Tampa Chiropractor

Today, as never before, a greater number of Americans are suffering from asthma. It is one of this country’s most widespread and costly diseases. In fact, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, each day 40,000 people miss school or work because of 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 inhaled into the lungs, and create inflammation that clogs and constricts airways, are generally the cause of asthma symptoms. Symptoms include laborious breathing, wheezing, coughing, and constriction in the chest. In severe cases, asthma can be fatal. Medication may transiently ease the symptoms of asthma,however there is no medical cure.

Even though chiropractic is not a therapy for asthma, per se, recent research published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research recorded the results experienced by 81 children with asthma who received chiropractic care. The two-month study revealed that those under care experienced a 45% decrease in the number of “attacks” and that 31% of the subjects voluntarily decided to take less of their medication.

What is the method by which chiropractic care reduces the persistence and intensity of asthma attacks? How can an adjust of the spine affect respiration? Nervous system impedance is eliminated by chiropractic adjustments. Most of nerves that are in charge of bodily functions exit between the spinal vertebrae and travel to their destination. The nerves that affect the respiratory system are included in this network. If impeded, nerves that are in charge of the diaphragm can have a detrimental effect on how beneficially the respiratory system functions. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, why so many men, women and children receiving chiropractic adjustments report improved breathing and an abatement in their asthmatic symptoms.

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

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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 Tampa 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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Chiropractors, like me, agree 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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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 Tampa chiropractor can advise you on how to become more physically active and help you to development an individualized program.

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I just read about a recent Consumer Reports survey of its readers that I, as your chiropractor, found “highly satisfying.” The survey, which included 14,000 Consumer Reports subscribers, found that “hands-on” therapies, led by chiropractic care, were the top-rated treatments for people suffering from back pain. In fact, chiropractors were given the highest “satisfaction with care” ratings, well above those given to medical doctors who administered various forms of care to back pain sufferers

The survey, reported in the publication’s May 2009 issue, found that more than half of the respondents had “pain (that) severely limited their daily routine for a week or longer, and 88 percent said it recurred throughout the year.” The report stated that while many go to a primary care physician first for diagnosis and treatment, the majority were disappointed with the results.

On the other hand, 59 percent reported that they were “highly satisfied” with the care they received from chiropractors. The next highest rated practitioners were physical therapists (55 percent) and acupuncturists (53 percent), followed by “specialized” physicians (44 percent) and primary care physicians (34 percent).

Respondents were also asked to rate the types of treatments they received. Again, chiropractic/spinal manipulation got top honors, with 58 percent rating it as “helping a lot.” Spinal injections were next highest, rated at 51 percent, followed by massage (48 percent) and physical therapy (46 percent). Other highly rated treatments included prescription medications (45 percent), yoga (44 percent), movement therapy and acupuncture (both 41 percent).

According to a Dynamic Chiropractic article on that report, “Chiropractic ranked first out of 11 treatments, including massage, acupuncture, and exercise, in its ability to treat back pain. More readers said that chiropractic ‘helped me feel much better’ than any of the other therapies.” Prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs ranked eighth and 10th, respectively.

So, if you’ve been “highly satisfied” with your chiropractic care, you’re not alone! In fact, more and more people are turning to chiropractic treatment not only for back pain relief, but for a wide variety of painful conditions from sports and repetitive stress injuries to arthritis.

A public version of the report can be found on the Consumer Reports Web site

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Everyday life can be miserable if you suffer from allergies. Unwelcome symptoms such as itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or a skin rash can be the consequence of a simple walk in the garden, a play date with Fluffy, a seafood pasta, or even something as small as a nut. 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 problem breathing. If you have allergies, it may seem that, from time-to-time, your environment is a intensely 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 an extreme allergic reaction while other individuals seem unaffected? It’s a good question. The answer is because some people, like you, have a hyperactive immune system that virtually “freaks out” when they encounter everyday substances such as pollen, dander, shellfish, or nuts.

Can your chiropractor help with your allergy symptoms? The answer may surprise you. Even though chiropractic care doesn’t treat allergies, quite a few men, women, and children notice that they experience ease from their allergy symptoms after getting chiropractic adjustments. This relief occurs because chiropractic treatment affects the complete nervous system, including the autoimmune system. When there’s an impedance in the nervous system, along with other problems, the autoimmune system, whose responsibility it is to assist us in adapting and responding appropriately to our environment, can become under-active or overactive. In the case of your allergies, the breakdown is the latter. Since chiropractic manipulations reduce or eliminate 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 healthy immune system responds appropriately to commonly named allergens in the environment.

So, as explained above, your chiropractor doesn’t directly treat allergies. You could say, rather, that ease 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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Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) affects an estimated 90% of women, at one time or another, and nearly 20% of those women afflicted undergo severe to disabling symptoms. Suggesting to a woman that her PMS is “just in her head” can be not only just plain dangerous, it’s also just plain wrong! There are physiological causes of PMS in the majority of cases, including one that might surprise you — spinal misalignment. That’s right. Your back could actually be the culprit. Spinal subluxations, expressly in the lower back, can commonly produce a complex variety of female health problems in addition to Premenstrual Syndrome, such as pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, incontinence, and even infertility.

Are you wondering how chiropractic can relieve the symptoms of PMS? Chiropractic adjustments get rid of nerve impingement in your body. Your nervous system governs and regulates every cell, fiber, tissue, organ, and system in your body. This includes your reproductive system. If your reproductive system isn’t functioning properly due to nerve disturbance, it can generate a variety of symptoms such as those analogous with PMS. You would most likely experience agitation, pain, heavy bleeding, or severe cramping if your reproductive system were overactive. Under-activity can cause missed periods or infertility. The good news is that if nerve impingement is creating your PMS symptoms, then chiropractic treatment can help because spinal manipulations restore unimpeded activity to your nervous system and, as a result, assisting it in functioning more normally.

Many women find an improvement in their reproductive health, along with improved general health, while under chiropractic care. So, if you’ve been thinking that your PMS is just in head, think again! Then call your Tampa Chiropractor. Chiropractic care is  an all natural answer for PMS that could assist you in avoiding periodic misery, without medication, and keep you healthy and energetic all month long.

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Have you heard that chiropractors treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? Well, that’s not entirely accurate. Chiropractors don’t “treat” ADHD. But, nonetheless, chiropractic care can definitely help children, and adults too, who suffer from it. The reason why chiropractic treatment is helpful is because ADHD is a neurological disorder. Chiropractic manipulations not only help to reduce nervous system impedence in general, but an adjustment can be intentionally directed to stimulate under-active areas of the brain and calm over-active areas as well. A large number of parents are choosing chiropractic care over the common medical practice of giving children Class 2 psychotropic drugs that in many instances have dramatic side effects including personality changes and permanent alterations in the brain. The chiropractic approach to ADHD is natural and drug-free. Nearly all of parents who’ve looked to chiropractic treatment for their children have noted incredible behavioral changes as a result.

Due to the differences between the manner in which boys and girls employ the two hemispheres of their brain, ADHD appears to afflict more boys than girls and, additionally, is often more obvious and easily discernible in the behavior of boys rather than of girls. Prominent symptoms include a hard time 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. Additionally, they commonly 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. Often, the removal of these environmental factors can go a long way in reducing ADHD symptoms.

Determining the presence of spinal abnormalities and express responses to specific neurological tests are part of the complete examination given by your Tampa Chiropractor.

You may be able to help your child to get his or her life back in balance through natural, safe chiropractic care. Before taking drastic pharmaceutical measures, if your child exhibits the symptoms of ADHD, make an appointment with your chiropractor for a complete evaluation. Call today for the health of your child!

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If you’ve been driving around in a big tank-of-a-car and you’ve been in an auto accident, it’s easy to think that you haven’t been injured if your car doesn’t look “hurt.” After all, isn’t that why you’re driving a big vehicle? It’s for safety, right? Then you might be surprised to learn that research has shown that occupants of vehicles, both large and compact, can be hurt far more than might be anticipated from a minor auto accident. In fact, as far as your body goes, there’s truly no such thing as a “minor fender bender.”

Let’s face it. There are going to be reverberations when your body is forced to stop abruptly and without warning. An emergency room attendant may give you a clean bill of health because you haven’t broken any bones, and you might be given a prescription for drugs to relax the muscle spasms that you are undoubtedly experiencing due to the structural changes in your neck or lower back that you sustained from the impact. But, unless you’re actually treated for the bodily trauma you’ve sustained, your situation can go from bad to much, much worse. In fact, many people experience problems years after a car accident as the consequence of their not getting the help they required in the first place.

Your Tampa Chiropractor unequivocally knows what your body undergoes during an auto accident. Chiropractic techniques include treatment for soft tissue injuries and spinal bio-mechanics impairment. And

If you’ve encountered a minor auto accident, you are more likely to need more repair than your car. Neck and back traumas are not only painful in the places in which they happen, but they can also produce pain, tingling, and numbness in your arms and hands and create headaches days, weeks, even months after an accident occurs.

Chiropractic care will provide you with a drug-free, natural road back to feeling good again.  It will assist in putting the trauma of your accident where it belongs – in the past. In addition, because your chiropractor has experience dealing with insurance companies and lawyers, not only will you undergo less physical stress, but less emotional stress, as well!

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You’re not alone if you’re feeling low back pain. Low back pain afflicts many people, a surprising 80% in fact, making it second only to the common cold in its pervasiveness. However, unlike the common cold, waiting for your back pain to “run its course,” and taking prescription or over-the-counter remedies while you wait, is not the answer. The majority of back pain won’t go away by itself. Frequently, if your pain goes away, it is often due to the fact that your body has compensated for the problem, thus producing new conditions. Low back pain is nothing to sneeze at! You need to seek the advice of a back pain expert, like your chiropractor, if you’d like to defeat your back pain permanently!

Oftentimes back pain is a mystery to most people who suffer from it, and chiropractors are skilled in solving that mystery. Sufferers want to know why it is that they have not had any trauma, accidents, or major injuries prior to the onset of their condition? The answer is that the cumulative effects of unsuitable sitting posture, poor work habits, improper lifting, lack of regular exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related factors create most back pain. These factors eventually add up and create stresses and imbalances on the spine creating subluxations that can become serious back problems. The process is similar to the front end of your car being out of alignment. When you persist in driving anyway, there is disproportionate wear and tear on your tires. If you choose not to get the problem fixed, the situation could worsen until a tire “blows.” When the spine is misaligned, the health of the spine is put at risk. It’s not only a problem waiting to happen, so to speak, it’s a problem waiting to get worse. And then, something as simple as bending over to pick up a piece of paper can be the “final factor” that produces back injury. The surrounding back muscles go into spasm when thistakes place to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back.

When it comes to dysfunctions of the spine, chiropractors have more education, training, and experience than medical doctors. They provide highly qualified diagnosis and experienced treatment for all muscular-skeletal dysfunctions. In addition to offering welcomed relief to individuals suffering from back pain, but they are aware of what will help you to avoid further back pain. As an adjunct to effectual adjustments and other productive chiropractic therapies, your chiropractor will provide you with a personal exercise plan and recommend additional healthy lifestyle changes that will keep you well-adjusted and pain-free in the future.

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