Researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Medicine explained in a university news release that the “unified body construction” of a laptop, with its inseparable keyboard and monitor, makes it difficult for users to configure their equipment in a way that minimizes risk to their bodies. For instance, awkward positioning of the fingers and body can cause nerve injury to the wrist and prompt the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome, while poor neck position and shoulder posture can cause muscle strain and soreness in those areas.

Researcher, Dr. Kevin Carneiro, a physician in the UNC School of Medicine’s department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, and his colleagues point out that laptop users can take specific steps to minimize their risk. So, listen up and heed the tips below:

• If you are working at a computer, your body should form 90-degree angles at the elbows, knees and hips.
• Use a docking station and cables to hook up to an external monitor and/or separate keyboard that are movable to encourage better posture.
• With the help of a docking station, position the computer so you can read the screen without bending your neck.
• Pay attention to the chair you sit in — look for one that is adjustable and comes with back support.
• Tilt the screen so you don’t need to bend your neck, and place the mouse so that your wrists are in a neutral position (one in which they are aligned with your arm and not raised above it).
• Take frequent short breaks every 20 minutes or so — this can help rest muscles and encourage position shifting. Do some shoulder shrugs, gentle forward head rolls, and shoulder scrunches to stretch your muscles.
• Stay hydrated — drinking plenty of water can help keep discs in your back lubricated.

In addition, be sure to watch out for warning signs, such as pain and tingling. These may mean you need to use better posture, take more breaks, or see your chiropractor in Sacramento!

Technorati Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, headaches, laptops and bad posture, neck and shoulder pain, Where:Sacramento-CA

The study, conducted by Dr. X. Henry Hu of Merck & Co.and colleagues, found that one in five migraine sufferers had "avoided" a work-related commitment because they were afraid of getting a migraine, while 27 percent reported canceling a work commitment for this reason, and round 28 percent said they had avoided or canceled social commitments due to fear of migraines.

I have treated many patients who told me how much they'd "feared" the onset of a migraine and limited their activities in life because of that fear, so I do understand how devastating the fear of migraines can be. And, yet, the only "solution" this study offered?

This study is "important," said Dr. Hu, because the unpredictability of migraines could contribute to people's anxiety and fear about them and early treatment with migraine drugs called triptans can help reduce headache severity. "Because of the lack of predictability of future migraine attacks, migraine sufferers may benefit from increased education on the importance of keeping medications available at all times," he and his colleagues concluded.

My conclusion? If you suffer from migraines, give your chiropractor a call today!

SOURCE: Headache, published online March 25, 2010.

Posted via email from chiropractornews’s posterous

Technorati Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, headaches, migraines, Where:Sacramento-CA

Athletes are particularly at risk when it comes to functional challenges created by dehydration. “Physiologically, their core body temperature could be higher than it should have been if they were hydrated. Their heart rate will be higher, and they’re going to perceive that they’re working harder than they actually are,” said Susan Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training in Indiana State’s College of Nursing, health, and Human Services.  A high percentage of collegiate and professional athletes begin the season dehydrated, putting their health at risk even before they begin strenuous workouts, according to researchers at Indiana State University. In fact, eighty percent of football players displayed symptoms of dehydration during pre-season physical examinations.

Confused about how much water is enough water? Chiropractors, like most health care professionals, recommend a minimum of eight, 8-ounce glasses of water daily for many patients, but for our patients who are athletes, or for individuals who are overweight or exercise or work where it’s hot, we recommend even more. There is a fairly uncomplicated way for you to be sure that you’re drinking an adequate amount of water. Your urine color is a good indicator. If it comes out a light, pale yellow, it’s an indication that you’re well-hydrated!

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractors, drinking enough water, exhaustion, headaches, heartburn, hydration, hypertension

Tension headaches: Like it or not, life can be a pain, now and then, and result in a tension headache. Many people have suffered from more than one, and maybe you are one of them. If you are someone who’s had a tension headache, then you probably experience it as a dull, aching head pain that is sometimes accompanied by a sensation of tightness or pressure across your forehead or on the sides and back of your head. Occasionally, you might feel a tenderness of your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles, and at times you may experience a loss of appetite.

Tension headaches are generally characterized as mild to moderately intense. The severity of the pain varies from one individual to another, and from one headache to another in the same person. Tension headaches can happen occasionally or you may have them regularly. Your headaches are considered chronic if they occur fifteen or more days a month for at least three months. If tension headaches are disrupting your life, chiropractic care may be the solution.

Migraine Headaches: Migraine headaches differ from the average tension-related headache. For example, migraines more often than not occur on only one side of the head, according to the National Headache Foundation. They throb or pulsate and are accompanied by nausea or vomiting. Auras, visual disruptions an hour before a migraine attack, and symptoms such as pulsating light, lines or dots, are experienced by one-fifth of migraine sufferers.

Migraines have an upsetting, debilitating effect on a sufferers life. If you suffer from migraines, then unfortunately you already know from experience that, more often than not, standard over-the-counter medications are ineffective, and prescription drugs generally have alarming side effects. Yet, the pain of a migraine can incapacitate you for hours, days, even a lifetime. It’s time to finally get rid of the pain and get your life back! Chiropractic treatment has been shown to be highly beneficial in relieving and eliminating migraine headaches.

If you suffer from tension headaches and/or migraines, make an appointment today with Dr. Kim, your Sacramento Chiropractor. He can help!

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Let’s face it. There are going to be repercussions when your body is forced to stop abruptly and without warning. You might be offered a clean bill of health by an emergency room attendant if you haven’t sustained any broken bones, and you may be given a prescription for drugs to relax the muscle spasms that you are no doubt experiencing as a consequence of the structural changes in your neck or lower back that you received from the impact. But, your problem could go from bad to much, much worse unless you’re treated for the bodily trauma you’ve sustained. In fact, quite a few individuals encounter problems years after a car accident due to the fact that they didn’t get the help they needed in the first place.

Dr. Yong Kim truly understands what your body experiences during a car accident.  If you’ve encountered a minor auto accident, he knows that you are likely to need more repair than your car.  Neck and back injuries are not only painful in the regions in which they happen, but they can also generate pain, tingling, and numbness in your arms and hands and create headaches days, weeks, even months after an accident occurs.

Chiropractic techniques include treatment for soft tissue injuries and spinal bio-mechanics dysfunction. chiropractic care offers a drug-free, natural road back to feeling good again.  It can help to put the trauma of your accident where it belongs – in the past. Moreover, because your chiropractor has experience communicating effectively with insurance companies and lawyers, not only will you undergo less physical stress, but less emotional stress, as well!

Technorati Tags: auto accident, back injuries, car accident, chiropractic, chiropractor, headaches, lower back, neck, soft tissue injuries