Good Posture...Just How Important Is It To Your Health?
Posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking about good health. It is as important as eating right, exercising, getting a good night's sleep and avoiding potentially harmful substances like alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Good posture is a way of doing things with more energy, less stress and fatigue. Without good posture, you can't really be physically fit.
Surprised? Well, you're not alone. The benefits of good posture may be among the “best” kept secrets. The good news is that most everyone can “avoid” the problems caused by bad posture...and you can make improvements at any age.
Good Posture is Good Health
We're a health conscious society today and good posture is a part of it. Because good posture means your bones are properly aligned and your muscles, joints and ligaments can work as nature intended. It means your vital organs are in the right position and can function at peak efficiency. Good posture helps contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system.
Without good posture, your overall health and total efficiency may be compromised. Because the long-term effects of poor posture can affect bodily systems (such as digestion, elimination, breathing, muscles, joints and ligaments), a person who has poor posture may often be tired or unable to work efficiently or move properly.
Even for younger people, how you carry yourself when working, relaxing or playing can have big effects. Did you know that just 15 minutes reading or typing when using the wrong positions exhausts the muscles of your neck, shoulders and upper back?
Poor Posture - How Does it Happen?
Often, poor posture develops because of accidents or falls. But bad posture can also develop from environmental factors or bad habits. This means that you have control.
In most cases, poor posture results from a combination of several factors, which can include:
1. Accidents, injuries and falls
2. Poor sleep support (mattress)
3. Excessive weight
4. Visual or emotional difficulties
5. Foot problems or improper shoes
6. Weak muscles, muscle imbalance
7. Careless sitting, standing, sleeping habits
8. Negative self image
9. Occupational stress
10. Poorly designed work space
Poor Posture & Pain
A lifetime of poor posture can start a progression of symptoms in the average adult. It can start with...
Fatigue – then tight, achy muscles in the neck, back, arms and legs - by this time, there may be a change in your muscles and ligaments and you may have a stiff, tight painful feeling. More than 80% of the neck and back problems are the result of tight, achy muscles brought on by years of bad posture. Poor posture and limited mobility increase the likelihood of this condition in later years. We help you minimize those effects by removing spinal subluxations which contribute to bad posture and often first cause it to occur.
Dr. Stephanie Janiak, 2551 River Park Plz Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX 76116 (817)423-2600
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Why Would You Get Your Baby Adjusted?
I’ve had a flyer very similar to this before, but kids are important, I’m going to discuss colic again. Colic is defined as inconsolable crying in an infant for as least three hours a day, at least three days a week, for at least three weeks. I think I forgot this after all my schooling but I wanted to share this with you as I feel it’s important to all children.
A colicky baby typically presents with a loud piercing cry, flexed legs, tensed abdominal muscles, and clenched fingers. You might want to take your child to a pediatrician if this happens, but what about bringing them in for a checkup for a spinal problem?
Colic typically starts around three weeks of age and lasts until around three months but sometimes lasts for as long as six months. Approximately 10-20% of babies are affected by colic. That’s a lot of colic. Medical doctors diagnose colic based on the previously mentioned "Rule of 3" and AFTER, ruling out diseases that may make a baby cry uncontrollably.
Parents of infants with colicy babies report significantly higher stress levels than parents whose babies don't have colic.
The stress and frustration of trying to soothe a colicky baby may interfere with mother-baby bonding and can increase the risk of postpartum depression in the mother. In addition, colicky babies are more likely to be victims of child abuse and shaken baby syndrome. Despite the research done on colic there is no known cause, which can make treatment difficult. Here’s the good part. Chiropractic care has shown some of the best results, with 94% of colicky babies demonstrating improvement with chiropractic adjustments.
Research on chiropractic care and colic has shown significant benefits over other treatments such as dietary changes, medication, and infant positioning. A randomized clinical trial published in 1999 in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that "Spinal manipulation is effective in relieving infantile colic". For this study the researchers randomly assigned infants diagnosed with colic into two groups. One group received chiropractic care for two weeks and the other group was given the anti-gas medication dimethicone for two weeks. The babies in the chiropractic group showed a 67% decrease in crying while the babies on medication showed a 38% decrease in crying.
Another study with 316 children also showed significant improvement in colic in response to chiropractic care. This prospective study used diaries from mothers of colicky babies to track the amount of crying. The three month long study showed a "satisfactory result of spinal manipulative therapy in 94% of the cases". The improvements occurred after an average of only three adjustments within two weeks.
Chiropractic care is a conservative, gentle, and very successful option for treating infants with colic. Chiropractic adjustments for infants are specific, gentle, and safe.
Sources:
4 Healthy Kids, Infant Colic Treatment (http://www.4healthykids.com/infant-...)
Infantile Colic Treated by Chiropractors: A Prospective Study of 316 Cases http://www.chiro.org/research/ABSTR...)
The Short-Term Effect of Spinal Manipulation in the Treatment of Infantile Colic: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial with a Blinded Observer J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999 (Oct); 22 (8): 517-522
Dr Stephanie Janiak, 2551 River Park Plz Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX 76116 (817)423-2600
Disease vs Dis-Ease
Disease is a term used by medical doctors to describe something that has to do with a diagnosis.
When a doctor of chiropractic uses the word dis-ease it is indicative of your body being MINUS something that your body needs to be at it’s optimum health. Something needs to be restored, in order to help your body become normal again.
When your body is FREE of dis-ease, it is 100% normal and it has a better well being. This office wants to help restore your body to its optimum health.
Don’t forget, if your body is in chronic pain or discomfort, pain that has lasted more than a few days, you most likely have had pressure on your nerves for some time now.
When a doctor of chiropractic uses the word dis-ease it is indicative of your body being MINUS something that your body needs to be at it’s optimum health. Something needs to be restored, in order to help your body become normal again.
When your body is FREE of dis-ease, it is 100% normal and it has a better well being. This office wants to help restore your body to its optimum health.
Don’t forget, if your body is in chronic pain or discomfort, pain that has lasted more than a few days, you most likely have had pressure on your nerves for some time now.
Tooth Decay
If you go to your dentist because of a toothache and he discovers that you have a bad cavity that is infected and he gives you some medication, do you think your cavity is FIXED because you don’t have any pain or symptoms?
The same is true for your back, spine and boney structure.
Medication may relieve your symptoms. Regular care at this clinic may relieve your symptoms, but just because you don’t have any pain doesn’t mean that your problem is magically FIXED.
Decay is decay, no matter where you find it.
Make sure you don’t jump the gun and quit before your problem is taken care of properly.
Dr. Stephanie Janiak, 2551 River Park Plz Ste 200 Fort Worth TX 76116 (817) 423-2600
www.wingspanchiro.com
Chiropractic for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
I was talking to a patient and I decided to write about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) today. When people think “chiropractic,” they often think of back and neck problems.
But chiropractic has many applications beyond these typical uses, and it can improve quality of life for a broad range of health conditions. Most people think of Chiropractors as bone doctors, when in reality we are actually nerve doctors, similar to a neurologist. With that said, let’s talk about Carpal Tunnel.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a ‘repetitive stress injury’, which is abbreviated (RSI). Chiropractic is a beneficial treatment for patients seeking noninvasive relief from this ailment that has become all too common in the modern world.
How Does a Chiropractor Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive motion, such as typing or assembly line work, which causes pain and injury over time. The earlier that an RSI is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome. Diagnosis includes physical examination and possibly x-rays. Typically, the chiropractic treatment for RSI includes care of the affected wrist and elbow, as well as adjustments of the upper spine.
A spinal adjustment involves applying controlled pressure to a joint. We may also advise the patient to rest the affected arm, apply cold to reduce inflammation, perform appropriate exercises, or wear a splint or brace to immobilize the area.
Some common treatments we use for carpal tunnel syndrome include:
Chiropractic care of the wrist, arm, and upper spine: Misalignment in the spine does contribute to symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. At this office we perform SPECIFIC adjustments that aim to correct improper alignment in YOUR spine. We typically perform an adjustment using our hands, but sometimes devices are employed. Everyone’s case is different.
Ultrasound therapy: This therapy uses either very high-energy or low-energy sound, both of which are “outside” the range of normal human hearing, so you usually don’t hear anything. This device emits focused sound waves that penetrate deep into body tissue. Sound waves relax muscles, alleviate pain, and reduce inflammation in the area of involvement.
Wrist supports: Wrist supports seek to keep the wrist in the proper alignment after the adjustments and the therapy and can be used to treat or prevent further injury from carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have a loved one that needs care, please talk to the receptionist to set an appointment. Please ask for the necessary initial paperwork so your referral can start filling their paperwork out from home. This helps them and us as well.
Let me know if we need to call someone for you. I don’t mind spending a few minutes with them on the phone, finding out if they’re a candidate for this office. If we can help them, we’ll tell them. If we can’t, we’ll refer them out if necessary.
Dr. Stephanie Janiak, 2551 River Park Plz Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX. 76116 (817) 423-2600
But chiropractic has many applications beyond these typical uses, and it can improve quality of life for a broad range of health conditions. Most people think of Chiropractors as bone doctors, when in reality we are actually nerve doctors, similar to a neurologist. With that said, let’s talk about Carpal Tunnel.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a ‘repetitive stress injury’, which is abbreviated (RSI). Chiropractic is a beneficial treatment for patients seeking noninvasive relief from this ailment that has become all too common in the modern world.
How Does a Chiropractor Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive motion, such as typing or assembly line work, which causes pain and injury over time. The earlier that an RSI is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome. Diagnosis includes physical examination and possibly x-rays. Typically, the chiropractic treatment for RSI includes care of the affected wrist and elbow, as well as adjustments of the upper spine.
A spinal adjustment involves applying controlled pressure to a joint. We may also advise the patient to rest the affected arm, apply cold to reduce inflammation, perform appropriate exercises, or wear a splint or brace to immobilize the area.
Some common treatments we use for carpal tunnel syndrome include:
Chiropractic care of the wrist, arm, and upper spine: Misalignment in the spine does contribute to symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. At this office we perform SPECIFIC adjustments that aim to correct improper alignment in YOUR spine. We typically perform an adjustment using our hands, but sometimes devices are employed. Everyone’s case is different.
Ultrasound therapy: This therapy uses either very high-energy or low-energy sound, both of which are “outside” the range of normal human hearing, so you usually don’t hear anything. This device emits focused sound waves that penetrate deep into body tissue. Sound waves relax muscles, alleviate pain, and reduce inflammation in the area of involvement.
Wrist supports: Wrist supports seek to keep the wrist in the proper alignment after the adjustments and the therapy and can be used to treat or prevent further injury from carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have a loved one that needs care, please talk to the receptionist to set an appointment. Please ask for the necessary initial paperwork so your referral can start filling their paperwork out from home. This helps them and us as well.
Let me know if we need to call someone for you. I don’t mind spending a few minutes with them on the phone, finding out if they’re a candidate for this office. If we can help them, we’ll tell them. If we can’t, we’ll refer them out if necessary.
Dr. Stephanie Janiak, 2551 River Park Plz Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX. 76116 (817) 423-2600
Prevention is Key to Better Health
Prevention is Key to Better Health
I just wanted to share this with you as you are a patient at this office and it’s important that you understand your health and how to keep it at it’s optimal level, as no one likes to be sick.
It’s the season for sickness - getting flu shots, kids’ asthma acting up, and ear infections plaguing the preschools. If you don’t believe me, just watch the TV. These ailments are painful, and treatments for each can be costly. Prevention can be the key to getting through the season a bit healthier.
Prevention is the key to health and wellness, and we can provide some tips and guidance on health care maintenance for families this upcoming flu season.
Consider the following:
- In the United States, asthma cases have increased by more than 60 percent since the early 1980s. Researchers don't know why cases of asthma are increasing at such an alarming rate. Some say genetics and environmental exposure to allergens play a role.
- Asthma is a chronic disease; most people believe it can’t be cured – only controlled – and we believe chiropractic care can be helpful in treatment results.
- Ear infections can be painful, difficult to treat, and account for more than 35% of all pediatric visits. Standard treatment is with antibiotics, but repeated doses of antibiotics can lead to drug-resistant bacteria in which case drugs do not help. More parents are turning to us and chiropractic care to help with chronic ear infections.
Some preventative tips to aid in keeping health this winter season are as simple as hand washing, using air filters in the home, and adding supplements like good nutritional vitamin C.
I just wanted to share this with you as you are a patient at this office and it’s important that you understand your health and how to keep it at it’s optimal level, as no one likes to be sick.
It’s the season for sickness - getting flu shots, kids’ asthma acting up, and ear infections plaguing the preschools. If you don’t believe me, just watch the TV. These ailments are painful, and treatments for each can be costly. Prevention can be the key to getting through the season a bit healthier.
Prevention is the key to health and wellness, and we can provide some tips and guidance on health care maintenance for families this upcoming flu season.
Consider the following:
- In the United States, asthma cases have increased by more than 60 percent since the early 1980s. Researchers don't know why cases of asthma are increasing at such an alarming rate. Some say genetics and environmental exposure to allergens play a role.
- Asthma is a chronic disease; most people believe it can’t be cured – only controlled – and we believe chiropractic care can be helpful in treatment results.
- Ear infections can be painful, difficult to treat, and account for more than 35% of all pediatric visits. Standard treatment is with antibiotics, but repeated doses of antibiotics can lead to drug-resistant bacteria in which case drugs do not help. More parents are turning to us and chiropractic care to help with chronic ear infections.
Some preventative tips to aid in keeping health this winter season are as simple as hand washing, using air filters in the home, and adding supplements like good nutritional vitamin C.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Arthritis Patients Turn to ‘Chiropractic’
The Annals of Internal Medicine (of all places) published the results of a survey of 232 people who had arthritis and were under a rheumatologists care.
Of those 63% responded to the survey by saying they were using some form of "complementary care" as named by the study.
Of those people, 31% were using chiropractic.
These numbers may themselves be grossly under reported as only 45% of the patients told their doctor about using the other forms of care.
These reported numbers translate to over 19% of the public who are seeing a rheumatologist are also seeing a chiropractor.
And if less that half of the patients are telling their doctor about it, the actual number may be twice as high.
Possibly the most impressive statistic was that 73% of those trying chiropractic… found it helpful. The reasons given why people said they tried the non-medical care was to control pain, because they heard it helps, because it is safe, because it helped someone they know, and because their prescription medication wasn't working.
Chiropractic Works! It’s just up to you, the patient to make sure you follow through with your care. You don’t stop going to the dentist because your teeth don’t hurt. You continue to have your teeth checked because you want them to last. Your spine is no different.
Dr. Janiak, 2551 River Park Plz Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX 76116 (817) 423-2600
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)