There are quite a few causes for neck pain and associated symptoms. For instance, strained muscles, sprained ligaments, and spinal joint injuries are common traumas caused by an accident. Sitting at a computer and/or performing repetitive tasks can cause postural stress as well. Such stress creates muscular tension and inflammation in the neck and upper back. Poor spinal mechanics and weak or overdeveloped muscles can compound postural stress. In addition, chronic neck pain due to inflammation of the soft tissues can develop due to the degeneration of the spinal joints caused by the aging process, as well a “slipped,” herniated, or ruptured cervical discs.

Using his own patented two-way traction devices, Grand Rapids chiropractor, Dr. Douglas McKenzie, specializes in the treatment of cervical disc injury.  A chiropractor who has developed a specialized natural and unique mechanical approach to cervical disc injury treatment? Who could ask for more?! In his Grand Rapids chiropractic office, his treatments result in pain relief, decrease in tension, increase in motion, and an overall sense of well-being.

Chiropractors, like this Grand Rapids chiropractor, are experts when it comes to knowledge of the spine and musculoskeletal system. If you are looking for relief from your neck pain, you need look no further than your chiropractor. Don’t wait to visit a chiropractor near you. And, call the office of Dr. Douglas McKenzie if you’re in the Grand Rapids area. He’ll evaluate and discover the cause for your neck pain and treat it at its source.

Technorati Tags: cervical adjustments, chiropractic care, chiropractor, neck pain

Visiting a chiropractor in San Jose is actually one of the very best things that you could do to help your arthritis and back pain. Chiropractors are doctors who focus exclusively on working on the musculoskeletal system, and arthritis is a joint problem. Chiropractic treatment has aided many people in slowing the process of arthritis by getting their joints moving. Motion is crucial for joint health. A good chiropractor is extremely knowledgeable in caring for low back pain, even when it is because of arthritis

If you have never gone to a chiropractor previously, you may be a bit concerned about what will occur once you are in the office. It may help to offer a quick summary of what you can look for. You will be asked about your medical history, which will usually include a family background of arthritis. The chiropractor will, no doubt, ask about your current lifestyle and may propose explicit changes that will be beneficial in reducing the irritation attributable to arthritis. And, lastly, you will receive a scrupulous examination. After the testing is completed, the chiropractor will let you know if chiropractic treatment will help your lumbar pain, and also eliminate your debilitating arthritic symptoms. your visit Then you’ll learn about the specific treatment solution you are going to need.

A chiropractic adjustment reduces pain gently and organically, and it is a painless procedure. And, the most terrific aspect of going to a chiropractor for your low back pain and arthritis is that you can feel assured that the source of your pain is being treated, and that the ease you experience is not masking the manifestation of pain, but actually getting rid of the basis of your problem.

Technorati Tags: arthritis, back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, joint inflammation, SAN-JOSE-CA

Highland Chiropractor

It will likely come as no surprise to you that humans require air and water, in that order, for survival. And, the odds are pretty good that you, along with most other adults, haven’t tried to hold your breath to see how long you could go without breathing (or in order to see if mom or dad would give in and give you what you wanted) since you were a child. But, how often do you forgo the other necessity of life…drinking water? And, not just drinking water, but drinking enough water. In order for the human body to function optimally, it needs water (and plenty of it!) Every cell, tissue, organ and system in your body relies on the water you drink. Would it surprise you to know that your saliva, and the fluids around your joints, are essentially water? So, in addition to producing dry mouth, dehydration may make your joints ache. Furthermore, water regulates the temperature and metabolism of your body and keeps your blood circulating. And, there are still more wonders to drinking sufficient water, such as the improvement of nutrient absorption and toxin removal, as well as the reduction of heartburn, hypertension, exhaustion, headaches. Even back pain has been attributed to staying well-hydrated. As a Chiropractor in Highland I make it a point to ask my patients with back pain and joint pain if they are drinking sufficient water on a daily basis, and I advise all of my patients to drink plenty of water on a daily basis.

When it comes to staying well-hydrated, “water on the brain” is a very good thing! Drinking enough water is fundamental for optimum health in all the ways described above and, most likely, in ways that medical science has yet to discover. Now, most humans would not be silly enough to attempt to go through the day without breathing, yet all too often many of us go through our day either not drinking water at all or not drinking enough. Every human body requires good hydration no matter what physical activity someone may engage in throughout the day. Athletes (and you’d think they’d be far more cognizant of the importance of hydration than non-athletes!) are markedly at risk when it comes to functional challenges caused by dehydration. “Physiologically, the core body temperature of an athlete could be higher than it should have been if they were hydrated. Their heart rate will be higher, and they’re going to perceive that they’re working harder than they actually are,” says Researcher, Susan Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training in Indiana State’s College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services.

People often ask how much water is sufficient. Chiropractors like me, your Highland chiropractor, agree with most health care professionals in advising at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day for the majority of our patients. However, we advise even more for our patients who are athletes, or for patients who carry around excess weight or exercise or work where it’s hot. So, what is the key in determining if you’re drinking “enough” water? It’s surprisingly easy! The answer is in the color of your urine. If you’re well-hydrated, your urine will be a light, pale yellow!

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic, dehydration, headaches

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As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I cannot say enough about the crucial issue of excess weight and how it adversely affects every system of the human body. I “preach” 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-

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Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing

Technorati Tags: chiropractic internet marketing, chiropractic marketing, SEO

Santa Barbara Chiropractor

You have, no doubt, heard the old saying, “Growing old isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.” But, if the aging process is creating pain in your body, you know that aging is no joke! As a chiropractor in Santa Barbara, when it comes to musculoskeletal problems, I see too many age-related breakdowns that probably would not have taken place if the exacerbating cause had been addressed earlier. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse frequently create undue stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can result in painful problems over time. But, as another saying goes, “Hindsight is 20-20.” If we only knew years ago how our aging body would feel today!

Back pain is number one on the list as the most common musculoskeletal problem to evolve as we get older. Age-related back pain is most commonly caused by spine osteoarthritis, or Spondylosis, a degenerative disorder.

Spondylosis is caused by increased deterioration and weight-bearing force on the spine that eventually damages discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The specific area(s) and measure of the degenerative process of spondylosis is individual, varying from person to person. The areas that are generally affected are the cervical (neck), thoriacic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back). Spondylosisi symptoms very from person to person and depend on the severity of the degeneration, and can extend from low-amplitude pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy.

Repetitive stresses antagonistically affect the cartilage surrounding the joints and can encourage calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae. Adjacent nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue can be constricted by these calcific deposits, also called bone spurs. This type of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.

Fortunately, whether or not you have developed spondylosis, regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management can noticably decelerate age-related degeneration of your spine. It may be true that “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it’s never too late to give your spine the good treatment it deserves. Chiropractors are experts when it comes to treatment of the spine. See your Santa Barbara Chiropractor today, for the health of your spine.

Technorati Tags: age-related back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, spine osteoarthritis

It isn’t news to anyone that elderly people are more prone to bone fractures, especially of the hip. Fortunately, there are a number of preventative measures that older adults can take to help avoid bone fractures, especially from falls. As a chiropractor, I recommend a number of preventative measures to my older patients, not the least of which is for them to have regular chiropractic treatment to help to improve and maintain balance and to keep their body in good alignment. As far as I’m concerned, in addition to balance challenges and poor muscle strength, an aging body that is out of alignment is a hip condition waiting to fracture.

According to a new study by Dr. Marian Hannan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical school and co-director of the Musculoskeletal Research Program at the Institute for Aging Research, elderly people who eat more protein are less likely to suffer hip fractures. Why? Because consuming proteins such as meat, eggs, fish or cheese helps to build stronger muscles in the legs, which, in turn can reduce an older individual’s chances of falling.  In addition to helping to build stronger muscles, other studies have shown that protein intake can increase bone density.

For more on protein study go to: dailymail.co.uk

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Cincinnati Chiropractor

As a Cincinnati Chiropractor I treat many elders who are affected by balance problems. In fact, dizziness, “wooziness,” and other balance-related conditions affect at least nine percent of adults, aged 65 and over. Good balance is essential, of course, in helping seniors in remaining independent and in avoiding falls and encounter injuries that are often very serious or even fatal. But, did you know that falls contribute to a large percentage of work injuries for adults younger than 65 years of age, including those in their twenties and thirties? That’s right! Balance difficulties can take place at any age. In fact, those who work in”precarious locations” like construction workers, roofers, oil platform employees, windows cleaners, or any other place where a ladder is involved are in danger of serious injury if their balance isn’t good.

The most important action of good balance is to aid us in managing and maintaining our body position, whether standing still or moving, and whether on the ground or high up on a platform. Good balance helps us to walk without faltering, arise from a sitting position without teetering, and to climb stairs without tripping. To sum it up, then, good balance is essential to our health and well-being.

What may be surprising to you is that you could have a balance abnormality without realizing how serious it is. Often times someone can “shake off” a dizzy feeling and it may not return for a while. The problem is that when unexpected dizziness comes about at a consequential moment, it is too late to shake it off and a fall is most likely inevitable.

Vertigo is the medical term for the sensation that you, or things around you, are spinning. Nearly forty percent of individuals in the U.S. will have at least one episode of dizziness that is acute enough to seek out help from a health professional, like your Chiropractor at Cincinnati Chiropractic. That said, if you are involved in any of the activities listed above, it is an extremely good idea for you to have a chiropractor check your balance prior to an unexpected episode of dizziness, instead of as a response to such an episode. Why? Because as a chiropractor, I can not only check your balance, and make adjustments if needed, but can help you to maintain good balance in the future. And, of course, having good balance may save you from serious injury or worse.

Balance disorders are dangerous at any age. If you believe that you might have a possible balance disorder, it is vital for you to be examined and treated without delay. Often guidelines are helpful. Therefore, if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, even if the experience is seldom or infrequent, it is highly recommended that you discuss the symptom(s) with a chiropractor as soon as possible:

• Have you experienced a feeling of being “unsteady?”

• Has the room seemed to spin around you?

• Has there ever a time when you felt as if you were moving when you knew you were standing still?

• Have you lost your balance and/or fallen down?

• Have you ever felt as if you were falling?

• Has your vision ever become “blurred?”

• Have you ever felt disoriented, or lost a sense of time, place or identity?

Remember: Balance problems are not isolated to a particular age group. Our falling down is an ever-present possibility from the time we learn to walk until we take our final step If you work in a job that makes your falling down a “critical” event, you need to have your balance checked. Don’t wait until you sustain a work injury! Call a Chiropractor today, and if you’re in the Cincinnati area, I’d love to be your Cincinnati Chiropractor!

Technorati Tags: balance, chiropractic, chiropractor, dizziness, falls, vertigo

As a chiropractor who works with athletes, both young and old, and one who preaches a healthy diet in addition to regular chiropractic care, I am often asked by my more active patients about “fuel foods,” especially before a big high school football game or prior to a weekend warrior event. The most frequently asked question is: Are carbohydrates the best source to “fuel my sport”? And, my answer is “yes and no.” If you play sports, it’s important for you to know that even though carbohydrates burn off quickly, and are generally the best source of energy (and I recommend them highly), other factors come into play when the body is under the “stress” of the game. And, while pasta, energy bars, fruits, breads, yogurt, potatoes, cereals, and milk may all be great energy foods to eat before your sport, you should also include high sources of protein, including meat and peanut butter. Why? Because even though carbohydrates give you energy, proteins rebuild your cells and help you to maintain your muscle mass. 

Another important thing to remember is that not all carbohydrates are equal. And while healthy fats can be an excellent source of energy during your sport, it isn’t wise before the game to eat fats that digest too slowly, like the fats contained in potato chips, fried foods, doughnuts, candy bars, and other sugary foods. Not only can hard-to-digest fats cause stomach cramping, but these types of fats are hard on the body systems for many reasons.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is important to overall health. But, doing it right and not overdoing it will make a big difference in how well you perform.

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