Modern surgical methods to diagnose and treat stomach problems may be new, but stomach pain is not. Before we had the ability to take X-rays, perform colonoscopies, and prescribe medication, early civilizations had to find ways to treat stomach conditions with the tools available to them.

While historical records show that some ancient physicians did prescribe odd remedies like mercury or animal excrement to cure all manner of illnesses, many early civilizations found great success with herbal remedies. Many of these herbs you’ll recognize, since many people use them for cooking or similar uses today.   (more…)

The pain in your back or neck has become unbearable, so it’s time to visit the doctor and undergo corrective surgery. You can’t wait to live free of pain and to know that your body is strong again. But you also know that recovering from the surgery may take some time and lots of help from your doctors.

You will recover faster from your surgery if you have prepared your body for the procedure. You can take several steps both before and after the surgery to ensure that your body heals correctly and quickly. Start preparing now with the tips below. (more…)

If you’ve sought help for frequent or chronic pain, you are likely familiar with the role that inflammation can play in your pain experience. While inflammation may or may not directly cause your pain, reducing inflammation can minimize your discomfort on a day-to-day basis.

Your physical therapist, general care doctor, or surgeon performs specific treatments or procedures which diminish inflammation, either directly or as a side effect.

But what about the days where you don’t see a specialist? In this blog, we give you four strategies for minimizing inflammation between your physical therapy sessions. (more…)

Many situations and circumstances can impact the way you perceive pain. For example, your pain may feel slightly diminished when you participate in a family activity as opposed to when you focus on a work project you’ve been putting off.

While chronic pain has definite and often treatable physical causes, your pain also interacts with your perception of the world, including your emotions.

In this blog, we discuss how your emotional well-being may cause, alter, or help treat your physical pain. (more…)

Pregnancy has its perks for your body, like excellent skin and good nails. But most women don’t have any illusions about the discomfort they’ll face as well. Along with heartburn, morning sickness, and stretch marks, most women will cope with back pain at some point during their pregnancy.

In the blog below, we’ll talk about why back pain happens during pregnancy and how, under your doctor’s supervision, you can relieve that pain.  

Why Does Pregnancy Cause Back Pain?

Back pain can occur at any point during pregnancy, but most women experience it in their second and third trimesters. If you have pre-existing back problems like lordosis, you might experience back pain earlier in the first trimester. (more…)

You deal with frequent aches and pains. You figure that most people probably have similar conditions and that plenty of people probably have it worse. But over time, your pain becomes more frequent and more intense.

Discomfort begins to interfere with your daily activities, preventing you from exercising, performing personal care tasks, and working normally.

But once you decide to address the problem with the help of a medical professional, you realize you’ve become so accustomed to persistent pain that you don’t know how best to describe it.

Many patients struggle with expressing either the intensity of their pain or the specific sensations they feel. In this blog, we walk you through some of the common descriptors and scales of pain. This understanding can help you communicate more effectively with your doctor or physical therapist and better focus your treatment. (more…)

Jacob Hendricks had been active his entire life. He was on the varsity soccer team in high school, enjoyed ski vacations with his family, and even ran a marathon the day before his wedding. But the car accident changed everything.

Luckily, Jacob survived the collision with a drunk driver, but he sustained a herniated disc during the accident. After neurosurgery and physical therapy, Jacob’s back pain has largely dissipated, but his doctors advised him to take it easy for a few more months. Jacob wants to be active and in shape, but doesn’t want to push his back too far.

If you have sustained a back injury or suffer from back pain, you may feel like Jacob—unable to enjoy the active lifestyle you once had. Luckily, you don’t have to sit around and wait for the back pain to go away. In fact, you don’t even have to give up the exercise you love. The answer is simple: yoga. (more…)

When you hear the words “acid reflux,” you think of horrible heartburn—that intense, burning feeling in your chest that you get occasionally. But you don’t experience heartburn often enough to be overly concerned. After all, everyone experiences a little heartburn after Thanksgiving dinner, and especially when Aunt Mary brings her green bean casserole.

What most people don’t realize is that while everyone experiences noticeable symptoms of acid reflux from time to time—like heartburn, for instance—there can be more subtle signs of acid reflux, a condition also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Below, you’ll learn more about acid reflux and its symptoms. Learn what to do if you suspect that you suffer from this condition and how to seek diagnosis and treatment. (more…)

In June 2015, we published a post that described how standing and sitting posture relate to back pain. We also outlined how to improve your posture and strengthen your core so you do not experience further discomfort.

However, even though you might have perfect posture while conscious, you may still have back and neck pain because of your sleeping position. When you sleep, you spend around eight hours in the same position. If you have improper posture during those eight hours, your back muscles may strain as a result.

Below, we’ll tell you how to maintain proper posture as you sleep so you do not have to worry about aches or soreness in the future. (more…)

The term “carpal tunnel” can strike fear in even the bravest of hearts. It causes constant pain that becomes debilitating and overwhelming.

But just what is it and what causes its symptoms? Keep reading to find out.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Your median nerve runs from your palm to forearm. This main nerve controls sensation for your palm, thumb, and fingers, excluding your pinky. Impulses that move the fingers and thumb also come from the median nerve, so its function is imperative for normal hand movement.

The carpal tunnel is a small passageway at the base of the hand. The median nerve runs through this narrow pathway. When tendons in the wrist become irritated or swollen, the carpal tunnel narrows, compressing the median nerve, and resulting in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. (more…)