// BLOG
Why Chiropractic Care is Ideal for Treating Headaches
September 8, 2010
It’s a universal condition that all Americans have suffered from: a headache. But for the 1 in 6 million individuals who suffer from chronic headaches, long-term relief can feel like a something of a myth. And chronic headaches don’t just interfere with your work performance; sufferers often report feeling withdrawn from social commitments and family life, as their constant headache pain makes it difficult to live life to the fullest.
If this sounds all-too-familiar, then you might think that a neurologist can give you the answers you need. However, if you haven’t considered chiropractic care for treating headaches, then you might be overlooking your best option for headache relief.
It’s not surprising that many individuals overlook chiropractic care as a solution to their chronic headaches. But that’s because the causes of the headaches are often assumed to have an underlying neurological problem rather than a spinal one. However, with more headaches caused by poor posture, awkward sleeping positions and herniated discs, there’s a lot that a chiropractor can do to treat both headaches and neck, back and shoulder problems, including:
- Using gentle exercises and massages to realign a spine’s natural curve. Due to our largely sedentary lifestyles, poor posture can have a significant impact on the frequency of headaches. Slouched shoulders, hunched spines and tense necks can all contribute to chronic headache syndromes. To effective treat these spinal problems – including the headaches themselves – a chiropractor can show you simple exercises that will gradually ease pressure from your back, neck and shoulders.
- Introducing at-home exercises that, when done properly, can treat the root problem of your headaches. By teaching these at-home exercises, a chiropractor can ensure that his or her patients can tackle persistent headaches without resorting to over-the-counter medication to numb the pain.
- Pinpointing the area in which problem lies. Contrary to popular belief, headaches aren’t caused by problems within the head; rather, a back injury or neck strain can later manifest as a headache, even if the sufferer is unaware of the injury itself. Commonly referred to as a cervicogenic headache, these painful headaches don’t often appear right after a neck or back injury, which leads sufferers to believe that their headaches and migraines are a separate phenomenon.
Remember, chiropractic care isn’t a treatment for the headache itself – but by identifying the cause of the headaches within the neck, back and shoulder region, sufferers can ensure that they’re effectively treating their chronic headaches once and for all.
If you are suffering from chronic headaches, our chiropractic and physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
What Causes Neck Pain and How to Avoid It
August 20, 2010
It’s no wonder that millions of Americans are plagued by neck pain every day. Our busy lives and hectic work schedules can all contribute to the occasional bout of neck pain. However, for many people, neck pain isn’t just a rare occurrence – it’s a cumbersome daily experience. If this sounds all-too-familiar, then it’s time to take action. From injury to stress and everything in between, identifying the causes of neck pain is the first proactive step in treating it…
…Not to mention stopping it for good.
Take a look at the list below to identify the cause of your neck pain – and how to avoid it.
- Are you experiencing mild discomfort in your neck? If so, it’s highly likely that your sleeping position is the neck pain culprit. Poor sleeping positions – such as lying on the stomach or side – can force the neck into awkward angles, which puts tremendous amounts of pressure on its sensitive nerves. Additionally, these sleeping positions can force the lumbar spinal cord (the lower back region) into an unnatural alignment, which also contributes to neck discomfort.
- There’s no doubt that chronic neck pain can be a hassle – but worrying about it can make the pain even worse. Worry and stress are two of the biggest neck pain culprits; unfortunately, they’re all too common with our busy lifestyles. Easing this type of neck pain involves reducing the amount of stress in your life, or seeing a chiropractor who can show you gentle exercises to loosen and relax your strained neck muscles.
- Poor work posture can also contribute to chronic neck pain. Because a majority of Americans are sedentary for more than eight hours a day, it’s no surprise that posture can have a significant impact on the neck muscles. To avoid this kind of pain, invest in an office chair that supports the natural curve of your spine, or place a rolled-up towel between your chair and your lumbar spine to support your lower back’s curve.
- Trauma, injury and arthritis are also significant contributors to neck pain. In this case, seeing a doctor and chiropractor to treat the neck pain is highly recommended. One important note: in some instances, neck pain can be a symptom of meningitis, a rare but serious disease which is most common about young adults living in shared communities, like dormitories. If your neck pain is accompanied by a rash, fever, severe headache and vomiting, call 911 immediately and seek treatment.
To avoid this type of neck pain, try switching your sleeping position so that you’re laying on your back. Investing in a memory-foam mattress can also help alleviate nighttime neck pain.
When considering treatment for neck pain, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Why is My Lower Back So Stiff in the Morning?
August 16, 2010
Forget waking up on the wrong side of the bed – when you wake up with a stiff lower back in the morning, it can feel like you’ve woken up after a night of heavy lifting.
For some, having an occasionally stiff lower back after a night’s sleep can come as a result of too much exercise the day before, rigorous activity or a combination of the two. However, for those who are dealing with chronic lower back pain, there are many reasons why your mornings may not be so bright. Take a look at the list below and see if any of these solutions help to alleviate that troublesome lower back pain:
- Before pointing the finger at your back, it might be time to let your mattress take some of the blame. Recent studies have reported that mattresses lose up to 70% of their support after just ten years – and if you’ve got a mattress that’s older than your kids, then you might want to consider trading it in for a new model. For additional support, consider getting a memory foam mattress, which molds to the contours of your body and relieves pressure from sensitive spots like your spine and joints.
- If your mattress isn’t the culprit, then it’s time to look at a medical reason for why you’re waking up with a stiff lower back. If you suffer from arthritis, then it’s possible that you’re dealing with ankylosing spondylitis, which is a form of arthritis that affects the spine. However, other kinds of arthritis can affect the spine as well. If it’s an infrequent arthritis attack, try applying heat to the lower back and take an anti-inflammatory. If the pain is more frequent (i.e. more than once a week), then see your doctor and physical therapist for gentle exercises that can alleviate your arthritis.
- If you feel the pain in your leg as well as your lower spine, then it’s possible that you might have a herniated disc. A herniated disc occurs when the disc presses on the nerves and bones in your lower spine, otherwise known as the lumbar region. A doctor can diagnosis you with a herniated disc and give you medicine; however, the most relief is often attained by visits to a chiropractor, who can use gentle exercises to stretch the spine and relieve the pressure.
If you are suffering from a stiff lower back when you wake up in the morning, we encourage you to visit our Spinal Care clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ. Both clinics come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
What Kind of Mattress Should I Buy?
August 5, 2010
When it comes to choosing the perfect mattress, there’s plenty of advice out there: choose a firm mattress for the best back support. Comfort is the biggest indicator of a quality mattress. A great mattress can last for decades.
Most of us accept these pieces of advice without as much as a second thought. But have you ever stopped to think that these “pearls of wisdom” may actually be contributing to your back and shoulder problems?
That’s right: according to expert chiropractors, an unsupportive mattress can cause some of the most frequent complaints regarding back, neck and shoulder pains. And considering that we spend more than a third of our lives on our mattresses, it’s vital that you take the time to choose the perfect mattress for your posture – not to mention your quality of sleep!
So what kind of mattress should you buy? Take at look at the following tips; once you’ve had a good night’s sleep on a great mattress, you’ll never sacrifice quality for price again!
- First, it’s important to educate yourself about what you should expect from your mattress. A great mattress should support the contours of your body, which will relieve pressure from your joints, nerves and spinal cord. Thanks to rapid advancements in “slumber technology”, today’s mattresses offer individuals a range of styles and comfort levels that can offer a unique and healthy sleep. From memory-foam topped mattresses to hypo-allergenic latex mattresses, you can count on finding exactly what you’re looking for.
- Forget about accepting that secondhand mattress from your mother-in-law; according to Lisa Helmanis, author of “Sleep Better Naturally”, after ten years, a mattress deteriorates by as much as 75% from its original shape and condition. With this statistic in mind, it’s easy to see why it’s worth shelling out the extra cash on a top-quality mattress.
- Learn your mattress types before shopping for your perfect fit. Open-sprung mattresses (or spring mattresses) are the most common; however, they offer little support for those who suffer from persistent back and neck pains. Pocket-sprung mattresses are perfect for sleepers who differ in size and weight, while memory foam mattresses mould to the shape of your body, which offers you a significant amount of support and comfort.
- A latex mattress is perfect for allergy sufferers, in addition to being lost-lasting and highly durable. Finally, synthetic mattresses work to correctly align your body thanks to a unique memory foam composition. It’s definitely one of the most expensive types of mattresses out there, but back sufferers often report getting the best pain-free slumber from this kind of mattress.
When considering treatment for back, shoulder and neck pains, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Why You Should Immediately See a Chiropractor after a Car Accident
July 30, 2010
A car accident can happen so suddenly.
In just the space of thirty seconds, that left turn you were about to make quickly becomes a major fender bender. Or maybe you were sitting patiently at a stop light, when all of a sudden you felt a major jolt in the back of your car.
Regardless of how your car accident happened, your next step is a vital one: even the most “minor” car accidents can cause the kind of neck, back and shoulder injuries that can cause persistent pain for the rest of your life. And in some severe causes, minor fender-benders have even led to permanent disability, thanks to whiplash, sprains and other spinal injuries.
Many people often think that treatment should only be sought when injuries are visible; in fact, a recent online survey found that one in three drivers reported feeling too embarrassed to seek medical treatment if no injuries were visible. However, some of the most debilitating injuries experienced during a car accident are the ones we can’t immediately see or feel.
Immediate treatment from a chiropractor after an auto accident should be everyone’s first line of response. Because chiropractors are trained to spot the “invisible” injuries, like whiplash, neck strain, bruises and other soft tissue injuries, your chiropractor can prevent potential injuries from turning into serious medical issues.
Additionally, by utilizing the skills and expertise of a chiropractor after an auto accident, you could save thousands of dollars on out-of-pocket hospital bills and other medical expenses. Since chiropractors treat a wide variety of common injuries caused by car accidents – including whiplash, shoulder pains, muscle fatigue, and other symptoms – you won’t have to resort to expensive hospital treatments to alleviate these minor injuries. And because many chiropractors specialize in injuries caused by auto accidents, they can show you exactly what exercises you can perform to help your nerves, muscles and spinal cord to gently and effectively heal.
Don’t let a car accident turn your life upside down – seek immediate treatment from an experienced chiropractor and stop those injuries before they start!
When considering treatment for injuries resulting from a car accident, our physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Connect With Us!
