Archive for December 2021
Make 2022 the Year of Preventative Health
Health is trending for 2022
What is more important than your health in 2022? Trending aside, this new year is awash with possibilites for improving your health on a holistic scale. At our office we are concerned with two parts of holistic wellness:
- Preventative Healthcare
- Musculoskeletal Medicine
We focus on using natural modalities to improve your body’s innate capacity for healing, to help you look, feel and function better at any age. The truth is, musculoskeletal disorders are on the rise in the USA. From an aging society, to more jobs shifting into sedentary settings, the odds are more stacked against us than ever when it comes to taking care of our physical health. No matter how you look at it, there is simply no excuse for not taking better care of yourself this new year.
Preventative Healthcare
We believe that spinal health is the foundation for overall wellness. Many of our patients have been living for years without the proper amount of awareness and knowledge necessary to make improvements in their spinal health. This has left them in the throes of back pain and spinal degeneration which then affects all other parts of their life. We respond by providing every new partient with a comprehensive physical examination that includes the patient’s medical history, a musculoskeletal evaluation and static postural analysis. This allows us to identify shortcomings in musculoskeletal health including spinal misalignment, nerve dysfunction and postural weakness. From here we tailor an individual plan that will help you reduce pain, improve function and prevent future illness and injury.
Making your health a priority this new year
Don’t wait for your health problems to catch up to you! It’s time to stop ignoring the factors in your life which are holding you down. Let’s work together to design a solution that will help you feel like your best You this new year.
Merry Christmas from a Concerned Chiropractor
Christmas has a way of hampering people’s fitness progress
Nowhere is this more evident than in our spines! The most important things we can do for our spines are:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Maintain a reasonable level of activity
- Avoid inflammation
- Practice good posture
The holiday season puts all of this in jeopardy; studies show that activity levels among the population reach their lowest during December. Add in the fact that we tend to eat more food and you have a formula for weight gain and back pain that few of us can afford. The final picture is of someone relaxing on the couch, posture unsupported, wincing from back pain inside while they outwardly smile. If this is you, read on to find out how we can help you use the positive energy of the holiday season to effect powerful changes in your spinal health.
Pain is no one’s idea of a good time
We are in the business of helping you face down your back pain. The first step of any solution is to identify your particular risk factors. Are you prone to overeating? Do you overindulge in the punch, then find yourself sprawled on the couch? Do you feel extra sluggish during the holiday period? All of these things are hard on your spine. Weight gain causes extra pressure on the spine; alcohol contributes to inflammation; and inactivity allows for tension to accumulate in your muscles, pulling your spine out of alignment. If you struggle with chronic back pain, you need to be proactive about the health of your spine this holiday season.
Doing something about back pain this holiday season
You have the power! Watch what you eat and drink, and take every opportunity to get up and move. Give our office a call to schedule an appointment before, during, or after the holiday season. Let’s make this the last holiday where your back pain has a prominent seat at the table with the rest of your family.
Spinal Traction: Is it Right for You?
Why does spinal decompression feel so good?
Spinal traction is a type of decompression therapy that we provide that is designed to relieve pressure on the spine. Through our everyday activities, we submit our spines to compressive forces that move vertebrae out of alignment, threaten spinal joints and cause overall degradation. As you get older, these compressive forces compound and lead to more serious conditions including sciatica, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and other painful conditions. Spinal traction is designed to combat the compression!
Spinal traction: decompression designed for you!
Gravity is an ever-present force on our spines. And while the best thing for us all to do would be to float in space, the next best thing is spinal traction. In essence, mechanical traction utilizes a specialized table to reverse the compression of your spinal discs. This creates a negative vacuum of space in which discs are able to heal and the spine is able to align itself. People with the following conditions should consider spinal traction as a way to provide relief from their symptoms:
- Bone spurs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Herniated discs
- Slipped discs
- Pinched nerves
Spinal traction is a natural therapy for your spine
This is a non-surgical form of pain relief that comes with very few side effects comparatively. If compressive forces have taken their toll on your spine, we urge you to give our office a call and find out how spinal traction and its decompressive therapy can help you feel less pain today.
Holiday Health Objective: Don’t Let the Food Derail your Fitness Plan
Holiday foods are filled with inflammation-causing agents
This might not be what you want to hear right before the holiday baking season kicks into full swing. And it certainly doesn’t make for great conversation around the baking table. But if you suffer from back pain, it is worth carrying a dose of awareness with you into each meal. After all, other people can enjoy the fruits of your labor- but abstaining from the majority of inflammatory foods will do your back innumerable benefit.
Keep inflammation out of your holiday plans
Any list of inflammatory foods begins with sugar and saturated fat, staple ingredients of many holiday recipes. Other common Christmas time ingredients that cause inflammation include:
- Refined flour
- Artificial sweeteners
- Alcohol
You may not want to think of the holidays as being inflammatory-filled, but the diet certainly suggests such a trend. Protect yourself this holiday season by thinking about what you put into each recipe; many traditional recipes can be upgraded to anti-inflammatory variants. And you always have the power of choice to say no to another alcoholic beverage or another cupcake!
We are concerned with the health of your spine over holiday foods
They may taste good, but the inflammation that they cause can have your back reeling. Think of every bite as a cost-benefit analysis- if it is actually going to hurt your back, it may be best to abstain. And if you are suffering from inflammation, ice is your best friend! Maintaining range of motion and activity levels are also important ways of combatting inflammation. Unfortunately, the holidays are the time of year we exercise the least. Try to maintain reasonable levels of movement and if you are still struggling with distracting back pain, give our office a call to schedule an appointment. We are standing by to help you with all your spine-related problems this holiday season!