Technorati Tags: chiropractic care, chiropractic treatment, chiropractor

What does that theme have to do with you? Well, the focus will be on how chiropractors, like me, can help you to stay healthy and injury free while toting the gadgets you love, or if you work long hours in front of a computer. Did you know that excessive use of mobile devices, and incorrect posture while using smart phones (and other gadgets) or while sitting in front of a computer can lead to neck, back, wrist, and even thumb pain? In fact, the problem is becoming so widespread that earlier this year a spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that musculoskeletal injuries remain one of the biggest workplace health and safety problems in American industry.

Chiropractic care, of course, can treat these conditions naturally, but your chiropractor can teach you how to take breaks, to stretch and exercise to prevent pain and injury, and how not to maintain the same stooped-over posture for long periods of time or to repeat the same motions endlessly.

Your chiropractor knows a lot about the musculoskeletal system and how modern day technology can often affect it in painful, and sometimes debilitating ways. Don’t wait for October. If you’re experiencing neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, wrist pain, or even thumb pain, see your chiropractor today! It’s time to learn how to use modern technology and stay pain-free at the same time.

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, modern technology, neck pain, shoulder pain, wrist pain

There are moments, even for chiropractors, the success of chiropractic treatment and its superiority in helping people get rid of pain and get their life back again can seem, well, almost miraculous. I feel gratified when I read the variety of testimonials given by chiropractic patients who have not only experienced pain relief through chiropractic treatment, but also experienced more energy and vitality, stress reduction and peace of mind, and a greater ability to sleep at night.

Still, sometimes I come across something, like this particular research article I read in the scientific periodical, Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health, and I am moved to a new level of admiration for my profession. The research detailed the case of a severely disabled 16-year-old girl experiencing spasticity and sleep disturbances due to Cerebral Palsy. It was her inability to sleep through the night that caused her family the most distress. To compound the young girl’s condition,when she was seven years old, surgeons fused metal rods in her spine, from neck to base.

The mother of the girl hoped that chiropractic treatment could correct her daughter’s spinal subluxations and ease her often horrendous pain. One can only imagine that the examination was difficult. Fortunately the chiropractor was able to determine that there were several subluxations that could be safely corrected. The chiropractor treated the girl twice per week. By her sixth adjustment, the girl was sleeping normally through the night. By her ninth visit she showed an improvement in her muscle spasticity as measured by specific instruments.

Yet, even though complete 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. Who could ask for more from any type of health care?  No one! But, do you want to know something? More chiropractors experience just that with their patients than medical doctors do.

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

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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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Let’s face it, you can’t stop kids from carrying backpacks especially with school lockers being removed from many schools. And, we, adults use them, too, for plenty of activities in addition to hiking. But, not all backpacks are equal when it comes to their impact on the musculoskeletal system of young and old, alike. That’s why the endorsement of nine backpackes and daypackes from The North Face, announced today by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is so important. The endorsed styles are the Big Shot, Borealis, Box Shot, Cornice, Hotshot, On Sight, Recon, Surge, and Yavapai. \

Here’s what a panel of doctors of chiropractic found with regard to the benefits of The North Face packs:

• Injection molded shoulder straps: creating innovative flex points to alleviate clavicle and pressure point strain;

• Anatomically correct shoulder straps: constructed in a shape specifically suited for males or females;

• Back panels with improved fit: featuring a recessed channel designed to take pressure off the spine and a more comfortable fabrication for load-bearing activities; and

• Updated interior organization: providing ample pockets and dividers for storing and organizing the necessities of school, work and play .

“After careful study and consultation with Scott Bautch, DC, The North Face designers revised specific backpacks and daypacks, making improvements to fit, comfort and usability,” said Scott McGuire, equipment product director for The North Face. “Improvements to features such as shoulder straps, back panels and hipbelts increase both the function and comfort of this collection.”

For additional information and to purchase the new ACA-endorsed packs visit www.thenorthface.com.

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You’ve no doubt surmised from reading my past blogs that, as a chiropractor, my philosophy is a resounding “motion is life,” and that I believe that daily exercise is one of the most important elements to health and longevity, mentally as well as physically. So, naturally, whenever I run across a new study that validates the importance of exercise, I like to pass it along to my patients. And, that’s just what I’m doing here. A new study by researchers from the University of Essex, and published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, found that just five minutes of exercise a day in “the great outdoors” can improve mental health. That’s right, “green activity” like walking in the park, cycling around vineyards, and gardening, or even farming, can actually boost a person’s mood and self esteem.

Even though plenty of studies in the past have confirmed that outdoor exercise can not only increase a sense of well-being, but reduce the risk of mental illness in general, there hasn’t been a study focusing on just how much time outdoors is needed to produce positive benefits. What may come as a surprise to many people is just how little time is required. The study found that the largest positive effect on self-esteem came from just a five-minute “tip-toe through the tulips.” Surely, we all have five minutes to devote to your sense of well-being. Of course, if you don’t live or work close to a park, allow time for the commute.

You can read more on this study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology or go to msnbc.com/health

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Here’s another research finding to file under “Duh, you think?” Recent scientific research found that junk food is addictive. Hey, mom, don’t blame your kid when he has a meltdown when his  “fix” at McDonald’s is replaced by a nutritious home-cooked meal that includes (yikes!) vegetables! And, you dieters out there, stop beating yourself up when you find that no matter how many fresh fruits and vegetables you add to your diet, you still find yourself at a midnight In-N-Out Burger drive-thru. It’s an addiction, man!

The study found that eating junk food can actually change the chemistry in your brain. How? High-calorie foods affect your brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin, and can lead to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction. Plus, foods stripped of healthy nutrients, like junk food, make you more hungry because your body “thinks” you need more food when, in fact, what you really crave is more nutrients.

Chiropractors, like me, work with our patients to achieve overall health through regular chiropractic care, a nutritious diet, good hydration, and daily exercise. If any one of these components is missing, your good health and longevity are at risk. See your chiropractor today. He or she can help you “kick” your junk food “addiction.” 

For more on this study, go to reuters.com.

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“Move it or lose it” captures the chiropractic philosophy in a nutshell, especially when it comes to aging. As we age, our joints lose much of their “natural” mobility mostly due to wear and tear over the years and age-related moisture decline. Unless we, boomers, make a concerted effort to get regular exercise and stretch daily, and perhaps to get periodic chiropractic manipulation to maintain or increase joint mobility, boomers are cruising towards a future of mobility-related disabilities that will be costly both in healthcare needs and quality of life in general. Which direction are a large number of baby boomers cruising? According to new study, the number of middle-aged Americans with certain mobility-related disabilities, (including walking a quarter-mile and climbing 10 steps) is on the rise. That’s right! The study, based on a National Health Interview Survey carried out each year from 1997 to 2007, which included up to 15,000 individuals annually, revealed that more than 40 percent (that’s too close to half!) of 50 to 64 year olds reported having problems with at least one of nine physical functions and many reported more than one difficulty.

There was also an increase in the number of people using special equipment, like a cane or wheelchair, to get around. Moreover, an increased number of people reported needing help with daily personal care activities, such as getting out of bed and moving around the home. “This a disappointing trend with potentially far-reaching and long-term negative consequences,” said Richard Suzman, director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging, which funded the study. “If people have such difficulties in middle age, how can we expect that this age group — today’s baby boomers — will be able to take care of itself with advancing age? If it continues, this trend could have a significant effect on the need for long-term care in the future.”

The researchers note that the study was based on people’s self-reports, which could affect the results.

For more on the study, which was published in the April issue of the journal Health Affairs, go to LiveScience.com.

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As a chiropractor who believes in the human body's ability to heal itself, often with the aid of natural, non-invasive, drug-free chiropractic treatment, I am always dismayed, but never surprised, at some of the pernicious claims and tenacious effrontery of drug companies when it comes to pain killers, in general, and the "treatment" of a number of conditions that don't get any better with drugs or are made worse by them. And, as a chiropractor  who has helped hundreds of headache sufferers not only get temporary, but permanent relief, when I read about a drug study for yet another pain med that will likely keep headache sufferers numbed to their pain, but in the process numb to the rest of their life as well, I feel like shouting from the rooftops: "Try chiropractic first!" But, today, when I read about a study, sponsored by Merck (who also makes the product), I really felt compelled to say that this particular study is shamefully playing to the fears of migraine sufferers when, in fact, the drug itself only offers "less severity" at best when it comes to a migraine headache.

The study, conducted by Dr. X. Henry Hu of Merck & Co.and colleagues, found that one in five migraine sufferers had "avoided" a work-related commitment because they were afraid of getting a migraine, while 27 percent reported canceling a work commitment for this reason, and round 28 percent said they had avoided or canceled social commitments due to fear of migraines.

 I have treated many patients who told me how much they'd "feared" the onset of a migraine and limited their activities in life because of that fear, so I do understand how devastating the fear of migraines can be. And, yet, the only "solution" this study offered?

This study is "important," said Dr. Hu, because the unpredictability of migraines could contribute to people's anxiety and fear about them and early treatment with migraine drugs called triptans can help reduce headache severity. "Because of the lack of predictability of future migraine attacks, migraine sufferers may benefit from increased education on the importance of keeping medications available at all times," he and his colleagues concluded.

My conclusion? If you suffer from migraines, give your chiropractor a call today!

SOURCE: Headache, published online March 25, 2010.

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