March 2022 Health Newsletter

Whether in an office or at home, working at a desk 40 hours a week can do a number on your neck and back. While sitting all day might feel relaxing, it's not. The human body isn’t designed to sit all day, and it may be silently screaming at you to seek chiropractic care so you can feel better.

What All that Sitting Does to Your Back and Neck

Sitting strains your neck and spine a lot. It disengages your core muscles, which are critical to a healthy spine, shortens your hamstrings, and can seriously stress your neck muscles and discs if you have poor posture. Your hips and lower back tighten, making it easier to slouch because your pelvis is now tilted backwards. This tilt causes you to lean forward to counterbalance, and while you may not be slouching while leaning, it sure makes it easier to slouch.

And while all this is going on, you're putting wear and tear on all your spinal discs and joints that standing and moving around doesn't. Cue more pain and loss of range of motion. And then add more sitting at home because you're exhausted from not moving all day at work, and your posture and pain levels worsen. 

Signs Your Workplace Ergonomics Need An Adjustment

You'd figure sitting at your desk all day would leave you with lots of energy to seize the last few hours before bed, but how many of you feel drained by the time you punch out for the day? Yes, there's mental fatigue, but there's a lot going on inside your body while you sit for hours on end. It's physically exhausting for your body to sit still for so long. And fatigue is just one sign that sitting is harming you.

More Signs Your Body is Asking for Help:

• Headaches
  
• Back pain
  
• Neck pain
  
• Leg pain
  
• Hip pain
  
• Knee pain
  
• Carpal tunnel
  
• And more
  

How Chiropractic Can Help

You don't have to figure out workplace ergonomics and good seated posture on your own. Chiropractors are deeply knowledgeable on how the body is supposed to move, and optimal positioning for when the body is at rest in a seated position. Chiropractors can also help coax your spine back into proper alignment, helping you win the battle against bad posture.

Back Adjustments - It took a while to reshape your spine into the hunchback of Notre Dame, but it won't take nearly as long to restore a healthy curve. It will take multiple adjustments to make it easier to maintain a healthy, pain-free posture. The number varies from person to person, and the severity of your unique condition.  Once proper alignment is achieved, chiropractors may recommend maintenance visits to maintain optimal alignment and overall spinal health.

Neck Adjustments - Since your head is heavy and can put quite the strain on your neck, chiropractors can perform neck adjustments (often referred to as cervical adjustments) to help with neck and back pain, headaches associated with poor posture, and even help your brain function more efficiently. 

Ergonomics Guidance - There are so many ways to make your workspace healthier and promote great posture. You could easily spend thousands after going down the internet rabbit hole, or you could seek guidance from your chiropractor on the most helpful and research-backed desks, chairs and other hardware (or cushy things) that match an ergonomic style you'd love. 

The power is in your hands - or tuchus - to rock that desk life.

Ever noticed painful knots or nodules within your muscles? If so, you’ve likely found what the medical community calls a trigger point. Trigger points are painful areas within the muscles that when touched or palpated, feel like knots or nodules within the muscle. They can also be extremely painful and additionally radiate pain away from the trigger point itself, such as down an extremity. If you’ve got them, your doctor of chiropractic can help. Chiropractors offer several treatment methods to reduce and manage those nasty trigger points. One such method utilized by chiropractors, ischemic compression, was shown in a recent study to provide office workers with chronic neck and shoulder pain significant improvement in general neck and shoulder complaints, pressure pain sensitivity, mobility, and muscle strength. In the study, only 8 treatments were provided to obtain these improvements. Chiropractors offer a number of safe, natural and effective solutions for chronic pain. If you’re suffering from chronic pain in the neck, shoulder or other areas, call your local chiropractor today.

Looking to lower your blood pressure? A recent review of past studies finds vegetarian diets can help. High blood pressure is associated with cardiovascular disease including heart attack and stroke. The usual treatment is to prescribe medication in order to lower the blood pressure. However, as with most prescription medications, there can be serious side effects. Researchers now believe that for many, dietary changes consistent with those dietary choices made by vegetarians can help to reduce and manage blood pressure without the use of medications. According to researchers involved with this newest study, their analysis found vegetarian diets are able to lower blood pressure very effectively and the evidence supporting this is now "very conclusive." Additionally, aside from lowering blood pressure, vegetarian diets are also shown to result in healthy weight loss, lower cholesterol levels and better blood sugar control - all extremely beneficial. Vegetarian diets exclude meats and instead focus on plant-based foods (fruits and vegetables) but may also include dairy products as well as fish. Ensure to talk with your doctor prior to discontinuing or altering any existing prescription medications.