Chiropractic Care is a Great Investment in your Health

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Do you worry about the cost of your healthcare?

Research shows that chiropractic care is a great option to help you feel your best without breaking the bank. 1,2

The cost effectiveness of chiropractic care

Cost can be a big factor when we make decisions about our healthcare. Researchers have been looking at what the most cost-effective healthcare options are for people with back and neck pain. Keep reading to find out what research says.

Chiropractic care can save you money and help you get back to work faster

For patients with neck or back pain, chiropractic care is a very cost-effective option and costs less in the long term than medical care or physical therapy. 1,3

What does the research show?

Researchers reviewed 9 years of claims data from an insurance scheme in North Carolina that included about 660,000 people and over 6 million back and neck pain claims. 1 2

They took into account things like the patient’s age, gender, and health history, and then looked at how much each claim cost based on whether the care provider was a medical doctor, physical therapist, or a chiropractor. They also looked at the cost of the claim if all they did was offer the patients advice, hoping that they’d just get better by themselves and not need any healthcare.

What they found in these studies was that the claims for the patients who were seen by a chiropractor cost significantly less than the patients managed by another healthcare provider. In fact, by the final year of this 9-year study the cost of a claim was from 2 to 5 times more expensive when a chiropractor was not one of the care providers.

And the claims managed by a chiropractor cost even less than the claims for patients who were given advice alone, because it would appear that those people ended up taking more time off work than the people who saw a chiropractor.

Disclaimer and References

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.

Neck Pain in North Carolina, 2000 to 2009: A Statewide Claims’ Data Analysis. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2016;39(4):240-51. doi: 10.1016/j. jmpt.2016.02.007 [published Online First: 2016/05/12] 2. Hurwitz EL, Li D, Guillen J, et al. Variations in Patterns of Utilization and Charges for the Care of Low Back Pain in North Carolina, 2000 to 2009: A Statewide Claims’ Data Analysis. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2016;39(4):252-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.02.006 [published Online First: 2016/05/12] 3. Jarvis KB, Phillips RB, Morris EK. Cost per case comparison of back injury claims of chiropractic versus medical management for conditions with identical diagnostic codes. Journal of occupational medicine : official publication of the Industrial Medical Association 1991;33(8):847-52. [published Online First: 1991/08/01] © Haavik Research Limited 2021

• 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

Have Some Humble Pie

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It’s time to recognize the dedication that comes with being “healthy.” Health is an entity that is often misunderstood and taken for granted until one begins to lose health. If you think you’re on track, eat some ‘Humble Pie’ and keep on reading.

Everything we know about the human body stems from its origin through the central nerve system (CNS.) Any organ, cell, tissue, or muscle has a specific design, with its roots originating from the CNS. Still to this very day, every experience that your body encounters is coordinated and processed via your CNS. In other words, you cannot express your life without your CNS.

What needs to occur consistently to reach your health’s potential? Spinal check-ups! Think of your spinal column as a coat of armor that protects your CNS. Through normal wear and tear stress is placed upon this armor and subluxations (spinal misalignments creating nerve inteference) can appear. Without regular spinal check-ups to ensure your armor is in alignment, the body will begin to operate in a dysfunctional state.

Most of us understand that diet, exercise, and rest are important factors for health and well-being. However, many often neglect the system that is able to process your food, break down the proper nutrients, allow your body  to benefit from exercise, and heal tissue cells when it’s time to rest. The CNS of course! If you are under regular Chiropractic care, eat some “Humble Pie!” You are taking your actual health in your own hands.

It’s hard work to sustain your health. Do not be persuaded by trends, fads, quick fixes, or “gizmos”. From The Journal Of The American Medical Association: “The word gizmo refers to a mechanical device or procedure for which the clinical benefit in a specific clinical context is not clearly established.”

We should point out that the principles of Chiropractic are not new. In fact the ancient Greeks and other civilizations used spinal adjustments as a form of early health care. There is no secret or magic formula when it comes to your health. Keep on keeping on! “The physical structure is the basis of medicine”-Hippocrates 

Freedom From Health “Care”

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Ready or not 2020 came in with a BANG and is moving full speed ahead! If you have not heard the wake-up call to take health matters into your own hands then this blog is for you.

 If we take time to look at the facts, we’re designed to be healthy. The immune system is meant to be compromised during certain times so it can then flourish in abundance, allowing the body to properly adapt and become even stronger.

Want to shift your health into overdrive and utilize what you were born with? Our starting point shall be the central nerve system (CNS). Everyone is born with one due to the fact that it makes everything in you. One would not exist without a CNS. Think of your CNS as the alpha and omega. If you want to sustain health and rely on the things that are naturally within you, then look no further!

Many would have you believe that health comes in the form of a syringe or a pill that has been chemically made. We actually live our lives through the central nerve system, every experience in life being processed and controlled via the CNS. This cannot be conjured up in a lab, it is not something you have to “take” externally. So, take personal responsibility and guard it well!

Specific Gonstead Chiropractic care is designed to keep you well enough long enough with a CNS free of dysfunction. Our care is designed to correct subluxations (misalignments within the spinal column creating dysfunction within the body) that inhibit one’s potential to fully express life. Our adjustments are accurate and designed with corrective forces that reduce subluxations allowing neural connections to flourish, enabling your body to ADAPT more effectively over life!

With 2020 in full effect we should realize we have to take care of our health due to what many of us already realize: no one is coming to save us! If you find yourself in a middle of a lake and want to get to shore, start rowing hard and fast to save yourself! Freedom from health care starts with personal responsibility and caring for the central nerve system because it is the most practical solution for anyone to obtain. We do not support dependency in any form! We do however support knowledge and prevention in the most probable of solutions!

Informing The Consumer Of Real Health Care

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Traditional “health care” as we call it is really a sickness business. Its sole purpose is only to function re-actively, after people have become sick. No emphasis is set forth on the approach of prevention and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. According to Paul Zane Pilzer, a leading economist and author, approximately one-seventh of the United States economy, or about $1.8 trillion, is devoted to this sickness business. 

The current model we utilize is broken down into three different categories. Primary care being the most basic, which involves your family doctor, pediatrician or internist. Secondary care involves the specialist typically at the local hospital such as the cardiologist. Tertiary care is the kidney transplant surgeon or sub-specialist usually at an academic medical center. While these categories serve a purpose, what about preventing even entering into this model?

What about informing the consumer that health comes from the inside. How about participating in a process of health that seeks to heal dis-ease within the body instead of seeking a diagnosis in order to receive treatment. People are recognizing the benefit of seeing a chiropractor who will help them achieve and maintain optimal health proactively. Chiropractic care does not fit into the current model that we utilize. Chiropractic care focuses specifically on the central nervous system, the master control system that regulates and controls every experience that your body encounters. 

Understand that the spinal column being the only segmented structure of bone through which nerves pass through and send messages back and forth from the brain to body. When a subluxation (misalignment of the spine) places undo stress on a specific spinal nerve creating chronic interference with the transmission of nerves it will begin the dis-ease process. To enable the body to begin the healing process starts with looking within the body. Medication does not solve this process. A healthy inside is not found in a pill, a hospital, or under the surgeon’s knife. In fact these things are only indications of an unhealthy lifestyle. You have the power to make healthy choices. 

Don’t Fool The Body With Tricks

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It’s that time of year again when the fool’s and jester’s come out to play. April 1st is upon us and we need to be cautious of the tricks and misdirection to come. Like the biggest prankster in the 5th grade, your body can also play jokes on you. We are talking about symptoms (or lack of symptoms) which can be understandingly misleading.  

It is crucial to get checked by a Chiropractor, and not only on April 1st. Chiropractors do not get fooled by these symptoms but seek the underlying CAUSE for why they are occurring in the first place. Symptoms are simply how the body is expressing a hidden issue at hand. While symptoms are an important piece, we are confident that through our thorough and unmatched Gonstead analysis, we will correct the CAUSE. Above, we stated that a ‘lack of symptoms’ can also be misleading, we see this all of the time. The nerve system controls 100% of all bodily functions. This includes organs, glands, tissue cells, everything! You are a master of 10% of these nerves. This specific 10% carries sensory information from the body to the brain (pain, touch, aches, etc.). The other 90% is in control of movement and bodily functions, which cannot be felt. Often, dysfunctions of these systems can be apparent even if you are unable to ‘feel’ it. Don’t get fooled, get checked!

It should be noted that the body was and never is destined to fail. Sickness, dis-ease, or those sneaky symptoms are a result of the body’s inability to communicate efficiently between brain and body via the nerve system. When this communication is hindered, the body’s optimal performance is reduced and symptoms arise. Chiropractors are more accurately known not as ‘back doctors’ but nerve system specialists. We will continue to seek the CAUSE of your symptoms by checking your nerve system from scratch, every visit. Let us bring HOPE and an ANSWER to you and your family.

Beauty Begins From Within The Body

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Beauty Begins From Within The Body

Taking care of the body begins from within.  In the fast paced society that we live in we are led to believe that looking good on the outside signifies health.  Yet, the “Hollywood Persona” depicts that health is young, good looking, no wrinkles, skinny, etc.  This is a complete illusion.  Being healthy begins from within the body first and foremost.  The starting point is the central nervous system.  Every human experience you have is coordinated and processed via your central nerve system.  It’s safe to say that you live your life through this system and always remember; you are worth whatever amount of time you need to take care of yourself.  So, start from the inside.

When the body is working properly, it tends to heal no matter the condition.  We recommend Chiropractic check-ups for setting the bar in the most holistic and natural manner of dealing with your health.  It’s pretty incredible how the body can function when there is no interference to the central nerve system.  Most patients that have high xyz or low xyz are that way because their body is under stress and it can’t adapt.  When the nervous system is working correctly it normalizes all of those levels all by itself in its own time.  It’s quite remarkable.

Yet, when people are suffering from a condition their typical first response is to cover it up with a medication.  Still looking beautiful on the outside yet the inside is struggling to function optimally.  Symptoms are not the cause of sickness. By suppressing symptoms you are leaving the sickness to advance.  Every single thought, action, and feeling changes your brain.  When repeated enough times, a habit is formed.   Chiropractic encourages natural healing. When the body is working properly, it tends to heal effectively, no matter what the condition.

Tackling Gut Problems From Within The Body

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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.

Sustaining Your Daily Energy…Naturally

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Sustaining Your Daily Energy…Naturally

Energy, energy, energy.  We have seen it all when it comes to quick fixes of “getting” your energy back.  When energy deficits begin to affect our daily routine, we have a tendency to look for external sources of energy.  The latest trends will attempt to entice you about gaining energy, e.g., caffeine pills, vitamin B shots, “natural” additive supplements and the list goes on and on.  Instead of adding external sources, let’s think about what looking within the body will do…naturally.

Restoring Your Internal Structure

Gravity, whether you believe in it or not… exists.  The spine is made up of skeletal bones and connective tissues (discs) that protect your most important system in the entire body, the central nerve system (CNS).  When you look at the human figure from the front, the spine is supposed to be completely straight. When you look at the human figure from the side, there are supposed to be three distinct curves in the spine.  The design and structure of the spine enables your body to combat gravity and function properly. For example, when you jump the spine acts as sort of a shock absorber for your body.

Subluxations can occur in the spinal column.  A subluxation is a misalignment within the spine that irritates a nerve fiber and can create a chain reaction everywhere in the body.  This can cause stress and undo tension. As a result of a subluxation, more energy will be consumed to maintain your center of gravity.  The top source of energy consumption in the body is the musculoskeletal system. The CNS made the spine (skeletal system) which then requires muscles, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue (musculoskeletal system) to maintain proper structure.  Throw a subluxation into the mix and your muscles will begin to work OVER-TIME. The source of energy that is used internally to power contraction is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is not abundantly stored within the tissue cells of the body. So, when an existing subluxation remains uncorrected for an extended period of time, the muscles make unnecessary amounts of ATP.  This in turn depletes your body’s overall ability to produce sustainable energy throughout the day.  In fact, when your ATP stores are quickly depleted, your muscles will gather energy from other sources within your body.  Overall, fatiguing your attempt to sustain an energy filled day.

Restoring your spine by removing subluxations will naturally increase your energy throughout the day by optimizing proper energy use.  Chiropractic care focuses on life, health, healing and well-being…naturally.

If You Don’t Start Right You Won’t End Right

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If You Don’t Start Right, You Won’t End Right

Much like anything in life, it’s all about the beginning and maybe a little bit about the end.  How so? Let’s use this example: how do you build a house? Would you start building the roof first and put all of the shingles up and THEN start with your foundation?  I hope not! It’s all about the start, the building of the foundation to establish a strong structure in the end. In Gonstead chiropractic, we cannot stress the importance of establishing a balanced and healthy pelvis, a.k.a the foundation of the spine.

It’s A Solid Chunk Of Bone

You have two pelvic bones; left and right.  Early on in development each pelvic bone initially starts off as three separate bones.  It’s not until we mature and fully develop that each pelvic bone becomes one solid chunk of bone individually.  When the pelvis is subluxated, there is a direct relation to other subluxations in the spine; a domino effect. In Gonstead chiropractic, we cannot stress enough this relationship within the body.  It just so happens to be that this idea did not originate with Dr. Gonstead. It’s been around for a long period of time. Why stress the importance of starting at the pelvis? Newton’s third law is: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  By starting with checking the pelvis for imbalances we are able to ignore compensations that might ensue following a subluxation.

The Downward Spiral Begins At The Start

The first compensation that will occur for people who suffer from a pelvis subluxation will typically be in the lumbar spine.  The lumbar spine has nerve roots that regulate and control certain parts of the body. What will happen? Visceral problems will begin to occur.  Damaging the lumbar nerve roots will effect every tissue cell of any organ that is regulated in that particular root. Fast-forward some odd years later living with GI problems. Then the superficial pain occurs.  Enter the chief complaint “lumbar pain” or “lower back pain” (which ever you fancy). Start at the beginning and foundation of the spinal column. Chiropractic care seeks to turn on the natural healing ability, not by adding something to your system, but by removing anything that might interfere with the normal healing process within your system. #getchecked

Are You Doubting Your Newest Trend…Stick To What Works

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Are You Doubting Your Newest Health Trend?…Stick To What Works

The newest and latest trends will always be just that…trends!  They will only last an instance, yet they still seem to draw some people in.  Why?  Sometimes it’s easy to get sidetracked and some people are just susceptible to trying to find the easy way.  The Health Industry will always attempt to sell you the newest and latest trend.  They prey on people that are looking for the “easy way.”  It’s not like we are talking about the car industry.  In the car industry you can upgrade to a new car, downgrade to an old beat up junker, add accessories, fix it up yourself, or even better, just continue to lease and not even own it.  With your health, you own it and you only get one shot.  There is no trading, leasing, accessorizing, or upgrading.  Yet, the health industry wants you to believe it’s possible.

Create Your Health Trend Time Capsule

History is available to teach us and it’s our responsibility to learn from it.  Health trends are no different than clothing styles or the latest and greatest hair-do.  Save your Shake – It – Weight and other health claims in a time capsule and I guarantee in some way, shape or form they will reappear in the future.  The same can be said for your drugs.  Save them, they will be around in another form or a new name later on in the future.  Why?  Simple.  Pharmaceutical companies don’t create cures, they create customers.  The health industry creates the illusions of the newest and latest.

Stick To What Works

Chiropractic is not new.  Hippocrates said, “Look well to the spine for the cause of disease.”  This is the Chiropractic mantra due to the fact that it is the truth.  Basic, entry level physiological textbooks, whether chiropractic or medical, (they are completely the same) state that your Central Nerve System is the master system.  The CNS is housed and protected via the spinal column and skull.  A healthy spinal column entails a healthy body.  BASIC.  What else works?  Exercise and eating clean…basic fundamental lifelong principles that are hard to do.  Take the road less traveled much?