If You Have Scoliosis, Chiropractic Treatment By Your Chiropractor In Grand Rapids Can Help

August 14th, 2011

Scoliosis is the medical name for an abnormal lateral (side-to-side) curvature of the spine, which your Grand Rapids chiropractor is highly experienced in treating. If you aren’t familiar with the presentation of scoliosis, you might inadvertently confuse it with poor posture because frequently someone who has scoliosis gives the appearance of leaning to one side.

Even before going to see your chiropractor in Grand Rapids, there are quite a few ways that you’ll be able to tell the difference between poor posture and scoliosis. First of all, you would be able to see that one shoulder is higher than the other in a standing position, and that the scapula (shoulder blade) is raised or more prominent. You would likely see a greater space between the arm and the body on one side if the person’s arms were dangling loosely at his or her sides. Additionally, one hip may be raised or more prominent than the other. And one more clue might be that the head will not be in plumb with the pelvis.

Scoliosis symptoms in many cases are mild; but, if the curve and rib rotation are acute enough, both pulmonary and cardiac functions can be compromised. The cause of scoliosis in 85 percent of cases is unknown. This type of scoliosis (Idiopathic) is thought to be genetic, or to minimally have a genetic component because it tends to run in families.

Idiopathic Scoliosis most often develops during adolescence when the body is completing its concluding major growth spurt. This type of scoliosis is most frequently found in girls. A scoliotic curve, if found, should be monitored for any progression. Your chiropractor in Grand Rapids will not only provide periodic examinations, but will suggest standing x-rays if needed.

As mentioned above, most (nearly 90 percent) of scoliotic curvatures are mild to moderate, and make a brace unnecessary. Therefore, regular chiropractic care, in these cases, is beneficial in both in decreasing and adjusting any compensatory musculoskeletal conditions that can take place.

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You Can Keep Your Life From Becoming A Pain In The Neck Promises Grand Rapids Chiropractor

May 17th, 2011

Chiropractors are well-aware that all too often life can be a pain in the neck, literally as well as metaphorically. In fact, for over eleven years a chiropractor in Grand Rapids has been treating cervical disc injuries using his patented two-way traction devices!  Chiropractors through their experience also understand that the emotional circumstances in a person’s life that often seem like a “pain in the neck” may change quickly, but neck pain caused by physical stress and injury can linger on for a long time and, unfortunately, if not taken care of, such challenges can get much worse. Neck problems, in addition to causing pain particularly in the immediate region of the neck, can cause pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness down the arm and into the fingers. Furthermore, both tension headaches and head pain can often be attributed to neck injuries. Because chiropractic treatment has been found to be the most effective, non-invasive treatment for relieving neck pain, it would be advantageous for you to seek a thorough examination and evaluation by your chiropractor to find the reason for your particular neck pain.

Neck pain and its associated symptoms are generated by a variety of different neck conditions. The neck might sustain trauma from an accident producing strained muscles, sprained ligaments, and spinal joint injuries. Sitting at a computer and/or performing repetitive tasks can create postural stress as well. Such stress creates muscular tension and inflammation in the neck and upper back. Postural stress can also be caused by poor spinal mechanics and weak or underdeveloped muscles. In addition, chronic neck pain due to inflammation of the soft tissues can occur due to the degeneration of the spinal joints caused by the aging process, as well a “slipped,” herniated, or ruptured cervical discs.

As mentioned above, chiropractor, Dr. Douglas McKenzie, specializes in cervical disc injury treatment using his own patented two-way traction devices.  Who could ask for more than a natural and unique mechanical approach by a chiropractor who’s an expert when it comes to neck pain? In fact, his treatments in his Grand Rapids chiropractic office result in pain relief, decrease in tension, increase in motion, and an overall sense of well-being.

When it comes to expertise in caring for the spine and musculoskeletal system, no doctors are better qualified than chiropractors, like this Grand Rapids chiropractor. If you’ve been searching for neck pain relief, you need look no further than your chiropractor. See a chiropractor in your area today. And, call the office of Dr. Douglas McKenzie if you’re in the Grand Rapids area. He’ll determine the cause for your neck pain and treat it at its point of origin.

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Muskego Chiropractor Explains How Chiropractic Care Can Get Rid Of Your Shoulder Pain And Help You Get Moving Again!

December 1st, 2010

Muskego Chiropractor

As a Muskego Chiropractor for almost 13 years, I’ve noticed that most humans don’t think about their shoulders too much unless they’re experiencing shoulder pain and need a chiropractor. That’s why it may be a surprise to learn that your incredible shoulder joint, with its encircling muscle groups, ligaments and tendons known as the rotator cuff, has the most mobility of any joint in the entire body. In fact, most shoulder pain occurs in the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff connects your upper arm bone to your shoulder blade and also helps to lock the ball of your upper arm securely in its shoulder socket. Shoulder muscles in this area can become tight, and even weak, from overuse, and the nerves can become irritated making movement painful and limited.

While we’re probably not pointedly thinking about our shoulders, directly, we still expect them to enact a whole variety of actions throughout our day, sophisticated, intricate motions that aid us in all areas of our life – at work and at play.

None of these natural movements should, of themselves, cause shoulder pain ifwhen our shoulders are in a good state of health. Therefore, if we’re feeling shoulder pain, it’s not only because we’ve been overworking our shoulders in repetitive movements such as lifting over our head or other overhead arm movements, like throwing a baseball, swinging a golf club, or simply placing things on overhead shelves. In addition, it is because we’ve been doing these things even though we have an existing problem that continues to need correcting. What does this mean for you? It means that these kinds of repetitive movements are destined to inflame the nerves in the shoulder, place pressure on the joints, produce pain, and cause wear and tear of the tissues encasing the joints because the movements are being impeded by a shoulder impingement problem that already exists.

The degree of a shoulder impingement syndrome can extend from a minor “catching” pain upon a particular motion, especially raising your arm(s) above your head, to close to a complete inability to use the shoulder. Nevertheless, even when the problem is only “slightly noticable,” it is vital to neither discount the problem nor continue an activity while in pain. Shoulder impingement can become very serious. It’s generally progression is from “bad to worse.” Never, ever, mask shoulder pain with pain killers and then continue work or play activities. Some shoulder challenges, like Rotator Cuff Syndrome, if left untreated, can frequently result in surgery and an extended rehabilitation.

As your Muskego chiropractor I will look for the reason for your shoulder pain and treat the challenge at its root. Your chiropractor will help to restore natural mobility to your shoulder joint and will provide rehabilitation exercises that will not only further decrease the shoulder pain you are currently experiencing, but will help you to deter shoulder challenges in the future. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Call me if you’re in the Muskego area. Otherwise, see your chiropractor today!

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Your Chiropractor in Oxnard Offers An Alternative Solution to Your Allergy Problems

September 17th, 2010

Oxnard Chiropractor

Donald Bolt, DC, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, understands that allergic reactions can make your daily existence  difficult. A stroll in the park, snuggling with your favorite feline, a shellfish dinner, or even something as tiny as a nut is likely to bring about such miserable symptoms as itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or a skin rash.

But then, from time to time a sufferer’s allergic reactions can escalate from merely bothersome to critical and life-threatening as the air passageway starts to constrict and inhaling and exhaling becomes strained. Such progression of symptoms can frequently produce a state of extreme stress plus a trip to the emergency room.

Allergies can, without a doubt, end up as an extremely serious upheaval and cause you to feel unable to participate in daily life. In point of fact, if you are one of the many men and women who have allergic reactions, it might even appear to you that, on occasion, the environment is a surprisingly antagonistic space and that the world out there you is, virtually, out to get you!

You might wonder as to why it is that other human beings appear so unaffected by the identical environmental challenges that send your system into overwhelm. Others seem either unaware of or completely unresponsive to the would-be irritants that lie in wait at each and every turn, while your system reacts, or rather overreacts, to them. Why you? It’s a valid question. The fact is that a number of men and women, not unlike you, have a hyperactive immune system that more or less “freaks out” when you are exposed to everyday substances most notably pollen, dander, shellfish, or nut products.

Can your Chiropractor in Oxnard help you in obtaining a significant decrease in your allergy symptoms? The answer is a unquestionable “Yes,” and the treatment may well surprise you. Scores of chiropractic patients have noticed that they experience freedom from their allergy symptoms following a chiropractic treatment, despite the fact that chiropractic care doesn’t essentially target allergies, per se. The real reason for the decrease in allergy symptoms is because chiropractic manipulation affects the entire nervous system, including the autoimmune system, which is the source of your allergic responses. In the event that there’s a perturbation within the nervous system, along with other problems, the autoimmune system, whose responsibility it is to assist you to adjust and respond appropriately to your surroundings, will sometimes become under-active or overactive. Where your allergies are concerned, the breakdown is the latter (it becomes overactive).

Because chiropractic treatments are intended to diminish or even entirely remove disruptions within the nervous system and bring back symmetry and tranquility to the whole body, in addition to a variety of corrections, the adjustments generate homeostasis to the autoimmune system at the same time. A healthy immune system reacts in a healthy way to so-called allergens in the atmosphere.

So, as stated above, your Chiropractor in Oxnard doesn’t literally target allergy symptoms, though that doesn’t indicate your allergies won’t get better or go away for good. On the other hand, one could point out, instead, that relief from your allergies is purely the consequence of your rebalanced nervous system. If you would like to get back into a happy relationship with your environment as quickly as is possible, phone Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, today. He can help you to enjoy your environment again!

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Raw Milk: A Do or a Don’t?

August 21st, 2010

via Integrative Nutrition Blog by Integrative Nutrition on 8/4/10

Raw milk has become such a hot topic of debate recently; police are even getting involved.   Rawesome Foods, a natural food store in Venice, California, was the target of a police raid that confiscated over $10,000 worth of raw dairy products.  Is raw dairy a do or a don’t?  Check out both sides of the argument and give us your opinion on this dairy dilemma.

Do: Raw food enthusiasts believe that raw milk contains important bacteria that build up the immune system and prevent allergies as well as lactose intolerance. Since raw milk is banned in many states, people will drive for hours to buy raw milk from farms in neighboring states. Those who support raw milk believe that pasteurization kills not only the dangerous bacteria, which may or may not be harmful, but also the important nutrients that are in the milk in its purest form. They consider it a superfood full of nutrients and beneficial enzymes. 

Don’t: Others are happy to stick with the milk that is readily available at grocery stores throughout the country. The dangers are very real, they believe, and it is not worth the risk to drink milk raw. Bacteria found in raw milk such as E. coli, salmonella, and listeria can make people sick or even be lethal.

What do you think? Should pasteurization be legally necessary for all milk products? Should the bans on raw milk in some states be lifted?

You can listen to the story on NPR’s All things Considered here.

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Obesity: The Greatest Threat to Public Health in This Century?

June 15th, 2010

As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I would be remiss if I didn’t address the vital issue of excess weight and how it negatively affects every part of the human body. I explain the health challenges to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.” 

We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”

The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-

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Chiropractic Internet Marketing Strategy: Do it Yourself or Outsource?

May 16th, 2010

Here’s an interesting question for you to consider: Do you want to keep your chiropractic internet marketing in-house or do you want to hire a professional? There are pros and cons to both, and the answer lies in your particular situation. Let’s check out the advantages and  disadvantages of both.

Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing

  1. There is a lower monthly cost involved in using someone already employed by you.
  2. The staff knows your practice intimately.  Your staff has a good understanding of your clinic’s particular services and, therefore, is able to describe your specialties easier than those who don’t know the specifics of your particular practice.
  3. You can communicate anytime. Being in-house it is easier to set up times to have meetings or just to chat about situations on the fly.

Disadvantages of in-house chiropractic website marketing

  1. The staff may not be fully aware of what SEO (search engine optimization) is, let alone how to accomplish it. In that case, a lot of education and training will be needed to make sure SEO gets done right.
  2. The staff may be overworked. Sometimes the time it takes to do SEO can be underestimated. It is an ongoing process that can actually be a full-time job.  If a marketing manager has been told to do SEO as well as his or her full time job, obviously that person will be overworked and feel overwhelmed.
  3. Attention needs to be paid to detail. This goes together with Point #2. If the staff is overworked, they have no time to check out search engine news and keep up-to-date on how the search engines have changed the game each week and what needs to be done to implement those changes to keep your clinic internet presence up in the rankings.

Advantages of using an outside professional

  1. Chiropractic marketing companies are specialists in the field.  They have experience in working on numerous clinics and their websites and optimizing them for SEO.  They know, first hand, what works effectively and what doesn’t.
  2. There is a dedicated team at the company who will be working on your site and can give it the attention it requires.
  3. The company has a specific plan and won’t be just jumping around, going from short term tactic to short term tactic with no organized strategy and no clear way to reach your desired goals. In other words, they have an “integrated” internet marketing strategy.

Disadvantages of a chiropractic internet marketing company

  1. Let’s face it, it can get expensive, but costs vary widely from company to company. Some companies out there are charging $600-$700 a month for their services. It is definitely worth your while to shop around and research before you buy.
  2. There is usually a commitment. Most chiropractic internet marketing companies will want you to sign up for at least six months to a year.
  3. Account management can be a problem. With high turnover rates at many companies, especially the big ones, there may be a chance that you’ll get handed from account manager to account manager just when you were building a relationship of trust. You may have to start over again, maybe even have to redesign and reiterate your strategy with the new manager.

Now that you’ve taken a moment to look at the pros and cons of both keeping your internet marketing in-house or hiring a professional, the solution to SEO and your internet marketing strategy will depend on the size of your practice, the time and staffing you can devote to it, and your overall long-term goals.

Now, of course, we are a chiropractic internet marketing company that specializes in helping chiropractors with their internet presence. So, I will admit that I am a bit biased on the side of your hiring an expert to do it right. If you are thinking of hiring a company to develop and implement your internet marketing strategy, it is tremendously important for you to hire one that specializes in chiropractic clinics. Why? Because we understand the chiropractic profession intimately. Therefore, in the long run it will save you both time and money not having to explain what chiropractic is about to some general SEO company. There are several of us out there.

If you are going to go with an outside company, be sure to read the fine print. Look at the bottom of their page for a disclaimer. If they have one, read about their “typical” results. You don’t want to be fooled by outrageous claims even though such hype can be enticing. Remember, your internet marketing strategy is just one stream of new patient leads. Even though chiropractic internet marketing is fast becoming a great source for new patient leads, and even though internet marketing gets more important with every passing day,  and even though it is a crucial area in which to generate new patient leads, it is still not the only source of marketing you will need to succeed in your practice.

Whether you choose to keep your internet marketing in-house or to hire a professional, you want to be sure that the time and money you spend on SEO gets you where you want to go. A member of your staff that does your internet marketing for “free,” while squeezing those efforts in-between other tasks, may “cost” you in the long run. A professional whose sole focus is internet marketing, won’t lose sight of your goals. Internet marketing is essential to your practice, so choose your chiropractic internet path wisely.

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Your Cincinnati Chiropractor Can Help You Avoid Work Injuries

May 10th, 2010

Cincinnati Chiropractor

As a Cincinnati Chiropractor I treat many seniors who are affected by balance problems. In fact, dizziness, “wooziness,” and other balance-related conditions affect at least 9% of adults, aged 65 and older. Good balance is crucial, of course, in helping older adults in staying independent and to avoid falling down and incurring injuries that are commonly extremely serious or even fatal. But, did you know that falls contribute to a large number of work injuries for workers under 65 years of age, including those in their twenties and thirties? That’s right! Balance challenges can occur at any age. In fact, those who work at “dangerous heights” like construction workers, roofers, oil platform employees, windows cleaners, or anywhere else where a ladder is necessary are far more likely to sustain serious injury if their balance isn’t good.

The most important capacity of good balance is to help us to manage and maintain our body position, whether we are standing still or moving, and whether we are on the ground or high up on a platform. Good balance helps us to walk without staggering, arise from a sitting position without tottering, and to climb stairs without missing a step. In other words, good balance is extremely important to our health and well-being.

What come as a surprise to you is that you could have a balance abnormality without being aware of how threatening it is. On occasion an individual can “shake off” a dizzy sensation and it may not return for a while. But, when precipetous dizziness happens at a critical moment, it is too late to shake it off and a fall is most likely inevitable.

When you have the sensation that you, personally, are spinning or that things around you are moving, it is known as “vertigo.” Nearly 40% of people in the U.S. will have at least one experience of dizziness that is acute enough to seek out a health professional, like your Chiropractor at Cincinnati Chiropractic. However, if you are involved in any of the activities listed above, having a chiropractor check your balance prior to a distinct episode of vertigo, make adjustments if needed, and then help you to maintain good balance, may save you from serious injury or worse.

Balance disorders are dangerous at any age. It is crucial for you to be diagnosed and treated without delay if you feel as if you may have a possible balance disorder. Often guidelines are helpful. Therefore, if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, even if the experience is seldom or infrequent, it is highly recommended that you discuss the symptom(s) with a chiropractor as soon as possible:

• Have you experienced a feeling of being “unsteady?”

• Has the room seemed to spin around you?

• Has there ever a time when you felt as if you were moving when you knew you were standing still?

• Have you lost your balance and/or fallen down?

• Have you ever felt as if you were falling?

• Has your vision ever become “blurred?”

• Have you ever felt disoriented, or lost a sense of time, place or identity?

As discussed above, balance problems are not confined to a particular age group. From the time we learn to walk until we take our final step, our falling down is an ever-present possibility. If you work in a job that makes your falling down a “critical” event, you need to have your balance checked. Don’t wait until you sustain a work injury! Call a Chiropractor today, and if you’re in the Cincinnati area, I’d love to be your Cincinnati Chiropractor!

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Good News for The North Face

May 10th, 2010

Let’s face it, you can’t stop kids from carrying backpacks especially with school lockers being removed from many schools. And, we, adults use them, too, for plenty of activities in addition to hiking. But, not all backpacks are equal when it comes to their impact on the musculoskeletal system of young and old, alike. That’s why the endorsement of nine backpackes and daypackes from The North Face, announced today by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is so important. The endorsed styles are the Big Shot, Borealis, Box Shot, Cornice, Hotshot, On Sight, Recon, Surge, and Yavapai. \

Here’s what a panel of doctors of chiropractic found with regard to the benefits of The North Face packs:

• Injection molded shoulder straps: creating innovative flex points to alleviate clavicle and pressure point strain;

• Anatomically correct shoulder straps: constructed in a shape specifically suited for males or females;

• Back panels with improved fit: featuring a recessed channel designed to take pressure off the spine and a more comfortable fabrication for load-bearing activities; and

• Updated interior organization: providing ample pockets and dividers for storing and organizing the necessities of school, work and play .

“After careful study and consultation with Scott Bautch, DC, The North Face designers revised specific backpacks and daypacks, making improvements to fit, comfort and usability,” said Scott McGuire, equipment product director for The North Face. “Improvements to features such as shoulder straps, back panels and hipbelts increase both the function and comfort of this collection.”

For additional information and to purchase the new ACA-endorsed packs visit www.thenorthface.com.

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Your Santa Barbara Chiropractor Can Help Ease Your Age-Related Back Pain

May 3rd, 2010

Santa Barbara Chiropractor

No doubt you’ve heard the saying, When you consider the alternative, getting old isn’t so bad.” But, if the aging process is creating pain in your body, you are painfully aware that aging is no joke! As a Santa Barbara chiropractor, I give care to many patients suffering from age-related challenges that likely would not have taken place if the primary cause had been addressed earlier in life, especially when it relates to musculoskeletal breakdowns. Pain in the back, neck, hips, knees, and even the feet are commonly the result of undue stresses due to poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse. If we only knew then how our aging body would feel now, eh? However, as they say, “hindsight is 20-20.”

Back pain is number one on the list as the most prevalent musculoskeletal condition to evolve as we age. Age-related back pain is most often produced by spine osteoarthritis, or Spondylosis, a degenerative disorder.

Spinal osteoarthritis is caused by advanced deterioration and weight-bearing pressure on the spine that, over time, undermines discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The specific area(s) and degree of the degenerative process of spondylosis is individual, varying from person to person. It is likely to affect the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) areas of the spine. Spondylosis symptoms are individual as well, depending on the severity of degeneration, and can extend from low-amplitude pain and numbness to severe sensory loss and muscular atrophy.

Calcium is deposited in the tissues around the vertebrae due to repetitive stresses that negatively affect the cartilage surrounding the joints Adjacent nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue can be constricted by these calcific deposits, also called bone spurs. This type of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.

Whether or not you are suffering from spondylosis, regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management can significantly delay age-related degeneration of your spine. No, “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it’s never too late to give your spine the attention it deserves. Chiropractors are experts when it comes to treatment of the spine. See your chiropractor in Santa Barbara today, for the health of your spine.

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