The world has shifted to a new normal due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Everyone is encouraged to stay at home, resulting in the medical community not operating at full capacity. You may not have the same access to your medical practitioner, but you can empower yourself and manage your pain while waiting for the storm to pass.
In this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia shares 8 apps that can help you deal with pain in your back and in other parts of your body. Although these won’t provide the equivalent relief of a prescription pill or a corticosteroid injection, you can still enjoy the benefits to your overall health and well-being.
Some of these apps help you track your vitamin D intake and measure the quality of your sleep, as vitamin D levels and sleep have direct correlations to pain, particularly chronic pain. He also suggests apps that are in the mind-body medicine realm, such as those that teach guided meditation, journaling and acupuncture.
Additionally, he encourages you to stay physically active, through apps that provide exercise routines, and even workout programs that address specific injuries you have sustained.
Dr. Lakhia believes that the combined effects of these interventions have a positive impact not just on your pain, but on your energy levels and mood, which is a huge help especially as we go through a crisis like today.
Key moments in the episodeDminder – the importance of Vitamin D 02:58
Sleep Cycle, Sleep++ – correlation of sleep and chronic pain 06:50
Acupressure 08:59
Headspace – the advantages of meditation 12:24
Omvana – using meditation to target specific pain areas 13:25
How meditation works 14:37
7 Minute Workout – how to exercise major muscle groups in a short amount of time 15:38
The Ready State – injury specific workout programs 18:28
Five Minute Journal – how reflection can help you deal with chronic pain 20:53
Links mentioned in the episode:·     http://dminder.ontometrics.com/ (Dminder)
·     https://www.sleepcycle.com/ (Sleep Cycle)
·     https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sleep/id1038440371 (Sleep++)
·     https://apps.apple.com/us/app/acupressure-heal-yourself/id429680650 (Acupressure: Heal Yourself)
·     https://www.headspace.com/ (Headspace)
·     https://www.omvana.com/ (Omvana)
·     https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.popularapp.sevenmins&hl=en (7 Minute Workout)
·     https://thereadystate.com/ (TRS The Ready State)
·     https://www.intelligentchange.com/pages/five-minute-journal-app (Five Minute Journal)
·     https://backtalkdoc.captivate.fm/episode/the-case-of-spinal-injections-for-back-pain-with-dr-andrew-sumich (Worth a Shot? Spinal Injections with Dr. Andrew Sumich)
·     https://backtalkdoc.captivate.fm/episode/sports-and-spine-with-jake-beamon-pta (Sports and Spine with Jake Beamon PTA)
·     https://backtalkdoc.captivate.fm/episode/glute-power-with-ryan-klomparens-pt (Glute power with Ryan Klomparens, PT)
Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to http://www.backtalkdoc.com/ (backtalkdoc.com). To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at http://www.carolinaneurosurgery.com/ (carolinaneurosurgery.com).