"Stand up straight! Have good posture!" How many times have we heard that before? Why is good posture and good ergonomics (the science of adapting the job and/or equipment and the human to each other for optimal safety and productivity) such important topics? We all know that people who slouch throughout their lifetimes usually end up with slumping spines and mid back humps later in life. Not only does it look bad, it feels bad, too!
Muscles, bones, ligaments, and discs get moved out of their proper alignment, causing much higher incidences of degenerative arthritis, inflammation, irritation, immobility, and pain. Spines that are continually put under improper postures are suffering from repetitive stresses or micro-traumas. Those little traumas that seem so insignificant on a daily basis can add up to big problems later in life. Not only does bad posture and improper ergonomics cause spinal degeneration and improper curvatures, it also causes multiple levels of nerve interference, called vertebral subluxations.
When vertebrae are misaligned out of their proper positioning, the nerves and spinal cord can be impinged, causing pain, numbness, dysfunction, and dis-ease. Many conditions can arise from this state, such as asthma, allergies, sinuses, headaches, neck and back pain, numbness, digestive problems, colic, ear infections, arm/leg pain or weakness, fatigue, and stress.
What does great posture look like? Your head should be up, eyes level and looking straight ahead, shoulders back and relaxed, and stomach pulled in tightly. Looking from the side, a straight line should be able to be drawn from the ears, side of the shoulders, and middle of the hips. Sitting posture should look exactly the same, with the addition of hips being equal to or slightly higher than the bent knees. The lower back should have proper cushions or support so that no slumping of the mid back or lower back occurs.
Proper ergonomics create an environment of ease and efficiency, minimal pain and discomfort, and optimal performance and safety for the person. Whether it is an ideal computer and office set-up, work station or equipment lay out, good ergonomics is critical to your health. Also, symmetry is key to attaining great health and function. Whatever is done to one side must be done to the other side, or else imbalance will inevitably occur over time. If you have to bend or lean to one side, then give the other side as much time as possible. If you slouch, lean back, or cross your legs, make sure to keep moving and changing sides, always returning to good posture. Make sure you take stretch breaks if you are forced into bad positions, and whenever you can, do the mirror image of your improper work. These little tips for balancing and minimizing the impact of bad posture and ergonomics will pay big dividends in the future.
Just remember that each time you change your posture or spinal alignment can cause soreness and pain, even if it's for the better! It can take days to weeks for your body to get accustomed to any new exercise, posture, or spinal alignment. Be patient in the beginning when you feel fatigued from trying to stay in the correct position. Eventually your body will adapt to this new optimal state, and will reward you with greater energy and vitality!
Showing posts with label misalignments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label misalignments. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE FIRST CHIROPRACTIC VISIT
People often ask me what the first chiropractic visit and adjustment is like. People want to know what tests will be done on them, how much time it will take, and how much it will cost.
These are all very important questions to have answered. Each chiropractor has her own way of analyzing the spine and correcting it. However, most chiropractors have a certain protocol that they follow. For example, most chiropractors take full spine x-rays of the patient to analyze the spinal curvatures, level of degenerative changes, and vertebral misalignments of the neck, mid back, and low back/pelvic areas. X-rays are often not taken on infants, young children, or pregnant women, unless there is significant clinical rationale for it. The doctors of chiropractic also do a full spinal exam on the patient, including past and current history of the complaints, range of motion tests, and other procedures to assess the patient's spine and alignment, including a Surface EMG (a non-invasive electromyograph which detects temperature changes along the spine bilaterally and can pinpoint areas of nerve interferences). After the exam and analyses, the chiropractor then makes a specific chiropractic adjustment to the spine.
There are over 50 different chiropractic techniques that the chiropractor can choose from to help patients restore their nervous system and health. Most doctors of chiropractic use a combination of several different techniques, depending on the age of the patient, the condition of the patient's spine, and the patient's preferences or needs. I regularly use at least 5 different techniques, from gentle finger pressure or light instrumentation, to a firm manual adjustment that releases sounds like knuckles popping. They are all very safe and effective ways of correcting vertebral subluxations, misalignments of the spinal vertebrae which impinge on nerves, preventing the body's innate ability to heal itself. Some people's nervous systems are very sensitive, regardless of how big or athletic they are, and therefore, need a lighter touch. Everyone is different, and his/her needs can also be different on a daily basis, depending on their activities or injuries. What is most important is the teamwork that the doctor and the patient have. If there is an open dialogue between the two, then an environment can exist whereby the most effective care can be given for that day. I have found in the past that a particular technique needed to be added or removed from a patient's care plan.
Through 25 years of being a chiropractic patient and 15 years as a practicing chiropractor, I have found that the patient's body often "tells" the doctor what to do to correct its problems. The chiropractor just has to be open and ready to hear it. Sometimes the patient's body says the firmness of the adjustment is too much or too little, based on its symptoms or the level of relief. However, there can be an appropriate level of soreness after the first couple adjustments because the body is still getting used to the movement of the vertebrae into its correct position. When muscles are being moved and used differently for the first time, it can cause a soreness just like performing a new exercise.
The first visit to a chiropractor could take about an hour, depending the level of assessment and tests performed. The cost of the exam, x-rays, and adjustment is dependant on the doctor's fees, the patient's insurance reimbursement, and any coupons the doctor is offering. In my office, I make all attempts to ascertain a patient's insurance coverage or their no-insurance fees before, or on, their first visit.
After the first visit or two, x-rays are usually shown and discussed with the patient, and recommendations for care are discussed. In my office, I make sure to discuss all the payment options or plans before setting a treatment plan. I believe that both the doctor and patient need to agree on the level of care that will be rendered, regardless of the recommendations given. If the patient is unable to keep the recommended care plan, then the doctor can discuss other options that will still benefit the patient.
Throughout the first visit or two of a chiropractor, any questions or concerns the patient has should always be discussed. Any fears, doubts, and confusion should be addressed and resolved. Always speak up about your preferences, as well! Chiropractors need to hear if your body prefers one chiropractic technique or firmness level to another. The doctor-patient team needs to work together at all times to create greater health and vitality for the patient. Ergonomics, exercise, diet, stretching, nutritional supplements, and other recommendations need to be discussed as needed, along with the chiropractic adjustments.
I hope this explains a bit more about what to expect from the first chiropractic visit. However, if you have any questions or concerns, please call or write to the chiropractor you are intending to see before you come in! Make sure you ask all the questions that will help you determine who the right chiropractor is for you.
Good luck! And remember this: if one chiropractor does not fit all your needs, then please find another chiropractor! Don't just dismiss the whole profession because of one practitioner.
These are all very important questions to have answered. Each chiropractor has her own way of analyzing the spine and correcting it. However, most chiropractors have a certain protocol that they follow. For example, most chiropractors take full spine x-rays of the patient to analyze the spinal curvatures, level of degenerative changes, and vertebral misalignments of the neck, mid back, and low back/pelvic areas. X-rays are often not taken on infants, young children, or pregnant women, unless there is significant clinical rationale for it. The doctors of chiropractic also do a full spinal exam on the patient, including past and current history of the complaints, range of motion tests, and other procedures to assess the patient's spine and alignment, including a Surface EMG (a non-invasive electromyograph which detects temperature changes along the spine bilaterally and can pinpoint areas of nerve interferences). After the exam and analyses, the chiropractor then makes a specific chiropractic adjustment to the spine.
There are over 50 different chiropractic techniques that the chiropractor can choose from to help patients restore their nervous system and health. Most doctors of chiropractic use a combination of several different techniques, depending on the age of the patient, the condition of the patient's spine, and the patient's preferences or needs. I regularly use at least 5 different techniques, from gentle finger pressure or light instrumentation, to a firm manual adjustment that releases sounds like knuckles popping. They are all very safe and effective ways of correcting vertebral subluxations, misalignments of the spinal vertebrae which impinge on nerves, preventing the body's innate ability to heal itself. Some people's nervous systems are very sensitive, regardless of how big or athletic they are, and therefore, need a lighter touch. Everyone is different, and his/her needs can also be different on a daily basis, depending on their activities or injuries. What is most important is the teamwork that the doctor and the patient have. If there is an open dialogue between the two, then an environment can exist whereby the most effective care can be given for that day. I have found in the past that a particular technique needed to be added or removed from a patient's care plan.
Through 25 years of being a chiropractic patient and 15 years as a practicing chiropractor, I have found that the patient's body often "tells" the doctor what to do to correct its problems. The chiropractor just has to be open and ready to hear it. Sometimes the patient's body says the firmness of the adjustment is too much or too little, based on its symptoms or the level of relief. However, there can be an appropriate level of soreness after the first couple adjustments because the body is still getting used to the movement of the vertebrae into its correct position. When muscles are being moved and used differently for the first time, it can cause a soreness just like performing a new exercise.
The first visit to a chiropractor could take about an hour, depending the level of assessment and tests performed. The cost of the exam, x-rays, and adjustment is dependant on the doctor's fees, the patient's insurance reimbursement, and any coupons the doctor is offering. In my office, I make all attempts to ascertain a patient's insurance coverage or their no-insurance fees before, or on, their first visit.
After the first visit or two, x-rays are usually shown and discussed with the patient, and recommendations for care are discussed. In my office, I make sure to discuss all the payment options or plans before setting a treatment plan. I believe that both the doctor and patient need to agree on the level of care that will be rendered, regardless of the recommendations given. If the patient is unable to keep the recommended care plan, then the doctor can discuss other options that will still benefit the patient.
Throughout the first visit or two of a chiropractor, any questions or concerns the patient has should always be discussed. Any fears, doubts, and confusion should be addressed and resolved. Always speak up about your preferences, as well! Chiropractors need to hear if your body prefers one chiropractic technique or firmness level to another. The doctor-patient team needs to work together at all times to create greater health and vitality for the patient. Ergonomics, exercise, diet, stretching, nutritional supplements, and other recommendations need to be discussed as needed, along with the chiropractic adjustments.
I hope this explains a bit more about what to expect from the first chiropractic visit. However, if you have any questions or concerns, please call or write to the chiropractor you are intending to see before you come in! Make sure you ask all the questions that will help you determine who the right chiropractor is for you.
Good luck! And remember this: if one chiropractor does not fit all your needs, then please find another chiropractor! Don't just dismiss the whole profession because of one practitioner.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Is your nervous system and health at its highest potential?
The nervous system controls every single function, organ, gland, and cell in the body. This delicate system is then protected by the skull, 24 moveable vertebrae, and the pelvis. How can one be completely healthy and be able to heal properly when there is an INTERFERENCE to your INNATE healing ability? How does it get interfered with? Well, the spinal cord and all the nerves exiting your spinal column can be impinged when the vertebrae protecting them gets moved out of their normal alignment. This condition is called vertebral subluxations. Vertebrae which move out of their normal positions can cause not only nerve irritation and impingement, but inflammation, muscle spasms, and degenerative disc changes. Chiropractors are trained to locate and correct these subluxations which diminish your life and health potential.
What is true health? Is it merely the absence of pain? Or is it the body's ability to function at its highest potential? Symptoms are the least accurate way to determine one's health. How many people have had their first heart attack as their first symptom of heart disease? How many people have discovered that they have cancer, without any symptoms? Most of the nerves in your body cannot tell you pain. They only coordinate function from the brain to the connecting tissues, and then back to the brain.
If you are already having symptoms like neck and back pain, numbness, headaches, sinus/allergies, weakness, asthma, or arm/leg pains, then certainly something is wrong. Your body is telling you to find the reason for this dysfunction. However, just because you don't have any of these symptoms doesn't mean you don't have a problem. ONLY a chiropractor is trained to locate and correct these vertebral subluxations which could be causing health problems, with or without your knowledge.
Don't delay and procrastinate, hoping that it will just go away. Find a loving, passionate, highly trained chiropractor today!
What is true health? Is it merely the absence of pain? Or is it the body's ability to function at its highest potential? Symptoms are the least accurate way to determine one's health. How many people have had their first heart attack as their first symptom of heart disease? How many people have discovered that they have cancer, without any symptoms? Most of the nerves in your body cannot tell you pain. They only coordinate function from the brain to the connecting tissues, and then back to the brain.
If you are already having symptoms like neck and back pain, numbness, headaches, sinus/allergies, weakness, asthma, or arm/leg pains, then certainly something is wrong. Your body is telling you to find the reason for this dysfunction. However, just because you don't have any of these symptoms doesn't mean you don't have a problem. ONLY a chiropractor is trained to locate and correct these vertebral subluxations which could be causing health problems, with or without your knowledge.
Don't delay and procrastinate, hoping that it will just go away. Find a loving, passionate, highly trained chiropractor today!
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