Don’t Let Pain Ruin Your Summer Camping Plans

Posted on June 10, 2019 by admin

The prospect of camping and all that it entails — such as setting up a tent, loading and unloading the car, sitting in uncomfortable chairs, and going on hikes — might worry you if you have any back or neck pain. However, this shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a fun and relaxing camping trip with your friends and family! Here are some tips and tricks to give you an optimal and pain-free time around the campfire this summer.

Only Pack What You Need

When you prep your bags and car for camping, only pack what you need. We’re all guilty of overpacking, so make some checklists on your phone to ensure you bring only what you really need. This way, your bag won’t be too heavy and hurt your back and shoulders.

Take Your Time Loading and Unloading

You might be tempted to grab everything all at once when loading and unloading your home, car, or tent to save time. Do yourself a favor and split things up into multiple trips for lighter loads. This will protect you from pulling a muscle or agitating sore body parts. Besides, you’re camping — no need to rush!

Choose the Right Equipment

Camping with a bad back, sore neck, or other aches and pains can be further worsened by sleeping on the rocky ground or sitting on a log. Research which cots and air mattresses are best for your specific concerns, and bring camping chairs with supportive backs to give you proper support around the campfire.

Focus on Accessibility

Think ahead when it comes to walking around your campsite. Before you hit the hay, clear off a path from your tent to the restroom and your vehicle so that you won’t trip and fall during the night. Keep a flashlight or headlamp handy, and set frequently used items on top of a picnic table or somewhere else where you won’t have to bend down and lift up repeatedly.

Don’t Overcompensate Just Because You’re in Nature

When we’re out somewhere surrounded by nature, we might suddenly feel like we’ve been mountaineers and rock climbers all our lives. Unless that happens to be the case, take it easy! Pace yourself and don’t bite off more than you can chew during hikes, climbs, and swims.

Keep Hydrated

Possibly the most important tip is to keep hydrated. During a camping trip, cold brew and beer might be flowing, but water should be your No. 1 beverage, especially if you’re being active and are out in the sun for several hours. Water will keep headaches away and help decrease aches and pains in your body caused by dehydration.

The sun is shining and the great outdoors awaits, so don’t let a sore neck or bad back prevent you from enjoying a good camping trip or two this summer. Contact Spencer Chiropractic today to schedule a consultation or adjustment before your next campout!

Four Dietary Habits to Break if You Have Chronic Pain

Posted on May 14, 2019 by admin

Chronic pain is often a result of inflammation, and your daily dietary habits such as drinking coffee, eating sugary sweets, or having a few glasses of wine can actually affect your pain levels. The good news is that these things are all under your control, so read up on the following dietary habits to avoid and start living a pain-free life!

Caffeine

One or two cups of coffee and a soda here or there won’t completely wreak havoc on sore backs, but excessive caffeine intake can negatively affect those with chronic pain.Caffeine stresses the adrenal glands, which sit in the area of your lower back over each kidney.

The adrenal glands are responsible for the buzz you feel after consuming caffeine, but excess caffeine intake can weaken both the glands as well as the area around them over time. When adrenal glands are weakened, they pull vital nutrients and energy from the ligaments and tendons surrounding them, causing sore, weak, or even thrown out backs.

Alcohol

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, moderate drinking is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. If you consume more than a moderate amount of alcohol throughout the week, your chronic pain might be negatively affected. Consuming more than what is considered a moderate amount of drinks might seem like a way to dull pain that you already have, but in doing so, you may accustom your body to the alcohol and develop a greater sensitivity to pain.

An excess of alcohol makes your kidneys work extra hard (they can even feel sore after a night of binge drinking) and puts you at risk for dehydration and the dysfunction of other vital organs.

Sugar

Sugar is notoriously one of the hardest things to give up, not only because of the delicious food it’s in, but because of the instant energy it provides and the short-term serotonin flood we refer to as a “sugar rush.” But cutting down on your refined sugar intake could really do your body good, especially if you experience back pain.Sugar increases inflammation, wreaking havoc on your liver and joints, as well as increasing blood sugar levels leading to the infamous post-sugar “crash” we’ve all experienced.

Fast Food

Although inexpensive, quick, and tasty, we all know that fast food isn’t the best type of food to consume for a healthy diet.Fast foods that are high in advanced glycation end products (proteins or lipids coated in sugars) tend to lead to inflammation, breaking down discs that cushion the vertebrae in the spine and causing back pain.

If you’re concerned about how your diet is affecting your chronic pain, consult your doctor or nutritionist and see if going on an elimination diet could be helpful for you. Replacing poor dietary choices with fresh fruits and veggies, stretching and exercising regularly, and visiting your chiropractor consistently can change your life for the better. Visit Spencer Chiropractic Center orcontact us for a consultation today!

Cold Weather and Pain: Why They’re Linked and How to Heal

Posted on November 5, 2018 by admin

Image via Pixabay

When the clouds roll in and the temperature drops, people often say they can feel it in their body’s aches and pains. Although a precise science behind this common feeling doesn’t exist, several reasons may explain why the body might be in a bit more pain during the fall and winter.

Reasons for the Pain

Increased melatonin, seasonal depression, stiff joint structures, and slow blood circulation may explain the association between cold and pain.

Increased Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone made by the brain’s pineal gland that helps to regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle. When the days become darker and shorter, the pineal gland releases melatonin earlier in the evening, which can cause an increase in drowsiness and lethargy. In turn, we may spend longer in bed and less time moving our bodies, making our joints and muscles feel stiff and achy.

Seasonal Depression

With the arrival of winter and the increase in drowsiness comes seasonal depression. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that is most prominent in the darker winter months, and is linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain. Those who suffer from SAD may sleep excessively, feel unmotivated, and eat poorly — all factors that may contribute to physical pain in the body.

Stiff Joint Structures

In cold weather, getting out of bed might make our bodies feel like an old rusty pile of metal scraps or a rickety chair. This stiffness can be attributed to how our joint structures — such as our ligaments, tendons, connective tissue, and muscles — react to the temperature. Depending on the density of these structures, some may be tight and take a bit longer to warm up and loosen than they would in the warmer months, causing strain and tension.

Slow Blood Circulation

When the body is exposed to the cold, it works harder to maintain the heat of the core. This means that extremities, such as hands and feet, experience slower blood circulation and increased nerve pain and inflammation.

How to Help

Activities like taking frequent walks, visiting a sauna, consuming anti-inflammatory foods, and visiting a chiropractic clinic are all things that can help alleviate your pain this fall and winter.

Activity and Exercise

Although you might feel less inspired to get up and go outside when the weather is dark and gloomy, you should still try to be active and get proper exercise this fall and winter. Take advantage of dry days by taking morning or early afternoon walks around the neighborhood when it’s still light out — just make sure to bundle up! Research some stretches to do after you wake up and before bed, or even look into joining a yoga class to keep your muscles loose and the pain at bay. Going on walks will keep your body and mind active, not only helping you feel better physically, but improving your mood as well.

Sauna or Hot Tub

Spending some time in a sauna or hot tub can feel amazing on sore or stiff muscles. The cold outside causes joint structures to stiffen, and immersive heat has been proven to loosen us up and release painful tension — at least temporarily. Heat also increases blood circulation, reducing nerve pain and inflammation.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Foods high in sugar, gluten, dairy, and omega-6 fatty acids are all contributors to inflammation. By cutting down your consumption of pro-inflammatory foods and focusing more on a clean diet packed with leafy greens, fruits, and healthy fats, you will feel better in no time. Don’t restrict yourself too harshly, though; you should be able to enjoy the holidays — just in moderation!

Chiropractic Care

We know winter months can be especially hard on your joints and muscles, and we’re here to help. Visit us at Spencer Chiropractic Center for an evaluation to ease your discomfort and learn about how to lessen your pain this fall and winter.

How Are Weather and Joint Pain Related?

Posted on October 28, 2017 by admin

Perhaps you’ve heard a family member report something along these lines: “My joints are acting up again – rain must be on the way.” But have you ever paid attention to whether their forecasting proved to be correct? While there haven’t been many concrete findings to explain the apparent connection between weather and joint pain or headaches, many professionals in the science and medical industry will tell you there are plausible theories.

Barometric Pressure

The weight of the atmosphere around us is called barometric pressure. As the weather changes, so does the weight of the air surrounding us. When the barometric pressure is reduced, there is less overall pressure (or compression) pushing on our bodies. This atmospheric “relief” could give body tissue room to swell, causing extra pressure or inflammation on or around the joints.

Increased Sensitivity

While changes in the body due to weather may be microscopic, they do exist. Those who suffer from chronic pain typically have sensitive nerve endings due to a previous injury, scarring build up, or another related condition. Though you might not hear them broadcast the pain constantly, many people with chronic pain may tell you they can feel a storm coming.

How to Relieve Pain from Cold Weather

While it doesn’t seem to matter if you move to a warmer or cooler climate, since the body adapts to even the slightest changes, there are still ways to relieve your pain. First, try to keep warm. Make sure to stretch and get your blood flowing before starting any activity in cold weather and wear warm clothes to keep your joints from losing too much heat.

A licensed chiropractor can reduce pain and stiffness and minimize the effects of future joint pain by addressing the root problem and helping to realign the joints. If you recognize your pain to be related to the weather, talk to your chiropractor about creating an action plan.

How to Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Relieve Symptoms

Posted on October 25, 2016 by admin

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines carpal tunnel syndrome as a condition caused by a pinched or compressed median nerve, which is the nerve that runs from the forearm to the palm and controls the thumb, three middle fingers, and some hand muscles.

Some people mistakenly refer to the condition as “carpal tunnel,” when in fact the carpal tunnel is the anatomical structure affected by the syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the medical term for the pain and functionality issues that can result from repeated stress on the region, which houses the median nerve and wrist tendons.

While carpal tunnel syndrome is often associated with employees whose careers require frequent keyboard use, the lesser-known truth is that it also (and often more commonly) affects assembly line workers such as manufacturers, cleaners, and meat packers.

Most available data seems to suggest that carpal tunnel is brought on by predisposed anatomy (for instance, a person born with a smaller carpal tunnel may be more likely to suffer from symptoms later in life) as well as factors such as traumatic injury and joint problems. However, daily personal habits can take a toll on the hands and wrist, so maintenance and treatment are necessary if symptoms begin to develop.

Although treatment is possible after the onset of carpal tunnel, preventative care is best to avoid symptoms such as wrist, hand, finger, and arm pain; weakened grip strength; numbness and tingling; and potentially permanent damage in severe chronic cases. Here are a few tips to prevent the condition from developing, plus what to do if you’re experiencing pain.

Practice Proper Posture and Form

To practice proper keyboard form and mitigate stress to the area, your wrists should remain in a relaxed and level horizontal position. When using a keyboard at a desk, they should gently hover near elbow level. Make sure you aren’t bending your wrists at an acute angle. A wrist rest can help elevate your hands to appropriate keyboard height and reduce strain.

Be mindful of your body posture, as slouching shoulders can throw off your form (in addition to causing potential neck and back issues).

Take Regular Breaks

If your job description includes performing tasks that don’t place pressure on the wrist (or in other words, if you’re able to step away from your keyboard for a couple hours each day), take care to introduce variety to your daily agenda and schedule low-impact activities in between typing spurts.

Allow yourself intermittent breaks from projects that require heavy hand, wrist, finger, and limb use. Use this time to stretch and flex your wrists and release tension.

Use Wrist Supports

A brace or wrist wrap is a temporary, no-brainer solution to keep strained wrists stable. One important caveat when using a brace: It is not a permanent or long-term fix. Any wrist pain will still require treatment. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a progressive condition, and unaddressed symptoms can return or intensify.

Seek Chiropractic Treatment

If you are experiencing symptoms that you suspect might be associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, don’t hesitate to seek a professional opinion. Even if are not yet experiencing pain symptoms, a professional chiropractor can provide preventative care and educate patients with tips to avoid stress injuries and strain.

Though possible treatments may include adjustments of the upper spine, wrist, elbow, or arm, Dr. Spencer will evaluate each patient on a case-by-case basis to determine the best course of chiropractic treatment. Contact us today for an appointment!