Posts Tagged ‘chiropractic’

San Diego Chiropractor Advises: Don’t Let a Few Added Pounds Put Your Joints on Overload

San Diego Chiropractor

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!

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Wichita Chiropractor Explains How Chiropractic Treatment Can Eliminate Your Sciatic Pain

Wichita Chiropractor

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!

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Your Santa Barbara Chiropractor Can Help Ease Your Age-Related Back Pain

Santa Barbara Chiropractor

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.

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Ventura Chiropractor Reveals A Surprising Solution to Your Allergy Symptoms

Your Ventura Chiropractor knows that allergies can turn our everyday life into misery. Unwelcome symptoms like itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or a skin rash can result from a simple walk in the park, a play date with Kitty, a shellfish stew, or even something as small as a nut.

To make things worse, for some individuals, and perhaps you’re one of them allergic reactions can go from just plain irritating to dangerous and life-threatening as the air passageway constricts and breathing becomes difficult. This increased intensity of symptoms can frequently produce a state of panic.

In fact, if you have allergies, it may seem that, from time-to-time, your environment is a pretty unfriendly place and that the world around you is, in deed, out to get you!

You may be curious as to why it is that other people seem so unaffected by the environment, while your body reacts, or rather overreacts, to it. It’s a great question. The answer is because some individuals, like you, have a hyperactive immune system that literally “freaks out” when you encounter ordinary substances such as pollen, dander, shellfish, or nuts.

Can your Ventura Chiropractor help with your allergy symptoms? The answer may surprise you. Quite a few individuals have noticed that they experience relief from their allergy symptoms after chiropractic treatment, even though chiropractic care doesn’t actually treat allergies.

This relief comes about because chiropractic manipulation affects the whole nervous system, including the autoimmune system. When there’s a disturbance in the nervous system, along with other problems, the autoimmune system, whose task it is to assist you in adapting and responding appropriately to your environment, can become under-active or overactive. In the case of your allergies, the breakdown is the latter (it becomes overactive).

Since chiropractic manipulations reduce or take away disturbances in the nervous system and bring back balance and harmony to the body, the manipulations bring that same balance and harmony to the auto-immune system as well. A strong immune system reacts appropriately to supposed allergens in the environment.

So, as mentioned above, your chiropractor doesn’t actually treat allergies. You could say, instead, that ease from your allergies is merely a part of a well-adjusted nervous system. Make an appointment, today, to see your Ventura Chiropractor and get back into harmony with your environment.

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Sacramento Chiropractor: Golf Injuries Can Be Avoided

Sacramento Chiropractor

With any sort of sport, injuries are commonplace. You can frequently avoid getting injured in a specific sport by finding out what injury is apt to occur, and then do whatever it takes to avoid it. The truth is, however, that sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Consequently, it’s advantageous to take good care of your body to make injury less predictable, or less traumatic.   Prior to beginning a sport, such as golf, the most important thing you can do is to be certain that you have a suitable fitness level. You just might keep your body safe from injury if you adhere to these general guidelines: Perpetuate a healthy lifestyle; make sure your joints are mobile and your muscles are limber; warm and stretch your body before to activity; use proper form and good postures during activity; give yourself sufficient cool down and relaxation time.

Golf injuries don’t simply happen to amateurs. Close to a third of pro golfers playing in the same time frame are playing injured. The good news is that overall good health and fitness can decrease the number of injuries that you may incur and may actually prevent them totally.

It is vital for you to have effectual body strength in the muscle areas most utilized during golf. However, it’s essential to make sure your spine is in healthy alignment and that it has good mobility prior to setting out to build muscle strength. A successful golf swing relies on your spine’s capacity to effectually rotate efficiently. Back injuries are the most widespread type of injuries suffered by golfers. To insure that your spine is in appropriate alignment and there is efficient movement in the vertebrae, see your chiropractor in Sacramento. Chiropractic treatment can go a long way in helping you to avoid back injury.

Once you’re “straightened” it’s time to strengthen. Being prepared for your golf game is crucial to safe, injury-free action on the green. Golf stretching and flexibility routines will warm up your muscles and make injury them less likely. Full body range of motion (ROM) exercises will augment flexibility, relatively speedily, in all parts of the body. Furthermore, elastic band conditioning can provide targeted golf range of motion benefits and can increase needed strength in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, like your chiropractor, are including elastic band training in their golf conditioning programs because the bands provide dynamic resistance that ordinary weight lifting does not provide.

In addition to back injuries, a large number of golfers suffer from “Golfer’s Elbow.” Although golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are nearly the same injuries, there is a minute difference between them. Tennis elbow affects the outside of the upper arm whereas golfer’s elbow impinges the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be the consequence of a single extreme action, such as (in golf) striking the mat at the driving range or striking a hard fairway surface. Repetitive stress from smaller shocks, though, is more commonly the cause. In addition, it can occur for those who suddenly start playing too much golf. For example, if players that generally play golf once or twice a month elect to enter into a tournament, they are likely at risk for incurring the injury.

Golf makes unique requirements on the body. The game is usually longer than most other sports and that can result in fatigue. Once the body is fatigued, bad posture and decreased coordination often follow. This combination can cause an assortment of injuries. In addition, because of the continuous swinging of the golf clubs, the shoulder muscles are subject to injury. Just as great care should be taken to make certain that your muscles are stretched and warmed up prior to starting your golf game, be sure that you rest your body appropriately between games.

A surprising injury on occasion connected with golf is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But, this injury can be induced by numerous games of golf played over several months repetitively as it is an affliction that occurs due to repetitive stress Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a serious injury causing disability and occasionally necessitating surgery. However, if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, discovers it at an early stage, chiropractic treatment and, frequently, the use of a brace will help the condition.

Injuries are assumed to be inevitable part of life for a good majority golfers. But, a healthy, mobile spine, dedicated preparation, specific exercise and muscle conditioning, reaching and maintaining a a suitable fitness level, and prudent rest and recuperation after your game is over, can make injuries a good deal less a part of your golfing experience.

Dr. Yong Kim is a Sacramento chiropractor with over thirteen years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1707 Professional Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. He has special training in the area of sports injuries. Dr Kim is himself an avid health enthusiast. For more information go to his website at http://www.sacramentochiropractor.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yong_J_Kim

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History Of Chiropractic

The first concept of chiropractic was originally conceived by the ancient Greeks in 17,500 BC. Chiropractic was officially founded by D.D.Palmer in 1895. He opened his first clinic in that same year. There has been much controversy over this form of treatment over the years but now it is recognized and licensed in over 50 countries and every state in the USA. There are 4 main groups of Chiropractictors; reform, mixers,objective straights, and traditional straights.

Chiropractic was founded by Daniel David Palmer in 1895. He based his concept on the theory that adjustments of the spine could treat or prevent all health problems of the body including the spine and other joints. The adjustments would correct subluxations. He claimed that these subluxations were misaligned vertebrae, causing nerve compression, which in turn interfered with “Innate Intelligence” When this happened the human body would experience disharmony and ill health.

His first patient, a hearing impaired person, seemed to prove that his ideas might have some substance. The patient had a history of hearing loss, which he said was brought on by a back injury. Palmer found a vertebra out of place (subluxation) and put it back with chiropractic adjustment. The patient claimed that his hearing improved.

Palmer opened a school for chiropractic in 1897. At first enrolment was slow, 24 students in 10 years but now there are over 20 schools, with over 10,000 students enrolled. To become a chiropractor it takes 8 years of intensive study. A one-year clinical internship is required to graduate. Four national state examinations are required after graduation, to obtain a license to practice.

Now chiropractic treatment relies largely on manipulation and adjustment of the spine. Some chiropractors adhere to spinal adjustments and others have a broader approach. They combine chiropractic practices with other forms of medicine, physiotherapy, nutrition, and exercises. Others will combine other forms of alternative medicine. Some are even qualified to do minor surgery. No chiropractor will prescribe medicine for a patient.

Controversy has always surrounded chiropractic treatment. The AMA (American Medical Association) has had numerous fights with lawsuits on both sides. Only since the 1970s has chiropractic treatment been able to be part of medical insurance. Now many practitioners work with chiropractors for the benefit of their mutual patients.

For many years chiropractic has received a lot of negative publicity from the medical profession but with the rise of different forms of alternative medicine it is becoming a more accepted treatment. It now ranks second to conventional medicine in health care.

Zachary Thompson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/history-of-chiropractic-87147.html

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