headaches
Chances are you, or someone close to you suffers from headaches. Research suggests that close to 1/3 of women, plus about half as many men, suffer from regular headaches. Even children experience headaches in today’s busy society, with 55% of children under 15 reporting minor headaches.
The most common type is the tension headache. It is estimated over two thirds of people have experienced tension headaches. Usually felt on both sides of the head, the tension headache is often described as a dull “tightness” around the forehead.
Affecting one in eight people, twice as many women as men, migraine headaches are well known for their severity. Occasionally including “aura” symptoms, such as tunnel vision or other symptoms that precede the headache, migraines are usually on one side of the head, but are occasionally bilateral. The pain is typically described as a pounding or throbbing in the temples.
Another common type of headache is called a cervicogenic headache. “Cervico” referring to the cervical spine, “genic” referring to the origin – it means a headache that originates in the neck. Mimicking a tension or sinus headaches, the pain typically refers into the temples, forehead or base of the skull. In addition, pain or dysfunction in the neck can trigger migraine or tension headaches.
Other headache classifications include cluster headaches - typically in men, with brief episodes of sharp pain behind one eye, sinus headaches - secondary to sinus infection and rebound headaches - related to overuse of pain medication.
95% of the time headaches do not pose a serious health risk, but they can be a warning sign of a serious underlying health problem. If you experience a sudden change in your headaches such as an increased intensity, frequency, neurological changes such as visual, smell, taste changes, etc., a “worst ever” headache or if you get a headache following a head trauma you should consult your Medical Doctor or Chiropractor.
Anyone suffering with chronic headaches is well aware of the different medication options available, but often not aware of the alternatives. Because headaches are often a result of muscle tension in the neck many people find massage therapy very helpful in both relieving headache pain but also in reducing the frequency/intensity of future headaches.
Spinal manipulation is another popular alternative, one that is increasingly supported by research. In one study of cervicogenic headaches participants reported an almost 70% reduction in headache periods following treatment. In another study manipulation was considered as effective in relieving migraine headaches as a commonly prescribed medication.
Effective headache management requires a multi-pronged approach. Lifestyle changes to reduce stress, improved eating habits, increased exercise and avoiding trigger factors can be very effective. Consult your Medical Coctor about appropriate medications and consider Chiropractic treatment to address problems in the joints and muscles of the neck.
Bedford Chiropractic, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, offers full-service consultations, diagnosis and treatment plans for a variety of workplace, repetitive strain and other injuries. We treat pain to the head, neck, jaw, arm, shoulders, upper body, chest, lower back, legs and feet. Contact us today at 902-835-6865. We serve patients in the Halifax Regional Municipality, including Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville and surrounding areas.
whiplash
WhiplashWhiplash is an injury of the neck and upper back, often associated with car accidents. The forceful “whip” action from a sudden stop or change of direction is magnified by the weight of the head balanced at the end of the neck, forcing the neck past its normal range of motion.- Symptoms can include neck and upper back pain, arm pain/numbness, headaches, jaw pain and shoulder problems
- Injuries have a huge range of severity – often including a combination of different injuries
- Typically associated with motor vehicle accidents, but also can result from a fall, sports injury or other activity
- Early treatment can help reduce the risk of developing chronic problems
Treatment must always start with an appropriate diagnosis.
Treatment should focus on the underlying cause of the pain, both the tissue causing the pain as well as factors triggering the problem. A combination of treatments, such as, massage, soft tissue treatments (Graston), manipulation/mobilization and/or home stretching exercises can be effective ways to reduce the tissue irritation.
HeadachesWe can identify aggravating factors and help you manage any issues through a program of self-care and prevention.For a clinical assessment of your whiplash pain, the triggers and best treatment options, please contact Bedford Chiropractic for an appointment.
See also:
shoulder solutions
Shoulder complaints are not just for atheletes. Shoulder pain is so common that on average, 3 out of 10 people will have had shoulder pain in the last month. Why is shoulder pain so common? To put it simply, we ask a lot from the shoulder joint.
The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, with motion and rotation in all directions. At the same time the shoulder needs to manage a lot of strength with muscles powerful enought to lift your whole body. The shoulder's great mobility comes with a cost, a reduction in stability. Rather than the classic stable “ball and socket” joint, the shoulder is more like a “ball and saucer”, dependant on specialized muscles to keep it in place. Shoulder problems arise when the complex interaction of the stabilizing rotator cuff muscles gets disrupted from excess strain, over use, or too much overhead activity. Initially injuries can lead to swelling and pain around the shoulder, reducing mobility. Over time, repeated injuries frequently result in progressive tears of the tendons.
So how do you avoid shoulder problems? Obviously the best solution is to avoid the injuries in the first place. Limit overhead activities, being especially careful with weight, exercices like the military press (pushing a bar overhead) put the shoulder in a difficult position.
If it's too late to avoid the problem, stretching tight muscles can help resolve shoulder injuries. Remember, for any stretch move only until you feel a gentle stretching sensation then hold that position for 10 seconds and repeat the stretch 3 times. Stretching too aggressively can lead to more injuries so be careful. The shoulder moves in several different directions so it's important to stretch all areas.
Strengthening the stabilizing rotator cuff muscles is essential to recovering from any shoulder injury. An easy home exercise is isometric resistance, which is as simple as pushing or pulling against resistance without any movement. Try the following exercise, keeping the resistance very light and focusing on maintaining good posture and positioning. Tuck your elbow tight to your hip with the elbow bent. Reach your opposite hand across and gently try to push (or pull) your wrist and hand to the right or left, resisting the movement with the affected shoulder. You can gradually add different angles to strengthen the whole muscle.
If you are not responding to exercises or stretching, treatment can help clear up some of the underlying irritation. Graston augmented soft tissue mobilization is one effective option to help clear away poorly formed scar tissue or chronic irritation. The specialized stainless steel instruments help to break down adhesions and scar tissue, restoring normal motion to the sholder joint.
If you have any questions regarding this article, associated reference material or any other problems please feel free to contact Dr. Bodnar at the Bedford Chiropractic Clinic.
Bedford Chiropractic, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, offers full-service consultations, diagnosis and treatment plans for a variety of workplace, repetitive and other injuries. We treat pain to the head, neck, jaw, arm, shoulders, upper body, chest, lower back, legs and feet. Contact us today 902 835-6865. We serve patients in the Halifax Regional Municipality, including Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville and surrounding areas.
pregnancy & lower back pain
By Doctor Mark G. Bodnar B.Sc., D.C.
It is estimated as many as 80% of women experience lower back pain during pregnancy. This causes a considerable problem. Due to risks to the unborn fetus, pregnant women do not have the option of using many medications that may help alleviate the pain. All too often the expectant mothers assume they have to endure the pain, restricting their activity level or resting in bed for extended periods.
This is unsuitable for a few reasons:
1. There is no need to "live with it" if the problem has a simple and safe solution.
2. Staying in bed has been proven to be counterproductive to resolving back pain. Bed rest results in decreased muscle strength that may lead in an increase in future episodes of back pain. Also, recovering from the birth process is easier when you are in better physical shape, therefore you should be active and exercising during pregnancy, not lying in bed.
Pain arises during pregnancy from different areas of your back. Altered posture due to increased weight and a forward shift of your center of gravity puts more stress on your lower back and increases the likelihood of low back pain. Often due to weight gain, pain or other factors pregnant woman cannot get as much exercise or activity as they should, further aggravating lower back pain.
Another factor is the hormone Relaxin that is produced during pregnancy. The purpose of relaxin is to help relax the pelvic ligaments and ease the passage of the baby through the birth canal. Unfortunately, this relaxation of the ligaments can actually aggravate back problems throughout pregnancy by making joints too mobile and increasing the risk of injury.
Combined, the additional weight, stress and the changes your body is experiencing with pregnancy can cause injury to different structures within your back and pelvis. Pain can originate from muscles, joints, supporting ligaments and nerves throughout the lower back and pelvis. Injuries to each one of these areas will give distinct pain patterns and require a specific treatment to resolve the causative factors.
You can take certain steps to minimize the risk of lower back pain during pregnancy or to help ease an existing lower back pain. Keep your whole body limber and active by maintaining a regular exercise program, this may include swimming, water aerobics, low impact aerobics or walking. Research has shown that it is not only safe to continue exercising throughout pregnancy, but that exercise is actually beneficial, increasing birth weights and accelerating post-partum recovery.
Ask your Chiropractor or medical doctor about exercises specific to your condition, as there may be specific exercises to help resolve your individual problems. You may even consider buying a home exercise video specifically designed for pregnancy. If you are currently suffering from lower back pain related to pregnancy or you want to prevent such a problem before it starts, you should consult your local Chiropractor. Treatment is directed at maintaining normal joint mobility in the pelvis and the lower back (plus any other affected areas) through gentle adjustments.
Bedford Chiropractic, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, offers full-service consultations, diagnosis and treatment plans for a variety of workplace, repetitive and other injuries. We treat pain to the head, neck, jaw, arm, shoulders, upper body, chest, lower back, legs and feet. Contact us todayat 902 835-6865. We serve patients in the Halifax Regional Municipality, including Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville and surrounding areas.