Sunday, November 30, 2014

Chiropractic Care for Neck and Back Pain

Back pain affects around 80% of the adult American population and over 50% will experience neck pain. This can be due to accidents such as automobile collisions, which may result in whiplash; a condition in which the head is jerked forward and backward quickly. It may also be due to illnesses, where the patient has reduced mobility for extended periods of time. And it may be due to poor posture, such as hunching in front of the computer or slouching when standing.

No matter the reason, adult Americans spend millions of dollars each year in search of back pain and neck pain relief.

The most common cause of lower back pain are injury or overuse of muscles, and pressure on nerve roots caused by osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, fractures, and herniated discs.

Neck ache is an equally painful condition, where the neck muscles can be strained from poor posture and from condition like arthritis. It can range from a mild ache to more serious shooting pains into your shoulder, or numbness and loss of feeling radiating down the back.

As with any medical condition, it's important to get a professional medical diagnosis to understand the cause and symptoms of the problem. However, there are a number of medical conditions, including headaches, stiffness in the neck and lower back pain that can be treated by chiropractic care.

Chiropractors offer chiropractic adjustments, which include spinal manipulation and gentle massage and invasive therapies, to help the cervical spine or neck get restored to the condition it was prior to the accident, injury, or illness. The treatment session varies depending on the kind of condition and its severity, and may include gentle or a more forceful focused pressure on trigger points.

A lot of conditions, including whiplash and headaches, can turn chronic if left untreated. The chiropractor will first determine the history of the patient and the cause of this condition through a series of questions and physical examination. He will then discuss various treatment options, including massages, injections, and lifestyle changes.

The primary focus will be to reduce or eliminate the pain factor; and then to treat the condition to prevent it worsening and to help reduce or remove it completely. Once the patient regains mobility, the next step is to help manage a healthy and stress free lifestyle through a series of gentle exercise, dietary changes, and lifestyle adjustments.

Neck and back pain can be addressed with the correct chiropractic care.

Usha Sliva is a contributing writer at The Spine & Rehab Center. The Spine & Rehab Center specializes in Wellness Chiropractic and is also a full-service spinal center that focuses on a comprehensive diagnostic approach to cease chronic and acute pain without surgery and without the use of addictive narcotics. For more info visit them at http://www.thespineandrehab.com.
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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Monday, November 24, 2014

Who Should See a Chiropractor?

In today's day and age you can find chiropractic doctors in almost every city and town across the United States. The benefits of our practice can be experienced in every age demographic, societal bracket, gender and race. A core belief that a prescription cannot solve deep rooted health concerns, coupled with a naturalistic approach to healing and preventative care, enable doctors of chiropractic to have maximum impact on their patients overall health and success.

There are many readers out there that may not be as familiar with the practice and this article aims to fill in a basic understanding of what chiropractic doctors do.

Doctors of chiropractic are educated as primary-contact health care providers, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the musculoskeletal system (the muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine and extremities) and the nerves that supply them. Educational requirements for doctors of chiropractic are among the most stringent of any of the health care professions. Typically, upon entering chiropractic school, applicants have already completed a bachelor degree with specialties in biology, chemistry, physics and psychology. Another four to five years of chiropractic study will be required before becoming licensed to practice.

The chiropractic adjustment (sometimes referred to as manipulation) is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic's intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands--or like in my own practice, a gentle, small instrument--to bring alignment to the joints and bones of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function. This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient's pain. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The doctor will adapt the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients will often notice positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

Chiropractic care is widely recognized as one of the safest drug-free, non-invasive therapies available for the treatment of neuromusculoskeletal complaints. I have been asked by potential patients if there are risks or side-effects of chiropractic adjustments, and I assure them that the risks associated with chiropractic are very small. Many patients feel immediate relief following chiropractic treatment, but some may experience mild soreness, stiffness or aching, just as they do after some forms of exercise. Typically, that minor discomfort or soreness following spinal manipulation typically fades within 24 hours. When comparing the safety and side-effects of chiropractic care, it is important to note the risks associated with some of the most common treatments for musculoskeletal pain. Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and prescription painkillers are two examples, as these treatments may carry risks significantly greater than those of chiropractic manipulation. Here are some interesting facts to consider:

According to the American Journal of Gastroenterology, people taking NSAIDS are three times more likely than those who do not to develop serious adverse gastrointestinal problems such as hemorrage (bleeding) and perforation. That risk rises to more than five times in people age 60 and older. Regular use of NSAIDS results in about 200,000 to 400,000 hospitalizations per year. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that abuse of common prescription painkillers (such as oxycodone and hydrocodone) are among the leading causes of accidental death in the United States.

The natural approach to healthcare by Chiropractors seeks first to resolve health concerns and improve the body's ability to function without dangerous and sometimes toxic effects of over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications/painkillers.

Doctors of Chiropractic are especially well known for their expertise in caring for patients with back pain, neck pain and headaches. But you may not know that we care for patients with a wide range of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system involving the muscles, ligaments and joints. These painful conditions often involve or impact the nervous system. The nervous system needs open lines of communication for the brain to communicate with the rest of the body systems and organ. The benefits of chiropractic care extend to general health issues as well, since our body structure affects our overall function. In my practice, along with many of my counterparts, I also counsel patients on diet, nutrition, exercise, healthy habits, and occupational and lifestyle modification.

Chiropractic adjustments are not only for adults. Infants, toddlers and teens can also benefit from properly alignment of the spine. I have had the opportunity to work with many young patients, my youngest being a week old! (In case you were wondering - my oldest patient to date is 90 years young). The incredible amounts of pressure that the child encounters during birth cause their first subluxation (misalignment) which can be easily corrected by gentle realignment of the spine. Setting the proper foundation for optimum spinal and nervous system growth enables the body to act as close to 100% functioning as possible starting at the earliest age.

Lastly, I often hear the misconception that once you begin chiropractic care, you must continue frequently visiting to maintain progress. Many patients chose to continue their chiropractic care beyond the initial reasons that first brought them into the office. The benefits of preventative maintenance and preventative care become apparent to most patients, and many of mine will visit (optionally) as often as once or twice a week. It should also be noted that many patients visit a chiropractor for pain or discomfort that has been happening for an extended period of time. The patients I see have usually exhausted many common medical responses and treatments. The extended amount of time that has gone by with a patient's spinal misalignment in place will not always be corrected permanently after the first adjustment. When it took your body a long time to become the way it currently is, it can take awhile to correct it! The spine can require frequent adjusting at the early and mid-stages of treatment to be effective and long-standing. It's similar to the concept of workout out at the gym... you don't go to the gym once or twice and look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. You have to train the body.

If you're seeking a natural, safe, and effective method of care to resolve your health concerns (or if you feel well, to improve your body's ability to function and prevent future problems) please visit a chiropractor today!

To discover more valuable information, tips, articles, and more from Dr. Kristen, please join our free E-Wellness Community by clicking this link or visit us at www.TheBalanceDoc.com now!
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Friday, November 21, 2014

How does Chiropractic help?

The Doctor of Chiropractic's approach to whole body wellness focuses on natural healing without drugs or surgery. Chiropractic is the most popular form of natural health care in America today. Chiropractic adjustments allow the bones of the spine to return to a more normal position and motion. When this occurs, the nervous system functions are restored, symptoms are relieved and the natural healing process can proceed with keeping the body healthy and strong.

Chiropractic care extends throughout the body. The most common treatable ailments include: headaches, including stress and migraine, sinus, allergies and asthma problems, neck, shoulder and arm pain, sport related injuries, back and leg pain, disc herniations, digestive problems, and colic. It also works to balance the body, improve menstrual problems in women, and building up the immune system so that the body functions at its optimum peak to fight colds and other stress related physical symptoms.

Chronic or trauma related pain are usually the reasons that most people visit their chiropractor for the first time. They are seeking relief and an end to the pain for a current problem. The reasons why they stay for life, however, are many. Chiropractic is a holistic experience, it works in harmony with your body, gently providing support to your body so that you function at your best. This means that our bodies require maintenance and upkeep just like everything else and amazingly, the true success of Chiropractic comes in the months and years that follow with ongoing treatments, when we are not in pain. One begins to notice that they have more energy, improved performance in physical activities, and better resistance to disease. This healthy lifestyle is based on teamwork between you, your body and your Chiropractor.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a branch of the healing arts which is based upon the understanding that good health depends, in part, upon a normally functioning nervous system (especially the spine, and the nerves extending from the spine to all parts of the body). "Chiropractic" comes from the Greek word Chiropraktikos, meaning "effective treatment by hand." Chiropractic stresses the idea that the cause of many disease processes begins with the body's inability to adapt to its environment. It looks to address these diseases not by the use of drugs and chemicals, but by locating and adjusting a musculoskeletal area of the body which is functioning improperly.

The conditions which doctors of chiropractic address are as varied and as vast as the nervous system itself. All chiropractors use a standard procedure of examination to diagnose a patient's condition and arrive at a course of treatment. Doctors of chiropractic use the same time-honored methods of consultation, case history, physical examination, laboratory analysis and x-ray examination as any other doctor. In addition, they provide a careful chiropractic structural examination, paying particular attention to the spine.

The examination of the spine to evaluate structure and function is what makes chiropractic different from other health care procedures. Your spinal column is a series of movable bones which begin at the base of your skull and end in the center of your hips. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves extend down the spine from the brain and exit through a series of openings. The nerves leave the spine and form a complicated network which influences every living tissue in your body.

Accidents, falls, stress, tension, overexertion, and countless other factors can result in a displacements or derangements of the spinal column, causing irritation to spinal nerve roots. These irritations are often what cause malfunctions in the human body. Chiropractic teaches that reducing or eliminating this irritation to spinal nerves can cause your body to operate more efficiently and more comfortably.

Chiropractic also places an emphasis on nutritional and exercise programs, wellness and lifestyle modifications for promoting physical and mental health. While chiropractors make no use of drugs or surgery, Doctors of chiropractic do refer patients for medical care when those interventions are indicated. In fact, chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists and other health care professionals now work as partners in occupational health, sports medicine, and a wide variety of other rehabilitation practices.

Article reprinted from ChiroWeb

Monday, November 10, 2014

Sports Injuries and Chiropractic

Whether you are a weekend athlete or a professional, there are a few things that all athletes have in common. They want to have the best possible performance in their chosen sport, and they both can get injured.



Let's take the weekend athlete, or for that matter, anyone who enjoys exercising. Injuries happen, pure and simple. While they can be minimized, they cannot be totally avoided. If a person participates enough in any physical activity, eventually that person will get hurt to some degree. The way in which one treats his injuries determines how fast one recovers and how quickly onecan get back to the activity he enjoys.

Athletes may ask themselves why they get injured? They stretch out, and feel like they are in pretty good shape. Usually there is a very simple formula. In most cases, we play too hard, too long, or too fast. In the case of household duties such as spring cleaning, do any of us warm up before carrying those boxes into the crawl space of our ceilings? This may not seem like a sports injury, but in fact, overuse syndromes or playing full speed before we are really warmed up are the major causes of sports injuries. Simple household chores, while done cold, can mimic a sports injury to some extent.
If an athlete gets hurt, what can be done to get him back on the field? Rest is usually a good thing, but by itself, can take a very long time.

Chiropractic offers a balanced approach to the treatment and the healing of sports injuries. By using the chiropractic adjustment to return spinal segments to their normal mobility and by using physical therapy to help the supportive tissues (muscles, tendons, & ligaments), chiropractic physicians help the injured areas return to normal function. Combined with some rest to help the healing process, athletes will find their way back on the court. Afterward, better strategies for exercise and stretching will be discussed with the athlete to help him stay on the straight and narrow path to better enjoyment of his chosen sport.

Many professional athletes are utilizing chiropractic care more and more because they realize that it helps them maximize athletic performance. Articles continue to appear in major newspapers and magazines citing such stars as Arnold Schwartzeneger, former boxing champ Evander Holyfield, and football stars such as Emmit Smith and Joe Montana proclaiming the benefits that chiropractic has meant for their careers. More and more professional and college teams are utilizing care for that same reason.

If you can remember that the whole premise of chiropractic health care is to restore spinal health so that the body has the best opportunity to maximize proper function, it is not hard to understand why the Pros enjoy what chiropractic has to offer.

Article reprinted from American Chiropractic Association

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Welcome To Our New Blog

Welcome and thanks for stopping by our brand new blog. It is our intention to share some valuable tips and information surrounding the subject of health and spinal alignment and other things that can help us to lead happy and healthy lives.