Archive for headaches
Health problems due to bad posture occurs for many reasons and is nothing new to the spines of humankind. For thousands of years, men and women have hunched over their work, whether pounding rocks to make tools or pounding a keyboard on their computer. Fortunately, chiropractic was discovered in 1885 to remedy many of the problems occurring from bad posture! Since that time chiropractors like me, your San Jose Chiropractor, have been helping people to correct the musculoskeletal damage resulting from bad posture, as well as providing exercises, gait training, and lifestyle changes to improve posture and avoid problems in the future. Most of us already know that excessive computer use is unhealthy for the human body, so it may not come as a surprise that researchers are cautioning that the very design of laptop computers encourages bad posture among college students (and other heavy users) and can lead to headaches, muscle strain and debilitating neck, shoulder and hand injuries.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Medicine explained in a university news release that the “unified body construction” of a laptop, with its inseparable keyboard and monitor, makes it difficult for users to configure their equipment in a way that minimizes risk to their bodies. For instance, awkward positioning of the fingers and body can cause nerve injury to the wrist and prompt the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome, while poor neck position and shoulder posture can cause muscle strain and soreness in those areas.
Researcher, Dr. Kevin Carneiro, a physician in the UNC School of Medicine’s department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, and his colleagues point out that laptop users can take specific steps to minimize their risk. So, listen up and heed the tips below:
- If you are working at a computer, your body should form 90-degree angles at the elbows, knees and hips.
- Use a docking station and cables to hook up to an external monitor and/or separate keyboard that are movable to encourage better posture.
- With the help of a docking station, position the computer so you can read the screen without bending your neck.
- Pay attention to the chair you sit in — look for one that is adjustable and comes with back support.
- Tilt the screen so you don’t need to bend your neck, and place the mouse so that your wrists are in a neutral position (one in which they are aligned with your arm and not raised above it).
- Take frequent short breaks every 20 minutes or so — this can help rest muscles and encourage position shifting. Do some shoulder shrugs, gentle forward head rolls, and shoulder scrunches to stretch your muscles.
- Stay hydrated — drinking plenty of water can help keep discs in your back lubricated.
In addition, be sure to watch out for warning signs, such as pain and tingling. These may mean you need to use better posture, take more breaks, or see your chiropractor in San Jose!
1221 Lafayette St. Santa Clara, CA, 95050 USA
info@mysanjosechiropractor.com • 408-985-8118
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.
Poor Posture Can Lead to Poor Health
Posted by: | CommentsSource: T. Moses Public Relations and Consulting, http://tmosespublicrelations.com
Good Hydration is the Key to Good Health
Posted by: | CommentsChiropractors are determined to educate their patients about the importance of drinking a sufficient amount of water everyday. The positive repetitive stress is on “Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!” Water, second only to air, is an essential requirement for human survival. It would appear reasonable, then, that drinking a healthy amount of water would be as instinctual as breathing in enough air, but an astonishing seventy-five percent of individuals in this country have mild, constant dehydration. (Most individuals are not breathing enough either, but one issue at a time.) You you cannot maintain or regain good health without drinking an adequate amount of water. Drinking plenty of water benefits every cell, tissue, and organ in the human body and keeps all its systems functioning. Your saliva, and the fluids surrounding your joints, are primarily water. Your blood is kept circulating and your body temperature and metabolism are moderated by water. The improvement of nutrient absorption and toxin removal, as well as the reduction of heartburn, hypertension, exhaustion, and headaches have been associated with staying well-hydrated.
When it comes to problems generated by dehydration, athletes are particularly at risk. Researcher, Susan Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training in Indiana State’s College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services, said of athletes,”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.” A high percentage of collegiate and professional athletes begin the season dehydrated, putting their health at risk even before they begin strenuous workouts, according to researchers at Indiana State University. In fact, Pre-season physical examinations, in fact, found that 80 percent of football players displayed symptoms of.
Confused about how much water is enough water? Chiropractors, like the majority of other health care professionals, advise no less than eight, 8-ounce glasses of water every day for most patients, but for our patients who are athletes, or for those who carry around excess weight or exercise or work where it’s hot, we advise even more. There is a fairly simple way for you to make certain that you’re drinking enough water. Your urine color is a good guide. You’re well-hydrated if it is a light, pale yellow!
Dr. David Hoewisch Asks: Do You Suffer From Tension Headaches or Migraines?
Posted by: | CommentsDr. Hoewisch wants to help if you are sidelined by tension headaches or migraines. If you are, you are painfully aware of their disabling effects.
Tension headaches: Let’s face it, life can be a pain, on occasion, and result in a tension headache. Many people have been impacted by more than one. If you’ve had a tension headache, then you likely experience it as a dull, painful ache in your head that is sometimes accompanied by a sensation 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 at times you may experience a loss of appetite.
Tension headaches are commonly characterized as mild to moderately intense. The severity of the pain varies from one headache to another in the same person, as well as from one individual to another Tension headaches can occur from time to time or you may have them nearly all the time. If your headaches occur fifteen or more days a month for at least three months, they’re diagnosed as chronic. If tension headaches are interferring with your life, chiropractic management may be the solution. Contact your chiropractor today.
Migraine Headaches: Migraine headaches differ from the typical tension-related headache. For instance, migraines generally take place on only one side of the head, according to the National Headache Foundation. They throb or pulsate and are accompanied by nausea or vomiting. One-fifth of migraine sufferers have auras, visual manifestions an hour before a migraine attack, and symptoms like pulsating light, lines or dots.
Do you experience the painful symptoms of migraines? If you do, you know the upsetting, incapacitating effects that this type of affliction can have on your life. The pain of a migraine headache can sideline you for hours, for days, for a lifetime, and typical over-the-counter medications are not only ineffective but, like prescription drugs, they all too frequently have dangerous side effects. It’s time to finally get rid of the pain and get your life back! chiropractic treatment has proved to be powerful in relieving and eliminating migraine headaches. Call your chiropractor today!
Your San Jose Chiropractor wants you to know that you could still have whiplash injuries even if you’ve only been in a minor auto accident. If you drive a big car and you’re in an accident if your car looks “uninjured,” it’s easy to think that you are not hurt, either. After all, isn’t that the purpose of driving a big vehicle? It’s for protection, right? Then you might find it a bit disturbing to learn that research has shown that occupants of vehicles, both large and compact, can be injured a lot more than might be expected from a minor auto accident. In fact, as far as your body goes, there’s truly no such thing as a “minor fender bender.”
Let’s face it. There are going to be repercussions when your body is compelled to stop suddenly and without warning. An emergency room attendant may hand you a clean bill of health because you haven’t sustained any broken bones, and you may be given a prescription for medication to relax the muscle spasms that you are surely experiencing due to the structural changes in your neck or lower back that you received from the impact. But, your problem could go from bad to much, much worse unless you’re treated for the injuries you’ve received. In fact, some individuals 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 San Jose Chiropractor absolutely knows what your body undergoes during an auto accident. Chiropractic therapies include treatment for soft tissue injuries and spinal bio-mechanics abnormalities. And
If you’ve been in a minor auto accident, although your car may not require much repair, no doubt, you do. Neck and back injuries are not only painful in the places in which they occur, but they can also cause pain, tingling, and numbness in your arms and hands and create headaches days, weeks, even months after an accident occurs.
Chiropractic care will provide you with 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. Furthermore, because your chiropractor has experience communicating effectively with insurance companies and lawyers, not only will you undergo less physical stress, but less emotional stress, as well!
