On Saturday, July 8th 2017, I was on AM800 discussing the importance of chiropractic care and how it helps facilitate healing throughout the body by retraining it to know what normal should be. Along with how text neck is impacting our younger generation’s posture; which than effects the nervous system causing problems throughout the body.  I also explain about peripheral neuropathy and how it can impact our daily life, and the therapies we offer at Lifetime Wellness Center. If you enjoyed this blog post make sure click the Facebook “like” button above and share it with family and friends!

Press play to hear the segment!

 

We all have been there before – sitting for long periods of time while traveling then after, hours have gone by and now experiencing stiffness in our necks that eventually turns into pain. Well there are ways to prevent these negative side effects from happening to you on your next vacation!

I have several patients ask me “How do I prevent a sore neck on my vacation?” Honestly, getting an adjustment before and after your vacation will help you immensely.  Why I tell them this? Because adjustments allow your body to prepare for the upcoming changes in your daily activity. Not only should you get an adjustment prior to traveling but a great thing to pack with you is a Denneroll. If you are asking yourself “What’s a Denneroll?” It is a cervical orthotic traction unit (pictured to the right). You are only able to obtain these units through a chiropractor; who has prescribed it to you as part of your treatment. Using this “roll” daily on your travels will help prevent neck pain. This allows you to spend more time with your family and friends and less time being uncomfortable and in pain.

Regardless whether you do or do not have a Denneroll, there are some stretches that you can perform to help keep your neck limber while traveling. When you do these stretches below properly, they can help relieve and prevent neck pain. I recommend including these stretches in your everyday life especially if you have a desk job, commute to work or do a lot of traveling.

You will want to hold each stretch for about 10 to 15 seconds and repeating about 3 to 4 times (take little breaks in between each stretch). Remember if any of these stretches feel like they are too much, take it back a notch.

Stretch 1

You are going to be taking your shoulder out of the equation by putting your left arm behind your back. (This anchors your shoulder so it doesn’t prop up while you are stretching) *Pictured on the right*

 

Place your right hand on the left side of your head; then bring your right ear to the parallel shoulder. *Pictured on the left*

 

*You will feel this stretch in the side of your neck; repeat the same steps to stretch your right side*

Stretch 2

In this stretch you will want to anchor your shoulder and look 45 degrees to your right. *Pictured on the right*

Place your right hand on the back of your head; once you are in this position you are going to pull your head forward.
*Pictured on the left*

 

 

*You should feel this stretch in the back of your neck; repeat the same steps on for the right side*

Stretch 3

In this stretch you are going to anchor your shoulder in a slightly different way than the last 2 stretches. You are going to place your left hand under your butt by sitting on it. *Pictured on the right*

Similar to stretch 1 you are going to place your right hand on the left side of your head; then bring your right ear to the parallel shoulder.
*Pictured on the left*

*This stretches the oblique muscles of your neck; repeat these steps to stretch the right side*

All the commotion that happens with our neck affects us all the way down to our spine as well, causing a whole host of problems. Concluding, take breaks when you’re sitting for long periods at a time. My staff and I look forward to seeing you before and after your travels! If you enjoyed this blog post make sure click the Facebook “like” button above and share it with friends!

Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can be very beneficial for expecting mothers. Numerous changes are now starting to develop once a woman’s body is now carrying a child – An increase in back curvature from a protruding abdomen, pelvic changes and postural adaptations. It is important to create and establish a pelvic balance and alignment during pregnancy. When the woman’s pelvis is misaligned it can make it difficult for the baby to get into the best position for delivery. This can affect the mother’s birth plan of wanting a natural childbirth.

Some other potential benefits of having regular chiropractic care during pregnancy:

• Marinating a healthier pregnancy
• Reducing the time of labor and delivery
• Preventing a possible caesarean delivery (C-Section)

I was recently asked if I would recommend an infant to see a chiropractor – I responded, certainly! Why? Because if you think about it, an infant goes through a lot of trauma when being delivered.  This trauma can cause potential stress to the nervous system; by them seeing a chiropractor it allows the infant to be examined for any misalignment’s.
Some benefits of having your baby see a chiropractor:

• Reduce acid reflex
• Better quality sleep throughout the night
• Assist with developmental milestones like crawling and pulling themselves up

Not only should the infant see the chiropractor, so should the mother. Both are equally important. After delivery the ligaments in her body start to tighten up; this can take up to 8 months. Some women can experience pregnancy related sciatica (nerve pain) and pelvic pain. Not only is this occurring in the mother’s body but she is doing a lot of repetitive tasks to care for her baby. By getting chiropractic care post-partum allows the body to recover more successfully and also boost its immune system.

Remember that at Lifetime Wellness Center, we encourage you to bring your children. Our staff are all baby-friendly!

We look forward to seeing you soon.