An update on MARI!

Posted in Uncategorized on September 9, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

As you have noticed Mari is no longer at the front desk. It was earlier this year that Mari had decided to further her professional career by becoming a Massage Therapist. She is now a full-time student at a Massage Therapy school in Atlanta.

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Although she is still a Chiropractic patient like she was before joining our team at Planet Chiropractic, she is no longer able to commit the hours at the office. We wish her all the best and are thankful for her dedication to Planet Chiropractic and the patients. 

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DO YOU HAVE THE STRUCTURAL ADVANTAGE?

Posted in health and wellness, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , on July 11, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

 

With all the excitement of the World Cup, we get to witness some of the greatest athletes in the world performing and competing with each other. Many of us watching on TV, witness these world class players get the most out of their bodies to win the game. The average athlete that gets to play in these world class games has to be functioning at their optimal levels. With so many skilled players competing any single advantage can mean placing on the team or staying home.
The structure of the body can make huge positive or negative differences in performance for a top athlete and also for the general public that is going about their day working hard and living life. A great example is a car. At the competitive level performance cars are constantly checked for alignment. When winning and losing can be determined in milliseconds, having a structural advantage is something that the pit crew at a race is deeply concerned about. The Structural advantage is very important to professional car racing but the same applies to people driving around everyday. The alignment of your car affects the performance (daily function). If the alignment of the car is off than certain areas (tires, shocks, brakes…) will start to age and breaks down faster than normal. I see this with patients that have certain areas of their body that are wearing down and deteriorating faster than others. Many of such patients have been told, “you are just getting old”. I usually comment with “how old is the rest of Understanding-web

your body and why is it not aging as the area that is bothering you”. After laughing at my comment, most people do recognize that abnormal wear or tear can be because their structure has gone outside of the normal range. The abnormal structure equates to abnormal pressure on the body and this process will deteriorate certain areas faster than the rest.
The misaligned car burns more gas even though it is performing worse costing more too.
This equates for a person that feels they have less energy and gets tired much faster than they used too. For a top athlete all these factors are important to be placed and playing or not. For the average person their structure is also very important for everyday living. At work energy and job performance can equal a raise or getting replaced. This applies to a person’s relationships with their family too. It is hard to keep up with the family and kids if your energy is low and your body is performing like it should. This also applies to fun hobbies and activities. There is no doubt that the average person that is functioning below their body’s abilities is missing out on all that life has to offer. The structural advantage affects all parts of life and allows for a life lived at your full potential.

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ARE YOU SHRINKING?

Posted in health and wellness, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 16, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

Is it true that you lose your height as you age? Is this something that is unavoidable?

You can observe that many people start to shrink over time and although this is a common thing to happen, it is absolutely not normal.

     To fully understand why the height changes, we first need to understand how  a spine works. There are normal ranges for most systems in your body. There are normal ranges for blood pressure, body temperature and, indeed, the spine too has a normal range. A normal spine is straight from the front and from the side there are three curves. These banana shaped curves are in the neck, mid-back and low back. The whole spine is made up of 24 individual bones (vertebra). In between each bone is a cartilage pad called a vertebral disc. When the spine is within the normal range it has the average height of 71 cm.

    There are many different types of stresses that cause a person’s spine to go out of the normal range. A few of these include the birth process, fall, traumas, accidents, and job hazards including, but not limited to, sitting for long periods in front of a computer, driving for long periods, manual labor, etc.

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The people with a shrinking spine and structural abnormalities will experience many secondary conditions such as neck and back pain, disc bulges, radiculopathy,headaches, arm or leg pain, muscle spasm…. People with these issues are at a greater risk of experiencing height loss.

Although most traditional doctors have focused on treating the secondary conditions, a Structural Chiropractor’s first concern is to examine if the issues are coming from a structural abnormality. This is done by a thorough examination that includes Digital Structural Radiographs,  Bilateral Digital Weight distribution analysis, Functional movement analysis and a Neurological exam. The examination determines if the person’s has structural abnormalities and,  if so, recommends a structural corrective care plan to stop the shrinking process

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Don’t Let ARTHRITIS Slow You Down!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 9, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

Arthritis is one of the most common disorders seen in today’s society and can decrease quality of life and function. Some arthritis is a result of old age, while others result from an improperly functioning nervous and immune system. If left uncorrected, arthritis can cause increasingly painful and debilitating movement as the disease progresses. Although there are many great natural or pharmaceutical options to treat the symptoms brought on by arthritis, improving the structure of the body can actually get to the underlying cause.

Arthritis can be broken down into two basic categories: inflammatory and degenerative. Inflammatory arthritis includes Rheumatoid Arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, Lupus, and others. These conditions are caused by an autoimmune reaction in the body that causes inflammation in joints of the hands and feet and may eventually spread to the knees, hips and neck. Degenerative arthritis, on the other hand, is abnormal gradual wearing down of the cartilage within the joint usually from structural abnormalities and repetitive trauma such as work related activity, sports, or from major trauma such as falls and auto accidents. Degenerative arthritis usually affects the large weight bearing joints such as the spine, knees, hips, and ankles but, can also affect smaller joints as well. Degenerative arthritis also produces inflammation but because of wear and tear.

 What are your treatment options?

Traditional doctors have been successful prescribing medicine to treat the symptoms of arthritis and control pain. Although traditional treatment is not correcting the underlying cause of arthritis, it does ease the suffering for a short period of time. As the arthritis progressively gets

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severe enough, surgery may be warranted.

A structural chiropractor, on the other hand, will use safe, effective, and non-invasive methods to manage arthritis. Structural chiropractors are trained to identify and correct primary conditions such as structural abnormalities within the spine that cause secondary conditions like arthritis. A properly functioning spine and nervous system will increase mobility within the joints, decrease the stress placed on them, and restore function to the nervous system.  A properly functioning nervous system has been shown to increase immune system function, which can aid in inflammatory arthritis. In inflammatory arthritis, the body is actually fighting itself because of poor communication between the cells. Since the nervous system is responsible for communication between all the cells of the body, it is it is important to maintain a healthy spine to ensure optimal immunity.

Structural chiropractors can also help degenerative arthritis as well. Degenerative arthritis causes a painful lack of motion in the affected joints, as well as inflammation and neurological interference. The spine is commonly affected by degenerative arthritis and can cause dysfunction within the nerves coming from the spinal cord, itself. A structural chiropractor can help by increasing mobility within these joints and at the same time restoring function to the nervous system so that the rest of the body can function at an optimal level.

 

 

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CAN CHRONIC EAR INFECTIONS BE A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 14, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

Research shows that ear infections (otitus media) are the reason for over 35% of all pediatrician visits. Ear infections are mostly seen in children, however; many adults suffer from chronic ear infections too.

The ear is divided into three parts: the outer ear canal, the middle ear space (where most infections occur), and the inner ear where the balance center and nerves are located. There is a thin, membranous eardrum dividing the outer and middle ear. Inside the middle ear space are small bones that conduct the vibrations of the eardrum to the brain and is connected to the back of the nose via the Eustachian tube.

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In infants and young children this tube is much shorter and is angled. Therefore, it is much easier for bacteria to migrate from the nose and throat up into the middle ear space. As the child grows this tube becomes more vertical, so germs have to travel “up-hill” to reach the middle ear, which is one-reason children “outgrow” ear infections.

This is where Structural chiropractic can help. Structural Corrective adjustments remove interference within the nervous system by correcting misalignments in the spinal column, jaw, and possibly cranial bones, without the use of drugs or surgery. Correcting structural misalignments also reduces muscle tension, decreases inflammation, increases mobility, establishes proper blood flow and also allows lymph drainage, all of which can affect the function of the middle ear and Eustachian tube. According to Dr. Joan Fallon, author of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, “Chiropractic mobilizes drainage of the ear in children, and if they can drain without a buildup of fluid and subsequent infection, they build their own antibodies and recover faster.” Dr. Fallon states that most of the 332 children in the study did not experience another ear infection within a 6-month period. One of the top pediatricians, Dr. Spears, states “I firmly believe that Structural Chiropractic Corrective adjustments can improve ear drainage and decrease ear infections.”

 

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ARE PROLONG PERIODS OF SITTING, INJURING YOUR BACK?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 14, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

Long hours of sitting over time can lead to many health conditions; including Arthritis, degenerative changes in the spine and pinched nerves. These lead to many other diseases caused by lack of activity including weight gain, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.  The diseases usually take years of prolonged sitting to develop, however, in the meantime, warning signals of damage develop such as  neck and back pain, headaches, fatigue, problems in the arms and hands, and lack of concentration.

When we sit all day, we place a lot of stress on our spines.  Improper sitting to look at the computer screen, phone or TV  all day causes our heads to move forward, and our backs to hunch over. The bad position leads to structural shifts in the spine causing the development of ANTERIOR HEAD SYNDROME (AHS).

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Did you know that every inch our head moves forward from of our shoulders, 10 extra pounds of stress is placed on our spine?  So a person that has an AHS of 3-5 inches is putting 30-50 pounds of extra pressure on their spine. Within 2 weeks of developing AHS our spines start to deteriorate. A deteriorating spine directly affects our nerves, compromising the messages that travel from the brain to the different parts of the body. All communication from the brain to the body happens through the nerves so AHS disrupts total body function.

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It is very important, in order to avoid AHS that we practice proper ergonomics especially if we are going to be sitting for long than 30 minute periods.

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Proper sitting ergonomics include the following, the head should be straight and NOT in a down position most of the time. The back should be straight or tilted 10-15 degrees. The arms should be at 90 degree angles and the wrist should be slightly flexed. The legs should be either right under the knees or a few inches forward. It is a bad habit to tuck your feet under the chair.

Due to fact that most people have not practiced proper ergonomics, they have already developed structural shifts in their spines. It is the primary purpose of a Structural Chiropractor to locate these structural abnormalities.  Once a structural problem has been found, Correctional Chiropractic Care specializes in restoring normal structure and function to the spine and to all the nerves that control the rest of the body.  The correction of the underlying problem causes many of the structural abnormalities that sitting all day have caused to be resolved and  the entire body functions at an optimal level. When the spine and nervous system are working better, the rest of the body will also work better.

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Chiropractic Day at the Georgia Capital

Posted in Uncategorized on March 14, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

It is of extreme importance for us Chiropractic Doctors to stay active at the capital. With all the different interests and lobbyists at the capital, laws are constantly changing. With in a short period of time the law can change to make it illegal for you to walk in to a Chiropractor’s office or even getting Structural Corrective Adjustment. All this because the opposition can have a vested interested in stopping us from providing care to our patients.

Can you imagine a world where it is illegal to get checked for Structural Spinal Misalignments in your body or even get adjusted. It is possible and therefore my state association is always staying active at the capital.

It was my honor, as the president of the Georgia Council on Chiropractic,  to lead this Chiropractic Day at the Capital.

Thank you to all those that attend and gave us your support!

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CAN A STRUCTURAL ABNORMALITY CAUSE ASTHMA?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 14, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

First, what is asthma? Asthma is a chronic lung condition that inflames and narrows the airways within the respiratory system, which can cause wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, and pain. Asthma can occur in all ages, but we are going to focus on the adolescent population.

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Studies show that about 1/3 of all asthma patients within the United States are children, it has been shown that parents with asthmatic children lose over $1 billion by staying home from work to care for their children. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), there is no “cure” for this condition. Traditional doctors treat the cause of asthma with medications that the children must be on for life to control the symptoms; these medications are estimated at $1 billion annually. However structural chiropractor’s main focus is on finding the cause of the patient’s asthma.

What we do as structural chiropractors is analyze the spine, checking for any structural abnormalities. Using a series of examinations which includes digital structural radiographs, structural analyzer, and palpation we check the patients spine. It is known that the nerves coming from the mid-back in the spinal column go directly to the lungs and airways, according to Francis Adams, M.D. astructural misalignment present in those areas can be a reason for asthma and breathing difficulties. Also Structural abnormalities in the upper part of the neck cause a back-up of the lymphatics and problems with the tubes draining the middle ear.

So how do structural chiropractors correct these interferences? If the examination shows a structural misalignment in the spine, the structural chiropractor will use corrective adjustments to correct the structural misalignment(s), once these structural corrections are made the nerves leading to the lungs are now free of interference and therefore working at an optimal level. When information optimally flows from the brain to the lungs and airways that were once interfered with, they can now properly function. This leads to a decrease in the inflammation and to the expansion of the narrowed airways, which in turn leads to reduction of the asthma like symptoms. The correction of the child’s spine restores the structural imbalance allowing for the proper drainage in the middle ear.

There have been many case studies in chiropractic dealing with asthma in children. Ages range from 6 months to 10 years old all with positive results. These results include all ofthe following, less asthma attacks, no asthma attacks, reduction in medication use and the complete cure of the condition. In a case study by Dr. Fedorchuk D.C  A 6 year-old girl presented to his office with uncontrolled asthma for three years, the patient was on several medications which she took daily with no help. The patient was under structural chiropractic care and after 30 days was off all medications, and x-rays revealed an increase in lung volume.

Another recent study which was published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health in 2011. The research done at Planet Chiropractic in Douglasville, Ga clinic, reported on improvement in a 20 month old girl undergoing structural chiropractic care and revealed that structural chiropractic may play an important role in managing children with respiratory syncytial virus and ear infections.

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HOW DOES STRUCTURAL CORRECTION EFFECT PATIENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , on January 8, 2014 by chiropracticdouglasville

In the past most people believed that Traditional Chiropractic works great for only neck and back pain. The advances in research, technology and science have revealed that because Structural Corrective Chiropractic Care has a direct effect on the nervous system, that it directly helps with emotional and psychological health too.

Ground-breaking research has identified the actual changes that occur in the body, the nervous system and the brain during Structural Corrective Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments.The study was conducted by award-winning Auckland researcher, Dr Heidi Haavik-Taylor. It demonstrates that Structural Chiropractic Care sends signals to the brain that improve the way the brain balances it’s hormones and chemicals

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The process of a spinal adjustment is like rebooting a computer. The signals that these adjustments send to the brain, via the nervous system, reset muscle behaviour patterns,” said Dr Haavik-Taylor. He further explained that by stimulating the nervous system we can improve the function of the whole body; and now we have scientific evidence to prove it.

According to B.J. Palmer, “D.D. Palmer was the first man to discover that insanity was caused by displaced cervical vertebrae, that by replacing them the patient could be restored to normal condition.” B.J. also described his expert testimony in a case where he stated, “If an atlas is subluxated it makes abnormal the functions of the brain” In answer to the question, “What is to be done in insanity?” he admonished his reader to “Go back to cause. Adjust that and return that brain to its normal capacity and capability.” The benefits of Structural Chiropractic Care were further witnessed at several inpatient mental health facilities, where chiropractic adjustments were the dominant clinical service provided.

In 1922, the Chiropractic Psychopathic Sanitarium was established. The facility was later known as Forest Park Sanitarium. North Dakota Judge A. W. Ponath noted that at the North Dakota state mental hospital, the “cure and discharge rate” ranged from 18-27%, compared to 65% at Forest Park. Another facility, Clear View Sanitarium, was established in 1926. In 1951, Clear View was acquired by the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Thousands of cases were reported of significant positive changes in patients suffering with mental disorders.

The 1970s saw a renewed interest in chiropractic care and mental health issues. In 1973, Dr. Herman S. Schwartz published a book titled “Mental Health and Chiropractic: A Multidisciplinary Approach.” In his book Dr. Schwartz had published a preliminary report of 350 patients afflicted with a “nervous or mental disorder” and reported that the majority of them showed improvement under chiropractic care.

Everything we experience is processed through our nervous system. When our perception of the world is distorted by nerve interference, due to a structural abnormality, it compromises our ability to respond appropriately. A body that is within a normal structural range experiences better physical and mental health!

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Can Heart Disease Be Reduced With Corrective Chiropractic Care?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , on December 2, 2013 by chiropracticdouglasville

In the past most people believed that the only way to reduce Cardiovascular (Heart) Disease was through diet, exercise, sleep, not smoking, and getting regular cholesterol and blood pressure checkups. The latest advances in research and science have revealed that  Corrective Chiropractic Care has a  more dominant impact than previously thought in the reduction of heart disease.

The studies indicate an overwhelming YES!!! to the question, can Correcting structural abnormalities in my spine help to  improve heart function?

According to current research, structural abnormalities in the spine may be a significant factor in a number of disorders. The lack of a proper Spinal foundation can aggravate a person’s nervous system and lead to a variety of different dysfunctions. According to Dr. Nate Blume, “The body’s homeostatic mechanism is thrown off.” Dr Blume was the chief officer of a major breakthrough study that focused on two areas: the relation between blood pressure, and heart rates. Chiropractic research from other doctors has also supported his findings. Repeatedly the researchers found that Structural Correction helped to lower heart rates in patients suffering with above average heart rates.

The main reason thought to be the basis for this finding is that Corrective Chiropractic Care has a therapeutic effect on the nervous system, which has a direct effect on heart rate variability. Researchers have also proposed that Corrective Chiropractic Care does relieve pain that may have caused an increase  in heart rates.  Stress was another factor that was considered.  Pain leads to increased stress, which in turn can cause an elevated heart rate. Thus Corrective Chiropractic intervention directly addresses the cause of the problem.

Another  related study investigated the connection between “systolic and diastolic blood pressure” and anxiety levels, and quantified the changes after subjects received Structural Correction through Corrective Chiropractic Care. Results showed a lowering in not only blood pressure, but also anxiety, again showing evidence that cardiovascular disease can be reduced with Corrective Chiropractic Care.

In a more recent case study, a man at age 54 pursued chiropractic care and his lipid panel normalized following the recommended regime of the health program he followed. Only Corrective Chiropractic Care – not traditional care – was applied in his treatment.  The authors are hoping to expand studies like these and quantify their results.

Dr. Matthew McCoy, published and conducted the above case study,  he stated that all of these findings make sense:

If you damage, compress, or otherwise interfere with the neurological structures in the spine this can have far-reaching implications on the functioning of the body. We are finding that structurally correcting the misalignment or abnormal motion associated with these spinal problems reduces the nerve interference.

McCoy explained that removing  nerve interference is the key to reducing problems related to cardiovascular disease, which is what was experienced by the patient in the above mentioned study.

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