Why A Spinal-Check Up Is First, Then The Adjustment

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, High Blood Pressure, immune system | No Comments

Why wouldn’t you want to access something first before making a change? Accessing the damage before alterations are made sounds pretty smart to us. In Gonstead Chiropractic we utilize the initial X-rays every spinal check-ups coupled with our tool of choice, the Neurocalometer (Scope). The Scope allows us to see inflammation along the spinal column and then to match it accordingly with your X-rays to see if this is an actual subluxation that needs an adjustment or if this is a compensation that is created via a subluxation that does NOT need adjusted.

Often times when it comes to your body and more specifically the spinal column, we assume that the area of pain is the area of correction. This is more often NOT the case. When a subluxation (misalignment within the spinal column placing undo stress upon a single nerve fiber) exists it disrupts the communication between the brain and body. Meaning? It changes the outcome of every tissue cell that is supposed to be in ideal function for that specific moment. A subluxation disrupts your body’s ability to be properly adapt and changes the course of your health. It doesn’t allow your brain an accurate reality of what is really happening.

Why in Gonstead Chiropractic do we use Neurocalometer before we adjust the spinal column. This is our tool of choice that we use for daily visits to access the spinal column looking for minute differences in temperature from one side of the spine to the next. Neural relationships to skin temperature offer a noninvasive method of quantifying neural function.

No other metric of healthy function has been used for as long as skin temperature. Nearly 2,500 years ago Hippocrates was said to have used a slurry of mud over the skin to identify those areas that dried fastest due to heat levels of the skin. As current research explains, thermal variability in humans is a sign of a healthy system (Adaptability Textbook).  

5 Components Of A Subluxation

By | Benefits of Chiropractic | No Comments

Breaking down a subluxation begins with the context of the word. “Sub” is derived from “less than” or “under” and “luxation” stemming from luxate which is to “dislocate”. So the proper meaning of subluxation is less than a full dislocation. Often times you may hear people say that they have a “pinched nerve” or they have “thrown their back out” which is the farthest thing from the truth. They are only expressing one component (muscular component) of the subluxation. Let’s break down the subluxation to gather the real insight.

The skeletal component: when a subluxation occurs the vertebrae above and below will be involved. The actual subluxation will create uneven displacement on the disc (the cushion in between the vertebrae) creating a bio-mechanical shift. Structurally, think of it as a kink in a bicycle chain, eventually everything becomes troubled as a result.

The muscular component: since nerves control muscles that establish proper position of vertebrae they are an integral part of the subluxation. When a nerve becomes irritated the surrounding muscle will become overexcited and inflamed as a process. People don’t feel their bones misaligned, they feel the pain in muscles. 

The soft tissue component: the subluxation will affect the surrounding tendons, ligaments and blood supply to which the nerve controls. The soft tissues can become stretched or scarred leaving the spine with either chronic instability or restriction.

The degeneration component: this is a result of neglecting the subluxation. When a subluxation exists uncorrected for years degeneration and decay begins within the spine. Mistakenly referred to as “normal” is the farthest thing from the truth. 

The neurological component: the most important factor involved with a subluxation. When a subluxation places undo stress upon a nerve the result is that all the tissues fed by that specific nerve become distorted from the brain and are unable to function normally. Overtime this will lead to a whole host of other conditions (signs and symptoms). Think of this as your organs, glands, and tissue cells receiving poor cell phone reception from the brain because they cannot accurately understand what to do.

Chiropractors focus on correcting the cause of your problem, not just on suppressing your symptoms. #getchecked



The Role Of Chiropractic In Your Life

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, immune system, inflammation | No Comments

The Role Of Chiropractic In Your Life

What is the role of Chiropractic in your life?  The primary focus of Chiropractic is to simply remove those things that interfere with the body’s natural ability to heal.  Chiropractic is a science, art and philosophy about the inner workings of the human body.  By understanding how the spine and central nervous system is connected, the scene is set for exploring how dysfunction within the spine can lead to impaired health and well-being.

The key focus of Chiropractic study is to detect and correct vertebral subluxations.  In turn this will restore the healthy function of the spine and nerve system.  Remove the vertebral subluxation in order for your body to better be able to adapt and correctly function.  When a vertebral subluxation exists it will create tension and stress on the spinal nerve due to the strain of the disc in between the vertebrae.  The effects of the displacement protrudes the disc and creates stress on the spinal nerve.  Edema will create pressure on the nerve resulting in one of two things happening, stimulation or inhibition.  As a direct result the cells, tissues, glands, and organs that the nerve supplies will either be stimulated or inhibited.

Everyone should have access to chiropractic care right from birth through to the day they pass away.  I believe a lot of suffering could be prevented if this was the case.  Changing our health care system is and will be at the top forefront of a healthier lifestyle for all. There are lots of people who could stand to benefit from learning how to take better care of themselves. We know the function of the spine impacts our brain’s ability to interpret other things that are going on in and around us, an internal reality.  Effective health care begins with an accurate inner reality.  Adjusting the spine to restore optimal spinal function, actually changes the way the brain functions.  Remove any source of irritation to the central nerve system by keeping your spine healthy and aligned.

Tackling Gut Problems From Within The Body

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, gut problems, inflammation | No Comments

Tackling Gut Problems From Within The Body

The Gut!  Tackling gut problems from within the body is focused on decreasing internal inflammation that is causing symptoms to appear in people who have “gut problems.”  What kind of gut problems?  IBS, constipation, diverticulitis, reflux, etc etc.  The list goes on and on when it comes to gut problems.  More people become concerned with the symptom that they have and attempt to cover -up the signs they are producing besides addressing the actual concern.  The brain – body connection is dysfunctional.

Remember that the central nervous system coordinates, controls, and makes everything in your entire body.  The CNS does this via a network of cables called nerves.  When a nerve becomes irritated in the spinal column due to instability from a subluxation, the nerve is not in normal ‘tone’.  As a direct result of the nerve being irritated in the spinal column, the organs, cells, tissues, and glands that the nerve coordinates will become dysfunctional as well.  How so?  The spine is a direct extension from the brain.  When a nerve is not in normal ‘tone’ and not sending the proper messages, the body in return will show symptoms from that subluxation. Think of it like a super highway that is under construction.  Who honestly likes construction on a super highway?  No one!

A study from the 2016 Gastroenterology journal suggests that the vagus nerve is extremely precious not only for homeostasis of a variety of organ systems, but also for the regulation of appetite, mood, and inflammation.  Common gut conditions can be greatly influenced by the function of the vagus nerve.  It’s all about the brain – body connection.  Research confirms the importance of a well adjusted spine on the function of the vagus nerve.  Optimal function begins and ends from within the body.  Don’t treat symptoms. Chiropractic can get your digestive system working by focusing on the cause.  A healthy lifestyle not only changes your body, it changes your attitude and your mood.

Shift To Natural Healing….It’s Organic As It Comes

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, inflammation | No Comments

Shift To Natural Healing… It’s Organic As It Comes

The primary objective in Chiropractic is to remove irritation to the central nerve system by securing normal structural relationships.  One must continually appreciate that in Chiropractic, The body through its inherent power or innate intelligence, is the ultimate deciding factor in restoring health.  Shifting your thought process of natural healing begins and ends from within the body first and foremost.  Sickness (Dis-ease) begins from within the body, and the complete opposite can be said that health begins from within the body.  When the CNS is properly functioning it is able to eliminate morbid material and adapt and restore the body on a daily basis.

We understand that certain disease processes more or less cumbersome according to the nerve disturbances and anatomical dis-relation to the body.  For instance, a subluxation exists within the spinal column that creates interference from the nerve fiber to the brain – body connection.  As a result the messages that are being sent from the brain to the body can be hindered in one of two ways; the messages can be too much or not enough.  As a result the organs, cells, tissues, and glands that the nerve supplies overtime can produce hypersensitive or hypo-sensitive responses.  Either way the nerve tone is creating an interference and the body is not in an ideal state.

By maintaining the proper structural relationship within the spinal column your health can be constantly maintained in an ideal state.  Every tissue, cell, and organ within the body is constantly analyzing both its internal and external environment.  With a clear and properly connected CNS the analysis will enable your body to adapt to the continual changing environments that you place it in.  We are witnessing a significant shift away from conventional medicine and towards an ongoing wellness lifestyle.  Natural and effective.

As The Twig Is Bent So Grow’s Your Child’s Spine

By | Benefits of Chiropractic | No Comments

As The Twig Is Bent So Grow’s Your Child’s Spine

Stimulate and energize natural health at the beginning of life.  Why would you want to wait and attempt to mend or restore the spine in later stages?  There is nothing that will give you greater physical, mental, or psychological pleasure than to cultivate good health.  Good health will give you more energy than a pep pill.  It will make you see, feel and hear to the fullest potential.  The early years of life are monumental in sustaining and prolonging good health.  Increase resistance and reduce susceptibility by becoming proactive in you and your families spinal care.

Life Happens

The early years of life is when the central nervous system (CNS) is at its most active and development is just beginning to take place.  Even going back to after conception and the embryonic stage the CNS is the first thing to flourish.  This includes the baby’s brain, spinal cord, and nerves to develop arms, legs, tissues and everything that makes you, you.  The condition of your child’s spine and nerve endings during the early formative years will play a role in his or her future health.  There are certain windows of opportunity when tissues and organs are still developing during the early stages of childhood and a seemingly unimportant spinal injury erupt  into adulthood illnesses.  For this reason alone it is especially important that children’s spines be periodically checked by a chiropractor.  Prevention beats correction every time!

Turn On Chiropractic

Children do suffer from misalignment’s of the spinal column through falls, sports, minor incidents and stress, these misalignment are called subluxations.  When a subluxation goes uncorrected it will place undo stress on the spinal nerve leading to a lack of functional impulses from the brain.  Impulses are constantly sent from the brain, down the spinal column and branched out to every part of the body.  A subluxation will interfere with the nerves ability to properly coordinate and regulate life.  The severity of illness depends on the degree to which life force is shut off by a subluxation resulting the the nerves inability to function correctly.  Chiropractic restores life by releasing imprisoned life impulses. #getchecked

 

New 406 Article Is Out….Immune Support

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, immune system | No Comments

New 406 Article Is Out….Immune Support

Check out the latest 406 article on supporting the Immune System…Naturally!  We are on page 48 of this issue!  Click HERE to go directly to the link!  If your lifestyle does not include enough motion, your body cannot function efficiently.  The central nervous system plays a major role in immune function. Do whatever you can to keep your immune system working properly by removing any source of irritation and keeping your spine healthy and aligned. READ ON AND CLICK THE LINK TO LEARN MORE!

Misdiagnosed And Living With The Aftermath…Find The Cause

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

Misdiagnosed And Living With The Aftermath…

Find The Cause!

The great challenge of understanding the body is listening to what it needs.  Signs or symptoms that the body presents are ways that the brain communicates that dysfunction is occurring internally.  No one was born to be sick or riddled with chronic ailments in the body. Oftentimes, people will be diagnosed with a label or some form of condition that just so happens to “fit” what they are experiencing.  All too often people are misdiagnosed or even over diagnosed with label upon label just because their experiences fit the textbook norm of that diagnosis. Instead of accepting a false label or going down multiple rabbit holes why not trace your “effects” back to the cause.

The Cause Behind The Label

Your super information highway, a.k.a the Central Nerve System (CNS), controls every function and action  you experience in life. It does this by creating and replenishing the body via its building blocks…tissue cells.  Tissue cells make up organs, muscles, ligaments, tendons and everything in your body. When the CNS experiences dysfunction within the spinal column via a subluxation (misalignment creating nerve pressure), the specific spinal nerve will lose its normal tone.  Over time, when a subluxation exists uncorrected, the vital organs that are supposed to be properly supplied will receive more messages than they should or not enough. This will be classified as HYPER (more than) or HYPO (less than). This can relate to GI problems. Hypersensitivity would lead to IBS as hypo-sensitivity would lead to constipation.

Regardless of the label that you receive, the nerve is still not in proper tone which creates dysfunction in the CNS leading to damaged tissue cells.   Tissue cells, as a result, will become plagued and over time the body will produce symptoms. Standardized tests might produce findings or might not. What they show might not help you.  What you are prescribed to take to combat the symptoms might produce other symptoms by destroying perfectly healthy tissue cells. Find the cause by addressing the CNS.

Basic Physics Of The Spine

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment | No Comments

Basic Physics Of The Spine

Basic physics of the spine begins with the foundation.  To insure durability, every engineer, architect, builder and carpenter knows the importance of a strong foundation.  Any minute change or shift in the foundation will cause deviation in the top part of the structure and, perhaps, ultimately its collapse.  The pelvic girdle is the body’s foundation to maintaining proper communication lines open for the central nerve system (CNS). The CNS, which encompasses the brain and spinal cord, is your body’s lifeline for every function, action and experience you encounter in life.  The vertebrae house and protect the spinal nerves that control organs, cells, tissues and glands.

Open communication

When the pelvic girdle is properly sustained, the CNS has open communication.  Dramatic changes begin to ensue when a subluxation exists in the pelvic girdle; therefore, maximum efficiency and function of the CNS cannot be obtained without a sustainable pelvic girdle.  Subluxations in the spine are easily recognized and will produce symptoms. The first symptoms of subluxated vertebraes will often be internal and range from asthma, allergies, infertility, colic, bed-wetting and the list goes on and on.  However, the pelvis does NOT have nerve endings and subluxations related to the pelvic region can be easily overlooked when one is not familiar with the symptoms.

The Cause

While adjusting and correcting subluxations of the upper part of the spinal column is beneficial, addressing the cause of the problem begins with a full spinal approach to each patient starting from the bottom – up.   For complete and lasting results, the subluxations that are created as a result of a pelvis subluxation need to be properly restored while still balancing and maintaining the integrity of the pelvis. Just think of the chronic forward head posture that we create with our daily lives (cell phones, gadgets, computers).  This puts an immense amount of pressure on the neck and upper back. The pelvic girdle, being your center of gravity, has to maintain function and coordination during extended periods of forward head flexion. The big payoff with good pelvic stability is that we feel healthier, have more energy and move gracefully.

What Do You Consider Pain To Be?

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

What Do You Consider Pain To Be?

What do you actually consider pain to be?  When we typically think of pain, we assume it is associated with slamming your hand in a door or some sort of injury, trauma or action that produces the sensation of discomfort.  Our culture assumes that chiropractic care is strictly for pain relief. Furthest assumption from the actual truth. The first “pain” that you might experience may not be a pain at all.   The first sign of a spinal problem is actually the first symptom you have.  A symptom being: lethargy, constipation, IBS, allergies, migraines, infertility, reflux and the list goes on and on.  Symptoms should be the first “PAIN” that is recognized. It would be easier if we ended the symptom with the word pain: lethargy pain, constipation pain, IBS pain, allergy pain, migraine pain, infertility pain, reflux pain…and so on.

Symptoms Are Pain And Pain Are Symptoms

They are one and the same.  Symptoms are pains and pains are symptoms.  Even the definition of SYMPTOM (a sign of the existence of something, especially of an undesirable situation…) states that any known symptom is painful due to the fact that it is undesirable.  Too often we simply get used to a symptom and it becomes a part of our life and we accept it.  When this happens, you are learning to live with pain. Why not learn to live freely and without the presence of dysfunction within the body.  No one was born to be sick.

Take The Road Less Traveled

The easiest way that your body will let you know that dysfunction is present will be through red flags, alarms and any other way to communicate internally that something is amiss.  Your body lets you know via SYMPTOMS. When a nerve is unable to supply the proper demand of energy to the visceral (cells, tissues, glands, organs) the body begins to “act out”. The nerve supply is hindered via a subluxation that exists and limits the potential of the visceral it is supposed to coordinate.  Address the symptoms at the root of the cause. Look to the spine for the cause.