In the video below, this Chicago Chiropractor Talks Health. Ask anyone, “how do you get healthy?” The most common responses are eat better and exercise. Yes, these are important factors in health, but there is so much more to being healthy. Continue reading
This morning I had a patient come in that I have been working with in regards to her scoliosis. During her visit she told me she had a really bad tension headache over the weekend. She was wondering if there was anything we could do to help. I responded, yes of course! Tension headaches and chiropractic go hand in hand.
Over my 11 years in practice here in Chicago I have helped countless number of people overcome tension headaches with chiropractic care. Tension headaches are a result of tight muscles in the neck. Tight neck muscles are caused by poor posture, stress, dehydration, and most commonly, spinal mis-alignments. Oftentimes the cause is a combination of all the things I just listed. As a chiropractor, it is my job to discover why you are having the tension headaches, and then work to help correct the cause so you feel better and have long-term relief from the symptoms.
This approach is very different than medicine. Many people take OTC medication to alleviate their tension headaches, which temporarily helps you feel better, but the headaches will return because the underlying cause of the headache was not corrected.
Tension headaches are characterized by a dull tightness or pressure that can be in the forehead, temporal area, back of the head and neck area, or in some cases all of the above. These headaches can last a few hours to a few days. 80% of Americans will suffer from a tension headache at some point with 3% of people suffering from daily tension headaches! Tension headaches have a negative effect on your everyday activities. When having a tension headache you will feel irritable, tired, sensitive to light and noise, and trouble focusing. This can interfere with work, family, kids, exercise and other activities that people enjoy.
If you are suffering from tension headaches let me help you! There is no need to suffer any longer. Give us a call at (773)545-9379
Yours in Health,
Dr. Steven Bourdage DC
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Who doesn’t love to travel? Spring break is upon us and many people will be hitting the road and the air to travel to fun family destinations. Travel can be tricky if you are suffering from back or neck pain. Even if you are feeling good, travel can make you feel tight, achy and sore. Here are some Chiropractic Travel Tips to help you feel great once you arrive at your destination.
You have to move your body! Lack of movement can create tension and pain. If you are driving make sure to get out of the car and move every time you stop. Drink a lot of water while driving because this will force you to stop often for potty breaks. If you are flying the advice is the same, get up and walk to the bathroom at least once an hour.
You can also move without getting up. Perform circles with your feet, head and neck and shoulders while sitting. Any movement is better than no movement. Fidgeting can also be a helpful habit while traveling because fidgeting will help to keep movement built into the time you are spending sitting.
Travel can be stressful. Any extra stress leads to more tension and pain. Try and stay relaxed during your travels to help alleviate any extra tension. I personally like to meditate while I am flying or the passenger in a car on a road trip. This helps me to stay mentally at ease which helps my body to stay at ease.
The first thing you should do once you arrive and settle in to your hotel is stretch. Particularly the areas to focus on are the thoracic spine (middle back), hips and shoulders. These are the areas of the body that get tight after long periods of sitting. While sitting these areas are in a flexed or rounded position which creates tightness and lack of motion. Spend 5-10 minutes loosening these areas up and you will be much happier and ready to enjoy your vacation to the fullest!
Yours in Health,
Dr. Steven Bourdage DC
Check out the video below hear “Chicago Chiropractor Talks Vitamins”
Bourdage Chiropractic Food Drive
May 25, 2016
Being a new mom is tough. If you are reading this, maybe you have been there, or maybe you are going through it right now. Either way, I am here to support you.
Being a new mom puts a lot of physical and emotional stress on your body. Sleepless nights, hunched posture from nursing, carrying car seats, carrying diaper bags, rocking baby to sleep, and the list goes on and on. I always saw a lot of new moms in my office, but it wasn’t until my wife was a new mom that I truly realized ALL the things moms do for their kids. Then it started making more sense to me why they were having so many aches and pains.
After labor and delivery are finished, it is critical that moms are at their best so they can give their best to the new baby, Also, if you are nursing it is very important to be very anal about what you put into your body. Meaning that many medications can have a negative impact on your babies health. Chiropractic can help you stay pain free and as healthy as possible without medications. With all of that stress on your muscles, joints and spine we are the PERFECT care taker to help you. We may not be able to help you get more sleep, but when your body is feeling better everything is better…and who knows….maybe you will get better sleep too!
In conclusion, if you are a new mom and you have been dealing with all of the aches and pains that come along with that, give us call and let us help you feel better and get back to doing what you do best: BEING A MOM!
Yours in Health,
Dr. Steven Bourdage DC
May 5, 2016
Stretch for Flexibility
Stretching is an often overlooked aspect of health, but yet it so important. There is a lot of misguided information when it comes to stretching. In this blog I want to explain why it is important to stretch and explain the proper timing and method to get the most bang for your buck while stretching.
March 31, 2016
This was the title of a recent article that came out on NBC news. You can view the article here: Back Surgery
Most people who have a back surgery end up needing a second one later on, and in many cases even after 2 surgeries these people are in just as much pain, if not more than before. Continue reading
In the past two weeks there has been a lot of people suffering from shoulder pain in Chicago. The reason I know is because, as a chiropractor, there has been a huge influx of patients with shoulder pain coming into my office. Let’s discuss this further. Continue reading
Everyone knows that chiropractors are great at helping relieve neck pain. In my office, people refer to me as the Neck Pain Chiropractor and I love that! There are great chiropractors all over Chicago, but if you are looking to correct your neck pain once and for all, this is your place.
We take motion study X-rays to accurately diagnose why you are having neck pain. Not only is it important to see the alignment and structure of your neck, we also need to see how/if your spine is moving the way that it should. Any areas of restriction or subluxation will interfere with how your neck is working and feeling. Not only does this lead to pain and stiffness, it can affect the function of organs and tissues. For example, neck subluxations can lead to headaches, allergies, TMJ issues, sinus problems and even thyroid troubles.
If you are experiencing neck pain, and have not yet been to a neck pain chiropractor, then that should be your first step. Studies show that when you see a chiropractor first, the chances of you needing costly medications or surgeries are much lower compared to if you see a medical doctor first. Time is critical when dealing with neck pain. The sooner you are able to get it checked out, the sooner you will be able to start feeling better and get the problem corrected. Personally, I find that those who wait years and years and years to get their pain checked out end up spending more time, energy and money to get it fixed.
In conclusion, neck pain can be very debilitating. It can affect all of your daily activities , from exercise, work, playing with your kids and even simple things like getting dressed or sleeping. It doesn’t have to be this way, let us help you!
Your in Health,
Dr. Bourdage