Can Chiropractors Help With Shoulder Pain?

Chiropractors are known for their abilities in helping people with neck and back pain. The most common reason why someone even considers seeing a chiropractor is for back pain, specifically low back pain. Research and studies and the general consensus is that we can help in this area. What about shoulder pain? Is there anything a chiropractor can do to help shoulder pain?

You can certainly have a chiropractor take a look at and evaluate your shoulder problem. While the spine is most commonly adjusted, the chiropractic adjustment can be performed at any joint. A joint is anywhere two bones meet. In the case of the shoulder, we'll be looking at three different areas; the clavicle (collarbone), the humerus (upper arm), and the scapula (the shoulder blade).

Any of these joints can move out of their normal position with extended use in the wrong way. Stress and poor posture in the upper back can lead the shoulder blade to become stuck and fixated in the wrong position. The chiropractor can adjust this area and work with the muscles to get things moving again.

The same principles apply to the humerus and the clavicle. There are certain movements in which each bone will take on a more primary role. The chiropractor can feel with his hand if the right areas are moving or not. If the joint is not moving, this means it is likely not functioning correctly. This is where the chiropractor's expertise can be of most use.

The first evaluation of the shoulder is really to see if any of the muscles, ligaments, or tendons have torn. Depending on the severity of the tear, you may need an immediate referral for an MRI and a visit to an orthopedic specialist. You don't want someone moving your bones around if you have a tear, and the chiropractor doesn't want to do that either.

If you haven't had any trauma to the shoulder joint and the pain has just come on gradually over the years. The chiropractor can take a look and provide adjustments and work to the muscles that can make a world of difference.

Teeter Inversion Hang Ups - The Perfect Exercise Machine for Arthritis Patients

Teeter hang ups inversion tables or simply teeter inversion is an excellent exercise machine, far from the universal gym equipments found in the corners of most homes.

After watching a video about how it works, I realized this could be the perfect exercise machine for persons with limitations on mobility. This is especially useful for individuals suffering from arthritis because the teeter hang ups inversion tables provide maximum support for the back.

Arthritis is a crippling disease which makes it hard for a sufferer to move his joints, mostly the knee and hips. However, I find the teeter inversion to be an easy and effective exercise machine for arthritic patients for them to restore their mobility.

Physiologically, arthritis is caused by the weakness of muscles: weak muscles at the back is susceptible to back pains and at the same time a weak muscle support to the spine and pelvis increases ones risk to arthritis on those parts. If your leg muscles cannot bear the weight of your upper body, the knee cartilage absorbs much of the weight and can wear after some period.

Crunches are often hard to do and only target a small group of our muscles. But with the use of the teeter hang ups inversion tables, even an arthritic patient can strengthen his back and leg muscles. You also have the flexibility and increased range of possible movements. You can turn 90 degrees to one side or push further to your stretching limit, and do pull-ups if you can.

When your joints are painful due to arthritic inflammation, you should not be resting or limiting your movement because the joint would further attract calcification. On the other hand, strenuous and split-second movements will do more harm than benefit the joint. The teeter inversion machine does not require one to be fast-paced or to bear heavy weights. You are just carrying your own weight. The difference is that you are upside down.

Teeter hang ups inversion tables provide the user a back and leg support. It is the ankles which bears much of the weight. For the comfort of those with weak muscles, there are teeter inversion hang ups that are designed not to put too much strain on the ankles by placing some weight on other body parts. Besides, there are the rails that you can grab for support.

If you are thinking that exercise is hard, you have to try the teeter inversion hang ups table. It is guaranteed to work.

Essential Supplements For Arthritis

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints and this painful condition aggravates in winter. There are many different kinds of arthritis, but the most common forms of arthritis are: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis also called degenerative joint disease, involves deterioration of the cartilage protecting the ends of the bones. It is sometimes caused by injury or an inherited defect in the protein that form cartilage. More commonly, it is a result of the wear and tear resulting from aging, diet and lifestyle. Osteoarthritis affects most the weight bearing joints -- the knees, hips and back -- most severely, but it also affects the hands and the knuckles. Usually, pain and stiffness is felt with osteoarthritis but it also increases your risk factor for fractures, as bones become brittle.

If we are what we eat, then arthritis can be reversed with dietary changes which will help arrest inflammation and relieve the pain.

Which nutrients you should take?

1. Bromelain: An enzyme that helps to stimulate production of prostaglandins. It reduces inflammation when taken with meals and is found naturally in pineapple.
2. Chrondroitin Sulphate: It provides nutritional support for strengthening joints, ligaments and tendons.
3. Essential fatty acids: Essential fatty acids increase production and activity of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. It helps to control arthritis pain and inflammation.
4. Glucosamine Sulphate: Glucosamine is a natural component-a form of amino sugar, found in connective tissues and joint cartilage. It has a vital role in cartilage formation and repair.
5. Methylsulphonylmethane (MSM): A sulfur compound needed for reducing inflammation and joint and tissue repair.
6. Boron: A trace mineral required for healthy bones and uptake of calcium.
7. Calcium & Magnesium-Calcium is needed to prevent bone loss and magnesium strengthens the connective tissue and helps in bone formation.
8. Zinc: Zinc is needed for bone growth and is often deficient in those with arthritis.
9. Selenium: A powerful antioxidant.
10. Vitamin: Vitamin C is a super antioxidant and is a powerful free radical destroyer that also aids in pain relief because of its anti-inflammatory effect.

Which herbs can you take to ease arthritic pain?

1. Alfalfa - It contains all the minerals essential for bone formation, and may be helpful for arthritis.
2. Boswellia - It is an Ayurvedic herb which is important for reducing inflammation. It also helps restore blood vessels around inflamed connective tissue.
3. Cat's claw - This is helpful for relieving arthritis pain.
4. Fever few and ginger are also good for pain and soreness. Ginger is a powerful antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory effects. Do not use cat's claw or fever few during pregnancy.

5. Hot peppers - Also known as cayenne it contains a compound called capsaicin that relieves pain, apparently by inhibiting the release of substance P, a neurotransmitter responsible for communication pain sensations.
6. Noni - A sacred plant to natives of south Pacific has been used for ages to gain relief from arthritic pain

Dealing With Hip and Lower Back Pain

The very serious problems that are relating to back pain are the hip and the lower back. Usually hip pain and lower back pain come hand in hand as the pain is very similar. As the causes of the lower back pains are same as of hip pains.

Your body movements are basically affected if you are having hip pains and or lower back pains. These problems cannot be fully removed and this becomes a very painful situation. The people over 40 years old who are facing this problem deal with a terrible experience as far as the pain are concerned. They must stay still at one place to avoid having body movements which makes it very difficult for them to walk around when they are in their home.

The causes of the hip pain and lower back pain occur as follows:
- The nerves that are connected to the hip are coming from the lower back which becomes affected by a neurological problem.
- Any injuries to the muscles in the lower back might also affect the hip muscles.
- Any injuries to the muscles in the hip might also affect the lower back muscles.
- Is very difficult to face these pains as it is not easy pain to deal with.
- Arthritis will also affect both organs the back and the hip adding more pain to the body.

If you were to ask your physician for the reasons behind hip pain and lower back pain, he may not be able to provide you with an answer. Causes of this pain can be arthritis, spinal stenosis and a fracture. The thigh bone, the femur and pelvis are connected together at the hip joint, as these bones have cover of articular cartilage, which is a different matter altogether as it works as a shock absorber. This act as a contraction and expansion as the existing pressure helps to protect the bones as the hip joint contain a lubricating substance around the muscles. In the hip joint you have a capsule that can go in any direction since the hip joint is the ball and the socket joint as the nerves nearby this area come from the lower back.

The lower back can always be treated with a treatment regularly, once the causes of your hip or back pain is found your doctors will provide you some medications with some routine exercises which will improve your daily habits. If there are any changes in your back pain it should be directed to your doctor, if there is any pain in your lower back or your hip you should contact your doctor as soon as possible as it can easily become a serious and major problem such as arthritis or a congenital hip or lower back problem. This is a situation in which your hip joint ball is not seated properly where is suppose to be at the socket, if the socket is not deep the ball will have to move from the edge of the socket.

While aging and use plays an important role as the situation arises in which the fluid filled sac is inflamed and create pain, a person over the age of 40 years old may get a fracture with a gentle fall and this will not be able to be operated and this patient must face this problem the rest of his life.

If by any chance you have your two legs which are of different length you might be getting into having a problem of hip or lower back pain due to the difference in length, arthritis needs a different treatment, which needs to be followed for a longer period of time.

The treatment usually is a treatment of heat and cold water which helps to alleviate the pain. Maintaining weight control is very important as well as using medications against inflammation is required. Hips and lower back will provide support to our body while the attention of our problems must stand out with very strong support.

A solution has been created which will help to avoid these pains and make you pain free, is a solution known as Muscle Balance Therapy which is the greatest back pain break-through of our generation.

If you need additional information about the Muscle Balance Therapy Please visit this site.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Dogs

Of all the health problems that affect dogs, arthritis is one of the most common, particularly as they get older. It affects their joints, making them less mobile and giving them aches and pains in their limbs. Also known as degenerative joint disease, at its worst it can be utterly debilitating for dogs, leaving them unable to walk or stand up without suffering intense pain.

Arthritis is caused simply by wear and tear to the joints over time, and certain breeds of dog are particularly prone to it. These include Labradors, Alsatians and retrievers and other larger breeds.

The onset of arthritis partly has to do with the production of glucosamine. Glucosamine is a naturally occurring substance which gives shape, strength and flexibility to cartilage, ligaments, tendons and other tissues. In a young, healthy dog, enough glucosamine is produced naturally to keep their joints supple and flexible, but as they age the amount they can produce becomes less and less adequate, meaning the joints get stiffer and more painful.

For this reason, many arthritis treatments are glucosamine based, and serve to top up the dog's natural glucosamine. The glucosamine used in supplements usually comes from a substance called chitin found in crustacean shells. Arthritis medicines often mix glucosamine with other supplements such as chondroitin, which is another naturally occurring substance, and one which works in synergy with glucosamine.

Chondroitin is a vitally important component in cartilage; it provides strength and resiliency and helps to heal damaged cartilage. The chondroitin given for medicinal purposes can come from a number of sources, but derives mainly from cows or from marine sources such as whale and shark cartilage. It does not really matter where it comes from, as it will always do the same job of acting as an agent for rebuilding damaged cartilage.

Vets often recommend glucosamine and chondroitin to be given as part of a wider treatment program for arthritis. The program might also include a weight loss regime to reduce the amount of fat the dog is carrying around, and thereby relieving some of the stress placed on the joints. There is also likely to be some kind of exercise plan to ensure the dog does small periods of activity to keep them mobile without overdoing it and increasing their suffering.

Glucosamine and chondroitin can also be used in conjunction with some other medications, both herbal and drug-based. For example, if the natural route is taken they might be used alongside a course of mixed vegetable tablets, which soothe and relieve the aches and pains caused by arthritis.

Glucosamine and chondroitin comes in a few different forms, but is most common in an uncoated tablet form, which means it can be easily crushed and added to food. When vets prescribe it for dogs, they generally recommend that it is given every day with 1 tablet for every 10kg of bodyweight. After the first four weeks the dosage can be reduced if the dog is showing signs of progress and increased mobility.

Healing Joint Pain Through Hypnotic Movement

Arthritis is not the only source of joint pain to affect our bodies. Old sports injuries and the residue of auto accidents can affect our bodies for years after one has supposedly recovered from the acute effects of the accident. The former high school football player with the bad knee, the chronic pain of an old whiplash injury, such residual pains are all too familiar to many of us. Chronic emotional stress can also settle in the joints. Carpal tunnel syndrome is but one example of the way emotional stresses, often work related, can settle in the body.

What if you could learn for yourself simple movements that can easily eliminate pain, and restore flexibility and strength in the joints? Movements that can address all of the sources of joint and muscle pain mentioned above. These movements are easy and pain-free to perform and take as little as 5 minutes a day. In other words, in about as much time as it would take to find and open a bottle of pills, fill a glass of water, and drink, your clients could experience moving their way to a radical reduction in pain and healing and strengthening the joint. This is the promise of a new technology for healing called hypnotic movement.

The concept of hypnotic movement is simple. The body has a deep inner knowledge of how it wants and needs to move in order to alleviate stress on the joint, increase healthy circulation, restore flexibility, and relieve pain. These simple movements are easy and natural for anyone to experience. In fact, most of us have already experienced hypnotic movement at one time or another. Have you ever noticed the way your body stretches sometimes when you wake up in the morning with a stiff back? Sometimes when you wake up stiff, and you take the time to get up slowly, you may find your body reaching up in a slow relaxed stretch, perhaps your muscles tremble slightly, and you might even sigh or moan with pleasure as you stretch. Have you noticed how good your back feels after you have stretched out the kinks in this way? This is an example of hypnotic movement. Of course you didn't think you were in trance. But you were, having just woken up, in a state of being relaxed and connected to your body and its needs.

This state of relaxation with increased body awareness is not the usual state of deep hypnotic trance that most hypnotists and their clients are familiar with, in which the body lies in peaceful repose, while a hypnotist leads you on a journey and offers hypnotic suggestions. This is a state of "alert trance", just like that morning stretch, in which mild relaxation is combined with a profound awareness of our body and its feelings. This state is similar to the trance which athletes describe when they are running a marathon, or playing at their peak in a sports event. They call it being "in the zone", a blissful state of stepping out of their daily worries and feeling merged with their body as it performs flawlessly in the sport. Sportsmen know this altered state quite well and seek it out in every competition and practice, even though few understand that it is a type of hypnosis. To achieve the results of hypnotic movement you need to work with a hypnotherapist who is familiar with this alert trance.

While many of us have surrendered to our bodies' natural hypnotic movements once in a while, few of us listen to our bodies' needs for movement very often because we have as a culture been trained to override our bodies' feelings and needs as children. How often were we as small children told to stop fidgeting (a movement little bodies should be doing lots of) when forced against our nature to sit still at a desk? Stop wiggling, sit still, no you can't go to the bathroom, don't make those noises, children should be seen and not heard...etc.etc. It is no wonder that most of us start regarding our bodies as a stupid object, a vehicle that at best carries us around, but then has all those aches and pains that we don't understand. Then we are trained to believe that there is nothing we can do for our bodies' pains except take it to a doctor. There we receive pills to make it better. We have lost the knowledge of our bodies' healing powers.

Well, there is good news. Your body may have stopped making these healing movements years ago, but it still knows how to move in all those miraculous ways. All it needs is some help in awakening these latent inner powers! And that help can be provided by a hypnotherapist trained in Somatic Healing, of which hypnotic movement is one of many techniques.

Let me illustrate this with a story. A client came to me with severe sciatica. The pain radiated constantly down his right leg, forcing him to contemplate leaving his job permanently on disability. While some folks might be thrilled by a ticket to a life of leisure, this man loved his work in the construction business and wanted to get well. Unfortunately, the doctors didn't hold out much hope, given the depth of his pain. While I led him gently into the mild alert state of trance, I gave him suggestions that his body knew exactly how to move in its own way to relieve his pain. I used a number of other suggestions to trigger this movement. Soon his body was twisting in the peculiar combination of stretches and wiggles that is hypnotic movement. Within about three sessions his pain was gone. But, this was not just because of his work in my office.

No, he learned to use hypnotic movement on his own, and simply did these simple exercises every time the pain arose, and at night while lying in bed. Soon he was back at work. Then one day he fell off a platform on the job and sprained his ankle. The pain was severe, but by this time he had mastered the art of listening to his body's needs. No, he didn't call me. He spent a few minutes resting at the work site, relaxing into that deep state of body awareness we call "The Zone". Then he allowed his foot to move for a few minutes very slowly, free of pain, in its own unique way, as I had taught him. Within half an hour he was pain free and back on his feet. I was not there to witness this miracle, but he was thrilled to share this story with me, and a co-worker called me to ask if I could teach him to use the powers he had witnessed with such amazement. That's why my favorite somatic healing practitioner, Brigitta D'Amato, calls this work "Somatic Self-Healing". Because we empower our clients to heal themselves!

I have trained hundreds of practitioners in these techniques as a part of the Somatic Healing training. Using hypnotic movement, we have achieved excellent results in a wide variety of joint and movement related conditions including:

o Rheumatoid arthritis - I was crippled with the disease 29 years ago, and developed this technology to heal myself. I've been entirely symptom-free since 1984. ( I now use hypnotic movement to keep my body flexible and strong so I can pursue my hobby of rock climbing and mountaineering. At 57 I have the flexibility and grace of a 30 year old thanks to hypnotic movement) I have helped many more with this condition.

o Carpal tunnel syndrome - We've seen immediate reduction in pain, stiffness and swelling, and continuing improvement through daily practice.

o Osteoarthritis - We've seen flexibility restored, swelling reduced or eliminated, and pain sometimes completely removed in knees, hips, lower back, and fingers. One client was able to restore her ability to play her favorite Rachmaninoff piano pieces in a single session by giving back the strength and flexibility in her fingers. Now she says every time her fingers begin to swell and hurt, she simply uses a simple massage and movement technique to restore complete freedom of movement in 5 minutes or less.

o Sciatica - I have worked with many clients helping them learn to rotate and re-align hips on their own

o Post-traumatic injury pain and stiffness - We have achieved remarkable results with long-term post-traumatic pain from automobile accidents and other injuries. We have had especially good results with whiplash injuries.

o Chronic back pain - Backs respond quite well to hypnotic movement. See our web article, Healing Back Pain for more details, including hypnotic movements you can start doing now to improve your back.

o Post surgical recovery - If you suffer chronic pain even after corrective surgery, hypnotic movement can be very important for a full recovery. See our article on Hypnosis and Surgery for more details.

Would you like to learn these healing powers for your own body? I developed the hypnotic movement process in 1979. I have been teaching it since 1995. In all these years, I have found that almost anyone can learn to enter this delightful zone of body awareness, and can learn in a remarkably short time to become a master of the hypnotic movement technique. It can be used in conjunction with pain medications and any other medical treatment, and physical therapy, which I find works well with hypnotic movement. Tell your doctor you want hypnotic movement therapy. Then call our office at (800) 950-4984 and start learning now how to control and maybe eliminate your pain while healing your joints!

Want More Natural Therapy For Your TMJ? 9 Chinese Herbs to the Rescue

Many TMJ patients will stop at nothing to find a TMJ therapy that works for them. It is only natural too since a TMJ disorder can be very painful and bothersome. A TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder is tough to diagnose since so many different components are involved in the construction of the joint and it's even tougher to cure for the same reason.

A TMJ disorder can cause pain in several different places centered on the head and neck area and it can also mean the joint doesn't function properly. One side of the jaw may open differently than the other or it could even get stuck open or closed. This would cause many problems whenever you spoke or tried to eat.

The worst thing is: there is no established treatment, there are no specifically trained specialists, and, even if you wanted to resort to surgery to fix the problem, there are no proven medical procedures to fix your TMJ disorder. The best route to go for now is to find a combination of natural TMJ therapies that you can do to relieve the symptoms you have.

Here are 9 Chinese herbs you can incorporate into your TMJ therapy regimen. Just keep in mind, there are other ones that would serve you better if your problem is caused by osteo or rheumatoid arthritis and if you have joint dislocation problems you may want to find some herbs for pain.

1. Pubescent Angelica (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis)
Effects: Expelling pathogenic wind, dampness, cold and relieving pain. It's great for patients with chronic pain. It's used in Chinese formulas for muscle and joint pain and stiffness.

2. Pseudoginseg (Radix Notoginseng)
Effects: Eliminates blood accumulation, stops bleeding; moves blood, calms pain. This herb is helpful for TMJ disorders caused by trauma. It will help to reduce swelling and pain.

3. Chaing-huo (Rhizoma Seu Radix Notopterygii)
Effects: Inducing diaphoresis, dispersing cold, expelling wind, removing dampness and relieving pain. This herb is stronger with relieving pain caused by wind, cold and dampness.

4. Peach Kernel (Semen Persicae)
Effects: Promoting blood circulation by relieving blood stasis, lubricating the bowels to relieve constipation. This one is rich in oils and promotes blood circulation.

5. Bupleurum (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae)
Effects: Anti inflammatory, Anti-spasm, anti-hypertensive effect. This herb also acts as an analgesic and promotes circulation and relieves pain as well as stress.

6. Job's tears (Semen Coicis)
Effects: Expels wind dampness, clears damp heat and dampness that causes joint or muscle pain.

7. Cnidium (Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong)
Effects: Removes blood stasis, expels wind and relieves pain. It is used where there are symptoms including fixed pain and blood deficiency.

8. Cinnamon (Ramulus Cinnamomi)
Effects: warms the meridians, releases exterior wind cold and aids in areas where there is trauma or painful obstructions. It's also good in apple pies!

9. Blue atractylodes (Rhizoma Atractylodis)
Effects: removes dampness from the body, can expel wind cold and cold dampness from the body. Athletes take this because with a workout it will promote muscle growth and help with endurance.

Some of these herbs may be helpful for the same symptoms and could be hard to find. You may need to find a Chinese herb website to acquire these herbs. If you can locate most of them and learn to use them they will definitely become one of your best TMJ therapies.