Tag Archives: Kathryn Merrow

Lower Back Pain, Self Help

Gentle Movement Therapy Gives Lower Back Pain Relief

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Lower back pain can be helped with gentle, thoughtful movement.

When your lower back muscles are tight, they are not in the mood to stretch or be stretched.  But gentle, repetitive, tiny movements can help them relax.

If you have pain in your lower back small movements work better than trying to “stretch it out.”

I’m looking at a device in a catalog that helps you move in a slow, rhythmic way while you lay on your back.  In fact, this device actually does the movements for you and it costs $199.  But, do you know what?

You can do those movements yourself without the device.  🙂

The idea is that Continue reading Gentle Movement Therapy Gives Lower Back Pain Relief →

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Self Help

Ice Is A Great Natural Self-Help Tool For Back Pain

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If you have back pain, you may already know what a good friend ice can be.

Lots of folks think they prefer heat for their back pain.  They like the way it feels more than they do ice (and I don’t blame them one bit!)

But as a natural pain relief tool for getting rid of muscle spasms and knots ice offers great benefit.  Heat may actually aggravate your back pain especially Continue reading Ice Is A Great Natural Self-Help Tool For Back Pain →

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Upper Back Pain

Knots In Your Upper Back? Try Tennis Ball Therapy

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Today I’m thinking about Tennis Ball Therapy for a muscle knot in my upper back. Why?

Because I woke up with a knot in my back and it’s bugging me. 🙁

When you have tight muscles on your back that are bugging you, here’s what to do: Use Tennis Ball Therapy!

Here’s how:

Get a tennis ball (or similar ball) and lay on it on the floor. You can use the bed if you have to but the floor gives more pressure.  If you are on your bed, some of the tennis ball is lost in the mattress.  If you’re really Continue reading Knots In Your Upper Back? Try Tennis Ball Therapy →

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Upper Back Pain

How Sitting Causes Pain In Your Upper Back

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Can something as simple as sitting cause upper back pain?

Yes.  Here’s how:

Let’s say you are in your nice comfy recliner.  And let’s say you are reading.  Or doing hand work.  Or using your laptop.

Where is your head?

That’s right.  It is sticking out in front of your body.

When you sit like that often enough your muscles get used to it.  And then no matter Continue reading How Sitting Causes Pain In Your Upper Back →

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Upper Back Pain

How To Get Rid Of Knots In Your Back

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Muscle knots or muscle spasms in your shoulder blade area can be really painful and really annoying, too!

Here’s the simple solution to getting rid of your “knots.”  Just figure out why you have them and then get rid of the cause.  (smile)

I’m not really being a smart aleck.  That actually IS how you can get rid of them.

Knots are Continue reading How To Get Rid Of Knots In Your Back →

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Self Help

Natural Anti-Inflammatories For Back Muscle Pain Relief

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Did you know there are natural anti-inflammatories?   Ginger and pineapple are two.

Swelling or inflammation can cause back pain by pressing on nerves.  It can also lessen blood flow to muscles.

I’m not an expert in herbs but here’s what I know about how to use ginger.

Of course, it’s in ginger ale and ginger cookies and I believe in my heart that Continue reading Natural Anti-Inflammatories For Back Muscle Pain Relief →

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Lower Back Pain

Surgery For Low Back Pain Caused By Leg Length Differences

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Most people don’t know when they have a leg length difference but they DO know when they have pain in their low back!

Surgery for lower back pain is not offered nearly as much as it used to be.  The reason is because it so often did not help; many patients still had the same pain afterward.

Bill had surgery and still had the same pain after he healed. Years later, he ended up coming to have therapeutic massage and was surprised when I pressed on certain muscles near his waist.  They were tight!

Helping those muscles to relax got rid of a lot of his lower back pain.  But that wasn’t all.

The pain would have come back in short order unless we figured out what was causing the pain.

In Bill’s case, he had a difference in the lengths of his legs.  One was almost 2″ shorter than the other!

When you are walking around on legs that have that much difference (or even much less) you will certainly Continue reading Surgery For Low Back Pain Caused By Leg Length Differences →

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Lower Back Pain

How Do Muscles Cause Lower Back Pain And How Can You Fix Them

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Injury and muscle imbalances are the two most common causes of lower back pain. Muscle imbalances can cause you to have poor posture.  Poor posture is also called “forward head posture” and “collapsing posture.”  This causes pain.

Poor posture includes incorrect positioning of the pelvic bones and either too much or too little curvature in the spine. This causes increased wear and tear on your joints, muscles, ligaments and your spinal discs.  This happens because muscles move bones.

NOTE:  If you have loss of bowel or bladder control with your low back pain that can mean a medical emergency, so get to the Emergency Room in a hospital as quickly as possible.

What are the most common lower back pain treatments?

The most common treatment by doctors and Continue reading How Do Muscles Cause Lower Back Pain And How Can You Fix Them →

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Self Help

Tools To Get Rid Of Knots In Your Back

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If you have spasms or muscle knots around your shoulder blade there may be a simple cure for you.  Keep reading to discover simple tools you can use.

Therapeutic massage works to relieve knots by causing pressure on or around the areas of spasm or tightness (the knots.)  That increases the blood flow to the area and that, in turn, releases or relaxes your “knot.”

You can get a benefit similar to massage by applying your own pressure.  There are special tools for this.  One is called the Back Knobber.  Another is called the TheraCane.

These devices can be Continue reading Tools To Get Rid Of Knots In Your Back →

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