General

Heat vs. ice: which works best for treating injuries?

Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors2025-06-19T20:20:40+00:00June 19th, 2025|Adults, General, Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Wellness|

Heat vs. Ice … It may sound like the title of an upcoming blockbuster movie, but it’s a question most active people have mulled over during their life after they’ve sustained an injury. Like most dilemmas, there isn’t really an easy answer to this question. Whether to treat an injury with a hot pad or an ice pack depends largely on the situation.

Ice

How cooling an injury works

Applying ice or a cold pack works by reducing blood flow and pain sensation to a particular area. Cooling an injured area, especially a tendon or joint, can reduce inflammation and swelling that causes pain.

When is it best to apply ice to my injury?

Ice is meant to calm down damaged surface tissues that are inflamed, red, hot and swollen. Think of icing as a way to simply dull the pain, and reduce inflammation, nothing more or nothing less. Ice therapy is most beneficial in the first 24-72 hours of sustaining an injury.

After you’ve sustained your injury, you should aim to apply ice to the inflamed area as soon as possible.

Use cold therapy for short periods of time, several times a day.

It’s important not to treat an area with ice for too long. Ten to fifteen minutes is fine, but no more than 20 minutes of cold therapy should be used at a time.

Also, don’t cool an area to the point where you are shivering. If you are already shivering, you should discontinue applying ice until you warm up. The brain interprets an excess of cold as a threat and when the brain thinks there’s something wrong going on it may actually amp up your area of pain as a defense mechanism.

How to apply cooling therapy

Before you apply ice or a cooling pack to the injured area, always make sure there is some sort of barrier between the ice and your skin. Whether it be a Ziploc bag or a washcloth, it’s imperative that the barrier exists. Applying ice directly on the skin can cause damage to the skin and tissues.

Heat

How applying heat to an injury works

Heat therapy works by improving circulation and blood flow to a particular area. Heating an affected area can soothe discomfort, increase muscle flexibility and help heal damaged tissue.

When is it best to apply heat to my injury?

Heat therapy is most effective for sore muscles, chronic pain and repetitive stress injuries. A comfortable, not scalding, heat can take the edge off symptoms like muscle aching and stiffness. Heat can be most beneficial 36-72 hours after the injury is sustained.

How to apply heat therapy

When applying heat therapy to a small, afflicted area you could use small heated gel packs or a hot water bottle.

There are certain cases where heat therapy should not be used. If the area is bruised or swollen, it may be better to use an ice pack. Heat therapy also shouldn’t be applied to an area with an open wound.

Heat therapy, unlike cold therapy, is most beneficial when used for long periods of time.

Minor stiffness can benefit with only 15 to 20 minutes of heat therapy. Moderate to severe pain can benefit from longer sessions of heat therapy lasting between 30 minutes and two hours.

When to see a chiropractor
Whether you go the ice or heat route, both treatments are meant only to mask the discomfort of your injury. If your pain hasn’t subsided after a few days of either heat or cold treatment seek advice from a chiropractor.

Sciatica: What you need to know and tips for relief

ParallelAdmin2025-06-10T19:33:05+00:00June 10th, 2025|Back Health at Home, General, Health, Healthy Living, Overall Back Health, Wellness|

Have you ever had pain radiate from your low back, through your hips, and down one leg? If so, you may have experienced sciatica. What exactly is sciatica, and what can you do to treat the pain? In this blog post, we will explore what you need to know plus offer some tips for relief.

What is sciatica?

The sciatic nerve runs down the length of each leg, starting in your low back and ending at the heels of your feet. Sciatica is a term used to describe the pain caused by irritation of that nerve. Health professionals have a variety of names for it, including lumbosacral radicular syndrome, discogenic sciatica, nerve root pain, and nerve root entrapment,¹but sciatica is the most common term.

Sciatica is different from low back pain in that it results from the sciatic nerve, rather than the spine. This nerve serves an important function, affecting the hamstrings, calf muscles, lower leg muscles, and some foot muscles.² In many cases, the pain gets worse with twisting, bending, sneezing or coughing.²

What causes sciatic pain?

Researchers estimate that 90 per cent of cases are caused by a herniated disc where the nerve root is compressed – something that may occur as a result of an injury, or age-related wear and tear.⁵ Other possible causes include lumbar stenosis¹, or piriformis syndrome.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Patients most often complain about pain radiating down the back of their leg, reducing their mobility.¹²

Who is most at risk for sciatica?

More research is needed to determine the exact incidence and prevalence of sciatica. It is estimated that five to 10 per cent of patients with low back pain have it,¹ and 10 to 40 per cent of people experience it in their lifetime.²

There are certain risk factors that increase the chance of developing sciatica. These include:^¹

Age
Height
Mental stress
Cigarette smoking

In addition, certain occupations are predisposed to sciatic nerve pain, including machine operators and truck drivers².

How is sciatica diagnosed?

When a patient complains of pain radiating down their leg, a chiropractor will typically conduct a full history and physical examination to determine whether the sciatic nerve is to blame.¹ Chiropractors often work as part of a patient’s health care team. If there are red flags present – such as if Cauda Equina syndrome is suspected – the chiropractor will recommend advanced imaging to determine if surgery should be considered¹.

How is sciatica treated?

There are a variety of treatments that chiropractors can offer, including recommendations on lifestyle changes. These include, but are not limited to:

Physical activity
Acupuncture
Spinal manipulation

What can you do at home?

Talk to your chiropractor to ensure you are doing everything you can to improve your condition at home. He or she may recommend one or more of the following:²

Use hot and cold packs for comfort
Avoid sitting or standing for long periods
Practice good posture
Improve your core strength through exercise
Gently stretch out your lower back and hamstrings
Take a walk regularly, go swimming, or try aqua fitness
Use the proper technique when lifting heavy objects

How can you prevent sciatica?

You can reduce the chances of developing sciatica by exercising regularly and paying attention to your posture.³ Try the following exercises if you’re looking for inspiration, but the most important thing is to find an activity you enjoy:⁴

Walking
Jogging
Swimming
Cycling
Dancing
Strength training
Yoga
Tai Chi
Pilates

Chiropractors are spine, muscle, and nervous system experts who provide effective treatment to promote health, alleviate pain, and improve your quality of life. If you’re struggling with sciatica and want relief, visit a chiropractor today And remember – you can always ask questions and take an active role in your recovery.

1. Koes, B W et al. “Diagnosis and treatment of sciatica.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.) vol. 334,7607 (2007): 1313-7. doi:10.1136/bmj.39223.428495.BE
2. Davis D, Vasudevan A. Sciatica. [Updated 2019 Feb 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/
3. Gillot, Caroline. “Sciatica: Causes, Treatment, Exercises, and Symptoms.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 15 Dec. 2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7619.php.
4. Harvard Health Publishing. “5 Tips for Coping with Sciatica.” Harvard Health, www.health.harvard.edu/pain/sciatica-prevention-and-coping.
5. “Herniated Disc.” AANS, https://www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Herniated-Disc.

Research Review Shows EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Highly Effective at Treating Anxiety

ParallelAdmin2025-06-06T20:32:31+00:00June 5th, 2017|General, Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Wellness|

Article from Huffington Post

A quick and simple non-drug treatment is highly effective for anxiety, according to a comprehensive study. The study was published in the oldest peer-reviewed psychiatry journal in North America, and examined 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of a behavioral method called EFT or Emotional Freedom Techniques. Described by Examiner.com as: “one of the most successful psychology self-help techniques ever developed,” EFT combines cognitive psychology with acupressure.

The 14 studies included 658 participants drawn from a variety of demographic groups. These included college and high school students, overweight people, war veterans, hospital patients, gifted children, fibromyalgia patients, and people with phobias. The types of anxiety ranged from fear of public speaking, to test anxiety, to phobias of small animals such as rats and mice. Studies applied the method as described in The EFT Manual, along with other quality control criteria advocated by the American Psychological Association.

The analysis was performed by Morgan Clond, MD, PhD, a research physician at State University of New York, and evaluated the effect of EFT using a statistical technique called meta-analysis. This measures the effect of treatment on a continuum from 0.2 indicating a small effect to 0.8 for a large effect. EFT measured 1.23, demonstrating a very large effect resulting from treatment. EFT is often called “tapping” because practitioners tap on 7-12 acupuncture points while focusing on a fear or emotional trigger.

Treatment time frames in the RCTs were typically brief, from 30 minutes for phobic patients to 6 hourlong sessions for war veterans with PTSD. Among Clond’s observations were that EFT can be used as a self-help method, as well as in formal psychotherapy or medical care, and that it requires very few sessions to produce a treatment effect. EFT is also low-risk and low-cost when compared to lengthly courses of talk therapy. However Clond noted that there are too few studies comparing EFT with Gold Standard treatments like CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy to be able to evaluate the two against each other.

Clond notes that because EFT can be taught to patients quickly and used any time, it reduces barriers to anxiety treatment. It also can be applied by medical support staff and does not require the services of a highly-trained and costly professional. Based on the results of the meta-analysis, the meta-analysis advocates EFT as a safe, simple, evidence-based self-help method that can be used alongside conventional psychological and medical care.

References

Chambless, D., & Hollon, S. D. (1998). Defining empirically supported therapies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 7–18.

Church, D. (2013). The EFT manual (3rd ed.). Santa Rosa, CA: Energy Psychology Press.

Clond, M. (2016). Emotional Freedom Techniques for anxiety: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 204 (5), 388–395. doi:10.1097/NMD.0000000000000483

Meta-Analyses and Systematic Reviews of EFT Research: Research.EFTuniverse.com.

Keeping It Green: 8 Benefits to Getting Fresh Air While You Exercise

ParallelAdmin2025-06-06T15:28:49+00:00May 15th, 2017|General, Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Wellness|

Originally posted by Canadian Chiropractic Association

Getting any type of exercise is good for your body, but did you know there are specific benefits to taking your workout outside? Not only is it a great way to boost your activity in the Spring, it’ll also help boost your mood.

Here are a few of the main benefits to getting exercise in a natural environment:

You can move faster. When you’re walking or running outside, you can better control your pace. Often, you end up moving a little faster than you would indoors on a treadmill.¹
It’s easier. When the effort of exercise participants was studied comparing indoor to outdoor walking, participants not only moved faster, they reported the exercise also felt easier to complete.¹
It’ll alter your perception. Since your perception of effort is lower when you’re in a green environment, it gives you the opportunity to push harder without your perception changing. When an activity is perceived as easier, it’s also perceived to be more enjoyable.¹
You’ll increase your enjoyment. When you’re exercising outside you’re often engaging with other people. This has been shown to increase enjoyment of the activity and how often you participate, since you have social motivation behind you.¹
You’ll feel revitalized. Studies have shown that doing physical activities in a natural or green environment can help improve feelings of revitalization. You also feel more positively engaged.¹
You can improve your self-esteem. Exercising in green environments have also been linked to improved self-esteem and reducing negative moods such as tension, anger, and depression.¹
It’s better for your physical health. Studies have shown that outdoor environments, particularly green spaces, support better physical health both subjectively and objectively. That means that your sense of well-being, heart health, immune system, and recovery time are all positively affected by your green environment.²
It’s also better for your mental health. Work out outside to improve your general mental health, psychological well-being, anxiety, stress, or depression. Both your well-being and perceived well-being benefit from taking-in natural spaces.²

To help get you going, here are a few green activities you can try:

Plant trees
Go hiking
Canoe or kayak
Explore natural parks (or take advantage of the free 2017 Parks Canada Discovery Pass)
Go for a bike ride
Play tennis
Sign up for an outdoor fitness class or boot camp
Join a recreational sports leagues for soccer, ultimate Frisbee, or flag football

Whatever activity you choose, don’t forget to keep it green. For more information on what exercises are right for you, you can ask a chiropractor.

References

Gladwell VF, Brown DK, Wood C, Sandercock GR, Barton JL. The great outdoors: How a green exercise environment can benefit all. Extrem Physiol Med. 2013; 2(1): 3. doi: 10.1186/2046-7648-2-3.
Triguero-Mas M, Dadvand P, Cirach M, et al. Natural outdoor environments and mental and physical health: Relationships and mechanisms. Environment International. 2015; 77: 35-41. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.01.012.