Chiropractic Tips - Advanced Chiropractic of South Carolina

Mar 20 2019

Chiropractic treatment for back pains and related problems

Many studies have made the conclusion that chiropractic spinal manipulation is a very effective way of treating back pains. Unless the case is a chronic one, back pain treatment using chiropractic care has proven to provide long term benefits. Manual therapy is the technique in which a chiropractor will apply when treating back pain problems.

Spinal manipulation has proven to be a good technique for those seeking relief from back pains. These can be caused by a number of things including accidents and even muscle strains. Due to its effectiveness in treating these conditions, it has become a people’s favorite.

What does a chiropractor do?

These are therapy doctors who will use their hands when performing spinal manipulation. All of this is based on a theory which argues that the body will be able to heal itself when put under the right conditions. This healing will take place without the medication or any form of surgery. The manipulation performed is meant to ensure mobility is restored on those joints with stiffness. If a tissue injury had occurred, they can be used to restore movement.

Combining medical treatment

Primarily, chiropractic care was meant for pain relief for bones, muscles, joints and even ligaments. However, with time, doctors have found it effective to combine it with other conventional medical treatment.

Chiropractic and back pain

When treating back pain, a chiropractor will take their patient’s medical history. This will help them identify any problems that the patient may have had in their life and whether they can influence the type of care they will receive. This is then followed by a physical examination where the doctor may even go to the extent of laboratory tests. All of this is to determine whether chiropractic care is the best treatment for your back pain.

During therapy sessions, it may involve more than one adjustments which may be used for the manipulation. The main goal of the doctor is to relief off the pain while at the same time, teaching you on a few basic things that will prevent the problem from recurring.

Benefits of chiropractic care for back pains

This type of treatment has been considered safe and effective for treating patients with back pains. Many patients who have undergone this kind of treatment have shown positive response as symptoms decline. It is for this reason that it continues to be recommended for those people with back problems. However, those people with blood thinning medications, spinal cord compression and osteoporosis should not by any chance undergo this spinal manipulation. Also, if a patient had cancer in their medical history, clearance should be obtained first before undergoing the manipulation.

For maximum benefits, it is important for one to seek services from a qualified chiropractor. Also, one should check with their doctor to ensure that none of their medical conditions may be affected by this treatment.

Picture: Human Back Muscles By: Dawn Hudson

Mar 20 2019

The Healthy Traits of Introverts

I don’t know why people think that being an introvert is a bad thing. Yes, the class clown and the life of the party are fun people to be around, but when I go home, I rather enjoy the peace and quiet around me.
Being an introvert can actually be a very healthy lifestyle because introverts tend to be very particular about who they spend time with and what they do. Introverts must work up to going out with people, especially a group. They have to mentally prepare themselves because their energy levels tend to drop fast when they are in groups of people. They also know that difficult people drain their energy even faster. Many extroverts don’t notice when their energy is being drained, leaving them in social situations far longer than is healthy for them.
Introverts are very good at reading emotions of other people and I don’t know about you, but I like it when someone notices a change in my demeanor. It is simply nice to be noticed. To have someone pay attention to the fact that I feel sad that my friend left for school in the UK and I won’t see them for a year made me feel less lonely. Because they really understand how to be empathetic, introverts actually make for a very good friend. They understand your feelings. And unlike most people we meet, they even understand their own feelings.
Introverts also take time to think about what they want to say so that they communicate their message accurately and effectively. By taking time, they don’t step on people’s toes and hurt feelings unnecessarily. They are less likely to say something impulsively that would have been better left unsaid.
If you aren’t an introvert, cultivate a friendship with one and you’ll see what I mean.

Person alone on the beach by Paul Brennan little paul

Mar 20 2019

Banish Cortisol

Easier said than done. In today’s world, cortisol production in the body is the result of chronic, ever-present stress. Cortisol increases our pulse rate, our blood pressure, and our tendency to put on belly fat. All very excellent reasons to manage our cortisol levels, but how?
Here’s the good news. Lowering cortisol is really as simple as learning to manage stress. Once you manage your stress with relaxation techniques, your cortisol levels immediately begin to drop back to a normal level. Here are a few techniques for you to try.
Laughter is the best medicine in the case of reducing cortisol. The mere act of smiling changes our body chemistry, and all-out laughter provides even more benefits. One woman suffered a back injury that resulted in uncontrolled nerve pain. One thing she did was to practice smiling in the mirror to help herself move beyond the pain by increasing endorphins and lowering cortisol levels. In the beginning she sat in front of a mirror and practiced smiling, despite the tears of pain running down her face. Over time, her “incurable” condition was cured. All because she believed in the body’s ability to heal itself. So the next time you are given a hard time for watching an endearing kitty, puppy, or baby fawn video on Facebook, tell yourself that you’re practicing your smiling and lowering your cortisol at the same time.

Speaking of animals, petting an animal and playing with a pet is an excellent way to lower cortisol levels. Just playing with and snuggling up to our pets, our bodies release powerful endorphins like oxytocin that make us feel good. Pet therapy is far more beneficial than people might think. To have a therapy dog visit someone in the hospital is often more powerful than a pain reliever.

Find a creative outlet. When we participate in creative activities, our bodies release endorphins, lowers cortisol, and generally makes us feel better. Our immune system benefits, as well as our cardiac system. Engaging in a creative activity, whether it is singing, dance, playing an instrument, painting, quilting, drawing, or woodworking, is one of the most overlooked stress busters out there.
Most people know that reducing stress is the point of all meditative activities like mindfulness, yoga, Tai-Chi, or qigong. And so is getting a massage, having healthy sex lives, and being part of a spiritual community.

Sandy by Mark Coldren

Mar 20 2019

Avoid Spinal Surgery: Other Options

The risks involved in spinal surgery cannot be completely ruled out. The outcome of a lot of surgeries actually results in worsening the pain; that sometimes remains with the individual for the rest of their lives. Chiropractic practice recommends treatments and procedures that are far less intrusive and are becoming popular by each passing day. 158

Despite advances in the medical field, treatment of spinal issues has remained, at best, a mystery. In the US alone, more than a quarter of a million people have spinal surgeries performed on them each year. While some are successful, statistics show that around 80,000 people end up with what medical practitioners call a failed back surgery syndrome.

This syndrome results as a result of re-current disc herniation, misdiagnosis, incorrectly performed surgery or scar-tissue formation. Increased pain that is difficult sometimes becomes impossible to treat and people have no option but to endure the life-long pain that causes disability for the rest of their lives.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI is popularly used to diagnose back-related problems. Diseases such as lumbar disc herniation or evidence of nerve root compression can lead patients to believe surgery is the only option for them, leaving them no choice but to submit to their doctor’s proposal.

A study found that over 57% of MRI findings were abnormal and caused the people to be wrongly diagnosed. These findings have leg chiropractors to believe that the relationship between lumbar disc herniation and back pain is not just a result of a pinched-nerve root. Surprisingly, it is more related to inflammation of the nerve roots around the herniated disc, and sometimes a combined result of inflammation and mechanical compression around this region.

Treatment

The primary aim of the treatment is to suppress the inflammation that would in turn reduce the pain – rather than just remove the herniated disc.

Medications

The first line of action is to offer anti-inflammatory medicines to patients with a mild back pain. Anti-depressants are often also prescribed to patients with a chronic back pain.

Therapy

Physical therapy, massage and chiropractic care methods are commonly used to treat back problems instead of spinal surgery. Chiropractic therapy greatly reduces the pain.

Change in Lifestyle

A change in lifestyle can have great effects in reducing the pain. Smoking increases the risk of getting a low back pain, whereas obesity gives birth to many problems such as diabetes and heart problems. A chiropractor can best recommend what changes to bring to a lifestyle which will be in the best interest of a patient.

Mar 20 2019

Aging and Walking Difficulties

Sit anywhere and do some people watching. It’s a fun activity. Now notice the way people walk. For most people it seems to be a very normal and easy form of movement. Younger people move easily, with a spring in their step. The older people you observe as you do your people watching seem to move with more difficulty.

We walk all day, every day. It is a healthy exercise and with practice we develop a pace or gait that is unique to us. When our gait changes it is a sign that something is wrong. It could be due to injury, abnormal development of a component of the musculoskeletal system, or to movement disorders like Parkinson’s. Still others can be affected by vision or balance difficulties.

The older we get the more we are bothered by injuries and disorders to our body. We are made up of muscle, bone, and connective tissue. Anything that interferes with the normal movement of any of these components will affect our ability to walk easily.

Our feet support our weight and take years of pounding. My uncle once noted at a state fair that you could tell when someones feet hurt them. “Just look at their face. They look like they’re in pain.” And when our feet hurt, our entire bodies hurt. Our feet are made up of 26 bones, 33 joints and dozens and dozens of tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Just one thing going wrong in our feet can put us off our gait. Bunions, corns, calluses, warts, fallen arches, and plantar fasciitis can all affect our ability to walk.

Parkinson’s Disease is a form of a movement disorder where the nerve cells in the brain don’t produce enough dopamine. Beginning very gradually, symptoms start usually on one side of the body. Eventually, they will move to include both sides of the body. The classic trembling hands is often the first sign, but the trembling can move to the face, jaw, arms, and legs. As the disease progresses, people have a lot of difficulty walking.

Arthritis causes pain and swelling in the various joints of the body. When arthritis affects our hips, knees, ankles or other foot joints, we have trouble ambulating. One form of arthritis that can hit younger people is gout. Most people don’t realize that is a form of arthritis, but it can be excruciatingly painful and when it is in the foot, it renders the patient unable to walk. Gout is the result of a build up of uric acid in the body.

General balance problems also affect a senior’s ability walk. Sometimes dizziness can be due to medication, but it can also be a sign of disease or illness. Dizziness is responsible for many hip fractures that were the result of a fall. Balance problems should be addressed as soon as they are noticed.

All problems seniors face with walking will interfere with their quality of life. When you first begin to notice that you have trouble ambulating in a normal fashion, find out why and take steps to correct it. The longer you can walk, the longer you will be able to care for yourself independently.

Walking Away by Kecia O’Sullivan

Treatment

Medications

Therapy

Change in Lifestyle

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