Does your career entail a lot of traveling by air? Jet lag is not the only malaise a frequent flier is familiar with. Being confined to a plane for endless hours can have varying effects on a person’s health and wellbeing.

If you wish to keep your health in top form when you’re constantly up in the air, take note of these six essential tips.

1. Watch Your Diet

The best way to stay healthy is to start healthy. Fill your diet with lots of antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables. Eat healthy and help your body function at its best. Before embarking on your travels, take supplements that are known to help support your immune system like Vitamin C, Echinacea and Zinc.

2. Stay Hydrated

The air inside an airplane is notoriously dry. This means you can become dehydrated very quickly. Water is vital for your body’s function on many levels, and it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during and after your flight – even if this entails more frequent trips to the bathroom! Make it a habit to always carry a water bottle with you so you don’t forget to take sips.

3. Beware Of Germs

When sharing bathrooms and closed environments with many people, the spread of germs is easy. Take a supply of hand sanitizer with you so you can use it after you use the bathroom or before you have a meal or snack. You might want to bring some sanitizing wipes with you too so you can wipe down your armrests and other surrounding areas where you sit.

4. Avoid Airport Temptations

When you’re in a rush or in the environment of an airport or plane, it’s easy to become complacent about making healthy choices. You might opt to have a greasy burger, a glass or two of wine during the flight, or snack on a packet of chips while you’re passing the time in the air. Make a decision to watch your diet when you travel – bring along healthy snacks like raisins or pack a healthy sandwich with you if you know you’re likely to get hungry. Know which are your most healthy options from the food court at the airport or from the choices on your flight menu.

5. Keep Up Your Exercise Regime

Your exercise regime is likely to be one of the first things that will suffer when you have to travel frequently. Make a commitment to keep up your exercise routine, no matter where you are. Stay at hotels that have gyms and maybe even hit the gym as soon as you arrive – even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes – this can help revive and energize you after a long flight.

6. Take Care of Your Back

Being confined to a chair for long hours is certain to take a toll on one of the most important parts of your body – your back. Walk the length of the plane every few hours to help prevent your back from becoming stiff and strained from long hours of sitting. It’s also wise to invest in a good posture and back support to fit onto your plane seat to help your spine maintain a healthy posture. This will prevent future back problems and injuries that result from prolonged sitting – and will also make your plane seat far more comfortable.

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Neck pain is a common and particularly uncomfortable ailment. Since the neck is responsible for connecting the skull to the body’s spine, it is vulnerable to certain strains, stresses and injuries.

If you are experiencing neck pain, how do you know if it is a minor ache that will disappear quickly, or something more serious that needs attention and care?

Learn about the 5 most common causes of neck pain to help you avoid future pain, injury and discomfort.

1. Injury

Is there a chance you might have injured your neck during an activity, sport or accident? Sometimes a blow to the body from a fall or an unexpected impact can cause minor injury to the nerves between the neck and shoulder, which results in neck pain. An even more serious spinal cord injury can manifest itself as discomfort in the neck. If you are experiencing pain or muscle spasms after a suspected injury to your neck, or if your neck has experienced whiplash (the violent movement of the neck backwards and forwards), it is always wise to visit your doctor to be examined.

2. Spinal connection

Your neck pain could be the result of a disturbed spinal connection.

If there is excessive or repetitive stress placed on your spine or neck area, e.g., through contact sports or poor posture, your nerve may become compressed. This leads to a condition called ‘Radiculopathy’ which results in pain, tingling or numbness along the course of the nerve.

Spinal stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the spinal cord, is another problem that can cause symptoms similar to that of a pinched nerve. This pain may also radiate into the arms.

Consult your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

3. Arthritis

Sufferers of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience inflammation of the joints and increased wear and tear of the bones. This can result in pain and stiffness in neck areas where arthritis is present.

4. Posture

Poor posture is probably one of the most common causes of neck pain. When a person does not pay attention to good posture practices like lifting heavy weights with bent knees or sitting correctly in a chair, it places unnecessary stresses and strain on the spine and neck which result in pain. Learn healthy habits to take care of your posture and invest in a good back supports for your office or home chair. These little aids could completely eliminate any minor discomforts you’ve been feeling in your neck.

5. Other

Some neck-pain sufferers have a TMJ disorder (a temporomandibular joint disorder), which happens when the joint connecting the jaw and skull becomes strained because of genetics, teeth grinding or jaw clenching. On rare occasions, neck pain may be caused by a viral infection or a serious infection around the brain such as meningitis.

If you are experiencing neck pain of any kind, it is always wise to have it checked by your doctor.

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There are many jobs that come with their own occupational hazards – being a truck driver is certainly no exception. Being confined to a driver’s seat for long hours, having to eat and sleep away from home and even the lack of sleep can all take their toll on a driver’s health and wellbeing.

If you’re a truck driver who’s committed to taking care of your health while on the job, follow these 6 great tips to help you start.

1. Don’t Hold It In!

Bladder and kidney problems are common among truck drivers. The reason? Having to wait to access a bathroom while on the road means drivers are likely to hold their urine in. If this is done frequently and for long periods of time, it can begin to damage the kidneys. Visit the bathroom before the start of each journey and as often as you can along the way. If you sense you are holding your urine in, stop as soon as you can to use a bathroom.

2. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise!

When driving for long periods of time, your body will be lacking exercise. Research small exercises to carry out in your hotel room or rest areas – these could even help energize you in between driving. Equally important is making time to exercise when you are not at work. Swimming, walking, hiking and gentle weight training are all good choices to help keep you fit and your muscles in prime condition. They may even help alleviate problems such as back pain and cramps that truck drivers experience.

3. Say No To Fast Food

With the highways littered with fast food joints and adverts for comfort food, it’s easy to be tempted to neglect your diet while on the road. But the truth is maintaining a healthy diet is vital to ensuring your overall wellbeing. Take food that is prepared at home with you, like a healthy sandwich or salad. If you do give in to a fast-food joint treat, make sure it’s on a very rare basis.

4. Be Wise with Refreshments

Another big temptation for truck drivers is to snack while driving or load up on tea, coffee or high-sugar sodas to stay alert. If you’re prone to any of these habits, switch to refreshing yourself with more healthy options. Replace chips or chocolate bars with nuts, fruit, raisins or low-calorie, low-sugar cereal bars. And try to stay hydrated with a simple bottle of water by your side.

5. Rest When You Can

Truck drivers are known for their stamina when driving and can often go days with little sleep when driving at night. But lack of sleep will take its toll on your body and health and will lead to your increase of stress. Make sure you get plenty of sleep and rest when you have the option to – it can make all the difference to how you feel.

6. Protect Your Back

Being confined to your driver’s seat for endless hours will certainly have an impact on your spine. It is no surprise that truck drivers are prone to back pain and injuries as well as stiffness. Learn some good back strengthening exercises to carry out every day or during your rest stops. In addition, one of the best things you can do to protect your back is invest in a back support to fit onto your driver’s seat. This will ensure your back is held in a good posture while driving to eliminate any unnecessary strains or stresses being placed on your spine.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source).

Sore or stiff necks are certainly no fun – enduring them can turn from a minor irritation to a great source of misery. If you have an uncomfortable ache in your neck, the good news is that a remedy might not be too far away.

We have ten great tips that could have you feeling back to normal in no time!

1. Eat pineapple

It might sound bizarre but pineapple is rich in an enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme has been proven to reduce swelling and aid healing in musculoskeletal injuries.

2. Breathe well

It’s a fact that people tend to accumulate tension in their neck and shoulder areas. To release this tension that could be causing your sore neck, take a deep breath and then lengthen the time you exhale (to a count of seven).

3. Heat helps

Use an electrical heating pad in 20-30 minute sessions to soothe pain and relax any tense neck muscles.

4. Cold relief

If you feel there is inflammation in your neck area, use ice wrapped in a towel or a reusable gel pack cooled in your freezer to bring it down. Place the compress against your skin for 20-30 minutes. Alternate between heat and cold therapy sessions if you feel your sore neck could benefit from both.

5. Pick your pillow

To avoid waking up with a stiff neck, choose a good pillow that will help you sleep with your neck positioned in a healthy alignment. Experts say this could depend on your sleep position preference, e.g., if you sleep on your stomach, a soft thin pillow is best for you.

6. Favor your forearms

If you work at a computer for most of the day, you risk placing stress on your neck and shoulders if your forearms aren’t positioned well and supported as you type at your keyboard. One way to prevent this is to invest in a forearm rest.

7. Fish oil facts

A study has shown that omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil helped inflammation in neck pain sufferers so well that 60% of those undertaking a trial where able to stop using painkillers. Buy a fish oil supplement to have your 1,200 mg recommended daily dose.

8. Physical therapy

If your neck pain is a result of serious injury, consult with your doctor to find out if physical therapy could benefit you. It could help rebuild and strengthen injured or weakened muscles to resolve pain and prevent future pain, too.

9. Anti-inflammatory aids

When a recovering sore neck is an irritation throughout the day, ask your doctor about a good anti-inflammatory drug to buy over the counter. Taking a couple of ibuprofen or aspirin tablets could relieve you of minor pains as your neck heals.

10. Posture and back support

Often a poor posture can be at the root of neck pain or even be an inhibitor of neck strains and injuries being healed. If you wish to place less stress on your neck, or prevent your neck from being weakened, purchase a good posture and back support for your office or home chair. Since it is common to spend long hours sitting during the day, it’s essential that you take care of your neck and spinal health by allowing your body to adopt a healthy posture. A posture and back support is an effective solution for neck and back pain caused by poor posture.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source).

Everyone knows that regular daily fitness is required for optimum health, but if you are someone who already suffers from back pain, it is important to keep back health in mind as you start your new fitness program. As you go about your daily activities it is fairly easy to remember to walk straight, bend properly and lift correctly. There are excellent products such as back supports and ergonomic seating to help keep your back healthy at work. But often when it comes to exercise, the inclination is to jump right in and go all out, forgetting what havoc that may create for strained back muscles. As a result, the whole fitness program is abandoned due to incidents of increased back pain. Here are a few back health pointers to remember anytime you begin a new fitness program.

-Slow and steady wins the race and consistency produces the best results. Begin any new fitness program slowly and work up to higher numbers of repetitions or more difficult exercises. Pay attention to the way your body responds to the routine and move ahead when you are comfortable. Try to make your fitness program a part of your regular routine. Subjecting the body and especially your back to intermittent exercise can do more harm than good.

-Try to carry the good posture habits that you practice when standing, sitting and walking into the gym with you. When lifting weights, running, rowing or any routine, keep your shoulders back and your head upright. The head is a pretty heavy weight that we carry around and letting it hang forward too much can really strain upper back muscles and cause pain.

-With any exercise or activity that you do, try to create a picture in your mind of your spine aligned with your head and shoulders. Picture your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles all in a straight line. By visualizing how your spine should look, you will be more conscious of wrong posturing.

-Fitness is not just all about aerobics. It is especially important, when considering back heath, to build your core muscle strength as well, as these are the muscles that support the spine. An exercise ball is an excellent piece of equipment to hep build core strength. Be sure to include exercises for all the large muscle groups.

-When not exercising, an important tip to save your back is to avoid slouching. So often this type of posture becomes such a habit that we don’t even know we’re doing it. When sitting, your pelvis should always be lined up below your shoulders. A good back support or posture correcting chair seat can be a great help.

-Regular exercise and a daily fitness routine are always a good idea, but be sure to take it slow and pay attention to your body. If you are a back pain sufferer already, getting advice from your health care professional before you begin a fitness routine is always a wise decision.

Your mother was right when she insisted that you sit up straight because, as it turns out, good posture is necessary not only to boost your image but also to keep you strong and healthy.

We know it is not easy to be aware of your posture 24/7 when you don’t have a free minute in your day, but it is so important that we are going to help you by giving you 5 simple tips to help you maintain good posture all day long:

1.Pad your chair
Think about adding a back support to your office chair. If you want to take it further, you can add a back support to your car seat, and even to the chair you use when you sit down to eat. In this case, the more the better.

2.Push your butt towards the back of the chair
Every time you sit down, remind yourself to move your butt towards the back of the chair, as this will prevent you from slouching.

3.Sit on the edge of the chair
When you sit on the edge of the chair you are so far away from its back that you are less likely to lean against the back support and slouch.

4.Take breaks and use a timer
If you are like most of us, you probably spend most of your day sitting down and thus you have to create a schedule to get up for breaks regularly. Set up a timer every 40 minutes, and when it goes off, get up and do some stretching or go for a walk.

5.Exercise ball
A great idea is to replace your chair with an exercise ball. This is very ‘in’ today since it is lean, mean, and cost-effective. Also, the exercise ball is a great tool for stretching your back.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Back Pain blog as the original source).

Summer is here and many people will be heading out to their gardens and lawns for enjoyment and exercise. For those who love to garden but suffer from back pain at the end of a day outside, resting and relaxing in a chair equipped with a proper back support is always a good idea when the chores are done. Another helpful hint is to try and garden in such a way as to prevent back strains and pulled muscles. Here are some tips to make your gardening enjoyable while keeping your back healthy.

1.After a long winter your body may not be used to the stretches and bends that pulling weeds and planting plants requires, so it’s a good idea to warm up your muscles a bit before heading into the garden. Do some stretches and take a brief walk to get the blood flowing and your muscles limbered up.

2.Try to kneel when pulling weeds instead of bending from the waist. There are many products on the market today to make kneeling more comfortable, such as knee pads, kneeling mats and rolling carts that allow you to move about the garden without having to bend at all.

3.If you are digging out a garden or transferring soil into a garden from a different location, be sure to use a cart or wheelbarrow to get the soil as close to the garden as possible. This will eliminate the lifting of heavy shovels of dirt which can put a strain on the back.

4.Try to change activity frequently to avoid the stiffness that can result from remaining in one position too long.

5.Be sure to wear comfortable shoes that protect and support your feet.

6.Carrying heavy watering cans can strain the back so whenever possible do your watering with a garden hose. There are many adjustable nozzles and attachments that make watering with a hose completely safe and gentle even for new plantings.

7.If potting and tending to greenhouse plants is on your list of chores, be sure that all workbenches are built to a comfortable height that eliminates the need for bending or reaching. Workbenches should be about two to four inches below the height of your elbow. If you prefer to sit to work, be sure your stool is high enough that you don’t need to reach too far.

8.If you know that back pain comes with your gardening efforts, it might be wise to rethink your garden design. Replace some lower gardens with raised beds that require less bending, and choose plants that fill in well so weeding is kept to a minimum. Adding mulch to a garden bed can also reduce the need for weeding which not only saves time in the garden; it also helps reduce the strain on your back.

9.When choosing tools for your gardening, always try them out for proper weight and height to suit your needs. Try to choose the most ergonomic handles and designs.

10.Try to use a lawn mower with an easy pull start to avoid the jerky motion that can cause strains and spasms.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Back Pain blog as the original source).

Anyone who has ever suffered a back spasm knows how incredibly painful it can be. For the period of time while the spasm is happening, most sufferers are rendered almost totally immobile. Taking care of your back by maintaining good posture, good standing, lifting and exercising habits, as well as using practical aids such as a car seat support, are all vital to good back health, but can never entirely ensure that a spasm won’t occur. So what causes a back muscle to spasm and what can a person do to find relief? Here is some information that should help.

There are actually several things that can cause a back muscle to spasm. Common causes might be:

-A sudden push or pull that exerts too much force on the back muscles such as one might obtain playing sports such as football, basketball, golf etc. can cause back muscles to become inflamed or strained and lead to muscle spasms.

-Sports that demand repetitive forces like tennis, squash, handball, etc. can also result in back muscle spasms due to the overuse and straining of these muscles.

-Back spasms also occur frequently in people who suddenly participate in a sport that they have not played before and whose back muscles are relatively weak.

-Improper exercise technique and forgetting to warm up the muscles before exercising can also cause back muscles to spasm. This is especially true in activities such as weightlifting and training where back muscles can be easily strained.

-Overreaching and poor lifting practices, even when just performing everyday activities can cause painful back muscle spasms. It’s not unheard of for a person to suffer a back spasm just reaching for something on a high shelf or stretching to pass an item from the front seat to the back seat of the car.

Relief for a back muscle spasm that is caused by one of the above reasons can generally be obtained without medical treatment. Here are a few suggestions that may help:

-When a spasm first starts, it is best to stop whatever activity you are engaged in and either sit or lie down.

-Try to resist the urge to tense other muscles. Although this is a common reaction to spasm pain, it is far more hurtful than helpful. Try to keep your muscles relaxed. Breathing deeply is often a good tactic for muscle relaxation.

-Once you are a little more relaxed, and the pain eases up a bit, try some gentle stretching exercises or massage to calm the muscles.

-Applying an ice pack when a spasm first occurs can be helpful, but heat therapy can provide soothing relief to the strained muscle once the spasm has passed.

-Over the counter pain medication and muscle relaxants can help with the initial pain of a back spasm.

Although understanding the causes and knowing how to treat back spasms, is very useful, it is even more important to be able to prevent them altogether. Try to keep back muscles limber by regular exercise and stretches, and by maintaining good posture and work habits. Never engage in strenuous activities without warming the muscles, and avoid sudden participation in activities that you are not used to.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Back Pain blog as the original source).

Most people abuse their backs and don’t even realize what they’re doing.

Would you be willing to walk around with your head turned to one side for eight hours or more? Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

However, stomach sleepers remain hours with their heads turned to the side, putting unnecessary strain on their necks and spines. If you suffer from back pain, watch how you sleep, how you sit, and how you stand.

Here are some other common sure-fire ways to cause back pain:
•Bending forward while doing housework. Women, especially, tend to bend forward when performing everyday tasks such as ironing, cleaning, washing or vacuuming.  Men tend to do the same while gardening and fixing engines.

•Sitting too far from the wheel while driving. The seat must be adjusted for every driver. When you get in the car, adjust it so your arms stay slightly bent. A seat placed farther away than arm’s length forces your back to curve forward; a too-near placement forces your knees well above the hip level and you lose support.

•Sitting straight or leaning over the desk.  Ergonometric studies suggest disk displacements are more frequent among people who adopt an upright sitting posture (a 90-degree angle between the spine and the floor). No matter what you’ve been told, an upright posture is not healthy. Likewise, people who work hunched forward are at risk of significant wear and tear of the low back disks.

•Spending too much time on soft couches. Although a soft surface may feel comfy, it will make the muscles of your lower back work harder than necessary. Sooner or later, muscles tire and the back loses its normal curvature.

And Sure-fire Ways to Prevent It
If you are guilty of some of the common bad posture habits mentioned above, the following tips will prove helpful.

Fasten your belt… and towel. Before driving, if don’t have a car seat support, try rolling a towel and placing it behind your back at the level of the lumbar zone. A rolled up towel provides good support in bed as well. Try it before going to sleep and you’ll feel the difference the next morning.

When seated, keep your lower legs vertical. Stretch the legs every now and then; but don’t sit with the legs straight forward for a long time.

Learn how to lift things. This is the right way: stand in front of the object with a wide stance and kneel until one knee almost touches the floor. Firmly grasp the load and stretch the legs while keeping your back straight. Don’t bend. Always, always keep your back vertical when lifting heavy objects.

Twist and shout, baby; but… never while lifting things. If you want to turn to the side while carrying a heavy box, shift your feet instead of twisting the back.

Minimize the time spent sitting. Whether you are at home or office, sit for as short intervals as possible. Whenever feasible, choose an ergonomic seat with adequate back support.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source).

What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is an alternative form of therapy that treats many back complaints and other conditions of the body. It involves the hands-on manipulation of the spine and a combination of other alternative therapies to treat the patient’s problem.

Chiropractic governs itself around three main beliefs:

1.The body has a powerful self-healing ability.

2.The body’s spine and its health are directly related to the way the body functions.

3.By manipulating the spine to restore it to its normal condition, it helps the body function correctly and also facilitates the self-healing process.

Restricted movement in the spine – caused by an injury, repetitive stress or sitting for long periods without proper back support – leads to pain and reduced function in the back. The chiropractor’s goal then is to use their hands to apply a force that will relax muscles that have been shortened or are in spasm and help flex joints that have become stiff. By restoring normal spinal movement, back pain is reduced and mobility returned to the back.

A chiropractor may also choose to use other alternative therapies in conjunction with their hands-on treatment. These include:

-heat and ice
-ultrasound
-exercise
-magnetic therapy
-dietary supplements
-counseling about diet, weight loss and other lifestyle factors
-electrical stimulation
-homeopathy
-acupuncture

What are the benefits of Chiropractic?
This is considered a safe, effective treatment – especially for conditions such as acute lower back pain, sudden back injuries caused by strain, neck pain and headaches. Sufferers of osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia are also said to respond well to the moderate pressure used by chiropractors.

Studies regarding chiropractic are inconclusive about its effectiveness but many patients give strong testimony to its ability to cure and provide relief from lower back pain and other back and body ailments.

Are there any risks?
In rare cases, treatment has made conditions to the back such as a slipped disc worse. Neck manipulation also carries with it a small chance of incurring spinal cord injury or causing a stroke. This is why it is extremely important for you to speak to your physician before you visit a chiropractor and to find a practitioner who has the correct certifications. It is also essential that a correct diagnosis of your back problem is made before seeing any alternative practitioner, and that the patient discloses a full medical history including any spinal surgeries that have been preformed.

What else should I know?
-In addition to chiropractors, osteopathic physicians and some physical therapists may use techniques of spinal manipulation. Speak to you physician about any specialists they might recommend.

-It’s a wise idea to find a chiropractor who will agree to work with other members of your health care team to make your treatment a team effort.

- All good chiropractors will offer you an initial consultation to inform you about their type of treatment, the amount of sessions you will need and to make sure you are comfortable with their techniques. It is also important that you are well informed about any risks involved so you can make an informed decision before choosing this type of therapy.

Think about prevention

Thankfully, most sudden back injuries resolve themselves after a few weeks. But in the meantime – before, during and after treatment for any back problems – it is essential you maintain good back health practices to promote good back health and prevent further injuries, pain and problems. Follow these 11 simple tips:

1. Try and maintain a healthy diet and weight.
2. Undertake a good exercise regime to help you stay active – consult your physician about the types of exercise you should avoid.
3. Avoid prolonged inactivity or long periods of bed rest.
4. Avoid activities that involve repetitive twisting or bending.
5. Warm up and stretch before exercising or undertaking other physical activities such as gardening.
6. Wear low-healed shoes that are comfortable.
7. Sleep on a firm mattress that will minimize your spine curving when sleeping.
8. Lift objects by bending your knees first and taking the weight on your legs, not your back. Do not twist when lifting.
9. If you smoke, give up your habit. It impairs blood flow and deprives your spinal tissue of oxygen and nutrients.
10. Always take breaks when having to sit or stand for long periods of time.
11. Make sure your work desk and home office desks are ergonomically correct. Invest in a good ergonomic seat to help you sit up straight, preventing future back problems.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source).