Ounce of Prevention

Would you rather build a fence on the cliff to prevent falling over,  or wait to be picked up in the ambulance after you have fallen off the cliff? What about for your kids?......

This is in relation to a poem by Joseph Malins http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ambulance-down-in-the-valley/

Over my 13 years in practice, I have heard a lot of statements and questions regarding the reason they came in:
"I don't know how this happened, I wasn't even doing anything."
"How did it get this bad doc?"
"I wasn't even in an accident."
"This is due to old age." (WRONG! The person was 35!)
"I guess you are supposed to be in pain when you get older."
"I was told to live with the pain."
"My parents had this, so I am supposed to have the pain."

These are good questions and statements, but the statements are FALSE! 
I am here to HELP!
There are people out there that had theses thoughts just as you, or someone you know, do now. I have helped these people and I would love to be able to help you and your family!
Wouldn't you want your children to be free of pain and discomfort when they get older? Do you want to build them the fence? Or just have the ambulance pick them up?

I invite each and all of you to my Health Awareness Seminar Wednesday, June 5 at 6pm.  Complete Balance Chiropractic, 3832 14th Ave, Rock Island, IL. 309-793-7000
There is no obligation except your attention. Everyone who comes will get a FREE gift as well for participation.

Headaches and Chiropractic

Here is an article about headaches and chiropractic:

Headaches & Chiropractic

If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.

What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative.

Research shows that spinal manipulation – the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic – may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.

Also, a 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication.

Headache Triggers

Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems.

Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern.

“The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr. George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from Christiansburg, VA. “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.”

What Can You Do?

The ACA suggests the following:

• If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
• Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
• Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
• Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Dr. McClelland says your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:

• Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
• Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
• Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

“Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways – not just back pain,” says Dr. McClelland. “They know how tension in the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can take steps to relieve those problems.”

How Do I Eliminate Stress with Chiropractic Adjustments?

Millions of Americans feel the negative effects of stress every day. In fact, many Americans suffer from chronic stress. Chronic stress can lead to severe health problems^¹, such as:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Muscle Tension
• Bowel Problems

There are many possible causes of stress. They can be physical (car accident, repetitive motion), emotional (deadlines, death in the family), or even chemical (too much caffeine, hormonal imbalance). If you are stressed, it's important that you do whatever you can to avoid the negative effects. Thankfully, there are also many ways to help relieve stress. One important way to relieve stress is with chiropractic adjustments. Being a licensed chiropractic doctor, Dr. Willey is very much aware of the benefits of chiropractic treatments. She is experienced and has seen first hand, the positive results of receiving chiropractic adjustments.

Chiropractic Adjustments

When you go for an exam, the chiropractor will ask you questions and check your spine to determine what particular issues are contributing to your stress and discomfort. The chiropractor can then lay out a plan to eliminate those issues through regular chiropractic adjustments. Although that term may sound scary, it is really just a therapeutic intervention performed on the joints along the spine.

Benefits of Receiving Chiropractic Adjustments:

• Pain relief with one-time or regular adjustments
• Reduced stress with regular adjustments
• Lower blood pressure with chiropractic adjustments
• Facilitate proper bowel functions
• Relief from lower back pain

Did You Know?

• Most chiropractic adjustments take less than 20 minutes
• Often, other therapies available are combined with chiropractic adjustments to further reduce stress and speed injury recovery
• Anxiety and stress are notorious for attacking the weak spots of the spine²

Chiropractic is gaining momentum and acceptance in mainstream healthcare, lately. In 1990, medical practitioners were no longer restricted from collaborating with chiropractors. The chiropractic practices are even recommended by medical physicians. It's even been shown that in some cases the chiropractic adjustment present cost-effective method of treatment.³ Since, it's usually non-invasive and can increase your overall health, making your body better able to fight off other maladies.

How to Eliminate Stress With Chiropractic Adjustments

• For a chiropractic session, generally you will lie on a table. The chiropractor will instruct you on the position you should start in.
• By applying pressure and turns, the chiropractor will adjust your spinal bones.
• Your chiropractor may give you exercises to maintain your spinal health.
• Some chiropractors may include in their treatment plan, the recommendation of other therapies in the office and lifestyle changes that could include switching to ergonomic furniture and tools.
• Proper diet and rest should be complimented with regular chiropractic adjustments to help keep your body free of physical reactions to stress. You may receive health counseling from your Dr. Willey.

REFERENCES

1. Information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_stress
2. Information taken from http://www.holisticonline.com/stress/stress_chiropractic.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic

Children and Chiropractic

Give Your Kids the Gift of a Healthy Spine

The health of a child's spine needs to be taken very seriously.\r\n A healthy spine will decrease their chance of injury, improve their posture, improve their overall health and help to avoid spinal problems such as scoliosis. in fact, studies have shown

The health of a child’s spine needs to be taken very seriously. A healthy spine will decrease their chance of injury, improve their posture, improve their overall health and help to avoid spinal problems such as scoliosis. in fact, studies have shown that children who receive regular chiropractic care are less frequently sick, are able to concentrate better and are generally healthier. As parents, this is what we want for our kids, right?
Here are three things that you can do today to help improve your child’s spinal health:

• Regular chiropractic care. Just as children need good hygiene, dental care and sound nutrition, they also need regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic care will help to restore and maintain normal spinal function, allowing a child’s body to develop optimally.
• Limit backpack weight. One common source of spinal injury for children is their heavy backpacks. Limit the weight of their backpacks to 10% - 15% of their body weight. For example: A child weighing 50 lbs. should carry no more than 7.5 lbs, and a child weighing 80 lbs. should carry no more than 12 lbs. If children carry more than this, they have an increased risk of injuring themselves.
• Keep kids active. There is an epidemic of childhood obesity in this country as more and more children spend their day in front of the television and playing computer games. This not only increases their risk of developing diabetes and heart disease early in life, it is also very stressfull on the spine. More and more children suffer from back pain and headaches simply because they don’t get enough exercise.

Every child is different and has unique needs. Your Doctor of Chiropractic is trained in evaluating and treating the spines of all ages. Give your kids the gift of a healthy spine by getting them regular chiropractic care.

Traumatic Birth Syndrome

What is Traumatic Birth Syndrome?(TBS)
TBS is a condition in which the spine is injured during or shortly after the delivery process resulting in nerve system damage or interference. In clinical Chiropractic terminology, TBS includes any birth injury causing the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.(VSC) It is typically found in the infant's neck and occasionally in the mid and lower back. Occurrences of this dosorder are found when:

• the head, neck or any other part of the spine and pelvis of the infant have been pulled and twisted during the birth process
• The birth process is prolonged
• The delivery process is difficult
• Extraction aids are used during delivery(i.e. forceps, vacuum, etc.)
• The child is delivered by Caesarean section

For TBS to be present there must be damage to the spinal column and local nerve system. Injuries resulting in TBS may be painless in about 95-97% of infants and adults. The patient, therefore, cannot rely on pain as a sign of the condition. an examination by a Chiropractor is the only way to determine the presence and severity of TBS.
Three possible affects of TBS:
1. Spinal damage during the delivery process may result in post traumatic spinal arthritis, a weakened spine and other spinal disorders.
2. nerve system damage during the delivery process can plague the infant throughout its life in teh form of malfunctioning internal organs, adverse affects to the muscles and coordination and damage to the vital systems of the body such as the immune system.
3. Illnesses that may threated the life of the infant, child, and adult in addition to limiting the capacity to live.
There is much controversy about where to place the responsibility for occurrences of TBS. There is significant evidence that hospital aided deliveries may result in a high incidence of TBS. Take a look at these statistics from hospital aided deliveries:

• 10-12% of infant deaths are due to, what Chiropractors term, TBS with the resultant Vertebral Subluxation Complex
• 80-84% of children were the victims of, what Chiropractors term, TBS with the resultant Vertebral Subluxation Complex
• 7 out of 8 new born infant cadavers examined by a well known neuropathologist from Harvard Medical School died from spinal injury with nervous system damage, what Chiropractors term, TBS with the resultant Vertebral Subluxation Complex
• "of 13 countries in a recent comparison, the United States ranks and average of 12th (second from the bottom) for 16 available health indicators." - Journal of the American Medical Association

This article states that the U.S. is ranked:

• 13th/last for low birth weight percentages
• 13th for neonatal mortality and infant mortality overall
• 11th for post-neonatal mortality

These disappointing statistics suggest a heightened likelihood of unexpected complications in hospital deliveries in the U.S. They also support the possibility of increased hospital birth trauma including TBSand the resultant Vertebral Subluxation Degeneration.
A better, alternative solution
When there is a greater respect for the life of the infant, the danger of the injury of TBS ay be significantly reduced.
The Wellness generation seeks alternative measures such as home deliveries and a less traumatic approach to childbirth. Many Chiropractors see tens of thousands of infants and children on a regular Wellness basis to keep these children as healthy as possible, creating healthier adults.
This is an important decision that parents alone must make wiht as much information as possible.
Benefits of a professional, licensed Chiropractor
It is a good idea to have a Chiropractor present at the birth or after the birth process to examine your child for TBS and immediately attend to it should it occur.
Chiropractors have a great respect for the natural birthing process, and are the stand-by professional of choice at teh time of birth to help eliminate TBS caused Vertebral Subluxation Complex as soon as it happens and to monitor the child throughout maturity.
Chiropractic care of the mother before and during pregnancy is a mainstay to good health and the best possible delivery. Chiropractic Wellness care has become an integral part of health and Wellness for millions of patients.
Traditionally, many Chiropractors dedicate much of their clinical care to the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. Hence, over the years, Chiropractors have become the prime doctor in the healing arts for millions of patients.
Test your own child at home
It is always best to have your child examined by a professional, licensed Chiropractor to determine the presence of the Traumatic Birth Syndrome. Try this simple, non-intrusive home assessment to determine if your child suffers from TBS, resulting in long term Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
These signs may be indicators of the Vertebral Subluxation Comples, as the result of uncorrected TBS. Parents should take these indications seriously. It simply makes good sense to check your children and yourself for uncorrected TBS.

1. Have your child stand with their back to you, with equal weight on both feet. Observe the alignment of the spine - is it relatively straight or are there curves to the right or left in the neck, between the shoulders or in the lower back?
2. Look at the head. Is it tilted to the left or right? (usually you can look at ear height) If they are uneven this could be possible evidence of TBS.
3. Observe the shoulders. Is one higher than the other - even slightly?
4. Look at the top of hte hip bones - is one higher than the other? If they are uneven this could be possible evidence of TBS
5. Have your child stand with their back to you, equal wieght on both feet. Use moderate pressure and press each of the "knobs" of the spine. Are they tender?
6. Feel the muscles on either side of the spine. Are they tight or "ropey?" Again, if they are uneven this could be possible evidence of TBS
7. Gently rub your fingertips across the muscles of the spine from either side of the neck to the lower back. Muscle tightness or spasm will feel like ropes, cords or knots in the muscles. If present, this might also be an indicator of uncorrected TBS.
8. Have your child lay on thier back as straight as they can, legs together. Check the length of the legs by comparing the position of the inside ankle bones. Is one leg "shorter" than the other?

Caution!
Having completed the screening for TBS and the resultant VSC, you may have found head tilt, a lower shoulder and hip on one side or the other, spinal curves, spinal muscle tightness/spasm and an apparent "short" leg on one side.
These signs are usually caused by VSC - a condition in which uncorrected spinal injuries force the spinal bones and belvis to be misaligned, stuck or too loose, resulting in nerve system interferences at the spinal cord level and the spinal nerve roots. Frequently, one leg is drawn up on one side so it appears "short". The infant, child and adult begin their lifetime journey through diseases adn illnesses they should not have.
Regular Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments correct TBS caused by VSC. The spinal and nerve system injuries caused by VSC begin and continue to heal. The infant, child and adult may now embark on a new exciting lifetime journey to imporved health and a level of Wellness they would not otherwise have.
Take Action!
Don't become a negative disease statistic. Make an appointment at our office today. Dr. Willey will determine the location, chronicity and severity of this condition and the extent of degeneration in your child's or your spine and health.
Chiropractors are the only health care professionals specifically trained to locate and correct the Vertebral Subluxation Complex and help prevent it from occurring in the future.
Call TODAY! 309-793-7000

What's Wrong with My Back?

What's Wrong with My Back?

Back pain is a problem common to many types of injuries and illnesses. But not all back problems are created equal. Some back problems are of an everyday variety, but some situations require immediate attention. How can you tell the difference - in other words, how can you tell when back pain requires you to take action, such as seeing your chiropractor?

Back Pain, Chiropractic Care, and Exercise

Most people now know the importance of exercise in daily life. The benefits of exercise range from improved strength, balance, and agility to deeper, more restful sleep, improved outlook on life, and heightened levels of creativity. Of course, there's also an additional direct benefit for persons with back pain. Most cases of back pain are biomechanical in nature. In these circumstances, spinal joints have lost some mobility and spinal muscles have become tight. The long-term result is back pain, which may be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the biomechanical dysfunction. Chiropractic care is the specific treatment for problems involving the spinal joints and muscles. Exercise is an important addition to chiropractic care. When you perform challenging activities throughout a full range of motion, as you do when you exercise, you're retraining the joints and muscles of your back. By engaging in such activities on a regular basis, you're helping to restore spinal strength and mobility, enhancing the benefits you're receiving from chiropractic care. Your chiropractor is an expert in rehabilitative exercise and will be glad to design an exercise program that will work for you.

Not all back problems are created equal. One person may have been working on a home improvement project and injured her back while simultaneously bending and twisting. Another person may have developed back pain as a result of a vehicular collision. Another person may be experiencing back pain as a result of osteoporosis. Yet another person may have a serious illness which causes back pain as a related problem.

Back pain is a problem common to many types of injuries and illnesses. How can you tell the difference - in other words, how can you tell when back pain requires you to take action, such as seeing your chiropractor? A reasonable approach is to use a 48-hour guideline. Your body usually has a powerful ability to heal itself. If your back pain hasn't gone away on its own within 48 hours, then seeking professional assistance is a very good plan.

However, some situations require immediate attention. For example, if you've had an accident, seeing your chiropractor right away is probably the right thing to do. In another scenario, if you begin to experience severe pain without an obvious cause, then seeing your chiropractor right away makes a great deal of sense. Like many things in life, having physical pain requires us to use good judgment. The 48-hour rule-of-thumb applies to most situations, but if you've had an accident or are having an unusual problem, see your chiropractor as soon as possible, today if necessary.

When a person has back pain, it's very important to make sure there are no related problems. Most of the time there aren't, but no one wants to be the exception and it's always better to be safe than sorry. Making your own diagnosis is never a good idea. "Oh, that's been bothering me for months," some people will say. "It's just back pain." Of course, such an approach to one's health violates the 48-hour rule. If the problem really wasn't anything much, it would have gone away within a few days. Something else is going on, and usually the longer a physical problem is left untreated the more difficult it is to deal with. The old expression, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is as true today as it was 100 years ago.

Your chiropractor is an expert in back pain. They know that physical pain happens for a reason.^1,2 Their job is to discover that reason, using the tools of history taking, physical examination, biomechanical analysis, and special tests, if necessary, such as x-rays and other imaging methods. Most of the time, the underlying problem is mechanical in nature, involving the spinal joints and associated soft tissues, including the ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Such mechanical problems cause the vast majority of cases of back pain, and are directly addressed by chiropractic care.³ In unusual circumstances, your chiropractor will refer you to another specialist. The important approach in all situations is to seek appropriate care. Your chiropractor's office is the right place to start.

¹Bakker EW, et al: Spinal mechanical load as a risk factor for low back pain: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies. Spine 34(8):E281-E293, 2009

²Shambrook J, et al: Clinical presentation of low back pain and association with risk factors according to findings on magnetic resonance imaging. Pain 157(7):1659-1665, 2011

³Wilder DG, et al: Effect of spinal manipulation on sensorimotor functions in back pain patients: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 12:161, 2011

For Neck Pain, Chiropractic and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs

The headline above is from a January 7, 2012 article in the health section of the New York Times. This article, as well as a similar one from Medical Press on January 4, 2012, is based on research published on January 3, 2012 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The research studied 272 adults who were suffering with neck pain for 2- to 12-weeks duration. The subjects were divided into three groups, and received either chiropractic adjustments (called SMT or spinal manipulative therapy in the study), home exercise with advice (HEA), or prescription medication. The adjustments were delivered by one of five chiropractors while the medications were prescribed by medical physicians. The medications consisted mainly of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, or both.

The care in each of the three groups lasted only 12 weeks in this study. The people in the study were asked to rate their pain initially and at various points thereafter up to 12 months later. The level of pain was recorded for each of the participants at the intervals of at 2, 4, 8, 12, 26, and 52 weeks. The results reported that chiropractic adjustments did better in helping neck pain patients and showed "a statistically significant advantage over medication after 8, 12, 26, and 52 weeks."

Even though the care rendered for each of these groups was only for 12 weeks, the long term follow-up showed that 53 percent of the people who had received chiropractic continued to report at least a 75 percent reduction in pain. The exercise group also had similar numbers. However, the group taking medication showed only a 38 percent reduction in pain overall.

Dr. Gert Bronfort, an author of the study and research professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota, noted his reasons for the study included a lack of information on choices for people with neck pain. "There was a void in the scientific literature in terms of what the most helpful treatments are," Bronfort said. He noted that the results showed chiropractic superior to medications. "Even a year later, there were differences between the spinal manipulation and medication groups," Bronfort said.

Not only did the group taking medications not fair as well in pain reduction, there was also a problem with usage as people kept taking them in an attempt to get help. "The people in the medication group kept on using a higher amount of medication more frequently throughout the follow-up period, up to a year later," said Dr. Bronfort. "If you’re taking medication over a long time, then we’re running into more systemic side effects like gastrointestinal problems."

If you are having any of these problems and have questions, call TODAY at 309-793-7000, or visit completebalancechiro.com