Tips for Preventing Back Pain

Back pain interrupts life and takes the joy right out of living, turning a person into a pain in the neck. Pain can make us grouchy and can also disrupt our routine. Taking time off from work because of back pain isn’t the way most folks want to spend a day off.

Here are a few tips to help keep you ship-shape.

• Exercises help strengthen torso muscles which support the back. 
• Building stronger bodies with good nutrition is essential to health. 
• Practice good posture. 
• When sitting at a computer to keep feet flat on floor, knees lower than hips, computer screen at eye level, and stretch every half hour.
• Being aware of sleeping position, stretching, and taking care when lifting and bending - using the knees – not the back – are important to maintaining a pain free back.

Health A to Z deals with many aspects of back pain, including symptoms, ways to deal with it, and general information to help you through a painful time. The Mayo Clinic also has good information about dealing with back pain and muscle spasms.

Minor back pain involving muscles can often be remedied with rest along with cold therapy during the first 48 hours. Icing may help reduce swelling and thus pain. Moist heat therapy will help relax tight muscles, help circulation and flexibility. The Mayo Clinic has information on cold and heat therapies.

Maine Warmers sells moist heat packs that can be microwaved and used in any room in the house. No Back Warmers, Neck Warmers, in basic shapes and in animal shapes that make lovely get-well gifts.
wires, messy hot water bottles, or worry of falling asleep as with electric heating pads. Best of all – Maine Warmers' products can be frozen and used for gentle cold therapy. They go from the freezer to the microwave to the freezer again! Maine Warmers offers

A Pain in the Wrist

De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis (Pronunciation)

A pain in the wrist at the base of the thumb may be caused by repetitive motion that in turn causes inflammation of the sheath (Tenosynovium) through which tendons pass. Continued friction during repetitive motion causes the condition to worsen. Self-care includes taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, icing the area about 3 – 4 times a day for 15 minutes each time, splinting, and discontinuing the activity that caused it.

Usually a doctor can do a simple test, The Finklestein test, (no kidding) to help diagnose the condition. For more information go to Medicine Doctor or the Mayo Clinic.

Icing an injury can be uncomfortable and it is important to avoid skin damage by using ice for no more than 15 minutes at a time no more than once per hour.

For ice that is gentle and won’t harm the skin try freezing a Maine Warmers' microwave heating pad. All of Neck Warmers and Back Warmers wrap around a hand or wrist and can be used for other body parts as an added bonus.
Maine Warmers’ products may be used for either heat or cold. When you are over the icing stage and you need heat to help relax sore muscles or improve flexibility try heating it in the microwave. Maine Warmers’ microwave heating pads are safe and easy to use. Their

Neck Stiffness

The neck is where the spinal column connects to the brain, and it supports the head. Taking care of the neck is critical to good health. Healthline provides an article that addresses the question - when does one call a doctor for neck pain or stiffness? Another excellent source of information on neck pain is the National Institute’s for Health – Medline Plus. They have a similar article on this subject.

Injury that causes severe pain or stiffness requires immediate medical attention. If one cannot touch the chin to the chest then professional medical advice should be sought. Neck pain that does not go away after a week is reason to seek a physician’s help. Neck stiffness accompanied by tingling sensations in the arm or hand is another.

Neck stretching exercises help with flexibility. Of course a good diet and regular exercise can keep the body in general good health. Talk with a physical therapist or a professional trainer about exercises to strengthen the neck.

General stiffness from sleeping the wrong way, over-excursion during physical exercise, or muscle tension may be treated with over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs. If swelling is the problem then cold therapy is generally recommended. Icing the area for 48 hours at intervals of 15 minutes – no more than once per hour – may help. For more information on when and how to ice an injury please consult your physician. The two articles mentioned here have more information on dealing with neck stiffness.

According to the Mayo Clinic, heat will relax stiff muscles, help flexibility, and stimulate circulation. A heating pad may help relieve stiffness once the swelling has gone down or is not involved.

Maine Warmers' microwave heating pads – Neck Warmers - offer moist heat that goes easily from room to Maine Warmers extra long Alligator Neck Warmer for a fun way to feel better.
room or in the car. There isn’t any worry of falling asleep as with an electric heating pad and not messy hot water bottles. Frozen, they provide soothing comforting cold – no harshness or inconvenience of melting ice cubes.

Getting Young Children to Eat Healthy Foods

Young children watch what their parents eat as much as they listen, learn, and immitate language. Just as we engage children and help them learn new words, we also can help them learn about nutritious foods and hopefully develop tastes for them.

Make shopping for food a fun activity. Sit a young child – age two or older – in the top part of the cart in a grocery store so he or she is eye level with many products on the shelves. Point out foods that are healthy and what are not, talk about the color and how pretty they look. Enjoy it! Spend time in the fresh fruit and veggie department at your local grocery store pointing out foods you know they like. Ask them to name the foods they see. Give your child positive reinforcement about liking foods that will boost their energy levels and help them grow. Point out a food that they have not tried and tell them about it. Ask if they’d like to try it. If they don’t want to try it ask another time – but don’t hound them about it. Talk about a few foods that you like and some you don’t like. Let them know that when you were a child there were foods you didn’t like but now you do.

Set a good example, let your children see you try new foods and eat wholesome foods. When they see you enjoying new foods they may be more open to trying them – especially as they get older and their tastes for foods expands.

Children seem to love smoothies. Here is one of my favorites:

1 cup orange juice
½ cup soft tofu
1 ripe banana
4 or 5 frozen strawberries
1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)

Put ingredients in blender in the order listed. Blend for 30 seconds or until the ingredients become smooth. Refrigerate if your child likes food cold. You drink some and share it with your youngster.

“It wasn’t always easy getting my two children to eat veggies. Engaging them in discussions and preparation helped,” says Betsy Hanscom, author of this blog.

She is president of Maine Warmers, LLC, and designer of microwave heating pads. Maine Warmers in the shape of Bears  can be frozen and used as gentle ice packs to help reduce swelling and pain. Their Cozy Sheep and Bunnies also  make lovely get well gifts for kids with arthritis.