East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C.

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Do Chiropractic Adjustments Help Sleep?

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A good night’s sleep is essential for people’s overall well-being, but many struggle due to discomfort, pain, and sometimes, improper spinal alignment. The key to a good night’s sleep is keeping the spine naturally aligned by using a combination of sleep position, mattress style, and pillow type. Additionally, chiropractic adjustments focusing on improving spinal health can help promote better sleep.

What Sort of Bed Do Chiropractors Recommend?

The old advice doctors used to recommend was for people struggling with back pain to sleep on very firm mattresses, but one survey of nearly 300 people found that people who sleep on extra hard mattresses actually have the poorest sleep quality. A soft mattress can conform to your body’s natural curves, which is great if your joints align comfortably but you may sink and twist yourself into a painful night’s sleep. Replace your mattress every 7-10 years, as it softens over time and may no longer support proper spinal alignment while you sleep.

What Mattresses Do Chiropractors Suggest?

Chiropractors recommend mattresses that offer balanced support and comfort. Memory foam and latex mattresses are popular choices, as they contour to the body while maintaining proper spinal alignment. These materials help reduce pressure points and provide support to the natural curvature of the spine, ensuring that the sleeper’s body is properly aligned throughout the night. Hybrid mattresses that use both memory foam and latex with innerspring coils are also recommended for those who prefer a bit more bounce while still benefiting from the contouring properties of foam.

A mattress that is too soft can cause the spine to sag, while one that is too firm may lead to discomfort, so chiropractors often advise choosing a medium-firm mattress that supports the body’s natural alignment. There is no singular choice for “the right mattress” as it is a highly individual choice based on one’s body and its needs.

Do Chiropractors Recommend Pillows?

The right pillow can help with neck strain, headaches, and shoulder pain. Chiropractors recommend using them, but finding the one right for your needs is generally up to you. The pillow should support proper neck and spine alignment while you sleep.

In addition to finding the right equipment for a good night’s rest, chiropractic adjustments can also help people find a more restful sleep by easing muscle tension, relaxing the body, and relieving pain and discomfort. The Graston Technique®, as a form of soft tissue mobilization, uses specialized instruments to break down adhesions and improve blood flow. The technique can help treat discomfort and promote relaxation.

What Is the Best Pillow for Spine Alignment?

The best kind of pillow depends on your sleep position. Back sleepers should use a medium-firm pillow to support the neck’s natural curve, while side sleepers need a thicker, firmer pillow to fill the gap between the neck and mattress. People who sleep on their stomachs tend to prefer a thinner pillow or none at all to avoid straining their necks.

What Is the Best Bed for Spine Alignment?

A medium-firm mattress tends to offer more advantages to people with non-specific back pain. Studies have shown these mattresses can improve sleep quality and have a lower risk of developing new back pain problems. Beds that have active control help with the orthopedic column alignment and sleep quality.

Explore the Benefits of Chiropractic Care at East Bay Chiropractic Wellness

East Bay Chiropractic specializes in the use of the Graston Technique® for treatment and pain management caused by soft tissue fibrosis and chronic inflammation. As the first on Long Island to be certified in the use of the technique and with more than 30 years of experience, you know you’ll be in good hands. Contact East Bay Chiropractic today to learn more about how we can help you.

Chiropractic Care for Ski Injuries

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Every year, more than half a million Americans are injured while skiing or snowboarding. After hitting the slopes during winter break, many of us have returned from our vacation with aches and pains, injured joints, pulled muscles, or even broken bones.

If you have sustained a skiing injury, or if you’re simply sore from a holiday ski trip, chiropractic care can help you feel and heal better.

Is Skiing Hard on Your Body?

Skiing can be a fantastic workout, improving strength, balance, coordination, endurance, and heart health. However, it can also take a toll on your body, especially if you’re a novice skier or venture onto rugged terrain. The repetitive stress and physical demands can strain your knees, ankles, and lower back, often leading to various injuries.

What Is the Most Common Injury While Skiing?

Skiing injuries can range from mild soreness to severe joint or bone damage. Some of the most frequent injuries experienced by skiers include:

Knee Injuries

  • Nearly half of all reported ski-related injuries involve the knees like ACL and MCL tears along with meniscus damage.

Other Common Injuries

  • Fractures: Broken legs from falls or collisions.
  • Spinal Injuries: Whiplash or other spinal issues from sudden stops or collisions.
  • Wrist Injuries: Fractures or sprains from falls.
  • Skier’s Thumb: Torn thumb ligaments from falling while holding a ski pole.

Is Snowboarding Hard on Your Body?

Like skiing, snowboarding can be a fun way to stay fit. However, inexperience, improper form, or overly challenging slopes can strain your joints and muscles, increasing the risk of injury. As with any sport, it’s important to warm up first and wear the appropriate protection equipment to prevent injuries.

What Is the Most Common Snowboarding Injury?

Snowboarding presents its own set of injury risks. Here are some of the most common injuries and their causes:

Wrist Fractures

  • Wrist fractures account for nearly a quarter of all snowboarding injuries due to falls with arms extended.

Other Frequent Injuries

  • Ankle Strain or Fracture: Caused by the lack of stabilization in the snowboarding boots.
  • Shoulder Dislocations: Resulting from falling with outstretched arms.
  • Knee Injuries: Occurring during falls or hard landings after jumps.

Both skiing and snowboarding can result in serious head injuries, making protective headgear and safety precautions essential.

Can a Chiropractor Help with Sports Injury?

Chiropractic care is a noninvasive, medication-free way to help you heal faster and better from sports injuries. After an injury on the slopes, chiropractic care can:

  • Reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Improve your range of motion.
  • Prevent tight scar tissue formation.
  • Enhance future athletic performance.

Chiropractic adjustments also ensure proper body alignment, improving posture, coordination, flexibility, and overall mobility.

Is Graston® Useful in Treating Injuries from Skiing?

The Graston Technique® is a treatment method used to break up fascial adhesions that can result from many types of ski injuries. The Graston® Technique alleviates aches and pains by releasing tight muscles, enhancing blood flow, reducing inflammation, and promoting healing.

We also offer traditional spinal adjustments, physical therapy, massage therapy, and other treatment modalities to provide a holistic approach to healing after skiing or snowboarding.

Winter Sports Injury? Contact Us Today to Schedule an Appointment

For more than three decades, East Bay Chiropractic Wellness in Bellmore, NY, has provided chiropractic services for skiers and other athletes. Don’t let winter sports injuries hold you back! Contact East Bay Chiropractic Wellness today to start your recovery journey.

Can Chiropractic Care Help with the Most Common Motorcycle Injuries?

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People often associate chiropractic care as one way to properly recover from various personal injuries. Many common sports, workplace, or auto injuries can be treated with chiropractic care. These include spinal manipulation, massage therapy, and the Graston Technique®, all of which can help alleviate chronic pain by addressing its source. These injuries include whiplash, slip and fall, and repetitive motion.

Different kinds of accidents lead to different injuries. For example, an injury that is more common in a car accident may not be as common in a motorcycle accident. So, what are the most common motorcycle injuries?

What Part of the Body Is Most Affected in Motorcycle Accidents?

While we often think of spinal injuries due to whiplash in a car accident, motorcycle accidents work in a much different way. That makes sense since motorcycle riders are more exposed than those in a car, even if they’re wearing full protective gear.

For example, the spine is one of the least likely regions of the body to be injured in a motorcycle accident. In fact, on only 4% of instances is it the most seriously injured part of the body. The face and neck also make up a low percentage of the most seriously injured body regions. You are most likely to have more serious injuries around your legs, followed by your arms and ribs.

How Do You Recover from a Motorcycle Accident?

Recovery from a motorcycle accident can vary widely. Because of the nature of motorcycle accidents, your body is exposed to more risk potential which could lead to broken bones and soft tissue damage. Depending on the severity of the injuries and how long the expected recovery time would have to be provided by a doctor. However, that projected recovery time can often be decreased with chiropractic care.

Can Graston Help with Scar Tissue from Motorcycle Accidents?

The Graston Technique® can and does help with recovery from soft tissue injuries related to motorcycle accidents. Adhesions that have developed on your soft tissue under the skin as a result of a motorcycle accident can be broken up using specialized tools. This will restore your range of motion and comfort in the affected area and will allow your body to start healing properly.

The Graston Technique® is a specialized therapy that requires training and accreditation. Make sure the chiropractor you’re considering is an expert on the Graston Technique® with a proven track record.

Dr. Marmorale Can Treat Accident-Related Injuries

Motorcycle accidents, as well as a number of other personal injuries, can lead to chronic pain and discomfort. That doesn’t mean you have to live with it. At East Bay Chiropractic Wellness, Dr. Marmorale specializes in the use of the Graston Technique® in pain management. And with more than 35 years of experience, you can rest assured that you’ll be in good hands. Contact East Bay Chiropractic today to learn more about how we can help you manage your chronic pain.

Treating Back Pain Caused by Sitting Too Much

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Our lives involve a whole lot of sitting, whether it’s at a desk for eight or more hours each day, commuting into the city, or driving kids to appointments and activities. We all know that too much sitting isn’t good for our backs and our overall health, but it’s often unavoidable in today’s world. Fortunately, there are tips and treatments for dealing with sitting’s impact on our musculoskeletal system.

[Read more…] about Treating Back Pain Caused by Sitting Too Much

Leaf Raking Injuries

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People know that it’s a great idea to stretch out before they exercise, but very few actually do it. That can lead to injuries and pain.

Year after year, we end up with patients who have sore backs and aching bodies because they didn’t take the proper precautions before raking leaves. It doesn’t sound like it should lead to injuries, but it does. Let’s talk about why.

What Muscles Do You Use When Raking Leaves?

A surprising number of muscles are involved in raking leaves. Because you are pulling with your arms, the primary muscles you engage are your biceps. But that motion also requires help from your shoulder muscles, rotator cuff, and deltoids.

Then, bagging the leaves uses your quadriceps, glutes, and all your core stabilizer muscles. In effect, raking leaves can become a long-chain exercise, hitting most of the major muscle groups in your body.

Is Raking Leaves a Strenuous Exercise?

Yes, though it is not necessarily a vigorous activity. Because so much of your body is used in the process of raking leaves, it is a strenuous exercise. Whenever you use multiple large muscle groups in an exercise, your body is exerting more than it does with a simple exercise like bicep curls. 

Many people don’t realize the additional weight that builds up in wet, decaying leaves, so you may be pulling more than you realize. Additionally, this is a repetitive stress motion. The act of raking is the same thing over and over with muscle groups that are not typically used that way. All that together means that the most common leaf-raking injuries are sore backs and shoulders.

The motion of pulling things toward us is not something we do with a lot of frequency and certainly not with the force and repetition that we do when we rake leaves. And most people don’t think to alternate their position or the side they are pulling with, according to HealthCentral.

Because we are never actually trained how to rake leaves without injuring ourselves, many end up facing autumn with sore, aching muscles or even muscle strains and pulls.

Can the Graston Technique® Help with a Raking Injury?

You may have heard that the best thing to do after overexerting a muscle is to take some form of pain reliever and relax, but that’s not the best way to minimize your pain and speed up your recovery.

If you must take a pain reliever, there is only one that we at East Bay will recommend: Nutrametrix Isotonix OPC-3. But the better way to fight the inflammation is with good nutrition, including natural anti-inflammatory nutrients such as grape seed extract, Boswellia, and curcumin. Even better is to use the Graston Technique®.

According to this study published by Illinois State University, the Graston Technique® helps stimulate the development of hemoglobin in the blood when used to treat non-specific neck pain. And why does stimulating your blood matter when you are dealing with pain?

To remove inflammation from your muscles, you need to increase blood flow. Your blood will carry away the impurities causing the discomfort and send nutrients and oxygen to your muscles, creating a faster recovery time with less soreness.

Using the Graston Technique®, we stimulate the muscle and help speed your recovery.

Contact East Bay Chiropractic Wellness for Relief from Leaf Raking Injuries

If you have injured yourself raking leaves, planting annuals, or just making the bed, the Graston Technique® can help speed up your recovery. Contact us to schedule an appointment and we can help to alleviate your pain.

Treatment Alternatives Before Back Surgery

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Our backs are crucial to our overall health and comfort. Unfortunately, because of the demands of everyday life, many of us experience back pain. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 Americans have experienced varying levels of back pain, along with 8% of adults experiencing chronic back pain specifically.

If you’re experiencing chronic back pain that’s getting in the way of your day-to-day life, you should get a professional opinion from an expert on how to best manage that pain. Many doctors are likely to suggest back surgery, which can be risky. So, what are the alternative treatments you can consider before back surgery?

Should I See a Chiropractor Before Deciding on Back Surgery?

While back surgery is sometimes necessary, you should never resign yourself to the risk without examining your alternatives and making a well-informed choice for your health. If you are experiencing back pain as a result of an accident or injury, it’s important that you see a doctor and get a diagnosis. That said, if you continue having lingering pain after an accident or injury, or if you’re developing chronic back pain, seeing a chiropractor is encouraged before deciding on back surgery. Chiropractors not only provide care, but they also provide lifestyle advice that can help improve your overall health.

What Back Problems Can a Chiropractor Help With?

Chiropractors can help with a number of back problems, which can also help bring you relief from other ailments tied to your spine. Lower back pain, upper back pain, stiffness, and limits in your range of motion can all be addressed with various chiropractic treatments, including spinal manipulation, massage therapy, and acupuncture.

It may be possible that your chronic back pain is caused in part or in full by damaged muscle and soft tissue in the area. Not only can that cause pain and discomfort, but it can also cause you to overcompensate with your unaffected back muscles, which can lead to spinal misalignment.

For these instances, the Graston Technique® can be utilized; a technique that the administering chiropractor must be specially trained in. The Graston Technique® involves tools designed to break up the damaged scar tissue, to relieve the pain it causes while also restoring your range of motion.

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness Can Provide an Alternative to Back Surgery and Improve Your Quality of Life

For millions of Americans, chronic back pain is a part of life. There are many healthcare professionals that suggest potentially risky surgical procedures that don’t always guarantee pain relief, but there are other forms of care to try beforehand. At East Bay Chiropractic, we specialize in the use of the Graston Technique® in pain management and relief caused by soft tissue fibrosis and chronic inflammation that could lead to constant discomfort or pain. And with more than 30 years of experience, you know you’ll be in good hands. Contact East Bay Chiropractic today, and learn more about how we can help you manage your chronic pain.