The Importance of Stretching After a Workout

Dr. Bejan Pazdel who deals with a lot of sports -oriented clients talks about the importance of stretching before AND after exercise.

See more about Pazdel Chiropractic at http://www.pazdelchiropractic.com

The Chiropractic Approach to Health and Wellness

Chiropractic is a natural science devoted to overall health and wellness through a holistic and integrated approach. Its focus is on the function and biomechanics of the body, particularly the neuromusculoskeletal system which includes nerves, muscles, bones, and joints.

Spinal health and well-being play a major role in the overall health of the body. The body's systems are all interconnected, thus proper spinal mechanics including alignment of vertebrae and the health of corresponding nerves and soft tissue provide a foundation for health and wellness.

Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) are trained to diagnose and treat disorders of the body as well as provide proactive care to help prevent injuries and ailments. Chiropractic is an all natural healthcare practice that integrates many approaches to help rehabilitate patients and provide a path for optimum wellness. Chiropractors are most commonly known for the chiropractic adjustment, a specific hands-on technique to correct joint dysfunction. An adjustment realigns the misaligned joint and causes a neurological response, resolving pain and inflammation and restoring function and mobility. Misalignments do not have to occur from a sudden injury or accident; they can appear over time due to repetitive stresses, postural habits, or work factors. When misalignments do occur, they can begin to cause a myriad of pain and dysfunction throughout the body. Chiropractic, though manual adjustments and other modalities including but not limited to therapeutic exercises, heat and ice therapy, ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, disc decompression therapy, acupuncture, and more, help restore health and bring the body back into a state of well-being.

The benefits of chiropractic treatment are invaluable and the conditions chiropractic can help are numerous. Some of the most popular conditions treated by chiropractic are sports related injuries, work injuries, injuries from auto accidents, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, joint pain, headaches, migraines, allergies, asthma, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia disorder, pregnancy related care, and more. Approximately 21 million Americans regularly benefit from chiropractic care.

Chiropractic puts the body on a healthy track. When everything is in alignment, the body's systems can function freely and effectively. People who use chiropractic often find they have more energy, less tension, sleep better, and feel more focused. The chiropractic approach to health and wellness greatly improves the quality of their lives and allows them to focus on a positive lifestyle.

A consultation with a chiropractor can help you join the millions of Americans who are already reaping the health benefits of chiropractic care.

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Neck Pain and How Chiropractic Care May Help You

People experiencing neck pain often turn to chiropractic care for help. Some swear by chiropractic physicians, saying the work they perform not only relieves pain, but also addresses the source of their pain rather than covering it up with drugs. There are more than 60,000 licensed chiropractic physicians in the United States today, and about 8 percent of American adults and 3 percent of children have had chiropractic care to treat their pain, according to a recent survey. That's a higher percentage than those who use other alternative therapies like yoga, massage, and acupuncture.

Chiropractic: How Neck Pain Is Treated

The word chiropractic is from the Greek words for hand (cheir) and action (praxis) - practitioners primarily use their hands to treat muscle, joint, and nerve pain by adjusting the spine and any joints in the body that need it. Adjustments involve the chiropractic physician applying controlled gentle, relaxing force to a joint, pushing the joint into a more correct place. This is intended to loosen up joints that are restricted or painfully due to tissue damage or scarring caused by either trauma or repetitive stress. An example of trauma causing neck pain is whiplash, while a repetitive stress injury could be from consistently poor posture.

For neck pain in particular, chiropractic neck adjustments, called cervical manipulation, loosen up the joints of the cervical vertebrae in the neck, and this can reduce pain caused by pinched nerves and muscle spasms. Chiropractic physicians use their hands to twist the neck sharply and snap the vertebrae back into alignment.

Chiropractic: Finding a Practitioner

Chiropractic physicians are trained to diagnose patients through physical exams, x-rays if needed as well diagnostic tests. Treatment plans may include neck exercises to do on your own and suggestions for a healthier lifestyle; chiropractic physicians do not prescribe medication as part of their treatment. Practicing chiropractic physicians in the United States are required to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from a properly accredited college. Admission to a chiropractic college requires three years of undergraduate work. Chiropractic College is a four-year, year round program, during which the chiropractic physicians-in-training will learn in the classroom and provide hands-on care to patients. For specialized training, chiropractic physicians undertake an additional two- or three-year residency.

When evaluating a chiropractic physician, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggests asking about the professional's licensing and training, and whether that training included the specific problem you're experiencing.

By restoring mobility in your joints, chiropractic offers neck pain treatment that aims to fix the source of the pain rather than just treat its symptoms. This no-drug, no-surgery approach may be the answer you've been looking for.

Because each individual case is different, the appropriate chiropractic treatment is unique to each patient and is directed at the primary dysfunctions detected during the chiropractic exam. However, chiropractors commonly employ different treatments often including: gentle relaxing manipulation often followed by muscle relaxation and/or gentle stimulation and various exercises

The primary treatment for joint dysfunction, relaxing spinal manipulation involves the chiropractor gently moving the involved joint into the direction in which it is restricted. Also known as a chiropractic adjustment, spinal manipulation may involve the application of a short thrust in that direction. In many cases, instead of a thrust, a slow relaxing mobilizing movement is used. This can be done for any joint in the body.

Although their main method of treatment is the spinal manipulation, many chiropractic doctors also use other therapies to treat their patients. The following is a brief description of some of the most common therapies chiropractic doctors offer.

Muscle relaxation and/or stimulation consist of gentle stretches to the muscle that has excessive tension or repeated contractions of the muscle that is inhibited may also be used. If the muscle is very tight, a more vigorous stretch may be applied by the chiropractor. Gentle finger pressure techniques may be applied to trigger points to relieve the pain associated with the tight muscles.

Cryotherapy is also often used. Gel ice packs are wrapped in towels and applied to the affected area. This helps reduce swelling and pain and helps with pain control. These ice packs are often placed over massaging pads at the same time.

Ice and Heat Therapy

Ice and heat have long been used to treat many painful conditions. Ice therapy is often used to reduce swelling and help control pain immediately after an injury. Heat therapy is used to relax the muscles, increase circulation, and can provide relief to patients with chronic pain. Depending on the patient's condition, a combination of ice and heat can be used. Your chiropractor will advise you on what is best for your condition.

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Chiropractic Effective And Natural For Back Pain

Several people seek chiropractic as a natural and safe method for the treatment of back pain. About 22 million Americans visit the chiropractor each year and thirty five percent of these are seeking the chiropractor for the treatment of back pain. Other common complaints that people visit them for are neck pain, headaches and arm and leg pain.

Chiropractors go through several years of schooling including both undergraduate and post graduate studies. Chiropractic school is a four year program. Students are trained on theory and knowledge in the classroom and then receive hands on training in the clinic. In the United States, chiropractors are required to have a license in the state they reside in order to practice. They are also required to take continuing education courses regularly to stay current in their education and techniques.

Chiropractic treatments involve hands-on methods to manipulate the spine in order to correct problem areas in the spine and other joints in the pelvis, arms or legs. The theory behind these adjustments is to remove nerve interference and restore normal function in the body. By removing this interference, the body is then able to do what it knows best, heal itself. Chiropractic adjustments are beneficial for injuries such as from car accidents, sporting injuries, falls, slips and chronic stress such as from slouching at the desk or sitting without proper back support.

Chiropractic is also helpful for injured muscles and connective tissue such as ligaments, tendons and cartilage. These are often injured in conjunction with misaligned spinal bones. Restoring motion of the vertebra often heals and relieves these surrounding structures. When visiting the chiropractor, they will perform a medical history, perform an evaluation and may also use diagnostic imaging to diagnose the problem and help determine the treatment that is most effective. Chiropractic is often used with conventional medicine. Chiropractors also refer to other healthcare providers when necessary.

Chiropractic treatment involves specific hands on adjustment to one or more problems areas of the spine to improve range of motion and alignment. The goal of the adjustment is not only to provide relief of symptoms, but to also restore normal function and prevent future problems.

Chiropractic is well known to be a safe and effective method of treatment for back pain and other musculoskeletal problems. Research also demonstrates its effectiveness for other conditions such as headaches, neck pain, arthritis and fibromyalgia. Chiropractors also incorporate other healthcare services such as nutrition and physical therapy to provide a multi-disciplinary approach.

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Back Pain Meets Relief With Chiropractic Services

All too often people suffer from back pain. It seems that a large majority of people the world over have experienced some sort of back pain at least once in their lives. For some, this seems to be an inherited problem. For others, it develops over time due to poor posture, bone loss, exercise injury, working, or an accident. Some, still, develop problems in their back with no good explanation. However, no matter what the case, chiropractic services can help to ease back pain.

Chiropractors offer a wide range of services for those who experience back pain. They realize that the health of the back can affect the entire body. It the back is out of alignment, it can offset the hips, legs, shoulders, and neck. That is why chiropractors focus on healing the back as part of the whole. Since back pain is located in the core of the body, seeking help from chiropractic services can help to alleviate the need for other special treatments.

Chiropractors provide a wide range of skills in order to help determine the cause of back pain, correct it, and then ensure that the problem will not occur again. These are the three main phases of chiropractic services. Since they use methods that do not involve drugs and rarely surgeries, the goal of the chiropractor is to find the underlying cause of the pain. Their techniques seek to cure the pain at its source instead of merely masking it with prescriptions. Chiropractic services use gentle and natural methods in order to help back pain. These methods range in technique from massage to electric stimuli. Surgery may be required from time to time, but is largely avoided with chiropractic services.

There are numerous benefits that are offered by chiropractic services in order to help those who suffer with back pain. One of those benefits is the price. Since chiropractors prefer to avoid the use of prescription drugs, the cost is greatly decreased. The cost of an office visit is also usually much less than the typical cost of a traditional doctor's visit. However, some insurance plans do not cover the cost of chiropractic services. Due to this, many offices have lower costs and even payment plans that make affording these services more affordable.

Many people who receive chiropractic services to help with back pain find that the treatments are far more successful than with traditional medicine. The treatments help to alleviate their pain in a way that is comfortable and lasting. Since the techniques are gentle, patients can look forward to progressively more relaxing treatments and time goes on. Once the original problem that was causing pain is taken care of, the number of office visits can be decreased over time. This means that ultimately, a person who suffers from pain can discontinue visits. This option is not nearly as common with traditional medicine.

Chiropractic services cater to those who suffer from back pain, although their skills allow them to help those with other problems as well. Since the back is such a pivotal part of the body, chiropractic services may help to determine if something in the back is causing problems elsewhere in the body as well.

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Understanding Chiropractic For Disc Problems

Chiropractic is an effective treatment option for disc injuries. When a disc is injured it is commonly referred to as a slipped disc although this term is a misnomer. A disc does not actually slip since it is firmly attached to the vertebra above and below. It is more correctly known as a bulging disc or herniated disc. Discs are located between each of the bones of the spine or vertebrae. They act as cushions to absorb the stresses on the spine.

The discs consist of an outer structure known as the annulus fibrosus and an inner gel known as the nucleus pulposus. Cracks may occur in the outer layer causing the inner gel to leak out. This is known as a disc herniation. Having bad posture, being overweight and trauma can all lead to abnormal pressure on the disc and lead to herniation.

The problem may start off small and gradually get worse with wear and tear on the spine. The symptoms may not be felt until years later. The symptoms often begin when someone sneezes or bends over to tie their shoe, they feel a sharp pain in the back. The discs of the spine need plenty of water to function properly. As we age, the discs often become dehydrated and lose their normal integrity and height. They become hard and brittle and the outer layers become cracked allowing the inner gel to leak out.

Chiropractors are specially trained to help manage disc problems. They are trained to perform a detailed evaluation of the entire spine. If needed, they may order an MRI which will provide a detailed view of the discs of the spine. They will also look for misaligned spinal bones which can lead to abnormal pressure on the discs.

When the bones are misaligned the joints no longer glide properly and cause abnormal wearing of the discs. The joints may also become fixated or stuck which prevents the normal pumping action of the joints. The discs rely heavily on this pumping action to draw fluid into the discs and pump toxins out. The medical term for this process is called imbibition.

Chiropractors provide individualized treatment for disc problems. The cause of disc problems can vary from person to person. The chiropractor can provide spinal manipulation to help correct misaligned spinal joints and they can also provide therapy to help heal injured soft tissue. They may also recommend specific stretches and therapeutic exercises.

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Concussion and Treating Lingering Effects

Dr. Pazdel talks about concussion, what it is, many of the symptoms that may point toward it and how the lingering effects can often affect the neck causing pain, stiffness, and more. This is where chiropractic treatment may be of great benefit to return to full health.

See more at http://www.PazdelChiropractic.com