If you’re like most, you suffer from some form of pain in your body.
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) reports that about 80 percent of the population in the U.S. will experience some form of back pain within their lifetime. Whether you suffer from neck and back pain, hip pain, migraines, or another form of pain, your chiropractor in Overland Park can help relieve your pain naturally with effective, gentle chiropractic treatments.
As your Top Rated Local® chiropractor in Overland Park, Kansas, our priority is relieving your pain and discomfort, while improving your health and wellness. If you want to start relieving your pain and improving function and mobility, contact Adjust Your Health Chiropractic & Acupuncture, Overland Park’s family-owned, compassionate chiropractic wellness center, to schedule an appointment for gentle chiropractic. Click here to get to know our chiropractic team.
Your chiropractor in Overland Park can treat a number of pain conditions and health issues with gentle chiropractic adjustments and other chiropractic modalities.
Here are some of the most common conditions we treat at Adjust Your Health Chiropractic & Acupuncture:
Allergies: Seasonal and year-round allergies often cause sinus pressure, itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing, all of which can affect a person’s daily living. Chiropractic care relieves stress on the nervous system, improving the immune system, allowing it to function properly and fight off allergy-causing chemicals in the air.
Neck Pain and Stiffness: Neck pain affects millions everyday and is attributed to a number of causes, including injury, poor posture, aging, and degenerative disc disease. Chiropractic adjustments in the cervical spine relieves pressure, improves mobility, and restores range of motion.
Back Pain: Back pain is also caused by a number issues, yet chiropractic care can release stress from the spine to decrease pain, increase mobility, and improve function.
Sciatica and Leg Pain: Sciatica causes mild to excruciating pain as a result of inflammation and pressure being placed on the sciatic nerve which starts in the lower back and runs down through the hip, into the glutes, and down the back of the leg. Chiropractic treatments can relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve to reduce pain, decrease numbness and tingling, and improve function.
Scoliosis: Scoliosis is a condition that begins in children between the ages of 10 and 12 and develops with age. Scoliosis may manifest in varying degrees of severity. Because chiropractic care provides pain relief for back pain, this is an effective treatment for managing pain associated with scoliosis.
Migraines and Other Headaches: Whether migraines are hereditary or the result of an injury, those who suffer from migraines and other headaches will find relief from chiropractic treatments. Neck adjustments of the bones and joints in combination with muscle work and stress management can significantly relieve the symptoms associated with migraines. Gentle chiropractic and massage therapy release pressure and tension in the neck joints and muscles which often contribute to headaches and migraines that begin at the base of the skull.
Fibromyalgia: Chiropractic is an effective treatment for managing the pain associated with this condition that typically manifests after a physical or emotional trauma and may worsen with age.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Carpal tunnel syndrome presents as a result of overuse and/or repetitive use of the hand and wrist, and from awkward postures. Through manual adjustments and muscle work in the wrists, chiropractic care effectively treats this condition, providing lasting, drug-free relief.
Part of maintaining whole body health and managing both acute and chronic pain begins at home in your everyday practices and routines. Your chiropractor in Overland Park can administer gentle chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, and other techniques to treat the causes and symptoms of pain, but it’s also important for you to do your part when at home, work, and enjoying life. Here are some effective ways in which you can manage your pain at home in conjunction with your chiropractic care here at Adjust Your Health.
Any activity that increases your heart rate for a sustained period of time can release endorphins, which are your body’s natural pain relievers released by the pituitary gland. While it may seem that performing any activity while you’re in pain is counterproductive, you don’t have to run a marathon to get your blood flowing. Here are some exercises you can do that are gentle, safe, and low impact. (Be sure to talk with your chiropractor before starting any new workout routines.)
The adult body is made up of about 60 percent water, which means in order for the body to be healthy, it needs to be replenished regularly. Drinking plenty of water during the day contributes to a healthy balance of body fluids which help regulate circulation, digestion, body temperature, and other functions, while also dispersing electrolytes and nutrients throughout the body. Healthy circulation and getting plenty of nutrients can encourage the body’s natural ability to heal itself when it’s in pain. Muscles become weak and fatigued when they don’t get plenty of fluids and nutrients to support optimal function and healthy cell production. Therefore, when you’re in pain, staying hydrated is essential to the healing process.
One of the biggest contributors to pain is stress. When we feel stressed, our muscles tend to tighten, especially in the neck, shoulders, and back. Try setting aside some time in your day for you. Even if it’s only 30 minutes, use this time to do something that relaxes you. Reducing stress and encouraging relaxation are both wonderful ways to help ease pain and discomfort. Giving yourself a mental and physical break during the day can not only help ease pain and aches, but can also improve your mood, enhance clarity and focus, and spark creativity. Here are some suggestions for relaxation techniques:
Perform light neck, arm, and back stretches.
Find something that relaxes you can put it into practice at least three to five times a week, if not daily.
Aromatherapy is great way to experience a sense of calm and relaxation in the home, which can reduce stress that contributes to pain experienced in the body. Essential oils have many incredible health benefits that can help relieve pain, stimulate relaxation, and ease headaches. Lavender essential oil can relieve headaches, migraines, and has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe sore, aching muscles. It is also effective for relaxation and stress relief. Peppermint oil is an age-old antispasmodic remedy for relieving stomach pains caused by muscle spasms, and provides a similar effect when applied topically to sore joints and muscles. Like lavender, peppermint can also reduce headaches and relieve sinus headaches caused by congestion.
Applying ice packs and cold compresses to sore areas on the body provides pain relief and reduces inflammation, especially within the first 24 to 48 hours of an injury. Ice is a go-to home remedy that can provide pain relief for an aching lower or upper back, a sore neck, or an injured extremity. Keeping an ice pack handy is a great way to help ease neck, back, and wrist pain caused by working at a computer all day, and can help relieve lower back pain from lifting heavy objects.
Walking regularly can keep your spine healthy which can help manage pain in other areas of the body. Walking is an excellent way to strengthen your core, manage a healthy weight, and maintain healthy spinal function and posture, all of which can help ease pain in the back and extremities. Walking between three and five days a week for 20 to 45 minutes is a great way to strengthen muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. Walking also promotes healthy circulation that transports nutrients into these soft tissues, while also draining the body of harmful toxins that contribute to pain and discomfort. Additionally, walking regularly can improve range of motion in the hips, legs, and feet.
Stretching is one of the best things you can do for your body. Not only does it help reduce muscle tension, stretching also increases your range of motion and flexibility, increases circulation throughout the body, enhances muscle coordination, reduces stress, and improves mood. When you are stressed, your muscles contract and tense which can not only cause pain and discomfort, but can also affect your overall mood. Many people hold their stress in their neck, shoulders, and upper back, so when you feel the muscle groups in these areas tighten up, gently stretch these areas to loosen tight muscles and get the blood flowing. Remember those endorphins we mentioned earlier? Stretching is an effective way to stimulate an endorphin release to ease pain and soreness. Ask your chiropractor about recommended stretches and practice doing these in the morning to help you prepare for your day, and do them again before bed to release the stresses of the day.
As your Top Rated Local® chiropractor in Overland Park, we care about your health and wellness. Please contact our friendly chiropractic team if you have any questions about our gentle chiropractic treatments, or if you would like to schedule an appointment for with our Overland Park chiropractor.
Headaches are one of the most common causes of pain and discomfort, affecting nine out of ten Americans. Studies have shown that chiropractic is an effective, drug-free alternative for treating different types of acute and chronic headaches, including migraines and cervicogenic headaches. Your Overland Park chiropractor can treat your headache and associated symptoms by applying gentle (non-twisting) chiropractic adjustments. Here are some of the benefits you may gain from receiving chiropractic care for headache and migraine relief:
There are a number of headaches that can affect people of all ages and lifestyles. The Mayo Clinic characterizes headaches into four categories: vascular, tension (muscle contraction), traction, and inflammatory. Vascular and tension headaches are considered primary headaches, whereas traction and inflammatory are considered secondary headaches. Let’s examine each of these headache categories in greater detail below:
VascularVascular headaches include migraines and “cluster” headaches, which are thought to be caused by the swelling of blood vessels and/or abnormal function of the vascular system, which leads to intense episodes of pain in the head. Vascular headaches are characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, nausea and/or vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and, in some cases, vision disturbances referred to as aura. The American Migraine Foundation describes migraines with aura as “complicated vascular migraines,” noting that one-fourth of people who struggle with migraines also experience aura. Aura refers to the neurological symptoms that can accompany a migraine, including visual changes, and symptoms that affect motor, sensory, and speech function. A typical aura vision disturbance presents just before or during a migraine as zig-zags, black dots, and other unusual changes in vision that can temporarily impair part or all of a person’s vision for a short duration.
Cluster headaches are characterized by severe pain the head, usually beginning around the eyes, and in the temples and forehead, and gradually moving to the back of the head. Muscle sensitivity is often associated with cluster headaches.
Tension headaches are incredibly common, affecting about 75 percent of the population, which typically cause mild to moderate pain and ache in the forehead, temples, and back of the head. Many people describe the pain as a “tight band around your head.” Tension headaches are often the result of muscle tension and tightening in the muscles of the head, face, and neck, resulting not only in a headache, but also muscle tenderness. Tension headaches are characterized as both acute and chronic headaches, depending on the frequency and duration with which a person experiences these.
These headaches are often associated with lifestyle choices, another medical condition, or may be the sign of infections like sinusitis or more serious health disorders or such as infectious meningitis. These headaches vary significantly in severity and duration, but are often characterized as headaches with muscle sensitivity.
There are a number of triggers that cause different types of headaches. Here are some of the most common headache triggers to be aware of:
Foods and beverages
