Beating It

This week, I wanted to talk about ways that you can beat the creaking and groaning joints that you may have during these summer storms. It’s been raining for the better part of a week and a half where I live now, and I certainly woke up a bit worse for wear today. I have been cracking my knuckles like crazy and my joints are still feeling stiff even into the evening. If you have this problem as well, I want to give you some of the tips that I use to feel better.
1. Warm Bath/Shower. One of the most common treatments for aching or stiff joints is a warm shower. The heat can help to relax your muscles and loosen up your joints. Another method that you can use is a warm bath with Epsom Salts. They have been used for decades to help soothe the pain felt from arthritis and there’s a reason they are still relatively popular. After all, if the method isn’t broke there’s no need to fix it!
2. Stretching. Although you probably won’t want to do this, it really does help an incredible amount. It may hurt a bit to begin with, but stretching can help to reduce the tension in your muscles and joints by increasing blood flow to the areas you’re focusing on. It might hurt for a little bit, but the results are always great. I normally start with something simple, like touching my toes and then reaching up towards the ceiling. Depending on how much I’m hurting I might stop there or continue on to more complex stretches. Either way, it is part of my daily routine.
3. Pain Relievers. Part of living with pain like this is knowing when to take some medication. Something like Tylenol or Aleve is perfectly fine and sometimes extremely necessary. There’s nothing wrong with taking them, just make sure that you follow the recommended dosage and don’t go over that.
I hope that you are feeling just fine as you read this, but these summer storms can play havoc with some people’s joints. Just remember that there is no shame in sitting down and waiting until the pain subsides to do something. Try coming into Wirth Chiropractic and see if an adjustment helps. We can tell you that almost everyone feels better after chiropractic treatment, so there’s no reason not to at least try!