Adjust Your Health

Sleeping Position Does Matter

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Your sleeping position does make a difference in how your body will feel when you wake in the morning. Most of my patients think it is impossible to control what position you sleep in since you aren't fully aware of what you are doing, but it is possible and it can make a considerable difference.

When you go to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, make an effort to try these tips:

Keep your body in a "mid-line" position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight.
Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable.
Place a pillow under your legs, if you sleep on your back, to take stress off your lower back.

MOST IMPORTANT: Avoid sleeping on your stomach. It's difficult to maintain the mid-line position, and it is more likely to cause aches and pains.

DR. OZ and CHIROPRACTIC!

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:03:00 +0000

On March 3, 2011 the Dr. Oz show discussed the topic of Chiropractic and the benefits that comes along with it. The show focused on the spine and the many causes of back pain. Dr. Oz explained that 80% of people experiencing back pain could benefit from visiting a chiropractor and receiving a chiropractic adjustment to the spine.

He explained that the spine has the ability to get out of alignment which causes pressure on the discs and nerves… this is turn causes pain. On a larger than life size model of the spine, Dr. Oz demonstrated how the spine gets out of alignment with activities as simple as sleeping wrong or getting groceries out of the car… imagine your chances are if you were in a car accident?

Dr. Oz also explained that “pain medications only mask the symptoms of pain, but do not treat the underlying cause of back or spinal pain.”

The chiropractor Dr. Oz had on the show performed a treatment known as an “adjustment” and then explained that realignment of the spine reduces the interference to the nervous system and allows the body to heal.

Overall, it was a very informative show supporting the place of chiropractic in the medical profession. Dr. Oz has always voiced his support of chiropractic but this show showed why so many people could benefit from it!

Prevent Backache At Work!

Sat, 22 May 2010 22:26:00 +0000

Sitting at a desk all day just can't be good for you back... How to prevent back ache while at work!

If you're like many folks, chances are good that much of your days is pent sitting in front of a desk (or computer) for hours. Take the humble office cubicle: often not more than 30 square feet, hardly enough room to turn around. Physically constricting would be an accurate descriptor. Dilbert would have much to comment on the typical office confines. But the good news is there are a number of tips that I would like to share, that you can do to prevent the aches and pains that often result in a visits to your friendly chiropractor.

1. Just Stand! Talk on the phone standing up. Feel those muscles s-t-r-e-t-c-h! Your body will breathe a sigh of relief for getting the blood flowing again.

2. Walk! Use those necessary trips to the copier to get some exercise instead of viewing them as a nuisance.

3. Stretch! Stretch standing up. Stretch while you're on the phone. Stretch while you are doing other tasks at your desk.

4. Take mental health breaks! A mental vacation can be as close as a walk around the grounds. But they help and can relieve stress and tension that often leads to back, muscles, or neck pain.

5. Don't eat in your cube! Make it a policy to never eat at your desk. Go somewhere – anywhere, but get away even if only for a few minutes.

Seek A Tune Up! One solution is what we chiropractor's call “maintenance care”, because it continues the good work we've already established. Just like it's advisable to take the care in for an oil change throughout the year, so do does the body need more fine tuning. Maintenance care saves time and money. How? Ignore your spine and eventually you will seriously injure yourself again, requiring extensive rehabilitation. Compared to the simple protocol required to upkeep “maintenance care”. It's a winning formula, for staying pain free!

I've heard that birth control pills can weaken my bones. Is this true??

Fri, 14 May 2010 16:17:00 +0000

I once read the the birth control pill is the most popular drug used in America. (I'm not sure if that's true, but it sure seems to be accurate.) The question is are there any negative side-effects linked to taking oral contraceptives? One is potential bone weakening. Have you ever heard of BMD? BMD stands for bone mineral density. It is a way to measure how strong bones are. Well, here's the bad news. Studies have shown an association between these pills and changes in BMD and fracture rates.

What We Learned From A Canadian Study: A study in the Canadian Medial Association Journal focused on the bone densities of young women using birth control. Over 500 women ages 25 to 45 were evaluated. They must have prior use of at least 3 months on the pill. BMD was measured in the spine, upper leg, and pelvis using a type of x-ray. What did they discover? BMD values were found to be lower in every area in the body they measured compared to women who had never used them. They determined that this translated into an increased fracture risk of 20-30% in women using birth control pills. There are risks involved with the pill. Information is power! For information, please feel free to call me about your health issues. I'm here to help!

FIBROMYALGIA... We can help.

Sun, 02 May 2010 22:35:00 +0000

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a Chronic Disorder with Treatments But no Cure...Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that causes immense physical pain and debilitating symptoms. Fibromyalgia is not a disease. Instead it is a condition that causes many different symptoms. These symptoms affect all systems in the body. Fibromyalgia plagues up to 5% of the population, with 6 million sufferers in the United States alone. The name fibromyalgia comes from "fibro" meaning fibrous tissue (such as tendons and ligaments), "my" meaning muscles, and "algia" meaning pain.

Why Would Chiropracitc & Acupuncture Help?

Fibromyalgia's main symptom is widespread musculoskeletal pain. (exactlly what chiropractors deal with everyday!) This pain affects the ligaments, tendons, and muscles throughout the body. Ligaments are made of tough tissues which attach to the bones in your body. Tendons help to attach muscles to your bones. Muscles allow you to stretch and flex various body parts.

Fibromyalgia patients often feel like they are aching all over; muscles feel sore, stiff, and overworked. Muscle twitches are also common in fibromyalgia, adding to the pain of the illness. Sometimes muscles can even feel like they are burning.

If you are suffering with Fibromyalgia... please give us a call...

We can help you. 913-681-7757.

CHIROPRACTIC IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR GOLFERS!

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:34:00 +0000

Why Is Chiropractic The Right Choice for Golfers?

A chiropractor will zero in on the injured joint to evaluate the alignment of the ligaments and the muscles of the joint complex. His/her approach is to arrest the problem, administer the proper correction, induce healing and strengthen the joint complex with rehabilitation and supplements. The objective is to return the athlete to full function and prevent injury in the future.

Painkillers and muscle relaxants may often help with the pain but can never correct the problem. It is very common now among professional athletes around the world, such as Tiger Woods, to acquire the help of a chiropractor so that they can perform at their best during competitions.

Tiger Woods - top professional golfer

"Being a chiropractor patient has really helped me immensely."

"...lifting weights and seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis has made me a better golfer. I've been going to Chiropractors for as long as I can remember. It's as important to my training as practicing my swing.”

PREVENT INJURIES DURING GOLF

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Prevent Injuries During Your Next Golf Game

Proper stretching

Before and after a golf session is of great importance.

Warm up & condition muscles

This is the main reason for low back injury as well as a soft tissue tear. Warm up and strengthen a cold muscle. In turn all muscle groups will work together producing a smooth and strong swing!

Rotate at hips, knees & shoulders

This minimizes tension stress, while distributing the rotational stress away from the lumbar spine to the entire spine.

Maintain parallel shoulders and pelvis

Doing this through the majority of the swing, which requires rigid abdominal control and rotation between shoulders and hips. It is this ability which provides the power and protection for the lumbar spine.

10 HEADACHE TRIGGERS

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:35:00 +0000

10 Headache Triggers You May Not Know...

1. Your Boss! - Stress @ work and home.

2. Strong Scents! - Perfume to gasoline smells can start or worsen the pain.

3. Hair Accessories! - Your hair in a ponytail, up in a headband or pulled back with sunglasses.

4. Increase in Temperature! - Spring is already here... Summer is next!

5. Poor Posture! - Natural or made worse with habits all effect headaches.

6. Various Foods! - Red wine, cheese, cold cuts and even chocolate can trigger a headache.

7. Skipping meals! - No more skipping breakfast...

8. Smoking!

9. Intense exercise! - Too intese of a workout could be bad where mild workouts could be great!

10. Pinched nerves in the Neck! - The nerves in the neck feed the nerves that cause headaches.

WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0000

So... What is CHIROPRACTIC?

Well, let's start with the basic definition...

Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.

Now, let me tell you what it is to me...

Chiropractic is the form of health care that allowed me to live my life without the unbearable headaches I used to have. It is the form of health care that I believe fully in and practice everyday. It is a gentle technique that allows the body to perform the way it is meant to and in combination with needle-less acupuncture allows myself andmy patients to live life the way they want without pain.

So... what is chiropractic to you?