7 Neck Pain Tips To Ease Your Pain
Just another part of our body that can cause us pain - the neck. Whether it’s a knot from sleeping wacky the night before or a pain that’s been pretty consistent lately, having a stiff and tense neck can leave you feeling restricted in more ways than one. It shouldn’t hurt to look both ways when crossing the street or when you’re looking down to keep an eye on your little one. Check out these tips to see if they can relieve your neck pain. 1. Check if you’re breathing correctly Yes, that’s right! You should not be breathing from your tummy but drawing out that breath from your diaphragm. Don’t puff out your belly and don’t breathe from your upper body. Draw that breath down and in. You can check this by lying down somewhere flat, placing one hand on your chest and
5 Things You Should Be Doing For Your Lower Back
Lower back pain is far more common than we think. Stop for a second right now and listen to your back. Are you sitting or standing? Is there any discomfort in your lower back - even a little bit? If the answer is yes, then you are one of the many that are experiencing lower back pain. This pain can cause daily annoyances and discomfort. No one wants to dread bending over to pick something up in fear of feeling that slight pain - life’s too short! Luckily, there are ways to combat this pain and to possibly make it disappear altogether. 1. Stretching There are many stretches you can do to help relieve lower back discomfort. These stretches don’t just include stretching the lower back but other parts of your body as well. Your hip flexors, pelvic floor, inner thighs, and even
Is Physical Therapy Safe During Pregnancy?
So, you’re pregnant and you’re wondering if physical therapy is safe during pregnancy? The simple answer - yes! I know you’re probably thinking physical therapy is only for people that have sport or accident-related injuries. That is totally not true. Physical therapy can really be for anyone who’s just trying to figure out and learn how their body moves and functions. So, preparing for one of the biggest physical tolls that can be done to a woman’s body (aka birth) is a great opportunity to prep, stretch, and strengthen all the muscles that will be involved in the birthing process. But how exactly can physical therapy help you while you're pregnant? https://youtu.be/2IL4LHvgTDY 1. It can help with pregnancy-related pain You got it. We’re talking low back pain, SI joint pain, pelvic pain, and any symphysis pubic dysfunction. This also includes neck and head pain like migraines
8 Labor Tips for a Smoother Birth
Labor can be - let’s face it - scary. Whether it’s your first child or your fifth, the time leading up to your delivery can be nerve racking. There are many things you can do to at least ease these nerves. Being prepared is the best thing you can do and there are many ways to prepare for a smoother birth. Read 8 of my top labor tips below. 1. Explore different birth positions Don’t be afraid to try these out! Find out what works the best for your body because every body is different. Some different positions are: squatting being up on all fours sidelying being on your back Keeping the pelvis open may work in your best favor as it’s easier for the baby to come out. Squatting and being on all fours open the pelvis up just a little bit
Ultimate Guide to Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Do you have a constant feeling that some of your abdominal organs might fall out? Don’t worry - you’re not crazy. You may be suffering from pelvic organ prolapse. Pelvic organ prolapse is when the organs inside of your pelvic cavity descend into the vaginal vault and may even extend to the outside of your body. These organs may be your bladder, urethra, uterus, or rectum. This may sound like something from a zombie movie but one in five women in the United States are actually suffering from pelvic organ prolapse. What is the cause of pelvic organ prolapse? There are many causes for pelvic organ prolapse. The number one cause is pregnancy (labor and delivery, included). It can also be sparked by obesity, respiratory conditions (due to chronic coughing), pelvic cancers, or hysterectomies. Another cause can be chronic constipation due
6 Ways to Ease Pregnancy Pain
Pregnancy can be painful - duh! No one needed to tell you that. Not only are you prepping for your new little one, but you have pregnancy pain to deal with. There are some pains that come with pregnancy that can be annoying. For example, those migraines that won’t go away or that heartburn - let’s not even talk about it! Other pains are located in your lower back, SI joint, tailbone, and/or pubic symphysis. Not to mention the overlying anxiety about delivery itself. Well, some of these pains can be subdued or even avoided altogether! 1. Pay attention to your day-to-day body movements Bend at the waist, avoid twisting, and evenly distribute your weight. How you move your body throughout the day should be something you pay close attention to. Picking up miscellaneous items around the house? Make sure you are using
6 Ways to Feel Better in Your Body (By Using Your Mind)
1. Check in with your breath. There are three primary ways to breathe: 1) with your diaphragm 2) with your belly 3) with the accessory muscles of your neck and shoulders. The most natural and relaxing way to breathe is Diaphragmatic Breathing, but most of us are using the other two, less effective, ways for oxygen exchange. When you breathe with your diaphragm, the intercostal muscles between the ribs do their proper job of helping the ribcage expand. As you inhale, the respiratory and pelvic diaphragms should move downward, like a piston, and with each exhale draw upward. This way of breathing fills your lungs and keeps the nervous system calm and happy. Unless you had a traumatic birth, you were likely born breathing with your diaphragm. Breathing patterns can be changed over time through the following: During pregnancy, the liver, stomach, and
5 Ways To Ease Jaw Pain (TMJ)
Got jaw pain? How about clicking or popping when you eat, yawn or talk? Jaw pain can stem from the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) and may be a source of pain, clicking, popping, clenching, grinding, or changes in your bite. TMJ dysfunction can even cause pain to spread to the ear, neck and head. While direct injuries to the TMJ can cause pain in the jaw, such as those from playing sports or accidents, there are other causes that you may not have considered. The pelvis plays a role because the whole spine, including the head (and ultimately the jaw,) are stacked on top of it. Therefore, a twist or shift at the pelvis can cause a shift all the way up. Extensive dental work, whiplash car accidents, surgery, birth trauma, and even suppressed emotions can also lend themselves to pain and dysfunction