Posts for: October, 2017
More great research/news in the chiropractic world with a recent study published in the Journal of Manual and Phsyiological Therapeutics!
Epidural injections, a more aggressive form of treatment for pain due to disc injury, are steroidal injection mixtures meant to reduce pain. While sometimes effective at offering short-term pain relief, they don't address the root cause of the pain, and often actually weaken the ligaments and structures in the area of injection long-term.
Holistic chiropractic kinesiology is a viable and effective alternative to steroidal injections and surgery. Oftentimes, it is a combination of factors contributing to the disc injury and pain, and all must be addressed for true, long-lasting resolution of the pain. This means using our tools of applied kinesiology muscle testing and chiropractic adjustments to address musculoskeletal injuries and imbalances contributing to the problem, along with other factors such as organ system dysfunction (especially the intestinal system and ileocecal valve, which can cause discs to retain more fluid and bulge/herniate more), mental/emotional stressors, injury memory in the body, nutrient deficiencies, and so much more. With chiropractic kinesiology, we can identify all contributors and address them as indicated by the body!
The results of this study showed that chiropractic care for disc herniations actually had a somewhat greater reduction on pain levels, while also being less expensive than epidural injections.
October is Chiropractic Health Month in the State of Maryland! Thank you Maryland!
Chiropractors focus on the brain/nervous system and musculoskeletal system and their affects on general health and overall function. Chiropractic is a hands-on, drug-free, and holistic approach to health care. It should be considered as one of the first lines of conservative care for any and all health concerns.
We can't wait to get back in the office tomorrow, Monday the 23rd for another week of amazing patients and healing!
My patients Adam and Serena both paid me a visit yesterday, and we made it a chiropractic family affair!
Adam comes in for holistic chiropractic treatments every few weeks because he travels weekly for his job. This means he is on flights every week. As Adam knows, travel, particularly flying, while it can be enjoyable, is stressful on the body in different ways. Flying also tends to dehydrate the body, leaving us prone to health issues such as headaches, fatigue, spinal misalignments, and more.
Thanks to Adam for being proactive with his health, and for also bringing in his 3 year old daughter Serena for her tune up! There is no age too young to begin chiropractic. In fact, the sooner the better. We have supported Serena's nervous system and musculoskeletal system during some of the most important years of her life! During the first 6 years of life, we hit important neurological milestones. Chiropractic care aids in optimal development.
Thanks to Adam and Serena, and we look forward to seeing you next time!
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Many of my patients have heard me say that chiropractic adjustments and other physical work we do on the body is very stimulating to the brain and nervous system. Well, what does this exactly mean? I've found a picture that will hopefully give you all a nice, clear visual of what that means for your body and for your health!
According to Nobel prize winner Dr. Roger Sperry, 90% of stimulation and input to the brain is generated by movement of the spine. In the below picture, we see the homunculus of the brain. It is the portion of the brain that is responsible for both receiving signals and sending out signals to the various parts of the body. The areas of the body that correspond to the different parts of the homunculus of the brain are shown.
For example, if there is a misalignment in the right foot, input to the brain in the area of the foot from the right foot would be decreased. Decreased input to the brain=not good. When we correct the misalignment in the foot, we restore input to that area of the brain and the brain literally lights up upon the patient receiving the chiropractic adjustment. This then improves brain-body communication in both directions.
As a holistic chiropractor, not only do I check and adjust spinal misalignments, but I also always check the jaw and extremities as well (hands, feet, elbows, etc). If you look at the map of the body on the brain homunculus, you can see what a large portion of it is covered by the head/mouth/haw and feet and hands. This reinforces the importance of checking the entire body, not just the spine, for dysfunction and/or misalignments!
Keep your brain and nervous system functioning at its best with holistic chiropractic kinesiology.
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