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Miracle of Walking Upright

A few weeks ago, we had a new patient from the Las Vegas area come in to our clinic. This patient’s pain was so intense that the slightest movement would trigger a great deal of pain. Needless to say, this patient was unable to walk upright. After only a few weeks of care, she was able to walk unassisted! Yesterday, she came in totally pain free!

This is not typical, as usually the road to recovery will vary. Some days you may feel better than you have in a very long time, other days you may feel a new discomfort. All of this is part of the healing process. To see someone who has relied on something else as means for moving around walk without that assistance in such a short period of time truly is remarkable and reminds me of why I am here every day!

Tara F.
Rehab Tech

Suffering with Carpel Tunnel

My name is Kymberly; I am the front desk manager here at Active Life Health and Wellness. I was 18 years old when I first started seeing symptoms of my carpel tunnel. When all of this began to happen, I was just about to graduate from cosmetology school. I knew that this was going to affect my plans for the future. If I can’t use my arms and hands, how can I function properly on the job? I went to my medical doctor who told me I have the option of surgery, or to wear a wrist guard to help ease the pain. I did not want to go with surgery because there was a 50% chance of the symptoms returning.

I didn’t want to give up on my schooling. I worked in a salon for almost a year until I could no longer perform adequately due to the pain.

It’s been about three years since then, and I’ve found myself working here at Active Life Health and Wellness in beautiful North Las Vegas. When I first began working at Active Life Health and Wellness, I’d never been to a Chiropractor. Dr. Joshua Purcell and Dr. Barry Stanley required that I go through our new patient examination so that I could begin care here as well. I explained my situation to the doctors. They told me that the pain I was having would not have been corrected with surgery because the source of the problem is the fact that I have no curve in my neck. Dr. Stanley and Dr. Purcell explained to me that because I don’t have a curve in my neck, the nerves in my neck are being cut off and causing pain where those nerves end; in my hands. They told me that if I began Chiropractic care and restored the curve in my neck, my carpel tunnel symptoms would more than likely subside. I have since been going through treatment in the office and I am having major success! I have noticed that I am able to have my hands above my head for longer periods of time, unlike before. Also, my palms no longer have an ‘achy’ feeling. Even though I am not doing a full course of treatment in the office, I am still seeing results. I know that this could eventually affect my entire lifestyle and allow me to do what I love doing once again.

Introduction to Chiropractic

What is Chiropractic?

Being a type of manual therapy, the practitioner utilizes techniques, forces and manipulations that are administered chiefly by hands. The spinal cord is the center of all therapies for a chiropractic doctor. Their belief is that the spine is the central structure as it allows messages from different parts of the body to reach the brain and vice versa. Under the state of paralysis in any part of the body, it is the spinal cord that can make any limb completely nonfunctional.

Spine Manipulation

Keeping the vitality of the spine in mind, D. D. Palmer brought to life the concept of spine manipulation to deal with vertebral subluxation. It is the practice of applying varying amounts of force to the area of concern in the spine to restore normal functioning. Palmer is popular for applying this technique to a deaf individual (deafness not present at birth) and being successful at restoring his hearing capabilities.

Subluxation

Primarily a chiropractic practitioner deals with a vertebral subluxation. A subluxation is when the spine loses its normal positioning and the neural pathway dysfunction causes a compromise in the functioning of several different parts of the body including the visceral system. A subluxation occurs as a result of a trauma, injury or even a chemical imbalance in the body.

Chiropractic’s Forte

A thorough examination is undertaken before your doctor performs any chiropractic techniques to relieve your pain. Several conditions are beyond the realm of this care. If you have a neurological condition, then you will be recommended to a neurologist and will not be administered any care procedures under a chiropractic practitioner. Other such conditions that cannot be dealt with manual therapies include tumors, broken bones, osteoporosis and arthritis. Areas that can be called its forte are pain in the upper and lower back, neck pain, and headaches, minor injuries related to sports, asthma, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, menstrual pains and the like.

Neck pain

This is said to be the second most valid reason for paying a visit to a chiropractic practitioner. However, neck pain can be caused by a variety of reasons. Several of which can be dealt with utilizing chiropractics. With cervical disc degenerative diseases, pinched cervical nerve, minor injuries to ligaments, herniated disc disease and the like, chiropractic can be very effective.

When the neck becomes an area of concern, several other parts of the body can suffer the impact. Weakness in the arms, shoulders and hands, the tingling sensation in parts of the body supplied by the neck suffer along with the pain in neck. Therefore, dealing with neck pain with the help of a chiropractic practitioner is a wise decision.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Spine and Disc Herniation by Michael Dorausch

Diet for your Disc Injury – Know what Works

An Apple a Day Keeps the Spinal Surgeon Away

One of the cardinal rules that all chiropractors go by is to rely on the human body’s own abilities to heal its own self. In fact, this is exactly why most chiropractors say that patients who suffer from potentially debilitating conditions such as herniated discs can prevent the condition by eating the right kind of foods. Almost 80% of the population suffers from back pain and would rather resort to minimally invasive back treatments to make their pain a passing memory.

Sadly, most people do not see the connection between what they eat and the affect it might have on their backs. Remember, your body needs to ingest the appropriate amount of nutrition in order for the muscles in your back to move as they should. Here is what you can include in your diet to ensure just that –

Power Foods

Your muscles need power foods in order to, well, become powerful enough to support your movements. These are natural food items that provide a great boost of energy in small doses over the course of a few hours. In other words, they can supply an ample amount of energy to keep you going without craving for a sugary donut that will deplete you of any reserves you might have in minutes.

Foods that contain a high amount of antioxidants such as blueberries and salmon that contains omega 3 fatty acids are good examples of power foods. Chiropractors say that foods such as these can keep your body supplied with the fuel it needs to maintain or support your spine thereby preventing you from acquiring a disc injury.

Foods that contain vitamins and minerals can also prevent your back from failing you when you need it the most. Power foods such as these actually aid the body in releasing energy from the food it ingests to keep itself healthy. Calcium and Vitamins such as vitamin D keep your bones strong and durable as well.

Eating right can seem like a difficult prospect in the fast paced societies of today. However, your body shouldn’t suffer for it. Spinal injuries such as a disc injury are nothing to scoff at. Therefore it’s best that you include food items such as whole grains, whole wheat bread and vegetables in your diet. Not only will this help keep your back in shape for the long run it will also help you run on a full tank of gas till lunch time.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Discovery apples.jpg

Gratitude for the Medical community.

My younger brother had a hideous accident last week. He had a fall at home, shattering his left leg. The surgeons held off for a day to stabilize him before performing surgery because they were worried he would lose his patella (kneecap). The patella is not necessary to have, but it makes the leg look very deformed if it is removed.

My brother is still young. He was worried about not walking, or walking with a limp, or needing a device like a cane or walker for the rest of his life. Lots of prayers were said. After surgery, the doctors said they saved the patella! My brother is in for a long, tough road of rehabilitation to be able to walk normally, but we have the highest hopes.

Most Chiropractors are against everything that has to do with the medical community. I have always found this to be a very narrow viewpoint. My brother is a case in point. I am an exceptional doctor. I can assist in repairing even a horribly degenerated spine, but any Chiropractor would have been useless for my brother’s injury. A skilled surgeon was needed, and my brother got one of the best in the valley. I will always be grateful for medical care when it handles a situation like this.

Barry Stanley, D.C., C.I.C.E.
Active Life Health and Wellness

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