3 Little-Known Tips to Relieve Your Lower Back Pain on Road Trips

It’s no secret that car rides can be hard on your lower back—especially if you have to travel for an extended period of time.

The key to finding relief is to make a plan before you set off on your trip, and these 3 little-known tips can help you do exactly that:

1. Schedule regular stops for exercise

Sitting in one position for an extended period of time can tighten your back muscles, which in turn can lead to pain and even muscle spasms. So then, it’s a good idea to schedule stops every 30 to 60 minutes so you can walk around and stretch your lower back. This activity loosens your muscles and encourages blood circulation, bringing nutrients and oxygen to your lower back.

See Stretching for Back Pain Relief

In addition to scheduling regular stops, try adjusting the position of your seat every 15 to 20 minutes. You can also pump your ankles to stimulate blood flow and to provide a slight hamstring stretch. Basically, any movement that’s safe to perform while driving can contribute to the relief of your back pain.

See Specific Hamstring Stretches for Back Pain Relief

2. Bring a cold pack to relieve your lower back pain

More often than not, back pain is accompanied by inflammation. Applying a cold pack for 15 to 20 minutes can reduce this inflammation and numb sore tissues, both of which can relieve your pain.

See Early Treatments for Lower Back Pain 

Of course, finding relief through cold therapy on a road trip requires advanced planning. Here are a few simple options you can consider:

• Before you leave on your trip, fill a cooler with reusable ice packs. You can also make your own customizable ice packs at home and toss them in the cooler.
• Purchase instant ice packs at a pharmacy or general merchandise store. You can store these instant packs in the glove compartment of your car.
• If you’re in a pinch, you can purchase ice and plastic bags on your trip—just make sure the bags are leak-free.

Watch Video: How to Make 5 Quick and Easy Ice Packs

Regardless of which option you choose, remember to place a protective barrier between your skin and the cold pack to avoid ice burn.

See Ice Packs for Back Pain Relief 

3. Break up your trip into manageable stages

It seems counterintuitive, but sitting places more pressure on your spine than standing. So if your lower back pain is severe, consider breaking up your road trip into manageable stages. For example, rather than traveling 12 hours in one day, try 2 travel days instead. This strategy can help reduce the pressure on your spine—and it may encourage you to seek out unique tourist destinations. 

Of course, breaking up your trip may cost you additional time and money—but it’s worth it if you can avoid lower back discomfort.

I hope all of the above advice will help keep your lower back happy and healthy during your next road trip.

Learn more:

Common Causes of Back Pain and Neck Pain

Office Chair, Posture, and Driving Ergonomics

Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness, your St. Charles Pain and Wellness Center at 636-916-0660.  We specialize in fast pain relief and wellness for the whole family.  

7 Pointers to Help You Find the Right Mattress for Your Back or Neck Pain

There is no magic formula when it comes to buying a new mattress, but these 7 tips can help you make an informed decision:

1. Consult with your doctor. If you know the underlying cause of your back or neck pain, ask your doctor for a specific mattress recommendation. Of course, your doctor is not a mattress expert—but he or she may be able to offer some helpful advice based on their years of experience with patients.
See Should I See a Doctor for Back Pain?
2. Look out for sales tricks. Mattress sellers sometimes describe their mattresses as "orthopedic" or "medically-approved," but there is no medical organization that officially certifies mattresses as such. A mattress may have orthopedic-friendly features, but this does not mean a medical body has necessarily tested or reviewed the specific mattress.
See Considerations When Buying a New Mattress

3. Try out the mattress. When deciding on a new mattress, lie on the mattress for at least 10 to 15 minutes while at the store. This may seem strange, but buying a mattress is a big purchase—and it’s a decision you may live with for 5 to 10 years. Also, don’t forget to bring your partner along if you sleep with someone else every night.
See How to Evaluate a Mattress
4. Don’t default to a firm mattress for your back pain. For whatever reason, many people assume that the firmer the mattress the better it is for your back pain. But the best mattress for most lower back pain sufferers may actually be a medium firm mattress. It’s important to note that there is a difference between firm support and firm feel—and typically you want a mattress with firm support but a comfortable feel. Of course, comfort is determined by your personal preference.
See Tips on Buying a High-Quality Mattress
5. Don’t forget about adjustable beds. As a general rule, if sitting in a recliner is better for your back or neck pain than lying down you will benefit from an adjustable bed. But an adjustable bed is not a type of mattress, but rather a base that can be adjusted to various positions. If you go with an adjustable bed, you will likely need to purchase a new mattress that is compatible with your new base.
Read more: Considerations Before Buying an Adjustable Bed
6. Check your pillow. Before you purchase a new mattress, check to see if the problem is actually with your pillow. For example, if you sleep on your side a pillow that is too high can place extra strain on your neck. Additionally, if you sleep on your stomach it’s typically a good idea to utilize an ultra-slim pillow—or to forego a pillow altogether.
See Pillow Support and Comfort
7. Shop at a store that specializes in mattresses. You may be able to find a better price online or at a big-box retailer, but the salespeople at a mattress specialty store typically know more about the product they’re selling. It’s also a good idea to shop at a mattress specialty store that carries mattresses from all the major manufacturers.

At the end of the day, purchasing a mattress for your back or neck pain is largely a matter of personal preference. But to help you feel more confident in your choice, make sure the store you purchase from offers a 30-day return policy.

Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness, specializing in fast pain relief and wellness for all ages at 636-916-0660.  We are conveniently located between highway 70 and 94, in St. Charles, Missouri.  

The Importance of Aerobic Exercise for Easing Lower Back Pain

When back pain strikes, your inclination may be to rest and wait it out. This is typically a good idea for 24 to 48 hours, but prolonged rest may actually make your back pain worse.

See Myths about Treatment for Back Pain and Back Problems

Exercise biking and other gentle forms of exercise may be helpful in reducing your perception and feelings of pain. Read: Pain Relief and Aerobic Benefits of an Exercise Bike

In contrast to prolonged rest, low-impact aerobic exercise can help rehabilitate your spine and alleviate your pain.

See Exercise and Back Pain

The many benefits of low-impact aerobic exercise

Any kind of prolonged aerobic exercise stimulates the flow of blood and nutrients to your lower back—which in turn encourages healing and can help decrease your stiffness.

See How Exercise Helps the Back

Low-impact aerobic exercise, such as walking, provides the extra advantage of minimizing the jarring of your spine. In addition, you may experience any of the following benefits from a daily routine of low-impact aerobic exercise:

• Reduced instances of lower back pain—along with reduced levels of pain during an episode.
• Preserved functional capacities, which means you can continue to work and participate in your hobbies.
• Increased production of pain-fighting endorphins, which can help reduce your dependence on pain medication for lower back pain relief. An increase in your endorphin levels may also improve your mood and relieve symptoms of depression—a common condition for those suffering from lower back pain.

See Exercise Walking for Better Back Health

Options for low-impact aerobic exercise

You may be interested in low-impact aerobic exercise to help relieve your lower back pain—but what if you don’t like walking? Luckily, there are a number of great alternatives, including:

• Water therapy. Aerobic exercise in a pool minimizes the strain on your lower back because the buoyancy of the water counteracts the effects of gravity.
See Water Therapy Exercise Program
• Stationary bike. You can purchase a bike for use at home, or join a class with friends for additional motivation.
See Exercise Bikes for a Low Stress Work Out
• Elliptical trainer. An elliptical trainer reduces the stress on your spine by moving your legs in a continuous oval motion above the ground.
See Elliptical Trainer

See Home Exercise Equipment for Low Impact Aerobic Exercise

Regardless of which option you choose for low-impact aerobic exercise, aim to complete at least 20 minutes of exercise five days a week. If you’re new to exercising, begin with 5 minutes and slowly work your way up.

Strengthening Exercise Program for Low Back Pain Relief

It’s a good idea to consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program. But once you’re cleared get moving right away—you might find significant relief from your lower back pain.

See Should I See a Doctor for Back Pain?

Learn more:

Treadmills for Exercise and Pain Relief

Easy Exercise Program for Low Back Pain Relief

Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness, your St. Charles, MO Fast Pain Relief Center at 636-916-0660.  We specialize in back pain relief for all ages.  

Editor's Top

Is Poor Posture Causing Your Back Pain?

While at work, you slouch in your chair as you hurriedly finish a report. When you get home, you want to unwind so you spend a few hours weeding your garden with your back hunched forward. No big deal, right?
As it turns out, your poor posture may be contributing to your back pain.

How poor posture provokes back pain

You may not feel any ill-effects after sitting with poor posture for a few hours, but over time the stress that poor posture places on your spine can lead to anatomical changes in your spine. This in turn can provoke back pain through the constriction of your blood vessels and nerves. In addition, the stress from poor posture can lead to back pain by causing problems with your muscles, discs, and joints.

See Spinal Anatomy and Back Pain

Back pain caused by poor posture may have any of the following characteristics:

• Back pain that is worse at certain times of the day 
• Pain that starts in your neck and moves down into your upper and lower back 
See Lower Back Pain Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
• Pain that subsides after switching positions while sitting or standing
• Sudden back pain that coincides with a new job, a new office chair, or a new car
See Office Chair, Posture, and Driving Ergonomics

How to maintain good posture

If poor posture can lead to back pain, it logically follows that good posture can help you avoid back pain. Here’s how to maintain good posture while walking, sitting, and lifting: 

Walk tall
It's easy to forget about your posture when you’re exercising or running errands, but your posture is no less important when you’re walking than when you’re sitting. While walking, it's important to look straight ahead of you and to keep your head balanced straight above your spine. Additionally, remain tall (avoid drooping your shoulders) while you are walking, and make sure to land on your heel and then gently roll forward to push off the front of your foot. 

See Techniques for Effective Exercise Walking

Sit with support
If you’re like most people, you sit for at least eight hours every day. With so much of your life spent sitting down, it is imperative that you sit with proper posture. One common posture mistake many people make is the "office chair hunch," where a person sits at the front of their chair and hunches forward to reach their computer screen.

See Office Chair Advice

Instead of hunching forward, here is how to sit with proper posture at your office:

• Keep your back flush against your chair with your shoulders tall and your head level over your spine.
• When sitting at a desk, keep your arms flexed at a 75 to 90 degree angle at the elbows.
• Keep your knees level with your hips—or sit with your knees slightly above your hips if seated at a desk.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor. If you are unable to reach the floor, you can utilize a footrest.

See Office Chair Set Up

Lift carefully
Improper lifting techniques can cause injury to the muscles, joints, and discs in your back. To help you avoid back pain, here are three simple rules for lifting both light and heavy objects:

See Avoid Back Injury with the Right Lifting Techniques

• Keep your chest forward. To ensure you keep your back straight while lifting, bend your hips—not your lower back—and keep your chest out. 
• Lead with your hips. When changing directions while lifting, lead with your hips to avoid placing additional strain on your back. 
See Pulled Back Muscle Treatment
• Keep weight close to your body. Keep the object you are lifting as close to your body as possible. 

Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness, LLC, your home of fast pain relief and posture correction for the St. Charles community.  636-916-0660.  Cal today to see how we can help you with back pain and offer more help with posture correction.

Whiplash can lead to arthritis

Most people will be involved in a car accident at least once every 5 years.  What most people don't know is  that even if you do not feel pain or any symptoms immediately after the accident, the likelihood of injury is extremely high.  In some occasions, you won't feel the repercussions of the car accident till years later once arthritis has set in, typically years later.  Here at ABChiropractic Family & Wellness, we specialize in fast pain relief related to whiplash.  We will bill the insurance company for your injuries, so there is typically no out of pocket expense.  We offer attorney referrals on request.  Our doctors are trained on how to treat whiplash injuries in order to alleviate the pain quick, and document your case appropriately to allow for compensation for your injuries/treatments.  X-rays are taken on site with our state of the art digital X-ray suite, and treatments are provided same day.  Our office is conveniently located between highway 70 and 94 on Zumbehl Rd in St. Charles, MO.  ABChiropractic Family & Wellness is located on 1817 Zumbehl Rd, St. Charles MO 63303.  Call 636-916-0660 to speak to Karen or Rachel to schedule your appointment before arthritis sets in!

Top 12 Tips for Buying a New Mattress

It seems you can't watch the evening news or pass by a strip mall without someone trying to sell you a mattress. The seemingly limitless options for choosing a mattress can be overwhelming.

This is even more true if you experience back or neck pain—choosing the right or wrong mattress can make the difference between spending the day feeling good or in pain.

See Choosing the Best Mattress for Lower Back Pain

These 12 tips can't guarantee you will end up with the perfect mattress (since everyone's mattress needs are different), but they can help you make an educated choice:

1. Research online before going shopping. Try these two helpful resources that provide information but don't sell mattresses:
   • Spine-health's Sleep Health Center
   • The Better Sleep website
2. Talk to your doctor. If you have a health condition, talk to your doctor or physical therapist about what he or she recommends. Keep in mind that doctors are not mattress experts, but they know your medical condition and symptoms and will probably have some good advice from that point of view.
See Mattress Guidelines for Sleep Comfort
3. Watch out for gimmicks. Mattress sellers will label mattresses as "orthopedic" or "medically-approved," but there is no medical organization that officially certifies mattresses to carry these labels. They may have orthopedic-friendly features, but no medical group has verified this.
See Considerations When Buying a New Mattress
4. Take the mattress for a test drive. When shopping for a mattress, try to lie on the mattress in the store for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Don't feel self-conscious or let the salesperson hurry you along. It's a big purchase, and if you don't try it for at least 10 minutes you're not going to get a real feel for it. Couples should test out the mattress together. 
See How to Evaluate a Mattress
5. Be aware that firm mattresses aren't always better for your back. Think twice before buying a hard or firm mattress, as some research has shown that the best mattress for low back pain is a medium firm mattress rather than a firm mattress. There is a difference between firm support and firm feel. You want firm support with a comfortable feel. Comfort will be determined by your personal preference.
6. Pillow tops aren't for everyone. Very light-weight people don't need big thick pillow top mattresses because they don't weigh enough to compress the foam to even touch the underlying coils/support system. On the flip side, larger/heavier people tend to feel more comfortable with a little extra cushion between them and the coils.
See Pillow Support and Comfort
7. Adjustable beds are a great option. If you find you are more comfortable sitting in a recliner than lying down, try an adjustable bed. They allow you to elevate your head and knees slightly to relieve pressure on the lower back. You can also create the same effect using pillows.
Read more: Using an Adjustable Bed for Back Pain
8. Ask about comfort guarantees or trial periods before you buy. Many states still allow retailers to give what's called a comfort guarantee . Ask for it before you buy, and be sure you understand the details, such as whether you're required to pay shipping, if it includes a money-back guarantee or exchange, if you must return the mattress within a certain time frame, etc.
9. Check the warranty. A good mattress will have a minimum of a 10 year full replacement or non-prorated warranty.
10. Protect your investment. Don't forget some kind of waterproof mattress protector. Stains will void your warranty.
11. Check out all the options and variations. Give yourself a comfort test if the salesperson doesn't offer you one. Ask to try a firm, a plush, and a pillow top in the same brand quality and price point. Lie on each one for 10 to 15 minutes. When you find the most comfortable type of mattress, ask to see more of that kind.
12. Shop at a store that specializes in mattresses. The salespeople at a mattress specialty store usually have more training on the whole subject of sleep. Try to find a store that carries several major brands, such as Sealy, Serta, Simmons, and Tempurpedic.
Remember, it's your mattress, your back, and your money, so it's worth the time to research it and get the best mattress possible. Keep an eye out for specials and sales, and always try to negotiate delivery charges.
Visit the Sleep Discussion Board on our forums to talk to others about sleep and back pain.

Learn more:

Mattresses and Sleep Positions for Each Back Pain Diagnosis
Pillows for Neck Pain
Call 636-916-0660, ABChiropractic Family & Wellness, located in St. Charles, Missouri 63303.  Dr. Mario Awwad is qualified to help you make a decision finding the best mattress for your needs.  

5 Simple Steps to Prevent Tech Neck

The act of holding your head flexed and forward while looking down at your handheld device and/or laptop screen places your cervical spine in a tenuous position.

Watch Cervical Spine Anatomy Video

Correcting your posture and performing simple neck stretches can help to avoid Tech Neck symptoms.
See How to Avoid Text Neck Overuse Syndrome

Over long periods of time, maintaining this head-forward posture can lead to muscle strain, disc injury, nerve impingement and arthritic changes of the neck—and the potential for developing ongoing neck and shoulder pain, headaches, and pain radiating down the arms.

Originally termed "text neck"—the new term Tech Neck highlights the fact that it's not just texting anymore—almost all the time we spend looking at any screen has the potential for damaging the neck.  

See Neck Pain Causes

5 simple steps to prevent tech neck

To avoid developing degenerative neck changes due to posture, here are several simple steps you can start today.

1. Set time limits. Limit the amount of time and frequency that you use your device. If you have to use it for an extended period of time, take breaks. Develop a habit of taking a three-minute break for every 15-20 minutes you use your device. Change your posture and move around.
See Ten Tips for Improving Posture and Ergonomics
2. Set automatic reminders. Utilize an automatic alarm with your smart device reminding you to take a time out. For those of you that have wearable devices these can be set to remind you to break, such as the iWatch which can tap you every 15-20 minutes.
See Workplace Ergonomics and Neck Pain
3. Use a tablet holder. Purchase a holder to elevate your device to significantly reduce the amount of neck flexion and forward positioning. Try to keep the device as close to eye-level as possible. This is a great tool to reduce Tech Neck.
See Five More Tips for Reducing Back Pain at the Office 
4. Sit in a chair with a headrest. Switch to a chair with a headrest, and make sure to keep the back of your head in contact with the headrest while using your tablet, phone or laptop. Keeping the back of your head flush against the headrest will ensure that you're not looking down with your neck flexed forward.
See Office Chair: Ergonomic Chair Alternatives to Traditional Office Chairs
5. Use pain as a warning. If you're experiencing pain in your neck, between the shoulder blades, numbness or tingling in the arms, or frequent headaches there may be a more serious issue going on. Pay attention to these warning signs and act quickly to make changes to reduce or eliminate any head-forward posture that is straining your neck.

Watch: Text Neck Treatment Video

If utilizing the above methods and reducing the time you spend on handheld devices doesn't improve these symptoms, then it's time to seek help from a qualified health professional. As a general rule, the sooner you seek treatment the more likely it is that you'll have success in treating the problem.

See When Is a Stiff Neck Serious?

Learn more:

Chronic Neck Pain: What Condition Is Causing My Neck Pain?

Neck Exercises for Neck Pain

Call ABChiropractic Family & Wellness at 636-916-0660 to see how we can help with your health needs.  We are conveniently located in St. Charles, MO 63303.  We are your headquarters for fast pain relief and wellness for the whole family.