Posts by adminjosh

It’s time to stop seeking the magic bullet.

While it would be harsh to say that traditional methods have failed outright, it is worth challenging the commonly held knowledge that these treatments will work when there is clear evidence against them. What is clear is that the medical community is ill-equipped to deal with nonspecific back pain because traditional treatments, including opioid painkillers, spinal surgery, and injections, are often ineffective, and can even make your condition worse. The “magic bullet,” the idea that a single treatment like surgery can fix all your problems is no longer a viable or ethical option and it should not be sold as such by the health industry. 

Alternative therapies on the rise

In response to this falling of the curtain, alternative schools of thought and therapies have stepped into the void. Active and passive therapies now offer pain relief and improvement of symptoms that is comparable and in excess of what can be gained through traditional methods. What this means for you is that a holistic approach to healing your back is worth exploring. The upside is that most things you can do are cheaper, if not completely free, and can start improving your symptoms today. 

Chiropractic as part of a holistic approach to healing your back 

Chiropractic, when combined with exercise, diet, massage, and other natural modalities. More and more studies are showing that back pain can be as much a mental condition as an ailment of the body. Choosing a multidisciplinary, and therefore dynamic, approach to treating your back pain can affect vast improvements in your back pain, without the laundry list of side effects. If you are interested in changing your angle of approach to treating back pain, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Sarcopenia from a chiropractor’s perspective

Sarcopenia is doubly scary from a chiropractor’s perspective; you have to remember that your spine is also weakening with age. Most people can’t afford to lose muscle mass in the core stabilizing muscles that support the lower back. With a weakened support system, embattled intervertebral discs will often give in to herniation; vertebral bodies will impinge on spinal nerves; the end result can leave you hunched over with back pain in your old age. Let’s all take a moment to agree that this is not how we want to end up.

Chiropractic helps you keep the upper hand on sarcopenia

While the condition may be inevitable, you don’t have to accept the symptoms lying down. Our natural modalities ensure that your spine remains in alignment despite the weakening that is occurring all around it. Chiropractic adjustment has the double-positive effect of improving both circulation and range of motion, allowing you to pursue exercise without fear of injury. This is the single most important way to fight back against sarcopenia: keep yourself moving. We can also show you how to strengthen and stretch the muscles that matter for maintaining core stability, allowing you to remain upright as you approach old age. If you are interested in using our services to fight back against sarcopenia, give our office in Houston a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Addressing arthrogenic muscle inhibition

This is a neuromuscular condition in which the joint provides the brain with information by way of sensory nerves and the spinal cord. As the inputs from the joint are changed because of injury, the change in activity of signalling between joint and brain cause inhibition in the muscles. Therefore, the main problem with arthrogenic muscle inhibition is its subsequent effect on range of movement. Because the muscles cannot activate fully, a common result is muscle wasting and inequality in strength between the two joints.

At Barton Chiropractic Clinic, we focus on mitigating the symptoms of arthrogenic muscle inhibition by improving joint mobility through targeted adjustments. We focus on improving neurological function between muscle and brain to allow for the proper activation and sustained contraction of muscles surround the joint, allowing strength to be retained and rehabilitation to go faster. If you are interested in finding out more about how we can contribute to the rehabilitation of your joint injury, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Natural pain relief for your hands

Whenever your hands or fingers start to feel stiff, pay attention to them! Ignoring pain and stiffness signals is the worst thing you can do because it allows the problem to compound. Here are some simple stretches for your fingers, to be performed whenever you feel like it: 

• Finger taps: hold your hand open with fingers straight. Take turns tapping each finger down to the thumb. 
• Wrist stretch: use one hand to pull the fingers of the other hand back until you feel a gentle stretch in the wrist area.
• Open and close fingers: start with your hand open and fingers straight but touching. Then spread your fingers out so that they are as far apart as is comfortable. Return and repeat.
• Fist/release: simply alternate between a fist and open hand slowly.

Hand health in Homewood

Life is difficult with unhealthy hands. The pain of arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome may not be totally avoidable but there are steps you can take to mitigate the severity of these serious conditions. At Greenway Plaza Chiropractic, we are Houston’s hand health resource and we want to help your hands feel better today. Give our office a call to schedule an appointment and find out how we can help. 

The benefits of downward dog, from a back pain perspective

• Provides an even stretch for the spine
• Stretches the hamstrings, hips and shoulders, releasing tension that accumulates from sitting a lot
• Strengthens arms and legs
• Energizes body and brain
• Improves digestion

For women, downward-facing dog can be used to ease menstrual discomfort and certain symptoms of menopause. The point is, this stretch is a holistic body tonic that can be used to keep chronic back pain at bay. The only contraindications are for pregnant women, people with high blood pressure and headaches, as the pose can exacerbate these symptoms. Come see us at our office where we can show you a whole host of movements that will make your spine sing your praises. 

Easy activities to compliment your pregnancy

Let’s start with some basic guidelines: always choose low-impact exercise. Start by trying for 15 minutes of continuous activity 3 times a week and work your way up to 30 minutes. Aerobic activity is best, and group activity is even better- don’t be afraid to join a pregnancy-specific group at your local gym; it is a great way to make friends and keep you accountable for staying fit. 

As you move on towards the third trimester, you will naturally slow down, but you still need to stay active in small ways. Walk whenever possible, always carry your shopping bags and choose the stairs over an elevator! Think small and you will make a big difference in the way your body and mind interpret and fight back against the discomforts of pregnancy. If you need additional help with the back pain of pregnancy, give our office in Homewood, IL a call to schedule an appointment today. We are Homewood’s pregnancy chiropractic specialists, and can help you lose the pain at any stage of pregnancy. We look forward to hearing from you! 

When to ask the question: have I overdone it?

Here are sure signs that your DOMS is abnormal. If this is the case, make sure not to seek out more exercise that will compound the problem. Instead, take time off from rigorous exercise, instead seeking gentler forms of exercise like stretching. With time and a good diet, you may be able to recover without the help of a professional. However, if the pain and discomfort do not wear off, you may need to seek help. here are some signs:

• Persistent pain: pain should subside within 3 days. Any longer than this and you could be looking at a damaged muscle. 
• Growing pain: muscle pain should peak in the period following exercise and then decline. If the severity of the pain is growing, it is a sign of muscle damage.  
• Bilateral pain: pain that is pronounced on one side as opposed to the other can be a sign of muscle damage. 
• Weakness, numbness, or tingling indicates nerve damage. 

Don’t despair! If you fear you have caused yourself untold muscle damage, make sure to check in at your Houston chiropractor. Our comprehensive diagnosis lets us determine the source and extent of the pain and set a course for a natural treatment that will have you back on the playing field in a quick and healthy manner. If you are interested in finding out more, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today.