So many new Frisco chiropractic patients arrive after car accidents that we’ve thought of changing our name! “Accident Chiropractic Frisco” seems about right. Fortunately the accidents are usually minor and the people involved are able to walk away, seemingly unaffected.

They may experience a little stiffness or soreness at first, which is usually ignored by the drivers and passengers as they are so relieved to have escaped major injury. However it is quite common for car accident injury to go hidden for weeks or months. When discomfort from the injury does begin it may be experienced as headaches and tension, with increasing levels of back and neck pain.

The symptoms may worsen over time preventing him or her from performing their normal daily activities and may eventually completely debilitate a person. Many people suffer from these symptoms without realizing that their injuries resulted from their seemingly small car accident.

Without getting properly diagnosed, some people will use painkillers or wear braces to temporarily reduce the pain. Months or years of needless suffering can result.

Car accident victims would do well to visit a chiropractor. Chiropractic doctors specialize in treating soft tissue damage and structural mis-alignments, and, here at Wellness Care Chiropractic Frisco we are very familiar with car accident chiropractic for injuries.

We take x-rays and assess your injuries. When we show our patients their films most are surprised how very misaligned their necks and joints get from low-speed car accidents. Receiving regular chiropractic care is a natural way to relieve the pain and tension caused by whiplash and other accident-related injuries.

Dr. Hansen or I will readjust your neck and back, gently getting it into proper alignment. Typically we will use muscle stimulation devices to reduce tension, and finally, we train you to do correct exercises to strengthen specific muscles. As chiropractors we treat pain naturally and directly by correcting the underlying musculo-skeletal imbalances rather than by prescribing drugs.

I believe in and practice chiropractic care in Frisco because it is natural and not invasive. No surgery tools, cutting, or blood loss is involved. All alignments of joints are done with the force of our hands. At Wellness Care Chiropractic we provide provide relief treatment for your problem, therapeutic massages, nutritional advice, and specific exercises to restore and promote your overall health.

Be wise! See us soon after an accident to be certain you don’t have hidden injuries that may affect you later. Don’t wait until the insurance company quickly closes your case! Often insurance policies cover the complete cost of chiropractic for car accident injuries.

Dr. Grant Stowell, D.C.

With Active Release Techniques® our Frisco chiropractic center can quickly diagnose and treat the result of sports trauma and the underlying causes of pain from repetitive stress injury. Many of our patients have immediate improvement on their first visit and complete recovery within 4-9 visits depending upon the injury and its severity. It is particularly valuable for athletes who can return to top performance quickly.

Different Injuries – Same Cause

These seemingly different types of injury – “sports trauma” and “overuse injury” – are actually quite similar in that the pain, stiffness and lack of flexibility has the same source – our bodies’ healing responses to injury.

Adhesions Are Fibrous Scars

When damaged, tendons, muscles and ligaments are repaired by the body’s adding fibrous tissue to them and around them – scar tissue. Less flexible than the original muscle and more sensitive to pain, the scar tissue is meant to be laid down along the length of muscles to isolate and strengthen them. Sometimes the tissue is laid down irregularly – across the muscle width or even is attached to nearby structures and other muscles. These “adhesions” can result in pain, loss of flexibility and diminished strength.

Active Release Techniques are designed to lengthen muscles, separate them, and eliminate adhesions caused by improper scarring. Range of motion is thereby increased, flexibility and muscle strength improved, and inflammation and pain reduced.

Combining Diagnosis With “Manual” Treatment

Each Active Release session that we provide at our Frisco chiropractic center combines examination of the injury and a treatment specific to that area. ART is a “manual” process; we use our hands to evaluate tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves for tightness and range of movement, even the texture of muscles is noted. Abnormal tissue is treated by applying specific, directed tension to muscles while the patient performs slow, full-range movements – the “active” part of Active Release. In this way adhesions are stretched and broken away from their improper placement, muscles then move smoothly over one another.

Because Active Release Techniques are very focused on individual structures they are similar to aggressive exercise in that the treatment can initially be uncomfortable. After ART sessions we usually provide ultrasound treatment of the affected area to reduce inflammation and promote healing.

Active Release Techniques® Is For Everyone

Active Release Techniques can benefit anyone. From injuries in the heat of competition to slowly accumulating aches, pains and tingling years in the making, Active Release Technique is a fast, non-invasive and effective healing approach for many soft tissue injuries.

- Dr. Grant Stowell, DC
Wellness Care Chiropractic Frisco TX

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.

1. What is a subluxation?

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.

2. What is that popping noise?

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.

3. Will the adjustment hurt?

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.

4. How long will it take?

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.

5. Do I need to do any exercises?

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.

6. Do you adjust children?

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.

7. Do I have to be x-rayed?

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.

8. Why does it take more than one adjustment?

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.

9. Does my bed have anything to do with my problem?

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.

10. What’s the best way to sleep?

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.

Chiropractic care is a method to maintain good health conditions of the spinal column, discs, related nerves and bone geometry. The fascinating thing is that its done without drugs or surgery. Chiropractors say that it is the art and science of adjusting misaligned joints of the body, especially of the spine. Spinal nerve stress is greatly reduced through Chiropractic Care which promotes health throughout the body.

During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrinological changes that occur in a human body, creating the environment for the developing baby. This also involves weight bearing changes which causes added stress to the spine. Chiropractic care during pregnancy not only can help you to stay more comfortable, but can also help to facilitate your birth.

During pregnancy, the pelvis can get misaligned. When this happens, the amount of room available for the fetus greatly reduces. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint. Less amount of room may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. Through Chiropractic Care, pelvic balance and alignment can be obtained.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy may provide the following benefits

• Helps to maintain a healthier pregnancy
• Helps in controlling symptoms of nausea
• Increases the likelihood of full-term delivery
• Can reduce the time of labor and delivery
• Helps relieve back, neck or joint pain
• Can prevent a potential cesarean section

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is absolutely safe for both mother and fetus. Spinal adjustments are especially gentle during pregnancy. This is due to the increase in hormones released during pregnancy which causes significant muscle and ligament relaxation. Hence less force is required to correct sub-luxations Special adjustable positions can also be provided ensuring comfort and safety for both mother and fetus.

Specialised doctors who are licensed to diagnose and correct subluxations are called Chiropractors. Currently there are about 100 Chiropractic Physicians in the United States and Canada who have completed a 3 year post-doctorate degree. They specialize in maternity and pediatric care. According to Chiropractors the frequency of care varies for a number of different reasons. Normally, regular care during a non-complicated pregnancy will range from once per week to once per month.

So, as a pregnant woman adjusts to her new body during her pregnancy, it is important for her to learn and understand the benefits of chiropractic care. Small adjustments may improve her overall health as an expectant mother. Also chiropractic care is a drug-free approach to pain reduction and that eliminates unnecessary complications that might arise due to intake of unnecessary medication. And above all, scientific studies have proved that chiropractic care works! Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy is proved to restore balance to the pelvis and the muscles and ligaments that attach to the pelvis. That leads to better deliveries for you and your baby.

We shouldn’t forget that pregnancy should be a time full of health and happiness! It should not be a time to suffer from pain or discomfort. Contact your local Chiropractic Physician who has specialized training in maternity care and work with him so that you can experience the quality of life you and your unborn child deserve!