. Remember to sit straight with both feet on the ground, as this helps you maintain good posture and evenly distribute your weight across your body preventing muscle pain and inflammation. Keep your head at an even position by moving your screen to eye level. This will prevent you from straining your neck.
Take small exercise breaks throughout the day. Every 20 minutes would be great even for light stretching. Other ways to increase movement in the workplace include using the stairs, gently shaking out your limbs, rolling your shoulders and ankles, and stretching your back throughout the day.
Get Outside
Studies show that being outdoors and interacting with nature does lower stress levels, reduce anxiety, and enhance your mental and emotional wellbeing. Exercising outdoors is a great way to get the best of both worlds.
Popular outdoor activities to do during the fall include nature walks, running along forest trails, hiking in local areas, and recreational sports such as football, soccer, and basketball. Be mindful of your body and rest when necessary. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, we encourage you to consult with your doctor about healthy ways to exercise and increase movement.
At Home
Even if you don’t own a home gym, you can still exercise at home. There are many virtual classes or online exercise routines you can follow to help you exercise in the comfort of your home. Though it is recommended that adults get at least 30-60 minutes of exercise a day, don’t feel pressured to do it all at once. Even raking the leaves outside can contribute to your daily movement!
Regular exercise reduces the stress on your ligaments and joints minimizing the chance of injury, muscle strain, and muscular pain. This month, though we are encouraging patients to get out and move, it is important to note there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to exercise so take time to find the right combination of activities that work for you. Remember, the key is to sit less and move more so that you can live a healthy life. We are here to help you get a head start on better health and wellness by getting you moving. For more information on our chiropractic services and how we can help you or to schedule an appointment, contact the Natural Health Center of Clifton today.
Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints we diagnose and treat as chiropractors. A cause of low back pain that can be easily missed is sacroiliitis! This month we’d like to show how chiropractic care can help to alleviate pain and restore function and mobility to those diagnosed with sacroiliitis.
What is Sacroiliitis Treatment?
Sacroiliitis refers to inflammation of one or both sacroiliac joints also known as SI joints. These sacroiliac joints connect the lower part of your spine (sacrum) to your pelvis. Anytime you take a step, lift your leg, extend, or move your legs, you utilize your sacroiliac joints.
Causes
There are a variety of factors that can increase a person’s risk for developing sacroiliitis, including:
Ankylosing spondylitis
Infection
Osteoarthritis
Pregnancy
Psoriatic arthritis
Traumatic injury
Symptoms
The pain associated with sacroiliitis stems from inflammation and irritation of the sacroiliac joint. Symptoms include:
Pain in the lower back, hips, buttocks, legs, and feet
Pain that worsens have after periods of standing or sitting
Pain felt with weight-bearing activities
Stiffness in the hips and lower back
In cases of infection, fever may also be a symptom of sacroiliitis.
Can We Help?
As chiropractors, we pride ourselves on utilizing your body’s healing processes to relieve pain that stems from joint inflammation, dysfunction, and misalignment. During your consultation, we will evaluate your symptoms, conduct a physical exam, and perform any necessary tests to determine which treatment options will be ideal for your condition and lifestyle.
We specialize in a variety of non-surgical treatment methods for sacroiliitis, including:
Chiropractic Adjustment- If a misalignment is the cause of your condition, manual or machine-assisted chiropractic adjustments can help to realign joints causing pressure and pain within your body.
Heat and Ice Therapy- Using heating packs can help stimulate strong circulation in the area which will supply the joint with much-needed healing and pain relief nutrients. Ice or cold packs will reduce swelling and inflammation to alleviate pain.
Rest- Rest allows your body time to heal from activities that may worsen your condition while also reducing inflammation.
Therapeutic Massage- Massage is a direct method of relaxing tight muscles which also increases blood flow to the area and assists in muscle and soft tissue healing and recovery.
Physical Therapy- We can recommend exercises and stretches that will strengthen your muscles and joints, keep your body flexible, and restore your range of motion while reducing swelling and pain.
During your consultation, we will conduct a variety of tests to determine your diagnosis and work with you to tailor your treatment to your unique needs and goals. If you believe you are suffering from sacroiliitis or would like to schedule an appointment, contact the Natural Health Center of Clifton today.
It’s that time of year! Whether you are preparing a child for the upcoming school year or yourself, sitting at a desk all day, being hunched over a computer, or craning your neck while doing homework–school can put a strain on your body. Here are some chiropractic tips to help make this back-to-school season a happy and healthy one.
Ouch! Back To School Pain
Back pain is a common complaint in our office from adults, but in recent years it has also become a common concern for many children and teenagers. The influx in cases has recently been connected to the use of heavily packed backpacks and spending hours looking at a computer or hand-held device during the school year.
Backpacks have long been a health concern as carrying an overweight bag improperly can create several concerning health conditions such as poor posture, muscle strain, joint pain, and headaches. The common use of technology with computers, tablets, and phones can also impact your spinal health as it causes you to crane your neck and put pressure on your neck, shoulders, and upper back.
Wearing Your Backpack Right
No one wants to carry a heavy backpack every day but choosing the right bag and carrying it properly can help you avoid pain and injury. It is not unheard of for patients to experience upper shoulder pain, low back pain, neck pain, and even headaches from an improperly worn or heavy backpack.
Be sure to purchase a bag that has a padded back and wide, padded adjustable straps that will help prevent the weight from digging into pressure points. Though it may look cool to sling a backpack over one shoulder or to use a messenger style back, wearing both straps on your shoulders will evenly distribute the weight across your body to prevent muscle strain and fatigue. If your bag has a waist strap, using it can help to reduce the chance of back pain. Though a smaller backpack may seem appealing for your profile, your backpack should be proportionate to your body. The top of the bag shouldn’t be higher than your shoulders and the bottom should be above your hips.
Pack your bag strategically with the heaviest items close to the body and make use of the pockets with lighter and smaller items. Be mindful of the weight of your bag as well, it should not be more than 10% of your body. Heavy bags not only can be painful to carry but also cause you to lean forward and increase your risk for rounded hunched shoulders and affect the curvature of your spine.
Adjust Your Posture
It is no myth that our increasing dependence on technology has affected our day-to-day lives–but it also affects our posture. More patients are reporting wrist pain, shoulder pain, and neck pain. When you bend your neck to look downward, every inch can put 10 additional pounds on your neck, so it’s no surprise that people complain of neck pain or tense shoulders and upper back strain.
We recommend limiting your technology usage with a 15-minute break every hour, stretching regularly, and allowing your eyes to relax. Bring any mobile devices to eye level and adjust computer monitors so that you can sit up straight with your chest out and shoulders back comfortably with both feet on the ground. While you read, be sure to keep your head over your neck and shoulders and rest your back against the chair.
Stretch Regularly
Before engaging in any strenuous activity, remember to warm up and stretch for at least 15 minutes to allow your body to become more limber and reduce your risk of muscle strain. Don’t forget to cool down afterward as well!
You can even learn some seated stretches to help relieve tension and aches while seated in class.
Sleep Better
Remember sleep is your body’s time to heal and repair from the day-to-day stresses of life. Adults need around 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and children need even more. Getting a consistent good night’s rest can help lower stress levels, ease chronic inflammation, and allow your body to rejuvenate.
For better sleep, we recommend avoiding exercising, caffeine, and electronics at least an hour before bed to allow your eyes and mind to wind down. Darken the room and lower the temperature to create a restful environment, some patients may even use a white noise machine to block out any distractions. Making a sleep schedule that tells you when to wake up and get ready for bed can also help your body to establish a routine so that you can function at your best.
It’s that time of year! Whether you are preparing a child for the upcoming school year or yourself, sitting at a desk all day, being hunched over a computer, or craning your neck while doing homework–school can put a strain on your body. Here are some chiropractic tips to help make this back-to-school season a happy and healthy one.