Most people experience headaches sporadically through their lives and are not too adversely affected by them. However, there is a severe type of headache called a migraine that can keep returning and be incredibly debilitating. It is estimated by the NHS that around one in every five women and around one in every 15 men are affected by migraines, which usually begin in early adulthood.
The exact cause of migraines is still somewhat unknown; the current understanding is that there is a temporary change in the chemicals and blood vessels of the brain.
A migraine is typically experienced as a severe headache, often with a throbbing pain in the front or sides of the head. Some people have other symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound or smells. Migraines can last from a few hours to a few days.
There are different types of migraine. There are migraines with aura, which is where there are warning signs of the migraine in the form of visual disturbance such as seeing spots, lights or blurred lines. There are also migraines that occur without warning, and it is even possible to have a migraine aura without the accompanying headache.
There are also many different possible triggers for migraines. These can include, stress (and how stress is handled), food and drink triggers, sleep patterns, hormones and tension; especially in the neck.
In order to manage migraines in a regular sufferer, identification of a specific trigger is essential. Behavioural or lifestyle changes playing an important part in the treatment, such as avoidance of certain foods or maintenance of a regular sleep pattern. Chiropractic treatment also has the ability to alleviate some contributory factors or after effects including relieve of restriction in movement of the neck, muscle tension in the neck, upper back and shoulders and helping correct any postural issues that may influence the occurrence of both migraine and tension headaches.
If you’re one of the millions of people in the world who suffer from migraines, you have likely tried pain medication after pain medication in the hopes of alleviating the pain. If your prescription medications are not doing the trick, you may be glad to hear that chiropractic care can be a promising option to help relieve symptoms.
While there is no definite cure to migraines – and the healthcare industry has struggled to even pinpoint the exact causes – chiropractic treatment is an exceptional option to decrease the negative effects of migraine headaches.
Migraine headaches vary for everyone, but can be extremely painful and sometimes debilitating. Often these headaches can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to noise, light, and smell. Research has shown that cervical trauma can increase the chances of experiencing migraine pain, since there are many nerves that transmit through the cervical region to and from the brain. If these vertebrae become displaced, severe migraine headaches can occur.
Chiropractic treatment is gaining popularity as a way to treat symptoms since it involves correcting the position of these injured cervical vertebrae, which in turn can then reduce or eliminate migraine headaches.
Chiropractic treatment is unlike any other migraine medication and works in unique ways. Some of the many ways in which chiropractic care can treat migraine symptoms, include:
Decreasing irritation in the nerves that send pain signals to the brain
Reducing common triggers for migraine headaches such as muscle tension
Strengthening muscles that support the spine
Restoring proper nervous system communication by ensuring alignment
Helping the body to heal itself by being properly aligned
Chiropractic treatments not only act as a reactive treatment option, but as a proactive way to prevent future migraine symptoms.
However, migraine symptoms are different for everyone. It is important to find an individualized treatment option that works for you. This may incorporate a combination of treatment options, rather than solely relying on chiropractic care, such as massages, medication, nutrition and physical therapy.
Car accidents often cause whiplash which creates misalignments in the neck or back. Sometimes the pain is felt almost immediately, but it can also begin after adrenaline levels have stabilised. Even if there is no immediate or subsequent pain, it is a good idea to have the alignment of your neck and back checked by a qualified healthcare practitioner.
If you experience dizziness, headaches, soreness, nausea or discomfort in your neck or in your back, you may have had whiplash. These symptoms do not always show up immediately, so if you begin treatment promptly, you can help save yourself from pain and discomfort.
It is a natural response for your body to become inflamed after a car accident in response to muscle and ligament stretching and tears. If you are feeling sore and achy, inflammation may be to blame and chiropractic care could help realign the spinal column and release muscle tension, easing pain and discomfort.
It is not uncommon to avoid seeking medical care after a car accident when you are not experiencing intense pain, but you should know that minor injuries can lead to long-term chronic pain and other issues.
Massage has had positive results in surveys for many different conditions, from stress and aches and pains to pregnancy and headaches. However, it is still not entirely clear why these benefits occur. Most recent research suggests two of the greatest changes induced by massage therapy are an increase in blood flow and in lymphatic fluid circulation.
The lymphatic fluid is an important element of the immune system as it contains white cells; and the drainage system, which rids the body of unwanted by-products and toxins. Massage can increase the effectiveness of both systems by increasing the flow of lymphatic fluid.
Increased blood and lymph circulation will bring about reduction of swelling, faster healing, better delivery of nutrition to cells and the removal of cellular debris; it can also lower heart rate and blood pressure, increase volume of blood and enhance overall health.
Massage can not only be used as a form of treatment in acute and chronic sports injuries, but may also be used by athletes to maximize recovery and to help identify any soft tissue abnormalities, which left untreated, could lead to injury.
Sports injury massage should not be during the acute inflammatory response stage (straight after an injury). Once this period is over. massage is often a very effective form of pain relief by reducing the amount of pain producing chemicals in the effected tissues. Regular, professional massage has also been shown to increase the healing time for athletic injuries.
Massage also calls up the body’s natural painkillers, endorphins, into the brain and nervous system and often provides deep relaxation as it relieves muscle tension, spasm, and stiffness, which can all contribute to pain. Experts suggest that tense muscles are usually deprived of oxygen, because the tightness reduces blood circulation to the area. Massage improves blood circulation, bringing with it the oxygen and other forms of nourishment that muscles need. Muscles then relax and pain often decreases.
Due to Alex and Ruth taking some annual leave – the clinic will be running on shorter hours: Monday 17th October 2022 11:00hrs- 14:00hrs, Tuesday 18ths October 2022 12:00- 20:00hrs, Wednesday 19th October 2022 08:00hrs – 17:00hrs, Thursday 20th October 2022 08:00hrs – 17:00hrs, Friday 21st October 2022 08:00-12:oohrs, Saturday 22nd October 2022 Closed, Normal hours will resume Monday 24th October 2022
Some people are very flexible, while others aim to improve their flexibility through yoga classes and stretching exercises. However, have you ever considered that there is such as thing as too supple?
Hypermobility means that you can move some or all of your joints in a way that most people cannot, without pain. Joint hypermobility is what some people refer to as having “loose joints” or being “double-jointed”. The joints most commonly affected are the knees, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers.
Many people with hypermobility do not experience any problems. In fact, people such as dancers, gymnasts and musicians can actually benefit from the increased flexibility. However, there are times that you should seek medical advice and treatment for hypermobility.
People should seek treatment if they experience:
Pain in the loose joint during or after movement
Sudden changes in the appearance of the joint
Changes in mobility, specifically in the joints
Changes in the functioning of your arms and legs
Often additional symptoms are minimal and may only become apparent after minor trauma.
In addition to genetic factors, hypermobility can be caused by weak muscles supporting the joint.
Other causes of hypermobile joints can include trauma, developmental issues, and hormonal factors.
During pregnancy the female body increases production of the hormone oestrogen and produces the hormone relaxin. The function of these hormones is to increase ligament laxity enabling the female pelvis to accommodate the growing foetus and helps to open the birth canal during labour. It can also cause hypermobility of the lumbar spine and of the sacroiliac joints of the pelvis.
Treatment for hypermobility syndrome can include strengthening exercises that will stabilise the joint. It is also useful for people to develop an awareness of what the normal range of motion is for each joint in order to avoid hyperextension. However, those with related medical conditions or who are pregnant should seek the advise of their chiropractor to establish a safe exercise plan.
Many people cringe at the sound of knuckles, elbows and other joints cracking. For years, experts have debated whether or not this common cracking could cause joint problems.
It has recently been confirmed that this ‘popping’ is due to a small bubble forming between joints. The bubble forms when joints move apart, forming a kind of vacuum in the synovial fluid, a slippery substance that lubricates the joints.
People who can deliberately make joints like knuckles pop usually do so by pushing or pulling the joint in such a way as to make an air bubble appear with a sudden pop. This is called joint cavitation. Once the bubble is there the joint will not pop again until all the air has been reabsorbed.
However, there are other cracking noises and sensations that may of concern. Snapping and cracking noises can be caused by osteoarthritis as a consequence of the natural ageing process, or following a trauma or disease in the joint. In this case the cartilage which eases friction in the joint breaks down, so that movement causes painful friction and crunching noises.
Snapping noises and sensations, on the other hand, are likely to be caused by muscle or tendon moving across a bone. This happens when a tendon is slightly loose, and occurs most often in the hip, knee, ankle, wrist and shoulder. This could eventually lead to bursitis, or inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that allows muscle to move smoothly over bone.
So why does chiropractic treatment cause joints to pop? Chiropractic manipulation takes advantage of the phenomenon of cavitation to induce movement in stiff and painful joints and correct looseness in the neighbouring joints. This reduces the likelihood of accidental popping. In other words, by popping joints in the correct way, chiropractic relieves stiffness and makes neighbouring joints more stable.
Knee pain may be the result of an injury, such as a ruptured ligament or torn cartilage. Medical conditions — including arthritis, gout and infections — also can cause knee pain. Many types of minor knee pain respond well to self-care measures. Here are 5 ways to help soothe knee pain without surgery.
Chiropractic adjustments
Knee pain can be reduced with chiropractic adjustments. This method involves using the hands to adjust, massage or stimulate the knee. There are usually several angles of approach when it comes to treating knee pain this way. Some common synergetic treatments include using ice to reduce inflammation around the joint and some soft tissue massage to help improve the knee’s range of motion.
Weight loss
Knee pain is one of the most common complications of being overweight or obese. If you’re among the millions of people who experience knee pain, even a small amount of weight loss can help reduce pain and lower the risk of osteoarthritis (OA). Those extra pounds increase the stress on your knees, which in turn can cause chronic pain and lead to other complications such as OA.
CBD oil
People use CBD to help treat a variety of ailments, including pain. According to Healthline, CBD oil interacts with two receptors, called CB1 and CB2, which can help reduce pain and the effects of inflammation. CB2’s involvement in immune system could help explain why CBD oil may be helpful in people with inflammatory autoimmune forms of arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis. Although there has not been a massive amount of studies on this subject, many health experts agree that CBD oil helps with pain management.
CBD can be taken as a liquid, a tincture, in capsules, or applied topically. You can take the capsules orally, add the liquid to foods or drinks, or apply creams with CBD to affected joints.
Physical therapy
You might feel like the last thing you should do is get on your feet and move your joint around. However, often physical therapy (PT) is what your doctor suggests to get your strength back and put you on the road to recovery. This involves doing specific stretches and exercises under the guidance of a licensed physical therapist. These exercises may relieve tension or help strengthen specific areas to help relieve pain and make your body feel and move better.
Some things you might need are:
Stretches and exercises
Ice and heat
Ultrasound massage
Electrical nerve or muscle stimulation
Correct footwear
Good supportive shoes allow your foot to move more naturally as you walk, and help to maintain balance. Most importantly, picking the right shoes, whether it be trainers for running or heels for a party, is crucial for achieving proper foot and knee alignment, and correctly distributing stress through your knee joints during activity. Wearing improper footwear can change the stress placed on your knees, leading to injury and pain. Everyone’s feet are different, and therefore, choosing proper footwear is determined on an individual basis.
If you think your shoes may be the cause of your knee pain, don’t wait, because further complications can occur as a result.
The knee joint is a complex joint that relies heavily on ligaments and muscles for stability. Knee pain can be caused by various factors, not always originating from the knee, which makes the pain difficult to locate.
Common causes of pain are local causes such as, trauma and overuse, dysfunction of the lower limb, referred pain from low back, pelvis and hip. When pain is perceived as coming from the knee all the anatomical components need to be examined in addition to the joints that contribute to the biomechanics of the knee, i.e. low back, pelvis, hip and ankle and the foot.
One of the most common types of injury of the knee is damage to the ligaments. Ligaments are usually injured due to direct trauma to the knee and the amount of ligament injury caused is described as 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree sprain:
1st Degree Sprain – some tearing/over stretch of the fibres, no joint instability, mild pain, minimal swelling.
2nd Degree Sprain – Separation/tearing of fibres causing moderate instability and moderate to sever pain, swelling and stiffness.
3rd Degree Sprain – total rupture, gross instability, pain usually severe, profuse swelling, usually requires lengthy immobilisation and/or surgery.
Ligament injury will usually involve a certain amount of swelling directly over the location of the ligament.
Treatment of the sprain depends on the degree of injury. After the initial treatment, 1st and 2nd degree sprains can then be nursed at home with rest, ice, compression/elevation, massage and nutritional support of vitamin C / zinc. Once the ligament begins to heal gradual introduction of mobilisation and strengthening exercises can help and finally, proprioceptive training once ligament has healed. However, 3rd degree sprains are more serious and often require surgical repair.
Here are the dates for our November/ December bring and buy cake bake and craft sales: Weeks beginning: 7th November Bring and buy cake sale, Craft sales 14th, 21st and 28th. December 7th, 14th 21st 2022
If you have a micro business or hobby that you want to showcase sign up for a slot – just £5 for the tabletop for the week – keep your own profits. Contact reception to secure your place – book early to avoid disappointment.
