Heal a Bulging Disc? You Bet You Can!

Regardless of what you may have heard, so let me be particularly clear when I say this, it is considerably possible to heal a herniated or swelling disc. That’s correct, I said heal... something that invasive surgery can't do and avoid long-term physical therapy for those of us seeking purely relief from pain.

Why haven't you heard this statement before? It's simply because most physicians, chiropractors and physical therapists base their treatment on the diagnosis or condition (i.e., herniated disc), in place of fixing the reason of the diagnosis / concern (e.g., a muscle imbalance of some type).

In essence, once you comprehend that something or some things have caused your disc to herniate, slip, bulge or otherwise become dysfunctional, you will be able to focus on that reason and choose alternative therapy options that will 1) remedy the problem, 2) lessen the pain, and 3) protect the disc from herniating again.

Also, with some explanation on what a herniated disc is, and what creates them, we can next delve into the methods of healing them.

The "What" and "How" of Herniated and/or Slipped Discs

Unfortunately, the term "herniated disc" is mysterious. If you've ever been told you have a slipped disc, a prolapsed disc, a bulging disc, a ruptured disc, or even degenerative disc disease frequently... they're approximately the same thing. The terminology just depends on whom you're talking to.

Really, a herniated or swelling disc appears when the outermost part of the disc begins to weaken and the inner soft part starts to press outward. The majority of individuals don't even know they have a herniated or swelling disc until the herniation touches the nerve and a multitude of experts like DR. John Sarno even question whether herniated discs create most of the back pain they are said to.

However, several studies affirm that you may have a herniated or protruding disc and NOT have back pain.

Studies show that, the two most commonplace reasons for a disc to herniate are traumatization and muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances are also called "postural dysfunctions." These dysfunctions put abnormal force on the disc that will produce increased wear and tear over time. In the course of time, the weak spot will give way and make contact with the nerve, bringing you pain.

The most important thing to learn about herniated discs is that, barring traumatization, they do not result overnight. You may become symptomatic very quickly, but it takes a long time for conditions to be right for the nerve to be put under enough strain to cause pain. And even if the herniation is a result of trauma or accident, the therapy objective should be the same — to soothe pain and foster healing.

The Seeming Contradiction

Furthermore, I wanted to also tell you that just because you have a herniated disc, does not mean that it is creates your pain. In effect, it has been proven that many back pain sufferers live their whole life with bulging or slipped discs and never know it!

Why am I telling you this? Because I don't want you to be afraid of this diagnosis / symptom. Once you figure out that herniated discs are not going to kill you and may in fact not even be hurting you... you will release your fear based stress and anxiety about them, that may be the reason for your pain — or at least contributing to it.

Many back pain sufferers have herniated discs, muscle imbalances, trigger points... Dismally, some of us experience more pain than others. Some of us have received one diagnosis and others of us received another diagnosis. The doctors don't actually know the exact interrelationship between your back pain and its cause. That is why we at the Healthy Back Institute take a pro-active, multi-corrective therapeutic approach.

This means, we know your back pain hurts and we know it can be produced by several things. Furthermore, we know that regardless if you have received a certain diagnosis, it may not be what is in essence causing your pain — even though the problem is there. We therefore advocate a comprehensive and holistic approach to fixing the muscle imbalances that — taken together — are creating health conditions for you.

Our Healing Model

There are more than a handful of surgical procedures for a herniated disc, all of which have two primary missions: to take pressure off the nerve and to stabilize the joints. Still, these unoften work for people. Why? Because most mainstream therapeuticss just focus on the symptoms of the problem and fail to address its underlying source.

For example, even if you surgically remove a part of the disc that's putting pressure on the nerve, the same muscles imbalances and dysfunctions still exist and they will continue to put that stress on your muscles, spine and spinal discs.

For this reason and many others is why so many back pain and sciatica sufferers who have surgeries end up having many surgical processes... because surgery does NOT do anything to concentrate on the imbalances that are causing the dysfunctions, which lead to the bulges, herniations and other disc conditions.

And as I previously stated, you do not have to live with this pain or go through needless surgery or years of therapy to "fix" it. You see, your herniated disc is a physical problem, and so it requires a physical solution.

To set the correct stage for long-term healing and preventive maintenance of your discs, you MUST consume sufficient water every day. In essence, the discs of your vertabrae are made of about 70% water, and lack of water in the discs creates a narrowing of the space between vertebrae and eventual compression of the spine and/or spinal nerves. This creates discomfort. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water each day will do wonders for your discs and for your complete body system. It is crucial that you drink ample water and stay hydrated.

Other areas that must be monitored are your standing, sitting, sleeping postures. Improper posture can produce compression of spinal column and nerves and over time, muscle imbalances — one of the root reasons for protruding or slipped discs. Physical posture is so important in terms of correction and prevention, and keeping tabs on your negative emotions will go a long way to aiding you maintain a healthy posture.

Also, creating space (or decompressing) the spine is another key factor in healing herniated discs. Decompressing the spinal column with the utilization of an inversion therapy table, inversion boots, lying backward over an inflated Swiss exercise ball... will stretch the vertabrae, reduce stress, boost oxygen levels and also blood flow. All of these things aid to encourage healing of a herniated disc... while continued use is a powerful preventive measure.

Another discovery that is not commonly known is pain that is blamed on a herniated disc is often caused by Trigger Points. These are tiny, mine-like constrictions in muscle fibers that create excruciating pain and compress nerves. Finding a way to administer self Trigger Point Therapy daily, immediately followed by and combined with Muscle Balance Therapy to recover balance and correct reaction of the muscles and joints, is a great way to relieve these issues.

Psychologically, learning how to regulate oxidative stress, worry and anxiety will do wonders to reduce the stress-related muscle contractions that can lead to trigger points and disc herniation. Learn to take time for your self and relax. There are self-hypnosis programs available, or you might simply take time to listen to soothing music.

Far-infrared heat might help immensely with stress. It is deep penetrating and dramatically increases the blood flow to the region in question and relaxes tight muscles for very speedy pain relief and improved range of motion.

Conclusion

While a herniated disc is a complicated condition, it is possible to heal it. Most people get the best results when they combine rehab approaches. For example, Inversion Therapy can be very effective, yet it will typically work even better when combined with Muscle Balance Therapy.

Try some of the different methods mentioned above, mix and match them. Every person is unique, experiences pain differently, and the cause for their pain is different than others'. Take some time for yourself. Invest in yourself. Get to know your problem, your body and your pain. With this knowledge you will be able to design your own self-healing system based on our self-guidance.

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The Healing Power of a Great Night's Sleep

How is the majority of your day spent, day in and day out, every day of your life? Eating? I hope not. Sitting in traffic? Ditto. Watching TV? Nope. You guessed it, it's sleeping.

Fundamentally, you no doubt spend between six to ten hours a night sleeping. That's one-third of your life. And when it comes to back pain, those are some of the most important hours in your day. Sleep helps your body heal. It's really the only time your muscles can completely rest and recover. Not only that, there are numerous studies that prove a correlation between sleep and healing. In addition, they show that, among other things, human growth hormone and melatonin, both of which play a big role in tissue recovery and immunity are produced during sleep.

In effect, if you're not getting good sleep—whether it's due to pain, anxiety, fear or whatever—you're not offering your muscles, especially your back muscles, time to rejuvenate themselves for the next day's activities.

Take it from me, I know. During my struggles with all forms of lower back pain over the years, I've come to figure out first-hand how essential restful sleep essentially is. In this article, I'd like to share with you what I've learned.


What's the Best Mattress

Is firm better than soft? From a physiological standpoint, a more supportive mattress is better regardless of what sleep position you prefer.

Nevertheless having said that, the real answer is this: The best mattress is the one that helps you to sleep well and wake up without any increased pain and stiffness. It's basically about personal preference and what you are used to.

During my life, I have tried them all. I tried a memory foam mattress but it was too soft. (I gave to my parents, and they love it.) I now use a firm box spring and mattress plus a towel under the sheets to give you increased support to my hips and pelvis.

Secret Special Tip:

Let me say it again—I put a towel under my fitted sheet. A small blanket works well too. Here's what you do: Fold the towel or blanket in half (and in half again if it's thin). Place it under the fitted sheet—so it doesn't move around during the night—under the small of your back and spreading down toward your knees.

Basically, this increased support assists your pelvis from sagging into the mattress. It might purely make a difference of a few millimeters. This is a huge difference when it comes to preventing the extra stress that comes with remaining in any sleeping position all night long.


What's the Best Position to Sleep In?

Consider this that the mattress you chose, the position you sleep in is contingent on your personal preference or physical limitations based on pain or restrictions from your doctor because of surgery. Generally, back sleeping is the most stable position for your spine and the least irritating to your muscles. Sleeping on your side is next best. Stomach sleep is the least desirable if your back is not adequately supported.

When it comes to me personally I like a modified side-lying position, using full-length body pillow. Basically I sleep "hugging" the pillow with my arms and legs, which is really comfortable and takes pressure off my lower back. Consider trying it sometime. Body pillows can be found at most retail bedding stores. They are not expensive and may give you an alternative sleeping position that will make a big difference in your comfort level, thus improving the quality and duration of sleep.


Why am I Sore When I Wake Up?

Basically, those with back pain don't roll over as much as those without pain. You may even find your self with limited movement. Furthermore, because the hips are the heaviest part of the body, they sag into the mattress over time. This puts undue pressure on the ligaments, joints and muscles of the lower spine. That is why I recommend the increased support under the fitted sheet.

Think of it as like stretching the same muscles for six to eight hours straight. Would that feel good? Of course not. This is why, it's no wonder you wake up sore. Discover a way to support your body and you will reduce the inflammation.

Here are some more helpful tips, and I encourage you to think of your own comfort-enhancing positions and/or means.


A Few More Tips

• Don't drink any fluids 60 minutes before bedtime. This is so you don't have to go to the bathroom and then have trouble falling back asleep.
• No physical activity for at least 45 minutes before bed. Exercising will rev your body up, making it hard to calm yourself and fall into a restful sleep.
• Take 10 deep breaths as you tell yourself you are going to sleep. When you awake you will be feeling great and ready for the new day.
• As you lay in bed ready to go to sleep, reflect on your day. Express gratitude and give thanks for all you have. It helps you look forward to waking up with renewed enthusiasm and the belief that tomorrow will bring you one day closer to your goals.
• Dress in warm bed clothes if you are cold and cool clothes if you are hot. I have taken this to the extreme and love the results. I wear wool socks, flannel pants, a sweatshirt and a knit hat. It sounds strange, but if you can minimize the stress on the body, in this case trying to keep warm, your body will be more relaxed. Healing is always better when the body is relaxed.
• Do some reading. In my work on back pain, I scour the latest resources and reference guides. So let me recommend and urge you to read the best book ever written on sleep. It's called "Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance," by Dr. James B. Mass. It's available on Amazon.com for about $10. That would be money well spent.

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How A Personal Trainer Can Help You With Exercise and Weight Loss

Undoubtedly, when it comes to deciding to use a personal trainer they know that consistent exercise and losing weight are interconnected. In case you missed it, routine exercise and weight loss are obviously and undeniably in a relationship to one another when it comes to the effective loss of weight. In addition, your personal trainer will make sure you can realize the goals you set for routine exercise and losing weight because they are also vital pieces to a healthy everyday life. The majority of research finds that routine exercise and strength training promotes muscle growth and maintenance along with assisting you with weight loss.


Actually, if you desire to make sure you stay in shape then frequent exercise and weight loss are important. Studies point out that regular cardio or aerobic exercise, strength training exercise, and weight loss are probably the best way to mold the body, not just one or the other by itself. Basically, regular exercise and losing weight are the most essential ingredients in maintaining a good looking and healthier body.


There are of course other benefits for you. In fact, there are many extra benefits…

Oftentimes, one benefit from your regular exercise and the loss of weight is lower blood pressure. Researchers have established that weight loss combined with regular exercise greatly enhances blood pressure reduction especially for those with high blood pressure, known as hypertension, and so enlisting the services of a personal trainer who is aware of this versus going it alone is also safer for you. The majority of people regularly are told to employ consistent exercise and losing weight to fight high blood pressure.


An additional benefit your personal trainer will tell you can be to your cholesterol levels in your blood.

As you may know, you can raise your “good” cholesterol also known as HDL (high density lipoprotein) and reduce your “bad” cholesterol also known as LDL (low density lipoprotein) through consistent exercise and the loss of weight. Consider that if you are inactive and overweight this will many a time be part of the reason for your bad (LDL) cholesterol being high which means regular exercise and weight loss are vital to reducing your high bad (LDL) cholesterol levels to normal. Because of this, regular exercise and weight loss are vital pieces that can assist you to obtain the correct levels for both good (HDL) and bad (LDL) blood cholesterol levels.


There is no way to spot burn fat any place on our body; however routine exercise and weight loss will provide those results eventually. Constructing a routine exercise schedule and program specific to your wants is something your personal trainer will aid with so that you will get the fat storage down more quickly and thus speed up the loss of weight. Your personal trainer will aid you to eat properly, and provide your body with the right foods for fuel, and get frequent exercise so that weight loss will come naturally.


Basically, you need to recognize that if you exercise frequently this will sooner or later aid you in weight loss which leads to a healthsome day-to-day life and great looking body.


So if you would like to work with a personal trainer today please contact us.

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Personal Training for Seniors

Understanding that regular exercise is important for sustaining a physically active life style as a senior being proven in research should not come as a surprise. Despite that it's only now that seniors are searching out personal trainers and requesting house calls. As more seniors become aware of what personal training can give them, they are now learning about the benefits of using personal trainers.

It is said that resistance training is beneficial for seniors because it is the only type of exercise that can slow and even reverse the loss of muscle mass, bone density, and strength, and who better to guide someone in this area than a personal trainer. Continually growing is the trend of personal training for seniors that gives functional fitness and more functional mobility for daily living, that is, seniors who wish for more independence are turning to regular exercise or fitness workouts.

Additionally, senior fitness workouts that aid seniors sustain good health, flexibility, joint care and heart health are increasing. Various seniors see a decline in physical fitness due to lack of training, not only due to aging. Beyond any doubt, senior one-on-one training and fitness workouts are now and will continue to be an area with increasing support.

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Achieving Goals with Personal Training

Bringing exercise into your daily living is great but you will need to make goals if you want to be successful. Regardless of how simple or complex your goals are, they need to be reasonable, reachable, and measurable and setting goals helps you determine where you want to go. Bear in mind exercise is only part of the equation, a good personal trainer will make sure they are also taking a look at your dietary needs to compliment your training program and guarantee you are eating the right things, at the correct times to achieve your goals.

Really, a personal trainer is the ultimate fitness coach if you are an absolute beginner. Whereas your goal is to create your own workouts and exercise by yourself, working with a trainer for a few sessions can be a good benefit for being taught the proper way to exercise. Creating the most useful program for you based on your fitness evaluation results and personal goals is something a personal trainer will do. What’s more, good personal trainers will show you the foundation of developing and changing a fitness program to achieve maximum results.

Also, let’s say you've been exercising consistently for many weeks or months and aren't seeing the progress you'd like, working with a trainer may be a good choice. As a person with exercise experience, maybe you haven't thought about hiring with a trainer. After all, a trainer can bring a fresh outlook and new ideas to challenge both your body and your mind. Analyzing your current program and eating habits is something you and your trainer can do to help you see where changes could be made to make more effective workouts. Not to mention, a personal trainer provides some accountability so, even when you don't have a workout session with them, you can bet that your trainer will be inquiring if you did your planned workouts.

Despite all that there are people who shy away from training, unclear of what they'll get out of the experience or whether it's worth the money. Bear in mind not only are you investing money into your exercise program you're devoting time as well. Here are some benefits a personal trainer can motivate you to push past those usual limits, helping you to lift heavier, try harder and challenge yourself more than you would on your own.

Without a doubt there are many ways you can work with a personal trainer to achieve your goals. Unrealistic goals will destroy motivation but goals that are too easily obtained will lead to boredom. As you are able to see your changes, your enthusiasm for exercise will increase. If you think something is missing from your workout consider a personal trainer to help meet your goals.

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The Personal Training Boom

Exploding rapidly is what the personal training industry is doing right now. Today we are seeing a extreme surge in demand for personal trainers and personal training products due to the new health and wellness mindset of a number of individuals. Besides, it has been noted that health and fitness trends are concentrating more on pro-active preventative measures versus reactive treatment procedures only, thus the market for personal trainers continues to grow. With all these changes, it is easy to see why we have record breaking demand within the personal training industry.

As a consequence, it should come as no surprise that people who are working with a personal trainer are going beyond the results they have been able to realize without a trainer. Timing couldn’t be better, since people are living longer due to advances in medicine and technology to get involved in personal training. Just remember, several individuals are now learning that they have been living in an unhealthy way and have noticed the growth in the number of overweight people among their family and friends. Almost all of these obese or overweight adults are looking for a way to lose weight. Studies indicate, these persons make up over 3/4 of personal training clients in the market.

Currently it is estimated that the United States personal trainer market alone is in excess of $4 billion. Why is that so, well the typical trainer charges anywhere from $30 to $100 per hour thus making this a multi-multi-million dollar industry. Trends in the market show that the middle personal training market like the middle class is disappearing, clients are desiring a value added relationship with a trainer on the top end and an inexpensive, pleasant, and knowledgeable trainer on the bottom end when it comes to pricing. Besides that, personal trainers at the $45-75 price point will be left behind in this new market at the end of the day.

Right Now, the personal trainer market is thriving and is still exploding. Fundamentally, there are various people are moving in on this job market and the number of personal trainers taking the certification exam has increased 200 percent in the last 5 years. Basically, clients are noticing that many personal trainers in the industry are uncertified or are not professional, those trainers who are certified and professional can set themselves apart from the rest of the industry to attract and retain more business. As a personal trainer today we can lead the market and the personal training business of tomorrow to a successful future.

So this is your chance to get onboard in a market that is exploding rapidly. Many of the greatest changes within the personal training industry and personal trainer business are right around the corner and positioning yourself to take advantage of this boom will be the key to your success. It’s crucial that you don’t allow yourself to be left behind by other trainers due to lack of fitness marketing and business skills. There has and always will be an opportunity for those of us who see the future ahead of time, to profit and become wealthy from a quickly expanding market so don’t miss the boat.

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Fitness Bootcamps Versus A Personal Trainer

Normally personal trainers do fitness bootcamps combined with their personalized one-on-one fitness programs. Considering fitness bootcamps could be good for you for many reasons.


If you wish for a change from your existing fitness workout then a fitness bootcamp is an exceptional vehicle to integrate a change so as to challenge yourself and/or do something different with your current fitness program. Fitness bootcamps are also a good way to take the first step in your exercise training adventure with a personal trainer. Fitness bootcamps are fitness programs created to be high intensity physically and mentally to enhance your total body and mind. Fitness bootcamps are perhaps a exercise experience like none other you’ve ever had. Fitness bootcamps are a considerably fast and real method to shape your body as well as enjoyable, energizing, and satisfying.


In spite of what you may have heard, personal training and fitness bootcamps are for people of all ages. Fitness bootcamps are oftentimes organized in group programs providing you with a pleasant, sociable, supportive, and satisfying format but also to work at your own speed within the group. For this reason, fitness bootcamps are marvelous for everyone in spite of ability, fitness, or skill level. Nonetheless, most people think fitness bootcamps are just for teenagers or people in their early 20’s and think their young bodies can take more punishment which is not at all true.


Without doubt, fitness bootcamps require a significant commitment from you due to the high magnitude training physically and mentally. Fitness bootcamps are generally 45-90 minute high concentration fitness workouts for your entire body and mind that burn calories!! Normally, fitness bootcamps are one to two month commitments run over two or three afternoons per week based on the personal trainer and client desires as well as the time of year. Hence, if you wish for a longer or ongoing commitment; your personal trainer and/or your health club assumably sponsors fitness bootcamps month to month.


Generally, the expense of one-on-one specific exercise programs with a personal trainer stops people from starting fitness training and employing a personal trainer when they really need one. Fitness bootcamps are a good approach to work with a personal trainer and can also lessen this price. Fitness bootcamps are the cutting edge vehicle to get your body into shape. For this reason, fitness bootcamps are an excellent way to get fit and decrease fat on a budget while still getting guidance from a personal trainer.


Fitness bootcamps are targeted to be high concentration physically and mentally to challenge your total body and mind. Fitness bootcamps are seemingly the best fitness workouts and deliver the best results due to their progressive nature. In the past, fitness bootcamps were setup utilizing militaristic style training; however the majority of bootcamps are not this way today. Fitness bootcamps are known for being a way to go after a new level for yourself in conjunction with being a particularly accelerated and practical technique to get your body into shape.
Fitness bootcamps are appearing globablly.


So if you would like to work with a personal trainer and/or participate in a fitness bootcamp today please contact us.

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