At times, even for chiropractors, the success of chiropractic treatment and its ability to help people get out of pain and back into participating in life can seem, well, almost miraculous. When I hear from chiropractic patients who’ve not only gotten rid of their pain through chiropractic treatment, but also more life and energy, stress reduction and peace of mind, and a greater ability to get a good night’s sleep, I feel gratified.

Still, a research article I read recently in the scientific periodical, Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health, brought tears to my eyes (and I’m generally a pretty macho guy!). The research detailed the case of a severely disabled sixteen year old girl experiencing spasticity and sleep disturbances due to Cerebral Palsy. Her family was most distressed about her inability to sleep through the night. The girl, confined to a wheelchair, had metal rods surgically fused from her neck down to the base of her spine since the age of seven.

The mother of the girl brought her to a chiropractor for correction of misalignment that she hoped would help to decrease her daughter’s often horrendous pain. One can only imagine that the examination was difficult. But the chiropractor was able to ascertain that there were several subluxations that could be safely addressed. The chiropractor treated the girl twice per week. By her sixth adjustment, the girl was sleeping normally through the night. A measurable improvement in her muscle spasticity was found by her ninth visit.

Though full recovery was not expected, the authors of the research article noted that “the patient and her family were able to return to a normal sleep schedule as well as enjoy improved quality of life.”

“Improved quality of life.” Can anyone ask for more from treatment? Not likely!  But, let me tell you, more chiropractors are told those words by their patients than doctors offering traditional medical care.

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic treatment, chiropractor, improved quality of life

Just going for a walk, let alone catching a frisbee or running in the ocean waves, can be very difficult and prohibitively painful for a dog with arthritis. In other words, arthritis can take the fun out of doing what dogs do best…have fun! As a attentive veterinarian in Decatur I am relieved to tell you that treatment for canine arthritis is not entirely confined to the use of painkilling drugs. Just as humans suffering from arthritis often benefit from physiotherapy that helps to improve joint motion, dogs can, too. Physiotherapy, in humans, helps to decrease arthritic inflammation and increase function of the affected joints and limbs. You may be wondering how physiotherapy affects canine joints and limbs, as well as what exercises are most effective.

Although physiotherapy for dogs isn’t new, until recently there hasn’t been adequate research done to satisfactorily document its effects on canine arthritis. However, a recent study by researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, and published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, confirmed the efficacy of physiotherapy in relieving arthritic inflammation and immobility in dogs.

The researchers used a specially-designed treadmill and delicate computer algorithms to examine the movements of the joints in the front and back legs of dogs while the dogs performed three different types of exercises: walking uphill, walking downhill and walking over low obstacles.

The experiments showed that the three exercises had express and particular effects on the motion of the dogs’ joints. Walking uphill caused significantly greater bending at the hip, as opposed to walking downhill, which caused the hip to be less bent and the tarsal joint to be less extended. But, the most consequential effects came when the dogs walked over low obstacles. This resulted in additional bending of all joints except the hip and shoulder, and greater extensions of the carpal and stifle joints.

You may be wondering, at this point, what all of of this means for your dog? First of all, it indicates that walking uphill is an easy exercise that could be used to improve your dog’s joint flexibility, especially at the hip joint, and that adding low obstacles could aid in improving the bending of the joints in the forelimbs and hind limbs. Adding low obtacles should be avoided, however, if your dog has recently undergone surgery for the tibia, because such activity could result in increased bending of the joints and potentially strain the tendon that joins the knee to the shin.

And, as a dog loving Decatur veterinarian, I would like to make one final suggestion for “man’s best friend,” since walking downhill wasn’t  shown to be effective anyway, perhaps a nice ride downhill in the car would be a nice treat for your dog once you’ve exercised him or her uphill!

Technorati Tags: canine arthritis, physiotherapy for dogs, veterinarian

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As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I would be remiss if I didn’t address the vital issue of excess weight and how it negatively affects every part of the human body. I explain the health challenges to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.” 

We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”

The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-

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Santa Barbara Chiropractor

You have, no doubt, heard the old saying, When you consider the alternative, getting old isn’t so bad.” But, if the aging process is creating pain in your body, you are painfully aware that aging is no joke! As a Santa Barbara chiropractor, when it comes to musculoskeletal problems, I see too many age-related breakdowns that probably would not have taken place if the original cause had been eliminated earlier. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse frequently produce needless stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can result in painful challenges over time. But, as another saying goes, “Hindsight is 20-20.” If we only knew back then how our aging body would feel today!

Back pain is number one on the list as the most prevalent musculoskeletal problem to take place as we age. Age-related back pain is most commonly produced by a degenerative disorder known as Spondylosis (spine osteoarthritis).

Spinal osteoarthritis is caused by advanced erosion and weight-bearing pressure on the spine that, over time, does harm to the discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The area of the body and measure of the degenerative process of spondylosis varies from person to person. It might affect the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) areas of the spine. Spondylosisi symptoms very from person to person and depend on the severity of the degeneration, and can extend from minor pain and numbness to severe sensory loss and muscular atrophy.

Calcium is deposited in the tissues around the vertebrae due to repetitive stresses that abnormally affect the cartilage around the joints Adjacent nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue can be constricted by these calcific deposits, also called bone spurs. This kind of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.

Regular chiropractic adjustments and overall chiropractic management has been shown to significantly slow the aging process of the spine whether or not you are suffering from spondylosis. It may be true that “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it’s never too late to give your spine the good treatment it deserves. Chiropractors are experts when it comes to treatment of the spine. See your Santa Barbara Chiropractor today, for the health of your spine.

Technorati Tags: age-related back pain, arthritis, back pain, chiropractic treatment, chiropractor, spondylosis

Corona Chiropractor

Where hip pain relief is concerned, your chiropractor in Corona provides highly successful non-invasive, drug-free treatment. Whenever possible, surgery should be seen as a last resort. Therefore, before you schedule a surgery to replace that hip, ask yourself the following questions: Is it out of the question for you to get a good night’s sleep because your hip pain wakes you up at night? When you get out of bed in the morning, and/or when you get out of your car, are you stiff and do you find it initially difficult to move your legs? Do you feel pain whenever you rotate or twist them or when you cross your legs? If so, you may have imbalances and misalignments in your lower extremities that, in addition to causing your hip pain, can lead to osteoarthritis in your hips in the future if not treated. The good news is that whether or not degenerative changes have already taken place, chiropractic treatment can help!

You may be getting older and it may be true that your hip joints aren’t what they used to be. Even so, did you know that your hip pain (and related problems), which normally point to age-related degenerative conditions, may not actually be created by osteoarthritis? That’s right. In the majority of cases, rather than being the original source of your pain, osteoarthritis of the hip joint is frequently the result of a prior injury (or injuries) to your hips.

More often than not, hip problems have to do with asymmetry or imbalance when you are in motion, as when you are walking. If you tend to walk “pronated” like a duck, with your toes pointing away from your body, eventually you will feel pain in your hips as a result of the asymmetrical stress on your hip joints and your body’s efforts to compensate. Fortunately, you can make changes in your gait pattern at any age, and your chiropractor in Corona can show you how to do it.

Moreover, you may have had gait changes as the result of an ankle sprain or knee strain, and since “the knee bone’s connected to the hip bone,” these biomechanical alterations cause hip pain. Of course, if not corrected, your hip joints will suffer further consequences, namely, the wear and tear that produces degenerative changes.

Other situations that can sometimes impact the hip joints are starting a new job or beginning a new sport that necessitates your moving your body in unfamiliar ways. Also, ferrying a child (or grandchild) on one hip can create hip pain. Even your sitting position or driving for extended periods of time on a regular basis can cause hip injury and pain.

See? Not every pain is caused by “old age,” even though we may experience more pain as a consequence of the progressive nature of untreated injuries.

And important aspect of the chiropractic management of your hip problem, along with your adjustments, your Corona Chiropractor will suggest appropriate rehabilitative exercises that include gentle muscle stretching and strengthening, and will also analyze your gait and may recommend simple pattern changes.

Your hip pain won’t vanish on its own. Hip pain is a sign that there’s a problem that requires correcting. If neglected, it is very likely that at some point you will require that hip replacement surgery. So, don’t wait until it’s too late. Your Corona Chiropractor can get you out of pain, get your body back into balance, and help you get to back to enjoying your life again!

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Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing

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Aah, summertime. Time to head for the beach or a nice sunny park. So, bring out the picnic basket and blanket, the toys and swimsuits, and the sunscreen and tomatoes. Tomatoes!? Yep, that’s what I said. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant, which not only increases collagen in the skin and adds up to fewer lines and furrows, but actually helps to protect the skin again sunburn. According to Prevention Magazine, a recent study found that volunteers that consumed five tablespoons of tomato paste daily for three months had 25 percent more protection against sunburn.

It’s always nice to come across “natural” alternatives to chemical products, isn’t it? And, in this case, it’s a tasty choice. But, that said, it is always a good idea to cover up and protect your skin if you are going to be out in the sun for extended periods. Because, let’s face it, a juicy tomato or pasta marinara can go just so far!

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Wichita Chiropractor

As a Wichita Chiropractor for more than twenty years, I have helped many individuals suffering from sciatic pain, so I know from experience just how incapacitating sciatic pain can be. Those who suffer from sciatica are sadly all too familiar with the deep radiating pain that persists during the day and restricts almost all of their daily activities.

Could your low back pain be generated by sciatica? You are probably experiencing sciatica if your pain radiates from your low back, through your buttock(s), down the large sciatic nerve in the back of one or both legs, and possibly radiates into your knee(s). Moreover, not solely motion, but even sitting can be painful. Frequently lying down will reduce, or sometimes even temporarily get rid of the pain. However, you should be warned that sciatica will not go away without proper treatment.

Radiculopathy

A radiculopathy is a medical term used to describe a condition where a disc has protruded from its normal position in the spine and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) that forms part of the sciatic nerve in the lower back. This type of pressure is extremely painful.

Prolonged sitting, especially in an improper position, can create imbalances in the muscles surrounding the spine and added pressure on the intervertebral discs. A specific event or injury isn’t commonly the cause of sciatica, more often sciatica has a tendency to develop over time as a consequence of everyday wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. Over the course of time the lower spine can lose its normal functioning capabilities during common stresses.

If this occurs, the intervertebral disc incurs small fissures or cracks that then permit the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it causes the pain that is frequently called a ruptured, or slipped, disc. Sciatica is the result of the disc pressing on the spinal nerve. With chiropractic adjustments and management, which often includes postural exercises, the majority of disc conditions, including sciatica, can be completely relieved.

Periformis Syndrome

Periformis syndrome is another condition that results in sciatic pain. Periformis syndrome develops when the periformis muscle, for any reason, goes into spasm and irritates the sciatic nerve, which runs “deep to the muscle.” In addition to chiropractic treatment, this particular sciatica can be significantly relieved by sciatica stretches that your chiropractor can recommend.

If you are experiencing sciatic pain, it is crucial for you to seek chiropractic attention. If you are in the Wichita area, as your Chiropractor in Wichita, I invite you to come in to see if I can get you out of pain and help you to get your life back!

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As a chiropractor, it is my professional point of view that surgery should be the last resort for conditions of the back, hips, and knees. chiropractic treatment is a conservative, non-invasive and drug-free approach to problems relating to the musculoskeletal system. That said, I am also of the persuasion that surgery for most health problems should be a last resort as well. As I’ve said before, there is no such thing as a “minor” surgery. All surgeries, no matter how small, carry big risks. But, not only is surgery risky, there is no “undoing” this permanent attempt at correcting a problem. However, until just a few years ago, I would not have imagined that weigh loss would fall under the “only have surgery as a last resort” category. But, more and more adults are having bariatric surgery or other weight-loss surgery as an attempt to remedy their obesity. Again, surgery is surgery, and this type of surgery has high risks for already “at risk” obese adults. What has been even more disturbing to me is the fact that some parents are opting for surgery for their obese children, even though the risks of bariatric surgery are not only substantial in general, but the long-term safety and effectiveness in children remain largely unknown.

Now, what I am about to pass along will probably fall into the “duh, you think” category for most of us, but in reviewing studies on the “obesity epidemic,” scientists from Britain and the United States  lifestyle changes such as better diet and more exercise should always be the first option, and treatment with drugs should be used rarely. In other words, bariatric surgery, or weight-loss surgery, such as operations to apply gastric bands to limit the stomach size of severely overweight people, should be a last resort.

Yes, it is true that childhood obesity can adversely affect almost every organ in the body and often has serious consequences, including high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, insulin resistance or diabetes, fatty liver disease, and psychosocial complications, it is also true that parents need education (and perhaps intervention) and schools need to provide better food options and more daily exercise for children, and communities need to support parental efforts as well. No “toys” as a prize for buying high caloric kids meals is just the beginning. In my opinion as a healthcare provider, without education and support, even children who undergo bariatric surgery will continue to crave high caloric foods and still not get the healthy exercise they need.

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