admin, Author at Bowen Therapy in Dallas

General Causes of Back Pain #7

Improper Lifting is a major cause of back pain. We all know that we should bend our knees and let the knees and glutes do most of the work, but do we really think about this when we go to pick up something heavy? Usually not, unless we have already strained our back doing this in the past.

I want to encourage you to think about doing this properly BEFORE you have to learn it the hard way. Many problems occur when people bend over from the waist and use only their back muscles to lift an object as they straighten to a standing position. It is important to bend your knees as you reach for the object and to keep your back straight as you return to an upright position. This allows the muscles of your legs to do most of the lifting and avoids straining, twisting, or pulling your back out of alignment.

If you have already had an injury from improper lifting or from anything else, Bowen Therapy and LED Light Therapy are excellent therapies to release the muscle tension and pain and to return your musculature to balance and proper spinal alignment. Bowen Therapy tends to last longer than many approaches to pain relief.

Call Brenda Briscoe to find out more about Bowen Therapy or LED Light Therapy at 214-679-4618. Or call our front desk to schedule your appointment at 972-930-0260. Find out more about Bowen Therapy at bowentherapyindallas.com.

Information taken from The Bum Back Book.

General Causes of Back Pain #6

Back Pain, Bowen Therapy / By admin

Prolonged, strenuous or unaccustomed exercise can strain the back muscles. This strain can lead to soreness and tightness.

For example, most of us have made a New Year’s resolution at the beginning of January to become more fit. We go back to the gym after a long period of little or no exercise for months, and we overdo it to the point where we are sore for days afterwards. Instead of going all out, we should ramp up the weight and reps gradually so that we don’t suffer so much or don’t get discouraged.

How about those holidays where the guys get outside and play football on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day? They’ve waited all year long to do this ritual with family and friends, but they want to go all out and really play hard once or twice a year. They are going to suffer.

Stretching before and after exercise can help with the soreness, as well as icing the sore areas afterwards. LED Light Therapy and Bowen Therapy are two good therapies to receive after a workout like this. Both will help speed recovery along tremendously.

To make an appointment for either of these therapies, call our front office at 972-930-0260.

Some of this information was taken from The Bum Back Book.

General Causes of Back Pain #5

Back Pain / By admin

Both Western and Oriental medical systems relate malfunctioning of the internal organs to pain in the back. Both authorities state that this occurs via nerve connections in the spinal cord. Therefore, a chronic problem in an internal organ may trigger an ache or pain in the back.

This information is taken from The Bum Back Book by Michael Reed Gach.

General Causes of Back Pain #4

Back Pain / By admin

Yet another cause of back pain is Arthritis. The word “arthro” refers to joints and “itis” means inflammation. Arthritic changes can give rise to bone spurs in the spine. These spurs occur especially in the cervical (neck) vertebrae, often causing neck pain which radiates to the shoulder, scapular (shoulder blade) region, arm or hands.

There are supplements that can be taken to reduce inflammation, such as Curcumin, Omega 3s, and CBD oil, among others. Certainly an alkalizing diet full of colorful vegetables and fruits helps pull down inflammation. Also, the LED light therapy that I do at Living Well Dallas is very effective for reducing inflammation due to arthritis.

If you would like help in any of these areas — nutritional coaching, supplementation, or LED light therapy — give us a call at 972-930-0260. We at Living Well Dallas are experts in all these areas and would love to be a part of your health care.

General Causes of Back Pain #3

Back Pain / By admin

The next cause of back pain we will discuss is Structural Problems of the spine. These include scoliosis (a lateral curvature and rotation of the spine), defects within the vertebrae themselves, decreased flexibility and range of motion of the various spinal joints, and misalignments (minute rotations of one vertebrae relative to its neighbor or to the attached ribs).

This information comes from a book called “The Bum Back Book.”

General Causes of Back Pain #2

Back Pain / By admin

In my last blog I mentioned that there are several general causes of back pain and discussed one of those causes. Today I will talk about another cause of back pain, which is poor posture. More specifically, we are talking about loss of flexibility and normal curve in the back. So, remaining flexible in the spine and being able to move in all directions helps maintain a strong back, free of chronic pain. Accidents, or even deep-seated emotional holding, can cause muscle constriction and pull the spine out of normal alignment.

Often, though, the curve of the lower back reverses simply because of poor postural habits, including: too many hours spent slumped over the computer or doing other desk work or even sleeping on a non-supportive mattress. Habitual tension and improper standing posture can also exaggerate the lower curve, producing a sway back and protruding abdomen. Any habitual deviation from a slight S curve (front to back), whether a reversal or an exaggeration, can create chronic pain.

Just remember that to maintain a healthy back, what is important is flexibility, movement, and diversity of posture.

This information comes from a book called “The Bum Back Book.”

General Causes of Back Pain #1

Bowen Therapy, LED Light Therapy / By admin

Did you know that back problems happen with sedentary people just about as much as with those who do a lot of heavy physical labor? In fact, it’s one of the most common ailments in our society and certainly the most common of the health complaints that I see in my practice. Sometimes this pain, stiffness, or tension is acute and incidental, but many have suffered with it for years.

Many elements may contribute to back pain. Often, we try to blame one thing for causing our back pain when, in fact, it may be due to several contributing causes. It is best to recognize all contributing factors so that their individual and combined effects can be understood. Many causes will be covered in these blogs, but let’s discuss just one here.

Weak Musculature: Muscles give needed reinforcement to the bones and the bones act as a support frame for the muscles. This is not unlike the components of a suspension bridge, where the components act on each other to hold the whole bridge steady. The spinal column is like a bridge, connecting our upper and lower halves.

When the muscles don’t support the spine-bridge, it will sag from its correct curvature, resulting in pain. Then we tense up to try to return the spinal column to its proper position. This compensation strains the back. Good muscle tone is needed for proper support. Strengthening exercises, along with stretching to lengthen the spine, can erase the strain and pressure in your back and improve your posture naturally. Effective therapies for the back can speed this process.

One of the best therapies for back pain is Bowen Therapy. With its precise but gentle moves that create a vibrational effect that penetrates to the cellular level, the brain is given new nerve input for the body to respond to rather than its usual pain response. Call our office (972-930-0260) to schedule an initial 1-hour consultation. This will give you the opportunity to sample Bowen therapy, as well as LED light therapy, which synergistically magnifies the effects of the Bowen treatment.

Check back to my blog to find out other causes of back pain that will be published soon.

This information comes from a book called “The Bum Back Book.”

So what’s the big deal about “piezoelectricity?”

Bowen Therapy / By admin

The word “piezo” means to press or squeeze, and piesoelectricity is the energetic charge that builds up in certain materials in response to mechanical pressure. Think of a spring. . . the extension of a spring is directly proportional to the load applied to it. When we press onto a coiled, spring-like structure, there will be a recoil.

This is similar to the potential energy built up in our fascial tissues. Bowen therapy uses piesoelectricity to make changes in the fascia that surrounds muscles and that runs through them. If your fascia is too tight and tense, it crystalizes and the muscle cannot relax and return to its normal size and shape. Once the fascia is released by this pressing and squeezing action, it returns to its normal gel-like consistency and allows the muscle to return to normal balance.

Not much pressure is needed for this change to take place in a muscle. That is why it is said that Bowen therapy is non-invasive and gentle but effective. It really does not take much effort, strength or pressure by the Bowen therapist for the body to respond with amazing changes toward better tissue health and a return to homeostasis. Each muscle, tendon, ligament, nerve, etc. has its own existing energy stored in the fascia that runs through it and around it, known as its potential elastic energy. So it is the fascial structure itself which is responsible for its own change and release in response to the Bowen therapy moves.

So, the big deal about “piezoelectricity” is that the body uses this principle when the tissue is manipulated in order to make subtle, as well as remarkable, changes in its healing process.

Do you have an Autoimmune Disorder?

Bowen Therapy, Nutrition Info / By admin

What is an autoimmune disorder anyway and why does it happen? It’s when the body’s immune system attacks the body and views normal cells as a threat. This is typically triggered by some kind of physical and/or emotional trauma but not always. It can sometimes be hereditary or a result of diet deficiencies over a long time, many times leading to leaky gut syndrome.

Here is how it happens. When the body is exposed to antigens — germs, bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi — and the antigens try to break into the body, our skin and mucous membranes are the first line of defense. If the antigens break through these skin and mucous membrane barriers, then the body reacts by producing B cells and T cells, which are programmed to attack and kill the specific antigen.

An autoimmune disorder occurs when antibodies are directed against the body’s own cells or when B & T cells attack & destroy their own body’s cells and not the foreign antigens. This sets off an inflammatory process which can result in many and varied symptoms: joint pain, nerve pain, muscle pain and/or weakness, numbness or tingling in feet or hands, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, irritable bowel, food sensitivities, brain fog, severe headaches, and much more. A few of the labels that go along with these types of symptoms are: fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, celiac, crone’s, ankylosing spondylitis, schleroderma, multiple schlerosis.

Even though a person may have been suffering with these symptoms for many years, it is never too late to address them and bring resolution with a natural and holistic approach. Always a diet change is necessary, along with nutritional supplementation to fill in the gaps where the nutrition is lacking. Food is powerful, especially where there are deficiencies. You may also need some hands-on body work that will reset your autonomic nervous system and give relief to painful muscles, joints, and nerves. You may also need some life-coaching or counseling to address “pain brain thinking” thinking patterns that are no longer serving you well.

If you think that you may have an autoimmune disorder, call our office at 972-930-0260 and schedule an appointment with myself or someone on our Pain Recovery Clinic team for a consultation to find out if you are a candidate for our treatments. We have Functional Medicine Doctors, Nutritionists, Healthy Coaches, Life Coaches, and Bodywork Practitioners with expertise in treatment of autoimmune disease and disorders. Our success rate is high and we want to help you.

Amazing LED lights healed my foot

LED Light Therapy / By admin

On Labor Day I hurt my foot playing with a dog. I kicked a ball right as the dog was going for the ball and instead he got my foot in his mouth. It hurt but I didn’t think much about it until later in the evening when it woke me up throbbing! I got out of bed to go to the bathroom, but as soon as my foot hit the ground, I let out a loud scream because it was excruciating to put any weight on it. I was limping terribly and had to walk on the outside of my foot.

So as soon as I could get there, I went in to my office and applied LED lights to the entire foot. After a 30-minute treatment, I was able to walk but was still limping a bit and still had some residual pain. After about 4 hours, I noticed that the pain was gone and that I was no longer limping. I could not believe that only one treatment brought me that far. I have had no pain or problem with it since then, and it has been a week!