Archive for chiropractic
When It Comes to Reducing Arthritis Pain, There Are Natural Alternatives That Can Help
Posted by: | CommentsAs a chiropractor, I know from experience that chiropractic treatment can help to reduce the pain experienced by many arthritis sufferers. Getting the musculoskeletal system in good alignment and helping to increase mobility in arthritic joints can do wonders to decrease an arthritis sufferer’s current pain and also to help to slow the degenerative changes that may add to future arthritic problems. In addition to chiropractic treatment, there are other alternative, drug free approaches that can help to reduce inflammation, neutralize free radicals, and sustain bone mass. Below is an article I just read on Current Arthritis News and Research that I found extremely useful. I think that you will too. Read on…
Many arthritis sufferers have tried unusual and rather nasty ‘cures’ for their disease like enduring bee-stings or covering themselves in cow-manure. The benefits must have been rather less spectacular than the cures or else everyone else would have done the same.
One arthritis cure suggests that half a glass of raw potato juice followed by chewing two or three juniper berries will do the trick! While this may be so, many doctors and scientists researching arthritis have studied the benefits of taking nutritional substances like vitamins. In fact, studies have shown that people with arthritis are mostly deficient in the B group of vitamins, though whether this is due to the disease or to the fact that taking aspirin depletes the body’s stores of this vitamin is not clear.
Vitamin C, E and beta-carotenes are powerful antioxidants that help to neutralize free radicals. These oxygen-reactive free radical molecules are thought to contribute significantly to disease and tissue damage. It has been found that cells from damaged knee cartilage can release great amounts of free radicals. In fact, studies have shown that those who have a high Vitamin C intake have a two-thirds reduction in the risk of further damage to their knees. Well-known scientist Dr. Linus Pauling recommends 18 grams of V-C per day as an arthritis preventative measure.
Osteoarthritis can cause thinning of the bones, and so can prednisone, often given to treat it. It makes sense then to increase the amount of Vitamin D and calcium, both of which are bone-builders. As far back as 1974, British scientists found that lack of vitamin D contributed to bone fractures in the elderly with arthritis. Lack of sunlight and an unhealthy diet both contributed to the lack. The recommended daily dose of Vitamin D is 400 IU or 600 IU if for those over the age of 60. A daily dose of 1200 IU is the limit as this vitamin is toxic if too much is taken.
Vitamin E is also an antioxidant; working in a similar way to vitamin C. Studies in Germany have proven that it can help to reduce pain. Good sources of this vitamin can be found in wheat germ, sunflower seed, corn oil, legumes and whole grains.
While some people swear by the arthritis cure that their copper bracelet brought, there is no scientific link to copper as being an aid to arthritis. In fact the opposite is true. Those with RA often have higher levels of copper in their blood. Too much copper can make you sick.
Selenium deficiency can cause a particular type of arthritis called Kashin-Bek disease, but it is more common where the soil is deficient in selenium, though sufferers of RA have less in their blood than others. Fish, organ meats, whole grains, nuts and beans will provide selenium.
Zinc may help reduce pain, stiffness and swelling. Some trials showed this was true, though others gave conflicting results. Oysters, cheese and tofu are all good sources of zinc.
What is vertigo? Vertigo is a term for the dizzy disturbance that a person feels within a fixed environment. The perception is that the surroundings are tilting or spinning. Vertigo can be sudden and short-lived or chronic. In both cases, the exact cause of vertigo should be uncovered and the necessary treatment undertaken.
There are many causes for the symptoms of Vertigo. An inner ear condition, known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, can occasionally occur as the aftermath of a head injury or severe cold. In addition this kind of vertigo can be the result of the aging process. The cause, however, frequently is unknown. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo may seem like an exceptionally long term, but it describes perfectly this non-progressive condition that is produced by, as its name implies, a quick change in head position. The symptoms are normally unexpected and unpredictable.
To get an idea of what brings about the frequently disabling symptoms of this type of vertigo, it is beneficial to note the function of the inner ear. The brain senses movement and maintains balance through the medium of the fluid contained in the inner ear. The inner ear also contains small calcium carbonate crystals, known as otoconia. These crystals will float in the inner ear fluid if dislodged. As the crystals strike against the sensitive nerve endings in the inner ear, they cause the symptoms of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.
The good news is that chiropractors using a technique known as the Epley maneuver, can get rid of the symptoms of BPPV quickly and effectively. Using this technique, your Sacramento chiropractor slowly turns the head of a BPPV sufferer into several different positions, allowing gravity to move the calcium carbonate crystals away from the nerve endings and into an area of the inner ear where they won’t generate further dizziness.
Your Sacramento chiropractor has assisted hundreds of patients for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo using the Epley Maneuver technique. Often, with just one treatment the majority of patients no longer suffer from dizziness. Call your chiropractor today!
Sacramento Chiropractor: Are Extra Pounds Putting Your Joints on Overload?
Posted by: | CommentsIt is no secret that carrying around excess body weight, especially as we age, can cause a number of health problems from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes to back and joint pain. Extra body weight puts undue stress on organs, like the heart, and on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Over half (62%) of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant number and a big problem (no joke).
Excessive weight, in the form of body fat, is hard on the structure of the human body. It was not designed for the added. Only an additional 20 or 30 pounds can put the musculoskeletal system literally on overload. Weight in the belly, for instance, requires that the body compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This creates compression in the joints of the low back. Joint compression constricts nerve activity and produces painful inflammation. Weight-bearing stresses can cause a pinched sciatic nerve or create misalignments of the spinal column that impinge nerves. This is the reason that most overweight individuals suffer from low back pain. Misaligned vertebra can not only create new arthritic changes in the spine, but can continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place over time.
How can chiropractic help? Though a healthy body weight is absolutely indispensible for the ideal performance of the musculoskeletal system, chiropractic treatment relieves nerve restrictions in the spine and helps to restore motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, like in the low back, hips, and knees. And, exercise and physical activity is a lot easier when the spine is in alignment and the joints have healthy motion. Exercise will not only help in weight reduction, but it can actually delay degenerative changes as we age.
It is always best to discuss diet and exercise with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor. Chiropractors not only help individuals get pain relief from back challenges and joint inflammation due to arthritis, but in addition they offer expert advice on the type of lifestyle changes that can aid an individual in staying healthier and more active through the years. Arthritis and immobility as we get older do not have to be inevitable. The human body was designed for a lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been throwing your weight around and all you’ve been getting in return is back and joint pain, your chiropractor can help relieve your suffering. Make an appointment today!
Your Sacramento Chiropractor: Growing Older Doesn't Have to Hurt
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re over 40 you know that as we age our body responds differently than it did when we were younger. It just doesn’t seem fair that as our mind appears to improve and become more “inventive,” our body seems to become less “cooperative.” We’re stiff when we get out of bed; certain activities during the day make us sore at night; and, if we’re not cautious, even a movement as simple as turning too hastily or bending over to pick up a dropped pencil, can send our back or some other muscle group into spasm. Fortunately, there is natural treatment accessible that can not only slow down the aging process of the body, but help us to avoid some of those problems altogether.
For instance, arthritis. Most of us would agree that, with the exception of pharmaceuticals, conventional medicine does little to take care of this age-related condition. What is the basis for such a limited approach? The answer is that most medical professionals focus only on the symptoms of arthritis. The chiropractic method is to uncover the root of the affliction and get rid of the pain at its source. For over a hundred years, chiropractors, like your Sacramento Chiropractor, have been helping individuals suffering from back pain and other problems caused by arthritic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
Arthritic changes occur as your body ages because, over time, degeneration of certain joints takes place as the result of repetitive stresses, as well as years of poor gait, improper posture, and lack of beneficial movement. Chiropractic treatment brings back motion into your joints and relieves pain, and it corrects any vertebral misalignment that may be causing irritation and restriction. In addition, did you know that misaligned vertebra, along with causing arthritic changes in the spine and escalating pain, can also weaker your resistance and immunity? It’s true, and this may be one of the reasons why it may seem to you that as you get older you experience more health issues and that it frequently takes longer for you to feel better again. According to studies done on older individuals, those who received regular chiropractic care stayed healthier. To put it another way, as you get older, chiropractic treatment is good for what ails you!
When it comes to the health of the musculoskeletal system, chiropractors are highly proficient whether it’s the small, growing frame of an infant or the full-grown body of a mature adult. Your chiropractor is well aware of the body’s aging process and has special observational and diagnostic skills that aid in detecting spinal misalignments and joint problems. In fact, a chiropractic examination can often reveal some age-related conditions before they’ve had a chance to create noticeable pain. Furthermore, your Sacramento Chiropractor can evaluate your posture and check your gait to identify inappropriate patterns that might create further arthritic changes.
So, if feeling your age has become a painful experience, call your Sacramento Chiropractor today!
New Study Finds Tai Chi Can Help to Decrease Knee Osteoarthritis Pain
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Knee X-ray
You may be asking why so many people develop OA. Excessive stress over time is a major element in the majority of musculoskeletal conditions that develop as we age. That is why as people age they are more at risk for developing OA in their joints, including the knees. Abnormal mechanics of the knee, poor gait, compensatory foot mechanics as an offset of foot pain, and overload of the knee joint all create excessive stress on the knees. Eventually arthritic changes in the knee joint develop. As an adjunct to chiropractic treatment, chiropractors wholeheartedly endorse natural, drug-free practices, such as Tai Chi (Chuan), that can mitigate knee pain. Tai Chi (Chuan) is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts that features slow, rhythmic movements that create mental relaxation, as well as increased balance, an increase in strength, and more flexibility.
Though in good health otherwise, the 40 men and women with confirmed OA that were selected for the Tufts study were, on average, 65 years of age and overweight. Individuals were selected at random to participate in 60-minute “Yang style” Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi principles, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement, 10 minutes of breathing technique, and 10 minutes of relaxation.
Tai Chi practice involves the type of range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic workout that is compatible with contemporary exercise recommendations for osteoarthritis. Furthermore, researchers found that the “mental aspect” of Tai Chi promoted a sense of well-being, life contentment, and impressions of health that aided the participants in dealing differently with chronic pain. Significantly, the group practicing Tai Chi displayed a substantial decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group.
Full findings of the study are published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Golf Injuries Can Be Prevented
Posted by: | CommentsInjuries are not unusual with any type of sport. You can often avoid getting injured in a certain sport by finding out what injury is likely to occur, and then do whatever it takes to avoid it. The truth is, though, that sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Consequently, it’s important to be physically fit to make injury less predictable, or less traumatic.
Prior to starting a sport, such as golf, the most critical thing you can do is to be certain that you have the proper fitness level. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, keeping your joints mobile and your muscles limber, preparing your body prior to activity, using proper form and good postures during activity, and giving yourself plenty of cool down and relaxation time, you will probably keep your body safe from injury.
Golf injuries don’t only happen to amateurs. It has been conjectured that close to a third of pro golfers playing in the same time frame are playing injured. The good news is that all-round good health and fitness can reduce the number of injuries that you may experience and might possibly preclude them completely.
Proper body strength in the muscle areas most employed during golf is crucial. However, it’s still prudent to make sure your spine is in good alignment and that it has good mobility prior to setting out to build muscle strength. A proficient golf swing relies on your spine’s capacity to effectually move in a rotational manner. Back injuries are the most common kind of injuries sustained by golfers. To be certain that your spine is in appropriate alignment and there is effectual movement in the vertebrae, see your chiropractor. Chiropractic treatment can make a big difference in helping you to avert back injury.
Once you’ve “straightened,” it’ll be time to strengthen. A safe, injury-free day on the green depends upon your being prepared for your golf game. You can warm up your muscles and make muscle strain less likely by doing golf stretching and flexibility exercises. Whole body range of motion (ROM) exercises will enhance flexibility, often rather fast, in all parts of the body. Furthermore, elastic band conditioning can provide functional golf range of motion advantages and can increase needed energy in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, such as Dr. Yong Kim, are adding elastic band training to their golf conditioning programs because the bands offer dynamic resistance that ordinary weight lifting does not offer.
A large number of golfers have painful “Golfer’s Elbow” besides back injuries. Despite the fact that golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are nearly the same injuries, there is a minute difference between them. Tennis elbow affects the outside of the upper arm whereas golfer’s elbow disturbs the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be a reaction to a single intense action, such as (in golf) hitting the mat at the driving range or thrusting down on a hard fairway surface. Repetitive stress from smaller shocks, though, is most often the protagonist. Moreover, it can come upon those who abruptly start playing too much golf. For example, if a person that generally plays golf once or twice a month elects to play in a tournament, he or she is conceivably at risk for developing the injury.
Golf makes distinctive requests of your body. The game is generally longer than the majority of other sports and that can lead to fatigue. Whenever the body is fatigued, poor posture and decreased coordination often follow. This combination can produce an assortment of injuries. In addition, the shoulder muscles are liable to injury due to the repetitive swinging of the golf clubs. Just as attention should be given to make sure that your muscles are stretched and warmed up prior to starting your golf game, be sure to rest your body properly between games.
carpal tunnel Syndrome is often a surprising injury associated with golf. But, this injury can be the result of numerous games of golf played over a number of months constantly. As it is an affliction that occurs as a result of repetitive stress, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a severe injury creating disability and, on occasion, requiring surgery. However, if a health professional, such as your Sacramento chiropractor, discovers it at an early stage, chiropractic treatment and, sometimes, the use of a brace will relieve the problem.
Quite a few golfers seem to feel that injuries are merely an inescapable part of a golfer’s life. Nonetheless, a healthy, mobile spine, dedicated preparation, specific exercise and muscle conditioning, attaining and maintaining a an appropriate fitness level, and sensible rest and recuperation after your game is over, can make injuries much less a part of your golfing experience.
Dr. Kim is a sports injury specialist. He knows the risks involved in any sport. He can help to relieve the pain of sports injuries you may have already sustained, and he can help you to straighten and strengthen to prevent injuries in the future. Let Dr. Kim help you to get on with your game!
Chiropractic: Drug-Free Treatment for Arthritis Pain Relief
Posted by: | CommentsIt is seldom necessary for you to look for a conventional healing approach if you are suffering from arthritis. On the contrary, some natural techniques may actually be able to help you overcome arthritic pain, even when medical science is incapable of doing so. Sadly, medical techniques regard merely the symptoms of disease, while natural techniques tend to look for the real origin of a problem and then correct it. If you are looking for a natural approach that has proved, repeatedly, to relieve arthritis pain, as well as many other problems, you need look no further than chiropractic care.
For over a hundred years, chiropractors have been helping people suffering from back pain due to arthritis and other arthritic problems. A chiropractor treats individuals who are suffering from musculoskeletal and nervous system problems. Arthritis is commonly inflammation and degeneration of particular joints within the skeletal system. Chiropractic medicine treats the aberrations of the vertebral column that impede the function of the nervous system. These misaligned vertebra, in addition to causing arthritic changes in the spine, can weaken resistance and immunity, therefore producing new health problems.
An effective chiropractor, like Dr. Yong Kim, has excellent observational and diagnostic skills that assist in detecting physical irregularities and joint problems. He performs neurological tests and orthopedic examinations. He may scrutinize your posture as a way of identifying causative or co-creative conditions, and he may also check your gait to determine faulty movement patterns that may produce new arthritic changes as well as add to your present arthritic pain.
Chiropractic therapy is not only a non-surgical, drug-free treatment, but in addition to treating your current pain, you will be offered advice and provided educational information regarding the benefits of individual lifestyle changes, such as exercise and nutrition, that will help to slow down joint degeneration in your body.
So, if you suffer with arthritis, back pain, headaches, neck pain, hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or balance challenges, and you’d like to do more for your body than to just take a pill, chiropractic care may be the answer for you. One way to find out for sure is to go in to see Dr. Kim, your Sacramento Chiropractor, and let him tell you exactly what he will be able to do for you. It’s very possible that you will experience some relief from your problem after only one visit. With subsequent visits, you will continue to make improvements, and it is likely that you will find that this natural treatment works best to relieve your painful arthritis.
Chiropractic: Expert Treatment For Your Low Back Pain
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re experiencing low back pain, you’re not alone. Low back pain affects many people, an amazing 80% in fact, making it second only to the common cold in its frequency. However, contrary to the common cold, waiting for your back pain to “run its course,” and taking prescription or over-the-counter remedies while you wait, is not the answer. The majority of back pain won’t go away by itself. More often than not, if your pain lessens, it is usually due to the fact that your body has compensated for the problem and, unfortunately, is generating new conditions. Low back pain is nothing to sneeze at! If you’d like to eliminate your back pain for good (and who wouldn’t?), it is important for you to see a back pain expert, like Sacramento chiropractor, Dr. Yong Kim.
Back pain is often a mystery to most people who are suffering from it, and chiropractors are skilled in solving their confusion. Most individuals ask: “Why is it that I have not experienced any trauma, accidents, or major injuries before the onset of my pain?” The answer is that the cumulative effects of awkward sitting posture, bad work habits, improper lifting, lack of routine exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related factors create most back pain.
These elements add up over time and produce stresses and imbalances on the spine causing subluxations that can turn into serious back conditions. The process is similar to the front end of your car being out of alignment. When you insist upon driving anyway, there is irregular wear and tear on your tires. If you didn’t get the problem fixed, the situation would worsen until a tire “blew.” When the spine is misaligned, the function of the spine is put at risk. In other words, it’s not only a problem waiting to happen, it’s a problem waiting to get worse. And then, something as seemingly benign as reaching down to pick up a piece of paper can be the “final factor” that generates back injury. When this occurs, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm in order to stabilize the stressed or injured tissues of the back.
Chiropractors have more education, training, and experience than medical doctors when it comes to knowledge and treatment of the spine. They offer state-of-the-art diagnosis and experienced treatment for all musculoskeletal abnormalities. They not only provide welcomed relief if you are suffering from back pain, but they are knowledgeable about what will assist you in avoiding further back pain. As an adjunct to effective adjustments and other productive chiropractic therapies, your chiropractor will give you an individual exercise plan and recommend other healthy lifestyle changes that will keep you well-adjusted and pain-free in the future.
Chiropractic Care Can Help Relieve Tension Headaches or Migraines
Posted by: | CommentsDo you frequently suffer from tension headaches or migraines? If so, then you are painfully aware of their incapacitating impact on your life. Chiropractic treatment can help. Dr. Yong Kim understands the differences between the causes of tension headaches and migraines and he is an expert at treating both.
Tension headaches: Like it or not, life can be a pain, now and then, and result in a tension headache. Many people have suffered from more than one, and maybe you are one of them. If you are someone who’s had a tension headache, then you probably experience it as a dull, aching head pain that is sometimes accompanied by a sensation of tightness or pressure across your forehead or on the sides and back of your head. Occasionally, you might feel a tenderness of your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles, and at times you may experience a loss of appetite.
Tension headaches are generally characterized as mild to moderately intense. The severity of the pain varies from one individual to another, and from one headache to another in the same person. Tension headaches can happen occasionally or you may have them regularly. Your headaches are considered chronic if they occur fifteen or more days a month for at least three months. If tension headaches are disrupting your life, chiropractic care may be the solution.
Migraine Headaches: Migraine headaches differ from the average tension-related headache. For example, migraines more often than not occur on only one side of the head, according to the National Headache Foundation. They throb or pulsate and are accompanied by nausea or vomiting. Auras, visual disruptions an hour before a migraine attack, and symptoms such as pulsating light, lines or dots, are experienced by one-fifth of migraine sufferers.
Migraines have an upsetting, debilitating effect on a sufferers life. If you suffer from migraines, then unfortunately you already know from experience that, more often than not, standard over-the-counter medications are ineffective, and prescription drugs generally have alarming side effects. Yet, the pain of a migraine can incapacitate you for hours, days, even a lifetime. It’s time to finally get rid of the pain and get your life back! Chiropractic treatment has been shown to be highly beneficial in relieving and eliminating migraine headaches.
If you suffer from tension headaches and/or migraines, make an appointment today with Dr. Kim, your Sacramento Chiropractor. He can help!
Chiropractic Treatment Can Help You to Stop Suffering From Hip Pain
Posted by: | CommentsDo you feel pain in one or both hips whenever you twist them or when you cross your legs? Does the pain keep you awake at night and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep? When you get out of bed in the morning, or when you get out of your car, are you stiff and do you find it hard, at first, to move your legs? If you answered in the affirmative to any or all of these questions, it is likely that you have imbalances and alignment problems in the lower part of your body that in addition to creating hip pain can, over time, bring about degenerative hip joint disease if not treated.
Even though hip pain and related problems are often signs of age-related degenerative conditions, especially osteoarthritis of the hip joint, osteoarthritis isn’t always the “culprit.” In fact, rather than being the original cause of the problem, osteoarthritis of the hip joint can be the ultimate result of damage to your hips at a previous time.
Gait changes caused by biomechanical injury such as an ankle sprain or knee strain, can generate hip pain. Furthermore, your gait may shift to counterbalance new body demands such as a job change, an alteration in the way you sit, a new sport or activity, or if you start driving for long periods of time on a regular basis..
In addition, gait asymmetries can occur from leg length dissimilarities, foot pronation (walking like a duck), even carrying a baby or small child on your hip. The point is, anything that generates an asymmetry or imbalance when you are in motion can cause painful hip problems.
Dr. Yong Kim can help in many of these areas. Along with your adjustments, as part of the chiropractic management of your hip problem, he may suggest that you wear orthotics. He will also offer appropriate progressive rehabilitative exercises that include muscle stretching and strengthening.
Hip pain won’t disappear on its own. Hip pain indicates that something needs to be corrected. Get out of pain, get back in balance, and get your life back now! Call Dr. Kim, your Sacramento Chiropractor. He knows what to do to help you!
