Understand chronic diseases, their causes, common symptoms, and effective management strategies to improve long-term health and quality of life.
A powerful hands-on therapy known as Active Release Techniques (ART) works deep within the body to reduce pain resulting from injury or overuse. Here’s how active release technique works, how it helps, and what you can expect during a session. What is active release technique therapy? Healthy movement of the body relies on the free-flow and correct alignment of muscles, tendons, bones, and other tissues. But through life—whether a sedentary or active one—our bodies may…
Plantar fasciitis affects one in ten adults in their lifetime. The plantar fascia is a thick tissue that connects the ball of the foot to the heel and also supports the arch of the foot. When this muscle becomes strained or compressed, severe pain can result and become chronic. Heels can actually develop new bone and create painful heel spurs—bony projections that cause intense pain. This chronic pain condition can impact life every day, and if…
If you suffer from anxiety, you’re not alone. If you’re a pain patient, you should know that anxiety and pain are often interrelated. Anxiety itself is the most common mental health issue, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). About 18% of all U.S. adults suffer from an anxiety disorder, and about one-third of people don’t receive treatment. Even more difficult, up to 45% of pain patients may suffer from anxiety. Although difficult to live…
If you’ve ever had any sort of health issues, you probably know what it’s like to be handed a thick stack of prescriptions with no idea what each medication does, why you should take them, or how often to take them. It can be easy to become overwhelmed, which can quickly lead to refusing to take all medications. However, with some careful planning and organizations, managing your medications can be simplified. How to remember to…
Chiropractors may best be associated with spinal adjustments and the popping sound that many people’s bodies make as their musculoskeletal systems click back into proper alignment. That noise is actually the sound of pockets of gas released by the joints as they fall back into place. But the science of chiropractic dates back to the earliest days of civilization, making appearances in texts discovered from ancient Chinese and Greek civilizations. Today, chiropractic care ranks as…
If you’re still traveling from doctor to doctor, hoping for a diagnosis, take heart: you’re not alone. Unfortunately, too many undiagnosed pain patients go years without figuring out what’s causing their condition or symptoms. If you’re one of these patients, there are things you can do to improve your chances. Why are there so many undiagnosed pain patients? Consider the story of one 50-year-old Oregon woman who landed in the hospital 60 times over the…
Exercise is an effective way for pain patients to manage the symptoms of many conditions, including fibromyalgia, back pain, and arthritis. Depending on the condition you have, though, exercise will affect you differently, and you may want to approach activity in a different way. Here’s how to avoid injuries if you’re exercising with chronic pain. What’s so important about exercise? Most pain patients, just as with the general population, will benefit from a mixture of…
Do you suffer from pain in your shoulders? Finding out the shoulder pain causes that are affecting you can be the first step towards treatment. Here are the What causes shoulder pain? Shoulder pain originates in the shoulder joint, which includes the collarbone, shoulder blade, humerus, and the four groups of muscles within it. The shoulder has a huge range of motion. It’s is one of the largest joints in the human body, which also…
The sciatic nerve is the longest single nerve in the body. It runs from the spinal cord through the buttocks where it branches off to both legs and ends below each knee. When inflammation or irritation of this nerve occurs, it causes a painful condition known as sciatica. Because the sciatic nerve controls feeling in the legs, this kind of pain can create additional, long-term problems. Sciatica pain occurs in up to 10% of the…
Can weight loss cure arthritis? Not exactly. There are over 100 forms of arthritis, each with different causes, affecting over 50 million people in the U.S. annually. But, while all of these different types of arthritis have varying treatment goals and approaches, there’s one preventative strategy they all have in common. And that’s where weight loss comes in. While some treatment options include pain management through medications, one of the best drug-free options to reduce…