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!

 

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

 

 

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

 

5 Questions To Ask Your Chiropractor

By | ADHD, Benefits of Chiropractic, Ear Infections

5 Questions To Ask Your Chiropractor

Simple Truths Of Chiropractic

With the ever changing “Health World” it often becomes hard to keep things in perspective of what health really is.  Many times we go around and around chasing different tactics of what someone thinks health is.  Even chiropractors have been known to blur the lines of what we should actually be doing for patients.  Chiropractic care is health care.  Why?  Chiropractors are trained experts in the detection and correction of subluxations of the spine.  That’s it.  A subluxation is the physical representation of all dis-ease in the body.  A subluxation will create dysfunction within every part of the body, thus destroying one’s optimum potential.  To learn more, ask your chiropractor!  When looking for a chiropractor, start with 5 basic questions to make sure there are no blurred lines with your health care.

Question # 1: Do You Take X-Rays?

X-rays provide a clear image of what to actually adjust, and more importantly what not to do for a patient.  It’s the 90/10 rule.  They provide specificity of 90% of what does not need to happen and 10% of what does need to happen.  X-rays allow chiropractors to not guess when dealing with your health.  To heal, your body requires what your body needs and not somebody else’s.  X-rays are unique towards you and your body’s needs.  Taking x-rays is not new.  In 1910 the chiropractic profession implemented x-rays as mandatory before even touching somebody’s spine (aside from pregnant mothers, babies, and other unique situations).  So, let’s not guess with your health when dealing with the most important part of your body, the spine.

Question # 2:   Do You Get Spinal Listings Off The X-Rays?

Spinal listings are what subluxations are called after a chiropractor does an analysis on x-rays.  Spinal listings are the equivalent to a blue-print of the foundation and how something was built.  X-ray analysis is essential to understanding how you are different from everyone else.  Understanding the x-ray component when finding a subluxation enables your care to be on point for what you would expect from a specific chiropractor.   The focus of the adjustment is to be as specific, precise and accurate as possible, addressing only the problem areas (areas of subluxation).   This is only directed with use of spinal listings.

Question # 3 Is Your Goal To Restore Normal Function?

Function Vs Feeling.  As a chiropractor our top responsibility is to make sure that your body is functioning at optimum potential by adapting to the stress that brings you into our office.  Feeling good just comes with functioning well.  Make sure you are seeking chiropractic care for function.  Going to the chiropractor only when you’re in pain is like robbing a bank and only stealing the lollipops.  It doesn’t make sense and chiropractic is not designed as an expensive Advil.  Our goal is to enable your body to do whatever you desire without LIMITS.  The sensory component (pain part) of a nerve is an immensely small portion of the central nervous system.  Nerve tension exists through subluxations without any feeling of pain.  Pain will often be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back.  Normal function enables your body to be healthy from the inside out.

Question #4 Do You Take Post X-Rays To Document Structural Change?

Of course!  This thought process is equivalent to an orthodontist who puts braces on a pair of teeth.  Not only do you visit your orthodontist for check-ups while the braces are on but eventually you see teeth that are straightened out.  Then, after the braces are removed, you have to retain the straightening.  The same is done for chiropractic.  If you have regular check-ups for your spinal health, your body will adapt and heal.  When specific subluxations have been addressed and adjusted specifically for a period of time, the body changes.  Your adjustments will change based on your body adapting.  Post X-rays will allow your chiropractor to show you changes in your spine and how your body is adapting to care.

Question # 5 Do You Work With Pediatric And Elderly?

Chiropractic care is not just for athletes and middle class men who have back aches.  The overall care and well-being of the spine should begin from the day you are born to the day you are put to rest.  Everyone needs regular spinal check-ups to make sure that your body is working at optimum potential.  Attending a pediatric chiropractor allows your child’s nervous system to continue to grow and overcome many forms of trauma as they learn to walk and crawl, play, and become involved in sporting activities.  Many of these actions may result in subluxations which can be detected and adjusted to restore normal development.  The only way to find out if you have subluxations is to get checked.

 

 

 

Feed Dis-ease Or Prevent Dis-ease. Choose Wisely?

By | ADHD, Benefits of Chiropractic

If You Believe You Can…You Will!

Is it just a belief or is it a fact that you can choose to be healthy?  Both are actually true.  Science supports that if you choose to be healthy you will be healthy.  Notice the word “choose.”  If you believe you will be healthy… you still have to act upon that belief.  You must lay down the foundation of health and what it means.  Getting checked by your chiropractor, exercising, watching your posture, and putting the right food in your body are all great examples.  Prevention does not come in the form of a pill.

Dis-ease vs Disease 

Referencing the Chiropractic Textbook by R.W. Stephenson 1927 he defines dis-ease and disease as:

Dis-ease defined.  “A Chiropractic term meaning not having ease; or lack of ease.  It is a lack of entity.  It is a condition of matter when it does not have the property of ease.  Ease is the entity, and dis-ease the lack of it.”

Disease defined.  “Disease is a term used by physicians for sickness.  To them it is an entity and is worthy of a name, hence diagnosis.”

In order to simplify the difference between dis-ease and disease, we break down the meaning of entity.  Often when we classify someone with the entity of disease, we say they things such as, “That kid is autistic,” or, ” I am diabetic.”  By putting a label on somebody we dismiss the person as an actual human being and classify them as the disease, which is not the case.  The body having lack of ease will create symptoms to remind us that something is amiss in the body.

You Cannot Catch Disease

Literally what the title states, you cannot simply catch disease.  In our society we often hear that someone “caught” this disease.  When in reality you did not catch anything.   If your tissue cells have uncoordinated and non-adaptive properties, your body will be dysfunctional as a result.  Remember, health is hard-work!  Chiropractic ensures that your master control system, the central nervous system, is working at optimal potential.  When the brain is functioning correctly and without limits, the body is at ease.

 

Chiropractic Care Vs. Emergency Care – Understanding The Difference

By | ADHD, Benefits of Chiropractic

Chiropractic Care Vs. Emergency Care – Understanding The Difference

 

The Need For Emergency Care

In order to understand the difference between two different types of care, let’s first understand the need for both types of care.  During your life if you obtain a major injury, accident, or trauma to your person you should seek emergency care.  That’s what their services are intended for and we should utilize the people that assist in times of “emergencies.”  Be honest, nobody prefers to be in the emergency room.  Yet, when trauma strikes, we are thankful for the people that help us.  Emergency services far exceed their expectations and are highly advanced in helping people in need when the time calls.

The Need For Chiropractic Care

Let’s start off with what chiropractic care is not.  It does not involve injections, surgery, exercise, diets, pills, lotions, potions, or anything else you can think of that EXTERNALLY alters or attempts to alter the body.  Chiropractic is done solely by hand to adjust and remove subluxations within the spinal column.  By making specific adjustments within the spinal column, chiropractic is directly concerned and focused on the central nervous system.  Chiropractic care is not emergency care.  Specific chiropractic care allows the body to be self-regulating and self-healing by allowing adaptive forces to do what they are supposed to do.  We are designed to be amazing.  Simple.  Do not over-complicate health with insecurities that drugs are good for us based on false advertisements and propaganda.

The Mix-Up

Chiropractic care is not emergency care.  Emergency care is not chiropractic care. Some people assume that chiropractic is strictly for muscular pain, which is the farthest thing from the truth.  Going to the chiropractor only when you are in pain is like eating healthy only when you’re “sick.”  While most forms of medicine will seek to cover-up symptoms, chiropractic focuses on the cause.  The root cause of all dysfunction in the body is directly attributed to the central nervous system.  Receiving consistent spinal care ensures optimal alignment for your best health, performance and well-being.

The Secret To Man’s Best Exercise

By | ADHD, Benefits of Chiropractic

The Secret To Man’s Best Exercise

Exercise…It’s Too Easy

Do you think exercise is easy?  When it comes to your overall health and well-being the best exercise has been around for a very long time.  It’s called posture.  In reality, striving for amazing posture is no secret.  The notion of having good posture in our society is so far saturated with cover-ups due to the fact of how simple it is.  The biggest reason posture is misunderstood for the “magical” benefits it possess it because you cannot SELL it.  If you cannot make a profit off of it, what really is it worth?

The Best Exercise Is Still The Same

Is posture really an exercise?  Having good posture is actually really hard-work.  Take standing for instance.  It is a lot “easier” to slump over and have lethargic posture as opposed to standing straight-up.  The same can be said when we are sitting down.  Having the right posture means that the right muscles are working the way they should be.  With bad posture comes abnormal movement patterns that we begin to perceive as “normal.”

Get Back To The Spine…It’s No Secret

As a chiropractor we check and adjust vertebral subluxations along the spine.  After a patient receives a specific adjustment the BEST exercise that they can perform is to be diligent with their posture.  There are no gimmicks here.  It is that simple.  The spine is a “tunnel” that houses and protects the most important part of your body, the central nerve system.  Once adjusted, the spine feeds proper nutrients back to the brain.  Maintaining posture enables uninhibited flow of communication.

Re-Route The Posture

After a specific adjustment, your top priority is your posture.  Bad posture creates detours along the spine which will inhibit your overall functionality.  The first symptom experienced with bad posture is low energy.  When you use muscles, tendons, and ligaments inappropriately, your body will feel like it is working overtime.  This is the complete opposite of a healthy exercise.  Exercise can be harmful if done wrong.

Follow The Flow Chart To Unhealthiness …Why To Be Specific

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, Ear Infections

Follow The Flow Chart To Unhealthiness…Why To Be Specific

Be Specific Or Be Nothing

Flow charts and their lack of specificity is nothing new.  A sequence of actions or things involved in a complex system or activity is what is described as a flow chart.  In reality while a flow chart works for cars, machine, putting a construction set together, and other integrative processing of components, they are unique towards that item.  The flow chart is specific towards that entity for what it is designed for, simple.  For your health and overall well-being flow charts fail to produce.  Why?  Specificity is key.  Your body is the complete opposite of everyone else.  So be specific towards you.

I Want What They Had

With chiropractic and your health specificity  is no different.  Some people think that all chiropractor’s “do the same thing” and “adjust the same way.”  It just cannot be so.  Gonstead chiropractic is a full spine approach that focus on your spine specifically, it is one of the most advanced and scientifically sound methods of chiropractic.  With Gonstead chiropractic you do not “get” what the other person “gets”.  Speficic adjusting procedures are unique and personalized to your spine to correct your subluxations in your spine.  Thus creating a healthier version of you, and the best part is that no flow chart is required.

My Own Flow Chart

When focusing on someone’s health and well-being you must look towards the spine first.  ​”All drugs in the world cannot adjust a subluxated vertebrae.” B.J. Palmer, D.C., Ph.C.  Specific Gonstead chiropractic care creates your own, and unique version of a flow chart.  Specific spinal motion for you is like your brain’s energy generator.  It will give you more clarity and more energy.​  The key to understanding where your spine needs motion comes from understanding you.  Our job is to keep you expressing life in a healthy and substantial manner. 

Learning From Hippocrates – 3 Truths That Survive Time

By | ADHD, Benefits of Chiropractic, Ear Infections

Learning From Hippocrates – 3 Truths That Survive Time

# 1 The Patient Vs The Disease

Hippocrates was basically the first known guru of studying health and what causes someone to be healthy.  They say he is the father of medicine because of the people he was able to help.  Contrary to popular belief, the word “medicine” back in the day also was focused on “Prevention.”  Nowadays, medicine is associated with disease, diagnosis, and treatment.  Hippo actually was in charge of a school, and their philosophy on how to help somebody was centered around the patient.  Hioppcrates’ rival was another school called Cnidus.  Cnidus was ran by a man called Euryphon who’s focus was on treating the disease rather than the patient.

# 2  Look Towards The Spine For The Cause

These two viewpoints on helping people: one focusing on the patient and the other focusing on the disease, have been around for a long time.   This is nothing new.  Hippocrates said “Look well to the spine for the cause of disease.”  He taught that to cure disease the cause must be sought and removed.  The physical representation (signs and symptoms) of disease in the body is always directly or indirectly related to the spine.  Subluxations limit the body from healing by not supplying adaptive forces to trigger a healing response.  Subluxation irritate a nerve fiber and nobody likes to be irritated.  Whenever a nerve becomes irritated, the body cannot function correctly.

 # 3 Hippocrates: Nature Must Heal

Hippocrates taught us that nature must do the healing.  Once again, this is not something that is new.  Hippo, writing numerous books, even wrote one called Manipulation and Importance to Good Health.  It is interesting to note that during this time another man called Herodicus, who was deemed the first great drug-less healer, was also helping people.  Herodicus claim to this world was curing diseases by correcting spinal abnormalities.  It is paramount to understand that chiropractic isn’t some new fad or trend.  It has survived the test of time and will continue to do so.  Chiropractic is the study of health and what causes someone to live…simple.

What Not To Do During A Fire

By | ADHD, Benefits of Chiropractic

What Not To Do During A Fire

Let’s say that there is a fire in your house.  Would you ignore the fire and just turn the smoke detector off?  Let’s hope not! You wouldn’t focus on the smoke detector when there are bigger problems occurring.  The last thing on your mind during a fire should be the beeping of the smoke detector.  We can use this analogy to compare many cover ups in our health and society.  We often mask what our central nerve system is telling us with the use of cover-ups.

Don’t Touch That Fire!

The “fire”, for the most part, is the one aspect that is typically neglected in our health.  Think of a fire as a particular sign or symptom that your body is trying to tell you about.  When it starts burning we often take an artificial substance to mask the symptom, or “turn off the detector”.  This causes us to perceive that we are fine, when in reality, the “fire” is burning without limits to stop it.  Don’t allow yourself to become comfortable or think that your body is fine just from “turning off the detector”.  The source of the issue(s) in your body are still present.  The true cause is still manifesting and causing dysfunction within your body.

Don’t Mess With Fire…Unless Your Name Is Pyro

Cover-ups, Band-Aids, crutches, etc., are not benefiting your body.  Occasionally there will be a time and place for them such as accidents, injuries, or traumas.  Otherwise, a subluxation is the cause of ALL, not some, physical dysfunctions.  A subluxation is a disconnection from the brain-body highway.  When the body is disconnected, signs and symptoms begin to manifest.  As a direct result, your body will begin to suffer.  Stop turning off the smoke detector, and start addressing the cause of dysfunction.