For the majority of you who work in office and at desk jobs, you spend a great deal of time sitting down. While sitting for most of the day seems pretty low risk compared to other occupational hazards, sitting in the same position all the time can stress the structures of the spine, and may result in injuries to the back, neck and even the wrist. It is important to find an office chair that is ergonomically designed to support the lower back and promote good posture. An ergonomic chair cannot only prevent injury and pain in the back, but it also maximizes your function at work.

When looking for the right ergonomic chair for you, it is important to find one suited to your needs. With so many ergonomic office chairs on the market, it’s important to research them, since there is no single chair that could be labeled the “best.” There are specific features that should be considered when looking for a desk chair, such as adjustable seat height. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your thighs at a horizontal position, and your arms should be even with the height of the desk. Having an adjustable armrest is also beneficial, since you can rest your arms and relax your shoulders, which can eliminate significant tension while working. You should also look for a chair with a seat that has sufficient width and depth to support you. While working, you should be able to sit with your back resting against the back of the chair. In addition, the back should also be adjustable in its tilt forward and backwards. The best chairs are highly adjustable so they can be set to fit you, rather than you fitting to it.

One big issue about working at a desk all day is that many chairs are not designed to support the lower back. Support for our lumbar spine, or our lower back, is very important. Our spinal curvature has an inward curve in the lumber spine, and sitting for too long without supporting it will lead to slouching and straining the structures of the lower spine. An ergonomic chair must offer lumber support and adjustment, so you can fit the chair to the inward curve of the lower back. When this is not possible, I suggest a separate lumbar support cushion like the ones I have available in the office. I often find the "cheap" ones sold at the discount stores do not use dense enough foam and are too squishy offering little to no support. Before you buy I recommend doing the squeeze test and even trying them out before you purchase.

Additional things to also consider are the seat material: is it comfy? An ergonomic chair with a swivel on the chair can help you reach different areas of your desk without strain.

After researching the properties of the ergonomic chairs on the market, you need to consider your specific job and what functions you need to perform. Consider your priorities and properties you need for your ergonomic chair. Once you’ve decided on the chair for you, explore stores to try the chairs out. See if they’re comfortable and meet your needs. Shop around, both online and off to make sure you get the best price and quality out there. You might also want to consider alternative ergonomic chairs, such as kneeling or saddle chairs and even the exercise ball chair.

If you had to pin me down to name my favorite chair I would recommend the Aeron chair by Herman Miller. Here is a link to my favorite office chair website and the Aeron chair:

http://www.sit4less.com/landing-pages/aeron-chairs/126?gclid=CN28xbf0rK4CFY2b7QodikQrTg

If you ever want to try mine out, be my guest.

References Used:

[1] http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics/office-chair-ergonomic-chair-alternatives-traditional-office-chairs Accessed October 2011

[2] http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-an-Ergonomic-Office-Chair Accessed October 2011

[3] http://www.officechairadvice.com/ Accessed October 2011

Fibromyalgia Suffers Choose Chiropractic over Traditional Medicine for Relief of Symptoms

Fibromyalgia is a condition with no known medical cure. It is characterized by chronic and debilitating pain all over the body, and heightened pain under pressure. Its symptoms can cause patients to suffer from widespread pain, poor sleep, chronic tiredness and even depression. The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown. Some theories cite that the patient’s low pain threshold may be attributed to increased sensitivity in the brain to pain signals. [1] Other possible causes could be a genetic predisposition [2]; stress; the disruption of normal dopamine related neurotransmission [3]; abnormal serotonin levels [4] and deficient growth hormone secretion [5]. While there is currently no cure for the condition, its symptoms can be alleviated by chiropractic treatment. 

Fibromyalgia causes numerous, tender points to occur all over the body, including back and neck pain and leg cramps. As a result of these symptoms, sufferers of fibromyalgia have sought treatment from chiropractors. Because the adjustments made during treatment help to restore the posture of the skeletal system, many sufferers find that treatment can help to reduce a significant amount of pain. Some fibromyalgia sufferers experience a condition known as cervical spinal stenosis, which results in compression of the spine’s meninges, which are the coverings of the upper spine. This can result in debilitating pain all over the body. Chiropractic treatments may be able to help with cervical spinal stenosis by adjusting the spine around the head and neck, releasing this compression and eliminating the symptoms attributed to it.[6]

The effectiveness of chiropractic care has been studied in sufferers of fibromyalgia [6], where patients were asked which method of treatment, medical or alternative, helped the best with their condition. The majority voted for chiropractic treatment. In addition, the effectiveness was tested by using spinal manipulation to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms, and after 15 treatments, results concluded that patients had reduced fatigue and pain as well as improved sleep quality.

While fibromyalgia sufferers continue to look for a cure, it is great to know that there are ways to alleviate the symptoms and live a more normal life. If you or someone you know suffers from undiagnosed chronic pain or fibromyalgia, please share this article with them and encourage them to get a consultation.

References Used:

[1] http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/fibromyalgia/DS00079.html Accessed September 2011

[2] Buskila D, Sarzi-Puttini P (2006). "Biology and therapy of fibromyalgia. Genetic aspects of fibromyalgia syndrome". Arthritis Res Ther. 8 (5): 218. doi:10.1186/ar2005. PMC 1779444. PMID 16887010.

[3] Cervenka S, Pålhagen SE, Comley RA et al. (August 2006). "Support for dopaminergic hypoactivity in restless legs syndrome: a PET study on D2-receptor binding". Brain 129 (Pt 8): 2017–28.doi:10.1093/brain/awl163. PMID 16816393. Retrieved 2008-05-21.

[4] Moldofsky H, Scarisbrick P, England R, Smythe H (1975)."Musculoskeletal symptoms and non-REM sleep disturbance in patients with "fibrositis syndrome" and healthy subjects". Psychosom Med 37(4): 341–51. PMID 169541. Retrieved 2008-05-21.

[5] Anderberg UM, Liu Z, Berglund L, Nyberg F (1999). "Elevated plasma levels of neuropeptide Y in female fibromyalgia patients". Eur J Pain 3 (1): 19–30.

[6] http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_chiropractic.html Accessed September 2011

"You are so thin, why do you exercise?"

I get asked this a lot from patients and want to address this misconception. Many people believe that exercise is something only over weight people should do, and a lot of people exercise with the sole goal of losing weight. So why should thin people exercise if they are already at the ideal size and optimal weight?

Even though exercise helps a great deal with weight loss, it also improves our health in many other ways such as reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering cholesterol levels and reducing high blood pressure. Even though these conditions are associated with obesity health risks, thin and sedentary people shouldn’t assume they are risk-free. Lean exercisers have good levels of LDL cholesterol, the heart clogging variety, as you’d expect. However their thin but inactive counterparts were found to have the same levels of LDL seen in obese people! In fact, an overweight exerciser is actually more likely to be comparable to a thin exerciser rather than an inactive thin person in terms of cholesterol levels. Having high cholesterol and a risk of heart disease is more about how much exercise you get, rather than what your body mass index is. A study [1] found that lean exercisers were fitter and had a reduced chance of developing cardiovascular diseases compared to those who don’t exercise. Exercise is essential for a healthy heart – no matter your weight.

Exercise is also helps protect against viruses and disease. In the short term, regular cardiovascular activity can help to boost the immune system, and in turn makes you less susceptible to viruses such as the common cold, influenza and helps to protect against any kind of infection. In the long term, regular exercise makes the body overall healthier, by lowering the risk of serious diseases such as strokes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes and even cancer.

Being thin and being healthy and strong are not a given. Just as there are overweight people who are in good health (the type who exercise), there are many thin people who are far from healthy. Those who work out can run and walk faster and longer distances, and on the whole, have greater endurance.

Exercise is also a great energy boost. It can help to burn away fatigue and raise energy levels. People who work out more often find they sleep better and are more refreshed during the day. If you’re suffering from mental disorders such as depression or anxiety, exercising allows you to disconnect and alleviate stress and relax the mind. Endorphins are released after exercise, which are helpful in battling depression.

Finally, physical activity does keep the pounds off. Most thin people who are sedentary have a fast metabolism, and in some cases this is for life, but for many of us as we age, our metabolisms will slow down and we will inevitably gain weight. So it’s in everyone’s best interest to get in the habit of working out and keep those pounds off!

 On the other hand, thanks for the compliments!

References Used:

[1] O'Donovan G, Owen A, Kearney EM, Jones DW, Nevill AM, Woolf-May K, Bird SR., Int J Obes (Lond). 2005 Sep;29(9):1063-9.

[2] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4778274.stm Accessed October 2011

[3] http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/5-reasons-why-thin-people-have-to-exercise-too.html Accessed October 2011

In light of the obesity epidemic of recent decades, it is clear our sugar intake has increased drastically, including our intake of artificial sweeteners. There are many who believe that artificial sweeteners are the solution to our obesity epidemic, but are they really a lesser evil?

Did you know that aspartame was initially developed as a medical treatment for stomach ulcers? [1] This means your tabletop sweetener or that can of diet coke you’ve just consumed was originally intended to be a prescription drug.

Aspartame and saccharine are the most common artificial sweeteners encountered on a daily basis, and they can usually be found in your breakfast cereal, diet sodas, tabletop sweeteners and more. While they may well be low in calories, what is the price you pay for the alternative? Medical studies have indicated a possible connection between aspartame and migraines [2], and headaches [3]. Sucralose, an active compound in many commercial sweeteners on the market, has also recently been found to trigger migraines [4].

Depression can also manifest from the consumption of artificial sweeteners. Regular dosages of aspartame have been found to decrease serotonin levels, which is the main cause of depression in the brains of mice [5]. Individuals suffering from mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder, are advised against the regular consumption of artificial sweeteners, since they are more sensitive to the adverse effects of aspartame [6].

There have been numerous studies and discussions about the carcinogenic properties of artificial sweeteners. Whether aspartame or saccharine causes cancer is the subject of much debate, with numerous studies yielding inconclusive results. One Argentinean study [7] cites aspartame usage as the main cause of urinary tract tumors. Others suggest the FDA re-evaluate their position on the safety of aspartame in light of recent studies on animals, linking cancer risks to artificial sweetener consumption [8].

Additional health risks may be caused by the consumption of artificial sweeteners. One possibility is that the long-term intake of aspartame may impair the liver’s antioxidant status and could lead to liver injury [9]. Those suffering from fibromyalgia should also be cautious with their aspartame intake, since it may induce a curable but chronic pain [10].

Many switch over to artificial sweeteners for weight loss purposes. However it may be the sweeteners themselves that contribute to obesity. With the rise of the obesity epidemic correlating with the use of artificial sweeteners, studies have been conducted to ascertain whether there is a link. Some theories postulate that sweeteners such as aspartame induce hunger cravings, causing us eat more and therefore gain weight, but results thus far have been contradictory and inconclusive [11].

I promise you this. Cut back on sweetners and your taste buds will adapt. In a short time you will start to appreciate the natural sweetness inherent in most foods. Give it a try!

References

[1] R.G. Bianchi, E.T. Muir, D.L. Cook, E.F. Nutting, J Environ Pathol Toxicol. 1980 Jun-Jul;3(5-6):355-62.

[2] R.B. Lipton, L.C. Newman, J.S. Cohen & S. Solomon, Headache. 1989

[3] S.K. Van den Eeden et al, Neurology. 1994 Oct;44(10):1787-93.

[4] M.E. Bigal & A.V. Krymchantowski, Headache. 2006 Mar;46(3):515-7.

[5] R.P. Sharma & R.A. Coulombe Jr., Food Chem Toxicol. 1987 Aug;25(8):565-8.

[6] R.G. Walton, R. Hudak & R.J. Green-Waite, Biol Psychiatry. 1993 Jul 1-15;34(1-2):13-7.

[7] M.M. Andreatta, S.E. Muñoz, M.J. Lantieri, A.R. Eynard, A. Navarro, Prev Med. 2008 Jul;47(1):136-9. Epub 2008 Apr 8

[8] J. Huff & J. LaDou, Int J Occup Environ Health. 2007 Oct-Dec;13(4):446-8.

[9] M. Abhilash, M.V. Paul, M.V. Varghese, R.H. Nair, Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010 Nov-Dec;28(6 Suppl 63):S131-3. Epub 2010 Dec 22.

[10] R. Ciappuccini et al., Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010 Nov-Dec;28(6 Suppl 63):S131-3. Epub 2010 Dec 22.

[11] F. Bellisie & A. Drewnowski, Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;61(6):691-700. Epub 2007 Feb 7.

Migraine sufferers have to endure a pain that is recurring, severe and can last up to 72 hours. Warning signs such as an “aura”, which is a type of visual disturbance, and nausea, sometimes accompany migraines. Many sufferers find that conventional medicine and prescription drugs offer little relief from their condition, and many are turning to alternatives methods of treatment in order to manage the pain. Two such alternatives are acupuncture and  chiropractic treatment.

A holistic approach to pain relief, chiropractic treatment focuses on aiding numerous health issues through massage, spinal manipulation and adjustment of the body’s soft tissues and joints, predominantly in the back. But is it effective against migraines?

In February 2000, a study published by Dr. Tuchin et al. [1] cited the possible benefits of chiropractic treatment in alleviating or easing both the pain and frequency of recurring migraines. The study used a sample of 127 migraine patients, all of whom suffered from at least one migraine per month; this sample was divided into two groups – one control group who received inactive treatment, while the other group received chiropractic treatment, focusing on aligning and treating specific areas of vertebral swelling and misalignment. The study concluded that those who received chiropractic treatment experienced subsequent improvement in the duration of the study, showing reduced pain and frequency of their migraines within two months of treatment. The latter group also reported a decline in the need of migraine medications. Further results from the same study found that one in five sufferers from the chiropractic treatment group had a 90% reduction of migraine frequency, while 50% found significant improvement in the severity of their migraines.

Recent studies conducted by R. Bryans et al. published in 2011 [2], concluded that chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, were found to improve both cerviocogenic headaches as well as migraines. A systematic literature search on controlled clinical trials on the topic of migraines and headaches involving chiropractic treatment, published through August 2009, was conducted using a selection of medical and alternative therapy databases. Research found that chiropractic treatments such as spinal manipulation and massage could significantly help patients who suffer from chronic or episodic migraines, whereas sufferers of tension-type headaches did not respond to such treatment.

While using alternative methods of treatment such as chiropractic care can help sufferers to gain more control over their migraines, it should be treated as another form of support or extra help, instead of completely overlooking conventional medical care.

The use of acupuncture and herbal therpay are also options I recommend for migraine sufferers. Both of these approaches also have good clinical evidence of efficacy. I will try to address these options specifically in future posts.

[1] P.J. Tuchin, H. Pollard, R. Bonello, A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for Migraine. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Feb. 2000: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp91-95.