San Diego Chiropractor Advises: Don’t Let a Few Added Pounds Put Your Joints on Overload
July 13th, 2010 | 
Author: As a San Diego Chiropractor, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Have you been trying to persuade yourself that an extra pound or two doesn’t matter? Over the years, those pounds can add up to a substantial number of health problems from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back problems and joint degeneration. Surplus poundage puts harmful stress on organs, like the heart, not to mention on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Sadly,more than half (62%) of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is an extremely compelling percentage and an enormous problem (no pun intended).
It is likely no surprise to you to learn that the human body was not intended to schlepp around additional poundage in the form of body fat. A mere excess of 20 or 30 pounds can, in point of fact, overload and encumber the musculoskeletal system. Added weight in the belly, for example, makes it necessary for the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This shift produces compression in the joints of the low back. Joint compression inhibits nerve activity and causes painful inflammation. Nearly all people that have a heavy midsectionsuffer from low back pain caused by a compressed sciatic nerve or spinal misalignments that impinge nerves as a result of weight-bearing stresses. If not addresses, misaligned vertebra in most cases develop into new arthritic changes in the spine over time, as well as continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place.
Here are the ways in which chiropractic treatment can help. Perhaps, it should go without saying that a moderate body weight is essential in order for the musculoskeletal system to act and respond in the way it is meant to. Chiropractic treatment can not only help to decrease pain created by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve restrictions in the spine and help to get motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, such as in the low back, hips, and knees. And, obviously exercise and physical activity are a lot easier, and healthier for the body, when the the joints have good mobility and the spine is aligned. Not only will exercise help with weight reduction, but it can actually slow the pace of degenerative changes as we age.
Healthcare professionals, like your chiropractor, can talk to you about your diet and exercise choices. In addition to treating individuals suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors offer qualified guidance regarding the particular lifestyle changes that can help an individual to stay healthier, more vigorous, and more active through the years. Arthritis and immobility due to aging don’t have to be unavoidable. The human body was designed for a lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been thinking that a few extra pounds won’t hurt, think again! As your chiropractor in San Diego, and someone who cares deeply about your overall health, I’d like to help you to make healthier choices. Make an appointment today!
Posted in weight loss | 
Tags: arthritis, back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, excess weight, joint inflammation, weight loss | 
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Wichita Chiropractor Explains How Chiropractic Treatment Can Eliminate Your Sciatic Pain
I know from more than twenty years experience as a Chiropractor in Wichita assisting individuals suffering from sciatic pain that the problem can be extremely debilitating. Sciatica sufferers are regrettably all too familiar with the kind of deep pain that frequently radiates through the lower part of their body, persists during the day and restricts almost all of their daily activities.
Are you worried that your low back pain could be caused by sciatica? You are more than likely suffering from sciatica if your pain travels from your low back, through one or both sides of your buttocks, down the large sciatic nerve in the back of your leg(s), and possibly penetrates into your knee(s). In addition, sitting, as well as motion, can be painful. Commonly lying down will lessen, or perhaps even temporarily get rid of the pain. But, it’s important for you to be aware that sciatica cannot be corrected without proper care.
Radiculopathy
A radiculopathy is a medical term used to describe a condition where a disc has protruded from its natural position in the spine and is creating pressure on the radicular nerve, or nerve root, that forms part of the sciatic nerve in the lower back. Such pressure can cause excruciating pain.
Increased pressure on the intervertebral discs, as well as imbalances in the muscles encompassing the spine, can happen during and after prolonged sitting, especially in an awkward position. A particular event or injury isn’t generally the cause of sciatica, instead sciatica tends to develop over time due to everyday wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. Eventually the lower spine can lose its ability to function normally during ordinary stresses.
Ultimately, the intervertebral disc incurs small fissures or cracks, which then permit the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it causes the pain that is often referred to as a ruptured, or slipped, disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, a person can develop sciatica. With chiropractic treatment and management, which often includes postural exercises, most disc conditions, including sciatica, can be completely relieved.
Periformis Syndrome
Another cause of sciatic pain is periformis syndrome. Periformis syndrome occurs 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 see your chiropractor for treatment. 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!
Posted in sciatica |
Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, sciatic pain, sciatic stretches, sciatica |
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Obesity: A National Epidemic?
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-
Your Santa Barbara Chiropractor Can Help Ease Your Age-Related Back Pain
Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Growing old isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.” But, if the aging process is causing you pain, you know that aging is no joke! As a chiropractor in Santa Barbara, I give care to many individuals suffering from age-related challenges that might not have occurred if the exacerbating cause had been taken care of earlier in life, particularly when it involves musculoskeletal breakdowns. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse often produce needless stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can produce painful problems over time. If we only knew then how our aging body would feel today, eh? But, as they say, “hindsight is 20-20.”
Back pain is number one on the list as the most prevalent musculoskeletal problem to take place as we get older. Back pain that is age-related is most commonly the result of a degenerative disorder known as Spondylosis (spine osteoarthritis).
Spinal osteoarthritis is caused by advanced deterioration and weight-bearing pressure on the spine that, over time, undermines discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The location and measure of the degenerative process of spondylosis is individual, varying from person to person. It might affect the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) areas of the spine. Depending on the severity of degeneration, Spondylosis symptoms vary from person-to-person as well, and can run a spectrum from negligible pain and numbness to extensive sensory loss and muscular atrophy.
Repetitive stresses adversely affect the cartilage surrounding the joints and can induce calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae. These calcific deposits, known as bone spurs, can constrict adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue. This kind of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.
Even if you are not suffering from spondylosis, regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management can considerably slow the aging process of your spine. 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 attention it deserves. When it comes to treating the spine, chiropractors are experts! See your chiropractor in Santa Barbara today, for the health of your spine.
Posted in arthritis, back pain |
Tags: age-related back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, spine osteoarthritis |
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Chiropractic Internet Marketing Strategy: Do it Yourself or Outsource?
Here’s an interesting question for you to consider: Do you want to keep your chiropractic internet marketing in-house or do you want to hire a professional? There are pros and cons to both, and the answer lies in your particular situation. Let’s check out the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing
- There is a lower monthly cost involved in using someone already employed by you.
- The staff knows your practice intimately. Your staff has a good understanding of your clinic’s particular services and, therefore, is able to describe your specialties easier than those who don’t know the specifics of your particular practice.
- You can communicate anytime. Being in-house it is easier to set up times to have meetings or just to chat about situations on the fly.
Disadvantages of in-house chiropractic website marketing
- The staff may not be fully aware of what SEO (search engine optimization) is, let alone how to accomplish it. In that case, a lot of education and training will be needed to make sure SEO gets done right.
- The staff may be overworked. Sometimes the time it takes to do SEO can be underestimated. It is an ongoing process that can actually be a full-time job. If a marketing manager has been told to do SEO as well as his or her full time job, obviously that person will be overworked and feel overwhelmed.
- Attention needs to be paid to detail. This goes together with Point #2. If the staff is overworked, they have no time to check out search engine news and keep up-to-date on how the search engines have changed the game each week and what needs to be done to implement those changes to keep your clinic internet presence up in the rankings.
Advantages of using an outside professional
- Chiropractic marketing companies are specialists in the field. They have experience in working on numerous clinics and their websites and optimizing them for SEO. They know, first hand, what works effectively and what doesn’t.
- There is a dedicated team at the company who will be working on your site and can give it the attention it requires.
- The company has a specific plan and won’t be just jumping around, going from short term tactic to short term tactic with no organized strategy and no clear way to reach your desired goals. In other words, they have an “integrated” internet marketing strategy.
Disadvantages of a chiropractic internet marketing company
- Let’s face it, it can get expensive, but costs vary widely from company to company. Some companies out there are charging $600-$700 a month for their services. It is definitely worth your while to shop around and research before you buy.
- There is usually a commitment. Most chiropractic internet marketing companies will want you to sign up for at least six months to a year.
- Account management can be a problem. With high turnover rates at many companies, especially the big ones, there may be a chance that you’ll get handed from account manager to account manager just when you were building a relationship of trust. You may have to start over again, maybe even have to redesign and reiterate your strategy with the new manager.
Now that you’ve taken a moment to look at the pros and cons of both keeping your internet marketing in-house or hiring a professional, the solution to SEO and your internet marketing strategy will depend on the size of your practice, the time and staffing you can devote to it, and your overall long-term goals.
Now, of course, we are a chiropractic internet marketing company that specializes in helping chiropractors with their internet presence. So, I will admit that I am a bit biased on the side of your hiring an expert to do it right. If you are thinking of hiring a company to develop and implement your internet marketing strategy, it is tremendously important for you to hire one that specializes in chiropractic clinics. Why? Because we understand the chiropractic profession intimately. Therefore, in the long run it will save you both time and money not having to explain what chiropractic is about to some general SEO company. There are several of us out there.
If you are going to go with an outside company, be sure to read the fine print. Look at the bottom of their page for a disclaimer. If they have one, read about their “typical” results. You don’t want to be fooled by outrageous claims even though such hype can be enticing. Remember, your internet marketing strategy is just one stream of new patient leads. Even though chiropractic internet marketing is fast becoming a great source for new patient leads, and even though internet marketing gets more important with every passing day, and even though it is a crucial area in which to generate new patient leads, it is still not the only source of marketing you will need to succeed in your practice.
Whether you choose to keep your internet marketing in-house or to hire a professional, you want to be sure that the time and money you spend on SEO gets you where you want to go. A member of your staff that does your internet marketing for “free,” while squeezing those efforts in-between other tasks, may “cost” you in the long run. A professional whose sole focus is internet marketing, won’t lose sight of your goals. Internet marketing is essential to your practice, so choose your chiropractic internet path wisely.
Posted in chiropractic marketing |
Tags: chiropractic internet marketing, chiropractic marketing, SEO |
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Did You Know That Just a Few Extra Pounds Can Create An Imbalance in Your Immune System?
What’s a little extra weight, especially when your clothes still fit? Most of us know that “too much” extra poundage can lead to heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases, not to mention the damage that it does to the musculoskeletal system. As a chiropractor I witness first hand on a regular basis the toll that extra weight takes on the low back, hips, and knees. But, did you know that even as “little” as 10 extra pounds of body fat, particularly abdominal fat, in addition to stressing body joints and burdening the efforts of the heart, can actually trigger the production of “pro-inflammatory” immune cells that circulate in the blood and promote inflammation in the body. When our immune system isn’t working “for” us, we experience adverse reactions and painful conditions.
The good news, as far as the immune system goes, is that recently Australian researchers found that shedding just 10 pounds helped to bring back balance to the immune system of obese individuals. Getting the immune system back into balance is certainly a wonderful step in the right direction toward better health and longevity.
But, as you begin that important diet and exercise program, it’s a good idea to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors are highly knowledgeable when it comes to both diet and exercise. Your chiropractor may suggest that along with a nutritious diet, your individual body may require additional supplementation. And, in addition, your chiropractor will make sure that your body is in good alignment so that your new exercise routines promote pain-free mobility that leads to healthy weight loss.
The results of the Australian study were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism.Radical Surgery or Conservative Chiropractic Treatment?
I just read a very moving story in the news today about a man who’d had his prostate removed and, afterwards, spent every waking moment wishing that he had it back again. The gist of the story was, of course, that he’d waited “too long” to have his prostate checked and his condition had developed into a more serious problem making surgery unavoidable. But, as I read the story I began to think of the number of patients over the years who’ve come in to see me “too late.” Many came in for chiropractic treatment after back surgery, after neck fusion, after hip replacement, and after a regimen of pharmaceuticals that had caused unfortunate side effects. And, because their surgery had not only failed to relieve their pain, but had created more problems in its aftermath, many of them told me, “I only wish I’d come to see you sooner.”
Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical, drug-free approach to pain relief and musculoskeletal corrections. If you are experiencing pain, your body is telling you that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. A conservative treatment choice like chiropractic may not only be able to get you out of pain quickly, but can also help you to avoid more serious problems in the future. The wear and tear on your body from misalignments can, overtime, create painful conditions that can, eventually, make surgery the only option. Don’t let that happen to you. See a chiropractor in your area today!Radical Surgery or Conservative Chiropractic Treatment?
I just read a very moving story in the news today about a man who’d had his prostate removed and, afterwards, spent every waking moment wishing that he had it back again. The gist of the story was, of course, that he’d waited “too long” to have his prostate checked and his condition had developed into a more serious problem making surgery unavoidable. But, as I read the story I began to think of the number of patients over the years who’ve come in to see me “too late.” Many came in for chiropractic treatment after back surgery, after neck fusion, after hip replacement, and after a regimen of pharmaceuticals that had caused unfortunate side effects. And, because their surgery had not only failed to relieve their pain, but had created more problems in its aftermath, many of them told me, “I only wish I’d come to see you sooner.”
Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical, drug-free approach to pain relief and musculoskeletal corrections. If you are experiencing pain, your body is telling you that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. A conservative treatment choice like chiropractic may not only be able to get you out of pain quickly, but can also help you to avoid more serious problems in the future. The wear and tear on your body from misalignments can, overtime, create painful conditions that can, eventually, make surgery the only option. Don’t let that happen to you. See a chiropractor in your area today!How Important is Social Media Marketing to Your Clinic?
Social Media is the “hottest” topic on the Internet today. If you’ve been giving some thought to getting on board, but you’re not sure where the platform is, let’s take a minute to talk about the “Who, What, When, Where, and How” of social media and you, that’s “Who.” Then you can decide if you want to add Social Media to your chiropractic marketing strategy.
Social media marketing may seem familiar in some ways to other chiropractic marketing strategies you’ve thought about in the past, and yet unfamiliar at the same time. In the “familiar” category, you’d never consider trying any sort of marketing plan without making an effort to understand what you’re doing and what you want to get from it. It’s important to ask yourself, “What are my goals?” Once you’re clear about what you want, you’ll be more capable of using social media to your biggest advantage.
Before you begin your social media effort, it will be highly important for you to make certain that you “own your name” on all the social media outlets, that is to say, make sure that your name or the name of your clinic is available so that you can use the identical same name on every one of the social channels you want to use. There is a service that is free and will assist you with your search when you’re ready. That who is knowem.com. This service will check where your name is and/or if it’s available or not on a large number of social media sites.
When you have secured all of your social media accounts, the next step is to decide where you want to be active. Starting with only a limited number of social media sites is preferable because, let’s face it, you have a clinic to run and patients to see. You won’t want to get active in too many social media sites. How do decide which sites are best for you? Choose the social media site where the most action is, which are facebook, twitter, linkedin, and Youtube
What your social media activity mission should be is to build a true presence in your community. What is definitely a no-no is for you to try to “sell” on your social media sites, that means don’t sell your clinic, don’t sell services or products, don’t sell anything! The purpose of social media is for you to have an addition channel through which to network with the community. Certainly, inform them about what you do, but do it by participating in the conversation. There is really no difference between the way social networking works and the way you normally network offline. There is no getting around it, people on social media do not want to be sold to! Social media sites are a lot like a neighborhood backyard barbecue. People are standing around having a conversation about who they are and what they do, and then someone asks you what you do. Or, perhaps you begin the conversation by (just) stating, “Hi, I’m Dr. ____. The same kind of interaction applies with social media. Social media sites should be handled the same way you’d “work” offline networking opportunities to promote yourself, i.e., answer the questions and concerns that let people know who you are and gets them interested in the who that’s you!
Posted in chiropractic marketing |
Tags: chiropractic marketing, facebook, linkedin, social media, social media marketing, twitter, Youtube |
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Weightlifting Injuries a “Girl Thing”?
Most injuries happen, experts say, not because kids are lifting too much, but because they’re supervised too little. They offer these tips for newbie lifters:
- Never lift alone. It’s best to have a coach or trainer nearby at all times.
- Always use a spotter.
- Be sure to start slowly and build up to heavier weights.