According to the North American Spine Society, four out of five Americans will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. The spine specialists at Minimally Invasive SpineCARE® say people can minimize back and neck pain through simple principles, which can help improve a patient’s health in other areas as well.Dr. Douglas Won, founder and director of Minimally Invasive SpineCARE, says one easy way to improve spine health – which might surprise people – is to quit smoking.
“If you can stop smoking, you’ll improve your overall health and help strengthen your back at the same time,” explains Dr. Won. “Smoking can restrict blood flow to vital spinal tissues, depriving them of oxygen and important nutrients, which decreases your body’s natural ability to heal. Also, in our experience, spine patients who smoke usually have a lower pain threshold than non-smokers, so back pain feels more intense.”
Dr. Won says the first step for improving spine health and overall wellness is proper body mechanics.
"Body mechanics like this seem so small, yet they can make a huge difference,” notes Dr. Won.
Another significant factor that can improve your back and neck health is exercise.
“Exercise is important for your spine as well as your general health, but it can be hard to get motivated,” says Dr. Erica Whitlock, a chiropractor with Minimally Invasive SpineCARE.
“Establish a regular routine, but don’t overexert yourself. If you don’t know how much is too much, or you’re not sure where to begin, ask a health care professional for a gradual exercise program to get you started,” advises Dr. Whitlock.
Dr. Whitlock adds that both core strengthening and cardiovascular exercises are important for back health. Cardiovascular exercise has another benefit for relieving back pain – it can help reduce body weight.
"Excess weight is known to significantly increase back pain as well as the frequency of disc herniations and other spinal pathology," notes Dr. Vinko Zlomislic, a spine surgeon with Minimally Invasive SpineCare. "Furthermore, obesity is a risk factor for development of diabetes and other cardiovascular health risks. That's why it's important to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet."
“Good nutrition can help you reach your target weight, but it also gives you more energy, makes you feel better about yourself and aids in the healing process. It even helps reduce stress,” he explains.
“Taking good care of your body strengthens it against injuries and illnesses, and in those instances where it needs it, it makes it easier for it to heal,” concludes Dr. Zlomislic.
Minimally Invasive SpineCARE® is a nationally acclaimed, fully comprehensive spine center for surgical and non-surgical treatments. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Minimally Invasive SpineCARE has 14 clinics in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Services include pain mapping and other diagnostic services, adult stem cell therapy, surgical procedures, non-surgical treatments, and chiropractic and physical therapy. For more information, visit www.SpineCareDFW.com, or call 1-888-600-6474. Connect with Minimally Invasive SpineCARE on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SpineCareDFW), Twitter (twitter.com/#!/spinecaredfw) or YouTube (www.youtube.com/spinecaredfw).
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