By Ken Freedman, D.C.
After the common cold, what is the No. 1 cause of lost time from work? It’s back pain. It is alarming that an estimated eight out of every 10 people will experience some form of back pain in their lifetime. Low back pain causes workers to miss more than 150 million work days per year. Medical care for this problem costs more than $100 billion a year. It has been found that after an initial back injury, you are five times more likely to be reinjured.
What can you do to protect yourself and your family? Prevention is the key! For the 40 years I have been in practice, back pain is the most common reason why people visit my office. Anyone who has ever lost their ability to move well knows how frustrating and frightening it can be.
Do you have a painful back that has not responded to drugs or surgery? Would you like to have better control of flare-ups so they are less often and less severe? Would you like to improve and protect your ability to move well for the rest of your life?
Here are four steps to help you:
1. Remove interferences to healthy movement.
When the spine is misaligned, irritated nerves cause muscles to go into spasm, or weaken, and distort good posture and effective, smooth movements. When it comes to helping back pain, know the facts. Numerous research studies confirm chiropractic care is more clinically effective and cost effective than medical care.
Consumer Reports rated chiropractic care highest in patient satisfaction for treatment of back pain compared to medicine, physical therapy and acupuncture. I have extensive experience detecting, locating and correcting back pain caused by nerve irritation. I offer a wide range of chiropractic adjusting techniques, from the traditional to those involving absolutely no twisting, popping or cracking of the spinal joints. A chiropractic checkup is painless and affordable. If I can help you, I’ll explain the shortest, most affordable route to the best, most long lasting results. If you have a severe medical condition that is causing your back pain, we will discuss your options. If necessary, I will refer you to an excellent medical practitioner to help you right away.
2. Lose the excess fat
For every pound of excess fat your body carries, it places 4 pounds of additional stress on your lower back. Imagine how you would feel if you strapped 20-35 pounds, the weight equivalent to two to three bowling balls, to your body and had to go through your day! This translates into an extra 80-140 pounds of stress on your lower back. If you are overweight, exhausted and in pain, it’s no wonder! Are you ready to make a healthy change and get fast, long lasting results? If you are like most people who follow my Doctor Supervised ChiroThin Weight Loss Program, you’ll lose 20-35 pounds of fat in approximately six weeks with no exercise, drugs, prepackaged foods, shakes or bars.
You’ll feel and move better. Dropping some weight before working out is a great way to reduce stress on your joints, reduce injury and boost stamina.
3. Eat well and detoxify.
Toxins and certain foods can be very irritating to your joints and muscles. If you have back pain and want to rid your body of contributing harmful toxins, schedule a Purification consultation. A brief survey will indicate if you can benefit from cleansing the liver, kidneys, intestines, lymphatics, lungs and skin. If so, we offer the finest, all-natural, whole food-based program that gently removes the toxins and “gunk” from these organs that promote weight gain, cause fatigue, and make your joints sore and achy.
4. Exercise!
Mix it up. Join a gym, enjoy the outdoors, take a dance class (online now, then at the studio), ride a bike, walk.
Regular exercise burns calories, and will prevent you from feeling rusted and stuck. When you exercise properly and regularly, good alignment and stronger muscles reduce your likelihood of back pain wrecking your lifestyle. If you are not sure what new exercises your body can safely tolerate and want professional guidance, I can help you. Schedule a chiropractic checkup to find out if irritated nerves are creating joint and muscle weaknesses. This way you can exercise smarter, so your back doesn’t “go out” when you work out. By following these recommendations, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to live independently, work, play, and enjoy a longer and more fulfilling life — without the limitations from back pain.
For more information, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ken Freedman either in person or over the telephone at no cost or obligation, call (732) 254-6011, or email Ken@FreedmanChiropractic.com.
Freedman Chiropractic is located at Brier Hill Court D-6, East Brunswick.