4 Ways Chronic Back Pain Can Ruin
Your Holidays – And Your Life
The hustle and bustle of the holidays brings all sorts of activities to American households. While some complain about all they need to get done and the stress involved, there is joy in a lot of it, too – giving to others, family time, decorating, dining and sharing special memories.
But for many people experiencing back pain, there is little, if any, joy. Lower back pain is the most common type of chronic pain in the U.S., and the holiday season, for many, magnifies how much they can’t do, and how much they are missing out on.
“The emotional and psychological costs of back pain hit especially hard during the holidays, when it limits their participation with family and friends and in numerous activities,” says Bradford Butler, a chiropractor and author of The Blueprint For Back Pain Relief: The Essential Guide To Non-Surgical Solutions. “They want to get rid of their pain, but what matters most to them is what the pain is stopping them from doing – many of the things they love in life.”
Butler lists the various mental and physical costs of chronic back pain and how sufferers can limit or prevent them:
Depression. “In many patients, according to the Mayo Clinic, it’s chronic pain that leads to a diagnosis of depression,” Butler says. “Sadly, too many patients are misdiagnosed with depression and put on very powerful and dangerous medications because of pain. Doctors are trying to say it’s depression causing the back pain, when in fact the opposite is true.”
Time. Chronic, unaddressed back pain robs one of several aspects of life – lost work, lost quality family time, lost recreation time. And then, Butler stresses, there’s the danger of waiting too long to treat it. “The longer you have a back problem, the more damage it will create and the more it will resist getting better,” Butler says. “There is a point of no return, when there’s nothing anyone can do to overcome the damage you’ve allowed by not dealing with it.”
Surgery. “Surgery and prescription drugs are almost always the wrong choice,” Butler says. “Many patients who use these options don’t need them, and in fact regret them. They’ve had their lives ripped apart by back surgery and drugs, leading to divorce, lost jobs, bankruptcy. A combination of therapies boosted by the newest technology – chiropractic care, physical therapy and massage therapy – is often the best approach to their care.”
Other organs, tissues. A damaged back or spine can affect multiple other areas. “Problems with the back and spine or nerves can be linked to many disorders – headaches, TMJ, hip pain, knee pain, and many others,” Butler says. “Therefore, knowing where the pain is coming from and what best to do about it is paramount.”
“Education is the key,” Bradford says. “You are responsible for your choices, not your doctor. Question how the treatment plans he or she recommends will help you and how it will correct what’s causing the pain, not merely mask it.”
About Bradford Butler
Bradford Butler, a chiropractor and author of The Blueprint for Back Pain Relief: The Essential Guide to Nonsurgical Solutions (www.drbradfordbutler.com), is owner and director of Oakland Spine and Physical Therapy, which has three locations in northern New Jersey. Dr. Butler, a graduate of the New York Chiropractic College, has twice been named one of America’s top chiropractors by Consumer Research Council of America and his offices have received the exclusive NJ TopDoc Award for eight consecutive years.
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Gov. Herbert and First Lady to decorate Christmas tree with students from Brookwood Elementary School
The first lady will reveal the mansion's decorations for the holiday season
What:
Gov. Gary R. Herbert and the First Lady will unveil this year’s mansion holiday decor and join students from Brookwood Elementary in decorating a Christmas tree in the Governor’s Mansion Library.
When:
Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
Where:
Governor’s Mansion, Library
Notes:
Each year, the First lady selects a theme for the decorations in the Governor’s Mansion. Community volunteers and organizations are invited to decorate accordingly, generously donating their time, talent and supplies. They turn the beautiful historic mansion into a tribute to the season. Ms. Monica Rotermund's 4th grade class from Brookwood Elementary in Sandy will join the Governor and the First Lady.
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Here Are The Christmas Foods To Avoid
So Friends Don’t Avoid You
The holidays bring lots of good food, drink, and socializing, but sometimes the conversations may be short due to what you’re eating.
If you wonder why people keep a safe distance during these festive occasions, it might be because of your bad breath. Some of the traditional dishes and beverages America enjoys at family gatherings and office parties are the main culprits.
Dr. Harold Katz (www.therabreath.com), developer of the TheraBreath line of oral products and widely recognized as “America’s Bad Breath Doctor” says there are certain holiday foods to avoid – if you don’t want to be avoided.
“Some of the most popular holiday foods can really stink up your mouth, which is especially lethal at a loud gathering when you have to lean in close to have conversations,” says Dr. Katz, who is also a dentist and bacteriologist. Bad breath bacteria react immediately to changes in the oral environment and unfortunately many Holiday foods provide the fuel which they convert into Volatile Sulfur Compounds, including Hydrogen Sulfide (the rotten egg smell).
Dr. Katz says these are some of the worst holiday foods in terms of causing bad breath:a
Alcohol: Chemically, it’s a dehydrating agent – and dry mouth is one of the leading causes of bad breath. Furthermore, many old-fashioned mouthwash formulas contain high concentrations of alcohol which may exacerbate your dry mouth. Look for alcohol-free oxygenating oral products instead.
Ham: Ham is not only high in protein, but the way it’s prepared (salted, cured, smoked) also leads to dry mouth.
Garlic and onions: Already loaded with smelly sulfur compounds.
Wine and cheese: This classic party snack packs a double bad-breath wallop: the wine is dehydrating, and the cheese is rich in proteins, easily converted into sour milk odors.
Cranberry sauce: If it’s loaded with sugar, as most canned cranberry sauces are, it’s going to be no better for your teeth (and your breath) than a slice of cake.
Dr. Katz says since holidays are a time of close personal contact with large groups of people, it would be prudent for people to at least know which foods cause the worst bad breath.
About Dr. Harold Katz
Dr. Harold Katz (www.therabreath.com), developer of TheraBreath Healthy Gums Oral Rinse, received his degree in bacteriology from UCLA and is the founder of The California Breath Clinics and author of The Bad Breath Bible. He has been featured on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” CBS’s “Early Show” and “The View” with Barbara Walters and countless other TV shows. Dr. Katz has developed oxygenating compounds that have been used by millions around the world to eliminate bad breath. He is also the bearer of the now famous “Halimeter,” which tests the sulfur compounds in the mouth that cause bad breath. Dr. Katz’ website offers a free online bad breath test – as well as a sneaky way to tell someone they have halitosis.
