Stretching is the part of our workout regimen many of us tend to skip. We might say it is because of lack of time, impatience or a feeling that stretching is “pointless.” However it is important that our joints are able to move in various directions with a certain degree of freedom. As our bodies age, we become stiffer and lose the flexibility we had when we were young. Chances are unless you’re a dancer or a gymnast, you’ll have lost that fluid flexibility you had as a child even in your twenties. However, it is never too late to regain enough flexibility to remain youthful and limber by training through stretching. Proper stretching allows us to continue doing our daily tasks into old age, such as reaching that high shelf, bending to pick up a dropped object, or accessing that hidden switch behind an awkward kitchen cabinet.

One reason it’s really important to stretch before working out is that we are likely to use muscles and tendons that are normally inactive. Without flexibility to those muscles, the risk of injury or of tearing those muscles and tendons when used, is higher. If stretching is done correctly before working out, it’s a good prevention against injury, and can also be used to treat injuries as well. Finally, when done properly, stretching simply feels good. It can be a great way to gently start the day or to wind down after work.

Preparing the body for exercise by warming up the muscles by stretching is easy and need not take up much of your time. This will increase the blood flow to your muscles and loosen them up allowing you to exercise without having to worry about injury or being overly sore the next day. Simply warm up the various muscle groups with slow stretches of the joints towards the end of their range of motion; this should cause the feeling of a gentle “pull” being felt in the muscles. Hold the position for up to half a minute and then alternate side or muscle groups. Not only does stretching prevent injury, but it also improves the mechanical efficiency of your body. Stretching prior to exercise means the muscles are stretched and warmed up, allowing them to undergo the full range of motion with less effort when exercising – this means the body’s overall performance is improved.

Other added benefits to stretching include improved circulation to the muscles and joints, alleviating the pains felt post-workout, and stretching can also help to improve your posture. If you find at the end of the day stiff and achy from sitting at a desk all day – try stretching. You might find that you’ll feel instantly better. Regular stretching in your shoulders and neck may help you to maintain a better posture. As a result, this may help to prevent the onset of lower back pain.

One of the most common condition that we treat at my chiropractic office in Springfield, VA is Migraines.  Migraine sufferers have to endure a pain that is recurring, severe and can last up to 72 hours. Warning signs such as an “aura”, which is a type of visual disturbance, and nausea, sometimes accompany migraines. Many sufferers find that conventional medicine and prescription drugs offer little relief from their condition, and many are turning to alternatives methods of treatment in order to manage the pain. One such alternative is chiropractic treatment.

A holistic approach to pain relief, chiropractic treatment focuses on aiding numerous health issues through massage, spinal manipulation and adjustment of the body’s soft tissues and joints, predominantly in the back. But is it effective against migraines?

In February 2000, a study published by Dr. Tuchin et al. [1] cited the possible benefits of chiropractic treatment in alleviating or easing both the pain and frequency of recurring migraines. The study used a sample of 127 migraine patients, all of whom suffered from at least one migraine per month; this sample was divided into two groups – one control group who received inactive treatment, while the other group received chiropractic treatment, focusing on aligning and treating specific areas of vertebral swelling and misalignment. The study concluded that those who received chiropractic treatment experienced subsequent improvement in the duration of the study, showing reduced pain and frequency of their migraines within two months of treatment. The latter group also reported a decline in the need of migraine medications. Further results from the same study found that one in five sufferers from the chiropractic treatment group had a 90% reduction of migraine frequency, while 50% found significant improvement in the severity of their migraines.

Recent studies conducted by R. Bryans et al. published in 2011 [2], concluded that chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, were found to improve both cerviocogenic headaches as well as migraines. A systematic literature search on controlled clinical trials on the topic of migraines and headaches involving chiropractic treatment, published through August 2009, was conducted using a selection of medical and alternative therapy databases. Research found that chiropractic treatments such as spinal manipulation and massage could significantly help patients who suffer from chronic or episodic migraines, whereas sufferers of tension-type headaches did not respond to such treatment.

While using alternative methods of treatment such as chiropractic care can help sufferers to gain more control over their migraines, it should be treated as another form of support or extra help, instead of completely overlooking conventional medical care.  If you or someone you know suffers from migraines give us a call today at (703) 912-7822 or visit us at Chiropractor in Springfield, VA.

Headaches are a common condition that we treat at my chiropractic office in Springfield, VA .  95% of women and 90% of men have had at least one in the past 12 months.  And for about 45 million of us, those headaches are chronic.

While a wide variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications have been developed to relieve this pain, they generally do little to address the underlying cause of the problem.  In addition, many of these compounds can have unwanted side effects, particularly if they’re used often, over a prolonged period of time or in combination with other medicines.  A growing awareness of both the limitations and risks of pharmaceuticals has led many headache sufferers to explore alternative approaches to managing them, including chiropractic.

Understanding Headaches

Headaches occur for many reasons and can vary greatly in their intensity and duration.  They may arise on their own (these are termed “primary headaches” and account for about 90% of all headaches) or be triggered as a result of some other health condition (described as “secondary headaches”).  Chiropractic physicians most commonly encounter three types of headaches in their work:

• Tension headaches are primary headaches that are brought on by unrelieved muscular contractions in the head, neck and shoulders, usually as a result of stress that cannot find an outlet.  These muscular contractions can themselves become the source of broader tension and stress throughout the body, setting in motion a feedback loop that eventually produces a headache.

• Migraine headaches are also primary headaches.  They are sometimes referred to as vascular headaches because they happen when blood vessels in the head suddenly expand, or “dilate”.  However, we know that the nervous system and genetic factors are also leading contributors.  Sufferers report a wide range of triggers and related symptoms.  Research into the exact cause of migraines is ongoing, and the condition has stubbornly resisted efforts to find a pharmaceutical “silver bullet”.

• Cervicogenic headaches are secondary headaches produced when pain begins in the neck or back of the head and is referred to the forehead or the area behind, in and around the eyes.  Trauma, chronic tension and disease are some of the more common initial sources of neck pain that is referred to the head.  Trigger points in the neck, shoulder blade and spine may also be sources of these headaches, though they can be much more difficult to identify.

How Chiropractic Can Help

There is a large and growing body of medical research that suggests chiropractic care can be effective in preventing or reducing the frequency and severity of primary headaches.  There is also some evidence that it may have benefits for cervicogenic headache sufferers.

Chiropractic adjustments of the spine and neck is used to improve the alignment of the spine and relieve muscle tension.  It also reduces nerve irritation and improves vascular flow.  Your chiropractic physician may also include massage and other therapies as part of a well-rounded treatment plan.  He or she will likely suggest exercise, stretching and relaxation techniques as well as nutritional strategies designed to help prevent future headaches.

If you or someone you know is looking for headache relief give us a call today at (703) 912-7822 or visit us at Chiropractor in Springfield, VA.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition associated with tight, sore muscles but no one REALLY knows where FM comes from or why it picks on certain people and not others.  Some feel it’s caused by lack of sleep, specifically deep sleep, eventually resulting in chronically tight muscles. Others theorize it’s the underlying stress of a person’s lifestyle that leads to the tight muscles. Either way, tight muscles lead to poor blood flow through the muscle and just like pumping up a blood pressure cuff too high and not releasing the tourniquet effect quick enough, pain results when the muscle is starved from lack of oxygen.  Dr. Doris Cope, MD, director of Pain Management at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, wrote that many people (especially FM patients) tense their muscles and probably don’t even realize it, which reduces blood flow to the muscles, resulting in pain. So, the question is raised, how can the FM patient get their muscles to relax so blood can flow through, bringing it the necessary amount of oxygen to the muscle so it doesn’t hurt?

One method of muscle relaxation is exercise. When the pulse rate increases, more blood reaches the muscle, which reduces pain. The studies are clear that walking, stretching and strength training all help reduce fibromyalgia pain. Exercise also relieves fatigue, helps sleep quality and reduces depression – WHAT A GREAT ANSWER for the FM patient! The key is finding the right combination of exercises and how much should one do. Our advice is to START SLOW and gradually increase the dose once you’ve proven good tolerance to the last workout session. Consider flexibility exercises (stretching) such as Yoga classes, walking around the block, or even playing golf (initially a few holes, then 9 and eventually a full round).

Many FM patients have found water exercises are uniquely helpful because of the weight reduction or buoyancy effect.  This is especially true for the overweight FM patient as land-based exercises may be too traumatic on the feet/ankles, knees, hips, or low back. Also, warm water can be quite comforting. Another nice advantage of water exercises is that you can do these anywhere, as long as there is a pool! The exercises can be taught in a formal water exercise class, which is a good place to start if one is available locally or through a health care service. Studies from Spain report that water exercises improve the FM patient’s quality of life not just for the moment, but also over the long term! Over a 12-week timeframe, they discovered women who exercised in warm water for 60 minutes, 3 times per week improved both mentally and physically, had less FM related pain, and more energy (“vitality”). They reported less depression and found an improved desire to be sociable.  The KEY for exercise to be successful is to increase the pulse rate. As Dr. Cope pointed out, a 20 minute, four times per week workout can make a big difference!

If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM give us a call at (703) 912-7822 or visit us at Chiropractor in Springfield, VA

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Dr. Todd P. Sullivan
(703) 912-7822
www.NovaChiroWellness.com

Mental Attitude: Attention & Self-Control. You’re trying to decide what to eat for dinner. Should it be the chicken and broccoli or the super-sized fast-food burger? Making that choice is a complex neurological exercise that can be influenced by a simple shifting of attention toward the healthy side of life. When you decide what to eat, not only does your brain need to figure out how it feels about a food’s taste versus its health benefits versus its size or even its packaging, but it needs to decide the importance of each of those attributes relative to the others… and it needs to do all of this more-or-less instantaneously. When thinking about healthiness, people were less likely to eat unhealthy foods, whether or not they deemed them to be tasty, and more likely to eat healthy-untasty foods. Being asked to think about healthiness led subjects to say “no” to foods more often than they did when asked to make decisions naturally. Journal of Neuroscience, July 2011

Health Alert: Pharmaceutical Ads Do Not Follow FDA Guidelines. A survey of 192 pharmaceutical ads in biomedical journals found that only 18% were compliant with FDA guidelines; 57.8 % failed to quantify serious risks, including death; 48.2% lacked verifiable references; and 28.9% failed to present adequate efficacy quantification. Public Library of Science, Aug 2011

Diet: Increase In Food Allergies. 8% of children have food allergies, with almost 40% reporting severe reactions, an increase of 18% from 10 years ago. Peanut allergies among children have tripled, going from 1 in 250 in 1997 to 1 in 70 in 2008. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise assists in efforts to stop smoking, helps you to relax, can help improve short-term memory in older individuals, and helps relieve many of the common discomforts of pregnancy (backache, heartburn, constipation, etc.). Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Backpack Pains? Backpacks that are too heavy or used improperly can pull on ligaments and muscles, causing aches and pains in the neck and back, resulting in acute or chronic back pain. Things to look for in a backpack: Wide, padded, and adjustable shoulder straps; two straps; padded back; lightweight with a lot of compartments. University of Medicine New Jersey, Sept 2011

Wellness/Prevention: Wash Your Hands! Healthcare workers wash their hands about a third to a half of the time they come into contact with patients and germs. This study used 2 signs: 1. “hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases.” 2. “hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases.” The patient sign increased soap use by 33%, and workers were 10% more likely to wash their hands. The sign about personal risks did no good. Psychological Science, Sept 2011

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Dr. Todd P. Sullivan
(703) 912-7822
www.NovaChiroWellness.com

Mental Attitude: Fat and Happiness. Humans have an intimate relationship between their emotional state and what they eat. In this study, researchers found the levels of sadness among the subjects who received fatty acids were 50% lower than those who had not. Eating fat appears to be a mood-lifter.
Journal of Clinical Investigation, July 2011

Health Alert: Rising Health Costs. The United States spent $2.3 trillion on health care in 2008, more than three times the $714 billion spent in 1990, and over eight times the $253 billion spent in 1980.
Kaiser Family Foundation, March 2010

Diet: Blueberries and Cancer. Blueberries are full of antioxidants, flavonoids and other vitamins that help reduce free radicals in cells. Free radicals can cause cellular damage, one of the factors in the development of cancer. Blueberries are rich in vitamin C, which helps the immune system and helps the body absorb iron. Blueberry juice and other products may be nutritious but often contain less fiber than the whole fruit, and added sugar or corn syrup may decrease their nutritional value.
University of Alabama at Birmingham, July 2011

Exercise: Eating Before Swimming? A review of 536 autopsies revealed 79.4% of those who had accidentally drowned had visible stomach contents. It’s suspected there may be a link between eating before swimming and drowning as blood is diverted to the intestine during digestion, possibly causing circulation problems while the individual is swimming. This may reduce blood flow to the brain, resulting in loss of consciousness and potentially drowning the swimmer.
Medicine, Science and the Law, July 2011

Chiropractic: Effective For Whiplash. 26 of 28 patients (93%) with chronic whiplash syndrome improved following chiropractic treatment. According to the authors, before the publication of this article, no conventional treatment was proven to be effective. Injury, November 1996

Wellness/Prevention: Investing With Prevention. Preventing heart disease before it starts is a good long-term investment in the nation’s health. Every dollar spent on building trails for walking or biking saves $3 in medical costs. Companies that invest in workers’ health with comprehensive worksite wellness programs and healthy work environments have less absenteeism, greater productivity and lower healthcare costs.
American Heart Association, July 2011

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Dr. Todd P. Sullivan
(703) 912-7822
www.NovaChiroWellness.com

Mental Attitude: Sleep Well.
People who sleep 6-9 hours per night had higher self-reported scores for quality of life and lower scores for depression severity when compared to short (<6 hours per night) and long sleepers (>9 hours per night). Researchers were surprised that both sleeping less than 6 hours and more than 9 hours was associated with a similar decrease in quality of life and increase in depressive symptoms.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, August 2011

Health Alert: Depressing Statistics.
Depression can affect a person’s ability to work, their ability to form relationships, and it can also destroy their quality of life. 15% of the population from high-income countries (compared to 11% for low/middle-income countries) is likely to become depressed at some point in life. Women are twice as likely to suffer depression as men, and the loss of a partner, whether from death, divorce or separation, was a main contributing factor.
BMC Medicine, July 2011

Diet: Breastfeed Babies.
Babies fed only on breast milk up to the age of 6 months have a lower risk of developing asthma-related symptoms in early childhood. Compared to children who were breastfed for 6 months or more, children who had never received breast milk had an increased risk of wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and persistent phlegm in their first 4 years.
European Lung Foundation, July 2011

Exercise: Muscle Mass and Type 2 Diabetes Risk.
Higher muscle mass, relative to one’s body size, is closely linked to superior insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of developing pre-diabetes or full diabetes type 2.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2011

Chiropractic: Cost Effective.
A review of treatments endorsed in American Pain Society and American College of Physicians guidelines found spinal manipulation was cost-effective for subacute and chronic low back pain.
European Spine Journal, January 2011

Wellness/Prevention: Sleep Well.
Interrupted sleep impairs memory, as a minimum amount of continuous sleep is crucial for memory consolidation. Researchers found memory was unaffected if the average duration of sleep was maintained at 62-73% of normal.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, July 2011

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Dr. Todd P. Sullivan
(703) 912-7822
www.NovaChiroWellness.com

Mental Attitude: Money Can’t Buy Happiness.
Once a point of being able to meet basic needs is reached, the effect of money on happiness levels off. More money leads to marginal gains (at best) or even less well-being as people worry about “keeping up with the Joneses.”
American Psychological Association, July 2011

Health Alert: Medical Bills And Bankruptcy?
Most people who are driven into bankruptcy by illness and medical bills actually have coverage, but it’s such inadequate coverage that it doesn’t keep them from financial ruin. They face huge premiums, co-payments, deductibles and things that aren’t covered by their insurance.
Minnesota News Connection

Diet: Food Labeling.
A recently enacted law requires restaurant chains with at least 15 locations to provide calorie data on menus and menu boards. At McDonalds, there was a 5.3% drop in average calories per purchase, and at KFC, a 6.4% drop.
British Medical Journal, August 2011

Exercise: Exercise For The Brain.
Aerobic exercise and strength training plays a vital role in maintaining brain and cognitive health throughout life. A review of 111 recent articles suggests aerobic exercise is important for getting a head start during childhood on cognitive abilities. Physical inactivity is associated with poorer academic performance and results on standard neuropsychological tests, while exercise programs appear to improve memory, attention, and decision-making. These effects also extend to young and elderly adults, with solid evidence for aerobic training benefiting executive functions, including multi-tasking, planning, and inhibition, and increasing the volume of brain structures important for memory.
Journal of Applied Physiology, July 2011

Chiropractic: Chiropractic Patients Most Satisfied.
With regards to patient satisfaction, a survey of more than 14,000 consumers rated chiropractic #1 among all health care providers.
Consumer Reports, May 2009

Wellness/Prevention: Are Vacations Worth the Effort?
Each year we save up for them, but do they do us any good? According to Dutch psychologist Jessica de Bloom, holidays help us recharge our batteries and perform at a high level.
The Psychologist, August 2011

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Dr. Todd P. Sullivan
(703) 912-7822
www.NovaChiroWellness.com

Mental Attitude: Do You Believe In Magic? Being overweight is associated with negative health consequences and social stigmas. To cope with these pressures and expectations, consumers engage in various forms of “magical thinking.” They describe weight loss as being influenced by mysterious forces; a body that “conspires” against them or food that “seduces” them. They hope good deeds will be rewarded (like eating chips after eating cabbage soup all day) and resort to “magical solutions” like fad diets. Journal of Consumer Research, May 2011

Health Alert: How Long Will You Live? While the world’s leading industrialized nations report considerable increases in life expectancy annually, the majority of US counties do not. Despite the fact that the US spends more on healthcare per capita than any other nation, 80% of US counties have fallen further behind the life expectancy average of the top ten countries in the world. High obesity rates, smoking status and other preventable risk factors are key factors in America’s poor life expectancy figures, rather than the size of the country, economics or racial diversity. Top 5 In Life Expectancy:1. Iceland, 2. Switzerland, 3. Sweden, 4. Japan, 5. Australia, 37. USA.
Population Health Metrics, 2011

Diet: Watch What Your Kids Eat. 8% of US children have some kind of food allergy, 38.7% of those have a history of severe reactions, while 30.4% are allergic to several foods. Symptoms in a severe reaction may include wheezing and anaphylaxis, when the patient finds it hard to breathe and has an abrupt drop in blood pressure. The most common allergens for children were found to be peanuts, milk and shellfish. Pediatrics, June 2011

Exercise: Stay Fit! A person 70 pounds overweight will spend $30,000 extra in their lifetime for health care!
Scientific American, March 2011

Chiropractic: Recommended To Treat Headaches. This study compared the effects of spinal manipulation and pharmaceutical treatments for chronic tension headaches. Four weeks following the cessation of treatment, the pharmaceutical group demonstrated no improvement from the baseline. In the spinal manipulation group, headache intensity dropped 32 percent; frequency dropped 42 percent; and there was an overall improvement of 16 percent in functional health status. Journal of Manipulative Physiotherapy, 1995

Wellness/Prevention: Soda Consumption. Sweet drinks are linked to higher rates of: obesity, Type 2 diabetes, dental decay and low consumption of essential nutrients (malnutrition). Soft drinks with caffeine can cause anxiety and sleep disruption, and soft drinks with sodium benzoate can lead to hyperactivity and DNA damage. Soda consumption per person per year: 1. US: 216 liters, 2. Ireland: 126 liters, 3. Canada: 119.8 liters, 16. Italy: 50.2 liters, 17. France: 37.2 liters, 18. Japan: 21.6 liters. A 12oz can of soda contains 150 calories, an average adult needs to walk for about 23 minutes non-stop to burn those calories. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 2011

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Dr. Todd P. Sullivan

http://www.NovaChiroWellness.com

Mental Attitude: Memory Restoration. Scientists have developed a way to turn memories on and off – literallywith the flip of a switch. Using an electronic system that duplicates the neural signals associated with memory, they managed to replicate the brain function in rats associated with long-term, learned behavior. Researchers also showed that if a prosthetic device and its associated electrodes were implanted in animals with a normal, functioning hippocampus, the device could actually strengthen the memory being generated internally in the brain and enhance the memory capability of normal rats. The goal is to eventually create a prosthesis that might help Alzheimer’s disease, stroke or injury sufferers recover function. Journal of Neural Engineering, June 2011

Health Alert: Inaccurate Medical Claims! Claims-processing errors have increased by 2% over the last year to a 19.3% rate, wasting $17 billion annually. United Healthcare was best with a 90.2% accuracy rating. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, was lowest with an accuracy rating of 61.1%.  American Medical Association 4th annual National Health Insurer Report Card

Diet: Big Time Snacking. Snacking continues to increase among Americans, accounting for 25% of daily caloric intake. The average person “snacks” an extra 580 calories each day. Between 2006 and 2008, time spent eating primary meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner – remained consistent at 70 minutes. However, secondary eating doubled from 15 minutes each day in 2006 to nearly 30 minutes in 2008, and secondary drinking jumped nearly 90% from 45-85 minutes. Beverages account for 50% the calories consumed through snacking. Most people don’t equate beverages with calorie intake and are less likely to offset or take these calories into account. Institute of Food Technologists, June 2011

Exercise: Muscle Up. How important is it to exercise your muscles? The human body has over 600 muscles accounting for 40% of the body’s weight. When exercised regularly, muscles are your primary mechanism of maintaining your metabolism, thus burning fat. Maintaining the flexibility of your joints and surrounding soft tissues allows muscles to function at their highest level. Gray’s Anatomy

Chiropractic: Simple Analogy. Spinal problems are like a cavity in your tooth: 1. They occur slowly over time. 2. Typically, they are without symptoms for some time. 3. They continue to progress. 4. They don’t go away on their own. 5. They eventually cause pain. 6. They can lead to more significant problems.

Wellness/Prevention: Smoking Raises Risk. Smokers had a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer, cardiovascular disease, cancer-recurrence, or from any cause compared to lifetime non-smokers. The longer the patient smoked, the higher his risk of dying from prostate cancer or cardiovascular disease. Men who had given up smoking for ten years had similar prostate cancer mortality risks as lifetime non-smokers.  Journal of the American Medical Association, May 2011