Archive for family

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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THE RISE OF THE ‘TEXTING’ EPIDEMIC

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 9, 2013 by chiropracticdouglasville

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Everyone is doing it. Look at a crowd and you can easily see several people looking down at their phones and rapidly moving their thumbs. The newest research is indicating that people are texting more than calling each other. The habit of texting is much higher amongst the newer generations but everybody is texting more and more. A person texting is usually sitting with their phone in their lap. The head is bent forward and down while the eyes focus on the phone. The average person will also roll in their hips and sit in a slouched position.

The recent research by Business News Daily reports that we Americans are spending more than 12 hours a week texting. The position of the body and the time spent in that position is creating an epidemic is our society. The epidemic is ANTERIOR HEAD SYNDROME (AHS). A Structural Chiropractors, concerned with the Human spine being in a normal range of alignment, are having to correct AHS more than ever before.Image

As science and technology are advancing, we are able to determine normal ranges of many things in the body. There is a normal range for Blood pressure, Heart rate, Liver and kidney function etc. The research and years of clinical data has also determined the ideal norm for the spin and a range within which the human body functions at an optimal level. The normal for the spine is completely straight, looking from the front and having three curves when looking from the side. In Anterior head syndrome the person starts to lose the curve in their neck as the head juts forward. The primary condition of AHS has many secondary conditions that start surfacing over time. One secondary condition is bad posture with the head moving forward causing a hump to develop in the upper back region. Other secondary conditions include pain, numbness, tingling in the neck and going down the arm and the hand. Long periods of looking down and texting causes a rapid degeneration and arthritis.

Imagine a bowling ball weighing about the average weight of the human head, about 15 pounds. If you were holding the ball on top of your shoulders you could balance it easily. Now extend your arms out while holding this ball. What happens within seconds is you feel the pressure from the ball in your entire Spine. You would start to feel that way just by holding the bowling ball for few seconds with texting you would be doing it for much longer periods of time. The body would start to misalign itself into an abnormal range. It is obvious why there is  huge concern about the time spent texting, the spine and the health of the person who has developed Anterior head syndrome.

THE HUMP ON YOUR BACK

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 28, 2013 by chiropracticdouglasville

normal-structure-webIt is a sensitive subject with many but it is also very misunderstood. Many have blamed old age on this problem yet we are finding this condition in younger people too. The research is now showing that Dowager’s hump or Granny’s hump is a secondary condition resulting from a primary condition called the Anterior Head Syndrome. There are many documented secondary conditions that are caused by Anterior Head Syndrome (AHS), these include Dowager’s hump, neck, arm and hand pain, headaches, numbness in the arm and hands, nerve impingement Syndrome, muscular tension and spasms, Compressed (degenerated) disc, damaged (degenerated) spine, degenerative arthritis and many more.   Although most traditional doctors treat these secondary conditions, our focus at Planet Chiropractic is find the underlying cause or what is the primary condition an correct it.

 There are many lifestyle factors (physical, emotional and chemical) that cause the development of Anterior Head Syndrome.  A physical trauma like a fall, any type of accidents, sitting or standing in the same  position for long periods of time… can cause an abnormal position in the spine and over time that develops into the Anterior Head Syndrome. The use  of technology is causing many of us to look down all day either at a computer, phone, games, etc. Being in this abnormal position from prolonged periods will worsen  the Anterior Head Syndrome. Emotional stress causes people to go into a protective hunched position and unknowing to themselves they are developing AHS. Even Chemical stress from the air you breath to the environment around you can indirectly cause  the development of this structural abnormality. By the time a person noticeably has Anterior Head Syndrome the damage is already there and professional  intervention from a Structural Corrective Chiropractor is needed to discover the severity of  the structural abnormality and how to properly corrective it.

There is lots of research from the top researchers in the field of human anatomy that have discovered the normal alignment of the spine. There are  ranges of normal throughout your body. There is a normal range for body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate… and there is also a normal range  for your spine. For the spine to be structurally normal it has to be straight from the front and from the side, a person should have a curve in their  neck, mid and low back. The neck curve can be observed from the side, the top of your shoulder and the hole in your ear should be aligned. If the  person is suffering from the Anterior Head Syndrome in their spine than their ear would be more forward compared to their shoulders. Overtime as  the pressure from the Anterior Head Syndrome increases the body starts to develop muscle in the upper back to support the abnormal pressure.  Research shows that for every 1 inch your head moves forward from its normal position equals to fifteen pounds of extra pressure on your upper  back. The development of this extra muscle overtime, is what many have observed to be a hump on the person’s back and is many times referred to as  ‘granny’s hump’. The development of the Anterior Syndrome is primarily a Structural abnormality and not due to the age of the person.

Anterior Head Syndrome is one of the health problems that our office checks everyone for regularly. Our comprehensive structural examinations  helps us measure the amount of Anterior Head Syndrome and allows us to to determine if it is correctable.

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LOSS OF STRUCTURE AT BIRTH

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 12, 2013 by chiropracticdouglasville

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Many infants and children suffer from secondary issues caused by mis-alignments in their spinal structure.  Most commonly infants suffer misalignments in the upper cervical bones of the neck due to birth trauma. These secondary issues include, but are not limited to:  Allergies, colic, crying, depressed immune response, fever, fussing, hyperactivity/ADHD, feeding problems, sleep disruptions, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), reflux, ear infections, depressed respiratory functions, and in unfortunate instances sudden infant death syndrome.  Planet Chiropractic’s own Dr. Awais Butt is a nationally published author and researcher regarding infants and children involving misalignments in spinal structure.  These secondary issues are caused by the primary problems in structural alignment.  These infants do not exhibit the typical secondary symptoms of neck pain and muscle tension seen in adults, yet continue to suffer from secondary symptoms. These secondary issues are due to the primary cause which abnormal spinal structural alignment is creating abnormal nervous system communication between the brain and the rest of the body resulting in abnormal function of the infant’s vital organs (Heart, lungs, digestive organs, immune system, hormone balance, elimination etc.)  Sometimes when there is a misalignment infants are comfortable feeding on one side, but not the other side because they can’t turn their head easily in both directions. The technique for adjusting infants is different than the technique used to adjust adults; there is no “popping” associated with the gas release of the joints, instead the technique utilizes a more gentle pressure resembling a light touch.  Some babies even sleep through their adjustment!  At Planet Chiropractic we treat the entire family, providing optimal structure and performance for a healthier and more fulfilling life!


Always Faithful,
AWAIS BUTT : STRUCTURAL CHIROPRACTOR
OPTIMAL STRUCTURE IS OPTIMAL IMMUNITY