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Chiropractor Woodbury MN | Stretches That Help Neck Pain Neck pain is, well, a pain in the neck. There are few other minor inconveniences that generate quite so much irritation. Not unlike our backs, we tend to take our necks for granted. The ability to turn our heads is something we rarely think about, until we can’t do it comfortably. Keeping neck muscles stretched and flexible goes a long way to preventing chronic neck pain. Stretching out Those Tight Muscles – Your neck most likely hurts because the muscles supporting your head have gotten too tight. By stretching certain muscles you should not only succeed in reducing your neck pain, you should see in improvement in your range of motion. SCM – The sternocleidomastoid muscle runs, in two branches, from the center of your collarbone to a bone right behind your ear. It helps turn your head and lets you nod. To stretch it, turn your head to one side as far as you can comfortably. Grasp your head with your hands, gently, with one hand on the front facing forehead and one behind the neck to support the head. Gently, using no more than about 20% of your strength, try to turn the head back to forward, pushing against the hand on the forehead. Hold it for about 5 seconds and slowly release the tension. Don’t force your stretch until you feel pain, as there is no advantage to pain. Repeat three to five times per side. Upper Traps and Levator Scap – These muscles make up that triangle you see over your shoulder. To stretch them, lay your head to one side, as if you want to touch your shoulder with your ear. Grasp your head with the arm that corresponds to the side your head is facing. In other word, if your right ear is resting on your right shoulder, use your right hand. As your hand provides resistance, try to straighten the head, gently, with about 20% of your force. Again, hold for 5 seconds before releasing gently and repeat 3 times on each side. All those Extensor Muscles in the Neck – From the little subocciptials to the bigger splenii, these muscles help pull your head back and assist in turning. When you get that tight, painful feeling at the base of your skull, these are the muscles that are firing off pain signals. Bend your neck as far forward as is comfortable. Using both hands, as if you are planning to do a sit up in a standing position, gently grasp the head in both hands. Just as before, gently resist the pull of the hands, as if you want to straighten your head. Use 20% of your force and release slowly after about 5 seconds. Repeat three times. Those three stretches in combination will hit just about all the neck muscles that are easily accessible. As long as your neck pain comes from simple muscle stiffness, you should feel some degree of relief from your neck pain. Realize that most people with tight necks will need to do this set of stretches daily, sometimes even several times a day, at least at first. www.HealthSourceOfWoodbury.com

Chronic back pain can be a debilitating condition. Movements such as standing or sitting can become painful and difficult. For those who suffer regular back pain finding a solution can be a long process. Low back pain can be the result of any number of conditions. Common sources of pain include strains, sprains, postural peculiarities, spinal stenosis, bulging or herniated disks, fractures and more. For most patients, determining the actual cause is essential for successful treatment. Muscular Causes – Often, chronic back pain starts out with a single incident. A sprain resulting from a weekend of gardening or helping a friend move becomes a recurring problem. The muscles, never having had a chance to heal properly, become weakened as patients develop compensating techniques that create structural and postural imbalances. Even mild strains and sprains should be addressed properly. Icing and resting the affected muscles allow them to heal optimally. Beginning a stretching program, with a trainer whenever possible, and strengthening the core muscles of the trunk will help prevent additional injuries to the area. If you suspect a muscle tear rather than a strain or sprain, consult your physician immediately. The more severe the tear the more likely it is that you will need a longer recovery and a course of physical therapy to heal completely. Postural Causes – We are a nation of slouchers. When our mother’s told us to sit or stand up straight, they knew what they were talking about. The spine is designed to support the upper body in a particular, optimal position. Slouching, either in a chair or while walking, places a great deal of strain upon the muscles that surround the spine, eventually leading to back pain. When you slouch in a chair and let your buttocks move forward your neck must also move forward to compensate. This creates two areas of strain, the low back and the neck. The average head weighs about 9 pounds. If you think that is a small weight, then I suggest you pick up a 10 pound bag of potatoes and hold it at arms length; that is approximately what you do when you force your neck to support your head in a “head forward” position. Sit up straight, well back in your chair. Your buttocks should make contact with the back of the chair and your feet should rest upon the floor. Your knees should make a 90° angle between your thighs and shins. Your head should be upright and in line with your spine. When you stand and walk your goal is to do so with your head held straight and your shoulders back. Tuck your bottom under your body and line up the spine as if you have a string pulling you upwards from your tailbone through the center of your head. Structural Sources of Back Pain – Things like disk disorders, spinal stenosis and arthritis can also cause back pain. Each one of these conditions requires a proper medical evaluation and a unique treatment plan. Surgery is rare, but a comprehensive approach is best and often includes exercise, medication and follow up care. Consult your physician if you suspect that a structural problem is at the root of your back pain. healthsourceofwoodbury.com

No rational chiropractor will tell you that they can cause weight loss through chiropractic manipulations.  Still you do hear stories of questionable chiropractors who claim to be able to cure just about anything with the proper spinal manipulations. 

While there is no doubt spinal health is a critical component of a person’s general health, there is no evidence that structural manipulations will help you drop those unwanted pounds.

How Your Chiropractor Can Help
Clearly, any chiropractor worth their salt is going to want to see you in a state of optimal health.  To that end, your D.C. will want to help you lose weight if that is your goal.  Weight loss principles are fairly simple and consistent from individual to individual, but your chiropractor can be a valuable ally on your journey. 

Your chiropractor should be more than willing to help you decide on a diet plan you can live with.  They should be able to provide nutritional information, either personally or through a referral.  They can order blood tests to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients you need, to monitor your health and to help you maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and blood sugars as you proceed with your plan.

The Basics of Weight Loss
Study after study now shows that the specific diet you chose is not as important and cutting calories and increasing exercise.  The advantage of seeing a chiropractor as you begin a new exercise regime is clear, improved mobility, flexibility, and comfort.  Cutting calories is difficult at first, but with support and encouragement, you will be able to stay with it for the long haul.

Doctors and scientists agree that the healthiest diet, over the long term, is one that is rich in fruits and vegetables, provides you with enough protein and calcium to generate strong bones and muscles, and minimizes the consumption of saturated fats and sugars.  As fads come and go, the basics remain the same, eat healthy food, don’t eat too much of it, and get your rear-end off the couch and outside for at least 30 minutes a day.

The difficulty really lies in making permanent changes to your lifestyle.  It is much easier to drive through a fast food restaurant then to plan lunch for a week at work.  It is much simpler to plop down on the couch with the excuse of needing to see the news than it is to head out the door for a walk, especially in poor weather.  If you view weight loss as a process, you are much more likely to be successful.

Those who search for quick fixes to their weight issues rarely stick with any plan. Those who view weight loss as a new lifestyle to which they commit themselves, do better.  Studies show that all diets work as long as the calorie intake is lower than that put out daily. 

That isn’t a license to eat whatever junk food you like, just in smaller quantities.  Healthier choices keep you feeling full longer, improving your chances of making it to your next meal without snacking.

Getting the Encouragement You Need
Support is one of the most important pieces in successful weight loss.  Getting your chiropractor on board increases your chances of success and helps keep your body comfortable and flexible, as you embark on this new phase of your life.

In today’s society, women have more pressure to maintain proper diet, nutrition, weight loss, exercise and overall wellness. Fortunately women do not have to do this alone. Chiropractors have unique knowledge and training in overall health and wellness and can offer expert advice on maintaining your health. They are capable of helping pregnant women, overweight moms, stressed out women or anyone else strengthen their bones, nerves, joints and muscles.

Many women turn to chiropractors for help because of the unique female weight loss needs. Chiropractors have the time and ability to develop the doctor patient relationship to support weight loss. They are able to combine modern technology, spinal adjustments, physical exercise, nutrition and lifestyle changes in their treatment.

Unique Challenges of Women:

Women’s bodies provide specific health challenges that effect weight loss. Their bodies are designed to bare children and menstruate. This provides unique challenges as added stress and chemicals (relaxin) are released that contribute to the weakening of muscles. Add pain from periods (dysmenorrhea), premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and pelvic pain, and you have a recipe for inactivity and weight gain. These problems can disrupt a normally healthy life of many women.

Along with the menstrual cycle and pregnancy come more frequent headaches. The headaches often become severe enough that women will seek medical attention for relief.

Then as women age, they are more likely than men to develop osteoporosis which further weakens muscles and bones. When this happens, the spine loses its normal range of motion and the nerves in the spinal cavity causing sensitive nerve and blood vessels. All this can make weight loss more difficult. As a result, many women will turn to over the counter medications to hide the symptoms and to speed up weight loss. This only causes more problems as it does not get to the root of the underlying issue.

In addition to osteoporosis, women have a 200 percent greater chance than men to suffer from osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease causing further pain and more restrictive movements.

Chiropractors go through rigorous training in anatomy, pathology, chemistry and biology. While medical students are only required to take around 2750 hours, chiropractors have to take 2900 hours. This gives chiropractors the unique ability to help women through the struggles of weight loss naturally and safely.

Since the nervous system, located in the spine, coordinates all the functions of a healthy body, it is imperative that it remain in proper alignment to maintain overall health. Any pressure or disruption in communication and the body starts to deteriorate resulting in a loss of normal function. Chiropractors are trained to restore the natural alignment thus restoring normal function and communication to the nervous system. This is all done safely and naturally.

HealthSource chiropractors go a step further and offer Progressive Rehabilitation. Progressive Rehabilitation combines both physical therapy and modern chiropractic treatment to restore health. The chiropractor and you will come up with a unique plan designed specifically for your needs and lifestyle. Together the Progressive Rehabilitation team will coordinate efforts to maximize your health while giving solid advice on how to reach your specific goals.

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