“Believe it or not…”

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“Believe it or not…”

“Have you more faith in a spoonful of medicine than in the power that animates the living world?”

  • B.J. Palmer, the “developer” of chiropractic (1882-1961)

Ever heard someone say, “I believe in Chiropractic”? What about pills? Xrays? Do you believe in them? Is belief in gravity necessary for it to work? Do you believe in the effects of exercise or a healthy diet? What changes might you see immediately with starting a new regimen? How about after six months of healthy eating and physical activity?

Chiropractic isn’t a religion that you have to “believe in” for it to work. Children and animals get adjusted, and they don’t know enough to be able to “believe in” chiropractic any more than most of us are able to deeply understand the law of gravity. It just exists, and we see its effects every day. An ideological debate isn’t necessary or helpful because the effects tell the story.

The human body is designed and given intelligence (“power” according to B.J. Palmer) to function and maintain itself with great complexity. When the nervous system is functioning at its peak potential, we are able to adapt to internal and external changes in environment. Chiropractic is the philosophy, science and art of removing interference to enable that peak potential. Modern scientific research is slowly catching up with what the founders of chiropractic knew over a century ago, even though they were considered quacks for “practicing medicine without a license.” And patients all over the world are gaining an understanding and respect for what chiropractic has to offer in long term, natural health care. We don’t have to “believe in” chiropractic to receive the scientifically valid healing and improved quality of life. Chiropractic provides a viable alternative to drugs and surgery – a healing that flows from an intelligent nervous system that is fully-functioning. This quiet confidence frees the mind to explore other ideas and experiences in LIFE.

No, you don’t have to “believe in” chiropractic. Faith and trust in the unknown should be a part of all our lives, but chiropractic exists and the results speak for themselves.

Inflammation The Body’s Silent Alarm

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Inflammation The Body’s Silent Alarm

Understanding Inflammation and How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Inflammation is a natural response by your body to injury or infection: When it becomes chronic, it can lead to pain, discomfort, and other health issues. Whether it’s from an injury, repetitive stress, or even poor posture, inflammation can cause the body to react in ways that affect your overall well-being. As chiropractors, we focus on helping the body restore its natural balance, and understanding inflammation is key to that process.

Inflammation is characterized by redness, heat, swelling, pain, and sometimes loss of function. While acute inflammation is a protective mechanism, chronic inflammation, when it lasts for weeks, months, or even longer, can contribute to a variety of health conditions such as arthritis, digestive issues, cardiovascular diseases, and more.

Chronic Inflammation and Its Effects

When inflammation lingers, it can lead to long-term pain, stiffness, and dysfunction in the body. For example, if you have misaligned joints, nerves may become irritated, which can trigger inflammation and exacerbate symptoms like back pain, headaches, or sciatica. Over time, this can create a cycle, where the body is in constant stress, making it harder to heal.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Chiropractic care offers a natural approach to managing inflammation. Through spinal adjustments, chiropractors can help reduce nerve irritation, improve joint mobility, and promote healing. By restoring proper alignment, we can reduce the inflammation that often causes pain and discomfort. In addition, chiropractic care helps improve circulation, which supports the body’s natural ability to heal and reduce inflammation.

If you’re struggling with chronic inflammation or pain, now is the time to see a chiropractor to help address the root causes and start your journey towards a healthy body.

“Healthy spine, healthy mind”

-Dr. Tyler

Gevers-Montoro, C., Provencher, B., Descarreaux, M., Ortega de Mues, A., & Piché, M. (2021). Clinical Effectiveness and Efficacy of Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation for Spine Pain. Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)2, 765921. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2021.765921

Montana Heartbeats

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Montana Heartbeats

Have you ever wondered why we use the HRV scan and what it’s all about? What does putting fingers into a device for 3 minutes have to do with chiropractic?

Heart rate variability (HRV) is the precise measure of micro-changes in the amount of time between heartbeats, measured in fractions of a second. Different from pathologic “arrhythmias” with large differences in the rhythm, this healthy variability in the heart’s sinus (normal) rhythm is vital to our capacity to adapt to our external and internal environment. Assessing heart rate variability gives us an overall picture of the health and balance of the autonomic nervous system. (1).

The autonomic nervous system controls unconscious functions such as breathing rate, blood pressure and flow, skin temperature, digestion, stress hormones, and of course heart rate. It’s divided into two branches: sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest”). Ideally, they work in perfect combination, like two children riding on a see-saw, enabling our bodies to quickly and quietly adapt to physical, chemical and emotional stresses in our environment. This concept of adaptation is fundamental. Biologically speaking, one of the seven characteristics true to all life is the ability to be responsive to the environment. Without adaptation, life cannot exist.

Not only does an HRV scan provide a helpful baseline of the body’s stress-response reserve, it can also show differences in adaptability over time. A highly micro-variable heart rate is evidence that our body is equipped to more effectively adapt to changes and be less stressed and feel happier. Low heart rate variability demonstrates lack of resilience and that our nervous system may struggle to respond in challenging situations.

Research shows that HRV scores can change with chiropractic care (2). High and low frequency HRV readings represent how both the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system can be influenced by chiropractic adjustments. (2) One small study found that “Patients receiving continuous chiropractic care to correct vertebral subluxation demonstrated a sustained improvement in HRV. This novel finding objectively demonstrates long-term change consistent with improved neurophysiological regulation, adaptability and resilience in patients undergoing chiropractic care, and suggests the utility of chiropractic care for outcomes greater than only musculoskeletal improvements.” (3) The benefits of chiropractic care include much more than back and neck pain!

Get checked, and keep the Montana heartbeat adapting!

References:

1) Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21773-heart-rate-variability-hrv

2) Effect of chiropractic care on heart rate variability and pain in a multisite clinical study

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16690380/

3) Sustained Improvement of Heart Rate Variability in Patients Undergoing a Program of Chiropractic Care: A Retrospective Case Series. (2017) Chiropractic Journal of Australia

www.researchgate.net/publication/323934481_Sustained_improvement_of_heart_rate_variability_in_patients_undergoing_a_program_of_chiropractic_care_A_retrospective_case_series

X-rays: You Pose. We Expose

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X-rays: You Pose. We Expose

“To see is to know, to not see is to guess.” – Unknown

Does one build a house without blueprints? Absolutely not. That would be a clown show trying to build a house without being able to reference blueprints. The same goes for our spine. Chiropractors want to see the big picture of what they are dealing with. X-rays give chiropractors more insight on the shape of a patient’s spine and what should or should not be adjusted.  A seasoned chiropractor can have years of experience and have very gifted hands to feel up and down the spine for issues but there is a limitation to how much a chiropractor can feel. Therefore, it is the utmost importance to acquire visuals such as the x-rays films to know exactly what the patient’s spine is presenting with. People are born with congenital abnormalities that they may have no knowledge of until x-rays are taken of their spine and a chiropractor’s goal is obviously not to cause more harm, but without x-rays, increased risk is on the table.

X-rays dictate many factors when it comes to the proper care of a patient. The way chiropractors adjust is heavily influenced by x-rays involving what direction of the adjustment, how much force, and what table or instrument is used. Since our bodies are so good at masking pain because pain is usually the last thing to show up, people can live with subluxations (misalignments of the spine), fractures, anomalies or other contraindications without even knowing they are present or have been present for months to years. One cannot emphasize enough the importance of x-rays. They are a major piece to our puzzle of care and patients benefit the most with results when x-rays are performed.

Thou Shall Not Self-Manipulate!

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Thou Shall Not Self-Manipulate!

“The more specific we are, the more universal something can become. Life is in the details. If you generalize, it doesn’t resonate. The specificity of it is what resonates.” – Jacqueline Woodson

Most things require some form of specificity and if a general method is applied, usually the results are non-satisfactory. The same goes for our spine, our spines and therefore our nerve systems need specific attention, not general adjusting to cause the cavitations (noise made from the adjustment). There are specific problems that need specific solutions to get to the root of the issue.  Self-manipulating compensations is not the answer for the correction of actual problems.

When self-adjustments are made or should I say self-manipulations because they are not specific adjustments, the popping noise (cavitation) is the release of nitrogen gas from bubbles in the synovial joint fluid in the joint space. At the same time, endorphins are released which is a natural pain killer so even though it may feel relieving, it is more than likely causing harm than good. Furthermore, the residual from endorphins is short-term because the main issue is not corrected and that is the reason people can continue to perform that manipulation for months to years since the compensation is addressed, and not the primary cause. When there is a subluxation or a misalignment of the spine, the joint is fixated meaning it’s not moving like it should and the body responds by compensating and makes the vertebra above or below hypermobile (increased movement) and it is the hypermobile vertebra that is being self-manipulated. Self-manipulation increases the laxity of the ligaments which decreases their ability to do their job by helping to hold bones in place.

When you feel the urge…RESIST! Do not cause unnecessary harm and stress to your spine. Avoid the temptation by doing better because you know better! Get checked and stay healthy!

https://www.ameriwellclinics.com/why-self-adjustment-is-a-bad-idea/
https://ianthechiro.com/blog/self-chiropractic-adjustments-risks-safe-alternatives
https://www.wellnesschiropractor.com/blog/116920-the-bad-habit-of-self-adjusting

Subluxation Nation!

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“To get rich, never risk your health. For it is truth that health is the wealth of wealth.” -Richard Baker

What is Chiropractic? What is the essence of why we do what we do? A true chiropractor seeks to find and correct vertebral subluxation and “A subluxation is the condition of a vertebra that has lost its proper juxtaposition with the one above or the one below or both; to an extent less than a luxation; which occludes an opening, impinges nerves and interferes with the transmission of mental impulses” (Stephen’s Chiropractic Textbook).

 Let’s break that down, so loss of juxtaposition is the misalignment of the vertebra in the spine, an occlusion of an opening is the narrowing of the intervertebral foramina which are the black holes that are seen on the lateral or side view of the spine on an x-ray. These black holes are responsible for nerve transmission meaning that hole is the exit for a spinal nerve root that comes off the spinal cord. When a subluxation is present, impingement on the nerve is involved meaning pressure and when there is pressure on the nerve, there is going to be an interference of that nerve, therefore the interference is going to decrease the function of wherever that nerve goes whether it be a muscle or organ etc. And let me tell you, it does not take much to decrease the function of a nerve…. the weight of a dime….A DIME will decrease a nerve’s function by 60%. It’s also not the bone itself that is putting pressure on the nerve causing interference of the brain and body communication but the surrounding tissue such as fat tissue, connective tissue and blood vessels.

What is the function of the nerve? It is to transfer information from our brain to our body by way of something called mental or nerve impulses which contains an electrochemical energy current and information that the brain needs to send to the rest of the body to operate properly. In essence, chiropractors restore the ability of the brain to send the mental/nerve impulses to the body by removing subluxations of the spinal column that cause interference. Stay healthy and get checked!

Stephen’s Chiropractic Textbook

Chiropractic Philosophy, Strauss.

Digestive Health: Do you have that “Gut” feeling everything is functioning?

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Digestive Health: Do you have that “Gut” feeling everything is functioning?

“A healthy gut is the gateway to a healthy body and mind.” -Dr. Mark Hyman

What do you think of when pondering gut health? We’ve always been told garbage in, garbage out which is true because based on what you put in your body is how your body is going to utilize that food for energy and immune function. Making food our medicine is not so easy these days due to all the processed foods and preservatives.

So how else can we combat the battle of maintaining a healthy gut? Our nerve system controls every aspect of our body. Specifically, there are spinal nerves that come out from our spinal cord in our low back which innervates our stomach and intestines/colon so ensuring there is no interference of those nerves is pinnacle. If lack of communication is occurring to the stomach and intestines from the brain through the nerves, it can lead to constipation, gas build-up, cramps, heartburn, and diarrhea along with malfunction of other organs. Most of the nutrients from our food when it is broken down is absorbed in our small intestines, it then enters our bloodstream, and then it is carried by proteins to our cells, so we definitely want the function of our small intestines to be optimal.

 I’m going to share a scenario about how powerful the body can be when communication between the brain and the body is restored. I witnessed a patient who came in with severe constipation, so severe that this patient could only pass a bowel movement once a week for the last 18 years and experienced 4-6 kidney stones a year for the last 16 years. Other doctors could not figure out the issue and claimed this patient had to live with it. The patient’s L2, which is top of the low back, was adjusted three times. On the third adjustment, the patient went home, experienced immediate relief and has consistently had a bowel movement every day since then. Furthermore, the kidney stones ceased as well. Due to the build-up of feces in the colon, it began to put pressure on the kidneys which caused them to malfunction causing the kidney stones.

To the best of our ability, let thy food be thy medicine as well as getting checked so the body is functioning!

https://www.atlanticchirofl.com/blog/172877-chiropractic-and-gut-health

Children and Chiropractic

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Children and Chiropractic

“Chiropractors don’t just believe that your child has unlimited potential, our job is to unlock it.” -Nick Spano, DC

When the public thinks about chiropractic, it most often involves the idea of adults with low back pain. That ideology could not be further from the truth. The developing years of a child are crucial and that means the overall function of their body. We didn’t stand a chance since birth. What way do we usually enter the world? Head first. With the head being the contact point for leverage to pull the baby out, there is always twisting, yanking, and pulling on that fragile neck leading to atlas (C1) subluxations as well as subluxations of other cervical vertebra and spinal cord compression.

Unfortunately, birthing trauma is not taken seriously by most. The sooner the subluxations are corrected, the better chance that baby has at adapting to the stresses of life and not develop conditions such as decreased muscle tone, fine movement disorders, autonomic dysfunction, and cardiovascular disorders. Having cervical subluxations can affect a child’s behavior by making them hyperactive or inactive as well as lower mental performance.

Parents want the best for their children and chiropractic can keep them healthy allowing their body and more importantly the brain, to function and develop properly. There is a fear that chiropractors use the same amount force for an adjustment on a child compared to an adult. With small children and especially babies, chiropractors use a sustained contact or vibratory contact to make the adjustment utilizing the least amount of force possible for the correction. Adjustments on a baby are safe, effective, and absolutely necessary.

Aside from conditions developing in a child, having a child checked and adjusted allows them to live out 100% of their potential. There are many benefits to your child receiving chiropractic care such as improving their immune function allowing their bodies to have a better chance at combating seasonal bugs as well as preventing them in the first place. Our immune system mainly stems from our gut and chiropractic can help with improving digestion, acid reflux and constipation. Sleep is a major contributor to the proper development of a child so having their nerve system clear of interference allows them to have an undisrupted sleep pattern including resolving issues with bed-wetting. 

Help your little one be the best version of themselves! Get them checked, keep them healthy!

https://aica.com/5-incredible-benefits-of-pediatric-chiropractic-care/

Heels: Not Food for The Sole

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“Do the best you can until you know better – then when you know better, do better.”

“Beauty is pain” has been a saying among the female population for a long time but does it have to be? An individual does not have to experience a traumatic event to cause back issues. Spinal issues can be caused simply by wearing poor daily footwear such as heels, flip flops, and flat shoes. The Spinal Health Institute reports that 72% of women wear heels.  When it comes to heels, the human foot is not equipped with the right biomechanics to wear heels consistently that are over an inch high, and it is a frequent cause of back pain in women as well as causing issues in the knees and hips.

Wearing heels causes one’s weight to shift to the balls of their feet initiating unnecessary pressure in the foot joints not allowing proper motion in the foot. Our joints are meant to be mobile and lubricated so when they are in a fixed position, let alone an unnatural fixed position, issues will begin to occur in the foot. When wearing heels, the pelvis can be tilted forward applying stress in the calves, quadriceps, and glute muscles as well as increasing the curvature of the lower spine which decreases proper biomechanics of those spinal joints leading to pain and discomfort down the road. There’s a time and a place for heels but wearing heels less often to allow the body to operate how it is supposed to would be beneficial in

Flat shoes are no stranger to causing issues as well. Since there’s no arch support in flat shoes, the plantar fascia which contributes to arch support can lead to plantar fasciitis. If flat shoes are worn often enough, the knee joints can become affected and lead to arthritis. Flat shoes as well as flip flops can cause internal rotation of the legs which creates misalignment of the hips.

Know better, DO BETTER!! Get checked and stay healthy!

https://www.avogel.co.uk/health/muscles-joints/back-pain/why-shoes-could-be-responsible-for-your-back-pain/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/best-worst-shoes-back-pain/

Chiropractic and Mental Health

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Chiropractic and Mental Health

Research supports that vertebral subluxations may result in altered autonomic nervous system activity. How does this affect mental health and behavior? We will look specifically the vagus nerve “fight or flight” response and “rest and digest” response. The vagus nerve is a major component of the HPA-axis which coordinates neural, behavioral, endocrine, and immune/inflammatory responses. This is why we check heart rate variability in the office to gauge how well your vagus nerve is functioning, therefore how well your HPA-axis is functioning.

There is a theory called the Polyvagal Theory (PVT) that was proposed by Porges in which nervous system regulation affects our emotional expression, communication, and social behavior. Or in other words the neural pathways supporting behavior are involved in maintaining health.

In a study by Williams et al, “There was some evidence that spinal manipulation improved psychological outcomes compared with verbal interventions.” A different study by Holder et al, looked at patients who received instrument assisted adjustments, the test group who received adjustments showed a significant decrease in anxiety compared to the control group.

Chiropractic care a whole is concerned with totality of the human experience. By correcting subluxations, patients are more optimally able to adapt to the world around them and build resilience. When an adjustment is delivered, a patient’s nervous system immediately responds by altering the body’s ability to function at it’s fullest potential again.

Holder JM, Duncan Robert C, Gissen M, Miller M, Blum K (2001) Increasing retention rates among the

chemically dependent in residential treatment: auriculotherapy and (in a separate study)

subluxation-based chiropractic care. Journal of Molecular Psychiatry 6.

Williams NH, Hendry M, Lewis R, Russell I, Westmoreland A, et al. (2007) Psychological response in spinal

manipulation (PRISM): A systematic review or psychological outcomes in randomized controlled

trials. Complementary Therapis in Medicine 15:271-283.