What can you do to help with Sciatic pain?

                Massage will certainly help decrease nerve pain by stimulating the muscles by having the glutes worked on and the posterior leg. With increased circulation it will temporarily help your first visit  but going regularly it has long term beneficial effects especially for those who plan to do lots of driving or has a stressful work situation that is mentally and physically draining. Following after massage a hot bath with epsom salts is great. Having two cups added to your water will have the magnesium absorbed into your skin to help soaking for 10 to 20 min is ideal.

                Compression with hot and cold is another way to help ease sciatic pain. The heat relaxes the muscles and the cold will help decrease the inflammation down, and numb the pain. Making sure not to have the cold on for more than 20 min several times a day.

                With gentle exercises and stretching techniques It will help lower the chances of requiring injury and inflammation following. Keeping the core strong and stretching of the posterior leg muscles such as hamstring will also help. Yoga is another option to help with strengthening the muscles and helping corresponding areas that will ease sciatic pain.

                Simply laying on back keeping one leg to the ground, having one knee come towards your chest grasping below the knee as you hold to chest and lifting that leg as you take your hands and hold leg to upright position towards the ceiling and hold for 30 seconds, releasing leg and doing the opposite leg will help. Chair yoga is another best option especially for the elderly or to be in seated position on chair and extend leg to stretch the hamstring muscles and alternating sides is a excellent way to ease sciatic and a good tool to prevent from happening.

                These are tools to use in the comfort of your home and then applying to your regime at home will keep you feeling balanced and restored, following with massage and the use of a little bit of peppermint oil with moist hot towel to infuse will be such an award after coming in and being cared for to melt off any emotional stress that you may be holding.


Massage available at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta. 403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca

'Chemical Burns' Seen as Possible Cause of Vaping Lung Damage

Lung injuries from vaping probably result from direct toxicity or tissue damage caused by noxious chemical fumes.

"We were not surprised by what we found, regarding toxicity," Brandon T. Larsen, MD, PhD, a surgical pathologist at the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, and a national expert in lung pathology.

"We have seen a handful of cases, scattered individual cases, over the past two years where we've observed the same thing, and now we are seeing a sudden spike in cases.

To learn more about the pathology of vaping-associated lung injury, Larsen and colleagues studied lung biopsy specimens from 17 patients (13 men; median age, 35 years) who reported vaping and who were suspected of having associated lung injuries. Most (71%) of the patients vaped with marijuana or cannabis oils.

All of the lung biopsy specimens revealed "patterns of acute lung injury”. 
The researchers saw no histologic or radiologic evidence of tissue damage resulting from an accumulation of lipids such as mineral oils, which until now have been a suspected cause of vaping-linked lung injuries.

“It seems to be some kind of direct chemical injury, similar to what one might see with exposures to toxic chemical fumes, poisonous gases and toxic agents,"

More than 800 lung injury cases have been linked to vaping during the past several months, and at least 12 patients in 10 states have died. 

Some states have temporarily banned the sale of e-cigarettes or the flavored liquids used in the products, pending health investigations. The American Lung Association says e-cigarettes are not safe and can cause permanent lung injury and disease.

"Everyone should recognize that vaping is not without potential risks, including life-threatening risks, and I think our research supports that."  "It would seem prudent based on our observations to explore ways to better regulate the industry and better educate the public, especially our youth, about the risks associated with vaping."

Adolescent years are times of important brain development. Brain development begins during the growth of the fetus in the womb and continues through childhood and to about age 25. Nicotine exposure during adolescence and young adulthood can cause addiction and harm the developing brain

E-cigarettes are very popular with young people. Their use has grown dramatically in the last five years. Today, more high school students use e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes. The use of e-cigarettes is higher among high school students than adults.

The following is a great tip sheet on how to talk to your kids about vaping/E-cigarettes.

https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/documents/SGR_ECig_ParentTipSheet_508.pdf

Dr. Stephen Kelly D.C.

Dr. Kelly practice at Family First Chiropractic located at 142 Erickson Dr in Red Deer. Call us today to book an appointment 403-347-3261  www.family1stchiro.ca