Supplements for Relief of Pain and Inflammation

There are numerous reasons people seek chiropractic care, and some of them are searching for relief from pain.  One way of augmenting your adjustments and adding to your own wellness plan and increasing general health is to utilize nutritional supplements, ones that alleviate inflammation, and therefore pain. 

Quite a bit of research has been done in recent years and it is becoming increasingly clear that Vitamin D is much more important than initially believed.  It is important for more than bone health – it is also an anti-inflammatory, improves immunity and can help with prevention of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.  Research does show that nearly all people are deficient in vitamin D, unless they have been supplementing for a significant period of time.  Sunlight is one way our skin makes Vitamin D, but it is insufficient in quanitity.  This is one nutrient that really is essential to improve so many facets of health, life and longevity, so I urge you to consider taking it.

Regimen for pain and inflammation:

Omega 3′s – about 2-3 g daily of EPA + DHA

Vitamin D – 1000 mg daily MINIMUM

Magnesium – 400 mg daily

Calcium – 1200 mg daily

Multivitamin – as recommended

Other nutrients and botanicals that are helpful for pain relief include Boswellia, Turmeric, Curcumin, MSM and Ginger.

There are several options in the office that contain all or some of these vitamins and nutrients, all are pharmaceutical grade and of very high quality and purity.   The two lines I prefer are Thorne Research and NutraMetrix.  You can also visit my online store at www.nutrametrix.com/drsusan should you be interested in additional information on the NutraMetrix line of isotonic supplements which are highly absorbable due to their unique delivery system.

Relief from Repetitive Stress….Aaahhhhhh

As we become ever increasingly routine with our daily lives and work activities, there is a risk of what is called Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI).  This means that an activity or motion that we perform repetitively can have the potential to cause stress to the body and result in pain and injury.

Perfect examples that many have heard of but may not know much about are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which can occur from use of a mouse or keyboard, Tennis Elbow which occurs from overuse of forearm/elbow muscles and Rotator Cuff Syndrome which results from overuse of the shoulder. 

Another way we place repeated stress on the body is with poor posture, and so many who sit at a desk the majority of the day can have headaches, neck, shoulder or back issues and pain as a result of habits of poor posture.  Retraining sitting posture is often very helpful and may alleviate many people’s neck, upper back and lower back aches and tension resulting from poor postural habits, another form of repetitive stress.

Chiropractic care is an ideal treatment choice for these injuries as it addresses the alignment of the joints as well as the soft tissue tone, flexibility and healing.  I utilize many soft tissue techniques that help these types of injuries, as well as prescribing home exercises and stretches that allow active participation in the recovery of health and wellness.

Use this chart and image to assess your own alignment and posture as you sit at your desk, in your car or at home in any chair.  Ideal position and alignment would be the ear, shoulder and hip all in one line as seen from the side.  Commonly people have a slouched posture which will weaken the muscles in the back and neck as well as put the spinal column in a stressful posture making injury and repetitive stress a possibility.  As you begin to use better posture it may feel very awkward since your body is accustomed to your usual posture.  Over the first weeks you will begin to feel it is easier and that you are gaining strength.  Making this simple change can have profound effects upon your body, productivity and wellness.