Seasonally Decreased Immune Function Around the Holidays

Shorter days and colder weather cause people to stay inside more, reducing the amount of natural vitamin D they make, which is a key immune system booster.

The human immune system is highly complex and multi-faceted. Seemingly an infinite number of things can affect our internal landscape and alter how our immune system defenses respond to and fight foreign invaders to keep us healthy. The misconception a lot of people have is thinking that we want a super active immune system that is like Rambo, an ultimate killing machine! Really what we want is a balanced immune system, that neither swings into hyperactivity nor falls into decreased function. If our immune system functions too high, we end up with autoimmune disorders – this is when the immune system attacks our body’s cells, not just foreign invaders, if it is not functioning as it should, when exposed to germs we get sick and have to fight off an illness.

Did you know that just the time of year can affect our immune system function? Just the fact that the daylight does not last as long can cause our immune system to be less responsive. Shorter days and colder weather cause people to stay inside more, reducing the amount of natural vitamin D they make, which is a key immune system booster. An alternative for the individual not wanting to go outside is supplementing Vitamin D into their diet.

Another thing that can depress our immune system function is increased sugar intake. High sugar intake causes a process in the body that creates an inflammatory response. This inflammation taxes the immune system making it more difficult to fight the germs it needs to. Decreasing sugar intake and getting 15-20 minutes of sunlight each day can normalize and improve immune system function.

One last note on stress, our immune system is affected by the presence of the stress hormone Cortisol. Increased levels of Cortisol in the body will fatigue our immune system to the point where it cannot keep up with the presence of foreign material. This is why people who are undergoing chronic stress tend to get sick more frequently. Finding ways to manage stress around the holidays can keep you out of the doctor’s office!

Remember the goal is to have a balanced immune system. Enjoy your holiday, get some sunshine or supplement vitamin D, reduce sugar intake, and manage stress for a healthy holiday!

Dr. Jeremiah Morgan is a licensed Chiropractic Physician, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Certified Active Release Technique provider. He practices in Downtown Matthews at Pro Active Chiropractic.

What is a Tension headache? (And what to do about it)

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If you have ever experienced pain behind the eyes, pressure and/or throbbing in the head, the feeling like you have a band wrapped tightly around your noggin, then you have likely experienced a tension headache. While these headaches are less severe, they tend to be more chronic in nature, and those who suffer from them feel these symptoms most or all the time. What can happen when not accurately diagnosed is a tragic cycle of overmedication and frustration for the patient.

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When a patient complains of chronic headaches, they have usually tried over-the-counter medication, which helps for a while but doesn’t last. Then, depending on how bad their symptoms are, they are either prescribed a stronger medication or referred to a Neurologist for a consultation. If the patient is never referred to a conservative care provider like a Chiropractor, Physical Therapist, or Massage Therapist, then they are likely prescribed a migraine preventative and migraine treatment medication which will not reduce any tension causing the symptoms in the first place. It should be noted that this is referring only to patients with a diagnosis of tension headaches. Headaches are broad in presentation and can have multiple contributing factors and patients that truly suffer from migraine headaches receive benefit from the more pharmaceutical interventions. But if the diagnosis is inaccurate, then the patient is started down a course of care that is ineffective.

What actually is a Tension Headache?

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“Tension headache” is the common name for the medical diagnosis “cervicogenic headache.” This term indicates that the headache originates from the neck or Cervical region of the body. Specifically, the musculature in the back of the neck are chronically tight, which compresses the joints of the cervical spine and puts tension on the Occipital Nerves. The Occipital Nerves travel up the back of the head and are responsible for the throbbing and pressure that are common symptoms of tension headaches. One quick way to test for this is to apply steady pressure to the base of the skull along the back of the neck. If pressure there relieves the headache symptoms, then you likely are having a tension headache.

What can help?

Conservative care is the most effective treatment for tension headaches. Chiropractic care has been shown to reduce intensity and frequency of tension headaches. Other alternatives like Massage Therapy and Acupuncture have also shown to be successful in treating the symptoms of this condition. These methods focus on correcting the cause of the condition by reducing the tension of the neck musculature which reduces the compression and tightness that causes the tension headaches.

Avoid the Summer Injuries

“More injuries occur during the summer months than at other times of the year.”

With the warm weather approaching, people are getting outdoors and becoming more active. Accordingly, the health care profession is gearing up to start treating summer-related injuries. Adults and children are both getting outdoors and being active more with the changing of the seasons and whenever people are more active, the more likely they are to get hurt. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “More injuries occur during the summer months than at other times of the year. In addition, injuries are much less frequently reported near the end of the calendar year.”

One of the reasons for Spring and Summer injuries is the quick transition from being indoors and inactive to being outside and exercising. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments are not used to producing and transmitting force which can result in either traumatic injury (like a sprain) or an overuse injury (like shin splints). Either way, you could be trading your summer of fun in for a summer of Physical Therapy.

Here are two ways you can do to help avoid summer injuries:

Warm-up

This is the #1 way to help avoid injury during activity. It doesn’t matter if it is yard work or a pick-up game of basketball, spending five minutes could save you weeks of recovery. Warm-ups not only prepare your muscles to contract better, they also improve your nervous system function, cardiovascular health, and will actually help you perform your task at a higher level. So if you are looking for a leg up in your backyard ultimate frisbee game, take the time to warm up If you are unsure about what a proper warm-up routine looks like, here is a good instructional video from YouTubers TheLeanMachines.

Spend 3 weeks going slow

If you are trying to get back into shape over the summer months and have been inactive for a long time, then you should spend the first three to four weeks doing lighter weight and lower intensity during your workouts. This may sound like a long time, but the biggest threat of injury comes with going to hard too soon. It is better to take three weeks and let your body accommodate to the workload. Remember, health is cooked in a crockpot, not a microwave.

Summer should be about fun, vacations, and activities. Avoid a trip to your local doctor by taking the time to avoid injuries before they happen!

Dr. Jeremiah Morgan is a licensed Chiropractic Physician as well as a Certified Active Release Technique provider. He currently practices in Downtown Matthews at Pro Active Chiropractic.