Do you want to try to feel better at home? Then get this SH*T done.

Pain in nerves, muscles and joints plague the vast majority of Americans at one time or another. So if you are in pain, you are not alone. Most of our patients declare on their first visit that they’ve waited so long because they were trying to “get better on my own.”

This is a great idea, IF you know what your problem is caused by, what needs to be done, how you execute the “fix”, for how long, in what quantity, etc. It can be complicated to the inexperienced home doctor. I do not advocate working on a problem at home until you know that it is safe to work on your ailment by yourself, or under the guidance of your doctor. That being said, many of us have had issues that feel familiar enough to not worry, and we just want to give it a couple more days. If you are certain that you are not dying, you are not feverish, paralyzed, or otherwise very compromised, try getting this S.H.I.T. done.

S – Stretch
H – Heat
I – ICE
T – Trigger Point Therapy

When you have a muscle strain or injury that is causing you pain, or unwanted tension, you need to stop screwing around and get S.H.I.T. done.

Stretching helps limber up muscles, reduce tension, and will often help with pain caused by strain or restriction. Gently stretching muscles in 60-90 second intervals will slowly help reduce pain, knots, tension and the risk of further injury. If you are injured, consult your chiropractor. Don’t overstretch an injured muscle.

Heat applied to tight muscles, knots, painful injuries, or areas that are slow to heal, will improve blood flow, reduce tension, and feel good in most cases. 10-15 minutes at a time will do the trick.

Ice after an acute injury, or if it feels better to apply it to an ache or pain than heat does, will reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and help you get on your way. After a couple days of using ice after an injury, heat has historically been recommended thereafter. Ice should not be applied for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Knots in muscles called trigger points respond very well to pressure ( Trigger Point Therapy) administered for 30 seconds at a time. Using a tennis ball or other blunt object as a tool to apply pressure will be the way to go.

Often described as a chiropractic office that feels like a tattoo shop, medical office, concert venue, and restaurant, all rolled into one, Jacobs Chiropractic Acupuncture offers a safe environment for everyone. Always encouraging patients to learn to care for themselves, Dr. Lou and Dr. Aaron share the same mission. Healing should be a fun, educational, empowering experience that brings you closer to the people and activities that make your life worth living. Dr. Aaron recently joined the Portland, Maine office that Dr. Lou started 19 years ago in October. For more information, call (207) SPINAL-1