Chiropractors and modern living
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on September 30th, 2009
When it comes to a modern life style one would think that alternate medicine or complementary medicine would be on the wane and few would look upon these options for a remedy to a problem. However the fact is that several therapies that are sometimes regarded as alternate medicine continue to thrive and gain in popularity.
Even as formal medicine has made giant strides in the past decades, alternate therapies have also continued to prove themselves as being efficacious. In fact for certain conditions alternate medicine is preferred by many people. And the proponents do not think that it is fair to call it alternate medicine.
One such therapy is chiropractic. Chiropractors help diagnose, treat and prevent mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system. A focus area for them is the spine. It was founded in the 1890s and is well established in New Zealand.
One reason why chiropractic therapy is important for modern life styles is because it is concerned with the ill effects of faulty postures. Since modern life style often requires long hours in a set posture such as sitting at your computer an incorrect posture can easily lead to problems.
Similarly other occupations where there is physical activity involved, can have occupational hazards such as problems with joints. For this too chiropractic therapy could be of help. Chiropractors are also able to give advice on exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
Although there is an ongoing debate between mainstream medicine and chiropractors on several issues, chiropractic therapy continues to thrive. Chiropractors can be found all over New Zealand and you can easily find a chiropractor in your area. It is easy to continue living a not so healthy life style in these busy modern times. However it makes sense to stop and pause a while and think whether you really need to live with all the discomforts that you are living with. A brief visit to a chiropractor could open doors to possibilities you did not know existed.
Living healthy is as important to being successful as is being on top of your work related issues. And chiropractic therapy has been helping people lead a healthier life for more than a century.
Chiropractic Care After A Car Accident
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on September 24th, 2009
Unfortunately, many people have been involved in car accidents. Sometimes the accidents are severe, being either fatal or life-threatening to the driver or passengers involved but other times they are minor accidents and the people involved are able to walk away from the accident unscathed, or so it seems at first.
At first drivers and passengers may feel a little stiff but appear to be uninjured. But it is not uncommon for car accident injuries to go hidden for months or even years. When people do begin to have pain, they may feel it in their back and neck and the pain may be accompanied by headaches and tension.
These symptoms may get worse over a period of time and eventually completely debilitate a person, preventing him or her from performing their normal daily activities. Many people suffer from these symptoms without realizing that their injuries resulted from their seemingly small car accident. Many people go on without getting properly diagnosed, using painkillers to mask the pain and wearing braces to temporarily reduce the pain. Those people would do well to visit a chiropractic doctor. These doctors specialise in soft tissue as well as structural damage and are well acquainted with car accident injuries.
A chiropractor can take x-rays and assess your injuries. Most people are surprised at how misaligned their necks and joints can really get from simple car accidents. But receiving regular chiropractic care is a natural way to treat the pain and tension resulting from whiplash and other car related injuries.
Chiropractors can readjust your neck and back getting it into proper alignment, use muscle stimulation procedures to reduce tension, and assign and instruct you to do the proper exercises to strengthen your back and muscles. A chiropractor will try to correct all of the underlying improper musculoskeletal biomechanics that can be such a great source of pain.
Chiropractic care is great because it is natural; the pain is treated by directly fixing the problem rather than prescribing drugs. It is also less invasive. No surgical tools, cutting, or blood is involved. All joint alignments are done with the force of the hands.
Visiting the chiropractor is not at all like visiting any other general doctor or surgeon which many people are apprehensive about. Rather, many people report their appointments as relaxing and look forward to their next treatment. Patients can also be assured that chiropractic care is safe for everyone and it is important that all passengers, even children are checked out by a chiropractor.
Chiropractors have gone through years of vigorous specialised training and schooling, passed many tests, and gone to great lengths to become licensed and certified to treat all people, children included. It is wise to see a chiropractor immediately after a car accident to insure that you don’t have any hidden injuries that will severely affect your life later. Don’t wait, do it before your case with the insurance companies is closed, because often times insurance companies will cover the cost of chiropractic treatment of car accident related injuries.
Chiropractic Care For Dogs
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on September 19th, 2009
Chiropractic care of dogs has been very successful for treating acute pain, such as sore joints, by helping the joint tissue heal properly. The theory behind chiropractic care of dogs is the belief that the spine must be in proper alignment for the body to function properly. Improper spine alignment, called subluxation can be a result of genetics, posture, stress, injury and other factors. When subluxation is present, the energy from the nerves is blocked from passing through the spinal column.
As a result of this energy blockage, disease, pain and other ailments and conditions occur. The good news is that subluxation can be corrected by manipulating certain parts of the body with the hands. Subluxation can be corrected by your pet having an adjustment. In a lot of cases an adjustment can result in total relief of symptoms or partial relief of symptoms. When the pain relief is temporary; the animal may feel much better and not experiencing pain, however, moving a certain way could cause a maladjustment, then be in pain again. This is why in a lot of cases multiple trips to the chiropractor are necessary.
For years, chiropractic care for humans, much less dogs, was considered ineffective. However, in our modern day and age, studies have proved repeatedly that not only is it safe, but very effective and beneficial. Not to mention that it is relatively painless, and is inexpensive compared to surgery. Chiropractic care for dogs should not only be considered a method of pain relief. We should keep in mind that all of our organ systems are controlled by nerves, and that interruption of correct nerve flow will also affect it functioning properly. Correcting subluxation can also improve the health of other internal organs.
Pet owners should not try this at home on your pet, as it involves an understanding of your dogs anatomy. You may have had chiropractic care yourself, however, your dog’s anatomy is far different from yours. Ask your veterinarian for a name of a reputable one in your area.
Chiropractic Approach to Headaches and Neck Pain
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on September 14th, 2009
In my Auckland chiropractic clinic we treat hundreds of people each year with headaches. Some of the more common types of headaches that we see are the migraine, cluster, caffeine, vascular, spinal and tension headaches. Like its’ label implies, muscle tension headaches occur secondary to hypertonic or overly tight muscles. In many cases, the muscle tension that causes the headache is a direct result of neck pain or dysfunction.
This article will focus on the tension headache because it is the most common type of headache and the type most often linked to neck pain and will describe how and why some people get tension headaches and what can be done for them both at home and with chiropractic care.
To begin with, most people think of their skull as being covered only with skin. What many don’t know, is that underneath the skin lies a thin layer of muscle. Another well known fact regarding muscle tension headaches is that the pain that the patient feels is from these muscles, not from the brain. Most of the time this layer of muscle that covers the skull maintains normal resting muscle tone. During these times, the patients are free from the effects of muscle tension and the resulting headaches.
Stress, whether from work, home or social situations can cause these muscles to tighten. Think of an irritated persons’ furrowed brow. This reaction to stress can cause the muscles covering the skull to spasm resulting in muscle tension and a tension headache. Typically, the headache will fade as the muscle spasm resolves.
Another common source of muscle tension headaches is the neck and upper back. There is a thin layer of muscle that connects the top vertebra in your neck to the base of your skull. This muscle group is known as the suboccipital muscles. When we are stressed or injured (as in a whiplash accident), the neck muscles can tighten and spasm resulting in neck pain, back pain and muscle tension headaches as well.
There are many muscle groups and layers of muscle that overlap in the neck and upper back. Chronic tightness of these muscles can also trigger the onset of a chronic headache. If indeed your headache is caused by muscle tension, it will certainly improve as the muscle tension decreases.
Headache relief can come from several different treatments. A common home remedy for headache involves the use of ice packs. Ice packs can be applied to the head or neck in 20 minute sessions. Ice packs will remove inflammation built up in the muscles and calm the nerves. Teaching yourself relaxation techniques can also be very effective if you carry the proper mindset.
Muscle tension headaches also result from minor misalignments of the vertebra in the neck called subluxations that can trigger muscle spasms and pain that create the headache. Subluxations irritate the joints of the spine and the associated nerves resulting in the muscle tightening (spasm) around the joint as a protective mechanism.
Chiropractic adjustments help restore the normal healthy balance of the muscles that move and support the spine. A healthy spine is not bound by muscle tension and much less likely to trigger a muscle tension headache. A treatment programme with an experienced chiropractor can result in dramatic improvements in patients suffering from chronic muscle tension headaches.
Why chiropractic therapy is popular
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on September 8th, 2009
Chiropractors have a conservative approach towards health problems that are within the scope of chiropractic therapy. They do not use medicines or surgery. Yet chiropractors are able to give quick results for some problems which take time to remedy for other medicine systems.
Although some chiropractors have an expansive approach, the focus and one of the main reasons of the popularity of chiropractic therapy is the manipulation of the spinal column. Here again though there are several different methods employed by chiropractors. Some of the techniques are quite elaborate and utilise modern technology.
The above would imply that the scope of chiropractic therapy is limited and the focus area is limited as well therefore only a small range of problems can be addressed through this therapy. However that is not so and a wide range of problems have been reportedly resolved by this therapy. This ranges from behavioral problems to asthma and sleep disorders. This seemingly “miraculous” ability of the therapy to deliver results makes it very popular amongst people keen to try an approach other than the mainstream medical approach.
Chiropractors though, are not “miracle” workers and they are trained in the practice of the therapy just like traditional doctors are. It is just that all the cause and effect linkages have not been worked out therefore at times the results appear to be dramatic.
Chiropractors are also popular because the approach is a holistic one and part of the treatment is to destress not just the spinal column but also the patient as a whole. Chiropractors generally have a great rapport with the patient. Then drug free approach means there are little or no side effects other than those associated with the physical manipulation.
Another reason for the popularity of some chiropractors is that they are at times recommended by traditional doctors. Though there are a lot of disputes between traditional medicine and chiropractic therapy for some well established treatments some traditional doctors do recommend chiropractors who they believe will benefit the patient.
Chiropractic for the Body, Not Just the Back
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on September 3rd, 2009
When most people think of chiropractic they think strictly of back and spine problems, but the truth is most problems with pain are associated with the alignment of your entire skeletal system. A pain in your foot can be caused by misalignment in the spine, and a pain in your neck can be caused by a problem in your lower back. An injury involving a muscle anywhere in your body will display itself with pain in the entire surrounding region. A bone injury will have similar consequences, but you may feel the pain in a completely different area of the body. Injury can also happen slowly over the course of time, instead of all at once like most people are used to.
Chiropractic has been around for a very long time in one form or another, but the chiropractic profession as we know it hasn’t been around for very long. We have always known that the back and spine is the core of our ability to move and bend, but we are only now learning that pain all over the body can be affected by every other muscle and bone in the body. Chiropractic is not a quick fix though, it can take several sessions and many weeks to fix a problem that’s been brewing for a long time. Hunching over a computer all day for years or driving a truck while spending the majority of your time in the cab will slowly change your body to fit that form. You may not even realise it’s happening until one day you notice that your range of motion has become limited.
Depending on the doctor you see, a different treatment will be recommended. A doctor will prescribe drugs, a surgeon will opt for surgery and a therapist will want you talk it through. If you know that your injury is a muscle or bone problem, then a chiropractor is just what you need. For a problem you can’t identify see your doctor first, and then go to a chiropractor if the problem is related. Your chiropractic professional will want to see you more than once, depending on your problem it may be many visits. You may find that a chiropractor can fix problems you didn’t know you had and will make you feel better than you have in years.
Alternative medicine is treatment that isn’t completely accepted by the medical community and chiropractic falls under that heading. It has become much more main-stream over the last decade, but if you ask ten doctors their opinion of chiropractic you will get ten different answers. Everyone agrees that there are benefits to using a chiropractor, but the extent of the benefit is what is debatable. Because this type of treatment is still in limbo, regular health insurance is reluctant to allow people to use it at their discretion.
As time moves on, chiropractic will become more part of everyone’s life and less a part of alternative medicine. If you have never seen a chiropractor before, you may find that seeing one is far less intimidating than going to a doctor or hospital. Chiropractors are friendly individuals that can help fix you up and you will enjoy your appointments with them.
Proven Treatment to Reduce Lower Back Pain in 83% of Cases
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on August 29th, 2009
Lower back pain is a condition that affects 80% of the worlds population. That is a massive amount of people that are living their lives in pain every day. How does lower back pain suddenly burden itself on people? Well, it does not happen overnight. Backache is something that builds up over time and chances are you don’t even know you’ve got it until you’re laid up in bed in agony.
What causes lower back pain? The majority of lower back pain cases can be traced back to an instance earlier in your lifetime. It may have been an injury you sustained that was not properly treated, muscle strain, overuse or ligament damage. Obviously there are more diagnoses but these are the most common and easiest to treat without surgery. If this is the case, there’s absolutely no point in going to your doctor or GP because all they will do is prescribe you pain killers or anti-inflamatories. If you really want to cure lower back pain, you need to put the work in doing exercises, physiotherapy or pay a chiropractor to work you back into shape.
For those of you who aren’t keen on spending a small fortune on a chiropractor, you are in luck! There are other methods, exercises and stretches that are available to you which will help you cure lower back pain. If you keep your back in good condition, you won’t get a sore back later on in life. Exercises and common sense are the best prevention.
What can I do to prevent back pain? Most low back pain can get better if you stay active. Avoid placing yourself in situations that will aggravate your pain. Don’t twist unnecessarily when doing chores or housework. When you are no longer in severe pain, you should be strengthening the stomach, back and legs. Exercises will help you recover faster and give you relief at the same time. They also prevent permanent damage later in life. Exercises are not complicated and can be done at home. Start of with light exercises, these will probably be painful but will ease as the days go by. Gradually increase your activity level, don’t stay at the same pace or you not recover and it could do more harm than good.
How To Choose The Right Chiropractor
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on August 21st, 2009
Chiropractic in the 21st century has evolved to include many different techniques and styles of natural health care. This means there is a type of chiropractic that is suitable for everyone, but the challenge now becomes- how to choose the right chiropractor for your needs. This article is intended to give a quick overview of some of the widely different options available.
Chiropractic began over 200 years ago with the discovery that by moving a bone to take pressure off a nerve, normal function could be restored to a damaged joint, muscle or organ. This basic philosophy of removing stress from the nervous system to allow the body’s own natural healing is common to all forms of chiropractic. However, the way in which this is achieved, and what else is included varies greatly from technique to technique.
In chiropractic we consider the triad of health- 3 equally important factors which determine health on all levels. An imbalance in any factor will eventually unbalance all factors. The factors are:
Physical/Structural- all the physical tissues and structures of the body
Chemical- all the biochemical reactions and processes that sustain life
Emotional- all our mental and emotional processes- our thoughts and feelings
Chiropractic techniques could be divided into groups according to which of the above levels they work on. The first (and largest) group are the techniques that are just focussed on the structural- realigning the body and the spine to allow full functioning of the nervous system. This is essential for real wellness, no matter what other levels of health you work on.
Chiropractors in this group can be broken up into “manual” adjusters- people who adjust the spine by hand; and “instrument” adjusters- people who use a small, low-force mechanical instrument to adjust the spine. This is a very gentle way of treating the spine, and is especially appropriate for elderly or very young people. A “straight” or primarily structural chiropractor would be best for you if your problem is purely mechanical, like a sports injury, accident or repetitive strain injury.
Techniques that also work on the biochemical level include Applied Kinesiology (AK) and Total Body Modification (TBM). These systems use kinesiology, or muscle testing to test for a wide range of stresses on the nervous system, such as food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, toxicity and hormonal imbalances. These techniques also correct structural problems, but by also treating biochemical imbalances they often treat the underlying causes as well.
These types of chiropractor are particularly appropriate for you if you problem is chronic or involves multiple health challenges. Often these techniques succeed when other physical therapies have failed. There are also chiropractic techniques that work on the emotional level. These are often able to follow the chain of causes one step deeper- often the chronic biochemical imbalances are the result of “stuck” emotional patterns and limiting belief systems. Techniques that work on this level include Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) and LifeLine Technique. These systems also use muscle testing to diagnose stresses on the nervous system, but in this case the stress is emotional rather than physical or chemical.
This type of chiropractor is able to treat problems on all three levels of the triad of health, and would be ideal if your problem is chronic, complex, or keeps coming back or seems to be stuck on some level. Ultimately most of our health challenges originate on this emotional level.
All health problems originate from imbalance in one of the three areas discussed above. Whatever your health problem is, there is a chiropractor with a technique that can help you get back into balance and get on with your life.
Chiropractic therapy – a popular largely manual therapy
Posted by Pete in Auckland Chiropractor on August 17th, 2009
Chiropractors are the largest doctored profession outside of the traditional medical practitioners such as traditional doctors and dentists. Some people regard chiropractic therapy as alternative medicine, however it is quite popular and chiropractors generally do not agree with the therapy being termed as alternative medicine.
The most common problems addressed by the therapy involve the spine and in particular deal with the back and the neck. Lower back pain is the most often treated complaint. The therapy is largely manual and is therefore drug free. The side effects are minor and usually related to the manual adjustments which last on an average for a day. Surveys show that satisfaction levels for patients treated with chiropractic therapy are high. They are higher than those for traditional medicine. Also the average rapport between a patient and a chiropractic doctor is more than an average rapport between a traditional doctor and the patient. This is probably because chiropractic therapy aims to be holistic and a good rapport with the patient is considered important.
The cost of chiropractic care is usually lower than the cost for traditional medical care. However medical insurance does not always cover chiropractic therapy. There are not many high quality studies evaluating chiropractic therapy though for lower back pain its effectiveness is considered to be very good. For other benefits critics of chiropractic therapy say that it benefits from what is known as a “placebo response,” where a patient starts to feel better just by the knowledge that the patient is being treated.
Being drug free, it is generally regarded as a safe therapy though like other medical practices it is not entirely devoid of risk. In some cases the manual adjustments if not done correctly can lead to complications. Another issue with the therapy is that unlike traditional medical practitioners honesty amongst chiropractors is considered to be lower than that for other doctored professions. Therefore it is important to find a good chiropractor and verify the credentials well before committing yourself to a treatment using the therapy.