Headaches are another top reason to visit the doctor. There are many causes for headaches, and most tend to be benign. Of course, there are some scarier reasons for headaches, but they are few and far between in general. One of the most common tends to be cervicogenic, meaning that it comes from the neck. Tight muscles, poor posture and stress all play a role.

Cervical (Neck) adjustments will help to reestablish mobility in stiff joints while loosening the tight muscles (especially at the base of the skull).  To supplement and support the adjustment, stretching is critical.

1. Chin Tuck Stretch
Gently bend your head forward with one hand while guiding your chin towards your chest with the other until you start to feel a stretch at the back of the neck.  Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat a few times.

2. Cervical Extensor Stretch
To further stretch these tight muscles at base of the skull, with the head bent forward, turn the head about 20-30 degrees to one side.
If you turned to the left, then use the right hand to gently tilt the head forward.  You should have your hand hold the base of your skull while doing this stretch, to feel the stretch underneath your fingers.
Hold for 5-10 seconds only, then turn the head 20-30 degrees to the right, then use the left hand to stretch the other side.  Repeat 5 times each side.

3. Lateral Flexion Stretch
Sitting on your left hand, take your right hand over your head to hold your left ear, then gently pull your head to the right – you should feel a stretch down the left side of your neck towards the shoulder.
Hold for 20-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.  Repeat 3 times each side.

4. Cervical Rotation
Turn your head to the left to look over your shoulder as far as possible.
Hold for 2-3 seconds, then turn to the right and hold as well.  Repeat 10 times each way.
This allows the little joints on the side of the neck to help slide on each other.

5. Shoulder Rolls
To finish off your stretching session, gently roll both your shoulders forwards 5 times, then roll them backwards 5 times.
This will allow the muscles that you have been stretching to help loosen up as well.

Under the direction of Dr. Ryan Tichauer, the multiple practitioners at Dr. Ryan Tichauer Chiropractic and Wellness, can treat your headaches. We use a multidisciplinary approach to speed up your recovery time. Dr. Tichauer has been treating New Yorker's headaches for 10 years, with a great success rate (just check out our reviews)!

Schedule Your Appointment Today!

Low back pain is an all too common problem as discussed in a past blog entry. One of the major causes of low back pain, along with poor posture, is weak muscles. When your postural muscles are weak, they cannot support your spine, thereby opening an opportunity for pain to effect you.

In this entry, we will show you 3 easy exercises to do at home. Start with performing these exercises at home 2 - 3 times per week doing 2 sets of 10 and holding for 5 seconds. So you are looking at 5 minutes of work to keep yourself away from back pain. Sounds like a good deal! 

Dr. Ryan Tichauer, of Dr. Ryan Tichauer Chiropractic and Wellness Group, has helped thousands of New Yorkers with low back pain. We utilize a multidisciplinary approach by treating each patient individually with Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture and Massage Therapy. This style of care gets you feeling better faster, period!

We serve patients from all boroughs of New York City, including 10036, 10022, 10020, 10017 and 10019.

Contact us today (including same day appointments).

What if food could be used as medicine? The good news is that it can! Many of today's pharmaceuticals are based off of compounds found in foods we eat everyday. One such compound is capsaicin , the active ingredient in spicy foods like jalapenos, cayenne and habaneros.  Capsaicin works in general by effecting the nervous system, and specifically by blocking Substance P, a neurotransmitter responsible for pain. 

Capsaicin can be used to fight pain by eating the above named hot peppers 2-3 times per week, and can even by applied topically over painful areas.
(WARNING: Make use this does not come into contact with eyes, nose or other mucosal membranes!)

To use topically, make a salve by:

1. warming 1/2 cup coconut oil, using a double boiler, with 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper powder.
2. Warm the oil and let it steep for 20 minutes (repeat warming and steeping for 1 - 24 hours).  
3. Strain the oil.
4. If you'd like it to be more "salve like," heat  1/2 ounce bee's wax and mix with infused oil.
5. Pour mixture into a container and let cool before using.

Additional benefits of spicy foods include weight loss, fighting heart disease, increasing longevity and even cancer prevention. 

This will work to help with Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Arthritis Pain, Sore Muscles or Joints, Bruises, Nerve Pain and More. 

Dr. Ryan Tichauer is a Holistic Chiropractor located in Midtown Manhattan. In addition to holistic treatments, we utilize a multidisciplinary approach by using Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture and Massage Therapy. This style of care will speed up your healing time to get you back out on the streets of New York City faster.

We serve patients from all boroughs of New York City, including 10036, 10022, 10020, 10017 and 10019.

Contact us today (including same day appointments).