We’ve all heard the “snap, crackle, pop” from the Rice Krispies commercial, but it can often be alarming to hear that sound from your body. Your ankles may pop when you get out of bed in the morning, or you may develop a habit of cracking your knuckles. But what effect does that have on your joints? Are the horror stories true - will you incur permanent damage over time?

Migraine headaches can be debilitating, but many treatment options are available. If you get migraines, you probably know some things that help you feel better: which medicine works best, if you need caffeine, or the closest dark room you can sleep in until it goes away. For some, dry needling could help symptoms associated with a certain kind of migraine. But how do you know what type you have? And what if you can’t get to a dry needling session in time to diffuse the migraine?

Your spine is one of your body’s primary internal structures. It surrounds and protects your spinal cord and provides support and stability for the entire body. A scoliosis diagnosis can raise many questions concerning your daily life moving forward. Will I be able to do my favorite activities? Can I exercise like I currently do? And how much daily pain will I have?

The human body is about 60% water, and that fluid travels around our body as we move around and perform different activities. Have you ever gotten off of an airplane with swollen ankles? That is a buildup of fluid from sitting for an extended period plus the gravitational forces of the plane. One way liquid travels through our body is through the lymphatic system, which transports excess fluid through our lymph nodes and manages our overall levels. But what happens when this system gets blocked? How can we manage the fluid levels in our bodies?

Inflammation is perfectly normal and essential to the healing process. You could be fighting off an illness or infection, or you could be healing a wound. But if you continue to have increased inflammation after the initial healing, that could indicate a more complicated issue. So what do you do? How can you decrease inflammation?

Have you been told that you are double-jointed? Have you always been able to touch your toes? If the answer is yes to these questions, you probably have a hypermobile joint system. How do you know what kind of body type you have? And what are some of the characteristics of hypermobility?

Gymnastics is a rigorous sport. Every skill required of these athletes puts significant stress on their bodies, increasing the gymnast’s risk of injury. So what happens when a gymnast’s body cannot perform? How can they continue to improve while not overtraining?

Our shoulders are an essential part of our daily movement. They connect our arms to our torso and help them stay in place, whether we do push-ups or reach for a cup on a high shelf. So when one of our shoulders begins to feel stiff and is not functioning correctly, it can be frustrating when we have to limit our movement. How can you ensure your shoulder functions properly again?

When you want a massage, it is easy to become overwhelmed with options. Choosing what kind of massage you want is hard enough, but finding which facility best fits your needs can be even more difficult. If you live in Birmingham, it is easy to find a massage facility close by but difficult to choose one to visit. Where should you go?

When you have muscle tension, getting a massage might be a great step to help you feel better. Many massage facilities have multiple services you can choose from, and some even offer a combination of various techniques customized to your needs. You could even try an at-home product like TheraGun, but that might not be the most ideal treatment for your symptoms, so working with a professional is probably best. But how do you know which type of massage best addresses your symptoms? And when should you seek further help?