PAIN CENTER OF GWINNETT

By: Dr. Ray Alexander, DC - Lawrenceville, Ga.

Is Your Pillow Right For You?

Soft pillow, hard pillow, one pillow, two pillows, feather pillows, down, pillows, foam pillows!!  Go into any bedding store and you know there are a seemingly endless variety of pillows.  Many people have very specific preferences for the type of pillow they choose.  This may be because of habit, what they used in childhood, because of allergies, etc.  But how many of you choose your pillow for your neck and your spine?   As we all know, the neck has a slight curve.  When you sleep on a standard type of pillow it usually supports your head but not your neck.  This can cause the vertebrae in your neck to straighten out in an unnatural way.  This in turn can aggravate whiplash, arthritis, tension headaches, and other shoulder problems.

By using a cervical pillow you provide proper support for your neck.  Your head rests in the the “dip” in the pillow and your neck is supported by the “curb”.  These pillows have one side that has a larger “curb” and one side with a smaller “curb”.  That allows you to choose which side is most comfortable.  It will support your neck whether you sleep on your back or on your side.  A cervical pillow is especially important for support when you are recovering from an acute injury but provides benefits for all necks.  It will also help cervical chiropractic adjustments hold better.

Could a Cervical Support Pillow Help You?    Take this easy test* to find out…

Do you feel pain or stiffness in your neck, back, arm, or shoulder when you wake up?    _____Yes      _____No

Do you get frequent tension headaches?   _____ Yes    _____No

Do you suffer from arthritis?   _____Yes    _____No

Have you been in a whiplash accident, or have you had any prior injuries to your neck, shoulder, or back?   _____Yes   _____No

Do you weigh more than is recommended for your height and build?  ___Yes     _____No

Do your hands or arms frequently “fall asleep”during the night?     _____Yes    _____No

Do you sleep on a mattress that is more than five years old?    _____Yes    _____No

Do you toss and turn throughout the night, trying to get comfortable?      _____Yes    _____No

Do you clench or grind your teeth while sleeping?   _____Yes    _____No

Do you snore loudly on a regular basis?   _____Yes    _____No

*Questionnaire provided by Foot Levelers

Is a cervical pillow right for your?  If you answered YES to any of these questions, a cervical support pillow may help relieve your symptoms.  Ask at your next chiropractic visit  if a cervical support pillow is right for you.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 678-407-8230.  Dr. Ray Alexander and The Whole Life Health & Chiropractic Center would be happy to provide information on our cervical pillows.

This is part of a series of articles on CHIROPRACTIC MADE EASY.  Follow this link for other articles Chiropractic Made Easy by Dr. Raymond Alexander, DC. - Lawrenceville, Ga.

By: Dr. Ray Alexander, DC - Lawrenceville, Ga.

With all the stresses encountered in everyday life, the last thing anyone needs is a headache.  For those who suffer from headaches, whether regularly or only occasionally, you know that a headache not only increases your stress level but makes you feel like you can’t “think straight” which in turn makes you feel more stressful which in turn makes your headache seem worse which in turn…Well, you get the picture.

People say “It’s just tension, I always get a headache when I feel stressed out”. Yeah, that may be true and there’s a reason for that.  Millions of people experience extra tension and stress everyday but a good percentage don’t get headaches.  Ever wonder why?

While some headaches are caused by conditions such as high blood pressure, low blood sugar, hormonal changes, hangovers, dental problems, etc. the vast majority of headaches actually originate in the neck.  By correcting the problem in the neck, the cause of the headache can be removed.  “Yeah, yeah, sure, you’re a Chiropractor, of course you say you can “fix” headaches and that they come from your neck, that’s what you work with.  But my neck is fine.”

Well, here’s why headaches often do originate in your neck…
Tension headaches and migraines are the most common types of headaches and can be triggered by stress or fatigue.  But how does the neck enter into it?  In most cases the underlying cause of a headache is a misaligned (out of place) vertebrae, usually caused by poor posture or an injury.
The sequence of events in a tension headache would go like this:

1. A misalignment or vertebra out of place, causes irritation to a spinal nerve;
2. Stress or fatigue trigger the neck muscle to contract;
3. Muscles put pressure on the misaligned vertebra which further irritates the spinal nerve;
4. The irritated spinal nerve sends out “warning” signals to the surrounding neck muscles to tighten up (spasm) to protect your misaligned vertebra;
5. These irritated nerves also send warning signals up to your head muscles which then tighten up too;
6.  The tightening muscles create a chain reaction.

Dr. Alexander helps get rid of headaches by putting the vertebra back in its proper position.  That takes the irritation off of the nerve that is sending the pain message to your head muscles and your brain.

Read what some of our patients have to say:

Dr. Alexander has helped me with my headaches.  I used to get a bad headache everyday.  Since I have been seeing Dr. Alexander I have had no headaches.— Derek A., Lawrenceville, Ga.

I suffered with severe headaches for over 15 years.  It was so bad people stopped asking if I had a headache and started asking if i didn’t have a headache.  I had my eyes checked.  I had my teeth checked.  I had sinus surgery…nothing worked.  After a few months with Dr. Alexander I felt great.  It’s almost 2 years later, I see Dr. Alexander 2x a month and I almost never have a headache. —Gina P., Lawrenceville, Ga.

Ten years ago I suffered from stress related/tension headaches.  I had missed work and called one Friday late in the afternoon.  Dr. Alexander saw me several times for 2 weeks.  I am now on a maintenance routine.  –  I was a non-believer in chiropractic services; however, I am a firm believer now.  My headaches are less frequent and I can visit and feel relief right away.  Thanks so much Dr. Alexander.—Sheryl J., Lawrenceville, Ga.

When I first came to Dr. Alexander, I was having severe headaches and I couldn’t turn my head to see while driving because of my arthritis in my shoulder.  I hurt all the time.  My lower back and hip made it very difficult to walk and stand up from sitting.  After one month of adjustments, I do not have any more headaches and my back pain is gone.  I also have very little stiffness and pain in my neck and shoulders.  I have never been to a chiropractor before, but now I would highly recommend chiropractic care to anyone with headaches and back pain.—Willie M., Lawrenceville, Ga.