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Debunking Common Chiropractic Myths

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 22:08:59 GMT

Have You Heard These Chiropractic Myths?

Chiropractic care offers a safe, effective way to treat pain and improve mobility, yet myths about this beneficial therapy continue to circulate. If you've been thinking about starting chiropractic treatment, you may have heard a few of these common myths.

Myth 1. Spinal Manipulation "Cracks" Your Bones

Your friends may have mentioned that their necks or backs were "cracked" during a visit to the chiropractor. Cracking certainly sounds alarming, but fortunately, that's not what actually happens.

The cracking sound occurs during spinal manipulation, a treatment that realigns the vertebrae in your spine. Injuries, poor posture, or repetitive movements can misalign the vertebrae and cause joint pain, tight muscles, muscle spasms, reduced range of motion, and other issues.

During spinal manipulation, your chiropractor uses quick, hands-on movements or a handheld activator to realign the vertebrae. The cracking or popping sound that often accompanies manipulation happens when air pockets around the joints are disrupted. Although spinal manipulation is a little noisy, it's a safe, painless way to reduce pain in joints and muscles and improve range of motion.

Myth 2. You'll Need to See the Chiropractor Forever

Initially, you may need to see the chiropractor a few times a week. As your pain improves, you'll schedule appointments less often. Depending on the severity of your issue, chiropractic treatment may last a few weeks or months.

When you recover, you can stop seeing the chiropractor if you want. If you're like many people, you'll probably want to schedule a few follow-up appointments during the year to prevent new problems from occurring.

Myth 3. Spinal Manipulation Is the Only Treatment Chiropractors Provide

Although spinal manipulation is the most well-known treatment, it's not the only therapy you'll receive when you visit a chiropractor. Chiropractors also offer these treatments:

Heat and Ice. Applications of heat or ice decrease pain and swelling.
Massage. Massages not only relieve stress but also reduce muscle pain and spasms, and increase flexibility and range of motion.
Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TENS) Treatment. TENS uses a low-voltage electrical current to block pain signals.
Soft tissue Mobilization. The treatment involves handheld instruments that gently stretch soft tissues and break apart scar tissue.
Spinal Mobilization. Slow, gentle hands-on pressure repositions joints and eases pain.
Ultrasound Treatment. Applying ultrasound waves to sore or injured areas relieves muscle tension, reduces swelling, and speeds healing.

Myth 4. There's No Point in Seeing a Chiropractor If You Don't Have Neck or Back Pain

Chiropractors treat many other conditions in addition to neck and back pain. They can help you reduce the frequency of tension or migraine headaches, ease allergy and asthma symptoms, decrease stress, help you sleep better, offer real relief for chronic pain, and treat a variety of conditions, including plantar fasciitis, bursitis, tendonitis, text neck, carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched nerves, sports injuries, and leg, hip, or shoulder pain.

Myth 5. Chiropractic Treatment Isn't Effective

Several research studies have shown that chiropractic offers effective relief for many painful conditions. A study published in Clinical Rehabilitation in 2018 revealed that people who had mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome reported improvements in pain and function, in addition to decreases in the severity of their pain.

Military personnel who received chiropractic treatment in addition to standard medical care for low back pain had less pain and better physical function compared to study participants who only received standard medical care, according to a study that appeared in the April 15, 2013 issue of Spine.

In 2017, The American College of Physicians included chiropractic treatment in its list of recommended treatments for low back pain.

Are you ready for chiropractic care to improve your condition? Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

American College of Physicians: American College of Physicians Issues Guidelines for Treating Nonradicular Low Back Pain, 2/14/17

PubMed: Spine: Adding Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy to Standard Medical Care for Patients with Acute Low Back Pain: Results of a Pragmatic Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Study, 4/15/13

Pub Med: Clinical Rehabilitation: Is Manual Therapy Based on Neurodynamic Techniques Effective in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, A Randomized Controlled Trial, 10/11/18

Spine Universe: Chiropractic Spinal Adjustment: What was that pop?

Holiday Stress - Take a Deep Breath

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:46:01 GMT

Holiday Stress — Take a Deep Breath

Most of us pay little attention, if any, to the daily functioning of our many physiological systems. Our hearts beat, our digestive systems digest, and our various hormones, such as those deriving from the thyroid gland, adrenal gland, and pancreas, do what they do. It's all good... until it's not.

For example, ongoing stress can do a real number on people and most of the time we don't see it coming. We get a headache, some neck pain, or back pain and keep going. But when problems persist, it's a good policy to begin paying attention. Stress can elevate blood pressure, depress the immune system, cause a person to become more susceptible to infections, and cause significant problems with the gastrointestinal system. Serious problems associated with long-term stress include type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and various types of cancer. Overall, stress directly impacts and interferes with the daily functioning of all of our body's systems.

It is well known that stress increases around the holidays. Buying presents, cleaning, cooking, and worrisome memories of what happened during past holidays all serve to ramp up one's levels of anxiety and stress. The biggest missing ingredient in our holiday rush is a sense of self. We lose sight of ourselves in the maelstrom of events and become a reactive automaton, of sorts. Go here, go there, buy this, buy that, do this or that chore around the house, and finally go to bed, only to get up early the next morning and start the whole merry-go-round again. All without taking the time to pause and locate ourselves in who we really are and what's really of value to us and our loved ones.

The good news is that there is a better way. We are the ones who get to say how our day is going to go. It is critically important to stop and take a few deep breaths, to find our center, to reconnect with our inner self, to regain the meaning and purpose of our lives. An easy way to return to one's center is to engage in a practice of daily meditation. Firstly, you don't need any equipment to practice meditation, other than a comfortable cushion or chair. All you do is close your eyes and concentrate on breathing, imagining your breath going up your spine in the back and down your spine in the front. That's all there is to it. Count your first cycle of breathing up to ten, then start back over at one. If you notice your thoughts wandering, try restarting your count back at one. The benefit is in the practice itself. By concentrating on your breathing, you regain mastery over your continual train of thought. You are placing yourself, that is, your inner self, back in control, instead of being overwhelmed by random thoughts regarding what you think you "need" to do.

One of the outcomes of such a meditation practice is reduced stress and enhanced wellness and well-being. The holidays are transformed into a time of good fellowship and loving family interactions. Regular chiropractic care provides wonderful assistance to all of us as we engage in the process of re-centering. By restoring balance to our nerve system and optimizing our spinal biomechanics, regular chiropractic care supports our present and future health and wellness, throughout the holiday season and throughout the year.

Indoor Activities and Exercises

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:44:45 GMT

How to Exercise Indoors

For those of us who live in locales such as southern California, outdoor activities and outdoor exercise are available year-round. Elsewhere, winter sets in and many people discontinue their outdoor activities until the return of spring. As it is important to maintain our fitness levels throughout the year, ongoing questions relate to the possibility of developing indoor activities and exercise programs. Fortunately, a wide range of indoor exercise activities is available when the weather gets colder to effectively replace one's outdoor fitness regime.

An indoor activity and exercise program includes the following:

Supine leg roll-overs (core)

Supine hip presses (core)

Plank (core)

All-fours leg raises (core)

Push-ups

Bodyweight squats

Bodyweight split-squat

Walking hamstring lunges

Jumping jacks

Rapid standing leg lifts

Abdominal crunches (core)

Leg raises

Resistance band seated row

Resistance band shoulder press

The only equipment you need is a 6-foot-long exercise mat and a resistance band.

You may perform the entire routine in a single session or divide the exercises into groups, such as legs and 1-2 core exercises, upper body and 1-2 core exercises, aerobic exercise and 1-2 core exercises, and perform each group on a separate day. The overall goal is to do 30 minutes of vigorous exercise five days a week. The indoor activity/exercise program incorporates strength training, aerobic exercise, and core exercise. It could even replace going to the gym when the weather is particularly unsettled.

From the perspective of an individual's and a family's health and well-being, as well as from a public health perspective, regular vigorous exercise provides a wealth of benefits. For example, diabetes, high serum cholesterol levels, overweight/obesity, heart disease, and hypertension are all lifestyle disorders. By implementing consistent lifestyle changes including exercise, nutritious food choices, and obtaining sufficient rest, we are taking meaningful action on our own behalf that will positively impact our long-term health and well-being. These lifestyle changes are important for everyone, as people of all ages, races, and genders may be affected by lifestyle diseases. For example, research has shown that lifestyle modifications accounted for a 50% reduction in mortality from heart disease. This is a significant return on investment of time and effort.

Regular chiropractic care is a key component of all exercise programs and provides support and benefit for both indoor and outdoor exercise activities. Regular chiropractic care detects and corrects spinal misalignments and sources of nerve irritation as well as helps enable your body to perform at peak capacity and function at high levels of effectiveness. In this way, by participating in regular chiropractic care, the spinal biomechanics of every family member is optimized, helping to ensure the long-term health and well-being of everyone, young and old.

1Escamilla RF, et al: Muscle Activation Among Supine, Prone, and Side Position Exercises With and Without a Swiss Ball. Sports Health 8(4):372-379, 2016

2Lorenzetti S, et al: How to squat? Effects of various stance widths, foot placement angles and level of experience on knee, hip and trunk motion and loading. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2018 Jul 17;10:14. doi: 10.1186/s13102-018-0103-7

3Beazley D, et al: Trunk and hip muscle activation during yoga poses: Implications for physical therapy practice. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2017 Nov;29:130-135, 2017 . doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.09.009

Relationship with Self

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:43:20 GMT

Relationship with Self

As we go along in life, most of us periodically encounter obstacles or other checks to our welfare and well-being that cause us to question ourselves, our values, and our life circumstances. As we inquire with ourselves, we may find that we're wanting in certain areas such as preparedness, resilience, and adaptability. If we look deeply enough, we may also discover that there is a deficiency in kindness, generosity, and empathy with others and even with ourselves. If we're not honest with ourselves, the whole process is doomed to fail. But if we are, we will eventually have an opportunity to locate a spark of hope, a brighter light that points the way toward the means of resolution, specifically, a process of self-discovery and self-healing.

This self-healing process of growth and development may take many forms. For some persons, engagement with one of the world religions, such as Judaism, Islam, or Christianity, may provide a deeply rewarding and meaningful journey of self-realization. For others, launching and maintaining a daily meditation practice provides an effective method for achieving inner growth and self-actualization. As well, others may discover timeless wisdom in the works of the great philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle, Augustine of Hippo, Thomas of Aquino, Baruch Spinoza, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant. Many persons, over time, may embrace all of these methods of participation in the life of the self and others, as one's ongoing investigations and explorations point the way to additional sources of learning and fulfillment.

Thus, there is no single and exclusive means of achieving self-knowledge. One is guided by one's instincts and inclinations, based on one's inner understanding of what is truly meaningful. What works for you, works for you, and what is of deep interest should be pursued. Importantly, none of these processes of developing a relationship with oneself is a solipsistic endeavor, that is, a process that is only directed inward. We all have a responsibility, an obligation, to know ourselves and improve our capabilities. We also have a corresponding responsibility to help further the goals of others, to assist others in achieving their dreams and aspirations.

Regular chiropractic care is a critical part of one's journey of growth and development. Regular chiropractic care improves spinal alignment and removes sources of nerve irritation, helping to further the physiological benefits of our mindfulness practices.1,2,3. In this way, by helping to optimize our health and well-being, regular chiropractic care helps to facilitate both our inner processes of self-discovery and our outer activities that contribute to the welfare of our family, community, and society.

1Zeidan F, Vago DR: Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account. Ann NY Acad Sci 1373(1):114-127, 2016

2Khusid MA, Vythilingam M: The Emerging Role of Mindfulness Meditation as Effective Self-Management Strategy, Part 2: Clinical Implications for Chronic Pain, Substance Misuse, and Insomnia. Mil Med 181(9):969-975, 2016

3Armani KA, et al: The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Emotional Wellbeing and Glycemic Control of Patients with Type 2

Diabetes Mellitus. J Diabetes Res 2018 Jun 10;2018:1986820. doi: 10.1155/2018/1986820. eCollection 2018

Should I Use Ice or Heat for Pain?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:41:48 GMT

Should you use heat or ice on your painful injury? The best method of solving this important riddle is to assess the nature and source of the pain. Essentially, a new injury, that is, one that you sustained within the last 48 hours, is best treated with ice. Chronic pain, or pain that you have had for a long time, is generally best treated with moist heat. Understanding the mechanisms of injury and the physiological and biochemical causes of pain helps us to differentiate the indications for applying ice or applying moist heat.

The primary rule is that you can never go wrong with applying ice. Ice calms things down and, although an ice application may be uncomfortably cold for a few moments, the overall effect is soothing. Cold decreases local metabolism and constricts small blood vessels (arterioles). Cold reduces nerve conduction velocity, that is, the speed at which nerve impulses are transmitted, and therefore reduces the number of pain signals that reach your brain per unit time. Thus, ice applications provide vasoconstriction, analgesia, and sedation. Ice is indicated for acute musculoskeletal injury, burns, insect bites, bleeding, and snake bites. Ice should not be used for gout, rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, history of vascular impairment, and cold allergies. As well, ice should not be used for a patient in a coma.

Moist heat increases local metabolism and dilates small blood vessels. Vasodilation results in increased nutrition, increased activity of white blood cells (phagocytosis), and increased removal of waste (metabolic end-products and damaged cellular structures). Moist heat provides analgesia, sedation, and reduces muscle spasms. Heat is best for chronic pain and muscle spasms. Contraindications to moist heat include acute musculoskeletal injury, area of diminished sensation, acute skin conditions, pregnancy, malignancy, diabetes, encapsulated swelling, hemorrhagic disorders, and suppurative conditions.

Generally, ice applications are used for acute injuries within a 72-hour time frame from the onset of the injury. Acute injury damages local capillaries, causing blood to leak into the spaces between cells and tissues, where it doesn't belong. Such uncontained blood causes pressure on local nerve endings, creating pain. Also, pressure is applied to nearby cells, causing extended injury and possibly cell death. Thus, limiting the amount of blood leaking out of disrupted capillaries is critical in slowing the effects and reducing the impact of musculoskeletal injury. Ice performs this function. Ice reduces swelling, reduces pain, and provides a sedative effect.

When applying ice, it's very important to avoid damaging the skin. Ice packs should always be wrapped in a towel. Ice should rarely be applied directly to the skin. Duration and frequency of ice applications is not an exact science, but a useful guideline is to apply ice for 15 minutes every two hours for a moderately acute injury, using three to four ice applications per day. However, you will know instinctively when the time is right to apply the next ice pack.

Moist heat applications follow similar guidelines. Dry heat should never be used. Moist heat packs should be wrapped in a towel and are applied for 15 minutes every two to three hours, up to several applications per day.

Recovering from injury requires your body to put forth a great deal of effort and requires support from the nerve system, the body's master system. Regular chiropractic care provides great assistance in the process of recovery from an injury. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps ensure optimal functioning of the nerve system. Thus, regular chiropractic care helps facilitate your recovery and helps you return to your full range of activities as quickly as possible.

1McCarberg B, D'Arcy Y: Options in topical therapies in the management of patients with acute pain. Postgrad Med 125(4 Suppl 1):19-24, 2013

2Piana LE, et al: The Cold, Hard Facts of Cryotherapy in Orthopedics. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ) 2018 Sep;47(9). doi: 10.12788/ajo.2018.0075

3Mayer JM, Mooney V: Continuous low-level heat wrap therapy for the prevention and early phase treatment of delayed-onset muscle soreness of the low back: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 87(10):1310-1317, 2006

Should I Use Heat or Ice for Pain?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:40:26 GMT

Recovering from injury requires your body to put forth a great deal of effort and requires support from the nerve system, the body's master system. Regular chiropractic care provides great assistance in the process of recovery from any injury. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps ensure optimal functioning of the nerve system. Thus, regular chiropractic care helps facilitate your recovery and helps you return to your full range of activities as quickly as possible.

1McCarberg B, D'Arcy Y: Options in topical therapies in the management of patients with acute pain. Postgrad Med 125(4 Suppl 1):19-24, 2013

2Piana LE, et al: The Cold, Hard Facts of Cryotherapy in Orthopedics. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ) 2018 Sep;47(9). doi: 10.12788/ajo.2018.0075

Natural Remedies for Sciatic Pain

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:37:18 GMT

"Sciatica" is an older term describing the symptoms of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, also known as sciatic neuritis. Sciatica involves radiating pain down the back of one lower extremity, usually including the back of the thigh and back of the calf, possibly extending into the foot. Sciatica pain may be described as sharp, shooting, gnawing, and/or burning, and may be accompanied by numbness and tingling. Intensity may range from mild to severe and frequency may range from occasional to constant. The onset is generally gradual and not necessarily associated with a precipitating event.

When lower back pain is accompanied by radiating lower extremity pain, it is useful to attempt to assess the relative distributions of such pain. If low back pain predominates or low back pain and sciatica pain are fairly equal in distribution (approximately 50% of the pain is in the low back and approximately 50% of the pain is in the lower extremity), then the sciatica pain may likely be caused by mechanical dysfunction in the low back. If sciatica is associated with a herniated disc, then leg and buttock pain will be the dominant symptom, compared with low back pain. In the case of a herniated disc, there may also be leg muscle weakness and diminished sensation in the affected leg. Pain that radiates only to the buttock and thigh is probably not related to irritation of the sciatic nerve, but rather to mechanical disorders of the low back and/or sacroiliac joint.

Regular chiropractic care is a primary natural remedy for sciatic pain. Regular chiropractic care detects and corrects spinal dysfunction that may be a source of sciatica pain. For example, altered spinal biomechanics may impinge and irritate spinal nerves, causing nerve inflammation and associated radiating pain. By helping to restore optimal spinal biomechanical function and relieve sources of nerve irritation, regular chiropractic care helps to restore the integrity of the sciatic nerve and reduce inflammatory pain and other symptoms.3

In addition to in-office care, your chiropractor may recommend the use of ice applications and stretching/exercise to assist in managing sciatica pain. An ice pack or plastic bag filled with ice cubes may be applied to the lower back for 15 minutes every few hours to help reduce associated muscle pain, muscle spasm, and sciatic nerve inflammation. Importantly, ice applications should always be wrapped in a thin towel so as to avoid placing the cold pack directly on the skin. Gentle stretching for the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles will assist in restoring optimal biomechanical functioning to both the trunk and the legs. Gentle exercise, including walking and riding a stationary bike, will similarly assist in the process of recovery. Overall, your chiropractor is your go-to resource and the best manager of the range of natural remedies to help resolve sciatica pain.

Chiropractic and Breech Babies During Pregnancy

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:36:01 GMT

At some point during the course of her pregnancy, a woman may begin to experience low back pain and even sciatica, that is, radiating pain down the back of a leg. The likely explanation for most of these cases of obstetric-related low back pain is the increased mechanical load due to the weight of the developing fetus, amniotic fluid, and placenta. Many times, low back pain is transient and resolves on its own. However, pregnancy-associated low back pain may persist for more than a week and require conservative treatment to help reduce pain and achieve resolution.

Chiropractic care is the optimal conservative treatment for pregnancy-related low back pain, with or without sciatica. The musculoskeletal structures affected by the increased weight of pregnancy are the vertebral joints of the lumbar spine, the sacroiliac joints, the local ligaments, and spinal musculature. The sacroiliac joints, especially, contain numerous pain receptors and sacroiliac joint dysfunction often causes a substantial component of a pregnant woman's low back pain.

Chiropractic care identifies, analyzes, and corrects these sources of lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint dysfunction and nerve irritation. As a result, information exchange between the brain and the rest of the body is optimized. The ability of the lumbar vertebrae and the sacroiliac joints to bear weight and manage the increased mechanical stresses of pregnancy is facilitated. Stimulation to pain receptors is reduced and the supporting musculature is enabled to relax. Function improves and a sense of improving health and well-being is restored.

In the case of a breech presentation, the buttocks and/or feet of the fetus are positioned closest to the birth canal, rather than in the more typical vertex presentation, with the fetus's head being closest to the route of delivery. A breech presentation occurs during 3-4% of all full-term births. Factors that may be associated with a breech presentation include prior pregnancy, the presence of twins, and too little or too much amniotic fluid. A breech presentation may be identified by specific palpation of the abdomen and confirmed, if needed, by an ultrasound of pelvic examination.

Chiropractic care may be utilized in the overall healthcare management of a breech presentation. If the pregnant mother-to-be chooses a vaginal delivery, chiropractic care may be employed to provide integrative support. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and sources of nerve interference in the mother-to-be, chiropractic care helps to optimize all of her physiological processes, including supporting the health and well-being of her developing fetus. By helping to restore and maintain peak physiological function in the mother-to-be, chiropractic care helps provide an environment that supports the activities of other members of the healthcare team in attempts to turn the fetus so that the orientation is head down, and otherwise helps support an optimal outcome of a vaginal delivery.

1Berhan Y, Haileamlak A: The risks of planned vaginal breech delivery versus planned caesarean section for term breech birth: a meta-analysis including observational studies. Brit J Obstet Gynecol 123(1):49-57, 2016

2Fischbein SJ, Freeze R: Breech birth at home: outcomes of 60 breech and 109 cephalic planned home and birth center births. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 18(1):397, 2018 doi: 10.1186/s12884-018-2033-5

3Alcantara J, et al: The use of validated outcome measures in the chiropractic care of pregnant patients: A systematic review of the literature. Complement Ther Clin Pract 21(2):131-6, 2015

Back Friendly Yard Work Tips

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:34:28 GMT

Yard work can be both a necessary and enjoyable activity for many, whether you live in a condo with a small yard, a suburban community, or on a sprawling ranch in rural America. However, yard work can often cause the unprepared to sustain a musculoskeletal injury, especially to the lower back. Knowing how to prepare for yard work is usually appropriate for most adults in order to avoid unanticipated and unwanted problems.

Yard work typically involves repetitive bending, lifting, and twisting activities, and may include maintaining a bent-over position for several minutes at a time. All of these actions and postures may place significant biomechanical stresses on the joints, muscles, and ligaments of the lower back. This may result in injury to anatomical structures that have not been trained to support such loads. Effective yard work preparation involves core exercise training and general fitness activities such as cardiorespiratory exercise and strength training accompanied by an understanding of safe bending and lifting techniques.

Core exercises train your deep abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, and the very important transversus abdominis. Regular sit-ups will train the rectus abdominis, but this is the most superficially located of your core muscles. Your oblique and, especially, your transversus abdominis provide stability and support to your lumbar spine and pelvis, helping to ensure that your bending, lifting, and twisting activities will be relatively safe and injury-free in most daily contexts.

Core exercises include many routines familiar to older fitness enthusiasts and former high-school athletes, such as squats, pushups, and jumping jacks. More recent additions to the core exercise group include the plank, hip presses, leg crossovers, and forward and backward lunges. Core exercises only require an exercise mat and possibly some lightweight dumbbells for squats and lunges. They can easily be done at home or outdoors in your backyard or neighborhood common area. The addition of upper and lower body strength training and cardiorespiratory exercise such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling will provide a complete fitness program that will enable you to fully engage in vigorous activities of daily living such as yard work, carrying heavy packages, and other household chores.

It is also always important to pay attention to optimal bending and lifting practices. Prior to performing bending, lifting, or twisting activities, you should make sure your abdominal muscles are activated by breathing in and flattening out your stomach. Next, get as close as possible to the object you’re intending to lift or otherwise manipulate, bend your knees, and bend forward at the waist, continuing to keep your abdominal muscles strong. Then, lift the object while keeping it close to your center of gravity and straighten your legs. By adhering to this sequence of maneuvers, you’ll be able to safely lift objects of reasonable weight, as well as safely engage in productive yard work and gardening.

1Caneiro JP, et al: Physiotherapists implicitly evaluate bending and lifting with a round back as dangerous. Musculoskelet Sci Pract 2018 39:107-114, 2018

J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil

2Kumar T, et al: Efficacy of core muscle strengthening exercise in chronic low back pain patients. 28(4):699-707, 2015

3Turner LW, et al: Influence of yard work and weight training on bone mineral density among older U.S. women. J Women Aging 14(3-4):139-148, 2002

ACL Injury and Chiropractic

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:32:47 GMT

The knee is a hinge joint and stability is provided by the large thigh muscles (the quadriceps and hamstrings), the cartilaginous medial and lateral menisci, the medial and lateral collateral ligaments, and the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. The cruciate ligaments are located within the knee joint and provide front-and-back stability to the knee. Specifically, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) helps prevent the shin bone (tibia) from sliding too far forward with respect to the thigh bone (femur). The cruciate ligaments also provide rotational stability to the knee.

The cutting maneuver, in which the foot is planted, the knee is flexed, the thigh is internally rotated, the shin is externally rotated, and with subsequent powerful contraction of the quadriceps is a position of vulnerability for the knee. Cutting maneuvers are common in sports such as soccer, basketball, football, and lacrosse. Cutting maneuvers may also be utilized in daily life, such as with the need to suddenly bend and twist the lower body.. Sudden, unanticipated cutting maneuvers may result in knee injury. Structures that may be damaged include the medial meniscus, the medial collateral ligament, and the ACL. This complex of injuries is known as O'Donaghue's triad. If there is significant joint swelling post-injury, it is likely that the ACL has been severely sprained and possibly ruptured.

Prevention is always the optimal policy, as third-degree ACL sprains (torn ACL) typically require ACL reconstructive surgery. Postoperative rehabilitation includes progressive physical therapy and at-home exercise. This recovery period usually ranges from 8 to 12 months.

Prevention of ACL injuries involves flexibility routines and lower extremity strengthening exercises. Flexibility activities may include yoga, Pilates exercises, and regular stretching of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. Lower extremity strength training includes squats, lunges, quadriceps extension, hamstring curls, calf raises, and toe raises. A primary result of an ongoing flexibility and lower extremity strength training program is optimization of knee proprioception, that is, increased neurological activity of the knee joint regarding its positioning in 3-dimensional space. Enhanced proprioception will help distribute cutting maneuver physical forces around the knee joint more effectively, reducing the likelihood of injury. As well, flexibility and exercise programs provide resilience and increased strength to the musculoskeletal structures comprising and supporting the knee.

Regular chiropractic care provides necessary support for both knee injury prevention programs and postoperative recovery. By detecting and correcting sources of biomechanical dysfunction and nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps create a physiological environment by means of which you and your family can obtain the greatest benefit from your exercise activities. In the same way, if ACL reconstruction ever becomes necessary, regular chiropractic care helps assist the effectiveness of the recovery program and helps your body achieve the greatest benefit from rehabilitation protocols.

Benjaminse A, et al: Revised Approach to the Role of Fatigue in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Prevention: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses. Sports Med. 2019 Jan 18. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01052-6. [Epub ahead of print]

Biscarini A, et al: Knee flexion with quadriceps contraction: A new therapeutic exercise for the early stage of ACL rehabilitation. J Biomech 49(16):3855-3860, 2016

Smeets A, Malfait B: Is knee neuromuscular activity related to anterior cruciate ligament injury risk? A pilot study. Knee. 2018 Nov 8. pii: S0968-0160(18)30903-30907, 2018. doi: 10.1016/j.knee.2018.10.006. [Epub ahead of print]

What Is TMJ Syndrome and How Can Chiropractic Help?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:28:16 GMT

What Is TMJ Syndrome and How Can Chiropractic Help?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the temporal bone with the condylar process (flange of bone) of the mandible (jaw bone). There is a TMJ on each side of your skull. The joint provides for all motion of the jaw in relation to the skull, including elevation, depression, protraction, and retraction. The temporal bone is a highly complex structure. Cranial nerve VII (facial nerve) is located within the temporal bone's facial canal. The tympanic part of the temporal bone surrounds the external auditory meatus, forming the canal that transmits auditory signals to the auditory nerve.

The TMJ is a diarthrodial joint, as are many other joints in the human body, and comprises ligaments, a cartilaginous disc, a joint capsule, and a synovial membrane. As a diarthrodial joint, the TMJ is subject to inflammatory disorders, including degenerative arthritis, and movement of the TMJ may become quite painful. TMJ syndrome describes head, ear, and jaw pain; joint crepitus of the TMJ; joint dysfunction; and tenderness of the muscles of mastication. Joint crepitus is a sensation of grinding, grating, crunching, or popping upon movement of a joint. TMJ joint dysfunction is characterized by deviation of the jaw to one side on opening of the mouth and/or inability to insert 3 fingers vertically when the mouth is open. The jaw deviates to the side of a weak muscle, such as the pterygoids. The muscles of mastication are the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoids, all extending from the zygomatic and temporal bones to the mandible TMJ.

Regarding TMJ pain, sensory innervation to the TMJ is provided by the mandibular branch (mandibular nerve; V3) of cranial nerve V (the trigeminal nerve). Muscle spasm related to the TMJ may involve the motor branches of V3, which supply the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid muscles. Muscle spasm may contribute to substantial pain as a component of TMJ syndrome.

TMJ syndrome may involve radiating pain, especially to the jaw line and ear, irritating the auditory canal. There may be aching facial pain, pain around and in the ear, and locking of the TMJ, interfering with normal opening and closing of the mouth.

Chiropractic care is an especially important component of a comprehensive, holistic program of treatment for TMJ syndrome. Chiropractic care detects, analyzes, and corrects spinal nerve irritation and spinal joint dysfunction. In the case of TMJ syndrome, the vertebral joints of the neck and their associated spinal nerves may be specifically implicated. Additionally, using gentle manual procedures directed toward the TMJ itself, chiropractic care is able to relax and reduce muscle spasm in the jaw muscles surrounding the TMJ and help to restore normal TMJ mobility.

Additional treatment for TMJ syndrome may include use of a mouth retainer at night (nocturnal occlusal guard) to act as a "sling" and help prevent grinding of the teeth while asleep. As well, psychological counseling may be of benefit.

Overall, chiropractic care provides specific treatment for TMJ syndrome. Your chiropractor may also recommend a restorative nutrition program and exercise routines to assist your overall recovery and return to optimal health and well-being.

Chantaracherd P, et al: Temporomandibular joint disorders' impact on pain, function, and disability. J Dent Res 94(3 Suppl):79S-86S, 2015

FernÃ¡ndez-de-las-Penas C, Svensson P: Myofascial Temporomandibular Disorder. Curr Rheumatol Rev 12(1):40-54, 2016

Sanders C, et al: Temporomandibular Disorder Diagnostic Groups Affect Outcomes Independently of Treatment in Patients at Risk for Developing Chronicity: A 2-Year Follow-Up Study. J Oral Facial Pain Headache 30(3):187-202, 2016

Can Chiropractic Help Alleviate Anxiety?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:22:10 GMT

Can Chiropractic Help Alleviate Anxiety?

Many people of all ages experience depression and/or anxiety, whether on an occasional, frequent, or consistent basis. These symptoms may be transient, only occurring at a particular stage in one's life, or they may represent a specific condition such as a depressive disorder or a panic disorder.

Panic disorders are characterized by attacks of anxiety and overwhelming fear known as panic attacks. During a panic attack, a person may experience pounding or racing of the heart, breathing problems, dizziness, weakness, chills, and nausea. Additionally, during a panic attack a person may experience a feeling of being out of control and a feeling of impending doom.

Chiropractic care has a distinct and specific role to play in the management of panic attacks. Spinal bio mechanical dysfunction and spinal nerve irritation may be implicated in the causation of panic attacks, as such dysfunction and irritation can heighten physiological stress and participate in triggering feelings of anxiety. In other words, if your body is already on high-alert status owing to internal bio mechanical stress and neurophysiological irritation, then emotional and/or environmental triggers can more easily shift your adaptive responses into panic mode.

Regular chiropractic care helps one avoid such detrimental, cascading effects by detecting, analyzing, and correcting sources of spinal biomechanical dysfunction and spinal nerve irritation. By helping reduce baseline levels of internal physiological stress and restoring improved function throughout the body, regular chiropractic care helps mediate one's response to anxiety-provoking phenomena. It also helps alleviate muscular tension and pain and improve the functioning of one's cardiorespiratory, gastrointestinal, immune, and hormonal systems. Regular chiropractic care helps one gain higher levels of health and well-being as well as reduce the overall frequency and severity of panic attacks.

Engaging in healthy lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a nutritious diet and participating in regular, vigorous exercise, assists regular chiropractic care in improving one's health. Daily nutritious food intake enables your body to work properly. Nutritious foods help build strong cells and tissues and help remove toxins that accumulate from metabolic activity. Regular, vigorous exercise could include doing at least 30 minutes per day of activities such as walking, running, bike riding, swimming, and weight training on a five-day-per-week schedule. These healthful action steps work together to provide more energy, more restful sleep, and an overall positive mental attitude. There may also be unexpected benefits as your body and mind begin to work in harmony. Overall, the combination of healthy lifestyle activities and regular chiropractic care helps to optimize how your body works and reduces the impact of potentially anxiety-causing internal and external stressors.

Metzler DH, et al: Anxiety Disorders in Primary Care. Prim Care 43(2):245-261, 2016

Locke AB, et al: Diagnosis and management of generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults. Am Fam Physician 91(9):617-624, 2015

Williams JW Jr, et al: An Overview of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies for Anxiety and Depressive Disorders: Supplement to Efficacy of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Evidence-based Synthesis Program Reports, 2011

Foods for Joint Pain

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:20:32 GMT

Can your diet affect joint pain?

Joint pain may be experienced as a result of an acute injury, such as an ankle sprain, knee sprain, or rotator cuff tear. Joint pain may also accompany varying types of joint inflammation, including osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and joint inflammation secondary to lupus erythematosus and irritable bowel syndrome. Of the numerous causes of joint inflammation, osteoarthritis is by far the most common, frequently affecting the lower back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and wrists. Many factors are associated with the development of osteoarthritis, including overuse, too little use, faulty biomechanics, and overall lack of exercise. Joint pain related to osteoarthritis may be improved and ameliorated to a certain extent by engaging in a comprehensive program of restoring more efficient biomechanics, targeted exercise, and healthy nutrition.

Diet is frequently implicated in various systemic inflammatory disorders and, in consequence, various joint inflammatory conditions. For example, celiac disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder, is often associated with gluten insensitivity or gluten intolerance. Malabsorption syndrome and leaky gut syndrome, both of which may be associated with joint inflammation, may be associated with gluten insensitivity or gluten intolerance. The inclusion of nutritional supplementation such as probiotics and prebiotics is helpful in the overall management of malabsorption syndrome and leaky gut syndrome. As well, instituting a gluten-free diet may be of assistance in managing gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, and conditions such as celiac disease.

Additionally, sugar, refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, monosodium glutamate, and alcohol are known causes and potentiators of joint inflammation. For certain individuals, dairy products, eggs, tomatoes, nuts, and coffee may exacerbate existing joint inflammation. In contrast, for most people, diets containing at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily help prevent the development of joint inflammation and help reduce inflammatory processes and thus ameliorate a primary cause of joint pain.

Exercise helps to improve joint range of motion, strengthen supporting muscle groups, and increase the resiliency and flexibility of local soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Optimally, exercise is done five days a week for at least 30 minutes each day. Beneficial forms of exercise include walking, swimming, bicycling, yoga, and strength training. If you haven't exercised in some time, start slowly and gently, building up your capacity and stamina.

Regular chiropractic care plays a key role in the effective management of joint pain. By detecting and correcting sources of spinal nerve irritation and nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps to optimize the functioning of your entire physiology. Potential causes of joint pain in the neck, mid back, and lower back are addressed directly, and joint pain in other locations is benefited by more normalized communication between those sites and the nerve system as a whole. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps improve the long-term overall health and well-being of you and your family.

Basu A et al: Dietary fruits and arthritis. Food Funct 9(1):70-77, 2018

Oliviero F, et al: Anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols in arthritis. J Sci Food Agric 98(5):1653-1659, 2018

Aryaeian N, et al: The effect of ginger supplementation on some immunity and inflammation intermediate genes expression in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Gene 698:179-185, 2019

Asthma and Chiropractic

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:19:06 GMT

Can Chiropractic Improve Symptoms of Asthma?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of May 2018, 1 in 13 Americans have asthma, representing 26.5 million people. Of these 26.5 million, 6.1 million children and 20.4 million adults suffer from this chronic disease.

The annual costs of asthma to society are approximately $80 billion in the US alone This substantial amount includes medical expenses, missed school or work days, transportation expenses to medical appointments, and lost productivity. Effective clinical management of asthma continues to pose significant public health challenges to the patients and the U.S. healthcare delivery system.

Standard treatment for asthma consists of a variety of medications. The gold standard of treatment is inhaled corticosteroids. Asthma inhalers are so much a part of daily life that they appear regularly as hand-held props in television programming and in film. In these shows, the difficulty of the moment for the character is acted out by having the player pull out her or his inhaler and take a quick puff. Additional standard medications include long-acting beta agonists, which open the airways, and leukotriene modifiers such as montelukast (Singular), which help to prevent wheezing and shortness of breath. Short-term relief during an asthma attack may be provided by rapid-acting bronchodilators such as albuterol (ProAir and Ventolin).

The primary challenge of asthma is that it is a chronic condition. There is no real end-point of the disorder and there is no cure. For most people, asthma symptoms persist long-term and likely require life-long medication. As well, there are numerous side effects associated with medication usage. For example, side effects of leukotriene modifiers may include depression, hallucinations, and suicidal thinking. Use of long-acting beta antagonists may enhance the risk of a severe asthma attack. Side effects of albuterol may include headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, and sleep problems.

Importantly, regular chiropractic care is a key component of a comprehensive asthma management program. Chiropractic care detects and analyzes spinal joint dysfunction and associated nerve irritation and nerve interference that may contribute to the presence of asthma in a child or adult. As a chronic disorder, asthma has complex physiological causes and nerve interference may be a factor in the development of many, if not all, of these factors.

Next, chiropractic care corrects spinal dysfunction, helping to restore more normal spinal biomechanics and directly address the sources of nerve interference. Over time, regular chiropractic care helps to reduce the physiological stressors that are implicated in the symptoms of asthma and helps both children and adults obtain greater levels of long-term health and well-being.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Asthma Surveillance Data. https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_data.htm, last updated May 2018

Tursynbek N, et al: The Economic Burden of Asthma in the United States, 2008–2013. Ann Am Thoracic Soc 15(3):348-356, 2018

McClafferty H: An overview of integrative therapies in asthma treatment. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 14(10):464, 2014

Posture and Spinal Health

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:16:58 GMT

What is Your Posture Telling You About Your Health?

Most of us started hearing about posture way back in grade school when our parents and teachers began to tell us to "stand up straight". We were told to have "good posture", often with the implication that such an achievement was associated with strength of character, discipline, and definiteness of purpose. But, typically, the means of accomplishing good posture were never exactly disclosed, other than the child's being encouraged to "suck in your stomach" and "pull your shoulders back". Unfortunately, these directives did not result in a pleasing, biomechanically effective, natural posture. Rather, these commands caused children to develop tight muscles. Fortunately, it is possible to attain good posture in ways that support a person's well-being.

A person's posture is primarily associated with the function of her or his spine. The adult human spine is most commonly composed of 26 movable segments. The neck contains 7 vertebrae, the mid back contains 12 vertebrae, the lower back contains 5 vertebrae, and there is 1 sacrum and 1 coccyx. The neck (cervical spine) is normally convex to the front, the mid back (thoracic spine) is normally convex to the rear, and the lower back (lumbar spine) is normally convex to the front. The sacrum and coccyx are oriented convexly to the rear. These alternating curves from top to bottom create biomechanical balance and participate in creating spinal flexibility. As a result, the spine is able to distribute biomechanical loads effectively and efficiently, resulting in ease of motion and strength throughout the course of one's daily activities.

But various musculoskeletal habits, physical and mental stress, diet and nutrition, injury, and spinal biomechanical dysfunction can all impact a person's posture. Over time, any and all of these circumstances can diminish the degree of curvature of affected spinal regions, reducing the normal biomechanical curves of the spine. Most typically, the spinal curvatures are flattened, resulting in loss of the normal curves in the neck, mid back, and lower back. The straightened regions of vertebrae lose their biomechanical resilience, with accompanying muscle tension, muscle spasms, and pain in various regions of the spine. As well, seemingly innocuous movements such as bending over to pick up a dropped pen or pencil, or bending over to place groceries in the trunk of one's car, may result in sudden, significant pain and injuries lingering for 2-3 weeks or more.

Regular chiropractic care provides substantial assistance to all members of the family regarding restoring and maintaining graceful, functional posture. Improved posture enables us to perform smoothly our activities of daily living. By detecting, analyzing, and correcting spinal biomechanical dysfunction and nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps reestablish normal spinal biomechanics and improve physiological function and performance throughout the body. As a result, regular chiropractic care helps the entire family achieve higher levels of long-term health and well-being.

Yoganandan N, et al: Fatigue responses of the human cervical spine intervertebral discs. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 69:30-38, 2017

MÃ¶rl F, Bradl I: Lumbar posture and muscular activity while sitting during office work. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 23(2):362-368, 2013

Å»ak M, Pezowicz C: Analysis of the impact of the course of hydration on the mechanical properties of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc. Eur Spine J 25(9):2681-2690, 2016

Dehydration and Back Pain

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:15:17 GMT

How Dehydration Affects the Body

Healthy nutrition includes drinking at least 4 to 8 glasses of water every day. Admittedly, this is a wide range, but 4 8-ounce glasses of water represents the minimum intake for adult men and women. A useful frame of reference is the presence or absence of thirst. Optimally, you should never feel as if your mouth and throat are dry and that you "need" a drink of water. For example, hikers are frequently reminded by trail guides to drink water continuously throughout a hike. Experienced trail guides add the friendly warning that "if you feel thirsty, it's too late" to ward off a headache and other symptoms of dehydration such as dizziness and confusion.

Sufficient water intake is critically important in maintaining normal physiological processes and eliminating metabolic waste products. All cells are aqueous environments. Drinking appropriate amounts of water every day aids each and every one of your body's cells in performing its numerous functions so that you remain healthy and well. Also, water is a key component of the intervertebral discs. These shock-absorbing cartilaginous structures assist your spinal column in supporting the weight of your head and torso and distributing mechanical loads so that you can effectively perform physical tasks such as carrying weights.

The intervertebral discs consist of a fibrocartilaginous outer ring (the annulus fibrosus) and a gelatinous center (the nucleus pulposus). Water is a significant component of both structures, especially the nucleus pulposus. Intervertebral discs begin to degenerate by the age of 4, and begin to gradually lose their blood supply, turgor, weight-distributing, and shock-absorbing capabilities. If dehydration has affected the intervertebral discs and has begun to result in clinically significant degeneration of a disc or discs, a person may experience back injury, and ultimately chronic back pain. Thus, for many reasons, ensuring optimal daily hydration is critically important for all members of the family, including children, adults, and older adults.

Sufficient daily water intake should be accompanied by the components of a healthy diet, including eating regularly from a wide variety of food groups, including fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and possibly dairy products. For example, all family members should eat at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. As well, a complete healthy lifestyle includes regular vigorous exercise. Five sessions per week of at least 30 minutes per session is recommended. Regular exercise provides mechanical challenges to bones, joints, intervertebral discs, and other musculoskeletal soft tissues, enabling these structures to obtain and maintain optimal strength, flexibility, and resilience.

Regular chiropractic care helps coordinate all your healthy lifestyle activities. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments as well as removing sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps all members of the family get the most out of their nutritional and exercise programs. As a result, regular chiropractic care assists children, adults, and seniors to achieve long-term health and well-being.

Huang YC, et al: Intervertebral disc regeneration: do nutrients lead the way? Nat Rev Rheumatol 10(9):561-566, 2014

Amin DB1 et al: Effect of degeneration on the six degree of freedom mechanical properties of human lumbar spine segments. J Orthop Res 34(8):1399-1409, 2016

Von Forell GA, et al: Low Back Pain: A Biomechanical Rational Based on "Patterns" of Disc Degeneration. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 40(15):1165-1172, 2015

Living With Pain

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:13:36 GMT

Chronic disease is a major problem in U.S. health care. More than one-third of Americans have one or more chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The personal costs to patients and families are often severe, daily, and ongoing. The economic costs to society are almost $1 trillion annually.

Heart disease includes high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, coronary artery obstruction, angina, and heart attacks. Most of these conditions represent a chain of events. Left untreated, of course, high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart attack and stroke.

Most cases of diabetes develop from a pre-diabetic state which is also known as insulin resistance. Insulin - a hormone produced by the pancreas - is necessary for cells to be able to absorb glucose from the bloodstream and use the glucose for energy. If cells become insulin resistant, glucose stays in the bloodstream, leading to a pre-diabetic condition.

Left untreated, pre-diabetes likely advances to diabetes, in which insulin resistance is combined with insulin depletion, as the pancreas loses its ability to produce this important hormone. Diabetes may lead to many severe problems, including kidney failure, and is a leading cause of death from heart failure.

Cancer is now being recognized as a chronic disease. Rather than being a mysterious disorder that occurs randomly, many cancers are now understood to have many elements in common with other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Pain is a common element to chronic disease. Affected persons often take daily pain medications. Most people become tolerant to their medication and require increasingly stronger doses. The pain of chronic disease is notoriously difficult to treat.

In recent years a holistic approach has been successfully applied in the treatment of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Chiropractic care is an important component of the holistic approach.

Chiropractic care helps restore more normal biomechanical function to the spine, which in turn improves the ability of the nerve system to effectively communicate with the rest of the body. Important benefits of this restored function may be an improvement in the body's ability to repair damaged tissues, a strengthened immune system, and reduced levels of musculoskeletal pain. Such improvements may help lead to improved daily functioning. As levels of pain decrease, a person may be able to engage in more physical activity. Multiple benefits follow.

Chiropractic care is a key part of an integrative approach to the management of the pain of chronic disease. Your local chiropractor will be glad to help you determine whether chiropractic care is right for you.

1"An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease". Santa Monica, CA, Milken Institute, 2007
2Eddy DM, et al: The metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk: implications for clinical practice. Int J Obes 32(Suppl 2):S5-S10, 2008
3"Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer". Washington, DC, American Institute for Cancer Research, 2007

Care of Concussions

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:10:02 GMT

Concussions are becoming increasingly common, especially among school-age athletes. It has been estimated that there are up to 3.8 million sports-related concussions in the United States each year. Concussions are problematic as, by definition, a concussive injury involves some degree of trauma to the brain. A concussion injury literally jolts the brain, causing this precious organ to bounce against the bony walls of the skull. The violence of the blow directly determines the degree and extent of brain cell damage. Importantly, any person can experience a concussion from having sustained a blow to the head. Falls are commonly implicated in a concussion history, especially in those who run or walk for exercise and may trip over a crack in the sidewalk or a hidden tree root on a trail, as well as in the elderly.

In 2013, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued its latest update on the Evaluation and Management of Concussion in Sports. The update, representing a summary of evidence-based guidelines, referenced several standardized symptom checklists including the Standardized Assessment of Concussion and the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale/Graded Symptom Checklist, both of which had moderate to high sensitivity and specificity in identifying sports-related concussions when administered soon after a suspected concussion. In 2013, the AAN also published Concussion During Sports Activities, a summary of evidence-based guidelines for patients and their families. The AAN documents note that concussion symptoms include headaches, dizziness, double vision, confusion, sensitivity to light or sound, and nausea and vomiting. Signs of a concussion that others can observe include slurred speech, changes in balance and coordination, a blank stare, and behavior and personality changes.

Concussion resolution may be evaluated by use of standardized checklists and return to age-matched normative values regarding cognitive performance and physiological function, as well as neurocognitive testing. An athlete who has sustained a concussion should not return to play/practice until her or his physician has assessed that the athlete is asymptomatic, the concussion has resolved, and the athlete is off medication.

Once a patient's concussion has resolved, chiropractic care can provide substantial assistance. A blow to the head necessarily involves trauma to the neck vertebras (cervical spine) and regional muscles, tendons, and ligaments. As well, an injury significant enough to cause a concussion can also cause damage to the spinal nerves in the neck. Such trauma can cause nerve irritation and interfere with the normal motion of the cervical spine. Spinal dysfunction and nerve irritation/interference can then cause a range of pain symptoms and altered physiological function, not only in the neck and shoulder region but also in other locations and other systems such as the gastrointestinal, immune, and endocrine systems.

By beginning or continuing regular chiropractic care once concussion symptoms have resolved, a post-concussion patient can obtain treatment that will help ensure that her or his spinal column and nerve system are functioning at peak capacity. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps post-concussion patients achieve and maintain optimal levels of health and well-being.

Broglio SP, et al: National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Management of Sport Concussion. J Athletic Train 49(2):245-265, 2014
American Academy of Neurology: Update: Evaluation and Management of Concussion in Sports, 2013 — https://www.aan.com/Guidelines/Home/GetGuidelineContent/583
American Academy of Neurology: Concussion During Sports Activities: Summary of Evidence-based Guidelines to Patients and Their Families, 2013 — https://www.aan.com/Guidelines/Home/GetGuidelineContent/586

Spring Forth!

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:43:15 GMT

Spring is arriving. The days are getting longer, the air is fresher, and the sunlight is brighter. Flowers and bushes are beginning to bloom. Tree sap is running and there are new baby animals in the world. In short, the world is being renewed and, if we choose to, we too can actively participate in this process of rebirth and rejuvenation.

We can get with nature's program, in a sense, by paying greater attention both to what's happening around us and what our bodies, our instinctive and intuitive selves, are telling us. For example, it's pretty likely that no one's inner physiological self is telling him to eat at a fast-food hamburger place every other day. It's pretty likely that no one's inner bodily compass is telling her to remain sedentary all day long, working all day, staying at home the rest of the time, and never going to the gym or doing any other form of exercise.

On the contrary, our bodies know what's good for us. Without any conditioned responses to get in the way, we would accurately notice our inner inclinations and respond appropriately. For example, in the wild, one never encounters an out-of-shape bird or squirrel. Rhododendrons and roses are never tired or fatigued. Lilacs and lilies never appear listless or depleted. All these living entities get their nourishment directly from the environment. All these living entities are constantly exercising throughout the day; flowers and plants by aligning themselves with the rays of the sun, following the earth's daily rotation, and birds and other animals by engaging in food-collecting, play and preening activities from dawn to dusk.

But humans have mechanization and labor-saving devices. In consequence, we no longer are required to engage in exercise to do our work and obtain sufficient nourishment. As well, in Western societies, we have vastly more food choices available than do our plant and animal friends. It's very easy for us to go long stretches of time without engaging in any vigorous exercise, and it's very easy to make food choices that appeal to our cravings rather than to appropriately reasonable nutrition.

Importantly, we have the ability to realign with nature's imperatives and, in the process, dramatically enhance our overall health and well-being. Such realignment includes eating a nutritious diet, including at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day and adhering to a weight-maintaining calorie limit of approximately 2000 calories per day for moderately active females and approximately 2500 calories per day for moderately active males. Doing at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise five days a week is another critical component of our process of getting healthy. As well, obtaining regular chiropractic care helps ensure that our bodies are functioning at peak capacity and able to derive maximum benefit from the good foods we're eating and the time we're spending exercising. Regular chiropractic care ties together all our other health-promoting activities. Your family chiropractor will be able to provide expert guidance and recommendations regarding achieving optimal health and well-being.

Mellendick K, et al: Diets Rich in Fruits and Vegetables Are Associated with Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Adolescents. Nutrients 10(2). pii: E136. doi:10.3390/nu10020136 2018
Hannan AL, et al: High-intensity interval training versus moderate-intensity continuous training within cardiac rehabilitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Open Access J Sports Med 9:1-17. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S150596. eCollection 2018.
Emary PC, et al: Management of Back Pain-related Disorders in a Community With Limited Access to Health Care Services: A Description of Integration of Chiropractors as Service Providers. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 40(9):635-642, 2017

Standing Tall

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:36:18 GMT

Young peoples' bones stop growing by approximately age 20, somewhat earlier in women and somewhat later in men. Long bone growth, that is, in the arm, forearm, thigh, and leg, ceases later and smaller bone growth, that is, in the hands, feet, and spine, ceases earlier. In essence, you're as tall as you're going to be by your mid- to late teens, and at the latest, by approximately age 20 or so. A great deal of a person's height is comprised of the length of her or his spine and approximately 25% of the length of an adult human spine consists of the thickness of the intervertebral discs.

Intervertebral discs (IVDs) are cartilaginous structures, composed of a gelatinous center termed the nucleus pulposus and thick fibrocartilage bands encircling and supporting the inner ball bearing–like nuclear material. Together, the inner and outer structures create a hydraulic mechanism which adapts, moment by moment, to mechanical forces, primarily those of gravity, impinging upon the human form. The intricate design of the IVD helps to distribute outer mechanical forces efficiently, so that no single physiological component is required to support an excessive force or weight. Thus, IVD integrity is essential to normal human activities, and appropriate maintenance of the IVD cartilaginous structure is necessary to help ensure effective performance.

Obtaining sufficient water is the primary nutritional requirement of intervertebral discs. Therefore, drinking four to eight glasses of water each day will greatly assist in supporting one's function as a physiological machine. As well, physical activity is needed to help pump fluids into the IVD cartilage. When one is sedentary, as most of us are during the large majority of our waking hours, IVDs progressively lose water content over the course of the day. Dehydrated IVDs may lead to diminished spinal range of motion and increased stiffness, which may in turn cause muscular inflammation, neck pain, and low back pain.

Thus, we want to be sure we're taking steps to keep our IVDs healthy. In addition to engaging in regular exercise and drinking enough water, making sure we get regular chiropractic care helps support the integrity and efficient functioning of our intervertebral discs and the workings of our spinal columns as a whole. By detecting and correcting dysfunction of spinal intervertebral joints, regular chiropractic care boosts the functioning of IVDs, increases the mobility of the spine in all three dimensions, and optimizes spinal performance. By participating in healthy lifestyles and getting regular chiropractic care, we help maximize our health and well-being now and into the future.

Vo NV, et al: Molecular mechanisms of biological aging in intervertebral discs. J Orthop Res 34(8):1289-1306, 2016
Bowden JA, et al: In vivo correlates between daily physical activity and intervertebral disc health. J Orthop Res Oct 4, 2017 doi: 10.1002/jor.23765. [Epub ahead of print]
Steele J, et al: Can specific loading through exercise impart healing or regeneration of the intervertebral disc? Spine J 15(10):2117-2121, 2015

An Apple a Day . . .

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:34:24 GMT

What is so good about an apple? Is it the color, ranging from ruby red to pale pink? Is it the crunch? The sweetness? Or is it, instead, a combination of all of these qualities, plus the natural goodness derived from the apple's secret ingredients — phytonutrients? If this were a multiple choice quiz, the answer would be "all of the above". Importantly, in addition to possessing numerous appealing physical qualities, apples contain an abundance of health-promoting biochemicals known as phytonutrients.1,2 These specific organic molecules are derived not only from apples but many other fresh fruits and vegetables, and help power the immune system, protect against cancer, maintain healthy eyes, and assist cells in clearing out metabolic waste products such as free radicals.

An apple may be considered one of Nature's abundant miracles, and all fruits, vegetables, and grains may be regarded in the same light. Fresh produce, including grains, are nutritious in that they provide us with vitamins, minerals, and raw materials for energy. As well, these foods help us attain and maintain optimal levels of health and well-being by furnishing us with a broad range of power-packed, almost magical chemical sequences, the phytonutrients, that assist each and every cell, tissue, organ system, and physiological structure do its job in the best way possible.3

These are some of the reasons why "an apple a day" is so important to good health. One could also add "an orange a day", "a tomato a day", "a squash a day", and "a serving of broccoli a day". Overall, a healthy lifestyle includes eating at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. Good nutrition helps support our other healthy lifestyle choices, including doing at least 30 minutes of regular, vigorous exercise each week and obtaining sufficient restful sleep. The time and effort we spend in consistently achieving these healthy lifestyles help us reap the substantial rewards of a lifetime of good health.

As well, regular chiropractic care helps us put everything together in the arena of long-term health and well-being. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and areas of spinal dysfunction, regular chiropractic care helps ensure that the nerve system, the body's master system, is working at peak capacity. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps ensure that all other physiological systems, including the cardiorespiratory, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems, are doing their jobs effectively. Regular chiropractic care helps us get the most out of our commitments to a healthy lifestyle and helps our families and ourselves achieve high levels of health and wellness.

Kashyap D, et al: Fisetin: A bioactive phytochemical with potential for cancer prevention and pharmacotherapy. Life Sci 194:75-87, 2018
Gammone MA, et al: Prevention of cardiovascular diseases with carotenoids. Front Biosci (Schol Ed) 9:165-171, 2017
Ghosh N, et al: Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Progress and Prospect with Herbal Medicine. Curr Pharm Des 22(2):247-264, 2016

When Your Spine Is In Line

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:30:35 GMT

Good spinal alignment means good biomechanical health. Essentially, your spine is the biomechanical center of your body. Your legs are connected to your spine via two large and strong pelvic bones. Your arms are connected to your spine via your shoulder blades, ribs, and numerous strong muscles and ligaments. Spinal alignment supports the functioning of all these associated components. When your spine is in line, then all of your body's mechanical abilities, such as bending forward and backward, twisting and turning, and walking and running are able to be performed at maximal levels.

In addition to the importance of spinal alignment for physical performance, spinal alignment is also a key factor in the functioning of all of your body's physiologic systems. In other words, spinal alignment is a critical element in obtaining and maintaining good health.1 Specifically, your spine houses and protects your spinal cord and 31 pairs of spinal nerves, the lengthy cord-like extension of your brain and the primary branches extending from that main trunk.

When your spine is out of alignment or misaligned, the small ligaments that hold the vertebras together and the small muscles that move those bones become irritated and inflamed. Left undetected, this soft tissue inflammation can affect the local spinal nerves, leading to nerve irritation. The resulting nerve interference disrupts the flow of information between your brain and the regions of your body supplied by the irritated spinal nerves, potentially resulting in loss of function or abnormal function of affected cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems. Nerve interference may cause muscle tightness and pain, as well as signs and symptoms of conditions affecting your gastrointestinal, immune, endocrine, and cardiorespiratory systems. Overall, spinal misalignment and nerve interference may be involved in causing a wide variety of conditions and disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system and other systems of your body.2,3

Regular chiropractic care plays a primary role in helping you and your family maintain high levels of health and well-being. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps optimize spinal functioning. As well, by directly addressing nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps information flow more freely between your brain and the rest of your body. As a result, all of your physiological systems receive and transmit more timely and accurate information regarding metabolic status, need for nutrients, and other requirements. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps us achieve more complete physiological performance and attain higher standards of overall health and wellness.

Wieland LS, et al: Yoga treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2017 doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010671.pub2
Coulter ID, et al: Manipulation and mobilization for treating chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Spine J: 2018 doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2018.01.013. [Epub ahead of print]
Yeganeh M, et al: The effectiveness of acupuncture, acupressure and chiropractic interventions on treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Clin Pract 18, 2017

A Book and Its Cover

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:23:26 GMT

A book cover may not necessarily tell the whole story and may not accurately portray the nature of the contents within. Publishing companies pay high salaries to their marketing staff to create cover copy that will entice prospective buyers to make a purchase. But many times the book itself does not live up to the hype. Similarly, fitness clubs and weight loss programs promote their services by pitching the ideal of slim, well-toned members; happy, young people whom you would be unlikely to ever encounter during your actual real life.

Commercial pitches typically focus on the superficial characteristics of whatever is being promoted. The well-worn guidance in advertising states, "It's not the steak. It's the sizzle." But in terms of health and wellness, what's happening on the inside is what counts. It may be personally gratifying to look good, but being buff does not by itself guarantee good health.

Many cautionary tales demonstrate the accuracy of this assessment, including the untimely demise in his early 50s of a renowned long-distance runner and best-selling author of a book that celebrated the running ethos. Ensuring long-lasting health and well-being is an ongoing process and requires commitment and dedication. The general components are: healthy nutrition, regular vigorous exercise, sufficient restful sleep and a positive mental attitude

It is likely that at various times, most of us will fail to fulfill one or more of these requirements. The key is to acknowledge that sometimes other life concerns take precedence and return to our healthy lifestyles as quickly as possible.

By incorporating healthy lifestyles in our daily activities, we train our bodies to work efficiently and effectively. The long-term result is optimal levels of health and wellness. When we eat nutritious foods, exercise regularly, and obtain necessary rest, all of our physiological systems obtain the resources they need to function well and work in harmony with every other system.

An additional support to achieving ongoing health and wellness is getting regular chiropractic care. Regular chiropractic care helps to ensure that your nerve system, your body's master system, is on the job and coordinating all of your body's internal functions that help to keep you well. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments that are sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps you and the members of your family be healthy and achieve wellness and your other life goals.

Griffiths K, et al: Food Antioxidants and Their Anti-Inflammatory Properties: A Potential Role in Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer Prevention. Diseases 2016 Aug 1;4(3). pii: E28. doi: 10.3390/diseases4030028
Saragiotto BT, et al: Motor control exercise for chronic non-specific low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016 Jan 8;(1) doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012004
Nowakowski S, et al: Sleep characteristics and inflammatory biomarkers among midlife women. Sleep 2018 Mar 30 doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsy049. [Epub ahead of print]

Smart Shoulders

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:08:59 GMT

Our shoulder joints have the greatest range of motion of any of the musculoskeletal joints in our bodies. The shoulder joint is really two joints, the glenohumeral joint between the arm bone (humerus) and the shoulder blade (scapula) and the acromioclavicular joint between the acromion (a bony projection off the scapula) and the collarbone (clavicle). The glenohumeral joint is a ball-and-socket joint and the acromioclavicular joint is a gliding joint.

Acting together, these joints enable the shoulder to achieve a full 360º of motion in both the frontal (side to side) and sagittal (front and back) three-dimensional planes. The important caveat is that this extensive freedom of motion comes with a price: the shoulder not only has the most mobility, but is also the most unstable joint in the body.

The glenohumeral joint may be easily dislocated, most typically by a fall on an outstretched arm. The ligaments of the acromioclavicular joint are easily sprained and the joint itself is easily dislocated. Acromioclavicular joint injuries may be described as "AC separations". Overall, injuries to the shoulder joint are common, most frequently experienced by people participating in exercise activities and sports and by older people as a result of a fall.

The shoulder joint has built-in protection in the form of the four muscles comprising the rotator cuff, the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.1 The rotator cuff muscles participate in all shoulder joint and upper arm motions and provide stabilization to the shoulder as the joint moves through three-dimensional space. But the rotator cuff muscle group is itself subject to injury (muscle tears) and degeneration as a person ages of the tendons that attach the muscles to the shoulder and arm bones.

Thus, the shoulder joint needs additional protections to maintain its structural integrity and mechanical performance.

In days gone by, people did demanding physical work every day, automatically providing training and resilience to the anatomical components of the shoulder. But in the 21st century, with the decline of the farming and manufacturing sectors and the rise of the service economy, most people no longer engage in actual physical work. As a result, most of us require regular vigorous exercise to maintain physical fitness and good health. With specific respect to the shoulder, upper body strength training exercises will help provide the necessary activity and mobility to ensure ongoing functionality of our shoulder joints. 2,3

As well, obtaining regular chiropractic care helps ensure that our spines are working properly, providing effective mechanical support to our shoulder joints, and that our nerve systems are working at high levels to coordinate all the physiological activities necessary to our long-term health and well-being.

Sangwan S, et al: Stabilizing characteristics of rotator cuff muscles: a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil 37(12):1033-1043, 2015
Heron SR, et al: Comparison of three types of exercise in the treatment of rotator cuff tendinopathy/shoulder impingement syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. Physiotherapy 103(2):167-173, 2017
Abdulla SY, et al: Is exercise effective for the management of subacromial impingement syndrome and other soft tissue injuries of the shoulder? A systematic review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. Man Ther 20(5):646-656, 2015

Wellness Gardens

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:02:20 GMT

Wellness Gardens

When time is spent in an office or indoors day in and day out, some can lose that connection to the outside world. And that loss of connection can lead to higher stress levels and more health ailments without even realizing it. But when that the gap between office life and outdoor life is bridged, quality of life - and health - improves.

By adding in simple garden tasks or small DIY home improvement projects to your to-do list outside of work hours, you can go back to reclaiming that connection. It can also help ease stress, keep you active and limber (garden yoga anyone?), and even improve your mood. Who could use a little mood booster?

Stress Relief

When one puts down their smartphones and picks up a spade and some gardening gloves, you not only give your mind a rest, but your body a rest too. Think of how your body reacts and responds when you’re scrolling through updates on your phone or computer? How is your posture? Are you tensed up? By setting the phone down and doing something more soothing - like most gardening tasks - you can effortlessly reduce the tension in your body and work on posture and body awareness.

Exercise

While gardening doesn’t seem like exercise, digging, planting, weeding, and other garden activities take some level of physical exertion. And, over time, stretching and strength can be improved through simple gardening tasks. What’s best about most small DIY home improvement tasks, like gardening, is that you can change your exertion level depending on the needs of your body -- it’s a hobby you won’t have to complete give up as your body ages.

Injury Protection and Proper Chiropractic Care

With any level of physical exertion, one should make sure that they are taking the necessary precautions to prevent injuries. The increase in physical exertion through gardening and small projects may not feel like a huge change all at once but being aware of how to avoid injury through resistance training and proper alignment can help in the long run.

Proper chiropractic care, such as regular spinal adjustments, developing muscle balance, ensuring pelvic alignment, etc can help prepare one’s body for any level of physical exertion. That way the stress relieving properties of gardening and home improvement won’t be lost to injury. By educating yourself on the preventative measures one can take through chiropractic care, you can enjoy all of the health benefits of the outdoors!

Summer Sports

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:57:34 GMT

Summer Sports

In the summertime, everyone's thoughts turn to the outdoors. We want to get out in the sun and have some fun. Some people do exercise outdoors, such as running, walking, and biking, all year long regardless of the weather.1 For others, summer's warmer temperatures make activity outside the house or the gym more inviting, and tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer fields, and baseball diamonds become filled with younger and older athletes, all looking to bounce, hit, or kick a ball around with their friends and opponents. Other summer activities include surfing and rollerblading, and although these activities may also be done year round, many people prefer to get their boarding and blading in when temperatures are subjectively more conducive.

Summer sports provide substantial personal satisfaction as well as health and wellness benefits. Any exercise, after all, is good exercise. But exercise needs to be done in context. For example, if you haven't done any type of exercise since last summer, attempting to play three sets of tennis your first time on the court will likely lead to trouble, specifically, a strained muscle, sprained ligament, or worse. Similarly, trying to run up and down a basketball court or trying to leap to snag a sharp line drive during a baseball game may cause an immediate problem if you are out of condition.

The best course of action is to re-engage in summer sports slowly, a little at a time.2 Even better, of course, is to participate in a consistent program of regular vigorous exercise throughout the year. Federal and healthcare professional guidelines recommend doing at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise five days a week. Engaging in an ideal program of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and core exercise on a weekly basis provides a level of fitness that supports all types of summer sports.

Here’s why:

Strength training enables your body to bear heavy loads throughout full ranges of motion of various joint structures such as the ankle, knee, hip, and lower back.

Cardiovascular exercise increases the amount of blood your heart pumps on each beat and trains your lungs to take in more air on each breath.

Core exercises enhance your body's ability to support loads under suddenly changing three-dimensional forces such as twisting, pivoting, bending, and lifting.3

Regular chiropractic care supports all of your exercise and sporting activities, in addition to strengthening your immune system and optimizing the functioning of your nerve system, your body's master system. By detecting, analyzing, and correcting spinal misalignments and other sources of nerve irritation, regular chiropractic care helps ensure that you and your family will enjoy a summer filled with enjoyable activities. As well, regular chiropractic care helps ensure long-term health and wellness for you and your family throughout the year.

Bezerra P, et al: The influence of winter and summer seasons on physical fitness in aged population. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 76:80-84, 2018
Evans EW, et al: Promoting health and activity in the summer trial: Implementation and outcomes of a pilot study. Prev Med Rep 10:87-92, 2018
Coulombe BJ, et al: Core Stability Exercise Versus General Exercise for Chronic Low Back Pain. J Athl Train 52(1):71-72, 2017

Dynamic Warm-ups

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:54:26 GMT

In a common occurrence, you bend over to pick up the pencil you inadvertently dropped on the floor. Or you bend over to pick up the soap bar that has slipped through your fingers in the shower. Or you bend over to lift a bag of groceries out of your automobile trunk. These are all daily events. But on a certain day, at a certain time, during one of these innocuous activities you suddenly experience a sharp, excruciating, grabbing pain in your lower back. You might be unable to fully straighten up after such an episode, and it might take a week or more for you to recover completely. In the meantime, you have a lot of pain and it seems as if the slightest movement causes substantial discomfort. You may say to yourself that you'll do anything to avoid a recurrence of such a troublesome injury.

Fortunately, there is a great deal that we all can do to help ensure that our musculoskeletal system, specifically the spine and the associated spinal muscles and ligaments, is well-trained and functioning at high levels. A primary cause of lower back injuries is biomechanical dysfunction, and our preventive and rehabilitative efforts are directed toward restoring efficient and effective spinal and core biomechanics.

Regular vigorous exercise is essential in any program whose goal is to optimize biomechanical function. Ideally, your exercise program includes both strength training and cardiovascular exercise. By engaging in both categories of exercise, you enhance the benefits of each. Training effects include increased heart and lung capacity, slowed heart rate, increased strength and endurance, improved balance, increased mobility and agility, and increased ability to do various types of physical work.

These benefits are enhanced by incorporating dynamic warm-up activities in your exercise routine.1 A dynamic warm-up prepares your body to do vigorous exercise. Activities such as jumping jacks, squats, lunges, gluteus bridge, and the grapevine literally warm-up your muscles and joints and prepare your musculoskeletal system for your exercise session. As well, core exercises such as the plank, leg lifts, leg crossovers, and pushups train your abdominal muscles and back muscles, helping ensure you have a strong "center" from which to initiate all of your exercise activities.2,3

Getting regular chiropractic care helps ensure that you're obtaining the most benefit from the time and effort you spend exercising. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and removing sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps make sure that your spine is working properly and that your nervous system is free to effectively control and coordinate all your other physiological systems. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps you and everyone in your family exercise at peak capacity and enjoy ongoing health and well-being.

Asadi A, et al: The Effects of Plyometric Training on Change-of-Direction Ability: A Meta-Analysis. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 11(5):563-573 2016
Hoppes CW, et al: The efficacy of an eight-week core stabilization program on core muscle function and endurance: a randomized trial. Int J Sports Phys Ther 11(4):507-519, 2016
Bullo V, et al: The effects of Pilates exercise training on physical fitness and wellbeing in the elderly: A systematic review for future exercise prescription. Prev Med 75:1-11, 2015

Peak Experiences

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:49:44 GMT

The American philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau roamed far and wide over the hills and mountains of his native Massachusetts and neighboring New Hampshire. In his masterwork, "Walden," Thoreau famously stated that we must "reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us even in our soundest sleep." One of Thoreau's primary methods for maintaining such wakefulness was to explore the natural world and spend significant time outdoors every day.

Those who live in New England may literally walk in Thoreau's footsteps, rambling around the countryside in the environs of his native Concord, Massachusetts, and climbing the regional mountains of Wachusett, Greylock, Wantastiquet, Katahdin, and Monadnock. Those of us who live elsewhere may recreate Thoreau's sense of awe, wonder, and accomplishment by discovering the beauty and grandeur of our own locales, whether they be the desert landscapes of the American southwest, the sweeping vistas of the Canadian heartland, or the dense forests of central Europe. The great thing, as Thoreau knew, is to get outside, walk around, and reacquaint and reintegrate ourselves with our environment and the abundance of life surrounding us.

The exercise we obtain by adhering to Thoreau's prescriptions provides ongoing vigorous physical activity and contributes substantially to our long-term health and well-being. Such outdoor exercise can be done by anyone, including young children and the oldest of seniors.1,2 Some may want to climb actual hills and mountains, but staying right at sea level will also provide quality exercise that is profoundly beneficial. The key for all of us is to exercise regularly. Exercising five days a week, for at least 30 minutes each day, is optimal and such a program is recommended by federal governments and healthcare organizations. As well, optimal weekly exercise includes both strength training and cardiovascular activities. These two forms of exercise are synergistic in that doing one type of exercise reinforces the benefits of the other. When you engage in both cardiovascular and strength training exercises on a regular basis, you quickly make gains in the areas of strength, endurance, coordination, balance, and flexibility. As well, we may notice that physical fitness enhances our ability to concentrate, be creative, generate new ideas, and get more done.3

Regular chiropractic care is an important component of all our physical fitness and wellness activities and helps ensure that all of our physiological systems are functioning at peak capacity. Regular chiropractic care optimizes our spinal biomechanics and the flow of information through our nerve systems, and helps make sure that all the processes that keep us healthy and well are coordinated and working in harmony. Overall, regular chiropractic care helps us obtain the most from our exercise program and contributes substantially to the health and well-being of our families and ourselves.

Soga M, et al: Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Prev Med Res 5:92-99, 2016
Jenkins DW, Jenks A: Hiking with Diabetes: Risks and Benefits. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 107(5):382-392, 2017
Schuch FB, et al: Exercise for depression in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials adjusting for publication bias. Rev Bras Psiquiatr 38(3):247-254, 2016

Left-Handers Day

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:45:29 GMT

Left-Handers Day

Left-Handers Day, celebrated on August 15th, was launched in 1992 by the Left-Handers Club, an organization based in the United Kingdom. Since then, Left-Handers Day has become a worldwide event and social media phenomenon. Around the world, approximately one in ten persons is left-handed. But we live in an overwhelmingly right-handed environment, the most notorious example of which is the traditional schoolroom desk with the writing surface attached to the right side.

Left-handers, familiar since childhood with the necessity of overcoming various mechanical and furniture-related obstacles, may derive comfort from the fact that they are perceived as unique, different, and gifted with more intelligence and creativity than the average individual. Famous left-handers in the arts, sciences, and political arena include Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Friedrich Nietzsche, Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, Isaac Newton, Julius Caesar, Barack Obama, H.G. Wells, and Oprah Winfrey.

Being left-handed implies that such a person's cerebral cortex is "right-brain dominant", with the assumption that she or he will have additional skills in the areas of music, metaphor, imagination, and cognition of non-verbal information. But being creative requires more than mere aptitude and raw neural network processing power.1 The creation of a work of art or achievement in a field of scientific endeavor, as well as being a leader at any political level, requires discipline and dedication and the willingness to explore and investigate new ideas and new associations.2,3

As with all life skills, talents, and abilities, one's creativity is assisted immeasurably by ongoing health and wellness. It is certainly possible to succeed at a high level despite chronic illness, but long-term health makes more energy available on a more regular basis to help facilitate the creative process. Long-term well-being is established by the consistent lifestyle choices of good nutrition, regular vigorous exercise, and getting sufficient restful sleep.

Good nutrition is provided on a daily basis by eating foods from the four major food groups, that is, healthy protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as consuming healthy oils and plenty of water each day. Regular vigorous exercise consists of both cardiovascular and strength training routines, done for at least 30 minutes five days a week.

Regular chiropractic care assists all of us, ourselves and our families, to participate fully in these healthful lifestyle activities. As well, regular chiropractic care provides a long-term boost to our creative faculties. By helping to improve the performance of our nerve system, our body's master system, regular chiropractic care facilitates the flow of information from the brain to the rest of the body and back again. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps ensure open channels of nerve conduction and helps enhance the creative process. As a result, everyone, left-handers and right-handers too, can achieve greater fulfillment of our creative potential and flourishing as human beings.

Fink A, Benedek M: EEG alpha power and creative ideation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 44:111-23, 2014
Wiggins GA: Creativity, information, and consciousness: The information dynamics of thinking. Phys Life Rev 2018 May 7. pii: S1571-0645(18)30059-9. doi: 10.1016/j.plrev.2018.05.001. [Epub ahead of print]
Allen R, Heaton P: Can shared mechanisms of cultural evolution illuminate the process of creativity within the arts and the sciences. Prog Brain Res 237:61-75, 2018

Repetitive Motion Injuries

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:40:23 GMT

A repetitive motion injury (or overuse injury) involves doing an action over and over again, as with a baseball pitcher throwing a baseball, a tennis player hitting a tennis ball, typing at a computer keyboard, and most notoriously, typing with your thumbs on the tiny keypad of your phone. It may be reasonably asserted that our musculoskeletal systems were not designed for such repeated motion sequences utilizing small muscle groups, but rather for a wide variety of tasks involving bending, lifting, twisting and turning, and walking and running that confronted early human progenitors a million and more years ago.

The repeated movements implicated in overuse injuries cause inflammatory reactions, which affect muscle-tendon units that move bones and ligaments that hold joints together.1 The short-term result may be achy or sharp pain localized to a specific muscle or joint. Longer-term results of repetitive motion injuries include more frequent pain, possibly experienced throughout the day, and more significant structural damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In the case or carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive use may permanently damage nerve bundles that supply the muscles and other soft tissues of the hand.2

Overall, it would be optimal to avoid repetitive motions altogether, but for almost all of us this is simply not an option. It would certainly be sensible to restrict typing on the keypad of our phones, but limiting typing on a full-size keyboard would conflict with the work environment in which most of us earn our livelihood. Whether we are writers, healthcare professionals, members of a sales team, data analysts, or human resource administrators at government or nonprofit agencies, working at a computer comprises a substantial portion of our work week, and may even extend into one or both days of what used to be known as a "weekend". Similarly, athletes are not going to stop or limit participation in their sport owing to the possibility of a future repetitive motion injury.

The solution lies in a prevention program that incorporates graduated, comprehensive strength training activities into our regular exercise routines.3 Performing upper and lower body strength training exercises each week trains both large and small muscles groups to adapt to mechanical loads throughout a full range of motion. Beginners start with light weights and gradually increase the number of repetitions and the amount of the weight being lifted. Those who have done strength training in the past may have a shorter learning curve and more quickly re-adapt themselves to this critical and rewarding exercise environment. The key for everyone is to exercise each major muscle group, that is, the chest, back, shoulders, arms, and legs, at least one time per week on a consistent, ongoing basis.

Regular chiropractic care assists all of us in our exercise activities and in achieving our long-term health and wellness goals. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care enables our bodies to receive and incorporate the full benefits of our healthy lifestyle choices, including healthy nutrition, sufficient restful sleep, and regular vigorous exercise. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps our families and ourselves to live full, healthy lives.

Warrender WJ, et al A Seasonal Variation in the Prevalence of Common Orthopaedic Upper Extremity Conditions. J Wrist Surg 7(3):232-236, 2018
Inge Petter Kleggetveit IP, Jørum E: Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome Scand J Pain Published Online: 2018-06-12; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2018-0089
Pogorzelski J, Nonoperative treatment of five common shoulder injuries: A critical analysis. Obere Extrem 13(2):89-97, 2018; doi: 10.1007/s11678-018-0449-1

Back to School and Mental Wellness

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:32:19 GMT

Summer is a subjectively fleeting season and school days are upon us once again. For children, this bittersweet time marks the completion of a period of relative freedom and the beginning of a new set of responsibilities. For adults, the onset of late summer and early fall signals yet another turn of the wheel of life, reminding us of our mortality on the one hand and of all we have accomplished and have yet to achieve during our time on earth on the other.

For both children and adults, mental wellness is a key component of our successful adaptation to the changing seasons. Such mental well-being is especially important during the time of transition to a new school year. Hopes and expectations are high, and yet the change of scene may be daunting, for both the children and the parents. New teachers, new classmates, new relationships, and new academic challenges directly confront a child's settled view of the world and the wishes and desires of parents for their child's ongoing development as a human being and future contributing member of society.

As the child will be spending significant portions of her or his day in the school environment, it is critically important to ensure that healthy lifestyle choices are proactively available.1,2 Healthy lifestyle choices include providing a variety of nutritious foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, at snack times and at lunch. As well, daily vigorous exercise is a necessary component of all school programs, beginning with the youngest grades and continuing all the way through high school. From a public policy perspective, addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH) will help to foster a rich and rewarding school experience.3 The SDOH include sufficient green space in both the city center and surrounding communities, especially with respect to the inner city. The built environment is a key component of the SDOH, including working street lights, sufficient four-way stop signs, clearly marked pedestrian crossings, and ensuring that school buildings are adhering to all safety codes.

Mental well-being for the entire family is supported by regular chiropractic care. By correcting spinal misalignments and eliminating sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps our bodies to function at optimal capacity. Regular chiropractic care helps remove the causes of many musculoskeletal aches and pains, headaches, fatigue, irritability, and nervousness. In this way, regular chiropractic care reduces and removes sources of mental stress, and helps our mental and physiological processes to work in unison. The result is improved ability to focus and concentrate, improved creativity, and improved overall mental wellness. Regular chiropractic care helps ensure the health and well-being of all of us, parents and students alike.

1 Hager ER, et al: Implementation of Local Wellness Policies in Schools: Role of School Systems, School Health Councils, and Health Disparities. J Sch Health 86(10):742-750, 2016
Profili E, et al: School wellness team best practices to promote wellness policy implementation. Prev Med 101:34-37, 2017
Wolfenden L, et al: Strategies for enhancing the implementation of school-based policies or practices targeting risk factors for chronic disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2017 Nov 29;11:CD011677. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011677.pub2. Review. PMID: 29185627

The Benefits of Sleep for Adults

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:28:14 GMT

Obtaining sufficient restful sleep is an essential requirement for optimal human productivity. Such a practice is a key component of a healthy lifestyle, which includes a nutritious diet, regular vigorous exercise, and a positive mental attitude. How much sleep one needs varies from person to person. Importantly, failure to obtain sufficient restful sleep will negatively impact every aspect of one's physiological and cognitive capabilities and functioning.1, 2

Sleep itself and the process of sleep have been celebrated throughout the centuries by the world's greatest poets. In "To Sleep", John Keats described the "soft embalmer of the still midnight". "How to Sleep", by Philip Larkin, described how "minds are wiped calm as sea-leveled sands". And William Blake, in "Cradle Song", declared "Sleep sleep beauty bright, Dreaming in the joys of night". These few examples highlight the inspiration that poets and other artists derive from the marvels of the gift of sleep.

But despite the words of the poets, we generally take sleep for granted, usually erring on the side of getting too little sleep. Many people take pride in and even brag about their seeming ability to get things done and meet all the demands of their day on five or six hours of sleep per night. However, what these "hard-chargers" fail to disclose is their need for four or more cups of coffee every day, their irritability and high blood pressure, and their chronically dysfunctional gastrointestinal system. As with exercise and diet, we may be able to fail to fulfill our body's requirement for sufficient restful sleep for a certain number of weeks or even months, but the impact of not taking care of ourselves with almost certainly catch up with us in the not-too-distant future.

Sleeping the appropriate amount of hours makes all one's other activities possible. By metaphorically resetting the biological clock on heart rate, respiration, hormonal function, immune system performance, and digestive functioning, sufficient restful sleep gets us ready for the next day's round of engagements.3 The basic average sleep requirement of eight hours makes this global biological reset possible. Some people may do well on an average of 7 hours of restful sleep per night. Others require nine hours of sleep to be fully refreshed. Critically, each of us needs to acknowledge our authentic sleep requirement and make sure to obtain that amount of sleep on a regular basis.

Regular chiropractic care assists us in fulfilling our healthy lifestyle activities, including helping us to obtain sufficient restful sleep. By detecting, analyzing, and correcting sources of spinal dysfunction and nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps ensure optimal functioning of the nerve system, our body's master system. Regular chiropractic care reduces and removes musculoskeletal causes of nerve irritability and helps provide an environment in which we can go to sleep comfortably and sleep consistently through the night. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps us achieve our healthy lifestyle goals and improve our long-term health and well-being.

Hombali A, Seow E, Yuan Q, et al: Prevalence and correlates of sleep disorder symptoms in psychiatric disorders. Psychiatry Res. 2018 Jul 6. pii: S0165-1781(18)30268-3. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.07.009.
Andersen ML, Araujo P, Frange C, et al: Sleep disturbance and pain: a tale of two common problems. Chest. 2018 Jul 27. pii: S0012-3692(18)31113-9. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.07.019.
García-Perdomo HA, Zapata-Copete J, Rojas-Cerón CA: Sleep duration and risk of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2018 Jul 30:1-11. doi: 10.1017/S2045796018000379.

What is Flexion-Distraction Therapy?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:17:02 GMT

Could Flexion-Distraction Therapy Help My Pain?

Most of us experience pain in our muscles and joints occasionally. If we're lucky, the uncomfortable symptoms subside after just a few days. For some people, pain becomes a chronic condition that lasts months or years.

Although pain medication can be helpful, it often causes nausea, dizziness and other unpleasant side effects that can make it difficult to drive or keep up with your usual workload. Flexion-distraction therapy, a natural, non-surgical technique offered by your chiropractor, provides an effective, alternative pain relief option.

What Is Flexion-Distraction Therapy?

Flexion-distraction therapy is performed on a segmented table that moves as your chiropractor slowly manipulates your spine. The manipulations, combined with the movements of the table, stretch and decompress your spine, relieving your back, leg, neck, or arm pain.

As your chiropractor performs the gentle manipulations, a section of the treatment table drops or moves, changing the positioning of your body. When your body drops slightly, gravity enhances the effects of treatment and helps realign your spine.

What Are the Benefits of the Treatment?

Flexion-distraction therapy can:

Reduce pressure on your spinal nerves and discs
Decrease bulging of herniated discs
Improve range of motion and mobility
Help you manage chronic back pain
Relieve stiffness
Decrease neck pain and headaches
Eliminate or delay the need for surgery in some cases
Promote good disc health
Relieve pain and numbness in the back, buttocks, arms, and legs
Improve posture

In a study published in The Journal of Physical Therapy Science, researchers examined the effects of flexion-distraction manipulation on patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. The condition occurs when the spinal canal narrows and presses against the nerves that serve the lower back and legs, causing pain, weakness, numbness, and cramping.

Study participants who received flexion-distraction manipulation as part of their therapy experienced a greater reduction of their painful symptoms than those patients whose treatment did not include the technique.

Will Flexion-Distraction Help Me?

In addition to improving spinal stenosis symptoms, flexion-distraction can also be used to treat many other types of back pain. It may reduce pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis and improve spinal movement in patients who have scoliosis.

Flexion-distraction therapy can be helpful if you have sacroiliac syndrome, ankylosing spondylitis, sciatica, spondylolisthesis, sprains, and strains. It's also very effective in treating muscle spasms or low back pain unrelated to a specific condition.

The technique is gentle enough to use after spinal surgery and can be an important part of your recovery treatment plan. If you have osteoporosis or another condition that affects your bones, some treatments may be too risky. Luckily, flexion-distraction is gentle enough that it can be a safe therapy option for people who have brittle bones or are frail.

Flexion-distraction therapy may even be helpful in treating knee pain. In a study published in The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, patients who had either acute or chronic knee pain received flexion-distraction therapy for two to three weeks. At the end of the treatment period, the mean pain scale score dropped from 7.7 to 1.8. Patients who suffered from chronic knee pain maintained their results by receiving the therapy once every month.

Are you tired of living in pain? Flexion-distraction therapy may offer the ideal way to relieve your symptoms, whether you've been experiencing pain for a few days or weeks, or you have a chronic condition. Call us to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

NCBI: European Spine Journal: The Global Spine Care Initiative, 9/27/18

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29480409

NCBI: Journal of Physical Therapy Science: Effects of Flexion-Distraction Manipulation Therapy on Pain and Disability in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, 6/30/15

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500015/

Chiropractic Economics: The Extensive Benefits of a Chiropractic Flexion Table, 9/15/16

https://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic-flexion-distraction-tables/

NCBI The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association: Innovative Application of Cox Flexion Distraction Decompression to the Knee: A Retrospective Case Series

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596966/

Chiropractic and Headaches

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:13:53 GMT

Chiropractic Care May Help Your Headache Pain

Headaches are often dismissed as minor ailments that can be easily cured simply by popping a few over-the-counter pain relievers. Although pain medication may be helpful for occasional headaches, it's not always effective for chronic headache pain. Pain relievers can also cause liver or kidney damage and other serious side effects if you take too many of them. Fortunately, chiropractic care offers a drug-free treatment option.

What Kind of Headache Do You Have?

Chiropractors often treat patients who have these types of headaches:

Tension Headaches: Tension headaches occur when the muscles in your neck and head contract and become too tight. You may feel tightness and pain in your forehead only, or the pain may wrap around to the back your head and your neck. The headaches can be caused by stress, poor posture, or even looking down at your cellphone for hours.
Migraine Headaches: Migraine, the sixth most disabling illness in the world, affects 18 percent of women, 6 percent of men and 10 percent of children in the U.S., according to the Migraine Research Foundation. Pain, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, in addition to other unpleasant symptoms, can affect the quality of your life and make it difficult to work or care for your family.
Cluster Headaches: These extremely painful headaches typically occur on one side of the head and last 10 minutes to several hours. They're called "cluster" headaches because sufferers usually get multiple headaches in one day. The headaches can disappear for months at a time and may reappear at the same times every year.

How Do Chiropractors Treat Headaches?

Treatment options depend on the type of headache you have, but may include:

Spinal Manipulation: Manipulation relieves pressure on your joints, realigns your spine, improves blood flow, and helps relax tight muscles. Your chiropractor uses his or her hands or an activator to apply quick, forceful pressure to the vertebrae. Spinal manipulation is particularly helpful if nerve irritation triggers your migraines or cluster headaches. Manipulation relieves pressure on your nerves, easing your pain and reducing the frequency of your headaches.
Spinal Mobilization: Spinal mobilization involves gentle, hands-on pressure that stretches your spine, improves joint function, and helps ease tension in the muscles between the vertebrae. Since tense muscles can be an issue no matter what type of headache you experience, mobilization can be very effective.
Massage: Massage is often included in treatment plans for headaches. The therapy loosens tight muscles, improves range of motion, increases blood flow, and may help reduce the frequency of your headaches. Regular massages also reduce stress, which can be a factor if you get tension headaches.
Flexion-Distraction Therapy: This therapy is performed on a segmented table that moves or drops as your chiropractor gently manipulates your vertebrae. Flexion-distraction therapy reduces stiffness, improves range of motion in your back and neck, and may even help decrease the number of headaches you get every month.

Your treatment plan might include a few other types of therapy, including ice and heat therapy, ultrasound treatment, or electrotherapy. Improving your posture and strengthening the muscles that support your head and neck may also be helpful. Your chiropractor can recommend exercises, make suggestions that will help you improve your posture, and provide advice about a healthy diet.

Is Chiropractic Treatment Effective?

In a case series published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine, researchers discussed the case of a 31-year-old patient whose migraines become chronic after two pregnancies. After chiropractic treatment, she experienced fewer migraines. During the 10th month, she reported no headaches during the entire month.

Another case study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care examined the case of a 44-year old woman who suffered from daily headaches that didn't respond to pain medication. During her treatment, spinal manipulation, ultrasound, and other therapies were used.

After three months of treatment, her headache pain began to subside. The pain was completely eliminated by six months.

Are you tired of living with headache or migraine pain? We can help you control your symptoms naturally. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Migraine Research Foundation: About Migraine

https://migraineresearchfoundation.org/about-migraine/migraine-facts/

American Chiropractic Association: Headaches and Chiropractic

https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/Health-Wellness-Information/Headaches-and-Chiropractic

NCBI: Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care: Long-Term Relief from Tension-Type Headache and Major Depression Following Chiropractic Treatment, May/June 2018

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6069670/

Global Advances in Health and Medicine: Integrating Chiropractic Care into the Treatment of Migraine Headaches in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Case Series, 3/28/19

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2164956119835778

How to Make Sure Your Chiropractic Adjustment Lasts

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:09:27 GMT

How to Extend the Effects of Your Chiropractic Adjustment

Depending on the things you do after your visit to the chiropractor, the effects of your treatment can last days or just a few hours. Fortunately, you can extend the positive effects of your adjustments by following a few simple guidelines.

Pay Attention to Your Posture

Poor posture can contribute to spinal misalignments, tight muscles and other uncomfortable symptoms. Although you may feel better after the adjustment, your results won't last very long if you slouch or spend hours hunched over your laptop or phone. When you use your phone or another digital device, hold it at eye level if possible. Constantly looking down at devices puts enormous strain on your neck and may even cause permanent damage to your spine if you don't change your habits.

Use Ergonomic Furniture

Slouching may be unavoidable if your chair and desk force your body into an uncomfortable position. Ergonomic chairs keep your spine properly aligned, support your lower back, and distribute your weight evenly. When they're combined with ergonomic desks and keyboards, you may be much less likely to experience aches and pains at the end of the day.

Standing desks offer another ergonomic option. Using a standing desk several times throughout the day can reduce pain in your upper back and neck and may improve your productivity. The desks are adjustable and move up and down to allow you to move easily from a seated to a standing position.

Take Regular Breaks

Improving your posture and using ergonomic furniture can help you keep your spine properly aligned, but pain may still be a problem if you spend long hours at your desk. Add frequent breaks to your daily schedule to prevent pain and discomfort. Take a short walk (even if it's only to the end of the hall) and do a few stretches before you return to your desk.

Avoid Awkward Movements or Lifting

Activities that involve awkward movements or require you to contort your body can cause aches and pains. Painting the ceiling or digging new posts for your fence the day after your treatment can reverse the results of your adjustment.

Poor lifting techniques can also ruin the effects of chiropractic adjustments. Don't be afraid to ask for help and use your knees and legs, rather than your back, when you lift.

Fill Your Water Bottle

Water helps your body get rid of toxins that are released after an adjustment. Increasing your water intake for a few days after your treatment can be very beneficial. Water improves joint lubrication, which may help keep your joints become more flexible. Upping your water intake can also help you avoid dehydration, a condition that can cause headaches, muscle weakness, dizziness, fatigue, and irritability.

Get a Little Exercise

Although you won't want to participate in strenuous activities soon after an adjustment, low-impact exercise will help keep your muscles loose and improve your range of motion. Walking, swimming, biking, yoga, Pilates and other forms of exercise will enhance your adjustment results.

Your chiropractor may have taught you a few exercises you can do at home to improve the strength and flexibility of your muscles. These exercises are an important part of your treatment plan and should be performed as often as your chiropractor recommends.

Don't Skimp on Sleep

Sleep plays a pivotal role in the healing process. While you're sleeping, your body repairs muscles and tissues and produces hormones that reduce inflammation. If you don't get seven to eight hours of sleep every night, you may be unwittingly sabotaging the effects of your chiropractic treatment.

Do you sleep on your back? This position may be a factor in your pain. The American Chiropractic Association notes that you put approximately 50 pounds of pressure on your back when you sleep on it.

Chiropractic adjustments offer a simple, natural way to control pain in your joints and muscles. Contact us if you're ready to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

CEO World Magazine: 7 Benefits of Ergonomic Office Chairs You Shouldn't Miss

https://ceoworld.biz/2019/03/18/7-benefits-of-ergonomic-office-chair-you-shouldnt-miss/

American Chiropractic Association: Tips for a Healthy Spine

https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/Health-Wellness-Information/Spinal-Health

Spine-Health: Exercise and Chiropractic Therapy

https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/exercise-and-chiropractic-therapy

Chiropractic and Vertigo

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 18:00:41 GMT

Chiropractic Treatment May Relieve Your Vertigo

It's hard to focus on anything when the room feels as if it's constantly spinning due to vertigo. The condition affects nearly 40 percent of us at some point in our lives, according to University of California San Francisco Health. If vertigo has disrupted your life, chiropractic treatment may offer the relief you desperately need.

When You Can't Get Off the Merry-Go-Round

Vertigo can make you feel as if you're on an amusement park ride that never ends. In addition to the spinning sensation, you may also experience dizziness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty walking and speaking, headaches, sweating, and jerky eye movements.

Medications can stop or reduce nausea and vomiting and help you feel less dizzy, but your symptoms may return if you stop taking the medication. Chiropractic treatment targets the source of your problem without the use of medication.

Common Causes of Vertigo

Vertigo can be caused by:

Injuries. You may first notice vertigo after a head or neck injury.
Misalignments and Dislocations. Vertigo may be more likely to occur if your spine isn't aligned properly or your vertebrae are dislocated.
Inner Ear Problems. Your inner ear plays an important role in balance. Infections and conditions that affect the inner ear can be the cause of vertigo.
Meniere's Disease. The disease causes vertigo, ringing in your ears and hearing loss.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV can be caused by aging or head trauma and occurs when calcium carbonate crystals in the inner ear become dislodged and enter the semicircular canals deep inside your ears. The crystals interfere with the normal movement of fluid in the canals, triggering vertigo symptoms.
Your Habits. Vertigo can sometimes occur if your diet is unhealthy or you consume or use caffeine, alcohol or other substances that affect the nervous system.

A Visit to the Chiropractor Can Improve Your Symptoms

Chiropractors offer several treatments that may relieve your vertigo. If you've injured your neck or head or have a spinal misalignment, a chiropractic adjustment may ease your symptoms. During the adjustment, your doctor uses his hands or a small instrument to gently realign your spine. If the joints in your neck don't move properly, your brain may misinterpret the information it receives from your body. Adjustments can improve movement in joints and reduce vertigo.

Results of a feasibility study published by the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine confirmed that spinal adjustments can be helpful in treating vertigo symptoms. After chiropractic treatment for 13 months, most subjects noticed improved balance. Less dizziness and neck pain were also reported.

You may benefit from the Epley maneuver if BPPV is the cause of your vertigo. The maneuver is designed to re-position the crystals in your inner ears. Your chiropractor moves your body through a series of quick position changes that take advantage of the effects of gravity to restore normal crystal position. You may also be taught a few exercises you can do at home that will reduce vertigo.

If your chiropractor believes that diet or stress may cause or contribute to your condition, he or she can offer healthy eating tips or recommend a few helpful stress-relief techniques and activities.

Do you suffer from vertigo? Chiropractic care offers a natural solution for your condition. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Effects of Chiropractic Care on Dizziness, Neck Pain, and Balance: A Single-Group, Preexperimental, Feasibility Study, 12/09

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2786230/

Medical News Today: What’s to Know About the Epley Maneuver, 8/30/17

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319171.php

American Chiropractic Association: Essential Skills for Managing Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, 10/9/18

https://www.acatoday.org/News-Publications/Publications/ACA-Blogs/ArtMID/6925/ArticleID/392/Essential-Skills-for-Managing-Benign-Paroxysmal-Positional-Vertigo

The 3 Most Common Chiropractic Questions Answered

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:56:15 GMT

The 3 Most Frequently Asked Chiropractic Care Questions and The Answers to Them

Most people have a few questions when considering chiropractic care to naturally treat pain and injuries. If you've been wondering if chiropractic is a good option for you, you'll want to take a look at these commonly asked questions.

What Kinds of Conditions Do Chiropractors Treat?

Chiropractic treatment focuses on your muscles, vertebrae, joints, tendons, and ligaments. The treatment may be a good choice if you experience joint, muscle or nerve pain after a car accident, fall or another type of injury.

Accidents aren't the only cause of pain. Fortunately, your chiropractor can also treat back, neck or shoulder pain related to poor posture, overuse injuries, tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, and other conditions.

Pain and stiffness can occur when your spine becomes misaligned. Spinal misalignments cause your muscles and joints to become tight and stiff, and are responsible for pain and decreased range of motion. Misaligned vertebrae in your spine and tight muscles may also press on your nerves, triggering or increasing pain.

Chiropractic treatments are designed to improve the alignment of the spine, ease muscle tension and stiffness, relieve pressure on nerves, decrease inflammation, and improve range of motion and flexibility.

Chiropractic treatment can helpful for many conditions, including:

Whiplash
Headaches and Migraines
Spinal Disc Issues
Spinal Stenosis
Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pinched Nerves
Dizziness
Text Neck
Leg Length Discrepancy
Fibromyalgia
Immune System Issues
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
Tingling and Numbness in the Hands, Feet, Arms, and Legs
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Pain in the Back, Neck, Head, Shoulders, Arms, Ribs, Hips, Legs, Feet and Pelvis
Poor Posture
Sprains and Strains
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What Treatments Do Chiropractors Offer?

If you've ever seen a character on a TV show or movie receive chiropractic care, you may assume that spinal manipulations are the only treatments chiropractors offer. During spinal manipulation, your chiropractor uses quick, hands-on pressure to realign the small vertebrae in your spinal column. Many people refer to this as "cracking the neck," but the cracking sounds produced during manipulation are actually gas bubbles released from the joints.

Improving the alignment of the spine with spinal manipulation reduces inflammation, improves flexibility and range of motion, enhances blood flow and decreases pressure on the joints, nerves, muscles, and ligaments.

In 2017, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a systematic review of studies that evaluated the effectiveness of spinal manipulation in treating acute low back pain. The review noted that manipulation was associated with less pain and improved function six weeks after treatment.

Other studies have shown spinal manipulation and chiropractic treatments to be effective in treating whiplash, neck pain, plantar fasciitis, hip and knee osteoarthritis, migraines and other conditions.

In addition to spinal manipulation, your chiropractor may also offer these treatments:

Massage. Massage is often used in conjunction with chiropractic treatments and may be helpful in decreasing pain, easing muscle tension and reducing stress. Mas sage increases blood flow to the injured area and promotes healing.
Soft Tissue Mobilization. Mobilization involves gently moving and stretching the soft tissues in your body to decrease pain and other symptoms caused by sprains, strains, stress injuries, scar tissue, plantar fasciitis, bursitis, tendonitis, and other conditions.
Heat and Cold. Both hot and cold packs may be used at various times during your treatment.
Ultrasound Treatment. A small handheld device directs ultrasound waves to your tissues. The treatments relax your muscles, decrease swelling and improve blood flow.
Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TENS). TENS treatment uses a gentle, low-voltage electrical current that blocks pain signals.

Am I a Good Candidate for Chiropractic Treatment?

Chiropractic care is a safe, effective treatment option for most people. During your first visit, your chiropractor will perform a thorough examination, order X-rays or other diagnostic tests, and discuss your medical history and symptoms before recommending a treatment plan.

Although medication can temporarily dull your pain, your symptoms will return unless you address the cause. Chiropractic treatment treats the source of your pain, eliminating or reducing the need for pain killers or other medications. It's a good choice if you're experiencing sudden or chronic pain or have other symptoms, such as:

Pain that affects any part of your body or shoots down your arms or legs
Joint pain
Muscle pain, weakness, tingling or numbness
Difficulty walking, maintaining your balance, or sitting or standing without pain
Frequent headaches, fatigue or difficulty concentrating due to your symptoms

Chiropractic treatment can help relieve your symptoms naturally. Contact us if you're ready to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Journal of the American Medical Association: Association of Spinal Manipulative Therapy with Clinical Benefit and Harm for Acute Low Back Pain, 4/11/17

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28399251

Spine Universe: What Disorders Do Chiropractors Treat?

https://www.spineuniverse.com/treatments/chiropractic/what-disorders-do-chiropractors-treat

U.S. News & World Report: Surprise: Chiropractors Can Treat These 5 Conditions, 11/30/15

https://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2015/11/30/surprise-chiropractors-can-treat-these-5-conditions

American Chiropractic Association: What is Chiropractic?

https://www.acatoday.org/patients/why-choose-chiropractic/what-is-chiropractic

How to Help Improve Your Children's Quality of Sleep

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:50:15 GMT

How Nightly Routines and Relaxation Techniques Can Improve the Quality of Your Child's Sleep

Unlike adults, children don't always appreciate the benefits of a good night's sleep. While parents look forward to slipping under the covers at the end of a long day, kids find plenty of creative excuses to delay bedtime. Unfortunately, bedtime delays can decrease the quality and duration of your child's sleep and affect his or her behavior and performance at school. Following a few of these suggestions can help you ensure that your child gets enough rest at night.

Pay Attention to Sleep Recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following daily sleep totals for kids:

4 to 12 Months. 12 to 16 hours
1 to 2 Years. 11 to 14 hours
3 to 5 Years. 10 to 13 hours
6 to 12 Years. Nine to 12 hours
13 to 18 Years. Eight to 10 hours

Even slight sleep deficits can affect your child's grades. A Savvy Sleeper survey revealed that high schoolers who got 8.1 hours of sleep received mostly As, while their peers who only slept for 7.3 hours got Cs.

Control the Environment

Sleep environment plays a crucial role in sleep quality. Your child may have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep if he or she doesn't have a dark, quiet place to sleep. The National Sleep Foundation reports that the 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimum temperature for quality sleep.

It can be difficult to sleep if your blanket is scratchy or your bed is too small. Kids can outgrow cribs or toddler beds quickly. Make sure your child's bed is at least a foot longer than his or her height. Soft bedding and a supportive pillow (if your child is 2 or older) will help keep your child comfortable during the night.

Ban Digital Devices and TV Before Bed

Blue light from smartphones, laptops, tablets, and TVs can interfere with your child's ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Ask your kids to turn off devices at least an hour before bed to prevent sleep quality problems.

Set a Bedtime

Kids are more likely to get the recommended amount of sleep when parents set and enforce bedtimes, according to a Canadian study. In fact, both kids and parents benefit when they go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Ideally, sleep and wake up times should be approximately the same whether it's a weekend or weekday.

Limit Caffeine

Chances are you would have trouble falling and staying asleep if you downed a big cup of coffee in the evening. Kids may have just as much difficulty if they drink caffeinated drinks in the hours before bedtime. Water or milk are better, healthier options.

Embrace Routine

Routines help your child wind down at the end of the day and set the stage for sleep. For younger children, the bedtime routine may include a bath and story, while older kids may enjoy board games, free play or reading a favorite book 30 to 60 minutes before turning the lights out. Starting routines early may even help prevent bedtime struggles as your child grows older.

Help Your Kids Relax

Stress doesn't only affect adults. Worries about grades, friends or the monster under the bed can trigger stress and anxiety that make it hard for children and adolescents to fall asleep. Teaching your child meditation, calming yoga poses or progressive relaxation techniques can help them learn to relax at bedtime. Progressive relaxation involves tensing then relaxing muscle groups, starting with the lower part of the body first.

Does your child have sleep issues? We'll find the source of the problem and offer suggestions and treatments designed to improve sleep quality. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

National Sleep Foundation: Find Out What the Ideal Thermostat Setting Is to Help You Snooze Longer

https://www.sleep.org/articles/temperature-for-sleep/

BMC Public Health: Do Parents’ Support Behaviours Predict Whether or Not Their Children Get Sufficient Sleep? A Cross-Sectional Study

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5442855/

National Sleep Foundation: Children and Sleep

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/children-and-sleep

Healthy Children: Healthy Sleep Habits

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-How-Many-Hours-Does-Your-Child-Need.aspx

Savvy Sleeper: Costing Kids Sleep, 7/7/19

https://www.savvysleeper.org/costing-kids-sleep/

Chiropractic Treatment for Spondylosis

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:45:52 GMT

Chiropractic Treatment Can Help Ease the Pain of Spondylosis

Aches and pains in your back or neck could be caused by spondylosis, a condition that occurs after years of wear and tear on your spine. Although popping a few pain relievers can decrease your symptoms, the relief is only temporary and can be accompanied by unpleasant side effects. Chiropractic treatment eases your pain naturally and offers longer-lasting relief of symptoms.

Spondylosis Explained

Spondylosis, commonly called arthritis of the spine, occurs due to several age-related changes in your spine. Thirty-three bony vertebrae support your body, making it possible to stand, bend and lift heavy objects. Small fluid-filled discs located between vertebrae absorb shock, cushion the joints and help the spine maintain its structural integrity.

As you age, the discs begin to dehydrate and shrink. As a result, they can't absorb shock quite as well as they could when you were younger. Your disks begin to gradually change around age 40, although you may not notice any differences for years.

The dehydration process can cause cracks or tears in the outer layer of disks, increasing your risk of herniated disks. Herniations happen when the soft, gel-like center of the disc protrudes and presses on spinal nerves, causing pain.

The space between the vertebrae gradually narrows as the discs flatten due to dehydration. When this occurs, painful bone spurs may form at the ends of vertebrae.

Age-related changes can also wear away the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the vertebrae and stiffens the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together, resulting in pain and stiffness when you bend and move.

Common Spondylosis Symptoms

It takes many years to notice the effects of spondylosis. You may only experience occasional symptoms in your 40s and 50s. Your back or neck may hurt or feel a little stiff after you spend the day weeding your flower beds or participating in a 5K. These changes can occur even if you've been healthy and active all of your life and practice proper lifting techniques.

Your risk of spondylosis increases significantly with age. The Mayo Clinic notes that more than 85 percent of people over age 60 experience spondylosis in their necks.

Severe neck and back pain can occur if your condition worsens. You may notice that it's difficult to move or walk and may experience weakness or tingling sensations in your arms or legs.

How Your Chiropractor Can Help You

Chiropractic treatment can relieve pain, improve your range of motion and reduce pressure on your spinal nerves due to herniated discs or bone spurs. After performing an examination and conducting a few diagnostic tests, your chiropractor may recommend one or more of these treatments:

Spinal Manipulation: Your chiropractor uses quick, hands-on pressure or an activator to realign your vertebrae. Manipulations improve range of motion in your neck and back, decrease pain and make it easier to move the muscles in your neck and back. After an adjustment, you'll notice less pain and stiffness. Spinal manipulation is among the therapies that the American College of Physicians recommends for the treatment of nonradicular low back pain. Nonradicular pain is pain that doesn't spread to your arms or legs.
Spinal Mobilization: Spinal mobilization stretches the spine and decreases tension in the muscles between your vertebrae with slow, gentle movements.
Flexion-Distraction: Flexion-distraction is performed on a segmented table. As your chiropractor slowly manipulates your spine, the table moves beneath you, decompressing and stretching your vertebrae. Flexion-distraction improves mobility, decreases pressure on nerves and discs, reduces bulging of disks, and eases pain and stiffness.
Massage: Spinal alignment issues can cause painful stiffening in the muscles of your back and neck. Massage relaxes these muscles and improves blood flow to the area, facilitating recovery.
Traction: Traction treatments gently pull and decompress your vertebrae, relieving pain and stiffness and decreasing pressure on your nerves. The therapy can be performed manually or with a special device.
Other Therapies: Depending on your diagnosis, your chiropractor may also suggest ultrasound therapy, cold and heat therapy, electrical nerve stimulation treatment or trigger point therapy.

Don't let spondylosis pain take over your life. Chiropractic treatment offers a safe, natural way to control your symptoms. Contact us to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

Mayo Clinic: Cervical Spondylosis

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cervical-spondylosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20370787

Arthritis Foundation: How Chiropractors Can Help Arthritis Pain

https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/other-therapies/chiropractic-medicine.php

American Chiropractic Association: Neck Pain and Chiropractic

https://www.acatoday.org/patients/health-wellness-information/neck-pain-and-chiropractic

American College of Physicians: American College of Physicians Issues Guideline for Treating Nonradicular Low Back Pain, 2/4/17

https://www.acponline.org/acp-newsroom/american-college-of-physicians-issues-guideline-for-treating-nonradicular-low-back-pain

Can Meditation Improve Your Health?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:41:41 GMT

How Meditation Contributes to Overall Health

Meditation offers many benefits for your mental and emotional health. Regular meditation reduces stress and anxiety, improves your mood and decreases symptoms of depression. Adding meditation to your daily schedule may also help you lower your risk of some health conditions and diseases.

Asthma Attacks May Decrease

Strong odors, smoke, and illnesses often trigger asthma flares, but emotions can play a role too. If you're stressed or upset, you're more likely to experience asthma symptoms. Meditation can help you calm yourself when you begin to feel worried, stressed or anxious. Practicing meditation every day is a simple way to avoid flare-ups and keep your asthma under control.

Your Blood Pressure May Lower

Your emotions can also be a contributing factor if you have high blood pressure. The more stressed or agitated you become, the more your blood pressure soars. Unfortunately, uncontrolled high blood pressure can increase your risk of heart attack, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and other health problems. Meditation, along with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and medication, can help you keep your blood pressure at a safe level.

After reviewing 19 clinical studies on the effects of medication on hypertension, researchers concluded that non-transcendental meditation was a promising treatment option for high blood pressure. Their meta-analysis appeared in the April 2017 issue of the Journal of Hypertension.

Tired of Living with Menopausal Symptoms? Try Meditation

Menopause is referred to as "the change of life" for good reason. The end of your menstrual cycle is just one of the many changes you can expect during this time. Hot flashes, irritability, difficulty sleeping, brittle nails and itchy skin are among the symptoms that can accompany menopause. Meditation may improve your moods, decrease insomnia and reduce the number and intensity of hot flashes.

Meditation May Offer a Solution for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can be very difficult to treat. Medications wear off quickly, can be addictive, and often have side effects. People who have chronic pain may have decreased levels of body awareness, according to a group of researchers who studied the effects of mindfulness on chronic pain and depression.

Body awareness refers to the ability to understand how the parts of your body function together and how your body occupies the space around you. The research, which appeared in Frontiers in Psychology, demonstrated that mindfulness can improve body awareness. Once awareness improves, pain may decrease.

Meditation May Decrease Inflammation Responsible for Multiple Conditions

It's hard to overlook a red, inflamed wound, but inflammation isn't so obvious when it occurs internally. Chronic inflammation may cause or contribute to a variety of diseases and health conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, hay fever, cancer, hardening of the arteries, rheumatoid arthritis, and gum disease. A reduction in inflammation just may be one of the most important effects of meditation.

Meditation Offers a Simple Way to Prevent Respiratory Infections

Would you like to avoid colds and the flu? Regular meditation may reduce your risk of developing acute respiratory infections (ARIs), according to research conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. ARIs are colds, flu, and flu-like illnesses.

Participants aged 30 to 69 were divided into three groups during the study. One group practiced mindfulness meditation, another participated in an exercise program, while a third group served as the control group. Throughout the four-year study, 120 people in the exercise group and 134 in the control group had ARIs, but only 112 people in the meditation group suffered from respiratory infections.

Practicing meditation, in addition to receiving chiropractic care, can help improve your mental and physical health. Are you ready to take advantage of the many benefits of meditation? Contact us for more information on how meditation may reduce your risk of some health complications.

Sources:

Journal of Hypertension: Meditation and Blood Pressure, 4/17

https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/Abstract/2017/04000/Meditation_and_blood_pressure__a_meta_analysis_of.5.aspx

University of Wisconsin-Madison: Exercise and Meditation Appear to Reduce Common Colds and Flu, 7/3/18

https://www.med.wisc.edu/news-and-events/2018/july/exercise-meditation-reduce-common-colds-flu/

Mayo Clinic: Meditation: A Simple, Fast Way to Reduce Stress

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: 8 Things to Know About Meditation for Health

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/meditation

Scholar.Harvard: Frontiers in Psychology: Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Body Awareness in Patients with Chronic Pain and Comorbid Depression

https://scholar.harvard.edu/sara_lazar/publications/effects-mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy-body-awareness-patients-chronic

Prevention: 7 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Meditation, According to Experts

https://www.prevention.com/health/a22679621/health-benefits-of-meditation/

Chiropractic and Male Infertility

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:53:51 GMT

Chiropractic Treatment Can Offer Help for Male Infertility

Male infertility doesn't often get the attention it deserves. Yet more than 1/3 of fertility problems occur due to male issues, according to the Urology Care Foundation. Chiropractic care may offer a simple, completely natural way to improve your fertility.

How Spinal Misalignment Can Affect Fertility in Men

The 33 bony vertebrae that make up your spinal column not only support your weight and allow you to stand upright but also protect your spinal cord. The cord passes through small openings in the vertebrae called the vertebral foramen.

Nerves attached to the spinal cord exit the vertebrae at multiple points along the spinal column and branch off to organs and other parts of the body. The complex interaction between your spinal cord, brain, nerves, and nerve endings ensures that your body functions optimally. The nervous system controls many of the body's most important functions, including temperature regulation, heart rate, vision, digestion, pain sensation, and movement.

If the spinal column becomes misaligned, vertebrae may begin to press on the nerves, causing pain or disrupting normal function. Called "subluxations," these misalignments can occur due to falls, accidents, repetitive movements, poor posture, toxins, and even stress. When you're stressed, the muscles in your back tighten and can disrupt vertebral alignment.

Subluxations not only cause pain and muscle stiffness but may also affect the nerves that serve your reproductive system. As a result, you may experience problems with sperm flow and production or might have difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection.

6 Fertility Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractic treatment corrects subluxations by realigning your vertebrae. In addition to reducing pain, treatments offer important benefits for male fertility, including:

Balanced Hormones. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are produced by the pituitary gland attached to the base of your brain. The hormones stimulate the production of testosterone and sperm. Subluxations in the upper vertebrae can result in decreased production of FSH or LH and a low sperm count. Correcting the subluxations with chiropractic treatment may have a positive effect on hormone production and balance.
Less Stress. Stress causes muscle tension and joint pain but can also interfere with hormone production and reproductive system functioning. Chiropractic treatment, in addition to stress reduction techniques, may lessen stress and boost your fertility.
Better Blood Flow. Good blood flow is important for the proper functioning of the male reproductive system. Unfortunately, subluxations can affect both blood flow and nerve signal transmission to the testicles and penis, causing or contributing to infertility.
Improved Pelvic Alignment. Adjustments realign your spine and correct misalignments in your pelvis. Aligning the pelvis ensures that crucial nerve signals reach the reproductive system and also relieves stress on the pelvis.
Reduced Inflammation. Subluxations can trigger inflammation anywhere in the body, including the reproductive organs. Chronic inflammation may play a role in a multitude of health problems, ranging from heart disease to cancer to Alzheimer's disease. Lowering inflammation may improve both erections and fertility.
Stronger Erections. Misalignments in the lower part of your spine or pelvis may affect the nerves that travel from your spinal cord to your reproductive system. The problem can result in decreased blood flow to the penis. Without ample blood flow, it may be hard to get or keep an erection. A case study published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research noted the positive effects of chiropractic treatment for erectile dysfunction. After two months of treatment, the patient experienced less back pain and improved erections.

Has male infertility kept you from expanding your family? Chiropractic treatment may help you and your partner finally conceive. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Healthline: Understanding and Managing Chronic Inflammation

https://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-inflammation#symptoms

Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research: Reduction in Frequency and Severity of Erectile Dysfunction and Chronic Low Back Pain in a 53-year-old Male Utilizing the Gonstead Technique: A Case Study, 11/15/16

https://www.vertebralsubluxationresearch.com/2017/09/04/reduction-in-frequency-and-severity-of-erectile-dysfunction-and-chronic-low-back-pain-in-a-53-year-old-male-utilizing-the-gonstead-technique-a-case-study/

Hormone Health Network: Male Infertility

https://www.hormone.org/diseases-and-conditions/infertility-male

Urology Care Foundation: What is Male Infertility?

https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/male-infertility

The 5 Senses

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:46:02 GMT

The five senses, that is, the sense of sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell, provide us with necessary information regarding the world around us.1 These precious capabilities enable us to navigate our environment with seemingly instantaneous feedback with reference to our actions and activities in our immediate surround. The loss of one or more of the five senses requires compensatory enhancements of the remaining senses, the long-term results of which may lead to equivalences in capability and optimized functioning. Regardless of the number of sensory formats to which one has access, it is important to recognize that all individuals need to maintain high levels of health and well-being to derive the greatest benefit from their physiological processes and sensory inputs.

In order for us to comprehend what it is that we are experiencing, our specialized nerve endings, special sense organs, and brain process incoming signals so that we can interpret the information meaningfully. In other words, by processing the information presented by light waves bouncing off a ripe heirloom tomato and hitting our retinas, we're enabled to experience that we are seeing a dusky red fruit. By processing sound waves emanating from a piano being played at a jazz concert, we're enabled to experience that we're listening to "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" by Duke Ellington. If we have the skill, our brain's processing power will even allow us to identify individual notes, such as a progression from high G to E to D sharp and back to E.

The ability of our peripheral and central nerve systems to accurately process inputs from our five senses depends, in large part, on the fidelity of the information transferred from point to point, that is, from the nerve receptors that interface with the environment to various bundles of nerve cells to the highest levels of processing in the cerebral cortex and, finally, to conscious awareness.2 Competing signals such as pain signals can suppress information being carried in other pathways, and in this way information from the five senses may be distorted or lost entirely. The presence of pain and other types of irritation and inflammatory processes in the musculoskeletal system can distort our experience of the world in which we live.

By detecting and correcting misalignments of the spine, regular chiropractic care reduces and removes sources of pain signals that interfere with the accurate transmission of critical information our five senses derive from our environment.3 Thus, regular chiropractic care, based on its direct effect on the functioning of the nerve system, has both short-term and long-term effects on our ability to obtain maximum benefit from the functioning of our five senses. In a word, regular chiropractic care helps us become smarter. Regular chiropractic care enables all of us, children, adults, and seniors, to get more out of our daily experiences and also to obtain increased levels of health and well-being.

Doty RL: Measurement of chemosensory function. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 4(1):11-28, 2018
Hotz-Boendermaker S, Marcar VL, Meier ML, et al: Reorganization in Secondary Somatosensory Cortex in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 41(11):E667-73, 2016
Lelic D, Niazi IK, Holt K, et al: Manipulation of Dysfunctional Spinal Joints Affects Sensorimotor Integration in the Prefrontal Cortex: A Brain Source Localization Study. Neural Plast. 2016;2016:3704964. doi: 10.1155/2016/3704964. Epub 2016 Mar 7

Chiropractic and Gut Health

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:26:47 GMT

Can Chiropractic Treatment Improve Your Digestive Health?

Chiropractic treatment doesn't just ease aches and pains in your joints and muscles. The therapy may also offer an effective treatment option if you have frequent stomachaches, reflux, constipation, and other gastrointestinal conditions.

How Chiropractic Treats the Source of Your Gut Problems

Your nervous system controls every part of your body, including your gastrointestinal system. A collection of nerves branches out from the lower part of your spinal cord and travels to your stomach and intestines. Nerves carry messages from one part of the body to another and play an essential role in digestion, movement of food through the gastrointestinal system, absorption of nutrients and minerals, and removal of waste products via the intestines.

Misalignments of your vertebrae, known as "subluxations," interfere with the way nerves function. When the vertebrae aren't properly aligned, bones or spinal discs can press against nerves, pinching or compressing them. This can cause the organs to malfunction, resulting in heartburn, gas, cramping, diarrhea, constipation or other symptoms. Muscle tension in your abdomen can also contribute to digestive problems, whether it occurs due to stress or as a result of sitting for hours every day.

Chiropractic treatment is aimed at relieving pressure on your nerves, joints, and muscles by realigning the vertebrae in your spine. Spinal manipulation or mobilization are two techniques that are commonly used to improve the alignment of your spinal column. Quick thrusts realign vertebrae during spinal manipulation, while slower, gentler movements are used during mobilization. Massage and other therapeutic techniques may also be part of your treatment plan.

Chiropractic Care Is a Good Option for GERD, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Other Digestive Conditions

Digestive problems are particularly common in the U.S. and affect 60 to 70 million people, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases' Digestive Disease Statistics for the United States report.

Twenty million people experience reflux, a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), at least once a week, the report notes. GERD affects both children and adults and can cause heartburn, chest pain, sore throat, nausea, belching, and difficulty swallowing. Reflux occurs when stomach acids travel out of the stomach and into the esophagus.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a type of medication often used to treat GERD symptoms. The medication works by reducing acid production in the stomach. Unfortunately, PPIs can cause unpleasant side effects including diarrhea, constipation, headaches, abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting. You may also be more likely to fracture a bone if you fall because PPIs may interfere with your body's absorption of calcium.

Even more concerning is the potential long-term effects on your stomach, heart, and kidneys. A recent study conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System uncovered a link between PPI use and chronic kidney disease, stomach cancer, and fatal cases of cardiovascular disease.

Reflux and other GERD symptoms can occur if nerves that serve the stomach and esophagus malfunction and irritate these organs. Chiropractic treatment relieves irritation and restores normal functioning.

Chiropractic care can also help you manage the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In a Chinese study, IBS patients who received spinal manipulation treatment five times experienced a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of their symptoms.

Chiropractic treatment is an excellent choice no matter what type of gastrointestinal issue you have. It may reduce flare-ups of Crohn's disease, help relieve chronic constipation, decrease abdominal pain and bloating, and even ease colic in infants.

Don't let digestive issues affect your quality of life. Chiropractic treatment can help you control your symptoms and may even allow you to reduce your dependence on medications. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Digestive Disease Statistics for the United States

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/digestive-diseases

Washington University School of Medicine: Heartburn Drugs Linked to Fatal Heart and Kidney Disease, Stomach Cancer, 5/30/19

https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/popular-heartburn-drugs-linked-to-fatal-heart-disease-chronic-kidney-disease-stomach-cancer/

NCBI: Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treated by Traditional Chinese Orthopedic Manipulation, 12/12

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23427390

The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association: What Effect Does Chiropractic Treatment Have on Gastrointestinal GI Disorders: A Narrative Review of the Literature, 6/15

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4486990/

Proper Overindulgence Over the Holidays

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:25:28 GMT

The term "overindulgence" is probably best assessed as a red flag, especially with respect to consistent overconsumption of high-calorie comfort food and desserts during the holiday season. An overall healthier perspective could be described as "indulgence" regarding such calorie intake. Provided that we have maintained healthy lifestyles, especially regarding exercise and nutrition, during the course of the year, indulging a bit during the holiday season will likely not have a negative impact on our long-term health.

During the year, healthy nutrition is obtained by making sure to consume food from all four food groups on a daily basis: fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein. Dairy products represent an optional fifth food group. Consuming foods from all the major food groups provides a broad range of nutrients and a wide variety of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are macromolecules that furnish protection against the development of many chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis. Many phytochemicals act like antioxidants and neutralize free radicals in human cells. Others have anti-inflammatory properties and help slow the aging process. Fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals include carrots, blueberries, apples, greens such as kale and chard, broccoli, oranges, beets, rutabaga, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Importantly, healthy nutrition is fulfilled by eating at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.

Calorie consumption is also a critical factor in healthy eating.1 Consuming excess calories on a regular basis will result in these energy sources being stored primarily as fat. The best kinds of food are nutrient-dense, rather than being calorie-dense. Lean meat, fish, whole grains, high-quality dairy products, and fruits and vegetables are all nutrient-dense foods. For example, sprouted grain bread is nutrient-dense while white bread is calorie-dense. It takes a little effort to determine which foods are healthy and which are not, but once you've done your homework, it becomes easy to choose the foods that will provide valuable energy and nutrients to you and your family. As a side benefit, beginning a healthy nutrition food plan may result in weight loss and normalization of high cholesterol levels.

In addition to consuming nutritious foods, a second key component of healthy living involves regular vigorous exercise five days a week for at least 30 minutes per session. Such exercises can include yoga, strength training, walking, running, cycling, and swimming. The specific choice of exercise is less important than the consistency. Regular vigorous exercise is strongly correlated with multiple health benefits, including enhancing cardiovascular health and strengthening the immune system.

With healthy lifestyles in place over the long-term, holiday indulgence provided such indulgence is not excessive, represents a blip on the radar. With long-term habits of healthy nutrition and regular vigorous exercise, we and our families are able to tolerate minor deviations from our baseline without suffering ill consequences. In addition, including regular chiropractic care in our long-term healthy lifestyle plan adds the benefits of spinal health and a healthy nerve system, our body's master system, to assist in supporting our overall long-term health and well-being.

Staying Healthy as a Caregiver

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:22:57 GMT

How to Stay Healthy Mentally and Physically When You're a Caregiver

Taking care of others can be hard on your own health. In fact, 17 to 25 percent of caregivers say their health is fair or poor, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance. That statistic isn't surprising. Whether you're caring for young children or elderly relatives, caregiving is a demanding, stressful job. Following these tips will help you avoid injuries and health issues while also reducing stress in your life.

Stay Active

Lack of exercise is a common issue among caregivers. At the end of a long day, it can be hard to find the energy to work out. Yet, inactivity can increase your risk of developing a variety of health problems, including:

Obesity
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Type 2 Diabetes
Heart Disease
Heart Attack
Stroke
Osteoporosis
Depression
Colon, Breast or Uterine Cancer

Exercise offers a simple way to reduce your risk of developing these diseases and conditions. Even 10 or 15-minute exercise sessions can help you stay healthy. You don't have to visit a gym or even leave the house to enjoy the benefits of exercise. Walking up and down the steps repeatedly, exercising to a video or jogging in place will get your blood flowing and help keep your heart, muscles, and bones strong.

Don't Neglect Your Interests

You may have given up your favorite hobbies and leisure activities after you began caring for a friend or family member. Although your dedication is certainly commendable, you may soon feel depressed or stressed if your life only involves caregiving.

Find time to watch a favorite TV show, try the new restaurant in town or finish your woodworking project. If the person you care for requires 24-hour supervision, ask a friend to take over for you for a few hours or find out if home health agencies in your area offer respite care.

Make Your Health a Priority

You can't take care of other people if you're sick. Has your diet suffered since you became a caregiver? Eating a balanced diet is a crucial factor in good health. Make sure your meals include options from the major food groups and avoid carbohydrate-laden or sugary snacks.

Make (and keep) appointments with your doctor when you don't feel well. The longer you put off receiving medical care, the worse your illness or condition can become. Visiting your doctor promptly will help you ensure that you're well enough to care for your family member or friend.

Use Safe Lifting Techniques

Poor lifting techniques can cause injuries that make it difficult or impossible to care for your relative. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 17 percent of caregivers reported that they experienced 14 or more physically unhealthy days over a month's time span.

Lifting with your legs while keeping your neck and head aligned can help you avoid injury, as can using a lifting belt to help transfer a person from a wheelchair or bed. No matter how cautiously you move, injuries can still happen. Don't be reluctant to ask for help if you don't think you can move the person safely.

See Your Chiropractor

It's not unusual for caregivers to develop stiffness and pain, particularly in their necks and backs. Ignoring your symptoms may worsen pain and decrease your range of motion.

Regular visits to your chiropractor help you reduce pain and other symptoms. Using spinal manipulation, soft tissue mobilization, massage, and other techniques, your chiropractor can realign your spine, decrease muscle stiffness and pain, and speed healing of injured areas by increasing blood flow.

Both you and your family member or friend benefit when you take care of yourself. If caregiving is taking a toll on your body, we can help. Contact us to schedule your chiropractic appointment.

Sources:

American Heart Association: Top 10 Caregiver Tips for Staying Healthy and Active, 6/30/17

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Caregiving for Family and Friends - A Public Health Issue

Family Caregiver Alliance: Caregiver Statistics: Health, Technology and Caregiving Resources

Medline Plus: Health Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle

Does Collagen Help With Joint Pain?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:07:41 GMT

The Benefits of Using Collagen For Your Joints

Painful joints complicate even the simplest activities. Walking up a flight of stairs, bending or even rising from a seated position is much more difficult when your joints become stiff and painful. Collagen supplements promise to ease your pain naturally, but do they work?

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a natural protein produced by your body. It's essential for:

Healthy Skin: Collagen keeps your skin taut and supple. As collagen production decreases as you grow older, sagging and wrinkles occur, and the skin becomes dryer and thinner.
Joint Function: High amounts of collagen are found in the cartilage at the ends of bones. Cartilage is the flexible tissue that absorbs shock and helps the bones in a joint glide together easily. Joint pain often occurs when cartilage decreases due to wear and tear or injuries.
Muscle and Tendon Health: Reduced collagen production due to aging can also affect muscle strength and mass and loosen the tendons that connect muscles to bones in your joints. Your muscles help support your joints and are essential for normal joint function. Muscle weakness can be a contributing factor in joint pain.
Strong Bones and Teeth: Collagen is also found in bones and is responsible for keeping your bones strong. As collagen production declines, you may be more likely to break your bones, even if you only experience a minor fall. Declining collagen production can also cause your teeth to become brittle and break easily.

What Are Collagen Supplements?

Collagen supplements are intended to replenish your body's natural supply of the protein. Available in pill, powder, gummy or liquid form, the supplements are readily available in grocery stores, pharmacies, and from online stores. Type I and III collagen supplements are recommended if you want to improve the condition of your skin, while Type II collagen supplements are used for joint pain.

Can Collagen Supplements Ease Joint Pain?

Supplements can be helpful but not everyone notices a difference in joint pain after taking them. If your joint pain is due to osteoarthritis, the supplements are worth trying. They may help tighten the muscles and tendons that hold your joints together, improve muscle mass and rebuild cartilage.

In an article review published in the Journal of Arthritis, researchers evaluated clinical evidence and studies that explored the effectiveness of collagen supplements. They noted that collagen may be helpful in treating osteoarthritis joint pain, although more research is needed.

Other studies considered the effectiveness of bioactive collagen peptides (BCP) in treating joint pain in both athletes and non-athletes. After taking BCP daily for knee pain, athletes reported a 37.5 percent decrease in pain.

The non-athletes experienced similar results after taking the peptides for 12 weeks for hip and knee pain. Activity-related pain improved by 38 percent, while at rest pain improved by 39 percent.

Bone strength may also be improved by collagen supplements. Taking collagen regularly can help you avoid painful fractures by increasing the density and strength of your bones.

Collagen supplementation, coupled with chiropractic treatment, offers a natural way to treat joint pain. Your chiropractor can correct misalignments and muscle imbalances that cause or worsen joint pain. Treatments also reduce stress on your joints, promote healing, ease stiffness, and improve range of motion.

Are your joints stiff and achy? Chiropractic care can help you reduce your painful symptoms. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Arthritis Foundation: Are Collagen Supplements Helpful for Arthritis?, 4/4/19

Penn Medicine: 4 Head-To-Toe Ways That Collagen Can Improve Your Health, 11/4/18

Journal of Arthritis: Efficacy of Oral Collagen in Joint Pain - Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, 2/28/17

Osteoarthritis and Cartilage: Efficacy of Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides in the Treatment of Joint Pain, 4/26

Put Your Health First In The New Year

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:54:00 GMT

Put Your Health First in the New Year with Chiropractic Care

The new year is the perfect time to reflect on your lifestyle and make a few changes to improve your health. Adding chiropractic treatments to your healthy living regimen can help you avoid illnesses and injuries or manage the symptoms of chronic conditions. More than just a treatment for aches and pains, chiropractic care offers a natural way to stay healthy.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help You

Chiropractors treat subluxations, spinal misalignments that not only cause pain and stiffness but also press on the nerves in your spinal column.

Your nervous system plays an important role in your health. Nerves travel to every part of your body and send and receive signals from your brain and spinal cord. If any part of the nerve signal transmission process is disrupted, bodily systems and functions can be affected.

Fortunately, your chiropractor can help you protect your health with treatments that correct subluxations and relax your muscles and joints. Benefits of chiropractic care include:

Fewer Illnesses: Chiropractic treatments may reduce the number of colds and illnesses you experience this year. Subluxations can affect your ability to produce antibodies, proteins that kill bacteria and viruses. Correcting subluxations is an easy way to boost your immune system and avoid illnesses.
No More Indigestion: Your nervous system controls the passage of food through each part of your gastrointestinal system. If food lingers too long in one area or passes through another part of your digestive system too quickly, you may experience indigestion, heartburn, gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or other unpleasant symptoms. Regular chiropractic treatments can help prevent or minimize digestive problems.
Better Sleep: Insomnia may seem like a minor complaint, yet poor sleep can affect every aspect of your health. In fact, sleep issues may increase your risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart and kidney disease, according to the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute. Chiropractic care eases stress, muscle tension, and pain, helping you get a restful night's sleep.
Lower Blood Pressure: Correcting subluxations in your neck may be beneficial to your blood pressure levels. Patients with high blood pressure who had neck subluxations experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure after receiving spinal manipulation treatment during a Chicago research study. Blood pressure readings continued to be lower even eight weeks after treatment.
Less Spine Pain: Years of wear and tear may affect your spine as you grow older, causing arthritis, disc problems, spinal stenosis, and other conditions. Chiropractic treatment improves joint and muscle movement, enhances range of motion, and decreases pressure on the nerves that can cause pain. Treatment can also prevent scar tissue and adhesions from forming and improve your balance, helping you avoid falls.
Improved Control of Chronic Health Conditions: Scheduling regular visits to the chiropractor may help reduce the number of migraines you get or decrease fibromyalgia symptoms.
Improved Breathing: Good nerve health is also essential for optimum lung function. When your spinal column is properly aligned, it may be easier to take deep breaths. Lung inflammation and asthma symptoms may also decrease.
Less Stress and More Energy: It's difficult to relax when your muscles are tight and painful. Spinal manipulation, massage, ultrasound therapy, and other chiropractic treatments ease your pain and may help lower your stress level. Fatigue caused by mild to severe chronic pain may stop you from enjoying life and participating in your favorite activities. Once your pain is eliminated or reduced, you just may discover that your energy level rebounds.

Is "improve my health" on your list of New Year's resolutions? Keeping your resolution will be much easier if you make chiropractic care part of your life. Contact us to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute: Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency

Chiropractic Economics: Chiropractic Adjustments Promote a Strong Immune System During the Holidays, 12/21/18

National Center: Access to Chiropractors May Reduce Medical Spending for Older Adults’ Spine-Related Services, 8/9/19

UChicago Medicine: Special Chiropractic Adjustment Lowers Blood Pressure Among Hypertensive Patients with Misaligned C-1 Vertebrae, 3/14/07

U.S. News & World Report: Surprise: Chiropractors Can Treat These 5 Conditions, 11/30/15

How To Ease Into Exercise In The New Year With New Workout Plans

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:44:25 GMT

Ease Into Exercise in The New Year With Help from Your Chiropractor

Have you decided that 2020 is the year that you'll finally follow through on your plan to exercise more often? Although regular exercise is essential to your health, you may injure yourself if you suddenly begin a rigorous workout routine. Fortunately, your chiropractor can help you create a safe, effective workout plan that gradually improves your physical fitness.

Improving Your Health and Wellness Is a Personal Process

The ideal fitness plan for your co-worker or brother may not necessarily be the best approach for you. Your fitness level, goals, and physical condition will influence the way you exercise and the type of workout that will be most beneficial.

Involving your chiropractor in the planning stages of your new workout regime can help you avoid painful injuries that may sabotage your plan to improve your fitness. During your appointment with your chiropractor, you'll discuss:

Workout Goals . Do you want to run a marathon, master kickboxing, or simply increase your strength and stamina? Creating goals can help you decide which type of exercise is best for you.
Fitness Level . Do you already exercise regularly, or would you like to get in shape after being inactive for a few years? It's important to consider your fitness level before you begin. Injuries aren't the only possibility if you're overly ambitious when you begin your new workout plan. If the plan is too challenging, you may be more likely to become frustrated and stop exercising.
Routine . How much time do you have to devote to exercise every week? Creating a workout plan that fits your lifestyle is the key to achieving your goals.
Health . Your health will also be an important consideration when beginning a new workout plan. For example, people who have asthma may need to avoid activities that involve running, as prolonged, intense activity may trigger a flare-up of asthma symptoms. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology recommends swimming, walking or activities that require a short burst of energy rather than long-distance running, soccer or basketball.
Pain and Injuries . Pain won't necessarily prevent you from working out. In fact, exercise can help loosen and strengthen your muscles and joints while also decreasing pain. Your chiropractor can help you choose exercises that won't aggravate or worsen your condition. He can also give you a few hints that will help you avoid injuries while working out.

Once you've identified your goals and evaluated your fitness level, you'll be prepared to create a plan that will help you meet your objectives. The best plans include warm-ups, rest days and an exercise schedule that gradually increases the length, duration, and intensity of your workout. If you work out too hard or long, you'll increase your risk of sprains, strains, fractures, inflammation, and overuse injuries.

Regular Chiropractic Care Can Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals

No matter how carefully you exercise, you may experience subluxations, or misalignments in the vertebrae in your spine. These misalignments can increase stress on specific parts of your body and cause pain, stiffness, decreased range of motion, headaches, and balance and posture issues. If your joints or muscles are stiff and tight, you may be more likely to experience an injury when you exercise.

Regular visits to your chiropractor will keep your spine properly aligned and your muscles and joints loose and flexible. During your appointments, your chiropractor can show you exercises that will help strengthen your muscles and discuss the importance of proper technique in preventing injuries. You'll also discuss dietary changes you can make to support your workout goals.

Are you ready to begin a new fitness routine? We'd like to help you create your workout plan. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

National Health Statistics Report: Sports- and Recreation-related Injury Episodes in the United States, 2011–2014, 11/18/16

Harper’s Bazaar: The 12 Mistakes a Chiropractor Wants You to Stop Making in the Gym, 5/16/18

Spine Health: Exercise and Chiropractic Care, 3/14/13

American Academy Of Allergy Asthma & Immunology: Asthma and Exercise

The Benefits of Spinal Alignment On Sports Performance

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:25:36 GMT

How Spinal Alignment Can Help You Improve Your Sports Performance

Do you have trouble meeting your athletic goals despite hours of practice time? Skill isn't the only factor that affects your ability to run faster, throw a ball accurately or prevent the other team from scoring. A misaligned spine may compromise your range of motion, recovery time and flexibility, causing performance difficulties. Fortunately, spinal manipulations performed by your chiropractor can correct misalignments and help you excel at your favorite sport or activity.

6 Spinal Alignment Advantages

Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, and Michael Phelps understand the importance of spinal alignment on sports performance. They, like many other exceptional athletes, visit chiropractors regularly for treatments that help them naturally enhance their abilities. In fact, chiropractic treatment offers a medication-free way to improve your athletic abilities without any concerns about side effects.

When your spine is properly aligned, you'll enjoy these benefits:

Fewer Injuries . Misalignments not only affect your spine but can also cause tightness in your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, increasing your risk of injury. Regular visits to your chiropractor will decrease misalignments, known as subluxations, and help you avoid aches, pains, and serious injuries.
Better Balance . Correcting subluxations may also have a positive effect on your balance, improving your ability to make a save, avoid a fall if you stumble or perfect your balance beam routine. During spinal manipulation treatment, your chiropractor uses gentle, hands-on pressure to improve the alignment of the vertebrae in your back and neck.
Improved Strength . Strength, an important factor in many sports, can decrease if you have a subluxation. The problem may affect your ability to grip or catch the ball, tackle opponents, run long distances or make key plays. Chiropractic provides a natural strength-boosting option. Brazilian researchers discovered that manipulating the vertebrae in the neck offered significant increases in strength. Judo athletes who received cervical (neck) spinal manipulation therapy improved their grip strength by 16 percent on the right side and 11 percent on the right side. Their results were published in the January 2012 issue of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
Quicker Healing Time . Correcting subluxations can also help you reduce healing time after an injury. Manipulations, electrical stimulation, ultrasound therapy, and other treatments decrease inflammation, ease spasms, enhance healing and improve the flow of blood and nutrients to the injured area.
Faster Recovery Time . Sports take a toll on your body, no matter how diligently you stretch and warm-up before starting an activity. Without an adequate rest period following exertion, you may increase your risk of injury. When your spine is aligned properly, you may notice that it doesn't take quite as long to return to top form.
More Flexibility . Spinal manipulation, massage, and other treatments loosen tight joints and muscles, in addition to improving spinal alignment. These treatments increase your range of motion, prevent the formation of scar tissue, and decrease stiffness caused by tight muscles and joints. Thanks to your visits to the chiropractor, you may find that it's easier to follow through when you swing a golf club or racquet or notice that you can stretch a little farther when making a diving catch.
Enhanced Performance . You've probably noticed that your performance suffers if your back and neck hurt, your muscles are tight, or you have a throbbing headache. Fortunately, aches and pains due to subluxations won't prevent you from excelling when you make chiropractic therapy part of your training regimen. Treatments may also improve nerve function, improve your reaction time, and even help you breathe more deeply.

Would you like to enhance your sports ability with chiropractic treatment? We'll devise a comprehensive treatment plan that will help you improve your performance and strength and avoid injuries. Contact us to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

WRAL: The Dream Team

Palmer College of Chiropractic: Why Do Athletes Often Rely on Chiropractic Care, 7/1/16

National University of Health Sciences: 5 Reasons Why Chiropractic Treatments Are Important for Athletes, 5/31/17

PubMed: Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1/12

Preventative Care vs. Reactive Care

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:12:48 GMT

Preventative Care vs. Reactive Care: How Regular Chiropractic Visits Can Prevent Pain and Health Issues

Do you only visit the chiropractor when your back or neck hurts? Making time for regular visits can help you avoid aches and pains. In fact, preventive care visits offer a simple way to optimize your health.

What's the Difference Between Preventive Care and Reactive Care?

Reactive care focuses on treating acute (sudden) symptoms or illnesses. You receive reactive care when you visit the family doctor for treatment of flu symptoms or a fracture or when you see the chiropractor after your back pain flares up.

Preventive care happens when you have no symptoms. It's intended to prevent illnesses, diseases, and pain from occurring and reduce the risk of a recurrence if you've recently experienced an injury or illness. Preventive care can involve:

Checkups
Chiropractic Visits
Eye Exams, Blood Pressure Measurements, Blood Tests, and Other Screenings
Massage and Other Therapeutic Treatments
Healthy Eating
Exercise
Meditation, Yoga, and Other Stress-Relief Activities

How Can Chiropractic Preventive Care Help Me?

Chiropractors use hands-on manipulation and mobilization techniques to improve the alignment of your spine and correct subluxations. Subluxations happen when the vertebrae in your spine move out of their normal positions. Changes in vertebral alignment may be caused by falls, accidents, poor posture, stress, improper lifting technique, poor exercise form or even sitting for many hours.

Subluxations are a common cause of back, neck, and joint pain, but pain isn't the only consequence. Misalignments can cause muscle stiffness and decreased range of motion and flexibility.

Misaligned vertebrae may press on your nerves, triggering pain and interfering with the normal function of the organs and tissues. For example, a subluxation that affects the nerves that serve your digestive system may worsen the symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases and conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and other ailments.

In a study that appeared in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation, participants experienced an improvement in their Crohn's disease symptoms after spinal manipulation to treat subluxations in the thoracic (upper spine) and lumbar (lower spine) regions. Researchers theorized that chronic nerve compression caused by subluxations could affect the immune system, interfere with digestion and absorption of liquids and nutrients, and cause other gastrointestinal issues.

In addition to helping you manage the symptoms of chronic conditions, preventive care can:

Improve Arthritis Symptoms
Offer a Natural Pain-Relief Option
Reduce Inflammation
Increase Blood Circulation
Prevent Pain Due to Age-Related Degeneration of the Spine
Loosen Tight Muscles, Reducing Your Risk of Injury
Decrease Stress
Enhance the Function of the Organs and Immune System
Promote Healing
Prevent Falls Due to Balance Problems
Keep Your Muscles Flexible and Loose
Correct Posture Issues
Improve Your Range of Motion
Enhance Sleep
Help You Avoid or Delay Spinal Surgery
Improve Athletic Performance
Reduce Recovery Time After Participating in Sports
Prevent Minor Subluxations from Causing Pain and Other Symptoms

If you're like most people, you probably wouldn't dream of ignoring the oil service light on your car or skipping HVAC service calls. Those preventive services reduce breakdowns and keep your vehicle and heating and air-conditioning systems running smoothly.

Preventive care offers the same benefits for your body. Making time to see the chiropractor when you feel fine can help you avoid aches, pains, illnesses, and worsening of chronic conditions.

Could you benefit from chiropractic care? Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research: Long Term Remission and Alleviation of Symptoms in Allergy and Crohn's Disease Patients Following Spinal Adjustment for Reduction of Vertebral Subluxation, 9/10/17

Palmer College of Chiropractic: Benefits of Chiropractic

WebMD: Chiropractic Care for Back Pain

Your First Chiropractic Adjustment

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 21:03:29 GMT

What to Expect During Your First Chiropractic Visit

Have you been thinking about making an appointment with a chiropractor due to pain in your back, neck, hip or limbs? Chiropractic treatment offers a natural way to ease pain, reduce insomnia and stress, relieve numbness and tingling, and help you stay healthy. Here's what you can expect during your first appointment.

You'll Spend a Little Time Talking to the Chiropractor

Before your treatment begins, your chiropractor will review the questionnaire you completed and ask you to describe the location, duration, and intensity of your pain and its cause, if known. You'll also discuss your hobbies, lifestyle, and job.

These questions help your chiropractor get to know you and provide valuable information about the lifestyle factors that may have triggered or worsened your symptoms.

Your Chiropractor Will Perform a Thorough Examination

During the exam, your doctor will evaluate the strength and tone of your muscles and also assess your posture, range of motion, flexibility, and level of pain when moving the sore or injured part of your body.

The exam will include vital sign measurements and neurological and orthopedic tests. Your chiropractor may also take a few X-rays to evaluate the health of your spine and joints. In some cases, other tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, may be ordered.

You May Receive an Adjustment During Your First Visit

After your chiropractor reviews your history and the results of your exam, he or she will prepare a treatment plan. Many plans include spinal manipulations, also known as adjustments. Adjustments correct subluxations, which occur when the vertebrae in your spine become misaligned.

Misalignments can cause joint and muscle pain, restrict movement, and press on nerves. Pressure on nerves may trigger pain and even affect the normal functioning of organs. Subluxations can happen due to falls, injuries or poor posture. You may develop them if you spend hours working on a computer, driving a truck or looking at a smartphone or digital screen.

During an adjustment, your chiropractor will ask you to sit or lie on your side, back or stomach. An adjustment only takes a few seconds and involves quick, hands-on thrusts applied to your back or neck to realign the vertebrae. Your chiropractor may also use a small, handheld device to perform adjustments.

Although it may sound as if your bones are cracking during your adjustment, that's not the case. The sound actually occurs when gas in the joints is rapidly released.

Before your chiropractor adjusts your spine, he or she will explain what will happen during the treatment and discuss how the adjustment will improve your symptoms.

Your Chiropractor Many Recommend a Few Other Therapies

In addition to adjustments, your chiropractor may recommend one or more of these therapies:

Massage . Massage loosens tight muscles, decreases stress, and improves flexibility and range of motion.
Spinal Mobilization . Mobilization involves slow, hands-on pressure to improve the position of your vertebrae.
Soft Tissue Mobilization . Stretching your soft tissues with handheld instruments breaks up scar tissue, improves range of motion, and may decrease pain caused by tendonitis, bursitis, sprains, strains, and plantar fasciitis.
Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TENS) . TENS treatment blocks the transmission of pain signals with a gentle, low-voltage current applied to your body through small electrodes.
Ultrasound Treatment . Ultrasound waves promote healing, improve blood flow, reduce swelling, and loosen tight muscles.

You'll Discuss Next Steps Before You Leave

Although you'll probably notice that your pain has decreased after your first adjustment, you'll need additional treatments to keep your pain under control and address the underlying issue that caused your symptoms. During the next several weeks, your chiropractor may recommend that you visit a few times every week.

Your treatment schedule will vary depending on the nature of your complaint and the severity of your pain. Your chiropractor may also show you a few exercises that you can do at home between visits to improve your comfort.

Are you tired of living with pain or muscle weakness? Chiropractic treatment can ease your pain without drugs. Contact our office to schedule your first appointment.

Sources:

Spine-Health: What Expect at the First Chiropractic Consultation, 8/1/13

Medline Plus: Chiropractic Care for Back Pain

Spine Universe: Chiropractic Therapies

The Importance of Routine Chiropractic Treatment

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:59:01 GMT

The Advantages of Long-Term Chiropractic Care

How long has it been since you've seen your chiropractor? Chiropractic visits not only offer relief of chronic or acute (sudden) pain but may also provide long-term health benefits. Making time for regular chiropractic care offers a simple way to protect your health.

Why You Should Consider Long-Term Care

Scheduling regular visits to the chiropractor help prevent pain from returning. Although you'll feel much better after a few weeks or months of chiropractic care, your symptoms could recur if you don't receive periodic spinal adjustments and other treatments. In fact, the American College of Physicians includes spinal manipulation in its guidelines for treating non-radiating low back pain. Regular maintenance appointments keep your spine properly aligned and your muscles and joints flexible.

Long-term care also:

Helps You Avoid Posture-Related Aches and Pains. Working in tight spaces or spending hours in the same position stresses your muscles and joints, increasing your risk of injuries or chronic pain. Whether you're a truck driver, office worker, plumber or mechanic, long-term care can help you avoid aches and pains related to your posture or job.
Lowers Your Risk of Developing Text Neck. Text neck is a fairly new condition related to the use of digital devices. Looking downward at your smartphone or other devices for hours at a time stresses your neck and spine, causing neck and shoulder pain, muscle spasms, wrist pain, headaches, or numbness in the fingers. Regular chiropractic adjustments, in addition to changing the way you hold your devices, help you avoid these unpleasant symptoms.
Improves Range of Motion and Flexibility. Chiropractic treatment keeps muscles and joints loose and flexible. Lack of flexibility can impair blood flow to the cartilage at the ends of your bones, causing the cartilage to break down prematurely. When muscles in your legs, arms, neck or back are tight, range of motion decreases and your risk of muscle strains and other muscle or joint issues soars. Poor flexibility or range of motion may also affect your balance and can be a factor in falls.
Enhances Organ and Immune System Function. Spinal misalignments cause bones or tissues to press on nerves, affecting their ability to send signals throughout your body. These misalignments, called subluxations, can interfere with the normal functioning of your organs and immune system. Adjustments relieve pressure on your nerves and help you stay healthy.
Helps You Avoid Sports Injuries. You're more likely to injure yourself if your body isn't properly aligned and balanced when you participate in your favorite sport or activity. Regular chiropractic visits help you maintain proper spinal alignment, reducing your risk of strains, sprains, and other sports-related injuries. Long-term care can also quicken recovery time after a workout.
Eliminates or Reduces Reliance on Pain Medication. Are you worried about the potential side effects of prescription pain relievers or the possibility of addiction? Chiropractic care helps ease your pain naturally and may help you avoid medication completely.
Makes Breathing Easier. Spinal adjustments relieve pressure on the thoracic nerves that serve the lungs and loosen muscles, making it easier to take deep breaths.
Keeps Arthritis Pain Under Control. Chiropractic care helps reduce pain, decrease inflammation, and improve joint mobility and flexibility in people who have arthritis.
Decreases Headache Frequency. Tight muscles, nerve pressure, and spinal misalignment can be factors in tension headaches and migraines. Thanks to long-term chiropractic care, you may experience fewer headache days each month.
Treats the Source of Your Pain. Although medication can be helpful in relieving pain, the effects soon wear off, causing a spike in your pain level. If you don't identify and address the cause of your pain, symptoms can continue for weeks, months or years. Chiropractic care treats the source of your pain, not just the symptoms, and offers an effective long-term way to keep pain under control.

Could long-term chiropractic help you improve your health? Contact us to schedule your next appointment.

Sources:

Palmer College of Chiropractic: Benefits of Chiropractic

American College of Physicians: American College of Physicians Issues Guideline for Treating Nonradicular Low Back Pain

Chiropractic Economics: Text Neck Pain, Treatment and Prevention, 10/30/19

Exercising After An Injury

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:55:59 GMT

Should You Exercise After an Injury?

When your muscles and joints are sore and strained from an injury, hitting the gym probably doesn't seem like a very good idea. Although full-out workouts could potentially worsen your condition, moderate exercise may be just what you need to speed the healing process.

How You Can Benefit from Exercise

For years, doctors advised patients with injuries to take it easy. Unfortunately, after spending a week or two on the couch, many people found moving difficult. During the recommended period of rest, muscles stiffened and scar tissue grew. Creaky, stiff joints slowed recovery time and made it more difficult to complete everyday tasks.

The truth is that exercise may actually help ease aches and pains while also reducing the length of your recovery.

Exercise helps:

Keep Your Muscles and Joints Limber and Flexible
Reduce Inflammation
Decrease Scar Tissue Formation
Strengthen the Muscles That Support Your Joints
Improve Range of Motion
Enhance Balance
Prevent a Re-Injury
Improve Circulation

Things to Keep In Mind When Exercising

Check with your chiropractor before you begin exercising after an injury. He or she can advise you when it's safe to start working out again and recommend specific exercises. (If you have a heart condition, ask your cardiologist or family doctor if it's safe for you to exercise.)

Exercise after an injury involves gently working the injured area or keeping other areas of your body mobile and flexible if it's too soon to exercise a sore muscle or joint. If you hurt your ankle, concentrate on upper body exercises for a few days. Once your chiropractor approves, try adding walking, strengthening or low-impact aerobic exercises to your workout regimen.

Weight lifting is an excellent way to strengthen your muscles and help you avoid new injuries, but it should be approached with caution. If you don't decrease your usual weight load, you may worsen your injury. Start with light weights at first, and stop if you experience any pain. Talk to your chiropractor about the best way to begin or re-start a weight training regimen.

When back pain is the problem, exercises that don't strain your back or abdominal muscles or involve twisting can help keep your muscles and joints loose. Swimming, walking or riding a stationary bicycle can elevate your heart rate, improve blood flow, and increase mobility and range of motion. As healing progresses, your chiropractor may recommend exercises that strengthen and tone the muscles in your back and core.

In a study included in a systematic review published in Healthcare, low back pain sufferers who participated in aerobic exercise or strengthening exercises experienced a significant decrease in pain.

Chiropractic Care May Enhance the Effects of Exercise

Exercise is even more helpful when it's combined with chiropractic treatment. During treatments, your chiropractor may realign the vertebrae in your spine with hands-on manipulation. They may also use soft tissue mobilization or massage to loosen tight muscles and tendons.

During a systematic review conducted by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management Collaboration, researchers discovered that soft tissue therapy offered an effective way to treat tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and plantar fasciitis.

The effects of your treatment will last longer if you perform exercises to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Even minor muscle strains or stiffness can stress your back and alter the alignment of your spine, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.

It's important to exercise every day and only perform the exercises approved by your chiropractor. Don't increase the intensity or duration of your workout without approval. Starting a vigorous workout routine too soon can result in new injuries or worsening of your current injury.

Do you want to reduce your recovery time and learn the best exercises that won't further irritate your injury? Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

SPINE Health: Exercise and Chiropractic Therapy, 3/14/13

Ace Fitness: Getting Back to Fitness After an Injury

Healthcare: A Systematic Review of the Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain, 6/16

Manual Therapy: The Effectiveness of Soft-Tissue Therapy for the Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders and injuries of the Upper and Lower Extremities, 8/29/15

Electrotherapy and Pain Relief

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:53:06 GMT

Electrotherapy Offers Natural Pain Relief

Do you struggle to keep your pain under control? Over-the-counter prescription medication relieves symptoms but often causes nausea, dizziness and other side effects that make working, exercising, or taking care of your family difficult. Electrotherapy may offer a better way to manage your pain.

How Does Electrotherapy Work ?

Electrotherapy prevents pain signals from reaching your brain by interrupting them with low-voltage electrical impulses. If the signals aren't received by the brain, you don't feel pain. The treatment also triggers the releases of endorphins, your body's natural painkillers.

In addition to providing pain relief, electrotherapy can be used to loosen tight muscles, promote healing, increase muscle tone, reduce swelling, improve range of motion, and strengthen muscles. Although the therapy can be helpful no matter how long you've had pain, it's particularly beneficial if used immediately after an injury.

During treatments, electrical impulses are delivered through adhesive electrodes attached to your skin or a belt worn around your body. Electrodes may be applied directly over the painful area or on a nerve that serves the area.

Electrotherapy treatment isn't usually painful. Many people mention feeling a tingling or pricking sensation when the electrical current is activated. The therapy can reduce pain for as long as 24 hours after a treatment.

Is Electrotherapy Right for Me?

Electrotherapy may be helpful if you have:

Arthritis
Muscle or Joint Pain
Bursitis
Tendonitis
Fibromyalgia
Endometriosis
Multiple Sclerosis
Whiplash
Muscle Spasms
Sprains and Strains
Migraines
Incontinence
Pain After Surgery
Muscle Atrophy
Menstrual Pain
Shingles
Phantom Limb Pain
Cluster or Tension Headaches
Back or Neck Pain
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Sciatica
Sports Injuries

Electrotherapy can relieve your pain completely or help you reduce your reliance on painkillers. In a study published in the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 100 percent of emergency patients who received the treatment found it helpful in reducing pain when combined with other treatments.

The therapy may not be a good option if you're pregnant, have a heart condition, epilepsy, a pacemaker, defibrillator, infusion pump, or metal implant.

What Types of Electrotherapy Treatments Are Available?

Electrotherapy may be part of your chiropractic treatment plan, in addition to spinal manipulation, massage, soft tissue mobilization, or ultrasound therapy. Your chiropractor might recommend one or more of these types of electrotherapy:

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). TENS treatment uses both high and low-frequency electrical pulses to decrease chronic or sudden pain. A dial controls the intensity of the pulses. Portable home TENS units are fairly small and can be worn during your usual daily activities.
Inferential Current (IFC). IFC treatment may be the next step if your pain doesn't respond to TENS therapy. The IFC device produces currents that penetrate the muscles and deeper layers of the skin.
Galvanic Stimulation (GS). The galvanic stimulator generates short bursts of pulsed electrical currents. Depending on the setting, the machine can be used to reduce swelling or improve blood flow. Increasing blood flow to an injured area offers a simple way to speed healing time while reducing swelling and can improve the range of motion of an injured or painful area.

Pain doesn't have to control your life. Electrotherapy and chiropractic treatments can help ease your pain and improve your mobility. Contact us to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

SPINE-health: All About Electrotherapy and Pain Relief, 4/21/17

Medical News Today: What Is a TENS Unit and Does It Work?

Healthline: Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation Unit

Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in the Emergency Department for Pain Relief: A Preliminary Study of Feasibility and Efficacy, 89/18

June is Scoliosis Awareness Month

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:50:01 GMT

A Guide to Scoliosis: Treatment, Symptoms, and Causes

Scoliosis occurs when the spine curves sideways. Although you may associate the condition with teenagers, it can affect adults too. An estimated 7 million people in the United States have scoliosis, according to the National Scoliosis Foundation.

Scoliosis Symptoms

The bony vertebrae that make up your spine normally form a straight line from the bottom of your back to the top of your neck. If you have scoliosis, your spine curves to the side, forming an "S" or "C" shape.

Scoliosis symptoms vary depending on the degree of curvature and may include:

Pain in the back, neck, shoulders, hips, or ribs
Uneven hips, shoulders, shoulder blades, or waist
Muscle spasms

If the curvature progresses, the vertebrae may begin to press on nerves and organs, causing difficulty breathing, heart issues, or constipation. Limited mobility and physical deformity may also occur.

Scoliosis in Children

Scoliosis usually becomes apparent during growth spurts in the pre-teen and teenage years. Fortunately, most children who develop scoliosis only have mild curvatures and may never need treatment. It's not always possible to determine the cause of scoliosis. The condition may be more likely to occur after an injury that affects the spine or if your child has muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy.

A scoliosis diagnosis can be a surprise to both parents and children. The condition is often detected during annual wellness exams or scoliosis screenings at school.

Your child's doctor may not recommend treatment unless the curve progresses beyond 30 degrees. If your child has been diagnosed with scoliosis, their spine will be X-rayed periodically. One or more of these treatments may be needed if the curvature continues to progress:

Physical Therapy: Physical therapy exercises strengthen the muscles that support the back and improve flexibility.
A Brace: Wearing a back brace while your child is still growing can stop the curvature from growing worse in some cases. Braces are worn under clothing for up to 23 hours per day, depending on the type.

Scoliosis in Adults

Scoliosis that begins during childhood can continue to affect you during adulthood. You may experience minor worsening of your curvature as you grow older, which can trigger or worsen back pain, stiffness, and muscle cramps. Numbness in the legs may be a problem if a nerve becomes pinched.

You might develop scoliosis for the first time as an adult if the discs that cushion your spine begin to break down or you develop arthritis or spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis occurs due to the narrowing of the spinal canal that protects your spinal cord. Adult scoliosis can cause pain or numbness in your back and legs. Some treatment options include chiropractic, physical therapy, and short-term use of braces.

How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help

Chiropractic treatment may help ease scoliosis-related pain in both children and adults. When vertebrae become misaligned, they can press on nerves, causing pain. Muscle tension and spasms may also occur if your spine isn't properly aligned. Regular chiropractic treatments improve spinal alignment and may also decrease inflammation, improve nerve function, and increase flexibility and range of motion.

Twenty-eight adult scoliosis patients saw improvements in disability, pain, and Cobb angle in a study that appeared in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine in 2011. Cobb angle is used to determine the degree of side-to-side curvature. The patients completed a six-month exercise-based chiropractic program that began after the clinical part of their treatment was over.

Chiropractic treatment offers a simple, natural way to help you manage your scoliosis symptoms.

Sources:

National Scoliosis Foundation: Information and Support

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: Scoliosis in Children and Teens

Mayo Clinic: Scoliosis

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Outcomes for Adult Scoliosis Patients Receiving Chiropractic Rehabilitation: a 24-month Retrospective Analysis, 9/11

The Most Effective Ways to Improve Your Sleeping Position

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:42:53 GMT

How Your Sleeping Position Can Lead to Back Problems

It's not always easy to narrow down the cause of early morning back pain, particularly if you don't remember doing anything that could trigger the pain. If you haven't fallen, lifted heavy items, or exercised intensely recently, your sleeping position may be to blame for your pain. Focusing on improving your sleeping position during National Better Sleep Month in May just may help ease your back pain.

The Way You Sleep Can Stress Your Back

Your preferred sleeping may be the same one you used when you were five. Back then, you could easily fall asleep in any position and not experience any consequences. Unfortunately, wear and tear in addition to the natural effects of aging can make your back more susceptible to aches and pains if you continue to sleep in certain sleeping positions.

Positions that fail to keep your head, neck, and back properly aligned and supported are more likely to trigger back pain. Stress on your joints, muscles, and ligaments increases if you don't maintain the natural curvature of your back as you sleep.

Exploring Common Sleeping Positions and Their Effects on Your Back

Do you fall asleep in one of these positions? Here's how they may affect your back:

Stomach. Sleeping on your stomach may be comfortable, but it's not very good for your back. Stomach sleeping forces you to arch your lower back, which may cause morning pain. Turning your head in this position may also strain the muscles in your neck and shoulders. If you can't fall asleep unless you lie on your stomach, try placing a pillow under your hips to prevent your lower back from arching too much.
Fetal Position. The fetal position is a favorite of many people. In fact, 47 percent of people prefer sleeping curled in the position, according to The Better Sleep Council. Although this position isn't bad for your back, it can lead to aches and pains in other parts of your body as you age. If you wake up with aching knees or hips, try to open up your position a little, if possible. Putting a pillow between your legs may help with knee or hip pain.
Side. Sleeping on your side can reduce your risk of back pain, as long as you alternate sides. When you consistently sleep on the same side, muscle imbalances that contribute to back pain can occur. Using a pillow between your legs can also improve your comfort in this position.
Back. Lying on your back is the ideal sleeping position if you want to avoid pain. The position helps preserve the natural alignment of your spine and doesn't stress any part of your body. Adding a pillow under your legs can make the position even more comfortable if you're a back sleeper.

How to Improve Your Sleep and Avoid Back Pain

In addition to sleeping on your back or side, these tips may help you wake up refreshed and pain-free:

Choose the Right Pillow. Pillows that are too thick or thin can disrupt the alignment of your neck. Your pillow should keep your head in a natural position and not cause it to droop down or tilt upward.
Replace Your Mattress. A worn-out mattress may cause or worsen your back pain. Mattresses typically last 10 years or longer, according to Consumer Reports. It's time to replace yours if you regularly wake up in pain or if the mattress sags or appears lumpy.
Select the Best Mattress Type for Your Body. Price shouldn't be the only factor you consider when you buy a new mattress. Saving a little money isn't worth it if your new mattress causes you to constantly wake up with back pain. The perfect mattress should support and cushion your body without creating pressure points. The Cleveland Clinic recommends choosing a softer mattress if your hips are wider than your waist and a more rigid mattress if your hips and waist form a straight line.

Do you suffer from nagging back pain? Your chiropractor offers treatments that can help ease your pain.

Sources:

The Better Sleep Council: Starfish or Freefall? What Your Sleep Position Can Tell You

Consumer Reports: How Long Does a Mattress Last?

May is National Correct Posture Month

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:39:50 GMT

The Importance of Good Posture For Your Back and Spine

Your parents were right when they nagged you about the importance of good posture. Poor posture can trigger back pain and may even affect the alignment of your entire body. Learning about the many negative effects of poor posture during National Correct Posture Month in May just might prompt you to make a few positive changes to your posture.

How Poor Posture Affects Your Back

Slouching throws off the alignment of your spine, stressing your muscles and joints while also increasing your risk of back pain. Normally, all the parts of your spine function as a single unit to support your weight. If your back isn't properly aligned, one area may be required to support a greater percentage of your total body weight. Over time, this imbalance can lead to chronic pain in your back.

Poor posture may also play a role in:

Back Injuries. You're more likely to hurt yourself if your spine, joints, muscles, and ligaments are tight or aren't properly aligned. These issues can also affect your balance and increase your risk of a fall.
Arthritis and Joint Pain. Tight muscles can put unnecessary stress on your joints and cause excessive wear that causes or worsens these conditions.
Increased Pain. Tight muscles are painful enough on their own, but muscle tension can also have other consequences. These muscles may press on nerves, increasing back pain, or even pull the vertebrae in your spine out of alignment. Vertebrae are the small bones that make up your spinal column.
Decreased Flexibility. Your flexibility and range of motion can be affected if poor posture causes spinal misalignments and tightens muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Muscle Fatigue. It takes much more effort to move tight muscles and joints than loose ones. If you don't practice good posture, you may find that you get tired more easily when you exercise.
The Way You Walk. Poor posture can change your gait, which can trigger imbalances throughout your entire body.
Headaches. Misaligned vertebrae and tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, and upper back can be a factor in tension headaches and migraines.

Practicing the Perfect Posture

Improving your posture may be a simple way to decrease the aches and pains in your back. Although many of us automatically assume a military posture when prompted to stop slouching, this posture could actually make your back problems worse.

A more natural standing posture is more beneficial for your back. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) recommends standing with your knees slightly bent and shoulder-width apart with your shoulders pulled back. As you stand, focus on keeping your weight on the balls of your feet while tucking your stomach. (Rounding your back can cause your stomach to protrude.)

Pay attention to the position of your neck too. Many people hold their heads forward or to one side and aren't aware that they're doing this. The ACA recommends that your keep your head level and make sure that your earlobes are over your shoulders.

Your Chiropractor Can Help You Improve Your Posture and Ease Your Pain

Medication isn't the only way to treat back pain. Chiropractic treatment can ease your symptoms without any side effects. South African researchers discovered that the therapy is an effective way to treat postural kyphosis, a condition that causes the upper back to appear rounded due to slouching.

Study participants were divided into three groups. The first group received spinal manipulation therapy only, while the second group received the therapy and also performed strengthening and stretching exercises. (Spinal manipulation uses quick, hands-on thrusts to improve the alignment of your vertebrae.) The third group only participated in the exercises. At the end of the study, the second group had the most dramatic changes in posture.

In addition to offering spinal manipulation and other treatments, your chiropractor can recommend exercises that will strengthen the muscles in your back and abdomen. He or she can also discuss other changes that may improve your posture, such as using ergonomic office furniture, changing your sleeping position, or losing a few extra pounds.

Do you have back pain due to poor posture? Chiropractic treatment can help relieve your pain naturally and improve your posture.

Sources:

Health SA Gesondheid: Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy of the Thoracic Spine in Combination with Stretch and Strengthening Exercises, In Improving Postural Kyphosis in Women, 12/16

PostureMonth.org: Strong Posture Keeps Your Body Looking Good and Moving Well

Harvard Health Publishing: Posture and Back Health

American Chiropractic Association: Maintaining Good Posture

Spirituality

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:38:44 GMT

Appreciating religious values and spiritual beliefs can help form a solid foundation of wellness in your life.

No discussion of wellness psychology would be complete without mentioning the impact of spirituality on wellness. Appreciating religious values and spiritual beliefs can help to form a solid foundation of wellness in your life. Learning to balance physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harmony is a theme found in many spiritual traditions and correlates with the goals of wellness psychology.

Prevent Back Pain While Doing Yard Work

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:36:49 GMT

10 Ways to Prevent Back Pain During Summer Yard Work

Love it or hate it, yard work can't be avoided during the summer months. Mowing, weeding, trimming, and mulching keeps your yard looking its best. But maintaining your yard isn't without its dangers. These 10 tips can help you avoid nagging back pain or injuries this summer.

Warm-Up

Keep your muscles and joints flexible by performing a few warm-up exercises before you begin working. Lunges, jumping jacks, stretches, or even a few laps around the yard get your blood flowing, relax your muscles, and improve flexibility along with range of motion.

Wear Supportive Shoes

Your feet support the weight of your entire body and help keep your bones and joints properly aligned and balanced. Wearing worn-out or unsupportive shoes while you mow or complete other yard work may increase your risk of back pain.

For safety's sake, wear closed shoes that provide adequate support for your arches. If you have flat feet or another foot issue, you may benefit from wearing orthotics in your shoes. The custom shoe inserts add arch support, keep your feet properly aligned in your shoes and absorb shock.

Flip flops and sandals aren't good choices for yard work. Even if you choose styles that offer arch support, you may be more likely to slip or fall if your lawn, deck, patio, or walkways are wet.

Don't Put Your Back Into It

Poor lifting techniques can lead to stressed or strained back muscles. Before you attempt to lift a bag of mulch or move a heavy flower pot, place your feet about 18" apart to improve stability. Bending your knees when you lift reduces stress on your back. As you pick up the object, hold it close to your body, and use the muscles in your legs, not your back, to lift.

Know Your Limitations

You may be able to lift those large paving stones by yourself, but should you? If you know you'll struggle to carry objects even a few feet, it's best to ask for help. Although you may not notice any immediate problems, soreness and pain can set in just a few hours later.

Back pain should never be ignored, as it can become a chronic condition. Twenty percent of people who experience acute (sudden) pain develop chronic back pain after 12 months, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Stores Bags of Topsoil and Mulch in a Dry Location

Rain-soaked bags of mulch or topsoil become much heavier and difficult to move. Keep the bags in a covered area to prevent them from becoming soaked by rain or your sprinkler system.

Let Your Equipment Handle the Heavy Work

Rearranging the potted plants on your deck, patio, or porch is much easier when you place the plants on rolling plant stands. Use a dolly, wheelbarrow, or a tractor to move heavier items.

Upgrade Your Mower

Mowing your lawn not only keeps grassy areas presentable but also qualifies as aerobic exercise. Unfortunately, pushing the mower may cause muscle tension, stiffness, or back spasms. If mowing leaves you in pain, consider switching to a self-propelled or riding mower.

Alternate Hands

Most people primarily use their dominant hands when using garden tools. Digging or raking with your right hand for hours may stress the right side of your body and cause back pain. Avoid a backache by alternating hands occasionally.

Bend and Stretch

You're more likely to suffer from muscle or joint pain if you remain in one position too long. Hunching over to weed the flower bed or stain the deck can cause aches and pains in your back and neck. Stand and stretch every 20 minutes to work out the kinks.

Visit Your Chiropractor

Regular visits to your chiropractor can help you avoid back pain. Even minor imbalances in your spine can increase your risk of pain. When your vertebrae aren't properly aligned, muscle tension may increase. Tight muscles are more likely to become injured during heavy lifting or tasks that require repetitive movements.

Spinal manipulation, massage, soft tissue mobilization, and other therapies improve spinal alignment, correct imbalances, and relieve tight muscles, reducing your risk of back pain when you work in your yard.

Does your yard look beautiful but your back hurts? Chiropractic treatment can help ease your painful symptoms.

Sources:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Materials Handling: Heavy Lifting

Chiropractic Economics: Understand the Relationship Between Low Back Pain and the Feet, 10/14/16

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Low Back Pain Fact Sheet

Spine Health: 6 Tips to Protect Your Lower Back

Identity

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:35:20 GMT

The big distinction about wellness psychology is that it is largely a manifestation of your identity, who you believe yourself to be. If you consider yourself a well person, it goes a long way toward producing well habits and a well mind. Your identity is your self image, your self concept, your beliefs and your values. Choosing beliefs and values that are consistent with well behaviors leads to a well mind.

For example, if you were told as a child that if you washed your hair and went outside with a wet head, you'd get sick, there's a good chance you either don't do that, or when you do, you either get sick or worry that you will. This belief, imposed on you by well-meaning but misguided advisors, has no grounding in fact, so merely noticing when you dredge up stuff like this and challenging it to see if it's really true for you can eliminate interference to normal function caused by faulty thinking. You'll actually heal better and faster when you catch yourself in these limiting beliefs and adjust them.

Your identity is based on your sense of self, which largely came from the beliefs of such well-intentioned people who shaped your early life - as Dr. Larry Markson says, your Mothers, Fathers, Teachers and Preachers, MFTP. Discovering the beliefs that prevent you from expressing yourself as you wish, and replacing them with beliefs that empower you and help you grow, lead to a well psychology.

Examine your values, what you consider to be important, and be sure they match your ideals. Honoring your innermost needs and wants instead of denying them creates an internal environment of self-acceptance, integrity and inner peace. Love, respect, honesty, freedom - everyone has a different formula, and investigating yours can help you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

Improve Your Recovery Time With Chiropractic Treatment

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:33:50 GMT

How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help with Recovery Time

Pain, stiffness, and other symptoms often continue for days or weeks after an injury, even if the injury was fairly minor. Chiropractic care can shorten your recovery period and help you to return to your normal activities much sooner.

Ways Chiropractic Treatment Speeds Up Recovery

Let's say your back or neck begins to hurt soon after you lift a heavy box or spend 12 hours in the car during a road trip. After resting for days or weeks, you're still in pain, plus your joints have become stiff and inflexible.

Whether your pain is caused by a strained muscle, misaligned vertebrae in your spine, scar tissue, or another problem, chiropractic treatment offers a simple, drug-free solution.

Some of your pain may be due to subluxations. Subluxations happen when the vertebrae in your spine move out of alignment. Misaligned vertebrae can be caused by injuries, but may also occur due to poor posture or even the stress and strain of sitting in the same position for hours.

Subluxations not only cause pain but may also affect your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, causing them to tighten or become inflamed. In addition to treating back and neck pain, chiropractors also offer natural treatments for sprained ankles, shoulder injuries, leg, and arm pain, sciatica, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, text neck, and other conditions.

Chiropractic treatment can help:

Ease Pain Naturally. Pain medications and muscle relaxants help temporarily but don't address the source of your pain. Restoring the natural alignment of your spine with spinal manipulation treatment starts the healing process, decreasing your reliance on medication. Your doctor uses gentle manual pressure to re-position your vertebrae during spinal manipulation. Once your vertebrae are properly aligned, your muscles begin to loosen, and painful pressure on your nerves decreases.
Soothe Sore Muscles. It's difficult to play with your kids or do yard work if you're suffering from muscle spasms or tenderness. Massage, ultrasound therapy, and other chiropractic treatments relax tight muscles, ligaments and tendons, promote healing, and break up scar tissue or adhesions that can be a factor in pain.
Restore Range of Motion and Flexibility. Once your vertebrae and joints are properly aligned and your muscles, tendons, and ligaments are loose, you'll probably notice that it's easier to move your body. Treatments also help decrease inflammation, another factor that contributes to pain and poor range of motion.
Improve Blood Flow. After an injury, your body sends white blood cells and nutrients to the injured area to heal it. Unfortunately, some injuries can restrict the flow of blood. After normal blood flow is restored with chiropractic treatments, healing tends to happen much more quickly.
Reduce Headaches. Neck and head injuries may cause painful headaches that last for days. Correcting spinal misalignments and relaxing your muscles with chiropractic care offers real relief for post-injury headaches.

Chiropractic treatment can also help you recover more quickly after a particularly grueling workout, improve your athletic performance or play without pain. In a case study published in the June 2014 issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, a patient who developed lateral epicondylitis, commonly called "tennis elbow," was pain-free after just three weeks of active release technique (ART) treatment.

The hands-on treatment breaks up adhesions in muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and tissue. Adhesions not only restrict movement but may cause pain, numbness, and tingling.

Are your muscles and joints painful and stiff? Chiropractic treatment offers an effective way to ease your pain. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Chiropractic Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Case Report Utilizing Active Release Technique, 6/14

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Spinal Manipulation: What You Need to Know

Spine Universe: Sprains - Strains - Soft Tissue Injuries

Palmer College of Chiropractic: Can Chiropractic Care Help with Pain Management Better than Prescription Drugs?, 11/22/16

How Chiropractic Care Can Help While Pregnant

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:31:02 GMT

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

Pregnancy may be one of the most joyous times of your life, but it's often accompanied by a few aches and pains. Chiropractic treatment improves your comfort during pregnancy and also offers a few other advantages.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help You

The position of your bones and organs shifts as your body accommodates your growing fetus. In addition to causing an aching back, pelvic pain, or sciatica, these changes can also make labor and delivery a little more difficult.

Thanks to chiropractic treatment, you may experience:

Fewer Aches and Pains During Pregnancy . Pain can occur if the vertebrae in your spine become misaligned. These misalignments, called subluxations, may also stress your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, or press on nerves, increasing your pain. Your chiropractor uses gentle, hands-on pressure or handheld device to realign your vertebrae. Seventy-three percent of pregnant women who receive chiropractic treatment reported an improvement in lower back and pelvic pain in a study reported in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
Less Nausea . Chiropractic treatment helps keep your nerves, hormones, and organs functioning optimally. If the treatment is part of your pregnancy care plan, you may discover that morning sickness eases or disappears.
Better Balance . A shifting center of balance during pregnancy can increase your risk of falls. When your spine and pelvis are properly aligned, you're less likely to experience issues with balance or gait (the way you walk).
More Room for Growth . Keeping your pelvis properly aligned with chiropractic treatment ensures that your baby has plenty of room to grow. Treatments help keep pelvic ligaments and muscles balanced as the size of your uterus increases.
Reduced Risk of Breech or Cesarean Birth . A properly aligned pelvis gives the fetus ample room to move into the head-down position before birth. Regular visits to the chiropractor just may lower your risk of a breech or Cesarean birth.
Improvement of Hip and Round Ligament Pai n. Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy relax the joints that connect your pelvis to your spine. As these joints become more relaxed, hip pain can occur due to increased stress on the muscles and ligaments. Chiropractic care offers a simple solution for both hip and round ligament pain. Round ligament pain occurs when the ligaments that the uterus stretch later in pregnancy, causing sharp, stabbing pains in the lower abdomen and groin.
Shorter Labor : According to a narrative review published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, first-time mothers who received chiropractic treatment during pregnancy had 25 percent shorter labors, while those who had had more than one child saw labor shortened by 31 percent.
Fewer Headaches . Headaches don't stop just because you're pregnant. Unfortunately, you may not be able to use your usual pain reliever if you suffer from tension or migraine headaches. Spinal manipulation, massage, and other therapies can ease your pain and reduce the frequency of your headaches.
Less Stress : Stress and anxiety tend to intensify pain. Massage therapy offered during your visit to the chiropractor triggers the release of serotonin. The hormone acts as a natural stress reliever and helps balance your moods.

Regular chiropractic care during pregnancy offers important benefits for your health and comfort. Contact our office to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Pregnancy and Chiropractic: A Narrative Review of the Literature, 12/7/06

American Pregnancy Association: Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics: Outcome of Pregnancy-Related Lumbopelvic Pain Treated According to a Diagnosis-Based Decision Rule: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study, 10/1/09

American Chiropractic Association: 5 Conditions Chiropractic Care Can Improve During Pregnancy, 10/19/18

Prosperity Consciousness

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:30:04 GMT

Einstein reputedly divided people in two groups, those who believe we live in a friendly universe, and those who don't. Brilliant in its simplicity, it points out the fundamental basis of wellness psychology - that a well mind knows that we live in a friendly universe, brimming with opportunity and potential, awaiting our actions to trigger their manifestation. A well mind sees abundance, and realizes that there is enough so that each of us can have plenty.

A well mind is aware of and utilizes the law of attraction, and understands how consistency with nature and things natural makes sense and produces better overall results. Avoiding "lack thinking" and inappropriate, unnecessary pessimism conserves valuable energy and resources, to invest in productive and gainful behaviors.

So, wellness psychology helps you become rich, because a well mind is attractive, supple, creative, effective, capable, curious, motivated, and persistent. Remember that being rich is not only a matter of money, but a manifestation of inner wealth as well - rich relationships, rich appreciation for the splendor of natural living, and rich life experiences also respond to prosperity consciousness. Positive expectancy and positive, powerful action toward a worthy goal creates the best probability of success and fulfillment. (See The Dynamic Laws Of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder)

How to Enjoy Summertime Activities Without Back Pain

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:27:14 GMT

Summer Activities That Can Lead to Back Pain

Now that it's summertime, many of us are catching up on yard work and enjoying outdoor activities. Unfortunately, back pain can be a consequence if you work or play too hard and don't follow a few simple back precautions. These activities are common causes of back pain.

Gardening and Yard Work

Weeding, mowing, planting, raking, and other lawn and garden tasks can take a toll on the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints in your back. Muscles in your back can be strained when you lift heavy bags of mulch or gravel, while stiffness and muscle spasms may be a consequence of sitting in the same position for hours when planting flowers and shrubs.

Following a few of these tips can help you avoid back pain:

Ask for help when lifting heavy items or use a wheelbarrow or dolly to move items safely from one place to another.
Take frequent breaks when painting or planting to prevent your back from stiffening up.
Don't twist your body when you lift or dig.
Use your arm and leg muscles to push your mower. Better yet, consider buying a riding mower if you have a big yard.
Raise your flower beds to reduce the amount of bending you'll need to do to tend to your plants.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Road trips are a summer tradition for many American families. Unfortunately, spending hours sitting in a car (or plane or train) can cause back pain and stiffness. If your vehicle's seat isn't comfortable, use cushions that provide lumbar (low back) and neck support.

Make time in your schedule for frequent stops if you're traveling by car. If you're a passenger on a plane or train, get up from your seat and take a walk through the car or cabin every two hours. Walking not only helps you avoid back pain, but may also decrease your risk of a blood clot due to inactivity.

Golf, Tennis, and Other Sports or Outdoor Activities

Swinging a golf club, tennis racquet, or baseball bat can strain your back muscles and joints, particularly if your form is off or your posture is bad. According to the American Chiropractic Association, a force equal to 10 times your body weight is exerted on your spine during a golf swing. Playing these sports may also increase your risk of elbow and hip pain.

Working with a professional or coach can help you ensure that you're using the best form when you swing. If you don't have a pro or coach, you'll find plenty of information on stances, swings, and body mechanics in online videos.

Hiking or biking may also increase your risk of back pain or injuries. If you're a hiker, make sure you wear hiking shoes or boots that offer adequate support for your feet. You can also use a walking stick to improve your balance and reduce pressure on your back.

Spending hours in one position during a long bike ride may lead to back spasms and a reduced range of motion. Make sure your bike is the right size for your body. If you have to stretch to reach the handlebars or the seat is too high, you're more likely to strain your lower back.

Spectator Sports

You don't actually have to participate in a sport to suffer a sports-related injury. In fact, just watching the game can be a painful experience.

If your back hurts after spending a few hours at your child's sporting event, the seats may be to blame. Bleachers or uncomfortable seats can increase pressure on your lower back and trigger painful inflammation. If you'll be a frequent spectator this summer, avoid back pain by bringing a portable stadium seat with an attached back, and stand and stretch at regular intervals.

Chiropractic Care Helps You Avoid Summer Back Pain

Regular chiropractic treatments will keep your spine properly aligned and your muscles, ligaments, and tendons loose and flexible. Your visits may include several types of treatments, including massage, ice and cold therapy, transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS), traction, and spinal manipulation and mobilization.

Treatments are tailored to your specific sport or activity. For example, chiropractic treatments can correct postural imbalances that improve your golf swing and help you avoid back pain. Does your favorite sport involve running or jumping? Your chiropractor can create a treatment plan that helps reduce strain on your joints and muscles.

Are you tired of living with back pain? Scheduling regular chiropractic visits this summer offers a simple solution. Contact our office to make your appointment.

Sources:

American Chiropractic Association: Chiropractic and Golf — A Winning Combination, 1/7/16

Palmer College of Chiropractic: Sports Chiropractic

SPINE-Health: Chiropractic Treatment for Lower Back Pain

Causes and Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:17:41 GMT

Do You Have a Herniated Disc?

A herniated disc, also called a "slipped" disc, could be the source of that nagging pain in your lower back or legs. Fortunately, your chiropractor offers several treatments that can help ease your pain.

How Do Herniated Discs Cause Pain?

Rubbery, round discs cushion the spaces between the vertebrae in your spine and serve as shock absorbers when you jump, bend, twist, walk, and run. Each disc is composed of a soft, jelly-like core covered by a tougher outer layer. A herniation occurs when the softcore protrudes through a tear in the outer layer of the disc.

If the herniation is minor, you may not notice any symptoms. Larger herniations press against the nerves in your spinal column, triggering pain and other symptoms.

Although an injury or fall can cause a herniated disc, the condition is often related to wear and tear that happens as you age. Discs naturally degenerate over time and become stiffer, flatter, and more prone to tearing. One day, you may bend to pick up your dropped keys and feel an unexpected pain in your back.

In addition to age, gender can be a factor in the condition. Men between the ages of 20 and 50 are more likely to develop herniated discs, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Other risk factors include:

Not Getting Enough Exercise
Using Your Back Muscles to Lift Instead of Your Leg Muscles
Smoking
Participating in Physically Demanding Work or Hobbies
Being Overweight or Obese
Driving for Hours at a Time on a Regular Basis

What Symptoms Will I Experience if I Have a Herniated Disc?

Symptoms vary depending on the location of the herniated disc. If the problem disc is in your neck, you might notice neck pain that radiates to your shoulder, arm, and hand, along with numbness, tingling, and weakness.

The lower back is a common site for herniated discs. If the inner core of the disc presses on the nerves that travel to your legs, you may experience numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain in your back, legs, or feet. Your symptoms might be worse at night or may worsen if you've been sitting or standing for a while.

In severe cases, herniated discs can affect your ability to control your bowels and bladder or make walking difficult.

What Can Be Done to Ease Herniated Disc Symptoms?

Rest and heat or ice packs can decrease pain and inflammation. Although resting as much as possible may seem like a good idea, it's best to start moving after a day or two. Too much rest can lead to muscle spasms and stiff joints.

If your pain continues despite home care measures, your chiropractor can offer treatments that may be helpful including:

Massage : Massage loosens tight muscles and joints, improves blood flow, and triggers the release of endorphins that act as natural pain killers.
Spinal Manipulation : Gentle, hands-on manipulation improves the alignment of your spine and can decrease pressure on your nerves. In a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, researchers studied whether spinal manipulation was as effective as surgery in treating sciatica caused by herniated discs. They discovered that 60 percent of patients received just as much benefit from spinal manipulation without the invasiveness of surgery.
Flexion-Distraction : This therapy takes place on a special therapy table that stretches your spine. Flexion-distraction is used to reposition the disc and increase its height.
Ultrasound Therapy : Applying ultrasound waves relaxes the muscles in your back, reduces pain, and promotes healing.
Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) : EMS uses a low-frequency electrical current to warm and relax tight muscles, improve blood flow, spur the production of endorphins, and speed healing.

Are you struggling with back pain? We can help you relieve your pain naturally. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Mayo Clinic: Herniated Disc

Spine Universe: Chiropractic Care and Back Pain: Non-Invasive Treatment for Bulging, Ruptured or Herniated Discs

PubMed: Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics: Manipulation or Microdiskectomy for Sciatica? A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study, 10/10

Harvard Health Publishing: Don’t Take Back Pain Sitting Down, 3/20

Why You Should Receive Chiropractic Care After an Auto Accident

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:11:56 GMT

Receiving Chiropractic Care After Suffering Auto Injuries

Even seemingly minor motor vehicle accidents can cause whiplash, back pain, and other ailments. Visiting your chiropractor as soon as possible after an accident will help ease your pain and prevent long-term complications.

Chiropractic Treatment Eases Whiplash Pain

Whiplash is a common injury after an accident. In fact, the American Chiropractic Association reports that approximately two-thirds of people involved in motor vehicle accidents develop whiplash symptoms. The injury occurs when your neck "whips" back and forth suddenly. The movements strain or damage muscles, ligaments, discs, and may force the vertebrae in your neck out of alignment.

Although you may feel fine immediately after the accident, your neck might begin to hurt hours or days later if you have whiplash. Chiropractic treatment relieves your neck pain naturally, realigns your spine, and improves movement in your neck. Treatments also improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and speed up healing time.

Back and Body Pain and Muscle Spasms Also Improve After Treatment

Your chiropractor uses a variety of therapeutic techniques to treat the aches and pains that can occur all over the body following a motor vehicle accident. Massage eases spasms, improves range of motion, and reduces pain by triggering the releases of endorphins, natural chemicals produced by your body to reduce pain.

If your back is sore and stiff, spinal manipulation, in addition to massage and other therapies may be part of your treatment plan. The hands-on treatment uses quick thrusts to realign the vertebrae in your spine. Misaligned vertebrae can cause muscle tension and increase pain if muscles or bones press on nerves. Although a misalignment may actually occur in your neck or back, you may feel pain that extends to your arms or legs if a nerve is involved.

Chiropractic Treatment Helps You Avoid Stiffness Due to Scar Tissue

Depending on its location, scar tissue can prevent joints, muscles, and tissues from moving freely. Decreased range of motion, stiffness, and pain can occur due to the buildup of scar tissue. Luckily, you can avoid or reduce these issues simply by visiting your chiropractor soon after your accident.

Massage, instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation, and other therapies break down and stretch scar tissue, restoring your flexibility and range of motion. In addition, your chiropractor may also recommend exercises that will strengthen your muscles, decrease inflammation, and improve your range of motion.

Treatment can be helpful even if it's been months or years since your accident. In a case study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, a 61-year-old woman sought treatment for neck and back pain three years after an accident. After six months of spinal manipulation treatment, she reported improvements in pain and quality of life and was able to stop taking opioid medication.

Treatment Reduces or Eliminates the Need for Over-the-Counter or Prescription Pain Relievers

Medications temporarily ease pain after an accident, but the drugs can cause a variety of unpleasant side effects. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, upset stomach, and abdominal pain can occur when taking pain medication. In some cases, even short-term use of opioid pain medication can cause addiction.

Over-the-counter pain medications aren't necessarily any safer than prescription drugs. In fact, ibuprofen and acetaminophen can cause liver or kidney damage if you take high doses of these medications or take them for a long period of time.

Chiropractic treatment offers a natural pain relief method that can help you avoid these side effects. As your treatment progresses, you may be able to stop taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs completely or reduce the amount of the medication you need to take.

Chiropractic Care Helps You Avoid Lifelong Pain

Treating injuries promptly with chiropractic care prevents motor vehicle accident injuries from becoming long-term problems. You may be more likely to develop chronic pain, arthritis, migraines, headaches, and other symptoms that may make getting through the day difficult if you don't seek treatment soon after your accident. Chiropractic care may even help you avoid surgery.

Have you recently been in a motor vehicle accident? Chiropractic treatment can ease your pain and help you recover more quickly. Contact our office to schedule your first appointment.

Sources:

American Chiropractic Association: Whiplash: More than Standard Neck Pain, 3/15

CDC: Motor Vehicle Injury, 10/4/19

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Chiropractic Management of a Patient With Chronic Pain in a Federally Qualified Health Center: A Case Report, 6/18

How Your Shoe Choices Affect Your Back and Spine

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:07:20 GMT

Are Your Shoes Causing Back and Spine Problems?

Have you been wondering why you have back pain? Your shoes may be to blame. Unfortunately, the most stylish choices don't always offer the best support or comfort for your feet and spine.

What Happens When You Select the Wrong Type of Shoes

Your feet support the weight of your entire body, absorb the shock generated when you run and walk, and help keep your spine properly aligned. If you choose shoes that don't offer adequate support or place too much pressure on one part of your foot, the vertebrae in your spine may soon become misaligned.

Misalignments, called "subluxations" by chiropractors, cause back and neck pain, muscle tension, spasms, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Hands-on spinal manipulation can improve spinal alignment, but subluxations may continue to occur if you don't make a few footwear changes.

Some Shoes Are More Likely Than Others to Cause Problems

High heels are particularly troublesome because the shoes place extreme pressure on the front part of your foot. A one-inch heel increases pressure by 22 percent, while pressure rises by 76 percent with a three-inch heel, according to UPMC Pinnacle.

When you put on a pair of high heels, your posture changes completely. Due to the unnatural position of your feet, your lower back moves forward slightly, disrupting the natural curve of your spine. Wearing the shoes every day will increase wear on tear on the discs between the vertebrae that absorb shock and may strain the joints and ligaments in your back. Knee and muscle pain, tight calf muscles, and Achilles tendons are other consequences of wearing high heels.

Both high heels and flip flops can affect your gait, which is the way you normally walk. Gait changes may alter spinal alignment, cause balance problems, and trigger knee, hip, and back pain. Auburn University researchers reported that an altered gait due to flip flop wear makes walkers take shorter steps and affects the vertical force of the heels.

Lack of arch support is a common problem when you wear flip flops or flats. Arch support helps stabilize your feet, legs, and spine, and is essential to proper spinal alignment. Without proper support, your feet and your back may begin to ache by the end of the day.

How to Select Shoes That Protect Your Spin e

Keeping these tips in your mind will help you select spine-friendly shoes:

Lower Your Heels . "The lower the better," is a good motto to follow when it comes to heels. If you're not ready to give up high heels entirely, give your feet a break by switching to lower heels after a few hours or wearing high heels every other day. Thick heels are a better choice than stilettos and offer more even weight distribution.
Rethink Your Flip Flop Obsession : Flip flops can be a good choice if you're spending the day at the beach or hanging around the house, but they shouldn't be your go-to shoes. You're more likely to develop back pain or injure yourself if you wear flip flops every day.
Choose Well-Cushioned Shoes . Shoes with plenty of cushioning help your feet absorb shock and, of course, are much more comfortable.
Replace Athletic Shoes Often . Your shoes may look like new, but that doesn't mean that they're still offering adequate support. Cushioning in running shoes may become compressed in as little as three months. Replacing your shoes often helps you avoid injuries and pain.
Try Orthotics . Orthotics are shoe inserts custom-designed by your chiropractor. The inserts provide arch support, keep your feet properly aligned, reduce foot movement, and provide extra cushioning.
Get Fitted . Ask the shoe salesperson to measure your feet the next time you go shopping. Wearing the wrong size shoes, whether they're too small or too big, may be a factor in gait issues.
Avoid Tight Shoes . Tight shoes also increase pressure on your feet and can affect alignment and gait. Make sure your shoes offer a little wiggle room in the toes.
Make Arch Support a Priority . Look for flats, flip flops, and other types of shoes that offer adequate support.

Are you suffering from back pain? We offer treatments that will realign your spine and relax your tight muscles. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

PubMed: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association: Comparative Analysis of Human Gait While Wearing Thong-Style Flip-Flops Versus Sneakers, 7-8/10

American Osteopathic Association: The Real Harm in High Heels

UPMC Pinnacle: The High Price of Heels, 5/10/19

Spine Universe: High Heels and Flip-Flops Cause Back Pain, 8/1/18

American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons: That Pain in Your Back Could Be Linked to Your Feet

Improve Your Condition With Chiropractic Care

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:55:02 GMT

5 Conditions That Can Be Improved with Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care offers more benefits than you may realize. Whether you're suffering from back pain, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), or another condition, chiropractic treatment can ease your pain and reduce or eliminate other symptoms. These five conditions are among the many that chiropractors treat every day.

1. Back and Neck Pain

Back and neck pain may occur as a result of a car accident, fall, arthritis, spinal disc degeneration, poor posture, or even looking down at your cell phone for hours every day. No matter what the cause, back and neck pain can interfere with your sleep, make you feel irritable, and prevent you from carrying out your usual daily activities.

The pain may be a result of a misalignment of the vertebrae in your spine called a subluxation. In addition to pain, you may notice tingling, numbness, or burning in your back or neck if you have a subluxation. Misaligned vertebrae can also increase tension on your muscles and press on your nerves, worsening your symptoms.

Spinal manipulation is one of the treatments chiropractors use to treat subluxations. The hands-on treatment uses quick thrusts to move vertebrae back into alignment. Your chiropractor may also use several other treatments to ease back or neck pain, including massage, soft tissue manipulation, heat, ice, ultrasound therapy, and electrical stimulation.

2. Headaches and Migraines

Headaches and migraines affect the quality of your life and can make it difficult to function at work or school. Head pain is a particularly common complaint. In fact, 50 to 75 percent of adults have suffered from headaches during the last year, according to the World Health Organization, while 30 percent have experienced migraines.

Chiropractic treatment eases the pain of both migraine and tension headaches and may reduce the number of headaches you get. In a case series published in the March 2019 edition of Global Advantages in Health and Medicine, researchers explored whether chiropractic care could be helpful in treating migraines.

One patient reported a 50 percent decrease in headache intensity after treatment with spinal manipulation, spinal mobilization, and soft tissue release. Migraines decreased from three to four a week to just one per month in another patient who received chiropractic treatment.

3. TMJ

TMJ affects the muscles, bones, and ligaments in the hinge joints in your jaw, causing pain that increases when you open or close your mouth or chew. Headaches, facial and ear pain, and muscle spasms can also accompany TMJ.

Your treatment may involve soft tissue techniques that relax muscles and tissues in the jaw and break up scar tissue. Gentle pressure may also be used to improve the alignment of your jaw joints.

4. Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia causes tender points all over your body, in addition to fatigue, limited range of motion, and difficulty sleeping. Pain relievers, anti-depressants, and anticonvulsants are typically used to treat fibromyalgia symptoms. Unfortunately, these medications, like all drugs, can cause unpleasant side effects.

Spinal manipulation and ischemic compression treatments may reduce pain, eliminate muscle spasms, and improve nerve health. Ischemic compression involves applying pressure to a trigger point, or knot, to deactivate it.

Twenty female fibromyalgia patients received 20 sessions of connective tissue manipulation and ultrasound therapy of the upper back in a study published in The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapies. The women reported better sleep and less intense pain after their treatments.

5. Asthma

Asthma flare-ups affect your ability to breathe easily by narrowing the small airways inside your lungs. A spinal misalignment may worsen your symptoms if the subluxation causes muscles used for breathing to tighten. If this happens, it may be difficult to take a deep breath.

Realigning your spine loosens the muscles, which gives your lungs more room to expand when you breathe. Correcting subluxations also reduces pressure on nerves, allowing them to send messages between your lungs and brain more efficiently.

Has pain become a constant part of your life? Chiropractic care offers natural relief for many conditions and injuries. If you'd like to find out if chiropractic treatment is right for you, give us a call.

Sources:

Global Advantages in Health and Medicine: Integrating Chiropractic Care Into the Treatment of Migraine Headaches in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Case Series, 3/28/19

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapies: Short and Long-Term Results of Connective Tissue Manipulation and Combined Ultrasound

Therapy in Patients with Fibromyalgia, 9/06

Spine Universe: What Disorders Do Chiropractors Treat?

WebMD: Chiropractic Care for Back Pain

Pain-Free Travel Tips for Your Back and Spine

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:50:31 GMT

How to Prevent Pain While Traveling

Do you suffer from neck or back pain for days after a long car, plane, bus, or train trip? Sitting for hours stresses your spine, joints, ligaments, discs, and muscles, causing those travel-related aches and pains.

How Traveling Causes Pain

After you remain in the same position for a few hours, your joints and muscles tend to tighten. When this happens, your range of motion may decrease. As a result, the slightest movement can lead to painful muscle spasms or even strained muscles. Reaching forward to change the radio station or turning your head to look out the window can trigger jolts of pain if your muscles and joints are too tight.

Long trips can aggravate existing back or neck conditions, including arthritis, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and sciatica.

Sitting affects your spine's ability to support your body adequately. When you sit, the natural curve in your lower back flattens, while pressure on your spinal discs increases, according to a study published in the Asian Spine Journal.

Seat design is another issue. Although seat designers try to accommodate a range of body types and sizes, it's difficult to construct a seat that fits everyone equally well. If the headrest is too tall to fit your neck, or the seat doesn't offer enough lower back support, you're more likely to experience some degree of pain if your trip lasts more than an hour or two.

What You Can Do to Prevent Pain

Fortunately, pain can be avoided, or at least decreased, by following a few of these suggestions:

Take Regular Breaks : Break long car trips into two- or three-hour-long segments. If you're a passenger in a plane or train, get up and walk up and down the aisle a few times after two or three hours. Walking not only keeps your muscles and joints limber but also reduces the risk of blood clots on long trips.
Try a Few Stretches : Stretching before, during, and after long trips will help keep your joints and muscles limber, reduce spasms, and prevent range of motion restrictions.
Be Prepared : Pack a few things that make your trip more comfortable. If long trips leave you with an aching neck and a headache, use a headrest pillow or a U-shaped neck pillow. When back pain is an issue, buy a cushion that helps support the curves of your lower back. Bring a pillow or cushion to sit on if you often develop shooting pain in your back and legs after sitting for a few hours.
Use Pain-Relieving Patches, Ointments, or Tape : Pain-relieving capsicum patches or ointments can help ease muscle pain, while kinesiology tape applied to your neck or shoulders can reduce stress, pain, and swelling. If cold is most helpful, bring a few cold packs to ease your pain. (If you're traveling by air, you may not be able to bring the packs.)
Improve the Way You Sit : Slouching increases pressure on your back and neck and can increase aches and pains. Remind yourself to maintain good posture while sitting. Keeping your seat upright will make it more difficult to slouch. If sciatica or tailbone pain is a problem for you, put most of your weight on the bones in your legs, rather than your tailbone, when you sit.
See Your Chiropractor : Visiting your chiropractor before and after long trips can help you avoid pain. During your pre-trip visit, your chiropractor will offer treatments to improve the alignment of your spine and reduce muscle tension. If these issues aren't corrected, you'll be much more likely to experience pain. Treatments after your trip will focus on restoring spinal alignment, eliminating spasms and muscle pain, reducing inflammation, and improving range of motion.

Do you have a long trip planned soon? Chiropractic care can enhance your comfort. Contact our office to schedule your pre- or post-trip visit.

Sources:

Edmunds: Creating the Perfect Fit: New Car Seat Design

Spine Health: 7 Tips to Alleviate Back Pain on Your Road Trips, 9/12/19

How to Stay Comfortable on Long Drives, 5/24/18

Asian Spine Journal: The Effect of Standing and Different Sitting Positions on Lumbar Lordosis: Radiographic Study of 30 Healthy Volunteers, 10/15

Printable Games & Puzzles

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:39:39 GMT

Wellness Coloring Book

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:37:32 GMT

Wellness Psychology

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:34:59 GMT

Is this glass of water half empty or half full? Wellness psychology would definitely indicate the latter.

Wellness psychology is the study of mental and emotional wellness - in other words, the way to create conditions of thinking and feeling that are consistent with healthy living.

Wellness psychology is a way of responding to the challenges of life with positive expectancy and self-esteem, based on the awareness that our natural state is harmony and inner peace, if we can reduce or eliminate whatever is interfering with that state.Wellness psychology is based more on lifestyle decisions than the treatment of a professional. Learning to interpret the events of your life with positive realism gives you a perspective from which you can assign uplifting meanings to those events. Tony Robbins says, "Nothing has any meaning but the meaning you give it," and putting a positive spin on things sets an internal environment that is more likely to encourage overall wellness.

But there's more to wellness psychology than just positive thinking. Rather than waiting around for mental and emotional symptoms, you can be proactive and develop habits that make you mentally and emotionally healthier on an ongoing basis.

Personal Growth

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:33:40 GMT

The end product of wellness psychology is ongoing personal growth. Rather than a psychological treatment for a mental or emotional condition, wellness psychology leads someone from wherever they are to wherever they want to go mentally and emotionally. Instead of stopping therapy when the symptoms resolve, wellness psychology is based on lifestyle choices and training in wellness habits that go far beyond "no symptoms" to a state of vitality and well-being. Being truly well has a vibration of self esteem and joie de vivre that makes life seem more worth living, and the investment you make in your own education and development will come back to reward you many times over.

Relationships

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:12:55 GMT

Sharing and committing to support each other's values calms rocky waters and sets the stage for happiness and growth in relationships.

While you can't be responsible for someone else's behaviors and values, you can help to create an environment that makes relationships work better. Gaining and maintaining rapport establishes a bond or connection that improves communication. Sharing and committing to support each other's values calms rocky waters and sets the stage for happiness and growth in relationships.

You can gain rapport by matching and mirroring someone - in other words, communicating in a similar style, to make it comfortable for the other. By giving the person back their facial expression, voice tonality, body posture, word choice or breathing pattern, you connect with the other person on a deep level. Discussing values comes easier when you have rapport. Ask questions to find out what's important and why, so you can support them, and reasonably expect their support, too. Make your needs and wants understood too, so you can be supported in pursuing what is important to you.

Quality Of Life

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:09:49 GMT

Our own values and beliefs will shape our definition of a great quality of life. A well person or family seeks to live consistently with their own meaning for living well.

The most obvious and desirable benefit of a well mind is a better quality of life, which of course is determined by each individual's model of the world. Our values and beliefs will shape our definition of a great quality of life. A well person or family seeks to live consistently with their own meaning of living well, so identifying the details of your desired outcomes makes it easier to tell when you're getting close.

To increase your quality of life, think about what a happy, satisfying, fulfilling life would be like, and pay attention to how you would have to show up to have the best chance of creating that life for yourself. The more you act like the kind of person who has the life you want, the more likely you'll do the things that kind of person would do, and that will lead to having those things in reality. By noticing how you are already like this ideal version of you, and by recognizing where you need to focus your energy to build the resources you need, you can grow into an enhanced version of yourself, more capable and more attractive, which leads to a better quality of life, by your standards.

Orthotics

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:07:00 GMT

Your feet are the base that your body stands on. If your feet are weak or have structural problems, this can lead to problems in your knees, hips and low back, and can even cause headaches. Many people wear orthotics because they are good for their feet, but orthotics are even more important for those who experience pain after extended walking or standing. The most popular brand of orthotics is Foot Levelers. Foot Levelers, Inc. has been in business for over 50 years. When ordering orthotics, a cast or mold will be made of each of your soles. Some doctors have started to use high tech digital scanners. At least 16 different measurements of your feet are taken to ensure that your feet, and therefore your foundation, are more firmly supported. Please note that the orthotics and insoles that you buy at your drug store are not the same as the high quality orthotics that you can have custom made, even though they look similar. Insoles may effectively reduce pressure by increasing the padding under your feet, but orthotics are customized and provide a foot-bed that is molded specifically for each of your feet based on their unique shape and size. Customized orthotics are also a worthy investment. Ask us whether we think you need orthotics or not.

Buy Good Shoes

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:04:00 GMT

Most people spend close to two-thirds of their life in shoes, so wearing shoes that fit well is very important. Our feet endure tremendous pressures daily. For example, an average day of walking brings a force equal to several hundred tons on your feet. Feet are subject to more injury than any other part of the body, underscoring the need to protect them with proper shoes. Here is a quick guide to selecting the right shoes for your feet.

Always have your feet measured while standing
Always try on both shoes, and walk around the store in them
Always buy for the larger foot; feet are seldom precisely the same size
Don't buy shoes that need a 'break-in' period; shoes should be comfortable immediately
Don't rely on the size of your last pair of shoes as your feet may grow
Shop for shoes later in the day, as feet tend to swell during the day
Select a shoe with a leather upper, stiff heel counter, good cushioning, and flexibility at the ball of the foot
Try on shoes while you're wearing the same type of socks or stockings you expect to wear with the shoes
If you wear prescription orthotics, you should take them along to shoe fittings

A Healthy Backpack

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:00:10 GMT

Another important wellness essential product is an ergonomically designed backpack. It is amazing how we can put thousands of pages of data onto a microchip smaller than the eye can see, yet kids are carrying backpacks that are heavier than ever filled with text books. Many schools are taking away kid's lockers making the problem even worse. Some kids carry backpacks with 40% of their body weight or more. You can see them walking to school leaning forward to offset the weight on their backs. Until schools figure out a way to make the loads lighter, we recommend that you get a backpack that is designed to help you stand up straighter. Our favorite is the AirPack Backpack designed by Core Products because of its patented shoulder straps and inflatable lumbar cushion which when properly adjusted redistributes the weight from the shoulders and upper back into the hips promoting a healthier upright standing posture.

Aging & Longevity

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 18:59:14 GMT

People who practice wellness typically enjoy their lives and want them to last as long as possible. That's why the wellness mindset usually accompanies other constructive, healthy lifestyle habits. By adopting positive behaviors like: eating well, exercising, saying affirmations, developing healthy self talk, structuring a healthy system of values and beliefs, creating functional and fulfilling relationships, and balancing physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy, you build a foundation of wellness that preserves a well attitude, wellness driven lifestyle choices, and a positive overall experience throughout life.

By following these steps, you not only extend your life, but you extend your quality of life deeper into later life. This is the ultimate objective of wellness psychology - to have the best life possible for as long as possible.

Personality

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 18:58:30 GMT

Healthy people express themselves consistent with their personality types, so there is a wide spectrum of normal behaviors that could contribute to achieving wellness.

The technical end of wellness psychology encourages normal responses to the challenges of life, rather than just treating mental and emotional conditions. Understanding the concept of personality makes this approach clearer. For example, people tend to have patterns of behavior, some of which work better than others, but the patterns usually persist until they are broken or replaced. Noticing these patterns and evaluating them to see if they are constructive or destructive, and shifting the patterns accordingly, make wellness more accessible.

There are many ways to group or evaluate personality types. People tend to favor one of the three major ways the brain processes - visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), and kinesthetic (feeling), and each group has common patterns of behavior. Or, you can divide people by personality style, such as: drivers, expressives, analyticals, and amiables. You can notice typical behaviors, known as metaprograms, such as moving toward benefits or moving away from consequences, or having an internal or external frame of reference. There are more technical systems of personality also, like Myers-Briggs or the enneagram, which offer a deeper understanding of personality and can help create a pathway to personal growth.

Why is personality important? Healthy people express themselves consistent with their personality types, and those types vary greatly, so there is a wide spectrum of normal behaviors that could be considered well behaviors. Knowing yourself, and understanding others you have a relationship with, can give you insight into the unique nature of your personality. You can also understand the likely patterns of health, so you can choose the actions that support wellness for someone of your personality type. Patterns of personality also provide clues for wellness professionals to intervene in a way that is custom-tailored for the needs of each individual. This guides the person toward a well state and even amplifys their health, wellness, and peak performance through personalized wellness counseling.

A Back Saver Wallet

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 18:58:17 GMT

Most men carry a wallet in their back pockets and in many cases it can be over a half an inch thick. Sitting on a half inch wedge for hours at a time over a period of years is one of the most overlooked causes of spinal misalignments and spinal pain including back pain, neck pain and even headaches. Our recommendation is to clean out your wallet and carry only what is really necessary. An innovative new product that has a unique patented designed and can reduce the size of your wallet by over 50% is called the TPK Back Saver Wallet, we like to think of it as The Wellness Wallet. Its unique thin design allows for it to be carried in your front pocket instead of your back pocket restoring the natural tripod effect of your spine when you are seated. You'll be amazed at what a difference it makes.

Choices & Decisions

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 18:47:20 GMT

Scientists tell us that much of our self-talk is negative, so learning to be kind and supportive in your mental chatter is a direct step toward a well mind. Practice saying constructive things to yourself, like "I'm a good person, today's going to be a great day, I can do this," simple stuff like that. One of the most powerful tools you can use is saying affirmations, positive statements spoken aloud daily that focus your mind and establish a consistent tone of empowerment.

Visualizing or imagining a desirable future helps to promote wellness by creating feelings of excitement, fun, and positive expectancy. It also sensitizes us to anything we come across in real life that reminds us of our vision, so we start to pick up on distinctions we might otherwise miss. There is even considerable evidence to suggest that visualization influences what happens, but one way or another, using your imagination is a constructive habit that adds to the wellness experience.

Setting goals can be very helpful, to focus the mind on productive activities and enhance self-esteem and personal growth. Success is a frequent by-product of a well mind, since the energy used to deal with mental and emotional issues can be reclaimed and reinvested in more fulfilling outcomes and achievements.

Meditation and prayer are useful wellness habits, too. Getting quiet inside and connecting with your higher self, or more formally giving thanks and appreciation to your Maker for your many blessings, are tried and true for adding to the wellness equation.

Watching your nutrition also contributes to mental and emotional wellness. Sugar and caffeine may make you edgy, but often dehydration causes psychological unrest, so drinking sufficient water is a crucial wellness habit. Vitamins and minerals play a major role in mind function, so a well-balanced nutritional regime, with lots of high water content foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, aids your body chemistry and enhances your psychological condition. Also, avoid foods with high concentrations of hormones, antibiotics, or additives, which may irritate your nerve system and cause symptoms.

Physical activity is essential for a wellness lifestyle, and it has a profound positive impact on your perception of reality. Breathing, stretching, or walking can both stimulate and relax you, and more vigorous activity like aerobics, running or weight training keeps your machinery operating at peak efficiency. Programs like Body For Life by Bill Phillips that incorporate exercise, proper diet and an optimistic outlook are likely to promote wellness between your ears as well as around your midsection.

Alignment is the missing link of wellness psychology - alignment of physical structures like the spine and nerve system work hand in hand with alignment of the thinking, values and beliefs, to formulate the best possible internal environment, leading to optimum function and physiological freedom.

Wrist Metabolism Monitor

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:54:43 GMT

If you are a gadget junkie, a professional athlete or just like to have the most advanced new technology, you'll want the Suunto t6. It is a wristwatch that calculates your heart rate, energy consumption, ventilation, oxygen consumption (VO2), respiratory rate, Training Effect and EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). You can then wirelessly upload your data to your computer to track your progress. They even have programs that will correlate your data with sport specific training programs. They have programs for novices through professional athletes. You have to check this out, it's cutting edge technology that can help you get better results, faster.

Videos, Books, & Internet

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:52:13 GMT

In order to keep your muscles strong, you must stress them by resistance training. Dumbbell weights or resistance bands are great ways to strengthen your muscles. Resistance bands are great because they are easy to travel with. Take them on your next business trip and you won't miss a workout wherever you are.

Resistance Bands/Weights

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:50:29 GMT

Power Plate

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:43:42 GMT

The Power Plate's Advanced Vibration Technology is the most innovative health and fitness tool in the industry today. Backed by over 40 years of scientific research, vibration training enables you to achieve a higher level of fitness faster than traditional methods. The Power Plate produces a vibration that is transferred to the body. This mechanical stimulus produces a stretch reflex eliciting involuntary muscle contractions. The Power Plate has been used extensively by top athletes and is now widely accepted all over the world by medical, rehabilitation and health and fitness professionals.

Personal Trainer

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:32:58 GMT

Another great way to get results is to make sure you are getting expert advice and supervision. A personal trainer is a great way to ensure that you are exercising safely and effectively to accomplish your goal. All exercise is not the same; some people want to build more muscle mass, some people want more tone and definition, some want to lose weight. All three have different strategies. You can speak with a wellness coach to provide a routine and information, but a personal trainer will be in the fitness center, at the wellness center or at your home with you watching your body mechanics, showing you the best equipment to use and most importantly pushing you towards maximize results.

Foam Roll

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:31:00 GMT

These days an exercise ball is a great tool to have and use at home. You can do a thorough workout on it, you can stretch on it and you can use it as a desk chair. Make sure to get the correct size. There are great videos that you can use to learn basic exercise routines.

Exercise Ball

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:23:36 GMT

Vitamins & Supplements

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:14:29 GMT

Unless you live on an organic farm, most experts agree that we should take a daily supplement in order to ensure that our bodies are receiving the nutrients necessary to promote our optimum health. Multi-vitamin supplements help your body stay nourished to keep healthy and strong. One of my favorite products is the NutriWell Pack formulated by Biotics Research. Besides being a high quality blend of basic wellness nutrients formulated by scientists they are conveniently packaged in individual daypacks eliminating the need for multiple bottles and pill counting. Also they are easy to take with you on the go or on a trip.

Protein

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:12:52 GMT

Protein is another nutritional foundation essential to building and maintaining muscle during every stage of life. Protein provides a number of benefits in the areas of weight management, immune support, and bone health. As you know it is always best to nourish your body with natural organic foods, but you may also benefit by adding a protein powder to your supplement routine. This is recommended especially for people who are on vegetarian diets, the elderly, and to those striving for maximum energy.

Greens

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:10:35 GMT

Dietary essentials for wellness include getting the five to ten servings of vegetables and fruits per day that will provide you with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals necessary for optimum functioning at the cellular level. To help you achieve this goal, we suggest a whole food phytonutrient blend, often called "green powder." Of course, please remember its best for you to eat real fruits and vegetables.

Essential Fatty Acids

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 16:02:59 GMT

One component of nutrition that deserves significant attention is essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs cannot be produced by the body and therefore must come from the food we eat. They are the main structural components of our cell membranes, and keep our cell walls healthy by allowing nutrients to flow in and toxins to flow out. The three main essential fatty acids are Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9. Most people consume enough Omega 6 and 9 fatty acids in the form of vegetable oils. However, we are often deficit in Omega fatty acids that come from foods such as flax seed, fish and borage oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are known to help with cardiovascular, joint and skin health, and to improve mood. Supplementing daily with an EFA capsule or liquid oil is essential to properly nourish your body.

Core Trainer

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 16:01:38 GMT

The Core Trainer is an innovative, effective piece of exercise equipment from Panasonic that allows you to sit down and perform low impact exercises that help lead to high impact results. This is made possible by innovative counter-balance exercise technology, which constantly moves you off your center of balance, forcing you to use your thighs, back, stomach and other core muscles to re-gain your balance. This reaction efficiently and effectively maximizes the building of core body strength while minimizing body and joint stress, as well as impact and aerobic demand.

BOSU/Disc

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 15:55:32 GMT

A great way to both work on strengthening the core muscles that wrap around your waist and support your spine and improve your balance and coordination is with a new workout tool called a BOSU which stands for "both sides up." On one side it is a half of a balance ball on the other side it is a flat surface.

This is a great tool that allows you to complete a variety of different workouts. Inflatable discs or foam pads are another type of workout tool to exercise your nervous system and improve your balance and coordination. This is a great way to reduce your risk of injury as you age. Many age-related injuries are due to falls because of poor balance and coordination.

Detox

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 15:48:19 GMT

Every person should cleanse the system of toxins and let the digestive tract rest at least once each year. Cleansing is one of the most direct and effective ways to improve your overall health quickly. Free radicals and toxins can build up in your body over time and may cause fatigue, poor immune function, sleep disturbances, aches, pains, and low energy. There are cleansing programs and supplements available that help the body repair and remove toxins from the body. It is generally recommended that you contact a nutrition professional when choosing a program.

Monitor Arm

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 15:04:26 GMT

First it was great when computer monitors went from taking up so much desk space to the new flat panels but they are still on the desk taking up space and don't have too many ways to adjust their position to best fit a person's work station. Humanscale, a leader in ergonomic office furniture, offers a variety of computer monitor arms that can get your monitor off your desk. It is completely adjustable so you can move it around where you want to, when you want to. It's a brilliant idea whose time has come.

Lumbar Support

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:56:14 GMT

A support for your low back is essential to have in the chairs in which you will spend most of your time. Most furniture companies do not manufacture chairs that are actually healthy for you. Often they are hard rather than offering a cushioned seat, and the position of your spine is often very poor and sometimes even damaging. Think of having a lumbar support for your office chair, your car seat and your favorite reading chair at home. Another great idea is to have one that you can take with you when you travel on long flights or trips.

You can also find products that offer support while sitting in various positions on the floor so you can read, do homework, relax, meditate and more. There are some products that can be arranged in many different ways so that you can change your positions often and still feel comfortable and supported on the floor.

Another tool to help keep healthy alignment includes a special shaped support pillow that rests between your legs while you're lying on your side. Such support pillows are designed to align your lower extremities in order to relieve pressure on your low back, hips and knees. It is very comfortable to sleep with and once again helps not only reduce pressure on your low back, it helps you get a better night sleep.

Another helpful item is a rectangular air filled low back pillow that you can use either behind your low back or you can sit on it. The pillow helps enhance the hydration of spinal discs, improves muscle blood circulation and helps to reduce pain while your sitting. It also simulates the effect of sitting on an exercise ball in that it activates your core muscles in order to stabilize your pelvis on the air pocket. Because of its simple design you can use it at work, at home, take it to sporting events, use it in your car and bring it on an airplane.

Keyboard & Mouse Pads

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:52:53 GMT

Many computer keyboards now include wrist pads as standard accessories. There are, however, ways to upgrade and enjoy the benefits of a liquid filled or foam pad designed to comfortably support your wrists while typing and using your mouse. If you are using a computer regularly, these are worth the investment.

Headsets

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:50:55 GMT

If you talk on the phone regularly and for long periods of time, a headset is a great tool to prevent headaches, stiff necks and sore shoulders. If you really want a new and healthy experience, invest in a cordless headset. Being able to stand up, walk around and use your hands while talking on the phone is not only healthier, it helps you be even more productive.

Desk Chair

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:46:51 GMT

The basics of a healthy ergonomic workstation include a bio-mechanically correct chair to sit in. It is best if it's adjustable to support your unique height and curves. Humanscale offers a variety of seating options designed to keep you healthy and well while you are working. These products are an investment in your health if you sit at your desk often.

A great new cost effective desk chair is an exercise ball that sits on a stand. These are terrific and very affordable. These chairs actually help you strengthen your core muscles while sitting on them. It's like a workout while you're working.

Cervical Pillow

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:22:59 GMT

There are a variety of different types of pillows that are made of different grades of foam and have custom curves designed into them to support your neck. If you are like most people, you sleep on your pillow for six to nine hours every night. Shouldn't you sleep on something that will help you maintain your good health, not something that will slowly continue to allow your posture to get worse and worse over the years?

A Good Mattress

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 13:54:39 GMT

Most people spend approximately one-third of their entire life lying in bed. The quality of your mattress can make a huge difference between waking up feeling refreshed and waking up in pain. In fact, old worn-out mattresses are an extremely common contributor to chronic back and neck pain. Good health and sleep are closely linked. Just as we improve our eating habits for better health, we should also improve our sleep habits. Good sleep not only reduces back problems, it also helps to prepare us for a more productive day. If you think that your mattress may be past its prime, here are some tips to help you select the right mattress for you:

There is no single mattress that works well for all people. Look for a mattress that is adjustable in firmness and support for you.
Find a mattress that has proper support for good sleep posture. Good sleep posture is nearly the same as good standing posture, with the ear, shoulder, hip and ankle all in alignment. This will require different levels of support for different parts of the body.
Mattress firmness and support are not the same. Mattress firmness describes comfort and conformability. Look for a mattress that is comfortable.
Look for a mattress that manages temperature and moisture.

Read the Labels

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 23:01:28 GMT

Just about every packaged food made in the U.S. has a food label indicating serving size and other nutritional information.

Learning how to read food labels is like looking at a prescription for your health and your life. We recommend looking for red-flag ingredients- if a Hall of Shame ingredient is listed among the top five ingredients overall, steer clear!

Just about every packaged food made in the U.S. has a food label indicating serving size and other nutritional information. The "Nutrition Facts" food labels are intended to give you information about the specific packaged food in question. Measurements of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals are calculated for a "typical portion." But, reading these labels can be confusing. Below are some explanations of its components.

Serving Size. Serving sizes are based on the amount of food people typically eat, which makes them realistic and easy to compare to similar foods. This may or may not be the serving amount you normally eat. It is important that you pay attention to the serving size, including the number of servings in the package and compare it to how much you actually eat. The size of the serving on the food package influences all the nutrient amounts listed on the top part of the label. For example, if a package has 4 servings and you eat the entire package, you quadruple the calories, fat, etc. that you have eaten.

Calories and Calories From Fat. The number of calories and grams of nutrients are provided for the stated serving size. This is the part of the food label where you will find the amount of fat per serving.

Nutrients. This section lists the daily amount of each nutrient in the food package. These daily values are the reference numbers that are set by the government and are based on current nutrition recommendations. Some labels list daily values for both 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diets.

"% Daily Value" shows how a food fits into a 2,000 calorie/day diet. For diets other than 2,000 calories, divide by 2,000 to determine the % Daily Value for nutrients. For example, if you are following a 1,500 calorie diet, your % Daily Value goal will be based on 75% for each nutrient, not 100%.

For fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, choose foods with a low % Daily Value. For total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, try to reach your goal for each nutrient.

Ingredients. Each product should list the ingredients on the label. They are listed from largest to smallest amount (by weight). This means a food contains the largest amount of the first ingredient and the smallest amount of the last ingredient.

Label Claim. Another aspect of food labeling is label claims. Some food labels make claims such as "low cholesterol" or "low fat." These claims can only be used if a food meets strict government definitions.

Hall of Fame Ingredients

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:57:24 GMT

Healthy Oils

There are many healthy oils, such as olive oil, sesame seed oil, flax seed oil, grape seed oil and canola oil. To maximize their health benefits good oils need to be used properly. Keep it in a dark bottle or in your refrigerator-that's how to keep it healthy so it doesn't go rancid. Healthy oils are delicate, you have to treat them delicately.

Overheating good oils during cooking can damage them. Don't cook the oil, cook the food, which means put a tiny bit of oil in the pan, put the food in the oil and then put the food with the oil on it in the pan-that way the oil is preserved. It doesn't heat up and it doesn't get damaged by the heat.

Garlic

Garlic is great for our bodies. It actually helps the bacteria in your intestines and it also relaxes the arteries and it has a benefit with cancer. It's a great thing to add to your diet. It's present in a lot of cultures-we've forgotten it in America.

Salad dressing made with fresh garlic, lemon and olive oil is one of Oprah's favorites. It's a perfect dressing, It's the best way to have olive oil because you haven't heated it and you haven't damaged it.

Tomato Sauce

Eating 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce per week. Inside the tomato is a chemical called lycopene. This chemical has a wonderful effect-it's an antioxidant.

There are added benefits from eating tomato sauce or paste as opposed to plain tomatoes. A raw tomato is fine, too, but if you get a little fat with it-either with some nuts or a little olive oil and dressing-then it's perfect. It helps you absorb it better into your intestinal system.

Spinach

Jam-packed with nutrients, spinach is out-of-sight. This is the best thing for your eyes, It's better than carrots, and a lot of macular degeneration-which is a tragic ailment that affects vision-can actually be avoided by eating these kinds of foods that are rich in carotenoids and also have folic acids and a lot of other benefits. Sauté spinach with a little garlic and olive oil for a perfect side dish.

Raw Nuts

To maximize the benefits of the healthy oils found in nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts they should be eaten raw and stored in the refrigerator. When you roast a nut, the healthy oils that are in there become damaged. The oils aren't supposed to be heated and damaged-they're supposed to be taken in their natural form.

Pomegranates

Research on the health benefits of pomegranates has shown promising results. We've done studies on them showing how they actually can change the way your arteries age-it's a very potent antioxidant, It also probably affects cancer rates, especially prostate cancer, but those studies haven't been finished yet.

Not only do pomegranates have extraordinary health benefits-they taste good, too.

Hall of Shame Ingredients

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:53:03 GMT

Sugar

When you eat or drink sugar the sudden energy surge your body experiences is followed by an insulin surge that rapidly drops the blood sugar level-so two hours later, you feel famished and tired. To keep an even keel, replace simple carbohydrates with complex ones so the absorption is more controlled and you experience long-term satiety. While sugar should be eaten, it should come together with fat or some element like fiber-as you would find in fruit-so you can absorb it a bit more slowly.

In a recent study done by the USDA, it was reported that the average American consumes 134 pounds of refined sugar every year, or approximately 20 teaspoons of sugar per day. As hard as this may be to believe, consider the following facts:

A 12 oz. can of Pepsi' contains 10 teaspoons of sugar
A 2 oz. package of candy contains 11 teaspoons of sugar
A 16 oz. cup of lemonade contains 13 teaspoons of sugar
A cup of Frosted Flakes' contains 4 teaspoons of sugar

This high level of sugar intake is very unhealthy and contributes to obesity, Type II diabetes, heart disease due to elevated triglycerides, kidney stones, dental caries, chronic tiredness and reactive hypoglycemia. Decreasing your sugar intake is as simple as avoiding foods that are high in refined sugars, such as soft drinks, candy, cake and donuts, as well as most condiments. When you purchase sweetened food, look for products that are sweetened with apple juice or stevia, rather than sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Although they taste sweet food products that contain high fructose corn syrup should be avoided. The body processes the sugar in high-fructose corn syrup differently than it does old-fashioned cane or beet sugar, which in turn alters your body's natural ability to regulate appetite. High fructose corn syrup blocks the ability of a chemical called leptin, which is the way your fat tells your brain it's there. It's not so much the 150 calories in the soda pop-it's the fact at that same meal you will normally consume an extra hundred calories of food than you would have.

Enriched Wheat Flour (White Flour)

Contrary to what its name suggests, enriched flour is actually poor in nutrition because most of the grain's nutrients are destroyed in the refining process. The reason they enrich it is because they already stripped out anything that was nutritious, and they add a little bit back so it doesn't look so bad.

Instead, look for whole grains and whole grain flours. It has its kernels, it has its B vitamins-all the things you want to be in there.

Saturated Fat

Found mainly in animal products, avoid saturated fats that are solid at room temperature, like lard. You can actually use this kind of material for furniture polish-lots of fun things-but don't put it in you.

Hydrogenated Oil

To increase their shelf life, certain oils are hydrogenated. This process turns the oil into a solid at room temperature, but it also makes the oil unhealthy. This stuff is great because it doesn't go bad, but it's very bad for you. Avoid food products that contain hydrogenated oil, often labeled as trans fats.

Love Others

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:39:17 GMT

Although you may have never seen a doctor write a prescription for daily doses of "love," best selling authors such as Deepak Chopra M.D., Bernie Siegal M.D., and Dean Ornish M.D. all write about the healing properties of love. Dr. Ornish says, "love may be the greatest of all disease-fighters, and it's about time doctors realized it." Dr. Ornish, a pioneer of wellness, has extensively researched how diet, exercise, and stress management can help to reverse heart disease symptoms. His book, Love & Survival explains how loneliness can ruin the body, while experiencing a sense of community and love can have healing effects.

Sharing love is the most powerful force of nature, whether it's with a pet, a friend, or a significant other. Experts stipulate that loneliness and social disconnect result from our increasing attention on technology and work. Regarding ailments such as heart disease, Dr. Ornish says that "the real epidemic isn't physical heart disease. It's spiritual heart disease: loneliness and isolation."

It is amazing but true that the easiest thing in the world to do to improve our own health and wellness is to express our love for ourselves and for others. It doesn't cost anything and it doesn't have to take much time. The benefits of love are beyond measure.

Advanced Citizenry

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:36:24 GMT

Being an advanced citizen means that you dedicate some of your time, your thoughts and your perspectives to a cause that you believe in. This may be something as simple as volunteering a few hours every month to visit with senior citizens in the local nursing home, perhaps becoming a mentor to a child, or becoming active in your local government. Whatever it may be for you, by making your feelings known, you shape the world for the future generations. Your ideas are more important than you may realize, so please participate in your local, state and national organizations, and add to the process with your own individual slant. The more that all of us do this, the more we'll develop a world which we can all be proud.

Each of us has a sphere of influence, a circle of friends and acquaintances who need to hear our message. Whether you decide to do something small or great, please accept your share of the responsibility for moving our society ahead. If we all invest our own special something, the net effect will be a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life for us all.

Turn off the Television

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:32:51 GMT

There are three major trends in the health of both children and adults that have public health workers concerned: an increase in obesity, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and the amount of time spent watching television. Several recently published research studies indicate that television may be the culprit that leads to both of the others.

Watching television leads to obesity in two ways. First, every hour that you spend sitting in front of the television, is an hour spent being inactive. Kids should be outside running around, riding bikes and playing with their friends. Adults ought to be involved in hobbies and community activities. Sitting in front of the tube results in burning fewer calories and a reduction in overall metabolism. Also, a number of studies have shown that people who watch television just eat more food.

Watching television also has detrimental effects on the brain's cognitive function, especially in kids. Studies published by the American Academy of Pediatrics have shown that children who watch more than two hours of television per day struggle more with aggressive behavioral problems, difficulty in concentrating, sleep disturbances and a dramatically increased risk of alcohol consumption as teenagers. Although most studies have been conducted on children, other studies have shown that the results are just as valid for adolescents and adults as well. These negative effects can be explained by understanding the effect television has on the brain.

Broadcast television in the United States has a particular frequency of flicker that cannot be seen, but which has an effect on brain function. A number of studies measured brain wave activity in people while they watch television. During these studies it was noticed that the brain waves in people watching television were similar to people who were in a trance. This trance-like state is associated with a decrease in the function of the cerebral cortex - the critical thinking part of the brain. When people are in this trance-like state for several hours per day, it becomes more difficult to focus their attention and control their impulses.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children watch no more than two hours of television per day, and it would be better to reduce this even further. Many health experts are now encouraging parents to completely eliminate watching television for children under the age of seven, by which time their brains have the chance to develop a bit more.

Quit Smoking

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:29:53 GMT

Smoking throughout the day is akin to living inside a burning building. Smoking degrades the collagen of your skin causing premature aging, destroys the cells inside your lungs, and promotes heart disease, cataracts and cancer because of the oxidizing radicals released into the blood stream. It can contribute to back pain by dehydrating the spinal discs.

People stop smoking every day and so can you. Some people find acupuncture to be very helpful at reducing cravings and many people have used nicotine patches for the same reason. But these are not as effective as your unswerving, absolute commitment to do whatever it takes to not smoke today. Just limit your not smoking to today only. You can tell yourself that you can have a cigarette tomorrow if you just make it through today. Tomorrow morning when you wake up, tell yourself the same thing.

There are many addicts who have successfully kicked their alcohol, heroine or cocaine addictions this way. Kicking any addiction is tough. You can expect to feel stressed, anxious and irritable at first. To expect anything else is unreasonable. But you can also expect that over time it will become easier and easier to not smoke.

Get Your Sleep

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:27:29 GMT

Research suggests that the amount and quality of sleep we achieve has profound effects on wellness. Nightly sleep is critical for the restoration of health.

Sleep expert and President of the American Sleep Research Institute Lynn Larson explains that the link between sleep and decreased longevity is due to the immediate effect lack of sleep has on human performance. Missing sleep leads to poor decision making and affects everything we do: rushing when we should be methodical, forgetting important procedures, loss of attention (such as when driving), not having the energy to exercise, poorer reaction time, higher stress levels, elevated blood pressure, and inability to adapt to change. These things lead to accidents in the short term, and poor health in the long term.

Research at ASRI suggests that the amount and quality of sleep we achieve has profound effects on wellness. Nightly sleep is critical for proper function of: the brain, immune system, endocrine system, digestion, as well as for energy, recovery from injury, and restoration of health. The lifestyle changes explained throughout this website are all intertwined with sleep. Sleep gives us the energy, the will, and the foundation to accomplish these changes.

Approximately 100 million Americans struggle with difficulty sleeping. If you have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep, there are some "tricks" to improve the situation. To some extent, insomnia can be like the old expression about fear: there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Sometimes, just the fear of not being able to sleep causes enough stress to keep us awake. Don't worry, these guidelines should help.

Sleep is like a good meal. It must be at the correct time and well anticipated; it helps to be hungry, the food should look, taste and smell good; your surroundings should be pleasing; and you should have plenty of stress free time to enjoy it. Make your bedroom as inviting as that meal and you will sleep better.
Don't look at the clock. Studies have shown that looking at the clock during the night increases insomnia. You will sleep more if you ignore the clock when you wake up during the night.
Leave work at the office and don't take it to bed with you.
If you wake during the night - do not think! Mental distraction is the name of the game. Try counting backwards from 100. The first times that you try this technique you might count from 100 two or more times. It's OK. Eventually you will fall to sleep at about 95. You are training yourself to stop thinking about problems and to fall to sleep instead. It will take time to learn this good habit.
No caffeine after dinner. The half life of caffeine is about four hours.
Alcohol makes you doze off quickly, but after it metabolizes it will interrupt sleep later in the night.

Change Unhealthy Habits

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:16:35 GMT

There are three things that have to happen to successfully change a habit. The first is that you must make the decision to change. When you make a decision, you are affirming to yourself that you are willing to go to any lengths to make your wishes come true. This means that you will need to completely eliminate the word "try" from your vocabulary. When you say "I'll try to do my exercises," you are leaving an open door to not doing them. Then in your mind, if you don't do your exercises, that's okay because you only said you would "try" to do them. If you want to successfully change your habits to live a healthier life, you cannot leave an open door to your old habits. You need to just do it, just make a decision and not look back.

The second thing is to act "as if." Whenever you change what you are doing, it will feel unnatural. It may feel like you are doing something wrong, funny, or something that is just not you. In a way you are right. When you change a habit, you are by definition acting in a way that is 'just not you.' But in a very short time, it will feel normal and it will seem strange that you ever acted any different. Changing habits is like starting a new job, the first couple of weeks are stressful and disorienting, but if you just hang in there, you will feel at home before you know it.

The third is to work on yourself every day. The highest demonstration of a healthy and growing self-image and self-esteem is the commitment to work on yourself each and every day. You experience an elevated consciousness when you realize your power to step up to your greatness or default to your weakness with every challenge, distraction and decision. Working on yourself with consistency and persistence connects you to your inner wisdom and inner strength to become unstoppable.

Soothing Sounds

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:11:46 GMT

To rest your mind and take a visual journey to a peaceful place, consider listening to soothing sounds.

If you have about ten minutes and a quiet room, you can take a mental vacation almost anytime with soothing sounds. Consider music such as relaxation CDs or internet radio stations to help you unwind. To rest your mind and take a visual journey to a peaceful place, consider the following:

Spoken word . These CDs use spoken suggestions to guide your meditation, educate you on stress reduction or take you on an imaginary visual journey to a peaceful place.

Soothing music or nature sounds . Music has the power to affect your thoughts and feelings. Soft, soothing music can help you relax and lower your stress level.

Find Your Mantra

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 21:58:27 GMT

To find your mantra you can go to a peaceful place, sit in a comfortable position, and focus on a word or phrase that you find relaxing.

Autogenic means something that comes from within you. During this type of relaxation, you repeat words or suggestions in your mind to help you relax and reduce the tension in your muscles. Find a peaceful place where you'll be free of interruptions. Then follow these steps:

Choose a focus word, phrase, or image you find relaxing. Examples of words or phrases include "peace," or "I am peaceful." This is called a mantra.
Sit quietly in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes.
Relax your muscles, starting at your head, working down your body to your feet.
Breathe slowly and naturally, focusing on your word, phrase, or image.
Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. If your mind wanders, that's okay. Gently return your focus to your breathing and the word, phrase, or image you selected.
After time is up, sit quietly for a few minutes with your eyes closed. Open your eyes and sit in silence for a few more minutes.

Control Your Breathing

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 21:38:36 GMT

Relaxed breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, can help you relieve stress.

Have you ever noticed how you breathe when you're stressed? Stress typically causes rapid, shallow breathing. This kind of breathing sustains other aspects of the stress response, such as rapid heart rate and perspiration. If you can get control of your breathing, the spiraling effects of acute stress will automatically become less intense. Relaxed breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, can help you relieve stress.

Practice this basic technique twice daily, and whenever you feel tense. Follow these steps:

Inhale . With your mouth closed and your shoulders relaxed, inhale as slowly and deeply as you can to the count of six. As you do that, push your stomach out. Allow the air to fill your diaphragm.
Hold . Keep the air in your lungs as you slowly count to four.
Exhale . Release the air through your mouth as you slowly count to six.
Repeat . Complete the inhale-hold-exhale cycle three to five times.

Relaxation Techniques

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 21:36:09 GMT

The goal of progressive muscle relaxation is to reduce the tension in your muscles. First, find a quiet place where you'll be free from interruption. Loosen tight clothing and remove your glasses or contacts if you'd like. Tense each muscle group for at least five seconds and then relax for at least 30 seconds. Repeat before moving to the next muscle group.

Your face . Squint your eyes tightly, wrinkle your nose and mouth, Clench your teeth, and pull back the corners of your mouth toward your ears, feeling the tension in the center of your face. Relax. Repeat.
Neck . Gently touch your chin to your chest. Feel the pull in the back of your neck as it spreads into your head. Relax. Repeat.
Shoulders . Pull your shoulders up toward your ears, feeling the tension in your shoulders, head, neck and upper back. Relax. Repeat.
Upper arms . Pull your arms back and press your elbows in toward the sides of your body. Try not to tense your lower arms. Feel the tension in your arms, shoulders and into your back. Relax. Repeat.
Hands and forearms . Make a tight fist and pull up your wrists. Feel the tension in your hands, knuckles and lower arms. Relax. Repeat.
Chest, shoulders and upper back . Pull your shoulders back as if you're trying to make your shoulder blades touch. Relax. Repeat.
Stomach . Pull your stomach in toward your spine, tightening your abdominal muscles. Relax. Repeat.
Upper legs . Squeeze your knees together and lift your legs up off the chair or from wherever you're relaxing. Feel the tension in your thighs. Relax. Repeat.
Lower legs . Raise your feet toward the ceiling while flexing them toward your body. Feel the tension in your calves. Relax. Repeat.
Feet . Turn your feet inward and curl your toes up and out. Relax. Repeat.

Perform progressive muscle relaxation at least once or twice each day to get the maximum benefit. Each session should last about ten minutes.

Another way of relaxing your muscles is through massage. Massage is a system of pressing and kneading different soft tissues in the body (muscles, tendons, and ligaments). Massage offers a variety of health benefits: pain relief, relaxation, improved muscle tone, stimulation of circulatory and lymphatic systems, and more efficient elimination of waste throughout the body. Although a single massage will reduce fatigue, relax you, and provide mild stress relief, the effects of massage are cumulative. A course of massage treatments will allow you to reap the most benefits. Ultimately, massage can rejuvenate you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Massage rates can vary between $50 and $125 per hour, depending on the massage therapist and the location where you receive your massage. For example, you will pay more for someone to travel to your home to provide massage therapy. Fortunately, many chiropractic centers offer massage therapy as part of their services.

Relationships with Others

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 20:26:25 GMT

Relationships are important for good emotional health. Numerous studies have shown that people who have close friends and intimate relationships are healthier, happier, and live longer. In fact, the simple act of petting a dog, holding a child, or seeing someone you love causes a decrease in stress hormones in the blood, decreases blood pressure, and calms the mind. So, if you want to be healthy, stay connected to others.

As the author Dr. Tedd Koren says "Emotional health is also dependent on being connected - to yourself and others. The more connected you are to yourself the more you can connect with others and the more fulfilling your connections (relationships). The more relationships in your life the more happiness, joy, hope, optimism and vitality you will have; the healthier and longer you will live and the quicker you will recover from physical and emotional traumas and illness."

Positive Affirmations

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 20:20:05 GMT

We function a lot like computers: Garbage in produces garbage out, while great stuff in produces great stuff out. We talk to ourselves far more than we talk to others. In fact, most experts agree that about 80 percent of all conversations we have are with ourselves. All too often, we talk to ourselves with anger, fear, belittlement, and negativity. "I knew there wouldn't be any parking," or "I knew that they were going to be mad at me," or "I am always depressed this time of year," or even "I just can't seem to do anything right," are examples of the kind of negative inner talk we play over and over again in our minds. We acknowledge our ability to manifest our inner thinking and yet the majority of our inner thinking is negative and demeaning.

This raises a very important point. If we are powerful enough to manifest our negative thoughts, why can't we also manifest our positive thoughts? The answer is that we can. In order to create positive thoughts instead of negative ones, we must decide in advance to be proactive and to discipline ourselves to take out the old mental program of negativity and immediately replace it with the new mental program of being positive and kind. I have found the best way to do this is through the use of affirmations.

Affirmations are positive self-talk designed to help you create the life of your dreams. Using affirmations on a daily basis is a simple step you can take to get what you want out of life and to reduce stress, fear, and depression. Making positive, affirmative statements to yourself will change your self-image, raise your self-esteem, and create an attitude of expectancy.

Here are some of the keys that allow you to maximize the power of your daily affirmations:

Affirmations should be written down. This allows you to crystallize your thoughts and gives you a reference to refer back to daily.
Affirmations should be in the first person and in the current time frame. They should always contain the word "I" and be in the "now" time frame, as they are the truth, told in advance. Remember the rule, "to become, act as if."
Affirmations are best done in the morning to start your day or in the evening before going to sleep. This helps to program your subconscious mind with positive thoughts.
Affirmations can be either memorized or read, and need to be said aloud with emotion. This is what is necessary to open the trap door between your educated and innate mind.

Let me share some possible affirmations with you to get you thinking properly about creating your own. Remember that you can and should create affirmations for all parts of your life. Affirm professionally, spiritually, financially, and in all other areas.

For example: "I am happy, I am healthy, and I am wise. My potential is unlimited and I am growing every day. I am a magnet that attracts all the good of the universe to me daily. I am committed to constant and never-ending personal improvement, and I take massive action steps to create the future, as I want it to be. I will do whatever it takes to become the winner I know I am."

Another example could be: "My beliefs create my reality! I choose robust health, abundant wealth, constant happiness and eternal love. I attract and positively influence the lives of people in my community. I think big thoughts, relish small pleasures and handle setbacks gracefully. I give thanks for the opportunity to serve humanity and I willingly accept the rewards being sent to me by an abundant universe. I am deeply grateful for all I create and receive. My life is now in total balance and I am a master!"

Relationship with Self

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 20:04:37 GMT

Your relationship with your self is the most important relationship because as they say wherever you go there you are. Wellness begins with "being" well first and then is about "doing" things to be well. If you do not address who you are being than just doing things will not make you well. A simple way to remember this is that we refer to ourselves as human beings, not human doings.

Dr. Sue Morter, a wellness expert and one of the developers of Morter Health Systems, teaches about self esteem and healthy thinking in an extremely effective and practical manner. She explains how the body is the caboose of our self. It is who we are, how we are thinking and the story we have about our life that impacts our physical health and well-being. Her inspirational high-energy seminars begin by asking the simple question "Are you living well?" "Yes, I AM" the audience proclaims in an effort to understand that living well begins with making the self-declaration that I choose to be well. Her powerful message is communicated beautifully through simple stories that explain insightful metaphors for attaining things that are important for us to have in our lives. For example, if you were going to a party that you knew would not have the food or drink you wanted what would you do she asks? Just "bring it" the audience responds. That too, is what you do to begin the process of "being" well you bring it forward in your awareness.

If the idea of our thinking affecting our health seems far fetched, there is a really simple way to illustrate how this is true. If you opened your hand and then closed it into a fist you would be illustrating exactly the same concept of how your mind or your thinking causes your body to move and to function. Perhaps you may think that is too simple, so imagine if someone showed up on your door step and told you that you had just won the Discover Wellness, How Staying Healthy Can Make You Rich sweepstakes grand prize of $100 million dollars, do you think then your breathing would change? Might your heart rate change at least a little bit? How about your blood pressure? That's because your awareness or consciousness affects your physical body and it works both for you and against you. Most people don't realize this cause and effect relationship and therefore reverse it by determining what they should think based on how they feel. I AM so sick and tired of all this, people exclaim. I AM in pain, I AM angry and so on. It is completely up to us to determine what we choose to be and choose to feel and those choices are at the cause of how our body responds.

Based on this understanding of how health and wellness come from within, who else can we expect to manifest it for us in our lives? she asks. It is our personal responsibility to become self aware or as Dr. Sue once again so simply puts it, "We must be present to win." We must live in the present in a state of gratitude and appreciation for our lives and circumstances in it. Our relationship with our self is our responsibility and the basis of intentional living. By having a positive relationship with yourself, you can manifest innate wellness.

Strength

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 19:28:59 GMT

Strong muscles keep your body upright and allow you to move. Good muscle strength and balance are critical to maintain proper posture and minimize muscle tension. Your muscles function much like the wires that hold up a tall radio or television antenna. If the wires are equally strong on all sides, the antenna will stand up straight. If one of the wires becomes weak or breaks, the antenna will either lean to the side or collapse. The same is true with your body. If the muscles on all sides of your spine are balanced and strong, your body will stand up straight and strong. Unfortunately, most people don't have balanced and strong muscles - due, once again, to lack of exercise and to misalignments of the spine.

Muscles are very efficient at getting stronger or weaker in response to the demands placed on them. Since most of us sit at a desk, drive a car, and sit on the sofa at home, many of our muscles are not challenged. Consequently, they become weak. At the same time, the muscles that are constantly used throughout the day become strong. This imbalance of muscle strength contributes to poor posture and chronic muscle tension. Left unchecked, muscle imbalances tend to get worse, not better, because of a phenomenon called "reciprocal inhibition."

Reciprocal inhibition literally means "shutting down the opposite." For all of the muscles that move your body in one direction, there are opposing muscles that move the body in the opposite direction. In order to keep these muscles from working against each other, when the body contracts one muscle group, it forces the opposing group to relax - it shuts down the opposite muscles. When consistently only one set of muscles is used, the opposing group, from being continuously shut-down, is liable to atrophy.

This phenomenon is especially important to people who work at a desk, because all day long the same muscles in the upper back and chest area of the body are used. This means that all day long the body is essentially shutting down the opposite muscles in the middle back. Over time, the muscles in the middle back become very weak because they are not being worked like the muscles in the front. This contributes to poor posture and chronic muscle spasms and pain. The easiest way to correct this imbalance is to do specific exercises which will increase the strength of the back muscles, along with manual therapy and chiropractic care. Once the muscles in your middle back are strong, the tightness and poor posture simply disappear.

Balance

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 19:24:14 GMT

Balance and coordination exist when the body is used for what it is designed for. Exercises such as walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, bicycling, martial arts, and bodybuilding all help to improve muscle coordination. Activities such as working at a desk, reading, and watching television do the opposite for the body. Without realizing it, most people have extreme stress in their muscles. This muscular tension contributes to muscle tightness, restricted movement, and joint pain. This occurs simply because they sit for many hours every day and do not perform regular exercises that will work to keep all of the muscles in their body in balance.

Movement

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 18:56:19 GMT

Imagine waking up one morning with a frozen shoulder where you couldn't move your upper arm more than a few inches in any direction. How much would that impact your ability to do your job? How much would that affect your ability to drive your car or even to dress yourself? How much would that affect your ability to concentrate on anything other than your shoulder? Obviously, if your shoulder did not move correctly, it would have a dramatic impact on your life. Well, the same is true with movement in every part of your body. If things aren't moving the way they are supposed to move, it will have a negative impact on your ability to function at work, take care of the demands of everyday life, and even your ability to concentrate.

Many patients with severe low back pain report that their pain came on suddenly when they did something as simple as bend down to pet their cat, put on their socks, or pick up the newspaper. Just about everyone would agree that a person's body should be able to handle such simple movements. So what has happened?

In every one of these cases, the joints of the patient's body were "all locked up" -- they were barely moving at all. When the joints in one area of the body do not move the way they should, other areas of the body are forced to move more in order to compensate. This creates a significant stress on those areas that have to pick up the slack, and it soon leads to pain and inflammation. At the same time, the areas that don't have normal movement will slowly worsen as the muscles continue to tighten, the joints stick together, and the ligaments and tendons shorten. This leaves the body in a very unstable condition; if left unchecked, this process will continue until the body can hardly move at all. That is how a person comes to suffer flare-ups of pain at the slightest provocation.

Most of us have seen people who have lost most of their normal mobility: they look like bodies have been starched stiff whenever they try to move around. This is especially prevalent among the elderly. Contrary to popular belief, however, this is not an inevitable effect of aging; rather it is the inevitable effect of not maintaining the body's mobility through exercise, healthy alignment, and body mechanics. There are people in their 60s, 70s, or even older, who are stronger and more flexible than the average person in their 30s, simply because they keep themselves exercising.

Maintaining mobility is critical in order to live free from pain and disability. Maintaining good mobility is not difficult, but it does not happen on its own. Just as in developing a good posture, it is necessary that you perform specific exercises and stretches to keep your muscles, ligaments, and tendons flexible and healthy. In addition, it is necessary that all of the joints in your body are kept moving correctly as well. Although this can be achieved to a great degree through stretching, most people also find routine chiropractic adjustments to be very beneficial.

Posture

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 18:45:21 GMT

The ancient Japanese art form of growing Bonsai trees is fascinating. Bonsai trees are essentially normal shrubs that have been consistently stressed in a particular way for a long time to create a posture which would never be found in nature. Depending on how the tree is stressed while it grows, it may end up looking like a miniature version of a full-sized tree, or it may end up looking like a wild tangle of branches with twists and loops. To most people, "good posture" simply means sitting and standing up straight. Few of us realize the importance of posture to our health and performance.

The human body craves alignment. When we are properly aligned, our bones, not our muscles, support our weight, reducing effort and strain. The big payoff with proper posture is that we feel healthier, have more energy, and move gracefully. So while the word "posture" may conjure up images of book-balancing, charm-school girls, it is not just about standing up straight. It's about being aware of and connected to every part of your self.

Posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking about good health. It is as important as eating right, exercising, getting proper rest and avoiding potentially harmful substances like alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. Good posture is a way of doing things with more energy, less stress and fatigue. Without good posture, you cannot really be physically fit. Without good posture, you can actually damage your spine every time you exercise.

Ideally, our bones stack up one upon the other: the head rests directly on top of the spine, which sits directly over the pelvis, which sits directly over the knees and ankles. But if you spend hours every day sitting in a chair, if you hunch forward or balance your weight primarily on one leg, the muscles of your neck and back have to carry the weight of the body rather than it being supported by the spine. The resulting tension and joint pressure can affect you not only physically, but emotionally, too - from the predictable shoulder and back pain to headaches, short attention span, and depression.

Poor posture distorts the alignment of bones, chronically tenses muscles, and contributes to stressful conditions such as loss of vital lung capacity, increased fatigue, reduced blood and oxygen to the brain, limited range of motion, stiffness of joints, pain syndromes, reduced mental alertness, and decreased productivity at work. According to the Nobel Laureate Dr. Roger Sperry, "the more mechanically distorted a person is, the less energy is available for thinking, metabolism, and healing."

The most immediate problem with poor posture is that it creates a lot of chronic muscle tension as the weight of the head and upper body must be supported by the muscles instead of the bones. This effect becomes more pronounced the further your posture deviates from your body's center of balance.

To illustrate this idea further, think about carrying a briefcase. If you had to carry a briefcase with your arms outstretched in front of you, it would not take long before the muscles of your shoulders would be completely exhausted. This is because carrying the briefcase far away from your center of balance places undue stress on your shoulder muscles. If you held the same briefcase down at your side, your muscles would not fatigue as quickly, because the briefcase is closer to your center of balance and therefore the weight is supported by the bones of the skeleton, rather than the muscles.

In some parts of the world, women can carry big pots full of water from distant water sources back to their homes. They are able to carry these heavy pots a long distance without significant effort because they balance them on the top of their heads, thereby carrying them at their center of balance and allowing the strength of their skeleton to bear the weight, rather than their muscles.

Correcting bad posture and the physical problems that result can be accomplished in two ways. The first is by eliminating as much "bad" stress from your body as possible. Bad stress includes all the factors, habits, or stressors that cause your body to deviate from your structural center. Bad stress can result from a poorly adjusted workstation at work, from not having your seat adjusted correctly in your car, or even from carrying too much weight around in a heavy purse or backpack.

The second is by applying "good" stress on the body in an effort to move your posture back toward your center of balance. This is accomplished through a series of exercises, stretches, adjustments, and changes to your physical environment, all designed to help correct your posture. Getting your body back to its center of balance by improving your posture is critically important to improving how you feel.

Histopathology

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 18:30:43 GMT

Following a car accident, the bones of the spine may shift out of their original position or lose their normal motion, in what’s called vertebral subluxation complex. This condition is characterized by a set of signs and symptoms that affect the spinal column. Histopathology is one of its five major interrelated components, and it occurs when a person’s body temperature rises due to an increase in lymph and blood supplies. As a result, inflammation and swelling occur, causing discs to rip, project, herniate or depreciate.

The individual may experience:

Pain and discomfort
Loss of mobility
Degradation of the spine
Scar tissue

How Does the Lymphatic System Work?

The lymphatic system is a subdivision of the circulatory system, and it consists of lymph vessels, lymph nodes and lymph (translucent fluid containing white blood cells). The lymph vessels transport lymph throughout the body, allowing the white blood cells it contains to fight off foreign substances and rid the body of toxins and waste.

Lymph flows in one direction — up toward the neck — and within its own system. It travels into the venous blood stream via the subclavian veins (located on the sides of the neck). Plasma, the yellow liquid component of the blood, distributes nutrients and removes waste, before leaving the blood cells and going back to the venous circulation system where it will continue on as venous blood. That which does not leave becomes lymph. It too makes its departure, leaving the tissue and entering the lymphatic system throughout lymphatic capillaries.

Histopathology and the Lymphatic System / Venous System

After a car accident or other trauma, if the spinal bones lose their natural motion and position (spinal kinesiopathology):

The muscles of the spine can weaken, atrophy or stiffen, causing them to spasm. Over time, scar tissue can develop, changing the individual’s muscle tone. This is known as myopathology.
Delicate nerve tissue can become chocked, stretched or irritated, leading to nerve system dysfunction (neuropathophysiology).
Bony growths may attempt to fuse defective spinal joints, which can cause the spine to decay, scar tissue to form and nerve malfunction (pathophysiology).

In these instances, the body may react to these traumas by increasing its blood and lymph supplies. This is how the body reacts to the perceived threat. However, this excess in blood and lymph supplies can have adverse effects. Beyond causing the body temperature to rise, the discs of the spine can become inflamed and swell. As a consequence, they may protrude, tear, herniate or deteriorate.

How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help

To help, your chiropractor may first choose to perform spinal adjustments to get the spine back into alignment and free trapped nerves. This may not only reduce pain and restore mobility, but could allow the lymph and venous system to reduce its supplies since the trauma is no longer considered a threat that needs to be corrected.

Some spinal adjustment techniques may include, but are not limited to:

Toggle drop . With hands crossed, the chiropractor gives a firm press to the spine, and then adds a rapid thrust.
Release work . Using the fingertips, gentle pressure is applied to help separate vertebrae that have become connected or fused.
Lumbar roll . With the patient on their side, the chiropractor applies a swift thrust to the area of misalignment, with the goal being to place the vertebrae in their rightful position.
Table adjustments . The patient lies on a table that has sections that drop down. A rapid thrust is employed by the chiropractor, causing parts of the table to release and drop. When the patient’s body drops down with the table, the table comes to a stop but the patient’s body remains in motion temporarily. The combination of the thrust, drop and continued motion are designed to help the spine align.

Once the spine has been realigned, your chiropractor may then implement soft tissue work to loosen the muscles around the spine and push fluid out of inflamed and swollen areas.

If you are suffering from vertebral subluxation complex, talk to your chiropractor about what he or she can do to help treat your condition and relieve your symptoms.

Myopathy

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 18:24:56 GMT

Myopathy refers to a group of muscle diseases that are caused by muscular dysfunction that results in muscle weakness and waste. It is important to recognize that while some myopathic conditions can be caused by reduced nerve supply or excess nerve supply, the disorders do not stem from a neurological problem. Rather, the issue lies solely within the muscles.

This does not mean that areas like the spine will not be affected. The muscles surrounding the spine can become weak, tight or atrophied and go into spasm. This can cause scar tissue and a modification in muscle tone, making myopathy one of five major interrelated components associated with what's called vertebral subluxation complex, a set of signs and symptoms that describe what occurs when the spinal bones lose their normal motion and position.

Myopathy Types and Causes

Myopathies vary by types, and some may be present from birth (congenital) while others present later on in life (acquired). Those that are congenital may be the result of a genetic defect, an inflammatory disorder, endocrine problems or a chronic immune deficiency. Acquired types, in contrast, may be due to drug side effects or chemical poisoning.

Myopathy Symptoms and Regions Affected

Regardless of which category or type, there are a number of general symptoms, including:

Stiffness
Muscle spasms
Cramps
Atrophy

The areas of the body that are affected vary, but may include the:

Hips and legs
Face
Arms and forearms
Legs
Trunk
Hands
Spine

Can Chiropractic Treatment Help?

The symptoms of myopathy can be painful and incapacitating, but they can be alleviated by undergoing chiropractic treatments. In addition, combining chiropractic treatments with acupuncture and physical therapy may provide further relief. Taking a multidimensional approach can mean the irritating symptoms triggered by this muscular disease can be mitigated, because the muscles in the body are being addressed through a group of efforts, each of which are designed to stimulate the muscles in different ways.

For instance, massage — a type of manual therapy often used in chiropractic treatment — uses a hands-on technique to knead, strip or rub the soft tissues. Pressure may be soft or it may be deep, but its purpose is to increase circulation and blood flow, ease muscle tension, reduce pain, relax muscles, break up scar tissue and redistribute fluid.

Or, if the muscles surrounding the spine become weak, tight or atrophied and go into spasm, the resulting scar tissue can change muscle tone. This will require multiple spinal adjustments.

If you have a myopathic disorder, contact your chiropractor to better understand how they can help.

Neuropathophysiology

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 18:15:16 GMT

Neuropathophysiology refers to pathophysiological conditions that affect the nervous system. A more recognizable term may be neuropathy. Neuropathy is not a single disease; rather, it is an umbrella term used to describe a host of disorders that affect various nerves in various ways, in various areas of the body.

It can affect three types of nerves:

Motor – Controls the body’s muscles
Sensory – Is responsible for processing information obtained by way our vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell and sending it to our brain, which then interprets that information. For instance, the sensation of cold, heat and pain
Autonomic – Regulates the involuntary functions of our internal organs (the viscera) such as the heart’s beat and our glands ability to produce sweat

Causes of Neuropathy

Physical trauma, such as that occurred during an automobile accident, can lead to neuropathy, but so can:

Infection (i.e., viral and bacterial)
Some drugs (e.g., those used to treat cardiac problems, seizures, infections and cancer)
Toxic exposure (e.g. excessive alcohol use)
Metabolic disorders
Repetitive injury

Still, most cases of neuropathy are found in people with diabetes, and it is considered to be a complication of the disease. Known as diabetic neuropathy, this is a microvascular complication that results because of excess blood glucose in people with diabetes. Over time, this surplus can damage the wall of the blood vessels supplying the nerves — often in the legs. Injury to the nerves can lead to a loss of sensation, making some injuries go unnoticed.

Though diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, there are other medical conditions that may be involved, such as chronic liver or kidney disease, cancer (e.g., lymphoma), AIDS or Lyme disease.

Symptoms of Neuropathy

Many people describe the pain associated with neuropathy as tingling or burning, but there are also those who suffer a loss of sensation. However, a patient’s symptoms largely depend on the type of neuropathy, as well as the specific nerves affected—be they motor, sensory or autonomic, or a combination of the three.

If sensory nerves are involved, symptoms might include:

Burning, jabbing, stinging, sharp or electric-like pain
Sensitivity to touch
Changes in skin, hair or nails
Gradual numbness or tingling sensation, often in the hands or feet
Loss of coordination

If motor nerves are involved, symptoms could include:

Paralysis
Muscle weakness

If autonomic nerves are involved, symptoms could include:

Dizziness (due to modifications in blood pressure)
Intolerance to heat
Digestive, bowel or bladder problems

Treating Neuropathy

In addition to treatment you might receive from your primary care physician, stress-relieving therapies like massage and acupuncture, as well as other complementary therapies, including those given by a chiropractor, can help.

For instance, when the vertebrae of the spine deteriorate, such as in the case of vertebral subluxation, the bones can push on the roots of the spinal nerves, resulting in symptoms of neuropathy. Chiropractors can relieve this pressure by doing spinal adjustments to get the vertebrae into alignment, which should free trapped nerves. In cases where the nerves have become compressed by connective tissue, chiropractors may use the active release technique, which is a movement-based massage technique to apply a contact tension, lengthen the tissue, shorten the tissue or make the tissue slide relative to adjacent tissue.

To learn more about what your chiropractor can do for you or someone you know with neuropathy, contact our office today.

Pathophysiology

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:20:43 GMT

Pathophysiology means the function in an individual or an organ is disturbed due to disease, leading to a structural defect. In chiropractic care, it often presents when unusual bony growths, such as bone spurs, attempt to fuse malfunctioning joints, causing the spine to degrade, joints to become altered, scar tissue to develop and the nervous system to stop functioning properly. Muscle weakness (in the area of the spine) and loss of range of motion can also be experienced.

What Causes Pathophysiology?

While a pathophysiological condition can be brought on by age and genetic factors, it can also result from trauma, such as an automobile accident.

Pathophysiology and Vertebral Subluxation Complex

Pathophysiology is just one of five interrelated parts associated with vertebral subluxation complex (VSC), which is a set of signs and symptoms that affect the spinal column. The other four are:

Spinal kinesiopathology . This component sets pathophysiology and the remaining interconnected parts of VSC into motion. This occurs when the bones of the spine lose their natural position and motion, which makes it challenging for the individual to bend and turn.
Myopathology . The muscles supporting the spine can weaken, causing them to atrophy or stiffen, and, as a result, go into spasm. All of this flexion of the muscles can cause the development of scar tissue that, over time, changes the muscle tone.
Neuropathophysiology . The spine houses and protects the nerves and nerve tissue. When the spine functions improperly, it can cut off, distend or inflame fragile nerve tissue and cause the nervous system to malfunction.
Histopathology . If the blood and lymph supplies increase, a person’s body temperature can rise, leading to inflammation and swelling of the tissues and muscles around the spine. With this may come protruding, torn, herniated or deteriorated spinal discs.

Treating Pathophysiology

When treating a pathophysiological condition, such as that described above in the first paragraph, chiropractors can use spinal adjustments and soft tissue work.

There are many types of spinal manipulation, some of which include:

Toggle Drop . Here, the chiropractor crosses his hands, and then presses firmly down on the area of the spine that is being treated, before apply a quick thrust that adjusts the spine. This should help the vertebral joints move more easily.
Release Work . Because pathophysiology causes bony growths to fuse malfunctioning joints of the spine, release work is a common technique used. During release work, the chiropractor uses his fingertips to apply mild pressure and separate the vertebrae in order to restore mobility.
Side Posture (also known as the lumbar roll) . The patient lies on his or her side while the chiropractor uses a quick but manipulative thrust to return the vertebrae to their original position.
Instrument Adjustments . This may be one of the gentlest methods of adjusting the spine. With the patient facing down on the table, the chiropractor utilizes a spring-loaded activator instrument to implement the adjustment.
Table Adjustments . The patient will be asked to lie on a table that has sections that drop down. When the chiropractor gives a quick thrust, a section of the table drops. The table lands and comes to a complete stop, but the patient’s body continues its motion. The thrust, drop and momentum of the patient’s body all work to align the spine.

Active Release Techniques

Treatment may not end with spinal adjustments alone. Because the muscles surrounding the spine can become weakened and scar tissue can develop, soft tissue work may be needed. This may come in the form of massage or what is called active release techniques (ART).

With ART, the chiropractor begins by getting a feel of the tissues, specifically looking at texture, motion and tension. Once he has determined the state of the patient’s tissues, he will perform a number of touch-based techniques to do one or more of the following:

Shorten or lengthen the tissue
Apply contact tension
Make the tissue glide relative to the tissue nearby

By performing these movements, mobility can be reestablished; fibrous adhesions can be broken down; trapped nerves or blood vessels can be freed; pain can be diminished; and oxygen and blood can be successfully transported to the muscles and tissues.

To schedule an appointment to learn more about pathophysiology treatments, contact our office today.

Spinal Kinesiopathology

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:10:37 GMT

Spinal kinesiopathology is the unusual positioning or motion of the spinal bones, to the point where the patient’s ability to turn and bend is restricted. It is one of five components of vertebral subluxation complex — a set of symptoms and signs that affect the spinal column — and it puts the remaining four components of the complex into motion:

Myopathology . When the muscles supporting the spine weaken, atrophy or become stiff, they can spasm. This can then lead to the formation of scar tissue, which is capable of altering muscle tone.
Neuropathophysiology . Nerve tissue can become obstructed, stretched or aggravated when the spine does not function properly. Because nerve tissue is fragile, irritation can cause the nervous system to malfunction.
Histopathology . If there is an increase in blood and lymph supplies, a person’s body temperature can increase, leading to inflammation and swelling. Discs may then tear, protrude, weaken or herniate.
Pathophysiology . This is when atypical bony growths make an effort to fuse defective joints of the spine, causing scar tissue, nerve dysfunction and deterioration of the spine.

Any one of these components, including spinal kinesiopathology, can arise due to trauma (e.g. automobile accident or slip and fall), stress or chemical imbalances.

Though the spinal bones are designed to move and, at the same time, guard the spinal cord and nerve root endings, there are times when they move too much or can become fixed and not move enough. When the bones of the spine are stuck, or become fixated, and do not move adequately enough, they cause other joints to move more than normal. These issues can twist spinal curves and hamper function. Depending on the area of the spine affected, adverse reactions and symptoms can occur in other areas of the body as well.

How Chiropractors Detect and Treat Spinal Kinesiopathology

Your chiropractor can detect this trait of vertebral subluxation complex by examining your posture and gauging your ability to bend and turn. He will also look at your symptoms, one of which will likely include pain.

To treat spinal kinesiopathology, your chiropractor may perform spinal adjustments to realign the spine and release pressed nerves and nerve endings. This should reduce discomfort and improve mobility. Some techniques may include:

Toggle drop . The chiropractor crosses his hands and gives a firm press to the spine, before adding a rapid thrust.
Release work . Gentle pressure is applied with fingertips to help separate vertebrae that have become connected, or fused.
Lumbar roll . The patient is placed on their side, and then the chiropractor employs a quick thrust to the area of misalignment. This is done in an attempt to place the vertebrae in their rightful position.
Table adjustments . The patient will lie on a table that has sections that drop down. A quick thrust given by the chiropractor causes parts of the table to release and drop. When the patient’s body drops down with the table, the table comes to a rest, but the body is still in motion temporarily. The thrust and motion provide a more gentle adjustment than other techniques, which may involve twisting positions.

To learn about these and other spinal adjustment techniques, contact your chiropractor.

Wellness Glossary

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 14:47:35 GMT

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Activator:
A spring-loaded adjusting instrument that utilizes an extremely rapid pulse to help restore normal functioning in the body.

Acupressure:
The practice of applying; pressure on parts of the body to relieve pain.

Acupuncture:
The practice of inserting fine needles on specific meridian points for the purpose of relieving tension, stress, and pain. Highly useful in the treatment and relief of back pain.

Addiction:
Psychological, emotional, or physical dependence on the effects of a drug.

Adjustments:
A form of chiropractic technique involving the application of gentle, yet firm, pressure to a bone. Adjustments employ a high velocity, low amplitude thrust. The goal of any adjustment is to restore the bone to its natural, or original, position.

Adrenal glands:
Small glands located on the kidneys that produce the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline:
A hormone that stimulates metabolism, increases alertness and increases blood pressure.

Aerobic Exercises:
These kinds of exercises generally involve large muscle groups and foster a strong and healthy heart and lung function.

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome):
The final and most serious stage of HIV disease, which causes severe damage to the immune system. AIDS begins when a person with HIV infection has a CD4 cell count below 200. (CD4 is also called "T-cell", a type of immune cell.) AIDS is also defined by numerous opportunistic infections and cancers that occur in the presence of HIV infection. AIDS is the fifth leading cause of death among persons between ages 25 and 44 in the United States.

Alternative Medicine:
The use of various non-drug, non-surgical related therapies. Using natural means of treatment.

Amino acid:
The basic unit from which proteins are made. There are two classes of amino acids: essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be manufactured by the body and must be attained from the diet. Non-essential amino acids are those that the body can synthesize from other amino acids.

Anabolism:
The metabolic process of building new tissue. Typically used in relation to building muscle, ligaments and tendons.

Analgesics:
Medicines that are used to relieve pain - aspirin is an example.

Anesthesiologist:
A physician who specializes in giving drugs or other agents that block, prevent, or relieve pain.

Ankylosing Spondylitis:
A chronic, progressive, rheumatic disease of the spine that causes calcification of the spinal ligaments, resulting in a loss of movement.

Annulus fibrosis:
The tough outer layer of the intervertebral disc. Cartilage-like material formed in a series of rings surrounding the nucleus pulposus (soft center) of a disc.

Arthritis:
Inflammation of a joint; most arthritis is caused by degenerative changes related to aging. Arthritis affects not only joints but also connective tissue throughout the body can be involved, as well.

Autonomic nervous system:
The part of the nervous system that is responsible for controlling the involuntary functions in the body, such as digestion, metabolism, blood pressure, etc.

Back Extension:
Backward bending of the spine.

Back Flexion:
Forward bending of the spine.

Bariatric surgery:
Surgery on the stomach and/or intestines to help the patient with extreme obesity lose weight. Bariatric surgery is a last-resort weight-loss method used for people who have a body mass index (BMI) in excess of 40.

Basal energy expenditure (BEE):
Also known as the basal metabolic rate.; The number of calories that your body needs for basic processes such as digestion, breathing, brain function, etc.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA):
A way to estimate the amount of body weight that is fat and nonfat. Nonfat weight comes from bone, muscle, body water, organs, and other body tissues. BIA works by measuring how difficult it is for a harmless electrical current to move through the body. The more fat a person has, the harder it is for electricity to flow through the body. The less fat a person has, the easier it is for electricity to flow through the body. By measuring the flow of electricity, one can estimate body fat percent.

Body composition score (BCS):
A measure that combines body weight, percentage of body fat, waist circumference and hip circumference into one score. The BCS is a more accurate measure of weight loss progress than simply measuring body weight.

Body mass index (BMI):
A measure of body weight relative to height. BMI can be used to determine if people are at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. A body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 up to 25 refers to a healthy weight, a BMI of 25 up to 30 refers to overweight and a BMI of 30 or higher refers to obese.

Bodywork:
A general term that relates to a wide variety of hands-on therapies, such as massage and some movement therapies.

Bulging Disc:
The annulus portion of the lumbar disc weakens causing the nucleus to press against it resulting in the annulus pinching or pressing against a nerve causing pain.

Bursitis:
A condition in which the bursa, or fluid filled sacks that cushion joints, become swollen.

Calorie:

A unit of energy in food. Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. Proteins have 4 calories per gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram.

Carbohydrate:

A major source of energy in the diet. There are two kinds of carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sugars, while complex carbohydrates include both starches and fiber. Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. They are found naturally in foods such as breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and milk and dairy products. Foods such as sugar cereals, soft drinks, fruit drinks, fruit punch, lemonade, cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, and candy are very rich in sugars.

Cardiovascular system:

The system in your body responsible for distributing blood throughout the body. The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, arteries, capillaries and veins.

Catabolism:

The metabolic process of breaking down tissues. Typically refers to the breakdown of muscle, bone, ligaments and tendons.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

A progressive and sometimes painful joint disorder caused by a compression of the median nerve of your hand. The compression causes swelling, which exerts pressure on the nerves.

Cartilage:

A connective tissue that lines the ends of bones and most joints. It lines the facet joints of the spine.

Cauda equina:

A region at the lower end of the spinal column in which nerve roots branch out in a fashion that resembles a horse's tail.

Cervical Spine:

The upper portion of your spine; also called the neck.

Chinese Medicine:

The general term to describe the numerous techniques utilized in China for many thousands of years to heal bodily ailments. These may include massage, herbs, acupuncture and Qi Gong.

Chiropractic:

Comes from the Greek words, "chiro," meaning hand, and "practic," meaning practice, or treatment. Chiropractic is a form of health care that focuses primarily on restoring normal position, motion and function in the body's structures; especially the spine.

Chiropractor:

Also known as a doctor of chiropractic (D.C.), diagnoses and treats a broad range of physical conditions in patients with muscular, nervous, and skeletal problems, especially the spine.

Chronic Pain:

Pain that has lasted for more than three months generally having significant psychological and emotional affects and limiting a person's ability to fully function.

Cholesterol:

A fat-like substance that is made by the body and is found naturally in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Foods high in cholesterol include liver and organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats. Cholesterol is carried in the blood. When cholesterol levels are too high, some of the cholesterol is deposited on the walls of the blood vessels. Over time, the deposits can build up causing the blood vessels to narrow and blood flow to decrease. The cholesterol in food, like saturated fat, tends to raise blood cholesterol, which increases the risk for heart disease. Total blood cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dl are considered high. Levels between 200-239 mg/dl are considered borderline high. Levels under 200 mg/dl are considered desirable.

Cortisol:

A hormone that is released from the adrenal glands in response to stress that facilitates fat storage and has a catabolic affect on muscle and connective tissue.

Coccyx:

The small bone at the lower tip of the spine. Also called the tailbone, a triangular-shaped bone at the bottom of the lumbar area.

Cognitive Restructuring:

A therapy whose emphasis is on learning to recognize and then change, or restructure thought processes, reframing thoughts in less stressful terms. Learning to make molehills out of mountains.

Complementary Medicine:

The use of various non-drug, non-surgical related therapies. Using natural means of treatment.

Compressed Nerve:

Material from a bulging or Herniated disk pushes against a nerve in the spinal cord causing severe pain.

Computed Tomography (CT) scan:

A sophisticated x-ray using a computer to produce a detailed cross-sectional three-dimensional picture of the bone and discs.

Cordotomy:

Surgery to cut some of the fibers of the spinal cord; used to relieve pain.

Cranio-Sacral Therapy:

A manual therapy focusing on manipulation of the bones in the skull and sacrum.

Cyclooxygenase:

An enzyme that comes in two forms, I and II. Type I maintains body functions. Type II is associated with the development of inflammation. Aspirin inhibits I and II. COX-2 drugs inhibit Type II only.

Degenerative Arthritis:

The wearing away of cartilage that protects and cushions joints including those in the spine, hands and feet (see Osteoarthritis).

Degenerative Disc Disease:

A general term applied to degeneration of the lumbar spinal discs which serve as cushions between the spinal vertebrae, resulting in a narrowing of the disc space.

Diabetes Mellitus:

A disease that occurs when the body is not able to use blood glucose (sugar). Blood sugar levels are controlled by insulin, a hormone in the body that helps move glucose (sugar) from the blood to muscles and other tissues. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body does not respond to the insulin that is made.

Disc Annulus:

The outer lining of a disk (see Annulus Fibrosis).

Disc Nucleus:

The inner core of a disk (see Nucleus Pulposus).

Discectomy:

Surgical removal of part or the entire herniated intervertebral disc.

Diet:

What a person eats and drinks. Any type of eating plan.

Electrical nerve stimulation:

A type of physical therapy treatment that utilizes various frequencies and wave forms of electrical current, which have therapeutic effects on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.

Electromyography (EMG):

Procedure that tests nerves and muscles providing information to help determine if surgery may be required.

Endorphins:

Chemical messengers released by the body during vigorous exercise that stimulate the brain to feel good, happy and relaxed.

Energy expenditure:

The amount of energy, measured in calories, that a person uses. Calories are used by people to breathe, circulate blood, digest food, and be physically active.

Epidural Injection:

Into the spinal column but outside of the spinal cord.

Exercise:

Exercise is physical activity that is planned or structured. It involves repetitive bodily movement done to improve or maintain one or more components of physical fitness: cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition.

Exercise Therapy:

A form of chiropractic treatment used to help manage pain, rehabilitate damaged soft tissues, such as muscles, ligament, and tendons, and restore normal range of motion and function.

Extensor Muscles:

Muscles that cause your joints to straighten, such as the back and gluteus muscles that help keep your back straight.

Fat:

A major source of energy in the diet. All food fats have 9 calories per gram. Fat helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, and carotenoids. Some kinds of fats, especially saturated fats, [see definition] may cause blood cholesterol to increase and increase the risk for heart disease. Other fats, such as unsaturated fats do not increase blood cholesterol. Fats that are in foods are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids.

Facet joints:

The joints above and below each intervertebral disc, allowing the spine to bend. The paired joints located in the posterior portion of the vertebral bodies connecting the spine. These joints are part of the stabilizing mechanism for the spine.

Facet Joint Syndrome:

Pain resulting from degeneration, wear, pressure exerted on and inflammation of the facet joints, which are the joints at the back of each vertebrae linking the vertebrae together.

Fascia:

A band of connective tissue separating muscles and organs in the body.

Fibromyalgia:

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain in muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons.

Fibrositis:

Pain arising from damaged tendons or muscles.

Foraminal Stenosis:

Narrowing of a vertebral opening.

Flexor Muscles:

The muscles that cause your joints to bend, such as your biceps muscle on the front of your upper arm or your abdominal muscles.

Foraminal Stenosis:

Narrowing of a vertebral opening.

Fusion:

In regard to the spine, a surgical procedure to unite two or more vertebrae with bone graft with or without metal supports resulting in immobilization of that portion.

Gestational diabetes:

A type of diabetes mellitus that can occur when a woman is pregnant. In the second half of her pregnancy, a woman may have glucose (sugar) in her blood at a higher than normal level. In about 95 percent of cases, blood sugar returns to normal after the pregnancy is over. Women who develop gestational diabetes, however, are at risk for developing Type II diabetes later in life.

Ghrelin:

A hormone released from the stomach and the small intestine that creates the sensation of hunger.

Glucagon:

A hormone released from the pancreas that elevates blood sugar by stimulating the release of glucose stores in the liver and muscle.

Glucose:

A building block for most carbohydrates. Digestion causes carbohydrates to break down into glucose. After digestion, glucose is carried in the blood and goes to body cells where it is used for energy or stored.

Glycemic index:

A measure of a food's ability to raise the body's blood glucose level. Foods that have a low glycemic index do not raise blood glucose levels to nearly the extent of high glycemic index foods.

Golfer's Elbow:

A type of elbow pain that originates near the inside part of the bony protrusion. This type of pain is also caused by a tear or rupture in the tendon supporting the elbow bone.

Healthy Weight:

As compared to overweight or obese, a body weight that is less likely to be linked with any weight-related health problems such as Type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, or others. A person with a body fat percentage between 18% - 22% (depending on age) are considered to be at a healthy weight.

Heat Therapy:

A form of therapy often used in patients who have chronic, or long-lasting pain. Heat therapy can involve many kinds of methods, from simple heating pads, wraps, and warm gel packs, to sophisticated techniques such as therapeutic ultrasound. While ice therapy is used to reduce swelling, heat therapy is used to relax the muscles and increase circulation. Both kinds of therapy help reduce pain.

Herniated Disc:

A disc that protrudes from its normal position between two vertebrae, due to an injury to the annulus; frequently associated with the nucleus of the disc oozing out of the center of the disk.

High blood pressure:

See Hypertension.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL):

A form of cholesterol that circulates in the blood. Commonly called "good" cholesterol. High HDL lowers the risk of heart disease. An HDL of 60 mg/dl or greater is considered high and is protective against heart disease. An HDL less than 40 mg/dl is considered low and increases the risk for developing heart disease.

Hip circumference:

A measurement of the hips, including the widest portion of the buttocks, used in conjunction with the waist circumference, body weight and percent body fat to calculate the body composition score.

Hypertension:

A resting blood pressure that is greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg. Hypertension is associated with an increasee risk of heart disease and stroke.

Hypothalamus:

A small area of the brain that is a main control center for regulating eating and sleeping behavior in humans. It has binding sites for several hormones including ghrelin and leptin.

Ice Massage:

A form of therapy involving the application of ice to treat many kinds of injuries, including those associated with back or neck pain. Ice causes the veins in the affected tissue area to constrict. This reduces the flow of blood while acting as kind of anesthetic to numb the pain. But when the ice is removed, the veins compensate by opening large, allowing a large volume of blood to rush to the affected area. The blood brings with it important chemicals that aid in the healing process.

Instrument Adjustment:

A form of chiropractic adjustment using a spring-loaded device called an Activator.

Interferential Current (IFC):

A form of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy in which high-frequency electrical impulses are introduced deep into the tissues near the center of the pain.

Ideal body weight:

The weight that your body would be if you had a 20% body fat. Calculated by multiplying your current lean body mass by 1.2.

Imagery:

A method of pain relief that uses mental images produced by memory or imagination.

Insulin:

A hormone in the body that helps move glucose from the blood to muscles and other tissues. Insulin controls blood sugar levels.

Inflammation:

A pathologic process associated with redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function. This process destroys tissues but is also associated with the repair and healing of body structures.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

A condition that is characterized by a combination of abdominal pain and altered bowel function.

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Kinesiology:

The study of muscles and their relation to movement and pain relief.

Kyphosis:

Normal curve of the thoracic spine. Also describes an excess curvature of the thoracic spine called a "dowager's hump." This is a common occurrence in people with osteoporosis.

Laminectomy:

A surgical procedure that removes a portion of the plate that serves as the back of the spinal canal. This decompression procedure is performed for treatment of herniated intervertebral discs and spinal stenosis.

Leptin:

A hormone produced by the small intestine that signals the brain to stop eating. People who are overweight will often have a diminished leptin response in the brain.

Ligament:

Strong, dense bands made of connective tissue that stabilize a joint, connecting bone to bone across the joint.

Lipoprotein:

Compounds of protein that carry fats and fat-like substances, such as cholesterol, in the blood.

Local anesthetics:

Drugs that block nerve conduction in the region where it is applied.

Lordosis:

The curve in the cervical and lumbar spine. An abnormal accentuated arch in the lower back swayback.

Low back pain:

Pain at the base of the spine that can be caused by several factors.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL):

A form of cholesterol that circulates in the blood. Commonly called "bad" cholesterol. High LDL increases the risk of heart disease. An LDL less than 100 mg/dl is considered optimal,100-129 mg/dl is considered near or above optimal, 130-159 mg/dl is considered borderline high, 160-189 mg/dl is considered high, and 190 mg/dl or greater is considered very high.

Lumbalgia:

A general term meaning low back pain (See Low Back Pain).

Lumbar:

The lower five weight bearing vertebrae that are located between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacrum.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):

Magnetic radio frequency energy used to see internal structures of the body, including bone, discs, and nerves without the use of x-rays. Overall, the most useful technique in the investigation of spinal abnormalities.

Manipulation:

Manual movement of the spinal bones or joints to restore normal function.

Massage Therapy:

A general term to describe various bodywork techniques.

Maximum heart rate:

A person's maximum heart rate is based on their age. An estimate of a person's maximum age-related heart rate can be obtained by subtracting the person's age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum heart rate would be calculated as: 220 - 50 = 170 beats per minute. The maximum heart rate is important for measuring whether exercise is classified as moderate-intensity (50% - 70% of maximum) or vigorous-intensity (70% - 85% of maximum).

Meditation:

A general term for numerous practices where one focuses awareness on one thing such as breath or a short phrase in order to quiet the mind.

Metabolism:

All of the processes that occur in the body that turn the food you eat into energy your body can use.

Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity:

To be classified as moderate-intensity, physical activity generally requires sustained, rhythmic movements of an intense enough level to elevate heart rate to 50% - 70% of maximum heart rate. A person should feel some exertion but should be able to carry on a conversation comfortably during the activity.

Monounsaturated fat:

Fats that are in foods are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fat is found in canola oil, olives and olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados. Eating food that has more monounsaturated fat instead of saturated fat may help lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease risk. However, it has the same number of calories as other types of fat, and may still contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess.

Muscle Tension:

A state where the muscles are in a general state of contraction.

Muscle Spasm:

A sudden violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles. A muscle spasm is attended by pain and interference with function, producing involuntary movement and distortion.

Muscles:

Soft tissues that provide strength and assist with motor ability, or movement. Spinal muscles support your spine as it bends and flexes.

Myofascial Pain:

Referred pain caused by trigger points, or hard nodules in muscle tissue.

Myofascial Release:

Releasing the fascia (the sheath around a muscle) by gentle movements.

Narcotic:

Pain relieving drug related in action and structure to the opiates. A powerful pain-relieving drug associated with potential to cause significant alteration of mood and dependence following repeated administration.

Nerve:

The body's communication system; nerves carry messages back and forth between the brain and all body parts.

Nerve Block:

Pain relief method in which an anesthetic is injected into a nerve.

Nerve roots:

Nerve projections from the spinal cord.

Neurologist:

A physician who specializes in treating diseases of the nervous system.

Neuropeptide Y:

Is the key hunger transmitter in the brain. It signals the hypothalamus to eat. The action of neuropeptide Y is the opposite of that of leptin.

Neurosurgeon:

A physician who specializes in surgery on the brain, nerves, and spinal cord.

Neurotransmitter:

A chemical produced in the brain that sends messages between nerve cells.

Nucleus pulposus:

Soft center of an intervertebral disc, made up of gel-like substance.

Nutrition:

The relationship of food to the well-being of the body.

Obesity:

Having an excessive amount of body fat. A person is considered obese if he or she has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater.

Oleylethanolamine (OEA):

A fatty acid found in some foods that sends a strong signal to the brain to stop eating. A powerful satiety factor and appetite suppressant.

Opiate:

Pain-killing drug chemically related to opium; also called a narcotic (see Narcotics).

Orthopedic Surgeon:

A doctor who specializes in diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Osteoarthritis:

Also called "degenerative arthritis" mostly affecting middle-aged and elderly men and women. In some, osteoarthritis may affect the spine's facet joints, making it extremely painful to bend or twist. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage to break down and away from the joints. Stripped of their protective material, the joints begin rubbing against each other, causing pain and impeding movement. This action further irritates the surrounding nerves. Advanced forms of spinal osteoarthritis lead to disc collapse and other problems.

Osteopathic Medicine:

Particular attention is paid to muscles, joints, bones, and nerves through defined osteopathic manipulations.

Osteoporosis:

A disease characterized by the loss of bone density, resulting in brittleness; most commonly affecting the spinal vertebrae, wrists and hips.

Osteophytes:

Additional bone material, or overgrowths, that have been attributed to a wide variety of ailments. Also called bone spurs, osteophytes are manufactured by your body in response to a breakdown in existing bony structures. Sometimes, bone spurs can exert pressure on nerves, and this leads to pain.

Overload principle:

Strength training term that refers to the phenomenon that muscles only grow in strength if they are pushed to near maximum effort - overloaded.

Overuse injuries:

Injuries that occur during the course of everyday activities, such as housework or exercise. Symptoms may include pain, muscle spasms, and stiffness.

Overweight:

Carrying too much body fat. (see Obesity)

Pancreas:

A gland that makes enzymes that help the body break down and use nutrients in food. It also produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, releasing these into the bloodstream to help the body control blood sugar levels.

Pedometer:

A small device that counts each step taken, total distance walked, or other related measures. It is usually worn on the waistband or in a pocket.

Piriformis syndrome:

A condition caused by the sciatic nerve getting pinched as it exits the spinal column. (Sometimes, it can mimic the symptoms of sciatica.) The pinching is sometimes caused by muscles spasms. Piriformis syndrome sometimes causes pain along the back of the thigh to the knee, or loss of feeling in the soles of the feet.

Plantar fasciitis:

Inflammation of the ligament running from the front of the heel bone through the bottom of the foot. Repetitive motions such as quick stops and starts during sports, or long distance running, have sometimes been associated with Plantar fasciitis.

Phenylethanolamine (PEA):

A chemical found in chocolate that elevates mood. It is thought to be the compound that causes chocolate cravings.

Physical activity:

Any form of exercise or movement. Physical activity may include planned activity such as walking, running, basketball, or other sports. Physical activity may also include other daily activities such as household chores, yard work, walking the dog, etc.

Physical fitness:

The measure of a person's ability to perform physical activities that require endurance, strength, or flexibility and is determined by a combination of regular activity and genetically inherited ability.

Physical Therapy:

The health profession that treats pain in muscles, nerves, joints, and bones with exercise, electrical stimulation, hydrotherapy, and the use of massage, heat, cold, and electrical devices.

Polyunsaturated Fat:

A highly unsaturated fat that is liquid at room temperature. Fats that are in foods are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fats are found in greatest amounts in corn, soybean, and safflower oils, and many types of nuts. They have the same number of calories as other types of fat, and may still contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess.

Protein:

One of the three nutrients that provides calories to the body. Protein is an essential nutrient that helps build many parts of the body, including muscle, bone, skin, and blood. Protein provides 4 calories per gram and is found in foods like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, beans, nuts, and tofu.

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Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA):

The level of dietary intake of essential nutrients considered to be sufficient to meet the minimum nutritional needs of most healthy individuals.

Relaxation Techniques:

A natural process that can be learned by anyone to reverse the effects of stress on the body's physiology. Methods used to lessen tension, reduce anxiety, and manage pain.

Repetitions or "Reps":

Refers to a single full execution of an exercise movement. For example, one repetition of a push-up involves beginning with your arms straight, lowering your body to the floor and returning to the starting position. The number of repetitions you perform of a particular exercise will determine the type of benefit to your muscles. Higher weights with lower repetitions will increase strength. Lower weights with higher repetitions will increase endurance.

Routine:

This term encompasses virtually every aspect of what you do in an exercise session, including: the exercises, reps and sets you do of strength training, aerobic conditioning, the order in which you perform the exercises, the length of time spent. To keep workouts interesting, many people change their routine from time to time. Your routine is also referred to as your "program" or your "workout."

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

An inflammatory disease that affects the facet joints in the spine as well as other joints in the body including the hands, elbows, shoulders, fingers and toes.

Ruptured Disk:

Herniated disk where material from the disk pushes through the outer lining of the disk.

Satiety:

A mechanism to tell the body that it has had enough food. The most important satiety compounds are the hormone leptin and the fatty acid oleylethanolamine (OEA).

Saturated Fat:

A fat that is solid at room temperature. Fats that are in foods are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Saturated fat is found in high-fat dairy products (like cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, and regular ice cream), fatty fresh and processed meats, the skin and fat of chicken and turkey, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil. They have the same number of calories as other types of fat, and may contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess. Eating a diet high in saturated fat also raises blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

Sciatic Nerve:

The nerve that serves the legs and originates from several levels of the lower back. Formed by multiple nerve roots from the lumbar spine; the sciatic nerve sends signals down the leg to control muscles and up the leg to provide sensations.

Sciatica:

An inflammation of the sciatic nerve usually marked by tenderness along the course of the nerve through the buttocks, thigh, and leg.

Scoliosis:

An abnormal curve of the spine.

Sedentary:

A person who engages in little to no leisure-time physical activity.

Serotonin:

A neurotransmitter in the brain that elevates mood and decreases appetite.

Set:

A set is a group of repetitions that you perform without rest. For example, if you do ten repetitions of a bench press and then place the bar back on the rack and rest, you have just completed one set. For strength training, most people do three sets of a particular exercise, 10 - 15 repetitions in each set, and a one minute rest between each set.

Slipped Disk:

Herniated disk where material from the disk pushes through the outer lining of the disk (see Disc Herniation).

Spina Bifida:

A congenital defect of the spine in which the arches of the lower lumbar spine fail to form over the spinal cord, leaving the cord unprotected.

Spinal Canal:

The opening at the center of the spine through which the spinal cord runs.

Spinal Cord:

The root section of the central nervous system going down from the brain through the spinal column, where it divides into nerves.

Spinal Column:

The spine.

Spinal Fracture:

Broken vertebrae in the spine.

Spinal Cord:

The column of nerve tissue that runs from the brain to the lower back.

Spinal Fusion:

A process in which the disc and cartilage is removed from between the vertebrae, and bone grafts (often harvested from the pelvis) are placed between or alongside the vertebrae to join the bones together.

Spinal Stenosis:

A narrowing of the spinal canal, that compresses the spinal cord and/or the nerve roots, cutting off their impulses to the muscles of the leg.

Spondyloarthopathy:

A group of disorders that causes inflammatory arthritis of the spine.

Spondylitis:

Inflammation of the spine generally caused by an infection.

Spondylolisthesis:

A spinal abnormality in which there is an anterior displacement of a vertebra on the one below, often resuting in back pain.

Starvation metabolism:

The slowing of the basal energy expenditure caused by chronic underfeeding, leading to a reduction in the rate at which the body burns calories and an increase in the rate at which the body attempts to store fat.

Stenosis:

Narrowing of a portion of the spinal canal, usually because of bony overgrowth (see Spinal Stenosis).

Strength Training:

This helps you tone muscles and lose fat. It also helps to keep your bones keep your bones strong-which helps you avoid fractures as your bones weaken with age.

Subluxation:

A misalignment in the bony structures of the spine. Subluxations can create pressure or irritation on the various nerves in your spine, and can cause a wide variety of symptoms throughout your body, such as localized pain, soreness, irregularity, and weakness. When pressure is applied on a nerve in your spine, the nerve energy is interrupted, and sometimes this can profoundly affect the function of other systems or organs in your body.

Tendon:

White fibrous bands of tissue that attach muscle to bone.

Tennis Elbow:

Also known as lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow is pain on the lateral, or outside part of the elbow, on or near the bony protrusion. It is usually caused by the overuse of the wrist extensor muscles, which leads to the inflammation of the tendon attachment.

Therapeutic Massage:

A form of massage that involves the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body to decrease muscle spasm, pain and to improve movement.

Thoracic Spine:

Twelve vertebrae above the lumbar spine and below the cervical spine.

Thyroid hormone:

A hormone released by the thyroid gland that stimulates metabolism and helps to regulate a range of biochemical processes in the body.

Tolerance:

Decreasing effect of a drug with the same dose or the need to increase the dose to maintain the same effect.

Tranquilizer:

A drug used to treat anxiety.

Trigger Point Therapy:

The application of pressure on tender trigger points in the muscles to relieve pain and tension.

Trigger Points:

A generally small area of a muscle that is tightly knotted and in spasm causing referred pain.

Underwater Weighing:

A research method for estimating body fat. A person is placed in a tank, underwater, and weighed. By comparing weight underwater with weight on land, one can get a very good measure of body fat.

Unsaturated Fat:

A fat that is liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oils are unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats include polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. Sources of unsaturated fats include most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish such as salmon.

Vertebrae:

The 24 cylindrical segments of bone that make up the vertebral column.

Vertebral Column:

The Spine. The flexible structure that forms the "backbone" of the skeleton, arranged a straight line from the base of the skull to the tailbone; also called spine.

Vertebral Subluxation Complex:

Another term for subluxation that is used in the chiropractic profession.

Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity:

To be classified as vigorous-intensity, physical activity requires sustained, rhythmic movements of an intense enough level to elevate heart rate to 70% - 85% of maximum heart rate. Vigorous-intensity physical activity may be intense enough to represent a substantial challenge to an individual, resulting in a significant increase in heart rate and respiration.

Waist Circumference:

A measurement of the waist. Fat around the waist increases the risk of obesity-related health problems.

Weight Control:

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight by eating well and getting regular physical activity.

Weight-Cycle:

Losing and gaining weight over and over again. Commonly called "yo-yo" dieting. With each cycle, there is a worsening of the percentage of body fat due to a loss of lean muscle tissue.

Whiplash:

An injury to the cervical spine that occurs from rapid hyper-flexion, hyper-extension and compression movements, such as in an automobile accident.

Wrist Circumference:

A measurement of the wrist at its thinnest point, just proximal to the hand, that is used to estimate the size of an individual's overall skeletal structure.

X-Ray:
A diagnostic imaging method that exposes photographic films with radiation passed through the body. It is most useful in diagnosing fractures, dislocations, abnormal positioning or other structural problems in bone.

Yoga:

A gentle exercise system consisting of numerous stretching movements that is extremely helpful in healing.

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Debunking Common Chiropractic Myths

Holiday Stress - Take a Deep Breath

Indoor Activities and Exercises

Relationship with Self

Should I Use Ice or Heat for Pain?

Should I Use Heat or Ice for Pain?

Natural Remedies for Sciatic Pain

Chiropractic and Breech Babies During Pregnancy

Back Friendly Yard Work Tips

ACL Injury and Chiropractic

What Is TMJ Syndrome and How Can Chiropractic Help?

Can Chiropractic Help Alleviate Anxiety?

Foods for Joint Pain

Asthma and Chiropractic

Posture and Spinal Health

Dehydration and Back Pain

Living With Pain

Care of Concussions

Spring Forth!

Standing Tall

An Apple a Day . . .

When Your Spine Is In Line

A Book and Its Cover

Smart Shoulders

Wellness Gardens

Wellness Gardens

Stress Relief

Exercise

Injury Protection and Proper Chiropractic Care

Summer Sports

Dynamic Warm-ups

Peak Experiences

Left-Handers Day

Repetitive Motion Injuries

Back to School and Mental Wellness

The Benefits of Sleep for Adults

What is Flexion-Distraction Therapy?

Chiropractic and Headaches

How to Make Sure Your Chiropractic Adjustment Lasts

Chiropractic and Vertigo

The 3 Most Common Chiropractic Questions Answered

How to Help Improve Your Children's Quality of Sleep

Chiropractic Treatment for Spondylosis

Can Meditation Improve Your Health?

Chiropractic and Male Infertility

The 5 Senses

Chiropractic and Gut Health

Proper Overindulgence Over the Holidays

Staying Healthy as a Caregiver

Does Collagen Help With Joint Pain?

Put Your Health First In The New Year

How To Ease Into Exercise In The New Year With New Workout Plans

The Benefits of Spinal Alignment On Sports Performance

Preventative Care vs. Reactive Care

Your First Chiropractic Adjustment

The Importance of Routine Chiropractic Treatment

Suggested Reading

Exercising After An Injury

Electrotherapy and Pain Relief

June is Scoliosis Awareness Month

The Most Effective Ways to Improve Your Sleeping Position

May is National Correct Posture Month

Spirituality

Prevent Back Pain While Doing Yard Work

Identity

Improve Your Recovery Time With Chiropractic Treatment

How Chiropractic Care Can Help While Pregnant

Prosperity Consciousness

How to Enjoy Summertime Activities Without Back Pain

Causes and Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

Why You Should Receive Chiropractic Care After an Auto Accident

How Your Shoe Choices Affect Your Back and Spine

Improve Your Condition With Chiropractic Care

Pain-Free Travel Tips for Your Back and Spine

Printable Games & Puzzles

Wellness Coloring Book

Wellness Psychology

Personal Growth

Relationships

Myopathy Symptoms and Regions Affected