Chiropractic and Swine Flu
May 26, 2009
What could Chiropractic possibly have to do with swine flu? More than meets the eye in fact.
We all know that when you are sick, your immune system is the part of your body that fights off viruses and nasties with all its might. Therefore it would make sense to make sure your immune system is functioning optimally while swine flu is making its rounds (in fact, it should be optimal at all times but that’s for a different article). So can Chiropractic help your immune system function at its best?
Sure it can! Studies show that being adjusted once per week can increase your immune system function by up to 400%
One of the most important studies about Chiropractic and the immune system was performed by Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University. It showed the positive effect that chiropractic has on the immune system for overall wellbeing and health.
On top of this we recommend several other self care tips below.
- Expose yourself to a minimal amount of media – Doom and gloom swine flu pandemic predictions cause fear, anxiety and stress which in turn affects your immune system function in a negative manner.
- Sleep – Make sure you are getting enough sleep. This is when your body does its best work. I don’t need to tell you how much sleep you should be getting, only you know that.
- Toxins and drugs- Limit the amount of toxins and drugs that you ingest as this will put unneccesary strain on your body. If you smoke, now is a good time to give up. The lungs are the organ most affected by swine flu.
- Eat well – Fresh vegetables, fruit and water. Less processed and junk food. Need I say more?
- Exercise – If the gym or running along the seafront is not your thing, find yourselves a cheap 2nd hand rebounder and use it for 10 minutes a day to improve your fitness and health. The benefits on the immune system are numerous.
Top 10 Questions And Myths About Chiropractic
May 23, 2009
As a Chiropractor I receive many questions from patients. I thought it would be a good idea to take an informal poll in the office. The following article is a result of that pole. These are the top ten questions about chiropractic. You might also find that this addresses some of the myths associated with chiropractic adjustments.
- What is a subluxation?
- What is that popping noise?
- Will the adjustment hurt?
- How long will it take?
- Do I need to do any exercises?
- Do you adjust children?
- Do I have to be x-rayed?
- Why does it take more than one adjustment?
- Does my bed have anything to do with my problem?
- What’s the best way to sleep?
A subluxation is a misalignment of the spinal segments. These misalignments place pressure on the spinal nerves. Misalignments that do not put pressure on nerves are not subluxations. These subluxations affect the function of the nervous system. A Chiropractor’s job is to realign these spinal segments allowing the nervous system to operate properly. When the nervous system is compromised it can cause various symptoms. There can be numbness and tingling. Often the person feels fatigue, headaches, neck pain and/or back pain. Since the nervous system controls immunity, the person can be more susceptible to colds and other problems caused by viruses and bacteria.
That noise is simply gas being released from the fluid around the joint. It is the same noise that results from popping your knuckles. There was actually a study done regarding the popping of knuckles. It was actually found that it basically annoys the people around you. There was no evidence of degeneration in the joints.
If you have never had a chiropractic adjustment, you may get what we call “exercise soreness. ” That means that it would most likely feel like you had a hard workout at the gym. Patients love going to chiropractic offices because of the way adjustments make them feel. We always say…….if it hurt who would come back? The doctor will generally recommend some ice or heat depending on the individual case.
A normal adjustment can take about 5-10 minutes. That really depends on what is done on that visit. Procedures that can increase the time of the visit can range from ice and heat to exercise instruction and traction (to reshape the curves of the spine). The majority of chiropractic offices do mostly hands-on adjusting. This means that the doctor adjusts the spine using his hands. Occasionally an instrument called an activator or some other device is used to make the adjustment easier.
In some cases chiropractors utilize exercises to support the chiropractic adjustments and nutrition programs. The exercises help strengthen the muscles around the spine. Stretching exercises may also be used to increase a particular range of motion. A properly moving spine and body should allow you to approach normal ranges of motion in the joints of your body.
Yes chiropractors do adjust children and infants. The chiropractic adjusting technique is different and often the force required is just finger pressure being placed on the spinal segment. Children have much less muscle tension, so it doesn’t take as much effort to re-align their spinal segments. Chiropractors see children with ear infections and allergies just to name a couple. Many of the falls and slips that kids have can cause injuries to their bodies. Parents are happy to get drug-free treatment and preventive care for children.
Not all cases require x-rays. It often depends of the type of chiropractic adjusting technique that the chiropractor uses. They will let you know. An additional factor is the cause of the injury. This can be determined after taking a comprehensive history and exam of the patient. Children usually do not require x-rays films. Most chiropractic clinics do not x-ray pregnant women. After a detailed case analysis the doctor will let you know whether x-ray films are recommended.
It is rare that a patient’s problem has developed over night. It has usually been going on for months or years. It simply takes time to overcome that time gap and the compensations the body has developed. Most people do not seek care until the problem has been going on for quite a while. Here is a great example that we hear a lot. ”I was bending over to pick something up off the floor and I felt a sharp pain in my low back.” The item is nearly always an item that is light in weight. That means that the stress of picking up the object did not cause the injury. The person’s body had a pre-existing area of weakness that was exposed by the act of lifting something off of the floor. That weakness took time to develop and will take some time to correct.
It can. You may have to change your daily habits to get the best results from your chiropractic adjustments. Old mattresses do not support the body. This includes your pillow. It should be of good quality and support your neck curve. Neck pain and low back pain can be exacerbated by a bad mattress and pillow.
Generally the best way to sleep is on your back. Sleeping on your side is also a good position, but there have been some shoulder problems reported. Be sure to turn your entire body when moving to your side. Otherwise, stress can be placed on the shoulder joint and clavicle. There you have it, the top 10 questions polled. Hopefully this cleared up some of the myths about chiropractic while answering a few of your questions.
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