This holiday season, focus on feeling less pain

The holiday season is a time of renewal that allows us to take a deep breath and a break from our standard busy lives. If you suffer with chronic back pain, it behooves you to take this time to focus on healing. While the holiday season is rife with challenges for back pain sufferers, as discussed in our previous blog post here, there is also plenty of time for restoration. Below you will find a few tips for releasing endorphins, your innate painkillers; these hormones are made in your body to help you experience less pain. Think of them as your holiday helpers- elves working in your body’s factory to prevent pain.

Unleashing the feel good power within you this holiday season

Endorphins are every bit as potent as OTC painkillers. They work to prevent pain by blocking pain signals from reaching your brain. Endorphins are also useful for people struggling with conditions including anxiety and depression which contribute to muscle tension and further fuel back pain. This holiday season, here are our top methods of releasing endorphins and keeping pain at bay the natural way:

• Massage: trade that new iPad in for a massage gift certificate. Nothing facilitates healing like deep tissue massage. Furthermore, it releases painkilling endorphins. 
• Aerobic exercise: simply getting your circulation flowing is an indelible aid for back pain. Go for a brisk walk around the block in between christmas engagements; the pain relief will be noticeable. 
• Stretching: stretching is your secret weapon this holiday season. Stretching can be done from anywhere to receive an endorphin boost. 

This holiday season, keep sight of what is important: the health of your spine 

At Hayes Family Chiropractic, we focus on keeping pain relief natural. At no time is it more to important to have a clear head than Christmas time. If you can, use natural modalities to release endorphins and fight pain this holiday season. If you need additional help protecting your spine against the risk factors of Christmas, give our office in Dunedin a call. We are standing by to help you have the happiest of holidays, free of pain.