Author: TimSciulloDC

Better Back Health

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Living with back pain is tough, and it can impact your quality of life. There are some things you can do to protect or improve your back health on your own. Here are some things that can help:

Avoid Common Back Pain Offenders

Watch Your Posture 

To improve your back health, you need to sit or stand straight with your shoulders back and head up. If your back is sore or you get tired, then you probably aren’t maintaining proper posture. Poor posture can lead to worse pain.  

Check your Workspace

The way you sit to work will have a considerable impact on your back health. It’s essential to have an ergonomic workspace. Your chair should be adjusted so that your knees bend at a 90-degree angle and feet are flat on the floor. Your arms should hang comfortably at your side. The arms on a chair should be low enough that your shoulders don’t lift when you use them. Adjust your computer screen to your eye height. Make sure you can keep your head straight while you work. Changing position is important as well. Take breaks where you stand and move around a bit.  

Be Careful When Lifting Heavy Objects

A typical action that results in back pain is incorrect lifting. Lift heavy objects using your knees. Don’t bend over at the waist to pick something substantial up. 

Preventative Actions

Exercise

Exercising is a great way to maintain your back health as well as your overall health. If you are hoping to improve your back, focus on core strengthening exercises, and make sure you stretch and warm-up before beginning your workout. If you’ve been especially inactive during recent stay home orders, it is vital to pick up your activity level. Consider hiring a personal trainer if you are new to exercise, or it’s been a while since you were on a program. Dr. Sciullo can make recommendations for a reputable trainer. 

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Extra weight puts stress on your body, particularly your joints and your back. Thus, if you want to improve your back health, you must maintain a healthy weight.

This goal can be achieved in a variety of different ways, from getting in regular exercise to eating correctly. If you’re unsure what your ideal weight should be or how to get there, talk to your doctor. Our office also offers some wellness products that can help you to maintain a healthy weight. 

Supportive Mattress

After relying on your back to keep you up and in motion all day, at night, it’s time to give your spine a rest. A quality mattress can help in this area. Medium-firm to firm mattresses usually keep your spine aligned best, as soft beds tend to sag. As you sleep, make sure your spine stays aligned. Placing pillows between the knees for side sleepers or under the knees for sleeping on your back can help. 

Ask Dr. Sciullo

If you have questions in any of these areas, Dr. Sciullo can discuss them with you at your next appointment. Reducing pain will improve the quality of your health and life.  

Photo by Samule Sun on Unsplash

Getting Back on Track

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Here in Western Pennsylvania, today marks the start of our move into the “Yellow” phase of re-opening after the Covid-19 stay at home orders.  For our family, we are looking at this move into “yellow” as a re-set point to get ourselves back on track to our healthy habits.

While we consider ourselves to be of general good health, at the start of 2020, we recommitted ourselves to a new regimen of eating healthy and exercise.  We used a system that we had planned to roll out to our patients this spring.  The pandemic, however, brought things to a halt.  While we had the best intentions of staying on track, with our gym closed and comfort eating becoming one of our nightly habits.

Let’s just say we strayed a little off course.   Maybe you’ve had the same experience?

Sometimes We Need a Re-set

Sometimes you need a symbolic push to get things back in gear, whether it be the start of a new year or, what the heck, moving to “yellow”.

As we re-start our routine, we will share some things here that we are doing with you along the way, in hopes of inspiring the same in your home.   We encourage you, if you’ve gotten a little off course, make a plan to re-set your healthy routines as well.

And, here’s to hoping our light switches to “Green” soon!

Photo by David Guenther on Unsplash

 

When is it Time to Seek Care?

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Roughly 16 million adults suffer from chronic back pain– close to 8 percent of the entire population.  Many people suffer so much that it impacts their ability to perform daily activities to their fullest.  It’s better to seek care earlier rather than later when dealing with back pain.

Benefits of Professional Chiropractic Care

Regular chiropractic adjustments can improve a person’s overall quality of life. The benefits can include the following:

  • Improvements in overall health and mobility of muscles, joints, and ligaments.
  • Improvement in nerve functioning.
  • Speed recovery process.
  • Improve sleep and energy level.

How to Know It’s When It’s Time to See a Professional

If you are experiencing back pain due to prolonged sitting, a chiropractic adjustment can take some of the stress off your joints and muscles.

If you are experiencing a limited range of motion due to back pain.

If you have experienced a recent injury, it is better to treat it sooner rather than later.

If you are experiencing chronic pain.

How to Make an Appointment

If you are currently experiencing acute or chronic pain, please contact the office at 412-343-2006.   Due to Covid-19, Dr. Sciullo has implemented policies for the office which follow CDC recommended guidelines. 

Photo by Luke Chesser on Unsplash

Avoid Pain While Working From Home

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With the ongoing shut-down, many people are now working from home.  Moving your office to your home might bring with it some unexpected pain.

If possible, take the time to set up a proper work station.  Answering emails from your couch may seem tempting, but you might be setting yourself up for some unnecessary pain.

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Here are some tips for avoiding pain in your home workspace.

Sit at a table or desk while you work.  Try to minimize the time you spend working on your couch or bed.

Sit with your feet on the floor.  Support your arms on a table or armrests.   Try to bend your wrists as little as possible.

Take breaks from sitting.  A good rule is to stand and move around every twenty-five minutes, if possible.

Work with your computer monitor at eye level.

Use the best chair that you have, if possible, with a backrest and armrests.

If you’re experiencing pain and would like to speak with Dr. Sciullo, please give us a call at 412-343-2006.

Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

 

 

 

Creative Solutions to Stay on Track

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During this unprecedented situation, we are all looking for ways to stay healthy and keep our basic routines going as much as possible.  One bright spot is the creative solutions provided online.   We will attempt to share them with you as we find them.  In the meantime, stay safe and stay healthy!

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For the Body

It’s essential to maintain your fitness regimen.  We have been using online workouts and outdoor walks to keep ourselves active.  Here are some resources for you to do the same:

Our former neighbor and all-around good guy Jason at Fuse Fitness Studio is offering two weeks of free fitness coaching.

IC Fitness instructors are providing online workouts via Facebook Live.
Check out Fitness Fun with Julie,  Fitness_Wave with  Michelle, Ali- Barre and TBC with Ali or TIFFIT Virtual Classes.

Venture Outdoors has transitioned its outdoor youth programming into an interactive learning tool. Activities can be completed on a short social distancing walk in your yard or from the inside.   They also offer ideas for short hikes that you can do while maintaining proper social distancing.

For the Mind – Keep the mind healthy while social distancing…

This is tough on everyone mentally.  In addition to worrying about the health of our family and friends, we are all struggling with fear of the unknown – fear about what happens to our jobs, our businesses and the economy when this is over.   We are, however,  working very hard at keeping our spirits positive.

First and foremost, we have our faith.  Many faith-based organizations and churches are streaming services online, so be sure to connect with yours.

Take time to appreciate something that you don’t usually have time to do.  How about some art?   Have you ever been to the Frick Museum?  Whether you’ve seen their collection in person or not, you can truly appreciate the detail of all these paintings through this virtual exhibition.    Click here for a full list of virtual offerings from the Frick, including kids’ activities, virtual exhibitions, and virtual tours.

In fact, with Google Arts and Culture, you can visit museums around the world from your home.

Artwork Archive offers up ideas on how to experience arts and culture virtually.

Local photographer, J.P. Diroll, offers up Pittsburgh Coloring Pages.

Read!  In our house, we are getting caught up on all those piles of books we’ve been wanting to read.  If you are in the market for a new book, consider your independent bookseller.  

Music can lift your spirit…

The Pittsburgh Irish Festival will live stream Irish music on their Facebook page starting tomorrow  (3/25)  evening.

Do you or your kids play an instrument?  Follow along with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’sPractice Practice Practice learning opportunity.

Do you have an idea?

What’s keeping you sane during the shutdown?  I’d love to hear from you.  Send emails to drtim@drtimsciullo.com.

*This post will be updated frequently, so check back often!

Photo by Andrea Leopardi on Unsplash

Coronavirus Update

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With the concerns around the Coronavirus, we have put measures into place that will allow Dr. Sciullo to continue to serve patients while adhering to protocols to protect the community.

We’ve already taken precautionary steps to make sure we are providing a clean and safe environment for patients. Also, we will be making some other changes to office procedures at this time.  These changes include pre-appointment screening, forehead temperature scanning, requiring patients to hand-sanitize and wear masks upon entering the office.

Important

Effective immediately, Dr. Sciullo can no longer accept walk-in patients. Before coming in, please call the office at 412-343-2006 to make an appointment.

For more information and news related to the Coronovirus, please visit the Center for Disease Control.

The Importance of Vitamin D

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I’ve been getting a lot of questions from my patients about how they can boost their immune system.  So, I’m going to focus on a few posts around this subject.

Boost Your Immune System with Vitamin D

One of the best ways that you can boost your immune system is with Vitamin D.  The best way to get it is from natural sunlight.  Now, coincidentally, it is a beautiful sunny day here in Pittsburgh, and I’ve been making a point to step outside myself today to get some rays.  Even if you can only grab ten minutes at a time, it can help.

One of the challenges of living in Pennsylvania is that we don’t have daily access to natural sunlight.  Here is a good overview of the importance of and how to get Vitamin D into your system in other ways as well, from an article published in the Washington Post back in January. 

Since we are heading into spring, and hopefully there will be more sunny days, take advantage when you can of that natural sunlight.

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What to Expect on Your First Visit

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You may be considering chiropractic care for the first time, but are not sure what to expect.  I thought it might be helpful to outline what you can expect as a new patient visiting my office.    

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5 Things to expect on your first visit.  

Patient Intake:

First, you will complete some forms, which include a detailed health questionnaire. This information will help me to understand your medical history and direct me to specific questions I will have about your condition.   

Consult

We will discuss your personal health history and the reason you decided to visit my practice.   The consultation will direct me to a general approach to solving your condition.

Exam

The next step is an exam, where I will test your range of motion, joints, muscles, soft tissues, and neurology of your problem.  This process may include ordering additional tests such as X-rays, an MRI, or a referral to a specialist.

Treatment Plan

If I feel that I can help you, I will then give you a treatment plan using the latest guidelines of best practices to help you achieve your goal.

After the adjustment, I may ask you to walk around the office for several minutes to see how you are feeling.  

Follow Up

Based upon your situation, we will decide upon a good follow-up time for you to visit.  At that time, I will assess if further treatment is needed.

While regular chiropractic adjustments are beneficial and recommended for overall health and well being, often, it is not necessary to return for multiple treatments to relieve acute pain.  

If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call 412-343-2006.  

Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash

Things We Love: Wild Orange Oil

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From time to time, we want to share products that we love with you.  As mentioned before, we now offer doTerra products in our office, as this is a product that we use consistently in our home and think it is worth sharing.

Wild Orange Essential Oil is one of those products.

wild-orange-essential-oildoTerra’s Wild Orange Essential Oil is cold-pressed from the peel.  Diffuse wild orange for an energizing citrus aroma.

Also, if you use natural cleaning ingredients in your home, wild orange makes a great addition to your mix.

Would You Like to Sample Wild Orange?

We are giving away 5ml bottles to the first ten people who request them!  Just email or give us a call, and we will have one waiting for you in the office.  We will take the first 10 requests until supplies are gone.   Your sample must be picked up in the office at 4136 Library Road, Pittsburgh, PA.   Give us a call at 412-343-2006 or email us at drtim@drtimsciullo.com.

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Make your spaces smell like this orange grove with Wild Orange Essential Oil

 

Photo by Max on Unsplash

Eight Tips to Be More Active in 2020

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bemoreactive(1)With every new year, it’s common to want to attempt to improve your health. While your mind is motivated, it’s a perfect time to take steps to improve personal health and fitness.  

We are well into January, and if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to make sure you are focusing on some positive new habits. For many, physical activity is a great place to work towards new and improved habits. 

Being physically active is vital to your health, especially for adults. Physically active adults are less likely to develop certain chronic diseases than inactive adults.

 Here are eight tips to be more active. 

1. Start activities slowly and build up over time

If you are new to exercise, build up slowly to help prevent injury. After a few weeks, increase the frequency and duration of your activity.

2. Get your heart pumping with some cardiovascular exercise.

For health benefits, shoot for at least 2½ hours of moderate activity each week. Good options are brisk walking, biking, swimming, or cycling. It’s ok to start small and add time every week incrementally. You can also increase your time by spreading activities over the week, but doing them for shorter amounts. 

3. Strength-train for healthy muscles and bones twice a week.

Good options include lifting weights, doing push-ups and sit-ups, or working with resistance bands. Again, start small and build from there. Find a supervised class to attend to make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. 

4. Make active choices throughout the day.

Every little bit of activity can add up, and doing something is better than nothing. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a 10-minute walk on your lunch break, or park further away from work and walk.

5. Do something that you enjoy.

To avoid boredom, mix it up with a variety of activities. Ideas could include dancing, biking, or martial arts.

6. Exercise with a friend.

It will be more enjoyable than doing it alone. Join a walking group, attend fitness classes at a gym, or play with the kids outside. Build a support network — your network will encourage you to keep being active.

7. Have a system.

Set goals and track your progress. Schedule your activity as an appointment.

 8. Have fun.

Find things that you enjoy, and the exercise won’t be a chore. 

Take steps to make a positive difference in your own health in 2020!

Photo by Geert Pieters on Unsplash