Friday, February 19, 2010

5 Wellness Tips

Five Wellness Tips
In between your visits to our office, there are lots of things you can do to keep your body - especially your back - healthy. If this sounds familiar-well, we've been talking to your mother. Just so happens she was right:
  1. Sit up straight.
    Develop the habit of good posture. It makes a world of difference in the way your back feels.
  2. Eat your vegetables.
    A good diet is important to your overall health-all those nutrients help your body repair itself. And, you want to keep your weight down. Carrying extra weight puts extra strain on the back.
  3. Turn off the TV.
    Get up and move. Go for a walk. Add exercise to your regular routine. And when you have to sit for long periods, stretch regularly.
  4. Put that down.
    Don't lift things that are too heavy for you. (And if you have to, you know what they say-lift with your legs, not your back.) Don't carry around a backpack stuffed full of books (especially not on one shoulder) or a heavy bag if you can avoid it. The key is to minimize. Only take what you really need.
  5. Go to sleep. Sleep is essential for your wellbeing. Just don't sleep on your stomach, which can strain the muscles in your neck and back. Practice sleeping on your side or back.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Whiplash Stone Mountain Doctor

Whiplash?

Whiplash is an injury caused by the neck and head being thrown suddenly backward then forward upon impact. The impact forces the neck and head beyond their normal range of movement, causing tissue damage and pain.

But what is Whiplash?

Causes of Whiplash:

Car accidents
A sports injury
Shaken baby syndrome (which is child abuse)

Symptoms of Whiplash


Whiplash is a term used most often to describe the symptoms resulting from a car accident. A victim of whiplash may experience any or all of these symptoms:
  • Headaches
  • Pain in the shoulders
  • Pain between the shoulder blades
  • Pain in one or both arms
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Vision problems
  • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
  • Poor concentration or memory
  • Neck pain/stiffness
  • Tight muscles
  • Tenderness in the muscles
  • Low back pain
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Loss of motion in the neck

It's Best to See a Doctor
Even without symptoms, it is a very good idea to see a doctor in the case of a car accident. There can be damage without symptoms, or there can be delayed symptoms. Your doctor can help to determine the location and extent of the damage and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

According to a study done in 2006 at the Medical College of Wisconsin, whiplash due to a rear end collision can be prevented with positioning of the head close to the headrest

.

Sources:
1. Whiplash. (2005). In MedlinePlus [Web]. National Institute of Health. Retrieved 12 22 2006, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000025.htm

2. Stemper, Brian, Ph.D., Yoganandan, Narayan, Pintar, Frank, (2006).Effect of head restraint backset on head-neck kinematics in whiplash.. Accident Analysis and Prevention. 38, 317-323.