Sometimes chiropractic can be life changing

Chiropractic Life-Changing Success Story Documented

Appearing in the March 2004 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, was a documented case study of a life changing case. The subject of the study was a previously healthy 17 year old who was involved in high school sports.

On one particular occasion he was competing as a pole vaulter in a high school track meet when he had an accident in which he landed on his head from a height of 10 feet.

Immediately following the accident, the young man noticed the onset of neck pain focused at the base of his skull. In addition he started suffering from back pain, daily headaches, and migraine headaches approximately 3 times per week. He described his pain as an “unbearable everyday occurrence.” Additionally, several days after the accident he began experiencing “blackouts,” which were later diagnosed as petit mal seizures. These seizures continued to increase until he was experiencing them 4 times per day.

Things continued to get worse for the young man as during the first 6 months following the accident, he started experiencing the onset of depression. He described a complete loss of appetite, extreme lethargy, a lack of concern for himself, and an extremely erratic sleep cycle that often left him awake for several days followed by periods of 14 to 18 hours of sleep.

The patient and his mother reported that he consulted with approximately 24 practitioners during this time. Prescribed medications and therapies did not alleviate or reduce symptoms. To alleviate his pain and depression, he started using illegal drugs in an attempt to “make himself feel better.” After becoming addicted, his parents checked him into a drug rehabilitation program, which he completed.

It was after this long and horrifying 6 year period, that this young man sought chiropractic care from the chiropractor who authored the published study. An examination was performed and it was determined that the young man was suffering due to a subluxation in the upper neck. A course of corrective adjustments was begun to correct the subluxation and reduce nerve pressure.

The results as reported in the Journal was nothing short of life changing for the young man. After 1 month of care, the patient reported an absence of seizures and manic episodes and improved sleep patterns. After 4 months of care, seizures and manic episodes remained absent and migraine headaches were reduced from 3 per week to 2 per month. After 7 months of care, the patient reported the complete absence of symptoms. And eighteen months later, the patient remains asymptomatic. This has changed his life tremendously.

http://www.chiropracticresearch.org/search-result.php?aid=1092

Forward Head Posture Can Cause Headaches

It is very common for patients to come into my office with headaches and stress on their neck.  This isn’t much of a surprise since most people work at a desk with a computer, have a laptop that they use at home and text on their phone.  All of these actions cause the head to move forward.

According to Kapandji (Physiology of the joints, volume III), for every inch your head moves forwards, it gains 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned, because they have to work that much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping onto your chest.   This also forces the suboccipital muscles (they raise the chin) to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the 3 Suboccipital nerves.   This nerve compression may cause headaches at the base of the skull. Pressure on the suboccipital nerves can also mimic sinus (frontal) headaches.

Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states:

Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity. These breath-related effects are primarily due to the loss of the cervical lordosis, which blocks the action of the hyoid muscles, especially the inferior hyoid responsible for helping lift the first rib during inhalation.”

Persistent forward head posture (a.k.a. “hyperkyphotic posture”) puts compressive loads upon the upper thoracic vertebra, and is also associated with the development of Upper Thoracic Hump, which can devolve into Dowager Hump when the vertebra develop compression fractures (anterior wedging).  A recent study found this hyperkyphotic posture associated with a 1.44 rate of mortality. 

It’s not uncommon to observe 2″ of anterior head placement in new patients.   Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20-pound watermelon hanging around your neck?   That’s what forward head posture can do to you.   Left uncorrected, FHP will continue to decline.   Chiropractic can be very corrective, especially in the hands of a chiropractic rehabilitationist.   Our specialty is in reversing the joint fixations (what we refer to as “subluxations”) and in re-invigorating the muscles that normally retract the head.

http://www.chiro.org/LINKS/Forward_Head_Posture.shtml

3 Good Reasons Why Diet Soda Is Bad For You!

We all try to watch what we eat, but how many of us really think about what we drink? According to the University of North Carolina, if you substituted water instead of that latte or soda, you could cut 450 calories per day out of your diet. This could help you lose about 1 pound of fat per week!

Why is diet soda not a good idea if we can’t drink normal sweetened soda? Well, lets cover a few good points:

1. Just because diet soda is lower in calories doesn’t mean you won’t gain weight:

New research suggests that consuming sugar or artificially sweetened beverages may lead to cravings sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert. For those of you who that have problems resisting your cravings, it is a hard one to beat.

2. Drinking diet beverages all day will prevent you from drinking water or other good liquids our body needs to thrive:

Diet soda is 100 percent nutrition-free. One diet soda a day is okay, but if you’re downing five or six cans, that means you’re limiting your intake of healthy beverages.

3. Aspartame is bad:

Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar. There have been animal studies which have shown evidence of a linkage to brain tumors and lymphoma. Aspartame often causes dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, memory problems and moodiness.

Water is the best bet for keeping hydrated and staying healthy.  If you don’t like the taste of water, add a lemon, lime, orange or even a cucumber to add a little flavor.

The Importance of Good Posture

Why is posture so important?

Posture is as important as eating a healthy diet, sleeping 7-9 hours a day, avoiding harmful substances like drugs, alcohol and tobacco.  Keeping good posture means that your bones, joints, ligaments are working the way that they should.  It also means that there is no pulling or tugging on your organs so they can function properly.  It also contributes to normal function of your nervous system.

When posture is bad, your health and function are compromised.  Long term effects may effect your digestion, breathing, muscles, joints and ligaments.  It can also effect your bodies ability to release toxins in your body.  We can avoid these problems caused by bad posture and  The good news is that most everyone can avoid problems caused by bad posture and it doesn’t matter how old you are, improvements can happen and you can get great results!

How Does it Happen?

Often, poor posture develops as a result of an accident or fall. In the majority of cases, it develops from environmental factors or bad habits. This means that you have control and can avoid getting symptoms.
In most cases, poor posture results from a combination of several factors, which can include:
1. Accidents, injuries and falls
2. Poor sleep support (mattress)
3. Excessive weight
4. Visual or emotional difficulties
5. Foot problems or improper shoes
6. Weak muscles, muscle imbalance
7. Careless sitting, standing, sleeping habits
8. Negative self image
9. Occupational stress
10. Poorly designed work space

Poor Posture & Pain - A lifetime of poor posture can start a progression of symptoms in the average adult. It can start with:

1. Fatigue – Your muscles have to work hard just to hold you up if you have poor posture. You waste energy just moving, leaving you without the extra energy you need to feel good.

2. Tight, achy muscles in the neck, back, arms and legs – By this stage, there may be a change in your muscles and ligaments and you may have a stiff, tight painful feeling. More than 80% of the neck and back problems are the result of tight, achy muscles brought on by years of bad posture.

3. Joint stiffness and pain – At risk for “wear and tear” arthritis, or what is termed degenerative osteoarthritis. Poor posture and limited mobility increase the likelihood of this condition in later years.

What are some common symptoms of poor posture?

Headaches, neck pain, arthritis, muscle strain, muscle spasms, pinched nerves, disc injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, TMJ, fibromyalgia, fatigue, numbness or tingling in hands/legs, and low back pain.

From the ICA web page. For more information write to: International Chiropractors Association, 1110 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1000, Arlington, VA 22201 (703) 528-5000.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Issues?

TMJ can be very painful.  It can lead to headaches, vision problems, neck pain, earaches, the inability to chew properly and much more.

The Cartilage that is above your mandible can move forward or be pushed up behind the joint.  This will either make it impossible for you to put your teeth together or chew evenly on both sides.  You may sometimes hear cracking and experience pain when chewing, talking or moving your mouth.

How can I help you with this problem?

I have taken specialized training in TMJ to move the disk to the proper place above your jaw so that it moves properly without pain or dysfunction.  There is no need for  surgery, x-rays or medication, just a gentle adjustment which will alleviate your symptoms.

Why go through unnecessary procedures when a specialized exam can be performed and find out how your TMJ is working.

If you have this problem, please contact us today for an exam, we can help!

9 Natural Remedies for a Healthier You

  1. Avoid foods that cause headaches! Stay away from red wine, chocolate and caffeine. Adjustments do wonders to alleviate them too!
  2. Carpal tunnel is often misdiagnosed. See what else it could be: Check out
    Chiropractic for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  3. Problems with sciatica? Chiropractic can help. No drugs or surgery! Chiropractic Treatment of Sciatica
  4. Know someone with diabetes? There is great information here! Diabetes Diet Plan
  5. Love fast food? Learn how to eat healthy on a fast food diet. Get tips and tricks from How to Lose Weight Eating Fast Food
  6. Have you heard about a way to track your diet and wellness? Go to www.sparkpeople.com
  7. Problems with inflammation or intestinal issues? Here is a great site that answers all your questions! www.deflame.com. (Note: the site looks like an advertisement, but there is useful information on deflaming via nutrition)
  8. Have a cold? Treat it the natural way with zinc, garlic and Astragalus.
  9. Have a sweet tooth but want to cut back on sugar? Try these: Stevia, Lo Han and Xylitol! No aspartame!