Posts by Dr. Cremata, DC
A You-Specific Plan for Sciatica
Sciatica is a silent killer
And while the root problem is similar in all cases, sciatica is experienced in a variety of ways. For some the pain may be dull, for others it is sharp; some people experience it nearly constantly and others infrequently. But there are certain characteristics that can clearly help you determine whether it is sciatica that has got you down:
- Localized pain in the back, buttocks and hips
- Radiating pain
- Numbness, burning and tingling in the extremities
- Weakness in the legs
- Lost range of motion
Why We Design Treatments Specifically for your Spine
Back pain is a more complex phenomenon than the traditional narrative has led us to believe.
Back pain is so much more than the acute effect of an injury. Conditions such as chronic non-specific lower back pain have shown us that back pain is a complex problem, involving your musculoskeletal health, biomechanical function, and neurological perception of pain. No matter what is causing your back pain, you will agree that it is a bane on your well-being. Extricating yourself from the throes of back pain should therefore be a primary health objective for any adult who wants to live a longer, healthier life.
Reading in Bed Without Hurting Your Back
Reading in bed is the ultimate way to relax
Likewise watching Netflix or other forms of television in bed provide a much needed way to unwind. No one would argue that getting in your comfy clothes and submerging yourself under the covers is one of the best ways to relax. In fact, as practitioners of holistic wellness, we believe that true relaxation is a cornerstone of well being. But it is always worth investigating whether your relaxation is taking a toll on your spine. Unless you put time and effort into perfecting your bed’s ergonomic set up, you could actually be causing damage to your spine as you relax.
Sacral Insufficiency Fracture: What You Need to Know
There is nothing worse than a mysterious pain in the backside
Sacral insufficiency fractures can cause exactly that- pain without a seeming rhyme or reason. The unfortunate truth is that you don’t need to be involved in a car accident, have a serious fall, or sustain any kind of trauma to the back to start feeling symptoms of pain in the sacrum. “Sacral insufficiency fractures,” are stress fractures that result from normal stress on a structurally weakened bone.
Easing the Pain in your Tailbone
The tailbone is one of the most unfortunate places to experience pain
The coccyx, better known as the tailbone, has such a crucial location, and is used for so many activities throughout the day, that it is bound to cause a disproportionate amount of pain. Typical causes of pain in the tailbone, also known as coccydynia, include:
- Traumatic injury to the coccyx
- Prolonged sitting
- Degeneration of the vertebral joints
- Vaginal childbirth
No matter what is causing it, pain in the tailbone can make the simple act of sitting an unbearable torture. It often causes pain during activities such as sex, defecation and menstruation. Most cases of coccydynia will resolve themselves in a matter of weeks, but here’s what you can do in the meantime:
- Avoid activities which exacerbate the pain
- Sit on a cushion with a cut-out beneath the coccyx, or a donut-shaped pillow. Wedge pillows also ease pain and discomfort.
- Use heat and ice
- OTC painkillers including ibuprofen to combat inflammation
FAQs Regarding Botox for Hyperhidrosis
Botox is an FDA-approved treatment for excessive sweating of the underarms
And while excessive sweating is hardly a life-threatening condition, it causes discomfort and affects people’s confidence in public. For some people, prescription-strength anti-antiperspirant just won’t cut it- the search goes on for a more effective, longer lasting treatment. Botox may seem like a drastic measure for addressing excessive sweating, but it is not as extreme as it first appears. This relatively simple procedure is a well-researched and accepted treatment for excessive sweating that works by intercepting the neurological signal that tells the glands to secrete sweat. As with all alternative approaches to treatment, there are bound to be questions regarding its efficacy; we hope to clear up some of those questions with this blog.
A Solution for Severe Sweating
Hyperhidrosis is the scientific term for excessive sweating
Excessive sweating is thought to affect between 2-3% of the population but, for those unfortunate few, the effects are no joke: excessive sweating is uncomfortable and can drive you to distraction. Excessive sweating of the underarms, known as axillary hyperhidrosis, creates unsightly stains on clothes; likewise, excessive sweating of the palms or soles of the feet, known as palmoplantar hyperhidrosis, makes even a mere handshake a stressful situation. We have good news: excessive sweating can be brought under control without the use of prescription deodorant/anti-perspirant.
Become a Better Sitter: Why Postural Strength Matters
Postural strength helps you live a better life
Whether you are on your feet all day, or sitting through a shift at the office, your postural muscles are always at work; after all, they are trying to keep you upright. Despite their best intentions, we often give in to our desire to let our muscles rest by slouching, slumping, leaning against a wall or over a counter, or just about anything that feels more, “relaxed.” But this is a deception, and giving in to bad posture often leads to back pain and dysfunction. Here’s a basic formula for postural strength:
- Postural muscles refer to the deep sets of muscles between the pelvis and abdomen and all the way up the spine. These muscles are always working to keep us upright and as a result they are often over-worked, leaving them tight.
- Phasic muscles refer to the muscles which lend us strength and help initiate movements. Muscles like the abdominals and glutes are often under-worked in office-workers, leading them to become weak.
Overly-tight postural muscles with a complementary set of weak phasic muscles is a recipe for back pain that many of us need help overcoming.
Empower your Brain to Influence Sleep
How your brain controls sleep
Your brain conducts the transition between the stable states of wakefulness and rest. As you proceed through a day full of activity, your body and brain naturally progress toward the need for sleep; this is an essential need that affords your body the time it needs to rest and recharge. As it becomes time for sleep, your brain sends signals that inhibit the parts of the brain which are responsible for wakefulness and begins the transition toward sleep. But what if your brain doesn’t have the inputs it needs to function properly?
Mechanical Low Back Pain
Mechanical pain is movement-related pain
Injuries that relate to the articulation and movement of the spinal motion segments, including the vertebrae, discs, joints, ligaments and muscles are among the most common, and most painful types of injuries in human existence. Almost every motion of the upper body involves the spine in some capacity, and the muscles which support the spine are used to initiate movements and transfer forces across the body. When something goes wrong in this process, we are left with mechanical pain, also known as back strain. Back strain is made all the worse by the fact that often, any proceeding movements will exacerbate the problem.