Fleming PT: Relieving Neck Pain

Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Do What’s Good For The Heart! TIPS FOR BETTER HEART HEALTH

1. Aim for lucky number seven. Young andmiddle-age adults who slept 7 hours a night have less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who sleep 5 hours or less or those who sleep 9 hours or more. 2. Keep the pressure off. Get your blood pressure checked every 3-5 years if you’re 18-39. If you’re 40 or older, or if you have high blood pressure, check it every year. 3. Move more. To keep it simple, you can aim for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of moderate exercise. Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day, being sedentary for the other 23 1/2 hours is really bad for your heart. 4. Slash saturated fats. To help your heart’s arteries, cut down on saturated fats, which are mainly found in meat and full-fat dairy products. Choose leaner cuts and reduced-fat options. 5. Find out if you have diabetes. Millions of people don’t know that they have this condition. That’s risky because over time, high blood sugar damages arteries and makes heart disease more likely. 6. Think beyond the scale. Ask your doctor if your weight is OK. If you have some pounds to lose, you’ll probably want to change your eating habits and be more active.

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

RELIEVING NECK PAIN “Look Up To Pain Relief!”

Inside: • Are You Hurting Your Neck While Sleeping

• Healthy Recipe

• Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes

• Patient Success Spotlight

Neck pain can be a constant ache or sharp pain with movement,stoppingyoufromenjoying life’sactivities. Neck pain is very common affecting approximately 2/3 rds of thepopulationatonepointoranother.People withneckpainsuffermainlyfromoneof thefollowing conditions: Degenerative Disc Disease The discs are the fluid filled sacs between the bones of your neck. The normal aging process shrinks the discsanddries themout.Repeatedstressandstrain

start tocollapse, thespacebetween theneckbonesnarrows,and the joints may become inflamed.The pain is usually chronic and is typically felt in the middlepartof theneck.However, itmayspread from theneck into theupper back or to the outside of the shoulder in some cases. Radiculopathy Pressure or irritation on or around the nerves of the neck can affect the nerves’electricalsignals.Thepressureor irritationcanbe feltasnumbness on the skin, weakness in the muscles or pain along the path of the nerve. Weakness in thespinemusclescancauseabnormalpressureon thenerves and increased chance of radiculopathy. If you are suffering from neck pain, our SPINE Program is ideal to quickly relieve your pain and prevent it from returning. From long-term neck pain, to recovering from a complicated surgery, we can relieve your pain quickly, returning your natural mobility and strength. Our treatments are designed to help ease pain and to improve flexibility, strength, posture and function. We even teach you how to protect your neck in the years ahead. Look inside to learn more about our SPINE Program and say good-bye to that aching neck!

ROBERT FLEMING PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT, Owner

also weakens the tissues that make up a disc. When this happens, the disc loses its ability to absorb shock. In turn, this causes rubbing and changes in the shape of the joints in your neck, which can be painful. Muscle Strain When there is an injury to the neck or you overuse the shoulder and neck muscles, a strain can occur. When this happens, the neck muscles may go into spasm to help support and protect the sore area. Mechanical Neck Pain Mechanical pain usually starts from changes in the neck joints. As discs

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ARE YOU HURTING YOUR NECKWHILE SLEEPING? We spend one third of our lives sleeping. Therefore, how you sleep and the bed you sleep on can have a dramatic effect on the support of your body. When you sleep you need to be aware of how your neck and spine are supported. There are many different types of beds on the market today which can be very confusing for consumers. The best type of bed is the one that you try out and feel most comfortable using. Typically, a bed that is firm underneath, with a softer top helps to provyde support as well as contour your body. If your mattress is old, then think about investing in a new one so that your neck and spine are supported well.

Thebestpositions tosleep in foryourspineareonyourbackorsides.Avoid sleeping on your stomach since your spine ends up twisted, especially your neck.Over thehoursofrepetitivesleepingonyourstomach,youcandamage the joints of your spine and compress the nerves exiting your spine. Use a pillow to help support your body and take the weight of your legs off your spine. If you like to sleep on your back, place a pillow under the backs of your thighs and knees. This should place your knees in a slight, supported bend which takes pressure off your lower back. If you sleep on your side, be sure to put a pillow between your knees. This helps keep the alignment of your spine, and takes the pressure of your upper leg off the spine. Have 1-2 pillows under your head to keep your neck in proper alignment. If you need 2 pillows stagger them so that one pillow overlaps the other by one half. The lower half goes under the shoulders, while the upper half supports the neck. Ourphysical therapistsatFlemingPhysicalTherapycanshowyouexercises, stretches and techniques to relieve your pain and prevent it from returning.

If you are suffering with neck or back pain, call us today to learn more about how we can relieve your pain, returning you to a more active, pain-free life!

LEMON ROSEMARY SALMON

Healthy Recipe

INGREDIENTS • 1 lemon, thinly sliced • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 salmon fillets • Salt to taste • 1 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange half the lemon slices in a single layer in a baking dish. Layer with 2 sprigs rosemary, and top with salmon fillets. Sprinkle salmon with salt, layer with remaining rosemary sprigs, and top with remaining lemon slices. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

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Patient Success Spotlight

Refer A Friend

“I was in so much pain in my neck and had such bad headaches that I just couldn’t do the things I wanted to do. Dr. Fleming took the time to help me understand what was going on with me and worked closely with my neurologist so we could get me feeling better. It really worked. It took time but Dr. Fleming encouraged me and showed me things I could do to help myself. I really want to thank you for everything you have done for me. You really made a difference in my life.” – D.W. Showed me things I could do to help myself!

Do You Have Friends Or Family Unable To Do The Following:

Who Do You Know That Needs Our Help? � Move without pain � Bend and move freely � Balance confidently & securely � Sit for long periods comfortably � Walk for long distances � Live an active and healthy lifestyle If you know someone suffering with aches and pains give the gift of health. Refer them to Fleming Physical Therapy today. Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly to schedule an appointment.

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Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing neck pain.

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LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH Grasp your arm on the affected side and tilt your head downward into the armpit. Use your opposite hand to guide your head further into the stretch. Good stretch if you sit at a computer all day

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MISSPELLED MANIA EDITION! You could be the winner of a $20 gift card! Enter our drawing by being the first 10 to call with the misspelled word in this newsletter. Call in at a office near you! CALL IN AT A LOCATION NEAREST YOU!

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