Hours of consistent computer use will lock the neck and shoulders into unnatural positions, putting strain and stress on back, neck, and shoulder muscles, straightening the cervical curve, and causing inflammation to impact and influence the nerves in the cervical spine. All of these anatomical anomalies can cause tension headaches, cervicogenic headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain and tightness, and more. Here's an easy way to relax those muscles and help restore a natural curve to your neck. It's called The Towel Roll, and you can do it yourself, at home, for free. Begin by rolling up a household towel. Lay on your back on the floor or another hard surface (not your soft bed). Place the towel roll under your neck. Make sure that the roll is high enough so that the back of your head doesn't touch the ground. This allows gravity to work on restoring your cervical curve. To intensify the stretch across your chest and tired shoulder muscles, spread your arms to the sides, with your hands above your head. This is a fabulous stretch for chest muscles. However, nerves and blood vessels in your shoulders might become impinged by tight chest muscles, causing your hands or fingers to tingle or go numb. If this occurs, simply lower your arm angle slightly. This simple stretch is best done in the 15 minutes prior to bedtime, but, as already mentioned, don't do it on the bed. This is a good time to listen to soothing music, podcasts, or books on tape. Be careful not to fall asleep on the floor, however, or you'll find yourself mighty sore in the morning.
Easy. Peaceful. Free. Does it get any better?
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Usually research is conducted to test a hypothesis. However, sometimes it's necessary to prove that which is already known. In this case, the fact that sugar has become the new fat. A November study in the journal Diabetes Care is in the news this week. The article, entitled Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis, examines the corollation between drinking sugary drinks and developing type 2 diabetes. Remember, there are two types of this disease. Type 1 diabetes, also called insulin dependent diabetes (IDDM), usually first manifests in young adults. It's an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas is unable to make insulin. Insulin's job is to get the sugar from the bloodstream into the cells, which then use the sugar for fuel. If there's not enough insulin in the body, then sugar builds up in the blood and the cells starve. These patients must use insulin injections and treatments in order to properly handle the sugar content in their food. Type 2 diabetes is not an autoimmune disease, and is therefore called non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). Patients with this disease can still produce insulin, but not enough to fulfill their body's demand for it. There are many reasons why this occurs, and an excellent summary can be found here. Although type 1 diabetes demands medication, type 2 diabetes responds extremely well to behavior modification such as increased exercise, decreased sedentary lifestyle, and dietary changes. It's vital for one's health to eat well and exercise well. This article, which reviews several other articles on the same subject, concludes definitively that sugary drinks are associated with weight gain, the development of metabolic syndrome, and the inicidence of type 2 diabetes. Does this mean you're never ever allowed to drink a soda again? Or even a juice or an iced tea or a vitamin water? Of course not. But these drinks are not intended to be a replacement for good ol' fashioned water, and ought not be consumed as such. You're a couple of weeks into your chiropractic care and you're beginning to feel better already. You want to get back to your regular routine as soon as possible. There's a lot to do around the house, you've got a family to take care of and you can't wait to get back to exercising. We understand your urgency to start 'living' again. Problem is... the paint's not quite dry yet.
It's not uncommon to feel 'done' after a few adjustments. When the Innate, recuperative abilities of your body kick in, you might look and feel remarkably new... like a fresh coat of paint. But like a fresh coat of paint, looks can be deceiving. What seems completely dry (healed) on the surface, may still have a few tacky areas underneath. If you jump the gun and try to re-hang the fixtures, you might ruin the finish and have to start all over again. Complete and thorough healing requires time. Even though you may feel like your old self after a few chiropractic sessions, it's no green light to go back to your old activities. The stabilizing phase of care (where you feel so good you wonder why you're still coming in) is where all the 'paint curing' happens. Give your body the time it needs to completely dry and you'll be happier with the end results. Content provided by Principle33. If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.
What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative. Research shows that spinal manipulation – the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic – may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck. A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication. Also, a 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication. Headache Triggers Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems. Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern. “The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr. George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from Christiansburg, VA. “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.” What Can You Do?
Content provided by the American Chiropractic Association. The biggest, baddest, winter storm ever to hit the Midwest is on its way. Although the national weather services are focused on the historic nature of this event, let's concentrate on a couple quick tips.
The local Peoria Red Cross has opened their winter shelters (a full list of winter shelters are available). They are also urging motorists to stay off the road. The blizzard conditions are going to create havoc, especially on open country roads. The storm should last a day or so. While you're snuggled up inside (whether or not you lose electricity), make sure you drink plenty of water. The precipitation tends to suck much of the moisture out of the air, making dehydration a real concern. If your power does go out, make sure you unplug your appliances. That way, when the power does surge back into your house, you'll ensure that the electronics don't get overloaded. Be smart, and be healthy. Playing in the snow is fun, but please dress warmly. Let's get through this thing without frostbite. Hopefully you already stocked up on batteries, lamps, and food (Peoria's grocery stores were extremely busy yesterday). Good luck to all, and enjoy the show out your windows! |
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DisclaimerUnless otherwise attributed, all content is written by Kyle Johnson, DC, of Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria.
All images used are under Creative Commons license. Although every effort has been made to provide an accurate description of our chiropractic care and its benefits, the information given on this website and blog is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, medical advice for any condition. If you have any questions regarding your condition, you should seek the help of Dr. Johnson in person, so that he may properly assess your condition. This blog is provided by Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria, S.C., proudly located in Peoria, IL. |