The Bedford Chiropractic Clinic and Wellness Centre

If you have back pain, riding in the car for an hour or more can be a real challenge. If you have a long trip coming up, consider the following advice and see if it helps you out. 1. Get comfortable immediately Take the time to make sure you're comfortable from the moment you set off on your trip. The smallest irritant in the beginning of your trip can turn into raging pain later. Don't have your wallet, cell phone, or anything else in your back pocket, as that may throw your spine out of alignment. Reduce reaching for the steering wheel, which places more stress on the lumbar spine, neck, shoulder, and wrists. Instead, sit as close to the steering wheel as possible without compromising your safety. Sit up straight with your knees slightly higher than your hips, and keep your chin pulled in so that your head sits straight on top of your spine. Make sure that your back is aligned against the back of your seat. For most people, this means adding extra support to th...

As summer sets in and days lengthen, many people rejoice in the warmer temperatures and fun activities this time of year offers. But if you have back pain, the story may be a little more complicated. For some people with back pain, the warm weather means relief, while others struggle with the effects of the heat. By Sfu - Own work Summer is a great time travel, but long trips can be hard on your back. The weather itself is a factor for back pain in the summer. Although scientific studies have not really shown a concrete connection between weather and back or joint pain, many people report that heat, humidity, or even barometric pressure makes a difference in their pain levels—for better or for worse. There are a few ways you can cope with weather-related symptoms, including: Take advantage of indoor air-conditioning to cut humidity levels Use ice therapy to soothe and decrease inflammation to painful areas In addition to the weather itself, several other seasonal ...

Do you suffer from work-related chronic pain? Does pain you experience affect you work? If you answered “YES” to both questions, then you belong to the big group of tradesmen who suffer from chronic pain. In fact, tradesmen account for the highest number of injuries, musculoskeletal conditions and other health risks of any other profession. Nearly a quarter of all plumbers, builders, roofers and other tradesmen experience back pain, sciatica, muscle stress and strains from lifting equipment, bending over all the time, tripping, slipping, and falling due to managing equipment.  What causes chronic pain? In some cases, chronic pain is associated with specific injury from the past. On the other hand, there are also people who suffer from chronic pain but didn’t experience any injuries at work. It’s because chronic pain is usually result of combination of different factors. It can also be related to conditions such as: Arthritis Lower back pain Nerve damage Neck Pain Dis...

Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine based on the notion that the relationship between the body’s structure and its function affects health. The term combines Greek words chiro (hand) and praxis (practice) to describe a type of treatment done by hand.  While most people assume chiropractic is all about adjustments to relieve back pain, it does more than that. In fact, chiropractic can help relieve numerous conditions including hay fever. What is hayfever? Hayfever or allergic reaction is a quite common condition that affects about 30% of people worldwide, including up to 10% of the US children under 17 years of age and 7.8% of adults in the country. It’s estimated that medical cost of allergic rhinitis is $3.4 billion due to the cost of prescription medication. On the other hand, in Australia 1 in 5 individuals are affected by this condition. Although the term hay fever is more commonly use, it is a misnomer because hay is not a usual cause of the problem an...

Choosing to receive treatment from a chiropractor won’t stop your slice or improve your putting, but it just might end up improving your overall game and lowering your score. It’s no secret that golf can be hard on your lower back. The quick, repetitive twisting motion required to swing a club puts your back at risk every time you play, and if you already have a back injury you’re putting other muscle groups at risk. Keep reading to learn how to improve your golf game with chiropractic care. How Chiropractic Boosts Your Game Since a chiropractor is specifically trained to treat the entire neuromusculoskeletal system they are able to help golfers reduce the amount of stress and strain placed on their bodies. The lower back does undergo a lot of stress with the torque of a standard golf swing, but there are other body parts that can affect your golf game, too. Pain or range of motion issues in your shoulders, elbows, knees or wrists will definitely affect your...

Did you get hurt during your workout?  It’s time to grab the heating pad… or the ice pack… or both—who even knows! There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to using heat or cold to help treat common exercise injuries like strains, sprains, pulled muscles, shin splits, knee injuries and tenderness. Let’s put an end to it once and for all! Here’s your temperature care breakdown, so you know when it’s time to sing a song of fire or one of ice. Ice, Ice, Baby As a general rule, always choose ice for injuries and inflammation. Cold restricts blood flow and reduces inflammation and swelling. Whenever there’s bleeding in underlying tissue—think sprains, strains or bruising—ice treatment is the way to go. You can use cold therapy in two ways: immediate or rehabilitation. Immediate treatment: helps prevent the injured area from becoming stiff by reducing tissue fluid. Rehabilitation: aims to restore normal function to an affected area by reducing pain and spasms, ...

Ibuprofen WARNING: Regular usage for just ONE week 'increases heart attack risk' EXPERTS have advised people to try and avoid regularly taking ibuprofen after research showed just a week on the painkiller was enough to increase the risk of a heart attack by half. A major new analysis has unmasked the health hazard in the common anti-inflammatory drugs with evidence suggesting the danger exists even after one day. The scientists say the over the counter and prescription pills including ibuprofen, diclofenac, celecoxib and naproxen should now be used with care and at the lowest possible dose. Heart attack risk increases with age and is made worse by raised cholesterol . So the experts say older people especially now need to carefully weigh up the need to take anti-inflammatories with their GP. The latest strong note of caution over the group of medicines known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [ NSAIDs ] has been urged following analysis of the health reco...