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

Ebb and Flow

 

Getting Sinusoidal

Contract. Relax. This is the basic mechanism of muscular action. Problems develop when there's too much of one or the other. In most cases, too much contraction is the culprit. Persistent muscular contraction in the lower back or neck, for example, leads to a cascade of troublesome effects. Toxic metabolic end-products - including lactic acid - accumulate. These small molecules irritate local nerve endings and cause ongoing pain. Muscle spasm results which narrows local blood vessels. Too little blood reaching the area deprives tissues of oxygen and other important nutrients. Cellular damage results with further build-up of noxious metabolites. Chiropractic treatment encourages a return to normal sinusoidal balance by restoring normal spinal alignment. Spasmodic muscles are enabled to relax. Blood vessels can now supply appropriate amounts of oxygen and nutrients. Metabolic waste is removed. Vitality is restored and pain resolves. Spinal muscles and spinal joints return to operating in a natural ebb-and-flow rhythm.

Ancient peoples closely observed and interacted with the rhythms of their immediate environment. The sun rose in the East and set in the West. Day followed night, and approximately 12 hours later night followed day. The seasons progressed through a more leisurely, although no less regular, rhythm. A season of rebirth and new growth followed a season of restriction and retrenchment. A season of increasing sunshine, longer days, and bounteous expansion was succeeded by a season of harvest, transformation, and preparation for the next round of seasonal change. The moon waxed and waned. Tides rose and tides fell. The life cycles of all creatures - humans, animals, fish, birds, insects, and plants - were precisely attuned to the natural rhythms of the complex world in which they survived and thrived.

Life flows and life ebbs. The rhythm of life is sinusoidal. Rise to a peak. Rest momentarily. Return to baseline, then descend to a trough. Rest momentarily. Return to baseline, then ascend again to a peak. Breath in, breath out. Heart beats, heart relaxes. Muscles contract, muscles relax. Plough a field. Sow a crop. Reap the harvest. Allow the land to recover. A year or two later, plough the field again. Cyclical, rhythmical, sinusoidal activities.

When a person is healthy, all aspects of her physical functioning are aligned with these ancient rhythms.^1,2 Disease always reflects an aberration - a defect - in the cyclical, sinusoidal patterns of normal physiology.³ Persistent low back muscle contractions without corresponding relaxation cause pain. Persistent muscle contractions in small arterial blood vessels cause high blood pressure. Persistent abnormal cellular growth without corresponding cellular death results in cancer. Persistently elevated or depressed hormonal levels cause specific forms of disease. The list of these ebb-and-flow abnormalities - the named diseases - is extensive.

The nervous system is also affected by defects in normal rhythm. Epilepsy reflects an extreme of rhythmical aberration - jagged, compressed peaks of electrical discharge suddenly traversing large areas of a person's brain. On a subtler scale, small groups of nerve cells may fire inappropriately due to distortions in normal ebb-and-flow patterns. If such an altered pattern persists, these groups of nerve cells may transmit incorrect information to other important systems. Pain, symptoms, and even disease may result from such faulty connections.

Honoring the deep nature of how our bodies work goes far toward alleviating many disease states. Getting back into the natural rhythms of being human certainly helps many conditions involving back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Chiropractic care is an important part of helping reestablish the normal ebb and flow. Contact our office today and set an appointment to further discuss how chiropractic care may help reestablish your ebb and flow.

¹Bowen RS, et al: Sex hormone effects on physical activity levels: Why doesn't Jane run as much as Dick? Sports Med 41(1):73-86, 2011

²Mazzoccoli G: The timing clockwork oflife. R Biol Regul Homeost Agents 25(1):137-143, 2011

³Hansen TW,, et al: Predictive role of the nighttime blood pressure. Hypertension 57(1):3-10, 2011

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

 

Chiropractic Care Provides Multiple Benefits

Chiropractic care, by its very nature, is a holistic method of healing. By using noninvasive methods which balance function within both the nerve system and the musculoskeletal system, chiropractic care gives your body the best chance to recover from many complicated problems. Chiropractic care is a key component of the multidisciplinary approach to management of multisystemic disorders such as fibromyalgia. By restoring more normal function to the person's nerve system, chiropractic care unleashes powerful and natural healing forces. The result is a body whose parts are now working together instead of against each other. As the body heals, pain and symptoms will likely naturally begin to reduce and resolve

The condition of fibromyalgia creates many challenges for a person with this disorder. These challenges often go far beyond the characteristic chronic pain which alone can be potentially debilitating. Those with fibromyalgia have pain in many locations and the presence of multiple pain sites is often confusing to their doctor or doctors. Family physicians, internists, endocrinologists, and even pain management specialists and rheumatologists often have great difficulty in comprehending the full extent of fibromyalgia and the serious health and well-being issues that are caused by the disorder.
Persons with fibromyalgia have so many symptoms that an uninformed physician may find it easier to refer such patients to a psychologist or psychiatrist. But the physical symptoms of fibromyalgia are real. The sufferers have widespread pain on a chronic basis. Additional symptoms include fatigue, sleep disturbances, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, joint stiffness, and cognitive dysfunction (brain fog). Depression commonly affects those with fibromyalgia.
Owing to the presence of so many chronic symptoms, fibromyalgia is notoriously difficult to treat. Such patients are typically taking multiple medications, prescribed by multiple specialists attempting to combat the problems that fall within their particular branch of medicine - pain management, rheumatology, and psychology/psychiatry.
Despite taking several medications on a long-term basis, most fibromyalgia patients tend not to improve. Depression and chronic pain take a profound toll, and daily living becomes quite burdensome. Many fibromyalgia patients despair of ever finding even a partial solution.
Attempts to address the problems of fibromyalgia by just treating the symptoms often fail. As the physiologic causes of the disorder are unknown, holistic approaches have a much greater likelihood of success. Multidisciplinary treatment is needed to impact this systems-wide disorder, including chiropractic care, nutritional recommendations, psychological counseling, and a gradual return to increased levels of physical activity and exercise.^{(1, 2, 3)}

¹Schneiderr M, et al: Chiropractic management of fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review of the literature. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 32(1):25-40, 2009

²Hauser W, et al: Guidelines on the management of fibromyalgia syndrome. A systematic review. Eur J Pain 14(1):5-10, 2010

³Busch AJ, et al: Exercise for fibromyalgia: a systematic review. J Rheumatol 35(6):1130-1144, 2008