The Feet Are The Foundation Of The Body
Lower back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide. When you’re running make sure to wear proper shoes to help reduce your chances of back pain. If you’re suffering, call us today to schedule an appointment and find out how chiropractic care can help.
Pain Free Living: How You And Your Chiropractor Can Work As A Team
Houston Chiropractor Comments: There are a lot of reasons that people go to see a chiropractor, but getting rid of pain is the most common. As a trained orthopedic chiropractor I have several ways to help make the pain go away, but the key is to do the things that keep the pain away.
The first thing to do is to become aware of is your posture and your positions. Posture will include things like sitting/standing up straight and not slouching. Position will be things like your work station, how you sleep or the number of pillows that you use.
The second thing is doing the appropriate stretches. Most chiropractic problems are associated with muscle tightness. This comes either from improper biomechanics (body movement) or muscle guarding. It is important that the associated muscles be properly stretched in the correct order. For each injured area, there is a correct sequence to get the maximum benefit.
The third thing to do is to break up and prevent future fibrotic adhesions. The 3 main ways that I show patients to do this is via a foam roller, a rolling stick and a small spike ball. The roller is very useful for large muscle groups such as the back and legs. The stick is good for smaller areas such as the IT band, forearms and lower neck. The ball is beneficial for areas around the shoulder and deep buttocks.
The final thing is to do the correct exercises to stabilize the area and balance the opposing muscle. The exercises can be as simple as building up the core strength to challenging specific areas of individual muscles.
As you can see, there are some things for me to do and some things for you to do. As a team we can work to find a way to correct the problem and maintain the correction.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Treatment After Auto Accidents
Houston Chiropractor Comments: Unfortunately there are more than 6 million auto accidents every year. Of these 6 million accidents, 40,000 people will be killed and 2 million will have some form of permanent injuries. The most important aspect of treatment is being seen by a doctor who regularly treats these types of injuries. The best treatment is knowing what to do and, just as important, knowing what not to do.
The best treatment is to begin with what is called “passive” therapy. These are therapies that are done to you and don’t require a doctor or therapist in attendance. This would be things such as ice, electrical stimulation or manual traction. These treatments are rendered to help reduce inflammation, ease muscle spasms and help minimize your pain. This type of care will typically be used for the first week or two before the patient is transitioned to the second type of care, called “active” care. Active care is care that is done with the assistance of a doctor or therapist. This would include therapeutic exercises, massage, mobilization, rehabilitative exercises, cold laser or ultrasound. These are usually done for the next two to 6 weeks to strengthen the muscles and minimize scar tissue. At the end of care the patient should be given home care exercises and stretches to help prevent any re-occurrences of pain and give them the tools to maintain their corrections.
What not to do is just as important. The patient should not be told that all accidents lead to permanent pain or that they will be disabled for life. The patient should be told that pain after an accident is normal, but it will go away. The patient should not be told to put heat on the painful area as this will only increase the swelling around the damaged tissue. The patient should not have an MRI performed during the first couple weeks unless they are having bowel or bladder issues. It is quite common to have referred pain down the arms or legs that are not related to any disc damage. This pain will typically go away in 1-2 weeks with the correct treatment. Often patients will get an MRI of the neck or low back that shows a bulging or protruding disc and the doctor will tell the patient that it was caused by the accident and that they need spinal injections or surgery. Unfortunately, these discs are quite common and found in large portions of the population that don’t have back pain or were not involved in an accident. The patient now thinks that he/she is permanently injured with a “blown disc” and they limit their activities and become “mental cripples”. Too scared to do any activities for fear the pain will return.
After being a doctor of chiropractic for 30 years and treating approximately 10,000 patients, I have found that with the proper treatment most patients involved in auto accidents are symptom free after 2 to 8 weeks. If they are given the correct home based exercises and stretches to perform after they are discharged, and they do them, they rarely have any future problems associated with the accident. It is a matter of the proper treatment and having the patient’s best interest at heart.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Top 3 Benefits of Chiropractic Care
There are numerous benefits to chiropractic care, but here are 3 of the most beneficial to patients.
Tips To Improve Your Posture
Bad posture can have more than just a negative effect on your joint and spine health, it can also effect how you feel overall. A chiropractor can help to correct bad posture habits and provide exercises to improve and strengthen spinal health. Call us today to find out how chiropractic care can help.
You Shouldn’t Have To Suffer To Look Good
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: During this time of the year I have many patients dressing up for proms and graduations. Unfortunately, several of my patients have injured themselves just trying to “look good”. Looking fashionable should not be painful. The next time you have to get dressed up for a prom, banquet or wedding, keep a couple fashion tips in mind.
You do not have wear your grandmother’s orthopedic shoes, but wearing high heels puts an unnatural strain on your lower back. It also increases the likelihood of falls and can lead to hammertoes. A nice low heal or flat will be better on your spine and minimize the chance of falling.
How your clothes fit will also have an effect on how you feel. Tight and restrictive clothes will limit your motion and make it difficult for your body to bend in its normal manner. The restrictive motion will also put additional strain on your joints.
Extra weight is also a problem. I am not talking about your weight, but the weight of large purses, necklaces or earrings. Extra weight puts a strain on your muscles and joints. The necklaces and earrings put an additional strain on your neck muscles and joints. This can lead to neck and upper back pain as well as headaches. The purse should be small and the strap utilized. Attention should be made to switch the side that you are carrying the purse on periodically to prevent a muscle imbalance
These tips may seem trivial, but they have a direct effect on your health and wellbeing.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
5 Fun Facts About the Spine
May is national correct posture month! Here are a few fun facts about the spine that show how amazing it is. Remember to take care of your back, and if you ever have any back pain, give us a call to find out if chiropractic care can help.
Tech Neck or Millennial Hunchback
Many people as young as 20 year olds are suffering from backs as bad as people DOUBLE their age. Starting chiropractic care could be a safe solution to correct the millennial hunchback.
Does Bad Posture Have You in a Slump?
Bad posture can, not only hurt, but also cause major issues. Make sure to protect your spine. Call today if you’re suffering from back pain.
The 5 W’s of Spinal Manipulation
Spinal adjustments can help to reduce pain and increase overall health in the body.
