News on Pain Management in Orange Park, FL

Until recently, little was known about the relationship between smoking and migraines. While science had confirmed that smoking posed several health concerns, some still believed the habit might be beneficial for migraine sufferers. However, modern research indicates that tobacco use is anything but beneficial for most people. If you’re a smoker undergoing migraine treatment in North Florida, here is what you should know about the latest research.

Migraine Sufferers Are More Likely to Smoke: A study in Spain found that of the people surveyed, 20% of non-migraine sufferers smoked compared to 29% of migraine sufferers. Likewise, a study in Detroit uncovered that 33% of migraine sufferers used tobacco. Furthermore, the number of cigarettes smoked per day correlated with the frequency of their migraines.

Smokers Experience More Intense Headaches: A study conducted at a headache pain management clinic found that headache intensity was higher for smokers than non-smokers. Their data suggested that smoking was detrimental to the treatment program as well, meaning smoking patients saw less effective results.

Quitting Probably Won’t Cure You—But It Could Help: Chronic migraines are complex. While it would be nice to have a simple answer like “Just quit,” current research shows that smoking doesn’t necessarily cause migraines. However, the habit does seem to contribute to their frequency and intensity. Plus, smoking is detrimental to other aspects of your health. If you quit, you will likely find that you feel healthier overall and that your migraine treatments are more successful.

Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain, and not all can—or want to—rely solely on medication for relief. When you’re looking for drug-free chronic pain relief in Orange Park, FL, consider trying yoga. While it may seem counterintuitive to do any kind of exercise when you’re sore, gentle movements and stretching will reduce stiffness and increase circulation. Plus, strengthening your muscles allows your body to be better supported and less prone to injury.

Yoga is an excellent way to get the low-impact exercise you need. It comes in many forms and can be easily adapted to suit your goals and challenges. Plus, you can do it anytime and anywhere with little to no equipment. Furthermore, yoga promotes better mental and emotional well-being, which may help with chronic pain relief.

Getting Started

Before attempting yoga as part of your pain management plan, you should talk to a doctor. They can help you understand what kind of exercises are safe for you. You may also want to seek advice from an experienced yoga instructor to tailor a program for your needs.

It’s best to start with the absolute basics and do them regularly. Even a simple routine yields effective results if done well and often. If you’re unable to sit on the floor or stand for long, you can research yoga exercises that can be done seated in a chair. Don’t advance to any new techniques until you’re confident in the fundamentals.

Migraines can be an enormous obstacle when it comes to trying to live your best life. Still, many people who experience these intense headaches feel somewhat lost when trying to find the right migraine treatment in North Florida. One of the many options out there is migraine surgery, but as with anything with “surgery” in the name, it can make you take pause and wonder if the treatment is actually worth it.

The first thing to consider is the statistics. Approximately 40% of migraine surgery patients are able to achieve complete relief from their headaches. The vast majority, even if they don’t get complete relief, have expressed life-changing improvements after the surgery has been performed. In many situations, former migraine sufferers are able to beat back their headaches post-surgery with just some simple over-the-counter medicines, such as Advil or Tylenol. A staggering 93% of all migraine surgery patients feel that they are much better off having had the surgery.

So, what exactly does migraine surgery entail? In most situations, the surgeon at your pain management clinic will create an individualized treatment plan based on your specific symptoms. The surgery itself is focused on making small incisions around trigger sites. This is a minimally invasive procedure; your doctor will help you choose if local anesthesia, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia is best for your situation. The incisions are closed using sutures, skin adhesives, tapes, or clips, and you will be able to leave when the surgery is completed.

Are your bad habits causing you unnecessary pain in your back? You might be surprised at just how much damage we are able to do to ourselves in our daily life. Thankfully, back pain treatment in Orange Park, FL, can help alleviate much of this discomfort. But is there a way to avoid doing the damage in the first place? Our pain management clinic has created a short list of five habits that are hurting your back.

Sitting Hunched – When you find yourself sitting at a desk for long periods of your day, it is easy to let the body start to hunch or slouch over. This sitting position goes against the natural alignment of your spine and begins to put more pressure on your lower back. Make sure every 30 minutes or so you gently stretch and move your head and neck up and down and to the right and left to alleviate that pressure, and try your best to sit straight in your chair.

Sleeping On the Wrong Mattress – How good is your “good night sleep?” If you are sleeping on the wrong mattress, the answer is pretty apparent when you wake up each morning with back pain. The best type of mattress is firm enough to support your back but soft enough to fit the shape of your body. Your sleeping position can also change the type of mattress you should use. Talk to a pain management professional to learn more about finding the right mattress for your back.

Sitting Too Long – Slumped sitting isn’t the only problem people with desk jobs might face—they could also find themselves not getting up enough. If you sit in a chair for many hours of the day, getting up and moving around for a couple of minutes every 30 minutes is essential to give your body a break.

Smoking – Did you know that smokers are three times more likely to develop lower back pain? Smoking can curb blood flow to your spine, which will cause the cushioning disks between your bones to break down quicker. Smoking can also weaken bones and give you osteoporosis. So, if you smoke, it is time to make quitting a top health priority.

Overeating – Every body type is different, but if you put too many extra pounds on your frame, you can strain the bones and muscles in your back. The key to reducing the amount you eat is to eat slowly. This gives your body a chance to let you know it is full. You should also pick nutrition-packed treats and meals so you can feel satisfied with fewer calories.