WebMD estimates that up to 80% of Americans will at some point in their lives are affected by back pain. Of those, 85% will not find the cause of the pain despite a thorough medical examination.

Because of this, people who suffer from frequent pain, especially back pain; are scared to exercise for fear of hurting themselves. While their fears may seem warranted, studies prove just the opposite, demonstrating that strength training can actually reduce pain and prevent further injury if done properly.

Kettlebells are cast-iron weights that have been used for centuries to train Russian soldiers and athletes, appear to be a promising therapy for back and neck pain, new research shows.

The weights, named for their resemblance to a tea kettle with a looped handle, began showing up in American gyms about 15 years ago and have gained a popular following among exercise buffs looking for a quick full-body workout. Unlike traditional weight training, which typically focuses on lifting exercises, a kettlebell workout requires both swinging and lifting of the weights.

Studies have shown that people training with kettlebells in 20-minute sessions two to three times a week for eight weeks reported less pain as well as improved strength in the trunk and core muscles. Over all, working out with kettlebells reduced lower back pain by 57 percent and cut neck and shoulder pain by 46 percent.

Kettlebell training, while helpful in reducing pain and improving core strength, is also surprisingly aerobic. A study by the American Council on Exercise found that a 20-minute kettlebell workout burns about 21 calories a minute, the equivalent of running at a six-minute-mile pace.

Kettlebells are also an exercise of choice for many people because they are very portable, making it easier to exercise for people on the go.

Because Kettlebells are difficult to control, it’s important to consult with a pain management doctor to see if this exercise will benefit you before meeting with a certified instructor to learn proper form.

The road to better health is paved with the small decisions we make every day, and this quick exercise can help you take control of your back pain.

If you or a loved one is experiencing chronic neck or back pain and would like to see if rehabilitative exercises can help, visit www.wolmed.com to make an appointment to become part of the 15% who find relief from their chronic neck and back pain. WOLMED is a CARF certified full serviced Pain Management Clinic with locations to better serve you in Dallas and Denton.

Share on Facebook

Before I answer any questions, you should ask yourself a couple.  Have you ever had pain that lasted so long that it never seemed to end?  Are you unable to spend quality time with friends and family because of pain?  Do your pain pills make it harder and harder to do the things you love?  Do you feel depressed and anxious because of pain?  Does it feel like you’ve tried everything but you’re still in pain?  If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you could benefit from Pain Management.  Just because it can help doesn’t mean you want to rush out and get it without knowing what it is first.  That’s where I step in and answer the question, “what is Pain Management and do I need it?”

Wikipedia says Pain Management (also called pain medicine by definition), “is a branch of medicine employing an interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those living with pain.”

Doctors specializing in pain management know the complex nature of pain, and will approach the problem from several different directions.  Treatment of long term pain may include pharmacologic measures, interventional procedures (epidural steroid injections), physical therapy, application of ice or heat, and psychological measures.  Whatever method is used to treat your pain you can be assured that it’s always with your best interest and comfort in mind.

Now that you understand the benefits of Pain Management a little better, if you or a loved one lives in the DFW area and has answered yes to any of the questions above, contact WOLMED Back & Neck Pain Center and see how Pain Management can help you change your life.

Share on Facebook

BLOOD SAVES LIVES

WOL+MED recently hosted a blood drive this month that benefits the American Red Cross.  Because the blood supply after the holidays is always low, the donations that were received were greatly appreciated.  13 people ended up donating a total of 13 pints of blood, which could potentially save 39 lives!  To show our thanks to those who gave blood, WOL+MED donated 4 $25 gift cards.  The winners of the gift cards are:

1. Regina Golden – $25 gift card for Macy’s
2. Enriqueta Spencer – $25 gift card for Starbucks
3. Veronica Flores – $25 gift card for Barnes & Noble
4. Brandon Johnson – $25 gift card for Chili’s

WOL+MED would like to personally thank every donor who gave blood at the American Red Cross Blood Drive.  You helped make this blood drive a success, your donations save lives!

Share on Facebook

We’ve all heard it before, often accompanied by a tone of irritation: “what a pain in the neck.” Analogies and phrases like this are always used to describe something very unpleasant, because neck pain is just that – unpleasant. The degree of discomfort may always vary based on the type of injury from simply sleeping in an awkward position to sprains or even because of chronic neck pain from the result of an accident.

With so many theories floating around about back & neck pain it can often be confusing on what to do, but a recent study done by the Annals of Internal Medicine simply suggests that visits to a chiropractor and regular exercise can help alleviate neck pain the best. It also suggests that this is a better solution to relieving the pain over time than common over the counter medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin. While visits to a chiropractor and regular exercise may work in some cases, stronger medications and pain relievers may be needed in more severe cases. This of course depends on the severity of the pain, and is left to the discretion of a pain management doctor to decide.

Whether you need a pain management doctor, or a facility that provides physical therapy, it’s always helpful to find a doctor that can provide both. So if you or a loved one is experiencing back and neck pain and you live in the DFW area, contact WOLMED the Back and Neck specialist and see how we can help you fix your pain in the neck.

Share on Facebook

Have you ever been injured on the job and didn’t know what to do next?  If you answered yes to this question then you are not alone.  Many people don’t know what to do next because they don’t understand how workers compensation works, and to understand how it works you first have to know what workers compensation is, so let’s start off by defining it.

According to Wikipedia “Workers’ Compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee’s right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence.”

Workers compensation coverage is only given to employees who suffer injury, occupational diseases, or work related death, while doing work that advances the activities of the company.  Listed below are events that are not covered by workers’ compensation insurance even if death or injury is sustained on the job.

• Heart attack
• Mental trauma
• Ordinary disease of life
• Hurt while intoxicated
• Willful attempt to injure oneself or another
• Off-duty social activity
• An act of God
• Employee’s horseplay

When looking for a doctor to treat an on the job injury, first talk to your primary care provider and ask if they treat workers’ compensation patients.  If you don’t have a primary care physician, you may also use your local telephone directory to find doctors who will give exams, provide care and fill out all necessary paperwork for your workers comp claim.  Only doctors licensed to practice in Texas may treat workers’ compensation injuries and illnesses.  Visiting https://txcomp.tdi.state.tx.us/twccprovidersolution/hcpisrhglbhtml can also help find doctors who may be willing to treat workers’ compensation injuries.

Now that you know a little more about workers compensation because you understand how it works, if you or a loved one has suffered an on the job injury in the greater DFW area, contact WOLMED Back & Neck Pain Center to set an appointment and see how we get you on the path to recovery.

Share on Facebook

One day before Thanksgiving, a gentleman walked in the front doors of the Children’s Advocacy Center for Denton County who could teach us all a few lessons about life.  At first glance, one could tell this man had lead an interesting life and more likely than not, a difficult one.  The man, in his early to mid-50s, walked with a limp, in obvious back pain, not clean shaven, and with a “biker” look.  In his left hand were a series of well made, decorated nets held together with twine called Dream Catchers.

The man and I sat down and talked in the lobby for at least 20 minutes before he had to go to his next doctor’s appointment.  He was not afraid to say the he had been in state prison 4 times, most on drug related offenses.  His last sentence was supposed to be 25 years but he was paroled early.  While in prison he almost died from a heart attack, and he mentioned a gunshot wound to his mouth that causes him pain.  It was obvious that this man had been through a lot.  He told me that I should stay out of trouble and what helped him turn his life around was when he started making Dream Catchers for the Children’s Advocacy Center.

The Dream Catchers he makes are used by our counselors to give to children who are scared and are having nightmares.  Since the Children’s Advocacy Center serves children who have been severely abused and since most of the children have been sexually abused, their beds are sometimes a place where bad memories happen.  The stories behind the Dream Catchers are that the weave catches the nightmares and the bad dreams so that they don’t bother the children anymore.  The counselors at the Children’s Advocacy Center says that the Dream Catchers have been very popular with the children and parents, allowing kids to sleep better during a very difficult time in their lives.

The children will never get a chance to meet Bruce Waggoner because he volunteers from home and is behind the scenes.  Because of his criminal background and because of our criminal background policies he will never be able to have interaction with the children he makes these Dream Catchers for.

Mr. Waggoner wants others to know that you don’t have to be rich in order to help others.  There is always something you can do for someone.  His friends once told him that people would always disregard him and that he shouldn’t even try to be a “do gooder.” Bruce disagreed with his friends and continues to make a big difference in the lives of children he will never meet.  They will have Dream Catchers above their beds that capture the nightmares that often come from abuse.

Mr. Waggoner’s story teaches us that anyone can do something for these children, whether it is donating money, time or talent.  To volunteer or to learn how you can help the Children’s Advocacy Center, visit http://www.cacdc.org/ or call (972) 317-2818.

Share on Facebook

With nearly 80 million people in the United States suffering from some form of Chronic Pain, it’s easy to assume that many people lose sleep due to pain.  In fact the National Sleep Foundation says that two out of three people with chronic pain have trouble sleeping at night.  Since an essential part of managing chronic pain is sleep, it starts a vicious cycle that makes recovering from chronic pain more difficult.  Since there is no cure, aside from sleep, exercise, time and proper medication dosage that helps with chronic pain, we have decided to post what real patients are saying helped them sleep better when dealing with their pain.  Listed below are real quotes pain sufferers have given on how they sleep better when dealing with chronic pain.

“I sleep great most nights thanks to our Sleep Number bed, a muscle relaxer that I take right before going to bed, and sleeping with CPAP to correct my sleep apnea.”

“I sleep on my side with a pillow between my legs. I also have a pillow to keep my arm level with my shoulders and I make sure the pillow I place under my head is tucked underneath neck between my ear and shoulder. I sleep this way religiously and it has helped align my spine such that I wake up in less pain. “

“Currently i use Flexeril, restoril, percocet 10mg, & tramadol and only get 5-6 hours of rest.”

“Ah sleep….what’s that? I had Restoril and from another doc Ambien, both of which helped, however my current doc will not order anything for me.”

“I’m not able to take ANY pain medications due to allergies, so I just have to live with it.” “Some nights it seems as though I’m up more than I’m down, but so far God has helped me continue to function. It really does help me to reach out to other people and identify with their pain and suffering!”

Do you deal with chronic back and neck pain that makes it hard to sleep?  If so, please respond to this article and leave your feedback and let others know how you are dealing with your chronic pain so you can sleep better. For more information on pain management, or to make an appointment to evaluate your pain, please visit http://www.wolmed.com.

Share on Facebook

As you can see there is an extensive list of causes for lower back pain, so if you or a loved one are experiencing chronic back pain and would like relief, visit www.wolmed.com to make an appointment, and become the 15% who find relief today.  Wolmed is a full serviced Pain Management Clinic that is CARF certified. Wolmed clinics are located in two locations in the DFW area:

Denton Pain Management Clinic

• Address: 2436 S. Interstate 35 E#336 Denton, Texas 76205
• Phone: (940) 484-7000
• Contact Our Denton Doctors

• Address: 7125 Hwy 67- Suite 107 Dallas, TX 75237
• Phone: (972) 572 5000
• Contact Our Dallas Doctors

Share on Facebook

On a daily bases, the doctors at Wolmed Pain Management Facility, encounter injured workers who suffer from injuries at work, so bad, they often cause serious, chronic pain. In an article written in the daily beast, a while back, called The 20 Most Dangerous Jobs, Clark Merrefield and Lauren Streib walk us through the top jobs leading to injury and fatality in the US.  Clark and Lauren compiled the following list by analyzing fatality rates, injury, and illness rates as tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2008.

1. Fisherman
2. Logger
3. Farmer/Rancher
4. Structural Construction Worker
5. Sanitation Worker
6. Airplane Pilot
7. Roofer
8. Coal Miner
9. Merchant Mariner
10. Miller
11. Power Line Installer
12. Police Officer
13. Firefighter
14. Oil and Gas Driller
15. Cement Manufacture
16. Taxi and Limousine Driver
17. Truck Driver
18. Construction Equipment Operator
19. Animal Slaughterers
20. Security Guard

In 2009, the top industry attributing to non-fatal occupational injuries was the Agricultural, forestry fishing and hunting industry.  Of course these statistics are most likely going to change from year to year, but regardless of the industry or occupation, accidents are going to happen. People are injured and hurt on the job continuously, which often ends in chronic pain or neurological disorders, and in unfortunate cases; fatality. High risk jobs are more inclined to lead to injuries, however slip and fall accidents occur in many industries and sometimes even office jobs can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. With over 80 million people in the United States suffering from chronic pain, Wolmed aims to help assist injured workers, to overcome immobility and get back into their every day routine.  Accidents happen, and are not always able to be prevented and avoided but many injures

The WOLMED CARF Pain Management Clinics are full-service facilities with nationally accredited programs in Rehabilitation, Pain Management and Work Hardening. WOLMED undergoes rigorous evaluations on a regular basis to maintain their standings as accredited facilities, and we are always upgrading and increasing the services we offer, the physical facilities themselves and the training of our providers. Wolmed specializes, and offer assistance to those filing for Texas Workers Compensation, as well as Federal Workers Compensation.

Share on Facebook

In 2009 more than 1.5 million people were injured in auto accidents in the US.  That breaks down to a person being injured in an auto accident every 20 seconds.  With so many people getting hurt every day it’s easy to forget the number of accidents occurring each year has been on a steady decline due to better education, laws and safety features for cars.  While 1.5 million injuries a year is a large number, how many more people were injured and didn’t know it until it was too late to get insurance to cover it.  Listed below are 7 reasons you should always see a doctor after a car wreck even if you don’t feel hurt.

1. Many injuries may not cause pain immediately
2. Waiting for symptoms to arise can lead an insurance company to deny your injury occurred
3. Undetected internal Injuries can lead to serious problems or death if untreated so let a doctor check you out
4. Even a small accidents can cause serious injury in an auto accident even at low speeds
5. Treatment of injuries however small can prevent permanent physical damage like chronic back pain from occurring
6. Getting treated right after the accident will usually cost you very little, but waiting could cost you thousands
7. You might need an attorney and a good auto injury doctor can usually recommend a good one

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident or if you feel you haven’t and just need peace of mind visit http://www.wolmed.com/contact_us/ to set up an appointment to speak with our pain management doctors.

Wolmed, pain management doctors, auto injury doctor, auto accidents, auto accident injury statistics, physical therapy, chronic back pain, auto injury dallas, auto injury denton, car wreck doctor, car wreck dallas, car wreck denton

Share on Facebook