Check out the article here. Here are 6 Things That I Learned at Duffy & Bracken Your pelvic floor is like a sling or a hammock and many of us have been doing kegels wrong. There is a front, middle and back kegel, who knew? Once you learn the correct...
Sciatica pain is a catch-all term for feeling discomfort that starts from your lower back and runs down to one or both of your legs. Pain does not have to radiate through your whole leg to classify as sciatica; it can localize (often with higher intensity) at places like the...
When many people think about chronic pain, they mainly think about a problem that affects adults. In all actuality, chronic pain is an issue that’s becoming more common in children and teens. Such matters can come from injury, physical conditions, and common bad habits like improper posture. If your child...
Living with chronic pain is a challenge for anyone, but can be extremely difficult for parents with young children. As if managing your pain was not enough, you must also keep up with kids who may not necessarily understand your limitations. Whether you’re the proud parent of a newborn or...
Canes are tools most appropriate for those who have balance issues. Although the elderly are most noted for using canes, they can help all individuals whose chronic back pain impairs their ability to stand upright without support. Many people who need canes choose not to use them to avoid “looking...
Many healthcare professionals recommend Pilates to people chronic back pain patients,as it is known to help improve flexibility and strength. Not only is Pilates great for pain relief, but it can also teach a person how to avoid movements that apply unnecessary pressure to the spine. Through regular Pilates sessions,...
The last thing a chronic pain patient wants to hear during treatment is that they will have no choice but to live with chronic pain. Contrary to many beliefs, meditation is a viable pain-relief option. Meditation often involves focusing your breathing or possibly repeating a mantra to help center your...
As technology and medical advances continue to improve daily, there are increasingly impressive developments in many areas. Diseases, illnesses, and ailments that were once thought to be untreatable are becoming manageable each day. In recent months, Monash University has taken a closer step to helping those suffering from chronic and...
If you have ever tried describing your pain to a doctor, you know that it can be a frustrating experience. Patients who have lived with chronic pain their whole lives can still find themselves in an awkward situation when asked to go into detail about their condition. A phone app...
Patients who are battling chronic pain may feel somewhat stuck when it comes to travel. On the one hand, getting some light exercise and a burst of fresh air can work wonders for your body both physically and mentally. On the other hand, traveling means the lack of a safe...
As an employer, your employee’s comfort can largely determine the quality of his or her work. Happier employees are more likely to stay with you longer, communicate openly, and volunteer help to their co-workers. Learning how to work with someone who has chronic pain may seem frustrating at first; many...
Doctors and patients are always searching for new treatment techniques to help relieve lower back pain. Every person is going to have his own method of approaching discomfort; what that method looks like will largely depend on factors like age, body weight, height, and more. Pilates is a relatively new form...
Almost every chronic pain patient has been told that they are imagining the pain at least once in their lives. This statement is an understandable source of frustration for many people; it is reductive and trivializes the impact chronic pain can have on one’s life. Such beliefs also assume that...
Chronic pain is a difficult issue to deal with. You wake up every day feeling less capable of doing what you need to — and want to — do due to your body’s physical limitations, all because of pain. You may feel that the only person who can begin to...
Taking a hike can be one of the most relaxing adventures one can experience. You are finally away from the loud sounds and polluted air that the big city brings. Instead, you are welcomed by whispering winds and majestic wildlife on your journey through the best nature has to offer....
Many of us have heard of a “muscle knot” though few know what it is. No one would blame you for thinking they are knots as they tend to feel like your muscles tying into each other. While a muscle knot is often less dramatic than its name entails, the...
Chronic pain is an ailment like no other. When you break your leg, it is obvious that your leg is broken and you cannot walk. If you were to be severely burnt, the pain that it caused is apparent; this is not so with chronic pain. You would probably never...
Chronic back pain is an ailment that continues to affect the most Americans year after year. More specifically, low back pain affects millions of individuals. Your pain can make it seemingly impossible to perform simple activities such as taking a shower or using the restroom. You may be seeking ways...
Your life does not stop for chronic pain. Instances may present themselves when you must travel by plane. If the process of flying wasn’t mentally draining enough, you now have to think of ways to minimize back pain during your commute. Travelling with chronic pain may be difficult but it is...
Chronic pain is experienced by millions of Americans and their pain isn’t always diagnosed as chronic; this can create a lifetime of inaccurate treatment that yields little progress. Regularly, someone will slam their foot against the corner of the table. The resulting pain is considered “acute pain” and naturally subsides...
Chronic pain can be caused from an injury that makes it hard for your body to move naturally. The unbalanced motions that lead to poor posture are the main results of the pain cycle. By looking at this cycle, we can see how your body deals with pain caused from an...
There are new developments in medical science and pain-reducing technologies being introduced at every turn of the calendar month such as anti-cancer drugs and brain scans. These innovations are being introduced so often that it can be easy to overlook some of the most basic and effective methods of treatment....
Pain can lead to depression, and depression can lead to pain. The relationship between these two situations can cause a vicious cycle that worsens feelings on both the physical and emotional scale. Understanding if depression is a factor of your chronic pain can be a vital element in learning how...
Suffering from chronic pain can be a traumatic experience. Activities that used to be performed with ease are now more difficult than ever. While your ailment may be physical, there is a lot of mental suffering that takes place as well. You may feel alone and like there is no...
Skiing can be one of the most intoxicating ways to enjoy the winter months. Every year, amateurs and professionals alike fill the slopes with hopes of an exhilarating run. The feeling of surging down the slopes can be intoxicating, but the ensuing bodily pain can leave you bedridden for days...
Your body has several systems to help repair and prevent injuries. Inflammation is one such system, protecting your body by removing harmful agents like pathogens, damaged cells, and irritants. When you feel inflammation symptoms like joint pain, redness, and sensitivity, it is your body trying to heal itself. Many people confuse...
Before pain treatment was common, people had to find creative methods to help alleviate their discomfort. One of these methods was to use a ball to massage the knots that cause pain, with tennis balls often supplying the best results. Tennis balls can help relax muscle “knots.” While there is still much...
While there were pain research breakthroughs in 2016, there is still room for progress. Researchers continue to tackle difficult questions about how pain manifests, where it comes from, and how it can be treated. Keep a close eye on some of the following studies. The knowledge may be useful for you...
A pain doctor can take several approaches when treating a patient with chronic pain. Sometimes, the treatment can be as simple as some daily stretching exercises and sleeping 8 hours a night. In other cases, the pain comes from a pinched nerve. The nerves in the body’s nervous system are...
As you look through the Garden State Pain website, you’ll notice that back pain can have many causes and just as many treatments. Doctors want to find the procedure that works for each patient. That said, the more niche procedures tend to make up a small percentage of back pain...
There is still much about pain the medical community does not understand. This opens the door to more research that can improve treatments. While some years see more progress than others in pain research, 2016 saw several developments in pain relief methods.Links to Protein InflammationOne of the most frustrating aspects...
Chronic pain can feel like a burden to many Americans. The intensity and persistence can make it difficult to focus on hobbies or work. So being able to manage the feeling itself can seem like an added stressor that you don’t need. Back in the day, some people had journals...
There are plenty of posts about how poor posture can affect your mood, health, and overall well-being. You know you need to improve your posture and need to re-align your back, but what is the best method? The reality is there’s no instant cure for posture. Your back is the way...
Car accidents, whether major or not, are awful experiences. Because everyone handles a vehicle collision differently, it can be difficult to determine whether you experienced a dangerous injury or not. Untreated, injuries from a car crash can lead to serious back pain after several days or weeks. Even if you don’t feel...
Over-the-counter painkillers are easy to find at your local pharmacy. The many brands and options mean a slew of directions, warnings, and anxiety about how to properly take the medication. When almost 50 percent of adults in the United States take painkillers, misinformation spreads fast, and increased reports of emergency room visits...
With New Jersey entering the middle of winter, we need to be more careful than ever of the chance of a slip and fall accident. Snow and ice can mix to transform sidewalks and streets into safety hazards. Slip and falls are one of the most frequent instigators of chronic...
Plenty of advice around chronic pain revolves around maintaining proper posture, stretching, and exercise. While the majority of chronic pain symptoms do come from mechanical issues with the spine or nerves, good nutrition can help prevent or alleviate your chronic pain as well. The benefits of a healthy diet are...
Arthritis is when one or more joints turn stiff from inflammation, leading to pain that gets worse as one becomes older. While more men find themselves with arthritis before the age of 55, after 55 the scales tip towards women. Where arthritis occurs also tends to vary by sex. For men,...
High heels are notorious for their discomfort and effects on spinal health, but this does not stop women from wearing them. For many women, wearing a pair of high heels is the perfect footwear to complete an outfit. Some women wear high heels daily. Some studies have shown that high...
The journey to pain relief can be more frustrating than initially expected. At Garden State Pain Control we are aware that conservative methods of pain treatment may not always be sufficient to help a patient’s condition. The patient may also not be a good candidate for surgery for many reasons. When this...
Many times, surgery is not the only option for addressing chronic pain. There are many forms of chronic pain, and as many procedures available to help alleviate the pain. As research grows, data gathered from massage therapists, patients, and physicians show that massages are one viable alternative. Depending on the type of...
After a car accident, you may start experiencing back pain intense enough that it interferes with your daily life. This pain may be a symptom of spinal stenosis, a medical condition that some people suffer from after a car accident which puts pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves...
If you’re reading this, you (or someone you know) are probably experiencing back pain that is painful and consistent enough that it is worrying you. While a qualified medical pain expert can give you a proper diagnosis for what is causing your back pain, there are certain signs you can look out...
A third of our day is (or should be) dedicated to sleeping. That is about eight hours a day where your body is kept in a specific position, which can affect the curvature and stability of your spine. When we start putting ourselves in unnatural sleeping positions, it can lead...
When doing research for your back pain, you may be seeing the phrase vertebral compression fracture showing up often. For those of us who aren’t very familiar with spinal health, this phrase can come off as some sort of confusing medical jargon. That’s because a vertebral compression fracture is usually...
It is amazing to see how medicine can work with Mother Nature to derive the modern-day treatments we rely on for a good quality of life. In fact, several foods out there are still relied upon for their therapeutic benefits. Foods such as salmon, olive oil, leafy greens and ginger...
As more studies of chronic pain come to light, there seems to be more connections between pain and poor posture. Unfortunately, many of our day to day careers encourage poor posture habits. Especially if you work in an office environment, sitting hunched in front of a computer for the majority of...
When you are experiencing pain, exercise can be good to help alleviate it. However, some exercises may do more damage rather than help your pain. While some exercises may be beneficial when practiced using proper form, repetitions, and resting periods, there are others that should be completely avoided altogether. So you...
When you suffer from chronic pain you try anything you can to find relief. A sensible approach is typically to consult with expert physicians to discover the source of your pain, and for that a top pain management center is the place to go. In addition, it is especially important to stick...
According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 2 million concussions are experienced by Americans every year. Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries, and the names are interchangeable. Most frequently, these are “closed head” injuries, meaning that there was no penetration through the skull and the injury was caused by...
There is a good chance you may have been told by a concerned family member to keep your back straight. This is one of the more common signs of a bad posture habit, and as has been proven through studies in recent years, poor posture can lead to poor physical and...
When you are experiencing back pain, you may be finding it difficult to get into a workout routine. Traditional exercises like stomach workouts, heavy lifting, and push ups are not recommended for those who are experiencing back pain, as they put unnecessary stress on your joints. That stress puts you at risk...
In 2001, the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) declared and ran the first Pain Awareness Month in September. Since then, the tradition has carried on every year, raising awareness for different types of pain that we experience daily. The purpose of Pain Awareness Month is not only to help the general public...
Chronic pain can seriously impact your daily life, ruining the moments that should be enjoyable or relaxing. Even though there are about 25.3 million Americans suffering from chronic pain, there is still a group of people who believe that it doesn’t actually exist, and as a result diagnosing your pain as chronic...
Whether you see them in the mall, or have one at home, massage chairs are normally seen as luxury items that don’t accomplish much besides a fun rumble. While this may be true for some poorly designed massage chairs, most actually do have the ability to relax your back pain. When...
There’s a reason why your family made sure you sat up straight at the dinner table. While it’s no secret that slouching can be bad for you, the extent to which it affects your overall health is surprising. Many people reading this post right now will most likely be leaning...
Typically a compression fracture happens when a part of an individual bone in the spine called a vertebra becomes highly compressed usually due to some accident or trauma. If the compression is severe enough, the vertebra itself may fracture. These types of fractures are most common in the lumbar vertebrae...
Your posture reveals more than you think about your emotional state and health. Do you perceive a confident person in your mind as someone who is slouching, tilting his head, or otherwise not standing straight? Over time, bad posture can lead to several health issues in your spine and nerves....
Chronic pain medication can be highly valuable for individuals who need it. However, there are other things you can do to reduce your chronic pain without necessarily increasing your dosage of pain medication. In some cases, these tips may even help you be able to lower your medication dosage. This...
For most people, pain is just a nuisance that comes and goes in different areas of the body. It can come about from sleeping in an awkward position, sitting for extended periods of time, or performing unnatural repeated movements. Scrapes and bruises from playing sports or stubbed toes against the...
Myofascial trigger points, commonly referred to as simply trigger points, are areas on your body that are hypersensitive to pain. The term myofascial refers to muscle tissues (myo) and the connective tissues in and around them (fascia). Pain is often caused by myofascial trigger points, which are unique in how...
Exercise of just about any type can help with stress relief. In addition, certain exercises and stretches can help with reducing certain types of pain such as back pain. Here are some of the top outdoor activities that may help lower your stress and relieve your chronic pain.WalkingThe great thing about...
Believe it or not, there have been studies which have found a link between a reduction in patient-reported chronic pain and pet ownership. In addition, owning a pet can help reduce the likelihood that suffering from chronic pain will lead to depression. Research shows that depression is more likely to occur...
Braces come in all shapes and sizes including trochanteric belts, corsets, molded jackets, sacroiliac belts, and more. They are used to help alleviate pain and hold a certain part of your body relatively still in order to help it heal better. Braces can be a great source of pain relief for...
In the US having back pain is a fact of life. Up to 60% of adults experience back pain during their lifetime. Many go about their day not realizing just how serious the issue of back pain is and continue performing tasks and exercises the same ways they are accustomed to. This...
Complex regional pain syndrome is a relatively uncommon type of chronic pain which typically affects the extremities including your arms and legs. The condition is commonly found in patients after having a surgery, stroke, or suffering a heart attack. However, the pain experienced by patients is not in proportion to the...
There are many ways to deal with knee pain or a stiff knee. However, there are many individuals who unintentionally make their knee pain worse in their attempt to cope with it. For example, many people instinctively think they should rest their knee more when they are suffering from knee pain. This...
Arthritis is the inflammation of the joints that mostly affects areas of motor skill such as the fingers, wrists and knees, and can worsen with age (leading to severe joint pain). Arthritis is fairly common among US Americans, affecting more than 40 million people throughout the country. There are two kinds of...
Whether you’ll be moving out of your house, dealing with storage, or just trying to get rid of that old appliance, we all will have to deal with lifting heavy objects eventually. Many people, however, try to lift things incorrectly, leading to strain on their body or even injury. Follow...
Motorcycle riding is a beloved pastime by many motor enthusiasts in the United States. Over 149,000 motorcycles are registered in the state of New Jersey. They are far outnumbered by the over 3 million registered cars on the roads, making riding a motorcycle the riskiest method of transportation. Due to...
For anyone with neck arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other forms of chronic pain, going on vacation or a business trip can cause an array of mixed feelings. You’re happy to get away for a little bit, but you’re also reminded about what aches and pains traveling can bring. But rest assured, with a...
You may be suffering from a preexisting joint related condition like arthritis, recovering from pain after back surgery, or are just feeling the aches that life brings naturally. Either way, stretching is a natural, proven way to relieve pain in the prone areas of your body.With that being said, here are...
For thousands of years, humanity has reaped the benefits of yoga for physical and spiritual health. In modern times, yoga is used in all different areas of medicine as a complement to traditional forms of therapy. This mind-body practice incorporates posture, breathing, and meditation to improve overall well-being.There are over...
With so many drivers on the road and so many of them driving drunk, sleepy, distracted, it is a miracle any of us survive the bustling roads we rely on daily to get around. Thousands of car accidents occur annually in New Jersey, leaving many to fall victim to carelessness,...
Hobbies have a therapeutic effect on people, especially when they are dealing with chronic pain. Gardening specifically has multiple health benefits, both psychological and physical. Imagine you are outside on a cool spring morning, tending to a bed of roses gleaming in the sunlight. There are birds chirping in the trees nearby...
At any given moment, approximately 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain which is difficult to diagnose, a term used to describe persistent pain that lasts longer than six months. This is caused by pain signals remaining active in the nervous system for extended periods of time, from a few months...
Surgery is necessary for many to continue to live a healthy life. After the surgery, however, some people experience seemingly inexplainable pain. Here are the most common types, and how to deal with them.Movement/Joint PainThis may be felt when trying to do everyday activities such as standing up, walking, or...
Contrary to some popular belief, the term “sciatica” does not refer to a diagnosis in and of itself. Sciatica actually only refers to a symptom, not the underlying cause of that symptom. Sciatica describes various types of leg pain including, chronic leg pain, leg tingling, leg numbness, leg weakness, and more....
Sometimes aging is a pain in the neck, literally. As individuals age, just about everyone experiences some degree of cervical vertebrae degeneration. Most doctors think the reason this is so common is because after many years of our relatively small neck bones holding up a 9 or 10 pound head,...
Among pain physicians back pain is known as a notoriously difficult type of pain to diagnose. Still, some diagnoses are actually straight forward: these include things like tumors, bone fractures, and bacterial infections. These are easy to diagnose because once you detect them, you know exactly what the cause of...
Back and neck pain are very complex. They can be caused by a great number of different conditions, injuries, and even infections. This means back and neck pain tends to be difficult to diagnose and it tends to be subject to many popular myths. Whether or not you suffer from...
An intrathecal pump, also called a “pain pump,” is a drug delivery therapy which may be able to help reduce your chronic pain such as back pain. It works by delivering medication directly to where it’s needed rather than taking it orally. The benefits of intrathecal pumps can be enormous for many...
A spinal cord stimulator is not for everyone. However, for many individuals who suffer from chronic pain like back pain and leg pain on a daily basis and who have exhausted all other treatment options with little or no results, a spinal cord stimulator may offer many benefits. A spinal cord stimulator can reduce...
An intrathecal pump is a medical device that is used to deliver medication directly into the area between your spinal chord and the protective sheath around it. By delivering medications in this way, many of the side effects associated with medications taken orally or intravenously may be either reduced or eliminated.Benefits of...
Spinal cord stimulators have recently become the standard treatment for individuals who suffer from chronic back or limb pain and have not been able to find relief using other treatments. Most patients who get a spinal cord stimulator report a 50-70% reduction in pain and they report an increased ability to do physical...
Chronic pain is too often a misunderstood or overlooked ailment. However, if you or a loved one suffer(s) from chronic pain, it may be beneficial to learn more about its effects, treatments, and causes.What is Chronic Pain?Officially, chronic pain is defined as a pain that lasts longer than 6 months. However,...
When it comes to diagnosing, treating, and prescribing medicine for pain, only a qualified doctor can really help. However, if you’ve already seen a doctor and you are on pain medication, there are a couple things you can do right at home without more medication that can help ease your pain or...
Neck pain can be caused by a wide variety of things. For example, a stiff neck could simply be caused by a poor sleeping position or it could be caused by a more serious condition or an injury. Depending on the cause of your neck pain, it may be possible to...
Airplane flights can be a treacherous endeavor for those of us who suffer from back pain. Long flights can be particularly arduous. Even those who rarely if ever experience issues with back pain will likely find that after several hours of sitting in coach, their backs will start hurting. Thankfully, there are...
Follow a Healthy DietYour daily intake and overall diet can have a significant impact on your health. This is true regarding back and neck pain prevention, too. A whole-food diet rich in natural fruits, vegetables, lean meats nuts, and legumes are a good start for better health. Cutting down on processed foods...
The key to maintaining a healthy back and spine is implementing proper habits into your daily rituals. Here are some essential tips to keeping your back strong and healthy:Exercise DailyExercise is important to many parts of your health. It can especially do wonders for your back and spine. Go for an...
Stress can have both mental and physical effects. From back pain to premature aging to poor memory, stress can be a very real medical concern. In some cases, it may even help explain anything from a small part to a large part of the causes your pain. If you think...
We have all woken up in the morning with a kink in our neck at least once. It’s frustrating because usually your neck bothers you all day and we have no idea why it’s happening. A stiff neck can have both many symptoms and many causes. Some causes can be severe like...
Trauma remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Medical advances have significantly reduced the mortality associated with trauma, which has led to an increased emphasis on secondary outcome measures, such as psychological well-being, functional improvement, and vocational and social reintegration. Pain has a profound impact on...
Pregabalin (Lyrica) is an anti-epileptic drug used for the treatment of neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, and as an adjunct therapy for partial seizures. The systemic (IUPAC) description of pregabalin is (S)-3-(aminomethyl)-5-methylhexanoic acid and its molecular formula is C8H17NO2. It has a molecular weight of 159.23. Pfizer, Inc. introduced this...
