If you are looking at this particular article, than I could only assume that you are wanting to find out about chiropractic work in and around Fayetteville. More specifically over the content here I will describe the work of one chiropractor in particular. Someone who has taken Fayetteville chiropractic to a whole new level.

The face that is mainly behind this operation is Dr. Linda Katz, who has spent many years becoming excellent at the work she does with back conditions. Her efforts have helped many people ease even chronic back pain that they thought they would never be able to get rid of. This is generally through her pristine execution of new and revolutionary methods of handling old back conditions.

She is one that believes that you have to start off working hard, and continue working hard clear throughout the process. For Dr. Katz, this began when she was still in school and made the decision to help out those with back conditions. She determined that the only way to really help as a medical professional was to be as knowledgeable as you could be for the field that you practiced. This is evident in her patient care.

It is that kindness and respect for the patients that has earned this Fayetteville Chiropractic location a spot among the most reputable chiropractic clinics in the area. It is not surprising with a dedicated soul like Dr. Linda Katz steering the ship and helping those under her at the clinic to become caring and thorough doctors and nurses as well.

They have a website that you can check out to learn a little more about Dr. Linda Katz as well as the staff there in Fayetteville. If you are wanting to learn a little more about them, you should definitely check it out. They also have a good deal of health and wellness tips and facts that can help you lead a healthier life.

Hopefully you are able to come away from this with a little more knowledge about the Fayetteville chiropractic head honcho. If you live in the area and want to get to know this clinic and the doctor that runs things check it out for yourself.

Someone who has taken Fayetteville chiropractic to a whole new level is the medical professional, Dr. Linda Katz. More info now on http://www.fayettechiropractic.com/

Stress, sleep deprivation and fatigue have been no small component of Dr. Michael Benson’s life. As a fetal surgeon, Dr. Benson is often up for 24- to 36-hour stretches at a time looking after patients. He has little time to rest or eat regular, healthy meals. It’s no wonder he has suffered from migraines for years.

Benson is not alone. It’s estimated that 28 million Americans suffer from migraines. As anyone who experiences these intense headaches can tell you, they can be extremely debilitating. Acute pain, possible visual disturbances and nausea, as well as sensitivity to light, sounds and odors can render a person incapable of going about everyday responsibilities, much less performing complicated tasks like surgery.

In order to cope, Benson has used Ibuprofen and heat to manage the pain, but sometimes it does not work. “I used to keep a preloaded syringe of Toradol [a strong, anti-inflammatory pain reliever] in my medicine chest,” he admits, “because once my headaches get really bad, I get nauseated and can’t take anything by mouth. It saved having to go to the ER.”

Having trained as an M.D., Benson confessed that chiropractic treatment was not in his knowledgebase or on his immediate list of pain-relieving measures. In fact, if he hadn’t been visiting his brother, a doctor of chiropractic, when a bad migraine hit, he may never have received chiropractic care. “The Ibuprofen didn’t work, so my brother offered to examine me and adjust my neck,” he says. “When you’re in pain, you’re willing to try anything.” Within 10 to 15 minutes of the adjustment, his migraine had disappeared.

It is likely that Benson’s body reacts to stress by tensing muscles around the cervical joints in the neck, causing nerves in his neck to become impinged and triggering his migraines. Chiropractic adjustment alleviates this pain by relaxing muscles and promoting a full range of motion in the neck, allowing the headache to subside. And Benson’s positive experience isn’t uncommon. Recent studies at Duke University found that spinal manipulation was almost always immediately effective in relieving headaches originating in the neck and provided longer-lasting relief than commonly prescribed pain medications.

Benson’s migraines probably won’t go away completely without substantial lifestyle changes- changes that could be tough to implement with his profession. Once migraines are an established pattern, they are very difficult to get rid of, explains his brother. But he can work to minimize them with chiropractic care- a solution that doesn’t carry the potential side-effects of over-the-counter and prescription pain medication. Whenever a potentially incapacitating migraine hits and Benson gets an adjustment from his brother, “It always works,” he says.

For additional information on nutrition feel free to contact Dr. Jason Fowler www.lakestlouisdc.com

Like Scylla and Charybdis, the twin sea monsters of Greek mythology, diabetes and obesity are the twin medical monsters confronting America’s children. Diabetes and obesity have even been featured as the story line in a recent episode of Law … Order, a show well-known for focusing on issues that matter.

What’s going on? Diabetes and obesity are twin raging epidemics endangering the health and welfare of our nation’s young people. In New York City, by the age of 4, there is a one in three chance that the child will be obese. More than 40% of children are at an unhealthy weight at ages 2 and 3.1 National statistics are similar.

Type II diabetes, long known as “adult-onset diabetes”, is now being recognized as a significant juvenile disorder. Up to 45% of the children diagnosed with diabetes have the type II form.2 And the numbers keep increasing.

Type II diabetes and obesity are closely related. And being overweight is one of the two major risk factors for developing type II diabetes. The other major risk factor, not surprisingly, is lack of exercise – not being physically active.

Why should we be concerned? Both diabetes and obesity contribute to additional severe health issues. Obesity is the leading cause of pediatric high blood pressure and increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Uncontrolled diabetes, over time, can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, neurologic disorders, and blindness.

So we are very concerned for our children’s well-being. The good news – and it is very good news – is both conditions are lifestyle-related. Bad diet and lack of exercise cause both conditions. This is well-known. It is also well-known that maintaining a healthy diet and getting regular exercise prevents obesity and prevents or delays type II diabetes.3,4

As parents, it’s up to us to set the standards. If we’re eating healthy, balanced meals, our kids will do the same. If we exercise regularly and keep ourselves fit and trim, our kids will exercise regularly, too.

1″Child obesity picture grim among New York City poor”, The New York Times, April 6, 2006.

2Fagot-Campagna A: Emergence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in children: Epidemiological evidence. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism 13(Suppl 6): S1395-S1402, 2000.

3Hamman RF, et al: Effect of weight loss with lifestyle intervention on risk of diabetes. Diabetes Care 29:2102-2107, 2006.

4Knowler WC, et al: Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. New England Journal of Medicine 346(6):393-403, 2002.

For additional information on health and chiropractic feel free to contact Dr. Jason Fowler Dr. Jason Fowler

categories: O’ Fallon Chiropractor,Wentzville chiropractor,lake Saint Louis chiropractor,back pain specialist,headache specialist,2. chiropractor,chiropractic,low back pain,headaches,nutrition,Lake Saint Louis,Wentzville,O’ Fallon,Fitness

We’ve all seen the TV ads ” nice-looking woman in her fifties, sitting on a nice sofa in a nice living room, rubbing her hands, in obvious pain. Of course, she’s not Lady Macbeth, trying to rub off the imagined blood of her murdered husband. She’s a woman with arthritis.

According to the Center for Disease Control, arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States.1 Approximately 47 million people have doctor diagnosed arthritis and 17 million have arthritis-attributable activity limitations.

Osteoarthritis, the most common form, is a degenerative condition affecting the joints and the soft tissues around the joints ” the associated cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. The most commonly affected areas are the spine, the hands, and the shoulders, hips, and knees. The pain of arthritis, the reduced mobility, and the lifestyle accommodations needed for pain avoidance are discouraging and may even lead to depression.

Anti-inflammatory drugs are available for the treatment of arthritis, and in recent years many of these have been found to cause severe side effects. Vioxx is the most notorious of these ” cardiovascular complications caused a worldwide recall of the drug. Celebrex, another well-known arthritis medication, was also found to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke at high doses.

The very good news is there are several wellness-based treatment alternatives to long-term medication. These include exercise, diet, and in many cases, chiropractic treatment.

Exercise is critical in restoring mobility and, over time, in reducing pain.2,3 Persons with osteoarthritis often experience a vicious cycle of deteriorating symptoms. Pain can cause reduced mobility (pain avoidance), which (paradoxically) actually causes more pain, which causes further reductions of mobility . . . . Activities of daily living ” getting out of a chair, opening a jar, bending and lifting ” become a real challenge as the person struggles to avoid further pain.

So, restoring mobility is key. Exercise done very gently at first ” is the answer. Range-of-motion activities to get the joints moving again are very beneficial, including Arm circles Wrist circles Shoulder shrugs Side-to-side bending for the lower back Gentle knee bends Ankle circles Flexing and pointing the feet

Walking is a perfect exercise for treatment of arthritis. Begin by walking one block, then two, then around the block. Walk five minutes daily for a week, then increase by a minute or two each day. Get up to 15 minutes of gentle walking, and then begin to gradually increase your pace. The increased mobility will not only reduce pain, but also provide a cardiovascular benefit and improve one’s ability to perform activities of daily living.

Chiropractic treatment, in combination with an exercise program, may assist in restoring joint mobility and reducing pain. Gentle chiropractic manipulative therapy is designed to improve mobility of spinal joints. As spinal joint motion improves, pain lessens, and a positive cycle of return-to-function begins.

1″Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation.” CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 55(40);1089-1092, 2006. 2Huang MH, et al: A comparison of various therapeutic exercises on the functional status of patients with knee osteoarthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum 32(6):398-406, 2003. 3Suomi R, Collier, D: Effects of arthritis exercise programs on functional fitness and perceived activities of daily living measures in older adults with arthritis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 84(11):1589-94, 2003.

For additional information on health please contact Dr. Fowler Dr. Jason Fowlerat www.lakestlouisdc.comwww.lakestlouisdc.com

categories: 1.O’ Fallon Chiropractor,Wentzville chiropractor,lake Saint Louis chiropractor,back pain specialist,headache specialist,2. chiropractor,chiropractic,low back pain,headaches,nutrition,Lake Saint Louis,Wentzville,O’ Fallon,Fitness

Looking your best might not always be the best thing for you. Our society is extremely fashion and style conscious. Unfortunately, clothing designers and stylists aim to please by creating unique looks that might not always be practical or even comfortable.

The look of the season shows runway models in high platform heels and tight skirts or pants. Models have perfected the runway “walk,” but the popular looks and accessories are frequently impractical and can create leg, back, and spine or neck problems. “Sometimes I see a woman walking down the street with high heels and a two-ton bag, and I want to stop her and make her aware of what she is doing to her body,” said ACA national spokesperson, Dr. Jerome McAndrews.

Women generally wear high heels to complement an outfit, not for comfort, but some might not realize that these shoes can cause serious discomfort in the feet and can also exacerbate back pain. High heels alter the balanced position of a person’s body. When a woman wears high heels, a new dynamic equilibrium occurs. Dr. McAndrews compared the musculoskeletal system to a mobile, hanging in dynamic equilibrium, each part balancing the other. If one part becomes ‘fixed,’ the whole system will compensate with a movement or restriction. Wearing high heels for any length of time increases the normal forward curve of the back and causes the pelvis to tip forward. This alters the normal configuration of the pelvis and spine necessary for the body to maintain a center of gravity.

“The legs are the foundation of the musculoskeletal system, and a person standing flat-footed or bare-footed would be completely balanced,” said Dr. McAndrews. “While standing, the hamstrings are taut and both parts of the pelvis are stabilized so that the support is normal. By bringing the heel up, you encourage the shortness of the hamstring muscles.”

Women and men alike fall into the fashion trap. Women, more than men, tend to wear clothes that are too tight. Stylish tight tube skirts and tight pants can be attractive, but are often too restrictive. Clothes that are too tight throw a person off-balance, and simple everyday tasks such as bending, sitting and walking become difficult. “Tight clothes restrict a person from moving comfortably, resulting in poor posture and misalignment of the spine,” said Dr. McAndrews.

Another unhealthy fashion statement is the use of heavy purses, backpacks and handbags. Women and men tend to carry too many items in one bag, or briefcase, and are often not aware of the potential health risks associated with toting an excessive amount of “stuff.” When you carry a bag with detectable weight-more than 10 percent of your body weight it can cause improper balance. When hiked over one shoulder, it interferes with the natural movement of the upper and lower body. “The person carrying the bag will hike one shoulder to subconsciously guard against the weight, holding the other shoulder immobile,” said Dr. McAndrews. “This results in the unnatural counterbalance movement of one shoulder and little control over the movements of the arms and legs. Even worse, the spine curves toward the shoulder.”

More and more people carry their credit cards, ATM cards and personal identification in the back pocket of their pants. This might be a convenient way of carrying the necessary items with you each day, but carrying your wallet in the back pocket of your pants can cause discomfort. Dr. McAndrews suggested men and women remove their wallets or other items before sitting for long periods of time. “Sitting on your wallet or card holder for the entire day will create a pocket in the muscle lying underneath the wallet, and whether your pants are tight or loose-fitting, this can result in discomfort or pain.”

In today’s society, it might be important to you to look fashionable, but it’s more important to choose clothes, shoes and bags that are comfortable and that suit your style. By following and remembering these simple steps, it is possible to look and feel your best.

Choose comfortable shoes. If you must wear high heels, bring a pair of flat shoes along with you to change into should you become uncomfortable. If you walk to work, wear flat shoes and change into your more fashionable shoes when you arrive to alleviate any pain or discomfort. If the shoe is uncomfortable while standing, chances are it will not be any more comfortable while walking. The wrong shoe can affect the body’s center of gravity. Choose supportive shoes. Designer spikes or non-supportive loafers may look nice but do not allow for easy, symmetrical walking. While sitting, whether or not you are wearing heels, it is important to take frequent stretch breaks to alleviate atrophy of the hamstring muscles. Try to avoid excessive wear of tight pants or clothing. If you prefer tighter clothes, choose styles that allow you to perform daily tasks with ease. Select a briefcase or purse with a wide adjustable strap. Ideally, the strap should be long enough to place over the head. This evenly distributes the bulk of the weight across the body. When carrying a bag, or briefcase, switch sides frequently to avoid placing the burden of the weight on one side of your body. Take the time to empty unnecessary items from your bag. Place all necessary items-such as wallets and cellular phones-in the front pockets of the bag. Stretching around to reach for your wallet can result in a pulled neck or back. If you are driving or sitting for long periods of time, remove your wallet or card holder from the back pocket of your pants. Think about your daily tasks. If your clothes affect your movements, consider outfits that fit your lifestyle. Designers and stylists tend to be more concerned about the way something looks rather than the way it feels. Listen to your body. One of the most important aspects of being in style and looking your best is to maintain healthy judgement. By following simple suggestions, being fashionable can be comfortable.

For additional information on health please contact Dr. FowlerDr. Jason Fowler at www.lakestlouisdc.comwww.lakestlouisdc.com

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Since mid-Fall TV commercials have been trumpeting the horrors of the “flu season”. “It’s never too soon to begin fighting this year’s bug” they blare. Public health announcements urge us to get our “yearly flu shot”, as if this is something we’ve got permanently scheduled in our Blackberries. All the leading over-the-counter pain medications offer special seasonal “flu” mixtures, and their ads deluge daytime and prime-time broadcasting.

For the health consumer, namely us, it seems as if this annual “war on the flu” is received wisdom. We are just defenseless human beings at the mercy of the all-powerful flu virus.

Whats wrong with this picture?

What is never mentioned in the “flu warning” marketing is the versatility and adaptability of our remarkable immune system. We’re the lucky owners of a built-in state-of-the-art biowarfare system, on-the-job 24/7 to combat microscopic foreign invaders of our health and well-being. Once our immune system has detected a foreign protein it mounts an immediate defense, attacking and destroying the alien molecules. And, the memory of that particular invader is permanent, enabling a future immune response to be swift and effective.1

The big issue with influenza is that new strains appear each year. We’ve never encountered these germs before. But, the whole basis and strength of our immune system is flexibility. It is specially designed to respond quickly to new attackers. And, for the most part, it does this very well.

Of course, no one wants their dinner companion to sneeze in their plate of pasta, as Elaine did on an infamous episode of “Seinfeld”. Through a typical cascade of unfortunate events, Jerry’s and George’s comedy pilot was almost scuttled because the network executive was Elaine’s date. He got violently ill by being on the receiving end of her blast of micro-bugs.

In the real world, our immune systems can be weakened due to life habits, circumstances, and stress. Stress is a notorious compromiser of immune defenses.2 Of course, being human, there’s plenty of stress from dawn to dusk. If worry and anxiety pile on top of not-enough-sleep or sub-optimal nutrition, getting sick is a pretty likely outcome. So, developing and maintaining healthy habits of living and successful strategies for managing stress is really the key.3

If you do the simple things that keep you healthy and well, in the winter months you can pretty much “let the flu go around you”. You can be confident, knowing you have done the work to fight off the latest flu threat. Someone else’s germs are their germs, not yours. If your immune system is on the job, you’re far less likely to “catch” something.

And, even if you do succumb, you have got a much better chance of getting well again quickly.

1Sompayrac L: How the Immune System Works, 2nd ed. Blackwell, 2002. 2Wein H:Stress and disease, new perspectives. NIH Word on Health, October 2000. 3The Truth About Your Immune System – What You Need To Know. Harvard Health Publications, 2007.

For additional information on health please contact Dr. FowlerDr. Jason Fowler at www.lakestlouisdc.comwww.lakestlouisdc.com

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Many people may consider chiropractic care, but may hesitate because they don’t know how often you should see a chiropractor. The answer to this is simple: it depends on your condition and what type of healing needs to be accomplished.

When you go to your first appointment, you can expect to be filling out paperwork, talking with the doctor about your specific problem, and providing your personal medical history. You may or may not get an x-ray (it depends on your condition). These radiographic pictures show the doctor what is truly going on with your spine. The doctor of chiropractic may also give you a physical examination and explore the area where you are having pain. He may have you do some range of motion tests as well. After your examination, the doctor may or may not do any spinal adjustments for you. He may decide to wait until he can see the results of your x-rays. You may also be given suggestions you can do at home before the next visit like applying ice packs or avoiding certain tasks.

At your next visit, the chiropractor will discuss your films with you and talk about a possible course of treatment. Some ailments only need a single visit to help you feel better. Others may require two or three visits per week for a week or two. If you have a very serious condition, you may end up needing a longer course of treatment that will taper off in frequency as your condition improves. The doctor will begin treatment with manual adjustments to lessen your pain and increase your movement abilities.

Chiropractic adjustments are done by applying a thrust to your spine using either the doctor’s hands or a small device. Most adjustments cause no pain or discomfort. The adjustments that are a little uncomfortable only last for a few seconds, and are usually the result of inflammed muscles, not the adjustment itself.

The doctor of chiropractic will reassess your progress every few visits. If you are showing good improvement, it is likely that you can reduce the frequency of your visits until you only go in as needed, but that should be determined by your doctor. Once you are feeling an improvement in your pain, you may do some sessions to correct the underlying problem. The chiropractic adjustments at this point are trying to increase your mobility so you don’t need to worry about re-injuring yourself. If you happen to experience a flare up or recurrence of your problem, you’ll easily be able to increase your sessions for a short time until you feel better again.

The next part of your treatment works on strengthening the soft tissue that surrounds the area that was affected by your injury or pain. By strengthening this tissue, you will have proper functioning of the muscles and joints of this area. Once the pain is gone or at least stabilized, you may get supportive care, or maintenance. This can be as frequent as once a week for serious issues to once every few months for minor issues. This helps the patient remain on a healthy course of action to prevent re-injury.

Since you may need more frequent visits at first, you’ll probably want to check with your insurance company. Most do cover chiropractic care to some degree. You can also ask the chiropractic office to find out if you have coverage on your policy as well. They are usually better suited to assess your benefits anyway.

Philip Vincent is a health educator. Need a Portland Chiropractor? Consider a visit to this Portland Chiropractor.

We certainly live in stressful times. It is not easy to assess whether our era is the most stressful, but we do have plenty of daily stress. The job, the home, the kids, the relatives, and the economy – all these stresses add up and yet we wonder why we have so many aches and pains.

Many ailments are stress-related. Americans are notoriously overweight. Overeating is a stress-coping mechanism.1 Headaches and backaches are often associated with increased stress. There’s a strong correlation between high blood pressure and stress, ulcers and stress, and even cancer and stress.

What can we do? The external stresses in our lives are not going away. Our activity-filled lives are busy and complex – there’s always going to be stress. The key is to help avoid or ease the physical effects of stress. Interestingly, chiropractic treatment can be of great assistance in reducing the effects of stress on the body.

In general, stress will cause muscles to tighten. This is an unconscious reaction. Tight muscles cause a cascade of further muscle tightening, shortening of muscles and ligaments, and a resulting decrease of mobility in joints, particularly shoulder joints, hip joints, and joints of the spine.2,3

This overall mechanical effect of stress has a number of additional consequences. All the extra unconscious muscle activity wastes precious nutritional resources and uses up energy needed for critical body functions. Lactic acid accumulates, irritating nerve endings and further increasing muscular tightness. And, importantly, the losses in spinal joint mobility lead directly to increased levels of pain. This, of course, leads to more stress.

The vicious circle of stress, muscular tightness, and pain can be relieved and reduced by chiropractic treatment.4 Chiropractic therapy is specially designed to improve joint mobility of the spine and pelvis. This gentle, effective treatment gradually restores maximal spinal motion. Muscle tightness is alleviated, metabolic processes begin to return to normal, and nutrients become more available to help maintain healthy functioning. Levels of pain are reduced, and we become better able to withstand the physical effects of stress.

Your chiropractor will explain the many benefits of treatment, and will provide instruction in stretching techniques and specific exercises that help maintain the positive results of therapy.

There will always be stress in our lives. We can learn how to reduce the physical effects of stress, and become stronger, healthier, and happier in the process. ——————————————————————————–

Take a Break! A few quick tips -

Get up out of your chair or leave your workbench and walk over to an open window. Change your point-of-view. Breathe some fresh air. Go for a five-minute walk, either in the corridors of your building or out-of-doors. Call a friend and chat for five minutes. Close your eyes, clear your mind, and take an imaginary vacation – relaxing on a warm beach, deep-sea fishing on a beautiful yacht, or skiing down a gorgeous mountain.

These short, focused breaks will help reduce muscular tightness and physical stress, and will also help your brain recharge so you can be more creative and productive!

——————————————————————————–

1Marchesini G, et al: Psychiatric distress and health-related quality of life in obesity. Diabetes Nutr Metab 16(3):145-154, 2003 2Weickgenant AL, et al: Coping activities in chronic low back pain: relationship with depression. Pain 53(1):95-103, 1993 3Burns JW: Arousal of negative emotions and symptom specific reactivity in chronic low back pain patients. Emotion 6(2):309-319, 2006 4Hurwitz EL, et al. A randomized trial of chiropractic and medical care for patients with low back pain. Spine 31(6):611-621, 2006

For additional information on health and nutrition feel free to contact Dr. FowlerDr. Jason Fowler at www.lakestlouisdc.comwww.lakestlouisdc.com

categories: O’ Fallon Chiropractor,Wentzville chiropractor,lake Saint Louis chiropractor,back pain specialist,headache specialist,chiropractor,chiropractic,low back pain,headaches,nutrition,Lake Saint Louis,Wentzville,O’ Fallon,Fitness

Renewability, sustainability, and energy conservation are all over the news. On every newspaper’s front page and on every television nightly news we can see programs featuring sustainability daily. These are important issues, not only for the health of our planet, but also for our physical health and well-being.

Our physical health depends on how we maximize our available energy resources – how we use our body’s stores of energy, how we replace and renew that energy, and how we practice conservation of our physical energy.

The interaction of all the elements of our human physiology is exactly analogous to the interaction of ecosystems in the global ecology. It’s an interesting and powerful comparison.

Energy resources in our body consist of nutrients obtained from food, oxygen, and stored energy in the form of sugars (glycogen) and fats. We gain energy by eating good food and balancing our nutritional choices from all the major food groups.1,2 We gain energy by having efficient and well-toned cardiovascular and respiratory systems. We gain energy by having strong muscles. And we can gain energy by getting sufficient rest.

How we use these resources depends on instructions from the nerve system. Being able to use these resources efficiently depends on the underlying tone of our cells and tissues, which in turn depends on normal flow of information in the nerve system.

Hyperactive nerve systems and sluggish nerve systems – due to a variety of causes – create imbalances up and down the line.3 Systems perform abnormally. Your metabolism slows down or speeds up. You do not digest your food properly. You use too many or too little resources for a given task, and the job doesn’t get done properly. Muscles get tight. Joints get stiff. You have pain. You get sick.

In these cases you’re using more energy – due to inefficient systems – than you are taking in. You’re not sustaining your resources, you’re depleting them. Sooner or later, your entire system will begin to breakdown. You have chronic pain, you’re tired all the time, you toss and turn when you should be sleeping, and you’re irritable during the day.

Energy is not being renewed. Your body is out of balance, physically and metaphorically.

Chiropractic treatment directly addresses these energy concerns. Chiropractic care is all about energy management and conservation of resources. Gentle chiropractic treatment focuses on restoring balance to nerve systems, muscular systems, and physical structure. Energy begins to flow to where it’s needed most, chronic pain begins to resolve, and you begin to sleep more restfully. You have a greater focus and get done the things you want to get done during the day. Your relationships with family and friends are more enjoyable, and life itself becomes much more fun.

Your chiropractor – your energy conservation specialist – is an important natural resource for your well-being and your family’s well-being.

1Katona P, Katona-Apte J: The interaction between nutrition and infection. Clin Infect Dis 46(10):1582-1588, 2008 2UNESCO, Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific: Population, nutrition, and health. Bull Unesco Reg Off Educ Asia Pac 23:260-268, 1982 3D’Melllo R, Dickenson AH: Spinal cord mechanisms of pain. Br J Anaesth April 15, 2008

For more information on health feel free to contact Dr. FowlerDr. Jason Fowler at www.lakestlouisdc.comwww.lakestlouisdc.com

categories: O’ Fallon Chiropractor,Wentzville chiropractor,lake Saint Louis chiropractor,back pain specialist,headache specialist,chiropractor,chiropractic,low back pain,headaches,nutrition,Lake Saint Louis,Wentzville,O’ Fallon,Fitness

Sciatica can cause numbness, pain, or weakness in your buttock, hip, and leg. Chiropractic and sciatica is a good match because chiropractic can address many of the issues that can cause sciatica pain. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is inflamed, compressed, or irritated.

The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the human body. It starts at the spinal column close to your pelvis and runs down each leg. This nerve can be as wide as your thumb near its origination point. As the sciatic nerve progresses down the lower extremity, it breaks into five branches that serve your thigh, knee, calf, ankle and foot. From this, it is easy to see why it can be so incapacitating when this nerve is compressed.

Causes of Sciatica Misalignment (subluxation) of the spine Pelvic misalignment Slipped or herniated disc from a fall or accident Tumors Diabetes Arthritis Vitamin deficiencies Pregnancy

Simple movements are often the triggers for sciatic pain. Actions that you would normally not give a second thought to, like sitting, standing, walking, lifting, sneezing or bending may be enough to send sharp pains down your leg from your hip. Chiropractors have treated many sciatica cases successfully over the years.

Most people don’t realize that sciatica commonly begins with mild lower back pain. They may feel these aches and pains for a few weeks before the true “sciatica pain” kicks in. They may feel numbness, pain or weakness that starts in the hip and moves through the buttocks, then down through the thigh, the calf and finally the foot. The pain can be a dull ache or it can be a hot, shooting pain. Pain can last for a few minutes, a few hours or several days or weeks. The pain going down the leg eventually becomes more severe than that in the low back. Those who have suffered sciatica for a long time will realize the pain will localize in the buttocks and thighs. If left untreated or ignored, the nerve can possibly sustain permanent damage and the calf muscle may begin to deteriorate. Some extreme cases also include a weakened bladder and paresthesia.

Most people will wait until the sciatica pain is unbearable before they seek the aid of a chiropractor. This can cause you permanent nerve damage. If you contact a chiropractor when you first feel sciatic pain, there is a much better chance of relieving the pain and fixing the cause. A chiropractor will take your medical history when you first meet, and then do a physical exam. You may need x-rays. The chiropractor will discuss the results and recommended treatment with you.

Chiropractic adjustments to your spine may be done to help correct any misalignments. These adjustments help remove any vertebrae that may be pinching the sciatic nerve. Muscle spasms may be treated with massage. Your chiropractor may also recommend ice packs or ultrasound treatments to help relieve the symptoms first. In the majority of cases, several sessions of manual adjustments (possibly months) are adequate to relieve the problem.

Chiropractic for sciatica works well. Sciatica has a direct cause that can be determined by your chiropractor. Chiropractic can not only relieve the symptoms but remove the cause as well, so the chance of a return of the pain is significantly reduced. X-rays taken before and after treatment for sciatica have proven that chiropractic care realigned the spine and reduced the symptoms. Before you take pain medications to just cover up your symptoms, see a chiropractor if you think you may have sciatica.