Harvard Study On Chiropractic Care

Harvard Study

Chiropractic care for pain relief
Chiropractic is a health care system that holds that the structure of the body, particularly the spine, affects the function of every part of the body. Chiropractors try to correct the body’s alignment to relieve pain and improve function and to help the body heal itself. While the mainstay of chiropractic is spinal manipulation, chiropractic care now includes a wide variety of other treatments, including manual or manipulative therapies, postural and exercise education, ergonomic training (how to walk, sit, and stand to limit back strain), nutritional consultation, and even ultrasound and laser therapies. In addition, chiropractors today often work in conjunction with primary care doctors, pain experts, and surgeons to treat patients with pain.
Most research on chiropractic has focused on spinal manipulation for back pain. Chiropractic treatment for many other problems—including other musculoskeletal pain, headaches, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, and fibromyalgia—has also been studied. A recent review concluded that chiropractic spinal manipulation may be helpful for back pain, migraine, neck pain, and whiplash.
“Spinal manipulation” is a generic term used for any kind of therapeutic movement of the spine, but used more precisely it is the application of quick but strong pressure on a joint between two vertebrae of the spine. That pressure twists or rotates the joint beyond its normal range of motion and causes a sharp cracking noise. That distinctive noise is believed to be caused by the breaking of a vacuum or the release of a bubble into the synovial fluid, the clear, thick fluid that lubricates the spinal and other joints. Spinal manipulation can be done either directly by pushing on the vertebrae or indirectly by twisting the neck or upper part of the body. It should be done to only one spinal joint at a time. Chiropractors and other practitioners accomplish this by positioning the body so the force they exert is focused on one joint while parts of the spine above and below it are held very still. Most spinal manipulation treatments take somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes and are scheduled two or three times a week initially. Look for improvements in your symptoms after a couple of weeks.
In addition, a chiropractor may advise you about changing your biomechanics and posture and suggest other treatments and techniques. The ultimate goal of chiropractic is to help relieve pain and help patients better manage their condition at home.

Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness
Most people are not aware that the chiropractic philosophy of staying well, as well as getting well by natural means, dates back to ancient Greece. Holism, manipulation and natural healing all were emphasized by Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine”. He said “Nature must heal; the physician can only remove the obstruction” and “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite to many diseases”. Heridicus, a contemporary of Hippocrates, was the first great drugless healer and the “Father of Kinesiology”. He conditioned athletes and ill people through therapeutic manipulation and exercise and was so successful that Aristotle once complained; “He made old men young and prolonged their lives too greatly”. Over two thousand years later, wellness has become a critical focus of health care efforts, treatment and research. Chiropractors specialize in the treatment and maintenance of the muscle, nerve and skeletal systems of your body so that you are pain free and feeling well and also so that you can maintain an active lifestyle and enjoy a high quality of life.

Sluggish In The Afternoon

Sluggish In The Afternoon?
Do you experience low energy in the afternoon? There may be a very simple solution. Chances are that you are eating starchy, processed carbohydrates for lunch. Bread, pastas and french fries put quite a demand on your digestive system. Try this for just a week and see if you don’t feel the difference. For a week eat only proteins and vegetables for your midday meal. That means no sandwiches, and if you must eat a burger, don’t eat the bun. Find a healthy salad or enjoy some soup. You’ll be surprised by how much energy you’ll have in the afternoons. When everyone else is looking for energy in a candy bar or soda, you may want to share your secret!

Arthritis Pain

Easing The Pain Of Arthritis: Think Natural
Joint pain is a primary cosequence of arthritis, a constellation of conditions that effects an estimated 46 million adults and 300,000 children. Arthritis actually refers to more than 100 different diseases affecting areas in and around the joints. There are some natural, nontoxic approaches to ease your arthritis pain, here are a few simple suggestions to consider:
Moderate Activity : Regular exercise helps strengthen the muscles around your joints, increases flexibility and combats fatigue. Any movement can help but range of motion exercises in particular seeem to reduce joint pain and stiffness.
Good Food: What you eat may play a role in reducing arthritis pain or do the opposite – making the pain even worse. Some arthritis patients experience relief when eating a nutritous, well balanced diet (oily fish, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and flare up when eating simple carbohydrates and fatty foods. Bananas, sweet peppers and soy products also may help.
Proper Body Mechanics: Body positioning during everyday movements can have a profound effect on joint stress resulting in pain. To minimize the stress on your joints throughout the day, maintain good posture, bend at the knees when picking things up, and be sure your work space provides adequate support for your neck, back, forearms and upper legs.

Did You Know…

· By the time you are 70 years old, you will have digested about 40 tons of food.

· While your brain is only 3% of your body, it uses 20% of the oxygen your blood supplies.

· Reading in dim light can tire your eyes, but it doesn’t “wear them out”.

· Nerve impulses travel through your spine at up to 300 miles an hour.

Spinal Care Class

Our next Spinal Health Care class is Wednesday September 14 at 6:15 P.M. This class is about 45 minutes in length, reviews what you can do to avoid back and neck problems, how to get better quicker, preventive measures, spinal function and physiology, exercises for a stronger back and neck, and a question and answer segment. This is free of charge, all are welcome, please call the office and let us know you will be attending!

Dr. Benjamin A. Caruso

Fairport Chiropractic

1157 Fairport Road

Fairport, NY 14450