A Positive Proactive Pandemic

A Positive Proactive Pandemic
It sounds like this week and next may be the worst weeks for some states so far so it is important more than ever to focus on your own health. They say that you will grow with every challenge in life. You can commit today to make a positive change in your lifestyles during this stressful challenging times.
Here is my challenge to you
1 Decide today to weight yourself and loss some weight instead of gain weight over the next month.

Try going on walks everyday that it is nice out. You should still be able to do this and practice social distancing. Get out of the house and take a walk or run - Both are proven to boost immune function. Even walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.
Be creative and workout at home. Email me if you need ideas. I just gave my son a dumbbell daily workout today.

2 Practice Meditation, Mindfulness & Gratitude - 3 things you can do that won’t cost you a penny that are scientifically linked to boosted immunity. These practices will also help keep your mindset positive.
Wake up every morning and do some affirmations and make it a regular daily routine.
Steps to affirmations
1.Take three deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling to a count of 10.
2. Stand in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eyes.
3. Say your affirmation (or list of positive affirmations) slowly and clearly.
4. Repeat the affirmations 3-5 times, really focusing on the meaning of each word.
5. Take another three deep breaths, allowing your body to absorb the positive feeling of the them.
Here is an example of 12 affirmations
1.With every breath, I release the anxiety within me and I become more calm.
2. I have replaced feelings of overwhelm with faith that everything will work out.
3. I am bigger than any negative thing that could possibly happen to me.
4. I will keep all situations and circumstances in proper perspective.
5. I have come so far and will continue to move forward.
6. Though things around me may be uncertain, I am certain I will succeed.
7. I am in charge of how I feel today. Today I am choosing happiness.
8. Each day I am grateful for how loved I am and the many people that care about me.
9. This is only temporary. The best is yet to come.
10. I choose to be grateful no matter my circumstances.
11. No matter what happens today, I will find joy and positivity in it.
12. I can think clearly and solve problems. I am focused and disciplined.
Here is a link to a youtube video example of affirmations. https://youtu.be/t21pABpR7fQ

3 Enjoy your time with the family. I told some of you that there was only one night in all of February that my kids did not have sports or religion. We did not have many nights that we ate together or hung out as a family since I coached hockey and baseball during this time. I am making it a point to spend quality time everyday with them during this time. You can reconnect with family or an old friend over video calls or social media.

4 Take advantage of a new routine or any extra time you might now have (it won’t last forever) - Get organized, reach out and catch up with an old friend, let go of a grudge or forgive someone, create a new exercise routine you can do anywhere, learn how to make a new meal, rearrange your house, tackle a home-improvement project that’s been on the back burner, update your resume, practice a random act of kindness… All these activities can inspire positive emotions and change, which boosts physical health.
5 Garden - Here’s an activity you can do while social distancing. You’ll likely be spending more time at home so why not make it feel like your own private sanctuary? Plus, reap the benefits of spending time in nature (hello, healthy bacteria), sunshine (soak in some vitamin D) and physical exercise (promotes longevity). It can also fight stress.


Finally,
I am asking you if you can try and pay attention to your pain this week so I can better help you now and when we all get back to our normal lifestyles.
Try and figure out if your pain is:
Visceral Pain: comes from an internal organ. This one is sometimes tricky to Diagnosis. Look at the chart below to see where pain refers to from certain organs. If you have pain that comes and goes and is not isolated to certain movements than you may suffer from visceral pain. Sometimes you will have to be examined by a internal medicine doctor or cardiologist for some of these pain patterns.
Visceral pain is described as:
Caused by organic dysfunction
Referred pain pattern
Diffuse localization
Aching pain sensation
May experience interception
Example: Pain in the arm from a cardiac ischemia

Musculoskeletal pain: this is pain that can usually be recreated with certain movements of the injured muscles.
Caused by injury or damage to the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, or ligaments. You can usually rule in this pain as being musculoskeletal because certain movements recreate the pain when you use that muscle(s) or joints.
Well localized pain pattern
Can reproduced the pain
Graded stimulus response to a noxious stimulus
Gnawing, aching, or sharp pain
Pain can be reduced with activation of fibers from non-noxious stimuli

Neuropathic pain: Pain that travels down a nerve and can go through more than one muscle.
Caused by damage to the nervous system. Pain is usually seen with larger movements rather than just contracting a particular muscle(s) or joint. For example when you bend you head down and pain goes down your arm or sciatica pain that travels down the back of the leg.
Neuropathic pain is described as:
Sensory deficits and/or paresthesia are commonly present
Pain may arise spontaneously without a stimulus
Pain can radiate down arms or legs
May experience the “pins and needles: feeling
May have central sensitization.

When your body is in proper alignment it reduces load and stress to your muscles, bones, and joints. This is our approach to starting the healing process. Proper posture is how you will be able to continue to work at home and not increase your symptoms. Please pay attention if your pay levels are going up after working at your home work station or how ever you are sitting while staying home. You will need to make changes if you are creating issues. I want you to understand that pain is perceived in your brain. You may feel it anywhere on or in your body, but your pain is really an output signal of your brain in response to stress and repetitive injury. Once you have chronic pain, the brain creates more and more output signals of pain, and your pain threshold lowers.


Chronic pain suffers
Now, I know chronic pain suffers may be feeling down, and even depressed about their pain. Many have some fear too. I want to let you know that this is completely normal. We understand how you feel. In addition to doing in-office treatments to get you out of pain, and complete postural correction rehabilitation to improve your posture, we want to also work on your stress level and have a plan in place to reduce your stress response so you feel better mentally and physically.

CHRONIC PAIN RELIEF

STEP #1 = DETERMINE THE TREATMENT MODALITY

• Manipulation: this is the strongest application of joint manipulation, but I know it has been hard for most of you to get in for an adjustment. 
• Movement: movement can be active exercises and/or passive mobilization
• Stimulation: different stimulation range in intensity and can be applied in the office or at home
We sell Muscle stim units or TENS units for $50 I can ship one to your house if you would like one. You can also purchase hand held self massagers for $10 at Walgreens/target/walmart and self massage areas of pain to stimulate pain reduction.

STEP #2 = NEURO LOAD FOR MULTIMODAL SENSORY INTEGRATION

• The brain craves complexity. Go through the exercise that I have shown you in the clinic and make them more challenging. If I never gave them to you or you want me to send you some just email me and I will send them to you. 
• Neuro Load to increase incoming multimodal sensory stimulation
• Apply two or more treatment modalities simultaneously during at home rehabilitation. Add muscle stimulation/TENS while exercising.

STEP #3 = CHRONIC PAIN PATIENT EDUCATION

• Create pain reduction goals from the VAS Pain Scale by charting how you feel everyday before and after exercises and therapy. 
• Create Functional Goals to achieve small wins throughout their treatment plan
• Research the role of postural correction in reducing persistent pain

STEP #4 = ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT

• Have stress reduction activities to down regulate their stress response
• Depression, anxiety, fear avoidance, and catastrophization is normal with chronic pain. You need to identify and overcome these feelings.

STEP #5 = SHIFT FROM A PAIN TO POSTURE MODEL

• Monitor subjective and objective changes for pain relief
• Shift from pain treatment modalities to postural correction
•Make postural corrections while sitting, working or sleeping to help minimize risk to the body to prevent ongoing persistent pain

Please let me know if I can help in anyway.
Dr. Nate