Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Good In = Good Out, When it comes to your overall health as well as low back pain or sciatica!


Remember when you were a kid and your aunt used to tell you thinks like “you eat so many ____, you’re going to turn into a _____.”

She’d say something like “you eat one more donut, you’re going to turn into a donut!” Maybe it was Mom or Grandma, or whoever, but it actually rings true. We kind of are what we eat. Hence, my title here means you put good stuff in, you get good stuff out. Good food- lots of fresh fruits and veggies, healthy things- means more energy, better body function, etc …

And remember, 100% health equals 100% function of our bodies. Eating right is one major piece to that puzzle of 100% health. Getting adjusted by your chiropractor is another.

I remember back in chiropractic school, in nutrition class we had to make a chart of what we ate every day for a week. Until you track what you eat daily from breakfast, lunch and dinner to snacks, you sometimes forget or just don’t even realize you aren’t eating as well as you should be.

Make a chart and see what you can improve in your diet- maybe it’s less sugar, maybe more fresh vegetables, whatever the case is … tracking your diet is easy to do and can really open ones eyes to improving their diet and health.

Don’t be afraid to ask your chiropractor some ways you can stay healthy with your diet. At CT Spine & Disc, Spinal Decompression and chiropractic care and our chiropractors in Glastonbury are always here to help.

The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Too Much Salt? I Thought The Body Is Mainly Made of Salt Water?


You are correct. Here’s the deal – salt’s chemical name is NaCl – that’s sodium chloride. It’s about 40% sodium and 60% chloride. It’s that 40% that sort of gives salt the bad rap. The high sodium is what gives doctors their reason for concern. That high sodium that can be a contributor to things like heart disease stroke, and diabetes.

Here’s the good news – if you eat more natural fresh foods you’re mostly in the clear. What has been discovered however is that ¾ of the American diet may be from processed foods; these are often high in sodium. Canned goods, packaged items, junk food… Next time you pop open that bag of potato chips, think about what we just talked about.

This is why I wrote this blog. So many of us are so confused when we here on television or from someone else (who may have learned from a television commercial!), or from our doctors to cut our salt. It’s easy to understand, and intentions are good, but we are missing the complete picture. Really we need to cut the sodium. We need to cut the processed stuff.

On a side note: I like to drink a lot of water. One of the things I’ve learned is to actually add a pinch or two of salt because your body actually needs a certain amount of salt for proper nervous system function, for muscle contraction, and more. As you can imagine, the two previously listed items are pretty important.

For our disc pain patients especially, we often recommend increasing water intake. This will help hydrate the lumbar discs, and in combination with lumbar decompression and low back chiropractic treatment, helps us hault the back pain faster.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

What can I do to Exercise with my Low Back Pain?

The key here is often moderation. Don’t over-exercise or push your lower back too much. This often exacerbates back pain or previous back injuries. Even if the back feels really good, don’t push it; back pain often appears the following day.

That being said, how and “what exercises can I do?” The best thing to do is try to keep the back stable. For example, if doing abdominals, do leg raises where you keep your back flat (stable and immobile). Raise your legs and rear slightly off the floor, hold a couple seconds then relax and repeat. Keep in mind for this move, as well as other exercises, to bend the knees. This will take pressure off of your lower back.

Also, use less weight. What you’ll find is that even when doing shoulders, you will work the lower back. So for this example, if doing shoulder raises, keep your back stable and use less weight.

Some other important tips are to use proper foot wear when working out. This can help shock absorbtion but also foot and leg alignment which can work into the back. Also, stretching before and/or after your workout can help prevent an injury or making one worse. Lastly, a lumbar support belt can help hold the lower back in place. I don't advocate using it all the time because we want your back to strengthen but if you are currently dealing with a low back injury it's helpful.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Study Reveals Reveals 1/3 of Women go to the Chiropractor During Pregnancy


In the December 2010 Issue of JCCP (Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics)a study revealed that 1/3 of Women have chiropractic treatment during thier pregnancy.

The study found that 90% of these patients present with pelvic pain and about 30% picked their chiropractor as the first choice for treatment. Some other common symptoms are lower back pain, radicular pain (pain radiating to legs), mid-back pain, and infertility issues.

Speaking of pregnancy and the chiropractor; I have a friend who practices in Pennsylvania who recently helped one of his patients with her pregnancy. He let me know that this patient of his mentioned that she was trying to get pregnant for a long time, but was unsuccessful. A short time after getting her pelvis and lower back adjusted she got pregnant. He told me it could have been a multitude of factors, and the chiropractic adjustments may not have done anything for the pregnancy but they definitely helped fix her posture and relieve back pain. However, the fact of the matter is, she feels it was critical in her getting pregnant. And sometimes you can’t doubt a mother’s instinct!

Sources:

  • www.chiropracticjournal.com
  • www.icapedicatrics.com
  • www.worldchiropracticalliance.org


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression


Additional Reading Resources:




Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The Mystery Behind the Pain of Shin Splints: PART IV Treatment of Posterolateral Shin Splints


Treatment with this type of shin splint is to stop running altogether and engage in other types of exercise. Changing your running shoes to one with a rigid heel can help. Also, getting special orthotics for the feet are recommended. These Arch supports for your shoes can be custom-made or bought off the shelf – they can help with flat feet.

Strengthening exercises is something else we recommend. Some people may even need surgery to repair the torn tendon.

  1. Toe Raises: Stand up and slowly rise up on your toes- Do this 10 times. Once you are a pro, hold onto weights and do the same thing. Do 2 sets of 10.
  2. Outward Rolls: While standing up, roll your ankle out so that the inner part of the sole is off of the floor. Slowly lower the sole back onto the floor. Do 3 sets of 10.


Just like we said in a previous section of this shin splint series, ice helps. Other treatments that help with shin splints is cold therapy. Icing the area can decrease pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every three to four hours for two to three days, or until the pain is gone

Check out our Shin Splints Series:


Source: The Merck Manual of Medical Info

The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Mystery Behind the Pain of Shin Splints: PART III Posterolateral Shin Splints

The other type of shin splints is called Posteromedial Shin Splints. These affect the muscles in the back and inner part of the leg. The back and inner parts of the lower leg are responsible for lifting the heel just before the toes push off. If your shoes don’t give you enough support and your feet roll inward, these types of shin splints can react. Also, running on uneven surfaces and banked surfaces can cause this.

Where does one feel the pain of a posteromedial shin splint?

The pain starts along the inside of the lower leg 1 inch to 8 inches above the ankle, and gets worse with a runner who rolls his/her ankles or rises up on his/her toes. Running makes the pain worse and the pain can move into the inner ankle, extending into the shin to within 2-4 inches of the knee. The pain can progressively get worse. Eventually, the muscles themselves can be affected, even pulling the inflamed tendon from the attachment to the bone. This can cause bleeding and more inflammation.

Stay Tuned for Part IV: Treatment for Posterolateral Shin Splints

Check out our Shin Splints Series:

Source: The Merck Manual of Medical Info

The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:


Friday, March 11, 2011

The Mystery Behind the Pain of Shin Splints: PART II Treatment for Anterolateral Shin Splints


The key to getting anterolateral shin splints to heal is to stop running and exercise the weaker muscles. So first and foremost: REST. Because most shin splints result from too much exercise and activity, they will progressively get worse unless the legs are rested and the muscles given a chance to heal -- sometimes this can take up to 6 weeks. Stretching the calf muscles is important. Once the shin muscles begin to heal, exercises can be done to strengthen them. One such exercise is the Bucket Handle Exercise.

The Bucket Handle Exercise: In this exercise you basically are working the shin muscles and strengthening them. First, wrap a towel around the handle of an empty water bucket/pail. Sit comfortably on a table- make sure your feet are not touching the floor. Now place the bucket in front of you. Lift the bucket handle with your foot, flex the ankle, then slowly extend the foot by pointing the toe. Do this ten times, two sets of ten. To make it more difficult when you are ready, add water to the bucket. Make sure you are not having any pain.

Other treatments that help with shin splints is cold therapy. Icing the area can decrease pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every three to four hours for two to three days, or until the pain is gone.

Stay Tuned for Part III: Posterolateral Shin Splints

Check out our Shin Splints Series:

Source: The Merck Manual of Medical Info

The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:


Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Mystery Behind the Pain of Shin Splints: PART I Anterolateral Shin Splints


Part I: Anterolateral Shin Splints

Last year, my sister had to withdraw from running in the Chicago marathon. She had already signed up, trained and was ready to go. But in the last week before leaving for her big trip, she bowed out- mainly because of relentless leg pain a.k.a. shin splints. She described the pain as a dull and aching pain the front of her lower leg. An avid runner who had run smaller marathons in the past, she was an active member of the Running Room. She was so disappointed that she would not compete in the Chicago marathon. So, she called me up and asked me all about shin splints, and what she could do to stop the pain.

A shin splint is the pain that happens from damage to the leg muscles along the shin. It is also known as Tibial Stress Syndrome. My sister just recently became a “runner” in the last few years- she wasn’t much of an exerciser when we were younger, but lately she has taken up running as her hobby- and I have to admit she is very good at it and very disciplined.

Shin splints can occur in two locations of the lower leg- depending on which muscle groups are affected is where you will have the pain.

Anterolateral Shin Splints: Here, shin splints affect the front (“antero”) and outside (“lateral”) parts of the shin. Pain is experienced along the front and outside of the shin.

This type of injury occurs when some muscles are stronger than others. This is a natural imbalance in the size of the two muscles working together. The two muscle groups: The shin muscles and the calf muscles do not work in balance together.
During walking and running the shin muscles in the front work to pull the foot up and the calf muscles pull the foot down. The calf muscles exert so much more force that they can injure the shin muscles.

In the beginning, pain is only felt after the heel hits the ground during running. This can progress to pain in every step of running- eventually becoming a constant pain. The pain can get so severe that the shin will hurt even when touched.

Stay Tuned for Part II: Treatment for Anterolateral Shin Splints

Source: The Merck Manual of Medical Info

The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Lower Back Pain - Self Inflicted or Not?

Sometimes we forget how important our back is until we have major pain and can’t use it. Our back does a lot and sometimes we take it for granted. What exactly do I mean- well, sometimes we lift or shove or carry something we really shouldn’t. We’ve all done it and sometimes we have regretted it after.

Why put yourself at risk? Instead of hiring a roofer or landscaper to shovel heavy ice and snow off the roof, you’re spending your Saturday morning doing it. Plus, being a good Samaritan, you do your neighbor’s roof too.

Sometimes it’s good to go out and do some shoveling, get some fresh air and some exercise. However, it’s not so great to overdo it and put yourself in harm’s way. A lot of times back pain isn’t exactly your fault, maybe it was an accident or injury inflicted by someone else, but the majority of times our low back pain is self created.

Be very careful this year, especially with all the snow and ice we’ve had. Be good to your back. Exercise, eat right, be aware of your posture and see your chiropractor. Do these things not only once you have a back pain episode, but when your back feels good too to prevent a future episode of back pain.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Consumer Reports Ranks Chiropractic #1

Consumer Reports: Going to the Chiropractor #1



Back Pain is one of the number 1 reasons someone goes to the doctor. Many reports have shown chiropractic to be the most sucessful and safest treatment for back pain. It is even better to prevent the back pain before it starts.


The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

  • CBS News Chiropractic, longer video
  • chiropractic on "The Doctors"
  • chiropractic on the "Todays Show"
  • Meet our Glastonbury Chiropractor

  • Monday, March 7, 2011

    "I don't like to go to the doctors..."

    A few reasons people don't like to go to their doctor from the Dr Oz show are that he or she rushes you and doesn't listen to you, sends you for unneccessary tests, and is very quick to prescibe.

    Something that really will help you is to know the right questions to ask him or her.

    Keep in mind that there are a lot of great doctors here in Glastonbury (whether it's your primary care doctor, your chiropractor, obgyn, etc... There are good and bad doctors everywhere but usually the reason you or someone you know is unhappy with your doc may be lack of proper communication. Knowing what to ask and when will help you and your doctor to treat you better.

    Here's the link to the Dr Oz video: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/what-you-must-ask-your-doctor



    The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:
  • For all ya-all home doctors
  • Dr Oz talks about Chiropractic
  • dr oz show
  • Chiropractor visit to dr oz

  • Thursday, March 3, 2011

    Phil Mickelson Talks About his Arthritis Pain

    Here's a clip with Phil Mickelson talking about psoriatic arthritis pain:



    We see patients everyday dealing with some form of arthritis, Chiropractic may help...

    The Glastonbury Chiropractor is located in central Connecticut- CT Spine and Disc Center specializes in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call our chiropractic office at 860-633-8756 to schedule an appointment and to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression
    Additional Reading Resources:



    LinkWithin

    Blog Widget by LinkWithin