  Anyone who has experienced pain for several months or longer whether it’s arthritis, back pain, migraines, or something else are suffering from a condition known as chronic pain. Chronic pain is a complex condition that affects 42 million-50 million Americans, according to the American Pain Foundation. According to the National Sleep Foundation, two out of three people with chronic pain have trouble sleeping. Despite decades of research, chronic pain remains poorly understood and notoriously hard to control. Chronic and acute pain can cause stress and poor health. As a correlation, pain can lead to lack of sleep, disturbed sleep, shorter sleep, worse sleep quality, and insomnia. This lack of sleep is one of the most common and disruptive symptoms of pain. In addition to preventing a person from falling asleep, pain also results in difficulty staying asleep. And once pain keeps you awake one night, it is likely to do the same thing again and again. Pain-related insomnia gets worse over time. Tracey Marks, MD, an Atlanta-based psychiatrist says, “Pain is a sensation you feel when nerves are stimulated to an intense degree… This stimulation activates the brain, which keeps you awake.” Unfortunately, the process of pain and insomnia can become a vicious circle in which sleep deprivation makes you more sensitive to pain. Pain medications interrupt sleep. Unfortunately, some of the medications prescribed for pain, such as codeine and morphine, can cause insomnia. Manage your Pain for better SleepThe good news is that controlling your chronic pain reduces anxiety and depression, improves sleep, and makes for better overall quality of life. And in even trying to manage pain, you can get a sense of control that is empowering and can aid in sleep. Some pain management methods to aid in sleep are: Use of pain medications - tell your doctor about the sleep problems you’re having as a result of your pain. Be sure to always follow the orders given to you by your healthcare professional. Painkillers and/or sleeping pills can help for some people, but they should only be used under the supervision of a doctor.  Calm yourself with meditation and other relaxation techniques - When done effectively, as little as 10 minutes of daily meditation can help you to mentally manage your pain. There are many different types of meditation, including guided meditation, tai chi, and yoga. But you can also improvise by using deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or focus on an object or scene.  Use of Home Ultrasound Therapy for Pain Relief - tackling the actual cause of pain with therapeutic modalities such as ultrasound can reduce pain in a drug-free, effective and convenient way. Sonic Relief recommends keeping your Sonic Relief on your bedside table or near your bed for use on chronic pain ailments before going to sleep. One 10-minute treatment before bed will initiate healing, inflammation reduction and pain relief that can last all night. A good night’s sleep can make all the difference in managing chronic pain. And, as a bonus, your Sonic Relief will be at your bedside table to do a treatment when waking up to help give you a pain free day. A pain free day means that you can be active and go about normal activities. And being active during the day is very important to getting better sleep. Good Sleep Hygiene - better sleep, better life! Practicing what’s known as “good sleep hygiene” is key to achieving a good night's sleep. Some tips for people with sleep-affected chronic pain are:  Make your environment conducive for sleep - environmental factors affect those who suffer from pain related disturbed sleep more making it more difficult for them to get a good night’s sleep. These factors include noise, light, temperature and their mattresses alike, suggesting that taking greater care of the bedroom environment may be particularly helpful to pain sufferers. In addition, scents such as Lavender can be beneficial in helping to aid sleep. Sonic Relief's powerful medicated ultrasound gel is specially formulated to work alongside the Sonic Relief device to aid in healing and pain relief and contains lavender, eucalyptus, as well as other natural pain relievers and anti-inflammatory ingredients.  Exercise to promote good quality sleep - Exercising for as little as 10 minutes per day can drastically improve nighttime sleep quality, activities such as walking or cycling are recommended. Avoiding strenuous workouts close to bedtime should be avoided however the effects of exercise on sleep differs from person to person. The use of Sonic Relief can be helpful in aiding daytime relief to make activity more accessible for those suffering from chronic pain. Stop or limit stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine consumption - Caffeine obviously disrupts sleep patterns; if you must have a caffeine boost, enjoy it before noon. Limit alcohol intake, particularly in the evening - While alcohol is a well-known depressant and may help you fall asleep faster, too much close to bedtime can disrupt sleep in the second half of the night as the body begins to process the alcohol. Use of sleeping pills are effective (under the supervision of a physician) - There is no perfect treatment for pain and sleeplessness. It all depends on your particular case - the kind of pain you have and other medications you take, for instance. Over-the-counter drugs are not intended for long-term use. Instead, talk to your health care provider so you can get a personalized treatment plan. Limiting daytime naps to 30 minutes - While napping does not make up for inadequate nighttime sleep, a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help improve mood, alertness, and performance. Ensuring adequate exposure to natural light - This is particularly important for individuals who may not venture outside frequently, for example those who work evening shift work. Exposure to sunlight during the day, as well as darkness at night, helps to maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.  Establishing a regular relaxing bedtime routine - A regular nightly routine helps the body recognize that it is bedtime. This could include taking a warm shower or bath, reading a book, or light stretches. When possible, try to avoid emotionally upsetting conversations and activities before attempting to sleep. Guaranteed Relief If you suffer from pain that causes lack of sleep try Sonic Relief™. Sonic Relief™ comes with a 60 day money back guarantee - definitely worth a try! You can order your Sonic Relief™ here:
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 If you live in a country that experiences all four seasons you are likely beginning to notice the weather starting to change into autumn. Fall is a wonderful time of year filled with fun activities and for many, the cooler weather of fall is a welcome relief (especially after a hot and humid summer). It’s a beautiful time of the year a time to pick apples, eat Thanksgiving turkey, dress up for Halloween, and enjoy the brightly coloured fall scenery. But it’s also the time of the year where unnecessary injuries can (and do) happen. In cooler temperatures, it takes our muscles longer to warm up and become fluid and flexible. Seasonal aspects such as rain, hail, and fallen leaves can make for hazardous and slippery walking conditions. Also, getting the house ready for the chill of winter can be a strenuous task. Gardens need to be put to bed, siding needs cleaning, windows need caulking, and the leaves need raking. Unfortunately, injuries caused by strains or too many repetitive tasks in a short time span can occur. Common Injuries Raking Leaves  Raking and outdoor clean-up contribute the most to autumn-related injuries. It’s important to treat raking like exercise and to not dive into it without wearing the proper gear and having the right equipment. Before you start your annual lawn clean up, here are some important ways to avoid injuring yourself:
Jogging & Exercising On Cold Days  If you love the feeling of stepping outside into the crisp, fresh air as you take your morning jog, then you probably have already come face-to-face with a hidden danger that’s lurking on the sidewalks and streets. Leaves can be a problem when walking around your neighbourhood potentially hiding holes or other damage in the sidewalks or road that can lead to injury and becoming slippery when wet. Rain and hail can make the road slippery and just cold enough to be an icy mess. As the season wears on you should watch for frost patches in the early morning in shaded areas that might cause slipping. There’s no avoiding this seasonal risk, but the best way to prevent injury is to be alert and to ensure that your muscles are warmed up before you start your jog.
On The Road The same hazards that can get you while walking can do the same while driving as well. Remember too, that leaves can become slick when covered in rain which your car can skid on as easily as ice. The heavy rains that accompany the early fall can be a danger as well as the water might pool on top of oil that has not yet been rinsed off the road. The other road hazards involve visibility. Fog is best countered with careful driving and low beams (as high beams can reflect in a way that causes glare). It’s also important to scrape off or defog your windows to ensure a safe ride. Fall Activities  There’s nothing quite like a wholesome family outing at a nearby farm where you can eat as many apples as you want, pumpkin picking buy fresh pie, enjoy a hayride, and watch your kids or grandkids enjoy themselves. However, if you’re not careful, injury may occur. When picking apples off the ground, be sure your back is not the only muscle doing all the work. Constant bending down can put a strain on your muscles, which could lead to a more serious injury. Pick from easy-to-reach branches instead, and when bending down, remember to lead with your legs. When pumpkin picking be sure to lift with your knees and avoid strain. Treatment Unfortunately, there’s no avoiding this seasonal risk. Accidents do happen and so do aches and pains. If you ever find yourself seriously injured from a slip and fall here is what you should do to give yourself the best chance of recovering from your injuries: Checking for injuries Symptoms of joint injury Symptoms vary, depending on the type of joint injury you have:
Treatment For strains and sprains, use the RICE method: 
Several rounds of the RICE method should lead to recovery, and pain medicine can ease your discomfort. If you’re unable to move the joint at all or feel numbness around your injured area, arrange to see your physician as soon as possible. Therapeutic Ultrasound Therapeutic ultrasound such as Sonic Relief™ works to stimulate the tissues of an injury, inflammation in tendons, ligaments and joints, trigger points, muscle knots and strains and just about any soft tissue injury or condition. When the tissues are stimulated by the soundwaves, it brings blood flow to the area to speed healing and flush out inflammation. 100% of Sonic Relief™ user survey participants agree that they are glad they have Sonic Relief™ to treat their aches and pains when they need it. Over half of users use their Sonic Relief™ device whenever needed and 1/3rd of users use their device once weekly or more for pain relief. Guaranteed Relief If you have pain caused by using your electronic devices, Sonic Relief™ comes with a 60 day money back guarantee - definitely worth a try! You can order your Sonic Relief™ here: Enjoy all fall has to offer while also living your life pain-free!
 The spine is the pillar of support for the body and specially engineered through a large and complex group of interconnecting bones, joints, nerves, ligaments, and muscles. The soft tissues that surround the spine enable bending forward, lifting, arching and twisting movements. It is exactly this complex structure that leaves the lower back and spine highly susceptible to injury and pain. In fact over 80% of the population will suffer from lower back pain during their lives. Not surprisingly, over 75% of Sonic Relief users state that they use their device to treat some form of back pain.
Example of strenuous movements that may put stress on the back causing a sprain or strain include:
Other causes of lower back pain can be attributed to a specific conditions of the spine such as:
Treatment Options As with any ailment, the goal with medical treatment is to reduce pain. However most medications will not have any effect on the underlying source of pain. General treatment for lower back pain will typically be medical treatments including medical or surgical along with a physical therapy program or other regimen. Treatments for lower back pain may include the use of medications such as over the counter pain relief medications like ibuprofen, muscle relaxants, epidural steroid injections, or narcotic pain medications. However, narcotics are not recommended and are rarely used to treat long-term pain, as they have many side effects and can easily become addictive. Other treatment options include back braces, manual manipulation performed by a chiropractor or other health professional, massage and physical therapy, and lastly therapeutic ultrasound. Ultrasound can be incredibly beneficial for lower back pain. Ultrasonic sound waves are pulsed at into your lower back a million times per second. These waves stimulate your nerves and muscle tissue surrounding your spine directly and the areas affected by the irritation and inflammation caused by sprains and strains. The sound waves penetrate the skin and surface layers causing the soft tissue to vibrate. This produces gentle healing vibrations within the affected area that soothe inflammation and relieve pain. Ultrasound waves also cause tissues to relax and increase blood flow to help reduce local swelling and chronic inflammation.
 Our recent Sonic Relief user survey has shown that 55% of customers showed interest in receiving more information about their ailments and treatments through newsletters and blog posts. Based on this information we would like to introduce Sonic Talk, the Sonic Relief blog and monthly newsletter. We hope you look forward to it! During the course of our research we also found that 40% of Sonic Relief users use their devices to treat arthritis. Recent estimates show that as many as 91 million Americans (37 percent) may have arthritis, including a third of those aged 18-64, plus an estimated 300,000 children. (X) There is no single cause of all types of arthritis. The cause or causes vary according to the type or form of arthritis. Possible causes may include:
Most types of arthritis are linked to a combination of factors, but some have no obvious cause and appear to be unpredictable in their emergence. Arthritis can cause a variety of symptoms that can make day-to-day activities painful and difficult. Symptoms from arthritis can include pain, stiffness, inflammation, and swelling. The majority of treatments available to aid arthritis currently include over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, and other drugs. These drugs may help ease symptoms and slow down the progression of arthritis however they may also bring side effects. Unlike medication ultrasound can help to relieve pain, calm inflammation, and encourage healing in tissues, with little to no side effects. In addition, ultrasound can produce heat in deep tissues which has many benefits for example, ultrasound may have an internal massage effect, help increase circulation, and encourage healing and help our users to begin living a pain free life. We recommend you treat your arthritis every day both as a pain and inflammation relief and to help prevent arthritis flare ups. You can use Sonic Relief™ up to 3 times per day:
100% of Sonic Relief™ user survey participants agree that they are glad they have Sonic Relief™ to treat their aches and pains when they need it.
Guaranteed Relief If you have pain caused by using your electronic devices, Sonic Relief™ comes with a 60 day money back guarantee - definitely worth a try!  Most people use electronics on a daily basis: cell phones, desktop computers, laptops and tablets have become a part of our lives. A study conducted by KPCB shows that in 2017 on average, American adults spend 5.9 hours each day on digital devices including smartphones, desktops, laptops and other devices including streaming devices and game consoles. (X)  Unsurprisingly, upper back, neck and trapezius pain has become more common in these days of electronics. Sonic Relief’s™ recent survey showed that 55% of Sonic Relief™ users are treating neck, shoulder, and back pain. When we hold and look down at our phones, sit at our computers, we tend to fall forward allowing all the weight of our head to be carried on these muscles and tissues. When our heads are firmly straight on our necks, the long trunk of our bodies bear the weight. But lean forward, and you're adding a hundred pounds of pull on the neck, shoulders, upper back.  "When your posture is tall and erect, the muscles of your back can easily support the weight of your head and neck -- as much as 12 pounds… But when your head juts forward at a 45 degree angle, your neck acts like a fulcrum, like a long lever lifting a heavy object. Now the muscle weight of your head and neck is the equivalent of about 45 pounds. It is not surprising people get stiff necks and shoulder and back pain." explains San Francisco State University Professor of Holistic Health Erik Peper (X) This type of pain makes daily activities, sleeping, sitting and lifting motions extra - and unnecessarily - painful. Sonic Relief™ and ultrasound work very well to treat these types of strains and spasms.  Preventative Measures Device related pain can be prevented by taking measures such as improved posture, taking time to stretch regularly while using devices (desk stretches can be particularly helpful), lastly ‘active sitting’ helps to keep your body in motion while being sedentary and using electronics to prevent pain. More Treatment with Ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound such as Sonic Relief™ works to stimulate the tissues of an injury, inflammation in tendons, ligaments and joints, trigger points, muscle knots and strains and just about any soft tissue injury or condition. When the tissues are stimulated by the soundwaves, it brings blood flow to the area to speed healing and flush out inflammation. 100% of Sonic Relief™ user survey participants agree that they are glad they have Sonic Relief™ to treat their aches and pains when they need it. Over half of users use their Sonic Relief™ device whenever needed and 1/3rd of users use their device once weekly or more for pain relief. Sonic Relief™ ultrasound waves penetrate the damaged painful tissues in the neck and shoulder region generally affected, also encouraging the removal of inflammation and spasm, speeding healing, and therefore relieving pain. Treatment for pains caused by the use of electronics should be applied directly over the pain in your neck and shoulders with the Sonic Relief™ ultrasound device 2-3 times per day (we recommend before you get up, or do any activity that causes more pain, and just before bed). Treat for 2 weeks (even if it feels completely better), then continue treatment as needed. Guaranteed Relief If you have pain caused by using your electronic devices, Sonic Relief™ comes with a 60 day money back guarantee - definitely worth a try! |
