NorthernPT_Say Goodbye to Neck Pain

Neck pain is becoming a silent epidemic in today’s society as more people end up with terrible forward head posture and tighter neck muscles. The culprit is our addiction to technology, staring into the TV, computer screen or our smartphones. The good news is that you can do a lot to relieve your neck pain and get on the right path to a healthy spine.

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Say Goodbye To Neck Pain Get Back To Your Life

Safely and Effectively!

• Say Goodbye To Neck Pain

• At Home Hydrotherapy

• 4 Tips to Quickly Relieve Your Headache

Newsletter

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” -Unknown Quote of The Month:

SayGoodbye to Neck Pain

Align your spine One of the most important things you can do is to improve your neck alignment. Be conscious of how you sit and stand throughout the day, keeping your head tall. This naturally pulls your spine into alignment.

Neck pain is becoming a silent epidemic in today’s society as more people end up with terrible forward head posture and tighter neck muscles. The culprit is our addiction to technology, staring into the TV, computer screen or our smartphones. The good news is that you can do a lot to relieve your neck pain and get on the right path to a healthy spine. The neck is extremely important in the overall posture of the body. Where the head and neck move, so does the rest of the body. Changes in the alignment of your neck can cause a variety of symptoms such as neck tension, headaches, migraines and even radiating pain or numbness to the arms and hands.

Improve your upper neck motion

The upper neck accounts for over 60% of the total motion in the neck. It is also the area where many of the powerful shoulder muscles attach. Therefore, it is an area that becomes very tight. A simple exercise you can do to improve your neck motion, is the chin tuck. Simply stand or sit tall, then gently tuck your chin down until you feel a slight pressure or pull in the upper neck. Be careful to do this gently and talk to one of our experts if you are unsure of performing this exercise correctly.

Hands on relief One of the best ways to relieve the tightness in your neck muscles is with specialized gentle hands on therapy. Our physical therapists are experts in alleviating tight muscles and restoring normal neck joint motion. If you are suffering with neck pain, shoulder pain, or headaches, call us today and speak to one of our experts. Your neck will thank you.

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(802) 626-4224

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4 Tips to Quickly Relieve Your Headache

Most everyone has experienced a headache at some point in their lives. In fact, over 10 million people in the US suffer with daily headaches. The vast majority of headaches stem from limitations with neck motion. Headaches result from the spasm of arteries in the scalp and sometimes, the brain. Different triggers can occur from chemical sensitivities to pH or sugar imbalances in the blood. Often, the spasms are caused by irritations of the muscles in the neck and scalp that trigger the nerves to go into overdrive, causing a dull ache or even sharp pain. Here’s what you can do to prevent headaches: 1. Watch your posture – Alignment of the neck and upper back is crucial to alleviating the strain on the neck muscles. Be conscious throughout the day of how you are holding your posture. Bring work up to eye level and make sure that your computer screen is high enough to alleviate neck strain. 2. Drink more water – A common cause of many headaches is dehydration. If you feel thirsty, then your body is already dehydrated. Avoid caffeinated beverages, as these are diuretics, causing you to lose water. Keep a glass of water next to your desk or in reach, and work to refill it 4-6 times during the day. 3. Balance your pH – The acidity of your blood can make you more prone to headaches and feeling tired. Make sure that you eat enough green vegetables, lean protein and avoid fatty or processed foods. Also, scale back on the coffee, as it is very acidic. Water also helps to balance your pH, so repeat step 2. 4. Exercise and therapy – Exercise helps to regulate your pH, reduce neck strain and improve your mood. If you find yourself suffering with headaches more than 2 times a week, then you should seek the expertise of our medical experts. These symptoms can be the result of an underlying problem with your neck and need to be treated.

The natural solution to headaches When you find that you are suffering with headaches or neck tension, come in for physical therapy or an adjustment. A few sessions can go a long way to helping you feel your best and learning what you can do to prevent your headaches from returning. Put down the Ibuprofen or Tylenol and pick up the phone to speak with one of our experts today!

When to use ice & heat for pain relief

muscles also relax. The inflammatory reaction is slowed down. As a result, your ankle is less swollen and painful. Ice packs are very useful in bruises, strains and joint swellings. Use them for any acute swelling, over the first 24 to 48 hours (except backstrains). Icehelps latertoo,whileexercising the limb. Our friendly medical experts can show you how to make movements less painful and more flexible by using an ice pack just before or during exercise. How to make an ice pack Wrap a plastic bag of frozen peas or ice cubes in a thick cold wet towel. Place it on the injured part. Check after a few minutes to make sure the skin is not red, an early sign of frostbite. Generally, icing for 15 to 20 minutes is enough. Repeatevery2-4hours.Ourmedicalexpertswill help use ice properly for healing and pain relief. How to use heat Heat packs, bottles or infra-red lamps can be very useful if you have a muscle spasm or 48 hours after injury. Icing a muscle spasm

contracts the muscle fibers, so they would hurt intensely. On the other hand, heat improves the circulation, soothes and relaxes the muscles by carrying away toxins and bringing in healing oxygen. Heat can comfort a back or neck strain, especially if it has been persisting for some time. When you use a heat pack, wrap it in a towel and check the temperature so it doesn’t burn the skin. When not to use heat Don’tuseheat ifyouhaveapainful,redorswollen joint. This increases circulation so that fluid collects, worsening the swelling and stretching or compressing the nerves and surrounding healthy tissue. This makes it still more painful. You’d be better off icing it. When to use neither heat nor ice Whetheryouusehotorcoldpacks,beawarethat youcandamageyourskinanddeepertissuesby careless use. Don’t use it if you have an open or infected wound. If the circulation or sensation level is poor, as in diabetes, ice and heat could cause the skin to break down, get infected and worse.

When you’ve just sprained your ankle or pulled a muscle, all you want is some pain relief. If painkillers arehandy, you probably pop acouple of them. If not, you ask for some ice - or was that heat instead? To sort out this confusion, let’s see what they really do. Both ice and heat relieve pain and help recovery. How to use ice Ice is useful when you want to reduce swelling. For example, your ankle balloons up after a sprain. This is because blood and fluid collect rapidly, making it both painful and stiff. At this point, an ice pack helps to close off those tiny vessels. The blood flow slows down. Small nerves become numb, so the pain reduces.The

At Home Hydrotherapy

Soaking in Epsom Salt can be very helpful for the release of muscle aches and pain. It is important to remember the actual name of Epsom Salt is magnesium sulfate. Among magnesium’s many functions is it will reduce the rate of calcium binding after a muscle contracts as it competes for the same binding sites as calcium, which contracts a muscle. Simply put, this relieves tightness and soreness in the muscles. Something as simple as an Epsom Salt bath can be of great benefit in relaxing a tight muscle. It is easily done by • Adding 2 cups of Epsom Salt to a warm bath full of water. • Soak your neck in the bath for 15 - 20 minutes, allowing the magnesium to be absorbed through your skin. Definition Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, is the use of water (hot, cold, steam, or ice) to relieve discomfort and promote physical well-being.

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