How Premier Health Chiropractic
Relaxed My Stress & Healed Discomfort

Stress Related Illness

Stress related illness is at an all time high and increasing every year. Are you suffering from any of the myriad symptoms commonly associated with stress?

1. Sleeplessness
2. Weight gain
3. Mood changes
4. Hair loss
5. Worry
6. Agitation

The most common sources of stress are said to be:

1. Predisposition
2. Family
3. Occupation
4. Situational

Stress can bring about physical disorders as your body changes to cope with stress. Some symptoms have short term effects, such as upset stomach, while others are longer term, such as stomach ulcers. Prolonged exposure to stress may deteriorate into diseases of the:

• Heart
• Kidneys
• Blood vessels
• Others parts of the body

Regardless how you acquire stress, it can destroy your quality of life. Reversing the effects of stress and removing it from your life are likely to improve your overall health and well being.

Carpal Tunnel

Which came first, stress or carpal tunnel syndrome? While stressed we tend to assume a tense posture, slumped forward, tight jaw and hunched shoulders. Such tense and awkward postures repeated often can result in carpal tunnel symptoms. Of course, carpal tunnel pain is quite stressful in and of itself. One of the best ways to heal carpal tunnel syndrome is to learn to relax and to learn to hold your body in a well balanced posture.

Will it surprise you to know that your lower neck plays a vital role with the pained nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome? Manipulations of the neck, spine, shoulder, elbow and wrist can release pressure on that nerve. Additionally, ultrasound, massage and muscle stimulation techniques also promote relaxation. Once the chronic pain is reduced, a regular exercise program will further promote healing and improve strength and range of motion.

Headache

In our everyday race to wherever we're going, the headache is more common than the common cold. Putting up with the occasional headache, or numbing it with over the counter pain killers will not correct underlying problems. Most headaches are not indicative of serious illness, but they can be extremely uncomfortable and account for a significant loss of work time. Even one headache every week is not a normal and healthy condition.

There are three main kinds of headaches:

1. Migraines
2. Tension headaches
3. Trauma-related headaches

These differ in their symptoms and root causes.

Migraine Headache

Migraine symptoms include:

1. Sharp, pounding pain
2. Located on one side of the head or the other
3. Visual disturbances
4. Dizziness
5. Nausea
6. Vomiting
7. Sensitivity to light and sound

Common triggers associated with migraine include:

1. Stress or anxiety
2. Hormonal changes
3. Certain medications
4. Food allergies
5. Disturbed sleep patterns
6. Bright or flickering lights

Migraine headache pain severity varies with a change in the blood flow to the brain caused by the arteries in the head constricting and swelling.

Tension Headache

Tension headache symptoms commonly include:

1. A dull pain in the forehead or temple
2. A wide band of pain across or around the head

The common triggers associated with tension headaches include:

1. Stress
2. Fatigue
3. Eye strain
4. Over medication
5. Digestive orders
6. Poor posture
7. Spinal misalignment

Most tension headaches sufferers have: Poor upper back and neck posture Reduced mobility of the neck joints Chronic tightness of the neck and upper shoulder muscles

Trauma Headache

Trauma headache symptoms include:

1. Sensation of tightness
2. Throbbing
3. Constriction in the neck, head, or shoulders
4. A broad area of pain

Sufferers often describe it as a tight band of pressure over their entire head.

Trauma headaches are associated with some sort of injury, usually to the:

1. Head
2. Face
3. Neck
4. Spine

Car accidents are the most common cause of trauma headaches and often develop months or even years after the accident.

Relieving the source of stress and promoting relaxation of the affected areas are necessary first steps. Healing injured areas and maintaining adjustment and balance of the neck and spine may take time and repeated treatment. Finally, changes to lifestyle, carriage and posture may prevent recurrence.

Dizziness

Dizziness is another common complaint heard by doctors and emergency rooms. There are a variety of descriptions people use, including:

• The room is spinning uncontrollably around them
• They feel like they are going to black out
• They feel "wobbly" when walking

Your neck is involved in a lot of important duties, including keeping you upright and in balance. Balance involves coordination of eye movements, inner ear sensations and your brain communicating with your neck, spine and legs. Dizziness occurs when one or more of those processes is off balance. Since most of these processes involve the brain, normalizing joint functions in the neck aim to restore normal mobility and improve neck posture. The more balanced your head sits atop your neck, the better balanced your whole body can be.

Numbness

Numbness, especially in your extremities, can be distressing because we depend so much on our hands and feet. When they don't work as we expect, we limit our pace of life or curtail activities altogether. Obvious symptoms are loss of or significantly diminished sensation in affected bodily areas.

Causes of numbness are many and various, including:

1. Arthritis
2. Injuries (e.g., broken bone, strained joint)
3. Poor posture
4. Heart, nerve and spinal problems
5. Diseases (e.g., cancer, MS, diabetes)
6. Carpal tunnel syndrome

Numbness caused other than by disease can be treated by correcting the underlying condition. Again, instead of medication, relaxing the affected areas allows correction of any misalignment and promotes healing. Proper posture, exercise and nutrition allow the body to heal and prevent recurrence.

Back Spasms

Back spasms can be terribly uncomfortable and are not easily ignored. Sometimes the back muscles tighten and knot up into a spasm that can last for hours and longer. Spasms can force vertebrae out of place which is likely to result in considerable pain. Whether you're a golfer, office worker or sometime ballroom dancer, you may be susceptible to back spasms without adequate stretching and exercise.

Relaxing the spasm and the area around it is necessary to reverse it. Massage therapy can be effective in releasing the surrounding tissues, then reducing the knot and the pain will subside. If this is due to over exertion or simple strain, rest before moving on to strengthening exercises may correct the problem. It's important to examine the affected areas for problems caused by the back spasm itself. The forces involved in tightening those muscles may also have dislocated bones or nerves that may, in turn, lead to subsequent problems.

Premier Health Chiropractic Exists To Solve Your Health Problems

Premier Health Chiropractic is founded on the principle that body balance is essential to your overall health. Call us today to see how you can benefit from our practice.