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yoga chiropractic

How Combining Chiropractic & Yoga Can Be Beneficial To Your Spine

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Yoga has long been touted as a healing activity that extends beyond its known fitness benefits. It can help alleviate depression, relieve stress, and decrease anxiety as well as tighten and tone the body.

In fact, a 2016 study by Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal shows that the more than 20 million people who practice yoga spend in excess of $10 billion on related classes and products. Chiropractors have picked up on the benefits of yoga and are recommending it to their patients. Why? Because it helps to improve flexibility as well as spinal health.

Chiropractic and the spine’s role in the body.

Chiropractic is primarily intended to align the spine and balance the body. The spine is the main support for the body. It houses most of the central nervous system and provides pathways for neural impulses to move throughout the body.

When the spine is out of alignment it can affect how the central nervous system functions. It can also affect flexibility and even overall mobility as well as cause pain and stiffness.

Chiropractic treatment brings the spine back into alignment. It helps to balance the body and treat injuries as well as help with the changes the aging body experiences.

One of the best-known uses for chiropractic is to treat pain. It is a medication free, non-invasive treatment for chronic pain, sports related injuries, and even automobile accidents. Many patients have reported finding relief with chiropractic when nothing else worked.

Combining yoga with chiropractic increases the effectiveness of the treatment while strengthening the body and making it better able to respond to it. Yoga is the perfect complement to chiropractic care and many patients are discovering tremendous health benefits from this winning, healthy combination.

What is Yoga?

In its purist form, yoga is an ascetic and spiritual discipline that comes from Hindu culture. It involves simple meditation, conscious breathing or breach control, and performing certain body postures.

While an ancient practice long used for spiritual and emotional healing as well as physical wellness, yoga has been adopted in western culture and is widely accepted as a form of fitness as well as a therapeutic practice used for relaxation and overall good health. It focuses on inward healing for outward results.

People who regularly practice yoga find they are more centered, handle stress better, and aren’t as likely to experience depression and anxiety. They also are more flexible, have better mobility, and have stronger, leaner bodies.

What happens when you combine yoga and chiropractic care?

Because yoga helps to lower blood pressure, decrease stress, and strengthen the body’s core, it is a perfect therapy for the chiropractic patient. While chiropractic care is working to bring the spine into alignment and balance the body, yoga is helping to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, providing better support. The numerous health benefits, particularly regarding blood flow and relaxation help to increase chiropractic’s effectiveness as a pain management tool.

Patients who combine yoga and chiropractic will also often find that they see the effects of both treatments much faster than they would if they were only doing one or the other. Both chiropractic and yoga help with balance, flexibility, and mobility, but they come at it from somewhat different approaches. This provides a more balanced, well rounded treatment in these areas as one supports the other.

Yoga also tones and tightens the body, preparing it for much deeper levels of healing, cleansing and releasing the body of tensions that may have been held for years. It also works to stretch muscles that have been restricted for years, or even for the patient’s entire life. It prepares the body to accept the full benefits of chiropractic and respond faster and more fully.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 to hear about our one on one yoga classes offered! Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic, practitioners and services.

Acute Injury

Acute Injury Management: What Does the Acronym PRICE Stand For?

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When dealing with a sports injury or similar type of injury, many people are familiar with the R.I.C.E. protocol for injury care. R.I.C.E. stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation and has long been used when treating everything from sprained ankles to banged up knees. With acute injury patients, experts recommend adding “P” for protection because protection of the area it absolutely vital in the healing process. It is important that this is implemented as soon after the injury as possible and it should be maintained for anywhere from 24 hours to 72 hours afterwards. Of course, this depends on the severity of the injury.

P is for Protection: Injuries hurt and pain can be a good thing because it prevents you from further injuring that area. It encourages you to protect it.

It is important to listen to your body and protect the injured area through full or partial immobilization and restricted use. The way you do this depends on the body part.

An arm or shoulder injury can be protected with the use of a sling. An ankle injury may require a brace or splint and you may have to avoid or limit weight bearing for a while. This means using crutches a walker, or a cane.

R is for Rest: The body needs rest in order to heal. This could mean complete rest, but in many cases it means what is known as “relative rest.” This means that it allows for enough rest to heal but is not completely restrictive which could slow or inhibit recovery.

This means avoiding activities that are stressful to the area to the point that they cause pain or that they might compromise healing. Many times, though, some movement is a good thing, even beneficial. Some gentle movements can actually speed recovery.

Isometric contractions of the muscles and joints that surround the injury and even some range of motion exercises can help. The key is to keep the movements gentle and to listen to your body for guidance on how much and how far to push.

I is for Ice: Cryotherapy, or cold treatments can come in the form of actual ice, or there can be other types such as a cold soak. When treating acute injuries at home, the best known, and probably easiest way is to put some crushed ice in a freezer bag with a zip lock closure and wrap it in a small towel to keep the pack from directly touching the skin.

Frozen vegetables, like green beans, peas, or edamame work well too – just remember to use the towel as a barrier between the skin and the pack. You should not use the pack more than 10 to 15 minutes as a time. The recommended cycle is 10 to 15 minutes on and 1 to 2 hours off.

In some cases, you may not be able to apply ice directly to the site. In those cases, you can apply the pack at the joint above the affected area. For instance, a tightly wrapped ankle can still benefit from ice, you just apply the ice pack to the back on the knee on the same leg.

C is for Compression: A compression wrap can offer mild support and reduce swelling. Typically, an elastic bandage is used to compress or apply pressure to the injured tissue.

When applying a compression bandage, start it several inches below the area that is injured. It should be applied directly to your skin.

Use some tension as you wrap, but not to the point that it cuts off circulation (characterized by tingling or numbness and the soft tissue should not change color). Wrap the bandage in a figure eight configuration or spiral, depending on the area, stopping a few inches above the injury.

E is for Elevation: When an injured joint or extremity is not elevated, fluid can pool in the area and swelling can occur. This can lead to increased pain and limited range of motion. Elevation helps prevent these things from happening and can even help to speed up recovery.

The key to elevation is positioning the injured area at a level that is above the heart. The most effective way to accomplish this is to keep the area elevated as much as possible while awake and prop it up with pillows while sleeping for at least the first 24 to 48 hours. Some injuries may require more time though, so listen to your body.

Stability Ball Benefits

3 Reasons Why Sitting On A Stability Ball Is Good For Your Spine

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The workstation is one of the most damaging places you can spend your day when it comes to your spine. Office chairs are not designed to promote good posture or spinal health while desks and computer monitors are notorious for being too low or too high. The result can cause pain in your neck and back, headaches, and a variety of other conditions.

However, if you have a job that requires you to sit at a desk for an extended period of time, what can you do? Are you stuck with an achy, stiff neck and back because your work station doesn’t promote a healthy posture? You don’t have to suffer; you can work healthier and smarter. Using an exercise ball as your chair is a great way to combat the painful and even detrimental effects of the traditional desk and chair.

Stability Balls as an Office Chair

A stability ball, also known as a Swiss ball, exercise ball, or physio ball, is a large, inflatable ball that is used as training equipment. Regularly incorporating the stability ball into your fitness routine is effective in increasing pillar strength, improving your stability, and helping you have better balance. It is large, making it high enough that it can easily be used as a desk chair.

At least one company has combined the fitness benefits of a stability ball with some of the convenient features of an office chair (wheels, lumbar support, etc.). Gaiam Balance Ball Chairs are stability balls that are intended to be used as chairs. The ball needs to be inflated before use and may need to be re-inflated from time to time. It also has a 300-pound weight capacity. It is a somewhat pricier alternative to the plain stability ball.

How Sitting on a Stability Ball Benefits your Spine

There are at least three outstanding benefits you can enjoy by using a stability ball as your chair. Try it for just 30 days and see the difference for yourself. In that time you will see:

Your core muscles are toned. As you balance on the stability ball it forces you to engage your core muscles including those in your deep back, abdominal, and pelvic floor. It will keep your muscles engaged for extended periods of time but also encourage you to move for a little extra core work. This in turn will help to keep your spine properly aligned and stabilized.

Your back pain is relieved. Sitting on your stability ball improves your circulation, encouraging blood flow throughout your body. An office chair, on the other hand, does just the opposite. This is helpful in relieving pain. It keeps your spine aligned which also helps with any back pain you may experience. This is in part to the core strength you develop, but also because you are less likely to slouch or sit in a position that puts a strain on your back.

You have better posture. A better aligned spine just naturally leads to better posture. Sitting on the ball works your core, strengthening those muscles so that your spine is supported, resulting in better posture. You will find that you sit up straighter and over time you will walk taller. Better posture is very good for your spine, making it more flexible and stronger.

It should be noted that it isn’t healthy to sit in any position for too long. Stand up and move about every hour or so. While the stability ball causes you to change positions throughout the day, you also need the larger movements that include standing, stretching and walking.

Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic.

Pilates chiropractic benefits

What Chiropractic Patients Want To Know About Pilates

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Everyone knows that exercise is great for overall wellness, better health, and a strong body. Many chiropractors will often recommend regular exercise to their patients who need to lose weight, want better mobility, or are seeking relief from depression. A number of chiropractors are turning to Pilates to help their patients get stronger, more flexible, and more mobile.

What is Pilates?

In the early 20th century Joseph Pilates developed the exercise program to help World War I soldiers improve their physical fitness. It was used to rehabilitate patients who had been injured. By incorporating resistance, stretching, and target strengthening exercise, Pilates uses resistance bands, special machines, and floor work to reshape and rehabilitate the body. Dancers, gymnasts, athletes, and celebrities use Pilates to stay in shape. However, anyone can do it for a healthier, more supple spine.

Care of the spine is at the core of Pilates. By keeping it in a neutral, or natural, position, this exercise can prevent back pain as well as help ease it. When done correctly, Pilates can:

  • Improve muscle control and movement efficiency through mental focus.
  • Make you more mindful of your body’s position, specifically, remaining aware of the spine’s position and keeping it neutral
  • Improve centering and mental focus through special, breathing techniques
  • Support and improve posture by strengthening abdominal and back muscles.

Benefits of Pilates for Chiropractic Patients

The benefits of Pilates tremendous, but for chiropractic patients it is even more so. By regularly incorporating Pilates into your exercise routine, you can enjoy these incredible benefits.

You can adapt Pilates to your fitness level and needs. Whether you are just starting a fitness program or you’ve been working out for years, Pilates can be adapted to your fitness needs and level.

It helps you strengthen your core. The deep muscles of your abdomen, back, and pelvic floor make up the core muscles of your body. Many of the Pilates movements focus on these muscles, making a body that is strong and the frame is supported.

Allows you to strengthen your muscles without bulking up. With Pilates your muscles get strong, but it also stretches the muscles so that they are lean and long. You will look toned and tight but not bulky and muscular.

It focuses on whole body fitness. Many types of exercise only work certain parts of the body, but Pilates focuses on whole body fitness. It works every part of the body so that the muscle development is balanced.

It helps to improve your posture. Pilates strengthens your body and helps to keep your spine in proper alignment due to a strong core. As a result, your posture naturally improves. By incorporating it into your exercise routine, you will find yourself standing taller, stronger, and more graceful.

You can become more connected through your mind and body by increased awareness. Pilates engages your mind and increases body awareness. It unites mind, body, and spirit for complete coordination. Each movement is done with complete attention.

It improves your flexibility. Pilates is a gentle but powerful exercise that works to safely stretch the muscles, making them longer, and increasing the range of motion in the joints.

It can protect you from injuries. By strengthening your body, Pilates can help protect you against injury. It conditions your whole body so that your muscles and strength are balanced. This reduces your risk of injury.

You get a natural energy boost. Just like with any exercise, Pilates will give you an energy boost. However, it is increased even more thanks to the focused breathing and increase in circulation stimulating the muscles and spine.

It can help you lose weight and attain a lean, long, strong body. Pilates tones and strengthens the body and if you do it regularly it will reshape you. The body is leaner and more balanced. It also helps you move with more grace and ease.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 to book your one on one session with our amazing instructor! Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our wellness clinic.

Workplace ergonomics

4 Case Studies That Support Going Upright in the Workplace

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If you are considering going upright in your workplace or workspace, you are not alone. Companies large and small are recognizing the benefits of this healthy, spine friendly way of working and they are incorporating it into their employees’ work stations. It places the body in an optimal position, between standing and sitting to provide an ergonomic solution to working at a desk that saves space too. Even home offices are getting in on the movement. These case studies tell the stories of four companies that incorporated upright workspace technology for their own organizations.

ShapeUp

Rhode Island based start-up company, ShapeUp, is a health and technology centered small business with just employees. It manages the design and implementation of socially activated wellness programs in the workplace. They were looking for furniture that was high quality and tough enough to withstand a workforce that was very active. At the same time, it needed to promote good heath to remain consistent with the company’s health oriented ideals.

Their first step moving in that direction was to purchase several community upright workstations. This would allow employees to get upright at various points during the day. The feedback from employees was so positive that upright workstations were placed in each employee’s work area.  They reported reduced back pain and increased energy, attributing it to the simple act of going upright.

FLUX

FLUX, based in San Francisco, is a small tech company with fewer than 50 employees. The venture backed start-up created software that “reimagines sustainable building design.”

In 2012, Nicholas Chim, the company’s founder, began searching for body friendly workstations that would help keep his energy level up and help him maintain his focus. He purchased an upright station for himself to keep in his work area. Many of the employees expressed great interest in this strange, new workstation. Once, Chim came home from a business trip and found that one of the employees had taken over his upright station.

Chim then realized he needed to purchase upright stations for all of his employees, if he was going to keep them happy and healthy. He now offers upright work stations to all of his employees; all they have to do is request it.

Katie Rowe Mitchell

Katie Rowe Mitchell has a home office where she runs her start-up, Unfold Yoga + Wellness with her friend and partner Nicole Elipas Doherty. The company brings meditation practices and accessible yoga to organizations as a wellness measure for the companies’ employees. She left her long time corporate job that left her feeling physically uncomfortable, overstressed, and overworked due, in part, to her sedentary work style.

She recognized the link between yoga and having more energy and better focus so she left her corporate job to start her own company that would bring yoga to stressed out workers. In her own home office, Katie wanted a more active work style and an upright work station was the answer. It keeps her engaged in mind, body, and spirit. She has a newfound sense of freedom that sitting behind a desk for hours every day did not provide. Going upright opened a whole new world for Katie.

Wikimedia Foundation

Tech non-profit Wikimedia Foundation is based in San Francisco and has 200 employees. It powers several collaboratively edited projects including Wikimedia. When the company decided to redesign their office space, they decided that they wanted to create a work environment that empowered and encouraged employees to work together. They chose a dynamic environment with an open floorplan – and they included several upright stations. These workstations were grouped together so that all of the employees would have an opportunity to use the stations at different times. The upright desks also proved to be space saving and took up less room in the work area than traditional desks and chairs.

Advantages massage

7 Advantages of Getting A Massage

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In a fast paced and busy world, it is important to take time out from your busy schedule to indulge in a little “me time.” Although many people decide to go on a stay-cation, others go for a dip in a pool, whereas some opt for massages. Aside from providing your body with ultimate relaxation, massages are known to have endless advantages. Even though the sole purpose may be to get instant pain relief, if massage practices are done consistently, they can bring many benefits to your health.

Here is everything you can achieve from massages:

1.     Ultimate relaxation for the body

A hot stone or a Swedish massage is the perfect combination of heat and pressure that can provide ultimate relaxation to painful muscles. If your body feels worn out or too stiff from ongoing tensions, you will need to get one of these massages.

2.     Banish headaches

Despite what type of headache you may be suffering from, massages can alleviate them. Medical research has shown how getting regular massages and staying consistent with massages can reduce and even eliminate the headache issue.

3.     Experience less joint pain

A common issue amongst many individuals would be chronic joint pain. Moreover, pregnant women face this issue mostly, which is why doctors have started recommending massage therapy. Getting a massage regularly will relieve pains.

4.     No more anxiety worries

There are at least 40 million people in the world that suffer from a type of anxiety. This mental issue is one of the most common one and is responsible for the most mental health expenses as well. Luckily, with the help of massage therapy, it is possible to reduce the stress hormones in the body, which will automatically decline the symptoms of anxiety.

5.     Lessen back pains

Another common medical complaint would be continuous back pains. Multiple studies have proven how getting massage will reduce the requirement of painkillers in the body by 36%. It is also true that massage is more beneficial for treating back pains as compared to acupuncture and chiropractic practices.

6.     Improves flexibility

Because the issue of stiffness is recurring, people are unable to reach their desired level of flexibility. This issue makes it hard to excel at sports or freely do exercises. Therefore, getting a massage will target your body’s flexibility so you can enjoy life freely.

7.     Relieves insomnia

If you ask any individual about their sleeping habits, at least one thirds will reply with “falling asleep and staying asleep is a hard task.” Since sleep is such a crucial factor in life, it is important to resort to ways that will allow an individual’s sleep to be healthy all year long. Studies have proven that getting weekly massages can reduce insomnia significantly. Moreover, since many health issues happen because of sleep (prone to depression and a weak immune system), opting for massage is crucial.

 

With these noted advantages come many others as well. This is the reason why massage therapy has rapidly increased in the world. If you want to improve your quality of life, just get a massage!

Call (780)455-2112 or head online at www.ocwc.ca to book your appointment with one of our registered therapists!

Goals health wellness

How to Set Realistic Goals that’ll Change Your Overall Health

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New Year’s Resolutions made by well-meaning but, unfortunately, less than 10 percent of people who make resolutions feel that they successfully achieve them and only 45 percent last past six months. Self-improvement goals like lose weight, eat healthier, quit smoking, and life improvement rank in the top five more popular resolutions. So, what is that 10 percent doing that makes them successful at achieving their goals? What sets them apart?

SMART Approach to Successful Goals

The SMART approach is a guide for setting realistic goals and attaining them. It is an acronym that outlines a success focused strategy for goal setting:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Accountable
  • Realistic
  • Timeframe

Each step will bring you closer to achieving your goals and improve your health.

Be SPECIFIC about your goals

Vague, ambiguous goals can’t stand up to time and temptation. Get specific.

Say you want to lose weight. How much do you want to lose? How do you plan to accomplish it? What are your reasons for setting this goal? Whatever goal you are setting, ask why and get specific about the details.

Set Goals that are MEASURABLE

If you set a goal that you can’t measure, how will you know when you reach it?

Any goal that you have can be measured in some way. Weight loss is measured in pounds, how your clothes fit, or how many inches you’ve lost. Eating healthy can be measured by what foods you incorporate into your dies, getting the junk food out of your pantry, and finding healthy recipes.

It helps to break your main goal into several smaller, attainable ones. It lets you see success very early and you keep seeing success which spurs your motivation, making you less likely to abandon your efforts.

Hold Yourself ACCOUNTABLE

Accountability is a great motivator for helping you stick to your goals. Keeping a journal has long been a great way to keep yourself accountable, but there are many website and software programs that you can use to track your efforts that may prove to be even more effective.

Partnering up with a buddy is also a great strategy. Choosing someone who has a goal similar to yours allows you to hold each other accountable. Plus, success is always better when you can share it with a friend.

Keep Your Goals REALISTIC

Unrealistic or unattainable goals are motivation killers. Even goals that are too difficult or require high pressure effort over a long period of time can be difficult to stick to.

As you sit down to set your goals, think about not only what you want to achieve, but what that looks like in your life. In other words, consider your personality and lifestyle, structuring your goals to accommodate those factors.

If your goal is to lose weight, setting a goal of 30 pounds in 30 days is not only unrealistic, but unhealthy. On the other hand, setting a 2 pound per week loss is a goal that you will likely find to be much easier.

Set a TIMEFRAME, but Keep it Flexible

Creating a timeframe for meeting your goals gives your efforts structure which helps to keep you motivated. Make sure your timeframes are realistic; give yourself enough time.

If the constraints are too tight you could find that you veer off the path and even lose sight of your goals. Stay flexible, though. If you don’t reach a goal within a given timeframe, don’t be afraid to move it a little.

As long as you are moving forward, toward your goal you don’t need to limit yourself just because you didn’t complete it within the time you originally allotted. It’s about meeting your goals and making lasting changes that will affect your overall health for the better. Cut yourself some slack.

Muscle relaxants chiropractic

Why Chiropractic Adjustments Are Better Than Muscle Relaxants

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Nearly everyone, more than 80 percent of the world’s population, will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime. Just ask the 31 million Americans suffering from low back pain at any given time.

In fact, globally it is the leading cause of disability. It is the most common reason that people miss work and the second more common reason for doctor’s office visits. In the United States alone more than $50 billion is spent each year trying to relieve back pain, but even that figure is not complete, but only based on trackable, identifiable costs.

There have been studies published over the years that unequivocally show chiropractic as a viable and extremely effective treatment for back pain. Several of these studies plainly show that chiropractic is better than muscle relaxants.

Chiropractic Study

One study that is one of the most notable was conducted at Life University in Georgia. It has been cited in several journals and used as a catalyst for proving the efficacy of chiropractic treatment for back pain and its superiority to muscle relaxants.

Study Parameters

The study involved 192 subjects who had been experiencing lower back pain for a period of time ranging from two to six weeks. The subjects were separated into three groups:

  • Group One – Chiropractic adjustments combined with placebo medication
  • Group Two – Muscle relaxants combined with sham chiropractic adjustments
  • Group Three – Control Group – received both placebo medication and sham chiropractic adjustments

All groups were given the same length of care. Four weeks, with an evaluation of progress at the two-week mark and the four-week mark. The pain was assessed using the Zung Self-Rating for Depression scale, the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Upon admission into the study during the initial visit as well as at the two-week evaluation. Shober’s Test for Lumbar Flexibility was also administered.

The subjects in all three groups were also allowed to take acetaminophen for pain. This was an additional evaluative measure to assess the need for additional self-medication.

During the course of the study there was a two-week treatment period where the subjects in the chiropractic adjustment group received a total of seven adjustments. These adjustments were tailored to each patient’s specific needs and included pelvic adjustments, sacral (lower back), or lumbar and upper cervical (neck and back).

The sham treatments mimicked all aspects of an actual chiropractic adjustment including dialog, normal visit length, and procedures. However, no actual adjustments were performed.

Study Results

At the conclusion of the study, the subjects who received chiropractic treatment reported a significant decrease in pain and an increase in flexibility. There were no significant differences noted of the groups that did not receive chiropractic treatment. There was a decrease in disability and depression across all three groups. This indicated that muscle relaxants are effective in treating back pain. However, chiropractic care is the more effective option for treating back pain and disability.

What does this mean for Patients with Back Pain?

Patients suffering from back pain can receive greater relief without the undesirable side effects of muscle relaxants by seeking chiropractic care. Persons who are using muscle relaxants to treat their back pain should talk to their chiropractor and doctor about incorporating chiropractic treatment into their patient care regimen. Patients experiencing back pain should pursue chiropractic care before resorting to more aggressive methods including muscle relaxants.

Chiropractic care is a safe, non-invasive treatment for back pain. It also facilitates healing, increases flexibility, and improves mobility. Patients who are looking for a healthy treatment option that focuses on overall wellness, Chiropractic could be the answer.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 to schedule your appointment with one of our wellness chiropractors!

Spondylolisthesis chiropractic

How Chiropractic Helps Those That Suffer From Spondylolisthesis

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Chiropractic care is a drug-free, nonsurgical treatment for many types of conditions and to help manage pain. As more and more medical professionals are recognizing its effectiveness and viability for treating many issues in the body, chiropractic is gaining popularity and becoming the treatment of choice for many patients with chronic pain, back problems and other issues. In particular, it has been found to be a very effective treatment for spondylolisthesis. It can not only relieve the pain, but often return the patient’s mobility as well.

What is Spondylolisthesis?

Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which one vertebra slides forward over the vertebra that is below it. It is typically confined to the lumbosacral, or lower back area. It can become painful, causing lower back pain and weakness or numbness in one or both legs, when it causes the nerve roots or spinal cord to be squeezed. In severe cases, a patient can lose control of their bowel or bladder function, but this is fairly rare. However, any patient who begins to lose bowel or bladder control should contact their doctor immediately.

In some cases, a person’s vertebra can slip out of place without any symptoms being present. Sometimes the symptoms don’t show up until months or even years later. Symptoms of spondylolisthesis may include:

  • Low back pain
  • Pain in the buttock area
  • Pain that radiates from the lower back down one or both legs
  • Weakness in one or both legs
  • Leg muscles feel tight (one or both legs)
  • Limping or walking difficulties
  • Loss of bower or bladder control (rare)
  • Pain that increases when twisting or bending

How is Spondylolisthesis Diagnosed?

Spondylolisthesis is diagnosed by a doctor or chiropractor who may conduct several diagnostic tests. Typically, the doctor will take X-rays of the patient’s back to rule out certain conditions, especially if they suspect spondylolisthesis.

The X-ray will allow the doctor to see if any of the patient’s vertebrae have slipped out of place, or are cracked or fractured. An MRI or CT scan may also be ordered to better view the spine and see the extent of the damage.

What are the Treatments for Spondylolisthesis?

The treatment for spondylolisthesis is based on the actual damage identified by the doctor, the pain and mobility problems that the patient is experiencing, and the overall severity of the condition. Rest is the first course of treatment as well as ceasing the physical activities that may have caused the damage in the first place.

Pain may be managed by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen and ibuprofen. Acetaminophen may also be administered for pain.

Other treatments for spondylolisthesis include:

  • Bracing
  • Weight loss (if the person is obese or overweight)
  • Physical therapy to strengthen the core
  • Epidural steroid injections
  • Surgery (in severe cases such as damage to the spinal cord or nerve root)

There are several types of surgery that may be used to treat spondylolisthesis. The surgeon may remove tissue or bone in order to relieve pressure on the nerves or spinal cord. Sometimes the doctor may opt for fusing the damaged bones into place so they can no longer slip. In some cases, both procedures are done. This type of treatment is usually a last resort because recovery can be lengthy. The patient will have to wear a back brace or cast while their back is healing.

Is Chiropractic Effective for Treating Spondylolisthesis?

Chiropractic is a drug-free, noninvasive treatment for spondylolisthesis. It is often a preferred treatment because the patient does not have to undergo painful surgery or take medication that could have undesirable side effects. There are three primary spinal manipulation techniques that may be used by the chiropractor:

  • Spinal manipulation specific to the restricted or impaired joints
  • Flexion-distraction technique which is a slow, gentle pumping action
  • Instrument assisted manipulation uses an instrument to apply gentle force to the spine

Chiropractic care has been found to be very effective in treating this condition, but prevention is always the best course of action. Regular exercise, healthy weight management, and regular chiropractic visits can help ward off many spine related conditions including spondylolisthesis.

Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about chiropractic care and the benefits!

Spine Chiropractic

4 Reasons Why Chiropractic Is Good for Your Spine

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Your spine goes through a lot each day. It provides structural support and houses the central nervous system which carries impulses from the brain throughout the body. When it isn’t working as it should, the entire body can be affected. Chiropractic has long been praised as a way to keep the back healthy. Well, now we’ll get down to the nitty gritty and examine just why it is so good for your spine.

It improves your posture

Posture is not only good for your spine, it is beneficial for the entire body. It keeps the body in proper alignment which, in turn, allows the muscles to work as they should.

This prevents abnormal wearing on the surfaces of the joints and allows joint and muscles to work more effectively and efficiently. Good posture helps to prevent injury and even helps with proper organ function.

However, many people have poor posture and don’t even realize it. Chiropractic can help bring the body into alignment and improving posture which greatly benefits the spine. The patient then enjoys improved range of motion and even more energy as the body does not have to work so hard to compensate for misalignments and poor posture.

It helps to relieve pain

It is estimated that as much as 90 percent of people experience back pain at some point. Considering all that the back goes through in a typical day, it isn’t much of a stretch to think that there might be some pain involved at times. This is especially true if the back is not properly aligned.

Chiropractic is traditionally thought of as a treatment for back pain, but what many people don’t realize is that it is also used to treat pain in the knees, ankles, feet, hands, and jaw. When there is pain in the body it will often try to compensate by adjusting to take the pressure off of certain areas.

This can cause misalignment which can impact the entire system, causing pain and stiffness. A Doctor of Chiropractic may treat these problems with various chiropractic techniques, specific exercise recommendations, and even dietary changes in order to relieve the pain.

It strengthens the spine to support the body

The spine is the primary support for the body. When it breaks down, the body suffers. Regular chiropractic treatment ensures that the spine remains in proper alignment which, in turn, keeps the body in proper alignment.

It helps with joint health as well as the health of the related muscles and ligaments. Your chiropractor can also recommend stretching and strength building exercises to help keep your spine strong and supple.

Chiropractic helps to keep the back flexible which aids in preventing injury. A strong spine is also less likely to become misaligned or experience pain. This can greatly improve your quality of life as you are more flexible and mobile.

It improves overall health

Chiropractic is good for your spine which means it is good for your overall health. While many people think that its only purpose is to treat back pain, chiropractic actually focuses on total body wellness.

All too often problems within the body are interrelated. For instance, back pain could be the result of an altered gait due to an ankle injury, or a headache could be caused by a misaligned neck due to improper sleep positions (or even the wrong pillow).

Chiropractors do treat the symptoms but they also delve into the problem to discover the root so that true healing can occur. This not only makes the spine healthy, but the entire body as well.

Call (780)455-2112 to schedule your assessment today!