Archive for Chiropractor
Let’s face it, there’s just nothing good to say about belly fat. In fact, when you look at all the studies that have come out recently about the adverse effects of excess weight around the midsection, even Santa Clause doesn’t look all that jolly anymore. As a Wichita chiropractor, I’ve explained to my overweight patients who are experiencing low back pain that too much weight in the middle is likely the culprit. The spine wasn’t designed to haul around excess weight on a regular basis. As an individual puts on extra fat in the belly, the spine starts to distort and compress, which creates pain and discomfort. Belly fat can also cause the pelvis to tilt forward and pinch the sciatic nerve. But, if low back pain and sciatica aren’t enough to get you to change your eating and exercise habits, how about this: A new preliminary study suggests that excess fat in the abdomen during middle age can actually boost the risk of dementia later in life!
It is estimated 24.3 million people worldwide suffer from dementia. In the new study, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine examined the medical records of 733 people with an average age of 60 years. (Note: Nearly 70 percent were women.) The study found that increasing levels of body-mass index in middle-aged individuals corresponded with lower brain volumes when they are older, i.e., lost mental capacity, especially when the excess fat was in the middle.
So, there you have it. You have one more good reason to get rid of those extra pounds, especially around your midsection. Lose the weight, lose your back pain, but don’t lose your mind!
3101 North Rock Rd #100 Wichita, KS, 67226 USA
info@wichitachiropractor.net • 316-636-4444
April is Foot Health Awareness Month
Posted by: | CommentsDid you know that April is Foot Health Awareness Month? As a chiropractor, I think that it is always good for us to have special days set aside to look at the various areas of our health that we might improve upon. That said, if you are someone who experiences foot pain, you are, no doubt, aware of your feet every single day, week, and month of the year, especially if you are on the run for fun or fitness. Running, though “naturally” good for us, can be hard on our lower extremities for all sorts of reasons from bad gait and poor running shoes to the surfaces we choose to run on.
The impact forces during running can be two-three times your body weight and this, in and of itself, makes your feet particularly vulnerable to injury. Add to this general vulnerability the frequent reasons for foot pain and injury mentioned above, and its no wonder that so many people suffer from foot problems. Pain-free feet are important whether you run or not, but if you’re a runner (or thinking of becoming one) it is critical for you to make sure that your feet, and the rest of your body as well, are in good shape for it. As experts in restoring and improving motion in the entire musculoskeletal system, your chiropractor can examine your feet, analyze your running mechanics, and determine if certain conditions need correction before you continue, or begin, a running regime. With summer just around the corner, more runners than ever will be hitting the roads, parks, and tracks. If you’re planning on being one of them, whether you currently have foot pain or not, it’s a good idea to see your chiropractor, just to “run” on the safe side.Drugs…Just in Case?
Posted by: | CommentsAs a chiropractor who believes in the human body’s ability to heal itself, often with the aid of natural, non-invasive, drug-free chiropractic treatment, I am always dismayed, but never surprised, at some of the pernicious claims and tenacious effrontery of drug companies when it comes to pain killers, in general, and the “treatment” of a number of conditions that don’t get any better with drugs or are made worse by them. And, as a chiropractor who has helped hundreds of headache sufferers not only get temporary, but permanent relief, when I read about a drug study for yet another pain med that will likely keep headache sufferers numbed to their pain, but in the process numb to the rest of their life as well, I feel like shouting from the rooftops: “Try chiropractic first!” But, today, when I read about a study, sponsored by Merck (who also makes the product), I really felt compelled to say that this particular study is shamefully playing to the fears of migraine sufferers when, in fact, the drug itself only offers “less severity” at best when it comes to a migraine headache.
The study, conducted by Dr. X. Henry Hu of Merck & Co.and colleagues, found that one in five migraine sufferers had “avoided” a work-related commitment because they were afraid of getting a migraine, while 27 percent reported canceling a work commitment for this reason, and round 28 percent said they had avoided or canceled social commitments due to fear of migraines.
I have treated many patients who told me how much they’d “feared” the onset of a migraine and limited their activities in life because of that fear, so I do understand how devastating the fear of migraines can be. And, yet, the only “solution” this study offered?
This study is “important,” said Dr. Hu, because the unpredictability of migraines could contribute to people’s anxiety and fear about them and early treatment with migraine drugs called triptans can help reduce headache severity. “Because of the lack of predictability of future migraine attacks, migraine sufferers may benefit from increased education on the importance of keeping medications available at all times,” he and his colleagues concluded.
My conclusion? If you suffer from migraines, give your chiropractor a call today!
SOURCE: Headache, published online March 25, 2010.
As a Wichita Chiropractor I commonly hear this question asked by those considering chiropractic care: “If I start going to a chiropractor, will I have to always go?” I often wonder why this particular question doesn’t come up for someone who goes to a general medical practitioner. Think about it: How strange would it be if someone asked, “If I go to Dr. Smith for a general checkup and he gives me a prescription for a temporary condition I might have, will I have to see him ‘forever’?” The answer is “Of course not.” You don’t have to see Dr. Smith again, but you probably will for your yearly or bi-annual checkup and, naturally, in between if you’re not feeling well.
The same is true when you go to see a chiropractor. Most of the time, individuals go to see a chiropractor because they’re in pain (not feeling well). After the chiropractor has treated them and gotten them out of pain (a ‘prescription,’ so to speak, for a temporary condition), the chiropractor will probably suggest maintenance care (a general checkup even when you’re feeling okay). The only difference is that a chiropractor will likely suggest that you come in monthly. Why? Because chiropractors are all about preventative care whenever possible. Maintenance care is like a “tune up” that not only helps your body to maintain the “crisis” treatment you received when you were in pain and keeps you healthier and stronger so that you can avoid future injuries, but during your maintenance visit your chiropractor can make sure that you don’t have a “temporary condition” that needs to be corrected before it becomes “crisis” treatment.
Cumulative effects of awkward sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of regular exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related influences can produce pain, often excruciating pain, in your back, neck, shoulders, hips, knees, etc. Getting “checked out” and “readjusted” on a regular basis keeps small conditions from becoming big problems.
So, to the question “If I start doing to a chiropractor, will I need to go “forever”? The answer is “No, but you may want to, for your health’s sake!”
Athletic Tape Isn’t Just For Sports Injuries!
Posted by: | CommentsAs a chiropractor I treat many people who suffer from arthritis, and I also help individuals who have sustained sports injuries. With the former, I use chiropractic adjustments and with the latter, in conjunction with the adjustments, I often use kinesio taping. Now, it appears that athletic tape can also be beneficial in treating patients with arthritis. Read on…
Athletic TapeResearchers in Australia have found that athletic tape can be used to improve pain from patellofemoral osteoarthritis, a form of osteoarthritis found around or behind the kneecap.
This was a small study, to be sure, involving only 28 people, 14 with and 14 without patellofemoral arthritis. Yet the findings may provide another therapy option for people with this knee pain. This finding may also benefit people with chronic patellofemoral pain, which is relatively common in runners and can oftentimes be related to a misalignment in the knee joint.
The researchers from the University of Melbourne enlisted the 28 participants, all adults with an average age of 57. The researchers took MRI scans of the participants knees and discovered that the arthritis sufferers had a higher incidence of misalignment of the knee joint, including an inclination for the kneecap to be positioned toward the outside of the leg.
Using athletic tape to wrap the patient’s knees, the researchers were able to improve that misalignment. This contributed to improvement in reported pain during a squatting exercise.
According to lead researcher, Dr. Kay M. Crossley;
“Our results confirm that patellar taping is an excellent technique which can be recommended for people with (patellofemoral arthritis).”
The tape must be applied correctly to achieve the benefit, and not to worsen the condition. The researchers indicated that a physical therapist would be the most appropriate to wrap the knee, but that with instruction and practice, the patient would be able to successfully tape their own knee.
Using tape may not be the best solution for everyone with patellofemoral pain. Many people may require other forms of therapy or a combination with taping. Dr. Crossley stated that she and her colleagues are currently conducting a clinical trial which is studying the outcomes of knee taping with other treatments.
The results of the taping study were published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.
Dr. Melody Shubert, your Wichita Chiropractor, wants you to know that there is a variety of chiropractic treatment plans that are highly effective when caring for your musculoskeletal system, from eliminating specific acute conditions to addressing your overall health concerns. Following a detailed examination and a discussion of your concerns, Dr. Shubert will recommend to you which approach would likely be the most beneficial for you. As your Chiropractor in Wichita, Dr. Shubert will suggest several treatment strategies from which you can decide depending on your most recent health crisis as well as your long term health and fitness goals.
It could be advantageous for you to have some awareness, beforehand, about the varied chiropractic treatment plans Dr. Shubert will likely suggest.
Relief Care is a type of chiropractic treatment approach made available to individuals who are suffering from any type of acute pain or discomfort, regardless of the cause of the challenge. The goal of this kind of therapy is to supply urgent pain relief. The length of the treatment process is likely to fluctuate as it depends exclusively on the extent of the affliction or dysfunction sustained by the individual and how quickly it can be remedied.
Corrective Care is a “more advanced” type of chiropractic treatment. It is for those who have lived with spinal complaints over a long time period, that is to say, for those who have a persistent condition that has evolved into a more complicated issue resulting from not pursuing proper care. Corrective treatment regularly stretches over a longer time period. How long treatment is needed is determined by the extent of the progressive injury and how swiftly the person responds to the treatment.
Maintenance Care, as the name suggests, is intended to maintain or protect any form of chiropractic therapy already given to a patient. Many times, chiropractic treatment is extended solely after the initial treatments have proven to be successful. The intention of this kind of chiropractic care is to remove the possibility of the initial problem coming back and to forestall degenerative changes in the future.
Wellness Care is provided to individuals who are not experiencing acute discomfort, but wish to increase their overall health. Routine chiropractic treatment improves the circulation of blood and oxygen within the body, enhances muscle flexibility, helps in avoiding work and play injury, boosts the autoimmune system, and increases an individual’s all round sense of well-being.
Whether you are presently in pain or you wish to improve your overall health, chiropractic care can help. Call Dr. Shubert, your Wichita chiropractor, today!
As a Wichita Chiropractor, Dr. Melody Shubert treats a lot patients who have sustained sport injuries. In fact, injuries are not unusual with any type of sport. You can often avoid getting injured in a certain sport, however, by finding out what injury is likely to occur, and then doing whatever it takes to avoid it. The truth is, though, that sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Consequently, it’s important to be physically fit to make injury less predictable, or less traumatic.
Prior to starting a sport, such as golf, the most critical thing you can do is to be certain that you have the proper fitness level. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, keeping your joints mobile and your muscles limber, preparing your body prior to activity, using proper form and good postures during activity, and giving yourself plenty of cool down and relaxation time, you will probably keep your body safe from injury.
Golf injuries don’t only happen to amateurs. It has been conjectured that close to a third of pro golfers playing in the same time frame are playing injured. The good news is that all-round good health and fitness can reduce the number of injuries that you may experience and might possibly preclude some of them completely.
Proper body strength in the muscle areas most employed in a sport, such as golf, is crucial. However, it’s also still prudent to make sure your spine is in good alignment and that it has good mobility prior to setting out to build muscle strength. A proficient golf swing relies on your spine’s capacity to effectually move in a rotational manner. Back injuries are the most common kind of injuries sustained by golfers. To be certain that your spine is in appropriate alignment and there is effectual movement in the vertebrae, see a chiropractor, like Dr. Shubert, your Chiropractor in Wichita. Chiropractic treatment can make a big difference in helping you to avert back injury.
Once you’ve “straightened,” it’ll be time to strengthen. A safe, injury-free day on the green depends upon your being prepared for your golf game. You can warm up your muscles and make muscle strain less likely by doing golf stretching and flexibility exercises. Whole body range of motion (ROM) exercises will enhance flexibility, often rather fast, in all parts of the body. Furthermore, elastic band conditioning can provide functional golf range of motion advantages and can increase needed energy in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, such as chiropractors, are adding elastic band training to their golf conditioning programs because the bands offer dynamic resistance that ordinary weight lifting does not offer.
A large number of golfers have painful “Golfer’s Elbow” in addition to back pain. Despite the fact that golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are nearly the same injuries, there is a minute difference between them. Tennis elbow affects the outside of the upper arm whereas golfer’s elbow disturbs the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be a reaction to a single intense action, such as (in golf) hitting the mat at the driving range or thrusting down on a hard fairway surface. Repetitive stress from smaller shocks, though, is most often the protagonist. Moreover, it can come upon those who abruptly start playing too much golf. For example, if a person that generally plays golf once or twice a month elects to play in a tournament, he or she is conceivably at risk for developing the injury.
Golf makes distinctive requests of your body. The game is generally longer than the majority of other sports and that can lead to fatigue. Whenever the body is fatigued, poor posture and decreased coordination often follow. This combination can produce an assortment of injuries. In addition, the shoulder muscles are liable to injury due to the repetitive swinging of the golf clubs. Just as attention should be given to make sure that your muscles are stretched and warmed up prior to starting your golf game, be sure to rest your body properly between games.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is often a surprising injury associated with golf. But, this injury can be the result of numerous games of golf played over a number of months constantly. As it is an affliction that occurs as a result of repetitive stress, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a severe injury creating disability and, on occasion, requiring surgery. However, if a health professional, such as your Wichita chiropractor, discovers it at an early stage, chiropractic treatment and, sometimes, the use of a brace will relieve the problem.
Quite a few golfers seem to feel that injuries are merely an inescapable part of a golfer’s life. Nonetheless, a healthy, mobile spine, dedicated preparation, specific exercise and muscle conditioning, attaining and maintaining a an appropriate fitness level, and sensible rest and recuperation after your game is over, can make injuries much less a part of your golfing experience.
Dr. Shubert knows that risks are involved in any sport. She can help to relieve the pain of sports injuries you may have already sustained, and she can help you to straighten and strengthen to prevent injuries in the future. Let Dr. Shubert, your Wichita Chiropractor, help you to get on with your game!
If You Have Scoliosis, Treatment By Your Wichita Chiropractor Can Help
Posted by: | CommentsDr. Melody Shubert, your Wichita Chiropractor, is highly knowledgeable when it comes to the condition known as Scoliosis, and she wants you to know as much as you can about this aberrant side-to-side (lateral) curvature of the spine. Scoliosis is not limited to a singular age group. If you aren’t familiar with the way scoliosis appears, you might inadvertently confuse it with poor posture because very often an individual who has scoliosis gives the appearance of leaning to one side. But, there are several ways to tell the difference between poor posture and scoliosis.
If you were to observe an individual with scoliosis in a standing position, you would probably notice that one shoulder is higher than the other, and that the scapula (shoulder blade) is raised or more prominent. You might also notice greater space between the arm and the body on one side if the person’s arms were hanging freely at his or her sides. Additionally, one hip may be raised or more pronounced than the other. And lastly, the head will not be in plumb with the pelvis.
Scoliosis can be mild in nature or quite severe. In fact, both pulmonary and cardiac functions can be hindered if the curve and rib rotation are severe enough. The cause of scoliosis in 85 percent of cases is unknown. This type of scoliosis (Idiopathic) tends to run in families and is considered to have a genetic component.
In general, Idiopathic Scoliosis develops during adolescence when the body is completing the last major growth spurt. Girls more frequently develop this type of scoliosis. A scoliotic curve, if found, should be monitored for any progression. Your chiropractor can provide periodic examinations and, if necessary, will suggest standing x-rays.
As mentioned above, most (nearly 90 percent) of scoliotic curvatures are mild to moderate, and do not require a brace. Therefore, regular chiropractic care in these cases by Dr. Shubert, by your Chiropractor in Wichita, would be therapeutic in both in decreasing and adjusting any compensatory musculoskeletal conditions that might occur.
Chiropractors like Dr. Melody Shubert, your Wichita Chiropractor, help many people who have developed OA in a number of places in the body, including the knee joints. Knee pain and disability is one of the most widespread problems of the musculoskeletal system, second only to spinal abnormalities. In fact, an astounding 4.3 million men and women in the US over 60 years of age have been diagnosed with knee OA, according to the CDC, and it anticipates that half of the people in America may incur symptoms of OA in at least one knee by age 85. Knee OA causes pain, immobility, functional disabilities, and a decreased quality of life.
Why do so many men and women develop OA? Undue stress over the years is a major determinant in the majority of musculoskeletal problems that develop as we get older. It follows that as people get older they are more at risk for developing OA in their knees, as well as other joints. Improper mechanics of the knee, irregular gait, compensatory foot mechanics as an offset of foot pain, and repetitive use of the knee joint all cause inordinate stress on the knees. Consequently arthritic changes in the knee joint develop. The majority of chiropractors suggest such natural, drug-free practices as Tai Chi, in addition to their chiropractic care. Tai Chi (Chuan) is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts that features slow, rhythmic movements that create peace of mind, as well as improved balance, an increase in strength, and more flexibility.
A new study conducted by Tufts University School of Medicine has found that patients that are at least 65 years of age or older who suffer from knee osteoarthritis (OA), and who practice Tai Chi, improved their physical capability and encountered a decrease in pain. Osteoarthritis is a general form of arthritis that causes a breakdown of joint cartilage.
In otherwise good health, the 40 adults with confirmed OA that were chosen for the Tufts study were, on average, 65 years of age and overweight. Patients were randomly picked to take part in 60-minute “Yang style” Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi principles, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement, 10 minutes of breathing technique, and 10 minutes of relaxation.
Tai Chi practice involves the type of range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic workout that is compatible with contemporary exercise recommendations for osteoarthritis. Furthermore, researchers observed that the “mental component” of Tai Chi promoted a sense of well-being, life contentment, and perceptions of health that helped the participants to deal differently with chronic pain. Significantly, the group practicing Tai Chi exhibited a meaningful decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group.
If you are suffering from knee pain, see Dr. Melody Shubert, your Chiropractor in Wichita. She’ll get you out of pain and recommend the proper exercises that will be best for your knees.
Full findings of the study are published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Your Wichita Chiropractor Can Relieve Your Child's Earaches and Ear Infections
Posted by: | CommentsAs a Wichita Chiropractor, Dr. Melody Shubert is happy to count a large number of children as patients in her chiropractic office. If you have children, you may already know that earache is the most prevalent basis for office visits to a pediatrician. By the age of three years, more than 70 percent of children will have had at least one episode of earache, and about a third will have had three or more occurrences. It may be surprising, however, that earache is also the most widespread reason for children under the age of five years to be escorted by parents to the chiropractor’s office. That’s right. Many parents prefer chiropractic treatment for their children’s earaches because it is natural, non-invasive, and drug-free. Here’s why chiropractic care is effective:
When a child with an earache is determined to have a middle ear infection by the pediatrician, the general treatment involves a course of antibiotics. Advanced research, however, has ascertained that this type of treatment is often imprudent. The basis for the child’s middle ear infection may not be due to bacteria, and since antibiotics are only effective against bacterial pathogens, quite often there will be no positive result. This is because numerous cases of middle ear infection can be generated by a virus, and viruses do not respond to antibiotics. This may explain why children develop chronic ear infections.
One of the intentions of Dr. Shubert is to determine whether or not the body’s inability to combat the earache or ear infection is due to inflamation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings). An aberrant tension in the small muscles of the neck is created when these nerve endings are irritated. This muscle tension can place pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, thus preventing the body from being able to naturally fix the problem. Furthermore, balance can also be affected.
Inadequate drainage of lymphatic ducts can be identifed by a proficient chiropractor, like your Chiropractor in Wichita, if there is elevated tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles on the side with the earache. In addition, your chiropractor will palpate to see which spinal vertebrae are either moderately out of alignment or not moving within their normal range. This problem may have been the result of any one of the variety of bangs, jolts and falls that almost all children experience in the early years of their life. Frequently, a short series of spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles can help to restore normal lymph drainage.
Advanced Research and Guidelines
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection, the most prevalent childhood disease second only to the common cold, accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits each year. In addition, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed for the affliction. Just recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatric ear inflammation, and specifically recommended a period of “watchful waiting” since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication.
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) applauds the AAP on the guidelines and emphasizes that chiropractic care is a “good first option” for treating ear infection conservatively. “Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success – helping them to avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery,” said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort.”
If your child is suffering from an earache or an ear infection, contact Dr. Melody Shubert, your Wichita Chiropractor, as soon as possible.
