Category: Health & Fitness

Cycle Your Way To Better Health: Here’s Why You Need To Hop on Your Bike!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Whether you’re looking to get back into fitness or you’re already a gym buff, cycling is the perfect exercise to add to your routine. It’s an incredible workout which is safe for most people and has some amazing health benefits too. Here are some of the reasons!

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Readily Available and Suitable For Most People

It might be a touch more difficult than say, walking- but most people know how to ride a bike. It’s something you learn during childhood, and as they say, it’s a skill you never forget. The majority of people are able to hop on a bike and start riding to get fit. Plus, it’s fun too- mountain biking for example allows you to get across all kinds of terrain so you can head out for the day and see some sights while getting fit. Just make sure to find the right bike for you, it needs to be the right size and have an amount of gears you’re happy with. This roadmaster granite peak review states that this particular model has full gear range, along with twist shifters making changing gear easy while you’re out. When the weather is bad, every gym has a selection of bikes too, making cycling really simple to slot into your routine. Better still, you can choose from spin biking, upright biking or the recumbent bike (which has a much more comfortable seat!) Even if you’re incredibly unfit and not able to walk for more than a few minutes, cycling is a great place to start. As you’re seated, you can go a little longer than with other exercises, start with a low resistance and build your way up. Even if you’re already a gym bunny, you can crank up the resistance and pedal harder and still get a great workout in.

Builds Strong Muscles, Joints, and Bones

Building strong muscles, joints and bones in your body helps to keep you supple and sturdy. Since cycling uses the large muscles in the legs, these are especially benefitted, but biking can also help your core, shoulders, and arms too. Cycling strengthens the joints of the knees which is particularly beneficial as you get older since so many people suffer from knee issues. It also builds lean muscle in the legs, which not only allows your body to burn more calories at rest. Plus, strong legs will improve your performance in other areas too, whether it’s walking, running or cross training. Any exercise helps to contribute to strong bones, which is not only useful now but even more so as we age. Later in life, bone loss can lead to conditions like osteoporosis so working on building strong bones when we’re young can help tremendously.

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Great For Cardiovascular Health

As with any aerobic activity, biking is ideal for cardiovascular health. Keep upping the resistance and speed until you’re breathless enough to only be able to speak in short sentences. And from there, keep increasing it to boost your fitness. Better heart and lungs mean your body is more efficient, and you’ll find yourself feeling less tired and fatigued going about your daily tasks.

 

Bored Of The Gym? Alternative Ways To Have A Workout

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Exercise is a great way to keep in shape. It isn’t specifically all to do with losing weight, although it can play a helping in hand in that. But exercising regularly can help in other areas such as boosting your mood, giving you more energy and feeling more positive. It can even improve the quality of sleep you get, which let’s face it, all of us would like a little more of. However, heading to the gym and using the same equipment day in day out can be very boring and repetitive. Which is why I thought I would suggest some alternative ways to have a decent workout.

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Working out at home

Working out at home can be a great alternative to heading to the gym. You may have some space available in your home to house a treadmill or cross trainer, but if you are wanting to shy away completely from the equipment, then YouTube has a fantastic array of workouts you can do from the comfort of your own living room. Perhaps you want to try out a workout that is quick and specific on cardio, or maybe you want to focus on a specific area of your body. Youtube will have a bank of workouts specific to your needs, requirements, and experience levels. You just have to take a look.

Try your hand at a HIIT workout

A specific workout that is taking the gym world by storm is HIIT. More specifically high-intensity interval training. Often these workouts can be smaller in length, but certainly, deliver in the action you take during those twenty or thirty-minute workouts. Again these sorts of workouts can be done in groups at organised sessions, or you can do them from home or by yourself. Whatever works for you.

Swimming

Swimming is definitely a workout that is completely underrated but enables you to work muscles in your body you never thought you had. It can also be exercise that doesn’t require too much commitment on the activewear. A costume or shorts and even a swim cap for your hair. Thankfully websites like swimcapz.com have a great selection to choose. Even if you have longer or shorter hair.

Heading out for a walk

Walking is a great form of exercise and something anyone of us can do at anytime we have free. You simply put on your trainers and clothes and head out of the door. While it may not be the most intensive way to exercise, regular walking will still increase your heartrate and help towards a more active lifestyle.

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Going out for a run

Many people swear by running and see it as a great alternative to heading to the gym. However, it isn’t just as simple as heading out the door and running. You still need to build up your stamina, so thinking about where you run might be a good starting point. But doing this sort of exercise regularly will help you to build up your fitness levels and ultimately ensure that you can run further and for longer. It is also a great way to help clear your mind after a stressful day in the office.

Yoga

Yoga is definitely a workout that is underrated and is something many of us should try to do a little more of. It can really help with postures and muscle tone, as well as encouraging you to clear your mind and focus on your breath. It might not be for everyone, but combining yoga with other forms of exercise throughout the week will give your body the all over workout it really needs. If you are hoping for some tips to get started with yoga, then websites like verywell.com could help.

Try an aerobics class

Finally, you may want to try alternative ways to exercise at the gym, and an aerobics class is an excellent place to start. It gives you a set workout that you do in the company of other individuals, as well as having an instructor on hand to help you out with moves, etc. Thankfully, many gyms offer an array of styles of classes ideal for all stages of your experience to help you get started. If you still don’t like the idea of going to the gym, then social media like Facebook.com could help find local classes. Giving you the chance to meet local people as well as workout.

I hope this has offered some alternative ideas to help you get a full workout.

Curing Back Pain The Natural Way

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

As we get older and age, back pain will seem to be an everyday occurrence. Sure, there are certain medications that can greatly ease the pain and, if the need be, your doctor might even refer you for surgery. However, some people try to stay away from these options as they prefer to take the more natural route. Not sure how you can heal your back pain naturally? Here are some great methods.

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See A Back Expert

It’s a good idea to get some medical attention if you do experience regular back pain. Don’t worry, though, they won’t insist that you take medication or have surgery. Find a chiropractor near you if you want to chat about your various options. Let them know that you would prefer some natural remedies. They will be able to incorporate this into their treatment method. If they are unable to, they will be able to refer you to a local acupuncture specialist or other holistic practitioners.

Take Yoga Or Pilates Classes

Lots of people swear by Yoga and Pilates when it comes to back pain. So, it’s worth looking for a local class to see if there are any classes at times that suit you. After a few weeks of practicing Yoga or Pilates, you will certainly find a big improvement in your back. If you don’t have time to go to a full hour class, you can check online guides such as this one for stretches you can do on your own at home and also do some dumbbell neck exercises

Work Your Core

One reason why some people suffer from constant back pain is that their core is quite weak. Thankfully, this is very easy to change as you just need to start doing some exercises and workouts that will help strengthen it. If you are going to Yoga or Pilates, this should help, but there are also some other workouts that are great for core strengthening. These include Metafit and Piloxing.

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Use Heat Therapy

If you need some instant relief from your back pain, you should consider heat therapy. This is very easy to apply yourself at home – you just need a hot water bottle or a bag of frozen peas! Place the bag of frozen peas on any area of pain if you also want to reduce any inflammation. The cold temperature will also shut down the nerves, so you shouldn’t feel quite as much pain. Applying heat also acts as a painkiller, and it also increases the blood flow which can help to bring more nutrients to the affected area.

Work Your Brain

Some back experts believe that you won’t feel quite as much pain if your brain is stimulated and busy. So, it’s worth trying to occupy yourself to see if you can distract your brain away from the pain. Why not give it a try next time your back hurts?!

So, as you can see, there are many alternatives to medicine and surgery when it comes to back pain. Hopefully, this blog post will help you manage any uncomfortable aches and pains!

Building A Ladder To Your Recovery

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Addiction can strike at any time. Life is hard, and we all struggle to cope sometimes. Many of us turn to addiction during those dark hours. But, while escape methods break the clouds for the short-term, they also stop the sun breaking through. And, if you start using on a regular basis, your drinking or drug use will become your biggest problem.

It’s a horrible situation that an estimated 23.5 million Americans have fallen into. But, despite its common nature, addiction is one of the loneliest human experiences. Addicts are cast to the outskirts, and often disowned by loved ones. In the depths of addiction, it can feel as though you’re at the bottom, with no way to climb out. Many addicts wait for someone to hand them a ladder, without realizing that only they can create their escape. But, how do you build a ladder with no tools? In short, the answer is one rung at a time. And, we’re going to look at each one in more depth here.

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The first rung is the hardest to build – admitting you have a problem. It may sound simple, but we often deny our addictions to ourselves. Admitting you’re struggling is never easy, particularly in something like this. But, until you accept the problem, you’ll have no desire to move on from it.

The second rung involves determining the cause. Most of the time, addiction has a start point. While that may have become irrelevant, it’s important to determine what it was. Addicts often use for escape. Until you face up to what you’re escaping, you’ll continue to medicate yourself.

The third rung won’t get built until you accept that you’re worth something. Addiction often leads to low self-esteem, not helped by the way society treats the issue. It’s important to regain your self-esteem. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to consider yourself worth helping. You need to believe you deserve to get better. The chances are that you’ll also have to do so alone. But, when it comes down to it, your belief in yourself is all that matters.

The fourth rung is when other people come into play. While this may sound like it’ll be a relief, this will be a hard one to build.This is the stage in your recovery when you need to turn to something like Lyric Recovery Services to see you through. Here, professionals will be able to help you through the rest of your recovery. While the support is essential, you’ll still need to rely on yourself during this step. The professionals can give you the building blocks, but the rung won’t be made unless you step up.

The sixth rung comes after the recovery itself and involves moving forward. If you live in the mistakes of your addiction, you’ll never forgive yourself. As such, you’re at risk of slipping into those old avoidance techniques. Put what happened behind you. Build bridges with loved ones where you can. Then, set about living the life you deserve.
 

Not a Day Older: The Best Exercise For Aging Muscles

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Growing old takes a toll on your body. Although most of us will change as we age, and looking in the mirror is more of a surprise than anything else, nothing is as affected as much our muscles. If you’re thinking that the amount you exercised back in the days is what you’re living off now and that the muscles you built in your twenties have served you well, you’re quite right – but that doesn’t mean you should stop caring about your body.

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Those sweaty circles of Pilates for seniors can be a bit underwhelming, though, if this is the only exercise your older parents are doing. Use science instead, to find the best type of workout to slow down the aging process and see them enjoy many more years of activity and sports.

The mitochondria

The mitochondria in our bodies are considered the cell’s power generator; it produces energy and converts it into forms that are usable by our cells. As we age, our cells stops to regenerate as easily as it did before, and are simultaneously affected by the mitochondria diminishing in both number and vigor.

We’d like to keep it as a generator for as long as we can, and certain types of exercise have actually proven to undo some of what aging has done to our cell’s power producer.

We’ll lose muscles, in other words, and will struggle with keeping our bodies as light and energized as we used to. It will keep them independent and happy for as long as possible, and they can get much more out of their golden years – and a lot more out of their Medicare Supplement plans. While there’s no decent alternative to growing old, by taking care of yourself and your older family members, you’ll be able to enjoy active years as a senior citizen and leap from one Pilates class to the next one.

Interval Exercise

The type of exercise that produced the biggest change in people’s genes in a study from this year was intense exercise – or interval training. There are a lot of different ways to incorporate this into your regular routine, although it’s usually associated with running or jogging. How well your aging family member is able to cope with running, you know better than any, but consider similar options if this is difficult due to their knees or other immobilities.

Cycling, for example, is excellent interval exercise and can be done in nature as well as on a stationary bike at the gym. If you think the gym is a better option as they’ll have assistants around at all time, remember that time spent in nature is wonderful news for their health as well. Try to compensate by walking outside together and enjoying nature in other ways – with less speed, perhaps.

To get the kind of benefits that will reduce aging in their muscles, it needs to be intense – and to manage this on a bicycle, you’re going to need speed. The gym may be the best option, in other words, unless they’re still relatively young.

While any type of exercise is good for your body, you should treat your family to the best kind of exercise for their age – especially now that you know the science behind it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ED ed – Dealing With Your Partner’s Erectile Dysfunction

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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It’s one of those topics of conversation that men shy away from, especially if they suffer from it themselves, but erectile dysfunction can have a significant impact on a relationship. From the perspective of a partner, you will need to support and encourage them wherever possible as he is finding ways to manage the condition, but it’s also important that you do your bit too.

Do Research

The more you are able to dig deep into the issue the more you’ll be able to help your partner when it comes to finding methods to manage the conditions, such as lifestyle changes or sourcing the appropriate medical treatments. If you look at the Comprehensive Urology services website, there is a detailed list of what can cause erectile dysfunction. From diabetes or high cholesterol all the way through to an enlarged prostate, as well as lifestyle choices such as drinking too much alcohol and smoking too much. The more you know about the condition and its causes the better you are able to help your partner out.

Emotional Support For Your Partner

A lot of men will blatantly ignore the fact that it’s having an impact on their lives not just their sex life, so you as his partner needs to support him and reassure him. The vast majority of men may view this problem as a major impact on their masculinity. The pressure of performing in an intimate environment such as the bedroom can have a fundamental impact on their mental well-being, which can go on for a long time if left to fester. The issue with masculinity and erectile dysfunction means that if it is left to, in effect, rot, it can be a problem that is a lot more difficult to get out of in the future.

Making Adjustments In Your Sex Life

The pressure of performing is something that can build up in a man’s mind, so you need to find ways to take the pressure off and find other ways to satisfy each other. A man can feel as self-conscious in this department as much as their partner can feel self-conscious about their body, so you need to both find ways to not build it up as a stressful situation. You can make sure to focus on each other rather than “the problem.” This is a big topic to cover, but the one big take away from it is if you are left to focus on your own problems it will build up in the mind, regardless of who you are. So with something like erectile dysfunction which has a major impact on a man’s life, sex shouldn’t be the goal but rather the enjoyment of each other’s company needs to be a priority.

It’s widely accepted that a lot of men don’t talk about their feelings and will tend to avoid issues when it comes to intimacy. But, unfortunately, the best way to deal with it is to open up either to a medical professional to discuss suitable options to deal with it. And if it is a condition that will impact him for the rest of his life, this is the first step in approaching a way to live with the condition.

 

 

 

Back Up Your Back!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Your back is such an important body part, and yet the amount of people that neglect it is ridiculous. Taking the time to strengthen your back and keep it as healthy as possible is absolutely crucial to your long-term health and mobility. Are you doing what it takes to back up your back, or are you neglecting it like the majority of people out there? Read on to get a good idea…

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Exercise Your Back

Exercising your back will keep it strong in the long run, and help you to stay healthy and mobile. You don’t need to do anything too drastic either; walking, swimming, and weightlifting are all great exercises for the back. Doing these things regularly will help to reduce pain. Even if you currently have back pain, exercising your back is a very good move.

Never Lift With Your Back

Make sure you always use the correct lifting technique; you should never hunch over and lift with your back if you’re picking something up. You should hinge at the hips and use your legs to take the majority of the weight.

Maintain A Good Posture At All Times

Keeping a good posture at all times is a must for your back. Whether you’re sitting or standing, you should aim to have your shoulders pulled back and chest up. It can take some getting used to, but there are even harnesses you can wear if you struggle with this. If you don’t ensure this sooner rather than later, you could end up with huge problems later on down the line.

Visit A Back Care Professional

If you already have back problems, visiting a back care professional like Family Chiropractic Plus could be the way to go. Sometimes, a little professional advice and direction will help you to understand what’s going on and what you can do about it.

Get Up From Your Chair

If you work sitting down, aim to get up from your chair at least once every hour and stretch. Maybe even go for a short walk. This will not only help your back, but your mind and eyes too! Staring at a screen or sitting down all day is no good for anybody.

Lose Excess Weight

The more excess weight you carry, the more strain you put on your back. Making an effort to lose those excess pounds will help you to keep a healthy back, and other joints overall.

Manage Stress

Managing stress is so important – it can affect every area of your life, from your career to your relationships. It’s also usually a big factor in a person with back issues. How people manage their stress varies, but finding a way that suits you will no doubt make a huge difference.

Start backing up your back today and you’ll ensure you stay healthy and mobile in the long run. You’ll regret it later on down the line, so eat well, avoid bad habits, reduce stress and exercise! Do what you can to be the best version of yourself. It will pay off!

Why a Healthy Body Is the Best Remedy Against Pain

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Most of us experience pain at some point in our lives. Be it a nasty stomach ache or something more worrying such as pain in our lower back, we’ve all had our run in with pain and we always swear to ourselves that we never want to be in the same situation ever again.

However, as much as we try to avoid pain, we can’t help but feel it now and then. Whether it’s because we’ve been working ourselves a bit too hard at work or because we simply ate too much food and caused a stomach ache, we (usually) only have ourselves to blame for our health and fitness which can ultimately lead to pain.

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What exactly IS pain?

Most people think of pain as “that hurty thing that happens” but it’s actually a lot deeper than that. Pain is usually described as a highly unpleasant sensation that happens as a result of a physical injury. Because of that description, many people think of pain as a bad thing—but it’s actually trying to help us. You see, pain happens as a result of us hurting ourselves. When we fall over and graze our knee, that pain you feel is your body trying to fix itself and also letting you know that something’s happened to your body.

As unpleasant as pain can be, it’s a reminder that you’re pushing your body and doing things that you shouldn’t. You should be dealing with pain with a mix of therapy and medication. Painkillers are the most common form of medication that you’ll take when you want to deal with pain, and places like the Performance Therapy Institute are fantastic for helping you manage long-term and chronic pain. It goes without saying that these are two crucial methods in trying to deal with pain, but there is a third long-term option that will help you: health and fitness.

How does a healthy body help with pain?

Let’s go through a couple of reasons why a healthy body can help us with pain:

  • Training your muscles will make them hurt less when you use them. If you regularly use your muscles at work, such as walking or running a lot or carrying heavy things, then getting your body healthy and fit will help reduce the pain and swelling you encounter when using those muscles. Since you’re more used to using them, they’ll eventually hurt less because you’re pushing your body less.
  • Healthy food can prevent stomach problems. We all know what it’s like to binge on fast food and random snacks. It can quickly lead to stomach problems and if you continue those bad habits, then you’ll experience stomach aches more and more often. Sticking to a healthy diet can beat most of these problems and give you a much needed immune boost to help your entire body.
  • Stress can lead to a variety of problems, a healthy mind and body fixes that. If you exercise regularly, eat well and maintain good mental health, then you’re less susceptible to effects such as stress which can cause a myriad of problems in your body.

As you can see, keeping a healthy body is perhaps the best way to improve your defences against pain. Stick to eating healthy, make sure you exercise and keep your mind happy.

Health & Fitness Have To Be Holistic: Here’s Why

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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The quest for perfect health and fitness is not a simple one. If it was, there wouldn’t be a huge industry worth billions worldwide trying to bring solutions to the variety of concerns we have about our bodies.

One of the major reasons that overall wellness is such a problem is because we don’t treat it as overall wellness. Instead, we break down our issues into separate groups, usually along the lines of:

  • Weight concerns, primarily wanting to lose weight. Surveys have shown that at any one time, over 50% of women want to lose weight. Whether or not they are actively trying to do so is another story, but that’s still an overwhelming number of people who are fixated on weight loss.
  • We know that we should be fit due to the way it can control our health not just in the now, but in the future too. Sometimes weight concerns and fitness are grouped together, but not always.
  • Whether it’s for weight loss or just because you’re focused on consuming the right nutrients, diet is an important consideration for many of us.
  • Mental health. Depression and anxiety disorders are commonly diagnosed these days, with around one in three people having a direct experience of mental illness. In an ever-busier world, taking care of our mental health needs has become a priority.
  • Emotional health. This tends to encompass things like the need for meditation, self-care, and ensuring we’re thriving in life rather than just surviving.

Compartmentalizing Health Is A Problem

A big problem.

Our bodies are a living organism; our very own ecosystem. Like any ecosystem, how one part of the system is doing has a direct impact on how everything else is able to function.

This is why looking at health and fitness as an overwhelming singular entity – rather than splitting it down into groups – is an essential.

An Example

If you suffer from depression, then you have a chemical imbalance in your brain. That’s what medication and therapies try to correct. For you, your focus would be on mental health – and that’s fine.

However, the other areas influence your depression too. For example, exercise has been shown to be able to alleviate the symptoms of depression. There are also foods you can eat that can help ease depressive symptoms.

If you were just focusing on mental health, you’d never know about the exercise and food changes you could make that would also help your mental health. This is a fundamental reason why health and fitness should be approached as an overall, holistic concern. You don’t know what you could be missing out on if you choose to focus on one area selectively.

What Happens With Single Focus

If you do just choose to focus on one area, then the chances of success are slim. Let’s investigate another example to learn how focusing on a single area can be ineffective, and potentially even harm your progress.

If you make the decision to lose weight, you can throw yourself into a diet plan, count calories, and all those other activities. However, when you have a bad day at work, you forget all your good motivations and head right for the chocolate. Emotional eating is a real problem – but you wouldn’t know it, because you have only been focusing on losing weight. By not examining issues regarding how your emotions impact your appetite, you’re always going to be at risk of stymying your own progress.

So when you just drill down into a single area, it’s actually an inherently bad thing. The only way you can ever fix or improve your mind and body is by treating them as part of the same system – which, of course, they are: they’re all you.

How To Do It

There are numerous programs such as Thrive by Le-Vel that focus on bringing together all aspects of health. This can be extremely useful if you’re entirely new to holistic methods and need some guidance.

You can also self-manage holistic treatments. Start by taking an issue that you have and then looking for a solution in every one of the categories listed above. You can then tackle whatever your concern is from a multi-pronged stance, giving you far more chance of success.

This might take a little work, especially if you have previously been only focusing in one area. However, it might just be the key you need to finally solve issues that have plagued you for a number of years. So why not do something different, and give the holistic approach a try?

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Medication :The Only Thing That Brings Relief For The Agony Back Pain?

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Back pain is a common problem, with at least 10% of the world’s population experiencing it at any one time, and really can be agony. You can’t sit, or lie in any one position for long. Meaning it’s hard to get comfortable during the day or get a good sleep at night. Something that can serve to further intensify the pain. It is understandable then, why so many people turn to medication prescribed by their doctors to relieve this type of pain but does that mean it is the only thing that truly works? Read on to find out.

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Medication

There are a lot of different drugs that are prescribed for back pain. These include acetaminophen, NSAIDs and even epidural injections to numb the area. Many of these are quite helpful, and it is not the aim of this post is not to say that medication doesn’t work. As when you are in considerable pain, you get to the point when you are pretty much happy to try anything that has a chance of relieving your suffering.

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When dealing with medications, remember too that some need to tapered off gently and not stopped all in one go, and other cannot be used in conjunction with alternative therapies as it could be dangerous. So, do check with your medical team before making any changes to your medication regime. Even if you do think they are changes that should affect your back pain in a positive way.

Chiropractor

Something else that it is possible to try if you are suffering from back pain is a visit to a chiropractor. A chiropractor is a trained professional that use their knowledge of anatomy and physiology to manipulate the body. Working on areas of pressure and stress that can help to relieve back pain.

The really good ones also have access to acupuncture and new technological advances such as Solve™. A Noninvasive Targeted Neurostimulation (NTN), something that can also help to provide relief from the agony of back pain. As well as providing a less invasive alternative for back pain issue than the surgery options discussed below.

Surgery

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Lastly, an option that many people with back pain go for is surgery. Of course, this is only suitable in some cases. Such as where problems like a herniated disks and sciatica respond to surgery that well. It’s also something that folks may try to avoid wherever possible because of the time off work they have to take and the risk associated with the procedures.

Additionally, it’s also worth bearing in mind that you can go through the difficulties of a surgical procedure but still not be guaranteed that your pain will be eradicated. So it’s vital you weigh up your options and the probability of success before you consider surgery as a solution to your back pain