Friday, April 30, 2010

What is a Subluxation? Adjustment? Lordosis? Other Chiropractic Terms Explained

Glossary Of Chiropractic Terms:

Adjustment— An intervention with the intent of facilitating the body’s ability to “right” itself and function more normally
Atlas— The uppermost and most freely movable bone of the spine.
Cervical— The vertebrae of the neck, usually seven bones.
Chiropractic— The discipline of detecting and reducing vertebral subluxation.
Chiropractor— A doctor who has received a Doctor of Chiropractic degree; a doctor of chiropractic or D.C
Disc Herniation— An extreme bulging of the soft nucleus pulposus into a defect or weakened area of fibrous disc exterior.
Disc— A cartilage (cushion/pad) that separates each spinal vertebra, absorbs shocks to the spine and protects the nerve systems and assists in creating the four spinal lateral curves (also known as intervertebal disc).
Disease— Any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any part, organ, or system of the body that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms whose prognosis may be known or unknown.
Fixation— Being held in a fixed position. An area of the spine with restricted movement.
Health— A state of optimal physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.
Impairment— A loss, alteration or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function.
Inflammation— A reaction of soft tissue due to injury that may include malfunction, discomfort, rise in temperature, swelling, and increased blood supply.
Interference— Damage or deficit to the nervous system.
Intervertebral Disc— Fibrocartilage padding between vertebral bodies that act as a shock absorber, with a pulpy center that acts as a ball-bearing.
Intervertebral Foramina— The lateral opening through which spinal nerve roots exit the spinal column.
Kyphosis— From the side, the backward curve of the spine seen in the thoracic spine
Lordosis— From the side, the forward curve of the spine, found in the cervical and lumbar spine.
Lumbar— The vertebrae of the lower back, usually five bones.Occipital— Pertaining to the back of the head.
Palpation— Examining the spine with your fingers; the art of feeling with the hand.
Range of Motion— The range, measured in degrees of a circle, through which a joint can be extended and flexed.
Report of Findings— A short presentation, usually by the doctor, describing the patients problem, how long it will take to correct, and the prognosis.
Sacrum— The triangular bone at the base of the spine.
Sciatica— A pain that radiates from the back into the buttocks and into the leg caused by the irritation of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body.
Scoliosis— A sideways curve of the spine as viewed from the back.
Slipped Disc— An incorrect name given a condition in which a disc becomes wedge-shaped and bulges. In extreme cases this pressure will cause a disc to rupture.
Spasm— A contraction of muscle tissue.
Spinous Process— A posterior protruding part of a spinal bone that can be seen or felt when examining the spine.
Subluxation— A misalignment and malfunction of the spine that is less than a dislocation that interferes with the nervous system, associated organs, muscles, and soft tissues of the body
Thoracic— Pertaining to the part of the spinal column from the base of the neck to about six inches above the waistline.
Trigger Point— An involuntarily tight band of muscle that is painful when pressed and can cause referred pain in other parts of the body.
Ultrasound— High frequency inaudible sounds whose vibrations can be used for heating internal structures of the body.
Vertebra— Any of the individual bones of the spinal column.
Vertebral Subluxation Complex— Various kinds of pathology resulting from a Vertebral Subluxation which often include spinal kinesiopathology, neuropathophysiology, myopathology, histopathology and pathophysiology.
Vertebral Subluxation— A misalignment of spinal bones that is less than a complete dislocation but sufficient to cause disruption of nerve system function.
Whiplash— An injury to the cervical spine caused by an abrupt jerking motion of the head, either backward or forward.

NE Metro Chiropractor

Making Walking Fun!


Making Walking Fun!

Exercise and Fitness

Walking can be a healthy habit for you and your pets.
You’ve frequently heard about the health benefits of walking, but unfortunately, many of us see it as a boring activity that we do alone. However, there are a number of ways to make walking fun, lose weight and reap some wonderful health benefits!
Fun you say?
Yes, fun! Consider these suggestions:

• Get a friend to join you – Exercise is always more fun when you have a friend along – and you may not even notice how far you’re gone or how long you’ve been walking when you’re engaged in conversation.
• What about Fido? Stop letting your dog out the back door and put him/her on a leash – then let him/her take the lead and just try to keep up! You’ll both get more fit
.• Make it a game – Take an uncharted path or walk until you see five “For Sale” signs. Change it up with a new game every day.
• Walk to the music – Take along a CD or MP3 player and walk to the music. Speed it up to a fast song and slow it down a bit to a ballad.
• Window shop while you walk – not only will you save money – you’ll get some great exercise as well!• When it gets too cold or hot – head to the mall to walk. Walk each level and take the stairs – no escalators – that’s cheating!
• “Read” a book while you walk –get a book on tape or CD and you’ll be looking forward to each day’s chapter as you get in shape.
• Change the times when you walk so it’s not so routine – morning sunrise one day, lunch break another or after dinner.
• Give yourself a reward – monetary or other – to make walking rewarding as more than just exercise!Walking can be fun and great exercise to relieve stress, to lose or maintain weight and to give yourself a feeling of accomplishment.
And if you’re able – walk to our office for your regular chiropractic appointments to stay healthy physically, mentally and emotionally.

Why Is Breakfast The Most Important Meal?


You get up at 6:30, throw a bowl of cereal at the kids, or better yet a toaster treat, and get them on the bus to school, shower, dress and you’re out the door, ready to take on the challenges of a new day at the office by the time you arrive at 9. But are you? Think maybe you forgot something? How about breakfast?


You miss a lot when you miss breakfast.

Hard to believe that roughly 96% of people in a recent survey admitted that eating breakfast is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle, when their actual behavior demonstrates an entirely different story. Generally, most people have no consistency in their breakfast–eating habits. Some eat on weekends, but not during the week, some eat it on the fly (on their way to work, in work, or running out the door) and many skip it altogether, demonstrating behavior that doesn’t fall in line with how they actually know.
After about 12 hours of fasting, your body needs some energy to switch gears from “park” into “drive.” A nutritious breakfast gets your metabolism fired up and working and helps with the dip in blood sugar levels that can make you crave sweets mid-morning and reach for a sugary, high-calorie snack.

People who eat a nutritious breakfast are prone to be leaner and more energetic, have a reduced risk for type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease, and have better concentration when performing job or school-related tasks.

What does a nutritious breakfast include? Generally, one that includes some type of fruit or fruit juice, a fiber source (such as whole grain bread or cereal), and protein (eggs, yogurt, soy) is a good start.

If you are normally a breakfast “skipper,” you may want to try eating breakfast for a few days and see how you feel. You may notice that you don’t get that mid-morning slump and that your whole day seems better somehow. It might actually make a believer out of you when you hear that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Is a pinched nerve really pinched?


The Elusive and Rare Pinched Nerve


By now you know that chiropractic is primarily concerned with the integrity of your nervous system. Like an electrician, we’re interested in how well the “circuits” of your nervous system are performing. Since the moving bones of your spine and the discs that separate and connect them are often involved, we focus here.


Two broad types of nerve tissue involvement are found.

An 'irritated nerve' is more common than a 'pinched nerve'.

The most common is referred to as a facilitative lesion. That’s a technical way of saying an irritated nerve. Think of it as an intermittent short circuit. It’s irritating!
Here, spinal bones and adjacent soft tissues rub, chafe, stretch, twist or irritate delicate nerve tissue, affecting how nerve communications are transmitted either to or from the brain. These changes produce a variety of responses in organs and tissues distant from the spine.


The least common, believe it or not, is the pinched nerve. Also called a “compressive lesion,” this is the classic, hard bone on a soft nerve model. While easy to understand, as a practical matter, it’s relatively rare. Numbness and tingling are often present, but not always.


In either case, the chiropractic approach is to help normalize the relationships between the bones, discs and nerves. With restored positional and functional integrity, symptoms usually subside and health can return.


When patients say they have a pinched nerve, we know what they mean. The good news is, regardless of what you call it, we have an unusually high success rate without relying on drugs or surgery.

The Best Shoe for the Sport

The Best Shoe for the Sport

Do you have the right shoe for the activities you engage in?

Some people believe that a sports shoe is a sports shoe and that they’re all created equal.

However, most athletic coaches and high performance athletes would definitely disagree. There are different athletic shoe requirements for each type of sport and the shoe you choose can have a significant impact on your performance and on your ability to remain free from serious foot and ankle injuries that can “put you out of the game” indefinitely.


Let’s look at the “right” shoe for several popular sports:


Basketball Shoes should have:


• Rigid, thick soles, combined with a well-cushioned shoe, provide the necessary stability for running and absorb the impact of jumping and landing to prevent injury and reduce shock

• High-ankle construction that provides support to both sides of the ankle, especially important for the quick changes in direction required in this sport


• Proper traction for running, along with proper tread for pivoting motion


Tennis or Racquetball Court Shoes require:


• The same stability elements as basketball shoes


• Padded toe area to prevent injury


• Flexible soles for fast changes in direction


• Construction that is designed to keep the feet close to the ground for the most stability

Running Shoes need to:


• Be designed to absorb shock that could injure a runner’s ankles, knees and lower back (i.e., shin splints, knee pain)


• Control how the runner’s heel hits the ground/pavement, so that the rest of the foot follows correctly


• Be lighter in weight, especially for competitive racing where additional weight can affect time outcomes


• Take into consideration the individual’s foot abnormalities (flat feet, high arches, stability and flexibility requirements, pronation issues, etc.)


Many athletic shoes have a short wear life and need to be replaced regularly for maximum protection and performance. The choice of sock is also important; those that “wick” away moisture and prevent odor are best.


Coaches are an excellent source for information about sport-specific footwear. And, please remember that if you have specific questions about the proper shoe for a sport, based on your particular feet, please ask us when you come in for your next chiropractic appointment.