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As someone who suffers from headaches and migraines, I am here to tell you that it is not a good time. Migraines are actually much more common than most people think, with more than 37 million people suffering from them in the United States alone. Out of these, two to three million people suffer from chronic migraines, which means they suffer from migraine symptoms at least 15 days each month for three months or more. Almost five million people state that they have at least one migraine headache a month. With statistics like these, it’s crazy to think that we don’t talk about them more.

Migraines do affect women more than men with 18 percent of women suffering as compared to about eight percent of men. Evidence has also been shown that migraines may be genetic as those with family history tend to be more likely to suffer from them as well. Generally, migraines will be seen more often in Caucasian people of lower income groups between the ages of 35-55, however anyone can suffer from migraines.

While migraines are often thought of as “bad headaches”, this is only partly true. While migraines do often cause head pain, this isn’t always the case. Light and sound sensitivity, nausea, dizziness, vision changes, and other symptoms are often seen in addition to the head pain which can be general or localized. Atypical migraines sometimes have few to none of these factors but are still important to seek medical attention for. You should always see a doctor if you are having new or extreme symptoms of any kind, including headaches as it may be a sign of a more serious issue.

If you suffer from migraines and headaches, there have been studies done which show that chiropractic care may be beneficial to you. The release of tension and stress from the areas around the skull and spinal cord may help to relieve pressure which can act as a trigger for these painful and sometimes disorienting episodes. Migraines and severe or chronic headaches can severely disable you if they are bad enough, so come into DiBella Chiropractic and get an adjustment to see if it offers any kind of relief. You may just be amazed at how much good it does. It will certainly help the rest of your body feel better too!

This week, general health is the name of the game. We focus a lot on specific topics within the healthcare umbrella, but we rarely seem to talk about generalized health tips. It can be a bit of a pain to live a truly healthy lifestyle, but with some small adjustments, it can certainly be done. Here are a few things to work on in order to start feeling better about your lifestyle choices.

1. Get More Sleep. I know, this one is easier said than done. Sleeping the suggested eight hours every night may not be possible for some people due to work, pain, or even having a newborn. However, every bit of sleep that you can get is going to help you. Sleep not only helps your focus, but it also assists your short-term memory, immune system, and even you pain levels. Try exercising a little before bed, finding a mattress and pillows that properly support your body, and turning off your electronics before you try to lay down.
2. Keep Active. Exercising is one of the most important things that you can do to keep your body healthy. Stretching out, building up muscle mass, and keeping your joints working can help you more than you may realize until you start moving around. We hear people all the time who say that they didn’t know how much better they could feel and wish that they had started exercising sooner. Give it a try and see how much it helps you!
3. Eat Healthy. All of the exercise in the world can only do so much if you aren’t eating to support your habits. Cutting back on a lot of junk may be difficult, but it is more than worth it when you realize how much better you feel without those chemicals and preservatives being pumped through your body. Start small and try air-popped popcorn or oven-baked potato chips before you work your way up to some super healthy super foods.

Although chiropractors generally deal with joints and pain, the medical degree that hangs in our offices means that we can also give advice for exercise, diet, and other health related issues. While you’re here for a spinal adjustment, ask about what you can change to be a healthier you. You never know great you can feel until you try!

This week I really wanted to focus on the correlation between chronic pain and exercise. While you may be sitting there thinking it’s easy for me to tell you to exercise despite being in pain through a computer screen, I want you to know that I’m in the same situation. As someone who suffers from two chronic pain conditions, I know exactly how difficult it is to get out of bed some days through the pain. Forget exercising, some days I really just want to be able to get out of bed so I can shower! While this is the reality for so many of us, there does have to be something said for the things that exercise can do for the body.

It has been proven time and time again that exercise can do wonders for basically anyone who gets up and moves around. The brain’s reaction to exercise is often quite incredible. Not only does it release chemicals that can help with pain management, but it also releases endorphins that can help boost your mental health as well as the difference that it makes in your physical health.

Many people who live with chronic pain disorders develop mental health issues as well. These often include depression and anxiety and can create a cycle of pain that is difficult for people to come out of. This is especially true if their specific chronic pain disorder was caused by a specific incident like a car accident or a terrible fall. Even work-related injuries can cause these issues. Although mental health issues generally make it more difficult to exercise as well, most doctors are agreed that getting up and moving even just a little each day can help to improve someone’s mental state just as much as their physical body. After all, mental health is still health so we want to find any way possible to help treat it.

Here at DiBella Chiropractic, we understand how difficult exercising can be for some people. This is why we will sit with you and work out personalized plans for you to follow. We have dozens of different methods for you to try, and we will do all we can to find the one that works the best. We can also provide chiropractic care to help you manage your pain. Let us help you feel like your old self again!

This week has seen a lot of rain in the area. This can cause all kinds of havoc both with our moods and our bodies. Here are some ideas to keep everything healthy while we deal with the less than ideal weather that is ahead of us.
1. Stretch. This is especially true in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to bed. If possible, try stretching out as many of your muscles as you can to get them working and nice and limber. Try doing toe touches in bed and rotate your torso left and right to get the muscles in your back nice and warm to face the day ahead.
2. Crack. Your joints may seem stiffer throughout the days when there is a large amount of rain that is coming in. Although your parents probably told you not to crack your knuckles, it has been shown that releasing those pockets of air between your bones actually helps your skeletal system. The buildup of air and acid is something that can contribute to arthritic pain and releasing this by “cracking” the joint actually can help to relieve the pain.
3. Warm Drinks and Air. There’s an allure to curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. While it may be more season appropriate to have a cup of hot cider, whatever your drink of choice is may actually be helping you. When we are cold, we curl up tightly and keep tension in our muscles and joints. The heat from your favorite drink warms you from the inside out and can help to relax those areas where you’re holding all that tension. If you have a fireplace in your house, burning a log or two will also help to get the dampness out of the air and should help to relieve some of the pain you are feeling due to the rain.
    As always, another thing that can help you is to come down to DiBella Chiropractic and get an adjustment from our skilled doctors. Although you may be able to crack your knuckles, things like your neck and back are more delicate and should be handled by a professional. Come down, get out of the rain, and see one of our chiropractors to help get you through this drizzly, rainy week.