SIMPLE PAIN RELIEF with Kathryn Merrow, the Pain Relief Coach

What Causes Bone Spurs In Your Neck And Spine

Here’s what causes bone spurs:

Imagine you are a bone. Muscles keep pulling on you. Why?

Because that’s what muscles do.

But sometimes a muscle is a bit ‘too tight.’ So it pulls a bit too much where it attaches to your neck or spine.

What can you–a bone–do?

Well, you can make a little more bone tissue to take the pressure off yourself. You can grow a little nub of bone where the muscle attaches to you. That has the effect of creating a little more slack in the tight muscle.

It’s called a bone spur.

If the spur grows into a large bony growth it can cause discomfort.

If the bone spur is in your neck or back it might even press on a nerve. In that case it can cause tingling, nervy-type pain or numbness.

If a spur is large and is causing problems for you it may need to be corrected surgically.

But if the bony growth is small it can go away (be absorbed back into your body) if you take the muscle pressure off the bone.

How can you take the pressure off the bone?

Spurs usually start with poor posture. Correcting your posture–getting your head and shoulders back where they belong–can make a big difference.

Poor posture causes muscles to be out of balance. Some muscles are too weak (in back) and some are too tight and short (in front.) The tight muscles pull on bones.

The bones create spurs to relieve the pulling.

And that, in a nutshell, is what causes bone spurs.

By the way, most of us would have bone spurs if our doctors took x-rays. That doesn’t mean the pain you have is caused by the bony growths, though.

Muscles are still the most common cause of pain. And the good news is that muscles are treatable, naturally.

If your doctor says your pain is caused by the spur he sees in your tests, she may be right.

Or maybe it’s just muscles, as usual.

July 27November 3

Pain On Side Of Right Back Shoulder Blade And On Ribs

This email is from a reader who was looking for information to help understand why she had pain in her back around her shoulder blade (scapula) and ribs.

Keep reading to get lots of tips about how to get rid of upper back and shoulder blade pain naturally.

“Hello, it is so nice to read information that makes sense. I have been searching for so long, trying to make sense of what could be going on with me. I think I have a much clearer understanding now.

I am a 56 yr. old postmenopausal woman. About a year and a half ago is when all my pain started. I woke up from sleeping on my side. (like I always did) I had such excruciating pain. I thought for sure that it was my lung. I went to the E.R. and was given x-rays, blood test and had a bone scan and everything was normal. I still thought that I had lung cancer because of my ribs in my back were hurting also.

The pain was on the side of my right back scapula and below my right scapula down to my ribs. Sometimes, when Continue reading “Pain On Side Of Right Back Shoulder Blade And On Ribs”

July 17November 3

How To Get Rid Of Jaw Pain Following Dental Work

Pain in your jaw after visiting the dentist

Perhaps the dentist held or propped your jaw and head in such a way that it aggravated the muscles of your jaw. That can cause pain after a dental treatment. Sometimes they really prop a jaw wide open.

Here’s why you have jaw pain following dental work

If you were to hold your fingers and thumb stretched wide open for half an hour, the muscles in your hand would hurt, too. Muscles get strained when they are stretched too much.

And you have muscles all around your head, jaw and neck.

How can you get rid of the pain in your jaw?

If you tried heat and that makes your jaw feel a little worse then switch to cold packs. I know it’s not as pleasant but heat can cause muscles to feel worse. It can actually cause a little more inflammation or swelling in the muscles.

Use cold therapy on a wide area for the most benefit. Place cold packs or a bag of frozen peas on your jaw, temple and neck. When you feel numbness remove the cold pack.

Did you know the muscles in your temples are also jaw muscles?

If the dentist says he doesn’t see a reason for your pain following your dental treatment that’s good. Why?

Because muscles don’t show up on x-rays. But, they are most common cause of pain.

If you feel the need for a pain reliever, my personal favorite over the counter muscle pain reliever is Continue reading “How To Get Rid Of Jaw Pain Following Dental Work”

July 15November 3

What Causes Muscle Knots In Your Upper Back And Shoulders?

What causes your shoulder muscles to get all knotted up?

You don’t just “get a knot.” Muscle knots happen for a reason. Something that you did or did not do made your muscles unhappy and now they are complaining.

A knot in your upper back or shoulders is a complaint. It’s a symptom. A symptom indicates that something is wrong.

Most often the thing that’s wrong is what you are doing…or not doing.

The thing you are doing wrong could be the way you sit, sleep, drive or work. This is changeable.

The thing you are NOT doing is this:

You are probably not working to keep your back strong. A strong back can hold its own against daily living. A weak back has poor posture and gets strained muscles and knots in the upper back. This is changeable, too.

Your body CAN get better. It CAN heal!

Why do muscles get knots?

Muscles like to balanced. That means that they are all working together holding your body in a neutral posture or position. No area is stronger than another area. They are in balance.

But real life is often different.

Some muscle groups get too short and tight and strong–like chests and the muscles in the front of necks. They cause other muscle groups–like your upper back and shoulders and the back of your neck–to be overstretched.

Overstretched muscles get knots.

Here’s an article I wrote that will give you more information about the most common cause of upper back pain.

How can you get rid of the knots in your upper back?

And here are six easy tips to help relax your upper back and shoulder muscles.

While you are at that website check out all the other articles. There is a lot of good information about the causes of muscle knots in your upper back and shoulders and how to get rid of them, naturally!

July 13November 3

The Holistic Approach To Pain Relief

When you have pain, there is a reason. But, when you go to the doctor he or she might not look for the reason at all. Instead, the doctor may give you medicine to treat your symptoms.

However, your body is a whole unit. That’s what the word “holistic” mean: whole. It’s also spelled wholistic.

Here’s an email I received from Gregg. He has a good way with words.

Thanks again for this, Kathryn. The more I learn, the more I realise
that your holistic approach is patently better than the specific
symptomatic approach taken by most health professionals. I love its
inclusivity! Which, once you’re aware of it, is just simple common
sense, too!

Well, it’s not just “my” holistic approach but that is what I do. I help you look at your whole body to figure out possible causes for your pain or dysfunction.

Over the years I realized that most of us just don’t understand how bodies function. I didn’t, either. But education from brilliant minds in the natural pain relief field showed me how logical the body is. How simply it functions. How beautiful it is.

When you understand the causes of pain you can get rid of them holistically. Naturally.

It’s simple. Common sense. 🙂

July 10November 3

Vitamin D3 Is Important To Your Health!

Vitamin D3 can help you get rid of muscle pain, feel better and live longer. Wow! Did I just say you could live longer with Vitamin D3?

You bet your boots!

Where does Vitamin D3 come from?

Here’s a hint: it’s also called the Sunshine Vitamin.

But it’s not really a vitamin. It’s a hormone that your body makes when you get sunshine on your skin.

See the problem? We spend more time indoors than ever and when we do go out, most folks use sunscreen.

And that, dear reader, is why most people in the United States and Canada are deficient in this important vitamin.

Here’s what William Campbell Douglass II M.D. (a real doctor) said in a recent article about about D3 research.

In 2009, researchers found that senior men with low D levels were more likely to become frail. A 2001 study found that women with low D were more likely to suffer disability and problems with muscle function.

In 2006, a study found that D levels could be used to predict who’d be sent to a nursing home and who’d remain independent, while another study that same year found that seniors with low D levels were more likely to suffer physical weakness.

And in 2010, a study found that boosting D levels in seniors also boosted physical function.

So, there it is, straight from Dr. Douglass.

Get enough sunshine on your skin and/or take a Vitamin D3 supplement and you will be stronger and less frail with fewer muscle function problems. You will feel better.

Will You Live Longer If You Have Enough Vitamin D?

People who have stronger muscles will Continue reading “Vitamin D3 Is Important To Your Health!”

June 29November 3

Natural Remedies For Migraines

Migraines can have many causes.

Sensitivities to certain foods or compounds or smells.
Hormone shifts.
Posture.
A short leg or one flat foot.
Trigger points.

Ha! I bet you didn’t know about the last three, did you? I’ll bet your doctor doesn’t, either. Most don’t.

That’s okay. My goal is to help you get rid of those miserable migraines.

Sometimes the only way to get better is to be your own doctor or therapist. Please don’t get me wrong–I love doctors! Even surgeons! I wouldn’t be here today talking with you otherwise.

But there is so much for them to know and so little time to spend with you. And mostly doctors learned about meds in med school. They didn’t learn much about muscles or the causes of migraines.

I’m talking to you on your level. I have been where you are. Migraines took blocks of days out of my life.

But now if I sleep crooked and get a migraine it’s much more controllable and rare.

I wrote an easy-to-use self-help book to help you be your own headache doctor and therapist.

It’s short and to the point because who wants to read tons of words when your head hurts? There are helpful illustrations, too. You really can get rid of your migraines and headaches naturally or at least seriously reduce them.

Head Pain Natural Relief: Discover Why You Get Headaches and Migraines and How to Make Them Stop explains why you hurt and exactly what to do to eliminate your headaches or migraine pain. It’s available in soft cover, which I recommend so you can mark it up, or Kindle version. If you don’t have a Kindle, Amazon will give you a Kindle reader for your phone or computer for free.

You don’t have to keep suffering when there are natural remedies available for headaches and migraines.

June 25November 3

Get Rid Of Your Muscle Pain Naturally With Healthy Foods And Self-Care

How can you get rid of pain in your muscles and joints? Would you believe me if I said it’s fairly simple? All you have to do is…

Exactly what your body wants you to do! 🙂

Truly, your body has certain things that it needs and wants. When you don’t hand them over, it gets cranky. And when your body is complaining it makes you hurt.

What does your body need?

Real food. There are tons of reasons not to eat highly processed food-type items that were made in factories.

And here’s a thought:

If you had the choice of a luscious salad with a mix of fresh ingredients or a piece of cake, which would you choose? Which do you think your body would choose? Why?

Here’s another thought:

If I offered you pancakes made with white flour, egg whites and fake maple syrup made with high fructose corn syrup and artificial color and artificial flavor, would you choose that? Or would you choose whole eggs, whole grain toast with real butter and a piece of fruit?

Which would your body choose? Be honest.

When we don’t feed our bodies what they want, here’s what we get: Fat. Sick. Old.

Think about your car. Your car needs the correct fuel to operate properly. You wouldn’t put milk in your car because that isn’t the right fuel.

You need the correct fuel, too.

Think about what Grandma ate and you will be much, much closer to real food. (If Grandma had enough money and food, she ate whole eggs, right? And meat with fat? That’s the way God made them.)

Movement. You were built to move but most of us spend way too much time sitting. Bodies don’t like that.

Joints need to Continue reading “Get Rid Of Your Muscle Pain Naturally With Healthy Foods And Self-Care”

June 23November 3

Easy Way To Improve Your Posture And Help Your Back Feel Better–Video

If you are slumping and have back pain, I can help.

Your poor back muscles are complaining. They hate being stretched when your heavy head is out in front of your body. It’s supposed to be over your body.

But lots of positions that we work or sit in let our heads move forward. Not good.

And, lots of times we get into habits like sitting on our tailbones instead of on our sit-bones. Also, not good.

This can give you knots in your back.

But, here’s an easy way to improve your posture and start to feel better.

Think “long in front and strong in back.” That’s the goal–long muscles in the front of your body and arms and a strong backside from knees to head.

Here’s a little video to help you get started:

Whenever you do a new movement, do it thoughtfully. Pay attention to your body.

Where are you feeling the stretch? How does it feel? How much is enough?

When you do the movement in this video gravity works with you. That’s a really good thing because most of the time gravity is not your friend.

You can also place the noodle off-center and use it as a pivot point to get even more stretch in your chest muscles. Place the noodle lengthwise along your spine but between one shoulder blade and your spine. And don’t do this until your chest muscles have adapted to the movement in the video.

I’d love it if you leave a comment here and let me know how this simple method of improving your posture worked for you.

Remember, bodies are logical. If you do certain things that they don’t like they will complain. They will give you pain. 🙁

Lengthening the front of your body and stretching your chest muscles will help you get rid of the pain in your back caused by poor posture. 🙂

June 11November 3

Here’s a Simple Movement to Relax Your Legs and Hips

Here are two very simple exercises that will relax the muscles in your hips and legs.

You can do this in bed on your back or seated. Here are the seated directions:

Sit pretty straight in a comfortable chair that fits you well and supports your lower back behind the waist.
Pull up a footstool that’s a comfortable height.
Put your foot up.
Roll that foot from side to side like the windshield wiper on a car.

You can do this 10 times to start, one foot at a time.

Roll one foot in circles, in one direction, ten times.
Pause to the count of ten.
Roll the foot in the other direction.
Pause to the count of ten.
And then roll your other foot in circles the same way.

This is a simple and effective way to strengthen and relax your hip and leg muscles.

May 31November 3

Do You Need More Energy?

You need energy to get through the day. But you are so tired!

Here’s how you can have the energy to carry on:

Eat real food–things that grew instead of things that grow in boxes.
Make water your beverage of choice. Lots.
Use your body every day–stretch and move.
Get enough sleep. At least 7 to 8 hours a night.
Turn off the news. No news is good news.
Consider taking a good multivitamin and mineral supplement. Seriously.

It takes energy to be able to keep on going and feel your best.

When you take good care of your beautiful body you will have the energy you need. It won’t happen overnight. It took a while for you to get to this point.

But if you take these action steps you WILL start to feel better and have more energy naturally. 🙂

May 11November 3

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome: it’s a collection of symptoms. Symptoms are things like trouble sleeping, headaches and other uncomfortable things.

There can be many causes for FMS or “fibro.” If you can start getting rid of one cause at a time, it can become way less bothersome.

Cold therapy is usually the treatment of choice for muscles that are uncomfortable but some people with fibro cannot tolerate the cold. They prefer heat. But if you feel a little worse with heat, that means it’s not the right treatment for you, either.

I had a client diagnosed Continue reading “What Is Fibromyalgia?”

April 29November 3

Do You Really Have Arthritis? 8 Tips To Help You Get Rid Of Arthritis Pain In Your Upper Back Naturally

Arthritis is probably the most common word that doctors use. Just because something is stiff or hurts that doesn’t mean it’s arthritis. It could be out of balance or tight muscles pulling over that joint.

Muscles are the most common cause of aches and pains. Out of balance muscles actually cause arthritis!

There’s a really good chance that your posture is to blame. Muscles and joints get strained and achey when posture is poor. Try these tips for better posture:

1. If your couch or chair makes Continue reading “Do You Really Have Arthritis? 8 Tips To Help You Get Rid Of Arthritis Pain In Your Upper Back Naturally”

April 7November 3

The Cold Hard Truth About Massage Therapy–Does Massage Get Rid Of Muscle Pain?

Does massage get rid of muscle pain? You bet it can!

But this has been an amazing week because I have received so many emails and questions about pain following massage.

That’s not good!

But massage IS good.

So here’s the deal.

1. There are all types of massage practitioners. Some have a little training and some have a ton. Depending on the location some have no training! Some understand bodies and some really don’t. It all depends on who taught them and the filters the information passed through on the way to the practitioners’ brain. It depends on personalities and all kinds of things.

2. The most common thing that massage practitioners do wrong is Continue reading “The Cold Hard Truth About Massage Therapy–Does Massage Get Rid Of Muscle Pain?”

March 14November 3

How To Get Rid Of Tailbone Pain Naturally

Why do you have tailbone pain? Most often it’s from sitting on your tailbone rather than on your ‘sit bones’.

The purpose of those bones in the bottom of your pelvis really is for you to sit on! But lots of us forget to sit up straight on those bones.

We slouch. We slump. We sit on our spines instead of on the sit bones. 🙁

That makes your tailbone very unhappy. It complains by causing pain.

It takes a couple of steps to start getting rid of tailbone pain.

First, start Continue reading “How To Get Rid Of Tailbone Pain Naturally”