Blog
Please enjoy our free blog. Neck Pain, Low Back Pain and Headaches are our primary focus at Smart Pain Solutions. We do our best to provide meaningful and useful content so you can live with less pain. Enjoy and please comment!
Getting the Best Sleep for Your Spine
Sleeping Positions Chiropractors see patients with neck & low back pain every day. These aches and pains can be caused by several different reasons. Some of the most common reasons for the pain are poor sleeping posture, and old or low-quality pillows, and...
What is Sciatica and when do you need a second opinion?
Sciatica is treated by numerous specialties: PCPs, Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Physical Medicine Practitioners, Pain Management Doctors, Orthopedic Spine Surgeons, Neurosurgeons, and Massage Therapists to name a few. For the purpose of this article, we are...
Low Back Pain, Kidney Pain, or Both?
To celebrate National Kidney Month, we wanted to provide some practical information on the differences between a Kidney Disorder & "Typical" Low Back Pain. The Kidney's Our kidneys are situated on each side of the spine. They're around our last floating rib,...
How to Find a Good Chiropractor
The Do’s and Don’ts of Finding a Good Doc The practice of chiropractic has a wide variety of philosophies and choices on how to treat patients. This can make it difficult to find a chiropractor that is both effective and compatible with you as a patient. A...
Make Working From Home Less of a Pain
Neck Pain Working From Home Within the past few months, approximately 42% of Americans have been reported to be working from home. Even before the COVID-19 outbreak forced many people to transition to working entirely at home, 1 in 6 people worked either fully or...
Physical Therapy Versus Chiropractic?
Physical Therapy Versus Chiropractic, Which is Better? “Alternative Medicine” and “Pseudoscience” are terms that have often been associated with the practice of chiropractic, however, it is rare to see the profession of physical therapy scrutinized in the same manner....
Are You Getting Regular Exercise – Free Offer Inside!
Are You Exercising Regularly? Everyone knows that regular exercise provides a ton of benefits, yet many of us struggle to do it. Why is that? It’s not a shortage of information since most of us have instant access to a whole lot of information with the swipe of a...
CBD – There’s a lot of hype but can it help?
CBD - There’s a lot of hype but can it help? What is it? Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, has been all the rage since it’s legalization in the states. The buzz about it has travelled quickly but there is still some confusion on exactly what it is and what it...
Chiropractic Treatment and Concussions
Chiropractic Treatment and Concussions A while back I was providing Sports Medicine services for a group of Mixed Martial Arts/ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighters. This was just a standard sparring practice on a Sunday afternoon rather than a more intensive training...
Text Neck, The Sequel
Text Neck, The Sequel. We got such a great response from our previous blog “Tips to Reverse Text-Neck” that we produced the sequel. We believe the reason this particular blog was so popular is because so many people now suffer from electronic use- related neck...
Number one reason a person won’t go to a chiropractor?
Number one reason a person won’t go to a chiropractor? Because they don’t discharge their patients. If your chiropractor recommends any more than 2-3 weeks of care up front, run the other way. Chiropractic perception can vary across the country. In St. Louis, if you...
Fast and Easy DOT Physical
Making Your DOT Physical A Breeze If you have a CDL, you need a physical. At Smart Pain Solutions we have streamlined the process. Get in, get out, so you can get back on the road. Here are six easy things that you can do to make your physical go even smoother....
What’s New with DOT Physicals in 2019
What’s new in 2019 for DOT physicals? The biggest change this year has to do with exemptions for people with diabetes. Below is a link to the new legislation that I have summarized here. The new legislation was announced on October 19, 2018 and went into effect...
Auto Accident, ER… What’s Next?
Chiropractic Treatment after an Auto Accident? A person's first instinct after an auto accident is usually to get checked out at a local Emergency Room. Since our chiropractic office is located in Bridgeton, Missouri we most commonly see patients after going to...
Bun in the Oven
As a chiropractor who works on many pregnant women, I am always observing postures and mechanics of soon-to-be and new moms. I often see pregnant women in St. Louis, walking around Creve Coeur Lake or Forest Park, holding their lower back or rolling-out their neck as...
Chiropractic Dynasty?
For a third straight year, Smart Pain Solutions has been awarded “Best Chiropractor” in the Northwest Chamber of Commerce. Some are comparing Dr. Bo Andel and Dr. Sarah Rebello’s run of three straight wins to other great runs such as the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty of the...
Why we don’t recommend Sit ups
Why we don’t recommend Sit-ups Summary: Sit-ups will wreck your back and a promote disc herniation. Solution: To build core strength, focus on bridge and plank-based exercises. When people say they do sit-ups regularly and are complaining of low back pain, stopping...
How Should I Sleep???
How Should I Sleep? A common question in our office is “How should I sleep?” Assuming you have a medium-to-firm mattress and no underlying conditions creating limitations, I generally recommend one of two positions, either sleeping on your back or your side. This is...
The importance of managing your own low back pain.
The importance of managing your own low back pain. Low back pain is the number one reason a person seeks chiropractic care. We see a myriad of low back pain patients each and every day in our office. Often times, their pain is related to nothing more than their...
Why do you have to adjust my neck?
Why do you have to adjust my neck? Chiropractors get this question a lot and I understand why. It can be a scary thing if you have never had a neck adjustment done before. “Do you have to pop it?” “You’re not going to crack my neck are you?” “Do whatever you...
When to Start Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy?
When to Start Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy? Soon-to-be mothers have a lot of decisions to make. What health care provider to choose? What prenatal vitamin to take? What kind of exercise to start? Birth Center or Hospital? One question that may be floating on...
Excuse me, Nurse?
Nurses are the backbone of the medical system, but during a relentless 12-hour shift, it may be hard to protect their own backbone’s. Are you a nurse? Maybe this speaks to you? Do you struggle with daily stress and pain from regular work activities that affects your...
Heat or Ice?
Heat or Ice? That is the question. The simple answer is to use ice. One of my former instructors, Dr. Mario Fucinari, always said “Ice is nice” and I have never forgotten it. Not satisfied? Please continue….. If you are still reading, you are probably one of...
United Healthcare Community Plan Introduction
United Healthcare Community Plan Introduction United Healthcare is now offering a new insurance plan that you or someone you know may be eligible for. The new plan is called the “UHC Community Plan” and is offered statewide in Missouri. Applicants may qualify based on...
Veteran’s Day Special
Veteran’s Day Veteran’s Day is in a few days and it is our chance to give back. So this Saturday, November 11th Smart Pain Solutions will be offering the first 50 veterans who call, a free 15-minute massage. No strings attached! Just come in and let us work out those...
5 Reasons to Fire your Chiropractor!
I am entering my ninth year as a licensed chiropractic physician. I don’t know everything, which is why they call it practice but I have heard and seen quite a bit. If there is one thing I have learned, it is to stay in my lane as a chiropractor. (Which by the way...
3 Natural Solutions for Common Pregnancy Related Symptoms
3 Natural Solutions for Common Pregnancy Related Symptoms Treating pregnant women, I constantly get the question, “what is a natural remedy for morning sickness (or another pregnancy related symptom)”. So I thought I would write an educational blog for all the...
That’s a Big Backpack
Is Your Child’s Backpack Weighing Them Down? Now that school is back in full swing, it’s time to think about your child’s spinal health. Are their backpacks weighing them down? For most students, the answer is yes. Aside from necessary school items such as binders,...
Chiropractor near Lambert Airport
Are you in from out of town and your back or neck is “killing you” from sleeping on those hotel mattresses? Did you fall asleep on the airplane to St. Louis and now you can’t move your neck? Smart Pain Solutions is the closest chiropractic office to Lambert Airport...
Pros and Cons to Short Term Health insurance.
Pros and Cons to Short Term Health insurance. Most people know this type of insurance by the name of gap insurance. This is because historically it was used to fill the "gap" between jobs. Now with the high cost of healthcare, people are using it for their major...
Whiplash – 10 Warning Signs
Whiplash. What you should know. Did you know March is “whiplash awareness month?" So what exactly is whiplash? When I ask my friends and family this question, the general feed back is “it is an injury to the neck after a rear-end car accident.” This is not far...
Medical Payments – What You Should Know….
Medical Payment coverage, also known as Medpay, is a supplemental 'No Fault' coverage available to you through your Auto Insurance Company. This means, it pays for medical costs, and even funeral costs, from injuries sustained while in a vehicle. And since it is a “No...
7 Tips to Stay Hydrated
7 Tips to Stay Hydrated During St. Louis Summers Tomorrow is technically the first day of summer, but in St. Louis, we have already experienced summer-like temperatures. How are you going to beat the heat this summer? One extremely important thing to keep in mind...
Desk Posture and Stretches
In last months email, we talked about “Text-Neck.” Text-Neck is not only brought on by the overuse of smart phones, but can be initiated by prolonged computer usage. Unfortunately, many Americans' jobs require sitting in front of a computer for 8+ hours a day (I bet...
New Bridgeton Chiropractor
Dr. Jean-Claude "jc" BOrdeaux Smart Pain Solutions is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Je’an-Claude Bordeaux to our team! ? “Dr. JC,” was born in St. Louis and attended Christian Brothers College High School. During this time he experienced unrelenting back...
7 Tips to Reverse “Text Neck”
7 Tips to Reverse "Text Neck" Are you affected by neck pain? Are you reading this article on your phone? With smart phones in almost everyone’s hands, neck pain is on the rise. Do you know some medical doctors and chiropractors are actually using the term...
Fast Sciatica Relief Pain
Case of the Month: February 2017 A middle-aged male patient presented to our office reporting "severe sciatica" that began two days prior with no mechanism of injury. The patient had a history of intermittent Low Back Pain since beginning a desk job two years ago,...
Heart Attacks can Mimic Neck Pain
?February is heart month Do you know the warning signs of a heart attack? February is “heart health month” so it is a good time to make sure you are aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Recognizing the signs can literally save someone’s life. So...
Case of the Month: January 2017
Man with low back Pain Chronic Low Back Pain Sufferer Finally Sleeps!A middle-aged man presented to our office complaining of Chronic Low Back Pain. Pain was so bad it caused the patient to have trouble falling asleep, and staying asleep through the night. The...
New year 2017
The New Year typically brings "resolutions." Eat healthier. Exercise more. Spend less. Most resolutions relate to living a healthier lifestyle. So how are you going to get back to the gym if you can barely get out of bed without pain? The key to getting back to...
Case of the Month: December 2016
A middle-aged female patient had been suffering with migraine headaches for 20+ years. She had tried preventative medication, pain relief meds, botox, nerve blocks among other procedures to ease pain. After having persistent headaches, about 25 days out of the month,...
2016 Year in Review
2016 Year in Review: It has been an exciting year for us at Smart Pain Solutions. We’ve had a new addition to our massage staff and some record-breaking months!New Addition: In August we hired Alice. Alice is a massage therapist by day, registered nurse by night!...
Case of the Month: November 2016
A patient returned to our office after struggling with “severe” back pain for about one year. She was told she needed back surgery to relieve herpain. After one chiropractic treatment, she had significant pain relief.?Here’s what she told us on Facebook Click Here...
Case of the Month: September 2016
Low back Pain with pregnancy A 23 year-old woman presented to our office, 13 weeks pregnant, complaining of low back pain that began 1 week prior with no mechanism of injury. Low back pain was reported as “every day” and ranged from 2-9 out of 10 on a pain...
Case of the Month: August 2016
Persistent Hand Numbness & Tingling (Case Study) Background:50 year old Caucasian female presented to our office with left hand “numbness and tingling” that began about 4 months prior with no mechanism of injury. The patient was diagnosed with a “pinched nerve” in...
Self Management of Low Back Pain – Part II
Thank you for reading the preceding article. I hope all of your questions were answered concerning your low back pain. In this section I will teach you the following: Proper sleeping positions Sparing strategies to use during every day activities 3 exercises...
Self Management of Low Back Pain – Part I
Low back pain is becoming a present day epidemic. One big reason why back pain is on the rise, is because about thirty percent of the population sits for at least 10 hours per day. It seems as if everyone has had or knows someone who has battled low back pain....
“Pinched nerve” Do you have it?
The phrase, “pinched nerve” may be the most misused and self-reported diagnosis in my office. Almost daily someone arrives in my office reporting to have a “pinched nerve.” This could be self-described as, “it feels like……” Or second hand, “my doctor said I have...
Case of the Month: February 2016
Headaches and pregnancy 37 year old FemaleThirty-seven year old “Melanie” arrived at our office complaining of headaches. She was experiencing mild to moderate headaches about 1-3 times per week. Examination revealed misalignments in the spine (mainly the...
Bilateral Hand Numbness
52 year old Female Nanny“Charlotte” presented to our office complaining of numbness and tingling in both of her hands. These symptoms have been present for almost 2 years. She works as a nanny, lifting and carrying children often. She had previous success with...
6 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Pay For With Your FSA/HSA
The year-end is drawing near which means it is time for you to use up your Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Do you have a Flex Spending Account (FSA)? Do you know what a Flex Spending Account is? A flexible spending account is a tax advantage program set up by your...
