Archive for chiropractic
As a Chiropractor in Sacramento I know the debilitating effects of back pain. Though some people try to “ignore” their back pain in the hopes that it will go away on its own, the majority of individuals know that back pain is difficult, if not impossible, to ignore. back pain is a constant. It interferes with a person’s ability to work and to enjoy daily life, and it makes it impossible to get a good night’s sleep. In addition, many people know that untreated back pain can cause further musculoskeletal problems. But it will, no doubt, come as a surprise to almost everyone that unaddressed back pain that lingers six months or more has been linked with a loss of brain volume that’s equivalent to 10 to 20 years of normal aging. That’s right! According to new research at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, back pain can significantly age the brain! A. Vania Apkarian, Ph.D. and co-author of the study, said that the decline has to do with how the brain adapts to pain, and such decline can damage a person’s ability to assess emotional cues and control emotion.
If you are someone who needed one more reason to make an appointment with your chiropractor to get the treatment you need for your back pain, the possibility of significant brain decline might just be the “inspiration” you needed! Be smart (and stay smart) by calling your Sacramento Chiropractor today!
1707 Professional Dr Sacramento, CA, 95825 USA
dr.yongkim@gmail.com • 916-483-6722
As a Sacramento chiropractor I see many pregnant women in my clinic, and I treat them not only for common low back pain associated with pregnancy, but for other pregnancy symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, and swelling due to water retention or joint stress. A healthy pregnancy is crucial for both mother and baby. And although regular chiropractic care during pregnancy is very important, there are many other influences that can affect a woman’s health during her pregnancy. Some of these influences are well-known, but others are not. In fact, I just ran across a new study released in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives that discusses the effects of high levels of common flame-retardant chemicals on the thyroid hormone levels in pregnant women. It is the first large study to investigate levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their effects on the highly sensitive thyroid hormone in pregnant women. “Normal maternal thyroid hormone levels are essential for normal fetal growth and brain development,” stated Jonathan Chevrier, one of the study’s authors and a researcher in epidemiology and in environmental health sciences at UC Berkeley, “so our findings could have significant public health implications.”
Where are PBDEs found? Just about everywhere, such as in carpets, textiles, foam furnishings, electronics and plastics. PBDEs can leach out into the environment and accumulate in human fat cells. Is it any wonder then that PBDEs can be found in the blood of most American residents? And, if you live in California the situation is even more criticaul because of the state’s rigorous flammability laws. Concentrations of the chemicals in blood and breast milk have increased dramatically in the last three decades.
Though it is not currently known just how the chemicals interfere with thyroid function, researchers believe that PBDEs could bind to thyroid receptors and alter how the hormone is released. The bottom line, however, is that these chemicals are dangerous, especially for pregnant women. “Our results suggest that exposure to PBDE flame retardants may have unanticipated human health risks,” said Brenda Eskenazi, a professor of epidemiology and of maternal and child health at UC Berkeley.
As a Sacramento Chiropractor I know how important it is for all of us to maintain good balance, especially as we age. Good balance helps us to walk without stumbling, get up from a sitting position without swaying, and to climb stairs without missing a step. In other words, good balance is extremely important to our health and well-being. And, even though many adults aged 65 and older report episodes of dizziness, “wooziness, and other balance-related challenges, getting older, in and of itself, doesn’t have to mean a fall is inevitable or that being younger includes an exemption. In fact, a new research study found that remaining physically fit and sticking to a regular exercise routine lowered the risk of taking a tumble both the old and young, especially if you’re a male.
As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, falls for both men and women of any age can be serious. The overall statistics on the number of falls sustained each year in the U.S., not only for people 65 years and older but for younger individuals as well, may surprise you. Nearly 19,000 people die each year from falls and almost 8 million seek treatment in emergency rooms. And, as mentioned, although falls are the leading cause of injuries among people age 65 and older, the study revealed that young people fall down just as frequently as seniors!
Let’s face it, even though reaching old age can be a very “risky” business in many ways if we don’t take care of ourselves along the way, as far as falling goes younger people are more likely to intentionally engage in risky activities than seniors, such as standing on ladders and ledges, running, and playing sports — activities that can often lead to a serious tumble.
But, no matter what a person’s age may be, the more physically fit we remain reduces our fall potential, especially if you are a male. The study included individuals between 20 and 87 years of age. Of the 10,615 participants in the study, done be researchers, lead by Kristin Mertz, M.D., at the epidemiology department at the University of Pittsburgh, 20 percent reported falling in the past year. Of those who fell, 15 percent fell while walking. Surprisingly, the study found that women were 2.8 times as likely to fall while walking as men, but that the fitness levels of the participants only seemed to make a difference in men falling while it did not appear to have the same effect for women. The study found men with low fitness levels were 2.2 times more likely to fall while walking than were highly fit men.
“We were surprised to find that fitness and physical activity seemed to have a stronger relationship with walking-related falls in men compared with women,” Mertz said. As a chiropractor, I am surprised with that finding as well.
And, as your Sacramento Chiropractor, I would like to add the following commentary: Whether you are young or older, male or female, maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition, routine exercise, and regular chiropractic adjustments can benefit the entire body and help to maintain your fitness level and balance acuity as you age.
Look for research study results in the only July issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Source: Health Behavior News Service
Help Your Young Baseball Player to Avoid Injury
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Okay, as a chiropractor I continue to advise my patients, young and old alike, that routine exercise is a vital component to good health. And, since one in three children in the US is either overweight or obese, it’s apparent that getting enough exercise is becoming a national crisis. That said, exercise, especially when it involves sports activities, should be engaged in with the utmost caution. And, not just for the middle-aged “weekend warrior,” but for children as well. In fact, here’s a shocking statistic regarding kids and the “great American pastime”: According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2008, nearly 200,000 children aged 14 and younger, were treated in hospitals, doctor’s offices and emergency rooms for baseball-related injuries.
Why do so many injuries occur? Well, for thing, young athletes today are taking on the kind of intense fitness regimen that can lead to overworked limbs, and overworked limbs, particularly arms overworked from repetitive throwing, can result in injury. In this case, it the old saying “it isn’t whether you win or lose but how you play the game,” couldn’t be more true and truer still is how you practice “pre-game.” Coaches and parents need to advise their young baseball players to not only practice proper form, but to avoid over-exertion. And, kids need to step up and let the coach or a parent know when they’ve had “enough” practice for one day.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recommends the following tips, which we, chiropractors, fully support:
- Always take time to warm up and stretch before and after play. Research studies have shown that cold muscles are more prone to injury, specifically:
- If a child is pitching, he should concentrate on stretching his arm, shoulder and back muscles.
- If a child is catching, the focus should be on the legs and back.
- Children should not be encouraged to play through pain. It is important that they take breaks.
- Limit the number of teams on which your child is playing in one season. Kids who play on more than one team are especially at risk for overuse injuries.
- Wear a batting helmet at the plate, in the “on deck” circle waiting for your turn at bat, and during base running.
- Coaches must teach and allow practice of proper sliding techniques before using a bag, including breakaway bases. Players younger than 10 should not be taught to slide.
Exercising Can Make You Both Healthy and Wise
Posted by: | Comments“Motion is Life.” That is my mission statement as a chiropractor, and my goal is to get as many of my patients as possible moving into pain-free daily exercise routines. There’s just no getting around it, our bodies are meant to move, and when we don’t let them (or in some cases “make them”), every system in our body suffers. Exercising is crucial to our overall well-being, and not just for physical health and strength, but mental “power” as well. In fact, a new study, led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, has found evidence that regular exercise speeds learning and improves blood flow to the brain.
I’m sure that if you already exercise you are aware that your thinking tends to become more clear and sharp after a good workout and cool down, even though you may have been unaware that by exercising you were actually increasing the volume of blood flowing to your motor cortex. The point is, exercise is clearly a “smart” thing to do. So, keep it up if already exercise, and if you don’t, GET MOVING. But, see your chiropractor first to be sure you’re well-adjusted!
The findings are available in the journal Neuroscience.
You Can’t Afford to Injure Your Joints
Posted by: | CommentsI just read an interesting article in the health section of newyorktimes.com about the “financial” benefits of protecting your joints. As a chiropractor, when it comes to the health of the joints of the musculoskeletal system, protecting the joints from injury and unnecessary wear and tear are key to preventing painful and often debilitating problems as our body ages. As I mentioned in past articles, degenerative arthritis can be appreciably decreased and even avoided with proper education, exercise, and treatment. However, I have found that, unfortunately, it’s hard for people to “get motivated” now to do something about potential problems. But, adding a financial incentive may just do the trick!
Did you know that more than 400,000 people a year have one or more hips or knees replaced? And, did you know that the cost for a new hip or knee is $30,000 to $40,000? Even if you have insurance, your out-of-pocket expenses can still be quite substantial, especially when you include the cost of days off from work.
The article offered several “preventative measures” that might help your joints to stay healthy longer. And, with the exception of its suggestion that glucosamine and chondroitin “probably are of limited benefit,” I am in agreement with the article’s joint protection suggestions.
- control your weight
- stay active in “low impact” exercise and sports
- try to avoid injury
- get fit
- be skeptical*
The article in its entirety is well worth the read (and implementation), even if your current motivation is a only financial one. Click on the link for more information.
* I have witnessed the highly beneficial results of glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation.
Spring Is In The Air!
Posted by: | CommentsAah, Springtime! The fragrance of daffodils, lilacs, and hyacinth fills the air. However, for some people it's "Achoo!" Springtime because, unfortunately, along with the lovely fragrance of spring blooms comes pollen and other materials that ride on the sweet air currents as well! Seasonal allergies can make your everyday life miserable. Rather than relaxation, a walk in the park can produce itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or even a skin rash.
Fortunately, if you're one of those people whose immune system virtually "freaks out" when spring is in the air, chiropractic treatment may help to relieve your allergy symptoms. How?
Well, even though chiropractic care doesn't actually treat allergies, per se, chiropractic manipulation affects the entire nervous system, including the autoimmune system, which is the source of your allergic responses. When the detritus of spring floats your way, your autoimmune system, whose task it is to help you to adapt and respond appropriately to your environment, becomes overactive. Since chiropractic adjustments can lessen or even completely eliminate disturbances in the nervous system and bring back balance and harmony to the whole body, along with a variety of healthy corrections, chiropractic adjustments provide homeostasis to the autoimmune system as well. A healthy immune system responds appropriately to so-called allergens in the environment, including pollen.
So, if you want to get back into harmony with birds and the bees and the flowers and trees, give your chiropractor a call. Springtime should be nothing to sneeze at!
Drugs…Just in Case?
Posted by: | CommentsA Lot More Than You May Think Depends On Your Health
Posted by: | CommentsENJOY A MORE SATISFYING SEX LIFE! Okay, now that I’ve gotten your attention, let’s talk about your health. As a chiropractor I advise my patients everyday about the need to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially as they age. An individual’s “invincible” 20s give way to a few health challenges in their 30s, and then almost exponentially an unhealthy lifestyle starts showing up frequently in the organ and musculoskeletal systems of the body. But, even given an armful of reasons to get and stay healthy, a lot of people still continue along the slippery slope of bad health choices. So, here’s a reason that will, no doubt, be put on the top of the heap, for getting and staying healthy: A new study making “breaking news” today shows that people who are in good health are nearly twice as likely to be interested in sex in middle and older age and also more likely to report having a busy and satisfying sex life.
Sexual activity has long been associated with health benefits and longevity, but these reseachers say that this is the first study to look at how general health affects the quality of sex as people age and to calculate what they call a person’s “sexually-active life expectancy.”
The researchers gathered information from more than 6,000 men and women in midlife and later life. The researchers estimated that at age 55, the average sexually active life expectancy is 15 years for men and 10.6 years for women. But, here’s the kicker. Researcher Stacy Tessler Lindau, an associate professor at the University of Chicago wrote in the journal BMJ, “Although the period is longer for men, they lose more years of sexually-active life as a result of poor health than women.”
The study found both men and women in very good health were 1.5 to 1.8 times more likely to report an interest in sex than those in poorer health. And, among those who were sexually active, good health was not only associated with more frequent sex (once or more weekly) in men, but with a good-quality sex life in men and women.
So, if you haven’t been interested in developing a healthy lifestyle, but you’re still interested in a healthy sex life, you may want to reevaluate your current diet, increase the amount of exercise you get on a regular basis, learn to deal effectively with your life stresses, and start drinking plenty of water every day. Because now you have one more good reason to get healthy and stay that way.
