East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C.

Health & Wellness

National Chiropractic Health Month: Relieve, Restore, Resume

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For years, the American Chiropractic Association and chiropractors around the country have celebrated National Chiropractic Health Month in October. This is a way to help raise awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and how it is both a patient-centric and drug-free approach to pain management. This year’s theme is “Chiropractic: Relieve, Restore, Resume”. This speaks to how chiropractic care, if maintained, can be a long-term solution to chronic pain while avoiding addictive pain medications.

If National Chiropractic Health Month helped get the message out to you, but you still want to know more about what a chiropractor can do for you, we’re here to help.

What Do Chiropractors Do?

Many people assume that chiropractors focus solely on the back and that it’s all spinal manipulation. While that is certainly a focus and area of expertise, chiropractors do much more than that. The spine is a focus because, in many cases, the nerves firing from your spine can cause pain to many other areas of your body, as far up as your head and as far down as your feet.

Chiropractic adjustments can help with pain not just from the spine and bones, but also from soft tissue including muscles, cartilage, joints, and connective tissue. Massage therapy is an effective adjunctive therapy that compliments chiropractic care. Some chiropractors go beyond this and utilize further specialized training, such as the Graston technique®, which requires separate training and licensing and utilizes specific tools to target damage in your soft tissue to alleviate pain.

Are Chiropractic Adjustments Addictive?

Earlier, it was mentioned how chiropractic care is a form of pain management that avoids addictive pain medication. Still, people unfamiliar with the practice may have questions regarding whether chiropractic adjustments themselves are addictive or habit-forming. While there are several myths around chiropractic care, there is no evidence to suggest chiropractic adjustments are addictive.

This could come from a misconception that you may need periodic adjustments as part of your pain management and interpret that as a form of addiction. Unlike an addiction, you wouldn’t need to increase the frequency of chiropractic adjustments to achieve the same result. That said, it is still important to do your research and choose a well-respected chiropractor with a good track record for your care.

Explore The Benefits of Chiropractic Care This National Chiropractic Health Month

In addition to other tried and true chiropractic care practices, East Bay Chiropractic specializes in the use of the Graston Technique® in pain management and relief caused by soft tissue fibrosis and chronic inflammation. In fact, we are the first on Long Island to be certified in the use of the technique. And with over 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, or to continue your journey towards a more comfortable life starting this National Chiropractic Health Month.

What Is the Difference Between Graston and Gua Sha?

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Chiropractic care can help relieve stress and pain in the body and improve our overall quality of life. Many chiropractors have a similar set of skills they can implement to give their clients relief, which includes spinal manipulation and massage therapy, as well as more specialized skills, such as the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture. Other separately specialized skills like acupuncture include the ancient practice of Gua Sha and specifically, the Graston technique.

So, is there a difference between Gua Sha and the Graston Technique®?

Are Graston And Gua Sha The Same?

Gua Sha

Similar to acupuncture, Gua Sha also finds its roots in ancient China. This practice dates back to the Paleolithic age and predates acupuncture by thousands of years. Traditional Gua Sha involves scraping parts of the body with a smoothed edge tool, such as a spoon, a coin, or a tool made of gemstone. The goal is to reduce inflammation and improve circulation by bringing blood to the targeted area to expedite the healing process, which is why the scraping of the skin with a smooth-edged tool, when done properly, creates small red dots under the skin.

The Graston Technique®

In terms of approach, the Graston Technique® is part of the greater Gua Sha umbrella. Unlike traditional Gua Sha and some of its other offshoots, including facial Gua Sha, the Graston Technique® involves using tools that target the deeper muscles and tendons rather than focusing on the skin and the capillaries on the surface. A certified Graston Technique® Specialist (GTS), like Dr. Marmorale can target damaged muscle tissue and fascia to smooth it out and relax it, reducing pain and restoring range of motion.

Is Graston Better Than Massage?

When it comes to chiropractic care, the best treatment is the one that is right for tackling your pain or discomfort head-on. A chiropractor should first meet with you and give you an evaluation to see what the source or sources of your pain are so they can work with you on a treatment plan. While the Graston Technique® is great for addressing deep-tissue trauma, massage therapy is just an entirely different approach.

You can expect the Graston Technique® to be applied to affected areas for about a minute at a time. Meanwhile, a massage therapy session could be anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. While massage therapy does cover affected areas, it is also an overall more encompassing therapy, whereas the Graston Technique® is very targeted. The two forms of therapy are not mutually exclusive; consult with a chiropractor on what will work best for you.

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P. C. Can Help Treat Many Common Conditions Safely and Efficiently

For more than 35 years, East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C. has been providing a wide range of chiropractic services to best fit your needs. We are proudly one of Long Island’s only Graston Technique® specialists and have been for more than a decade, giving our clients access to expanded care options that are simply unavailable elsewhere. By utilizing a combination of chiropractic care and recommended lifestyle changes, we can help you reduce your pain and increase your quality of life. Reach out to us at (516) 679-2225, or you can schedule your appointment online.

Mattresses and Back Pain

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Waking up with back pain seems to be a rite of passage once you reach a certain age. However, the cause may not be age-related and might be your mattress.

As children and young adults, we often don’t pay attention to the type of mattress we sleep on. It’s either provided by our parents or dictated by our finances. But as the body ages and begins to see more spine misalignment, how and where we sleep becomes more important to avoiding lower back pain.

Why Do I Wake Up with Back Pain?

As adults, the reasons for waking up with back pain can be varied, with the cause changing from person to person and day to day. Many people find that their lower back pain is due to spine misalignment, which can be aggravated by the way you sleep.

Back sleepers, for instance, may need to place a pillow under their knees to maintain the proper curvature of their spine while they sleep. On the other hand, stomach sleepers may find placing a pillow under their lower abdomen while they sleep prevents morning back pain.

In addition, a mattress that is too old or too soft may contribute to morning back pain. One clue that your pain might be related to your mattress is if it gets better over the course of the day.

How Can I Tell If My Mattress Is Causing Back Pain?

The first indication that your mattress might be responsible for your back pain is when the ache occurs and when it goes away. If you have lower back pain in the morning that gradually dissipates over the course of the day, and it happens every day, your mattress might be to blame.

Another indication that you have mattress-related back pain is if the pain goes away when you sleep somewhere else. So, if you find that you’re sleeping better on vacation or on the couch, it may indicate that you need a new mattress.

What Type of Mattress Is Best for Back Pain?

Getting past all the hype from various mattress manufacturers to determine what is best for your back can be difficult. A 2003 study of mattresses published by the National Institutes of Health suggests that 90 days of sleeping on a firm mattress can relieve that pain for people with non-specific lower back pain.

The key information in that study is that the cause of the pain was non-specific. That is, the patients being studied did not have an underlying condition, such as fibromyalgia, that was causing the pain. In those cases, chiropractors are likely to suspect that spinal misalignment is a part of the problem and that a firm mattress with appropriate support will help.

However, a more recent compilation of all the studies regarding mattresses and back pain was much less conclusive. An analysis of studies between 2000 and 2019 shows that the specific firmness of the mattress may not be as clear of a cause as previously thought.

The study indicated that a medium-firm mattress provides better sleep quality and fewer days with reported back pain. However, another study of other mattress types had similar results and improvements in sleep quality. Spinal alignments were also seen in people who used adjustable beds or improved their sleeping temperature.

In short, the analysis of the studies suggested there are many variables in how and why sleeping can cause back pain. For instance, a person with a higher body mass index was more likely to wake up with back pain regardless of the mattress type.

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness Can Help Diagnose and Treat Back Pain

Here at East Bay Chiropractic Wellness, we can help you figure out the cause of your back pain. Our investigation into your spine’s alignment can help you start the day with more energy and more focus because the pain is gone. Before you spend hundreds on a new mattress that may not help, contact us online or call us directly at (516) 679-2225 to find out why your back hurts.

5 Ways Massage Therapy Can Help You Enjoy Summer

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Summer is the busiest, most active time of year for many of us. We may spend more time traveling, playing sports, improving our home or yard, or playing with our kids than we do during other seasons. These can be highly enjoyable activities, but they cause extra stress on our bodies during months when we’re already enduring the physical stressors of heat and humidity.

If you need relief from the physical aches and emotional stress of an active, over-scheduled summer, consider booking a massage with us. Massage has many benefits, and you’ll find that summer is the perfect time to relax and realign with one or more sessions with a chiropractic massage therapist.

Are Body Massages Good in the Summer?

Yes, massages are highly beneficial in the summer! The increased activity during summertime can exacerbate chronic conditions and instigate new aches and pains. Here are five ways massage therapy can help you fully enjoy your summer:

  1. Pain relief: Whether you experience chronic pain or have temporary soreness from strenuous summertime activities, massage can relieve painful muscles, joints, or tendons.
  2. Increased mobility: In hot, humid weather, your body retains fluids, leading to swelling or inflammation. Massage therapy helps release these fluids, reducing stiffness and enhancing mobility.
  3. Boosted immune system: Massages stimulate white blood cell activity, aiding your body’s defense against summer bugs or infections. It also promotes better blood circulation and toxin elimination.
  4. Stress reduction: Summer isn’t only about fun and games. From covering for vacationing coworkers to managing kids’ social schedules, summertime can bring stress. Massage therapy can help you relax, focus on your well-being, and alleviate any physical discomfort that contributes to overall stress
  5. Improved mood: When your body feels better, your mood elevates, allowing you to be more present and mentally alert during your summer activities.

Can a Chiropractor Give You a Massage?

Yes, absolutely! Spinal adjustments are just one service among the array offered by chiropractors. At East Bay Chiropractic Wellness, we consider massage therapy a vital part of our holistic approach to pain relief and stress reduction.

How Does Chiropractic Massage Differ from Regular Massage Therapy?

While both chiropractic and non-chiropractic massage therapists aim to alleviate pain, enhance your mood, and improve your quality of life, they each have a distinct focus. Spa massages primarily address muscle tension and stress, whereas chiropractic massages emphasize spinal alignment and soft tissue issues. Chiropractors assess spinal dysfunction, analyze its impact on your overall health and mobility, and utilize techniques like massage therapy to enhance them.

Experience Summer Wellness with Chiropractic Massage

Our team at East Bay Chiropractic Wellness can devise a holistic treatment plan to ensure your optimal wellness this summer. With over 35 years of experience in various chiropractic treatments, including massage, we guarantee you’re in capable hands. Contact us online or call us at (516) 679-2225 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Summer Chiropractic Health Tips

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Summertime is wonderful for its warm weather, outdoor activities, and potential vacations. With all the increased hustle and bustle, there is the potential for injury if you’re not careful. Dehydration, heat-related illnesses, pulled muscles, sprained wrists, and twisted ankles are some of the most common summer injuries. So you can make the most of summer and all it has to offer, here are some summer health tips to keep you moving throughout the season.

How Do You Keep Yourself Healthy in the Summer?

It’s important to stay aware of just how hot the temperature is getting and to stay hydrated. During the hottest times of the year, try to avoid the hottest periods of the day, typically between 2-4 p.m.

It’s actually not true that you have to wait an hour before hopping in the pool for a swim. It was once believed that digestion would divert blood to the stomach and away from your arms and legs, potentially leading any would-be hasty swimmer to become fatigued and drown. However, there is no scientific basis for this belief.

While sunburn won’t necessarily result in a trip to the hospital, severe cases can! A bad enough sunburn can cause blistering, nausea, extreme pain, chills, headache, and confusion. You should be sure to apply sunscreen regularly and often and limit your exposure to the sun when possible.

How Do I Get the Most Out of My Chiropractic Adjustment?

No one wants to miss out on fun activities because of an injury, but sprains and twisted ankles are common during the summer. You can do a few chiropractic exercises to help strengthen your flexibility and balance to help prevent injury.

After your adjustment, your doctor can help you with specific chiropractic stretches and exercises for the areas you hope to improve. The important thing is following through with these instructions. Your consistency in performing these exercises will help strengthen these areas over the long term.

You can also include many low-impact movements, such as yoga, tai chi, walking, cycling, or swimming, to help you boost the positive effects of your chiropractic adjustment. Low-impact exercises increase your heart rate slowly over time and cause less pressure on your joints than running.

Working your muscles can help protect the ligaments in your body. If you’re working to recover from an already injured extremity, it is important not to forget to exercise the uninjured limb to keep it healthy equally.

It’s essential to do warm-ups for any activity you’re preparing for this summer. Warming up will increase your heart rate and blood flow, enabling more oxygen to reach your muscles. It also raises your muscle’s temperature for maximum flexibility and will take the stress off your heart. As important as warming up is cooling down properly. Stretching after strenuous activity can reduce lactic acid buildup to reduce the risk of cramping or stiffness. If you’re involved in athletics, stretching both before and after exercise is even more critical for avoiding sports injuries.

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness Specializes in Sports Injuries

For more than 35 years, East Bay Chiropractic Wellness has provided a variety of chiropractic services to support our patients’ health and wellness. Dr. Marmorale specializes in the Graston Technique®, that’s especially helpful in easing pain and promoting recovery from sports injuries and other conditions. Book your appointment here or call our office at (516) 679-2225.

3 Ways Chiropractic Care Helps Reduce Stress

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Every one of us deals with stress in our lives, and the older we get, it seems that there’s only more out there for us to stress about.

Whether it’s our jobs, our finances, home ownership, car ownership, or family and social obligations… there’s just no shortage of stressors. While there are some little things we can do – like take a walk to get some fresh air or enjoy a good book, album, or show – getting our minds off our stress might not be enough to get us relaxed and feeling good on a regular basis.

One of the more popular treatments for treating stress is chiropractic care. Here are three ways chiropractic care can help reduce your stress.

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