What's the Connection: Chiropractic and Headaches

There are thousands of different triggers that can result in headaches, and one thing is true for all headaches — they happen for a reason. A headache is your body’s way of communicating to you that something isn’t right. The problem is, you don’t always know what it is that’s causing the headache, particularly because the cause of your headache doesn’t always come from or near the area where you are feeling the pain.

Everything in our bodies is connected. For example, a problem in your wrist could actually be a complication in the spine, and issues with the elbow could be coming from a shoulder problem.

Unsurprisingly, headaches can also be related to the spine, with a number of possible causes, including:

• Misalignment

• Compensation for low back problems

• Muscle spasms

• Poor posture 

Chiropractic and Headaches

If you are looking for a natural form of treatment that encourages the body’s ability to heal itself, chiropractic care is for you. We’ve helped patients looking for headache relief many times at our practice. Our patients were surprised to find that chiropractic isn’t just about relief, it is also about correcting the underlying issue to prevent its reappearance in the future. Even health related issues that our patients were experiencing that were not brought up to us are often resolved, as well.

You will feel your best when your body is prepared to function at its highest level with the help of chiropractic care.

How Can Chiropractic Help You

Are you tired of taking over the counter drugs for neck pain and headaches? Whether you have sought out many medical methods and still no relief, or are looking for a natural way to reduce or eliminate your headaches, call us today so we can help!

Do Women Experience More Neck Pain than Men?

Most everyone has experienced neck pain at some point in their life, and knows just how frustrating it can be, making the age-old saying “a pain in the neck” one that is so relatable. Just recently, Loyola University presented a new study, in which they set out to learn more about neck pain and to answer the question of whether or not women experience more neck pain than men.

The Study

In a study that lasted two years and studied more than 3,300 women and men, researchers determined that 133 patients suffered from Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease (CDD) and 91 of those patients were women. Of those in the study, 4.5% of women reported experiencing neck pain, while only 3.3% of men did, which concludes that women were 1.38 times more likely to develop Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease than men.

Researchers conducting the study believe that, due to hormonal changes, women may experience a higher instance of CDD. Furthermore, men are less likely to report the pain they are experiencing, which would mean they never receive a proper diagnosis.

What Exactly is CDD?

CDD, or Cervical Degenerative Disc disease, is a disorder in which the discs in the spine deteriorate slowly over time, causing them to lose the ability to function properly. Some common symptoms are:

• Headaches

• Tingling

• Numbness

• Weakness in the arms, neck or shoulders

Be Honest with Your Body

Your body was designed to move you through life, not cause you pain. If you are experiencing neck pain, we can help your recover. Remember, if you ignore the pain and don’t seek treatment, it can often lead to even more severe issues that will spread to other parts of the body, including the hips, back, and knees.

Call us today to find out how we can develop a treatment plan catered to you and your body’s needs.

What's Really Causing Your Back Pain?

When you experience back pain, it is far from enjoyable. While no one likes to feel that pain, it is actually very common. Nearly every adult around the world has felt back pain at some point in his or her life. It is surprising to learn that in many cases, back pain doesn’t actually start in your back.

So, what is the source of the pain if it doesn’t start in your back? We’ve put together a few options of what could be the cause of your back pain.

Hip Misalignment 

Do you ever get the feeling the steps you’re taking are uneven? The weight of a heavy bag on one side, not wearing supportive shoes, and poor posture can contribute to the misalignment of our hips, which leads to low back pain. Misaligned hips are often the result of weakness in the core, pelvis, or back muscles or uneven shoes.

Text-Neck

In our modern world, everywhere you look, people are looking down at their cell phones or tablets. It’s something we’re all guilty of, and it also can be a cause of back pain. Looking downwards too frequently can overstretch muscles and tissues, which can cause neck pain and lead to misalignment in the spine. Experiencing back pain from text-neck is a compensation reaction, where the source of the problem is the neck.

The age group that faces the highest risk of suffering from text-neck symptoms are younger children and teenagers.

Prolonged Sitting

Many of us spend the majority of our day behind a desk, sitting for hours and hours with limited movement. This type of prolonged sitting causes the spine to compress, and increases stress on the legs, arms, back, and neck. To prevent back pain resulting from long periods of sedentary behavior, try setting an alarm or reminder to move around every hour. You can also use an ergonomic chair, mouse pad, and keyboard in your work space to further benefit your health.

No matter what the source of your back pain is, chiropractic care can help. For more information about how adjustments can help relieve your back pain, call us today for an obligation free appointment.

What Are Muscle Spasms?

You reach for something on the top shelf of your cupboard, and you wince in pain as a muscle in your back spasms. The pain is excruciating, and you can barely move. How could it be that something as simple as reaching for a cup could result in such terrible pain?

The answer is – it didn’t. Reaching for that cup caused an already strained muscle to overextend. This overextension caused the muscle to stiffen and spasm to protect itself from further harm. Due to repetitive movements, muscles can become strained. Habits such as poor posture, swinging a racquet, heavy lifting, or sitting in front of a computer can lead to strained muscles.

When muscles have been strained for a period of time, it often only takes one sudden movement, like reaching for the cup, for that already strained muscle to spasm. When a spasm occurs, all of the muscle fibers contract simultaneously. The muscle contraction cuts off blood supply, which causes even more pain in the muscle, leading to further muscle contraction. All too often, this is a common occurrence for some people who end up on the floor in pain for hours because the muscle doesn’t relax when moved.

Relief for Your Muscle Spasms

It can take up to several weeks for a muscle spasm to subside, so give the following suggestions a try to help the healing process.

• Lots of rest.

• Apply ice/heat and try massage therapy to help relieve the pain.

• Increase your intake of calcium, magnesium, and water as a lack of these are believed to provoke muscle spasms, so taking in more of all three may help as well.

• Seek chiropractic care. 

Once muscle spasms are present, chiropractic care can help alleviate the cause. It can also help to prevent it from occurring to begin with. In order for muscle function to occur properly, proper nerve function is essential. Chiropractic adjustments find and correct areas in the spine where nerve dysfunction exists.

Top of the To-Do List: Sleep!

Many of us have ever-growing to-do lists. We’ve got to get the grocery shopping done, cook, entertain, get to school and work, take part in the regular festivities, and sometimes sleeps gets bumped to the bottom of the list. Here are a few suggestions to help you get the sleep you need to stay energized all season!

Eat and Drink to Help Promote Better Sleep

If sleep is escaping you during this busy time of year, sip on a cup of chamomile tea before you go to sleep to help induce slumber. Or, try eating tryptophan-rich foods like turkey to help you feel sleepy. Natural sleep enhancers include nuts, warm milk, bananas, and seeds. These foods also contain tryptophan and magnesium, which can help induce sleep.

Try Taking a Natural Approach

More and more over-the-counter sleep aids are popping up on the market, but you can receive the same benefits by taking a natural approach! Supplements are encouraged, as they usually don’t have the unwanted side effects of sleep aids. Add GABA, melatonin, magnesium, or valerian root to your diet, as they are used to promote sleep quite often.

Create a Bedtime Routine

Just like kids have some sort of relaxing bedtime routine, adults can benefit from having pre-bed rituals as well. An hour to an hour and a half before bed, try taking a warm bath with lavender oil to enhance sleep. Reading a relaxing book can also calm a busy mind and help you ease into a relaxed state of sleepiness.

Make sure you avoid using electronics before bed, including watching TV and using a computer, tablet, or cell phone. The artificial light stimulates your brain, making it harder to shut down for sleep.

Seek Chiropractic Care

We encourage you to visit us regularly. Because the goal of chiropractic is to reduce nerve interference, your body can experience a better functionability, and your sleep may improve as a result.

When you experience regular, restorative sleep, you’ll have more energy to take on your ever-growing to-do list!

Making Aging Easier

When we think about getting older, we often think of how difficult it can be. But the use of canes, walkers, and living in nursing homes doesn't necessarily have to be part of growing older! Many seniors are living longer and more vibrant lives, and the inclusion of chiropractic as part of their wellness plans may help them get the most out of their golden years.

Chiropractic is a completely natural form of treatment and has many benefits that help mature adults enjoy the best health possible as they age.

Enhanced Mobility

Chiropractic care helps people have greater flexibility of the spine and extremities. When a person is able to move in a greater range, he or she can experience a higher quality of life because the activities that are loved are possible to do! Seniors will be better able to bend down and pick up their little grandchildren, garden, and have a better golf game.

Pain Relief

If you are experiencing pain, but want to avoid using painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines, chiropractic is an option for you. We will work with you to determine and reduce vertebral misalignments and the effects they have on the nervous system. Rather than treating symptoms, we will locate underlying causes of your pain and reduce interference, which will allow your body to heal itself. You might just experience relief you didn’t think was possible!

Better Balance Means Reduced Falls

For much of the aging population, balance can be a huge problem. Due to injuries or degenerative changes in the cervical (neck) region, coordination problems are very common. In the cervical spine, there are joint receptors that give the brain necessary information that is used to maintain balance and coordination.

If you experience any interference during the process of aging, it may cause you to lose awareness and steps can become uneven in length or irregular. By maintaining proper motion and alignment with regular chiropractic care, we can offer a method to promote balance and reduce falling.

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Falls are a leading cause of hospitalizations for seniors. According to an Australian governmentsite, “the estimated number of hospitalized injury cases due to falls in older people was 83,800” during 2009-10. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites that millions of those age 65 and older fall each year. Chiropractic care may help increase seniors’ balance and coordination and decrease their risk of falls.

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Improved Health and Well-Being

When you feel good, staying healthy and actively doing what you love are what keeps you looking forward to the future. Regular chiropractic care can help increase your quality of life and your health and well-being.

If you want to feel great, get good sleep, and have more energy, schedule an appointment with us today. Chiropractic care may be what you’ve needed to help you enjoy revitalized health so your golden years can be just that...golden!

What's Really in Your Supplements?

The New York Times  published an article earlier this year explaining how the New York State Attorney General in the U.S. accused major retailers of fraudulently labeling several of their supplements. These supplements included gigko biloba, ginseng, valerian root, St. John’s wort, and more.

It was also discovered that some stores were not even including the additives on the ingredient list of the supplements. That sort of practice is very concerning, particularly because so many people take supplements regularly to ensure they are getting all they need from their diets.

Over 50% of adults in the United States take supplements, and almost one third of the population in Australia and the United Kingdom do. Over time, our diets and bodies change, and it is often necessary to take a supplemental form of the vitamins and minerals we can’t get from food in order for us to work at our highest levels.

Making Sense of the Confusing Shelves

Supplements themselves can be very confusing at first. There are shelves and shelves at retail stores that stock nutritional products that are overloaded with every vitamin in the alphabet, from Vitamin A to Zinc.

Many of us feel overwhelmed just looking at the supplement section! The products have different doses, formulations, and percentages on their labels.

Helpful Tips to Navigate Supplements

The first and most important tip we have to offer is to make your best attempt to get enough nutrients from your diet before relying on supplements. We know that is not always possible, so here are some easy to follow tips to help you navigate the seemingly overwhelming world of supplements:

• Checking the reputation of the brand manufacturer, their suppliers, and their record of quality is helpful, but what is most important is what is actually in the supplement.

• Buy drugs at drug shops and health foods at health food stores.

• Do your own research. To receive the optimal benefits from supplements, there are specific dosages for specific people, at specific frequencies and durations.

• Take care when reading the labels. Choose a supplement based on what you’ve found in your research and not just what the label advertises.

• If you’re looking for specific nutrients, add the phrases “most bio available” or “most absorbable form” to your search.

• Reach out to a natural health care practitioner who can make the best recommendations for you. 

Don’t forget to give us a call! When it comes to you reaching optimal health, we can help!

Are You Experiencing Feelings of Anxiety?

Have you ever felt hopeless and helpless, and unable to see any solutions to the problems on the road ahead?

Maybe you have had days of such high stress that you find yourself in a constant state of worry.

I’ve Heard of Anxiety, But What Is It?

Anxiety is defined as “a feeling of fear, worry, and uneasiness.” Anxiety is usually accompanied by other ailments, including restlessness, fatigue, muscular tension, and problems with concentration.

A sign of anxiety is worrying about what the future holds, and many other factors can affect it. If gone unchecked, those factors and increase anxiety and stress in the body

Consider these questions:

When was the last time you simply took a deep breath and a moment to relax?
When was the last time you received a chiropractic adjustment? 

If you find yourself unable to take a brief moment to unwind and it has been some time since your last chiropractic visit, we want to help you. 

How Can Chiropractic Help?

You might be thinking to yourself that you’re not feeling neck and back pain. So why would you need to see a chiropractor?

To put it simply, anxiety and stress are signs of an unhealthy nervous system. Chiropractic care adjusts the spine to reduce interference and your nervous system’s health, making the body better able to heal itself. If your nervous system is out of balance, your levels of anxiety and stress increase. When this happens, you face a decreased ability to relax and even digest food. Imbalances such as this lead to high blood pressure, fatigue, and many other negative symptoms.

If you find yourself facing anxiety and stress on a regular basis, call us today. Make an appointment with us so we can determine if we can help you enjoy a more balanced and relaxed life.

The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D, or the “sunshine vitamin”, has been making headlines in recent years for its possible health benefits. Some reports indicate that a when people have deficient amounts of Vitamin D, they face a number of incredibly serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, dementia, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

When you have optimum levels of vitamin D level, the risk of certain conditions may be reduced, as well as an increase in these benefits:

• Improve the immune system’s function

• Build strong bones and teeth

• Better calcium absorption 

How To Get Sufficient Vitamin D

The  Vitamin D Council reports that exposure of bare skin to the sun and vitamin D supplements are the two primary ways for your body to get the vitamin D it requires.

While it may be difficult to get the right amount of Vitamin D from your diet alone, this vitamin is found in many healthy foods including tuna, salmon, egg yolks, mackerel, and cheese. Including these and other healthy foods will also give your body many other valuable vitamins and minerals it needs for excellent health.

Vitamin D and the Chiropractic Connection

Chiropractic care is no cure all, and it does not treat deficiencies in Vitamin D and other vitamins. However, when a person has a healthy nervous system, they are better able to receive Vitamin D. Your nervous system is the control system of the body. It is in charge of every muscle, organ, and tissue, even your skin, which is the largest organ of your body!

When you have a healthy nervous system, your body’s largest organ is more capable of sending sensory information to your brain to help your body know how to function properly. When your skin is best able to do its job, your body is able to access and use Vitamin D properly to benefit your overall health.

Call us today so we can discuss how Vitamin D and chiropractic care can benefit you!

The Not So Sweet Effects of Sugar

It’s sticky, it’s sweet, and it’s also nutritionally bankrupt. Sugar is making people sick, tired, and fat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports Americans take in an astounding 156 pounds of sugar each year! The amount of sugar consumed around the glove is approximately 173 million tons!

While it is easy for many to point out that sugar exists in sweet snacks, ice cream, and soda, it is also hiding in salad dressings, pasta sauces, and many more foods that we think are healthy.

Why is Sugar Making us Sick?

A study conducted by JAMA Internal Medicine, found that “Epidemiologic studies have suggested that higher intake of added sugar is associated with cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors.” The study determined that “Most US adults consume more added sugar than is recommended for a healthy diet. We observed a significant relationship between added sugar consumption and increased risk of CVD mortality.”

Another study, this one led by Dr. Custodia Garcia-Jimenez at the University Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, concluded that increased levels of sugar are a vital component connecting obesity and diabetes with cancer. According to Garcia Jimenez’s study, increased levels of sugar promote the activity of a gene widely implicated in the progression of cancer. 1

If sugar is a large part of your diet, it can decrease your immune system’s ability to function, making you more likely to get sick. It can also contribute to joint pain and increased arthritis.

Cut Back on the Sweet Stuff

A key element in cutting back on sugar is paying close attention to food labels. Make foods that have little to no added sugar a main part of your diet, and opt for more vegetables over more fruit. Fruits have high sugar, but a great option is berries. If you take sweetener in your coffee or cereal, try Stevia, which is a plant-based, natural sweetener.

We can help you break that sugar habit, and show you that chiropractic care can help boost your immune system, and your overall health!

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Reference
1. Chocarro-Calvo A, García-Martínez J M, Ardila-González S, De la Vieja A, García-Jimenez C. Glucose-induced ?-catenin acetylation enhances Wnt signaling in cancer. Mol Cell 2012; doi:doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2012.11.022 [Epub ahead of print]. | Article |