Finding a qualified physical therapist

Finding the right professional to help diagnose and develop a plan for wellness is critical to living pain free. A physician should know that a good physical examination by a qualified professional is critical to managing pain.

A trainer, who examined my husband’s back, found that the exercises, prescribed by a physical therapist, were doing more harm than good. It was my husband’s physician who had sent him to the physical therapist.

Finding the right person can be a challenge. Ask several other people, especially those in good physical condition. Talk with your doctor but also with friends, relatives, personnel at the local gym, Angie’s List, and read other online reviews. Do your homework, then during your first visit to the professional make sure you feel comfortable with his or her procedures, explanations, and office environment.

My husband knew it was important to keep exercising. As soon as one stops moving he/she loses muscle mass, flexibility, and optimal circulation. Once he knew the exercises to avoid and the correct ones to do for the different muscle groups in the body he was able to exercise without pain!

Heat is a great home remedy for muscle pain and can help warm muscles before exercise, thus improving Maine Warmers microwave heating pads are easy to use, are portable, and conform to your body. Their Extra Large Back Warmer is perfect for stiff backs as it covers the whole back. An extra long Gator Neck Warmer (designed for larger sized necks) can also be used down the length of the spine. Check out Maine Warmers' wide variety of shapes and sizes of comforting heating pads.
flexibility and blood circulation.

Preventing Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical Spondylosis is a condition that affects the disks in your neck and may cause pain and stiffness. It is an age related disease, associated with arthritis and may become worse over time without treatment and lifestyle changes.

With this particular condition it seems like an ounce of prevention could be worth a pound of cure. Too much time sitting at a computer, driving, or other repetitive motions where good ergonomics are not practiced may be the culprit. Taking breaks from the activity, stretching, staying in good physical condition with routine low impact exercise may help prevent Spondylosis.

Education and lifestyle modifications are key to controlling this condition according to Wikipedia. For mild cases the Mayo Clinic recommends the option of wearing a neck brace, taking over the counter pain relievers, physical therapy with neck and shoulder strengthening exercises, and applying heat or ice. 

Customers will often call and tell me that their physicians recommended the use of heat. Recently a customer told me her husband had Spondylosis and the doctor said to use heat or ice.

Soft & Luxurious Neck Wrap

Maine Warmers’ heating pads easily go in the freezer as well as the microwave and can be used as gentle ice packs. Use heat and cold therapy for Spondylosis and other conditions involving muscles and joints according to your doctor's advice. 

Heat is used to help stimulate blood circulation and improve flexibility. Cold therapy helps reduce swelling and pain. An extra long Neck Warmer, filled with whole corn, will provide comforting warmth or cold for periods of 30 to 40 minutes and is reusable, durable, washable, and safe. It is flexible and will conform to your body. Some of Maine Warmers' neck wraps are whimsical animal shaped Warmers like the Woolly Bear Neck Warmer. The Giraffe pattern Neck Warmer is made with the softest and most durable of fabrics called "Plush."

Heat Therapy for Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy, a condition where nerves in the body have been injured and may continue to degenerate, may cause a lack of sensitivity in extremities and/or pain. Neuropathy refers to degenerative nerve damage.

The brain and spinal cord are two parts of the body’s nervous system, and the nerves that spread throughout the body are peripheral to those, making up the third but equally important part. It is the damage to these nerves that cause symptoms of mild to extreme pain.

There are a variety of causes of peripheral neuropathy which may include trauma due to accidents, medications (including chemotherapy), and diabetes among others. To see a list of possible causes visit the Mayo Clinic website.

Linked to this article are some recommended life-style and home remedies, one of which is to reduce stress. I am not sure why heat therapy is not mentioned as a home remedy for relaxation to help deal with stress. Heat is known to relax tight or tense muscles. Massage is often recommended to help relieve stress, but that is expensive -- $35 to $70 per session. A microwave heating pad is relatively inexpensive, and if it is a Maine Warmer, it should provide daily relief for years.

Check it out, and feel free to mention Maine Warmers’ heating pads in your conversations with others as one Back Warmer and enjoy the coolness under your feet without the discomfort of harsh ice cubes. Foot Warmers can also provide heat or cold therapy.

way to relieve stress. These "Warmers" can be frozen and used for cold comfort. If this type of neuropathy causes burning feet, try freezing a Maine Warmer and chilling out with a comforting cold pack.

When using heat on areas where there is nerve damage it is important to test the heating pad to make sure it isn't too hot. Microwave heating pads will cool down once they come out of the microwave, so there isn't any worry of overheating. It is important to be extremely careful when using an electric heating pad as it may become hot, and the lack of feeling in the feet may make burns more likely.

Do Juniper Berries Have Health Benefits?

In a Native American cookbook and was surprised to see juniper berries as an ingredient in several recipes. I have come across these berries -- some green and some blue in color -- growing wild and wondered about the safety of steeping them in my tea. I have broken them open and enjoyed the fresh sharp scent, but never used them in cooking.

More recently, the mention of juniper berries in ARTHRITIS TODAY Magazine (May-June 2011) caught my attention in an article explaining "food cure myths." The "myth" regarding junipers is that these berries were used during the Middle Ages to reduce inflammation. To date, no scientific or medical studies support this claim.

However, when I Googled juniper berries, I discovered another myth about them -- they aren't really berries! They are seed cones with "unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give [them] a berry-like appearance." Wikipedia

In Europe, juniper berries are used to flavor meats and sauerkraut. Apparently when using juniper berries to flavor foods, a little goes a long way. Juniper is probably best known for the flavoring in the alcoholic drink known as gin. In my family, we jokingly refer to gin as "juniper wine," although we would never order it by the bottle in a restaurant.

"Currently, the juniper berry is being researched as a possible treatment for diet-controlled diabetes, as it releases insulin from the pancreas (hence alleviating hunger)." Wikipedia  Warning! One species of juniper berries is toxic, as are many other wild growing plants, so experimenting with eating wild berries as a home remedy for ailments or weight loss could make you sick.

Sticking to tried and true home remedies seems like the best path to follow. One of those home remedies is heat therapy. Maine Warmers' Comforting Creatures and Neck Warmers make the perfect gifts for graduates, brides and grooms, expectant moms and dads, and for those who are recovering from an illness or surgery.

Sheep Microwave Heating Pad for Stiff Backs

 It can be used to relax stiff muscles, help relieve neck tension, promote sleep, calm a cranky baby, soothe arthritic conditions, and more!

It's nice to be the recipient of a comforting gift -- especially when it doesn't add to the daily calorie count.