Archive for chiropractic
Health problems due to bad posture occurs for many reasons and is nothing new to the spines of humankind. For thousands of years, men and women have hunched over their work, whether pounding rocks to make tools or pounding a keyboard on their computer. Fortunately, chiropractic was discovered in 1885 to remedy many of the problems occurring from bad posture! Since that time chiropractors like me, your Santa Barbara Chiropractor, have been helping people to correct the musculoskeletal damage resulting from bad posture, as well as providing exercises, gait training, and lifestyle changes to improve posture and avoid problems in the future. Most of us already know that excessive computer use is unhealthy for the human body, so it may not come as a surprise that researchers are cautioning that the very design of laptop computers encourages bad posture among college students (and other heavy users) and can lead to headaches, muscle strain and debilitating neck, shoulder and hand injuries.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Medicine explained in a university news release that the “unified body construction” of a laptop, with its inseparable keyboard and monitor, makes it difficult for users to configure their equipment in a way that minimizes risk to their bodies. For instance, awkward positioning of the fingers and body can cause nerve injury to the wrist and prompt the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome, while poor neck position and shoulder posture can cause muscle strain and soreness in those areas.
Researcher, Dr. Kevin Carneiro, a physician in the UNC School of Medicine’s department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, and his colleagues point out that laptop users can take specific steps to minimize their risk. So, listen up and heed the tips below:
- If you are working at a computer, your body should form 90-degree angles at the elbows, knees and hips.
- Use a docking station and cables to hook up to an external monitor and/or separate keyboard that are movable to encourage better posture.
- With the help of a docking station, position the computer so you can read the screen without bending your neck.
- Pay attention to the chair you sit in — look for one that is adjustable and comes with back support.
- Tilt the screen so you don’t need to bend your neck, and place the mouse so that your wrists are in a neutral position (one in which they are aligned with your arm and not raised above it).
- Take frequent short breaks every 20 minutes or so — this can help rest muscles and encourage position shifting. Do some shoulder shrugs, gentle forward head rolls, and shoulder scrunches to stretch your muscles.
- Stay hydrated — drinking plenty of water can help keep discs in your back lubricated.
In addition, be sure to watch out for warning signs, such as pain and tingling. These may mean you need to use better posture, take more breaks, or see your chiropractor!
Technorati Tags: bad posture, chiropractic, chiropractor, exercise, gait, laptop computers, Where:Santa-Barbara-CA
If you read my Santa Barbara chiropractic website blogs, then you already know I adhere to the philosophy that motion is life. Our body is designed to move, move, move; to walk, run, play, and dance! My “job” as a Santa Barbara Chiropractor is not only to get you out of pain, but to help you to keep your musculoskeletal system healthy and well-adjusted so that such movement is energizing and freeing rather than painful. Because I believe so strongly that lifelong movement is essential to our overall health as human beings, I’m always happy to offer new incentives to my patients and blog readers to get moving. A new study offers another good reason for everyone, but especially women, to get active and stay active. The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that women who are physically active at any point over the course of their life, whether it is in their teen years, 30s, 40s, or 50+, maintain a lower risk of cognitive impairment later in life as compared to those women who are inactive.
Let’s face it, life these days has become a spectator sport for many people. Kids sit in front of the television or their computers — and so do adults! Business often demands it and, after a long day of sitting at the computer at the office, “relaxation” or “family time” frequently comes in the form of vegging in front of the TV. There is growing evidence to suggest that people (and in the case of this particularly study, women) who are physically active in mid-life and beyond have a lower chance of dementia, as well as the “more minor” forms of cognitive impairment in old age. However, until now there has been less clarity regarding the importance of physical activity for women early in life and at different stages of life. The researchers at
Sunnybrook health Sciences Centre in Canada compared the physical activity and cognition of 9,344 women at different ages (teenage, age 30, age 50, and late-life) to investigate the effectiveness of activity at different life stages on later cognitive abilities.
“Our study shows that women who are regularly physically active at any age have lower risk of cognitive impairment than those who are inactive, but also that being physically active at teenage is most important in preventing cognitive impairment,” said Laura Middleton, PhD, who lead the research. And, in addition, she and her research team found that women who were physically
inactive as teenagers, but became physically active at age 30 or age 50 had significantly reduced their odds of cognitive impairment as well compared to those who remained physically inactive. “Low physical activity levels in today’s youth may mean increased dementia rates in the future,” Middleton added.
What’s good for the body is
always good for the brain. So be smart and stay that way by being physically active. “Motion is Life,” so get moving!
Technorati Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, cognitive impairment, dementia, exercise, movement, physical activity, Where:Santa-Barbara-CA, womens health
As a Santa Barbara Chiropractor I am concerned about the overall health of my patients. And, though chiropractic adjustments can go a long way in helping individuals to achieve better overall health, diet and exercise are always contributing factors. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, excess weight can create a multitude of problems. One of the health challenges my overweight patients experience is high blood pressure and, unfortunately, many of them are forced to take medication to manage their blood pressure until they can achieve the kind of weight loss that will naturally regulate it. And, even though the side effects of blood pressure medications can be serious, high blood pressure is also a serious problem that has been linked to increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure. Most people with high blood pressure are keenly aware of certain food additives to avoid, like salt and sugar. These particular additives are not usually a consideration for people who do not have a history of high blood pressure, but a new study may make even those who rarely think about their blood pressure sit up and take notice. Dr. Michel Chonchol and his colleagues at the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center found that eating too much fructose may raise blood pressure in people without a history of high blood pressure.
After analyzing data on sugar consumption from a survey of more than 4500 adults who ate an average of 74 grams of fructose every day (equivalent to four soft drinks), they found a definitive association between high consumption of fructose and increased blood pressure. One-third of the participants had borderline high blood pressure and eight percent suffered from hypertension. Not surprisingly, the Corn Refiners Association suggested in a press release cited by Reuters that the researchers unfairly attributed all the effect of sugars to fructose. And, in all fairness, it is true that the study could not separate the effects of fructose and glucose. But, men participating in a similar study who were given 200 grams of fructose per day for two weeks, in addition to their normal direct, did show a significant elevation in their blood pressure. In fact, in most of the participants the systolic blood pressure increased by six millimeters and the diastolic blood pressure by three millimeters.
The good news is that most of the elevated blood pressure readings returned to normal after two months, which also means that if you are someone who hasn’t been watching your fructose intake because you haven’t been concerned about your blood pressure, you can reverse the negative effects, relatively quickly, that soft drinks and excessive fruit juice intake may be having on your health.
The best solution, of course, is to eat a healthy nutritious diet, get regular exercise, and come in to see me, your chiropractor in Santa Barbara, regularly!
Technorati Tags: blood pressure, chiropractic, chiropractor, high fructose, Where:Santa-Barbara-CA
As a Santa Barbara Chiropractor I treat many pregnant women not only for common low back pain associated with pregnancy, but for other pregnancy symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, and swelling due to water retention or joint stress. A healthy pregnancy is crucial for both mother and baby. And although regular chiropractic care during pregnancy is very important, there are many other influences that can affect a woman’s health during her pregnancy. Some of these influences are well-known, but others are not. In fact, I just ran across a new study released in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives that discusses the effects of high levels of common flame-retardant chemicals on the thyroid hormone levels in pregnant women. It is the first large study to investigate levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their effects on the highly sensitive thyroid hormone in pregnant women. “Normal maternal thyroid hormone levels are essential for normal fetal growth and brain development,” stated Jonathan Chevrier, one of the study’s authors and a researcher in epidemiology and in environmental health sciences at UC Berkeley, “so our findings could have significant public health implications.”
Where are PBDEs found? Just about everywhere, such as in carpets, textiles, foam furnishings, electronics and plastics. PBDEs can leach out into the environment and accumulate in human fat cells. Is it any wonder then that PBDEs can be found in the blood of most American residents? And, if you live in California the situation is even more criticaul because of the state’s rigorous flammability laws. Concentrations of the chemicals in blood and breast milk have increased dramatically in the last three decades.
Though it is not currently known just how the chemicals interfere with thyroid function, researchers believe that PBDEs could bind to thyroid receptors and alter how the hormone is released. The bottom line, however, is that these chemicals are dangerous, especially for pregnant women. “Our results suggest that exposure to PBDE flame retardants may have unanticipated human health risks,” said Brenda Eskenazi, a professor of epidemiology and of maternal and child health at UC Berkeley.
Technorati Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, heartburn, joint swelling, low back pain, nausea, pregnancy, Where:Santa-Barbara-CA
As a Santa Barbara 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-
Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, hip pain, knee pain, obesity, weight loss, Where:Santa-Barbara-CA
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As a Santa Barbara Chiropractor, I often hear a common question asked by those considering chiropractic care: “If I start going to a chiropractor, will I have to always go?” I often wonder why this particular question doesn’t come up for someone who goes to a general medical practitioner. Think about it: How strange would it be if someone asked, “If I go to Dr. Smith for a general checkup and he gives me a prescription for a temporary condition I might have, will I have to see him ‘forever’?” The answer is “Of course not.” You don’t have to see Dr. Smith again, but you probably will for your yearly or bi-annual checkup and, naturally, in between if you’re not feeling well.
The same is true when you go to see a chiropractor. Most of the time, individuals go to see a chiropractor because they’re in pain (not feeling well). After the chiropractor has treated them and gotten them out of pain (a ‘prescription,’ so to speak, for a temporary condition), the chiropractor will probably suggest maintenance care (a general checkup even when you’re feeling okay). The only difference is that a chiropractor will likely suggest that you come in monthly. Why? Because chiropractors are all about preventative care whenever possible. Maintenance care is like a “tune up” that not only helps your body to maintain the “crisis” treatment you received when you were in pain and keeps you healthier and stronger so that you can avoid future injuries, but during your maintenance visit your chiropractor can make sure that you don’t have a “temporary condition” that needs to be corrected before it becomes “crisis” treatment.
Cumulative effects of awkward sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of regular exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related influences can produce pain, often excruciating pain, in your back, neck, shoulders, hips, knees, etc. Getting “checked out” and “readjusted” on a regular basis keeps small conditions from becoming big problems.
So, to the question “If I start doing to a chiropractor, will I need to go “forever”? The answer is “No, but you may want to, for your health’s sake!”
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Amidst a great deal of emotion and rhetoric coming out of Connecticut this week regarding the stroke issue The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation has just released a very clear position statement on the issue of chiropractic and strokes.
Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes.
“While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney.
According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists.
“What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.”
While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.”
Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.”
Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.”
In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe.
Posted via email from chironews4u’s posterous
Technorati Tags: chiropractic, strokes, vertebral subluxation, Where:Santa-Barbara-CA
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What does the term, “vertigo, ” mean? Vertigo is a name for the dizzy disturbance a person suffers within a fixed environment. The perception is that the outer world is tilting and even spinning. Vertigo may be quick and short- lived or constant. But remember, in any case, the exact source of vertigo needs to be defined and the appropriate treatment carried out.
There’s lots of causative factors for the complaints of Vertigo. An inner ear problem, known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, can occasionally happen as the impact of a sustained head injury or intense cold. Many times this particular vertigo might be caused by the aging process. The basis, however, frequently is not known. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is a wordy diagnosis, but it characterizes perfectly this non- progressive problem that is caused by, as its name signifies, a abrupt change in head position. The difficulties are as a general rule surprising and varied.
It is usually helpful to look at the performance of the inner ear in an endeavor grasp what brings about the ofttimes incapacitating difficulties of this type of vertigo. The brain takes in movement and maintains balance utilizing the fluid found in the inner ear. Also in the inner ear are tiny calcium carbonate crystals, known as otoconia. These crystals usually float in the inner ear fluid if dislodged. As the crystals strike against the responsive nerve endings in the inner ear, they bring on the disorder of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.
The good news is that chiropractic treatment can relieve the manifestation of BPPV very quickly and effectively using a technique which is called the Epley maneuver. Through the use of this procedure, a chiropractor turns the head of a BPPV sufferer into several different positions, letting gravity relocate the calcium carbonate crystals into a space of the inner ear that is away from the nerve endings where they will create no further dizziness.
Your chiropractor has assisted hundreds of persons for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo by using only the Epley Maneuver technique. In most cases, with only one treatment many patients no longer suffer from wooziness. Make an appointment with your Santa Barbara Chiropractor now!
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It is no secret that carrying around excess body weight, especially as we age, can cause a number of health problems from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes to back and joint pain. Too much body weight puts extra stress on organs, like the heart, and on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Recent studies have revealed that more than half of the adults in the U.S. (62 percent) are overweight or obese. That is a very significant number and an enormous problem (no pun intended).
The human body was not designed to carry around extra weight in the form of body fat. Only an additional 20 or 30 pounds can put the musculoskeletal system literally on overload. Weight in the belly, for instance, causes the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This produces compression in the joints of the low back. Joint compression constricts nerve activity and produces painful inflammation. Weight-bearing stresses can cause a pinched sciatic nerve or create misalignments of the spinal column that impinge nerves. This is the reason that most overweight individuals suffer from low back pain. Misaligned vertebra can not only cause new arthritic changes in the spine, but can continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place over the years.
You may be wondering how chiropractic can help. First of all, to be clear, a healthy body weight is a necessity in order for the musculoskeletal system to perform the way it is meant to. That said, in addition, chiropractic treatment relieves nerve impedence in the spine and helps to restore mobility back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, like in the low back, hips, and knees. A spine in alignment and joints that have healthy movement make exercise and physical activity a lot easier. Exercise will not only help with weight loss, but it can actually decelerate degenerative changes as a person ages.
It is always best to discuss diet and exercise with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor. Chiropractors not only help individuals get pain relief from back challenges and joint inflammation due to arthritis, but in addition they offer highly knowledgeable advice on the kind of lifestyle changes that can aid an individual in staying healthier and more active through the years. Arthritis and immobility as we get older do not have to be inevitable. The human body was meant to move, to walk, even to dance, without pain, for a lifetime.
So, if you’ve been throwing your weight around and all you’ve been getting in return is back and joint pain, your chiropractor can help relieve your suffering. Make an appointment today!
Technorati Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, excess weight, weight loss, Where:Santa-Barbara-CA arthritis
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If you’re over forty years old you know that as we age our body doesn’t feel or respond the same way as it did when we were younger. It hardly seems fair that as our mind appears to improve and become more “inventive,” our body seems to become less “cooperative.” We’re stiff when we get out of bed; certain activities during the day make us sore at night; and, if we’re not mindful, even something as simple as turning too fast or bending over to pick up a dropped object, can cause our back or some other muscle group to go into spasm. The good news is that there is natural treatment for us, “boomers,” that can not only slow down the aging process of the body, but help us to avoid some of those problems altogether.
Take arthritis for instance. In point of fact, barring pharmaceuticals, conventional medicine fails to take care of this age-related affliction. What is the reason? It is because most medical professionals treat the symptoms of arthritis. Chiropractic care, on the other hand, not only is beneficial in relieving the pain of arthritis, naturally, without drugs, but it finds the origin of the affliction and eliminates it. For more than a hundred years, chiropractors, like your Santa Barbara Chiropractor, have been treating people suffering from back pain and other conditions created by arthritic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
Arthritic changes occur as your body ages because, over time, wear of particular joints takes place as a consequence of repetitive stresses, as well as years of incorrect gait, improper posture, and insufficient movement. Chiropractic treatment restores motion back into your joints and reduces pain, and it readjusts any vertebral misalignment that may be causing irritation and restriction. In addition to causing arthritic changes in the spine and increasing pain, did you know that misaligned vertebra can also lower your resistance and immunity? It’s true, and this may be one of the reasons why it may seem to you that as you get older you experience more health problems and that it often takes longer for you to feel better again. Studies have shown that older individuals who are under chiropractic care stay healthier. In fact, you could say that, as you get older, chiropractic treatment is good for what ails you!
Chiropractors are highly proficient when it comes to the health of the musculoskeletal system, from the small, growing frame of an infant to the full-grown body of a mature adult. Your chiropractor is experienced in working with the aging process of the body and has special observational and diagnostic skills that assist in finding spinal misalignments and joint problems. In fact, a chiropractic examination can frequently reveal certain age-related changes before they’ve begun to create noticeable pain. Furthermore, your Santa Barbara Chiropractor can check your posture and analyze your gait to determine if there are any faulty patterns that could create further arthritic changes.
So, if feeling your age has become a painful experience, make an appointment with your Santa Barbara Chiropractor today!
Technorati Tags: aging, arthritis, chiropractic, chiropractor
