Archive for headaches
The Importance of Good Posture
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It’s a great time to be alive, isn’t it? Science and technology have literally put the world at our fingertips. And, in addition to the unlimited access we all have to information and communication, there are computer games, video games, and round-the-clock TV shows. Unfortunately, the “pros” of most things arrive hand-in-hand with the “cons.” Now, there are plenty of “cons” to be addressed here, but as a chiropractor, I’m going to focus on the adverse effect that our bad posture is having on our musculoskeletal system, not only while we’re engaging in these activities, but even after the work and play is done. All you need to do is to take a look at the majority of teenagers to see that posture, in general, is in a slump.
Why is posture so important? Poor posture causes headaches, neck pain, and back pain, just for openers. And, since the back bone is (eventually) connected to the hip bones and knee bones, bad posture can create a lot of painful movement from your head to your toes.
Joe Donofrio, dean of clinical services at Sherman College of chiropractic in Spartanburg, offers some great posture tips. Check them out at goupstate.com
Drugs…Just in Case?
Posted by: | CommentsAs a chiropractor who believes in the human body's ability to heal itself, often with the aid of natural, non-invasive, drug-free chiropractic treatment, I am always dismayed, but never surprised, at some of the pernicious claims and tenacious effrontery of drug companies when it comes to pain killers, in general, and the "treatment" of a number of conditions that don't get any better with drugs or are made worse by them. And, as a chiropractor who has helped hundreds of headache sufferers not only get temporary, but permanent relief, when I read about a drug study for yet another pain med that will likely keep headache sufferers numbed to their pain, but in the process numb to the rest of their life as well, I feel like shouting from the rooftops: "Try chiropractic first!" But, today, when I read about a study, sponsored by Merck (who also makes the product), I really felt compelled to say that this particular study is shamefully playing to the fears of migraine sufferers when, in fact, the drug itself only offers "less severity" at best when it comes to a migraine headache.
The study, conducted by Dr. X. Henry Hu of Merck & Co.and colleagues, found that one in five migraine sufferers had "avoided" a work-related commitment because they were afraid of getting a migraine, while 27 percent reported canceling a work commitment for this reason, and round 28 percent said they had avoided or canceled social commitments due to fear of migraines.
I have treated many patients who told me how much they'd "feared" the onset of a migraine and limited their activities in life because of that fear, so I do understand how devastating the fear of migraines can be. And, yet, the only "solution" this study offered?
This study is "important," said Dr. Hu, because the unpredictability of migraines could contribute to people's anxiety and fear about them and early treatment with migraine drugs called triptans can help reduce headache severity. "Because of the lack of predictability of future migraine attacks, migraine sufferers may benefit from increased education on the importance of keeping medications available at all times," he and his colleagues concluded.
My conclusion? If you suffer from migraines, give your chiropractor a call today!
SOURCE: Headache, published online March 25, 2010.
Good Hydration is an Important Key to Good Health
Posted by: | CommentsChiropractors, like Dr. Alff, are committed to making sure their patients know the importance of drinking enough water everyday. The chant is “Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!” Water is as essential as air when it comes to human survival. Therefore, one would suppose that drinking a sufficient quantity of water would be as visceral as breathing in enough air, but a surprising 75 percent of Americans suffer from mild, incessant dehydration. (Most individuals aren’t breathing enough either, but one issue at a time.) You cannot have good health without drinking an adequate amount of water. Every system in your body — every cell, tissue, and organ — is dependent up water to function properly. Your saliva, and the fluids surrounding your joints, are essentially water. Water balances the temperature and metabolism of the body, and keeps the blood circulating. Drinking plenty of water daily has been shown to improve nutrient absorption and toxin removal, and to reduce heartburn, hypertension, exhaustion, headaches, and even back pain.
Athletes are particularly at risk when it comes to functional challenges caused by dehydration. “Physiologically, their core body temperature could be higher than it should have been if they were hydrated. Their heart rate will be higher, and they’re going to perceive that they’re working harder than they actually are,” said Susan Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training in Indiana State’s College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services. According to researchers at Indiana State University, a high percentage of collegiate and professional athletes begin the season dehydrated, putting their health at risk even before they begin strenuous workouts. In fact, Pre-season physical examinations, in fact, found that 80 percent of football players presented with.
Wondering how much water is enough water? Chiropractors, like almost all health care professionals, advise no less than eight, 8-ounce glasses of water every day for many patients, but for our patients who are athletes, or for individuals who carry around excess weight or exercise or work in a hot environment, we propose even more. How can you be sure if you, personally, are drinking an adequate amount of water? The color of your urine is a good gauge. If it is a light, pale yellow, it’s an indication that you’re well-hydrated!
If You Suffer From Tension Headaches or Migraines, Your Ventura Chiropractor Can Help
Posted by: | CommentsYour Chiropractor in Ventura knows that if you suffer from tension headaches or migraines, you are painfully aware of their disabling effects on your life. From his years of experience he knows the difference between the origins and symptoms of both tension headaches and migraines and, most importantly, he knows what to do to help you. Here’s what you should know:
Tension headaches: We all know that life can be a pain, on occasion, and result in a tension headache. Many people have suffered from more than one. If you’ve had a tension headache, then you probably experience it as a dull, aching head pain that is frequently accompanied by a feeling of tightness or pressure across your forehead or on the sides and back of your head. Sometimes, you might feel a tenderness of your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles, and occasionally you may lose your appetite.
Tension headaches are usually described as mild to moderately intense. The severity of the pain varies from one individual to another, and from one headache to another in the same person. Tension headaches can occur infrequently or you may have them quite frequently. If your headaches happen fifteen or more days a month for at least three months, they’re viewed as chronic. If tension headaches are interrupting your life, chiropractic treatment may be the answer.
Migraine Headaches: Migraine headaches are different from the common tension-related headache. According to the National Headache Foundation, migraines frequently take place on one side of the head only. The throbbing or pulsating pain is accompanied by nausea or vomiting. Auras, visual disruptions an hour before a migraine attack, and disturbances such as pulsating light, lines or dots, are experienced by one-fifth of migraine sufferers.
Are you someone who experiences the painful symptoms of migraines? If you are, you know the upsetting, debilitating effects that this sort of condition can have on your life. Sadly, you likely know by now that standard over-the-counter medications are ineffective, and prescription drugs generally have harmful side effects. Still, the pain of a migraine can incapacitate you for hours, days, even a lifetime. It’s time to finally get rid of the pain and get your life back! Chiropractic management has proved to be highly beneficial in relieving and eliminating migraine headaches.
Make an appointment with Dr. Alff, your Ventura Chiropractor, today. He can help!
Your Ventura Chiropractor knows, all too well, that you could have whiplash injuries from what appears to be a minor auto accident. If you’ve been driving around in a big tank-of-a-car and you’ve been in an auto accident, if your car looks “uninjured,” it’s easy to believe that you are uninjured, too. After all, isn’t that the purpose of driving a big vehicle? It’s for protection, right? Well, research has revealed that occupants of vehicles, both large and compact, can be hurt a lot more than might be expected from a minor auto accident. Actually, as far as your body goes, there’s really no such thing as a “minor fender-bender.”
Let’s face it. There are going to be reverberations when your body is forced to stop suddenly and unexpectedly. An emergency room attendant may hand you a clean bill of health because you haven’t broken any bones, and you may be given a prescription for medication to reduce the muscle spasms that you are surely experiencing due to the structural changes in your neck or lower back that you encountered from the impact. But, your situation could go from bad to far worse unless you’re treated for the injuries you’ve received. In fact, many people encounter problems years after a car accident due to the fact that they didn’t get the help they required in the first place.
Your Ventura Chiropractor absolutely understands what your body experiences during a car accident. Chiropractic therapies include treatment for soft tissue injuries and spinal bio-mechanics abnormalities. And your chiropractor is an expert in rehabilitation strategies.
If you’ve been in a minor auto accident, even if your car may not require much repair, more than like you do. Neck and back injuries are not only painful in the places in which they happen, but they can also generate pain, tingling, and numbness in your arms and hands and result in headaches days, weeks, even months after an accident occurs.
Chiropractic care offers a drug-free, natural road back to feeling good again. It will go a long way in putting the trauma of your accident where it belongs – behind you. In addition, because your chiropractor has experience communicating effectively with insurance companies and lawyers, not only will you feel less physical stress, but less emotional stress, too!
Ventura Chiropractic on Shoulder Retraction Exercise for Relief of Headaches
Posted by: | CommentsVentura Chiropractor offers information, by colleague Dr. Jamie Phillips, highlighting a scapular retraction exercise that will improve posture and help reduce cervical tension headaches.
