Archive for Recent Posts

Eating for Pain Relief – Part 2

May 14, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 2 comments

eating-for-pain-relief

Last month, we talked about the foods said to be associated with pain relief. Now, we’re going to look at the opposite side of the spectrum – foods you should avoid if you have frequent or chronic pain.

If you suffer from chronic pain, stay away from foods belonging to the class nightshades, says Susan Cohen, author of the national column Dear Pharmacist. Plants that are part of the Solanaceae family, nightshades are “known to ignite pain in the muscles, joints and nerves.” Common nightshades include:

  • eggplant
  • white potatoes (potato starches are found in many medications)
  • tomatoes
  • peppers
  • Tabasco sauce
  • goji berries
  • Cape gooseberries
  • ground cherries
  • garden huckleberries

These foods may be tasty but, according to Susan, they are responsible for “lighting the body’s pain fuse: muscle spasm, aches, joint pain, tenderness, hip pain, inflammation and stiff movement.”

So, try to avoid these foods and find substitutes (e.g. sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes) – your body will thank you!

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Another Reason Why You Should Exercise!

May 9, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy One comment

exercise-pain-relief

Exercise is more than a way to lose weight. Movement can help reduce pain by strengthening muscles and keeping joints loose.

Here are some tips to help get you moving and find pain relief through exercise:

  • Start slowly and ease yourself into a routine if you haven’t exercised in a while. Build yourself up gradually and you should notice better range of movement and increased strength.
  • Low-impact exercises like swimming, stretching, gentle weight lifting, yoga and walking that are gentle on your joints is a good choice.
  • Remember that exercise need not include the gym. Cleaning the house, raking leaves and playing actively with your kids all count as movement.

Don’t forget to pace yourself! On days when you’re not feeling your best, choose easy, slower activities and don’t be hard on yourself if you need to take a break.

*Consult with your doctor prior to beginning a new exercise regimen.

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Bundle of Hope Giveaway for NIAW

April 10, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 14 comments
bundle-of-hope-niaw

Clear Passage shows it support for RESOLVE's National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) with Bundle of Hope Giveaway

In recognition of RESOLVE’S National Infertility Awareness Week, we will be holding daily giveaways for the infertility community, in addition to selecting three grand prize winners to receive the Bundle of Hope Gift Basket.

Enter for a chance to WIN 10% off of fertility treatment ($520), Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar, fertility books and much more!

bundle-of-hope-niaw

Three Grand Prize Winners will win the Bundle of Hope Fertility Gift Basket

Bundle of Hope gift basket features:

  • a 10% discount certificate ($520 off) towards our Clear Passage Physical Therapy 20-hour fertility treatment program
  • a Meditation CD (Goodbye Worries-The Calming Collection)
  • Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar Daily Moisturizer
  • A collection of 6 Pure Essenatial Oils
  • Cooking to Conceive-Fertility Boosting Foods and Recipes to Help you Get Pregnant
  • Unsung Lullabies:Understanding and Coping with Infertility
  • Laughin’fertility: A Bundle of Observations for the Baby-Making Challenged
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Miracle Moms: Better Sex, Less Pain will be given away to three winners daily during NIAW

Each day one participant will be randomly selected to receive our book “Miracle Moms, Better Sex Less Pain” and a 10% discount certificate ($520 off) to use towards our Clear Passage Physical Therapy 20-hour fertility treatment program.

Contest Begins April 23rd and goes until April 30 at Midnight. At the contest end (April 30, 12 mindnight) all of the week’s entries will be combined and a random drawing will take place of three GRAND PRIZE winners. The winner will be announced May 1st at 12 noon. They will receive a Bundle of Hope gift basket.

How to Enter the Bundle of Hope Giveaway for NIAW:

To enter the giveaway, individuals can share their favorite inspirational quotes or words of wisdom that help them cope with the toll of infertility. Enter the Giveaway by:

  • Facebook: Posting your inspirational quote on Clear Passage’s Facebook page or
  • Twitter: Tweeting your quote to @clearpassage using the hashtags #NIAW #bundleofhope

Participants may enter as many times as they would like. Increase entries by performing one or all of the following. Each additional activity counts one (1) additional entry.

Increase your entries:

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Eat Grapes for Pain Relief?

April 2, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 4 comments
pain-fighting-foods

Diet changes has been show to decrease pain.

Pain comes in all forms. From back pain to joint pain, all sufferers are looking for some sort of relief. Many often turn to pain medications, however new research has found that what you eat can help with pain equally if not more than drugs. “A number of foods have powerful anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that may be as effective as some prescription medicines,” says Beth Reardon, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist at Duke Integrative Medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.

All of these pain-fighting foods can be found at your local grocery store, and they are simple to incorporate in your diet. Take a look at some of foods in the list below. Like what you see? Download the complete grocery list below.

grocery

Grab some Grapes

The chemical resveratrol, naturally found in the skins of grapes (particularly red grapes), in mulberries, nuts and wine may have an analgesic effect similar to aspirin, according to a handful of animal studies. In the lab, it has been shown to stop certain cells in the body from responding to the signals of inflammation, suggesting that it could ultimately help fight pain.

Seek out Soy

An Oklahoma State University study found that consuming 40 grams of soy protein daily for three months slashed patients’ use of pain medication in half. The relief lies in soy’s isoflavones, a plant hormones with anti-inflammatory properties/.

Spice it Up with Turmeric and Ginger

Turmeric is a spice that gives curry and other Indian foods their unique yellow color. It also seems to have anti-inflammatory effects and has been studied as a possible way to ease the chronic pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Ginger has been found to contain compounds that fight inflammation, which often causes pain. Daily doses of raw or heat-treated ginger effectively relieve muscle aches and discomfort — and that includes even severe pain following strenuous exercise.

Go Fishin’

In a study at the University of Pittsburgh of 250 patients experiencing neck and back pain, 60% experienced an improvement in their overall pain after three months of consuming omega-3, found in oily fish. This result aligns with other studies that show that fish oil has an anti-inflammatory effect. Fish is not the only source of omega-3 it can also be found in flaxseed/linseed oil and in other nuts and seeds but the long chain omega-3 found in fish are said to be the most potent.

Get your Daily Dose of Caffeine

In a recently published study, researchers found that even low doses of caffeine (about 100 milligrams, equivalent to one cup of joe) can help reduce the perception of pain during a painful and exhausting task.

*Please consult your physician/dietitian for dietary needs specific for your condition. 

Sources:

  1. Everyday Health
  2. Real Age.com
  3. NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov
  4. AARP.com
Chronic Pain, Recent Posts ,

Communication is Key When Treating Chronic Pain

March 22, 2012 Clear Passage Physical Therapy One comment

back-pain

Did you know that communicating with your healthcare provider is a critical part of finding relief for chronic pain? According to Dr. Robert N. Jamison, chief psychologist at the Pain Management Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, pain “…is a subjective experience and though there is no way to measure it, it is very real.” As a result, effective communication is key.

As you talk to your doctor, remember to:

1. Pinpoint the pain…tell your provider exactly where your back hurts and which joints bother you, and when.

2. Rate the pain…use a zero to 10 scale,where zero is no pain and 10 is the worst pain. Try to use descriptive words like “excruciating” or “debilitating” so your doctor can better understand the severity of your condition.

3. Give a timeline…explain when the pain started; whether it’s constant or off and on; what makes it flare up; and whether certain activities make it better or worse.

sad-woman

4. Share personal toll…tell your doctor if the pain is making you depressed or anxious, preventing you from sleeping, etc. The same goes for having trouble with everyday activities like climbing stairs, going for a walk or doing housework.

5. Chart the treatments…talk about any medications or therapies that have worked for you—and which ones haven’t.

6. Be specific…describe provider what the pain feels like. Is it burning? Tingling? Aching? Throbbing, stabbing or shooting? The more specific you are, the better.

The therapists at Clear Passage couldn’t agree more with Dr. Jamison. Treatment  at Clear Passage begins with a thorough review of your history and a on-site physical evaluation by your evaluating therapist. We relate our findings to you, and ask you for any comments or input you would like to share with us. We invite (but do not require) your active participation with the team that is creating your results.

Learn more about chronic pain and communicating with your doctor

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