CHIROCARELA.COM: Blog

Neck pain happens, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with it forever. With some lifestyle adjustments, you can prevent neck pain altogether. Dr. Alajajian and staff take pride in educating our patients about good spinal health. Since many of our patients experience neck pain, it's important to take a step back and see what is causing it. Only then can you take the necessary steps to prevent it! Tips to prevent neck pain: - Sleep on your back - Drink plenty of water - Make sure you are using a comfortable and supported pillow - Make sure your computer monitor is at eye level - When using your mobile phone for texting, keep it at eye level, take breaks, or use talk-text - When using your mobile phone for making calls, use a headset or earpiece - Stretch, exercise, and strengthen your neck muscles - Carry weight on your person so that it is evenly distributed - Practice a supportive posture (no slumping or hunching!) - Hold your phone at a distance rather than right in front of ...

Have you ever accidentally contorted your body in a strange way that resulted in a sharp pain that decreased mobility in your neck or arm? You might have experienced a pinched nerve. Pinched nerves can occur anywhere along the spine, including the upper, mid, and lower back. They can even happen in any joint of your body. Dr. Alajajian and staff know all about the dreaded pinched nerve and how painful it can make doing the simplest tasks. Sometimes the nerve can move back into place naturally. However, if the pinched nerve is severe enough, you will need spinal adjustments to correct it. Symptoms of a pinched nerve include: - Lower back pain - Numbness, tingling, or burning sensation in your arms, legs, fingers, or toes - Pain radiating along your spine - Severe headaches or migraines - Pain that shoots down your arm or leg - Neck pain A pinched nerve can be caused by subluxation, disc degeneration, osteoarthritis, or disc herniation. These are silent afflictions in their beginning st...

When you combine poor posture, stress, and constant errand-running (which definitely causes stress), a tension headache can happen out of the blue. This is a signal that your body is taking on a lot at once! There are many other things that can bring on a tension headache, such as constantly looking down at your phone, staring at a screen all day, or driving for several hours without rest. Dr. Alajajian and staff feel that it’s important to recognize what your body is telling you and then take care of your body accordingly.   There are two types of tension headaches: chronic and episodic. Chronic tension headaches happen frequently, with pain developing on both sides of the head, the forehead, and at the base of the skull. Our chiropractic treatments can help decrease the severity and frequency since these headaches are more associated with tightness and misalignment in the neck vertebrae. Episodic tension headaches occur from stressful events and can often be treated with over-the-c...

Exercise is essential for maintaining balanced skeletal support. When a person has flexible muscles, they are at much less risk for the wear-and-tear injuries that allow joints to slide out of place. Not all exercises are appropriate for everyone, and if you’ve struggled with chronic pain, we urge you to visit us at ChiroCareLA.com for non-invasive, non-addictive treatment. But in general, there are a few simple rules to keep in mind when warming up and cooling down that will protect a person from overusing their muscles during work-outs.   A muscle should not be stretched while it is still “cold.” That is to say, it should not have to do anything strenuous before it is receiving adequate blood flow. Warm-ups should focus on dynamic stretches, which keep the body in motion. Those include arm circles, bird-dogging, and butt-kicks. One of the reasons yoga is popular is that it incorporates so many dynamic stretches.   The warm-up should last for at least five minutes. After that, a pers...