Costa Mesa Chiropractic

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Archive for June, 2009

Costa Mesa Chiropractic Clarifies How Chiropractic Care Could Help You to Breathe Easier

Jun 29

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Costa Mesa Chiropractic wants you to know how chiropractic care can help if you suffer from asthma:  Nowadays, as never before, more and more Americans are suffering from asthma. It is one of this country’s most prevalent and costly diseases. In fact, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, every day 40,000 people miss school or work due to asthma; 30,000 people have an asthma attack; 5,000 people visit the emergency room due to asthma;1,000 people are admitted to the hospital due to asthma;and, 11 people die from asthma.

Allergens or irritants that are breathe into the lungs, and result in inflammation that clogs and constricts airways, are generally the cause of asthma symptoms. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest. In extreme cases, asthma can be deadly. There is no medical cure for asthma although medication may temporarily decrease the symptoms.

Despite the fact that chiropractic is not a treatment for asthma, per se, recent research published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research recorded the results experienced by 81 children with asthma who were provided with chiropractic adjustments. The two-month study disclosed that those under care saw a 45% decrease in the number of “attacks” and that 31% of the subjects voluntarily chose to decrease their medication.

How can chiropractic care assist in reducing the persistence and severity of asthma attacks? What does an adjustment of the spine have to do with respiration? Nervous system impedance is removed by chiropractic adjustments. The majority of nerves that regulate bodily functions exit between the spinal vertebrae and travel to their destination. This includes those nerves that affect the respiratory system. If impeded, nerves that control the diaphragm can have a profound effect on how vigorously the respiratory system functions. It isn’t inexplicable, then, why so many adults and children under chiropractic care report improved breathing and a reduction in their asthmatic symptoms.

If you or someone you love has asthma, and it is generated by, or exacerbated because of spinal subluxations, chiropractic may be beneficial. Call your chiropractor today and see if chiropractic adjustments can help you to breathe a little easier.

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Chiropractor Costa Mesa Asks: Does Your Computer Use Give You a Tingling Feeling?

Jun 25

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Chiropractor Costa Mesa is concerned that if you sit for extended periods at a computer, you may be experiencing lower back pain, upper back pain, and/or neck pain that also radiates down one or both of your arms generating additional pain, pins and needles, or numbness. Neck and shoulder pain are, in fact, the most common upper-extremity musculoskeletal problems among computer users. In a 2002 study tracking 632 computer users newly hired at major Atlanta companies, Dr. Fredric E. Gerr, an occupational medicine physician and ergonomics investigator at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and colleagues observed that roughly 60 percent developed neck or shoulder pain in the first year, though the study did not track how long symptoms persisted.

Younger generations growing up in the digital age are also joining the ranks of the “typing wounded.” Surveys at two universities found that 40 to 50 percent of undergraduates experienced upper-extremity pain from using their computers. Colleges do not build dormitory furniture to be ergonomically adjustable, said Dr. Benjamin Amick, scientific director of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, who was a co-author of those studies. “They build it to be indestructible.”

In addition to repetitive stress problems, sitting at your computer too long places your upper back in a sustained, stressful posture, especially if you tend to lean forward when you’re working. This also puts your neck at an unnatural and strained angle. Lower back pain, in addition to being generated by simply sitting for long periods of time without getting up and moving around, is aggravated by bad posture.

Problems caused by extended computer use can not only lead to an inability to perform your work duties, but can keep you from enjoying the rest of your life, too. Your Costa Mesa chiropractor can assist in eliminating the lower back pain, upper back pain, and/or neck pain that you are currently experiencing. After that, it is important for you to become mindful of your body as you sit at your computer, and to give your body what it naturally needs. You can cultivate the habit of both sitting straight in your chair (as opposed to slouching) and relaxing your shoulders. This will help to relieve tension in your lower and upper back and neck. Take time to stretch periodically to ease muscle tension and encourage healthy blood flow. If your work station permits, sitting on an exercise ball can not only aide in keeping you in a beneficial posture, but can help to strengthen your core muscles as well. (Make sure that the ball is the right size so that when you are seated on it your arms are at a ninety-degree angle to your keyboard.)

Good posture for ease of movement, variety in the motions that you do, and short breaks to relax and stretch will go a long way in keeping your computer work (or play) pain-free.

Partial source: The New York Times, Health Review, June 22, 2009

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Chiropractic Costa Mesa: "Motion Is Life!"

Jun 22

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chiropractic Costa Mesa believes in exercise and, in fact, that “motion is life.” We, humans, were designed to walk, to run, to dance, and to move all the muscles of our body for our entire lifespan. So, naturally, it follows that we either “move it or lose it!” Our aging “Baby Boomer” population is discovering just how true this cautionary advice is when it comes to energy, vitality, mobility, and good health in later years. With every year of our life, we have much to gain from being physically active…and plenty to lose by living an immobile or sedentary lifestyle.

As our age-related risks of chronic disease increase, regular physical activity can actually slow down the trend. In addition, research has shown that people who have already developed coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Type 2 diabetes, and other age-related chronic diseases can benefit substantially by increasing their physical activity and, therefore, often can manage their chronic illness with fewer medicines.

Furthermore, some studies suggest that the cardiovascular benefits an individual gets from physical activity may also help the brain stay healthy. “Physical activity influences the frontal region of the brain,” says Dr. Bradley Hatfield, professor of Sports Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. So, if you’ve been wondering what the best thing is that you can do to keep your brain young, the answer may be for you to take a long walk. A key factor is that exercise thickens the brain tissue and builds more synapses in the brain.  The brain has 10 billion nerve cells, called neurons, and on average, neurons are connected to each other through 10,000 synapses.  Every time we exercise, more synapses form and the active brain gets stronger.

On a regular basis, being physically active increases the quality of life (period). Some of the benefits include improved energy levels, mental sharpness, balance, strength, flexibility, and weight control. Moreover, regular aerobic exericise has been shown to help in the management of depression, anxiety, and stress.

So, even though the facts point conclusively to the validity of the “move it or lose it!” warning, they also confirm that it is never to late for you to “move it” and regain your health!

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Chiropractic Costa Mesa Advises: Step Slowly Into Physical Fitness

Jun 18

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chiropractic Costa Mesa wants you to exercise, but advises that you take precautions: You may have read on this website, or elsewhere, about recent studies that have shown that physical activity is requisite to getting and staying healthy, especially as we age. But, if you’ve been inactive for awhile, even the idea of exercise might seem “exhausting.” The best way, then, to approach this much-needed addition to your lifestyle is, literally and figuratively, to do it one step at a time. A smart “first step” is to see a health care professional, like your chiropractor, for a full physical examination. Once it is confirmed that you won’t make matters worse through movement, then the next step is simply to start moving a bit each day.

Any movement is a step towards better health and physical fitness. Walk a lap (or two) around your house or apartment. Put that TV remote away and get up to change the channels. As your body becomes accustomed to moving again, you will probably discover that you actually want to move more. Then you can slowly add additional movement to your daily routine. Increase the walk around your house to a walk around the block, a walk in the park, or even a walk through the shopping mall. Walking with a friend can often help to keep you on track(especially on those days when you’d rather sit and veg, then get your body moving). If you are physically able, take the stairs instead of using the elevator as often as you can. Park farther away from the entrance to the supermarket and make it a goal to put more and more parking spots between you and the entrance.

After a few weeks of regular physical activity, you will begin to feel the healthful benefits of movement. Then you’ll be ready for new ways to build flexibility, fitness, and muscle strength. Your chiropractor can advise you on how to become more physically active and help you to development an individualized program.

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Chiropractor Costa Mesa Offers A Surprising Solution to Your Allergy Symptoms

Jun 17

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Chiropractor Costa Mesa offers a surprising solution for your allergies:  Everyday life can be miserable when you have allergies. A walk in the garden, a play date with Fluffy, a shellfish stew, or even something as small as a nut can cause such unwelcome symptoms as itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or a skin rash. To make things worse, for some of us allergic reactions can go from just plain irritating to dangerous and life-threatening as our air passageway constricts and we have a hard time breathing. It may even seem to you, from time to time, that your environment is a pretty hostile place and that the world around you is, in fact, out to get you!

Why does your body react, or rather overreact, to the environment with such a severe allergic reaction while other people seem unaffected? It’s a valid question. The answer is that some people, like you, have a hyperactive immune system that literally “freaks out” when they are confronted with common substances such as pollen, dander, shellfish, or nuts.

Have you been wondering if your chiropractor can help your allergies? The answer may surprise you. Even though chiropractic care doesn’t treat allergies, quite a few individuals notice that they experience ease from their allergy symptoms after receiving chiropractic adjustments. This relief occurs because chiropractic adjustments affect the entire nervous system, including the autoimmune system. When there’s an impedance in the nervous system, in conjunction with other problems, the autoimmune system, whose task it is to assist us in adapting and responding appropriately to our environment, can become under-active or overactive. The problem is the latter when it comes to your allergies. Since chiropractic manipulations decrease or take away disturbances in the nervous system and bring back balance and harmony to the body, the manipulations provide that same homeostasis to the auto-immune system as well. A strong immune system reacts appropriately to supposed allergens in the environment.

So, as pointed out above, your chiropractor doesn’t directly treat allergies. You could say, instead, that relief from your allergies is merely a part of a well-adjusted nervous system. Make an appointment, today, to see your chiropractor and get back into harmony with your environment.

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Chiropractic Costa Mesa Warns: Excessive Cell Phone Use Can be Painful

Jun 16

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chiropractic Costa Mesa is interested in keeping your joints healthy and gives advice on how to reduce elbow pain: We all know how “irritating” it can be when someone is talking loudly on a cell phone (as long as that person isn’t us!). Honestly, doesn’t it seem as if you can’t even take a quiet walk along the beach or in the park without someone walking by shouting into their cell phone? You could say, in fact, that nowadays the excessive use of cell phones has become a pain in our psyche. Well, the detrimental effects of excessive cell phone use apparently doesn’t stop with “pain in the brain.” A new report outlines the prevalence of “cell phone elbow,” an affliction in which users experience pain and numbness in their elbow due to extensive cell phone use. The idea is similar carpal tunnel syndrome, and the effect on the muscles and tendons concerned is essentially the same except a different nerve is pinched. Instead of being located in the wrist, cell phone elbow (”cubital tunnel syndrome”) cell phone elbow originates in the elbow region and results in pain or numbness in forearms, as well as tingling in pinkie and ring fingers. According to a study from the Cleveland Clinic, doctors are seeing more and more individuals experiencing these symptoms.

What exactly produces the problem? Holding a cell phone to the ear causes the elbow to bend, thereby stretching the nerve between muscles and tendons. When the arm is bent for long periods of time, the nerve gets inflamed. “Repetitive, sustained stretching of the nerve is like stepping on a garden hose,” said Dr. Peter J. Evans, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Hand and Upper Extremity Center. “With the hose, you’re blocking the flow of water. With the elbow, you’re blocking the blood flow to the nerve, which causes it to misfire and short circuit.” The first symptom of cell phone elbow is usually pain just below the elbow in the forearm. This is usually followed by the sensation of pins and needles in the pinkie and ring finger. In the most severe case those fingers can curl up and become difficult to use.

The good news is that the condition is easily preventable and treatable. Users are simply encouraged to avoid holding their phone in one position for too long in order to reduce the amount of strain on the affected muscles. For those who are already feeling strain, it is advisable to do simple stretches in order to help prevent some of the damage.

And, of course, a quiet walk in the park or along the beach with your cell phone turned off or, better yet, left behind, would not only go along way in reducing cell phone elbow, but it might do a lot to improve the health of your psyche as well!

This study was published in the May issue of the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine.

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Chiropractic Costa Mesa: Don't Let PMS Put You On the Bench

Jun 15

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Chiropractic Costa Mesa is interested in your total wellness as a woman, and offers this information regarding chiropractic treatment:  At one time or another, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) disturbs and estimated 90% of women and nearly 20% of those women afflicted undergo severe to disabling symptoms. Inferring to a woman that her PMS is “just in her head” can be not only just plain risky, it’s also just plain incorrect! In most cases, there are physiological causes of PMS, including one that might surprise you — spinal misalignment. That’s right. Your back could actually be the culprit. Spinal misalignment, expressly in the lower back, can often cause a complex variety of female health conditions in addition to Premenstrual Syndrome, such as pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, incontinence, and even infertility.

Are you wondering how chiropractic can ease the symptoms of PMS? Chiropractic treatments get rid of nerve impedance in your body. Your nervous system instructs and regulates every cell, fiber, tissue, organ, and system in your body. Your reproductive system is included in this master regulation. If your reproductive system isn’t functioning properly as the result of nerve interference, it can cause a variety of symptoms such as those analogous with PMS. When your reproductive system is overactive, you might experience agitation, pain, heavy bleeding, or severe cramping. Missed periods or infertility can be caused by an under-activity reproductive system. On the positive side, if nerve impedance is creating your PMS symptoms, then chiropractic treatment can help because adjustments restore harmony and balance to your nervous system and, as a result, help it to function more normally.

Along with improved overall health, many women experience an improvement in their reproductive health, as well, while under chiropractic care. So, if you’ve been thinking that your PMS is just in head, think again! Then call your Costa Mesa Chiropractor. Chiropractic management provides  a natural, drug-free answer for PMS that could help you to avoid periodic misery, without medication, and keep you pain-free and energetic all month long.

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Chiropractor Costa Mesa Offers A Natural, Drug-Free Approach to Treating ADHD

Jun 14

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Chiropractor Costa Mesa offers pediatric chiropractic information for you and your child:  You may have been told that chiropractors treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Well, that’s just not true. Although chiropractic care can certainly help children, and adults too, who suffer from it, chiropractors don’t actually “treat” ADHD. The reason why chiropractic treatment is effectual is that ADHD is a neurological disorder. Chiropractic manipulations not only effective in reducing nervous system disruptions in general, but an adjustment can be intentionally directed to stimulate under-active areas of the brain and calm over-active areas as well. Because a chiropractic approach to ADHD is natural and drug-free, quite a few parents choose chiropractic care over the standard medical practice of giving children Class 2 psychotropic drugs that have dramatically negative side effects such as personality changes and permanent alterations in the brain. The vast majority of parents who’ve chosen chiropractic treatment for their children have reported amazing behavioral changes as a result.

Because of the differences between the manner in which boys and girls use the two hemispheres of their brain, ADHD seems to afflict more boys than girls and, in addition, is commonly more apparent and easily recognizable in the behavior of boys rather than of girls. Prominent symptoms include difficulty concentrating and sitting still, inability to control impulsive thoughts and behaviors, easily distracted by noises and activities, incessant movement of fingers, hands, arms, feet, or legs.

Quite a few children who display ADHD symptoms are hypersensitive to certain foods, such as dairy or gluten products, and sugars and artificial sweeteners. In addition, they routinely have a hypersensitive reaction to additives in foods, herbicides and pesticides used to grow non-organic fruits and vegetables, and laundry products such as detergents, fabric softeners, and other chemicals. Frequently, the exclusion of these environmental factors can go a long way in easing ADHD symptoms.

Determining the presence of spinal abnormalities and particular responses to specific neurological tests are part of the comprehensive examination offered by your Costa Mesa Chiropractor.

Natural, safe chiropractic treatment can give your child a chance to get his or her life back in balance. If your child exhibits the symptoms of ADHD, before taking drastic pharmaceutical measures, call your chiropractor to make an appointment for a complete evaluation. For the health of your child, call today!

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Chiropractic Costa Mesa Suggests Lifestyle Changes in Middle Age Work Wonders!

Jun 4

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Chiropractic Costa Mesa knows that wellness is about your overall lifestyle. This is what you need to know:  Doesn’t it seem that healthy lifestyle information is everywhere you look these days? There are magazines and TV shows all about healthy foods and beneficial exercises. There are even recipes for nutritious meals in the newspaper. But, even though more Americans today are aware that eating nutritious meals, getting exercise, and keeping their body weight down is essential for health and longevity, a new study reported in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Medicine has found that the number of middle-aged and older Americans who have adopted a healthy lifestyle has actually declined substantially in the past two decades. Using data from a large government health survey, researchers found that in 2006, only 26 percent of Americans ages 40 to 74 said they ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. That’s down 16 percent from the 42 percent who responded in the 1988 survey! When it came to exercise, the same kind of decline was reported. Only 43 percent said they worked out at least 12 times per month, versus 53 percent in 1988. Not surprisingly, the rate of obesity in the United States went in the opposite direction, from 28 percent in 1988 to 36 percent in 2006.

The findings were based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a regularly conducted government health survey. Researchers focused on surveys conducted between 1988 and 1994 and between 2001 and 2006, which together included more than 15,000 Americans between the ages of 40 and 74. They looked at rates of five lifestyle factors involved in preventing a range of health risks: maintaining a normal weight, getting regular exercise, eating enough fruits and vegetables, not smoking, and drinking moderate amounts of alcohol.

Though the study cannot tell us why healthy lifestyle habits are on the decline, lead researcher, Dr. Dana E. King, of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, said that one reason may be that these changes are just difficult to make. “People’s increasingly hectic lives may be making it hard to fit in regular exercise, or to sit down to healthier, home-cooked meals rather than eating take-out.” He suggested some simple steps can make a difference. “It’s not hard, for example, to take some fruit to work with you, instead of going to the vending machine.” (Parking a little farther away from your destination and walking a bit can help, too.) Most importantly, Dr. King stressed that “it’s never too late” for middle-aged and older adults to make lifestyle changes for the better. In fact, in an earlier study, King and his colleagues found that when middle-aged adults newly adopted a healthier lifestyle — including regular exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables — their risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dying over the next several years fell by as much as 40 percent.

If you think about it, there aren’t many things in life that carry an “it’s never too late” guarantee. So, why not start today, no matter what your age may be? Your healthy future is depending on you!

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