Posts Tagged ‘chiropractor’
Santa Barbara Chiropractor: ChiropracticTreatment Can Ease The Pain Of Spinal Osteoarthritis (Spondylosis)
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.
Work Injuries, Your Balance, and How Your Cincinnati Chiropractor Can Help
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!
Your San Diego Chiropractor Wants You to Know That Just a Few Additional Pounds Can Make a Big Difference As You Age
As a San Diego Chiropractor, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you let the seams out in those slacks or skirt, there’s something you may want to know about those few extra pounds you may have gained. Over time, those pounds can add up to a substantial number of health problems from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back problems and joint degeneration. Surplus poundage puts undue stress on organs, like the heart, as well as on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. A whopping 62% of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant percentage and a truly gigantic problem (no pun intended).
It is likely no surprise to you to learn that the human body has not evolved to transport surplus poundage in the form of body fat. Just 20 or 30 extra pounds can veritably overload and even overwhelm the joints and muscles of the body. Excess weight in the belly, for example, makes it necessary for the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This shift puts pressure on the joints of the low back. Painful inflammation results as this joint compression hinders nerve activity. Nearly all men and women who have a “spare tire”experience low back pain generated by a compressed sciatic nerve or misalignments of the spinal column that restrict nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. If left untreated, misaligned vertebra not only continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place, but can develop into new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
Here are the ways in which chiropractic treatment can help. First of all, to be clear, a moderate body weight is necessary in order for the musculoskeletal system to perform in the way it is meant to. Chiropractic treatment can not only ease the pain generated by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve compression in the spine and help to get motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, especially in the low back, hips, and knees. And, naturally exercise and physical activity will be a lot easier, and more beneficial for the body, when the the joints have good movement and the spine is aligned. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually delay degenerative changes as the body ages.
Healthcare professionals, like your chiropractor, can talk to you about your diet and exercise alternatives. In addition to assisting people suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors can provide trained suggestions on the particular lifestyle changes that can help a person to stay healthier, more energetic, and more active through the years. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that arthritis and immobility are just a part of the aging process. The structure of the human body is intended to carry a person through an entire lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been thinking that a few extra pounds won’t hurt, think again! As your chiropractor in San Diego, and someone who cares deeply about your overall health, I’d like to help you to make healthier choices. Make an appointment today!
Wichita Chiropractor Wants You to Know That Chiropractic Treatment Can Eliminate Your Sciatic Pain
As a Wichita Chiropractor for over twenty years, I have helped hundreds of individuals suffering from the pain of sciatica, I’m truly aware from experience just how disabling the pain from sciatica can be. Those who suffer from sciatica are unfortunately all too familiar with the deep radiating pain that persists during the day and inhibits almost all of their daily activities.
There is a way to figure out if your low back pain is caused by sciatica. If your pain radiates from your low back, through one or both sides of your buttocks, down the large sciatic nerve in the back of your leg(s), and possibly penetrates into your knee(s), you probably have sciatica. Moreover, sitting, as well as activity, can be painful. Often lying down will lessen, or perhaps even temporarily eliminate the pain. Even so, you should be warned that sciatica cannot be corrected without appropriate treatment.
Radiculopathy
A radiculopathy is a medical term used to describe a condition where a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is creating pressure on the radicular nerve, or nerve root, that forms part of the sciatic nerve in the lower back. This kind of pressure is extremely painful.
Prolonged sitting, especially in an improper position, can create imbalances in the muscles encircling the spine and increased pressure on the intervertebral discs. A specific event or injury isn’t generally the cause of sciatica, instead sciatica has a tendency to develop over time as a result of ordinary wear and tear on the vertebrae of the lower spine. Over the course of time the lower spine can lose its ability to function normally during common stresses.
Ultimately, the intervertebral disc undergoes small fissures or cracks, which then permit the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. Pain is created as the disc pushes on sensitive tissues. This condition is often called a ruptured, or slipped, disc. Sciatica is the result of the disc pressing on the spinal nerve. Fortunately, most disc problems, including sciatica, can be significantly decreased with chiropractic treatment and therapy that frequently includes postural exercises.
Periformis Syndrome
Another cause of sciatic pain is periformis syndrome. Periformis syndrome develops when the periformis muscle, which is superficial to the sciatic nerve, goes into spasm and irritates the nerve. Along with chiropractic manipulation, this type of sciatica can be significantly relieved by sciatica stretches that your chiropractor can recommend.
It is crucial for you to see your chiropractor for treatment if you are experiencing sciatic pain. If you are in the Wichita area, as your Wichita Chiropractor, I invite you to come in to see if I can get you out of pain and help you to get your life back!
Your Oxnard Chiropractor Offers An Unexpected Solution to Your Allergy Symptoms
Dr. Donald Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, is aware that allergic reactions can make your everyday existence miserable. A stroll in the park, snuggling with your favorite feline, a shellfish dinner, or merely something as minute as a nut is likely to bring about such uncomfortable discomforts as itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or a skin rash.
But unfortunately, from time to time a person’s allergic reactions can go from simply uncomfortable to dangerous and life-threatening as the air passageway starts to close and inhaling and exhaling becomes labored. This development of difficulties can frequently bring about a state of panic as well as a trip to the emergency room.
Allergy symptoms can, without a doubt, turn out to be a very challenging interruption and make you feel unable to participate in everyday activities. In fact, should you be one of those unfortunate people who have allergy symptoms, it might even appear to you that, on occasion, the environment is a very antagonistic space and that the planet out there you is, literally, out to get you!
Perhaps you contemplate why it is that others tend to be so immune to the exact same environmental stresses that send your system into overwhelm. Other people seem to be either unaware of or plainly`totally unresponsive to the would-be irritants that lurk at every turn, while your system reacts, or rather overreacts, to them. Why you? A valid question. The answer is that plenty of individuals, not unlike yourself, have a hyperactive immune system that basically “goes wild” whenever you come across everyday substances such as pollen, dander, shellfish, or nut products.
Can your Chiropractor in Oxnard help you in experiencing relief from your allergy symptoms? The answer is a unquestionable “Yes,” and the solution may surprise you. A good number of chiropractic patients have noticed that they experience freedom from their allergy symptoms after a chiropractic adjustment, even though chiropractic care does not actually apply treatment directly to allergies, per se. The biology behind the decline in allergy symptoms is because chiropractic adjustment influences your whole nervous system, including the autoimmune system, and that is at the root of your hypersensitive responses. In cases where there is a agitation in the nervous system, in addition to other challenges, the autoimmune system, whose job it is to assist you to adapt and respond appropriately to your environment, will likely become under-active or overactive. In the case of your allergies, the reaction is the latter (it becomes overactive).
Since chiropractic treatments are intended to lessen or even completely get rid of disruptions within the nervous system and recreate symmetry and relaxation to the complete body, coupled with a number of other corrections, the adjustments furnish homeostasis to the autoimmune system as well. A robust immune system responds in a healthy way to so-called allergens within the environment.
So, as stated previously, your Chiropractor in Oxnard doesn’t really target allergies, but that doesn’t imply your allergies won’t get better or go away completely. On the other hand, you could say, instead, that relief from your allergies is simply the result of your rebalanced nervous system. If you would like to get back into a happy relationship with your natural environment as quickly as is possible, phone Dr. Bolt, your Oxnard Chiropractor, today. He will help you to enjoy your environment again!
Santa Clara Chiropractor: Growing Older Doesn’t have to Be Painful
It probably goes without saying that as we age our body feels and acts differently than it used to when we were younger. It just doesn’t seem fair that as our mind appears to improve and become more “inventive,” our body seems to become less “cooperative.” We’re stiff in the morning; certain activities during the day make us sore at night; and, if we’re not cautious, even a movement as simple as turning too hastily or bending over to pick up a dropped piece of paper, can cause our back or some other muscle group to go into spasm. But, it isn’t necessary for our body to go from bad to worse because there is natural treatment accessible 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 example. Most of us would agree that, with the exception of pharmaceuticals, conventional medicine does little to take care of this age-related condition. What is the basis for such a limited approach? The answer is that most medical professionals focus only on the symptoms of arthritis. The chiropractic approach is to uncover the root of the affliction and treat the pain at its source. For more than a hundred years, chiropractors, like your Santa Clara Chiropractor, have been helping individuals suffering from back pain and other challenges caused by arthritic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
Arthritic changes happen as your body ages because, over time, wear of various joints takes place as a consequence of repetitive stresses, and years of poor gait, bad posture, and lack of beneficial movement. Chiropractic treatment brings back motion into your joints and relieves pain, and it ameliorates any vertebral misalignment that may be causing irritation and restriction. In addition, did you know that misaligned vertebra, along with causing arthritic changes in the spine and escalating pain, can also reduce your resistance and immunity? It’s true, and this may be one of the reasons why it may seem that as you get older you develop more health problems and that it often takes longer for you to feel better again. According to research done on older individuals, those who received regular chiropractic care stayed healthier. In fact, you could say that, as you get older, chiropractic treatment is good for what ails you!
When it comes to the health of the musculoskeletal system, chiropractors are experts whether it’s the small, growing frame of an infant or the full-grown body of an aging adult. Your chiropractor understands the aging process and has special observational and diagnostic skills that help in locating spinal misalignments and joint problems. In fact, a chiropractic examination can often reveal certain age-related changes before they’ve begun to create noticeable pain. Furthermore, your Santa Clara Chiropractor can check your posture and check your gait to ascertain if there are any incorrect patterns that might create further arthritic changes.
So, if you have been feeling your age lately, but you’d like to feel a whole lot better, see your Santa Clara Chiropractor today!
Dr. David Hoewisch is a Santa Clara Chiropractor with over 25 years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1221 Lafayette St., Santa Clara, CA, 95050. Dr. Hoewisch has traveled around the world and is an avid outdoor enthusiast. He is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and learned sign language at an early age. He treats many deaf patients in his clinic. For more information go to his website at http://www.santaclarachiropractor.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Hoewisch
Sacramento Chiropractor: If You Want to Avoid Golf Injuries, Be Prepared!
With any sort of sport, injuries are not unusual. The smart thing to do is to find out what injury is inclined to take place in a particular sport and then to do what it takes to avoid it. The truth is, though, that sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Consequently, it’s important to take excellent care of your body to make getting injured less likely, or less traumatic. The most important thing that you can do is to be certain that you have a suitable fitness level prior to beginning to play a sport, such as golf. By perpetuating a healthy lifestyle, keeping your joints mobile and your muscles limber, warming and stretching your body prior to activity, using proper form and good postures during activity, and allowing yourself an appropriate amount of cool down and relaxation time, you will probably keep your body safe from injury.
It isn’t simply amateur golfers who get injured. Close to one-third of pro golfers play injured concurrently. The good news is that all-round good health and fitness can decrease how many injuries you may acquire and might possibly deter them totally.
Effective body strength in the muscle zones most utilized when golfing is very important. But, it’s essential to make certain your spine is in proper alignment and that it has good mobility before you set out to build muscle strength. A proficient golf swing hinges on your spine’s capacity to effectually move in a rotational action. Back injuries are the most prevalent kind of injuries experienced by golfers. Your Sacramento chiropractor will establish that your spine is in appropriate alignment and that there is good movement of the vertebrae. Chiropractic management can make a big difference in helping you to prevent back injury.
Once you’re “straightened” it’s time to strengthen. Being prepared for your golf game is essential to safe, injury-free action on the green. Golf stretching and flexibility routines will warm up your muscles and make straining them less likely. Whole body range of motion (ROM) exercises will increase flexibility, relatively speedily, in all regions of the body. In addition, elastic band conditioning offers functional golf range of motion improvements and can advance needed energy in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Due to the fact that elastic band training provides the dynamic resistance that regular weight lifting does not, sports professionals, such as your chiropractor, are making them a part of their golf conditioning programs.
In addition to back injuries, a large number of golfers suffer from “Golfer’s Elbow.” Though golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are almost the same injuries, there is a small difference between them. Whereas the outside of the upper arm is impinged in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow disturbs the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be a reaction to a single intense action, such as (in golf) hitting the mat at the driving range or hitting a hard fairway surface. Although, it generally is produced by repetitive stress from smaller shocks. Moreover, it can come upon those who suddenly start playing too much golf. For instance, if those that generally play golf once or twice a month elect to play in a tournament, they are conceivably at risk for contracting the injury.
Golf makes unique requests of the body. The game is ordinarily longer than the majority of other sports and that can cause fatigue. Poor posture and impeded coordination are frequently the consequences of a fatigued body. Together, these two components can cause an assortment of injuries. In addition, due to repetitive swinging of the golf clubs, the shoulder muscles are susceptible to injury. Just as attention should be given to make certain that your muscles are stretched and warmed up prior to starting your golf game, be sure that you rest your body suitable between games.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is, often, a surprising injury associated with golf. But, as it a condition that occurs due to repetitive stress, many games of golf played over several months constantly may produce this injury. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a an extremely damaging injury causing disability and occasionally necessitating surgery. However, chiropractic treatment and, sometimes the use of a brace will help the condition if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, discovers it at an early stage.
Many golfers seem to feel that injuries are simply an inevitable part of a golfer’s life. However, a healthy, mobile spine, judicious preparation, proper exercise and muscle conditioning, reaching and maintaining a a suitable fitness level, and sensible rest and recuperation after your game is over, can make injuries much less a part of your golfing experience.
Dr. Yong Kim is a chiropractor in Sacramento with over thirteen years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1707 Professional Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. He has special training in the area of sports injuries. Dr Kim is himself an avid health enthusiast. For more information go to his website at http://www.sacramentochiropractor.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yong_J_Kim
Seattle Chiropractor: Is Foot Pain As Commonplace As Sinus Headaches?
It’s not surprising that Seattle Chiropractic has treated plenty of foot pain sufferers, and knows all too well how common painful foot problems are nowadays. Here’s why: We’ve all heard that movement is good for the entire body, right? From our head to our toes, our good health is highly affected by how much physical exercise we get on a regular basis. If that’s true, you may be pondering as to why so many people suffer from foot pain. After all, our feet are made for walking, aren’t they? The answer, of course, is “yes,” but they aren’t designed for mistreatment.
The ordinary, healthy individual takes 3,000-5,000 steps per day, not to mention activities such as running and aerobic exercise. Unfortunately, many times those steps are made by people walking inadequately, with poorly aligned gait patterns and inappropriate posture.
Moreover, a significant number of people wear poorly-designed, incorrectly-fitting shoes. Moving the body through space improperly on feet that are inhibited from performing as they were meant to cannot help but to create painful problems not only in a variety of places in the feet, but in other parts of the body, too. For example, if an individual over-pronates (walks like a duck) in a pair of poorly-made or unevenly-worn shoes, or in any pair of high heels, that person will not only develop foot and ankle challenges, but will more than likely experience challenges in the back, knees and legs.
The most prevalent foot problem is Plantar Fascitis (heel pain), which is usually caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is an extraordinary, multi-tasking band of connective tissue that encircles the muscles on the bottom of the foot, adheres the heel bone to the ball of the foot, reinforces the arch, protects the foot, and absorbs shock. Obviously, the healthy function of the plantar fascia is vital for pain-free walking and exercise.
There are many factors that contribute to the development of Plantar Fascitis. Short and tight calf muscles are one factor. Undue stress on the smaller and weaker plantar muscles and fascia occurs when calf muscles get short and tight, exerting a strong pull on the back of the heel bone. You may be wondering how calf muscles get short and tight. In addition to running and jumping activities such as aerobics, volleyball, running, basketball, and tennis, the wearing of high heels can create the problem.
Other factors that can be instrumental in producing Plantar Fascitis include sudden strenuous activity after a period of prolonged inactivity, abnormal gait patterns (such as over-pronation), improper footwear, walking on hard or uneven surfaces (especially barefooted), and obesity.
Once an individual develops Plantar Fascitis, the condition is often difficult to manage and can become extremely painful and tenacious. Plantar Fascitis won’t go away without appropriate care.
If you are suffering from heel pain, your chiropractor will be able to establish the reason for your problem and what chiropractic therapies would be most beneficial. Treatment might include ultrasound therapy, laser, joint manipulation, Graston technique, muscle stretching and strengthening exercises, kinesio taping and, in some cases, orthotics.
Balanced Choices Pave the Way to Good Health and Longevity
Last week I found an article on sciencedaily.com how caffeine reversed memory loss in aged mice bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The article lead with the angle that “Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup.” It went on to discuss coterminous studies published online July 6 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that showed that caffeine notably decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice displaying symptoms of the disease.
However, before you decide to add an extra cup of coffee to your morning routine, let me, Dr. Jamie Phillips warn you that under “Related Stories” on the website were at least two articles about studies that showed the not-so-healthy effects of caffeine, “Morning Jolt of Caffeine May Mask Serious Sleep Problems,” and “Coffee Consumption Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Attack For Persons With Certain Gene Variation.”
Nearly any angle of thought, it seems to me, especially when it has to do with age-related health issues, can be corroborated, or at least bolstered, by other related studies. The “good/bad” studies related to caffeine certainly aren’t, by any means, the only ones. But, it did get me to pondering about the likelihood that there will never be just “one thing” that will irrefutably help we, humans, to live longer, healthier lives. Humans are dynamic, biological beings. We aren’t raised in unnatural confinement We are free to participate in life. And, moreover, though Alzheimer’s disease is likely on the rise, obviously none of us has been “artificially induced to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease,” therefore caffeine isn’t absolutely the “one thing” that is going to prevent or reverse it.
Our body is an exquisite, involved system that is designed to function homeostasis (balance). Consequently good health is about a healthy, balanced attitude towards living, as opposed to our being blindly convinced by the latest health study and “doing” or “overdoing” one particular thing under the illusion that it will reverse all of the other immoderate and unhealthy things we have done to our bodies.
As a doctor of chiropractic in Santa Barbara, it is my belief that every moment of the day we have an opportunity to choose healthfully for our body, decisions that will assist us to live longer, healthier lives. When it comes to what is good for our body, we know what genuinely “feels” right and what doesn’t. So, I just wanted to pass along some thoughts for you to keep in mind the next time you consider having that extra cup of coffee or second glass of red wine. There is no “one thing” that will do “everything” for your good health.
Chiropractic Treatment Can Help Your Child’s Earaches and Ear Infections
Earache is the most widespread basis for office visits to pediatricians. More than 70 percent of children will have had at least one earache by the age of three, and nearly one-third will have had three or more earache incidents. What you might not know, however, is that earache is also the most general reason for children under the age of five years to be escorted by parents to the chiropractor’s office.
How Chiropractic Care Relates to Earache and Ear Infections
A pediatrician who suspects that a child with an earache has a middle ear infection will usually prescribe antibiotics as a typical course of treatment. New analysis, however, has determined that such practices are often misguided. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial pathogens, and due to the fact that the child’s middle ear infection may be generated by a virus, antibiotics are ineffectual. This may be the reason for a child’s chronic ear infections.
One of a number of determinations that a Honolulu chiropractor can make is whether the earache or ear infection is produced by irritation of the small nerves in the spine, called free nerve endings.
An undue tension in the small muscles of the neck is created when these nerve endings are inflammed. Pressure created on the lymphatic drainage ducts as a result of muscle tension can stop adequate drainage from inside the ear. This problem keeps the body from naturally rectifying the problem. Furthermore, balance can also be affected.
Identification by a chiropractor of such a problem is made by the discovery of increased tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles. Normally more tension is felt on the side of earache. In addition, the chiropractor will palpate to see which spinal vertebrae are either moderately out of alignment or not moving within their normal range. There are a number of reasons for such acondition as the result of the many bangs, jolts, and falls the majority of children encounter growing up. Many times, a short regimen of spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles can help to restore normal lymph drainage. If your child is suffering from an earache or an ear infection, see your Honolulu chiropractor as soon as possible.
Advanced Research and Guidelines
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection, the most frequent childhood sickness after the common cold, accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits every year. What’s more, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are causelessly prescribed for the problem.Just recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatric ear inflammation, and expressly recommended a period of “watchful waiting” since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication.
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) applauds the AAP on the guidelines and underlines that chiropractic treatment is a “good first option” for treating ear infection conservatively. “Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success – helping them to avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery,” said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort.”