Do you know what pillow to use?

Are you sleeping on the right pillow?

   Many people ask us what pillows we recommend every day. There are many types out there from cheap to expensive. We mainly recommend a cervical pillow( the ones with the scoop and dip in them).  There are also many different materials used in the making of pillows, microfibres, foam and feathers to name a few. The biggest thing I tell my patients is that  we are all built differently, a women 140 lbs 5 foot 5 does not need the same pillow as a 230 pound 6 foot man.
    When sleeping the best position is on your back or the next best postion is on your side.The side lying pillow should be the depth of your ear to the tip of you shoulder when your neck is in a normal position (head not tilted).  When on your back your neck should be in the normal curve comfortably. You neck/chin should not be flexed forward as most people have too large of pillows thus reducing the normal neck curve and shortening the front neck muscles, overstretching the back neck muscles causing headaches, 'sleeping wrong' and 'neck pinches'.
Cervical Pillows can help to induce a proper cervical curve when used with back sleeping, thus reducing neck pain and headaches.
I usually recommend a normal foam cervical pillow for men, and the petite ones for women and teens as these are proportional to their size.
 Please don't forget your childrens spine!
Children also need proper neck support when sleeping, our 8 year old does not need the same size pillow as their parents. I like to  recommend a pillow that gently supports and is again smaller and proportional th their size. Theses ones are made of a memory foam to help induce the proper curve. Children 2-5 need and even smaller pillow that also gently supports the neck as they grow and develope the spinal musculature.At the clinic we carry all types of pillows for different body shapes and sizes.
Written By Dr. Joelle Johnson B.Sc.,D.C.
 We are located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellnes, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, T4R 2X3
403-347-3261
www.family1stchiro.ca

How massage aids muscle healing

Works like anti-inflammatory pills CBC News

Posted: Feb 1, 2012 2:14 PM ET 

Massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, Canadian researchers have found.
Athletes have long sought massages to relieve pain and promote recovery. Despite reports that long-term massage therapy reduces chronic pain such as back pain, the biological effects of massage on muscles weren't known.
Now scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton have found evidence at the cellular level that massage blunts muscle pain in a similar way to anti-inflammatory pills.
The study in Wednesday's issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine examined the effects of massage therapy versus no treatment on the quadricep muscles of 11 young men who were recreationally active.
Scientists studied samples from the men before they exercised to the point of exhaustion, just after and then 2½ hours afterwards.
Massage could also help the elderly, those suffering from musculoskeletal injuries and people with chronic inflammatory disease, although that idea still needs to be tested, cautioned the study's lead author, Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky of the pediatrics department at McMaster.
The study does offer evidence that massage is a safe and viable option to use in medical practice, he said.
"We know that exercise is a panacea of goodness," Tarnopolsky said in an interview. "Massage might enhance some of the favourable benefits that we get from exercise."
When the researchers analyzed the muscle tissue samples for tears and signs of damage in the cells, they found massage seemed to blunt muscle pain using the same route that anti-inflammatory pain relievers do.
When the researchers analyzed the muscle tissue samples for tears and signs of damage in the cells, they found massage seemed to blunt muscle pain using the same route that anti-inflammatory pain relievers do.
What's more, Tarnopolsky said, the anti-inflammatory signals released by massage also improved the ability of muscle cells to make new mitochondria — the furnaces that convert food into energy.
That could explain how massage seems to speed up recovery in athletes with injured muscles, the study's authors said.
Tarnopolsky, who normally treats muscular dystrophy and mitochondrial disorders, became interested in investigating massage after he tore all of his hamstring muscles while waterskiing. He received massage therapy as part of his physiotherapy following surgery.
The analysis also suggested that one commonly held idea about massage isn't true: the researchers found no evidence that massage helped clear lactic acid from tired muscles.
None of the researchers knew which leg was massaged except the massage therapist and the leg that was massaged was randomly selected — two experimental steps that add validity to the findings.
The convenience factor of pills, the expense of massages and whether they are covered by provincial health plans are deterrents to greater use of the therapy, Tarnopolsky acknowledged.
"Definitely, [massage] is tiring the muscles out so they can relax and recover," said Jaqueline Gradish, a personal trainer in Toronto who lifts at least 1,000 pounds a day with her clients.
The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Warren Lammert and family.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/02/01/massage-muscle-repair.html

Fun CST facts-CranioSacral therapy

• CranioSacral Therapy can help heal chronic injuries, including head and neck pain.
• CranioSacral Therapy can relieve migraines and help find and release the cause of them.
• CranioSacral Therapy can assist the body when healing from dental work and help tmj syndrome in a non-invasive and gentle way.

Jeannette Raskin CST, RMT

practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, call 403-347-3261 to book an appointment with her today. 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer, Alberta
www.family1stchiro.ca

Benefits of Back Massage Therapy

Chronic back pain, most commonly lower back pain, is one of the most common complaints

among adults and as the popularity grows throughout the world for alternative treatments

and therapies, Back Massage Therapy has emerged as a favourite treatment of choice in

trying to attain chronic back pain relief.Back massage therapy offers numerous benefits. While general massage is well known to stimulate blood flow to the muscles and provide relaxation and a pleasurable experience, it does not necessarily provide the therapeutic value required to provide chronic back pain relief sought by sufferers of the condition. Back massage therapy by a specialist however can bring about significant relief within weeks, when therapeutic back massage techniques are applied to combat both lower and upper back pain.The positive results from back massage therapy can be multiplied when combined with complimentary treatments such as Chiropractic, Physical Therapy or even Acupuncture. A multi discipline approach will work best when the therapists communicate with each other and 'design' a program of complimentary treatments to achieve chronic back pain relief through a synergistic approach. Results can again be significantly improved with the patient taking personal responsibility and being proactive in achieving chronic back pain relief. This can be done with simple measures such as an improved diet, gentle exercise and stretching.

Benefits of Back Massage Therapy

• Massaging causes the muscles to become more relaxed which in turn increases their range

of motion. This is an enormous benefit when tension of the muscles causes a restriction in

movement. Relaxed muscles also help to reduce insomnia.

• Improved blood supply to the muscles assists with the recovery of muscular soreness from

physical activity.

• Massage increases endorphin levels in the body. This is highly beneficial as endorphins are

the 'feel good' chemicals produced naturally by our bodies. Heightened endorphin levels

assist in dealing with chronic back pain.

Massage therpy is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer
www.family1stchiro.ca
403-347-3261