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I have never been the biggest fan of winter. I have always found that while snow is pretty, it never stays that way for long. This is especially true when I need to shovel multiple inches of it. One thing that I dislike more and more the older I get is the rain that we see when it isn’t cold enough to snow. While I don’t mind being outside in a light mist, it rarely seems to work out that way. On New Year’s Eve, I was driving to a friend’s house and almost had to pull over because the rain was so severe. The worst is when you realize that you should be glad that it isn’t snow but you still miss the sun. Not only does it make you feel ungrateful, but it is also painful.

The combination of wet and cold is never pleasant. This is especially true when it comes over an extended period of time. This year, my area has seen more rain than snow but that still doesn’t mean it has been pleasant. While I am glad that I haven’t been trapped inside because of blizzard conditions like I was last year, it seems like the rain makes you just as miserable sometimes. It also isn’t fun when you can’t open your windows due to the rain (because those are the days that seem to be decently warm) or find that there is a leak somewhere and need to rush to fix it before it freezes again. If you’re already in some pain due to the weather, moving around a lot is the last thing that you want to do. I know all I ever want to do in the winter is curl up under some blankets and sleep.

If you find that you are experiencing some pain that is likely weather related, come into DiBella Chiropractic. We understand just how uncomfortable this time of year can be for people with chronic conditions and it normally doesn’t get better until the weather starts to warm back up. We can help you set up a plan to deal with the aches and pains at home as well as regular appointments for chiropractic care to help combat any other issues. Just because the weather outside is miserable most days doesn’t mean you have to be. Come and get the treatment you deserve today and feel worlds better tomorrow!

This week I wanted to talk to you about back pain. Back pain is something that around 84% of adults suffer from on a regular basis. This means that there is a pretty good chance that at least one person reading this lives with some form of back pain and here at DiBella Chiropractic we think that this is at least one person too many. We hate when people are in pain, it’s why we do what we do in the first place. This is why we wanted to give you some tips about how to deal with and lessen your back pain. These methods include:

1. Ice and Heat. Using ice packs and heating pads can save you a lot of pain and misery when it comes to pain and things beyond your control. Ice helps to reduce inflammation if your pain is a nerve issue while the heat helps to relax your muscles if it is a muscular problem. You may even want to alternate between the two to get the best effect.
2. Stretching. Stretching is a great way to work out those little spots that tend to develop in your overused (or underused) muscles. Look up some simple stretches that you can do at home and see how much of a difference it makes. You may even want to start doing them on a daily basis to prevent the pain coming back.
3. Correcting Your Posture. Sitting at a computer or lounging on the couch for hours at a time can really mess with your back if you aren’t sitting correctly. Always try to make an effort to correct your posture if you are sitting down by making sure your feet are flat on the floor and your chin is parallel to it. Do your best to make sure your shoulders are level as well, as leaning can cause a vast amount of pain if done over a long period of time. Try unclenching your jaw as well and see how much this helps the rest of your posture.

Back pain is often considered a fact of life, but it shouldn’t have to be. In fact, here at DiBella Chiropractic we want to do all we can to make sure that you never feel back pain again. Come in for a spinal adjustment and see how much it can help you.

This week, I wanted to focus again on studies that have been done which show the truth behind chiropractic care. We read two wonderful articles about what chiropractic care can do for two completely different kinds of disorders, but both are chronic and can be life altering. In fact, both have the capability to keep the sufferer inside for most of their lives. Here at DiBella Chiropractic, we never want you to feel like you need to stay home and we will do everything we can to get you healthy again. Here is a recap of what we learned this week.

The first article was about Crohn’s Disease and other similar disorders. As I said, I have grown up with most of my family suffering from these and was amazed to hear about the study of over fifty patients who were used to find a strong link between these digestive disorders and chiropractic care. It was found that most people who have Crohn’s Disease or something like it have misalignments in their lower backs and it was postulated that this may be a cause and effect situation, as those who received treatment for those issues in their spines showed decreased symptoms of the disorder.

The second article was about a seven year old boy who suffered from allergies and asthma as well as chronic colds that were so severe he had to make monthly trips to the doctor, would miss at least a day or two of school every month, and had to take two medications every day plus his nebulizer. I don’t know about you, but getting my ten year old nephews to take medication when they’re sick is difficult enough, but this boy had been diagnosed at five months and had been suffering ever since. However, through chiropractic care, he was able to stop his need for the medication within two weeks and didn’t need to miss a day of school due to sickness all year with continued treatment.

Once again, I read these studies in awe. I may know just how much chiropractic care can change someone’s life, but sometimes I forget just how different those lives are. Someone who is five months old and suffering, and continues to suffer for years, until they finally find the thing that helps is saddening. I am simply so happy that they were able to find what worked for them through chiropractic care.

If you have a chronic disorder such as arthritis or fibromyalgia, you are probably someone who heavily dislikes this time of year. The constant shifting in weather patterns can play absolute havoc with your joints. Any time a storm is coming, you likely will be able to feel it in one spot or another. The pain that you feel is made worse by the fact that it is cold and it can leave you in a pitiful ball of soreness and anger. Oh, is that just me? Well, either way, I think we can all agree that this time of the year is not really much fun.

Having the difference in atmospheric pressure does more than just create fronts that show up in different colors on a screen. These changes can and do physically affect humans, whether they realize it or not. Some people get a stuffy nose when there is a certain type of pressure. Some people get more lethargic. Some of us end up in pain because of it. I know, it really isn’t fair, but unfortunately there isn’t much that we can do to stop it.

When you are in pain because of the changing weather, there isn’t much you can do to prevent it. One good thing to try is exercising, even though you most likely won’t want to move at all. Try something small, like stretching or walking around inside your home. You don’t need to do anything crazy to try and help the pain in your joints, even the smallest bit helps.

If exercising isn’t possible, you may want to try something like a heating pad to help your muscles to relax. You can make your own if you don’t have one by filling a sock with uncooked rice and placing it in the microwave for a few seconds. Applying it to the spot which you have pain may help to relieve some of the ache due to the weather.
Another way that you can help yourself relieve the pain you feel due to the change in weather is by coming into DiBella Chiropractic. The pain is caused by the pressure in your joints changing as well, so if you get an adjustment, it stands to reason that you will feel much better. Let us help you through this weather change!