Leon Chiropractic

Best Sleeping Positions To Prevent Lower Back Pain – Alignment Tips & More

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 19:04:00 GMT

About 31 million Americans experience lower back pain at some point. The Global Burden of ‎Disease study described back pain as the leading cause of disability worldwide. And it’s the ‎second most common cause of disability in the U.S.‎

Mostly back pain is not caused by any severe medical condition such as cancer or arthritis. Instead, it ‎is often triggered by strain or stress from poor posture, uncomfortable sleeping positions, and ‎other lifestyle habits.‎

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

The leading cause of back pain at night is an improper sleeping position – either because of how you sit ‎at work or how you sleep at night. Between the vertebrae in the spine, intervertebral discs are present that ‎rehydrate at night. Poor sleeping posture can prevent disk rehydration.‎

The Best Sleeping Positions to Prevent Lower Back Pain

Here are the best sleeping positions to adopt if you are suffering from lower backache, along with ‎some other things you can do to get a better night’s sleep.‎

Lying on Your Side with a Pillow tucked between Your Knees

If you feel uncomfortable lying flat on your back, try switching to your side.

Let your shoulder and any side of your body (either right or left) contact the mattress.‎
Put a pillow between your knees. The pillow will help keep your spine, hips, and pelvis aligned.‎
If there is a gap between your waist and the mattress, consider placing a small pillow there for ‎more support.‎

Lying on Your Side in a Fetal Position

If you are suffering from a herniated disk, try sleeping on your side in a fetal position.

Lie on your back and then gently roll onto your side.‎
Bend your knees toward your chest and gently twist your torso toward your knees.‎
Remember to change sides occasionally to prevent any misalignment.‎

Lying on Your Stomach with a Pillow underneath

Sleeping on your stomach is typically harmful to the back because it might add strain to your neck. ‎However, if you lie on your stomach, you don’t have to force another position. Instead:‎

Place a pillow under the lower abdomen and pelvis to relieve pressure on your spine.‎
Depending on this position, you may choose to use a pillow under your head.‎

Lying on Your Back with a Pillow Under Your Knees

Sleeping on your back will be the best position for relieving back pain. Because when you sleep ‎on your back, your weight is evenly distributed over your body. As a result, it put less stress on ‎the pressure points. It also gives a better alignment to your spine and internal organs.‎

Lie flat on your back.‎
Place a pillow under your knees and keep your back straight.
You can also place a small rolled-up towel under your back for further support.‎

Other Sleep Hygiene Tips

Here are some other ideas for getting better rest at night and relieving your back pain:‎

Set yourself up on a sleep schedule.‎
Try to follow a nighttime routine such as taking a bath, doing gentle yoga, or reading books.‎
Use a pack of ice or cold gel for backache before you go to bed.‎
Save strenuous exercise for the morning or early afternoon.‎
Avoid caffeinated beverages like coffee and other stimulants before sleeping.‎

What if the above-mentioned measures aren’t enough?

Research shows there is a correlation between pain and sleep. So, try incorporating these simple ‎changes to your sleep routine to relieve back pain – less pain means a sound sleep!

However, suppose the pain is significantly affecting your daily life. In case, if you ‎experience numbness or tingling or have problems controlling your bladder or bowel, it is necessary to consult a chiropractor.‎

The post Best Sleeping Positions To Prevent Lower Back Pain – Alignment Tips & More appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

7 Ways to Relieve Back Pain Naturally

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 21:15:00 GMT

Various natural remedies can relieve back pain that can reduce medication intake or add benefit to your current medical treatment. Check out these natural pain relief strategies and determine which ones work best for you: Read on to learn more about effective pain relief approaches for chronic backache using natural methods.

1. Enjoy an Anti-Inflammatory Drink Every Day

If you regularly consume anti-inflammatory foods, your blood can build up a various anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, and even anti-cancer agents. Over time, these powerful active agents can play an important role in lowering or eliminating inflammatory reactions in your body. Consuming these healthy drinks regularly can help ease your back pain.

Ginger Green Tea: You can also try infused herbal beverages, such as green ginger tea, which have the pain-relieving special effects of ginger and green tea. You can easily enjoy a cup both at home and at work. Over a period, these anti-inflammatory agents may accumulate into the bloodstream. Adding these drinks to your everyday diet can help reduce overall infection and prevent new stirring pain.
Turmeric Milk: Turmeric, a type of Asian spice, contains anti-arthritic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties. An easy way to consume turmeric is to mix a small amount (1/2 teaspoon) of turmeric powder in a cup of warm milk. You can add stevia or honey to milk if you’d prefer a sweetened flavor. Preferably consume this drink just before going to bed so that the inflammatory process works while you sleep.
Tart Cherry Juice: Cherries are rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Cherry juice can help alleviate muscle aches that can be chronic or triggered by exercise. Cherry juice is readily available in supermarkets and usually contains sour cherry extract. Drink a glass of cherry juice daily and check to see if it positively impacts your back pain.

2. Avoid Prolonged Static Posture

It is important to give attention to the muscles and joints in your spine and thigh. Prevent fatigue and strain in these joints through following easy tips, such as:

Check your posture and adjust the alignment of your neck, shoulder, and back to prevent strain on your spine. A bad, unsupported posture could lead to various back problems that cause or worsen the pain.
Avoid excessive sitting or use a standing desk while you are working. When you sit for a long time, the pressure rises in the intervertebral discs. Aim to stand up every hour and take a stroll for a short distance to remove the discs’ load.
Rotate activities to avoid overburdening the same muscle and joint group. For example, if you have been standing and working for a while, consider switching to another activity where you can sit down. You can stand up again when you get a chance to relax your muscles and joints.

3. Sleep Faster and Sleep Longer

Having a good night’s sleep will make your back feel less pain during the day. A refreshing night of sleep can have therapeutic benefits, make you feel revitalized, refreshed, and reduce stress.

Try these natural sleep aids one by one to find out which one is best for you:

Melatonin: The natural sleep hormone melatonin can be considered as a supplement to enhance your sleep cycle.
Valerian: Supplements made with valerian root can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
L-theanine: L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves that can help some individuals feel relaxed and sleep better.
Vitamins C and B6: The natural steroids in your body regulate your metabolism and promote a good night’s sleep. Vitamin C and B6 supplements have been known to help the body produce and monitor natural steroid hormones.
Cherry juice or cherry extract: Cherries contain specific enzymes that help improve sleep.

4. Try Mindful Meditation

Meditation is a great way to improve focus, release happy hormones (endorphins), and reduce anxiety and stress. Through mindful meditation, you can control the way your body feels pain. Find a calm darkroom and meditate for 5-10 minutes in the morning. You can try meditating before bed or during work breaks. If you do not want to meditate, try simple breathing exercises – breathe slowly 10 times.

5. Gently Stretch Your Joints & Soft Tissues Through Yoga

Yoga is an effective way to stretch your back, improve joint and muscle health, improve the distribution of therapeutic nutrients through the bloodstream, and increase spinal flexibility. When you start, do stretching exercises slowly and only progress if you feel comfortable without pain. Gradually, you will be able to add more stretching exercises to your routine. The perfect time to do yoga is early in the morning – to help you relax your spine and reduce stiffness and back pain.

6. Support Your Body in A Warm Pool

The buoyancy of the water allows you to enjoy the benefits of exercise with less pain. Exercising in the water also helps regulate nerve and muscle function and relieves pain. If you prefer warmer pools, check out water exercises and hydrotherapy pools. Hydrotherapy exercises are often done in water between 83-88 degrees. The temperatures in the hydrotherapy pool are often above 90 degrees.

7. Keep A Self-Activating Heat Patch

Heat patches activated on contact with the body are a great tool for long trips or to keep in your office desk or table drawer. These heat patches turn on quickly, could be worn inside your clothes, and provide a constant supply of heat to relieve back pain. Follow the instructions on the package and avoid wearing the patch for long periods to prevent skin damage. Some heat pads are infused with medication for more efficient discomfort relief.

The Takeaway

Low back pain can be a persistent and intolerable condition. Small, daily actions may either help or worsen your situation. By taking measures to strengthen, stretch, and protect your back, you can ideally stop or slow the pain. However, lifestyle changes cannot always resolve severe cases of back pain. If your low back pain is hindering your ability to perform everyday activities, see your doctor.

The post 7 Ways to Relieve Back Pain Naturally appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Top tips for working from home during the “new normal”

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 12:19:00 GMT

With so many businesses being closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many employees are working remotely. Although working from home has its benefits, there are a few things to keep in mind, such as ensuring you maintain a good posture to prevent recurring stress injuries and technical stress on the neck – physical strain on the neck after looking down for more extended periods.

To ensure that your work environment is healthy, productive, and profitable, follow these tips that suggest best practices for working from home during this “new normal’.

1. ARRANGE A DEDICATED OFFICE SPACE

Well, this space does not have to be a “real” office, but it should be a space dedicated to you and your work. Get your space set with a desk, a computer, and all the accessories you need. A dedicated area also ensures privacy to you and to your clients or customers. Office space does not mean sitting or standing at a desk all day. Movement is best for your health. So consider walking or standing during calls!

2. EQUIP YOUR OFFICE EFFICIENTLY

Working well in your home office means investing in high-quality technology. Consider investing in comfortable and functional office furniture – an ergonomic chair, a large desk, and possibly bookshelves and cabinets. If you have back issues, consider a standing desk and high stools for added comfort. Remember, every purchase is an investment in your work from home, so spend on the items you need to work comfortably and efficiently.

3. DEVELOP A ROUTINE TO START THE WORK DAY

Studies have shown that the brain responds to routine positively that starts by waking up at the same time every day. Before starting your work; get dressed, do some yoga, have breakfast and make a cup of coffee. Yes, indeed, a routine consisting of everything you do to get started every day will help you be successful at work from home!

4. SET REGULAR WORKING HOURS

Some positions require you to be available at certain times, while others offer greater flexibility, allowing you to work at times that suit you (as working during hours your children are in school). Either way, you want to be on a schedule and stick to it. Doing so is essential to achieving work-life balance as both occur in the same place.

5. TAKE SCHEDULED BREAKS

At first, this may seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks can increase your concentration and productivity. Taking a break every 90 minutes is the most common and effective way to boost your productivity. As you work from home, your breaks can include stretching, exercise, meditation, or a healthy snack. It will relax your mind, helping you regain focus and magnify your creativity and productivity when you return to work.

6. CLARIFY THE WORKING RULES TO FAMILY & FRIENDS

If you are not alone at home during working hours, make the rules for working from home clear to your friends and family members. Even though you are at home, you are doing work! Also avoid working in a shared space as this will cause distractions that might delay your schedule. If you set clear boundaries in the beginning, you will get better performance.

The Takeaway

Working from home is unique and full of benefits and challenges. These tips will help you work successfully from home during this new normal. Remember, though, that you need to figure out what works best for you and do it!

And if working from home turned into pain – as in your neck, back, or shoulders, consider getting chiropractic treatments that promote pain relief and well-being.

The post Top tips for working from home during the “new normal” appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

How to deal with back pain

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 21:03:00 GMT

How to deal with back pain:

Back pain is a leading cause of worldwide disability that prevents people from doing their work or other routine activities. It is the most common reason people frequently visit a doctor or miss their job.

Providentially, there are measures you can take to relieve or prevent back-pain. If prevention doesn’t help, proper body mechanics and simple home remedies could often heal and keep your back functional within a few weeks. Surgery is not usually required to treat back pain.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BACKACHE?

Back pain can range from muscle pain to a burning, shooting, or stinging sensation. The pain can also spread to your lower leg or worsen as you bend, twist, lift, stand, or walk.

WHAT ARE THE PREVENTIONS?

You can avoid backache or prevent its recurrence by improving your physical condition and learning proper body mechanics. To keep your back strong and healthy, follow these tips:

Exercise: Regular, low-impact aerobic activity that doesn’t strain or bump your back can increase endurance and strength. It also makes your muscles work better. Swimming and walking are good options. Discuss with your doctor about activities you can try.
Build Muscle Strength & Flexibility: Abdominal and back muscle workouts can enhance your core strength and help regulate the muscles so that they work as a natural corset for your back.
Maintain A Healthy Weight: Being overweight can put a strain on your back muscles. If you are overweight, reducing your weight can help prevent back pain.

TREATMENT FOR BACK PAIN

Mindfulness and Meditation: Chronic back pain is both physically and emotionally stressful. To deal with depression, irritability, frustration, and other psychological aspects of coping with chronic pain, you can consult a rehabilitation psychiatrist. This specialist will recommend yoga, meditation, tai chi, different cognitive and relaxation strategies so that your mind is no longer focused on pain.
Eating Healthy Diet: Some highly inflammatory diets, significantly those rich in refined sugars, trans fats, and processed foods, can also contribute to the pain. Consult your doctor if your diet is contributing to chronic back pain and how you can change it. Maintaining a healthy weight can also relieve back pain by reducing pressure on the spine.
Lifestyle Modifications: If you have chronic pain, it is essential to accept your limits and adopt them. Listen to your body and learn to organize yourself. Take a break when mowing the lawn or take several outings while carrying groceries. Be aware of the activities that aggravate your backache and avoid them if possible. It not only helps your back to feel better, but it may also prevent the underlying condition from getting worse.
Think Ergonomically: Design your work area, so you do not have to lean over to see your computer screen or access your mouse. Use an office chair that supports your lower back and allows you to keep your feet flat on the floor.
Adjust Your Posture: Lying on your stomach makes it more difficult for the back to support your weight. When lifting heavy objects, pay special attention to your posture. Do not bend over from your waist while bend and straighten from your knees instead.

The Takeaway

People usually treat back pain with some patience and home remedies. However, a person should consult a doctor about chronic or severe back pain.

The doctor may recommend medication, physical therapy, or other treatments. People with pre-existing health conditions or regular medication should consult a doctor before trying any herbs or supplements.

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How to deal with Herniated Disc?

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 19:12:00 GMT

How to deal with Herniated Disc:

A herniated disc is a condition that can occur anywhere along the spine, but most often in the lower back. It is sometimes called a protruding, bulging, or ruptured disc. It is one of the most common causes of lower back pain and leg or sciatica pain.

Although a herniated disc can be extremely painful, most people feel much better with only a few weeks or months of non-surgical treatment.

What Causes A Disc Herniation?

A herniated disc can be caused by:

Disc wear and tear: As you get older, the discs dry up and become inflexible.
Spinal injury: This can cause small cracks or tears in the hard outer layer of the disc. If it happens, the thick gel inside the disc can be expelled by tears or cracks in the disc’s outer layer. This causes the disk to bulge or break.

How Is a Herniated Disk Treated?

Symptoms of a herniated disc usually improve within a few weeks or months. To help you recover:

Rest if you are in severe pain: Otherwise, stay active. Staying in bed for more than a day or two can weaken your muscles and make the problem worse. Walking and other light activities can help.
Do the exercises: As suggested by your doctor or physiotherapist. This will help keep your back muscles strong and prevent further injury.
Use a heating pad: Try using it in a low or medium setting every 2 or 3 hours for 15-20 minutes. Take a warm shower instead of a heating pad session. You can also try an ice pack for 10-15 minutes every 2-3 hours.
Ask your doctor about medications: To relieve pain and to treat your symptoms, try some medication. Medication will not cure a herniated disc, but it can help with pain and swelling.

A herniated disc usually heals on its own with time. Be patient and follow your treatment plan. If your symptoms do not improve within a few months, you can talk to your doctor about the surgery.

Can A Herniated Disc Be Prevented?

After a back injury, you are more likely to have back problems in the future. To keep your spine healthy:

Keep a good posture: When standing or walking, keep your shoulders back and down, your chin back, and your abdomen inward. This supports the lower back.
Protect your back when lifting: For example, lift with your legs, not with your back. Do not bend forward at the waist when lifting. Bend your knees and squat.
Exercise regularly: Gentle exercise and activities can help relieve the pain of a herniated disk. Exercise can also strengthen and improve the flexibility of the spine, neck, and back.
Do not smoke: Smoking increases the risk of a disc injury.
Maintain a healthy weight: This can reduce stress on the lower back.

The Takeaway

In many cases, patience and time (and perhaps medication) are sufficient to relieve the pain of a herniated disc. However, some symptoms require medical attention. If you experience symptoms of acute disc herniation, contact your physician or spine specialist immediately. A spine specialist will help you determine the root cause and severity of a herniated disc and devise a treatment plan that reduces pain and long-term complications.

The post How to deal with Herniated Disc? appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Back Pain During Pregnancy

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:10:00 GMT

Back pain is one of the biggest ailments, for many women during pregnancy! About half to three-quarters of all pregnant women suffer from lower back pain.

Although it is easy to recognize the cause of back pain in late pregnancy – blame the belly. What’s behind first trimester back pain? Here’s what to presume:

WHAT CAUSES BACK PAIN DURING PREGNANCY?

During the pregnancy, a hormone called relaxing is released, which causes the ligaments and joints in the pelvis to relax and loosen up, making it easier for the baby to pass through during delivery.

Coupled with the increasing weight of the uterus, balance will be disturbed, as the center of gravity shifts forward.

So, the spine curves more than usual to take the strain – by tensing the muscles and causing pain, stiffness, and soreness, as suspected.

TREATMENTS FOR PREGNANCY-RELATED BACK PAIN

Try the following remedies to relieve back pain during pregnancy:

Maintain your posture: Lounging around a chair all day puts more pressure on your spine than anything. At work and home, make sure that the chair you use most often provide good support. Use a footrest to lift your feet, without crossing your legs. This can cause your pelvis to tilt forward, which worsens the tension in the back muscles.
Pay attention to weight: Keep an eye on your weight gain during pregnancy. Extra weight and gaining weight too quickly can put a strain on your back.
Wear the correct shoes: Avoid wearing high heels – and also flat shoes. Experts recommend wearing low heels with good arch support to keep your body properly aligned. You can also consider orthopedics, which are special insoles designed to support muscles.
Take breaks: Stand or walk and stretch frequently, at least once an hour, if possible. Prolonged sitting will further hurt your back. Try not to stand too long either. When working on your feet, try to place one foot on a low chair to reduce the pressure on your lower back.
Get a firm mattress: If you don’t have, place a plank underneath throughout your pregnancy. A body-pillow (at least 5 feet long) can support you find stress-reducing sleeping positions.
Avoid lifting heavy objects: And, if necessary, carry on slowly. Stabilize yourself – squat with knees without bending and lifting with arms and legs instead of back. Even better, seek help!

SOLUTIONS TO PREGNANCY INSOMNIA

Think of something nice: A calm mind leads to relaxation of the back. You can also try some prenatal yoga exercises, which will relax the back and your mind.
Strengthens your abdomen: Do pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which in turn support your back. Or sitting on a practice ball and swinging back and forth.
Consider using abdominal straps or criss-cross support slings: These support bands are specially designed for pregnant women and can help carry the weight of your belly on your low back.
Get a massage: Go get one – after the first trimester and with a licensed massage therapist who knows you are pregnant and trained in the art of antenatal massage.
Try hot and cold therapy: Soothe the sore muscles by using cold compresses followed by warm compresses at 15-minute intervals.
Take a steam bath: If you have a pulsating shower head, turn it on for a free back massage.
Talk to your doctor: Ask your doctor about physiotherapists, or alternative specialists, such as chiropractors or acupuncturists who might help you. You should also contact your doctor if you experience severe back pain.

THE TAKEAWAY

Back pain is a normal, though uncomfortable part of pregnancy for most women. During the first trimester, back pain is usually related to increased hormones and stress. If you’ve experienced it before pregnancy or are overweight, you might be at greater risk of back pain during pregnancy.

You can reduce back pain by focusing on good posture, wearing supportive shoes, and avoiding prolonged standing. While you probably can’t completely cure back pain, no need to suffer. Use ice packs for relief and prenatal massage if possible. Chiropractic can also be effective in minimizing back pain at all stages of your pregnancy.

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Top 10 Worst Jobs for Back Pain

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 14:04:00 GMT

Heavy lifting, repetitive movements, and staying put all day may strain your back. Get the facts about spine-related pain at work and its preventions.

The backache, whether it is dull and bearable, or stabbing and sharp, can make it difficult to concentrate on work. Unfortunately, many professions (such as construction, nursing, and factory work) can be challenging for your back. Even daily office work may cause or worsen back pain.

Understand the causes of back pain at work and see what you can do to prevent it.

Common Causes of Back Pain at Work

Many factors can contribute to back pain during your work. Such as;

Force: Exerting too much force on your spine, such as moving or lifting heavy objects can lead to injuries.
Repetition: Repetitive movements, specifically those that involve spine twisting and rotation, may hurt the back.
Inactivity: Inactive profession or desk job can also result in lower back pain. Especially bad posture or prolonged sitting with inadequate back support are the reasons.

A recent informal survey found that the following ten professions exert the greatest strains and stress on the lower back muscles.

Nurses – have to carry the sick and older adults into or out of bed. The body of workers may become off-centered and twisted.

Delivery workers – are always working according to a fast schedule and often carry heavy and burdensome packages. Over the years, the weight of shipments sent via UPS, FedEx, etc., have increased in weight. This occupation also involves a lot of driving.

Rescue workers / Firefighters – teams handle fire and water pressure from pipes and other heavy equipment. They often get people to safety, which is especially problematic if the victim is incapacitated or obese.

Construction workers’ – jobs involve lifting, bending, and twisting, all in very difficult positions.

Farmers – lift heavy bags and equipment of grains and feed. When doing fieldwork, they usually have to turn back to watch the equipment being dragged behind the tractor.

Auto mechanics – work all day long in physically uncomfortable positions.

Shingle roofers – have to twist and rotate their bodies all day long.

Gardeners / Landscapers – lift heavyweight objects in inappropriate positions compared to other occupations.

Police officers – often sit in their cars for a long time, which is rough on the spine. When called to action, they make sudden movements and often encounter resistance from their arrests. The police also wear a belt, which weighed up to 40 pounds that result in chronic back pain.

Heavy tractor-trailer / Truck drivers – subject to constant vibration from trucks and compression of joints due to lack of movement, which can contribute to lower back pain and other spinal disorders. Prolonged sitting also exerts pressure on the spine and may lead to disc degeneration.

How to Prevent Back Pain?

Although you may not always be able to change your occupation or job responsibilities, there are some steps you can take to alleviate pain and improve your body mechanics. Follow the suggestions below:

Exercise regularly.
Maintain the correct posture.
Take periodic breaks to stretch your body.
Practice safe lifting techniques during work.
Perform alternative tasks that use diverse muscle groups.
Stretch your leg and back muscles to relieve fatigue and reduce lower back pain.
Make sure to raise your knees, bring objects close to your body, and don’t twist yourself while lifting objects.
Wear supportive and comfortable shoes to reduce leg, foot, and back pain.
Consider seeing a chiropractor and determine the best way to relieve pain.

Keep a Positive Attitude

People experiencing back complications often feel that they have to deal with their condition silently. If the current job is putting too much strain on your back, it is better to discuss your situation with Human Resources and request accommodation or to find a new livelihood.

The Takeaway:

The fact is that no occupation is exempt from back pain, but some professions are prone to neck and back pain. The key to protecting your back is to prevent being in any posture or position for too long. Keep stretching, keep moving, and seeing your chiropractor regularly.

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Natural Treatment Options For Tension Headaches

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 19:14:00 GMT

Let’s face it, life can be stressful from day to day with busy home, work, and social schedules, and stress certainly plays a role in making any headache worse. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache that people experience. It can range from mild to severe and is often described as feeling like a tight band surrounding the head. People regularly attribute headaches to stress, but there’s no official headache classification of “stress headaches.”

Most people who experience and suffer from tension headaches have episodic headaches. These occur one or two times per month on average. However, tension headaches can also be chronic.

Natural Treatment Options For Tension Headaches

Stay Hydrated. Dehydration can increase headache severity, so drink eight glasses of water each day.
Exercise. Physical activity releases brain chemicals (endorphins) that are natural painkillers. Exercise also leads to improved sleep.
Gentle Stretching Yoga and tai chi both blend relaxation, breathing, and stretching to reduce levels of stress.
Proper Sleep. Improve your sleep by minimizing daytime naps, avoiding caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime, being active, and avoiding electronic devices before bed.
Massage. Whether you prefer a light touch or deep-tissue work, massage helps relieve built-up muscle tension in the shoulders, neck, and scalp.
Mindfulness. Using your breath as a guide to keeping your thoughts in the present can help reduce overall stress and pain.
Chiropractic Care . Chiropractic adjustments are very effective for the treatment of tension headaches, especially headaches that are caused by muscle tension which then misaligns the spine. For some people, aligning the spine also leads to a lower level of stress. Routine chiropractic care can keep the spine aligned, keeping these headaches from coming back at all.

The Difference Between Tension Headaches And Migraines

Tension headache . Up to 78% of Americans will suffer from them at some point as they are the most common form of headache. Symptoms include pain on both sides of your head, tight pressure rather than throbbing, feeling like your head is in a vice or has a band around it, and possibly have soreness in temples, neck, and shoulders. The pain isn’t usually classified as severe.
Migraines . Migraine is also common but occurs far less frequently than a tension headache. The pain associated with a migraine headache is different from tension-type headache and can help determine which type of headache a person is experiencing. Symptoms include moderate to severe throbbing pain (often worse on one side of your head), the pain increases with physical activity, a sensitivity to sound, light or smell. You may experience an aura (flashing lights or wavy lines), nausea and have facial or arm tingling just before the migraine begins. Pain in temples, around eyes, jaw, or neck may also be experienced.

The Takeaway

Tension headaches are experienced by millions of people and while they may not be severe, your daily activities are often affected. If you suffer from tension-type headaches, try the natural treatments listed above.

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Tips For Better Sleep During Times Of Stress

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:43:00 GMT

Restful sleep is more important, now than ever, but getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult when you’re stressed out. The last several months have been very stressful times for everyone. Even worse, too little sleep at night can make you feel even more stressed, leading to an exhausting and continuous cycle of counting sheep. Here are some helpful tips to help you leave any stress behind before you go to bed.

Tips For Better Sleep During Times Of Stress:

Meditate. Meditation has proven effective for stress and sleep disorders. There is a variety of guided meditations routines geared specifically to those with problems sleeping. Take even a small amount of time out of your busy day to wind down at the end of it and be rewarded with the benefits.
Exercise . Walking, jogging, cycling, and bodyweight exercises are all great ways to release any physical or mental tension. When you exercise you will feel more tired towards the end of the day as you have exerted energy, resulting in better sleep. Exercise also can make you feel accomplished, giving you a sense of achievement before you go to bed. However, be cautious when exercising within a few hours of your bedtime as it elevates your body temperature and can interfere with the quality of your sleep.
Reduce blue light exposure before bed . Although electronics and the internet provide connection as well as entertainment during these uncertain times, it is not helpful when you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep. The blue light that’s emitted from the screens of our electronics can delay the release of melatonin, which helps to calm the body before bed. This delay can increase alertness, and ultimately reset your body’s internal clock to a later schedule, leading to sleep deprivation or poor rest. An hour before going to sleep, it is helpful to unplug your devices and replace them with a calming activity that does not interfere with your quality of sleep, such as reading a book.
Be aware of your news intake . The constant flow of COVID-19 updates and information is helpful, but consuming consistent news cycles regarding the pandemic can affect your sleep, and not in a positive way. Hearing about the virus 24/7 on a daily basis can increase your anxiety as it can be upsetting. Anxieties about the unknown we are facing can negatively impact our quality of sleep, especially if you consume news updates regarding it before bed. Limiting or reducing the number of times you check updates, as well as the length of time you spend checking them, can greatly improve your sleep at night.
Stick to a regular routine. Whether it’s adults starting to work from home, parents looking after their kids that are now confined to their house, or students doing online school work, everyone is adjusting to a new routine as a result of this pandemic. Although it can be hard to keep a regular routine as you are going through your days in a very different way, it is important to do so in order to get good sleep. For example, if you now work from home, make an effort to get up, and get ready at the same time you normally would. Sticking to a regular schedule, including your sleep schedule, helps to maintain the timing of your body’s internal clock which will help you fall asleep and wake up more smoothly.

The Takeaway

It is incredibly important to get enough sleep as well as good quality sleep especially in uncertain and anxiety-ridden times like this. Creating and sticking to a routine can help bring you a sense of normalcy that can be very comforting. Engaging in exercise often, turning off your devices an hour before bed, and limiting news intake can also prevent any sleeping struggles.

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Helpful Sleeping Positions To Alleviate Lower Back Pain

Thu, 28 May 2020 14:00:00 GMT

If you are one of the many that suffer from low back pain every morning, your sleeping posture could be to blame. Sleeping in poor positions can put unnecessary pressure on your spine, causing the natural curve to flatten as a result. To make matters worse, this can also cause back strain as well as uncomfortable pressure on your joints.

If back pain plagues your mornings, you should consider changing your sleeping position in order to better your quality of sleep and spine health. Here are some sleeping positions that may help alleviate any lower back pain.

Helpful Sleeping Positions To Alleviate Lower Back Pain

Sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs. Lying on the side is a widely popular and comfortable sleeping position. Despite this, sleeping on your side can pull the spine out of position resulting in straining of the lower back. Those who enjoy the comfortability of sleeping on their side should not fret as correcting this is easy. Those who sleep on their side can simply place a firm pillow between their knees. This raises whichever leg ends up being on top of the other, reinforcing the natural alignment of the hips, pelvis, and spine. Place a pillow in a position that supports both your head and neck and if there is a gap between your waist and the mattress is left, consider placing a small pillow there for extra support.
Sleep on your front with a pillow under your abdomen. Lying on the front of your body is commonly considered the worst sleeping position. This is partly true because sleeping on your front can add unnecessary stress to your neck. However, for those who find it difficult to fall and stay asleep in another position, you don’t have to! Additionally, sleeping on the front can benefit people with a herniated disc or a degenerative disc disease. Spinal alignment can be improved by placing a slender pillow underneath the stomach and the hips. You can choose to rest your head on a slim pillow or consider sleeping without one altogether.
Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. Lying on your back is commonly considered to be the best position to sleep in for a healthy back. By laying on your back, the weight of the full length of the body’s biggest surface is evenly distributed. This position also lessens pressure points, improving the alignment of the head, neck, and spine as a result. Placing a small pillow under the knees can give additional support all while helping to maintain the natural curve of your spine. Any other spaces between your body and mattress can be filled in with another pillow for extra support. For example, place a pillow beneath your lower back.
Sleep in the fetal position. Adopting the fetal position can bring relief throughout the night, especially for those who suffer from a herniated disc. This is due to the fact that lying on your side and tucking your knees towards your chest lessens the bending of the spine, opening up the joints as a result. Simply lay on your back and roll gently onto one side. Place a pillow in a position that supports your head and neck. Raise your knees towards your chest until your back is somewhat straight.

The Takeaway

Constant nagging lower back pain can make it tough to get a good night’s sleep. However, changing your sleeping position can better your quality of sleep and spine health. Try some of the four sleeping positions listed above and follow the simple steps to experience relief of lower back pain!

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4 Traveling Tips To Avoid Back Pain

Tue, 05 May 2020 21:46:00 GMT

As many of us know, back pain is something that millions suffer with in the U.S. alone. Traveling with back pain can make sitting in a car for travel truly unbearable for some. But don’t lose all hope, your back pain should not prevent you from seeing the world and enjoying the journey. The following tips will help you support your spine and reduce your pain when you travel.

4 Traveling Tips To Avoid Back Pain:

Take Breaks Often . Driving can be challenging, stressful, and tiring work. Take frequent breaks in order to avoid driver fatigue, minimize postural discomfort, and allow you to stand up and move around. Suggested breaks are at least a 15-minute break for every 2 hours of driving. If you’re prone to back pain triggers from car travel, you may want to take breaks more frequently, such as every 30 to 60 minutes.
Adjust Your Seat. Make sure that you are as comfortable as possible from the very beginning. Empty your back pockets so that you are not sitting out of alignment. Adjust your seat so that you are close enough to the steering wheel without hunching your shoulders forward to reach the wheel. Adjust the seat height until your hips are at least as high as your knees. Make sure you can still see the road and the instruments. Be sure you are not sitting so high so that you have to bend your head down or to the side in order to see. Try to keep your chin pulled in so that your head sits straight on top of your spine. For more support at the inward curve of your lower back, use a small pillow or roll up a scarf and place it between your lower back and the seat.
Do Daily Exercises Especially When Traveling . One of the most crucial things that people with low back pain can do is to stay as physically active as possible in daily life and exercise regularly. This is even more true when traveling, this is not the time to choose not to do your routine back exercises. When traveling, muscles become tight and stiff. It’s important to do the daily exercises your Chiropractor or Physical Therapist recommends even while traveling. Bring a tennis ball or foam roller along for the ride as well to work out those sore muscles while taking breaks on the road.
Try To Relax. While driving, our bodies can easily tense up in response to other drivers, pedestrians, and our current emotions. Try resting your head back on the headrest and relax, your neck and shoulders won’t be as tense and subjected to upper back and neck pain. While it may feel unusual at first, eventually, this will begin to feel good. Meditating for a few moments while you are taking your breaks and stretching can also relax and release tight muscles by sending breath into them and consciously relaxing as you exhale.

The Takeaway

Back pain while driving is a common complaint regardless of if you regularly suffer from back pain or not. Many travelers use poor posture when slouched behind the wheel or while in the passenger’s seat, leading to back pain flare-ups. Use the tips above to avoid having your next road trip turn into a pain in the back.

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Natural Ways To Boost Your Immune System

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:59:00 GMT

These days there are so many concerns about staying healthy and how best to fight off illnesses. Since the immune system is your first line of defense against microorganisms entering the body, boosting it to the optimal level seems like an obvious choice.
While a strong immune system may not make you invincible, it stands to reason that a stronger immune system will make you less likely to fall ill. Below are some natural tips to boost your immune system.

Natural Ways To Boost Your Immune System:

Chiropractic Care. Chiropractic care aids in the overall health and wellness of patients and Chiropractic adjustments also aide in our immune system. Since our immune system is directly connected to our spine, when it is not aligned, it may affect your entire system which includes your immune system.
Sleep. Getting enough good-quality sleep each night is absolutely necessary in order to stay healthy and function well throughout the day. Research has shown that quality sleep can bolster the T cells in your body that fight off infection.
Quality sleep achieves this by enhancing the ability of T cells to adhere to and destroy cells infected by viruses and other pathogens. While trying to fit too many things in your day may make it tempting to scrimp on sleep, in the long run, you
are only putting yourself at more health risks.
Nutrition. Choosing to eat a diet full of nutritious food is essential to a strong immune system, offering protection from seasonal illness such as the flu and other health problems. You can’t expect the body to be a warrior for your health without the proper fuel for energy. Fresh, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and seeds are a part of a great variety of immune boosters to maintain such a healthy immune system. Healthy spices such as garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger also aid in your immune system health.
Exercise. Simply put, regular exercise is good for all of the systems in the body, including your immune system. It can help flush out toxins, can increase circulation of White Blood Cells (WBC) that are part of your defense system and can raise body temp that can help fight infection. The best part is that it doesn’t take hours of effort to be effective. Choosing to take a walk, climb the stairs instead of taking an elevator or a bike ride is something you can easily do on a regular basis.
Hygiene. We have all heard it before, WASH YOUR HANDS! Simply keeping your hands clean is one of the best and easiest ways to ward off illness. Be sure to wash your hands for 20 seconds using warm water and soap before preparing food or eating, as well as after coughing, sneezing, using the bathroom, or touching public surfaces.
Reduce Stress. Chronic stress can have a negative impact on immunity and these days it is harder than ever to avoid stress. When we stay in a chronically stressed state, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is decreased, making us more susceptible to infections. Try simple things that you can do daily such as incorporating a relaxing practice like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing into your routine.
Sunshine. During the winter months, it seems like we crave sunshine. Our immune cells are favorably affected by vitamin D levels, and the best source of natural vitamin D is natural sunlight. In fact, vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased frequency of infection as well as an autoimmune disease.

The Takeaway

Unfortunately, even the healthiest of people can fall ill from time to time. By taking a few minutes daily to manage important aspects of your health routine, such as diet, stress management, good hygiene, and regular chiropractic adjustments, you can help support your immune system’s defenses against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

Our immune system is a vital part of us staying healthy, as well as our body being able to function to its potential. It may seem that everywhere you turn lately you hear of the health concerns just waiting at your door, but you are not powerless!

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9 Reasons That Massage Therapy Can Be Beneficial

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 20:31:00 GMT

Massage therapy is a treatment approach that is growing in demand and popularity. At one time, massage therapy was considered an alternative or fringe approach. However, it is now becoming much more accepted as a mainstream treatment option with many health benefits.

While a massage can be a luxury for many, it can also relieve many health ailments.

9 Reasons That Massage Therapy Can Be Beneficial:

Relieves Headaches. Massages on a routine basis help relax and reduce stress in the body. Massage reduces the chances of experiencing migraine attacks and tension headaches significantly by relaxing muscle spasms and trigger points. By concentrating on the neck, shoulders, and head, a massage can decrease the pain and discomfort brought on by a migraine or tension headaches.
Improves Flexibility. Massages can stimulate the production of the body’s natural lubricants to keep flexibility at a high. By working specifically on muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, and joints, massages can improve your flexibility and range of motion, keeping your joints more fluid and making them less injury-prone.
Improve Sleep. Massage can increase serotonin levels, which can naturally assist in experiencing a good night’s sleep.
Reduces Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue . Massage therapy has been shown to help decrease stress, eliminate depression and improve fatigue. Studies have found that the presence of depression is often triggered by active and chronic pain and that depression alone leads to muscle tension and pain which can be very painful to live with on a daily basis.
Chronic Pain Relief. Many people with chronic pain often turn to massage therapy to help improve their quality of life in a natural way. Massages can increase a person’s serotonin level, which causes the body to reduce pain naturally.
Lower stress The long-term effects of stress can certainly take emotional and physical tolls. Massage therapy may relieve stress and conditions associated with it, such as tension headaches. Routine massage sessions over a prolonged period of time can reduce pain, boost energy levels, and stimulate individuals on physical as well as emotional levels.
Improved Circulation. The long-term benefits of massage therapy are not to be underestimated. Loosening muscles and tendons allows increased blood flow throughout the body. Proper circulation brings damaged, stiff, and tense muscles the rich blood supply they need to promote healing.
Lowers Blood Pressure. Following a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking are all critical for healthy blood pressure. Massage therapy can enhance blood flow, lower blood pressure and improve overall body function.
Improves Posture . Let’s face it, sitting at a desk all day or standing on your feet, enduring hours of manual labor can cause tension in the neck and back, resulting in poor posture. Massage therapy helps muscles relax and loosen, allowing your body to position itself in a natural, pain-free posture.

The Takeaway

People are becoming increasingly aware of the power and reaping the medicinal benefits that massages have to offer. Unlike medications, massages have no long or short-term side-effects. Not only does it feel good, but it can also improve your health and quality of life.

The post 9 Reasons That Massage Therapy Can Be Beneficial appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Tips For Making 2020 Your Healthiest Year Yet!

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 20:45:00 GMT

It seems that the New Year is a time that offers us all a fresh new outlook and the perfect opportunity to start the year with optimism and hope to improve our lives.

Health and wellness is a journey that requires dedication and commitment but a healthy lifestyle is extremely important to control the risk of poor health conditions.

Tips For A Healthier You

Reduce Stress. The busy lifestyle followed by so many people these days can give you a lot of stress and, unfortunately, increased stress can take a toll on your health and increase the risk of serious health issues. Find ways that can help you fight stress naturally such as daily exercising or adding meditation to your daily routine.
Daily Exercise. Research has shown that daily exercise brings enormous benefits to your health including lowering the risk for several diseases, maintain a healthy weight, and adding to your life span. Try to choose exercises you enjoy, but change up the routine to keep it interesting. The simple fact is, the more active you are, the better you will feel and healthier you will be.
Schedule Time To Relax. When planning your week, make it a priority to schedule in time for doing your favorite activities as well as spending time with friends and family. Adding quality time and activities with the people who care most about will help you recharge.
Try To Laugh More. The benefits of laughing more are plentiful and include lowering your blood pressure, easing stress, and strengthening your immune system. Sharing a laugh brings people together and gives you an instant boost to your happiness.
Sleep. For improved mental and physical health you need sleep. Proper sleep will ensure that you make your day more productive. Lack of sleep can also contribute to fatigue, weight gain, and stress. It is important that you make necessary adjustments in your routine to ensure better sleep as studies have shown that adequate sleep reduces stress hormones and will help with weight loss and overall health.
Eat Healthy And Fresh . Healthy eating habits are a way to feel your best, increase your energy levels, and stabilize moods. To set yourself for success, start out by making small changes to your diet such as adding new items while eliminating processed food one at a time. Bright colored fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants that give a boost to your health by removing free radicals that damage your cells. These nutrition-rich superfoods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being low in calories. Make a habit to eat a veggie or fruit at every meal. Pick up a fruit or veggie that you have never tried the next time you shop to add variety and keep eating interesting.
Hydrate. When the body is dehydrated, it doesn’t run efficiently. Drinking water has plenty of benefits including increasing energy, keep joints lubricated, flushing out toxins, improving skin complexion and boosting immunity. Not to mention improving sleep quality, cognition, and improving mood. If you don’t enjoy drinking plain water, consider infusing it or drinking a non-GMO, herbal tea.
Routine Chiropractic Care. With routine Chiropractic Care, there are a plethora of preventative health benefits, and is vital for keeping your body balanced, flexible and functioning at its best. Everyone, from growing children to active seniors, can benefit from regular Chiropractic Care.

The Takeaway

Simply put we all want to be healthier, less stressed, happier, more energetic, or in better shape, and the start of a new year is the perfect time to set goals for a healthier you. It is important to never give up and always continue to fight the good fight for your health. You are worth it!

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5 Reasons To See Your Chiropractor This Holiday Season

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 23:39:00 GMT

The holidays are quickly approaching and unfortunately, it can be a very stressful time for many people. While there is much to be grateful for, it is also easy to get sidetracked with the hustle and bustle that the holidays bring and forget to take care of your own health.

Putting others first on occasion can be beneficial, but when it is constant, the toll on your body can be vast. However, there are some easy ways to stay healthy during the holiday season.

5 Reasons To See Your Chiropractor This Holiday Season

Stress. Everyone knows the holidays can be stressful and has a different reason for feeling that way. Dealing with family members, mediating family issues, financial stress, planning holiday meals or travel expenses and frustrations all can be culprits. Perhaps it is the first holiday after losing a loved one. Unfortunately, your body deals with this stress by tensing up, headaches, neck pain, low back pain, jaw pain, stomach aches, etc. Chiropractic is powerful and is essential to dealing with the negative effects of stress on the body. A chiropractic adjustment can relieve you of discomfort and have you back to your holiday plans in no time!
Travel. The holidays are a very busy time to travel, providing the perfect circumstances for your body to feel the change in routine. Long hours traveling in a car, tension from weather conditions, long lines at the airports, sleeping in a different bed and carrying heavy bags are just some of the reasons your body may be hurting. Seeking chiropractic care before and after holiday travel will go a long way to assist you in feeling better this season.
Seasonal Sadness And Depression. With the hours of sunlight much shorter, it is common for vitamin D levels to decrease during this time of year. Coupled with the stress of the holidays, it is easy to see why so many people get depressed in the winter. Chiropractic Care has a positive impact on the nervous system. Chiropractic Care helps us stay in balance, keeps all of our systems functioning properly and free from pain, and can be enough of a boost for many to prevent depression.
Changes In Digestion. During the holiday season, we often tend to change our eating habits. We eat more, it’s not as fresh, we consume fewer fruits and vegetables, our meals contain more starches & sugars, and less fiber. This can affect our digestion in many ways, causing us to feel constipated, bloated, gassy, or have heartburn. Chiropractic has an impact on our digestion as it affects the nervous system, and this controls the nerves that go to our stomach and intestines. If this communication is disrupted it can cause our digestion can slow down. Chiropractic adjustments can get your bowels running smoothly again and help keep you regular throughout the winter.
Cold And Flu Season. Not only is the holiday season unusually busy, but it is also the season for the sniffles and chills. Being indoors for longer periods of time, having decreased vitamin D levels, enduring more stress than usual, and struggling with weaker immune systems can all impact our health. Getting Chiropractic adjustments regularly can balance the nervous system, boost the immune system, promote lymph drainage, and helps eliminate and excrete toxins that can make us unhealthy.

The Takeaway

Chiropractic Care is NOT just for pain, it helps to keep your body moving and functioning well, and most importantly it boosts your immune system naturally by making sure all the systems in your body are communicating and functioning properly. Enjoy this holiday season knowing you now have the simple tools to stay healthy!

The post 5 Reasons To See Your Chiropractor This Holiday Season appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

5 Common Symptoms Of Text Neck

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 20:08:00 GMT

There is a new buzz word for a modern ailment that you may have heard, its called “text Neck”. Text neck is the phrase used to describe the neck pain and symptoms that are triggered by looking down at your cell phone, tablet, or other devices too frequently and for too long.

While the act of looking downward is not new, the problem with texting is that it is another activity that people do for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, it’s especially concerning because young, developing children could possibly cause permanent damage to their cervical spines that could lead to lifelong neck pain.

5 Common Symptoms Of Text Neck

Headache. The muscles at the base of the neck could go into spasm, as well as pain that can also be referred from the neck up into the head. Excessive amounts of screen time, regardless of posture, may also increase the risk for eyestrain and headache.
Reduced mobility. The neck, upper back, and shoulders may all experience some tightness and thus reduced mobility.
Pain in upper back, neck, and shoulders . Pain can range from chronic soreness, a constant ache, to sharp severe pain in any of the involved areas.
Forward head posture and rounded shoulders. The muscles in the neck, chest, and upper back can become deconditioned and imbalanced due to having such a prolonged forward head posture.
Increased pain with flexion. It is possible that a cervical nerve may become pinched, resulting in pain and possibly neurological symptoms that can radiate down your arm and into your hand. This is known as cervical radiculopathy.

Chiropractic And Text Neck

Chiropractors are by far the most qualified doctors in the medical field to help to correct “text neck” and its symptoms. Ultimately, “text neck” pain is caused by misalignment of the vertebrae in the neck so it is only natural to see to a chiropractor, who has specialized training to evaluate and the spine and to correctly align it.
Take the steps to prevent “text neck” by being proactive in your health, wellness, and preventative care. Thankfully, Chiropractic care is one of the best means of wellness and preventative care. We are aware that texting in a forward head position can cause misalignments in the neck, sometimes sooner than later and at any age. Adjustments to your neck and back to properly align them on a routine basis will halt many problems before they even begin.
Chiropractic care not only can provide manual adjustments that target the areas affected by “text neck”, but can also provide in-depth lifestyle advice that will help prevent the condition from returning. These lifestyle changes include how to use technology while preventing your head from tilting forward, how to correct your overall posture, and how to keep your spine in a healthy, neutral position at all times.

The Takeaway

If you are one of the millions that spend prolonged periods of time using electronic devices, such as tablets, cell phones, and laptops, that cause you to constantly look down to view what’s on the screen, then you could be one of a growing number of people suffering from “text neck”.

While “text neck” may be a newer term to you, chiropractors have been aware and seeing it in their practice for a while. Chiropractic care for the neck and spine is holistic and positively impacts your overall health and well-being. Chiropractic care has been proven to treat painful conditions affecting the neck, spine or back, and restore optimal health and natural state of the body.

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7 Easy Tips For Staying Healthy This Cold And Flu Season

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 21:22:00 GMT

Many people happen to enjoy the colder seasons. Perhaps you enjoy outdoor sports, fall and winter fashion or even making hot soups and stews. Unfortunately, there is another side of colder weather that everyone wants to avoid if possible and that cold and flu season.

It would be nice to just wrap ourselves in a bubble and avoid all of the seasonal germs. Take these steps to protect yourself and increase the likelihood that you’ll escape the season’s illnesses.

7 Easy Tips For Staying Healthy This Cold And Flu Season

Stay Hydrated. By increasing the amount of pure, clean water you drink every day it will help keep the mucous membranes in your eyes and nose moist. While this doesn’t seem especially important, when the nose and eyes become too dry they are not able to catch and filter viruses as they enter the body.
Take Vitamin D . The days are shorter and darker in the winter and it can be hard to get enough sunlight for your body to create its own Vitamin D. Talk to your health care practitioner about checking your Vitamin D levels. If you are one of many that have low Vitamin D, take 5,000 IUs per day of a high-quality Vitamin D supplement and continue to monitor your levels. Try to get as much natural light as you can, this will help you maintain a positive attitude, which will also help boost your immune system.
Wash your hands. You don’t need to become obsessed with germs, however, washing your hands is one of the easiest ways to prevent colds and flu and keep from spreading them. The proper way to wash your hands is to rub them together for at least 30 seconds with hot water and plain soap. Take the time to get the backs of your hands and in between your fingers and under your nails and then dry your hands thoroughly.
Clean Your Electronics. Cell phones, computers, and other surfaces can harbor bacteria and viruses, such as rhinoviruses, for up to 48 hours! You can easily clean your phone with an antibacterial microfiber cloth and spray cleanser suited for your device. If possible don’t use other people’s devices if you can avoid it.
Stay Rested. When we fight the need to rest then we put our entire immune system under stress and when it is trying to keep us healthy we need it to be as strong as possible! When you feel tired, take the time to rest. It could be the difference between a healthy cold and flu season and one that’s is the opposite.
Eat An Immune Boosting Diet. Chose to eat foods that are rich in antioxidant nutrients as they have been shown to have antiviral properties and they are high in fiber. Fiber is important because it feeds our gut bacteria, and a healthy gut has a large impact on our immune system. Garlic, onions, ginger, and other spices are great for boosting the immune system and keep us healthy during cold and flu season. In the winter it can be tempting to load up on comfort foods, however, it’s important not to forget healthy eating habits altogether.
Routine Exercise. Sweat out toxins by going for a run or take a heated yoga class. Get your heart rate going and the blood pumping. Try to stay active with an exercise routine at home or group exercise classes. This will keep you moving and help you stay connected to others and is another great way to strengthen your immune system.

The Takeaway

When it comes to staying healthy during cold and flu season it is important to take a few extra moments to keep rested, eat a healthy diet and use common sense. When we’re healthy, we are able to live life to the fullest and truly flourish.

The post 7 Easy Tips For Staying Healthy This Cold And Flu Season appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Essential Oil Options For Muscle Soreness

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 19:36:00 GMT

The past several years there has been a dramatic rise in popularity for the health and fitness industries. If you’re a new participant in a regular fitness routine or were injured and are just getting back to your usual daily routine then you have probably suffered through more than a few days with painfully sore muscles.

Don’t fear, therapeutic essential oils can come to the rescue! Essential oils can help you reduce inflammation, ease spasms, and increase blood circulation needed for healing.

Essential Oil Options For Muscle Soreness

Lavender Oil. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in Lavender oil are quite effective for treating pains that arise from muscle stress and tension. Lavender oil can also ease swelling and improve blood circulation. It is excellent for relieving the muscle spasm caused by mental stress and anxiety.
Juniper oil. Juniper oil can help ease tension and eliminates muscle spasms. This can be a huge help after a, particularly hard workout.
Rosemary. This is another all-purpose therapeutic essential oil to keep handy in the household. Rosemary is known to have elevated analgesic properties and can work wonders for all sorts of aches, pains, and even arthritis.
Peppermint. It isn’t a shock that peppermint is included in toothpaste, gum, and mints as it is wonderfully refreshing! This menthol effect on aching muscles can also be beneficial for. It is recommended to add a few drops of peppermint essential oils to a bath or massage oil for muscle pain relief.
Ginger. As you were growing up do you remember your grandmother would make you ginger tea or give you ginger ale for an upset stomach? Ginger essential oils have a similar soothing effect on your aching muscles! It has a great warming effect on sore muscles, which helps with pain relief. It’s also very effective for relieving joint pain in those who suffer from arthritis.

4 Ways To Use Essential Oils

Massage . Not only can these oils penetrate deep below the skin to relieve pain, swelling, and tension, but massage can also help work out knots and quickly release tension. Be sure to dilute your essential oils in your favorite carrier oil before application. Essential oils are highly concentrated and must be diluted before they can be safely applied to the skin. Fractionated Coconut Oil, Olive Oil or Avocado Oil are just some of the carrier oil options that can be used.
Compresses. Compresses, both hot and cold, are known to relieve pain, inflammation, and swelling. You can boost these effects by adding your chosen essential oil to the fabric your using for the compress.
Add To Bath. A bath is always soothing, relaxing and can help ease sore muscles. Try adding some fragrant essential oils that may help to further relax achy muscles.
Roll-on. Roll-on bottles are a great way to carry diluted oils on the go and allow for mess-free application and used before or after a workout.

The Takeaway

The options are endless when it comes to the uses and combinations of these amazing oils. You can start with what we’ve outlined here, but feel free to experiment!

The post Essential Oil Options For Muscle Soreness appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

5 Positive Aspects Of Corrective Exercises

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 18:27:00 GMT

Regardless of if you are struggling with acute pain, chronic pain, or if you are hoping to maintain an active and pain-free lifestyle, exercise should be an important and regular part of your daily life. However, all exercise is not created equal.

There are times that our exercise routines can actually be harmful to us. One reason for this may be an imbalance in the way our muscles are firing or working, and to continue exercising with this imbalance will hinder you to move forward on the path to health. When your goal is to simply to move forward, this is where corrective exercise comes in.

What Are Corrective Exercises?

Corrective exercise is essentially an exercise technique that is different from other regular exercise programs. Typically developing corrective exercises begins with a detailed analysis of the physical arrangement of the body. This analysis will help to determine any imbalances or deficits that could be affecting an individual’s performance and quality of life.

After this analysis is concluded, a very specific corrective exercise and flexibility program are then developed to help correct the body’s structure and bring it back to its normal state. Corrective exercises are constructed to make positive changes in the way a body moves and by focusing on the underlying cause of the pain. After all, the best way to eliminate pain is by eliminating the root cause.

Positive Aspects Of Corrective Exercises

Flexible and convenient. Once you understand and learn the moves, you can perform them whenever and wherever it is convenient for you.
Help reduce pain. When executed on a regular basis and especially combined with proper chiropractic care and acupuncture, corrective exercises can provide relief for numerous types of pain, such as sciatica, joint, and neck pain. Although the results may not always be permanent, relief can be immediate and reproduced by doing them routinely.
Injury prevention. Corrective exercises not only improve the outcome of the injury but will also minimize the possibility of recurrence.
Increase your self-reliance Corrective exercises can ensure that you play an active role in your care and improve your ability to perform daily life activities.
Long-term benefit. Spinal manipulation and/or mobilization combined with exercise can provide a long-term benefit for pain relief and functional improvement.

Benefits Of Corrective Exercises

Facilitates increased blood flow and circulation. Better circulation will promote tissue healing, reduced swelling, and reduced pain.
Increased strength, flexibility, and endurance. Corrective exercises and stretches will also help develop and strengthen key muscles in the body as well as help with flexibility and endurance issues.
Correct or improve improper posture. Corrective exercises can be used to aid improved neuromuscular control and movement patterns.
Improved feeling of overall wellbeing . Exercise can even have a positive impact on the individuals, perceiving a positive sense of wellness and well-being.

The Takeaway

In Summary, Corrective Exercises can decrease pain, improve posture, decrease susceptibility to other injuries, reduce stress, and improve daily living. The main objective of corrective exercises is to restore balance in the body.

The post 5 Positive Aspects Of Corrective Exercises appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

4 Ways Sunshine Can Improve Sleep Quality

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 19:51:00 GMT

If you are one of the many that have trouble sleeping, the solution might be in a place you did not expect, the morning sun. Morning sunlight, how much and when you get it, actually has a significant impact on your sleep quality.

The first hour in the morning can make or break whether you sleep soundly at the end of the day. For a good night’s sleep, you should decrease your light exposure in the evening. However, in the morning you want to aim to do the opposite and ensure you get into a brightly lit environment.

4 Ways Sunshine Can Improve Sleep Quality

Soak Up The Warmth. Another great reason to up and into the sunshine in the morning is to soak up those warming infrared rays to help signal to the body that day has come. Equally as important as light cycles are for our sleep, temperature cycles are just as powerful. As your body prepares you to wake up, cortisol gets released, energizing your body and warming up your core body temperature. Your temperature usually reaches its highest point during the day before it begins to fall again in the evening, thus signaling to your brain that it’s time to start falling asleep.
Daylight Suppresses Melatonin. Melatonin is a good thing at night when we want to sleep, but when the alarm goes off in the morning, melatonin is not the thing we want coursing through our bodies. Even though we typically think of the sun as yellow, the light it emits is full-spectrum light. It incorporates those same bright blue wavelengths of light your technical devices have, but in a more powerful form. By exposing your eyes to this bright light in the morning, you signal to your brain that it’s time to suppress melatonin production. In response to this light exposure, your brain will increase cortisol production.
Kickstart Your Day. Cortisol and melatonin work in opposites, when one is high, the other is low. Cortisol and melatonin play a huge part in determining your circadian rhythms and the quality of sleep in general. Their roles are entirely different. Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland in the brain, melatonin helps control sleep-wake cycles. Cortisol is popularly known as a stress hormone and though too-high levels of cortisol can be dangerous, in healthy amounts cortisol is good for you as it is the activating hormone energizes your body and prepares you to meet the day.
Sunshine And Serotonin. If you were to expose your body, face, and eyes to sunlight your body will increase its production of Serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates everything from mood to sleep. Serotonin is also a precursor to Melatonin. Melatonin is needed for deep restorative sleep. By getting some sun in the morning, it will ramp up production of Serotonin. In turn, after 12 hours or so, this serotonin is then converted into melatonin which helps us sleep later that night.

The Takeaway

If you struggle to sleep well at night, try regularly exposing yourself to morning sunlight. You may find that your sleep and daytime function improve significantly, and that can have a big positive impact on your life.

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Avoiding Golf Injuries By Warming-Up And Cooling-Down

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 23:59:00 GMT

As all golfers know, there’s much more to the sport than just standing around and intermittently whacking a small ball with a club. It actually takes an incredible amount of power and athleticism to drive that ball clear across the lush green lawn toward the tiniest, barely-visible target. To meet the demands of the underestimated sport, you need to be strong, flexible, and well-balanced.

It’s not hard to fathom why 80% of golf players have back torment since it winds up being a great deal of one-directional redundancy when you include the swings you take during your round as well as all the practice swings.

Avoiding Golf Injuries By Warming-Up And Cooling-Down:

Warm-Up Tips

Walk briskly for a few minutes until your heart rate has raised.
Warm-up your neck and upper back by lowering your chin to your chest and gently rolling your head from side to side in slow half-circles.
Warm-up your shoulders. Hold a golf club horizontal to the ground, keeping your hands approximately shoulder-width apart. Slowly raise the club overhead, hold for a few moments and then lower. Hold the golf club in a similar way, but this time behind your back. Raise as high as you can, hold for a few moments, then lower.
Warm-up your torso with side bends. Slide your hand down your leg to support the weight of your torso.
Twist through the waist. Gently and slowly turn from one side to the other.
Go through the motions of swinging the club but don’t actually hit the ball. Begin with gentle half swings and gently work up to full swings over the course of a few minutes.

Cool Down Tips

Simply do all of the warm-up exercises in reverse.

Risk Factors For Golf Injuries

Total time spent playing. In general, the more often you play, the higher your risk of injury. Golfers who spend more than six hours per week in competitive play are at increased risk of overuse injuries, as are professional golfers.
Unsupervised children . Injuries to children under the age of 10 years are unfortunately the result of inadequate adult supervision. If you are with small children it is imperative to watch them closely.
Incorrect technique. Examples can include poor swing style or hitting the ground instead of the ball. Incorrect technique greatly increases the risk of injury. Golfers who perform with the correct technique are less likely to injure themselves.
Failure to warm up and cool down . Warming up and cooling down is extremely important to reduce the risk of muscle and joint injuries.
Previous injury. Golf can potentially aggravate existing injuries.

Extra Precautions For Your Back

Consider using a golf cart to transport your clubs, or if you carry clubs the consider using a supportive carry brace.
Have a routine strength and fitness program that includes weight training or aerobic activities, such as walking or jogging, to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance.
Strengthen abdominal muscles to support your lower back. A Canadian study found that golfers with strong side abdominal muscles also referred to as obliques, have a reduced incidence of back pain.
Consider taking lessons with a qualified coach to help improve your technique to prevent injury and improve performance.

The Takeaway

The golf swing is a solid, athletic movement and injury is possible without the necessary precautions. Take the time to properly warm-up and cool-down as muscle strains and sprains are more likely to occur if you fail to warm up properly before play.

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Ligaments And Tendons And How They Work

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 20:18:00 GMT

There are thousands of tendons and ligaments throughout the body. While both tendons and ligaments are both made of connective tissue and both can be torn or overstretched, but they differ in function.

Ligaments Vs. Tendons

Ligaments help in stabilizing joints and attaching bones with other bones. For instance, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) stabilizes the knee joint and attaches the shinbone to the thighbone.
Tendons are present at the end of every muscle and attach muscles to bones. These are present all over the body, from the feet to the head and neck. The largest tendon in the body is the Achilles tendon. It helps in attaching the heel bone to the calf muscle. The shoulder rotates forward and backward due to the help of the rotator cuff tendons.

How do ligaments and tendons work?

Ligaments can be considered as a rope which has a series of tough, intertwined cords used for binding bones. Ligaments also contain some elastic fibers which help the joint in movement. However, it doesn’t allow the joint to move beyond capacity. For Example, there are four ligaments in the knee joint, two ligaments run diagonally across the back and front of the kneecap and one ligament on each side of the knee. The knee is stabilized by these ligaments and it is restrained from moving too far in any direction.
Tendons can be considered as tough cords but they are a little more flexible than ligaments. When a muscle contracts, the attached tendon pulls the bone into movement. When you bend your elbow, your bicep is affected as well. When muscles spring into action, tendons absorb some of the impacts as well.

What injuries are common with ligaments?

When a ligament is torn or overstretched, it may result in a sprain. Many sprains can happen suddenly and simultaneously from a fall, blow, or an unfavorable movement.

Sprains usually happen in the wrist, ankle, or knee. For instance, a misstep can cause you to twist your ankle in an unfavorable way, this may lead to snap a ligament or cause your ankle to be wobbly or unstable. You may feel a tear or hear a pop when the injury takes place. A wrist often sprains when you use your hand to break a fall; this hyperextends the back. The hyperextension can overstretch the ligament.

Usually, the symptoms of a sprained ligament are swelling, severe pain, and bruising in the affected area. The joint may feel weak or loose and won’t be able to bear any weight. The nature of your symptoms will be different if your ligament is torn or overextended.

Sprains can be mild which includes a slight stretching of the ligament or they might be severe which includes a complete tear of the ligament and this might make the joint unstable.

What injuries are common in tendons?

When a tendon is torn or overstretches then it is called a strain. Strains usually take place in the foot, leg, or back. Strains often occur due to athletics or habitual movements. Athletes who overwork their bodies without resting for muscle repair are most vulnerable to strains. The usual symptoms of a sprain are swelling and pain. You may also experience weakness and muscle cramping.

The Takeaway

Tendons attach a muscle to a bone, while ligaments attach one bone to another, and both are essential to proper body mechanics. Recognizing ligament and tendon problems before they become major injuries is key to enjoying an active and pain-free life.

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4 Benefits Of Chiropractic Care For Athletes

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 23:03:00 GMT

The difference between winning and losing in competitive sports is often measured in microseconds. Athletes need every little bit of speed, flexibility, and strength they can muster.

That is why many athletes turn to chiropractic care when injuries happen. Often, they avoid more invasive options for relieving pain. Prescription drugs carry the risk of addiction and they can dull reaction times. On the other hand, surgery might leave an athlete on the bench for months or even years. However, a certified chiropractic sports physician is able to relieve pain without using surgery or drugs. All while keeping the body flexible, at optimal performance, and balanced.

What are some of the most common sports injuries?

The common injuries suffered in many sports can knock the spine out of alignment, causing stress on its pain-sensitive muscles, discs, ligaments, joints, and nerves. Research studies show that chiropractic care is more efficient at restoring normal function and reducing pain.

Chiropractors help with pain-relieving from a wide range of common sports injuries, from recurrent shoulder instability in hockey players to groin pain in soccer players, from elbow pain in tennis players to wrist pain in baseball players. Chiropractic care helps with,

Ankle and knee injuries.
Back and shoulder pain.
Headaches from head and neck injuries.

4 Benefits Of Chiropractic Care For Athletes

More effective training. Many athletes have stated that they can train more effectively after seeking chiropractic care. More than 75% of athletic trainers refer their players to a certified chiropractor. While all of them report that some of their clients seek chiropractic treatment on their own. Research shows that athletes can run more miles before running out of stamina.
Improved performance. A misaligned spine may interfere with other body systems and their functions might be hindered. This can lead to a decline in athletic performance. The spine can keep working smoothly by regular adjustments which can boost the overall performance of your body. Research studies indicate a 6.12% improvement in performance after receiving chiropractic treatment. Also, a 30% increase in eye-hand coordination was observed 12 weeks of chiropractic care.
Fewer injuries. Unnecessary stress is exerted on the body due to alignment issues and that can often result in injury. A certified chiropractic sports physician keeps the musculoskeletal system humming along smoothly so the body is less prone to injury. For instance, chiropractors help golfers in correcting postural imbalances in their swing which can help in preventing possible injuries.
Reduced recovery times. Chiropractic treatment helps minimize the healing time required from injuries by relieving the irritation between misaligned vertebrae. Research studies show that chiropractic care helps athletes recover much quicker. Sports chiropractors use several techniques for promoting rapid recovery, these include,

Stainless steel tools used to break down scar tissue.
Massage and stretching, combined with range-of-motion movement.
Electrical muscle stimulation to release tension near the surface.
Functional dry needling to release deep muscle tension.

The Takeaway

Athletes at all levels achieve optimal performance by seeking help from chiropractors. That is why professional trainers of top sports teams recommend and coaches of high school player strongly recommend them to see a chiropractor regularly.

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Nutrition And Chiropractic Care

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 22:54:00 GMT

You may be surprised by how much the next donut you may eat will affect those pesky aches and pains. Nutrition and chiropractic care are very closely linked. We should think of nutrition as a necessary component of chiropractic care. We usually seek chiropractic care when we need relief from physical problems in our body but most of these are caused by poor nutrition.

For instance, if your diet contains empty calories, high in sugar, or you regularly find yourself eating processed food, then you may be on the road to inflammation which will result in intense joint pain. You can use chiropractic care for relieving pain from inflammation but the sensible thing to do would be to eliminate the root cause of the problem which is lack of proper nutrition.

Using nutrition for improving the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment

Improper nutrition affects the muscle density of our body and our ability to repair muscles. It also impacts the various functions of the nervous system. Simply put, improving your diet will increase the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment. Following are some ways for doing this;

Increase your fiber intake. When trying to prevent inflammation, a smart place to start is to ensure that your diet contains enough fiber. Pistachios, broccoli, oatmeal, avocado, apples, and sweet potatoes are a great way to get your fill. Nutritionists recommend that a suitable amount of fiber is 20-35 grams per day. It will reduce cholesterol and help in controlling blood sugar levels. It will also reduce the chances of inflammation.
Eat more vegetables and fruits. Raw vegetables and fruits are filled with nutrients which have a variety of benefits for your body. These are high in fiber and contain a high density of minerals and vitamins which are needed by our body. You must include fresh vegetables like kale, cabbage, and spinach in your diet. Fresh fruits such as berries contain high amounts of antioxidants. These help your body in getting rid of free radicals and other such toxins.
Avoid refined and processed foods. You must avoid artificial sweeteners and refined sugars. For instance, high-fructose corn syrup is not only bad for your teeth, but it also contributes to inflammation throughout your body. You should add apples, berries, or apricots to your meals if you are looking to sweeten them up. Processed foods especially those which are high in trans-fat contribute to inflammations. You should avoid products which contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list. Examples of these include cookies and margarine.

The Takeaway

How many times have you heard the phrase that you are what you eat? Nutrition is a significant element when it comes to your overall health. No matter what other medical treatments you might be receiving, what you eat has a major impact on their long-term success. This is particularly true for those receiving chiropractic care. When a healthy nutritional status is combined with a properly functioning nervous system, together it will provide you with optimal health.

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Emotions and Shoulder Tension

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 19:09:00 GMT

There is more tension in the trapezius muscle group than anywhere else in the body. Trapezius muscles start at the neck and extend to the mid-back. The tension in them often leads to tight shoulders. Shoulder tension is often associated with stress but that is only a small piece of the puzzle.

The Physical Causes of Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain and tension is a growing concern and most people have this complaint. Physicians suggest that most of the shoulder tension is due to our lifestyle choices like scrolling through our smartphones, sitting at a desk, driving, and even the postures we adopt during sleeping. If we sit too often and on top of that if we have a bad posture, our shoulders will suffer. The spine slumps over and the head juts forward. We begin thinking that the tension is normal since we do it so often. But in fact, it is not normal and can be very harmful.

The Emotional and Energetic Side of Shoulder Tension

The connection between body and mind is real and for those of you who ignore it, will face serious consequences in terms of stress. If you have a stiff neck and a chronic shoulder pain then it is highly likely that you there is more to you being stressful than just a bad day at work.

Carrying the weight of the world. This saying is very relevant to the scenario of shoulder pain. Shoulder pain tends to increase as we get older because our responsibilities tend to increase as we age. Whether it’s a critical point in your career, becoming a parent, or filling a mortgage, we have too much going on. Just the stress of keeping up with others and financial hardship can lead to severe shoulder pain. If you don’t take care of your self this can take a big toll on your health and you may even damage your decision making.
Shifting roles. Research indicates that ladies often feel increased physical tension in the shoulders, neck, and low back because of their shifting roles in society. Most women carry the responsibilities of being a financial provider and being a mother. Their increasing role at work while taking care of their children means that they won’t manage to find enough time to take care of themselves. If you are going through something similar then you should take a moment to relax and work on your mental peace.
An inability to let go. Sometimes we tend to hold on to things which are very toxic and don’t matter. But for some reason, we can’t let them go. For instance, having an incident at the office, someone making fun of you, or a person using foul language while overtaking your car during the rush hour. We should let these things go as they don’t matter but if we keep thinking about them over and over again, we will be only damaging ourselves and hurting our body. This is one of the leading causes of shoulder pain. So, learn to let go if you want to live a happier and healthier life.

The Takeaway

Your stiff neck and tight shoulders might be telling you something on an emotional, energetic and physical level. It might be time to make some changes for those of you with chronic pain in their shoulders.

We look forward to working with you so that you can live a life of complete health and vitality . Contact us today!

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6 Facts About A Strong Core

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 21:29:00 GMT

An important part of remaining active and to enjoy a well-rounded fitness program is core exercises. Apart from the occasional pushups and sit-ups, core exercises are often neglected. Many people think the core consists only of the abdominals, but the core also includes your pelvic muscles, mid and lower back muscles, and even your hip muscles. All of these muscles work together to support your spine and skull. Here are a few of the proven benefits of having a strong center.

6 Facts About A Strong Core

Core exercises improve your balance and stability. Core exercises help you in training muscles in your lower back, pelvis, abdomen, and hips to work in harmony. This allows you to have better stability and balance. This will help you whether you are a professional athlete or performing daily activities. Most competitive sports require stable core muscles.
Combats the effects of sitting or office work : Sitting static at a computer may seem easy, but it can put a serious strain on your body. Developing a solid core can help take the stress off of your lower back and other body parts.
Posture : When you have a developed a stronger core, sitting and standing up straight is a much easier task. Good posture not only makes you look more presentable, but it also takes the pressure off of your lower back. By improving posture you decrease your risk of disc herniation and vertebrae degeneration. Another great benefit of better posture is improved breathing. The same balance that helps you stand up straight also opens your airway, thus making inhalations and exhalations easier.
Core exercises can help tone your abs. If you want well defined abdominal muscles then core exercise is important. Core exercises can strengthen and tone the underlying muscles although it requires an aerobic activity for burning abdominal fat.
Strong core muscles make it easier to do most physical activities. Strong core muscles make it much easier to do other activities such as swinging a golf club, bending down for tying your shoes or getting a glass from the top of a shelf. If you are a professional athlete such as a marathon runner then you need to have strong core muscles. This will allow you to experience less fatigue, more endurance, and will reduce the chances of any injury. Weak core muscles make you have lower back pain, muscles, injuries, and poor posture. Having strong core muscles will allow you to relieve back pain.
Core exercises can help you reach your fitness goals. Muscular fitness and aerobic exercises are the main elements of most fitness programs. However, you need to consider including more core exercise if you want to have an excellent and well-rounded fitness program.

The Takeaway

Working out your core is different from strength-training programs that isolate a single muscle group. Instead, they challenge as many muscles as possible in integrated, coordinated movements. Core moves should engage your entire body, from head to toe.

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Exercise Your Way To A Healthier Brain

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 19:32:00 GMT

You may have heard before how the brain is “like a muscle” and just like any of our other muscles, we need to exercise it regularly. Use it or lose it, but how does one do that? We can’t exactly flex our brain like we flex our muscles. The truth is that exercising the body’s muscles can help your brain in so many different ways. Let’s discuss the ways that physical activity can impact our brain health.

5 Ways Exercise Can Improve Our Brain Health

Memory Improvement. Simply put, your brain remembers more when your body is active . The same endorphins that are released and make you feel better also help you concentrate and feel mentally sharper. Exercise also can stimulate the growth of new brain cells and helps prevent age-related decline.
Improves Mood. Exercise releases endorphins, these are known as nature’s feel-good mood elevator. Exercise also releases serotonin, which improves mood and alleviates symptoms of depression. There is research that shows that routine exercise can be as effective as antidepressants. Exercise promotes many changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that encourage feelings of calm and well-being.
Reduce Stress. When the body is under stress, our muscles may be tense, this is true especially in your face, neck, and shoulders, and often can leave you with back or neck pain, and even headaches. Exercising is a useful way to break this cycle. By releasing endorphins in the brain, exercise will help to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body. The body and mind are closely linked so when your body feels better so will your mind.
Improves Sleep. Even just quick bursts of exercise in the morning or afternoon can help regulate your sleep patterns. If you routinely exercise in the evening, relaxing exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching can help promote sleep.
Sharpens Concentration . Exercise can also improve your ability to concentrate because of the new neural connections that are made as a result of physical activity. The more you use these connections, the stronger the connections actually get. The great thing is that achieving this cognitive improvement does not have to be a difficult task. Simply doing exercises that target coordination skills, you can improve your concentration. For example, playing catch with your kids or a game of tennis can improve coordination.

The Takeaway

When many of us think of the health perks of exercise, we often think of how it affects our body. Being active can do more than changing the way your body looks, it can strongly affect your mind as well.

There a plethora of surprising ways that exercise can affect your brain, and once you understand how important physical activity is for your brain and mental health, you will likely never looking at going to the gym the same way again. With that said, its time to get moving and keep our brain as healthy as possible.

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5 Ways To Help Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 19:59:00 GMT

How many times have you told yourself that this time will be different? If that sounds remotely familiar then this could be the day you discover the motivational secret you need for success.

The truth is, getting motivated is somewhat easy. It is staying motivated that even under the best circumstances is difficult. When we set new goals things usually begin strong. You resist the urge to buy foods that are unhealthy, you begin to be more active and your mindset is positive. Then life happens and in a series of events you end up procrastinating day after day.

5 Ways To Help Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

Meal Preparation . Meal prep is planning, preparing, and packaging your meals as well as snacks in advance. Many get in the habit of preparing for the upcoming week, and preparing with the intention of clean eating and portion control can be a great key to success for healthy eating goals. Use your calendar to time block and prioritize this time. This sets the intention to meal prep while also creating the time it will realistically take you. Play music, talk with a friend on speakerphone and learn to enjoy this time of preparation.
Set Specific Goals And Write Them Down. Research has shown that people who wrote down their goals accomplished notably more than those who did not. Also, the more specific they were with their goals, the more likely they were to accomplish them. Since motivation isn’t something that we feel every moment, try to keep your specific goals with near you each day so that you can reach out for a reminder when you have moments that make you struggle.
Keep It Interesting. Breaking up your routine of the same old recipes with new and fun recipes will keep your healthy eating plan interesting. When you find yourself bored it can be easy to return to old habits. Try buying new cooking items as, with anything new, you are likely excited to try it out!
Focus On How Different Foods Make You Feel. By focusing on how you feel after eating certain foods you will develop and sustain healthy habits. The healthier the food that you choose to eat, the better you’ll likely feel after a meal. The more unhealthy you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, drained of energy or even nausea.
Find Foods You Enjoy. Explore and find real food that actually tastes really good to you. Not everyone likes the same things and it may take time to experiment and find what you enjoy. When you choose healthy foods that are delicious to you then and you’ll never want to stop eating them. Keep an eye out for new healthy recipes online, in cookbooks or magazines so you don’t ever feel bored with eating healthy.

The Takeaway

Having healthy eating goals and habits are so important to our overall health. Eating a healthy diet is far from simple because humans are very complex beings and we can tend to make choices about food often for enjoyment rather than giving our body the proper fuel. Be patient with yourself and make sure to take time to celebrate each day’s journey.

Focusing on wellness, not just the symptoms. Contact us today to see how we can be a partner in your health and wellness journey!

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Reasons To Schedule A Therapeutic Massage

Fri, 19 Jul 2019 19:26:00 GMT

More then ever people are recognizing that therapeutic massage has a wide range of benefits. Massage can help to relieve pain, detoxify your body, help you sleep better and even help you look younger. Let’s discuss some of the reasons that people choose to get a massage and reap the health benefits!

Reasons To Schedule A Therapeutic Massage

Reduce Post Exercise Pain. There is evidence that massage therapy is able to provide relief from inflammation, and this is often the culprit behind post-workout aches and pains. When inflammation is reduced then the pain is as well, working similarly to how anti-inflammatory medication helps to bring swelling go down.
Improved Body Mechanics. Therapeutic massage aids the improvement of range of motion, as well as increase joint flexibility. When joints are more fluid, they are much less prone to injury. When the range of motion is improved, there is less joint and muscle stress. Not to mention that when blood flow is stimulated then long-time aches and pains start to dissipate. Muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons will suddenly feel better, and with less pain then the body has renewed flexibility as well.
Improved Overall Wellness. Many people combine massage therapy into their regular health and wellness plan and often find that it improves their overall health and well-being . The majority of people feel rejuvenated post-massage and enjoy both the physical and emotional benefits that massage can bring.
Can Help You Appear More Youthful. Massages stimulate blood flow and lymphatic drainage, both of which can plump skin and add vitality to your complexion. Many people call it the natural facelift since massage can reduce puffiness, creates a brighter skin tone and will also increase collagen production, which prevents the formation of wrinkles.
Detoxifies The Body. Routine therapeutic massage practices can yield some very positive biological and restorative results. Therapeutic massage remains a key step in the elimination of unnecessary acids in the body. However, stress is a constant enemy and produces more acid than the body needs or can manage or eliminate, that’s where therapeutic massage can assist the body.
Better Sleep . Millions of people have longed for a decent night’s sleep on a restless night. Adequate sleep is how the human body recharges its internal battery, both physically and mentally. Regular massage therapy can help to reduce tension and positively impacts the functions of the muscular, circulatory, nervous and even immune systems all at once and as a result sleep quality is improved.
Better Healing From Injury. A large number of people have experienced a surgical procedure or injury, at some point in their life, that requires rehabilitation and can understand how a skilled professional in massage therapy can play a dramatic role in the recovery process. Therapeutic massage can help to repair damaged soft tissue in or around an incision, break up any scar tissue that may have formed and can even deter the formation of that scar tissue in the first place before it compromises muscle functions. Massage can provide improved circulation and nourishment to injured muscles and the results can be dramatic.

The Takeaway

Not all massage is created equal, but expert therapeutic massage is beneficial for every lifestyle and focuses on maintaining and improving the working order of both the mind and body.

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6 Precautions For Diabetics Starting An Exercise Program

Sat, 13 Jul 2019 19:18:00 GMT

We all are aware that exercise is good for our overall health , but when you have Diabetes it is even more important. Routine exercise will keep your muscles flexible, the blood circulation properly through your body, and keep your blood glucose levels stable as you go through your day.

Let’s discuss a few useful tips and information for safely exercising with diabetes. It is also recommended to make an appointment to see your doctor before starting an exercise program.

6 Precautions For Diabetics Starting An Exercise Program

Test Your Blood Sugar. It is imperative to test your blood sugar levels before, during, and after a workout. If you find that your blood sugar levels are below 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/l) before you even begin to exercise, it is recommended to have a snack that contains 15 grams of carbohydrate and test again in 15 minutes.
Invest in Proper Footwear. Choosing proper footwear is important for diabetics as it is possible to have altered sensation of the feet as well as slow-healing with any injuries. Keep your feet dry and check them regularly for blisters. Wearing socks made of polyester or a blend of cotton and polyester may be useful to prevent blisters. It is also important to wear athletic shoes that are in good shape and are the right type for your activity.
Stay Hydrated. When you exercise, you lose water and that alone can upset your blood sugar levels. Be sure to drink water before, during, and after exercise to make up for what you lose. This is especially important if have diabetic nerve damage. Blood sugar monitoring when exercising is important and proper hydration is essential for accurate blood sugar monitoring results. Water is the best choice for hydration purposes and will not affect blood sugar. However, if your blood sugar drops due to your activity, then the better choice may be to consume a regular sports drink to meet your fluid needs and raise your blood sugar.
Keep Something Sweet With You While Exercising . Keep a source of fast-acting carbohydrates (e.g., glucose gel or tablets, a sports drink or juice box) nearby you while exercising for the possibility of low blood sugar emergencies. It is also a good idea to carry energy or protein bars with you in your gym bag.
Notify And Be In Contact With Your Doctor. If your exercise regime will involve more than a daily brisk walk, it is a good idea to check in first with your healthcare professional. Depending on your medications and health status, there are some types of activity may not be recommended. When your muscles are working harder, the insulin or medications that you take will work faster, putting you at an increased risk for low blood sugar. Be sure to discuss with your doctor regarding when is best to take your insulin and/or medications before you exercise.
Exercise With A Friend . Working out with friends can be an important motivator, a source of accountability and a safety precaution as well. Be sure to let your workout buddy know that you have diabetes and how to take action if your blood sugar gets to low. It is also recommended to wear a medical identification tag or bracelet when working out so that others will know best how to help you in an emergency.

The Takeaway

Exercise is an amazing way to take charge of your diabetes. Regular exercise will help to keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels in healthy ranges. Always take the above-listed precautions to avoid emergencies while exercising with diabetes.

Contact us today and learn how our goal is to find the cause of the problem and correct it. We don’t treat symptoms, we treat people.

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5 Reasons To Be Sure You Get Adequate Sleep Each Night

Sun, 07 Jul 2019 17:26:00 GMT

It’s amazing to stop and think that we spend approximately a third of our lives sleeping. With that said it’s clear that sleep is important to our bodies! Our bodies need sleep in order to function during waking hours. In spite of sleep being one of our basic daily needs, more than 60 percent of adults say their sleep needs are not being fully met.

Sleep is much like nutrition and physical activity, it is critical to our health . We need to sleep in order to stay alert, boost memory and can affect our brain and heart health. When we don’t get adequate amounts of sleep then we sacrifice in other areas of our life.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Sleep requirements vary from person to person. How much sleep you need is dependant on your age, lifestyle, and overall health. While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens actually need even more.

5 Reasons To Be Sure You Get Adequate Sleep Each Night

Your Mood. Another thing that your brain does while you sleep is processing your emotions. Your brain needs this time of rest and recovery in order to recognize and react to things correctly. When you cut that short, you will find that tend to have more negative emotional reactions and fewer positive ones.
Your Heart. While you are sleeping, your blood pressure decreases and it gives your heart and blood vessels a much-needed break. The more you reduce sleep time, the longer your blood pressure stays up during a 24-hour cycle. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Clearly, getting the proper amount of sleep can have long-term payoffs.
The Brain. The bottom line is brain function is critical, and without adequate sleep, the brain simply can’t regenerate properly. The obvious signs that you may become aware of when getting less than 6 hours of sleep is you that you feel tired, forgetful, irritable, and just not your best. When considering the long term, it can be clear to others by affecting job performance, mood swings, depression, and you can quickly become the person that no one really enjoys to be around.
Your Weight. Your body undoubtedly needs the energy to stay alert and to keep going. It seems to be clear that the longer you are awake then the hungrier you are likely to be in order to attain the necessary energy. Being sleep-deprived also alters the hormones in your brain that control your appetite.
Improves Memory. While you are sleeping, your body may be resting, but your brain is active and processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings, and memories. Therefore, sleep is a very critical time for your brain to make memories and links, and getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.

The Takeaway

Adequate sleep can easily make you feel better, but its importance goes far beyond just boosting your mood or reducing under-eye circles. Adequate sleep is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle and can benefit your heart, weight, mind, and much more.

Most of us need around 7-9 hours of good-quality sleep a night to function properly and while some may need more or less than that, sleep should not be considered a luxury, but rather a necessity for optimal functioning.

The post 5 Reasons To Be Sure You Get Adequate Sleep Each Night appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

4 Easy Tips For Being Active In Warmer Weather

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 22:22:00 GMT

There is a large number of people who enjoy outdoor activities, whether its a game of outdoor basketball, baseball, walking, running gardening, or playing tennis. It is important, however, to be cautious and safe as the weather gets warmer.

Being hot for too long can cause hyperthermia which is a heat-related illness that includes heat stroke and heat exhaustion. If you happen to enjoy exercise or activities outdoors in hot weather, use these commonsense precautions to prevent any heat-related illnesses.

How Overheating Affects The Body

Exercising or activities in hot weather puts extra stress on your body and if you are not cautious then you are at risk for serious illness. Take into consideration both the exercise itself and the air temperature and humidity, as both can increase your core body temperature.

In order to cool itself, your body will send more blood to circulate through your skin. This leaves less blood for your muscles, which in turn will increase your heart rate. When the humidity is higher your body also faces added stress because sweat doesn’t readily evaporate from your skin. In turn, it pushes your body temperature even higher.

Signs and Symptoms Of Heat-Related Illness.

If you experience any of the symptoms below you must lower your body temperature and get hydrated right away. Stop exercising immediately and get out of the heat. If possible, have someone stay with you who can help monitor your condition.

Excessive sweating
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Muscle cramps
Nausea or vomiting
Weakness
Fatigue
Headache
Confusion
Irritability
Low blood pressure
Increased heart rate
Visual problems

Safety Tips When Active In Warmer Weather

Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration is a major factor in heat illness. Help your body to sweat and cool down by staying well-hydrated with water. If you are involved in a more intense activity consider a sports drink that will help replace electrolytes. Do not wait until you’re thirsty to drink fluids, and avoid alcoholic beverages as they can promote more fluid loss.
Be aware of your medical risks. There are certain medical conditions or even medications that can increase your risk of a heat-related illness. It is worth discussing precautions with your medical provider if you intend to be active in hot weather.
Be aware of the weather conditions. If you are planning to exercise or being active in warmer conditions, take a few moments to evaluate the temperature for the duration of time you plan on being exposed to heat. Be cautious of any heat alerts and perhaps reschedule or replan activities if necessary. If it is a new activity or you are not aware of your tolerance in the heat, be sure to take breaks and be aware of any cues your body is telling you that indicates it is struggling. Schedule daily exercise in the morning or evening, when it’s likely to be cooler outdoors.
Dress appropriately. Choosing lightweight, loose-fitting and breathable clothing will help sweat to evaporate and keep you cooler. Avoid darker clothing colors, as they can actually absorb heat. Consider layering clothing that can be removed as you warm up and be sure to wear sunscreen as sunburn will decrease your body’s ability to cool itself and increases the risk of skin cancer.

The Takeaway

So many heat-related illnesses are largely preventable and by choosing to take some basic precautions, your exercise routine doesn’t have to be halted when the heat is on.

It is worth taking a few minutes of your time to prepare yourself and be safe when being active in hot temperatures.

Contact us today to see how we can be a part of your health and wellness journey. Our goal is to find the cause of the problem and correct it. We don’t treat symptoms, we treat people.

The post 4 Easy Tips For Being Active In Warmer Weather appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Perfect Tips For Making Lifelong Healthy Habits

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 13:21:00 GMT

Many of us have heard the saying that it takes about 21 days to make a new habit, while that may sound easy enough to be tolerable and can inspire you, it is sadly not the case.

The truth is that it can take months or even years, to properly build healthy habits, regardless of what you are trying to achieve. However, don’t lose hope yet! There are tips that can help you to be successful in achieving and maintaining your healthy habit.

Tips For Making Healthy Habits That Last

Find enjoyment in the process. Instead of choosing a generic route to begin a healthier habit, figure out what you can do to support that habit and do it in a way that empowers, excites you and fits your lifestyle and personality. When you add your new habit into your life, and it is designed around things you love to do, it will stop requiring so much effort. Once you find the joy in living healthier and it isn’t something that you dread doing then it will become a habit you can maintain.
Having the right mindset. Making healthy habits must start at square one, your mindset. Our mindset affects your energy, health, and productivity. A large number of people are being held back from their health goals simply by their mindset. It is only when we shift our mindset about our health and our daily habits then we will start seeing solid results.
Set up your environment for success. One of the best ways to ensure your success is to remove any triggers for bad choices. If your goal is to make healthier food choices, the remove all the unhealthy options and have healthy ones at your fingertips. Leave yourself uplifting notes and affirmations so that you may find them when you are feeling low on motivation.
Set realistic goals. Setting goals that are just downright unrealistic and difficult to maintain will undoubtedly result in certain failure. While setting larger goals may seem like more, not being able to attain them will make us feel even more like a failure and less likely to attempt it again. Instead, focus on small changes that will build to your larger goal as this will provide you with confidence that will keep you striving toward your goal.
Make an action plan for when you are discouraged. Let’s be honest, there simply will be days when your motivation and will power will fail. Before that happens and in a time of strength, write down your triggers, weaknesses or old habits. Then write an action plan for how to conquer each of those obstacles. In moments that you struggle then refer back to the plan and put it into action, and refine as needed.

The Takeaway

We are most definitely creatures of habit, it takes effort, energy, and intention for our brains to pause and think about doing things differently. Making healthy habits is important as so many of the things you do daily impact your health and quality of life.

Remember that things may not always go as planned. It’s important to accept that change is a process, and what matters most to keep moving forward.

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Don’t Forget To Warm Up And Cool Down When You Exercise

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 21:01:00 GMT

Warming up and cooling down doesn’t necessarily take a huge amount of time but a large number of people, unfortunately, skip it as a time saver with workouts. However, the benefit of doing both warm up and cool down is worth the small amount of time they add to your overall workout.

Incorporating a warm-up and cool down into your workout is a great way to decrease the risk of injury, and improve workout performance. There are reasons for both as we will discuss.

Warm Up

Taking the time to properly warm up, will pump nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to your muscles as it slowly speeds up your heart rate and breathing. A proper warm-up should last five to 10 minutes, should work all of the major muscle groups, and will vary depending on the what activity you are going to do. It prepares the body for further exercise at an increased intensity.
This increase in blood flow also properly oxygenates your muscles, increases body temperature and sparks mental awareness, which are all needed for the upcoming more strenuous exercise.
Once your body is properly warmed up, you can easily and safely perform your workout and to ensure proper flexibility and range of motion for your exercise routine. This reduces muscle strain as well as the likelihood of injury during your workout.
It is recommended that as we age, warm-ups should get longer and slightly more gradual. This also holds true if preparing for an exercise that is particularly vigorous, or if coming back from an injury.

Cool Down

The cooldown period of an exercise session is equally as important as the warm-up. At the conclusion of your workout, it’s ideal to spend 10 minutes cooling down through a sequence of slow movements. This will help prevent muscle cramps while gradually slowing your breathing and heart rate.
An effective cool-down will incorporate stretching exercises to relax and lengthen muscles as well as improve your range of motion. To get the most out of these exercises, hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds as it will improve your flexibility.
A cool down will also decrease joint or muscle soreness and promote relaxation. It is advised to avoid abrupt stops after vigorous exercise as it can make you feel light-headed and dizzy by ensuring that the brain continues to receive a sufficient supply of blood and oxygen as opposed to blood pooling in the extremities.
As with the warm-up, the best way that cool down often depends on the type of exercise that you did during your workout. Use the first few minutes by walking, or even jogging if you have been running. Once your heart rate has stabilized and is back to a state of rest, you can then follow this with some stretching.

The Takeaway

A warmup up is an essential component of any workout, regardless of how vigorous the workout. Within a few minutes, you can increase blood flow, prepare your muscles, send oxygen to the working muscles, improve range of motion, not to mention preparing your mind for the workout ahead.

Stretching the particular muscle groups you used in your workout will help to return them to their normal length, reduce the delayed onset of muscular soreness, as well as aid recovery and help your body in its repair process. Including deep breathing in your cool down help to oxygenate your system.

Focusing on wellness, not just the symptoms. Contact us today to see how we can be a part of your health and wellness journey!

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Chiropractic Care For Shoulder Pain

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 14:35:00 GMT

Many people commonly think of chiropractic care if you are seeking relief from neck or back pain. It’s important to know that Chiropractors are not limited to only care of the spine.

Most chiropractors are trained to adjust and treat extremities including knees, smaller joints, as well as the shoulders. In fact, shoulder pain is a very common complaint in chiropractic practice, affecting almost half of us at some point in our lives, as there are many causes of shoulder pain.

Common Causes Of Shoulder Pain:

The majority of shoulder problems fall into four major categories:

Shoulder instability . Shoulder instability occurs when the head of the upper arm bone is forced out of the shoulder socket. This can happen as a result of a sudden injury or from overuse.
Tendon inflammation or a tendon tear. Overuse of the shoulder can lead to inflammation and swelling of the bursa between the rotator cuff and part of the shoulder blade known as the acromion. The result is a condition known as subacromial bursitis. A tendon is a cord that connects muscle to bone and most tendinitis is a result of inflammation in the tendon. The tearing of tendons may result from acute injury or degenerative changes in the tendons due to advancing age, long-term overuse and wear and tear, or a sudden injury.
Arthritis in the shoulder. There are different forms and causes of arthritis but they sometimes lead to a tightening or stiffening of the soft tissue parts of the joint, resulting in a painful restriction of motion.
Fracture. Fractures are broken bones. Shoulder fractures commonly and often can involve the clavicle (collarbone), humerus (upper arm bone), and scapula (shoulder blade).

Chiropractic care for shoulder pain:

Chiropractic care can be a very beneficial treatment for the patient with a shoulder injury or shoulder pain. It can help to reduce or relieve pain, increase flexibility, improve range of motion, and restore function to the joint. Different chiropractic techniques can be performed depending on the type of injury or condition.
The patient will be assessed initially by the Chiropractor at the first visit and the doctor will determine a treatment plan. As is often the case, pain in one part of the body can actually cause pain in other areas. Chiropractic care addresses all areas of the body to relieve pain without medication and gets the patient on the road to healing faster!

The Takeaway

The shoulder goes through a lot of movement in a day and the shoulder happens to be the most flexible joint in the human body as well as one of the most unstable.

Regardless of what causes shoulder pain, it’s important that you discover the initial cause of the shoulder pain so that it can be treated correctly. Your chiropractor will determine where the shoulder is so that it can be corrected properly.

Chiropractic treatment offers a great solution to help decrease the pain in your shoulders in a natural way. What do you have to lose!

Focusing on wellness, not just the symptoms. Contact us today and let us be a part of your health and wellness journey.

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Tendonosis Or Tendonitis?

Fri, 31 May 2019 23:38:00 GMT

It is quite common to confuse Tendonosis and Tendonitis, both are conditions that share many of same symptoms but differs in its cause and appearance.

Tendonosis is a chronic or persistent condition that is often caused by repetitive trauma or an injury that hasn’t healed. The underlying cause in tendinosis is degeneration.

Tendonitis is more of an acute or sudden and short-term condition in which inflammation is caused by a direct injury to the tendon. Tendonitis is an acutely inflamed swollen tendon and the underlying culprit in tendinitis is inflammation.

Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Tendonosis

Causes. Tendonosis is caused by chronic overuse of a tendon. With continued and repetitive activity, it puts stress on the tendon and slows down the healing process. Chronic microtrauma to the tendon leads to loss of collagen continuity which means the fibers are no longer aligned and fail to link together, which results in the loss of strength and further injury when used. Inflammation is not generally present with Tendonosis.
Symptoms. Pain in the affected tendons when moved or touched. Stiffness and restricted movement in the affected area. A grating or crackling sensation as the tendon moves. The development of a tender lump along the tendon.
Treatment with Chiropractic. Chiropractors are specialized and trained to perform joint manipulation, myofascial release, massage, stretching and strengthening exercises, are all beneficial treatments for tendon injuries. In short, Chiropractic stimulates the body to repair its own injured and painful areas.
Other at-home treatments . Resting the tendon and avoiding repetitive movements. This may include taking a break every 15 minutes when doing repetitive activities, such as typing. Stretching the tendon to increase its range of movement and flexibility as well as to promote circulation. Massaging the affected area to promote circulation. Strengthening the muscles around the tendon with exercises to reduce daily strain on the injured tendon. Using braces or tape to protect the tendon from further injury.

Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments For Tendonitis

Causes . Tendonitis most often is caused by repetitive, minor impact on the affected area, or from a sudden, more acute or serious injury. Tendonitis is an accurate diagnosis for an acute injury when the tendon is overloaded, causing pain and swelling from tears in the injured tissue.
Symptoms . Common symptoms include localized pain, swelling, and warmth.
Treatment with Chiropractic. If there is a great deal of inflammation the chiropractor may use inflammation reducing techniques such as bracing, rest, ice, electrical muscle stimulation, and other therapies. This helps to loosen the tendon and lessen the inflammation so that treatment can progress. Once the inflammation is reduced massage, physical therapy, joint manipulation, or strengthening exercises may be utilized. If the patient has diminished or limited joint mobility then joint manipulation or adjustments may be the best option.
At home treatments . Rest and avoid activities that increase the pain or swelling. Ice can decrease pain, muscle spasm, and swelling by applying ice to the injured area for up to 20 minutes several times a day. Compression since swelling can result in loss of motion in an injured joint, compress the area until the swelling has decreased. Elevation, raising the affected area to a level above the heart can reduce swelling and preserve mobility.

The Takeaway

For many years, most tendon pain has been mostly referred to as tendonitis. However, current studies are showing that Tendonosis is actually more common and a more appropriate name for many tendon issues.

It seems one of the big difference between Tendonosis and Tendonitis is time. Tendonosis healing time is 3-6 months once it becomes chronic. The primary treatment plan for Tendonosis is to break the injury cycle and reduce stress on the tendon.

Tendonitis should typically heal in about 6 weeks and benefits greatly from rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

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Reviewing Tension Headaches

Sun, 26 May 2019 18:42:00 GMT

What happens when you combine stress, repetitive motion activities, and poor posture? For so many people the answer is a tension headache. Work pressures, relationship struggles, daily stress, and other life challenges can all be triggers for tension headaches.

Tension headaches are described as a dull pain, tightness, or pressure that starts typically in your neck and shoulders, then slowly travels up the base of your skull and then wraps around your head. These headaches are also called stress headaches and are quite common for adults.

Common Symptoms Of Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are distinctive and can be very painful. On the bright side, they are rarely an indication of a more serious condition and more often as a result of a stressful time. Tension headaches can also trigger a migraine for many people.

Muscle tightness or soreness in the neck, jaw, and shoulders.
Squeezing pain or dull pressure that originates at the back of the head and then moves forward over the top and sides described as a tight band or vice around the head.
Difficulty focusing.
Difficulty sleeping.
Irritability.
Decreased appetite.
Pain or pressure on both sides of the head equally.

15 Common Triggers Of Tension Headaches

Stress.
Jaw clenching or grinding.
Depression or anxiety.
Fatigue.
Overexertion.
Alcohol.
Certain medications.
Keeping your head in one position for too long such as from using a cell phone or computer.
Neck or head injury, regardless of it being old or new.
Arthritis.
Hormonal changes.
Sleeping with the wrong pillow.
Dehydration.
Skipping meals.
Eye strain.

Treatment For Tension Headaches

Keep a headache journal . Journaling the headaches is very useful in pinpointing the triggers you need to avoid.
Lifestyle Changes. Such as limiting alcohol, avoiding certain foods, regular exercise, proper sleep, and relaxation techniques.
Over the counter and prescription medications.
See A Dentist . Especially if the headaches are triggered by clenching and grinding.
Chiropractic Care. Chiropractors recognize that spinal tension can deeply affect many areas of the body, and they can treat this underlying tension to ease the frequency of your headaches.
Rest and relaxation . Sit in a quiet, dark room with your eyes closed and just relax for a bit. Consider meditation, breathing deeply, and visualizing a peaceful image.
Acupuncture. With increased blood flow in the head and neck, acupuncture has been known to help relax the muscles there.
Massage . Massage can be done to ease the pressure brought on during a tension-related headache. By focusing on the neck, shoulders, and head, massage can decrease the pain and relax muscles that are triggering the pain.

The Takeaway

As you have gathered, tension headaches are often triggered by things that are difficult to avoid. In today’s fast pace, our lives are full of family, work and community obligations that are often the cause stress which can then trigger tension headaches.

Understanding what is the cause of the tension headache can help us understand the changes in our lifestyle and thus the best treatment for when these unwanted headaches arise. However, tension headaches are your body’s way of telling you that it is under stress and indicating a change is needed and learning to listen to our body is a must!

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Healthy Lifestyle Changes That Are Energy Boosting

Sat, 18 May 2019 22:45:00 GMT

With today’s lifestyle being hectic and fast-paced, many people routinely find themselves feeling tired and drained. Plenty of people go through their days feeling sluggish and try to combat it by consuming gallons of caffeinated beverages or drinking unhealthy energy drinks.

Aside from a busy schedule, the tiredness you’re experiencing may be lifestyle-related, in which case there are many things you can do to increase your energy levels.

Healthy Lifestyle Changes To Boost Your Energy

Stay Hydrated. Let’s be honest, a large number of us walk around in a state of dehydration on a daily basis. When your body is dehydrated it can make you feel tired and sluggish as dehydration can affect your brain function, mood, and energy levels. we lose water by sweating and urinating daily. In order to stay hydrated, make sure you drink when you’re thirsty and if you sweat a lot due to hot weather or being very active, then you will need even more water to maintain hydration.
Get More Sleep . Sleep is something that regularly gets put on the back burner when you’re busy. It is not surprising that it’s been estimated that 20–30% of the general population may experience poor sleep, thus missing out on important and necessary rest time. To improve quality of sleep, consider things like taking a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles and unwind, learning meditation or avoiding screentime for two hours before bed.
Reduce Stress. Increased levels of stress can make you feel tired and drained. Find ways to minimize lifestyle-related stress as this can help keep up your energy levels. Adding activities that promote relaxation into your day will help. For many people increasing will exercise burns off the effects of stress and anger, while others may others find relief in quieter pursuits such as listening to music or even just talking to friends and loved ones.
Stay Connected. Social and emotional connections are incredibly important for maintaining good health. If you feel tired and in low spirits, it can be very helpful to get out and socialize with friends, joining a social club or starting a new hobby that gets you out and about.
Eat A Nutritious Diet. If you’re always feeling tired, sluggish and low in energy, take a good look at your eating habits. When you feel tired, it is easy to reach for a sweet, sugar-filled snack. However, although sugar can give you a short-term energy boost, it will wear off quickly. A diet based on whole, healthy foods benefits your health and your energy levels. In contrast, a diet high in processed foods will negatively affect your energy levels.
Stretch. Stretching will help relax and release muscle tension and even increase your energy level. Stretching aids in the circulation of blood, nutrients, and oxygen to your muscles, which can help improve energy levels, and encourage waste removal from your tissues.
Move More. Yes, it’s understandable that you feel too tired to exercise. However, studies show that the more you move, the more energy you’ll have. Exercising will cause your body to release epinephrine and norepinephrine, stress hormones that in modest amounts can make you feel energized. To incorporate exercise into your day, you could try getting away from your desk and going for a brisk walk on your lunch break, choosing the stairs instead of the elevator, or joining a local gym, pilates or yoga studio.

The Takeaway

If you are one of the many people that feel tired and lack the energy to function at their best throughout the day, you are not alone. Remember that drinking enough water, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and exercise and being sociable will benefit your energy levels and your health. If you often feel tired, it’s worth taking a look at your lifestyle to see which healthy changes you can make that will boost your energy levels and make you feel energized.

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The Healthy Benefits Of Mindful Meditation

Sat, 11 May 2019 15:56:00 GMT

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be completely present, attentive of where we are and what we’re doing, but not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s happening around us.

Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses or your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful. While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily accessible to us when we practice on a daily basis.

Mindfulness meditation can involve breathing practice, mental imagery, awareness of body and mind, and muscle and body relaxation.

The Benefit Of Mindful Meditation

Improved Relationships. Individuals who exhibit greater mindfulness as a natural personality trait tend to enjoy greater satisfaction in relationships and deal with relationship stress more constructively. Practicing mindfulness can lower stress response during a conflict and is associated with better communication during such conflicts.
Chronic Pain Reduction. Millions of people suffer from chronic pain, some following an accident, some as a result of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), others due to diagnoses with cancer or debilitating disease. Mindfulness has been found to result in significant improvements in pain, anxiety, well-being, and the ability to participate in daily activities.
Stress Reduction . In this fast-paced society, it is easy to contribute to and exacerbates everyday stress levels. Learning how to control or minimize the effects of stress on body and mind is important in overall health and well-being. By focusing on the present moment, through the practice of mindfulness, the stress hormone Cortisol can be lowered.
Maintaining A Healthy Weight . If you are one of the many that struggle with fluctuations in weight, it might be motivating to learn that mindfulness meditation has been shown to be a good strategy to support weight-loss goals. Practicing mindfulness may be an intervention for stress eating as well.
Heart Health. It has been said that what is good for the mind also tends to be good for the heart. Mindful meditation can improve how your heart functions, lower blood pressure and regular practice of mindfulness can enhance your overall outlook on life and motivate you to maintain better heart-healthy behaviors.
Better Sleep. Do you sometimes struggle to sleep because you lie awake thinking about work, family, health, money or relationships, and just can’t find an ‘off button’ for your mind? The goal of mindfulness is to take charge of your busy mind and move it from a state of worry into a more relaxed state thus improving sleep quality.
Brain Matter. Another surprising finding of the mind-body practice is that it appears to increase gray matter in the brain. Grey matter is the area in the brain involved in memory and learning processes, regulation of emotion, self-referential processing and taking perspective.

The Takeaway

There are simple ways to ease into the practice of mindfulness. Consider practicing short bursts of mindfulness while gardening, listening to music or even cleaning the house. Focus on quieting that voice inside of you that has a constant commentary on what you’re doing or will be doing next and put the spotlight on the present moment.

It’s encouraging to know that something that is at your disposal can be taught and practiced can have an impact on our overall health not only mental but also physically. This alone is a perfect reason to give mindfulness a try.

At Leon Chiropractic , we believe it is the duty of a healthcare professional to maintain wellness, not just to attend to symptoms. Contact us today to see how we can assist you on your journey for health and wellness!

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8 Health Perks Of Proper Hydration

Thu, 09 May 2019 17:28:00 GMT

Drinking enough fluids is vital to staying healthy and maintaining the function of virtually every system in your body. This includes your heart, brain, digestion, muscles, circulation, the creation of saliva, the transportation of nutrients, as well as helping to maintain body temperature.

Fluids carry necessary nutrients to all of your cells, they flush bacteria from your bladder and prevent constipation. Proper hydration has the ability to reduce fatigue, improve your endurance and even lower your heart rate.

Health Perks Of Proper Hydration

Spinal Health. The vertebrae of your spine harbor a little disc that has a big responsibility. This disc that is between the vertebrae helps to absorb shock on your spine and also helps to shield your back from the damage done from daily wear and tear. Your discs are made to lose water and then rehydrate themselves because the movement of your spine and gravity causes the water to flow through your spine and then be reabsorbed by the discs. If not enough water is available for the discs to absorb what they’ve lost, then it can’t function as it was meant to.
Promotes cardiovascular health . Dehydration can lower blood volume which can make your heart muscle work harder in order to pump and to carry enough oxygen to your cells. This ultimately can make normal daily activities more challenging.
Assists Muscles And Joints. When the body is sufficiently hydrated, then cells can grant adequate nutrients and remove waste function properly, and ultimately your performance improves. Cells that are not able to maintain the balance of fluids and electrolytes can shrivel and muscle fatigue is often the outcome. Water is also necessary for the lubrication of our joints.
Boosts Immunity. Our immune system is more than simply our antibodies. Any barrier to the outside world can be considered an important part of our immune system function. Being appropriately hydrated ensures the sufficient production of saliva and also keeps our skin from getting dry as well. Saliva is important as it has the capacity to trap potential pathogens and destroy them before they enter the body.
Improves Brain Function And Mood. Your brain is strongly influenced by its hydration situation. Blood flow to the brain is directed by our blood pressure which is linked to the amount of water that we drink. Without good hydration, our blood pressure can decrease for periods of time, which reduces the blood flow to the brain. Drinking enough water can also make us feel more refreshed and it can improve our state of mind. Mild dehydration has the risk of negatively impacting moods.
Improves Endurance And Fights Fatigue. Water intake is an essential part of any workout, and it becomes even more important to prevent dehydration when enduring longer workouts. Water combined with electrolytes assists in maintaining fluid balance, aiding your athletic performance and hampers post-exercise fatigue and exhaustion.
Proper Digestive Health. Simply put, your digestive tract needs water in order to function properly and move the food waste through the body. Dehydration will often cause chronic constipation, when you have dehydrated your stools become drier, harder and much more challenging to pass.
Cleanses The Body . Your kidneys require water to filter the waste from the blood and then excrete it in the urine. Maintaining hydration may also aid in preventing urinary infections and kidney stones.

Tips for increasing your fluid intake:

Have a bottle of fresh water within reach. Try to choose reusable bottles, and be sure they are BPA-free.
Track your intake. When you Visualize your intake of fluids on paper or by using an app on a device, it can help motivate you to maintain necessary fluid requirements.
Drink a water-based beverage with each snack and meal.
Decide on beverages you enjoy drinking, you’re likely to drink more liquids if you enjoy the way they taste.
Consume fluids before you are feeling thirsty. At the time that you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. It is helpful to look at the color of your urine as an indicator to know if you are drinking adequate amounts of fluid. Urine that is a pale yellow color is best.
Eat more fruits and vegetables. The high water content in fruits and vegetables will add to your hydration. Approximately 20% of our fluid intake actually is derived from foods.
If you gravitate toward drinking caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, and sodas), try to alternate decaffeinated beverages throughout the day . Caffeinated beverages and alcohol are diuretics, these increase the removal of water from the body rather than hydrating it.

The Takeaway

The benefits of hydration are quite plentiful as mentioned in the examples listed above. Remaining hydrated has the ability to give you more energy, improve your cardiovascular health and will even help you fight off your next cold. Don’t put off drinking fluids until you notice the symptoms of dehydration to take action. Water makes up more than half of your body weight so choose to actively prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water.

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Why Flexibility Is Important As We Age

Sat, 27 Apr 2019 16:36:00 GMT

Routine physical activity is an important part of healthy aging as it helps prevent several health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Developing and maintaining your flexibility as you age can also be beneficial by reducing the risk of injury, maintaining good balance, and having a better range of motion. You will feel stronger once you gain a bit of flexibility, simply because that flexibility gives you the range of motion to let your muscles work more efficiently.

Maintaining flexibility will aid in muscle and joints health, which can keep older adults doing their favorite daily activities and remain independent.

Why Flexibility Is Important As We Age

If you are wondering if it’s possible to become flexible as we age, the answer is YES! As we age, our bodies have a tendency to degenerate. We lose our skin’s elasticity, our muscle tone, and bone density. Also, the water content in our tendons decreases and as a result, our tendons get stiffer. All these factors can contribute to the natural decrease in our flexibility.

The most common areas affected with decreased flexibility are often the shoulders and the hips. Other parts of the body that can be affected by the changes include the spine, neck, knees, ankles and any part of the body that has joints. This can result in chronic aches and pains.

6 Benefits Of Flexibility As We Age

Improves your ability to perform daily physical activities.
Improves your posture which reduces hunching over.
Decreases the risk of injuries such as fractures and muscle strains.
Improves balance which also decreases the risk of falling and injury.
Decreases chronic pain.
Helps you keep a more youthful appearance.

Increasing Flexibility

Many experts suggest that simple stretching techniques are best to help us ease into our workout routines and increase our flexibility.

Gaining flexibility takes time so be sure to go slowly, and pay attention to your body. One stretch doesn’t fit everyone, but there are many variations that can be made. As you improve your flexibility, you’ll be able to reach farther with the same stretch or add different stretches for the same muscle.

Stretching exercises are essential to help maintain flexibility and range of motion in joints. Yoga and Pilates are great forms of stretching exercise as they build core body strength and increase stability.

Additional tips to keep in mind:

Warm up the body by walking in place for five minutes. This will prepare your heart, muscles, and joints for activity.
Never force a stretch and do not bounce or jerk to get deeper into a stretch. Smooth and gentle movements are safer.
Don’t lock your joints. Your arms and legs can be straight while stretching, but they shouldn’t be stiff and locked. If it’s more comfortable try bending your elbows and knees slightly.
Keep breathing. As with your movements, your breath should be slow and steady.
Aim to stretch every day. Try for 10 to 15 minutes a day, at least three days a week.
Don’t forget recovery time. You will need to focus more on recovery after 50. Tissue recovery may take more time and more effort to support that recovery. Knowing how much recovery time that is needed often depends on your baseline fitness level.

The Takeaway

In conclusion, age is only a number and doing nothing will not help the aging process in the least. For many older adults, maintaining mobility can be difficult. Muscles and joints weaken and range of movement deteriorates as we age.

Stretching benefits include the development and maintenance of strength, improving flexibility, and increased circulation and blood flow, all of which will provide a greater quality of life and healthy aging.

Contact us if you are interested in focusing on wellness, not just the symptoms. We look forward to working with you so that you can live a life of complete health and vitality .

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3 Crucial Steps For Living A Healthier Lifestyle

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 13:50:00 GMT

Let’s be honest, we often don’t take care of ourselves as well as we should. It’s difficult these days when we have busy schedules, family responsibilities, and work life. Many times when faced with the choice between doing what we need to care for ourselves and convenience, it’s not easy to always make the right choice.

However, maintaining our health should come first, before our daily responsibilities and even before our work. The truth is that if we aren’t healthy, we cannot be successful in both home and work life.

Routine Exercise:

Obtaining the correct amount of exercise truly benefits nearly all aspects of our health. Regular exercise helps control weight, will improve mental health, the likelihood of a long healthy life, and the strength of your bones and muscles.

As a goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you are trying to lose weight, maintain weight loss or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. It’s important to remember that even small amounts of physical activity are very helpful and accumulated activity throughout the day will add up to provide a positive health benefit.

Tip: Take part in an exercise program at work or get a gym membership at a nearby gym. Park a little farther from your destination and choose to walk. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.

Rest And Relaxation

Resting is equally important as working out because it’s an important part of the total process needed to build strength, endurance, and muscle. Working out breaks your body tissues down while resting days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, and connective tissue time to rebuild.

Relaxation for your mind is equally important. While there are no specific guidelines for the amount of relaxation a person should incorporate into their lifestyle, making time to unwind and enjoy life is a critical part of maintaining good health. Deep relaxation, like meditation, when practiced regularly will not only relieve stress and anxiety but also is shown to improve mood.

Tip: After a hard workout, cooling down properly will aid in circulation and prevent blood pooling and swelling, which can contribute to soreness later. Take the time to stretch and rehydrate. Be sure to carve out time in your day to rest, meditate, or simply focus on proper breathing.

Good Nutrition

Good nutrition is also a significant part of leading a healthy lifestyle. When you combine physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and promote better overall health.

Our bodies must be fed with proper nutrition in order to maintain it’s optimal performance. Diets should be brimming with mostly whole foods like vegetables, fruit, seeds, and protein sources from dairy, meats, eggs, fish, or soy products. With this balanced diet of approximately 50% good carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 20% good fats, we give our bodies an excellent chance of being healthy and strong.

Tip : Cooking at home will give you more control over ingredients and portion sizes, so aim to cook at home more often than eating out. Keep healthy snack options readily available to easily have when hungry.

The Takeaway

Taking good care of your body and mind can strongly impact how healthy we are in general and how well we cope with change. Exercising, relaxing and getting enough rest and proper nutrition will help you be more productive and enjoy life to the fullest. Taking good care of yourself may require a little extra time and effort, but it’s worth it.

Self-maintenance is critical to your overall success because it allows you to go further, get more done and most importantly, be healthy and happy while doing it.

Focusing on wellness, not just the symptoms. Contact us today to see how we can help you with your health and wellness journey!

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What Is Nonsurgical Decompression Therapy And How Does It Treat Neck Pain?

Sat, 13 Apr 2019 16:21:00 GMT

If you have been afflicted with chronic neck pain, you know how disrupting it can be to your everyday life. Standing upright straight for long periods can be brutal; getting comfortable at night can be impossible, and simple things like unloading groceries can become extremely painful.

Many people experience neck pain or stiffness on occasion. Often, it can be due to poor posture or overuse. Neck pain can also be caused by an injury from a fall or accident, contact sports, or whiplash.

Patients that will benefit most from decompression therapy may be those diagnosed with herniated discs, bulging discs, sciatica, degenerative disc disease or facet syndrome.

What Is Spinal Decompression Therapy?

Spinal decompression therapy is a non-invasive mechanical procedure used to help relieve neck pain. It involves gently stretching the spine which can take pressure off of the spinal discs, these are the cushions that separate the vertebrae in the spine.
When patients experience pain in the neck area, it is largely due to impinged nerves in the cervical spine in the majority of cases. By relieving this pressure, bulging discs can rescind back into place which will take the pressure off of the nerves in the spine responsible for the pain a patient feels.
This procedure is called nonsurgical decompression therapy, as opposed to surgical spinal decompression, such as laminectomy and microdiscectomy.

Functions Of The Cervical Nerves

There are 31 pairs of nerve roots that run along the spine from the neck to the tailbone. The seven cervical or neck vertebral segments protect eight sets of cervical nerve roots, which are abbreviated C1 to C8.

When degenerative cervical spine conditions, such as degenerative disc disease or osteoarthritis, produces an anatomical abnormality such as a herniated disc or bone spur, the C1 to C8 nerve roots can become compressed.

When the nerve becomes compressed it produces the symptoms listed above, and the location of the compressed nerve determines the location in the body where the symptoms arise. Here are the areas of the body associated with each of the eight cervical nerves:

C1 — Breathing and blood supply to the head.
C2 —Breathing, eyesight and head, and neck movement.
C3 — Breathing and facial movement.
C4 —Breathing, heart rate, and facial movement.
C5 — Heart rate, wrist, and elbow movement.
C6 — Heart rate, neck, and shoulder movement.
C7 — Arm, hand, and finger movement.
C8 — Arm, elbow, hand, and finger movement.

The Spinal Decompression Therapy And Neck Pain Takeaway:

The spine is comprised of a complex system of vertebrae, discs, joints, and nerves.

Accidents, overuse and poor posture, as well as the natural degeneration of the spine, can all lead to the development of certain cervical conditions, such as a herniated disc or spinal arthritis. When these circumstances occur, the displaced disc material or an arthritic bone spur can put pressure on surrounding spinal nerves, causing pain and other symptoms.

In the past, a patient suffering from this was often was given pain medications, instructed to abstain from physical activities, referred for physical therapy, and if they did not progress they were sent for spinal surgery. Spinal decompression therapy is an alternative therapy designed with the goal of alleviating pain and promoting healing of the intervertebral disc.

The post What Is Nonsurgical Decompression Therapy And How Does It Treat Neck Pain? appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Symptoms And Treatment Options For Piriformis Syndrome

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:15:00 GMT

Does shooting lower back pains, pain in your hips or buttocks area, or a tingling or numbness that extends down to your feet sound familiar?

Piriformis syndrome is a condition in which the piriformis muscle, which is located in the buttock region, spasms and causes buttock pain. The piriformis muscle can also be a source that can irritate the nearby sciatic nerve and cause pain, numbness and tingling along the back of the leg and into the foot.

The Piriformis Muscle:

Starts at the lower spine and connects to the upper surface of each femur, otherwise known as the thighbone.
The piriformis muscle is a flat, band-like muscle which is located in the buttocks near the top of the hip joint. This muscle is crucial to the lower body movements because it stabilizes the hip joint and lifts and rotates the thigh away from the body.
This allows us to walk, shift our weight from one foot to another, and maintain balance. It is also used greatly in sports that involve lifting and rotating the thighs. Simply put it is used in almost every motion of the hips and legs.
Runs diagonally, with the sciatic nerve typically running vertically directly beneath it.

Symptoms of Piriformis Syndrome

Most commonly, patients will describe acute tenderness in the buttock and sciatica-like pain down the back of the thigh, calf, and foot. Sciatica and piriformis syndrome are closely related and cause many of the same symptoms, although most cases of sciatic nerve pain are not actually due to piriformis syndrome. Typical piriformis syndrome symptoms may include:

A dull ache in the buttock region.
Pain that runs down the back of the thigh, calf, and foot.
Pain when walking up stairs or at inclines.
An increase in pain after sitting for prolonged periods of time.
Reduced range of motion of the hip joint.
Pain in the buttocks and legs that worsens with activity.

Treatment For Piriformis Syndrome

Ice. At the onset of pain, lie down in a comfortable position on the stomach and place an ice pack on the area in pain for approximately 20 minutes. Also, consider combining gentle massage with an ice pack. Repeat as needed every 2 to 4 hours.
Heat. It’s possible to find it helpful to alternate cold with heat. When using a heating pad, lie down on the stomach and place the heating pad on the painful area for up to 20 minutes. Be cautious and avoid falling asleep on a heating pad, as this may lead to skin burns.
Physical therapy. Physical Therapy treatment often includes stretching, strengthening and mobilizing the hip joints in various ways, using specific exercises that flex and loosen the appropriate areas. Hip joint mobilization, hamstring stretches, as well as strengthening the quadriceps, lower back and core can all important for preventing future symptoms from returning.
Medication. Over-the-counter or prescribed pain medicines, anti-inflammatory drugs, or muscle relaxers frequently serve to reduce the pain from piriformis syndrome. A doctor may also inject medicine directly into the piriformis muscle as well to improve the condition.
Yoga or stretching. Specific stretches or yoga poses can help to strengthen the core and lower back the hips, and the quads/buttocks while also loosening up and supporting the piriformis muscle.
Chiropractic Care. Chiropractors generally view the body in its entirety, and may often treat other parts of the body, in order to improve the condition of the piriformis muscle. It’s possible to utilize a regimen of pelvic and spinal adjustments along with joint manipulation and stretching in order to loosen up the muscle and help heal the afflicted area.

The Piriformis Takeaway

Piriformis syndrome is typically characterized by pain in the area of the buttock and hip area, although the discomfort can also extend down to the lower leg. It can cause symptoms similar to sciatica.

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Treatment Options For Whiplash

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 15:13:00 GMT

Whiplash occurs when a person’s head moves backward and then forward suddenly with force. This injury is most common following a vehicle accident, however, it can also result from physical abuse, sports injuries, accidental falls or even amusement park rides.

Whiplash results when the muscles and ligaments in your neck extend beyond their typical range of motion. Your symptoms might not appear for a while, so it’s important to pay attention to any physical changes for days following an accident.

Whiplash is thought of as a relatively mild condition, but it can cause long-term pain and discomfort.

Common symptoms related to whiplash:

Neck pain and stiffness.
Difficulty flexing, extending or rotating the head.
Headache.
Shoulder and arm pain, stiffness or weakness.
Dizziness.
Fatigue.
Jaw pain or difficulty chewing.
Arm pain.
Visual disturbances.
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
Back pain.

Home Care For Whiplash

Rest. While it is good to stay active if possible it also is wise to take things easier the first few days. If a certain motion or activity intensifies the neck pain, then avoid or limit that movement until the neck has more time to heal. Limit strenuous activities such as sports or heavy lifting.
Ice and/or heat. For the first couple of days following a whiplash injury, applying ice can reduce pain and inflammation in the neck. Then ice or heat can be applied alternately a few days after the injury has occurred.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Some common OTC pain relievers include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil, Aleve, and Motrin. Acetaminophen can block pain receptors, and NSAIDs reduce inflammation. Use as directed.

Other Treatments For Whiplash

Physical therapy. Treatment from a trained physical therapist or qualified health professional can help improve the neck’s strength and flexibility, which in some cases can relieve stress on the spine and reduce pain.
Massage Therapy . Massage may relieve some of the tension in the neck muscles as well as increase circulation to promote healing.
Acupuncture. Many people report benefits from acupuncture, this involves placing thin needles in various strategic parts of the body depending on the condition being treated. When done by a licensed acupuncturist, the treatment is safe and has little to no pain.
Electronic nerve stimulation . This involves a gentle electric current that may help reduce neck pain.
Chiropractic Care. A chiropractor or other certified medical professional will typically use his or her hands to make manual adjustments to the spine in an effort to increase the range of motion and reduce pain and return the injured area to proper alignment.

The Whiplash Takeaway

It is caused by an abnormal motion or force applied to the neck that causes movement beyond the neck’s normal range of motion. It is usually caused by a flexion-extension motion of the neck that pulls and strains the neck muscles and ligaments.

Whiplash will often get better on its own or after some simple treatment in a few weeks or months, however, it is possible that it can cause severe and troublesome symptoms that last a long time.

We are here to focus on your wellness. Contact us today to view our services and schedule with us today!

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Chiropractic Care For Athletes

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 15:54:00 GMT

Chiropractic care has been around since the late 1800s, but it wasn’t until 1980 that the first chiropractor was added to the United States Olympic medical team. Since then, spinal adjustments have become an important element in sports training and their medical teams. Athletes from many sports are starting to grasp the long-term benefits of chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care can benefit any person, regardless of age or ability. However, with competitive sports, sometimes the difference between winning and losing can be measured in microseconds. Athletes need every little bit of strength, speed and flexibility they can gather.

How Chiropractic Can Help Athletes:

Improve athletic performance. Chiropractors can clear imbalances and alleviate stressors on the body’s nervous system and restore the general health of your body. Apart from housing the nervous system, the spinal column assists in anchoring muscles throughout your whole body. Having good posture, muscle strength, and spinal health are all interconnected. Simply put, whatever impacts your spine also impacts physical performance. A healthy spine can support your body weight and the stressors of daily life, however, if your body, nervous system and spine fall into disrepair, the less trauma and stress it can take.
Decreased recovery time . Chiropractic adjustments may help to relax the muscles and correct any vertebrae that may have shifted during injury. As the muscles relax, fluids in the body are stimulated to travel towards the spinal area, when this happens oxygen and other necessary and essential nutrients are delivered to the injured site and promote healing. Adjustments and soft tissue manipulation can help break up scar tissue to increase flexibility, elasticity, and strength throughout recovery.
Improved range of motion. One of the greatest benefits of routine chiropractic treatments for athletes is the improved range of motion. Athletes put so much pressure on their bodies when training and these physically intense activities can create problems with spinal alignment and movement. An athlete can quickly end up with stiffness and pain in their joints. In return, may cause their range of motion to be limited, thereby inhibiting their overall athletic performance.
Pain reduction. The spine is an impressive structure containing numerous tissues that are highly sensitive to pain. Common areas that are notable are the discs, ligaments, joints, and nerves. Any form of abnormal misalignment in the spinal column is capable of placing a varied level of strain and stress on any one of these areas causing pain. The goal of Chiropractic care techniques is to restore or improve joint function while resolving inflammation and reducing pain.

The Chiropractic And Athletes Takeaway

If you’re an athlete, you understand the numerous demands of participating in a sport such as running, jumping, pushing or pulling. Putting your body through these activities can at times result in injury. Often when injuries can’t be prevented, chiropractic care can help to shorten healing time for a variety of ailments.

Conclusively, if you’re an athlete who is interested in maintaining your physical strength and range of motion, or if you need to recover from an injury without the use of prescriptions and invasive treatments, consider seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis.

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4 Drug-Free Treatment Options For Muscle Spasms

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 20:50:00 GMT

Muscle spasms can be uncomfortable, annoying and can seriously interrupt your life. There are several causes of muscle spasms you need to be aware of, and several ways in which you find relief.

Muscles can become strained due to repetitive movements or habits, such as bad posture, gaming, heavy lifting, swinging a racquet or sitting before a computer. Frequently, when muscles have been strained for some time, all it requires is one sudden movement that we wouldn’t expect to cause trouble to get an already strained muscle to move into spasm.

Here is what you need to know about muscle spasms and you can help to reduce the severity and frequency of your muscle spasms.

Common Reasons For Muscle Spasms:

Spasms can affect many different types of muscles in the body, leading to many different symptoms.

At times a spasm will occur due to an injury to the muscle or overuse, other times there is an underlying issue that causes the muscle to seize up. Joint arthritis, inflammation, poor posture, dehydration, repetitive motions, electrolyte imbalance and even diseases such as diabetes can cause the muscles to spasm.

Drug-Free Treatment Options For Muscle Spasms

Ice therapy. For the first 72 hours after the onset of your muscle spasms, wrap an ice pack, cold gel pad or a bag of frozen vegetables in a thin cloth. This helps to avoid frostbite, and apply to the affected area for up to 20 minutes several times a day. Ice therapy will slow the inflammation process and numbs tissue and slows nerve impulses to the injured area. Take care, however, not to ice the area too long, If used too long, cold therapy sessions could potentially cause muscles to tighten even more or tissues to become more inflamed.
Heat Therapy. Applying a heating pad to the affected area can bring soothing pain relief after the initial first few days of onset. Some people find heat is best, some prefer ice, and some find it most helpful to alternate the two therapies. You try a see what works best for you.
Physical Therapy . Physical Therapy can also assist in treating muscle spasms. Different treatments and modalities may include, corrective exercises, proper ergonomics, posture education, soft tissue work, stretches, joint mobilizations and any modalities which are appropriate such as moist heat, cold packs and electrical stimulation to name a few.
Chiropractic Care. Chiropractic care helps to alleviate the cause of muscle spasm once it’s present as well as helping to prevent it from occurring, to begin with. Proper nerve function is necessary for proper muscle function, and chiropractic adjustments locate and correct the regions of the spine where there’s nerve dysfunction. Chiropractic can improve the ability of the muscles and blood flow throughout the body, restoring fluid in the muscles and reducing your symptoms.

The Takeaway

Muscle spasms present as tightness in the muscles and may include pain, which often transpires shortly after an injury. Muscle spasms can often be in response to pain, which occurs as the body takes steps to protect itself. Spasms can also occur from dehydration, electrolyte imbalance or overuse.

Most muscle spasms are harmless, just very uncomfortable. These unwanted spasms can be prevented naturally, and there are natural methods for immediate relief that are perfectly safe and effective.

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Preventing Back Pain While Driving

Sat, 09 Mar 2019 22:37:00 GMT

People who commute to work by car or spend a fair amount of time on the road each day commonly experience pain while driving. This is a fairly typical complaint regardless of if you regularly suffer from back pain or not.

A road trip can mean different things to different people, but when you have back pain, it may mean a difficult and uncomfortable time could be in store for you. Sitting in the car in a static position for long periods of time can trigger back pain.

If you’re a passenger, you may be able to make yourself comfortable, shift around from time to time or even take medications needed for back pain relief. But if you’re the driver, you don’t necessarily have that option. Here are some tips that just may make your journey a bit more comfortable.

Why Driving Can Be Different Then Simply Sitting:

When your car isn’t moving, then sitting in a driving seat probably isn’t much different to sitting in a padded chair. This changes however once the vehicle is in motion at that point the body is subject to different forces: to accelerations and decelerations, to lateral swaying from side to side, and to whole-body up and down vibrations.

When driving the feet are actively being used, whether on the gas pedal, the break or even the clutch. When the feet are active they cannot be utilized for supporting and stabilizing the lower body as normally happens when they are placed on the floor during normal sitting in a chair.

Tips For Preventing Back Pain While Driving

Become as comfortable as possible from the start . Take a few moments to get as comfortable as possible when you first get in the car. The slightest irritation can end up causing major back discomfort and pain after a long drive.
Remove things from your pockets . Take your wallet out of your back pocket before you get in the car. A wallet, cell phone or any other miscellaneous things in your pocket immediately places your back out of alignment when you sit on them.
Proper seat adjustment. Tilt your seat to make sure that the bottom of your thighs are evenly supported. Raise or lower the seat so that you have a clear view out the windshield. Adjust the back of the seat so that your shoulders are behind your hips, but not by too much, aim for an angle of approximately 110 degrees. Adjust your legs so they are easily able to reach the pedals without bending significantly. It is helpful to get as close to the steering wheel as you can without becoming uncomfortable. This prevents you from slouching and also keeps you from straining to reach the pedals. When your seat is too far back, you must bend your back to reach the wheel and the controls, straining your back.
Take hot or cold packs with you. A cold pack could simply be an ice pack wrapped in a towel, or you could buy an instant ice pack from your local pharmacy or store which can be kept in the car in a cooler until you need them. Some heat packs can be plugged into the cigarette socket in your car to provide constant heat. Alternatively, if your car has heated seats, use these to keep your muscles warm during the journey. Use them according to what helps your discomfort the most.
Use an extra cushion or lumbar support. There is no single best option, and it may take some effort and trial and error on your part to find what works best for you.
Properly position your mirrors. Be sure your mirrors are adjusted properly so you don’t have to move or twist to see them. Generally, it’s best if you only have to move your eyes to be able to see out of your mirrors. If you adjust your mirrors while sitting up straight, and over time begin to slouch you’ll lose vision in the mirrors, this can act as a reminder to sit up.
Exercise as part of your wellness routine. Try to include movement into your daily routine. Moderate activities such as climbing stairs instead of using the elevator or parking the car in a more distant parking spot and walking to the store or having a routine exercise program that you follow can help immensely.
Regular Chiropractic Care. Using Chiropractic as part of your wellness routine can be extremely beneficial. Maintainance appointments that keep your spine in optimal health can often diffuse potential back issues before they happen. Also, having a strategically planned Chiropractic appointment scheduled for after a long journey can help with back pain that you may incur from a long car ride.

The Takeaway

Back pain during or from long periods of time driving is fairly common complaint regardless of if you regularly suffer from back pain or not. For anyone who spends a fair amount of time driving each day, whether if its what you do for a living, you have a long commute to work or have a fun-filled road trip planned, there are practical steps you can take to prevent back pain and damage.

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Chiropractic Care And Allergy Relief

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 21:53:00 GMT

Spring is on the way. Flowers will be budding, leaves are forming and growing, the days are getting a little longer. That’s awesome, right?

Unfortunately for many of us, when we hear “spring is in the air,” we can’t help but dread the months of runny noses, itchy eyes, and sneezing. We’re actually more likely to grab a handful of tissues than stop and smell the flowers.

You may be familiar with the fact that Chiropractic adjustments can improve many conditions, but what you may not be aware of is that chiropractic treatment can have a positive impact on allergies and asthma too. If you are a suffer from seasonal allergies Chiropractic care is worth taking a moment to look at when searching for treatment.

What Causes Allergies:

Your immune system has a task to recognize and remove harmful substances from your body. Inflammation, sneezing, coughing, and vomiting are methods the immune system often uses to rid itself of any dangerous substance ingested.

However, an allergic response is when your immune system is activated to fight against a substance that is usually considered harmless. Essentially, the allergic reaction is caused not by the substance itself but by how your body interprets that substance considering it potentially harmful.

How Your Body Reacts

When an allergic reaction is initiated, the body activates special immune cells called mast cells. On the surface of their membranes, these mast cells hold receptors that recognize substances considered either harmful or helpful to the body. When adverse substances are detected, the cells then release histamines. These chemicals sensitize the body to react, which then attempts to rid these harmful substances by sneezing, coughing, etc.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Chiropractic Care can release the nervous system which then allows the immune system to work more efficiently. Both the immune and respiratory systems depend on correct communication between the brain and the spinal cord to control and coordinate their functions. If there is an interruption in the communication system such as misalignment, the immune system may become compromised.

When an immune system is functioning optimally it helps to prevent disease and infection, and also helps you to deal with stress and essentially makes sure the body is healthy overall. It attacks the invasion of foreign substances like pollution, dust, and pollen and heads them off before they can do damage.

Misalignments in the spine can disrupt how the brain communicates with the rest of the body. Through manipulation of the joints and the soft tissue, pathways between the brain and spine can be opened up again and the body’s alignment can be restored.

The Takeaway

Chiropractic adjustments do not treat allergies or the immune system. The adjustments eliminate interference to the nervous system to allow the body to function and fight like as it was designed to.

Chiropractic care helps realigns the spine thus opening the necessary pathways of communication between the brain and the spine, in turn, allowing the body to heal itself. Chiropractic care is an amazing holistic approach to allergy treatment; it basically allows your body to do what it was meant to do.

Chiropractic evidence proves that the solution to most allergy problems already exists within the body.

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What Is Reiki Healing And What Are The Benefits?

Wed, 20 Feb 2019 20:51:00 GMT

Wouldn’t you love to have the opportunity to heal yourself? Well actually, you have that amazing ability, as we all do. The art of Reiki Healing is about energy and our body’s life force.

With the use of hands, it is a transfer of positive energy to aid someone when physically or emotionally weakened. It is a technique that can help relieve stress and increase relaxation.

What Is Reiki:

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by the “laying on hands” and is based on the concept that an unseen “ life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive.
If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more prone to get sick or feel stress. When life force energy is high, then we are more capable of being happy and healthy.
The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words. Rei which means “God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki which is “life force energy”. So Reiki is actually “spiritually guided life force energy”.
Reiki is a natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

Health Benefits Of Reiki

Reiki can help the patient reach a heightened state of relaxation which facilitates the body to better use its own energy to naturally heal itself.
Reiki can help the recipient achieve a state of peace which strengthens their spiritual well-being.
Routine Reiki treatments can help balance the mind and emotions of the patient which allows them to address issues in their life with more clarity and focus.
Reiki works to relieve pain from many chronic conditions such as sciatica, migraines, and arthritis.
Reiki helps the body attain its natural balance and can help reduce side effects from medical treatments or speed healing after surgery.

How Can I Learn Reiki

Reiki is easily learned and practiced as self-care by anyone who is interested, regardless of the person’s age or state of health.
One of the hallmarks of Reiki practice is its simplicity, special background or credentials are not necessary to receive training.
You can only learn Reiki from a qualified Reiki master. One way to find a Reiki master is to ask friends that practice Reiki with whom they studied, check with community posts or your ask your Practitioner. Practitioners often know of other complementary therapy providers.
It is important to note that Reiki is not a standardized practice thus there is no guarantee that anyone using the title “Reiki master” has the training and experience you are seeking. For this reason, it’s important to inquire into any Reiki master’s background, and a credible Reiki master will welcome this inquiry.

3 Degrees Of Reiki

The first degree is usually taught over 8-12 hours . Students practice Reiki self-care and also share Reiki with one another. This class prepares students to give themselves daily Reiki for life. For most people who want to practice on themselves and family, first-degree training is all they need.
The second degree is distance healing. Students learn to replace the hand-to-body contact with a mental connection when needed so that healing can be offered even when touch is impossible or inappropriate. The second degree can bring another dimension of healing and can also be used to enhance hands-on treatment.
The third degree of Reiki enables the student to become a Reiki Master, over a period of time. This degree is often taught in two parts, the first is where the student becomes a Reiki master and the second is where the student learns how to teach Reiki, thereby becoming a Reiki Master Teacher.

The Reiki Takeaway

Many people have reported miraculous outcomes from the laying on of the hands. It works well when used together with other therapeutic approaches to promote the healing of the mind, body, and spirit.

When it is performed it feels as a warm, glowing radiance is flowing through your body. It doesn’t focus on the symptoms of the illness but instead the entire body. A Reiki Healing session can leave you with a sense of tranquility, serenity, and well-being.

The post What Is Reiki Healing And What Are The Benefits? appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

The Negative Effects Of Poor Posture

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 22:12:00 GMT

Remember when your parents would scold you to sit or stand up straight? Turns out, like many things in life, they were right! Whether it’s the result of sitting in a static position all day, looking down at a smartphone or just lounging on a couch, poor posture is haunting people of all ages.

Though most of us probably don’t actively think about our posture throughout the day, we definitely should be more aware of it and the negative effects it can have on our health.

Negative Effects Of Poor Posture

Shoulder pain. A rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons connecting your upper arm to your shoulder. Muscle tightness or weakness from poor posture can irritate these tendons, causing pain and discomfort. The slouching involved with poor posture can lead to pain in tension in your shoulders and upper back.
Poor circulation . Our body was made to move fluids and gases and when you sit all day with poor posture, you’re preventing your body from getting the necessary circulation it needs. Prolonged sitting, especially with your legs crossed, can cut off the flow, increase pressure and even cause spider veins.
Headaches . There are many types of headaches, but some headaches originate in the neck and can be fixed when working on posture. These headaches tend to start in the base of your neck and radiate up, often from a forward head position which places increased stress on the joints and muscles in your upper neck.
Digestive issues. Slouched posture after a meal can trigger heartburn caused by acid reflux. When one assumes a slouched posture, the organs are compressed in the abdomen, this makes it harder for the body to digest food, and decreases metabolism.
Nerve impingement . As the spine and other bones alter their position due to the long-term effects of poor posture, the skeletal system begins to come into contact with surrounding nerves and “pinch” them. These pinched nerves can cause neck and back pain, but they can also cause pain in what seems to be unrelated areas of the body.
Poor body image and mood. Slouching or hunching your shoulders can give the illusion that you’re in worse shape than you are. If you work towards better posture, you’ll look and feel more confident in your own body. When you are slouched over, your internal organs have nowhere to go but down and out making you appear much heavier. People who sit upright report higher self-esteem, a higher level of alertness, a better mood and less fear than those who slouched.
Breathing. Your ability to breathe optimally is boosted when your body is lengthened and in proper alignment. To breathe properly, your diaphragm needs to have enough space in the thoracic cavity to expand and properly release each breath. Good posture is a fantastic way to naturally improve breathing efficiency.

The Posture Takeaway

Most of us are guilty of slouching, hunching over our computer, or just not sitting or standing up straight. We know it’s not good for us, yet the majority of us don’t take any action to improve it.

Correct posture is a simple but very crucial way to keep the many intricate structures in the back and spine healthy. Sitting and standing with proper postural alignment will allow one to work more efficiently with less fatigue and strain on your body’s ligaments and muscles.

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Can Chiropractic Treat Vertigo?

Sat, 09 Feb 2019 16:36:00 GMT

As children, nothing was more fun than spinning round and round until you were too dizzy to walk straight. Falling to the ground laughing at how much fun the feeling was. Unfortunately, as an adult, that feeling isn’t so amusing.

Numerous people experience issues with balance on a daily or weekly basis. It can include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, and trouble walking in a straight line. It can be a major problem to manage and also lead to problems at work, driving, and much more.

Vertigo refers to a sense of spinning dizziness. It is a symptom of a range of conditions. It can happen when there is a problem with the inner ear, brain, or sensory nerve pathway.

What Is Vertigo

Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning.
One of the most common causes of inner ear problems, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, occurs when small components, crystals, for lack of a better word, are moving around in the ear as you change position. With that movement, you experience the swaying feeling, nausea, etc.
Meniere’s disease is characterized by vertigo, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and a feeling as though your ear canal is blocked or full of fluid. The exact cause is unknown though it’s thought to have both genetic and environmental factors.
Last among the three most common causes of vertigo is Labyrinthitis, which is a fancy name for an ear infection. There’s inflammation of the inner ear and the vertigo is a symptom of the infection.

Common Symptoms Of Vertigo

Balance problems and lightheadedness.
A sense of motion sickness.
Nausea and vomiting.
Tinnitus.
A feeling of fullness in the ear.
A headache.

2 Ways Chiropractic Can Help Treat Vertigo

The primary way is a chiropractic adjustment , which allows your nervous system, which is the body’s master control system, to function at its most efficient level. By adjusting the spine and facilitating better communication between the brain and the rest of your body, including the ear, lymph and immune system (particularly important if the vertigo is due to an infection), you are positioned for faster healing and with greater ease.
If your problem is inner-ear related, The Epley maneuver (a repositioning technique) may be utilized. It’s simple, easy and performed in the chiropractic office. This maneuver involves several positions that you can move your head to in order to get the crystal back into place. It’s done to facilitate the recalibration of the inner ear and its components.

The Takeaway

Vertigo is a blanket term that describes the feeling that objects are moving around a person.

Vertigo is one of the most common conditions affecting people today. Vertigo is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating and/or difficulties walking. Quite frankly, it’s can be extremely difficult to perform daily tasks and the symptoms can be debilitating.

Chiropractic adjustments and the Epley Maneuver are non-invasive but truly support the body’s ability to heal on its own.

The post Can Chiropractic Treat Vertigo? appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

6 FAQ’S About Chiropractic Care

Sat, 02 Feb 2019 17:31:00 GMT

If you’re new to the world of chiropractic care you may find yourself with a lot of basic questions. Chiropractic is one of those subjects that everyone has an opinion on, even if they don’t always truly know the facts.

For many people, finding the right chiropractor to help with their pain can be a lifesaver. Whether used as a first-line treatment or as a component to a holistic pain management plan, chiropractic care has been demonstrated to be effective for a variety of conditions.

FAQ’s About Chiropractic

Question #1. How does chiropractic work?

Answer. Chiropractic works by building up your own body’s ability to be healthy. With the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health. The chiropractic approach to better health is to detect and help eliminate interferences to your natural state of being healthy.

Question #2. What is an adjustment?

Answer. A chiropractic adjustment, or spinal manipulation, is a procedure where a specially trained Doctor of Chiropractic uses their hands, a small instrument or a specialized table to apply a controlled force to a certain area of the body. Regular adjustments correct spinal alignment and boost your body’s efficiency and proper function.

Question #3. What is the cracking and popping noise when being adjusted?

Answer. Adjustments do not always produce a sound, however, adjustments or manipulation of a joint may result in the release of a gas bubble between the joints. This is what makes the popping sound, similar to when you “crack” your knuckles. The noise is caused by the change of pressure within the joint, which results in gas bubbles being released. There is usually minimal if any, discomfort involved.

Question #4. Can you see a Chiropractor while pregnant?

Answer. Any time is an acceptable time for a better functioning nerve system. Pregnant mothers find that chiropractic adjustments help with pregnancy discomforts, like sciatica, improve their pregnancy and can also make delivery easier for themselves and their baby. Certain chiropractic techniques can also be used to help properly position the baby for delivery.

Question #5. Can you see a Chiropractor if you have had back surgery?

Answer. Yes. It’s a fact that unfortunately more than half of those who had spinal surgery recognize a return of their original symptoms months or years later. Chiropractic may help prevent repeated back surgeries. In fact, if chiropractic care is used initially, back surgery can often be originally bypassed in the first place.

Question #6. How long will I have to go to a Chiropractor?

Answer. Ultimately , how long you see your chiropractor for is entirely up to you. A chiropractor may provide acute, chronic, and/or preventive care, making a certain number of visits sometimes necessary. Often during your first consultation with a chiropractor, they will provide you with a proposed treatment plan to outline your care. In order to obtain the best long term results, a series of treatments are typically recommended.

The FAQ’S Takeaway

Chiropractic is based on the scientific fact that your body is a self-regulating, self- healing organism. These important functions are controlled by the brain. spinal cord, and all the nerves of the body. Chiropractic care is a non-invasive, drug-free treatment technique that helps manage chronic pain and supports the body’s natural healing process.

Whether you are suffering from chronic back pain, struggling to heal after an injury, or searching for an alternative to surgery and medication, Chiropractic care can make a big difference for the overall health of your body.

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Treating PMS With Chiropractic Care

Sat, 26 Jan 2019 14:19:00 GMT

Do headaches, backache, abdominal bloating, cramping, fatigue and mood swings sound familiar to you? These symptoms can be physical but also emotional in nature, and often improve once menstruation begins. If you are one of the millions of woman who experience these symptoms, you are not alone.

Most women suffer from the symptoms of PMS during their childbearing years, between 10-20% experience severe or disabling symptoms.

What is Premenstrual Syndrome?

PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome and is the combination of symptoms that some women suffer from about a week or so before their period. Symptoms appear before your period starts and will usually disappear during your period. Symptoms can affect both your body and your brain, and their intensity can vary a lot from woman to woman. There are 150 identified symptoms of PMS.

Exactly what cause PMS is unknown but factors such as the cyclic changes in hormones and chemical fluctuations in the brain play a role.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of PMS. The symptoms of PMDD are similar to those of PMS but are severe and interfere with work, social activities, and relationships.

Can Chiropractic Care Help PMS?

While most people think chiropractors are back doctors, it surprises many to learn that they’ve been contributing to women’s health with menstrual symptoms and PMS treatment for a very long time.
Your nervous system manages and regulates every cell, organ, tissue, and system of your body. If there is even the slightest conflict with the communications between your brain and a part of your body, that body part won’t work correctly.
The spine, especially in the lower back, can impair nerves that direct and oversee the reproductive and hormonal systems.
These important nerve communications exit your brain, navigate down your spinal cord and then out between each spinal vertebrae to numerous organs and tissues. If the spine loses its proper alignment, nearby nerves can be affected.
This is suggestive that spinal dysfunction could be a factor in PMS and indicate that chiropractic manipulative therapy may offer an alternative therapeutic approach for PMS Suffers. Both patients and chiropractors often report a decline in PMS symptoms including back pain, bloating, cramping, and loss of energy.

4 Other Natural Ways To Treat PMS

Exercise. Getting out and moving will increase your circulation, elevate your mood, and help you sweat out some of that bloat. A brisk walk, or even a stroll, around the neighborhood can make a big difference.
Supplements . B Vitamins have been shown to reduce PMS symptoms. A good supply of magnesium supports our hormones, which affects menstruation and PMS. Research also shows that adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet reduces many common PMS symptoms.
Meditate . Mood changes are a large and disruptive part of PMS, so it’s worth paying attention to meditation because you can likely affect your monthly mood changes for the better.
Avoid certain fats, sugars, and excess salt . Certain food can be a large source of inflammation which worsens PMS symptoms.

The Takeaway

PMS is related to a variety of physical and psychological symptoms that occur just before your menstrual period. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of PMS. It’s estimated that as many as 3 of every 4 menstruating women have experienced some form of premenstrual syndrome.

If you’re resolved not to give in to menstrual or premenstrual discomfort, and you want a natural solution for PMS that avoids drugs, Chiropractic care should definitely be a consideration.

If you are focusing on your wellness, contact us to view our services and schedule today !

The post Treating PMS With Chiropractic Care appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Chiropractic Care For Cluster Headache Sufferers

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 20:37:00 GMT

Nine out of 10 Americans suffer from headaches, so if you have headaches, you’re not alone. Some get occasional headaches, some frequent, dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. Unfortunately, cluster headaches are more debilitating than most headache types.

Cluster headaches involve intense and relentless pain in or around one eye on one side of the head. The symptoms can sometimes be confused with a migraine, however, there is one major difference.

This type of headache occurs in patterns, and it arises in outbursts or “clusters” of frequent attacks. Someone with cluster headaches will experience horrible pain, a brief intermission and then the return of pain.

These bouts of frequent attacks, known as cluster periods, may last from weeks to months, usually followed by long periods of relief (remission). During remission, attacks may stop for months or years.

Common Symptoms Of Cluster Headaches

Pain at the base of the skull, towards one side.
Intense, sharp pain behind one eye, often described as an ice pick in your eye.
Pain behind the ear.
One-sided pain down the neck and into the upper back.
Medication does not usually treat successfully.
Multiple headaches occur with a brief intermission
Eye tearing, nasal congestion, eyelid drooping, constriction of the pupil, and lid swelling of the affected side.

How Chiropractic Helps Cluster Headaches

Your body has an amazing way of clearly telling you in some way that your body isn’t functioning optimally. Spinal misalignment can negatively affect the brainstem and can cause it to send improper signals to the brain.

When this happens chiropractic can facilitate optimal functioning of the entire body by improving brain-body communication. Chiropractic adjustments work to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.

The nervous system can relax and function with greater ease; the cervical spine muscles can decrease in tightness and rigidity that is often experienced with these headaches.

Other Considerations

Daily exercise . Having a consistent workout routine to your schedule might reduce your risk for recurrent cluster headaches.
Alcohol. Alcohol can trigger cluster headaches in some people. If you drink alcohol, consider avoiding it during a cluster period.
Triggers . Smoke, bright lights, overheating (hot weather, saunas, strenuous activity, hot baths, and showers), foods and altitude can all be triggers. Become aware of these triggers and avoid them.
Quit Smoking . A significantly higher percentage of people that suffer from cluster headaches are smokers, compared with the rest of the population.
Keep a regular sleep routine . Cluster headaches have been associated with changes in the sleep routine.
Deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing exercises can be performed at home when you have a cluster headache as getting extra oxygen into your bloodstream can calm your body and help you manage pain.

The Takeaway

While no headache is pleasant, cluster headaches can be particularly uncomfortable. Sufferers might find help from an upper cervical chiropractic adjustment.

Chiropractic manipulation of the cervical and thoracic spinal areas has been shown to relieve signs and symptoms of cluster headaches. You chiropractor may also prescribe exercises, provide nutritional advise or make suggestions to avoid possible triggers for cluster headaches.

The post Chiropractic Care For Cluster Headache Sufferers appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

4 Great Ways Chiropractic Care Can Help During Pregnancy

Sat, 12 Jan 2019 18:16:00 GMT

There is no doubt a woman experiences a plethora of changes during pregnancy. The physical and emotional changes that occur are impressive. In fact, the physical changes seem to include every system in the body.

For many pregnant women, aches and pains in the lower back and hips are part of the experience. In fact, approximately 50 percent of pregnant women will experience back pain at some point before they deliver. As the body goes through the changes during and following pregnancy chiropractic care can help.

Changes In Body Due To Pregnancy:

There are many hormonal and physical changes experienced during pregnancy. Some of these will have an impact on posture and comfort. As the baby becomes heavier, the center of gravity shifts and the posture adjusts accordingly. These physical changes during your pregnancy can lead to a misaligned spine or joints. These changes may include a protruding abdomen resulting in an increased curve of your back, changes to your pelvis as your body begins to prepare for labor, and adaptations to your posture.

How Chiropractic Can Help During Pregnancy

Posture . Many women have issues with back pain during pregnancy due to the extra weight they must carry in the front of their body. The protruding abdomen can increase the curve in the back and cause pain and posture issues. Chiropractors can restore proper posture, and prevent the stress of pregnancy on the body from causing long-term pain and posture issues.
Ease symptoms and pain from pregnancy . Designed to keep your spine in alignment, chiropractic care can help prevent and relieve back pain associated with pregnancy. Chiropractic can help ease pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. It doesn’t work for all women, but chiropractic is one way to try to get some relief from morning sickness. An adjustment will help nausea and vomiting if they are due in part to nerves pinched by out-of-place vertebrae.
Overall health maintenance and position for baby. Chiropractic care ensures a healthy immune system for both mom and baby, whose immune systems are very intimately connected during pregnancy. If moms hips and lower spine are out of place, the baby’s position may not be ideal. Chiropractic adjustments may help get baby in the proper position, by ensuring that there are no vertebrae out of place.
Benefit during labor and childbirth. Chiropractic adjustments can help shorten labor and make the birth process easier. If there is proper alignment in the spine and hips, and if all the nerves to the muscles and organs in her body are free and healthy, then labor and birth can move along more easily and may even take less time than without chiropractic care.

The Chiropractic And Pregnancy Takeaway:

Pregnancy is a time of tremendous change for any woman, and chiropractic care can help make these changes easier by relieving pain. Chiropractic care appears to offer many women relief from the back, leg, and pelvic aches and pains common during pregnancy.

Gentle and non-evasive, chiropractic is a safe and effective form of prenatal care that can provide the mother with relief during pregnancy, can help position the baby in utero, and assist the mother with delivery and post-natal pain.

The post 4 Great Ways Chiropractic Care Can Help During Pregnancy appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Uncovering The Truth About 5 Common Chiropractic Myths

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 19:33:00 GMT

As successful as chiropractic has become, there are still a lot of myths circulating among the general public. The fact is that many people still do not understand what chiropractors do.

As a patient, when you are making any medical decisions about any part of your body it is important that you have all the facts.

5 Common Chiropractic Myths:

Myth #1 . Chiropractors are not real doctors.

Truth. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. While the competition for acceptance in chiropractic school is not as fierce as medical school, the chiropractic and medical school curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical.

A chiropractor has equally extensive education in basic human health sciences as any other doctor. The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors is not in their level of education but in their method of treatment.

Myth #2. Once you start going to a chiropractor, you have to keep going for the rest of your life.

Truth. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuromusculoskeletal system. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your wellness lifestyle.

Many patients choose to get regular adjustments much like you might get a regular massage or visit the dentist.

Myth #3. People can give themselves an adjustment by “cracking” their neck or back.

Truth. Just as you wouldn’t perform surgery on yourself, it’s always best to leave the adjustments of your back and neck to the professional chiropractor.

While some people can get their neck or back to “pop” this usually only affects the segments that are not the real problem and would be almost impossible to adjust oneself in a way or correct any subluxations.

Myth #4. Chiropractic manipulation is dangerous.

Truth . While it is true that no treatment or intervention is without risk, chiropractic manipulation is safe. Most of the time a spinal adjustment itself will not hurt at all. In fact, a great sense of relief is often experienced by the patient.

An adjustment will correct any misalignments in the spine thus relieving pressure on the joints and spinal nerves, creating space and relieving pain due to the pressure.

Myth #5. Chiropractors only treat back pain.

Truth. Chiropractors are commonly known to help patients with back problems but that is not all they do. During their education, every chiropractor learns how to administer clinical examinations and offer the proper diagnosis of the entire human body.

Chiropractors often diagnose problems unrelated to the spine, offer nutritional advice, and prescribe exercises to patients.

The Takeaway

Even as chiropractic becomes the first choice for preventative care for millions of people, there are still myths that persist.

Never believe everything you hear. Like most things in life, there are a lot of rumors about chiropractic’s that simply are not true. If you are on the fence about chiropractic care, attend a consultation appointment, where you can voice all of your concerns to a licensed chiropractor.

The post Uncovering The Truth About 5 Common Chiropractic Myths appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

How Using Chiropractic And Massage Therapy Together Can Benefit You

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 15:52:00 GMT

Most people know the benefits of chiropractic care , as well as the relaxing effects of massage therapy. Did you know that getting both regular massages and routine chiropractic adjustments can enhance your overall wellness?

Many Chiropractors know how well their treatments work together and use them in tandem regularly.

Chiropractic medicine is based on the idea that your body can help to keep itself healthy if your spine, neck, and head are aligned properly and free from abnormalities that impair the proper flow of energy along your spinal column. The treatment itself is a highly-controlled procedure that uses minimal force and gentle pressure. Patients typically feel relief immediately after an adjustment.

Massage therapy. Focuses on the manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments) to enhance a person’s health and well-being. Modalities can also be used such as aromatherapy, hot stones, and reflexology to name a few.

How Chiropractic And Massage Therapy Work Together

Massage Extends The Benefit Of Chiropractic Adjustment . Since there is a decrease in muscle tension, there an increase in flexibility and longer sustained benefits from the adjustment.
Prepares The Muscles And Attachments. Since massage therapy focuses on manipulating the soft tissues like muscles, tendons, and ligaments by improving circulation and blood flow that warms these soft tissues, causing them to loosen and relax. When your muscles are warm, you’re going to have more elasticity and function. Massage prior to a chiropractic adjustment prevents the likelihood of spasm post-adjustment because of elongation of the muscles that attach to the spine noted after a message.
Positive Influence On Circulatory System . The circulation of the blood, lymph, and interstitial fluids are critical to the natural homeostasis throughout the body, as well as its ability to heal and regenerate. Improvement in circulation has a plethora of benefits involving all body systems.
General Sense Of Wellness . Massage Therapy helps the body relax, decreases stress and reduces anxiety. Chiropractic treatment is aided when the body is relaxed and the patient is calm. Massage therapy and chiropractic together can help to cleanse the body of impurities by breaking down built up toxins, which often has a calming effect on anxious and excessively stressed patients.
Recovery From Pain. Recovery, especially from conditions that cause pain, can be faster and more complete when multiple components of that pain are addressed simultaneously. Spinal alignment is key for diminishing back pain. The chiropractor will work to resolve the structural problems and the massage therapist working to resolve the soft tissue problems. Working together to get you back to a state of health, well-being, and pain-free as quickly as possible.

The Takeaway

The chiropractor works to relieve the structural problems and the massage therapist works to resolve the soft tissue problems. Most chiropractors who work hand-in-hand with massage therapists collaborate to find the most effective treatment regimen for each patient.

The long-term solution is a commitment to overall wellness. Chiropractic and massage therapy both offer considerable benefits individually, they are better together.

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Common Chiropractic Modalities

Sat, 22 Dec 2018 14:17:00 GMT

Although their main method of treatment is spinal manipulation, many chiropractors also use other therapies to treat their patients. Some of the most common treatments chiropractic doctors recommend includes therapeutic exercise and stretching, spinal traction, manual soft tissue therapy, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound, and others.

Modalities are defined as “Any physical agent applied to produce therapeutic changes to biologic tissues; includes but not limited to thermal, acoustic, light, mechanical, or electric energy.” They can be attended OR non-attended.

Common Chiropractic Modalities:

Massage and Soft Tissue Mobilization . Massage is defined as the rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints by the hands especially to relieve tension. Soft tissue mobilization is a specific assessment, evaluation, and treatment of soft tissues (ligaments, muscles, tendons, and fascia) for the purpose of creating beneficial effects on the nervous, musculoskeletal, lymph, and circulatory systems.
Spinal Traction. Many chiropractors use spinal traction, in which traction devices are applied to distract areas of the spine. This treatment helps to gently separate the vertebrae resulting in disc decompression, reduced nerve root pressure, and less pain.
Ultrasound . Therapeutic ultrasound is a form of deep heat therapy created by sound waves. When applied to soft tissues and joints, the sound waves are a form of micro-massage that help reduce swelling, increase blood flow, and decrease pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms.
Heat and cold . Chiropractors may alternate between heat and ice therapy to help patients treat back pain. Ice packs may be used to numb the back for a 10 to 15 minute period and then switched with a heating pad, heat wrap or hot water bottle to restore blood flow to the area and promote faster healing.
Dietary management . Many chiropractors will provide patients with tips on how an improved diet may help with their back pain, and some may recommend dietary supplements after spinal manipulation.
Cold Laser. Unlike standard lasers, the cold laser produces light without heat. That makes it a worthwhile piece of equipment for treating injured areas and encouraging cell function and healing. For some injuries, heat can make the situation worse. That’s not true of cold lasers.
Therapeutic Exercise. Chiropractors commonly prescribe specific strengthening exercises for their patients with back, neck, and extremity problems. These exercises can help decrease pain, prevent muscle deterioration, promote joint health, increase strength, stability, and range of motion, and protect against new or recurring injuries.
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS). A TENS unit is a small, battery-powered, portable muscle stimulation machine that can be used at home to help control pain. Variable intensities of electric current are used to control pain. This treatment is recommended to help patients get through periods of severe (acute) pain.
Interferential Current. Interferential current (IFC) is another type of TENS therapy. This mode uses high-frequency electrical impulses to reduce pain deep within a patient’s tissue. For sensitive patients, IFC is a good substitute, since the high frequency meets less skin resistance than a TENs unit.
Lifestyle Changes. Good health is much more than the absence of pain or disease. The lifestyle choices you make on a daily basis can greatly affect your long-term health. Your chiropractor can talk to you about your lifestyle choices, help you sort through and identify unhealthy health habits, and give you practical strategies to deal with and manage them.

The Takeaway

As you can see, chiropractic medicine is more than just spinal manipulations. Chiropractors use a variety of treatment modalities to help the body to heal itself and return the patient to a pain-free and healthy life.

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Benefits Of Visiting Your Chiropractor This Holiday Season

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:33:00 GMT

With the holiday season in full-force, more people than ever are facing the stresses that often come with this time of year. While you may be running around shopping, baking and preparing to travel, it is important that you are also taking the time to care for yourself.

There is a reason so many people get sick during this time of year. It is not because cold weather magically brings colds, it is because so many people are stressed and not caring for themselves, which leaves our bodies at a greater risk of getting sick.

Seeing a Chiropractor during the holiday season can help reduce stress, heal and prevent winter injuries, and boost your mood.

Benefits Of Visiting Your Chiropractor This Holiday Season:

Stress. The holiday season can be stressful when considering the mounting number of items that get piled on the to-do list, the extra expenses, and even stressful family encounters this time of year. The body deals with stress physically by tensing up; especially in the neck, shoulders, low back and jaw. Chiropractic is a powerful tool in dealing with the negative impact of stress and how it affects the body.
Travel. Unless you’re staying at home for the holidays, odds are you’ll be feeling some type of travel pain come January. Whether you’re flying, driving, or stuck on a pullout sofa, the holiday travel can leave you in some pretty uncomfortable positions.
Immune System. Chiropractic care can help balance the nervous system and help you stay active during the colder months, which improves your immune system and helps fight off the cold & flu.
Seasonal injuries. It may not be so obvious, but the holidays bring their own types of injuries, including strains from hanging decorations and pulled muscles from lifting heavy boxes, shopping bags or shoveling snow.
Winter Blues . Roughly 15% of Americans are challenged by the change of the seasons when it comes to depression and extreme fatigue. Posture is a key way we express ourselves. Good posture and spinal health can help you feel more energetic, happier, and confident.
Headaches. This time of year with stress, increase tension in the body, cold weather can increase headaches. Other triggers could be the lack of water, increase alcohol content, and many foods especially sugars and wine can increase headaches. Prevent these headaches, help decrease symptoms and rule out a more serious condition by visiting the chiropractor.
Digestion. For many people, one of the best parts about the holiday season is all of the candies and cookies that they get to enjoy during this time of the year. However, all of these sweets can really take their toll on your digestive system and leave you feeling bloated, lethargic and uncomfortable. Combat these common pains by getting adjusted regularly. By visiting your chiropractor you can make sure your nervous system is functioning as it should be, meaning your whole body will start working better and your brain and your digestive system can communicate more effectively.

The Takeaway

The holidays can be a fast and furious season that too many becomes a blur of shopping, decorating, entertaining and cleaning up. We are around many friends and family and often jump from party to party without really allowing our bodies the chance to digest everything that is going on or relax.

Although we have many obligations this time of the year this can also be the best time to stop and think about our own health. Chiropractic care has become essential to keeping up with all the busy holiday season demands.

The post Benefits Of Visiting Your Chiropractor This Holiday Season appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Amazing health care coming to your area soon

Wed, 16 Dec 2015 08:31:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important

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It uses a dictionary of over 200 Latin words, combined with a handful of model sentence structures, to generate Lorem Ipsum which looks reasonable. The generated Lorem Ipsum is therefore always free from repetition, injected humour, or non-characteristic words etc.

But not just any good diet:

Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words.

Exercise is also just as important:

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Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post Amazing health care coming to your area soon appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

What does it mean to have an incredible daily diet?

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 08:34:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

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Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post What does it mean to have an incredible daily diet? appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

How often should you visit your midwife during pregnancy?

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 08:32:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important:

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

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Luctus vitae nulla. Quisque efficitur lobortis orci amet vehicula.
Sed tincidunt tincidunt velit, vel scelerisque nibh tincidunt ut.
Suspendisse mi lorem, placerat in arcu ut, placerat aliquet felis.
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Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post How often should you visit your midwife during pregnancy? appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Beautiful life with beautiful health

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 06:30:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important:

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

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Luctus vitae nulla. Quisque efficitur lobortis orci amet vehicula.
Sed tincidunt tincidunt velit, vel scelerisque nibh tincidunt ut.
Suspendisse mi lorem, placerat in arcu ut, placerat aliquet felis.
Praesent bibendum felis nec turpis fringilla suscipit.

Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post Beautiful life with beautiful health appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Taking the best care of your kids is a daily regiment

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 08:55:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important:

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

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Luctus vitae nulla. Quisque efficitur lobortis orci amet vehicula.
Sed tincidunt tincidunt velit, vel scelerisque nibh tincidunt ut.
Suspendisse mi lorem, placerat in arcu ut, placerat aliquet felis.
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To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur.

Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post Taking the best care of your kids is a daily regiment appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

New ways to prevent heart attacks

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 08:58:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important:

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

Proin libero tellus, ultrices eu vehicula sed
Luctus vitae nulla. Quisque efficitur lobortis orci amet vehicula.
Sed tincidunt tincidunt velit, vel scelerisque nibh tincidunt ut.
Suspendisse mi lorem, placerat in arcu ut, placerat aliquet felis.
Praesent bibendum felis nec turpis fringilla suscipit.

Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post New ways to prevent heart attacks appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Getting the most out of your health care provider

Fri, 27 Nov 2015 08:58:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important:

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

Proin libero tellus, ultrices eu vehicula sed
Luctus vitae nulla. Quisque efficitur lobortis orci amet vehicula.
Sed tincidunt tincidunt velit, vel scelerisque nibh tincidunt ut.
Suspendisse mi lorem, placerat in arcu ut, placerat aliquet felis.
Praesent bibendum felis nec turpis fringilla suscipit.

Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post Getting the most out of your health care provider appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Best practices in finding the right insurance for your needs

Fri, 27 Nov 2015 08:58:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important:

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

Proin libero tellus, ultrices eu vehicula sed
Luctus vitae nulla. Quisque efficitur lobortis orci amet vehicula.
Sed tincidunt tincidunt velit, vel scelerisque nibh tincidunt ut.
Suspendisse mi lorem, placerat in arcu ut, placerat aliquet felis.
Praesent bibendum felis nec turpis fringilla suscipit.

Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post Best practices in finding the right insurance for your needs appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .

Beautiful life with Avada Health Care gives security

Thu, 26 Nov 2015 14:39:00 GMT

Studies show good health is all important

But not just any good diet:

Exercise is also just as important:

Proin libero tellus, ultrices eu vehicula sed
Luctus vitae nulla. Quisque efficitur lobortis orci amet vehicula.
Sed tincidunt tincidunt velit, vel scelerisque nibh tincidunt ut.
Suspendisse mi lorem, placerat in arcu ut, placerat aliquet felis.
Praesent bibendum felis nec turpis fringilla suscipit.

Studies show that consistency is all important:

The post Beautiful life with Avada Health Care gives security appeared first on Leon Chiropractic .