Healthy Living

Decreasing Tension Headaches

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Bottom Line:

Quick question: do you know anyone who isn’t interested in reducing the stress in their life? We’ll give you a minute. Still thinking? That’s what we thought! There aren’t too many of us who couldn’t benefit from reducing the stress in our daily lives. Between family, work, and the latest political thread on social media, the stress can be overwhelming! Chronic everyday stress can also significantly impact our brains and bodies, causing everything from fatigue and depression to debilitating headaches. 

Why it Matters:

Headaches caused by stress are often classified as tension-type headaches. Pain at the base of the skull that starts in the neck and wraps around to the front of the head is common with tension headaches. Research has shown that Chiropractic adjustments effectively treat and correct the cause of these headaches, providing both relief from symptoms and lasting results. In fact, in addition to reducing tension in the muscles supporting your neck, adjustments can also improve your range of motion and reduce your overall feeling of stress. This unique combination of benefits is why millions of people rely on Chiropractic care to help them find relief. 

  • Chronic stress can contribute to tension headaches.
  • Chiropractic care is one of the best ways to reduce stress on your musculoskeletal system and spine.
  • Adjustments have been shown to reduce the frequency, severity, and intensity of tension headaches. 

Next Steps: 

You don’t necessarily need to make drastic changes to your life to reduce your daily stress level. Picking up a new hobby, taking a few minutes to read before bed, or enjoying a relaxing activity like yoga can all help. If you would like to discover even more ways to help reduce your daily stress, we invite you to attend our complimentary workshop coming up soon. We’ll be covering everything you need to know to reduce stress and end your headaches now! 

Science Source(s): 

Do Manual Therapy Techniques Have a Positive Effect on Quality of Life in People with Tension-Type Headache? A Randomized Controlled Trial. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. February 2016

The Connection Between Posture and Headaches 

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Bottom Line:

Ergonomics is the study of the posture and positioning of your body. It sounds pretty boring until you consider that millions of people are suffering from headaches every day that are related to their posture! Whether it’s an assembly line, a computer, a tablet, or your phone, you’re likely spending a lot of time looking down. Research has found that up to 20 pounds of pressure is placed on the neck for every inch the chin extends forward or down. This increased pressure can irritate the tissues of the neck leading to everything from premature degenerative changes to chronic headaches. 

Why it Matters:

Maintaining a healthy posture not only helps reduce the stress and pressure on the spinal joints of your neck, it also helps dramatically reduce your headaches. The first step in regaining proper posture is to establish normal motion. This is why Chiropractic adjustments are likely to become your new best friend! Our care is focused on finding the areas of your spine that aren’t moving correctly and gently helping them regain their normal range of motion. After we’ve worked with you to restore proper movement, we can then focus on strengthening the muscles that support your neck and back. This personalized type of care is how we’ve been able to help many people (just like you!) establish better posture and reduce the frequency and severity of their headaches. 

  • Every inch of forward head posture adds up to 20 lbs. of pressure on your neck.
  • This added pressure can contribute to tension headaches.
  • Research has shown that Chiropractic care can dramatically improve your posture and, in turn, reduce your headaches.

Next Steps: 

Take a look around your workstation the next time you’re at the office. Is it set up in a way that’s ergonomically correct? If not, or if you’re not sure, just let us know! We would be happy to set up a time to come to your office, evaluate your workplace, and share our specific recommendations to help keep you and everyone you work with feeling great!  

Science Source(s): 

Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic Treatment of Adults with Headache. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Volume 34, Number 5. 2011

Efficacy of Manual and Manipulative Therapy in the Perception of Pain and Cervical Motion in Patients with Tension-Type Headache: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. (2014) 13, 4-13 

Preventing Menstrual Migraines 

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Bottom Line:

For many women, monthly menstruation means monthly migraines. In addition to hormone changes, your diet, physical activity and stress levels all contribute to this pattern. While pregnancy and menopause are two ways to eliminate these types of headaches, we also have a few more practical ways to find relief!

Why it Matters:

New research recommends Chiropractic adjustments as part of an evidence-based approach to reducing the pain associated with migraine headaches. Regular adjustments can both help reduce the stress on the muscles that support your neck and improve your range of motion. By keeping active, reducing your stress, maintaining enough hydration, and staying well adjusted, you’ll give your body the best opportunity to manage those monthly hormonal changes and take the first step towards ending your migraine headaches!  

  • Hormonal changes cause monthly migraines for millions of women.
  • Stress has been shown to have a significant impact on hormonal balance.
  • Adjustments are recommended as an evidence-based approach to reducing both migraine headaches and overall levels of stress.  

Next Steps: 

Did you suffer from migraine headaches before coming into our practice? If so, stop by the front desk and let us know! Sharing your journey and how Chiropractic care helped you find relief may inspire someone else in our community to take action and find a natural solution to their headaches. 

Science Source(s): 

Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic Treatment of Adults with Headache. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Volume 34, Number 5. 2011

Lateral Ankle Sprain

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Lateral Ankle Sprain
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A lateral ankle sprain (LAS) occurs when you twist or roll your ankle inward.This can happen by walking/running on an uneven surface, stepping on someone else’s foot, pivoting or changing direction during sport.The severity of the sprain can range from mild to severe.

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Structures involved

Usually, this abrupt inward ankle twist or roll will lead to a stretch or
a tear, partial or complete, of the lateral ligament complex of your ankle. In the very moment preceding the sprain, your ankle muscles will tend to protect you with a forceful contraction. Sometimes, this can lead to muscle spasms and/or a small bone fracture where the muscle attaches to your foot.The peroneal nerve and the ligaments of your foot may also be overstretched during a lateral ankle sprain.

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Signs & Symptoms that you may experience

Everyone will react differently after an injury and recovery will depend on the severity of the sprain. LAS can cause but is not limited to, pain, difficulty in weight-bearing activities, swelling, ecchymosis, pins & needles.

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Recovery

The severity of the sprain, your rehabilitation plan, your health status, your fitness level and your nutrition affect recovery time. Generally, you can expect to fully recover from a lateral ankle sprain.

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▶ WHAT TO DO

Early-stage

Relative rest is a good way to protect your ankle against further damage, but it is important to avoid overprotecting your injury. A few days rest might be necessary, but returning to progressive loading during your activities of daily living, non-painful light cardiovascular exercise and balance exercise will allow better recovery.

Rehabilitation

Follow your practitioner’s advice. It will help you manage the different phases of the recovery process and will increase the likelihood of successful rehabilitation. Your practitioner will assist you during your rehabilitation program in order to regain your normal range of motion, strength and endurance, balance and functional status.

▶ WHAT TO AVOID

Don’t rely on passive treatment only. Each phase of the rehabilitation process is important. Patients that are actively involved in their treatment plan tend to recover faster. Keep in mind that pain is not always a good indicator of tissue damage as severe pain doesn’t necessarily mean a severe injury. As soon as you feel better and the pain is well managed in collaboration with your therapist, you should reintroduce light exercises as tolerated.

The Intersection of Crossfit and Chiropractic

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Bottom Line:

If you’re into Crossfit, then you know how addicting it can become. The mix of high-intensity interval training with a little competition can help you stay motivated and make amazing changes to your body. The key to success is staying consistent with your workouts, but it can be challenging if you start to suffer injuries. 

Why it Matters:

Injuries can often occur when your body doesn’t have the correct balance of strength and flexibility. Muscles tears, sprain and strains, and even painful arthritic changes can flare up by either lifting too much weight or by not having enough flexibility to support that weight through a full range of motion. So, here a few tips to reduce the likelihood of injuries:

  • Take a few minutes to stretch before and after your workout.
  • Increase the weight you lift slowly and focus on reps vs. max weight.
  • Use good posture and ergonomics during your workouts. Don’t “cheat” and increase your risk of an injury 

Next Steps: 

Researchers have discovered that a combination of proper warm up/cool down, a full range of motion and progressive intensity training can help reduce injuries when strength training. One of the most effective ways to improve your spinal mobility and flexibility is through Chiropractic care. Adjustments to your spine and extremities have been shown to increase their range of motion and may help you find that perfect balance of strength and flexibility.  

Science Source(s): 

Short-term effect of spinal manipulation on pain perception, spinal mobility, and full height recovery in male subjects with degenerative disk disease: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2014

Progressive resistance strength training and the related injuries in older adults: the susceptibility of the shoulder. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 2014

Diet: Healthy Diet May Lower Risk of COPD.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Diet: Healthy Diet May Lower Risk of COPD.

New research suggests that a diet low in red meat and rich in whole grains may reduce the risk of developing a chronic lung disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Researchers tracked over 120,000 individuals and found that healthy eaters were one-third less likely to develop COPD when compared with regular consumers of red meat, refined grains, sugary drinks, and alcohol. The findings reveal that good eating habits appear to lower COPD risk for both smokers and nonsmokers alike.

 

British Medical Journal, February 2015

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Stiff neck??

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

One of the most common causes of a stiff neck are trigger points in the levator scapulae muscle. This muscle runs up the side of the neck from the top of the shoulder blade. It helps to shrug the shoulders and move and stabilize the neck. When trigger points form in this muscle they will produce pain and stiffness in the neck. Deep tissue trigger point massage applied to these knots is an effective treatment method.

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Finding Headache Relief Without Drugs 

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Bottom Line:

Waking up with a headache or consistently getting one by the end of work each day is not fun (or normal). Headaches can be caused by a variety of factors, none of which are a shortage of medication in your body! As a matter of fact, if you have been relying on drugs to find relief day after day, there is a variety of new research that encourages you to reconsider. 

Why it Matters:

Relying on medications to find relief each and every day places an enormous amount of strain on your liver and other internal organs. What’s more, researchers have found that a common “side” effect of many popular headache mediations is…more headaches! And if that wasn’t enough to encourage you to think differently about how to treat your headaches, new research has found an increased risk of heart attacks in people who had taken NSAIDs (or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). It’s easy to see why our firm belief is that the best way for most people to find relief from their headaches is through natural healthcare such as combination of Chiropractic and light stress-relieving exercise like yoga. 

  • Headache medications often have dangerous side effects. 
  • Research has shown little to no evidence that such drugs are effective at treating headaches.
  • In a recent study, over 30% of participants saw a 100% improvement in the frequency and severity of their headaches after receiving Chiropractic care. 

Next Steps: 

Our workshop on finding natural solutions and relief from headaches is coming up soon! We’ll help you discover the causes of many common types of headaches, share tips on reducing their impact in your life, and review the steps you can take to ensure that you don’t have to suffer from them in the future. Share this with a friend and be sure to let us know how many people will be attending the workshop with you! 

Science Source(s): 

Dose-Response and Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Cervicogenic Headache: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. The Spine Journal. 2010 

Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for cervicogenic headache: a single-blinded, placebo, randomized controlled trial. BioMed Central. 2017 

Mental well-being linked to better cardiovascular and overall health

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mental-well-being-linked-to-better-cardiovascular-and-overall-health

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Cardiovascular and general, overall health are well established factors to general wellbeing and mental health. Likewise, improving your overall health and specifically cardiovascular health will lead to improvements in your mental health and overall outlook.

Get fit and feel great!

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Injury Prevention

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Bottom Line:

Have you ever been excited to start a new exercise program, shed a few pounds, and get in shape? It’s incredible, until about 2-3 weeks in when you suffer an injury, take a few days off and then never quite get back on track. Does this story sound familiar? You’re not alone. It happens all the time. So let’s take a look at how you can get active, reach your goals, and avoid those pesky injuries during those first few weeks. 

Why it Matters:

While it’s impossible to avoid every potential injury, a balance of spinal strength and flexibility can help dramatically reduce your likelihood of getting injured.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your body. Long term strength is built through repetition. While there is a time and place for loading with max weight, if you are just getting started in a workout routine, it’s usually best to start slow by using lighter weights and working towards increasing your repetitions. Flexibility is the second key to staying injury free. Whether you are stretching during long work hours at the computer, practicing yoga on the weekends, or using Chiropractic care to improve your spinal (and extremity) range of motion, it’s essential to view flexibility as a journey rather than a destination. Every day that you take a proactive step with your strength and flexibility, you are reducing the chance of an injury, making progress towards your goals, and living a healthier life. 

  • Stretching can improve your flexibility and decrease your risk of injury.
  • Dynamic (or movement-based) warm-ups have been shown to potentially enhance performance. 
  • Strength training can increase your resilience and prepare your body for activity. 

Next Steps: 

We understand that everyone has unique health goals. If you have a specific question about injury prevention based on the activities you love, ask! We believe that by taking a proactive approach with your health and wellness, you can have a more inspired and fulfilling life, and we’ll be here for you every step of the way. 

Science Source(s): 

Mayo Clinic: Stretching: Focus on Flexibility. 2017