My Ipad is a Pain in the Neck....Literally!

Tablet computers are becoming ever more popular across all sectors of society. Since they haven't been around for very long, an effective ergonomic analysis hasn't yet been undertaken. A new study published in the journal Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation begins to shed some light on the potential implications of prolonged tablet use.  Their conclusions: tablet use is associated with high head and neck flexion, which could cause the user increased pain in the neck and shoulders. Throughout the years, I have successfully treated many patients at Greenbelt Rehab complaining of neck and shoulder pain due to computer use. Chiropractic is among the most effective and safest methods to treat neck pain and should be part of every computer user's therapeutic regimen.

-Dr. Louis S. Crivelli II
 Chiropractor
 Greenbelt, MD

Back Pain Causes and Treatment

Causes of Back Pain

There are many causes of back pain. Back pain may be a result of poor posture, whiplash from an automobile accident, sports injury, a slip and fall or some other type of injury that breeds pain to this section of the body. Fortunately, chiropractic adjustments can relieve much of the trauma caused by back pain.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Back Pain

One of the greatest benefits of chiropractic care for back pain is the treatment is performed in a non-surgical, non- evasive manner.  There is no cutting of any sorts to body parts, and no drugs are involved in chiropractic medicine. This makes chiropractic treatment for back pain a healthy and safe alternative to traditional surgery and medications.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain

There are several tips in the prevention of back pain:

• Healthy diet and exercise
• Maintain an active lifestyle
• Avoid extended inactivity or bed rest.
• Warm up or stretch before prior to exercise
• Maintain proper posture
• Wear comfortable shoes
• Sleep on a supportive mattress
• Lift objects using your knees

To find out more about chiropractic treatment for back pain and other healthy articles visit www.abcclinics.com

Back Pain

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab Treats Chronic Headaches

Chronic Headaches verses Minor Headaches

Many people suffer from headaches. Some headache sufferers have chronic headaches all of the time that greatly affect their everyday lives, while others suffer from minor headaches on an infrequent basis. Whatever the cause and frequency headaches are always an unpleasant disturbance to everyday life.

Several Lifestyle Habits Trigger Headaches

Common triggers for headaches include:

• Stress
• Certain foods like chocolate, caffeine, nitrates, cheese, nuts, win and others
• Some medications
• Changes in sleeping habits
• Hormonal changes
• Tension in the neck

Chiropractic Care in Greenbelt is an Effective Treatment for Headaches

Fortunately chiropractic care has been proven to be an effective remedy for many headache sufferers. Studies have shown that spinal manipulations by a chiropractor can greatly decrease the extent to which the headache causes pain to the body of the sufferer and even sometimes alleviate pain all together.

Chiropractic adjustments at our Greenbelt clinic can also greatly decrease the severity and frequency of headaches. Headache sufferers are therefore recommended to undergo a treatment trial period to see if the cause of their headache can be remedied with chiropractic care. 

Stretching and its Benefits to our Bodies

Stretching and its Benefits to our Bodies

Many people wonder about the benefits of stretching. We all know it is good to take a stretch before a long workout. And professional athletes swear by stretching on a regular basis right before practice and also prior to a big game. However, regular stretching is not only beneficial for athletes. Exercise and stretching are great for the body and breed phenomenal results combined with chiropractic care in Greenbelt. Stretching regularly can aid in the prevention of bodily injury that may occur from normal household duties such as bending down to load the dish washer or moving a heavy box upstairs from the basement. 

Making a habit of stretching will help prevent injury.  A great routine to have is creating a morning stretch time right upon waking up or prior to bed each night. This exercise may only take a few minutes. In fact you can set a stretch routine time of 15 minutes a day.

There are several vital stretches that can be done at home. One tool that can be used to assist in at-home stretches is an exercise ball. By utilizing an exercise ball you can perform a whole body stretch right at home! Now let’s discuss a quick daily stretch routine that can be extremely beneficial to your overall health and fitness.

Chest Stretch

To perform chest stretches lay your back onto the ball and then roll your body down until your back is properly supported by the ball. Relax your body and arms, allowing them to fall to the sides. Repeat 3-5 times.

Whole Body Stretch

With your legs held wide, put your hands on the ball and roll the ball outwards, facing the ball and pressing your head against your chest to stretch your hamstring. Repeat 3-5 times.

Back Stretch

While standing in front of the ball place your right hand against it sideways with your thumb pointing outward. Roll the ball towards your left and keep your head straight. Repeat 3-5 times.

Balance with Ball

Standing on your left leg only, hold the exercise ball on top of your head and your right leg straight out behind you. Using slow motions steadily move the ball toward the ground, shifting your left leg behind you, letting the ball assist you in maintaining balance. Now let the ball roll out a bit to lengthen your entire body. Repeat 3-5 times.

Always remember to consult a physician prior to any new workout routine for a proper analysis of preexisting injuries or illnesses that may prevent the new workout.

Reference: http://exercise.about.com/library/blrelaxingstretch.htm

10 Easy Ways to Slim Down

Here are 10 easy ways to help you slim down. Since our Greenbelt chiropractic office has an "inside out" focus as well an "outside in" focus to healing, I will regularly post things I find interesting regarding nutrition and wellness. Proper nutrition and lifestyle changes have been shown to positively increase outcomes in healing from whiplash injuries, sports injuries, and the usual daily things that make us stiff and achy.
-Dr. Louis Crivelli

To successfully lose weight and keep it off, eating well and exercising are key (the secret, of course, is to eat less and move more).

I regularly recommend these 10 easy weight-loss tips to my patients:

1. Slow down
When eating, it takes 20 minutes for your body to register fullness. And according to a University of Rhode Island study, you can save 70 calories by eating slowly over about half an hour versus eating in under 10 minutes. If you ate slower at every meal, that would translate into losing about two pounds a month. An easy way to slow down your eating is to put your fork down between bites—or consider using chopsticks.

2. Use a smaller plate.
As serving sizes have increased, so have plate sizes—and seeing appropriately sized portions swimming on a giant plate can make you feel like you're not getting much food. Put your main meal on a 7-inch plate, which is about the size of a salad plate or child-size plate. Choose a 1-cup dessert or cereal bowl instead of a soup bowl, a 6-ounce wineglass rather than a goblet. When you’re eating out, ask for an extra salad plate and transfer the proper-size portions of your food onto it when you’re served your entree. Then ask the waiter to take away and wrap up the rest.

3. Eat breakfast.
Research shows that regular breakfast eaters tend to be leaner and that dieters are more successful at losing weight—and keeping it off—when they eat breakfast. Pack your breakfast with protein and fiber—both will help keep you satisfied all morning. Think: whole-wheat toast with peanut butter or an omelet stuffed with vegetables.

4. Plan for the occasional treat.
Studies suggest that feeling deprived—even if you are consuming plenty of calories—can trigger overeating. And making any food off-limits just increases its allure. So savor a small treat: it won’t break your diet! Two squares of dark chocolate or ½ cup of (non premium) ice cream clock in at under 150 calories.

5. Step away from the screen.
Turn off the TV and the computer and enjoy your meal without distractions. Making an effort to be mindful, no matter what you’re eating, can help break the tendency to overeat—and help you feel more satisfied. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who ate lunch without distractions felt fuller 30 minutes after eating, and ate less when they snacked later, than people who played solitaire on a computer during their midday meal.

6. Eat water-filled foods.
Foods with high water content—such as soups, salads, cucumbers and watermelon—help you feel satisfied on fewer calories. (Interestingly, drinking water alongside foods doesn’t have the same effect.) And research has shown that starting your meal with a broth-based soup or salad (not drenched in dressing) may help you eat less of your main course.

7. Snack on pistachios.
Studies show that people who eat nuts tend to be leaner than those who don’t, and a recent Harvard study revealed that nuts are a top food for driving weight loss. In particular, unshelled pistachios are a great choice, as removing the shells slows you down and seeing evidence of what you’ve eaten may prevent you from reaching for more. In a recent study out of Eastern Illinois University, people who were given unshelled pistachios consumed 41 percent fewer calories than those offered nuts with the shells already removed. With all nuts, be mindful of your portion size, as they’re calorie-dense: a 1-ounce serving of pistachios (49 nuts) contains 157 calories.

8. Up your fiber intake.
Increasing your daily fiber intake can help you prevent weight gain—and possibly even encourage weight loss—according to research out of Brigham Young University in Utah. Over the course of the two-year study, the researchers found that people who increased their fiber intake generally lost weight and those who decreased the fiber in their diets gained. Adding fiber-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains, helps you feel satisfied on fewer calories; plus, filling up on high-fiber foods usually means crowding out less-healthy, higher-calorie choices.

9. Divide your plate—and you’ll stay satisfied longer.
Trim calories without feeling deprived by dividing your plate like this: Fill half the plate with low-calorie—yet satisfying, fiber-rich—vegetables. Divide the other half of the plate into two equal portions (quarters). Fill one of these quarters with a lean protein, such as chicken, fish, lean beef or tofu. (Research suggests that, gram for gram, protein may keep you feeling fuller longer than carbohydrates or fat.) Fill the other quarter with a filling, fiber-rich whole grain, such as brown rice or quinoa.

10. Get 8 Hours of sleep.
Skimping on shut-eye can pack on the pounds, possibly by altering hunger hormones. Other recent research—out of Harvard—shows that missing even an hour or two of sleep may make you more likely to give in to junk food the next day. Why? The prefrontal cortex—part of the brain responsible for self-control—is compromised by sleep loss.

Dr. Louis S. Crivelli II
Doctor of Chiropractic

Greenbelt, MD

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab Kids Health Corner

Greenbelt Chiropractic RehabTreatment Can Aid in the Relief of Many Childhood Ailments

When kids enter daycare or school for the first time, many seem to constantly be sick. Germs are everywhere, from toys to desks, to other kids. However, allowing your child to be adjusted regularly by a chiropractor can help ease the symptoms or even prevent the onset of many upper respiratory infections.

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab Treatment Slows Drainage & Clears Predisposes of Common Childhood Illnesses

Cervical spine dysfunctions prevent proper lymphatic drainage through the deep cervical lymph nodes. By slowing this drainage, bacteria cannot be rapidly cleared and predisposes kids to common childhood illnesses such as tonsillitis, sinus infections, otitis media (ear infection), common colds, and bronchitis.

Cervical adjustments help restore this drainage allowing the lymphatic system to filter bacteria and viruses from our kids’ bodies, keeping them healthier. Give your children the gift of better health!

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab Treats Piriformis Syndrome

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab Treats Piriformis Syndrome

Our Chiropractors at Greenbelt Chiropractic treat piriformis syndrome. For most people the sciatic nerve passes right beneath the piriformis muscle, but in approximately 15% of the population, part of the sciatic nerve goes through the piriformis muscle.

The piriformis muscle is located in the buttocks and reaches from the pelvis (sacrum) all the way to the upper thigh-bone (femur). Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle spasms due to issues in the spine or sacroiliac joints, or from overuse.  The symptoms of piriformis syndrome can be very painful and disabling. Fortunately, for the majority, chiropractic treatment at Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab has proven to be very effective in relieving these symptoms.

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab Treats Lower Body Pain Caused by Piriformis Syndrome

Sympotoms of Piriformis Syndrome include pain to the lower back, groin, perineum, buttock and hip. Piriformis syndrome can also cause dyspareunia (painful intercourse) and pain in the rectum during defecation. The most common symptom of piriformis syndrome is lower back pain that travels through the buttocks and down the leg.

Greenbelt Chiropractic Rehab Provides Proper Diagnosis for Piriformis Syndrome

Other pains are often mistaken to be piriformis syndrome. One underlying difference between piriformis syndrome and other ailments is piriformis syndrome has neurological symptoms associated with it such as pain, numbness, pins and needles feeling, tingling and weakness. If you or a loved one is suffering from symptoms of piriformis symptoms please visit http://www.greenbeltchiropracticrehab.com/ to learn more about treatments options available.