Chiropractic Care, Ltd.

Poison in the Medicine Cabinet

2012-02-24T05:35:00.000-08:00

Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of liver failure in both the United States and Great Britain. Fifty percent of all acute liver failure in the U.S. is attributed to acetaminophen consumption. While many of these cases result from an overdose, either intentional or unintentional, even "correct dosage" has been linked in some cases to liver damage, liver failure and death. In the United States, approximately 56,000 liver injuries requiring emergency treatment, 26,000 hospitalizations and 458 deaths per year are attributed to acetaminophen consumption.

One of the main problems with this popular drug is how easy it is to overdose unintentionally. The FDA is well aware of the dangers of acetaminophen and recommended stronger label warnings in 2002. In 2009. it recommended that the standard dose be lowered.

Exceptional risk factors for acetaminophen poisoning include:

• fasting (which frequently occurs when people are ill or in extreme pain)
• dieting
• alcohol consumption
• mixing medications (acetaminophen is an ingredient in many cold and flu remedies and pain medications.)
• AIDS
• liver disease
• malnutrition
• anorexia
• kidney disease

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Clean is Green

2012-02-15T04:32:00.000-08:00

What is the grimiest spot in your office? Not the toilet seat for sure! The grimiest spot is actually a three-way tie between your computer keyboard, the telephone handset and every light switch on the office wall.

Advances in cleaning solutions, tools and methods make cleaning jobs easier and green. Here are a few of the best solutions to get rid of our germy problems:

Clean as you go

When we let messes accumulate all week and then do the big warrior cleaning assault on Saturday, the job will be twice as hard, take twice the time and consume more resources. Cleaning as you go will not only save time, but it will save on chemicals, water and electricity use.

Prevent clutter

Seasoned experts claim that 40 percent of home and office care cleaning results from simply too much junk, litter and clutter around the place and under our feet. De-clutter your space by getting rid of old magazines, knickknacks perched on counters, pens that don’t work, computer manuals that are extinct and extra phone books and phones.

Get rid of dirt at the door

It is estimated that 80 percent of the dirt you sweep, dust or vacuum out of your home or office comes in through the entrance. Well-placed mats inside and outside every entrance are a small investment with wonderful returns.

Make cleaning convenient

To keep things in top shape, we need to have cleaning supplies ready to go. Just as we put our necklaces and earrings into jewelry boxes, tools into chests and money into wallets, we should invest in a versatile plastic carry caddy to store and organize our basic cleaning supplies.

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Dr. Kruse's 2012 publications

2012-02-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

During 2011, Dr. Kruse had the honor of being published four times. Dr. Kruse was published again in January, 2012.

Altern Complement Med. 2012 Jan;18(1):96-9.

Large C4/5 spondylotic disc bulge resulting in spinal stenosis and myelomalacia in a Klippel-Feil patient.

Kruse RA, Cambron JA.

Source

1 Chiropractic Care, Ltd. and Chiropractic Care Millennium Park , Chicago, IL.

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this report is to document a case of cervical spinal stenosis and myelomalacia in a patient with Klippel-Feil (KF) syndrome with a large C4/5 disc bulge presenting with cervical radiculopathy. Subject: A 39-year-old man was referred to a private chiropractic practice for a consultation. He complained of limited motion in his neck with pain and numbness radiating down both arms and left leg. Diagnostic imaging revealed KF syndrome and a large spondylotic disc bulge at C4/5 compressing the cord and causing myelomalacia. A plethora of symptoms and objective findings associated with KF syndrome were also present. Results: After reviewing the previous diagnostic imaging, examining this patient, and discovering that upper motor neuron pathological reflexes were present, the patient was recommended to proceed with the surgical intervention as recommended by his neurosurgeon. No chiropractic care was rendered. Conclusions: This patient presented with primary complaints consistent with cervical radiculopathy. However, due to the severity of the neurologic findings and presence of myelomalacia, the patient was not treated. The patient had not previously been diagnosed with KF syndrome, although he presented clinically with many of the congenital issues commonly associated with the condition. This case demonstrates the vital importance of differential diagnostic skills as well as the need to continue fostering improved communication and integration of care among various clinical disciplines for patients presenting with challenging symptoms.

Take a look at the publications page on my web site to read the all the articles.

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A Repeat of Great Winter / Snow Information!

2012-01-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

When snow, ice and frigid weather blast into town, watch out, says the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). Winter recreational activities and chores can pose problems for the outdoor enthusiast whose body is not in condition. Winter sports like skating, skiing and sledding can cause painful muscle spasms, strains or tears if you're not in shape. Even shoveling snow the wrong way, clambering awkwardly over snow banks, slipping on sidewalks and wearing the wrong kinds of clothing can all pose the potential for spasms, strains and sprains.

Simply walking outside in the freezing weather without layers of warm clothing can intensify older joint problems and cause a great deal of pain. As muscles and blood vessels contract to conserve the body's heat, the blood supply to extremities is reduced. This lowers the functional capacity of many muscles, particularly among the physically unfit. Preparation for an outdoor winter activity, including conditioning the areas of the body that are most vulnerable, can help avoid injury and costly health care bills.

"Simply put, warming up is essential," says Olympic speedskating gold and silver medalist Derek Parra. "In fact, when pressed for time, it's better to shorten the length of your workout and keep a good warm-up than to skip the warm-up and dive right into the workout. Skipping your warm-up is the best way to get hurt." Parra, who took both the gold and silver medals during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT, adds that, "You can complete a good warm-up in 15-20 minutes. And believe me, it will make your workout more pleasant and safe."

Derek Parra and the ACA suggest that you start with some light aerobic activity (jogging, biking, fast walking) for about 7-10 minutes. Then follow these tips to help you fight back the winter weather:
•Skiing - do 10 to 15 squats. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, knees aligned over your feet. Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet. Stand up straight again.
•Skating - do several lunges. Take a moderately advanced step with one foot. Let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips. Repeat the process with your other foot.
•Sledding/tobogganing - do knee-to-chest stretches to fight compression injuries caused by repetitive bouncing over the snow. Either sitting or lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and hold for up to 30 seconds.
•Don't forget cool-down stretching for all of these sports - At the bottom of the sledding hill, for instance, before trudging back up, do some more knees-to-chest stretches, or repetitive squatting movements to restore flexibility.

Shoveling snow can also wreak havoc on the musculoskeletal system. The ACA suggests the following tips for exercise of the snow shoveling variety:
•If you must shovel snow, be careful. Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work.
•Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.
•Shoveling can strain "de-conditioned" muscles between your shoulders, in your upper back, lower back, buttocks and legs. So, do some warm-up stretching before you grab that shovel.
•When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don't try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.
•Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.
•Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.
•Stop if you feel chest pain, or get really tired or have shortness of breath. You may need immediate professional help.

After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

If you continue to feel soreness, pain or strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a doctor of chiropractic. "I've always believed in chiropractic care," says Parra. "I've used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn't get fixed until I go to a doctor of chiropractic."

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Healthy Aging

2012-01-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

The number of people living longer is increasing dramatically. An estimated 4.2 million U.S. residents now fall into the age group of the "oldest old"--85 years and older--with more than 40,000 having reached the age of 100. Evidence suggests, however, that good genes are only small part of the longevity puzzle. In fact, researchers now believe that chronic illness is not an inevitable consequence of aging, but that it results more often from lifestyle choices that we're perfectly free to reject. Follow this advice for healthy aging:

• Embrace a positive attitude - positive emotions may affect overall health through improving the immune function indirectly.
• Challenge your mind - consider mentally challenging activities such as crossword puzzles or learning a new language.
• Limit stress - humor, meditation, exercise and optimism are good ways to naturally reduce stress and relieve tension.
• Stay connected - social contacts may encourage us to take better care of ourselves or help us get through difficult times.
• Embrace exercise - find fun ways to stay in shape and feel good, such as dancing, gardening, cutting the grass, swimming, walking or jogging.
• Make healthy diet choices - choose whole natural foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, good (unsaturated) fats, nuts, legumes and healthy sources of protein (white meat, fish and eggs).
• Choose quality health care - be sure that your health care provider supports various approaches to health care to present you with the safest and most effective treatment options available, and that he or she encourages you to be responsible for your health and involves you in decisions regarding your care.

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Everyday Office Ergonomics

2012-01-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

Nearly anyone who has used a computer has experienced discomfort in the neck at some point. The most common cause is overuse of the neck muscles to hold the head up, instead of letting the spine do the job. Follow these tips to minimize discomfort in the workplace.

Adjust the monitor

In general, the screen should be about an arm’s length away and should always be placed at eye level.

Position the chair

Lower the chair until feet are well supported on the ground; adjust the seat depth so there is one-to-three fingers’ space between the front of the chair and the back of the knee; and position armrests so they are one inch below the forearm.

Choose a keyboard

A keyboard that allows angle and pitch adjustments is generally best so as to avoid severely bent wrists. Additionally, a keyboard tray can fix problems such as excessive reach for the keyboard and improper wrist angles when typing.
In addition to following these ergonomic tips, office workers should also take 15-second micro-breaks every hour to shake out their arms and allow their eyes to focus on something farther away than the computer screen.

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Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T22:30:00.000-08:00

As 2012 brings me into my 22^nd year of practice, I am full of gratitude for everyone who has made this journey possible. Running two offices has, at times, been challenging, but I enjoy the diversity of the two locations. The beautiful village of Homewood has been my main office location for over a decade and I am now entering my 4^th year at the Michigan Avenue location, just across from Millennium Park. During 2011, I was honored to have had several published manuscripts; a chapter published in a text book, and have been involved in federally funded research studies. I continued to teach Cox Technic seminars around the country as well as hands-on seminars at my office. My web site is continually updated and I try to provide relevant information through my email blasts and this blog. Here’s wishing you a happy and healthy 2012!

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Dr. Kruse's 2011 publications

2011-12-28T08:01:00.000-08:00

During 2011, Dr. Kruse had the honor of being published four times. Two case reports were published in the peer reviewed Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. One study found a possible connection between low vitamin D levels and a loss of sense of smell. The other case documented the treatment of low back pain in a patient who previously had lumbar spine fusion surgery. A larger research study was also published in the peer reviewed Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics. This retrospective study documented the effective treatment of lower back pain in a group of 32 patients who previously had spinal surgery. Dr. Kruse also had a chapter discussing back pain and pregnancy published in the latest edition of Dr. James Cox's text book on low back pain.

Take a look at the publications page on my web site to read the articles.

Treating Sports Injuries

2011-12-27T09:51:00.000-08:00

Treating Sports Injuries
Sports and exercise are important steps to maintaining health. Unfortunately, however, injuries during participation in sports are all too common. Often, these injuries occur in beginners or those who don’t use proper safety equipment or become overzealous about an exercise regimen.

Strains and Sprains
• An acute twisting or overextension of a joint can lead to tears of muscles and tendons, called “strains,” and tears of ligaments result in “sprains.”
• In mild injuries, just a few fibers are torn or stretched. Severe injuries, where there is a tear through the full thickness of the structure, frequently require surgical intervention.
• The intervertebral disc, a ligament between the vertebrae of the spine that works as a shock absorber, can also be torn, resulting in a disc bulge and/or herniation.
Tendinosis
• In those who are training too much, overuse of a particular joint or joints in the body can result in pain and dysfunction. There injuries are called “overuse syndromes.”
• A common overuse injury is tendinosis, a condition in which the tendon becomes inflamed from repetitive use.
Stress Fractures
• Some athletes may experience a stress fracture, which occurs when an abnormal amount of stress is placed on a normal bone, such as in a runner who rapidly increases the amount of mileage, rather than gradually progressing to longer distances.
• Shin splints are caused by microfractures on the front surface of the tibia (shin bone). This is most often seen in runners, although other athletes can be affected.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Sports injuries are most often diagnosed from the history of the activity which brought on the pain, along with a physical examination. In some cases, X-rays are necessary to rule out a fracture. Fractures require the application of some stabilizing device, such as a cast, after the bone is put back into position. Rarely, surgical intervention is required. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound may also be used.

There is a relatively standard treatment protocol for most types of sports injuries, which involves:
• Rest. Generally no more than 48 hours of rest and/or immobilization is needed, depending on the severity of the injury.
• Ice or heat can help with pain reduction and tissue healing.
• Compression of the area may reduce the amount of swelling from the injury.
• Elevation of the injured arm or leg above the level of the heart is thought to be helpful in reducing swelling.
• Joint manipulation. Recent research has shown that, in some cases, joint manipulation can help with pain reduction and more rapid recovery.
Prevention
In many cases, sports injuries can be prevented. Proper conditioning, warm-up and cool-down procedures, understanding proper techniques and using appropriate safety equipment can substantially reduce injuries.

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Massage Gift Certificates...Perfect!

2011-12-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

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Food Allergy and Intolerance

2011-11-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

Food allergies and intolerances are often misunderstood. Although many people have adverse reactions to certain foods, true food allergy—a reaction triggered by the immune system—is uncommon.

What is a food allergy?

Food allergies occur when the immune system has an abnormal response to an otherwise harmless food. Once the immune system mistakenly decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to it. The next time you eat that food, the immune system releases neutralizing chemicals, including histamine, to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin and/or the cardiovascular system.

What is food intolerance?

A food intolerance is a digestive system response—not an immune system response. It occurs when something in a food irritates a person’s digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest or break down the food—often due to a lack of a specific enzyme.

If you have a food allergy, eating even the smallest amount of the food may trigger a serious allergic reaction. But if you have a food intolerance, you can often eat small amounts of the food without a problem.

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Don't Take Arthritis Lying Down

2011-11-19T06:07:00.000-08:00

Don't Take Arthritis Lying Down

Years ago, doctors hardly ever told rheumatoid arthritis patients to "go take a hike" or "go for a swim." Arthritis was considered an inherent part of the aging process and a signal to a patient that it's time to slow down. But not so anymore. Recent research and clinical findings show that there is much more to life for arthritis patients than the traditional recommendation of bed rest and drug therapy.

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The word "arthritis" means "joint inflammation" and is often used in reference to rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic diseases include more than 100 conditions, including gout, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and many more. Rheumatoid arthritis is also a rheumatic diseases, affecting about 1 percent of the U.S. population (about 2.1 million people.)1 Although rheumatoid arthritis often begins in middle age and is more frequent in the older generation, it can also start at a young age.

Rheumatoid arthritis causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints. Several features distinguish it from other kinds of arthritis:

• Tender, warm, and swollen joints.
• Fatigue, sometimes fever, and a general sense of not feeling well.
• Pain and stiffness lasts for more than 30 minutes after a long rest.
• The condition is symmetrical. If one hand is affected, the other one is, too.
• The wrist and finger joints closest to the hand are most frequently affected. Neck, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, ankle, and feet joints can also be affected.
• The disease can last for years and can affect other parts of the body, not only the joints.2
Rheumatoid arthritis is highly individual. Some people suffer from mild arthritis that lasts from a few months to a few years and then goes away. Mild or moderate arthritis have periods of worsening symptoms (flares) and periods of remissions, when the patient feels better. People with severe arthritis feel pain most of the time. The pain lasts for many years and can cause serious joint damage and disability.

Should Arthritis Patients Exercise?

Exercise is critical in successful arthritis management. It helps maintain healthy and strong muscles, joint mobility, flexibility, endurance, and helps control weight. Rest, on the other hand, helps to decrease active joint inflammation, pain, and fatigue. For best results, arthritis patients need a good balance between the two: more rest during the active phase of arthritis, and more exercise during remission.2 During acute systematic flares or local joint flares, patients should put joints gently through their full range of motion once a day, with periods of rest. To see how much rest is best during flares, patients should talk to their health care providers.3

The following exercises are most frequently recommended for patients with arthritis:*

Type of Exercise Benefits Frequency of Exercise

Range-of-motion exercises, e.g. stretching and dance Help maintain normal joint movement and increase joint flexibility. Can be done daily and should be done at least every other day.

Strengthening exercises, e.g. weight lifting Help improve muscle strength, which is important to support and protect joints affected by arthritis. Should be done every other day, unless pain and swelling are severe.

Aerobic or endurance exercises, e.g. walking, bicycle riding, and swimming Help improve the cardiovascular system and muscle tone and control weight. Swimming is especially valuable because of its minimal risk of stress injuries and low impact on the body. Should be done for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week unless pain and swelling are severe.

* Adapted from Questions and Answers about Arthritis and Exercise.3

If patients experience
• Unusual or persistent fatigue,
• Increased weakness,
• Decreased range of motion,
• Increased joint swelling, or
• Pain that lasts more than one hour after exercising, they need to talk to their health care provider.3 Doctors of chiropractic will help arthritis patients develop or adjust their exercise programs to achieve maximum health benefits with minimal discomfort and will identify the activities that are off limits for this particular arthritis patient.

Nutrition for the Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient

Arthritis medications help suppress the immune system and slow the progression of the disease. But for those who prefer an alternative approach, nutrition may provide complementary support. Some evidence shows that nutrition can play a role in controlling the inflammation, and possibly also in slowing the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.

Some foods and nutritional supplements can be helpful in managing arthritis:

• Fatty-acid supplements: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and gamma linolenic acid (GLA). Several studies point to the effectiveness of these fatty acid supplements in reducing joint pain and swelling, and lessening reliance on corticosteroids.4,5
• Deep-sea fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring, and halibut, are sources of EPA and DHA. GLA is found in very few food sources, such as black currants and borage seed.
• Turmeric, a spice that's used to make curry dishes, may also be helpful. A 95 percent curcuminoid extract has been shown to significantly inhibit the inflammatory cascade and provide relief of joint inflammation and pain.
• Ginger extract has been shown to be beneficial in terms of inflammation.
• Nettle leaf extract may inhibit some inflammatory pathways.
• A vegetarian or low-allergen diet can help with the management of rheumatoid arthritis as well.

The benefits and risks of most of these agents are being researched. Before taking any dietary supplement, especially if you are using medication to control your condition, consult with your health care provider.

What Can Your Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor of chiropractic can help you plan an individualized exercise program that will:

• Help you restore the lost range of motion to your joints.
• Improve your flexibility and endurance.
• Increase your muscle tone and strength.

Doctors of chiropractic can also give you nutrition and supplementation advice that can be helpful in controlling and reducing joint inflammation.
________________________________________

References
1. Questions and Answers about Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. February 2002. Available from http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/artrheu.htm.
2. Handout on Health: Rheumatoid Arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Jan. 1998, revised Nov. 1999. Available from http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/rahandout.htm.
3. Questions and Answers about Arthritis and Exercise. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. May 2001. Available from http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/arthexfs.htm.
4. Fortin Paul R., et al. Validation of a meta-analysis: the effects of fish oil in rheumatoid arthritis. J Clin Epidemiol, Vol. 48, 1995, pp. 1379-90.
5. Navarro Elisabet, et al. Abnormal fatty acid pattern in rheumatoid arthritis - A rationale for treatment with marine and botanical lipids. J Rheum, Vol. 27, February 2000, pp. 298-303.

Visit the ACA Site, click here

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Stability Balls

2011-11-12T16:12:00.000-08:00

Stability balls, also known as exercise balls, Swiss balls, Physio balls, etc., are a low-cost versatile piece of equipment that can help improve core strength, facilitate flexibility exercises, and add variety to traditional fitness routines.

The exercise ball introduces an element of instability that isn’t available in a floor exercise. The body naturally and automatically responds to this instability by engaging the core muscles, both those in the abdominals and back and in the pelvic floor and hips. Over time, the core muscles strengthen, resulting in better posture, improved balance and enhanced athletic ability.

Choosing a stability ball
It’s important to buy the right size ball and maintain the proper air pressure. The firmer the ball, the more difficult the exercise will be. However, if you are overweight, an older adult, generally deconditioned, or just beginning a fitness routine, you may want to consider using a larger, softer ball. When sitting on the ball, make sure your hips are level—or just slightly higher than the knees.

Basic Exercises
Basic Abdominal Crunch: Lie on your back with your calves resting on the top of the ball. Curl your upper body, squeezing your abdominals and lifting your shoulders and upper back.

Body Ball Crunch: Lie on the ball with your back supported at the arch. Cross your arms behind your head or across your chest. Keep both feet on the floor. Curl your upper body, squeezing your abdominals and lifting your shoulders and upper back. Return to starting position. Do not pull on your head and neck.

Ball Pushups: Place the front of your knees and shins on the ball and your hands flat on the floor. Look down at the floor and lower your face to within a few inches of it, then push back up to the starting position. Increase the challenge by walking further out so that only your ankles are supported by the ball

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Our new Video!

2011-11-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

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Key to Senior Fitness: Chiropractic Care and a Healthy Lifestyle

2011-11-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

Over the hill at age 65? Ready for the rocker at 70? Not these days. Americans are living longer and making more of their later years. One key is exercise.

"Perhaps the most debilitating influence in people's health as they age is a sedentary life," said Dr. Richard Brassard, president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). "Exercise of some type is all but mandatory."

Otherwise, an individual may set him or herself up for broken bones, circulation problems caused by atrophying blood vessels, and a myriad of other physical problems associated with aging.

"Exercise, however, can improve a person's mobility, digestive processes and circulation. It can also reduce anxiety. Add proper nutrition and you have the makings of a naturally healthy lifestyle," said Dr. Brassard. "Following a healthy diet is another way of extending your golden years as long as possible."

Dr. Brassard and the ACA suggest the following tips to help seniors maintain a healthy lifestyle:

Walking

• Walking improves elasticity in blood vessels, which makes them less susceptible to formation of aneurysms or rupture.
• Start with one-third of a mile per day - one-sixth out and one-sixth back. (Measure the distance with your car.) Do that three days a week for a month, then double the distance, working gradually up to at least one mile a day, three days a week.
• Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. If you experience more than soreness, check with your chiropractor.

Stretching
• The average person should stretch to prevent the bowing or stoop caused by shortening of ligaments. A stoop can inhibit normal breathing.
• Stretch the groin muscles by sitting on the floor and bending one leg to the side and back as far as possible. Or sit Indian fashion on a cushion and watch television. A relaxed stretch is the goal.
• Stretch the back leg muscles by putting your hands on a wall, one foot flat on the floor behind you. Then lean into the wall. Or stand up straight and bend over. Or sit with one foot on an ottoman and bend forward.

Eating Right
• Make sure you have a properly balanced diet. If you take vitamins, take them with a meal. Drink 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day to help keep the kidneys active, dilute and remove toxins from the body, and replace lost fluids. (Coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol are diuretics. Don't substitute them for water.)
Dr. Brassard suggests seeing your chiropractor regularly as well. "He or she has the expertise to help keep you in the mainstream of life."

Visit the ACA Site, click here

Please visit our website for more information - click here -
or call our Chicago office: 312-269-5556
or our Homewood office 708.798.5556

Proper Posture

2011-10-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

We often hear that good posture is essential for good health, but very few people have a real grasp of the importance and necessity of good posture, or the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture is the correct alignment of body part supported by the right amount of muscle tension against gravity. Follow this advice for standing, sitting and lying properly:

• When sitting, keep your feet flat on the floor with a small gap between the back of your knees and the front of your seat. Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips.
• When standing, bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet and keep your knees slightly bent. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart and your earlobes should be in line with your shoulders to keep your head from jutting forward, backward or to the side.
• Avoid sitting or standing in the same position for long periods of time.
• Sleep with a pillow and avoid lying on your stomach. If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs. If you sleep on your back, keep a pillow under your knees.

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Raking Leaves

2011-10-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

Before you rev up the lawnmower or reach for your rake this fall, consider the possible consequences: upper or lower-back strain, neck strain and pain in the shoulders.

Just as playing football or golf can injure your body, the twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can also cause injury if your body is not prepared. Like an athlete, if you leap into something without warming up or knowing how to do it, the chances of injury are greater.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause.
• Do stretching exercises, without bouncing, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes spread over the course of your work. Do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.
• Stand as straight as possible, and keep your head up as you rake or mow.
• When it's still warm outside, avoid the heat. If you're a morning person, get the work done before 10 a.m. Otherwise, do your chores after 6 p.m.
• When raking, use a "scissors" stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.
• Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.
• When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.
• If your mower has a pull cord, don't twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.
• Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And, to avoid blisters, try wearing gloves. If your equipment is loud, wear hearing protection. If you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.
• Try ergonomic tools, too. They're engineered to protect you when used properly.
• If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there's no improvement in two or three days, see your local doctor of chiropractic.

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Beware... text neck from too much gadget use!

2011-10-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

First, too much texting caused some people to come down with painful Blackberry Thumb. Now today’s technology is being blamed for another malady: text neck.

Doctors and chiropractors say people hunched over their mobile gadgets are developing neck strain, headaches and pain in the shoulders and, sometimes, in arms and hands. What’s more, all that curving of the body to text, type, watch videos and play games could cause debilitating pain that lasts a lifetime, they warn.

“This is a global epidemic,” says Dean L. Fishman, a chiropractor who practices at the Text Neck Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He trademarked Text Neck and changed the name of his practice after noticing 90 percent of his patients coming in with the same complaint. His youngest patient is a 3-year-old, who’s in love with playing games on an electronic device.

“It’s starting younger and younger. There are more than six billion phones connected, and that’s not counting the Kindles, iPads, tablets and all these devices we rely on daily,” Fishman says. “Go outside, to a restaurant, the supermarket, a gym, the airport and notice the posture of almost everyone around you. You will see this everywhere, and now multiply that by every city in the world.”

American sent 110 billion text messages in December 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau reported, and that number can only be increasing.

Fishman says text neck is actually not a new condition, but it’s getting more attention because so many people are suffering from it. Doctors used to call it forward head posture, but Fishman noticed his patients better understood what he was talking about when he used the term text neck.

Richard Wells, professor of applied sciences at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, wondered about the effects of technology on our bodies and conducted what is believed to be the world’s first research study on text neck.
He found that among 140 students who participated in an online survey, twice as many experienced pain in their shoulders, neck and other areas when they used their devices three hours or more a day compared to those who used their devices for less time. The study was published in the January 2011 edition in the Journal of Applied Ergonomics.

“We learned the longer people use mobile devices, cell phones, PDAs — all the things we use to communicate with that have little keyboards — the more they have pain in their necks, shoulders and thumbs,” he says.

Texas chiropractor Cynthia Vaughn and spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association says text neck is affecting tens of thousands of people here in the United States because nearly everyone has a cell phone. “It’s a known phenomenon and that’s increasing and doctors need to educate their patients on the proper ergonomics of this.”

Preventing text neck

Learning to hold your arms out and look straight ahead may initially seem awkward, but it can save your neck and spine, she says. Taking frequent breaks every 15 minutes and holding your head back also helps alleviate symptoms. The American Chiropractic Association also warns people to tuck their chins down to their chest, if you must look down rather than holding your arms out. Stretch your hands; squeeze a stress ball and stretch your chest by standing up straight with arms down at your side. Turn your forearms until your thumbs are pointing at the wall behind you.

“I tell my patients the easiest thing to do is pick up the phone and call people,” Vaughn says. “Phones still call out. If you’re not going to call people, take the time to drop your head back every few minutes.”

For those who already have neck and shoulder pain, Fishman says his patients have found relief by coming in for adjustments. Chiropractors and orthopedic specialists most often treat the issue.

Fishman also created a new Android app, called Text Neck, which gives users a green light when they are properly holding their phones and a red light when they are holding their heads down and rounding their shoulders. The application also can send reports to parents who can monitor their children’s posture while using their phones.

“We teach our patients to pull the shoulder blades back and down,” he says. “In our research, we found the people who made the most improvement in the restoration in the curve of their neck came from people who made the biggest change and stopped hanging down low.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44820101/ns/health-health_care/t/beware-text-neck-too-much-gadget-use/#.Tprx-o6kdBk

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Tips for Healthy Aging

2011-10-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

Tips for Healthy Aging

The number of people living longer is increasing dramatically. An estimated 4.2 million U.S. residents now fall into the age group of the “oldest old”—85 years and older—with more than 40,000 having reached the age of 100. In fact, centenarians (those 100 and older) are the fastest-growing subpopulation of the elderly, and by 2050, according to census projections, 1 million Americans will celebrate their 100th birthdays.

At the same time, a growing body of evidence suggests that good genes are only a small part of the longevity puzzle. In fact, researchers now believe that chronic illness is not an inevitable consequence of aging, but it results more often from lifestyle choices that we’re perfectly free to reject.

So what are centenarians’ secrets to healthy old age? Experts recommend the following:

Embrace a Positive Attitude

Centenarians tend be very optimistic and always hope for the best. According to research, having a positive attitude is key to the ability to live longer and can lead to a healthier, higher quality of life. Researchers speculate that positive emotions may directly affect overall health, perhaps through direct mechanisms, such as immune function, or indirectly, for example, by strengthening social support networks.

Stimulate Your Mind

Research shows the more educated we are, the longer we live. And the benefits of education are even more pronounced when learning continues throughout our lives. Most centenarians take advantage of opportunities and possibilities that have not been available to them earlier in their lives, such as second careers, volunteer activities, musical instruction, writing, various classes in areas of interest or travel. In addition, you may want to consider mentally challenging activities such as crossword puzzles or learning a new language.

Limit Stress and Stay Connected

Protect your mental and physical health by managing your stress at work and at home. Humor, meditation, exercise and optimism are good ways to naturally reduce stress and relieve tension.

Stay in touch with family and friends. Those who maintain a close network of social support do best. Social contacts may encourage us to take better care of ourselves—by cutting down on smoking and drinking, for example, or seeking medical treatment earlier for symptoms that may indicate serious problems. Friends may also help us get through difficult times by offering coping mechanisms and having a positive effect on mood and self-esteem.

Take Advantage of Your Genes

Good health practices will help you make up for at least some of the genetic difference between you and centenarians. Essentially, you can compensate for bad genes by healthy living—or ruin perfectly good genes with poor habits. Smoking and excessive alcohol intake, for example, increases the risk of many chronic diseases. As you age, be sure to get regular health screenings.

Support Your Body with Exercise

Find fun ways to stay in shape, such as dancing, gardening, swimming, walking or jogging. Include strength training, as directed by a personal trainer or health care provider, to maintain muscle mass. Increased muscle tissue burns fat more efficiently, reduces your heart disease risk, and lessens your chance of a broken hip from falling. For adults, a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week is recommended.

Make Healthy Diet Choices

What you eat and drink—and what you don't eat and drink—can make a big difference to your health. To prevent weight gain and maintain good health, pay special attention to eating efficiently. Choose foods that maximize nutritional value and minimize calories.

Overly processed foods often contain more calories and fewer nutrients. Choose, instead, whole, natural foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, good (unsaturated) fats, nuts, legumes and healthy sources of protein (white meat, fish and eggs).

Choose a Good Health Care Provider

Even if you are healthy and make good preventative choices, it is essential to have access to a good, trustworthy health care provider.

A health care provider should:

• Know and support all forms of healing and various approaches to health care to present patients with the most effective, safest preventative or treatment options available.
• Emphasize prevention and whole-person wellness.
• Teach healthy living practices.
• Involve patients in decisions regarding their care—except for acute, potentially life-threatening emergencies.
• Encourage patients to be responsible for their health.

Chiropractic Care Can Help

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about other ways to improve your quality of life. Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to examine and treat the entire body with specific emphasis on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, wellness and prevention.

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Blackberry Thumb

2011-10-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

Together with several other repetitive stress injuries that are showing up in this fast-paced, technology-focused era is a condition known in popular culture as BlackBerry® thumb. Blackberry thumb is the joint and wrist pain and inflammation caused by the overuse of any personal digital assistant (PDA) or Smartphone. Red flags that signal a need to change how we use PDAs, and possibly the need to consult with a qualified health care professional, are occasional aches in any or all of those areas. Left untreated, BlackBerry thumb can develop into severe pain, weakness, and even disability.

What Causes It?
BlackBerry thumb occurs as the result of asking the thumb joints to repeatedly perform the same action too often. Excessive tapping, flicking, and clicking do our thumbs no favors. X-ray and exam findings can determine if a patient has BlackBerry thumb.
Some sports enthusiasts like to “work through pain.” They believe that by pushing the body beyond its current limits, it will gradually become accustomed to new demands placed on it. That approach does not work with joints. And since BlackBerry thumb is a joint problem, forcing thumbs to go above and beyond will only lead to further trouble.

Typical Treatments
Patients will often be asked to rest the thumbs as part of treatment. Medical treatment typically consists of resting or splinting the thumb, anti-inflammatory medicines, cortisone injections and, as a last resort, surgery.

What Might a DC Suggest?
Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) are educated to use a variety of non-drug, non-surgical
approaches to BlackBerry thumb. Giving your thumbs a chance to start the healing process may include a program of rest, thumb strapping, and gentle stretches or targeted massage. A DC may decide to use Instrument-Assisted Soft-Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) to help alleviate the problem. One of the better-known of such techniques is Graston Technique®, which utilizes stainless steel instruments in the hands of practitioners skilled at treating damaged soft tissues.

What Can I Do To Help Myself?
Whatever we might wish them to do, doctors cannot simply make BlackBerry thumb “go
away” without the cooperation of the patient. Moderation and flexibility in how we use PDAs are key. When it comes to BlackBerry thumb, the following tips can make our PDAs do what they were designed to do—serve us, not hurt us:

• Avoid typing for more than three minutes without a break.
• Hold the PDA comfortably and close to the body.
• Insert it into a holder and set it on a desk or a briefcase.
• Turn the device off on the weekend—or at least on Sundays.
• Decide that you will check emails and text messages just four times a day.
• Cut back on the number of keystrokes and keep messages short and simple.
• Abbreviate.
• Consider using the AutoText feature.
• If a message must be longer, use your computer keyboard, not your PDA.
• Practice using other fingers for typing—especially when thumbs hurt.
• If thumbs are in pain, use a thumb or wrist support.
• Pay attention to your grip. Keep wrists upright and straight.
• Don’t slouch while texting. Slouchers often develop neck pain, in addition to thumb
pain.

For more information from the American Chiropractic Association on how to getTechno Healthy, visit www.TechnoHealthy.com.

October 2011
For more information on injury prevention and wellness, or to find a doctor of chiropractic near you, go to the patient information section on ACA’s Web site at www.acatoday.org/Patients or call 800-986-4636.
This patient information page is a public service of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association. The information and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in most instances, but they are not a substitute for a diagnosis by a specialist. For specific information concerning your health condition, consult your doctor of chiropractic. This page may be reproduced noncommercially by doctors of chiropractic and other healthcare professionals to educate patients. Any other reproduction is subject to ACA approval.

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2011-09-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

It has been an exciting week for me!!!
I was featured as a highly rated chiropractor on the 'page of happiness' in the September 2011 issue of the Angie's List magazine. My study on the Cox Chiropractic treatment of lower back pain which remained or developed after spinal surgery, was published in a leading chiropractic journal. This paper was also described as a 'paper of great clinical value' by Dr. James Cox and was the featured paper in the August edition of Dr. Cox's 'Clinical Pearls'. Chiropractic Care Millennium Park also won the 2011 CMUS Talk of the Town Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction.

And, from Angie's List

Chicago chiropractors give relief to many...

Date Published: August 19 2011
by Michael Schroeder

Angie's List member Garry Parks of Buffalo Grove couldn't find relief fast enough after badly straining his back last summer doing yardwork, and decided to visit highly rated chiropractor Ralph Kruse Jr. at Chiropractic Care in Chicago. He got in the same day and hasn't looked back since the first adjustment. "I haven't had any issues all year," Parks says. "I'm like, wow."

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Chiropractic Management Of Postsurgical Lumbar Spine Pain

2011-09-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

Kruse, RA; Cambron, J: Chiropractic Management Of Postsurgical Lumbar Spine Pain: A Retrospective Study Of 32 Cases. Journal Of Manipulative And Physiological Therapeutics 2011;34(6):408‐412

Objective: Although chiropractic manipulation is commonly used for low back pain, applying this procedure to the patient with post lumbar spine surgery has not been adequately studied.

The purpose of this retrospective chart review is to report on the results of chiropractic management (including Cox flexion distraction technique) of patients with postsurgical lumbar spine pain to determine the change in reported pain based on surgical type.

Methods: Ten years of patient files from one chiropractic practice were electronically screened for lumbar spine surgery occurring before presenting for chiropractic care. Of the 58 patients with a postsurgical diagnosis, 32 files contained all pertinent components for this study including treatment with Cox flexion distraction manipulation (in addition to adjunct procedures) for at least 2 weeks and pretreatment and post‐treatment pain measures using the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS) that ranged from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

Results: A change was observed in the mean pretreatment and post‐treatment NPS pain scores of 6.4 to 2.3, a reduction of 4.1 of 10. The mean number of treatments was 14, with a range of 6 to 31. When stratified by surgical type, the mean change in pain was most remarkable in patients who underwent a surgery that combined lumbar discectomy, fusion, and/or laminectomy, with an average NPS pain reduction of 5.7 of 10. No adverse events were reported for any of these postsurgical patients.

Conclusions: The results of this study showed improvement for patients with low back pain subsequent to lumbar spine surgery who were managed with chiropractic care.

32 CASES OF POST SURGICAL CONTINUED PAIN WERE TREATED WITH COX FLEXION DISTRACTION MANIPULATION (IN ADDITION TO ADJUNCT PROCEDURES) FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS. PRETREATMENT AND POST TREATMENT PAIN MEASURES USING THE NUMERIC PAIN SCALE (NPS) SHOWED A REDUCTION OF 4.1 OF 10 NPS VALUES WITH A MEAN NUMBER OF 14 TREATMENTS. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY SHOWED IMPROVEMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN SUBSEQUENT TO LUMBAR SPINE SURGERY WHO WERE MANAGED WITH COX FLEXION DISTRACTION CHIROPRACTIC CARE

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Tips for a Healthy Spine

2011-09-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

Tips for a Healthy Spine

A healthy spine is an often overlooked and essential part of a healthy lifestyle. People who suffer from back pain, particularly if it is long-term, are generally less healthy than those who do not. In fact, back pain costs are staggering not only financially, but also in terms of lost time from work and because of psychosocial problems that arise during the healing process associated with long-term back pain.

Unfortunately, approximately 80-90% of the population suffers from spinal pain at some point. People who are overweight or obese, and who smoke, lift heavy objects, or had a previous episode of back pain, are more likely to experience back pain.

Because so many people suffer from spine pain, it’s important for you to try to keep your spine as healthy as possible. Following simple posture, lifting, and healthy lifestyle guidelines can help you keep your back in good shape.

The American Chiropractic Association recommends the following spinal health tips:

Standing

• When standing, keep one foot slightly in front of the other, with your knees slightly bent. This position helps to take the pressure off your low back.
• Do not stand bent forward at the waist for prolonged periods of time. The muscles in your low back become deconditioned in this position, which may lead to pain.

Lifting

• At all times, avoid twisting while lifting. Twisting is one of the most dangerous movements for your spine, especially while lifting.
• If the item is too heavy to lift, pushing it is easier on your back than pulling it. Whenever possible, use your legs, not your back or upper body, to push the item.
• If you must lift a heavy item, get someone to help you.

Sitting

• Keep your knees slightly higher than your hips, with your head up and back straight.
• Avoid rolling your shoulders forward (slouching).
• Try to maintain the natural curve in your low back.

Reaching and Bending

• When reaching for something above shoulder level, stand on a stool. Straining to reach such objects may not only hurt your mid-back and neck, but it can also bring on shoulder problems.
• Do NOT bend over at the waist to pick up items from the floor or a table.
• Instead, kneel down on one knee, as close as possible to the item you are lifting, with the other foot flat on the floor and pick the item up.
• Or bend at the knees, keep the item close to your body, and lift with your legs, not your back.

Carrying

• When carrying objects, particularly if they are heavy, keep them as close to your body as possible.
• Carrying two small objects—one in each hand—is often easier to handle than one large one.

Healthy Diet and Exercise

• While the proverbial jury is still out, we suspect that extra weight puts undue strain on your spine. Keep within 10 lbs. of your ideal weight for a healthier back.
• “Beer belly” is likely the worst culprit, as it puts unwanted pressure on the muscles, ligaments and tendons in your low back.
• The most efficient and effective way to reduce weight is by eating a sensible diet and exercising regularly.
• Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, particularly if you have a health condition.

Sleeping

• Sleeping on your back puts approximately 50 pounds of pressure on your spine. Other positions may be better.
• Placing a pillow under your knees while lying on your back cuts the pressure on your spine roughly in half.
• Lying on your side with a pillow between your knees may also reduce the pressure on your back.
• Never sleep in a position that causes a portion of your spine to hurt. Most often, your body will tell you what position is best.

Quit Smoking

Smokers have more spine pain than nonsmokers, and they also heal more slowly when they have an episode of back pain because the chemicals in tobacco smoke restrict the flow of blood to the tissues in and around your spine.

While following these instructions is no guarantee that you’ll be free from back pain for your entire life, it can certainly reduce your risk of developing it. These simple steps will help you keep your spine in good shape, making you a healthier, happier person.

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Tennis, Anyone?

2011-09-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

Tennis is commonly considered an elite game, thanks to the country clubs that once provided the vast majority of tennis facilities. The combination of both high- and low-exertion levels of the game, however, can bring not only a unique exercise experience, but also tremendous health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart attack. Follow these tips to avoid injury when serving up a game.

• Choosing a racquet - The grip of the racquet should be thick enough for your hand to fit around it without having your thumb and fingers overlap one another and the hitting area should be 105 square inches or smaller as an oversized racquet will tend to catch the ball on the extreme edge and this can twist your hands and wrists beyond their normal range of motion.
• Selecting a court – Find a tennis court with a surface that has some give, such as cushioned surfaces or even grass.
• Learn proper form – As a beginner take lessons to learn good tennis habits and proper form, which will help take the pressure off your wrists, spine and hips.
• Warm up – Before jumping right into your first serve, take a minute to rotate your legs, shoulders, hands and elbows in a slow, circular motion.
• Drink lots of water – When playing tennis, avoid drinking sodas because your body must use more water to push them out of your system than they put into your body.

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Stop Dreaming About Quality Sleep and Do Something!

2011-08-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

Stop Dreaming About Quality Sleep and Do Something!

An old Chinese proverb states, "Only when one cannot sleep does one know how long the night is." Anyone who's ever experienced an occasional bout with insomnia—and that's most of us—can relate to this all too well.

In fact, surveys have shown that between 40 and 60 percent of the general population has trouble sleeping. Daily stress and worries, pressures from job and family, body aches and pains caused by uncomfortable beds or pillows, and a host of other issues can keep a person from getting enough quality sleep.

Sleep is critical to good health and functioning, so lack of it is a serious matter. "Sleep is one of the most important functions of the brain," says Frederick R. Carrick, DC, PhD, president of the American Chiropractic Association's Council on Neurology. Through it, our bodies recharge and renew for the next day's challenges.

As wellness experts, doctors of chiropractic can provide patients with a different approach to their sleeping problems— without the use of sleeping pills, which leave many people in a mental haze the next morning. To start, here are a few helpful tips they would recommend for the sleepless in Seattle (or any city, for that matter):

• Exercise regularly. Exercising in the morning is best, but if you must exercise in the evening, do so at least two or three hours before bedtime. Any later, and your increased heart rate can interfere with your sleep.
• Limit your intake of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, colas and tea—try to avoid them altogether late in the day and near bedtime. In addition, for each cup of caffeinated beverages you drink each day, drink an equal amount of water.
• If you have trouble sleeping and then get thirsty, drink tap water at room temperature (cold water may disturb the digestive system).
• Eat an early dinner. Eating after 6 p.m. may interfere with sleep as your body works to digest the food you’ve eaten.
• Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning. The routine will help your body know when it is time to rest.
• Keep your bedroom at a cool, comfortable temperature and try to make it as dark as possible when you’re ready for bed.
Creating a comfortable place to sleep by choosing the correct mattress and pillow is also essential to getting the quality sleep that your body needs to function at its best.
A mattress, for instance, should support the body’s weight evenly and allow the spine to stay in its natural alignment. Choosing the right one is a personal matter.

“There are a wide variety of comfort preferences. It’s very subjective,” says Brian Darcy, operations manager for Springwall, the manufacturer of premium-quality Chiropractic® sleep sets that ACA has endorsed for the past 38 years.

But regardless of whether you like your mattress firm or soft, give it a good trial run before you buy. Darcy recommends lying down on a mattress for a minimum of three to five minutes to get a good feel. Sitting on it simply won’t do.
Useful mattress facts...

• A mattress should provide uniform support from head to toe. If there are gaps between your body and your mattress (such as at the waist), you're not getting the full support that you need.
• If you do have back pain and your mattress is too soft, you might want to firm up the support of your mattress by placing a board underneath it. But do this just until the pain goes away; such firmness is not good for "routine" sleeping.
• Every few months, turn your mattress clockwise, or upside down, so that body indentations are kept to a minimum. It's also good to rotate the mattress frame every so often to reduce wear and tear.
• If you're waking up uncomfortable, it may be time for a new mattress. There is no standard life span for a mattress; it all depends on the kind of usage it gets.
• Be aware that changes in your life can signal the need for a new mattress. For example, if you've lost or gained a lot of weight, if a medical condition has changed the way you sleep, or even if you have changed partners, it could mean that it's time to find a new mattress that will accommodate those changes and help you sleep more soundly.
• If you're not in the market for a new mattress, and your current mattress is too firm, you can soften it up by putting a 1- to 2-inch-thick padding on top of it - usually available at mattress and bedding stores.

Next, pillow talk...

After investing in a quality mattress, don't forget to choose an equally supportive pillow, advises Peter Mckay, DC, who is in private practice in San Diego and also works as a consultant for Innovative Choices, the maker of the Therapeutica Pillow-another ACA-endorsed product. "People will spend thousands of dollars on a mattress and then skimp on a pillow that doesn't support their head and neck properly," he observes. A good pillow will keep the cervical (neck) section of the spine aligned with the thoracic and lumbar (chest and lower back) sections. "[The sections] move together and should be supported together."

• When choosing a pillow, be selective. When lying on your side, your head and neck should remain level with your mid and lower spine. When lying on your back, your head and neck should remain level with your upper back and spine. In other words, your pillow should not be so thick that it causes your head and neck to be propped up or angled sharply away from your body.
• Be wary of pillows that are made out of mushy foam materials. The weight of your head can displace this kind of foam, leaving little support. Choose firmer foam and materials that press back and support the head.
• If you find yourself sleeping on your side with one hand propped under your pillow, that's a clue that you're not getting the support you need from that pillow.
• There is no such thing as a universal fit when it comes to pillows. Find one that is consistent with the shape and size of your body.

Chiropractic Care Can Help...

If you continue to experience pain and discomfort at night or have difficulty falling asleep, visit your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to treat spinal problems that can interfere with a restful night's sleep. They can also offer nutritional and ergonomic advice that can help improve the quality of your sleep.

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Fibromyalgia

2011-08-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Fibromyalgia
If you or your loved ones have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you may be wondering what the disorder means for you. The condition still remains a mystery, although an estimated 3 to 6 percent of Americans, predominantly women, have fibromyalgia syndrome. Even diagnosing the condition can be complex: according to the National Fibromyalgia Association, it can take a patient up to 4 years to be accurately diagnosed.

Fibromyalgia is typically diagnosed in patients with:

• Widespread pain in all 4 quadrants of the body for a minimum of 3 months; and
• Tenderness or pain in at least 11 tender points when pressure is applied. These tender points cluster around the neck, shoulder, chest, hip, knee, and elbow regions.

Some fibromyalgia experts say, however, that many people may still have fibromyalgia with fewer than 11 tender points if they have widespread pain and several other common symptoms, including:

• Fatigue
• Sleep disorders
• Chronic headaches
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Cognitive or memory impairment
• Malaise and muscle pain after exertion
• Jaw pain
• Morning stiffness
• Menstrual cramping
• Irritable bowels
• Numbness and tingling sensations
• Skin and chemical sensitivities

Correct Diagnosis Is Key

Correct diagnosis of fibromyalgia is very elusive, so if you are diagnosed with the disorder—or suspect that you have it—seek the opinion of more than 1 health care provider. Other conditions may create fibromyalgia—like pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. Ruling other conditions out first is very important.
In addition to clinical evaluation that will assess possible causes of your pain, your doctor may need to order blood work to determine if you have:
• Anemia
• Hypothyroidism
• Lyme disease
• Other rheumatic diseases
• Hormonal imbalances
• Allergies and nutritional deficiencies
• Disorders that cause pain, fatigue, and other fibromyalgia-like symptoms.

If the tests show that you have 1 of these conditions, treatment will focus on addressing that problem first. If your pain is caused by a muscle or joint condition, chiropractic care may help relieve it more effectively than other therapies.

Treatment Alternatives

If no underlying cause for your symptoms can be identified, you may have classic fibromyalgia. The traditional allopathic approach includes a prescription of prednisone, anti-inflammatory agents, antidepressants, sleep medications, and muscle relaxants. These temporarily relieve the symptoms, but they do produce side effects. If you prefer a natural approach, the following suggestions may be helpful:
• Studies have shown that a combination of 300 to 600 mg of magnesium per day, along with malic acid, may significantly reduce may significantly reduce the number of tender points and the pain felt at those that remain. B vitamins may also be helpful.
• Eating more omega-3 fatty acids and fewer saturated fats has shown promise in fibromyalgia patients. Limit red meat and saturated fats and increase the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids by including fish, flax, and walnut oils in your diet. Fatty acid deficiencies can interfere with the nervous system and brain function, resulting in depression and poor memory and concentration.
• Improving the quality of sleep can help reduce fatigue. Watch your caffeine intake, especially before going to bed. Reduce TV and computer time. If you watch TV in the evening, choose relaxing, funny programs instead of programs with violent or disturbing content. Ask your doctor of chiropractic for other natural ways to help you sleep better.
• Stress-managing strategies can also help address anxiety or depression issues. Cognitive therapy has been shown helpful in relieving fibromyalgia patients’ negative emotions and depression by changing their perception of themselves and attitudes toward others.
• A traditional gym-based or aerobic exercise program may exacerbate fibromyalgia symptoms and is not recommended. Instead, yoga, Pilates, or tai chi—which offer mild stretching, relaxation, and breathing techniques—may work better than vigorous exercise.
• Chiropractic care has consistently ranked as one of the therapeutic approaches that offer the most relief for the fibromyalgia patient. Your doctor of chiropractic can also include massage therapy, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation in the treatment program, which may help relieve stress, pain, and other symptoms.
Your doctor of chiropractic has the knowledge, training, and expertise to help you understand your problem and, in many cases, to manage it successfully. Remember, however, that the treatment program can be successful only with your active participation. If your doctor of chiropractic feels that he or she cannot help you, you will be directed to another health care provider.

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Stroke

2011-08-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

What Is Stroke?

Stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to a portion of the brain, which causes that portion to die within just a few minutes. This lack of blood supply, also known as ischemia, results in long-term neurological effects because the cells in the brain do not regenerate.

The outcome of stroke depends on the person’s age, general health, the region of the brain affected by the stroke, the type of stroke, and the extent of the brain damage. Common long-term effects include difficulty speaking, poor memory, altered emotions, poor recognition of previously familiar objects and people, amnesia, deformities of the extremities, and difficulty with movement, including weakness and paralysis. The weakness and paralysis often affect one side of the body—usually opposite the stroke location. Some of the effects can be permanent, while others may resolve with time and treatment.

What Are the Warning Signs of Stroke?

Sometimes people experience a “pre-stroke”—a short term lack of blood supply to the brain, also called a transient ischemic attack. The loss of blood supply lasts from seconds to just a few minutes and does not result in permanent damage. This condition is often a precursor to a full-scale stroke, so any symptoms associated with it should be investigated immediately.

What Should I Do If I Have Any of the Symptoms?

If you, your friend, or a family member is having any symptoms, seek medical care immediately:

• Dial 911 or have someone take you or your friend to the nearest emergency room. Do NOT let the person with the symptoms drive or stay home.
• Try to remember the time of onset of your symptoms and what symptoms you’re having. This information will help the treating doctors provide the best possible care for you.

Remember: The sooner you seek emergency medical assistance, the better the chances of minimizing the damage from a stroke. The person with the symptoms should seek medical care even if:

• Not all symptoms are present.
• The symptoms go away after a short time.
• He or she has the symptoms with no real pain.
• He or she denies the symptoms,

What Is the Treatment for Stroke?

There are generally three separate stages of treatment for stroke: prevention, therapy immediately after stroke, and post-stroke rehabilitation.

Stroke prevention is based on treating underlying risk factors (see tips below). Acute stroke therapies try to stop a stroke while it is happening. These include anticoagulants that help break up or prevent further formation of blood clots and efforts to support the person’s vital functions, such as breathing. Post-stroke rehabilitation helps overcome some of the disabilities that result from the brain damage. For most stroke patients, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy form the base of a rehabilitation program.

How Can I Reduce My Risk of a Stroke?

1. Stop smoking. In some people, smoking cessation can reduce the risk of a stroke to that of a non-smoker. Smoking causes damage to the blood vessels throughout the body. Some of the chemicals in tobacco smoke take the place of oxygen in the blood, increasing the likelihood of loss of blood supply to the brain.
2. Eat a healthy diet. Eat only sensible portions of foods. Avoid foods high in saturated and trans fats.
3. Keep your blood pressure under control.
4. Get regular physical examinations and follow your doctor’s orders.

Is There Risk of Stroke from Neck Manipulation?

Neck manipulation is a remarkably safe procedure. Although some reports have associated upper high velocity neck manipulation with a certain kind of stroke, or vertebral artery dissection, there is not yet a clear understanding of the connection. While we don’t know the actual incidence of stroke associated with high velocity upper neck manipulation, the occurrence does appear to be rare, based upon the clinical reports and scientific studies to date. The chiropractic profession is actively researching stroke and neck manipulation and available safe alternative conservative therapies.
It has also been suggested, for example, that sudden severe upper-neck pain and/or headache, which may indicate a pre-stroke condition, could cause someone to visit a doctor of chiropractic. In addition, some regular everyday activities, such as stargazing, rapidly turning the head while driving, and even having a shampoo in a hair salon may cause aneurysm—a widening of an artery resulting from the weakening of the artery walls—of the neck arteries, resulting in stroke. These events remain very difficult to predict.

If you are visiting your doctor of chiropractic with upper-neck pain or headache, be very specific about your symptoms, so that he or she can provide the safest and most effective treatment, even if it involves referral to another health care provider. There are various head and neck positions and forms of joint movement. Depending on your clinical condition, joint mobilization, therapeutic exercise, soft-tissue techniques, and other therapies can also be recommended. If the issue of stroke concerns you, do not hesitate to discuss it with your doctor of chiropractic.

Warning signs of stroke include ANY of the following:

• Sudden difficulty speaking (slurred speech) or understanding what people are saying
• Sudden onset of confusion or altered mental status, such as loss of consciousness, or not recognizing people who should be familiar
• Sudden numbness or tingling on one side of the face or body, or both
• Sudden onset of dizziness or unsteadiness, loss of balance or coordination, or both
• Sudden difficulty walking or standing upright
• Sudden severe headache
• Sudden severe unexplained upper-neck pain
• Sudden trouble with vision or sight.

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Back in the Swing

2011-08-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

Golf is a common summer-time activity that those of us who live in the northern parts of the country don’t participate in year-round. The physical demands of golf are much different from what most people experience in their daily lives and therefore, we should prepare our bodies for the specific physical stresses of golf so we can enjoy the game. Below are some exercises that can be done to prepare your body for tee time.

• Endurance training – The game of golf is usually played over a three- to five-hour time period, requiring a certain level of endurance. Deadlifts and anterior reaches are good for working on endurance.
• Joint mobility and stability – The explosive golf swing requires a high level of execution, coordination and power. Try standing with arms hanging at your sides (with or without weights) and gently leaning to one side. Repeat on the other side.
• Working on the trunk and shoulders – Golfers’ ability to turn their shoulders will be determined by the coordinated strength of their core and their ability to rotate through the spine. Various chopping and lifting exercises will help.
• Training pelvic tilt – If golfers are not conditioned properly, they will begin flexing their spine in order to address the ball, as opposed to hinging at the hip. On all fours, gently arch your back up toward the ceiling as you breathe in. On the exhale, gently push your bellybutton toward the floor and curve your back in the opposite direction, looking up toward the ceiling.

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Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

2011-07-31T20:59:00.001-07:00

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Does it hurt when you chew, open wide to yawn or use your jaws? Do you have pain or soreness in front of the ear, in the jaw muscle, cheek, the teeth or the temples? Do you have pain or soreness in your teeth? Do your jaws make noises loud enough to bother you or others? Do you find it difficult to open your mouth wide? Does your jaw ever get stuck/locked as you open it?

If you answered “yes” to some of these questions, you may have a temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. TMD is a group of conditions, often painful, that affect the jaw joint.

Signs may include:

• Radiating pain in the face, neck, or shoulders;
• Limited movement or locking of the jaw;
• Painful clicking or grating when opening or closing the mouth;
• A significant change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together;
• Headaches, earaches, dizziness, hearing problems and difficulty swallowing.
For most people, pain or discomfort in the jaw muscles or joints is temporary, often occurs in cycles, and resolves once you stop moving the area. Some people with TMD pain, however, can develop chronic symptoms. Your doctor of chiropractic can help you establish whether your pain is due to TMD and can provide conservative treatment if needed.
What Causes TMD?
Researchers agree that TMD falls into three categories:
• Myofascial pain—discomfort or pain in the muscles of the jaw, neck, and shoulders;
• A dislocated jaw or displaced disc;
• Degenerative joint disease—rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis in the jaw joint.

Severe injury to the jaw is a leading cause of TMD. For example, anything from a hit in the jaw during a sporting activity to overuse syndromes, such as chewing gum excessively or chewing on one side of the mouth too frequently, may cause TMD.

Both physical and emotional stress can lead to TMD, as well. The once-common practice of sitting in a dentist's chair for several hours with the mouth wide open may have contributed to TMD in the past. Now, most dentists are aware that this is harmful to the jaw. In addition to taking breaks while they do dental work, today’s dentists also screen patients for any weaknesses in the jaw structure that would make physical injury likely if they keep their mouths open very long. In that case, they may use medications during the procedure to minimize the injury potential, or they may send the patient to physical therapy immediately after treatment. In less severe cases, they instruct patients in exercises they can do at home to loosen up the joint after the visit.

While emotional stress itself is not usually a cause of TMD, the way stress shows up in the body can be. When people are under psychological stress, they may clench their teeth, which can be a major factor in their TMD.
Some conditions once accepted as causes of TMD have been dismissed—moderate gum chewing, non-painful jaw clicking, orthodontic treatment (when it does not involve the prolonged opening of the mouth, as mentioned above), and upper and lower jaws that have never fit together well. Popular theory now holds that while these may be triggers, they are not causes.

Women experience TMD four times as often as men. Several factors may contribute to this higher ratio, posture and higher heels.

TMD Diagnosis and Treatment

To help diagnose or rule out TMD, your doctor of chiropractic (DC) may ask you to put three fingers in your mouth and bite down on them. You may also be asked to open and close your mouth and chew repeatedly while the doctor monitors the dimensions of the jaw joint and the balance of the muscles. If you have no problems while doing these things, then the problem is not likely to be TMD. Your DC can then look for signs of inflammation and abnormalities. Sometimes special imaging, an x-ray or an MRI may be needed to help confirm the diagnosis.

If you have TMD, your doctor may recommend chiropractic manipulation, massage, applying heat/ice and special exercises. In most cases, your doctor’s first goal is to relieve symptoms, particularly pain. If your doctor of chiropractic feels that you need special appliances or splints (with the exception of the “waterpack” and other guards against teeth grinding), he or she will refer you to a dentist or orthodontist for co-management.

In addition to treatment, your doctor of chiropractic can teach you how to:

• Apply heat and ice to lessen the pain. Ice is recommended shortly after the injury or after your pain has started. In the later stages of healing, you need to switch to heat, especially if you are still experiencing discomfort.
• Avoid harmful joint movements. For example, chomping into a hard apple is just as bad as crunching into hard candy (some hard candies are even called “jawbreakers”—for good reason). And giant sandwiches can cause the mouth to open too wide and have a destabilizing effect on the jaw.
• Perform TMD-specific exercises. Depending on your condition, your DC may recommend stretching or strengthening exercises. Stretching helps to loosen tight muscles and strengthening helps to tighten muscles that have become loose. Special feedback sensors in the jaw can be retrained, as well, if needed.

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How to Select Athletic Shoes

2011-07-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

How to Select Athletic Shoes

Too many people choose fashion over function when purchasing athletic shoes, not realizing that poor-fitting shoes can lead to pain throughout the body. Because footwear plays such an important role in the function of bones and joints—especially for runners and other athletes—choosing the right shoe can help prevent pain in your back, hips, knees, and feet.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the very best athletic shoe—every pair of feet is different, every shoe has different features, and overall comfort is a very personal decision. For this reason, it is recommended that you first determine your foot type: normal, flat, or high-arched.

The Normal Foot

Normal feet have a normal-sized arch and will leave a wet footprint that has a flare, but shows the forefoot and heel connected by a broad band. A normal foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls slightly inward to absorb shock.
Best shoes: Stability shoes with a slightly curved shape.

The Flat Foot

This type of foot has a low arch and leaves a print that looks like the whole sole of the foot. It usually indicates an over-pronated foot—one that strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls excessively inward (pronates). Over time, this can cause overuse injuries.
Best shoes: Motion-control shoes or high-stability shoes with firm midsoles. These shoes should be fairly resistant to twisting or bending. Stay away from highly cushioned, highly curved shoes, which lack stability features.

The High-Arched Foot

The high-arched foot leaves a print showing a very narrow band—or no band at all—between the forefoot and the heel. A curved, highly arched foot is generally supinated or under-pronated. Because the foot doesn’t pronate enough, usually it’s not an effective shock absorber.
Best shoes: Cushioned shoes with plenty of flexibility to encourage foot motion. Stay away from motion-control or stability shoes, which reduce foot mobility.

When determining your foot type, consult with your doctor of chiropractic. He or she can help determine your specific foot type, assess your gait, and then suggest the best shoe match.

Shoe Purchasing Tips
Consider the following tips before you purchase your next pair of athletic shoes:

• Match the shoe to the activity. Select a shoe specific for the sport in which you will participate. Running shoes are primarily made to absorb shock as the heel strikes the ground. In contrast, tennis shoes provide more side-to-side stability. Walking shoes allow the foot to roll and push off naturally during walking, and they usually have a fairly rigid arch, a well-cushioned sole, and a stiff heel support for stability.
• If possible, shop at a specialty store. It’s best to shop at a store that specializes in athletic shoes. Employees at these stores are often trained to recommend a shoe that best matches your foot type (shown above) and stride pattern.
• Shop late in the day. If possible, shop for shoes at the end of the day or after a workout when your feet are generally at their largest. Wear the type of socks you usually wear during exercise, and if you use orthotic devices for postural support, make sure you wear them when trying on shoes.
• Have your feet measured every time. It’s important to have the length and width of both feet measured every time you shop for shoes, since foot size often changes with age and most people have 1 foot that is larger than the other. Also, many podiatrists suggest that you measure your foot while standing in a weight bearing position because the foot elongates and flattens when you stand, affecting the measurement and the fit of the shoe.
• Make sure the shoe fits correctly. Choose shoes for their fit, not by the size you’ve worn in the past. The shoe should fit with an index finger’s width between the end of the shoe and the longest toe. The toe box should have adequate room and not feel tight. The heel of your foot should fit snugly against the back of the shoe without sliding up or down as you walk or run. If possible, keep the shoe on for 10 minutes to make sure it remains comfortable.

How Long Do Shoes Last?

Once you have purchased a pair of athletic shoes, don’t run them into the ground. While estimates vary as to when the best time to replace old shoes is, most experts agree that between 300 and 500 miles is optimal. In fact, most shoes should be replaced even before they begin to show signs of moderate wear. Once shoes show wear, especially in the cushioning layer called the midsole, they also begin to lose their shock absorption. Failure to replace worn shoes is a common cause of injuries like shin splints, heel spurs, and plantar fasciitis.

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Stress on the Job

2011-07-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Stress on the Job

Stress has been called the spice of life, the common cold of the psyche, and even a socially acceptable form of mental illness. No doubt, stress can be beneficial—for example, a deadline can help us focus and become more alert and efficient. Persistent or excessive stress, however, can undermine performance and make us vulnerable to health problems, from cancer and heart disease to substance abuse and obesity.

Stress is a physical and mental response to the difference between our expectations and our personal experience, real or imaginary. While reacting to stress, the body goes through alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Released hormone epinephrine, or adrenaline, prepares the body for physical action (“fight or flight”) by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. Then, the body releases glucocorticoid cortisol, or hydrocortisone, producing anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressing effects.

Consequences of Chronic Stress
Although occasional stress can be of benefit, too much stress is taxing on the body. Excessive levels of glucocorticoids can hinder growth, delay wound healing, and increase risk of infection. Chronic stressors—or their constant anticipation—can make us believe that we must always be on guard, leading to anxiety. Feelings of hopelessness or avoiding solving our problems can spark depression.

Past or present psychological distress can also lead to pain, particularly low-back pain, which often comes with leg pain, headaches, sleep problems, anxiety, and depression. Stress may even be a more powerful pain generator than strenuous physical activity or repetitive motion. Research shows, for example, that pain in adolescents is associated with depression and stress, but not with computer use or physical activity.

Stress is highly individual and depends on our circumstances. For example, we react to stress better if we can vent our frustrations, feel in control, hope that things will change for the better, and get social support.

Gender also determines how we handle stress. Women are easily stressed by household problems, conflicts with people, or illness in people they know. Men get more significantly affected by job loss, legal problems, and work-related issues. Men are also more likely to get depressed over divorce or separation and work problems. Depression in women, however, is more likely to spring from interpersonal conflicts or low social support, particularly from family.

Stress on the Job

The workplace has become a major stressor, contributing to the risk of hypertension and heart disease. Recent studies have shown, however, that what stresses us out is not so much the job demands, but our attitude toward them. For example, people who react with anger to their high job strain or who are worried about their chronic work overload have much higher morning corsisol levels. Lack of a sense of control over a job is also associated with higher blood pressure, especially in women and in people with higher socioeconomic status.

Stress Relief Is Important

No matter what stresses you out, consider taking active steps to change your attitude toward stress and to reduce stress in your life. For suggestions on stress relief, please call Chiropractic Care

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Stress Relief

2011-07-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Stress Relief

Stress has become a fact of life, and for some, the daily norm. Although occasional stress can help improve our focus and performance, living with chronic stress can backfire by causing anxiety, depression, and serious health problems.

Understanding who we are, knowing our major struggles, putting them in perspective, and taking action can help us deal with stress. The following strategies can also improve stress tolerance and help lessen the effects of stress on our health.

Think Positively

“Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into positive,” said Hans Selye, author of the groundbreaking work around stress theory. When optimism is hard to muster, cognitive-behavioral therapy, which trains people to recognize negative thinking patterns and replace them with more constructive ones, can also help reduce the risk of chronic stress and depression.

Get Out and Enjoy Nature

While modern civilization has made our lives more convenient, it has deprived us of an essential source of stress relief—connection with nature. Studies show that interacting with nature can help lessen the effects of stress on the nervous system, reduce attention deficits, decrease aggression, and enhance spiritual well-being.

“Smell the Roses” for Better Mood

Aromatherapy, or smelling essential plant oils, recognized worldwide as a complementary therapy for managing chronic pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and stress-related disorders, can help you unwind. Orange and lavender scents, in particular, have been shown to enhance relaxation and reduce anxiety.

Relax with a Cup of Tea

During stressful times, coffee helps us keep going. To give yourself a break, however, consider drinking tea. Research shows that drinking tea for 6 weeks helps lower post-stress cortisol and increase relaxation. Habitual tea drinking may also reduce inflammation, potentially benefiting your heart health.

Laugh It Off

Humor relieves stress and anxiety and prevents depression, helping put our troubles in perspective. Laughter can help boost the immune system, increase pain tolerance, enhance mood and creativity, and lower blood pressure, potentially improving treatment outcomes for many health problems, including cancer and HIV. Humor may also be related to happiness, which has been linked to high self-esteem, extroversion, and feeling in control.

Build a Support System

Relationships are also key to health and happiness, especially for women. Women with low social support, for example, are more likely to increase blood pressure under stress. Loneliness may also contribute to stress in both men and women, also leading to poorer outcomes after a stroke or congestive heart failure. On the other hand, active and socially involved seniors are at lower risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Social support also helps cancer patients to boost the immune system and maintain a higher quality of life.

Employ the Relaxing Power of Music

Music, especially classical, can also serve as a powerful stress-relief tool. Listening to Pachelbel’s famous Canon in D major while preparing a public speech helps avoid anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure, which usually accompany public speaking.

Singing and listening to music can also relieve pain and reduce anxiety and depression caused by lowback pain. Group drumming also showed positive effects on stress relief and the immune system. Music therapy can also elevate mood and positively affect the immune system in cancer patients and reduce fatigue and improve self-acceptance in people with multiple sclerosis.

To help people deal with stressful medical procedures, music can help reduce anxiety before surgery. When played during surgery, it can decrease the patient’s post-operative pain. Aiding recovery, a dose of calming music may lower anxiety, pain, and the need for painkillers.

Calm Your Mind

In recent decades, many forms of meditation have gained popularity as relaxation and pain relief tools. Focusing on our breath, looking at a candle, or practicing a non-judgmental awareness of our thoughts and actions can help tune out distractions, reduce anxiety and depression, and accept our circumstances. In cancer patients, meditation-based stress reduction enhances quality of life, lowers stress symptoms, and potentially benefits the immune system.

Guided imagery, such as visualizing pictures prompted by an audiotape recording, also shows promise in stress relief and pain reduction. Based on the idea that the mind can affect the body, guided imagery can be a useful adjunct to cancer therapy, focusing patients on positive images to help heal their bodies.

Enjoy the Warmth of Human Touch

Just as the mind can affect the body, the body can influence the mind. Virginia Satir, a famous American psychotherapist, once said that people need 4 hugs a day to help prevent depression, 8 for psychological stability, and 12 for growth. While asking for hugs may not work for some, massage can help us relieve stress and reduce anxiety and depression. Massage has also been shown to reduce aggression and hostility in violent adolescents, to improve mood and behavior in students with ADHD, and to lead to better sleep and behavior in children with autism.

Massage has other therapeutic properties, as well. Regular massage may reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension and may lead to less pain, depression, and anxiety and better sleep in patients with chronic low-back pain. Compared to relaxation, massage therapy also causes greater reduction in depression and anger, and more significant effects on the immune system in breast cancer patients.

Give Exercise a Shot

To get the best of both worlds, affecting the mind through the body while getting into good physical shape, try exercise. In one study, a group of lung cancer patients increased their hope due to exercise. Exercise can also reduce depression and improve wound healing in the elderly. Tai chi, which works for people of all ages, may enhance heart and lung function, improve balance and posture, and prevent falls, while reducing stress.

No matter what stress-relief methods you choose, make it a habit to use them—especially if you feel too stressed out to do it. As someone once said, the time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.

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Chronic Pain and Depression

2011-07-03T00:18:00.000-07:00

Pain serves an important function in our lives. When you suffer an acute injury, pain warns you to stop the activity that is causing the injury and tells you to take care of the affected body part.

Chronic pain, on the other hand, persists for weeks, months, or even years. Some people, often older adults, suffer from chronic pain without any definable past injury or signs of body damage. Common chronic pain can be caused by headaches, the low back, and arthritis. Unfortunately, there is scant objective evidence or physical findings to explain such pain.

Until recently, some doctors who could not find a physical cause for a person’s pain simply suggested that it was imaginary— “all in your head.” This is unfortunate because we know that all pain is real and not imagined, except in the most extreme cases of psychosis. Emerging scientific evidence is demonstrating that the nerves in the spinal cord of patients with chronic pain undergo structural changes.

Psychological and social issues often amplify the effects of chronic pain. For example, people with chronic pain frequently report a wide range of limitations in family and social roles, such as the inability to perform household or workplace chores, take care of children, or engage in leisure activities. In turn, spouses, children, and co-workers often have to take over these responsibilities. Such changes often lead to depression, agitation, resentment, and anger for the pain patient and to stress and strain in family and other social relationships.

How is depression involved with chronic pain?

Depression is the most common emotion associated with chronic pain. It is thought to be 3 to 4 times more common in people with chronic pain than in the general population. In addition, 30 to 80% of people with chronic pain will have some type of depression. The combination of chronic pain and depression is often associated with greater disability than either depression or chronic pain alone.
People with chronic pain and depression suffer dramatic changes in their physical, mental, and social well-being—and in their quality of life. Such people often find it difficult to sleep, are easily agitated, cannot perform their normal activities of daily living, cannot concentrate, and are often unable to perform their duties at work. This constellation of disabilities starts a vicious cycle—pain leads to more depression, which leads to more chronic pain. In some cases, the depression occurs before the pain.
Until recently, we believed that bed rest after an injury was important for recovery. This has likely resulted in many chronic pain syndromes. Avoiding performing activities that a person believes will cause pain only makes his or her condition worse in many cases.

Signs and Symptoms

Some of the common signs and symptoms of chronic pain include:
• Pain beyond 6 months after an injury
• Allodynia—pain from stimuli which are not normally painful and/or pain that occurs other than in the stimulated area
• Hyperpathia—increased pain from stimuli that are normally painful
• Hypersensation—being overly sensitive to pain
Signs of major clinical depression will occur daily for 2 weeks or more, and often include many of the following:
• A predominant feeling of sadness; feeling blue, hopeless, or irritable, often with crying spells
• Changes in appetite or weight (loss or gain) and/or sleep (too much or too little
• Poor concentration or memory
• Feeling restless or fatigued
• Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, including sex
• Feeling of worthlessness and/or guilt

What is the treatment for chronic pain and depression?

The first step in coping with chronic pain is to determine its cause, if possible. Addressing the problem will help the pain subside. In other cases, especially when the pain is chronic, you should try to keep the chronic pain from being the entire focus of your life.
• Stay active and do not avoid activities that cause pain simply because they cause pain. The amount and type of activity should be directed by your doctor, so that activities that might actually cause more harm are avoided.
• Relaxation training, hypnosis, biofeedback, and guided imagery, can help you cope with chronic pain. Cognitive therapy can also help patients recognize destructive patterns of emotion and behavior and help them modify or replace such behaviors and thoughts with more reasonable or supportive ones.
• Distraction (redirecting your attention away from chronic pain), imagery (going to your “happy place”), and dissociation (detaching yourself from the chronic pain) can be useful.
• Involving your family with your recovery may be quite helpful, according to recent scientific evidence.

Feel free to discuss these or other techniques with your doctor of chiropractic. He or she may suggest some simple techniques that may work for you or may refer you to another health care provider for more in-depth training in these techniques.

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Whiplash

2011-06-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

Whiplash

Whiplash is a generic term applied to injuries of the neck caused when the neck is suddenly and/or violently jolted in one direction and then another, creating a whip-like movement. Whiplash is most commonly seen in people involved in motor vehicle accidents, but it can also occur from falls, sports injuries, work injuries, and other incidents.

What structures are injured in a whiplash?

Whiplash injuries most often result in sprain-strain of the neck. The ligaments that help support, protect, and restrict excessive movement of the vertebrae are torn, which is called a sprain. The joints in the back of the spine, called the facet joints, are covered by ligaments called facet capsules, which seem to be particularly susceptible to whiplash injury.

In addition, the muscles and tendons are strained—stretched beyond their normal limits. The discs between the vertebrae, which are essentially ligaments, can be torn, potentially causing a disc herniation. The nerve roots between the vertebrae may also be stretched and become inflamed. Even though it is very rare, vertebrae can be fractured and/or dislocated in a whiplash injury.

What are the common signs and symptoms of whiplash?

The most common symptoms of whiplash are pain and stiffness in the neck. These symptoms are generally found in the areas that are “whiplashed.” For example, during a whiplash, first the head is lifted up from the upper-cervical spine. This creates a sprain/strain in the region just below the skull, where symptoms usually occur. Symptoms may also commonly be seen in the front and back of the neck. Turning the head often makes the pain and discomfort worse.

Headache, especially at the base of the skull, is also a common symptom, seen in more than two thirds of patients. These headaches may be one-sided (unilateral) or experienced on both sides (bilateral). In addition, the pain and stiffness may extend down into the shoulders and arms, upper back, and even the upper chest.

In addition to the musculoskeletal symptoms, some patients also experience dizziness, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and even blurred vision after a whiplash injury. While these symptoms are disconcerting, in most cases, they disappear within a relatively short time. If they persist, it is very important to inform your doctor that they are not resolving. Vertigo (the sensation of the room spinning) and ringing in the ears may also be seen. In addition, some patients may feel pain in the jaw. Others will even complain of irritability, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms also resolve quickly in most cases. In rare cases, symptoms can persist for weeks, months, or even years.

Another important and interesting aspect of whiplash is that the signs and symptoms often do not develop until 2 to 48 hours after the injury. This scenario is relatively common but not completely understood. Some speculate that it may be due to delayed muscle soreness, a condition seen in other circumstances.
How is whiplash treated?

Staying active

One of the most important aspects of whiplash management is for the patient to stay active, unless there is some serious injury that requires immobilization. Patients should not be afraid to move and be active, within reason. In addition, your doctor will often prescribe an exercise or stretching program. It is particularly important to follow this program as prescribed, so that you can achieve the best long-term benefits.

Chiropractic manipulation and physical therapy

Ice and/or heat are often used to help control pain and reduce the muscle spasm that results from whiplash injuries. Other physical therapy modalities, such as electrical stimulation and/or ultrasound, may provide some short-term relief. They should not, however, replace an active-care program of exercise and stretching. Spinal manipulation and/or mobilization provided by a chiropractor can also give relief in many cases of neck pain.

Can whiplash be prevented?

Generally speaking, whiplash cannot be “prevented,” but there are some things that you can do while in a motor vehicle that may reduce the chances of a more severe injury. Always wear restraints (lap or shoulder belt), and ensure that the headrest in your vehicle is adjusted to the appropriate height.

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Dr. Christopher Calarco - Chiropractic Care, Ltd.

2011-06-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

Dr. Christopher Calarco

Dr. Christopher Calarco completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he received a Bachelor in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in biochemistry. He then attended the National University of Health Sciences where he earned his Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine and currently holds certificates in acupuncture, rehabilitation and physiotherapy. He previously studied Cox-Flexion Distraction under Dr. Jedlicka, and is currently working towards certification under the guidance of Dr. Ralph Kruse. Dr. Calarco takes a multidisciplinary approach to health care with the belief that his patients can benefit from integrating chiropractic care with conventional medicine as well as physical therapy and massage therapy. He is dedicated to a lifetime of continuing education on his particular interests in spinal biomechanics and musculoskeletal pathology. His goal is to educate patients and provide them with the tools for life-long health.

Educational Background
University of Nevada Las Vegas (B.S.) Las Vegas, NV
National University of Health Sciences (D.C.) Lombard, IL

Associations/Organizations
American Chiropractic Association
Illinois Chiropractic Society
Greater North Michigan Avenue Association

Special Honors, Degrees, Certifications

Certified Chiropractic Physician
Certified Acupuncturist

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Just Try Walking

2011-06-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Just Try Walking

While some fitness enthusiasts relentlessly seek out the latest, trendiest exercise crazes, many others are returning to good, old-fashioned walking to help them feel great and get into shape. Whether enjoying the wonder of nature, or simply the company of a friend, walking can be a healthy, invigorating experience. And thanks to its convenience and simplicity, walking just might be right for you, too.

Benefits of Walking

You don’t need to become a member of an expensive gym to go walking. And except for a good pair of walking shoes, it requires virtually no equipment.

A sedentary lifestyle has a debilitating influence on people’s health as they age, therefore exercise is imperative. Walking accomplishes all of the following and more:

• Improves cardiovascular endurance
• Tones muscles of the lower body
• Burns calories: about 80 if walking 2 miles per hour, and about 107 if walking 4.5 miles per hour
• Reduces risk of heart disease

Selecting Shoes

The first item of business when beginning your walking program is to select the right pair of shoes. Too many people choose fashion over function when purchasing running shoes, not realizing that poor-fitting shoes can do more than hurt their stride; they can also lead to pain throughout the body.

• Make sure the shoes you purchase fit properly. The balls of your feet should rest exactly at the point where the toe end of the shoe bends during walking.
• Select shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact.
• Shop for sneakers at the end of the day or after a workout when your feet are generally at their largest. Wear the type of socks you usually wear during exercise.
• When trying on shoes, be sure to wear them for at least 10 minutes at the store.
Once you have purchased a pair of shoes, don’t walk them into the ground. While estimates vary as to when is the best time to replace old shoes, most experts agree that between 300 and 500 miles is optimal.

Getting Started

Walking just 12 minutes every other day can offer important health benefits. But in order to increase your longevity, try to eventually work up to 30 minutes, five days per week. Experts generally agree that to be considered “active,” adults should try to take 10,000 steps each day. Wearing a pedometer is an easy way to track your progress.

The following tips can help you get started on your walking regimen:

• Move your arms freely, in coordination with the opposite leg.
• Don’t stoop your head or look down as you walk. This will challenge the normal forward curve of your neck, which, in turn, will cause you to carry your weight improperly.
• Don’t carry weights or dumbbells while walking. They’re better used as a separate part of your exercise regimen.
• Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. If you experience more than soreness, check with your doctor of chiropractic.
• Walk briskly, with “purpose.” Simply sauntering, while relaxing and enjoyable, is not an effective form of cardiovascular exercise.

Of course, be sure to consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

Walking Surfaces

Some walking surfaces are better than others on your musculoskeletal system.

• Walking on a cushioned or rubberized track is ideal, because the cushioning of this type of track absorbs most of the impact of your walking. Many recreation centers offer this type of track free of charge.
• Grass is another good surface, but watch out for hidden dips or holes in the ground.
• Walking on a surface with no give, such as concrete or a mall floor, is not your best choice, because this type of surface will not absorb much of the impact your body will experience. If you do choose to walk on such a surface, be extra careful to select highly cushioned shoes.

Pain and Injury

While you may experience pain or injury in a particular area, such as a knee or a hip, the root of the problem may lie somewhere else. Injuries of this nature are not regional, or isolated, but systemic. A problem in the foot or ankle can create an imbalance in every step, leading to discomfort or injury that moves to the knees, hips, low back, or elsewhere. If you suffer from pain beyond typical muscle soreness, your doctor of chiropractic can diagnose and treat your pain or injury and get you back into the swing of your walking routine. Your doctor of chiropractic can also help customize a wellness program that is right for you and has the expertise to help keep you in the mainstream of life.

If you have pain in your feet, heels or knees, you may benefit from a pair of custom fitted orthotics. Our offices offer digital foot scans to customize shoe orthotics to your condition and for your specific shoes.

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Dr. Oz Video - Back Pain

2011-06-05T12:52:00.001-07:00

Back pain plagues as many as 80% of us – but guzzling pain killers isn’t the only way to get relief. A new report says that chiropractic therapy is just as effective as over-the-counter pain relievers for back pain. Dr. Oz explains how your spine gets misaligned and what this treatment could do for you.

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Quit Smoking...Why and How?

2011-06-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

Quit Smoking: Why and How?

More than 50 million Americans smoke. People begin smoking for many reasons—stress, social status, and peer pressure—but the main reason they continue is addiction to nicotine. Smoking is, in fact, so addictive that some people consider giving up cigarettes harder than quitting an addictive illicit drug. People also continue to smoke for psychological reasons. For some, smoking seems to give the hands something to do. Others say it provides comfort.

Cigarette smoke, however, contains more than 4,000 chemicals, and, when inhaled, they merge into a tar-like substance that sticks to the tissues inside the mouth, throat, lungs, and stomach. The chemicals not only damage the tissues they contact directly, but they also harm the entire body by reducing the amount of well-oxygenated blood that reaches the organs.

Smoking affects nearly every organ in the body—heart, brain, stomach, bladder, kidneys, and even the skin. People who smoke also double or triple their risk of developing cataracts.

Why quit smoking?

Smoking affects not only your health. Second-hand smoke can cause damage to those around you—even family and friends who choose not to smoke. If you quit smoking:

• You’ll live longer and you and your family will live better.
• You won’t be winded when walking up a flight of stairs.
• You’ll be able to exercise and keep your heart healthier.
• You will reduce the risk of developing dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
• Your baby will be at less risk of suffering from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• You’ll have less heartburn.
• For men, smoking increases the chances of impotence, so your love life will improve, as well.
• You’ll also be giving yourself money each month to spend on yourself and not on cigarettes.

How do I quit smoking?

• Make a serious mental commitment to quitting.
• Set a quit date.
• Refer to yourself as to a non-smoker in the present tense. For example, say, “I am a non-smoker.” Similar affirmations that fit your individual situation may also be helpful.
• Get rid of all cigarettes and smoking accessories (such as ashtrays) in your home, car, and other places where you might be tempted to smoke.
• Do not let people smoke in your home.
• Get support and encouragement from family, friends, co-workers and former smokers and consider joining a former smokers’ support group.
• When tempted, perform tasks that could help distract you: go for a walk, brush your teeth, exercise, or take a bath.
• Drink lots of fluids, preferably those with caffeine.
• Avoid drinking alcohol and avoid contact with smokers.
• You may want to try one of the many medications available to help smokers quit.

Quitting smoking is not easy. If it were, many more people would quit daily. You may find yourself suffering from irritability, nervousness, and sleeplessness. You may feel the need to have something in your mouth or hands. Chewing gum or mints can easily substitute for cigarettes, and rubber bands, paper clips, or other gadgets will help keep your hands busy. For most people, the side effects pass within a few days. It is critically important not to dwell on these adverse signs and to remain focused on the advantages of quitting.

Most smokers have to kick the habit more than once to finally quit. If you are unsuccessful the first or second time, try again. Don’t see the initial attempts as failures, but as opportunities to find out how not to quit. With a sincere commitment and perseverance, you will be able to quit. When you do, your family, friends, and most of all, your body will thank you for rising to the challenge.

For more information and research on this topic, go to http://www.coxchirocare.com/

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Does Your Bike “Fit” You?

2011-05-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Bike Fit Basics

Whether you ride on-road or off, pedal casually or competitively, it’s important to pay close attention to how your bicycle fits your body. A properly fitted bike will allow you to ride comfortably and safely, avoid injury, and produce more power, so you go faster with the same or less effort.

In general, when fitting a bicycle, there are five basic components to consider:
1. Frame size
2. Saddle (seat) height
3. Saddle position
4. Saddle tilt
5. Handlebar position
Frame Size
Frame size is perhaps the most important of all measurements because once you purchase the bike, there are very few—if any—minor adjustments that can affect the overall frame. Frame size is not necessarily dependent on your height; rather, it is more a matter of leg length. Simply, the frame should be easily straddled with both feet flat on the ground, and with perhaps an inch or two of clearance.

• For a road or hybrid bike, you should have an inch or two of clearance between your crotch and the top tube.
• For a mountain bike, clearance should be about four inches—especially if you plan to ride in rugged terrain where an unplanned dismount is likely.

Saddle Height
A saddle (seat) set too high or too low can cause pain and lead to injuries of the back and knees, and it will also affect the efficiency of each pedal stroke. As a starting point, set the saddle height so that your knee is slightly bent when the pedal is at its lowest position and the ball of your foot is on the pedal. It is recommended to make adjustments in very small increments and, if applicable, to wear your cycling shoes during the adjustment process.
Saddle Position
To check the saddle position, sit on your bicycle—using a friend or a stationary object to keep yourself balanced— and rotate your pedals until they are horizontal (at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions). If your saddle is positioned properly, your forward knee should be directly over the respective pedal axle (with the ball of your foot on the pedal). For precise measurement, use a plumb-bob to help you visualize the alignment. If adjustments are needed, loosen the seat post and slide the saddle forward or backward, keeping the seat level.
Saddle Tilt and Design
Generally speaking, your saddle should be level. Check this adjustment by using a carpenter’s level balanced on the saddle while the bike is on level ground. If your saddle tips too much in either direction, pressure will be placed on your arms, shoulders, and lower back.
Handlebar Position and Distance
Handlebar setup is a matter of personal preference because it will affect shoulder, neck, and back comfort. Generally, handlebars are positioned higher for comfort (a more upright riding position) and lower for improved aerodynamics.
Always Wear a Helmet!
A bicycle crash can happen at any time; however, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, a properly fitted bicycle helmet reduces the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent. The following are tips to help ensure the correct helmet fit:
• The helmet should be level on the head, and it must cover the forehead.
• The Y of the side straps should meet just below the ear.
• The chin strap should be snug against the chin so that when you open the mouth very wide, the helmet pulls down a little.
• Put your palm on the front of the helmet, and push up and back. If it moves more than an inch, more fitting is required.
• Shake your head around. If the helmet dislodges, work on the strap adjustments.
• Do not wear a hat under the helmet.
• All helmets sold in bike shops must be approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and should carry a CPSC sticker.

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Enjoying the Outdoors with Baby!

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

From biking and hiking to walking and jogging, today's parents are keeping fit and bonding with their babies in the process. With an array of products unheard of a generation ago - like baby carriers, joggers and trailers - even the tiniest among us are enjoying the great outdoors. But while these items can make life easier and more enjoyable for both parent and child, they can be the cause of pain and injury if not used properly. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) urges you to exercise caution and good judgment while exercising with your baby.

Biking
When biking with a child on board, use a trailer, a rolling ride-along that hitches to the back end of a bike. It is a much safer option than a carrier, a "passenger" seat that sits directly on the bike, according to Dr. Scott Bautch, a member of ACA's Council on Occupational Health. Dr. Bautch prefers trailers because of their added stability. He cautions that carriers can decrease a bike's stability, possibly causing it to topple and injure both the parent and child.

To further ensure the child's safety while biking, keep the following tips in mind:
• The trailer must be equipped with a harness that can be placed over the child's body. The harness should be complicated enough that the child cannot unhook it or wiggle out of it.
• A screen that covers the front of the trailer will add an extra line of protection against stray pebbles and other flying objects.
• Be sure to select a trailer that has large, bicycle-style tires, which will add stability and ease to your ride.
• Protect your child's head with a sturdy, adjustable helmet that can be sized to fit properly. If the helmet rests too high, it will expose part of the child's head, leaving it susceptible to injury.
• Bike only on smooth surfaces for optimal control.
• Only an experienced rider should attempt to bike with a child on board at all. And even then, the rider should practice with a ride-along trailer for two weeks before riding with a real child - in an effort to get a feel for the strength and coordination necessary to maneuver the bike.
Jogging
If you wish to go for a jog and bring your child along for the ride, the baby jogger is your best option. A baby jogger is a rolling pushcart that a parent can jog behind, using handlebars to maneuver. Here are some rules of thumb to consider:
• Make sure the handlebars of the jogger are both large and adjustable, so that they fit comfortably into your hands for complete control. The handlebars should be kept as upright as possible.
• Handbrakes and a locking mechanism are a necessity.
• Look for a jogger with a good shoulder harness to keep the child secure.
• Large, bicycle-style tires offer more control and stability.
• A screen over the front of the jogger adds to its safety by deflecting stray flying objects.
• Jog only on smooth surfaces.
Backpack-Style and Front-Side Baby Carriers
For parents who prefer walking or hiking with their little ones, a backpack-style or front-side baby carrier could be for you. Dr. Bautch cautions, however, that there are risks involved with carrying an infant on your back in a backpack-style carrier. "The cervical spine of a child less than one year old is not fully developed. It is important at that age that the head does not bob around. The backpack-type carrier is not ideal because the parent cannot watch to make sure the child's head is stable. A front-side carrier is better for a very young child," explains Dr. Bautch.

Dr. Bautch also urges you to think about the following:
• A backpack-style or front-side carrier decreases a parent's stability when walking or hiking. It is critical that a parent gets into shape before attempting to use one of these products.
• Since these carriers will change the feel of walking or hiking quite a bit, they should not be used by beginning walkers or hikers.
• If using a backpack-style or front-side baby carrier, make sure to select one with wide straps for your shoulders and waist. This will help distribute the carrier's weight evenly. The shoulder straps should fit comfortably over the center of your collarbone.
• The carrier should include a harness to keep the child stable.
• Once you place the child in the carrier, check to make sure there is no bunching of material against the child's body, particularly on the back, buttocks and spine. Isolated, uneven pressure like this can produce pain.
Baby Slings
The "baby sling" is becoming more and more popular for its versatility of positions and comfort. But if you wish to use a baby sling, keep in mind that it is intended only for very young infants and follows these tips:
• A baby can become very hot inside the sling, so be mindful of the temperature around you. Also, make certain the baby's breathing is clear and unobstructed by the sling's material.
• Never run or jog while carrying a baby in any backpack-style carrier, front-side carrier or baby sling. A baby's body is not adjusted to the cyclic pattern that is a part of running and jogging. This motion can do damage to the baby's neck, spine and/or brain.
Take Care of Yourself
Finally, don't forget about your own health and comfort. When lifting a child to place him or her into a trailer or jogger, exercise caution. Don't bend from the waist, but begin in a 3-point squat and implement a two-stage lift that consists of a) pulling the child up to your chest and then b) lifting straight up with your leg muscles. Stay as close to the car seat or trailer as possible and place the child into it without reaching, stretching or twisting. The further the child is from your body, the more strain you will place on your spine and musculoskeletal system.

Chiropractic Care Can Help
If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from these or other outdoor activities, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages, and can provide health tips for you and your children that will make enjoying outdoor activities safer and more enjoyable.

Visit the ACH Site, click here

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or our Homewood office 708.798.5556

Osteoporosis: Not Just An Elderly Disease

2011-05-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

It used to be that osteoporosis was considered a disease that affected only the elderly. We particularly associated osteoporosis with older women whose backs were slightly hunched over or those who could no longer stand up straight. Today, the truth is that an estimated 20 million American women suffer from osteoporosis, and 80 percent of them don't even know it.

Osteoporosis is a chronic, progressive condition that steals bone from the body, leading to fractures of the hip, spine and wrist. Older people can suffer disability and even death from osteoporosis-related fractures. Alarmingly, one in two women and one in eight men will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture in his or her lifetime.

Many people confuse osteoporosis with arthritis, and wait for swollen joints and discomfort before being tested. Even though osteoporosis is painless until a bone fracture occurs, it is important to find out how healthy your bones are now and if need be, adjust your lifestyle to avoid this brittle bone disease. The American Chiropractic Association recommends the following tips to maintain healthy bones:

• Start a regular exercise program. Walking, skipping rope, jogging, playing racquet sports, swimming and aerobics are all helpful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Exercising for 20 minutes, three times a week, is helpful.
• Although weight lifting exercises are generally recommended, the National Osteoporosis Foundation says those suffering from osteoporosis should consult their health care practitioner before beginning a weight lifting program because excessive strain on the bones could result.
• Those with severe osteoporosis and who have suffered from fractures may find Tai Chi, a form of martial arts, to be a beneficial strength training exercise system.
• People suffering from osteoporosis should be careful when bending and lifting heavy objects, including grandchildren. Bend from the knees, not the waist, when lifting, and try to avoid hunching while sitting or standing.
• Be sure to include calcium in your daily diet. The National Institutes of Health's recommendations are 1,000 mg/day for post-menopausal women taking estrogen; 1,500 mg/day for postmenopausal women not taking estrogen, and 1,500 mg/day for men and women over 65 years of age.
• If you are looking for a calcium supplement, try one that's highly absorbable, such as microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrate (MCHC), or one of the malates, fumarates, succinates, glutarates, or citrates. But don't overdo it. Taking more than the recommended amount of calcium may cause kidney stones.
• Consider taking additional nutritional supplements, such as vitamin D, C, magnesium, zinc and silica after consulting with your doctor of chiropractic.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet, including fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. Try broccoli, kale, collard greens, cabbage and turnip greens. Experiment with tofu, salmon, sardines and grains. Low-fat milk and/or yogurt are good sources of calcium. (A glass of low-fat milk and a cup of yogurt add 600 mg of calcium to your daily diet.)
• Drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day (herb teas, juices and coffee are not a substitute for water.) Avoid caffeine, carbonated sodas, alcohol, baked goods and junk food.
• Watch your animal protein intake.

Chiropractic Care Can Help...
Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about ways to improve the health of your bones. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to treat patients of all ages and can help people suffering from osteoporosis lead healthier lives.

Visit the ACH Site, click here

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Scoliosis

2011-05-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Scoliosis affects 5 to 7 million people in the United States. More than a half million visits are made to doctors’ offices each year for evaluation and treatment of scoliosis. Although scoliosis can begin at any age, it most often develops in adolescents between the ages of 10 and 15. Girls are more commonly affected than boys. Because scoliosis can be inherited, children whose parents or siblings are affected by it should definitely be evaluated by a trained professional.

What is scoliosis?

Because we walk on 2 feet, the human nervous system constantly works through reflexes and postural control to keep our spine in a straight line from side to side. Occasionally, a lateral (sideways) curvature develops. If the curvature is larger than 10 degrees, it is called scoliosis. Curves less than 10 degrees are often just postural changes. Scoliosis can also be accompanied by lordosis (abnormal curvature toward the front) or kyphosis (abnormal curvature toward the back). In most cases, the vertebrae are also rotated.

In more than 80% of cases, the cause of scoliotic curvatures is unknown; we call this condition idiopathic scoliosis. In other cases, trauma, neurological disease, tumors, and the like are responsible. Functional scoliosis is often caused by some postural problem, muscle spasm, or leg-length inequality, which can often be addressed. Structural scoliosis does not reduce with postural maneuvers. Either type can be idiopathic or have an underlying cause.

What are the symptoms of scoliosis?

Scoliosis can significantly affect the quality of life by limiting activity, causing pain, reducing lung function, or affecting heart function. Diminished self-esteem and other psychological problems are also seen. Because scoliosis occurs most commonly during adolescence, teens with extreme spinal deviations from the norm are often teased by their peers.

Fortunately, 4 out of 5 people with scoliosis have curves of less than 20 degrees, which are usually not detectable to the untrained eye. These small curves are typically no cause for great concern, provided there are no signs of further progression. In growing children and adolescents, however, mild curvatures can worsen quite rapidly—by 10 degrees or more—in a few months. Therefore, frequent checkups are often necessary for this age group.

How is scoliosis evaluated?

Evaluation begins with a thorough history and physical examination, including postural analysis. If a scoliotic curvature is discovered, a more in-depth evaluation is needed. This might include a search for birth defects, trauma, and other factors that can cause structural curves.

Patients with substantial spinal curvatures very often require an x-ray evaluation of the spine. The procedure helps determine the location and magnitude of the scoliosis, along with an underlying cause not evident on physical examination, other associated curvatures, and the health of other organ systems that might be affected by the scoliosis. In addition, x-rays of the wrist are often performed. These films help determine the skeletal age of the person, to see if it matches an accepted standard, which helps the doctor determine the likelihood of progression. Depending on the scoliosis severity, x-rays may need to be repeated as often as every 3 to 4 months to as little as once every few years.

Other tests, including evaluation by a Scoliometer™, might also be ordered by the doctor. This device measures the size, by angle, of the rib hump associated with the scoliosis. It is non-invasive, painless, and requires no special procedures. A Scoliometer™ is best used as a guide concerning progression in a person with a known scoliosis—not as a screening device.

Is scoliosis always progressive?

Generally, it is not. In fact, the vast majority of scolioses remains mild, is not progressive, and requires little treatment, if any.

In one group of patients, however, scoliosis is often more progressive. This group is made up of young girls who have scolioses of 25 degrees or larger, but who have not yet had their first menstrual period. Girls generally grow quite quickly during the 12 months before their first period and if they have scolioses, the curvatures tend to progress rapidly. In girls who have already had their first periods, the rate of growth is slower, so their curves tend to progress more slowly.

What is the treatment for scoliosis?

There are generally three treatment options for scoliosis—careful observation, bracing, and surgery. Careful observation is the most common “treatment,” as most mild scolioses do not progress and cause few, if any, physical problems. Bracing is generally reserved for children who have not reached skeletal maturity (the time when the skeleton stops growing), and who have curves between 25 and 45 degrees. Surgery is generally used in the few cases where the curves are greater than 45 degrees and progressive, and/or when the scoliosis may affect the function of the heart, lungs, or other vital organs.

Spinal manipulation, therapeutic exercise, and electrical muscle stimulation have also been advocated in the treatment of scoliosis. None of these therapies alone has been shown to consistently reduce scoliosis or to make the curvatures worse. For patients with back pain along with the scoliosis, manipulation and exercise may be of help.

Most people with scoliosis lead normal, happy, and productive lives. Physical activity including exercise is generally well-tolerated and should be encouraged in most cases

Visit the ACH Site, click here

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or our Homewood office 708.798.5556

Post-Surgery Back Pain

2011-04-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

One of our goals at Chiropractic Care is to prevent as many spinal surgeries as possible. We understand that surgery is necessary for certain conditions, but we also feel that many surgeries can be prevented with conservative chiropractic care. Patients who have already undergone surgery require special consideration when determining the appropriate treatment plan. Cox Flexion Distraction manipulation is an effective therapy that gently relieves pressure on spinal nerves and is frequently utilized in our offices to treat post-spinal surgery patients.

The rate of spinal surgery in the United States and the associated costs continues to rise even though there is little evidence in favor of surgical spinal fusion for back conditions. In some cases, the spinal surgery is ineffective, a condition called failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). Other patients will develop pain months or even years after surgery. A typical reason for this developing pain is called Adjacent Segment Disease (ASD). One common type of surgery is a spinal fusion. This surgery alters the normal biomechanics of the spine limiting motion at the fused levels. This loss of motion is compensated for by an increase in motion at spinal levels above and below the fused site resulting in a significant amount of additional forces being placed on those facet joints and discs. These additional forces may result in vertebral degeneration, disc herniation, spinal instability and spondylolisthesis which can result in pain and spinal stenosis.

One form of therapy that is beneficial to post-surgical pain cases is Cox decompression manipulation. Decompression manipulation is considered a low velocity, low amplitude adjusting procedure and has been shown to create a decrease in intradiscal pressure, an increase in posterior disc height while opening the vertebral canal and intervertebral foramen thus relieving pressure on pain sensitive nerves.

Dr. Kruse, along with Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron have recently had a paper accepted for publication demonstrating that Cox manipulation may also benefit post-surgical patients who suffer from adjacent segment disease.

Cox Decompression Chiropractic Manipulation of a Patient with Post-surgical Lumbar Fusion: A Case Report. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (JCM), 2011.

Drs. Kruse and Cambron have also had a study accepted for publication demonstrating the positive outcomes of Cox Decompression Manipulation performed to a larger population of patients who previously underwent lower back spinal surgery.

Post-Surgical Lumbar Spine pain treated with Cox Chiropractic Flexion Distraction manipulation: A retrospective study in a private practice setting. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), 2011.

For more information and research on this topic, go to http://www.coxchirocare.com/ and look for post-surgery back pain.

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Mom, these books weigh more than I do!

2011-04-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

Jacey Merkle weighs just 90 pounds. Add her backpack, and her weight shoots up to 110.

On any given school day, Jacey, a seventh-grader at Southwest Middle School, will lug around 20 pounds of books and school supplies on her back.

And she’s not alone.

The American Chiropractic Association has been sounding the alarm for years over heavy backpacks and the back issues they cause in young students.

In a recent study, researchers found that the average child carries a backpack “that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman.”

In the study, 60 percent of those carrying heavy backpacks had already reported back pain.

A second study done showed that the longer a child wears an oversized backpack, the longer it takes for a “curvature or deformity of the spine to correct itself,” according to the ACA.

Rapid City chiropractor James Schwietert said he treats plenty of students who have back and neck pain caused by carrying heavy backpacks.

“Some of these backpacks weigh half as much as the child,”Schwietert said. “Over the long term, what you’re doing is loading the spine with unnecessary weight at too young of an age.”

An overly heavy backpack will cause a child to bend forward to support the weight on his back, rather than on the shoulders.

Schwietert said that while children may have only minor back and neck complaints now, they will likely see graver complaints later in life. “They’re going to carry that issue.”

Karin Merkle, Jacey’s mother, said her daughter’s heavy backpack has been an issue in their house, especially since Jacey walks a mile to and from school each day.

Merkle tried to find alternatives for her daughter, even buying a rolling suitcase. It didn’t work well, so Jacey went back to her backpack.

Stan Evans, principal at Dakota Middle School, said the heavy backpacks haven’t been a huge issue at his schools, but said, “I know that some students do overload them.”

Evans thinks that while there will always be a place for textbooks in education, teachers will continue to use other resources such as online curriculum.

That shift should lessen the burden of heavy backpacks.

Schwietert also expects a day when students will carry all of their schoolwork on lightweight electronic devices.

Until that happens, he urges parents to pay attention to the weight in their kids’ backpacks and look for alternatives whenever possible.

He also encourages parents to spend a little more to get ergonomically correct backpacks that shift the weight lower on the body.

It may be an extra expense now, but it will pay off in the end, he said.

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Pull Your Weeds, Not Your Back, When Gardening

2011-04-11T22:48:00.000-07:00

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As springtime approaches, weather warms up and leaves turn green, many people will spend more time outside planting bulbs, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds. Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your body may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety.

Gardening can be enjoyable, but it is important to stretch your muscles before reaching for your gardening tools. The back, upper legs, shoulders, and wrists are all major muscle groups affected when using your green thumb.

A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity," said Dr. Scott Bautch of the American Chiropractic Association's (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. "Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, pain and stiffness."

To make gardening as fun and enjoyable as possible, it is important to prepare your body for this type of physical activity. The following stretches will help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden.

Garden Fitness Stretches

Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortably as you can. Do not follow the no pain, no gain rule. Stretching should not be painful. o While sitting, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg.

Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Do this again and repeat with the other leg.

While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times.

Do the "Hug your best friend." Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Finally, be aware of your body technique, body form and correct posture while gardening. Kneel, don't bend, and alternate your stance and movements as often as possible to keep the muscles and body balanced.

When the Bulbs Are Planted...
If you already feel muscle aches and pains and did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort. Apply a cold pack on the area of pain for the first 48 hours or apply a heat pack after 48 hours, and consider chiropractic care.

Ready for Spring... Yard Work!

2011-04-03T22:03:00.000-07:00

The state-of-the-art equipment available today for lawn and leaf management can help turn the average homeowner into a lawn specialist overnight. But the use of weed trimmers, leaf blowers and hedge clippers has also been sending many aspiring landscapers to the office of their local doctor of chiropractic.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) warns that using this equipment can result in back and neck pain, as well as more serious muscular strains and tears if not used properly.

"The repetitive motion that your body undergoes when using such equipment can bring on a whole host of mechanical problems within the body," says ACA President Dr. Richard Brassard. "It is essential to operate your equipment properly. If you do not, the pounding your body endures may be multiplied."

Tips On Safely Using Your Outdoor Equipment
Dr. Brassard offers the following tips to help you safely enjoy a productive day in the yard:

Regardless of what piece of equipment you are using, make sure it has a strap-and that you use it. Place the strap over your head on the shoulder on the opposite side of your body from the device. This will help normalize your center of gravity.

Be sure to switch the side on which you are operating the equipment as often as possible, and to balance the muscles being used, alternate your stance and motion frequently.

Take frequent breaks from the activity of the day. Muscle fatigue may be felt when using any of these devices for an extended period of time.

Consider electric-powered items, especially if you experience back or neck pain, as they tend to be much lighter than their engine-powered counterparts.

When picking up or putting down your equipment, be sure to bend from the knees, not at the waist. Keep the object close to your body as you lift, not at arm's length.

"While it is critical that you operate your yard equipment safely, it is equally important that you prepare your body for the work you are about to do," explains Dr. Brassard. "Be sure to include a warm-up/cool-down period that involves stretching to help avoid injury."

Simple Stretches For Everybody
Before stretching, there are a few tips to keep in mind. Breathe in and out slowly throughout each stretching exercise until the muscle is stretched to its furthest point. At that point, hold your breath in. When you relax, breathe out. Stretch gently and smoothly. Do not bounce or jerk your body in any way and stretch as far as you can comfortably. You should not feel pain.

Following are a few easy stretches Dr. Brassard recommends for getting the most out of the time you spend in the yard:

Stand up and prop your heel on a back door step or stool with your knee slightly bent. Bend forward until you feel a slight pull at the back of the thigh, called the hamstring. You may need to stabilize yourself by holding onto a garage door handle or sturdy tree branch. Hold the position for 20 seconds, then relax. Do it once more, then repeat with the other leg.

Stand up and put your right hand against a wall or other stable surface. Bend your left knee and grab your ankle with your left hand. Pull your heel toward your buttocks to stretch the quadricep muscle at the front of your thigh. Hold that position for 20 seconds, relax and do it again. Repeat with the other leg.

Weave your fingers together above your head with your palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds to stretch the side of your upper body, then reverse. Repeat two or three times.

"Hug your best friend": Wrap your arms around yourself after letting your breath out and rotate to one side, as far as you can go. Hold it for 10 seconds. Then reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Chiropractic Care Can Help
If you experience pain or discomfort resulting from outdoor equipment misuse, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to treat the entire neuromusculoskeletal system, and can help people lead healthier lives by focusing on wellness and prevention.

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Headaches, Prevention and Treatment

2011-03-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

Headaches are more common in adults, although they can develop at any time in life. Approximately 4 out of 5 children have headaches at some point, but most are benign and self-resolving. In fact, many adults who suffer from headaches report having the first headache in childhood.

Headache symptoms usually begin gradually. In fact, the sudden onset of severe headache may signify a serious problem and requires immediate medical attention. Common headache is often described as achy, dull or throbbing pain. It typically begins at the base of the skull/upper part of the neck and may radiate into the eye(s), the temple, or other locations. Headaches may be felt on one or both sides of the head. Often loud noises or bright lights may make them worse. Some patients may become nauseated or experience odd smells, sounds, or sights before and during the headache attack.

How Is a Headache Evaluated?

Early diagnosis and treatment are important in identifying a serious underlying cause for your headache. In most cases, an in-depth history and physical examination can help determine if your symptoms are related to an easily treated problem, or if it is more serious.

Your doctor can use other tests that reproduce the symptoms of your headache to help develop a specific management plan for your condition, or refer you to another health care provider. X-rays, laboratory tests and even advanced imaging studies like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be necessary. Your doctor may ask you to complete a headache diary, recording:

day and time of the headache
headache location
what the headache feels like
what you were doing when the headache began
how long the headache lasts
what makes it feel better or worse
anything else you notice before, during, or after the attacks

What Is the Treatment for Headaches?

Headache treatment is cause-related. Doctors of chiropractic often treat patients with tension-type headaches and headaches caused by problems with the joints and muscles in the neck, as well.

Joint manipulation and mobilization of the neck, along with stretching and strengthening exercises, have been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of this type of headache.

Massage and other forms of soft-tissue treatment can sometimes be helpful.

Scientists are also investigating other therapies, such as acupuncture, to prevent and treat this disorder. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, can be used for an occasional headache, but not for long-term headache management.

More serious causes of headache require aggressive treatment, and your doctor of chiropractic can assist you in finding a medical headache specialist. The majority of patients with headache recover completely after treatment. Unfortunately, the recurrence rate is relatively high, particularly with tension-type headache. If you have any questions or concerns about headache, feel free to discuss them with your doctor or chiropractic.

What Causes Headaches?

Headaches can be primary and secondary. Primary headaches do not result from some other health condition.

The most common type of primary headache is caused by problems with the neck muscles. Changes in the blood vessels inside the skull usually cause migraines. Other common types of headache include “cluster” headaches—headaches grouped together over weeks at a time; sinus headaches, associated with allergies and/or sinus infection; and headaches from poor vision.

Secondary headache results from some other cause or condition—head injury, concussion, blood vessel problems, or high blood pressure—or from side effects of some medications, infections in the head or sinuses or elsewhere in the body. Rare headache causes include tumors, aneurysms and other abnormal growths inside the skull, and toxic substances in the blood. Certain foods, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), a food flavor enhancer, may cause headaches, as well.

How Can Headaches Be Prevented?

Muscle-tension headaches can often be avoided by maintaining proper posture and neck movements while performing your normal activities. You should:

Avoid slouching
Avoid reading with your neck bent forward
Keep your computer monitor at eye level
Take frequent breaks from reading and working on the computer.
Try a low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet. A recent study demonstrated that such a diet can dramatically lower the frequency, intensity, and\duration of migraine headaches.

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At Chiropractic Care, we determine the cause of your headache and prescribe a customized treatment plan for you. Therapies may include combinations of manipulation, massage therapy, traction, trigger point therapy, ultrasound and acupuncture. Dr. Kruse has published an article on the successful treatment of headaches utilizing chiropractic manipulation and acupuncture.

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Chiropractic and Neck Pain: Conservative Care of Cervical Pain, Injury

2011-03-20T23:39:00.000-07:00

Your neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. Incredibly, the cervical spine supports the full weight of your head, which is on average about 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to pain and injury.

The neck’s susceptibility to injury is due in part to biomechanics. Activities and events that affect cervical biomechanics include extended sitting, repetitive movement, accidents, falls and blows to the body or head, normal aging, and everyday wear and tear. Neck pain can be very bothersome, and it can have a variety of causes.

Here are some of the most typical causes of neck pain:

Injury and Accidents: A sudden forced movement of the head or neck in any direction and the resulting “rebound” in the opposite direction is known as whiplash. The sudden “whipping” motion injures the surrounding and supporting tissues of the neck and head. Muscles react by tightening and contracting, creating muscle fatigue, which can result in pain and stiffness. Severe whiplash can also be associated with injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerve roots. Car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash.

Growing Older: Degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease directly affect the spine.

Osteoarthritis, a common joint disorder, causes progressive deterioration of cartilage. The body reacts by forming bone spurs that affect joint motion.

Spinal stenosis causes the small nerve passageways in the vertebrae to narrow, compressing and trapping nerve roots. Stenosis may cause neck, shoulder, and arm pain, as well as numbness, when these nerves are unable to function normally.

Degenerative disc disease can cause reduction in the elasticity and height of intervertebral discs. Over time, a disc may bulge or herniate, causing tingling, numbness, and pain that runs into the arm.

Daily Life: Poor posture, obesity, and weak abdominal muscles often disrupt spinal balance, causing the neck to bend forward to compensate. Stress and emotional tension can cause muscles to tighten and contract, resulting in pain and stiffness. Postural stress can contribute to chronic neck pain with symptoms extending into the upper back and the arms.

Chiropractic Care of Neck Pain
During your visit, your doctor of chiropractic will perform exams to locate the source of your pain and will ask you questions about your current symptoms and remedies you may have already tried. For example:

When did the pain start?

What have you done for your neck pain?

Does the pain radiate or travel to other parts of your body?

Does anything reduce the pain or make it worse?

Your doctor of chiropractic will also do physical and neurological exams. In the physical exam, your doctor will observe your posture, range of motion, and physical condition, noting movement that causes pain. Your doctor will feel your spine, note its curvature and alignment, and feel for muscle spasm. A check of your shoulder area is also in order. During the neurological exam, your doctor will test your reflexes, muscle strength, other nerve changes, and pain spread.

In some instances, your chiropractor might order tests to help diagnose your condition. An x-ray can show narrowed disc space, fractures, bone spurs, or arthritis. A computerized axial tomography scan (a CT or CAT scan) or a magnetic resonance imaging test (an MRI) can show bulging discs and herniations. If nerve damage is suspected, your doctor may order a special test called electromyography (an EMG) to measure how quickly your nerves respond.

Chiropractors are conservative care doctors; their scope of practice does not include the use of drugs or surgery. If your chiropractor diagnoses a condition outside of this conservative scope, such as a neck fracture or an indication of an organic disease, he or she will refer you to the appropriate medical physician or specialist. He or she may also ask for permission to inform your family physician of the care you are receiving to ensure that your chiropractic care and medical care are properly coordinated.

Neck Adjustments
A neck adjustment (also known as a cervical manipulation) is a precise procedure applied to the joints of the neck, usually by hand. A neck adjustment works to improve the mobility of the spine and to restore range of motion; it can also increase movement of the adjoining muscles. Patients typically notice an improved ability to turn and tilt the head, and a reduction of pain, soreness, and stiffness.

Of course, your chiropractor will develop a program of care that may combine more than one type of treatment, depending on your personal needs. In addition to manipulation, the treatment plan may include mobilization, massage or rehabilitative exercises, or something else.

Research Supporting Chiropractic Care
One of the most recent reviews of scientific literature found evidence that patients with chronic neck pain enrolled in clinical trials reported significant improvement following chiropractic spinal manipulation.

As part of the literature review, published in the March/April 2007 issue of the Journal of
Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the researchers reviewed nine previously published trials and found “high-quality evidence” that patients with chronic neck pain showed significant pain-level improvements following spinal manipulation. No trial group was reported as having remained unchanged, and all groups showed positive changes up to 12 weeks post-treatment.

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Housework...

2011-03-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

Household chores can be a pain in the sacroiliac. Unless you're careful, routine activities around the home - washing dishes, vacuuming, even talking on the phone - can strain your back, including the sacroiliac area near the tailbone, and result in debilitating discomfort.

But you can protect your back by knowing the right way to go about such activities, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

Consider lifting. It doesn't matter whether you're picking up your child or a heavy bucket of water, you need to do it the proper way to avoid injury.

How? Bend from the knees, not the waist. As you lift, hold the item as close to your body as possible. If you have to turn to place it, step in the direction of the turn. That way, you're not twisting your body and straining your spine.

Back-Saving Tips
The American Chiropractic Association suggest the following do's and don'ts for chores and relaxation:

When you wash dishes, open the cabinet beneath the sink, bend one knee and put your foot on the shelf under the sink. Lean against the counter so some of your weight is supported in front.

When ironing, raise one foot a bit. Place it on a small stool or a book to take some strain off your back.

To vacuum, use a "fencer's stance." Put all your weight on one foot, then step forward and back with the other foot as you push the vacuum forward and back. Use the back foot as a pivot when you turn.

While talking on the phone, don't cradle the phone between your ear and shoulder. That can lock up the spinal joints in the neck and upper back, and cause pain. Instead, hold the phone with your hand or use the speakerphone.

While watching television or relaxing, don't use the sofa arm as a pillow. The angle is much too sharp for your neck.

Use a cold pack if your back begins to hurt. Wrap an ice pack in a towel moistened with warm water. The warmth gives way to gradual cold, which likely will alleviate the discomfort. (No ice? Try frozen veggies instead.)

If pain persists for more than a day or two or if you experience numbness, tingling or weakness in your arms or legs, see a doctor of chiropractic.

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Back Pain and Chiropractic

2011-03-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

Walking upright on two feet has advantages, but it also puts intense pressure on the spine, as well as on other muscles and bones. Add to this improper sitting, lifting, or reaching—and the normal wear and tear of working and playing—and you have the perfect recipe for back pain. That’s why back pain is the 2nd most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. In fact, some experts say, as many as 80% of us will experience a back problem at some time in our lives.1

Back injuries are a part of everyday life. They can cause a sharp pain or a dull ache and can be accompanied by a tingling, numbness, or burning sensation. You may also feel weakness, pain, or tingling in your pelvis and upper leg—a condition known as sciatica. The spine is quite good at dealing with back injuries. Minor injuries usually heal within a day or two. Some pain, however, continues. What makes it last longer is not entirely understood, but researchers suspect that stress, mood changes, and the fear of further injury may prevent patients from being active and exacerbate the pain.

Tips for Back Pain Prevention:

Maintain a healthy diet and weight.
Remain active—under the supervision of your doctor of chiropractic.
Avoid prolonged inactivity or bed rest.
Warm up or stretch before exercising or other physical activities, such as gardening.
Maintain proper posture.
Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.
Lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist when lifting.
Quit smoking. Smoking impairs blood flow, resulting in oxygen and nutrient deprivation to spinal tissues.
Work with your doctor of chiropractic to ensure that your workstation is ergonomically correct.
Chiropractic Treatment for Back Pain

If you experience back pain, consult your doctor of chiropractic. More than 30 million Americans sought chiropractic care last year alone. Past studies have indicated that consumers are very happy with the chiropractic care they receive.

With a thorough knowledge of the structure and functioning of the human body, doctors of chiropractic make diagnoses and take steps to correct problems using spinal adjustments, dietary and lifestyle advice, and other natural tools. Spinal manipulation—the primary form of treatment performed by doctors of chiropractic—is a recommended option for back pain treatment, rated as such by many state and workers’ compensation guidelines.

Research has shown that manipulative therapy and spinal manipulation are not only safe and effective, but can cut costs and get workers back on the job faster than other treatments. A recent medical study has also pointed out that manual manipulation offers better short-term relief of chronic back pain than medication.2

References

1. Vallfors B. Acute, subacute and chronic low back pain: Clinical symptoms, absenteeism and working environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985;11:1-98.

2. Giles L, Muller R. Chronic spinal pain: A randomized clinical trial comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation. Spine 2003 July 15;28(14):1490-1502.

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Sports Injuries

2011-02-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

Participation in sports or exercise is an important step in maintaining your health. Exercise strengthens your heart, bones, and joints and reduces stress, among many other benefits. Unfortunately, injuries during participation in sports are all too common. Often, these injuries occur in someone who is just taking up sports as a form of activity, doesn’t use proper safety equipment, or becomes overzealous about the exercise regimen.

The more commonly injured areas of the body are the ankles, knees, shoulders, elbows, and spine. Remember that you should discuss any exercise program with your doctor of chiropractic before undertaking such activities.

Strains and Sprains
Although bones can sometimes be fractured with acute sports injuries, the most commonly injured structures are the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Tendons attach muscles to bones, and ligaments attach one bone to another.

An acute twisting or overextension of a joint can lead to tears of muscles and tendons, called “strains,” and tears of ligaments result in “sprains.” These tears range from mild to severe. In mild injuries, just a few fibers are torn or stretched. Severe injuries, where there is a tear through the full thickness of the structure, are most often considered unstable injuries and frequently require surgical intervention. The intervertebral disc, a ligament between the vertebrae of the spine that works as a shock absorber, can also be torn, resulting in a disc bulge and/or herniation.

Ankle sprains most often involve tears of one or more of the ligaments along the outside of the ankle. Knee ligaments, including the larger external supportive ligaments and the smaller internal stabilizing ligaments, can also be torn. The cartilage on the back of the patella (knee-cap) can also become eroded from overuse, leading to a condition termed chondromalacia patella.

Tendinosis
In those who are training too much, overuse of a particular joint or joints in the body can result in pain and dysfunction. These injuries are called “overuse syndromes.” A common overuse injury is tendinosis, also called tendinitis. In this condition, the tendon becomes inflamed from repetitive use. In the shoulder, the rotator cuff (a complex of muscles that stabilizes and moves the shoulder) becomes inflamed, resulting in rotator cuff tendinitis. Tennis elbow is another form of tendinitis that occurs along the outside of the elbow, most commonly in tennis players. In golfer’s elbow, the tendons on the inside of the elbow are affected.

Stress Fractures
Some athletes may experience a stress fracture, also called a fatigue fracture. This type of fracture occurs when an abnormal amount of stress is placed on a normal bone. This might occur in a runner who rapidly increases the amount of mileage while training for a race. Stress fractures also occur in people who begin running as a form of exercise but overdo it from the start, rather than gradually progress to longer distances.

One final common injury is worth mentioning, and that is shin splints. This overuse injury is caused by microfractures on the front surface of the tibia (shin bone). This is most often seen in runners, although other athletes can also be affected.

Diagnosis and TreatmentSports injuries are most often diagnosed from the history of the activity that brought on the pain, along with a physical examination. In some cases, x-rays are necessary to rule out a fracture. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diagnostic ultrasound are also used in finding soft-tissue injuries, like tendinitis and sprains.

Fractures require the application of some stabilizing device, such as a cast, after the bone is put back into position. Rarely, surgical intervention is required. There is a relatively standard treatment protocol for most of the other overuse types of injuries. This protocol involves the following:

Rest
Generally no more than 48 hours of rest and/or immobilization is needed, depending on the severity of the injury. In most cases, the sooner the person becomes active after an injury, the more rapid is the recovery. In fact, long-term immobilization can sometimes be harmful to recovery. Your doctor of chiropractic will guide this process, as too early a return to activity, choosing the wrong type of activity, or excessive activity can be detrimental.

Ice or heat
Ice or heat can be helpful with pain reduction and tissue healing.

CompressionCompression of the area may reduce the amount of swelling from the injury. Your doctor of chiropractic will determine if this will be beneficial in your case.

Elevation
Elevation of the injured arm or leg above the level of the heart is thought to be helpful in reducing swelling.

Pain relievers
Recent research has demonstrated that some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may actually slow the healing process by restricting the body’s natural healing mechanisms, so they should be used sparingly.

Joint manipulation
Recent research has shown us that, in some cases, joint manipulation can be helpful with pain reduction and more rapid recovery. Your doctor of chiropractic will determine if this procedure will be helpful in your case.

A Word about Prevention
In many cases, sports injuries can be prevented. Proper conditioning and warm-up and cool-down procedures, as well as appropriate safety equipment, can substantially reduce injuries. Understanding proper techniques can also go a long way toward preventing injuries.

Sufficient water intake is also an important preventive measure.

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2011-02-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

Not getting enough sleep?

A good night’s sleep is essential for good health and many of the body’s functions. Sleeping helps our bodies recharge and prepare for the next day's mental and physical activities. It is important for the brain, nervous system, and the hormonal system to operate properly.

Although individual sleep needs vary, most healthy adults need an average of eight hours of sleep. However, the quality of sleep is as important as the amount of sleep. Having enough uninterrupted, restful sleep helps maintain the body's natural sleep pattern and results in more restorative sleep.

Inadequate amounts of sleep can lead to reduced productivity, poor concentration, impaired memory, decreased learning and reasoning abilities, and difficulty in all areas of life due to stress. Irritability, looking tired, reduced reaction times, too much dependence on caffeine, and difficulty concentrating are some of the signs of inadequate quality sleep.

Insomnia is the most common sleep-related problem affecting up to 40% of the population according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH.) Insomnia includes difficulty falling asleep, waking up often with difficulty falling back asleep, waking too early in the morning, or poor quality of sleep.

Chiropractic care can help reduce sleeping disorders by providing treatments that offer the promise of a better night's sleep. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore the natural flow of nerve impulses to every area of the body. This helps to improve natural deeper relaxation for a more restful sleep. Many of the underlying causes of poor sleep such as stress, back pain, neck pain, and headaches can be controlled through chiropractic therapy. Massage therapy and acupuncture are also effective methods of promoting relaxation and reducing stress.

Without enough quality sleep, the body is unable to heal properly thus perpetuating illness. This may become a vicious cycle with pain preventing sleep and lack of sleep preventing proper healing. Chiropractic care is a good option if you don't want to rely on prescription drugs. Give us a call if you would like to discuss treatment options such as chiropractic care, massage therapy and acupuncture.

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Free Valentine's Day Massage!

2011-01-27T15:21:00.000-08:00

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Preparation for Outdoor Winter Activities... Prevents Injury!

2011-01-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

Skiing - do 10 to 15 squats. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, knees aligned over your feet. Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet. Stand up straight again.
Skating - do several lunges. Take a moderately advanced step with one foot. Let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips. Repeat the process with your other foot.
Sledding/tobogganing - do knee-to-chest stretches to fight compression injuries caused by repetitive bouncing over the snow. Either sitting or lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and hold for up to 30 seconds.
Don't forget cool-down stretching for all of these sports - At the bottom of the sledding hill, for instance, before trudging back up, do some more knees-to-chest stretches, or repetitive squatting movements to restore flexibility.

Shoveling snow can also wreak havoc on the musculoskeletal system. The ACA suggests the following tips for exercise of the snow shoveling variety:

If you must shovel snow, be careful. Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work.
Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.
Shoveling can strain "de-conditioned" muscles between your shoulders, in your upper back, lower back, buttocks and legs. So, do some warm-up stretching before you grab that shovel.
When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don't try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.
Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.
Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.
Stop if you feel chest pain, or get really tired or have shortness of breath. You may need immediate professional help.

After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

If you continue to feel soreness, pain or strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a doctor of chiropractic. "I've always believed in chiropractic care," says Parra. "I've used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn't get fixed until I go to a doctor of chiropractic."

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So...how are you doing?

2011-01-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

Now that it is the middle of January, many of our new year’s resolutions are either in full swing or are falling by the wayside. Most of us make promises to ourselves to start exercising and dieting and to basically get healthier. Some of us resolve to spend more time with family and friends, get organized or even to save money to finally go on that vacation. Unfortunately our hectic lives, pain, or possibly our own lack of will power can interfere with these resolutions and we may often feel like we have let ourselves down.

Sometimes, making too many resolutions makes it difficult to keep them all. It's easier on us, and gives us the opportunity to succeed, if we tackle one or two tasks at a time. Once you are in the habit of getting and staying healthy, it no longer is a resolution, but a way of life.

If exercising, losing weight, quitting smoking, and getting healthier is on the top of your things to do this year, let Chiropractic Care help you succeed. We can help you to stop smoking with acupuncture, work with you to develop a safe exercise program and assist you to live a healthier life. If pain is preventing you from exercising, then we can help determine the cause of your problem and take steps to correct it. Then, you'll have the time, the energy and the drive to have fun with your family, complete those unfinished projects and maybe even take that well deserved vacation to paradise!

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Back Pain...strikes again!

2011-01-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

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Back Pain Facts & Statistics

Although chiropractors care for more than just back pain, many patients visit chiropractors looking for relief from this pervasive condition. In fact, 31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time.¹
A few interesting facts about back pain:

One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.²
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.
Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer.
Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain—and that’s just for the more easily identified costs.³
Experts estimate that as many as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in our lives.⁴

What Causes Back Pain?
The back is a complicated structure of bones, joints, ligaments and muscles. You can sprain ligaments, strain muscles, rupture disks, and irritate joints, all of which can lead to back pain. While sports injuries or accidents can cause back pain, sometimes the simplest of movements—for example, picking up a pencil from the floor— can have painful results. In addition, arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and psychological stress can cause or complicate back pain. Back pain can also directly result from disease of the internal organs, such as kidney stones, kidney infections, blood clots, or bone loss.
Manipulation as a Treatment for Back Problems
Used primarily by Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) for the last century, manipulation has been largely ignored by most others in the health care community until recently. Now, with today's growing emphasis on treatment and cost effectiveness, manipulation is receiving more widespread attention.
Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a safe and effective spine pain treatment. It reduces pain, decreases medication, rapidly advances physical therapy, and requires very few passive forms of treatment, such as bed rest.⁵
In fact, after an extensive study of all currently available care for low back problems, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research—a federal government research organization—recommended that low back pain sufferers choose the most conservative care first. And it recommended spinal manipulation as the only safe and effective, drugless form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults.⁶
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) urges you to make an informed choice about your back care. To learn more about how chiropractic manipulation may help you, contact a Doctor of Chiropractic in your area. Search our online database of ACA members to find a doctor of chiropractic near you.
Tips to Prevent Back Pain

Maintain a healthy diet and weight.
Remain active—under the supervision of your doctor of chiropractic.
Avoid prolonged inactivity or bed rest.
Warm up or stretch before exercising or other physical activities, such as gardening.
Maintain proper posture.
Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.
Lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist when lifting.
Quit smoking. Smoking impairs blood flow, resulting in oxygen and nutrient deprivation to spinal tissues.
Work with your doctor of chiropractic to ensure that your computer workstation is ergonomically correct.

References:

1. Jensen M, Brant-Zawadzki M, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People Without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331: 69-116.

2. Vallfors B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985; 11: 1-98.

3. This total represents only the more readily identifiable costs for medical care, workers compensation payments and time lost from work. It does not include costs associated with lost personal income due to acquired physical limitation resulting from a back problem and lost employer productivity due to employee medical absence. In Project Briefs: Back Pain Patient Outcomes Assessment Team (BOAT). In MEDTEP Update, Vol. 1 Issue 1, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Rockville,

4. In Vallfors B, previously cited.5. Time to recognize value of chiropractic care? Science and patient satisfaction surveys cite usefulness of spinal manipulation. Orthopedics Today 2003 Feb; 23(2):14-15.

6. Bigos S, Bowyer O, Braen G, et al. Acute Low Back Problems in Adults. Clinical Practice Guideline No.14. AHCPR Publication No. 95-0642. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health

Happy Holiday Tips from A.C.A.

2010-12-28T09:42:00.000-08:00

Better late than never... The 12 Days of Christmas from the ACA is worth saving. Just click on the photo, you'll be directed to their site. Click on 1 -12 for a PDF of some (truly great and timely) health and wellness tips. If you have any questions, or would like more information, please call, or visit our website.

Please visit our website for more information - click here -
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Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

Dr. Ralph Kruse

A gift, to share... or not!

2010-12-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

Benefits of Massage

2010-12-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

Thought I would share a great article I found on the benefits of massage. Everyone knows how great a massage makes you feel... but, did you know how great a massage is for your entire wellbeing?

Originally published in Body Sense magazine, Fall 2001.
Copyright 2001. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

As you lie on the table under crisp, fresh sheets, hushed music draws you into the moment. The smell of sage fills the air and you hear the gentle sound of massage oil being warmed in your therapist's hands. The pains of age, the throbbing from your overstressed muscles, the sheer need to be touched -- all cry out for therapeutic hands to start their work. Once the session gets underway, the problems of the world fade into an oblivious 60 minutes of relief and all you can comprehend right now is not wanting it to end.

But what if that hour of massage did more for you than just take the pressures of the day away? What if that gentle, Swedish massage helped you combat cancer? What if bodywork helped you recover from a strained hamstring in half the time? What if your sleep, digestion and mood all improved with massage and bodywork? What if these weren't just "what ifs"?

Evidence is showing that the more massage you can allow yourself, the better you'll feel. Here's why. Please click here to download the article.

Chiropractic Care Ltd. has the perfect gift for you... and for your someone special. Purchase 2 one hour massages and get one hour free. The ideal holiday gift. Shed the stress and relax. This offer is valid until Noon, December 24th 2010.

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Being Fit While You Sit!

2010-12-07T12:07:00.000-08:00

We found a great article with suggestions for proper posture while working on your computer. Today, most of us spend time (and usually quite a bit of time) sitting in front of our computers - daily. We start out sitting properly, then our bodies start adapt to the stresses we're creating. Click here to read more about how to combat the conditions that result from a little too much "sitting!"

Dr. Ruck's site (Lawrence Ruck, D.C. Chiropractic Sports Practitioner) click here.

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Your First Chiropractic Visit

2010-11-24T16:17:00.000-08:00

You've decided to visit a chiropractor, but you're not quite sure what to expect on your first visit. The following article will help you feel at ease during your first chiropractic appointment.

Please click here for the article.

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I'm starving, the holiday season is here, I'm busy...boy that burger looks good!

2010-11-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

How to avoid eating those fabulous fast food temptations!

More than 60 percent of adults in the United States are either overweight or obese, according to CDC statistics, and obesity is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Yet losing weight can be a struggle, and many people wonder where to begin. The answer for some may be in the office of a doctor of chiropractic (DC). DCs offer natural approaches such as specific exercise recommendations, dietary advice and hands-on care to help keep people active and able to achieve their weight-loss goals.

In honor of National Chiropractic Health Month, ACA offers tips for a healthier lifestyle:

Start small. If all you can manage is a five-minute walk, do it. Eventually, you'll be able to work your way up to 30 minutes or more, and you'll be taking a big step toward maintaining the flexibility and mobility of your joints and burning calories at the same time.

For those on a time crunch, take short breaks from work. Simply getting up from your desk and walking around the office or the parking lot, or going up and down the stairs a few times, is enough to get your blood flowing and to trigger feel-good endorphins to get you through the rest of your day.

As for your diet, choose foods high in fiber—fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes—as fiber curbs hunger. Also reduce your simple carbohydrates—candy, pizza, chips, cookies and bread that is not made from whole grains. In some people, simple carbohydrates can trigger overeating, as well as blood-glucose slumps, which can lead to fatigue, headaches, craving sweets, depression, irritability and a host of other symptoms.

Keep a good variety of low-calorie snacks available to satisfy cravings. Having carrot sticks, apple slices, whole-grain granola, fruit and raisins on hand can prevent you from running to the snack machine or picking up fast food.

Source: http://chirovoice.org/ChiroHealth/Oct10.html

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Our new Video!

2010-11-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

Please check out our new video...

Click here!

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How about a little stress!

2010-11-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

We all know that life = stress. The Holiday's are right around the corner, so, stress levels are sure to increase...unless WE take control.

The ACA has some great information on how to overcome some of the daily stress, and lead healthier, happier lives.

To download the article, please click here.

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It's Flu Season...

2010-11-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Just a small recap on the flu season, including the information about the H1N1 virus. You know the rules, none of this is "new", but "Tis the Season!" Stay well...
Please click here to download the article

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