If you’re suffering with a flare up in your back, the first thing you may want to do is reach for the painkillers. Occasional use of ibuprofen, the key ingredient in Nurofen, may offer short-term relief, but relying on painkillers for persistent back pain will do more harm than good. New research shows that regular…
It’s been nippy lately. Have you noticed that your aches and pains feel worse? It’s not your imagination. Cold weather causes muscles and ligaments to tighten up, stressing the nerves, while changes in barometric pressure can cause swelling and make the pain feel worse. Cold weather also affects blood circulation. As your body heat drops,…
Are you planning to set yourself some health goals for 2023? There’s an ominous statistic suggesting that only 12% of people who make resolutions successfully achieve their aims. We wondered why, so we did some research to find out what actually helps people to stick to their plans. We want you to feel healthier, happier…
Pain and sleep don’t mix. Pain makes it more difficult to sleep, and poor sleep makes it more likely you’ll focus on pain. So what can you do if you are getting back pain during the night? Studies show that sleep impairments are likely to contribute to pain rather than pain contributing to sleep impairments…
Where two or more bones meet, you have a joint. These crucial bony meeting points around the body hold us upright and protect nerves and blood vessels. The spine has 33 pairs of nerves which, in the average adult, are protected by 24 vertebrae (we’re born with 33, but the ones at the base of…
It’s Stoptober again – and you probably already know many reasons to quit tobacco and become a non-smoker. We hardly need tell you again about cancer, strokes and heart disease. But did you know that smoking affects the musculoskeletal system too? It increases the risk of developing conditions in joints and bones and makes recovery…
The term arthritis covers many joint conditions. The symptoms are usually stiffness, reduced mobility and often (but not always) pain. Arthritis often appears after a long period of dysfunction and it can be a result of injury, wear and tear, autoimmune disorders or genetic predisposition. Osteoarthritis is the commonest type of arthritis and is almost…
We all know that as we age our bodies change. Naturally, our joints, bones, soft tissue and organs suffer from the passage of time. The years bring age-related wear and tear on the joints and lower back pain is common among the over 65s. MRI scans confirm that degenerative changes of the spine are typical…
If you suffer from back pain, the hours spent cramped in an airline seat can be agony. Hand luggage can be heavy and awkward getting into overhead lockers. When you arrive at your destination you have to deal with hauling heavy bags off the luggage carousel and dragging them thought the airport an into a…
Would you be surprised to learn that the pain in your back reflects your general wellbeing? In fact, your pain threshold is not fixed at all and you can take control of it. Research into back pain shows that the ‘usual suspects’ of posture or weak core muscles aren’t as important as once thought. Like…
