Doroski

At some point we will get snow!

in Chiropractor  by December 31, 2020 0 comments

I know it is going to be 62 on January 3 but the snow is coming.  So, start preparing now with salt and a good shovel.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor will show you how to shovel.

Typically, the arms, shoulders and back get sore and may occasionally feel pain. The cold air invigorates most people into action; however, the same cold air can numb the sensations of pain and fatigue. Unfortunately, pain is a sign that an injury has already occurred or that mechanically you are doing something incorrect in shoveling the snow. In short, there is a right way and a wrong way to shovel snow, and paying attention to your technique can make a big difference in how you feel the next day. As with any project, the prep work is the most important. The following are some quick tips on how to shovel snow smarter:

Spray your shovel with Teflon so the snow won’t stick to it. The more snow that stays on the shovel, the heavier it gets and the more chance for injury – and frustration.

Do a warm-up first. A tight, stiff body is asking for injury. A few minutes of stretching can save you a lot of pain later. When you are shoveling, don’t forget to breathe. Holding your breath makes you tight and stiff.

Layer your clothing. Layered clothing will keep your muscles warm and flexible. You can shed a layer if you get too hot. Make sure you wear gloves that cover your wrists; if your wrists get cold, your fingers, hands and arms will be cold, too.

Wear the right shoes. Choose shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of walking on hard, frozen ground.

Use the right size shovel. Your shovel should be about chest high on you, allowing you to keep your back straight when lifting. A shovel with a short staff forces you to bend more to lift the load; a too-tall shovel makes the weight heavier at the end. (Note: Save your money – don’t buy a fancy ergonomic shovel; studies have shown that in some models, the hook end is too deep. Twisting to unload a shovelful of snow with this tool may hurt your wrists.) Also keep one hand close to the base of the shovel to balance weight and lessen the strain on your back.

Timing is everything. Listen to weather forecasts so you can shovel in ideal conditions. If possible, wait until the afternoon to shovel. Many spinal disc injuries occur in the morning when there is increased fluid pressure in the disc because your body has been at rest all night.

Drink lots of water. Drinking water frequently throughout the day helps to keep muscles and body hydrated. Be careful with hot drinks like coffee or hot chocolate. Coffee contains caffeine, which has a dehydrating effect and adds even more stress to the body.

Use proper posture. When you do shovel, bend your knees and keep your back straight while lifting with your legs. Push the snow straight ahead; don’t try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Try to shovel forward to avoid sudden twists of the torso and reduce strain on the back. The American Chiropractic Association recommends using the “scissors stance,” in which you work with your right foot forward for a few minutes and then shift to the front foot.

Take your time. Working too hard, too fast is an easy way to strain muscles. Take frequent breaks. Shovel for about five minutes at a time and then rest for two minutes.

See your chiropractor. Gentle spinal manipulation will help keep your back flexible and minimize the chance for injury. If you do overdo it, your chiropractor can help you feel better and prevent more injury.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Ice your back… even in the winter

in Chiropractor  by December 18, 2020 0 comments

I know it is cold out and the last thing you are thinking about is putting ice on your back.  That being said I see more winter low back injuries due to slips and snow shoveling.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has the goods on why ice will help even though it isn’t what you want to do!

General comments

Icing may be used along with compression, elevation, bracing, and/or support when treating acute injuries.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can produce a similar effect to icing. However, they may delay healing with acute injuries (like sprains, strains, and fractures). If your doctor recommends medicine, make sure you are aware of the right dosage and when to take it, and if there are any side effects.

The use of ice and heat is just one part of a treatment program. Even if symptoms are relieved, there is usually a need for exercises to restore flexibility and joint motion, strength, general fitness, and sport-specific skills.

Use of ice

Effects of ice: Decreases circulation, metabolic activity, and inflammation and numbs the skin.

Benefits of ice: Decreases pain, swelling, inflammation, and muscle spasm/cramping. Best used after exercise or after pain-producing activity.

Risks of ice: Prolonged use can cause frostbite.

Methods for applying cold therapy: Ice packs, ice bath/ice whirlpool, ice massage. (See “Options for applying ice.”)

When not to use ice

Immediately before physical activity

If area of icing is numb

When the pain or swelling involves a nerve (such as the ulnar nerve or “funny bone”)

If the athlete has sympathetic dysfunction (an abnormality of nerves that control blood flow and sweat gland activity)

If the athlete has vascular disease (such as poor circulation due to blood loss, blood vessel injury, compartment syndrome, vasculitis, blood clots, or Raynaud disease)

If there is skin compromise (such as an open wound; a wound that has not healed; skin that is stretched, blistered, burned, or thin)

If the athlete has cold hypersensitivity, including cold-induced urticaria (hives from cold)

How long to use ice

Two to 3 times per day (minimum); up to once per hour.

Duration varies with technique; usually 20 to 30 minutes per session. (See “Options for applying ice.”)

Ice may continue to be useful in treatment as long as there is pain, swelling, inflammation, or spasm. There is no need to switch to heat after 48 hours or alternate between ice and heat.

3 options for applying ice

  1. Ice packs are best for icing larger areas of pain, swelling, or spasm (like a swollen knee, deep thigh bruise, muscle strain, shoulder tendonitis, or neck or back spasm).

Materials

Small cubes or crushed ice in plastic bag.

Bag of frozen vegetables (such as frozen peas).

Reusable commercial ice pack or circulating “cryocuff” (made specifically for therapeutic icing). Do not use blue ice packs directly on the skin; they are colder than frozen water and can cause frostbite

Method

Place on the affected area for at least 20 minutes per session. Hold in place with a towel, elastic wrap, or shrink-wrap.

 

  1. Ice bath/ice whirlpool is used to reduce swelling in peripheral joints (such as with ankle sprain, wrist sprain, or severe shin splints).

 

Materials

Bucket or tub with mixture of ice and water

Method

Immerse affected area for 20 to 30 minutes per session. Do not use an ice bath if there is an open wound, bleeding, or a skin infection.

 

  1. Ice massage is used to reduce superficial, well-localized inflammation (for example, tendonitis of the hand, wrist, or elbow; heel or elbow bursitis; ganglion cyst; apophysitis; or irritation of a growth plate).

 

Materials

Ice cube or frozen ice cup (made by freezing water in a paper or Styrofoam cup)

Method

Rub ice in a circular pattern over the affected region for 8 to 10 minutes per session.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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A real pain in the… JAW

in Chiropractor  by December 11, 2020 0 comments

TMJ or more correctly TMD is a very common problem and a cause of some patient’s headaches.  It is a small joint that causes some big pain.   Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has some information that explains the main cause of the pain.

Does it hurt when you chew, open wide to yawn or use your jaws? Do you have pain or soreness in front of the ear, in the jaw muscle, cheek, the teeth or the temples? Do you have pain or soreness in your teeth? Do your jaws make noises loud enough to bother you or others? Do you find it difficult to open your mouth wide? Does your jaw ever get stuck/locked as you open it?

If you answered “yes” to some of these questions, you may have a temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. TMD is a group of conditions, often painful, that affect the jaw joint.

Signs may include:

Radiating pain in the face, neck, or shoulders;

Limited movement or locking of the jaw;

Painful clicking or grating when opening or closing the mouth;

A significant change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together;

Headaches, earaches, dizziness, hearing problems and difficulty swallowing.

For most people, pain or discomfort in the jaw muscles or joints is temporary, often occurs in cycles, and resolves once you stop moving the area. Some people with TMD pain, however, can develop chronic symptoms. Your doctor of chiropractic can help you establish whether your pain is due to TMD and can provide conservative treatment if needed.

What Causes TMD?

Researchers agree that TMD falls into three categories:

Myofascial pain—discomfort or pain in the muscles of the jaw, neck, and shoulders;

A dislocated jaw or displaced disc;

Degenerative joint disease—rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis in the jaw joint.

Severe injury to the jaw is a leading cause of TMD. For example, anything from a hit in the jaw during a sporting activity to overuse syndromes, such as chewing gum excessively or chewing on one side of the mouth too frequently, may cause TMD.

Both physical and emotional stress can lead to TMD, as well. The once-common practice of sitting in a dentist’s chair for several hours with the mouth wide open may have contributed to TMD in the past. Now, most dentists are aware that this is harmful to the jaw. In addition to taking breaks while they do dental work, today’s dentists also screen patients for any weaknesses in the jaw structure that would make physical injury likely if they keep their mouths open very long. In that case, they may use medications during the procedure to minimize the injury potential, or they may send the patient to physical therapy immediately after treatment.  In less severe cases, they instruct patients in exercises they can do at home to loosen up the joint after the visit.

While emotional stress itself is not usually a cause of TMD, the way stress shows up in the body can be. When people are under psychological stress, they may clench their teeth, which can be a major factor in their TMD.

Some conditions once accepted as causes of TMD have been dismissed—moderate gum chewing, non-painful jaw clicking, orthodontic treatment (when it does not involve the prolonged opening of the mouth, as mentioned above), and upper and lower jaws that have never fit together well. Popular theory now holds that while these may be triggers, they are not causes.

Women experience TMD four times as often as men. Several factors may contribute to this higher ratio, posture and higher heels.

TMD Diagnosis and Treatment

To help diagnose or rule out TMD, your doctor of chiropractic (DC) may ask you to put three fingers in your mouth and bite down on them. You may also be asked to open and close your mouth and chew repeatedly while the doctor monitors the dimensions of the jaw joint and the balance of the muscles. If you have no problems while doing these things, then the problem is not likely to be TMD. Your DC can then look for signs of inflammation and abnormalities. Sometimes special imaging, an x-ray or an MRI may be needed to help confirm the diagnosis.

If you have TMD, your doctor may recommend chiropractic manipulation, massage, applying heat/ice and special exercises. In most cases, your doctor’s first goal is to relieve symptoms, particularly pain. If your doctor of chiropractic feels that you need special appliances or splints (with the exception of the “waterpack” and other guards against teeth grinding), he or she will refer you to a dentist or orthodontist for co-management.

In addition to treatment, your doctor of chiropractic can teach you how to:

Apply heat and ice to lessen the pain. Ice is recommended shortly after the injury or after your pain has started. In the later stages of healing, you need to switch to heat, especially if you are still experiencing discomfort.

Avoid harmful joint movements. For example, chomping into a hard apple is just as bad as crunching into hard candy (some hard candies are even called “jawbreakers”—for good reason). And giant sandwiches can cause the mouth to open too wide and have a destabilizing effect on the jaw.

Perform TMD-specific exercises. Depending on your condition, your DC may recommend stretching or strengthening exercises. Stretching helps to loosen tight muscles and strengthening helps to tighten muscles that have become loose. Special feedback sensors in the jaw can be retrained, as well, if needed.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Time to start exercising!

in Chiropractor  by December 4, 2020 0 comments

We are coming up in New Year Resolution time and for those of you looking to get an early start your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor has a few ideas that may help.  Starting a new exercise regime is about finding out what will work best for you and what you will stick with.  The hard thing is deciding what will work.  Lifting weight, Cardio or a combo…

Most people’s goals when they take on a new exercise program is weight loss.  For the most part it is a pretty well-known fact that you burn about 100 calories for every mile you run.  You read that right…  Run two miles than eat a few M&M’s and you broke even!  So now let’s look at other forms of exercise and see how they stack up.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has a few different ways you can exercise and maybe up that number.

Strength training, or resistance training, includes lifting free weights, using weight machines, working with resistance bands and performing body-weight exercises. Although this type of exercise doesn’t burn many calories, it keeps your muscles and bones strong and can increase your metabolism, which means you burn more calories throughout the day. A total-body strength-training workout at least twice a week is vital for maintaining overall health.

Calories Burned

Most strength-training workouts burn only a modest amount of calories compared to aerobic activities. Half an hour of moderate weightlifting burns 112 calories if you weigh 155 pounds and 133 calories if you’re 185 pounds, according to the Harvard Medical School. Vigorous weightlifting burns 223 calories for a 155-pound person and 266 calories for a 185-pound person. Half an hour of body-weight exercises like pushups and pullups burn 167 calories if you weigh 155 pounds and 200 calories if you weigh 185 pounds. Perform these at a more vigorous intensity and you can burn 298 calories at 155 pounds and 355 calories at 185 pounds.

Heavier Weights

Lifting weights just 5 to 10 percent heavier than the ones you currently use may help you burn 500 to 600 more calories per strength training session. Heavier weights with which you can perform only 6 to 8 repetitions are a better option than light weights with which you can perform 12 to 15 repetitions. Using heavier weights boosts your metabolism more post-workout than using light weights.

Compound Exercises

Compound exercises, which involve multiple joints, burn more calories than isolation exercises involving just one joint, such as biceps curls. Compound exercise options include pushups, pullups, barbell squats, lunges, bench presses, military presses and deadlifts. Ideally, aim to involve as many muscles as you can in each exercise. For example, you might perform a body-weight squat with a bicep curl.

Circuit Training

A circuit-training routine that combines strength training and cardiovascular exercise can increase your calorie-burning rate. This type of circuit training involves alternating between strength training and cardiovascular exercise with no rest between each exercise. You might do strengthening for one minute then cardio for one minute. Or complete a circuit of five or six strength-training exercises, do high-intensity cardio for one to five minutes, then repeat the strength-training circuit. Always start your workout with a cardiovascular warm-up of at least five minutes.

 

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Tis the season… for stress

in Chiropractor  by November 20, 2020 0 comments

This time of year, can be more stressful than other times.  Even with restrictions on getting together trying to make the holidays fun can be stressful even if the group is much smaller.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has some tips to help make the holidays less stressful.

 

Tips to Relieve Holiday Stress:

Go for a walk.

The rhythm of walking has a tranquilizing effect on your brain. Shoot for a brisk 20 minute walk each day.

Set a budget.

Overspending is one of the biggest causes of holiday stress. Remember, the best gift you can give anyone is your time and attention.

Get some sunshine.

There’s nothing like a little fresh air and the feel-good serotonin boost we get from the sun to give us a lift.

 

Stick with your daily routine.

Try to maintain your regular schedule as much as possible. Your body likes routine.

Get a good night’s sleep

It’s more important than ever to schedule enough time to get your zzz’s

Don’t over schedule

It’s okay to say “no” to events that aren’t important to you. Manage your time wisely and remember the time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.

Stay well.

Though we can’t always dodge those winter germs, remind yourself and your family to take your vitamins and wash your hands.

Eat healthy.

Leave the belly to Santa. Don’t go overboard on sugary cocktails and party treats. Eat a balanced diet with lots of whole grains and veggies and drink lots of water.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Let go of the idea of a perfect holiday and enjoy the one you’re having. In the end, it’s all about spending time with the people you love.

Close your eyes and breathe.

Promise yourself more time to savor the best parts of the season and plan to have a worry-free, hurry-free, smile-filled holiday.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Oh my aching… Elbow

in Chiropractor  by November 13, 2020 0 comments

How could I have tennis elbow, I don’t play tennis!  Welcome to the world of Computer Mouse elbow!  Tennis made it famous but that computer mouse in your hand is dominating the world of elbow pain.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor has some information for you about that and the ever-popular Gamers elbow.  It is all the same injury and so is the treatment.

Causes

The part of the muscle that attaches to a bone is called a tendon. Some of the muscles in your forearm attach to the bone on the outside of your elbow.

When you use these muscles over and over again, small tears develop in the tendon. Over time, this leads to irritation and pain where the tendon is attached to the bone.

This injury is common in people who play a lot of tennis or other racket sports, hence the name “tennis elbow.” Backhand is the most common stroke to cause symptoms.

But any activity that involves repetitive twisting of the wrist (like using a screwdriver) can lead to this condition. Painters, plumbers, construction workers, cooks, and butchers are all more likely to develop tennis elbow.

This condition may also be due to constant computer keyboard and mouse use.

People between 35 to 54 years old are commonly affected.

Sometimes, there is no known cause of tennis elbow.

 

Symptoms

Symptoms can include any of the following:

Elbow pain that gets worse over time

Pain that radiates from the outside of the elbow to the forearm and back of the hand when grasping or twisting

Weak grasp

 

Exams and Tests

Your health care provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms. The exam may show:

Pain or tenderness when the tendon is gently pressed near where it attaches to the upper arm bone, over the outside of the elbow

Pain near the elbow when the wrist is bent backward against resistance

An MRI may be done to confirm the diagnosis.

 

Treatment

The first step is to rest your arm for 2 or 3 weeks and avoid or modify the activity that causes your symptoms. You may also want to:

Put ice on the outside of your elbow 2 to 3 times a day.

Take NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin.

If your tennis elbow is due to sports activity, you may want to:

Ask your provider about any changes you can make to your technique.

Check the sports equipment you are using to see if any changes may help. If you play tennis, changing the grip size of the racket may help.

Think about how often you play, and whether you should cut back.

If your symptoms are related to working on a computer, ask your manager about changing your workstation or your chair, desk, and computer setup. For example, a wrist support or a roller mouse may help.

A chiropractor can show you exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles of your forearm.

You can buy a special brace (night splint) for tennis elbow at most drugstores. It wraps around the upper part of your forearm and takes some of the pressure off the muscles.

Your provider may also inject cortisone and a numbing medicine around the area where the tendon attaches to the bone. This may help decrease the swelling and pain.

If the pain continues after 6 months of rest and treatment, surgery may be recommended. Talk with your orthopedic surgeon about the risks and whether surgery might help.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Neck pain and stiffness

in Chiropractor  by November 6, 2020 0 comments

With cold weather creeping in and some of us, including your Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA Area, are reluctant to turn on the heat and lots of people are waking up with “Stiff Necks”.  This can usually be the cause of tight neck posture muscles from a cold bedroom.  Keeping your neck stretched and relaxed will help prevent neck stiffness… and keep it warm.

The muscle runs from the top medial part of your shoulder blade up in to your neck.  So the way to stretch it is to separate those two structures.  You can do the stretch standing or sitting.

  1. Lengthen the muscle by raising the elbow above the shoulder on the side to stretch.
  2. In this position, first rest the elbow against a door jamb. This rotates the outside of shoulder blade up and the inside of it down, which lengthens the levator scapula muscle.
  3. Second, turn the head away from the side that is stretching and bring the chin down, stretching the back of the neck .
  4. Third, place the fingers of the other hand on the top of the head and gently pull the head forward increasing the stretch slightly.

Hold this for about 30 seconds to a minute.

If this helps great you got some relief before going to your chiropractor.  If they didn’t call for an appointment because it won’t usually improve on its own.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Don’t forget the stability ball!

in Chiropractor  by October 30, 2020 0 comments

The stability ball is still a viable option to help keep your core strong and stable.  Even if you have standing desk the times you switch from standing to sitting should be offset with a stability ball.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor wants to show you the benefits of the stability ball.

1.) Burn Extra Calories

As a personal trainer, you may not spend a large portion of your day sitting. However, many of your clients may sit for eight or more hours a day. That’s where you come in. While you probably focus on form and stance during each session, part of being a successful personal trainer is integrating your knowledge and expertise beyond the gym. You must be willing to go the extra mile and offer advice that your clients can take home with them. If your client is interested in replacing the office chair with a stability ball, remind him or her of the added bonus: extra burned calories.

2.) Relieve Back Pain

While you will have to focus on maintaining good posture while sitting on the stability ball, you won’t be as hunched over as you could be sitting in an office chair. But the truth is, sitting on a stability ball isn’t going to bring miracles or completely alleviate any pain you are experiencing. However, with regular exercise and stretching on a stability ball, you may be able to relieve some of the pain you are experiencing. We’ll take a closer look at those options below.

3.) Tone Core Muscles

While we already discussed the negative impacts that sitting in a chair can have on your core strength, did we mention that switching to a stability ball can also help you to sculpt and tone those stubborn abs and obliques? With a stability ball, you are no longer relying on the back of the chair to keep you propped up. Instead you must engage your core, which of course leads to an increase in your core strength. Looking for an extra challenge during the workday?

4.) Induce the Inspiration to Stretch

Maybe it’s just us, but it’s rather difficult as a trainer to sit on a stability ball without taking a break or two during the day to stretch out and relieve some tension. As we stated earlier in the post, the stability ball can relieve some strain you may experience in your back. It can also provide added support when you want to get a deeper stretch that you may not have been able to perform otherwise.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Winter is coming!

in Chiropractor  by October 23, 2020 0 comments

You can’t tell by looking outside but winter is coming.  So that means doing nothing and sitting around and we just rebounded from quarantine.  We need to start thinking about winterizing our bodies and your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor has some tips.

Winter is inevitable, and the cold weather that it brings allows for a countless number of both flus and sicknesses. The winter months ensure shorter days, less fresh food and a reduction in the opportunities for outdoor recreation and fitness. Getting your body prepared for the winter months involves taking note of all of the things that winter takes away, and compensating for them accordingly.

It makes perfect sense to do your very best to mentally and physically prepare yourself for the cold months of the winter. The following three tips are designed to get your body in ripe condition to combat the cold, dark days of the winter:

TAKE YOUR VITAMINS

Packing away your summer clothes while looking at a dark grey sky can bring on a serious case of the winter blues.

The winter blues are a form of seasonal defective order, this is where some people may experience depressive symptoms due to the change in seasons. Residents of the Nordic countries experience extreme cold and darkness, but the rate of seasonal affective disorder in these countries is significantly lower in comparison with other countries.

Studies have shown that this is down to the vital vitamins they obtain through the large volume of fresh fish that they consume. The fatty tissue found in fish provides a massive reserve of essential vitamins, A and D. If you’re not prepared to eat copious amounts of fresh fish, it is a good idea to stock up on some fish oil capsules in order to keep the dreaded seasonal defective disorder at bay.

As well as this, you should also consider taking a Vitamin B Complex, as well as a multivitamin which will provide you with important vitamins and minerals that the body needs to feel strong and rejuvenated. If you are in doubt as to what are the best vitamins to take during the winter months you should consult your local chemist will be able to advise you.

STAY HYDRATED

Keeping yourself hydrated in winter is a key element in maintaining a healthy mind and body.

The hot summer days force us to drink plenty of water and fluids, but this is not the case in winter and a lot of people seem to forget that the winter weather can be just as severe and dehydrating on the body. It is important that you keep yourself hydrated at all times during winter, and be watchful as to the amount of water you drink.

GET OUTSIDE AND STAY ACTIVE.

For many, the winter months symbolize hibernation as it’s not always easy to get outside and stay active when there are snow and ice on the ground. However, it is vital that you do your very best to fight the urge to stay cooped up inside beside the fire. The best way of doing this is to find suitable winter activities that are equivalent to your favorite summer ones.

Winter is a difficult time of the year, and it does require a certain amount of preparation in order to maintain a healthy mind and body. The three steps mentioned above will leave you more than ready for what the winter months will throw at you.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

 

Oh my aching head!

in Chiropractor  by October 16, 2020 0 comments

As your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area I am seeing more and more patients with a chief complaint of headaches.  Of course looking at how things are right now that isn’t to surprising.  The good thing is I am able to help a lot of them because the headaches are coming from the top of their necks.

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?

The ACA suggests the following:

If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.

Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.

Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.

Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Dr. McClelland says your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:

Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.

Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.

Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

“Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways – not just back pain,” says Dr. McClelland. “They know how tension in the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can take steps to relieve those problems.”

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link