How Often Should You Get Massage?

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by Ben Crabtree, in the San Antonio Massage Blog

The question of how often to get massage therapy and bodywork in San Antonio comes up quite often.

As a Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Neuromuscular Therapist, and Certified Advanced Myoskeletal Therapist I’ve formed some general conclusions over the past 10 years of practice. These are just examples – your individual condition and goals may lead you and your massage therapist to come to different conclusions about the frequency of massage for you.

Massage for General Health and Relaxation

For general health and relaxation I recommend massage 1-2 times per month for people under light to moderate stress. This would also include people who are sedentary or who exercise only occasionally. Receiving massage therapy once or twice per month can have excellent health benefits and help reduce the effects of stress.

Massage for Stress Management

For people who have high-stress occupations or living conditions, or who travel frequently, I recommend a higher frequency of massage therapy – weekly or bi-weekly. In this case, massage therapy helps the individual in coping with their stress. Tension builds up from stressful situations can be more easily managed with weekly massage. Additionally, just knowing that you will be receiving massage therapy each week or every-other-week can be very comforting.

Massage Therapy for Pain Reduction and Management

Reduction of, and management of, pain requires a different type of frequency. I call it a “diminishing frequency”. People in severe pain not requiring medical intervention can and do receive massage therapy 1-2 times per week in the first week. Although rare, this may continue in the second and third week of treatment depending upon response of the client to the massage therapy. When the pain is reduced so is the frequency of massage therapy. At first it may be reduced to once per week, then every other week or less often.

Massage Therapy for Athletes

For Athletes the frequency of massage therapy depends on the sport, training schedules, and athletic goals.

Read the full post of April 22, 2009, in San Antonio Massage Blog by Ben Crabtree, LMT, CNMT

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Other articles on this website about massage therapy that you might enjoy:

Massage Therapy…Relax Your Way to Relief!

The Benefits of Regular Massage Therapy.

Benefits of Massage Therapy.

Car Accident Injury! View a Live Crash Test!

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Have you, a friend, or a loved one been involved in an automobile accident or motorcycle accident?

Any sort of accident involving impact of two objects can cause damage to your body and bring on the pain which follows, but as the speed of the moving object increases, the damage caused by the collision does, too.  You don’t have to be traveling at Interstate highway maximum speed to be injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident.

This YouTube video, shared by Chiropractor Pottsville, that shows the effects of a very low speed, rear end collision on a volunteer subject.

Be sure to look for the range of movements of the volunteer’s body during the slow speed portion of the video.  The narrator’s description may surprise you; even at very low speed, the impact creates an acceleration of the volunteer’s head to forces seen by military jet airplane pilots!

Small wonder that people involved in automobile accidents often feel sore and suffer afterward.

Don’t suffer.  Contact American Chiropractic for an appointment with Dr. Hunziker. After a thorough examination, which may include on-site diagnostic imaging, Dr. Hunziker will be ready to recommend a path of action that can help you start feeling better.

Benefits of Good Posture and How to Get It

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It is amazing what simply sitting up straight can do for your health!

Taking a few seconds to properly position your shoulders over your pelvis is so easy—and with so many benefits—there is no excuse not to!

Benefit 1 – Health

Good posture is important in the prevention of neck and back pain and injuries. You will reduce strain on your joints and muscles that may suffer as you hold your body in an unnatural position. Slipped discs and strained muscles can be extremely painful, so do your best to avoid them.

Benefit 2 – Health

Did you know you can’t breathe as deeply if you slouch? Sitting up straight allows for your lungs to fully expand, increasing air flow. Improved air flow contributes to higher body and brain function, which is important in all aspects of life.

Benefit 3 – Health

You will improve your fitness level with good posture, as proper posture prevents worn joints that fatigue. You will recover more quickly and breathe better, as well, all important factors in an athletic body.

Benefit 4 – Health

Prolonged slouching can cause your spine to settle into a hunched or otherwise crooked position. This could require more serious repairs, like surgery.

Benefit 4 – Looks

By standing or sitting up straight, you improve the impression people get from you. Research shows that people who stand up at  full height appear more attractive, confident and capable to the members of the opposite sex. Slouching has the opposite effect, making people think you lack self-confidence and are weak.

If you have not followed the laws of posture, try these tips to help alleviate the damage:

Tip 1

Avoid carrying heavy items on the same side every day, and in general. A rolling bag is best for books and laptops.

Tip 2

Try pilates or yoga. Both can teach you to naturally sit up straight and improve your overall fitness.

Tip 3

When seated, plant your feet on the ground firmly. It will help you maintain balance in general.

Tip 4

Visit a chiropractor to help you assess your body’s alignment and get help in correcting it.

Tip 5

Invest in a healthy chair and bed for sleeping and working. This will help you better access the posture that will create health benefits for the rest of your life.

Don’t wait, there is no excuse for you to keep slouching, work on your posture and start living a healthier life!

originally posted by Advanced Physical Medicine , on July 26, 2010.

Top 5 Runners Injuries AKA The Big 5

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The days are warmer and the birds are back.  It is actually light when I get home from work.  What does this mean? For me it means running season.  The 5ks, 10ks, and marathons are all scheduled.

Don’t let the possibilities of running injuries stop you from all the fun! Here are the 5 most common runners injuries  AKA *The Big 5* to watch for:

1. Runners Knee/Chondromalacia Patella

   This is pain under and around the knee cap due to improper tracking between the condyles of the knee.  It causes wearing of the underside of the knee cap and often leads to disorders of the knee such as tendonitis and other inflammatory disorders.

2. Plantar Fascitis

   This is an inflammatory disorder of the plantar fascia.  The plantar fascia is a band of tissue, much like a tendon, that runs from your heel to the ball of your foot.  A common complaint is pain upon waking in the morning.  Patients report the first few steps are very painful. It is also aggravated after running, walking, or standing for long times.

3. IT Band Syndrome

   This is also an inflammatory disorder of the a tendon that runs from your hip to your knee. It commonly cause hip and knee pain. If you’ve had this one you know how painful it can be.

4. Achilles Tendonitis

   This is inflammation of the achilles tendon.  The achilles tendon connects the calf to the heel. I commonly find this Inflammatory disorder with plantar fascitis.  Inflammation weakens connective tissue and can lead to achilles rupture.  Not good!

5. Shin Splints

   Generally it is inflammation of the posterior muscles behind the shin bone. It is caused by improper foot mechanics. Other muscles around the shin may also be affected such as the anterior tibialis muscles.

Do you notice a pattern here?

The common denominator is inflammation. Commonly Doctors are quite familiar with this pattern and treat the inflammation through rest, immobilization and NSAIDs ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatories).  If this does not work many times they do use cortisone through injections.

Why is this not enough?

That is because every condition that was described above is simply an explanation of the symptoms.  They are all describing the result of injury and the course of treatment only addressed the symptoms.  Little or no attention was put into the “cause” of the problem.

If the doctor or patient are pro-active they may seek out physical therapy.  A successful plan of therapy will address the actual cause of the symptoms not just the resultant symptoms.

posted  Monday, March 15th, 2010, by Dr. John Doepper on http://www.capitolrehabofwinchester.com/blog/.

Rehab Challenges

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Rehabilitation insight shared from experiences of a physical therapist.

Having been a physical therapist for almost 20 years now, one of the biggest rehab challenges I have seen my patients struggle with is the “why me” mindset. Having a catastrophic accident is life altering – no 2 ways about it – but you have to dedicate yourself to rehab, give it all you’ve got and not sit around moping day after day. It’s the very rare rehab patient who doesn’t have a bad day mentally – but try to stay in control and look forward towards recovering and not backwards to the way things were. Life can be altered, sometimes irreversibly, in a split second – you are dealing with the consequences for months, years or sometimes for the rest of your life. There are plenty of people out there to help you – don’t be afraid to ask for help – a carefully chosen word or two from a trusted professional can make all the difference in your journey.

originally posted by Alison at Alison’s Physical Therapy Blog

NFL and Chiropractic

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First Down and Chiropractic to Go

When you witness a crushing tackle during a game of Monday Night Football, you probably wonder how these guys can continue to get out and play again the following week. Besides simply being big and tough, one way players in the National Football League (NFL) get back on their feet is through chiropractic treatment. Sports chiropractors focus on treating injuries of the muscles and bones. With back pain alone appearing in as many as 75% of professional athletes every year, and possibly even a greater percentage of football players, NFL players are requiring chiropractic care for their aches and pains.

To determine the use of chiropractic in the NFL, a questionnaire was sent to the head athletic trainers of every team in the league. The questions related to frequency and type of treatment used to treat injured players. Of the two-thirds of all trainers who responded, the results indicate a strong use of chiropractic:

45% of the NFL trainers had personally seen a chiropractor;
77% of trainers had referred players to a chiropractor;and
31% of NFL teams had an official chiropractor on their staff.

The trainers surveyed in this study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics predominantly referred players to chiropractors for low back pain, neck injury, and headaches. With professional sports organizations beginning to embrace chiropractic, perhaps more of the general public will seek out this natural, safe alternative to drugs and surgery.

Reference:
Stump JL, Redwood D. The use and role of sport chiropractors in the National Football League: A short report. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2002:25(3), p. e2.

This article originally posted by: Brian Starry, D.C., on http://northdallaschiropracticblog.com/

Chiropractic for Kids: Getting the Word Out

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According to a recent survey by the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association, chiropractic care of children is associated with high levels of patient/parent satisfaction and a near-perfect safety record. So, have you brought your child(ren) to the chiropractor yet?

In general, the chiropractic adjustment is a very safe procedure for children.With millions of children visiting a chiropractor every year, adverse events (the technical term for injury) are very rare. A study published in 2008 in the prestigious medical journal Pediatrics found only nine incidents of adverse events related to spinal adjustments in children worldwide over the past 100 years, an enviable safety record.
All doctors understand that any form of health care comes with some degree of risk, whether we’re talking about a dose of antibiotics or a chiropractic adjustment. As with any procedure, your chiropractor should discuss the benefits and the risks of the adjustment as it applies to your child.

Chiropractic care for children is very different than chiropractic care for adults. The adjustments are much softer and gentler because the child’s joints are looser and easier to move. The procedure is quite comfortable and children often look forward to their chiropractic treatment. In addition, children generally heal much more quickly than adults, so typically require just a few treatments to restore normal motion to their joints, and thus restore normal function to their nervous systems and related end organs.

Since chiropractors improve the health of the nervous system by removing irritation stemming from the structural elements of the body, chiropractors can help children with a wide range of conditions, from colic to ear infections to asthma.

If your children aren’t already receiving regular chiropractic care, talk to your doctor about getting them into the office for an initial visit.

from an article posted by Dr.Theresa M. Tarcha, D.C., of http://www.thenaturaldoc.com/

4th of July Safety Tips

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4th of July and should be a day of fun and celebration, but it is also one of the most dangerous days of the year. You can keep your Independence Day fun and safe when you follow the proper safety tips. Whatever your plans are for this holiday, be sure you remember these safety tips.

1. Remember the importance of fireworks safety: Fireworks are illegal in most cities and they are a fire hazard. Outside city zones where you are allowed to use fireworks, there is still the danger of fire and also of bodily injury. Always read all instructions properly and do not use near wooded or dry areas.

2. Always have water available to put out any sparks or flame that may occur when using fireworks.

3. Never point fireworks at people.

4. Do not allow children to play with fireworks or firecrackers.

5. Don’t drink and drive. Always have a designated driver and don’t let your friends drive drunk.

6. Be extra cautious on the road. Even if you are not drinking, other people can be. Drivers also become distracted by fireworks and other excitement in the area. Be extra cautious if you must be on the road this weekend, especially at night.

7. Be careful during barbecues that you do not start a fire. Be sure all coals are completely out before leaving the barbecue unattended. Be cautious of children playing around the barbecue area.

8. Store food properly to avoid food poisoning. Be careful of leaving food out- especially in the heat.

9. Remember to drink responsibly and to serve foods at the proper temperature.

10. Also, if you have pets, remember pet safety too. Don’t let your beloved pet become a casualty this 4th of July.

Statistics show that over 7,000 people each year get treated for 4th of July related accidents. Don’t be one of them. Stay safe this year.

Have a happy 4th of July!

Originally posted by: Lisa A Mason on http://ezinearticles.com/

Here are some related articles on this website that may also be helpful:
*Chiropractic Treatment for Whiplash from a Car Accident.
*Have You Been Hurt in an Auto Accident? Here’s What to do Next!

Five Tips On Healthy Aging

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As people get older, they have to take better care of themselves and try to live just a bit healthier than they did when they were younger. Our bodies won’t easily overcome some of the types of stressors put on them when we’re young, so we need to make sure we know certain things about how to keep our health so that we can live long, fulfilled lives as we age.

Here are 5 tips and information on aging healthily.

1. We eat less as we age.

One day you’ll get to the point where one egg and a piece of toast will seem like a pretty good meal. The body doesn’t need as much energy as it did when you were younger, unless you’ve been able to continue running marathons and lifting all sorts of weights, which few of us do.

2. Bones will get brittle and finer.

That’s the reality of aging, so we need to make sure we find ways to take care of ourselves. Some people continue drinking milk, which is great if you’re not intolerant. If you are, you might need to start taking calcium supplements or eating more foods rich in calcium, which includes a lot of seafood.

3. Exercise is still very important.

If you’ve always exercised, keep doing it. If not, you need to start, or at least you need to be more physically active. A good walk will do your body more good than it would have when you were younger, but movement is what you need. It can help your bones stay stronger, it certainly will make the muscles around those bones stronger, and it will help your blood flow better because it’ll help keep your heart strong.

4. Read and do puzzles.

Strange as this sounds, the basic idea is to keep your mind active in some fashion. In today’s world, people don’t spend as much time reading, watching more TV instead, but overall that doesn’t engage the brain as much as reading. Also, working crossword puzzles or jigsaw puzzles of at least 250 pieces every once in awhile helps to keep the brain stimulated, and studies have shown that helps slow down memory loss, including Alzheimer’s.

5. Stop smoking and drink less alcohol.

Hopefully you stopped smoking when you were much younger, but if you’re still smoking into your 50’s and your doctor hasn’t told you that you have cancer, it’s a good time to stop. We tend to breathe less deeply as we age, and therefore we need as much oxygen in each breath that we can possibly get. Smoking reduces how much oxygen your body can take in. Drinking and smoking kind of go hand in hand, so if you can reduce how much you drink, it can help you give up smoking. That, plus drinking too much inhibits anything else you might want to try to do to keep your body healthy.

Originally posted November 27th, 2009, by Action Chiropractic and Rehab

Great 2010 First Coast March for Babies!

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Thanks to all who joined us in supporting the 2010 First Coast March for Babies.

We just got this terrific update from Stephanie Lippincott at the Northeast Florida Division of the March of Dimes, and had to share it:

“What a great day we had on Saturday, April 24th…all for the babies! The weather was perfect and an impressive 5,000 First Coast residents came out to the Northbank Riverwalk for the 2010 First Coast March for Babies. To date, $580,000 has been raised to help give every baby a healthy start.

Still want to help? The Northeast Florida Division is still taking donations to help reach its $600,000 goal. You can make donations by cash, check or credit card. For more information call our office at 904-398-2821.

Thank you so much to everyone who came out and to those who were with us in spirit.”

This is a good cause; all of us were babies ourselves, once. Nice to be able to help others.

Thank you for sharing this update, Stephanie!
Best of luck to our Northeast Florida Division of the March of Dimes towards reaching and exceeding your goal.

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Medicare Patients Give Chiropractic High Marks

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Results from demonstration project suggest feasibility of expanding chiropractic services in the Medicare program.

The long-awaited final report on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) chiropractic demonstration project, conducted from April 2005 through March 2007, is good news for chiropractic, with 87 percent of patients surveyed giving their doctor of chiropractic a score of 8 or higher when asked to rate their satisfaction with care (1-10 scale), and 56 percent rating their chiropractor a perfect 10.
Moreover, in all but one of the demonstration sites (metropolitan Chicago), health care costs did not increase significantly with the addition of chiropractic services.

The demonstration project, “Demonstration of Coverage for Chiropractic Services Under Medicare,” was mandated under section 651 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. The project evaluated the effects of expanding coverage of chiropractic services in four different regions of the country: Maine, New Mexico, 26 counties in northern Illinois and one county (Scott) in Iowa, and 17 counties in rural Virginia. Approximately 40 percent of eligible DCs in the four regions participated in the project at some point or another.

Key findings from the summary report, relative to patient experiences with chiropractic care and analysis of chiropractic-specific Medicare costs during the project, include the following. To review the report in its entirety, visit www.acatoday.org/pdf/demo_report.pdf.

* “Medicare beneficiaries reported good relief of symptoms and high degrees of satisfaction with the chiropractic care they received.”

* “The most frequent reasons given for seeking care from chiropractors were favorable earlier experiences (59 percent) and insufficient relief of symptoms by prior treatments of other health professionals (39 percent).”

* “Clinical problems involved the back in 78 percent, neck in 50 percent, hip in 38 percent, and shoulder in 32 percent. Pain was the most frequent symptom, followed by difficulty walking. … Sixty percent of [survey] respondents indicated that they received ‘complete’ or ‘a lot of’ relief of symptoms from their chiropractic treatments.”

* “Chiropractic care was felt to be easily accessible, and nearly 95 percent of respondents indicated that they had to wait no more than one week for appointments. Similarly high proportions reported that chiropractors listened carefully and spent sufficient time with them.”

* “Among users of expanded chiropractic services, visits increased by 60 percent overall and related Medicare expenditures increased by $34.8 million. … Essentially, all of the increased costs occurred in urban non-HPSA [Health Professional Shortage Areas] and in Illinois, and especially in Chicago and its suburbs.”

* “Illinois accounted for 80 percent of the total increase in costs and also had the highest per-person increases in costs of $485 per person compared with increases of $136 per person in Virginia and $35 per person in Maine, and decreases in the other two states.” [Per-person costs decreased by $178 in Iowa and $59 in New Mexico.]

* “The types of prior treatments received from other health care professionals differed strikingly from those received by chiropractors, including pain pills in 58 percent, pain injections in 30 percent, both pain pills and injections in 22 percent, and surgery in 12 percent. … The high reported use of pain medications and surgery in treatments received from other types of health care professionals suggests the potential for achieving cost offsets [by using chiropractic care].”

The stated purpose of the demonstration project was “for evaluating the feasibility and advisability of covering chiropractic services under the Medicare program (in addition to the coverage provided for services consisting of treatment by means of manual manipulation to the spine to correct a subluxation described in section 1861(r)(5) of the Social Security Act.” Chiropractic was defined as “care for neuromusculoskeletal conditions typical among eligible beneficiaries and diagnostic and other services that a chiropractor is legally authorized to perform by the State or jurisdiction in which such treatment is provided.” Chiropractic care needed to conform with CMS’s policy for reimbursement of chiropractic services, meaning treatment was for active conditions with reasonable expectation of improvement or resolution. Maintenance and prevention services were excluded per the CMS policy.

For additional background information on the Demonstration of Coverage for Chiropractic Services Under Medicare project, read “Details of CMS Demonstration Project Revealed” in the April 9, 2005 issue.

Article originally posted by Peter W. Crownfield, Executive Editor, in Volume 28, Number 11, of Dynamic Chiropractic.

Massage Therapy…Relax Your Way To Relief!

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One of the back pain relief methods that I subscribe to most is definitely massage therapy.

Massage has a very nice list of benefits to your back, including:

1. Improving circulation throughout your body.

Massage can reduce ishemia (lack of blood flow), which improves the endurance of your muscles, and thus their job of stabilizing your lower back. Move blood flow and endurance equals less pain!

2. Reducing or eliminating adhesions and scar tissue.

Both adhesions and scar tissue in muscles cause decreased blood flow and decreases strength. Massage therapy is an effective method for reducing these that may be found in your back muscles.

3. Improving muscle imbalances.

Massage therapy, when applied to your unique muscle balance, is very effective. When you relax your “tight” muscles, such as the psoas (hip flexor) and quadriceps (front of thigh) can reduce anterior pelvic tilt.

Bottom line…..Massage Therapy = Less back pain!

originally posted November 5, 2008 by Sam Visnic, on his Back Pain Relief Blog at endyourbackpainnow.com.

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Other articles on this website about massage therapy that you might enjoy:

The Benefits of Regular Massage Therapy.

Benefits of Massage Therapy.

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Chiropractic Treatment For Whiplash From A Car Accident

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Have you been involved in a car accident?

If so, you may be like many Americans who experience whiplash. Whiplash is an injury of the neck that is the result of a rapid forward and/or backward motion of the neck during an accident or trauma. This can cause damage to the joints and ligaments of the spinal region in the neck. Even the intervertebral discs can be damaged. This causes tissue swelling and inflammation and can also cause microscopic hemorrhage in those tissues. The response of the nervous system to trauma, and the injury to deeper tissue of the spine can result in restriction or fixation of the spinal joints. Because of this trauma, one can experience many symptoms such as: – Neck pain – Neck muscle soreness/spasm – Headaches – Decreased range-of-motion in the neck – Shoulder pain/muscle soreness – Dizziness – Blurred vision – Numbness/tingling in arms and hands

Many times whiplash is underdiagnosed. Also, whiplash is often treated with anti-inflammatories and pain medication. However, these medications only mask the symptoms.

Chiropractic care is a treatment that has gotten extremely positive results in patients with whiplash. A chiropractic approach focuses on a complete picture of the mechanism of this injury. The chiropractic therapy is focused to first mobilize the restricted spinal joints and then initiating spinal adjustments. The chiropractic treatment includes non-force and flexion-distraction techniques. Basically, the spinal joints are the main portion of the spine that is given attention when treating a whiplash. Since spinal manipulation means adjusting the spine, extra care should be observed when doing the treatment. Therefore, the chiropractor will wait until the muscles get stabilized before performing the chiropractic adjustment.

In addition to waiting for the muscle to stabilize, the chiropractor will also deal on how to reduce the inflammation using methods like ultrasound, gentle stretching and manual therapies like muscle stimulation therapy. Another method to reduce the inflammation is by means of cold packs or cold treatments. Massage therapy is also utilized, as it helps to increase circulation to the muscles, which facilitates healing, and it also helps to relax those tightened muscles.

Once the inflammation starts to disappear, the chiropractor will use gentle spinal manipulation in order to make the spinal joints go back to their functional movements that have been restricted due to whiplash. In some patients, non-thrusting and non-forceful methods are important to treat whiplash.

Basically, the goal of chiropractic treatment of whiplash is to optimize motion in the spine, treat the spinal discs, reduce muscle spasms and improved muscular strength. As mentioned, the neck is a very sensitive part of the body since it holds the head as well as supports the cervical vertebrae. The chiropractor will do assessments first before doing the treatment to ensure total safety of the entire procedure.

When undergoing a consultation with the chiropractor, he or she will most likely assess your whole spine instead of focusing only on the cervical vertebrae. This is important since even if there is only one area that is symptomatic, there may be other regions of the spine that have also been affected.

Possible chiropractic treatment plans for whiplash really depends on the diagnosis of the chiropractor. This includes specific spinal manipulation to treat the joints that are affected. Another method is the use of flexion-distraction technique, which uses non-thrusting pressure to treat herniated discs.

Other therapies include the trigger point therapy, where direct pressure is applied on the portion of the neck muscle to relieve tension. A therapeutic massage is also used most of the time to also relieve the neck area from tension.

There are several things that you can do to treat whiplash. There is no one-size-fits-all method to treat whiplash. In fact, each individual case of whiplash is treated differently. There is simply no general rule on how to treat whiplash. A chiropractor knows this that is why he or she does an assessment first before proceeding with treatment.

Chiropractic treatment on whiplash helps patients return to their normal activities quickly without undergoing too much pain. Moreover, chiropractic treatment provides a more holistic and non-invasive approach in treating whiplash. If you have been experiencing a whiplash injury for a long time already, then it is time that you seek help with your chiropractor.

Originally posted Feb 08, 2010 by Dr.Heath Gallentine of Lexington Family Chiropractic, at Articlesbase.

Here is a related article on this website that might also be helpful:
*Have You Been Hurt in an Auto Accident? Here’s What to do Next!

Improve your attitude and feel better.

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Your attitude, your outlook on life can effect your health. For better health, you need a better attitude.

Zig Ziglar, popular motivational speaker, shared an easy-to-follow concept for helping anyone improve their outlook on life. Take a look at this interesting and humorous insight.

Video provided by YouTube.

Try this concept out. Think you will enjoy finding out how well this works.
Have you had a similar experience? You can share it with us on our Contact page

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Have You Been Hurt In An Auto Accident? Here’s What To Do Next…

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You’ve just been rear-ended. Your heart is pounding, your hands are shaking, and you’re not sure what just happened. What do you do next? Should you call the police? Get your insurance company on the phone? Call the hotline that you’ve seen advertised on billboards and television?

Your first call should be to the police to report the accident. An officer will arrive at the scene to take statements, assess the damage, and determine who was at fault and write any necessary citations. If you are having difficulty breathing, experiencing blurred vision, double vision, nausea, difficulty moving your arms and legs or suspect you may have any broken bones, request to be taken the the emergency room. Otherwise, your first call needs to be to a qualified chiropractic physician.

Why should you trust a chiropractor to diagnose and treat injuries from an auto accident? Most chiropractors focus on musculoskeletal injuries like neck pain, back pain, headaches, sciatica, disc herniations, and whiplash. As a result they are extensively trained in determining what diagnostic testing is necessary, and if your pain requires a consultation from a specialist such as an orthopedist or neurologist. A chiropractor determine the type and severity of your injuries, and how they can be best treated.

It is common for chiropractors to use a combination of therapies to help heal the injuries from your car accident. In addition to gentle chiropractic adjustments, therapies such as acupuncture, massage, electric muscle stimulation, rehab exercises, and spinal decompression are also very common modalities used.

You will also want to make sure that your chiropractor is comfortable working with personal injury attorneys. Not every auto accident case requires the guidance of an attorney, but if yours does it is critical that your doctors and lawyer are on the same page. Ask your chiropractor if they have experience working with attorneys, writing narrative reports, or performing impairment ratings. This is where your doctor can make or break your personal injury case. For this reason, many family doctors won’t even see patients who have been in a car accident- they don’t want the hassle of dealing with auto insurance companies and personal injury attorneys.

So if you’ve recently been in an auto accident and are experiencing common symptoms such as neck pain, whiplash, numbness in the arms or legs, back pain, headaches, or difficulty concentrating, immediately consult with a qualified chiropractor who can help your recovery.

Originally posted on December 23, 2009 by Dr. Jonathan Walker of Ocala Chiropractic

Here is a related article on this website that may also be helpful:
*Chiropractic Treatment for Whiplash from a Car Accident.

Chiropractic Care Relieved My Pain!

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If you have a good example of how Dr. Hunziker’s chiropractic care has helped to improve your life by relieving your pain, and you would like to share your success story with others, we’d like to hear from you.

Dr. Hunziker has been helping patients to relieve suffering from painful conditions resulting from auto accident injuries, sports injuries, or suffer from neck pain and headaches, low back and hip pain, bulging discs, scoliosis, sciatica and radiating leg pain, pinched nerves and numbness / tingling.

If you would like to share how Dr. Hunziker has helped you, or have a compliment to share, please send it to us; your words can encourage others to let chiropractic care help to relieve their pain.

Please share your comments on our Contact page

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The Benefits of Regular Massage

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When I tell people that I am a massage therapist, it usually brings a longing, blissful smile to their face.  We all seem to identify with the wonderful things massage and bodywork bring to us.

Researchers at the Touch Institute at the University of Miami say the benefits of massage are doubly powerful if taken in regular “doses”. The effects are cumulative, like compounding interest on investments!

Massage Frequency

Inevitably, the question of how often comes up. How often you receive massage is a function of physical need, time and budget. If you are experiencing chronic pain, high levels of stress or recovering from an injury, you may need to set aside more time and come in weekly for the first few sessions. Once we have things stabilized, we can decrease the frequency of visits and then move onto a maintenance schedule. I encourage you to listen to your body; it will suggest it’s own interval of regularity. Consider how you feel before the session, how you feel after, and be aware of how long you maintained that improved state.

My goal is to extend that pain free, functional time, so that we can establish a frequency pattern that works with your needs, your time and your budget. Most clients seem to settle on a 2-4 week cycle. Throughout the years, my observation has been that a 7-8 week interval is too long to sustain the benefits that massage contributes, especially with chronic issues.

Maintenance
Your maintenance massage program will keep your body clear and pain free throughout your daily activities. Here are few things you can do to help extend the post massage benefits:

• Hydrate - in general but specifically after a massage treatment.

• Stretch - to maintain joint mobility; I often suggest stretches specific to your needs after a session.

• Exercise – If you’re ready to move, do it! I don’t suggest vigorous activity right after a session, but movement can keep you limber between treatments.

• Body Awareness - Tune in to how your body feels; if it wants to rest, do so. Get enough sleep, be aware of the effects the massage has had on your body.  Discuss it with me when you come in for your next session.

Invest in Yourself
Make self-care a part of your health regimen by scheduling regular massage sessions. It plays a huge part in sustaining a healthy, active lifestyle, which, in turn, promotes a general sense of well-being and graceful aging.  Invest in your health and reap the cumulative returns from regular massage therapy.

originally posted April 25, 2009, by Maria Rossi, CMT, on http://www.massagetherapy-center.com/ of Scotts Valley, CA.

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Other articles on massage therapy on this website that you might enjoy:
Massage Therapy . . . Relax Your Way to Relief!

Benefits of Massage Therapy.

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Vertebral Adjustment Lowers Blood Pressure!

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The apparent dangers of high blood pressure and the frequent recommendation of prescription drugs to reduce the problem create a seemingly constant flood of both media warnings and advertising. Now, the results of a recent study could shed an entirely different light on the source of the problem.

A study recently concluded in Chicago found that a one-time Chiropractic adjustment could produce a quite dramatic blood pressure reduction. The decrease in pressure was equal to a person taking two blood pressure reducing drugs at the same time.

Fifty persons were selected for the study. The requirements to participate were a high blood pressure condition and a misalignment of the Atlas vertebra. The Atlas is the top vertebra, the highest one in the body, located at the top of the neck.

George Bakris, MD, is the director of the hypertension (high blood pressure) center at the University of Chicago Medical Center and served as the lead author of the study. He pointed out that the Atlas, unlike the rest of the vertebrae in the body, relies only on soft tissue (muscles and ligaments) to hold it in place. For this reason, displacement can occur without pain, so misalignment often goes undetected and untreated.

Patients for the study were all treated by a Chicago area Doctor of Chiropractic. Prior to treatment he performed a variety of tests, including X-rays, to determine the exact adjustment needed for each patient. The subjects were then divided into two groups. Half received an actual adjustment while the other half received a very similar “sham adjustment.”

Each participant was fully assessed after their alignment and at the end of 8 weeks. The study authors said those receiving the actual adjustment had their blood pressure lowered by the amount of someone taking two different blood pressure-lowering drugs at the same time. The reduction continued through the 8 week period of the test. No significant heart rate change was noted in this group.

Why blood pressure changes occurred to this degree was beyond the scope of the study. “The mechanism as to why this improvement in blood pressure occurs is unknown and cannot be determined by this study,” they said. More study is needed to see exactly how a misaligned Atlas might cause hypertension. Also, more work is needed to see if an incorrectly aligned Atlas is an additional risk factor for the development of hypertension.”

Source: University of Chicago Medical Center, March 2007 http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2007/20070314-atlas.html

originally posted by Dr. Michael Beggs, on http://www.wholehealthcenters.com/blog/, May 28, 2008.

Benefits of Massage Therapy

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For most of us, day to day stress sneaks up on us.

Stress can be work related, family/relationship related, school related or thousands of other areas it can stem from. If we aren’t careful it can take quite a toll on our health and relationship with other people. It’s like a boiling kettle just waiting to blow its whistle!!

One of the obvious things about massage is that it is relaxing from head to toe and the benefits are numerous. It quickly can help people unwind and de-stress. It helps out with the physical level first, relaxing the tension out of tight muscles which then in turn affects your mental state as well , causing you to calm down. There is an increase in blood flow and nutrients throughout the body during a massage which allows you to re-charge and think about what needs to be done on a rational level and not causing more stress to oneself.

Calm Stress with a Massage

Most people aren’t aware that stress is one of the main causes of tension in their neck and shoulders. This tension can lead to headaches and migraines, neck pain or even worse problems. Regular massage can help decrease tension and help prevent further problems to arise.

Help take stress out of your life by getting regular relaxation massages.

Depending on your stress level you may need one treatment a month were others may need one every week or ten days. See for yourself where your stress level is or coming in for an assessment with one of our massage therapist and we can help you determine where you are on the stress chart.

originally posted on March 1, 2010, by Don Mills Health Care,  http://donmillshealthcare.com/blog/

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Here are some other articles on this website that may also be helpful:
Massage Therapy . . . Relax Your Way to Relief!

Benefits of Regular Massage.

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Sciatica – Chiropractic Relief for That Radiating Leg Pain

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If you have low back pain that radiates down the legs, chances are you are suffering from sciatica.

Sciatica is pain that is felt in the lower back or buttocks that travels to one or both legs. The main culprit, the sciatic nerve, is somehow compressed, which then causes this referred pain. The pain that is involved in sciatica is described to be dull, achy, sharp and/or needle-like, and is often described as getting shocked with a low voltage of electricity. It is a misconception to call it a disorder since this problem is just a symptom of an underlying condition like

• subluxulation,
• herniated disc,
• pregnancy,
• child birth,
• tumor,
• or other non-spinal disorder such as sitting on a wallet for a long time.

There are also trivial things or events that can cause sciatica. It can result from a

• sudden trauma, such as a strenuous attempt to lift,
• a jolt of a violent sneeze or cough,
• or a sudden rotational movement, which can actually be the result of repetitive and cumulative effects of small traumas.

Since there are many causes of sciatica, there is no one-size-fits-all chiropractic method that can be used to treat sciatica. What a chiropractor needs to do is to know what is causing the sciatica on the patient first. Assessment can be done by means of reviewing the patient’s medical history, physical and neurological examinations, X-Ray, MRI, CT scan or other electrodiagnostics tests. This is important so the chiropractor will know how to approach and treat the sciatica.

When it comes to sciatica, the purpose of the chiropractic treatment is to allow the body to heal on its own. Basically, it involves optimizing the movement range of the lower buttocks area so that it can function better and take pressure off of the sciatic nerve.

Since the main part of the body that will be treated is the sciatic nerve, then the chiropractic therapy can also include other treatment plans to help speed up the healing process. There are actually three (3) treatment plans that are included in treating sciatica by means of chiropractic treatment.

• The first one is ice or cold therapy that uses cold packs to reduce inflammation on the sciatic nerve. It also alleviates the sciatic pain from being too bothersome.
• Another treatment is the use of ultrasound. The ultrasound creates sound waves that go into the deep tissues. This helps encourage the blood circulation in the area, thereby reducing cramps, spasms, swelling, stiffness and pain.
• The third one is the use of electrical muscle stimulation, which is the use of low electrical currents to help reduce muscle spasms and relax the muscles surrounding the sciatic nerve.
• The last among the treatment plans is the use of spinal manipulation, which corrects the alignment of the spine and pelvis. Spinal adjustments particularly in the lumbar region reduce the irritability of the nerve that is often the cause of inflammation, muscle pain and other symptoms related to sciatica.

Since it has been raised earlier that sciatica is just a symptom of an underlying problem, then treating it has its own limitations. For one, if the chiropractic doctor notices that the patient should be examined by another doctor first, then the chiropractic treatment will be postponed for some time until the problem has been fixed by the other doctor.

Sciatica symptoms can be greatly reduced by chiropractic care. Taking pain medication for sciatica only masks the underlying problems. Additionally, many times pain medication is not effective for the severe pain experienced, or the pain medication becomes ineffective with time. Chiropractic care is a natural approach to fixing the source of the problem. Take a chance on chiropractic care, and gain the ability to discontinue reliance on pain medication, and get rid of the pain that hinders your life.

Originally posted in http://ezinearticles.com/on December 5, 2009, by Dr. Heath Gallentine of Lexington Family Chiropractic