Chiropractic for Kids: Getting the Word Out

According to a recent survey by the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association, chiropractic care of children is associated with high levels of patient/parent satisfaction and a near-perfect safety record. So, have you brought your child(ren) to the chiropractor yet?

In general, the chiropractic adjustment is a very safe procedure for children. With millions of children visiting a chiropractor every year, adverse events (the technical term for injury) are very rare. A study published in 2008 in the prestigious medical journal Pediatrics found only nine incidents of adverse events related to spinal adjustments in children worldwide over the past 100 years, an enviable safety record.

All doctors understand that any form of health care comes with some degree of risk, whether we're talking about a dose of antibiotics or a chiropractic adjustment. As with any procedure, your chiropractor should discuss the benefits and the risks of the adjustment as it applies to your child.

Chiropractic care for children is very different than chiropractic care for adults. The adjustments are much softer and gentler because the child's joints are looser and easier to move. The procedure is quite comfortable and children often look forward to their chiropractic treatment. In addition, children generally heal much more quickly than adults, so typically require just a few treatments to restore normal motion to their joints, and thus restore normal function to their nervous systems and related end organs.

Since chiropractors improve the health of the nervous system by removing irritation stemming from the structural elements of the body, chiropractors can help children with a wide range of conditions, from colic to ear infections to asthma.

If your children aren't already receiving regular chiropractic care, talk to your doctor about getting them into the office for an initial visit.

If your chiropractor doesn't specialize in treating children, particularly very young children, and doesn't know someone who does, they can help you find a pediatric chiropractor in your neighborhood using several resources, including http://acapedscouncil.org/unitedstates.html or www.icapediatrics.com/members-referral.php

Headache Hassles, and How to Deal With Them Naturally

Most people with headaches treat themselves with over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and naproxen (Aleve). If these fail to provide more than short-term relief (which they often do), other supportive treatments are available. It is important to remember that OTC medications may have side effects and potential interactions with prescription medications. This can lead to a whole host of problems and emphasizes the value of alternatives to drugs. Here are some of the most important (and effective) nonpharmaceutical options for dealing with headaches:

Chiropractic: I have never seen a headache patient who did not have some type of misalignment of the bones of the neck (cervical spine). It is amazing how much muscle spasm and tension can be caused by misaligned bones. When bones are even slightly out of alignment, the muscles attached to them become stressed, so they become tight. Tight muscles restrict the flow of information through the nerves and circulation through the blood vessels. This can contribute to all sorts of problems, including headaches and neck pain.

Having your chiropractor adjust those spinal bones back into their normal alignment will reset your system. The joints will have better movement, the muscles can begin to relax on their own and the circulation and nervous systems can start to flow again. The spine and the bones of the extremities really do hold the key to feeling good for the long term.

Massage Therapy: A good therapeutic massage by a certified massage therapist can relax muscle tissue, improve circulation, and clear out the toxins that are trying to drain (lymphatic system). It is astonishing how much muscle tension accompanies any type of headache in the body. The muscles of the neck and upper back are among the most powerful in the body. After all, they have to hold up the head, which can weigh as much as a bowling ball.

When chiropractic and massage work together, patients will respond especially well to care. Consider having chiropractic and massage treatments within 36 hours of each other. This way, the adjustments and the muscle relaxation can work together.

Acupuncture: Acupuncture and Oriental medicine, including natural herbs, are other powerful methods to help manage headaches. Acupuncture works with the body's natural energy or chi as it flows through all of the organs and parts of the body. When energy becomes trapped or blocked, it can contribute to a whole host of painful conditions or situations in the body, including headaches. An acupuncturist can expertly insert thin needles into specific spots of your body to release the trapped energy, allow it to flow better and contribute further to relaxing muscle, which will improve circulation and nervous system flow
.
Ergonomics: Daily habits and body positions are extremely important when it comes to preventing headaches. For example, for many people, headaches start with something as simple as their pillow. In general, sleeping on your back is best with a pillow under your neck and head. If you are going to sleep on your side, the pillow needs to be wide enough to span the distance between your shoulders and neck. Custom-made pillows are now available to help give you the proper support you need. Ask your chiropractor for guidance in this area to help ensure you get the pillow that's best for you.

Your computer desk or workstation and telephone setup also need to be examined. Improper keyboard and monitor placement can cause eye strain and make you crane your neck for hours on end. A chair that is not adjusted properly or fit to your body type can stress the entire body, including the neck. All of these factors can contribute to headaches.

Exercise: Performed correctly, specific exercises can help strengthen upper back and neck muscles and improve posture, which will reduce the risk of muscle tension and poor-posture-related dysfunction that can contribute to headaches. Exercise also reduces emotional stress, which often goes hand in hand with a headache. Remember, make sure that the exercises you are performing do not strain any of your neck and upper back muscles. Consult with your doctor about the exercises you are doing to make sure they are not stressing your body too much and creating further problems.

Rehab the Right Way

With the exception of professional athletes, few people know where to turn after suffering an injury that limits their ability to exercise, perform daily activities - or in worse-case scenarios, even move. The rehabilitation process may seem complicated, but it's actually fairly straightforward (depending on the injury) once you know the basics. Here's a little insight on how to rehab right.

A patient once told me that to really understand their pain and difficulty in getting better, all doctors should experience the same pain so they are more sensitive to what it's really like. Now that I have been undergoing rehab for several months following knee surgery late last year, I can see her point. Rehab is not simply about doing a group of exercises and getting better. It's about knowing what works, what doesn't, what you should avoid, and what you can expect with your rehab. Do you know how to rehab right? Let's review a few of the most important rehab points to remember if you're ever faced (or are currently suffering) an injury, particularly one that causes pain in the low back, the shoulder or the knee - three of the most commonly injured areas of the body.

What Is Rehab?

Without relying too much on medical terminology, rehab essentially involves any sort of exercise or exercises that will help get you back to as normal as possible following an injury. For most people, this usually consists of basic stretching and strengthening exercises. But did you know that it also involves proprioception (balance) training, endurance exercises, and functional training (training that improves activities of daily living that may have been compromised by your injury)? Rehab also requires a step-by-step system that builds on your successes for you to get to the next level.

Successful Rehab: Six Steps to Remember

1. Control the pain naturally. To do this, some say use ice; some say use heat. Just remember one thing: If you are exercising and experience pain and swelling afterward, use ice to take the swelling down. If you feel your muscles are too stiff and painful before you start exercising, use a few minutes of heat to warm up the area. Using ice or heat during rehab is a good way to control pain and discomfort.

2. Increase flexibility. Everyone is infatuated with stretching. However, in some cases, it may not be the most important part of your rehab. There are a few things to remember with stretching. Don't try to become the next Olympic gymnast. Overstretching is just as bad as not stretching. Also, it's not just about stretching the areas where you're experiencing problems. It's also about stretching the tight muscles around the area, because the whole area works together. If one muscle stays tight, it will just pull the other ones into getting tight again. Your doctor can help evaluate which muscles are tight and recommend appropriate stretching exercises.

3. Improve endurance. When we think of rehab, most people think of lifting more weights and getting stronger. However, in some cases, your success in rehab has more to do with doing something at less intensity, but improving your ability to do it over and over again.

For example, building up endurance is probably one of the most important goals in the initial stages for those with back pain. Concentrate more on doing a higher repetition of exercises with frequent breaks in between, rather than trying to do one thing for a longer period of time. When we overdo it, we fatigue. When we fatigue, we start doing things the wrong way, ruining all the improvements we've made with our rehab and risking re-injury.

4. Regain balance. Regardless of whether you have ankle, knee, or low back pain, or even headaches, balance training is very important. You can train your body by lifting more, or by stretching until you can wrap your legs behind your head. But what happens when you get off balance and your back goes out? What happens when your knee is strong when you walk straight, but it can't handle a quick change in direction to the side? That's why balance training is just as important as any of the other rehab strategies. The basic balance progression involves doing things on stable surfaces first and then moving to unstable surfaces.

5. Develop strength. This is probably the most popular goal of all rehab programs. However, make sure you build up your strength while always staying within weight ranges that do not elicit pain. The "no pain, no gain" mentality should be abandoned. Also remember to work on balance and flexibility with strength, not just by itself. Most strengthening exercises begin with isometric exercises - an example is pushing your arm against a wall. Isometric exercises should always be performed in angles at which there is no pain. Once you can do the isometric exercises at all angles, then you can progress to using elastic bands, light weights, vibration platforms, and overall weight training.

6. Functional training. Remember, this just means practicing activities you did every day prior to the injury. For workers, this means practicing how to lift, or even how to sit properly if your job is sedentary. For athletes, this means practicing the movements of your sports. All too often, people forget everything they've learned and overdo it in trying to get back to where they used to be. It's a typical response because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Be patient! Practicing the movements repetitively with lighter loads is more important. Remember, build up endurance with proper form first. Functional exercises are similar to balance exercises in that you need to stress your newly rehabbed body in all directions and all positions; in so doing, you'll be confident that you can go back to your normal activities of daily life and not worry about re-injuring yourself.

Keep in mind that these are just guidelines to increase your knowledge of the various elements involved in successful rehab. Which exercises will work for you will depend on the precise injury and a comprehensive screening process by your doctor. Hopefully, you now understand some of the goals of rehabilitation and can better appreciate the steps necessary to get on the road to recovery. Remember, always consult with your doctor whenever you suffer an injury and before beginning any rehabilitation process.

How Massage Therapy Can Benefit Your Patients

An increasing number of chiropractic offices are benefiting by offering massage therapy to patients. Not only is massage relaxing; it has numerous therapeutic effects, including, but not limited to:

• reducing blood pressure and heart rate;
• increasing local blood flow;
• increasing thoracic gas volume, peak flow and forced vital capacity;
• increasing cytotoxic capacity (activity level of the body's natural "killer cells");
• strongly influencing lymph flow;
• improving gait, range of motion and foot-to-floor force;
• reducing muscle tension and pain after repeated treatments;
• reducing pain, stiffness and fatigue;
• reducing anxiety, tension, pain and depression in cancer patients;
• reducing posttraumatic headache;
• increasing muscle tone and flexibility;
• reducing morning sickness in pregnant women;
• decreasing duration of labor, hospital stay and postpartum depression; and
• applications to sports medicine.

I have worked for chiropractors for over 12 years in various capacities.
As a massage therapist, I market myself to the public, often bringing in new patients to the office. Patients unfamiliar with chiropractic are often more likely to consider massage than having their backs "cracked." Once they meet the doctor, it is easier to refer them for chiropractic care. Without fail, I can palpate an area in need of a chiropractor's touch. I ask, "Is that tender? Have you ever seen a chiropractor?" It's a gentle lead-in to refer them to seek chiropractic care. Also, the doctor refers motor-vehicle-accident patients to me for soft tissue work. It's a symbiotic relationship.

By working together toward the common goal of helping the patient get well (and stay well), the chiropractor and the massage therapist can both reap the benefits. Since more and more insurance companies now recognize the value of massage therapy and are pay accordingly, it's an all-around great tool to increase the growth of your practice.

Perfecting Your Posture

If you don't have good posture, what do you have? Poor posture can lead to a variety of health problems over time, and yet too many people have bad postural habits. Let's focus for just a moment on the characteristic aspect of posture, the basic form we take while standing or walking. The human body is designed to stand with the eyes level with the horizontal plane of the Earth. Viewed from the front, the shoulders and hips are level and the spine is vertical. From the side view, the ear is over the shoulder, the shoulder is over the hip and the hip is over the knee, which is over the ankle.

The most common signs of postural stress are one ear being higher than the other and unlevel shoulders or hips. You can also detect postural stress from the side if the ear looks as if it has moved forward of the tip of the shoulder or if the hips appear to have moved forward.

The foundation of posture is actually the feet. It is very common for there to be slight differences in the arches of the feet, which create a slight imbalance. This imbalance can cause a chain reaction all the way up the spine, affecting postural balance. One sign of foot imbalances is when one foot flares out more than the other. Both feet should point forward with only the slightest outward flare when you walk.

Here are a few things you can do to ensure ideal posture and correct any postural problems you may be experiencing:

Get checked - If your posture is breaking down as a result of improper foot balance, it is important to have your feet examined to determine if a custom-made, flexible shoe orthotic will be beneficial. Orthotics create a solid foundation for your pelvis and spine by limiting excessive motion in the feet.

Improve flexibility - This is important because postural stress causes some muscles to work harder than others, creating tension and stiffness. Mirror image exercises are stretching and strengthening exercises designed to restore muscle balance by stretching in the direction away from the postural imbalance. If you are looking in a mirror and one shoulder is higher than the other, you will want to stretch and strengthen in the direction that makes the shoulders level. The same concept works for the lower back.

Work with your chiropractor - Be sure to work closely with your chiropractor in developing a plan of action, and then check your progress with a postural analysis. It is important to remember that the body works best when it is in balance, so that should be the goal of all of your stretching and strengthening exercises.

The At-Home Athlete

When it comes to getting in shape, there are several Golden Rules: train smart, not hard; rest and recovery are critical; intensity is more important than duration; and proper nutrition is vital. Notice what's not on the list: expensive gym memberships, fancy pieces of equipment and time. It's possible to sculpt a better body with simple, inexpensive equipment, smart training and fast-paced, intensity-focused routines that take minimal time. The problem for most people embarking on a home fitness routine is learning where to begin, how often to work out and what equipment to use. Here are 10 recommended tools for an all-inclusive full-body workout. Some are inexpensive pieces of equipment; others are simple methods of training. You don't need all 10 before starting. Choose one and slowly build your fitness foundation.

1. Light dumbbells

2. Body-weight training

3. Stability ball

4. Weighted fitness bar

5. Plyometrics

6. Medicine ball

7. Jump rope

8. Chin-up bar

9. Resistance bands

10. Kettlebell

Not sure what all of these are or how to incorporate them into your fitness program? Ask your doctor for more information, and remember these general rules: start off gently, increase your workout intensity gradually over several weeks, don't hold your breath, try to keep strict form, stay under control, and stop immediately if you feel dizzy, faint or in pain.

For more information please visit me at Anza Pain Treatment Center

The Chiropractic Solution to Neck Pain

Neck pain is quite common, and most people simply carry on with their activities of daily living. However, about 5 percent to 10 percent of people develop debilitating symptoms. Unfortunately, even among those folks who do not have disabling pain, the majority find their neck pain is stubborn and recurrent to some degree.

The renewed interest in neck disorders among clinical researchers has
spurred some interesting studies. In the March/April issue of the
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT),
Canadian scientists have shown that arthritis in the neck might affect
balance. This could mean that in cases of poor balance or repeated
falls among the elderly, treatment of the cervical spine might have
value. This could represent a "top down" strategy, which is a bit
different from the "bottom up" approach to balance training more
commonly utilized in rehabilitation.

In the February issue of JMPT, a complementary study by New Zealand and Canadian researchers suggested spinal manipulation of the neck can relax muscles in the arms and could be useful in relaxation of the whole body. This implies anything causing tightness in the neck joints also might cause muscle pain in the arms or elsewhere. Since manipulation and manual therapy are primary treatments for neck problems, a doctor of chiropractic should be among the first providers consulted for this type of pain.

So, how fast can a patient with neck pain expect to feel better with chiropractic care? By chance, in the same March issue of JMPT, British authors studied which neck symptoms might respond the quickest to hands-on treatment. Overall, considering all possible neck area complaints, about 70 percent of patients reported immediate favorable responses to manipulation. However, if patients complained about more specific things like headaches, shoulder or arm pain, reduced arm or neck movement, neck pain, or upper or middle back pain, the percentage of those who reported immediate improvement in pain rose to an incredible 95 percent!

The moral to this story is clear: If you're experiencing neck pain and haven't scheduled an appointment with a chiropractor, you're missing the perfect opportunity to resolve your pain.

For more great pain solutions visit Anza Pain Treatment Center.

Tips for Sleepy Teens

Let's face it - teenagers stay up until the crack of dawn and sleep until noon every day, right? OK, so maybe we're exaggerating slightly, but there's a case to be made. A recent survey by the National Sleep Foundation found only 20 percent of teens got the recommended nine hours of sleep a night.

Furthermore, more than a quarter of the teens surveyed (28 percent) reported falling asleep in class and more than half (51 percent) reported driving while drowsy. Lack of sleep also affected academic performance: Teens who didn't get enough sleep were more likely than their peers to get lower grades, while 80 percent of those who got an optimal amount of sleep reported achieving A's and B's in school.

So, how do you help your sleepyheaded adolescent prepare for the added stress of college, particularly if you won't be around to serve as their alarm clock? Here are some tips, courtesy of US News & World Report, to help your college-bound kid get adequate sleep:

Be consistent.
Tempting as it might be to sleep in on weekends, try and keep to as regular a schedule as possible. Sleep researchers suggest a bedtime of somewhere between 11 pm and midnight, but if you find yourself getting up later once college begins, try and keep to that schedule.

Become a morning person.
Painful as it might be, one of the best ways to retrain your body to a better sleep schedule is to be more alert earlier in the day. Starting at least three weeks before the school year begins, wake yourself up progressively earlier several days in a row and get out in the sun. The sunlight helps your internal body clock reset itself to your new schedule.

Schedule classes carefully.
If you are naturally a night owl, don't schedule an 8 a.m. class three days a week. Just because you had to be up that early in high school doesn't mean you have to do so in college.

Compensate.
If being a morning person is just out of the question, but you get stuck with that 8 a.m. physics class, try and shift your schedule to study in the afternoons. But don't pull an all-nighter of
studying - you'll just be even more exhausted in class the next day.

More more great tips visit Anza Pain Treatment Center