The Basler Blog

Jan 30
0

Debunking Myths

By | athletes, Benefits of Chiropractic, Chiropractic Myths | No Comments

Debunking Myths!

“The truth is still truth, even if no one believes it. A lie is still a lie even if everyone believes it”. – unknown

What was your first thought when thinking of a chiropractor? It probably went one of two ways: Either you love chiropractors or dislike them immensely due to a poor experience. People have pre-conceived notions about everything new that enters their life. It’s okay to question things and their validity but sometimes “herd mentality” isn’t always the most effective method for legitimacy. We’re going to discuss a variety of myths associated with chiropractic that have had a hard time exiting the public mind.

The first myth we’ll cover is “self manipulation” . There is an epidemic of people who think “self-adjusting” is harmless and relieving, not realizing how detrimental it can be to their spine. That popping or cracking people hear or feel when they turn their neck or body a certain way is called a cavitation and what takes place is the release of nitrogen gas from the joint which provides temporary relief and sort of a euphoric feeling. The discomfort comes right back because the main cause of the issue is not corrected. When there is a subluxation or misalignment of the spine, that area is fixated decreasing the proper biomechanics. To compensate for that fixation, the body will make regions above or below that subluxation hypermobile to create more movement. When people “pop” or “self-manipulate”, they are not correcting the issue but instead are manipulating the compensation rather than the root of the cause. If that is continued and left unchecked, it can cause degeneration of the vertebral disc and arthritis in the joints involved. In other words, one is creating self-destruction without realizing it.

The next myth is “I’ll have to keep going forever”. Like all things, the body needs maintenance. We don’t stand a chance because we are constantly fighting the forces of gravity without realizing it. It does not take just a fall to become subluxated. We can acquire subluxations through the three T’s: Thoughts, Traumas, and Toxins. Thoughts are the emotional stress that most of us undergo daily whether it be financial stress or grieving the loss of a loved one. Traumas is the most obvious to the public because it is so sudden and easy to correlate where the issue initiated from. For instance, if you fall of a ladder and feel pain instantly or shortly afterwards, it’s a fair assumption the cause of pain was falling off the ladder. Toxins include medications we put in our body along with processed foods and preservatives we intake daily which are not meant to process and usually have difficulty processing.

Debunking myths will be continued! Be PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE! Get checked, stay healthy!

Top 10 Chiropractic Myths (Debunked)
Chiro 101: Common Chiropractic Myths Debunked
Jan 19
0

How Often Should You Visit Your Chiropractor?

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, Ear Infections, gonstead chiropractic, gut problems | No Comments

When you first see your chiropractor, you may be among the many people who ask, ‘how often do I need to come?’ Often the answer people want to hear is ‘once’ but chiropractic care, like most things that are really good for us, rarely makes a long term difference to your health and wellness after just one visit.

One reason a single visit to your chiropractor may not make a long-term change is that it usually takes years for the problem to develop that motivates someone to first see a chiropractor and it can take many visits to the chiropractor to correct that problem.

Seeing your chiropractor can be a little like going to the gym. It takes time, frequency and follow up.

One way of looking at it is that it can be like the thousandth straw that breaks the camel’s back. A problem can build up day after day as you sit hunched over your desk, or bend and twist as you lift, or tense up as you deal with your daily stress and then one day, you bend to tie your shoelaces and all of a sudden something hurts! You can rest assured that tying your shoelaces isn’t what caused the problem, it’s simply the thousandth straw that broke the camel’s back (or was too much for your back) and that’s why you’re in pain.

There will usually be changes to the way the supporting muscles in your spine work that build up over time until your muscles can’t cope anymore, and symptoms appear.1-2 So, seeing your chiropractor can be a little like going to the gym. It takes time, frequency, and follow up. Working with you to correct the problem and help your brain and the muscles in your spine communicate or ‘talk’ with each other again so you can regain the stability you need to function properly and resolve your aches and pains.3

But how long will this take and how often do you need to be checked by your chiropractor? Everybody is different, so your chiropractor will be guided by their clinical experience, and what your goals are when they recommend a care plan for you. 

US Research Study

A new research study was recently published that suggests, in the early stages of chiropractic care, the more often you get adjusted, the better the results you enjoy, and this can also be better for you in the long term as well.4

In this study, that was conducted by scientists in America, they looked at 256 people who had chronic, regular headaches and divided them into groups who either received chiropractic care once a week, or twice a week, or three times a week, for up to six weeks, or they received no chiropractic care at all and instead were given light massages over the same 6-week period. Previous studies have shown that people with this kind of headache often respond well to chiropractic care.

The scientists in this study were most interested in how many visits per week to the chiropractor showed the best results. They looked at how many days a week a patient suffered from headaches at the end of the study and whether any changes in headache frequency between the groups were still there up to one year later. What they found was that the patients who were seen by their chiropractor most regularly, so up to three times a week, had fewer headaches than those who were seen once or twice a week, and they were much better than the patients who received no chiropractic care at all.

In fact, after one year, the patients that had been seen three times a week had over three fewer headaches per month compared to the patients who only received a light massage. So, these effects obviously lasted.

The more you get adjusted, the better the results that you will enjoy.

This study was done in people with chronic headaches, so we can’t be sure if the same differences occur in people with other problems who see a chiropractor. A similar study in patients with chronic low back pain did find that people who were adjusted more often had the best results, but the results weren’t as clear as the study done on patients with headaches.5 

The studies suggest that seeing a chiropractor more often when you begin care has real, beneficial, long-term effects to the way your spine and nervous system works, but how much you benefit may depend on what’s wrong with your spine when you begin care.

So, when you go and see your chiropractor, know that their recommendations for your plan of care are based on what their clinical experience tells them is best for you, and that the research suggests more frequent adjustments has the biggest positive impact on your health and wellness.

References
  1. Hodges & Moseley. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2003;13(4):361-70.
  2. MacDonald et al. Pain 2009;142(3):183-8.
  3. Ferreira et al. Manual Therapy 2007;12(3):240-48.
  4. Haas et al. Spine J 2018. 18(10): 1741-1754.
  5. Haas et al. Spine J 2014;14(7):1106-16.
Acknowledgments
  • Dr. Heidi Haavik – BSc(Physiol) BSc(Chiro) PhD
  • Dr. Kelly Holt – BSc, BSc(Chiro), PGDipHSc, PhD
  • Dr. Jenna Duehr – BChiro, BHSC (Nursing), MHSc
Jan 11
0

What Is That Popping Sound?

By | ADHD, Allergies, Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, gonstead chiropractic | No Comments

What is that popping sound?

If you have been adjusted before by a chiropractor, you may have noticed a popping sound that may seem a little strange. What is that popping sound? What happens if I crack my knuckles? Studies have also looked at people who have routinely cracked their knuckles for years and years and compared them to non-knuckle crackers to see if there’s any difference in x-ray images of their hands.1 These studies all came back with the same conclusion. Habitual knuckle cracking over the course of several decades is not associated with clinical or radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis. 1 The popping sound you hear when a chiropractor adjusts you is simply a change in state between liquid and gas within a joint.

Whether or not you hear the popping sound makes absolutely no difference to how good the adjustment was.

What does research show?

There have been all sorts of theories about what the popping sound really is. Some have thought the sound was caused by tendons snapping over a joint, or a bone being put back into place, or the snapping of adhesions or scar tissue.5 Recently there was a really interesting study done that actually looked at what was happening in a joint when there were popping sounds.6 The researchers in this study used video magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study what happened in a person’s finger joint when they pulled his finger until his knuckle made the popping sound. So, they used a cable attached to his finger and slowly pulled his finger until it cracked while recording this with video MRI. They then measured the space between the joint surfaces, before and after the crack, using automatic computer software. What they found was that the joints remained very close together during the early stages of the finger being pulled, and then when the force of the pull was strong enough, the joint would very separate and a bubble would form, and this was when the popping sound was heard. This means that the popping sound you hear when a chiropractor adjusts you is simply a change in state between liquid and gas within a joint. It’s called tribonucleation. It’s actually very similar to what happens when you open a champagne bottle, but it’s all happening in an enclosed joint space. Early on, it was thought that the popping sound was associated with unhealthy joints, but as far back as the 1930’s scientists were showing that this also occurs in perfectly healthy joints. So, keep in mind next time you get adjusted by your chiropractor, that the popping sound doesn’t have anything to do with bones grinding or rubbing, but instead is simply gas bubbles forming within a joint as your adjustment separates two joint surfaces that are close together.

Disclaimer and References

 This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be professional advice of any kind. Haavik Research Ltd encourages you to make your own health care decisions based on your own research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. chiroshub.com © Haavik Research 2021 1. Powers et al. The Journal of family practice 2016;65(10):725-26. 2. Cleland et al. J Man Manip Ther 2007;15(3):143-54. 3. Cramer et al. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2011;34(9):572-83. 4. Williams & Cuesta-Vargas. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2014;37(4):230-5. 5. Protopapas & Cymet. J Am Osteopath Assoc 2002;102(5):283-7. 6. Kawchuk et al. PLoS One 2015;10(4):e0119470.

• Dr. Heidi Haavik BSc(Physiol) BSc(Chiro) PhD • Dr. Kelly Holt BSc, BSc(Chiro), PGDipHSc, PhD • Dr. Jenna Duehr BChiro, BHSc(Nursing), MHSc What does the research show? Whether or not you hear the popping sound makes absolutely no difference to how good the adjustment was. Disclaimer and References This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be professional advice of any kind. Haavik Research Ltd encourages you to make your own health care decisions based on your own research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. chiroshub.com

Dec 21
0

They’re Not Growing Pains

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, kids chiropractic, texting | No Comments

Read on to learn more from Dr. Haavik and “growing pains”. Click on the Link!

Did you know that what we call growing pains aren’t actually associated with growing? 1

We know very little about growing pains apart from that some children get sore arms or legs at the end of the day and they usually wake up feeling better.

21st Century Epidemic – “text-neck”

Our children are experiencing more pain than ever before.5 Pain in kids is often associated with low levels of physical activity 6 and our kids are less active now than ever before.7 One reason for this inactivity is many children now spend between 5 to 8 hours a day on their smartphones and handheld devices! Text neck results in changes in the bones, ligaments and muscles that support the head and causes postural changes and pain in the neck and other related areas.4

Chiropractic Care can interpret the Pain Cycle in Kids

Text neck results in changes in the bones, ligaments and muscles that support the head and causes postural changes and pain in the neck and other areas.4 It can even cause eye problems and problems with breathing and circulation.4 Parents need to be aware of this major public health problem and be proactive about helping their children. The best place to start is by limiting screen time and encouraging physical activity. A research study looked at the benefits of chiropractic care for kids with recurrent headaches. Headaches in kids are very common8 which is a real problem, and kids with frequent headaches suffer from higher levels of stress and depression. Just like so many other types of pain, kids who suffer from headaches often go on to become adults who suffer from severe headache syndromes.8 Many things can cause headaches in kids, from poor food choices through to trauma on the sports field or playground.8 But, one other very important cause of headaches in kids is prolonged static posture – a scientific way of describing text neck. A group of researchers wanted to find out whether chiropractic care might help break the headache cycle in kids with recurrent headaches. So they did a study with almost 200 kids aged between 7 and 14 who suffered from at least one headache per week. They split the kids up to either receive chiropractic care for four months or fake chiropractic for four months. What they found was the kids in the chiropractic group had significantly fewer headaches than the kids in the control group and they felt better too. Almost half of the kids in the chiropractic group reported that their headaches had improved during the study which was a really good result for those kids! This study shows how chiropractic care can help interrupt the pain cycle in kids2,3 Remember though that chiropractic care isn’t just about treating pain. Chiropractic care is all about improving the communication between your brain and body so you can function at your optimal potential. It’s also good to know that chiropractic is known to be safe for kids and babies.9,10 So, make sure your child’s spine and nervous system are in great shape by taking them to see your family chiropractor and give them the best possible start in life.

Disclaimer and References

This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be professional advice of any kind. Haavik Research Ltd encourages you to make your own health care decisions based on your own research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. © Haavik Research 2021 chiroshub.com 1. Lehman PJ, Carl RL. Sports Health 2017;9(2):132-38. 2. Aartun E, et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2014;15:187. 3. Kjaer P, et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2011;12:98. 4. Fares J, et al. Surg Neurol Int 2017;8:72-72. 5. Nieswand V, et al. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2020;24(10):62. 6. Kędra A, et al. Eur Spine J Epub 2020/08/28. 7. Tremblay MS, et al. Health Rep 2010;21(1):7-20. 8. Lynge S, et al. Chiropr Man Therap 2021;29(1):1 9. Todd AJ et al. J Manipulative Physiol Ther Epub2014/12/03. 10. Doyle MF.Clinical Chiropractic 2011;14(3):97-105.

• Dr. Heidi Haavik BSc(Physiol) BSc(Chiro) PhD • Dr. Kelly Holt BSc, BSc(Chiro), PGDipHSc, PhD • Dr. Jenna Duehr BChiro, BHSc(Nursing), MHSc

Chiroshub.com

Aug 17
0

Learning From The Leading Cause Of Death

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, Chiropractic Myths, High Blood Pressure | No Comments

Learning From The Leading Cause Of Death

The number one leading cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease.  The western lifestyle and diet left unchecked encourages the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD).  In most cases, the first symptom of CVD that is physically very obvious is a heart attack. That is one heck of a first symptom!  When we hear the story about the “57 year old man who ‘never’ had a sick day in his life dies from a heart attack”, we wonder what happened!  In actuality, it takes YEARS to develop CVD before the first noticeable symptom appears.

What Should We Learn From CVD

When one’s health is being neglected, there are other subtle symptoms that occur prior to a heart attack that we normally don’t notice.   Learn to recognize these symptoms before the root cause begins to spiral out of control. Many symptoms are painful, but we think it is a normal part of our lives and try to just get by. A more practical approach would be to gain control of your health, improve on it daily, and not take it for granted.

Health Is Hard-Work

Taking care of your body begins with your spinal health. Regular check-up’s by your chiropractor will ensure that there is a proper connection between the brain and body.  Healthy spine = healthy body. How so? Your central nerve system created the spine to be an external protection . Keeping your spine aligned and happy keeps your central nerve system happy as well.  People assume that you should only see a chiropractor when you have back or neck pain. WRONG! That is equivalent to only eating healthy food when you are sick. Just like a heart attack being the last noticeable symptom of CVD, back or neck pain will sometimes be the last symptoms to appear when your spinal health has been neglected.

Basic Anatomy 101

When a nerve is irritated by a misaligned spine and has unnecessary stress, the nerve does not send proper signals to the cells, organs, and glands that it controls.  That is Basic Anatomy 101 in Chiropractic and Medical Studies. What does this mean? Imagine that the very nerve that made your heart, controls your heart and sends electrical impulses to make it beat is irritated.   In this case, the messages to the heart will be either HYPER or HYPO (aka High Blood Pressure or Low Blood Pressure). Look to the spine in order to get the messages clear. Be preventative and act now. #getchecked

 

Apr 05
0

My Back’s Out…And That Means What Exactly?

By | Benefits of Chiropractic | No Comments

My Back’s Out…And That Means What Exactly?

Oh the power of words and what they actually mean.  The most common phrase that I hear with new patients is typically, “My back’s out,” or, “Outta whack,” or something along those lines.  Now, we could just let that slide by and everything would be okay, OR we could educate and tell you more.  Before we begin, let’s clear the board and announce that in Chiropractic school, training, clinicals, national board exams, preceptorships, etc. etc., not once did we Chiropractors learn about the phrase, “My back’s out.”

My Back’s Really Out…Right?

Listen to the words we are saying, “My back’s out.”  NO, the back cannot simply “go out”.  The back doesn’t randomly decide to leave your body and go hang out at Costco without you.  Too critical?  Let’s use the word misaligned instead.  A misalignment in the spine, otherwise called a subluxation, can and does happen.  Once it occurs it will stay in that misalignment until forces (Chiropractic adjustments) begin to correct it.  Still, you cannot simply just feel like “My back’s out” or even if you try and be witty you cannot just say “I just felt a subluxation occur in my back.”

If My Back Is NOT Out, What IS Happening?

Here’s another common phrase “Don’t kill the messenger!”   When a subluxation occurs, it places undo stress upon the Central Nerve System (CNS) and can specifically irritate a spinal nerve.  This spinal nerve made certain muscles and controls certain muscles.  Therefore, when the nerve gets irritated, the muscles become irritated.  The last messages to appear after a subluxation has been existent will be chronic muscle tension, knots, and irritation.  A subluxation that goes on uncorrected and neglected for years is equivalent to your teeth not being cleaned.  As time passes, your symptoms begin to appear, and eventually when your body is in a stressed state, the PAIN messages appear.  Now your muscles, tendons, ligaments and tissue become inflamed…thus creating an episode of, “My back’s out.”

Just Get Checked

It’s simple.  If you utilize your Chiropractor correctly, you will know him before you need him.  Understand the reverse of this phrase as well.  When you do decide to get adjusted, the bone does not just simply “go back”…  It requires time and repetition for your CNS to allow your body to heal and ADAPT from the neurological strain that it was under for so long.  Just get checked!

 

Mar 19
0

How You “Think” Doesn’t Impact My Health…Think Again!

By | depression, emotions, stress | No Comments

Thinking Doesn’t Impact My Health…Think Again!

Think About What You Think About

Most people would suspect that physical trauma is the number one reason why people seek Chiropractic care.  But in actuality, the number one reason why people seek care is due to how they think, or emotional stress.  How you think directly impacts your health.  Early Chiropractic philosophy stated that “Auto-Suggestions” was one reason why people would seek care.  It was their inability to adapt to their own auto-suggestions.  Today we supplement the phrase auto-suggestions with stress.  Stress is what brings people into the office.  Our thinking process either creates positive affirmations or emotional stress.

The Chemical Break-Down of Thinking

When your body begins to become bombarded with obligations such as bills, taxes, and daily routines, internal changes occur that alter your thought process.  Chemically, your internal monolog will increase adrenalin, blood glucose, cortisol, and even cholesterol levels.  Serotonin will be the one chemical that actually decreases as a result of stress.  Serotonin, commonly known as the “happiness chemical”, is a huge factor in your mood and getting quality sleep to rest your body.

The Physiological Response to Thinking

The chemicals in the previous paragraph will begin to alter your brain activity and how your body responds.  So, how you think now will begin to impact your health in a way you can understand…in a way that you actually feel. Your quality of sleep is severely depleted, your immune system is compromised, heart rate will spike, and your blood pressure will begin to rise.  Along with these noticeable symptoms, you will also feel increased muscle tension and knots along the spine.  All of this as a result of your thinking!

Chiropractic Can Change How You Think

When the spine is properly aligned and free of interference, your thought process is limited in its negative abilities.  After receiving a specific chiropractic adjustment, there is a 99% correlation that your pre-frontal cortex becomes enhanced.  What does this mean?  The pre-frontal cortex of your brain controls planning, complex cognitive behavior, personality, expression, decision making, and moderating social behavior.  In simple terms, it controls how you think.  Specific chiropractic adjustments help the positive thought process.  Stay adjusted, stay positive!

#getchecked

 

 

Mar 09
0

Buy My Special Pillow…It Will Fix Everything Wrong With You

By | Benefits of Chiropractic | No Comments

Buy My Special Pillow…It Will Fix Everything!

The Analogy Of My Special Pillow

The My Special Pillow analogy has been around in our society for a period of time and will continue to stick around.  Why is the pillow industry always trying to create the “latest and greatest”?  Because they want you to buy it!  Just like anything else, they will try to improve something that is pretty darn simple.  Unfortunately, our society will get you to buy the coolest of the coolest pillow out there because some random sleep study confirmed people actually sleep “better” with it.

My Special Pillow Is Doctor Recommended

The “Doctor Recommended” special pillow…It is simply just another way for someone to make a kick-back and sell you something.  As a Chiropractor, I never learned that the best way to promote my status as a Doctor was to sell “stuff” to the public. This can be said for any type of doctor profession out there.  Remember: My Special Pillow is just an analogy for the health industry as a whole.  This can be said for supplements, oils, laser-beams, exercises, special diets, lotions, etc.  Just because a diet is “Doctor Recommended” does not mean anything at all.  Literally.

The Truth of My Special Pillow

Health is hard-work.  My Special Pillow is trying to sell you the concept that health can be bought.  Being healthy as we know it starts from the inside of your body.  Why the inside?  Remember the first “Thing” made in your body was the brain and then then spinal cord, thus forming the central nerve system (CNS).  The CNS made everything else in your body…everything.  What about the heart…made by the CNS.  What about your left foot…made by the CNS.  And so on and so on.  Make sure that your CNS is free of stress by getting regular chiropractic check-ups.  Two other factors to implement are eating right and exercising.  That’s it.  The My Special Pillow concept will try to lure you away with the latest and greatest.  Just hold fast and stick to the things that survived the test of time. #getchecked

Mar 01
0

3 Affects Occurring On Your Spine Due To The “I” Hunch

By | posture, texting | No Comments

3 Affects Occurring On Your Spine Due To The “I” Hunch

Your Spine Dislikes Gadgets

Your spine is prone to continual stress every single day.  Your spine is specifically designed for two important functions.  Its top priority is to protect the most important structure within your body… the central nerve system (brain and spinal cord).  Secondly, the spine is designed to withstand stress, such as gravity, that is applied every single day.  In this day and age the TOP stressor that plagues our body is “The Gadgets”.  Cellphones, iPads, Kindle’s, etc.  When we continuously look down at gadgets, our entire spinal structure is under constant stress.

#1 – The Reverse Neck Curve Begins

Postural deviations that start in childhood and are left undetected and uncorrected will generally lead to bigger problems when those children become adults.  The more children are looking down at gadgets from earlier ages, the greater significance of cervical curve changes.  These changes are not for the better.

#2 – Your Spine Is Working Overtime

Having your head in a forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine.  This can pull the entire spine out of alignment – Rene Cailliet, M.D.  When we focus on the immediate we only focus on the cervical spine.  When in reality the entire spine will have to work over time.  This means that constant muscle tension, knots, and irritation will be existing all over the spine due to the imbalance in the neck area.

#3 -Your Spine Creates Unnecessary Stress

Constant forward head lean will put automatic stress on the central nerve system (CNS).  When you begin to alter your spinal curvature due to repetitive stress, this will result in a variety of health problems.  Why?  Without proper spinal support, the spinal bones will create tension and stress on your CNS.  Repetitive head lean is equivalent to adding an extra 60lbs of pressure on your spinal column…which means 60lbs of undo stress on your CNS.

Everyone has had poor posture at some point.  It only becomes a problem if you decide not to do anything about it.  Checking your posture and getting your spine checked for subluxations enables your body to adapt to the constant stress.

#getchecked