REALLY? Solutions to battling the -ing syndrome

Do you have the -ing syndrome? 

The “-ing syndrome” manifests itself in the form of neck pain, tension in the shoulders, headaches, lower back pain, or any combination of the above.

It arises with repetitive activities such as shopp-ing, bak-ing, decorat-ing, travel-ing, shovel-ing, wrapp-ing – you get the idea. Along with the holiday season comes the inevitable holiday stress. Many of our patients love getting adjusted this time of year to help relieve the ING syndrome. We joke around about it, but the pain and discomfort are real – and so is the stress that leads to it. 

What can you do to protect yourself from the -ing syndrome? Well, here’s one great place to start: don’t forget the importance of carving out some time for yourself. Find stress-relieving outlets anywhere you can. Exercising – even just enough to raise your heart rate – is a proven and timeless kick-start to the body and a detergent for the mind.

Chiropractic adjustments offer our bodies substantial relief from all the repetitive, exhausting activities that often leave us in aches, pains and “tweaks”. Going in for treatment to your local chiropractor will help your body to stay on top of your game and lead to quicker recovery if you fall victim to the –ing syndrome. 

Don’t forget about relaxing with a nice hot Epsom salt bath or doing some deep, intentional breathing exercises or meditations for mental recovery. 

Massage therapy is another great way to avoid the –ing syndrome. 

All of these suggestions work better with one another than any single strategy alone. You may want to take advantage of several of these tips to help make your holiday season less draining and more enjoyable.