Chiropractic Health & Wellness Blog

5 All-Natural Ways to Relieve Headaches

When your head is pounding, it can feel almost impossible to simply live your life. And even though you have work, home, and family obligations, you may find that the only thing that makes you feel better is lying in bed or on the couch, which may be okay if you only have headaches occasionally. But if you tend to experience head pain more often than not, like some of our Minneapolis chiropractic patients do, then you are probably looking for a better solution.

Certainly, there are a number of medications out there designed to help you relieve your headaches and migraines, but they’re not always the best option. Either the ingredients in them make you feel wired and keep you up all night, or they make you so drowsy that you can’t stay awake long enough to hear about your Quick read more or view full article child’s day when they get home from school. 

So, if you’re looking for some all-natural headache cures that work, here are five to try the next time your head pain strikes:

• Watch your diet. Certain foods have been found to actually trigger headache and migraine pain, which means that watching your diet can help reduce the number of head pain episodes, as well as lessening their duration and intensity. Some foods and ingredients to watch out for, according to WebMD, include cheeses, food additives such as nitrites and food coloring, Chinese food (thanks to the MSG), chocolate, caffeine, dried fruits, crackers, canned soups, and cold foods like ice cream. It also helps to keep a food diary so you can identify triggers specific to you.
   
• Do some stretching exercises. Sometimes headaches are caused due to tight muscles in the neck and shoulder area, which makes loosening them critical to relieving the headache pain. One stretch to try is simply tilting your head from side to side as far as you can. Another involves standing up straight and rolling your shoulders back, bringing your shoulder blades together as close as you can. No matter which type of stretches you do, be sure to use slow and controlled movements so you don’t aggravate the area even further. 
   
• Get a massage. If your headaches are due to stress and tension, a massage may be just what you need to help relax your tense muscles and your mind. Here at Lyn Lake Chiropractic, we offer soft tissue and massage therapy services to all of our Minneapolis chiropractic clients, potentially helping you lessen or eliminate your head pain entirely. In the meantime though, don’t be afraid to take a few minutes and give yourself a nice, soothing temple or neck massage. It may just release some of the pain and make you feel a better almost instantly.
   
• Take peppermint oil and rub it on your forehead and temples. One study published in a German health publication found that, when compared to a placebo, individuals who took two peppermint oil capsules (each one containing 10 grams of 10% peppermint oil) and also spread some of the oil on their temples and foreheads experienced greater levels of relief in just 15 minutes time, with the positive effects lasting an hour later. This is definitely a great all-natural way to say goodbye to your head pain.
   
• Engage in regular chiropractic care. Of course, we would be totally remiss if we didn’t tell you how great engaging in regular chiropractic care can be for easing your chronic headache pain. If your headaches are due to tension, they typically respond well to chiropractic since these particular types of headaches are often caused by subluxations (misalignments) in your neck area. Even migraines symptoms can lessen with chiropractic care, as one study conducted by a doctor at Macquarie University revealed that 22% of chiropractic patients experienced a “substantial reduction” in migraine symptoms as a result of treatment, with an additional 50% reporting “quite noticeable improvement.”

If you suffer from frequent headaches, make an appointment at Lyn Lake Chiropractic today. Our Minneapolis chiropractors will do what we can to help you relieve, and possibly even eliminate, all of your head-related pain!

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4 Simple Ways to Ease (Or Even Eliminate) Your Back Pain

Although our Minneapolis chiropractic patients experience a number of positive benefits from regular spinal manipulations, back pain is definitely one of the top reasons they keep coming through our door. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that roughly 60-70% of all people will experience this type of pain at some point in their lives, hitting the 35-55 year old age group the hardest. 

What can you do to help ease or even eliminate your back pain if you fall somewhere in these all-too-high ranges? Here are four options to consider:

• Get and stay active. Some people with back pain shy away from physical exercise, but oftentimes this type of pain can be lessened simply by moving about more. Worried it is going to make the pain worse instead of better? Don’t be. Research confirms Quick read more or view full article that “exercise is safe for individuals with back pain.” Just don’t overdo it and you’ll be fine.
   
• Watch your posture. If you’re slouching or otherwise have poor posture, you could easily be making your back pain worse. Instead, stay aware of your form and keep your head facing forward, your shoulders down and back, and your pelvis slightly tilted and you’ll likely feel better because of it.
   
• Limit your texting time. Dr. Kenneth K. Hansraj, Chief of Spine Surgery at New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine conducted a study to determine the effect that constantly having your head tilted forward (like when texting) has on the spine. What he found was that just leaning your head forward 15 degrees more than doubled the weight of your head on your spinal column. Tilt your head 60 degrees and it’s like having a 60 pound head. No wonder too much texting makes your neck and upper back hurt!
   
• Buy a new mattress. When your mattress is broken down from years of use, then buying a new one can potentially help you get rid of your back pain. Be sure to choose one that supports your spine best, and if you’re not sure which one that would be, ask us and we’ll be glad to give you some pointers so you find the right one for you!

Do these four things, in addition to regular visits to Lyn Lake Chiropractic, your Minneapolis chiropractor, and it will increase the likelihood that your back pain will become a thing of the past!

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Want to Prevent or Treat a Sports Injury? See Your Minneapolis Chiropractor!

 

While having any type of injury is obviously no fun, sports injuries can seem ten times worse. This is largely because, in addition to the pain and aggravation they usually cause, sports injuries can also keep you from engaging in the one activity that makes you smile and brings you joy. 

Quick read more or view full article style="font-size:14px;">So, preventing these types of injuries helps you live a happier life and one way to achieve that goal is to make (and keep) regular appointments with Lyn Lake Chiropractic, your Minneapolis chiropractor. How does chiropractic help you avoid sports injuries?

Chiropractic as a Sports Injury Preventative

The main reason chiropractic is such a great preventative for sports injuries is that keeping your spine aligned allows your brain to effectively communicate with the rest of your body via your central nervous system, which is housed in your spinal column. This means better muscle response, improved performance, and a whole host of other sports-related benefits in addition to fewer sports injuries.

In fact, research published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders confirms chiropractic’s injury prevention effect on the lower body. In this particular study, 59 semi-elite Australian Rules footballers were split into two groups. Both received medical and sports management, but only one (the intervention group) received sports chiropractic treatments—first weekly, then bi-weekly, then monthly—for a period of 7 ½ months.

Each athlete was assessed prior to the study, as well as at the end. Based on a comparison between the groups, researchers concluded that chiropractic helped lower the number of lower-limb injuries these elite athletes endured, primarily when it came to strains and non-contact knee injuries.

Chiropractic Also Beneficial Should An Injury Occur

Of course, in addition to chiropractic helping prevent sports injuries, it is also beneficial should an injury occur. That’s why an estimated one-third of all American NFL football teams have a chiropractor on staff with three-quarters of the teams having referred a player to a chiropractor, even if one wasn’t immediately available. 

The types of sports injuries that can often be treated with a visit or two to your Minneapolis chiropractor include: neck pain, headaches, sprains, knee injuries, tendonitis, shin splints, elbow injuries, and more.

To prevent or treat your sports injury, make an appointment with Lyn Lake Chiropractor today. We’re here to make all of our Minneapolis chiropractic patients feel better before, during, and after participating in their sport of choice!

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3 Ways Our Minneapolis Chiropractors Can Help You Improve Your Child’s Health and Wellness

 

As a parent, your child’s health and wellness is probably one of your most important priorities, if not the top one on your list. Well, the doctors and staff at Lyn Lake Chiropractic feel the same as we want all of our Minneapolis chiropractic patients—no matter how young they are—to experience the highest level of health possible. 

Quick read more or view full article initial;">What types of benefits does chiropractic care have to offer children? Here are three to consider…

Ease of Asthma Symptoms

The American Lung Association reports that “asthma is one of the most common chronic disorders in children, currently affecting an estimated 7.1 million children under 18 years.” Furthermore, asthma can actually result in death if not managed properly, which makes addressing this particular condition critical to not only your child’s quality of life, but their life period. Fortunately, chiropractic can help and research confirms it.

For example, one case study involved a 7-year-old male child who had suffered with asthma since he was only five months old. In fact, between his asthma, allergies, and frequent colds, this poor kid missed school at least once a month if not more and, as a result, often found himself sitting in the doctor’s office instead of the classroom. However, after just two weeks of chiropractic care, he was able to go off his asthma medication completely. Plus, he went an entire school year without missing any days due to illness, showing just how positive the chiropractic treatments were on him as a whole.  

Improvement in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 10% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 are diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short. This equates to roughly six million children in the United States, with young boys being diagnosed almost three times more often than girls. If your child falls into these numbers and has been diagnosed with ADHD, then it is possible that chiropractic care in our Minneapolis chiropractic office can help alleviate some of the symptoms. 

For instance, in one study published in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, four young boys between the ages of 9 and 13 with ADHD were assessed during a course of chiropractic treatment. Based on feedback from parents, teachers, and the boys themselves, researchers concluded that chiropractic resulted in “improvement in ADHD symptoms (ie, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattentiveness, as well as behavioral, social, or emotional difficulties).” Just imagine what this could do for your child’s achievement levels both personally and academically!

Fewer Learning and Behavioral Issues

When improving a child’s health and wellness, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about learning and behavioral issues. After all, sometimes neurological issues can cause problems in these particular areas, which can ultimately lower your child’s quality of life as it negatively affects their ability to learn, stress levels at home, and so much more. One way to help lessen these effects is to have your child engage in regular chiropractic care. What can chiropractic do for a child behaviorally?

Well, one particular study set out to answer that question, so researchers decided to look at what effect, if any, chiropractic had on learning impaired students. They did this by splitting a group of 24 students into two, with one-half of the young participants engaging in chiropractic and the other half receiving no treatment at all. Here are just a few of the positive results achieved by some of the group members who had chiropractic treatments:

• One high school student went from failing three different classes to passing all of them, switched from having low morale to being highly motivated,  and even became coordinated enough to become involved in athletics…all while eliminating all medications.

 

• Another high school student who was taking Ritalin was also able to stop taking this particular medication, all while experiencing gains in both reading comprehension and speed.

 

• Yet another student who was in elementary school was able to be taken off medications as well, receiving other benefits from the chiropractic care such as a reported better attitude, higher academic grades, and fewer behavioral problems.

There are many reasons chiropractic is great for improving children’s health and these are just three. To see what our Lyn Lake Chiropractic Minneapolis chiropractors can do for your child, call and schedule an appointment today. Their health is our priority!

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Lyn Lake Chiropractic is Proud to be the Official Chiropractor of Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon!

 

If you’re going to the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, “the most beautiful urban marathon in America,” on October 4^th, make sure you look us up because
Lyn Lake Chiropractic, home of your trusted Minneapolis chiropractors, is the official chiropractor of the race!

We love the Medtronic Twin Quick read more or view full article Cities Marathon because it is the perfect event for the beginner and novice runner alike. Plus, it offers many wonderful perks such as free transportation from various areas in and around Minneapolis and Saint Paul, a special little gift for all of the runners to remember this particular accomplishment, and blankets and beer at the finish line. Does it get any better than that?

So, what is our role in all of this?

Chiropractic and Marathon Running

When it comes to running, there are some pretty common injuries that can occur, such as:

• Shin splints – tightness or pain in the lower leg
• Achilles tendonitis – achiness or shooting pain in the heel area
• Stress fracture – pain in the lower leg, often confused with shin splints
• Runners knee – pain in and around the kneecap
• Plantar Fasciitis – tightness or pain on the bottom of the foot and/or heel area

Fortunately, chiropractic has been proven to be an effective treatment remedy for all of these conditions. For instance, one of the techniques we use for a lot of our Minneapolis chiropractic patients who run is called the Graston Technique. The Graston Technique involves taking one of six specially designed stainless steel instruments and moving it expertly to reach the injured area and relieve the issue causing the pain and discomfort.

We also offer RockTape which is a type of kinesiology tape that a number of runners use to help prevent or relieve common running injuries. It contains no latex so it is safe for people with allergies, and it also helps boost performance, so if you’re looking for a little edge, RockTape may help!

A Couple Quick Tips for Reducing Running Injuries

If you’re running in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on October 4^th, our Minneapolis chiropractors would love to see you! However, we also want to help you stay injury free, so make sure you stretch beforehand, run with good posture, and keep your gait so your foot isn’t overstepping your knee.

See you at the race…and good luck!

http://www.lynlakechiropractic.com/14700Lyn Lake Chiropractic - Runners helping Runners!

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How Do I Know If I Need a Chiropractor After An Auto Accident?

 

Here at Lyn Lake Chiropractic, we’ve had a number of Minneapolis chiropractic patients who have been involved in some type of auto accident, ranging from minor fender benders to crashes that have resulted in major physical trauma, at some point or another in their lives. Unfortunately, this really comes as no major surprise since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that “motor vehicle crashes Quick read more or view full article are the leading cause of injury and death in the U.S.” 

However, the one question that is asked quite often is how to know if you need a chiropractor after being involved in an auto accident. So, let’s examine that more in-depth now.

When you’re in a car crash, sometimes it is immediately evident that something is wrong. For instance, you may notice that there is pain present in various areas of your body (such as back pain or neck pain associated with whiplash), which is a clear sign that something just isn’t right.

Or, you might begin experiencing headaches or dizziness, start to have difficulty sleeping, or are feeling just overall irritable. In these cases, even if there are no physical marks present, making the decision to seek medical treatment via chiropractic care is typically an easier one. Obviously, something is going on internally and it’s best to find out what it is so it can be treated effectively and the pain and other possible symptoms minimized.

Yet, when there is no pain present, and no other signs at all that you may be injured externally or internally, you are less inclined to get yourself checked out and assume that you’re 100% okay. While this may seem logical, the reality is that you could have actually sustained an injury in the accident and don’t even realize it.

The reason this can happen is that sometimes pain and other symptoms don’t come to the surface for days, weeks, months, or even years to come. Furthermore, not seeing a doctor because of a lack of symptoms can greatly impact your ability to overcome the injury at a later point in time as some studies have confirmed that delayed treatment can negatively affect positive outcome capabilities.

Now, some people believe that minor accidents (like the ones that don’t leave any marks on the vehicles or involve super-slow speeds) aren’t capable of creating injury that requires chiropractic treatment. But one study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found otherwise. 

In this case, the researcher found “a lack of relationship between occupant injury, vehicle speed and/or damage.” Specifically, even when crash speeds were as low as 2.5 miles per hour, physical injury could result. So, it doesn’t matter how minor the auto accident is, you may have an injury that needs medical attention to resolve it effectively.

In short, any time that you’re involved in a car accident, no matter how minor it may seem and how good you feel afterward, you still want to follow up with your Uptown Minneapolis chiropractors to ensure that you’re okay and that your spinal discs and vertebrae are still in their proper and healthy place. With a quick exam, Drs. Schreifels, Eckstein, and Jones will be able to tell what injury, if any, exists or if further testing needs to be conducted to make sure you weren’t hurt in any way.

We even have a 24-hour answering service which allows you to call no matter when you have an auto accident and get your appointment scheduled to come in. Remember…the sooner you get in to see us at Lyn Lake Chiropractic in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a car crash, the sooner you will start to heal and the better your chances of recovery!

 

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