What is Chiropractic care?

Chiropractic care is the science of examining and treating the body naturally. It is a branch of the healthcare profession that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of health related issues due to proper movement disorders of the musculoskeletal system and their effects on the nervous system and general health. Chiropractic is derived from Greek words meaning ‘by hand’.

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What do Chiropractors do?

Chiropractors examine the body for joint misalignments called subluxations. These fixations interfere with the body's self-regulating mechanisms via the nervous system, resulting in bodily dysfunction. If the joint(s) do not move properly, the nervous system will not receive the proper feedback information. This inadequate communication triggers the surrounding muscles to tighten, causing an imbalanced or misaligned joint. The misaligned joint needs to be corrected with an adjustment.

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What is an adjustment?

An adjustment is the treatment a Chiropractor uses to correct a stuck or misaligned joint. There are two basic types of adjustments: manual, using only the hands and instrument, using a device like a “drop table” or activator. An activator is a small manually operated instrument used in the hand to introduce a small gentle thrust into a joint. An adjustment often begins the healing process.

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What can chiropractic help?

Although chiropractic medicine focuses on the spine and central nervous system, extremities also benefit from adjustments. Orthopedic issues commonly addressed include: rotator cuff/shoulder problems, tennis elbow, wrist/hand pain like carpal tunnel, sciatica, knee and hip pain, ankle disorders, plantar fasciitis, shin splints and a host of other sports related injuries.

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Chiropractic Specialties?

Some doctors of Chiropractic seek additional training in many diverse areas of healthcare. Additional areas of expertise would include Acupuncture, Nutrition, Sports Rehabilitation, Pediatrics, Neurology, Radiology and Internal Medicine. These are just a few of the many areas a chiropractic doctor could choose as a specialty to better serve patients.

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Why should I get adjusted?

Common sense would say that if your body is properly aligned, it will work better. Periodic adjustments or “maintenance” enables the nervous system to work at an optimal level. This is analogous to maintenance done on anything that you own. Equipment that has routine maintenance done just lasts longer. A properly functioning body helps by allowing you to enjoy life to the fullest.

What is Functional Medicine?

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Functional medicine is an umbrella term that encompasses many professions that view the entire body as a “whole”, as opposed to just “parts”. It is the practice of examining and performing treatments focusing on optimal functioning of the body and its organs, usually involving systems of holistic or complimentary medicine.

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How is functional medicine different?

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The focus of the examination and treatment is on what is wrong with the person, i.e. interactions between the environment and not just a look at the presenting symptoms. Functional medicine looks beyond the symptoms in an effort to uncover why a symptom is occurring. Areas of study incorporating a more “whole” or holistic approach are acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic, psychology and nutrition just to name a few.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a systematic approach used for both the treatment and the prevention of medical problems. It is thought to be between four to five thousand years old and is more understood now than even 50 years ago. In addition to the traditional pressure points already known there are newly found points continuing to be discovered.

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What do acupuncturists do?

Acupuncturists examine the body for electrical system imbalances. These electrical circuits are called or referred to as meridians, pathways or channels. The pathways can create problems should they receive too much or too little electricity flowing through them. If one was to plug an appliance such as a toaster or hair dryer into an outlet with too much or too little electricity, the appliance could burn out or not work at all. This analogy can also be applied to the body’s electrical system. This electrical imbalance could result in gall bladder or stomach problems, numbness, pain and many other physical problems.

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What is an acupuncture treatment?

Treatment usually begins after a modern electrical examination of the meridians or pathways is performed. This allows the acupuncturist to use specific points that are located on the body to “balance” the meridian. This is similar to diverting traffic around an accident or diverting it even onto another road. After the assessment is finished, key points will be stimulated using a variety of methods. They range from rubbing or pressure (acupressure), lasers, electrical stimulation, needles, non-needle stimulation (tei shein), and heat (moxabustion).

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What can acupuncture help?

Acupuncture has been documented to aide persons with numerous types of ailments and disorders. It is used to treat many conditions: surgical anesthesia, rotating an infant in breech position, pain control, headaches, ear infections, arthritis, spinal stenosis, lower back pain, knee, ankle and shoulder pain, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel. There are over 2000 known conditions that acupuncture can either help or correct.

 

 

 

 

What causes headaches and migraines?

Headaches can be due to many reasons: poor posture, stress/tension, TMJ/clenching the jaws, eye strain, high blood pressure, low or high blood sugar, sinus infection/irritation, and others.

Migraines are commonly chronic and usually confined to one side of the head. These can be due to excessive or insufficient blood flow to the brain, resulting in a “congestion” of blood. This is commonly caused by changes in one’s autonomic control of blood into the head.

I'm suffering from headaches or migraines. How can you help me?

In an effort to stop this cycle of pain, physicians in our office would first take a detailed history and complete comprehensive neurological and/or orthopedic exams. If needed, a diagnostic exam using the Videonystagraphy, Posturography, and Saccadometry) would also be completed. This provides a thorough “functional window” as to how your brain/body are working in real-time. This will deliver an objective starting point for treatment and allow us to make changes insuring improved outcome of care.

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How serious are sports injuries?

Sports injuries are those sustained while playing or participating in a sporting event whether it was during a competition or as a “weekend” warrior. Most of these injuries are “self resolving” and will be gone after three to four days. We are concerned with the problems that linger weeks or months later and “won’t go away.”

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How do you treat sports injuries?

It is important for the body to move often and correctly. In an effort to help the body heal correctly from a sports injury, physicians in our office would first take a detailed history and complete comprehensive neurological and/or orthopedic exams. If needed, a diagnostic exam using the Videonystagraphy, Posturography, and Saccadometry) would also be completed. This provides a thorough “functional window” as to how your brain/body are working in real-time. This will deliver an objective starting point for treatment and allow us to make changes insuring improved outcome of care.

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What causes muscle and joint issues?

The biggest threat to most individuals is being sedentary and “out of shape”. This opens up opportunity for injury with the simplest of activities, such as yard work, picking up laundry, groceries, children or grandchildren.

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Can muscle or joint issues be serious health concerns?

When muscles are injured, this often opens the door for increasingly complex damage to the joints of the body. The back, arms/shoulders or joints of the lower body are particularly susceptible to further injury.

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What causes ADD/ADHD?

ADD/ADHD is thought to be caused by an underdeveloped area of the front of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and/or the orbitofrontal cortex. Persons with ADD/ADHD often have a very difficult time staying on task without distraction. In addition, they may have difficulty choosing to act appropriately in social settings.

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Are there other ADD/ADHD treatment options besides medications?

Just like any muscle weakness needs to be strengthened, so this also applies for the underdeveloped areas of the brain. Specific neurorehabilitation exercises can help to improve these problems, usually without the use of medications or stimulates. Medications can actually prolong and or worsen the problem.

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What is autism and what are some symptoms?

Autism symptoms, according to current research, appear to be the result of growing connections or synapses, slower than normal. This slower than normal growth between nerve cells results in a constellation of symptoms: difficulty with paying attention, incorrect social interaction, poor eye contact, compulsive behavior, impulsivity, repetitive movements, self-harm, or persistent repetition of words or actions, learning or speech delay, intense interest in a limited number of things or problem paying attention, and having difficulty with reading or understanding other’s emotions or facial expressions.

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What treatment options are available for a person with autism?

In an effort to properly encourage & strengthen the underdeveloped areas of the brain, physicians in our office would first take a detailed history and complete comprehensive neurological and/or orthopedic exams. If needed, a diagnostic exam using the Videonystagraphy, Posturography, and Saccadometry) would also be completed. This provides a thorough “functional window” as to how your brain/body are working in real-time. This will deliver an objective starting point for treatment, allowing the patient to experience great improvement with social interactions, understanding facial expression, and over all healthy relationships.

 

What is a movement disorder?

A movement disorder is classified as any neurologic syndrome in which there is either too much movement or an unwanted pause of voluntary and automatic movements. These movements are not related to a weakness or spasticity. Common movement disorders include: Ataxia, Dystonia or muscle spasms, tics and tremors.

What is the goal of treatment with movement disorders?

The treatment goal with these types of conditions is to improve, if possible, the brain’s “fine-tuning” mechanism. This means controlling the part of the body that is moving too much.

In an effort to improve a movement disorder, physicians in our office would first take a detailed history and complete comprehensive neurological and/or orthopedic exams. If needed, a diagnostic exam using the Videonystagraphy, Posturography, and Saccadometry) would also be completed. This provides a thorough “functional window” as to how your brain/body are working in real-time. This will deliver an objective starting point for treatment and allow us to make changes insuring improved outcome of care.

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Are anxiety or panic attacks common?

Anxiety or panic attacks are a very common problem. They usually begin with persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday events. Excessive and unrealistic worry left unchecked can lead to panic attacks, which are sudden surges of overwhelming anxiety and fear. Some individuals experience these as a recurring theme. Panic attacks have been described as a “movement disorder” of the mind.

What type of treatment is available for anxiety or panic attacks?

A similar régime of therapy used with movement disorders would be used to improve the brain’s “fine-tuning” mechanism, thus controlling the areas that are associated with the recurrent “trigger(s)” of anxiety and panic attacks.

In an effort to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks, physicians in our office would first take a detailed history and complete comprehensive neurological and/or orthopedic exams. If needed, a diagnostic exam using the Videonystagraphy, Posturography, and Saccadometry) would also be completed. This provides a thorough “functional window” as to how your brain/body are working in real-time. This will deliver an objective starting point for treatment and allow us to make changes insuring improved outcome of care.

What are balance issues?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Each year, millions of older people—those 65 and older—fall. In fact, one out of three older people falls each year” (CDC, 2015). A fall can easily become a severe injury and the high costs associated with recovery are staggering.

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Aren't falls just a part of growing older?

The CDC suggests modifying the following risk factors, in an effort to avoid falls.

• Lower body weakness

• Vitamin D deficiency (that is, not enough vitamin D in your system)

• Difficulties with walking and balance

• Use of medicines, such as tranquilizers, sedatives, or antidepressants. Even some over-the-counter medicines can affect balance and how steady you are on your feet.

• Vision problems

• Foot pain or poor footwear

• Home hazards or dangers such as

  • broken or uneven steps

  • throw rugs or clutter that can be tripped over

  • no handrails along stairs or in the bathroom

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How do you help patients with balance issues?

We are one of a growing network of healthcare providers focused on helping adults find and maintain a strong sense balance, regardless of age. It is important to review the risk factors listed above and do your best to eliminate them. It is also important to know that falls do not need to be a part of aging.

Much can be done to help the brain focus and balance well. Our staff uses highly advanced tools to investigate the sensory system within the brain. These tools allow us to document the input traveling from the eyes (ocular) and the input coming from the ears (vestibular). It is imperative that the communication between the ocular and vestibular systems are working well. A sensory exam of this type is painless. If an issue is identified, treatments are quickly developed and the risk of falling diminished