As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I would be remiss if I didn’t address the vital issue of excess weight and how it negatively affects every part of the human body. I explain the health challenges to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.” 

We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”

The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-

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Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing

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Corona Chiropractor

Your Corona Chiropractor offers a highly successful non-invasive, drug-free approach to relieving hip pain and often getting rid of it altogether. Whenever possible, surgery should be seen as a final option. Therefore, before you schedule a surgery to replace that hip, ask yourself the following questions: Is it out of the question for you to get a good night’s sleep because your hip pain wakes you up at night? When you arise in the morning, and/or when you step out of your car, are you stiff and do you find it initially hard to get your legs moving sufficiently? Do you feel pain whenever you rotate or twist them or when you cross your legs? If you’ve answered “yes” to any or all of these questions you probably have imbalances and alignment problems in your lower extremities that are not only causing your hip pain, but can eventually lead to degenerative joint disease in your hips if not treated. The good news is that whether or not degenerative changes have already started, chiropractic treatment can help!

You may be getting older and it may be true that your hip joints aren’t what they used to be. Nonetheless, are you aware that your hip pain and related problems, which normally point to age-related degenerative conditions, may not actually be generated by osteoarthritis? That’s right. In fact, as opposed to being the root cause of your problem, osteoarthritis of the hip joint is typically the consequence of a prior injury (or injuries) to your hips.

Frequently, hip problems have to do with asymmetry or imbalance when you are in motion, as in the case of walking. If you tend to walk “pronated” with your toes pointing away from your body (like a duck), eventually you will feel pain in your hips as a result of the asymmetrical tension on your hip joints as your body attempts to compensate. Thankfully, you can learn to correct your gait pattern at any age, and your chiropractor in Corona can show you how to do it.

Furthermore, you may have developed gait changes as the result of an ankle sprain or knee strain, and since “the knee bone’s connected to the hip bone,” these biomechanical accommodations produce pain in the hip(s). Of course, if not remedied, your hip joints will suffer further consequences, like wear and tear that produces degenerative changes.

Other activities that can occasionally impact the hip joints are starting a new job or beginning a new sport that requires you to move your body in uncommon ways. Also, ferrying a child (or grandchild) on one hip can create hip pain. Even your sitting position or driving for prolonged periods of time on a regular basis can cause hip injury and pain.

So you can see that not every pain is caused by “old age,” although we may suffer from more pain as a consequence of the progressive capacity of untreated injuries.

In addition to your adjustments, as an integral part of your chiropractic management, your Corona Chiropractor will suggest special rehabilitative exercises that include gentle muscle stretching and strengthening, and will also analyze your gait and may suggest simple pattern changes.

Your hip pain won’t disappear by itself. Hip pain is a sign that there’s a condition that requires correcting. If ignored, there is a good possibility that at some point you will require that hip replacement surgery. So, don’t put off until tomorrow, what truly needs to be done today. Your Corona Chiropractor can get you out of pain, get your body back into balance, and help you get to back to enjoying your life again!

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Santa Barbara Chiropractor

You know what they say, “Growing old isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.” However, it’s no joke if the aging process is creating pain in your body! As a chiropractor in Santa Barbara, I give care to quite a few people suffering from age-related challenges that likely would not have occurred if the exacerbating cause had been taken care of earlier in life, especially when it relates to musculoskeletal breakdowns. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse frequently produce undue stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can result in painful conditions over time. If we only knew then how our aging body would feel today, eh? However, as they say, “hindsight is 20-20.”

As you can see from the list of complaints above, there are plenty of musculoskeletal conditions that can, and frequently do, take place as we age, but painful back problems are one of the most prevalent. Back pain that is age-related is generally produced by spine osteoarthritis, or Spondylosis, a degenerative disorder.

Spinal osteoarthritis is caused by prolonged erosion and weight-bearing force on the spine that, over time, undermines discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The area of the body and rate of the degenerative process of spondylosis is individual, varying from person to person. It is likely to affect the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) regions of the spine. Spondylosisi symptoms very from person to person and depend on the severity of the degeneration, and can range from low-amplitude pain and numbness to severe sensory loss and muscular atrophy.

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

Regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management is beneficial in significantly slowing age-related degeneration of the spine whether or not you are suffering from spondylosis. It may be true that “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it isn’t too late to give your spine the good treatment it deserves. Chiropractors are experts when it comes to treatment of the spine. See your Santa Barbara Chiropractor today, for the health of your spine.

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What’s a little extra weight, especially when your clothes still fit? Most of us know that “too much” extra poundage can lead to heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases, not to mention the damage that it does to the musculoskeletal system. As a chiropractor I witness first hand on a regular basis the toll that extra weight takes on the low back, hips, and knees. But, did you know that even as “little” as 10 extra pounds of body fat, particularly abdominal fat, in addition to stressing body joints and burdening the efforts of the heart, can actually trigger the production of  “pro-inflammatory” immune cells that circulate in the blood and promote inflammation in the body. When our immune system isn’t working “for” us, we experience adverse reactions and painful conditions.

The good news, as far as the immune system goes, is that recently Australian researchers found that shedding just 10 pounds helped to bring back balance to the immune system of obese individuals. Getting the immune system back into balance is certainly a wonderful step in the right direction toward better health and longevity.

But, as you begin that important diet and exercise program, it’s a good idea to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors are highly knowledgeable when it comes to both diet and exercise. Your chiropractor may suggest that along with a nutritious diet, your individual body may require additional supplementation. And, in addition, your chiropractor will make sure that your body is in good alignment so that your new exercise routines promote pain-free mobility that leads to healthy weight loss.

The results of the Australian study were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism.

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Cincinnati Chiropractor

At my Cincinnati Chiropractic Clinic I treat many seniors who suffer from balance problems. In fact, 9% of adults, aged 65 and over, have episodes of dizziness, “wooziness,” and other balance-related problems. Good balance is essential, of course, in helping older adults in staying independent and in avoiding falls and encounter injuries that are commonly very serious or even fatal. But, would you be surprised to hear that falls contribute to a large number of work injuries for individuals younger than 65 years of age, including workers in their twenties and thirties? That’s right! No one is immune to balance problems, no matter how young they may be. It is for this reason that those who work in “high places” like construction workers, roofers, oil platform employees, windows cleaners, or anywhere else where a ladder is necessary are far more likely to sustain serious injury if their balance isn’t good.

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

What come as a surprise to you is that you could have a balance problem without any idea of how serious it is. Sometimes someone may be able to “shake off” a dizzy sensation and the feeling may not reoccur for a while. However when sudden dizziness happens at a decisive moment, it is too late to shake it off and a fall is usually unpreventable.

The feeling by some individuals that they, themselves, are spinning or that things around them are moving is called “vertigo.” Nearly 40% of people in the U.S. will have at least one episode of dizziness that is distressing enough to seek out a health professional, like your Chiropractor in Cincinnati. However, if you are involved in any of the activities listed above, it is a highly beneficial idea for you to see a chiropractor to have your balance checked prior to a sudden episode of dizziness, instead of as a response to such an episode. Why? Because as a chiropractor, I can not only check your balance, and make adjustments if necessary, but can help you to maintain good balance in the future. And, of course, having good balance will likely save you from serious injury or worse.

Balance disorders at any age are dangerous. It is crucial for you to be examined and treated quickly if you think that you may have a possible balance disorder. Often guidelines are helpful. Therefore, if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, even if the experience is seldom or infrequent, you should discuss the symptom(s) with a chiropractor as soon as possible:

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

• Has the room seemed to spin around you?

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

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

• Have you ever felt as if you were falling?

• Has your vision ever become “blurred?”

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

It is important for you to remember that balance problems are not specific to a particular age group. From the time we learn to walk until we take our final step, our falling down is an ever-present possibility. If you work in a job that makes your falling down a “critical” event, you need to have your balance checked. Don’t wait until it’s too late! If you’re in the Cincinnati area, give Cincinnati Chiropractic a call today!

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I just read a very moving story in the news today about a man who’d had his prostate removed and, afterwards, spent every waking moment wishing that he had it back again. The gist of the story was, of course, that he’d waited “too long” to have his prostate checked and his condition had developed into a more serious problem making surgery unavoidable. But, as I read the story I began to think of the number of patients over the years who’ve come in to see me “too late.” Many came in for chiropractic treatment after back surgery, after neck fusion, after hip replacement, and after a regimen of pharmaceuticals that had caused unfortunate side effects. And, because their surgery had not only failed to relieve their pain, but had created more problems in its aftermath, many of them told me, “I only wish I’d come to see you sooner.”

Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical, drug-free approach to pain relief and musculoskeletal corrections. If you are experiencing pain, your body is telling you that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. A conservative treatment choice like chiropractic may not only be able to get you out of pain quickly, but can also help you to avoid more serious problems in the future. The wear and tear on your body from misalignments can, overtime, create painful conditions that can, eventually, make surgery the only option. Don’t let that happen to you. See a chiropractor in your area today!

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I just read a very moving story in the news today about a man who’d had his prostate removed and, afterwards, spent every waking moment wishing that he had it back again. The gist of the story was, of course, that he’d waited “too long” to have his prostate checked and his condition had developed into a more serious problem making surgery unavoidable. But, as I read the story I began to think of the number of patients over the years who’ve come in to see me “too late.” Many came in for chiropractic treatment after back surgery, after neck fusion, after hip replacement, and after a regimen of pharmaceuticals that had caused unfortunate side effects. And, because their surgery had not only failed to relieve their pain, but had created more problems in its aftermath, many of them told me, “I only wish I’d come to see you sooner.”

Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical, drug-free approach to pain relief and musculoskeletal corrections. If you are experiencing pain, your body is telling you that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. A conservative treatment choice like chiropractic may not only be able to get you out of pain quickly, but can also help you to avoid more serious problems in the future. The wear and tear on your body from misalignments can, overtime, create painful conditions that can, eventually, make surgery the only option. Don’t let that happen to you. See a chiropractor in your area today!

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The 18-year study of weightlifting injuries, from dropped weights to pinched fingers, found that the increase in the popularity of this sport has led to an increase of trips to the hospital due lifting injuries. Although males sustained the largest proportion of weight training injuries over the study period, the increase in injuries in teenage girls was much higher than the increase in teenage boys, indicating that more girls are participating.

Most injuries happen, experts say, not because kids are lifting too much, but because they’re supervised too little. They offer these tips for newbie lifters:

• Never lift alone. It’s best to have a coach or trainer nearby at all times.

• Always use a spotter.

• Be sure to start slowly and build up to heavier weights.

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Wichita Chiropractor

As a Wichita Chiropractor for over twenty years, I have assisted a significant number of individuals suffering from sciatic pain, I’m truly aware from experience just how debilitating sciatic pain can be. Sciatica sufferers are sadly all too familiar with the deep radiating pain that accompanies their waking hours each day and restricts almost all of their daily activities.

Are you wondering if your low back pain might be generated by sciatica? If your pain travels from your low back, through your buttock(s), down the large sciatic nerve in the back of your leg(s), and possibly radiates into one or both knees, it is likely that you have sciatica. Moreover, sitting, as well as activity, can be painful. Frequently lying down will reduce, or perhaps even temporarily eliminate the pain. Even so, you should be warned that sciatica cannot be corrected without appropriate management.

Radiculopathy

A radiculopathy is a medical term used to describe a condition where a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is causing pressure on the radicular nerve, or nerve root, that forms part of the sciatic nerve in the lower back. Such pressure can cause excruciating pain.

Prolonged sitting, particularly in an improper position, can create imbalances in the muscles surrounding the spine and increased pressure on the intervertebral discs. Usually, a specific event or injury doesn’t cause sciatica, more often sciatica tends to evolve over time as a consequence of ordinary wear and tear on the vertebrae of the lower spine. Eventually the lower spine can lose its ability to function normally during everyday stresses.

Ultimately, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures or cracks that then allow the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. Pain is created as the disc pushes on sensitive tissues. This condition is commonly referred to as a ruptured, or slipped, disc. Sciatica is the result of the disc pressing on the spinal nerve. Fortunately, most disc challenges, including sciatica, can be significantly decreased with chiropractic manipulation and management that frequently includes postural exercises.

Periformis Syndrome

Periformis syndrome is another condition that results in sciatic pain. Periformis syndrome develops when the periformis muscle, which is superficial to the sciatic nerve, goes into spasm and irritates the nerve. In addition to chiropractic manipulation, this particular sciatica can be significantly relieved by sciatica stretches that your chiropractor will advise you on.

If you are experiencing sciatic pain, it is crucial for you to seek chiropractic attention. If you are in the Wichita area, as your Chiropractor in Wichita, I look forward to helping you to get out of pain and get your life back!

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