TIPS TO HELP TO PREVENT OVER-EATING – PART 1

Hi, Dr. Kent Ferguson here (click to watch video). Do you commonly find yourself over-eating? Do you sometimes eat everything in sight before you know it? If so you are not alone. One of the most common dietary challenges my patients have is over-eating. In this video I will share with you 2 tips on how to prevent yourself from over-eating.(click to watch video)

  1. SNACK OFTEN

Why is it important to snack often? Well, have you ever arrived to work, sat at your work space, begun your day, look up and it’s time for lunch and you’re very hungry. When you sit down for lunch there is a greater tendency to eat more than you need based on the fact you feel so hungry.  The solution is to snack between meals

Snacking between breakfast and lunch as well as lunch and dinner will help you from over-eating when you sit down to eat a full meal.

  1. Drink Plenty of Water

Why is it important to drink plenty of water? Because the sensation of hunger in the body can often times mean that you are thirsty as well. Most patients I see do not drink enough water on a daily basis. By drinking about 2-3 liters of water per day, based upon your activity levels, you can greatly alter your hunger sensations and reduce your chances of over-eating.

I’m Dr. Kent Ferguson. I hope you have found this information on this video helpful. Please share this information with your family and friends. Please check out our website @ www.ocwc.ca for more information about our clinic and services.

Take care.

Benefits of Acupuncture Therapy

Acupuncture is the one of the oldest practices in Chinese medicine. It is an ancient form of medicine that was practice in the oldest times and it is used to this day. Nations around the world are practicing acupuncture, as it is an effective and trusted way of treating those who are suffering from stress or some illness.
Acupuncture is done by identifying the points of your body that trigger the bodily functions. Improper body functions can lead to elevated body temperature, lack of defense against pathogens, less bodily fluids and the inability of transforming those fluids into energy. The purpose of acupuncture is to fix these functions to improve the health and wellbeing of an individual.
Here are the top 5 health benefits of acupuncture:
1. Decreases Back Pain
Acupuncture therapy eases and diminishes back pain. It promotes the release of chemicals into the spinal cord and brain. The chemicals that are released relieve the pain and improve the bodily functions.
A study was done by the Archives of Internal Medicine and they revealed that needle stimulation, which is the primary technique used in acupuncture offered quicker relief from pain than medications. In acupuncture, pressure is given on certain points with the use of small needles. This helps a patient get rid of the pain and discomfort they are experiencing.
2. Makes Medications Effective
A study showed that adding acupuncture while on medication improves impact of the medicine. This also helps lower the dose and avoid the side effects commonly associated with pain-alleviating medicines, such as weight gain and nausea.
3. Minimizes the Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Cancer patients can minimize the side effects of chemotherapy if they add acupuncture therapy to their regime. A study showed that people who were getting chemotherapy had lesser negative side effects when they were getting acupuncture alongside. One cancer patient claimed that they felt less nauseous as compared to before when they began acupuncture therapy. It does not transform the life of those getting this treatment, but it does make the quality of life after chemo much better.
4. Helps Put a Stop to Long Term Headaches
Doctors have started recommending acupuncture as a treatment to help patients get rid of headaches and migraines rather than prescribing medicines. It has proved to be effective in preventing chronic tension-related headaches and decreasing the chances of suffering from a headache in the future as well.
5. Put an End to Obesity
Although there is no conclusive evidence regarding the effects of acupuncture on obesity, there are studies that show that it can be an effective weight loss treatment. Korean researchers analyzed a large group of people and concluded that acupuncture therapy led to more weight loss than extreme lifestyle changes. For those who are trying to lose weight, adding acupuncture could help them make accelerated progress towards their weight loss target.
Along with these benefits, acupuncture has proven to be the cure to many chronic body pains. The insertion of fine needles has been found to be an effective treatment and is therefore being increasingly used all around the world.

Let Chiropractic Care Put the Oomph Back In Your Dance Steps

Do you want to dance?

Most people love hearing these words, and wholeheartedly jump to the dance floor to twist and shout with the best of them. Some even take classes to learn to swing, tap, or ballroom dance. Others even train and compete. It’s big fun, and provides social interaction and exercise.

And sometimes pain.

While some don’t view it this way, dancing is a sport. As such, dance moves can put pressure on your body that causes injury.

Common dancing injuries include foot and ankle sprains, pulled knees, and stress fractures. If you have shimmied your back out, or do-si-do’d your knee into a stiff, painful mess, it’s time to call the best dance partner you have ever had: your chiropractor!

Chiropractic care helps dancers prevent and cope with injuries in a variety of ways.

Before:

Dancing requires coordination and balance that comes from strong muscles, bones, and ligaments. If your body is tight and ill-prepared for exercise, you could end up busting a move in the wrong way on the dance floor.

Chiropractic care can, over time, help strengthen your muscles and align your spine so your body is in prime condition for physical activity, with minimal risk of injury. Chiropractic visits work wonders from the neck to the feet in putting the body back in its top performing form. In addition, your chiropractor can offer an at-home regimen of stretching exercises that serves to further promote healthy joints, tendons and muscles.

During:

For those who dance regularly, painful feet, ankles and knees may be viewed as part of the package of doing something they love. This doesn’t have to be the case. By committing to regular chiropractic care, dancers improve their range of motion, and keep muscles and joints loose and functioning correctly. Chiropractic care during a regular routine of dancing plays into staying healthy and mobile.

After:

Dancing requires a body to move, turn, and stretch in ways that it may not be accustomed. If you ignored proper preparation, or ended up taking precautions and suffered an injury anyway, you may experience pain and loss of mobility. Make an appointment with your chiropractor as soon as possible.

Many common bodily injuries can be dramatically improved by a regimen of chiropractic care. From sprains to strains to misalignment, a few visits to your chiropractor offers multiple benefits.

The first is pain management, often without drugs. The second is injury improvement by performing manual manipulations, known as adjustments, that stretch the injured area and promote healing. The third is increased mobility. Finally, chiropractic care assists the body in knitting itself back together so well that it minimizes the chances of future injury.

If you have been dancing on and off or regularly for years, or if you are thinking about taking up dancing, know there are many great benefits from incorporating it into your routine. However, you need to take proper precautions to reduce the risk of suffering an injury as you move.

Make sure to choose a nutritious diet and stay hydrated while you dance, and wear properly fitting clothing and shoes. Strive to practice the moves correctly, as well as maintain correct posture. Don’t overdo it, because pushing your body past its limits is a surefire way to cause an injury. Also remember to always stretch out and warm up before dancing.

By following these simple suggestions, you can hit the floor when the music starts and dance until you wear out, enjoying the health benefits dancing brings, while avoiding the injuries.

8 Wonderful Ways A Healthy Diet Benefits Your Life

It’s hard to turn on the television or cruise the internet without being bombarded with headlines about "Americans don’t sleep enough" or "one third of adults are obese."

While stress, heredity, and smoking are all factors that play into a person’s well being, one of the biggest is a healthy diet. Choosing to eat healthy benefits the body in a number of key areas. Still gobbling up the pizza and slurping down the diet soda, unconvinced? See if these eight points about a healthy diet change your mind.

1. Strengthens and improves muscle function

Healthy muscles carry us where we want to go. The right foods, along with proper exercise, build and maintain muscle mass, maintaining strength and mobility.

2. Promotes a longer life

Feeding your body what it needs can add years to your life. Reducing stress is one way to promote health, and a healthy diet is another. Foods rich in minerals and vitamins build up every cell in your body, preparing it to fight illness and stay alive longer.

3. Enables richer years

An individual who is healthy maintains a higher level of physical activity and brain function than their less healthy peers. A stronger body provides a richer life with more unique experiences.

4. Makes you prettier

If you won’t eat healthy for your insides, maybe a better outside will motivate some dietary changes. We all want to be physically attractive. Healthy foods contribute to clear skin and shiny hair that no amount of high priced beauty products provides. Fueling the body with rich omega fatty and other healthy foods nourishes skin, hair, and nails.

5. Makes you smarter

Research shows certain dietary choices power up your brain to function at a higher level, and help everyday brain function. Introducing "brain foods" into your diet aid with memory retention and problem solving skills.

This is one of the best reasons to commit to a healthy diet of vitamin-rich foods, as a healthy brain allows a much more active and independent lifestyle, from working longer to being able to drive.

6. Decreases your injury risk

A high-functioning body with strong bones and muscles maintains balance, handles heavy loads, and holds up under stress better than its weaker counterparts. Muscles and bones lacking calcium and protein over time grow weaker.

This, unfortunately, causes the body to be less stable and more prone to injury. Falls, slips, and twists end up with more serious injuries if a person’s body isn’t strong and healthy.

7. Fights bad genes

If you are already worried about the cancer that runs on mom’s side or the heart attack risk that runs on dad’s side, take heart. While you can’t change your DNA, you can use a healthy diet to combat some of your genetic disposition to disease.

Ingraining a healthy diet into your life, as well as exercise and regular doctor checkups, helps minimize the risk of falling victim to your family’s predisposed illnesses.

If you end up with an illness, whether or not from heredity, a healthy diet….

8. Prepares you to fight illness

A nutrient-rich diet boosts a person’s immune system to be able to fight off infection and illness. When a person falls victim to a disease or other medical condition, their diet helps them fight it off so it hopefully doesn’t get worse and is cured quickly.

A healthy diet is integral to a long, happy life. Deciding to eat healthy and maintain that commitment consistently may seem like a big change in lifestyle at first, but it will benefit you and your loved ones in ways that are practically immeasurable.

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.

Why You Should Stay Hydrated and Six Easy Ways to Do It

Summer fun means outside activities in the warm sun, from strenuous pursuits like biking, hiking, and volleyball-playing, to more leisurely enjoyments like sunbathing on a float. No matter how you plan to enjoy the steamy summer months, maintaining hydration should be right up there with sunscreen on your list of important hot weather priorities.

Dehydration is a condition that ranges from mild to serious, and can happen quicker than you think. Right Diagnosis defines dehydration as "an abnormal condition in which the body’s cells are deprived of an adequate amount of water." One of the main situations factoring into a person becoming dehydrated is heat.

Think you drink enough water and don’t need to worry about dehydration? Consider these points:

  • The ability to recognize thirst diminishes in individuals in their late 30’s or older.
  • A person’s body is made up of roughly 70% water.
  • When you lose 2% of the body’s water content, you are considered dehydrated.

Dehydration symptoms range from unpleasant confusion, muscle weakness, and fatigue to extremely dangerous ones like seizures, kidney failure, and death. The good news is that staying hydrated in the first place is relatively easy if you take a few precautions up front.

#1: Drink plenty of water

Make it a habit of carrying water with you during the summer months, and sipping on it throughout the day, especially if you are planning on outside activities. Invest in a couple of BPA-free water bottles for yourself and your family to tote with them on their summer adventures.

Not a big fan of plain water? Try adding lemon, cucumber, and mint sprigs to liven it up! Mix up in a big pitcher the night before so the flavor has time to penetrate. Another option is flavor packets, which are individual packets of flavors like green tea, watermelon, and peach.

#2: Eat the right foods

Liquids aren’t the only way your body gets water. Avoid dehydration by eating foods with a high water content.

Choices like celery, watermelon, cucumbers, carrots, and citrus fruits all offer exceptional hydrating ability. Pack these as snacks for the pool or beach, or to enjoy before and after an outdoor workout.

#3: Steer clear of certain drinks

As yummy and refreshing as an icy beer or frosty margarita tastes, alcohol can contribute to dehydration. If you decide to indulge, limit yourself to one or two, and drink a large glass of water along with your beverage to counteract the alcohol’s effects.

#4: Avoid overexertion

Exercise is a wonderfully healthy pursuit; however, keep an eye on the temperature. If it is going to be exceptionally hot and humid, choose to exercise either early in the morning, or after sunset, when temperatures are lower and the sun isn’t beaming.

#5: Wear proper attire

Dress in light, airy clothing in fabrics that breathe. Protect your head with a cap or hat that shades your face. Avoid black clothing, which tends to absorb the sun and make you hotter.

#6: Be prepared

Extreme heat makes everyday issues like a flat tire or dead battery life-threatening. Visit a mechanic to confirm your vehicle is in good shape to lessen the chances of getting stranded. Carry extra water or sports drinks in your vehicle, and keep your cell phone charged. If your car breaks down, either stay in your car to wait for help, or stand in the grass instead of on the sizzling pavement.

Staying hydrated is essential for good health all the time, and during the summer in particular. Implement these easy tips into your daily routine so you and your family maintain hydration and enjoy hot weather outdoor fun.

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.

4 Nutritional Tips Every Chiropractic Patient Should Follow

Chiropractic care effectively and naturally treats a multitude of conditions and diseases. The overall premise is to return the body to its natural alignment by removing subluxations, which takes care of the root cause of many problems.

Spinal adjustments, however, aren’t necessarily the Holy Grail for total health. It’s essential for chiropractic patients to also make adjustments in their everyday lives. By doing so, they’ll maximize the effects of their chiropractic treatments, and experience better overall health in general.

Nutrition is one of the biggest factors and plays a large role in a patient’s recovery. The old adage "you are what you eat" is true. Feeding the body with vital vitamins and minerals promotes growth and healing. Filling up on fried, fatty foods does the opposite.

Let’s look at four nutritional tips every chiropractic patient should follow:

Watch your calories

Individuals recovering from spinal or other injuries heal quicker when they avoid carrying excess weight. This is especially true if the injury has sidelined them from normal physical exercise.

Choose lean cuts of meat and fresh fruits and vegetables, and practice portion control. A diet with few excess calories offers the dual benefit of helping you avoid packing on the pounds, and helping you heal faster.

Pay attention to calcium intake

Bones need calcium for strength, so it should be a priority to consume foods that are rich with it. According to healthconsciousness.com, the four most calcium-rich foods are dark leafy greens, low-fat cheese, milk, and yogurt.

If you are visiting a chiropractor for issues or conditions concerning your bones or nerves, he or she may recommend that you introduce these foods into your diet as soon as possible.

Make protein a priority

Muscle injuries are one of the most popular reasons for chiropractic visits. Protein helps build and heal muscle tissue, helping it to renew itself back to a pre-injury state.

If your daily intake of protein is low, it can hinder the healing process and stand in the way of chiropractic visits giving you the maximum results. Fish and lean meats are the foods that offer the highest protein.

Other vegetarian options are tofu, soy beans, eggs, milk, and nuts. Help your muscles rebuild and heal by adding high protein foods into every meal menu.

Stay hydrated

Why do most of us view water drinking with dread? Its not that bad! If you wish to promote healing, it’s imperative to drink enough water every day.

Water provides an entire slew of benefits, from transporting those important nutrients to where they need to be, to flushing harmful toxins out of the body. Aim for eight glasses of water a day, and try to drink it throughout the day.

Getting into this habit will boost overall health, and promote healing of injuries and other medical conditions.

While it’s a smart goal to try to ingest all the nutrients you need through food and drink, supplements are available to bridge the gap. Before beginning a supplement regimen, talk to you chiropractor for recommendations on the type and dosage that will aid and improve your unique situation.

You may also want to download a smartphone app to track your daily intake of calories, calcium, protein and liquid. There are many available, one being My Fitness Pal.

Easy and free to use, this is a powerful tool to keep you on the right nutritional track.

Making the commitment to chiropractic treatment is a big step in the right direction for your overall health and well-being. Incorporate these nutritional tips to your daily routine in order to get the most out of your chiropractic care.

To book an appointment with one of our experienced chiropractors or holistic nutritionist, call 780-455-2112 and we’ll be happy to help you get started

weight loss, tips

4 Weight Loss Tips to Amplify the Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care

We all know and understand the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. Some individuals do quite nicely at managing their pounds with seemingly little effort, while other struggle constantly.

According to Statistics Canada Huffingtonpost (CDC). The data-gathering body released a report last week showing that the proportion of obese Canadians now sits at 20.2 per cent, up from just over 15 per cent in 2003.A person who has sustained an injury or suffers from an illness that affects their back, hips, knees or ankles are especially susceptible to weight gain, because they must deal with limited mobility and the stress of daily pain.

Striving to stay in the ideal weight range for your body type and height provides a variety of health benefits such as adding less pressure on your back and joints, and increasing your range of motion. Patients who receive chiropractic care often enjoy increased healing by pursuing weight loss.

Successfully fight the battle of the bulge with these four handy weight loss tips to amplify the effectiveness of chiropractic care.

First, start small

Replace a couple of negative behaviors with positive ones, and commit to making them stick. Great examples of these are substituting water for soft drinks, eating a high-protein breakfast, or changing out your nightly bowl of ice cream with yogurt.

Simply removing 100 calories a day adds up to a 10 pound weight loss over a year’s time. Small modifications offer the dual benefits of being easier to implement while still showing results.

Next, keep a journal

Write down every bite you eat along with the portion size. Listing your food intake provides accountability, which may keep you from noshing on that third slice of pizza or super-sizing those fries.

It also arms you with important intel that will be helpful throughout your weight loss journey. If you hit a plateau, read back through the journal to see what you may have changed over time that caused the scales to stall.

And speaking of scales….

Don’t live and cry by the scales

Often, dieters weigh every day and are elated or depressed based on the number on the scales. That’s a roller coaster way to live, and those emotions can cause calorie laden binges!

Plus, daily weighing is not accurate, as fluctuations in water weight are common. Weigh once a week at the most, at roughly the same time each day. A weekly routine gives you a good idea of your success without the stressful up and down of daily weighing.

Decrease your sedentary ways

Even if you are dealing with an injury or medical condition that limits the ability to exercise, you can still probably be less sedentary than you are now. Again, simplicity is the key.

Walk into the bank instead of using the drive through window, stand up to fold clothes instead of sitting down, and take periodic breaks at your desk to stand for a bit.

Ask your chiropractor about any limitations you need to follow, and request stretching exercises as your personal situation permits. Moving more on a daily basis will aid in shedding those extra pounds and keeping them off long-term.

It’s important for individuals to maintain a normal weight range in order to enjoy a healthy life. Chiropractic patients benefit even more from shedding those extra pounds.

By committing to a healthier lifestyle with fewer pounds to carry around, individuals with back and joint injuries will see greater positive impact from their chiropractic visits. Over time, the combination of a leaner body and chiropractic care will bring greater mobility, less pain, and a decreased chance for re-injury to the patient.

4 Ways Chiropractic Can Help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Sufferer

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a serious, painful nerve injury that affects many people in Canada. CTS occurs when the median nerve, which runs down a person’s forearm to his or her hand, gets compressed in the eight bones in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. Symptoms of CTS include pain and numbness of the hand and wrist. While there are a variety of treatment options available to those who are afflicted with carpal tunnel syndrome up to and including surgery, chiropractic care has become a popular and effective option.

Here are four ways patients with carpal tunnel syndrome benefit from chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care is documented to work on carpal tunnel syndrome.

While there are no guarantees that any one mode of treatment will work on every person, two studies have shown strong results that back the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment on CTS.

In both cases, the majority of participants showed significant improvement in several measures such as range of motion, finger sensation, and pain reduction. These studies provide evidence to people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients can feel confident in improving their symptoms when choosing to pursue a chiropractor’s care.

Chiropractors provide a less invasive treatment option.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, particularly cases that have gone undiagnosed or treated for an extended period of time, that ends up being too painful and advanced to be handled with medicine may face surgery. However, chiropractic care often helps minimize that option as a last resort. Regular visits to a chiropractor can show positive results in the controlling and healing of many of the CTS symptoms.

Chiropractic care offers an alternative to drugs to manage pain

As with surgery, daily doses of medicine may be a less than ideal plan when managing carpal tunnel syndrome. Certain patients may suffer from issues with the medicine, CTS medicines may conflict with other medication, or they may simply not want to take daily medications.

If medicinal treatment is not an attractive option, a chiropractor appointment is the next logical step. Chiropractic care often helps CTS by adjusting the patient’s elbow and spine.

Another common treatment is bracing. This technique limits the hand’s movements with the goal of allowing the wrist and tendons to heal and recover.

A chiropractor who is experienced with carpal tunnel syndrome is able to review each case individually and make solid treatment recommendations that can alleviate the patient’s dependence on managing the pain with drugs.

Allows patients to learn how to manage carpal tunnel syndrome.

Unfortunately, health problems that produce chronic pain can take a toll on the patient not only physically, but psychologically. Dealing with CTS can make a person feel powerless over their own body. Working with a chiropractor to relieve, control, and heal the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome empowers the patient to be able to feel ownership of managing and improving his or her health.

Workers who perform repetitive tasks daily as part of their job need to be especially aware of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Feeling pain, numbness, tingling, or burning in their palms or fingers may be the first symptoms of CTS. The earlier it’s diagnosed, the more effective less-invasive treatment will be.

Of all the carpal tunnel syndrome treatment choices, chiropractic care offers the dual benefits of being a highly effective treatment while still employing tactics that are not as invasive as other options. If you or a loved one are suffering from this condition, give us a call. We’re here to help!

What To Know About Probiotics and Digestive Health

What are Probiotics

Probiotics are those “good bacteria” we’ve all heard about but what are they exactly? Probiotics are live organisms that help your digestive organs work the way they are meant to.

When working properly your digestive system breaks down the food you eat into smaller compounds. These compounds are then absorbed by your digestive system for your body to use.  Left over material that was not absorbed is then regularly eliminated from your body. This is an important process.

What do Probiotics Do?

Simply put, probiotics help to create and maintain conditions that allows for efficient movement and absorption of food by the gut. Probiotics or “good bacteria” make up your gut flora. Your gut flora is made up of many different types of “good bacteria”;   there are trillions of them and they are meant to be balanced. When the balance of “good bacteria” is no longer ideal then digestive problems can occur.

Common signs of poor gut flora balance

When your gut flora is out of balance there are some common signals that your body may give, to let you know there is a problem.  These signals may be:

  • Gas
  • Bloating
  • Heartburn/Acid reflux
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation

People with diets that are low in fruits in vegetables are more prone to have a poor balance of “good bacteria” to make up their gut flora.

In addition, people who use antibiotics can experience poor balance of “good bacteria” because the medication will kill off useful bacteria as well as bacteria that are causing illness. So, people taking antibiotics may be more prone to experience digestive problems as a side-effect of their medication. If you have taking antibiotics for infection, talk to your prescribing doctor about Probiotics to prevent digestive upset.

The best way to maintain your gut flora is to eat a diet full of vegetables and fruit.  Doing so will have so many more benefits to your health and well being on top of maintaining your gut flora.

If you do not eat a balanced diet, it will take some time to develop that habit. In this case consider using a probiotic supplement. A Probiotic supplement will help to restore and maintain your gut flora, allowing for more efficient digestive function.

Gut health is extremely important to your overall health and well being, so pay careful attention to it. At Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic our goal is for you to experience the health and well-being you are meant to.

Take care.

What Chiropractics Patients Need To Know About Low Back Pain

Although chiropractic is dedicated to finding and correcting vertebral subluxations (also known as spinal misalignments), many patients seek chiropractic care to alleviate pain and other health-related symptoms. One condition that chiropractic patients seek relief from is consistent low back pain.

Even though low back pain plagues many people, finding the exact cause can be a challenge. However, chiropractors are spinal specialists that are trained extremely well to not only help alleviate your pain but also find the cause of the problem.

As you seek help from your local chiropractor, you’ll want to keep the following things in mind:

Prevention Is Key

Prevention is often the best cure for low back pain. When a patient sees a chiropractor, they’ll not only find relief for the low back pain they’re experiencing, but they’ll also learn ways to prevent such pain in the future. By using proper exercise and ergonomic techniques, they can ease their pain before it even starts. Amazing results are easily obtained simply by patients listening to the instructions given by their chiropractic doctor.

Treatment Options Are Available

Fortunately, there are many treatment options for low back pain. Based off of the diagnosis provided by your Doctor of Chiropractic, he or she will be able to suggest the ones that will benefit you the most. These treatments may include one or more of the following:

  • Spinal adjustments delivered either by hand or instrument like an Activator
  • Hot or cold compresses
  • Physical therapy modalities like Interferential Therapy or TENS
  • Massage Therapy or some other form of soft tissue work
  • Spinal decompression therapy

Getting Relief From Your Pain

If you were prescribed pain medication by a medial doctor before seeing your chiropractor, it may still be required to help reduce your pain levels. However, the good news is that you may be able to decrease your pain medication quicker than usual as spinal misalignments are corrected, nerve compression is alleviated and inflammation is reduced. That alone is well worth the investment of time and money to see your local chiropractor.

Rehab Through Exercise

As your care progresses from pain relief to rehabilitation of the spine, your chiropractor will recommend certain exercises to help strengthen your core muscles which, in return, will help stabilize and protect your lower back. Typically, these exercises are performed at the chiropractic office to make sure you understand how to do them without re-aggravating your original complaint. Once you’ve been educated on their purpose and know how to perform them correctly without supervision, you’ll be able to continue them at home in conjunction with the spinal adjustments you receive at the office during maintenance care.

Surgery May Be Avoided

Depending on your condition, you may be able to avoid surgery if you choose to see a chiropractor before your injuries or pain become worse. In some instances, a chiropractor can help you to avoid surgery entirely by helping correct the problem instead of just masking it through pain relief.

The key is to make sure you follow the recommendations of your chiropractor after a thorough consultation and examination are performed. Part of the examination procedures may require X-rays or MRIs. These not only benefit the chiropractor when he or she is developing your treatment plan but will also give you the peace of mind that the problem will be found.

The bottom line is that a chiropractor is the ideal professional to consult with for any unexplained pain in the musculoskeletal system. They’re not only well-qualified to treat conditions like low back pain but also achieve great results in a very affordable and effective manner. If you or a loved one are suffering from low back pain, gives us a call. We’re here to help!

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.