Since I’d been a guitarist for many years, I wasn’t surprised to discover that my technical skills were delicately honed by the time I became a Glendale Chiropractor. Needless to say, my hand coordination was well-developed!  In addition, I discovered among my musicial friends carpal tunnel, the hand condition that many musicians experience. In fact, I was not only known as a Glendale Chiropractor, but I became known as “the music doctor” because musicians from all over started coming to see me to “fix” their hand problems. The pain relief and increased mobility that my patients experienced, and the carpal tunnel surgeries (often ineffective or worse!) that were avoided resulted in plenty of “thank yous.” In fact during the holiday season, I not only got countless “fruit baskets” from my appreciative patients, but a surprisingly number of “fruitcakes” from grateful insurance claim adjusters who spent far less each year insurance coverage for chiropractic treatment than they did for surgical procedures! (Just kidding, of course!)
To be clear, when assisting patients with pain relief, joint mobility, and general health and wellness, the chiropractic approach, though much about the spine, isn’t all about the spine. Repetitive motions make all joints of the body vulnerable to diminished function and range of motion limitations. Like many other professionals whose work involves repetitive movements, musicians have discovered chiropractic care to be an effective, natural, non-surgical approach to treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
You may be wondering why so many musicians, and guitarists, bassists, and pianists in particular, develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Well, the carpal tunnel is located within the underside of the wrist! This “tunnel” or “passage” is the place through which the Median nerve passes and allows it to give animation to the hands and fingers. The repetitive movements required by musicians can cause nerve entrapment. to be sure, such nerve entrapment disorder is commonplace. The nerve is impinged between other tissues when inflammation or irritation, due to overuse, causes the tendon to enlarge. Long hours of practice, as well as extended performance, are generally the exascerbating cause. Plus, such activities can cause a misalignment of the carpal bones. 

Many musicians experience pain, numbness, pins and needles, and tingling in their fingers and hand(s), especially their thumb and adjacent two fingers. Quite a few musicians routinely awaken from sleep with these symptoms. And, the absolutely disastrous effects for musicians is that CTS can cause the hands to feel awkward or weak, and fatigue quickly with activity. If treatment is not addressed, in due time, grasping small objects (like a guitar pick or the bow of a bass) with the thumb and fingers can be extremely difficult. And, although the keen musician who knows about the efficacy of chiropractic care would not let this happen, untreated Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can turn into a complete disability of the hand.

It is highly recommended that musicians, and anyone else suffering from repetitive stress symptoms to try see a chiropractor who is an expert when it comes to recognizing the symptoms and solving the problem, like your Glendale chiropractor. He can tell you more about the drug-free, natural approach of chiropractic care. Would you like to find out what chiropractic care can do for you? Then call a chiropractor today!

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Saratoga Springs Chiropractor

Have you been a “Doubting Thomas” when it comes to chiropractic adjustments because sometime in the early 1900s it was thought to be a “far-out” alternative approach to getting rid of pain? Or worse, have you been disheartened about getting needed help from this most corrective kind of treatment by a small number misinformed, but quite vociferous individuals who think that chiropractic might cause harm? In either case, your Saratoga Springs Chiropractor is happy to inform you that chiropractic treatment has been rising in popularity for years, and that it is continuing to grow annually as the selected healthcare choice for many men and women. It’s a fact! Thousands of individuals, just like you, are reevaluating their choices and choosing chiropractic treatment because of the countless benefits that such treatment offers. Statistically, there is no other medical approach that has more success in relieving pain, yet is absolutely non-invasive to the body. Chiropractic adjustments actually stimulate the body’s inherent ability to heal! Your Saratoga Springs Chiropractor will look for, and correct, the reason for your pain], and will never merely attempt to mask your symptoms with drugs.

To be sure, musculoskeletal problems, for instance back or neck pain, pain in your shoulder, elbow, hip or knee joints, and even ankle or foot pain, are inevitable, wherever there is a musculoskeletal system, such as in the human body. It can happen to anyone! And, it can be tempting to take a drug when you want that pain to go away! But, because a drug can’t eliminate the reason for your pain, by not finding the reason for your pain, the cause of it will likely get worse. A number of musculoskeletal problems are often related to sports injuries, accidents, and the aging process. However, regardless of the cause, any motion on a traumatized part of the body can not only result in pain or discomfort, but inactivity. And, naturally, specific musculoskeletal conditions, if not addressed, can result in permanent disability. Without chiropractic treatment as an alternative, you can frequently be left with just two choices: Live with increased discomfort or continue to take drugs have been proven to have debilitating side effects! But, if you’re thinking what I’m thinking, then neither sounds like a good choice!

Your Saratoga Springs Chiropractor won’t hesitate to tell you that in addition to being the very best “first option” when you are suffering from back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, hip pain, knee pain, and even foot pain and hand pain, the benefits of chiropractic care far exceed the ability to correct a specific painful problem. If this has you curious, let me explain thata patient who vists a chiropractor for relief of a specific pain, not only get what he or she came in for, which is less pain, but also augmented, a reduction or elimination of lactic acid, more effective travel of oxygen and nutrients within the body, less overall stiffness, less general pain and soreness, quicker recovery time, a more relaxed feeling, and the prevention of future injury! I guess it’s not surprise why chiropractic treatment is the first (and best) choice of more and more people!

Hope that you’re convinced and you’re no longer a “Doubting Thomas” where your health is concerned. Give your chiropractor in Saratoga Springs a call if you’re in pain. Don’t wait for the pain to worsen, when he can help you today! Once you discover the amazing benefits of chiropractic, I’m pretty sure that you’ll probably want to tell a friend. To paraphrase another excellent saying: “Friends don’t let friends live in pain!”

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As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I would be remiss if I didn’t address the vital issue of excess weight and how it negatively affects every part of the human body. I explain the health challenges to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.” 

We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”

The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-

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What’s a little extra weight, especially when your clothes still fit? Most of us know that “too much” extra poundage can lead to heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases, not to mention the damage that it does to the musculoskeletal system. As a chiropractor I witness first hand on a regular basis the toll that extra weight takes on the low back, hips, and knees. But, did you know that even as “little” as 10 extra pounds of body fat, particularly abdominal fat, in addition to stressing body joints and burdening the efforts of the heart, can actually trigger the production of  “pro-inflammatory” immune cells that circulate in the blood and promote inflammation in the body. When our immune system isn’t working “for” us, we experience adverse reactions and painful conditions.

The good news, as far as the immune system goes, is that recently Australian researchers found that shedding just 10 pounds helped to bring back balance to the immune system of obese individuals. Getting the immune system back into balance is certainly a wonderful step in the right direction toward better health and longevity.

But, as you begin that important diet and exercise program, it’s a good idea to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors are highly knowledgeable when it comes to both diet and exercise. Your chiropractor may suggest that along with a nutritious diet, your individual body may require additional supplementation. And, in addition, your chiropractor will make sure that your body is in good alignment so that your new exercise routines promote pain-free mobility that leads to healthy weight loss.

The results of the Australian study were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism.

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I just read a very moving story in the news today about a man who’d had his prostate removed and, afterwards, spent every waking moment wishing that he had it back again. The gist of the story was, of course, that he’d waited “too long” to have his prostate checked and his condition had developed into a more serious problem making surgery unavoidable. But, as I read the story I began to think of the number of patients over the years who’ve come in to see me “too late.” Many came in for chiropractic treatment after back surgery, after neck fusion, after hip replacement, and after a regimen of pharmaceuticals that had caused unfortunate side effects. And, because their surgery had not only failed to relieve their pain, but had created more problems in its aftermath, many of them told me, “I only wish I’d come to see you sooner.”

Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical, drug-free approach to pain relief and musculoskeletal corrections. If you are experiencing pain, your body is telling you that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. A conservative treatment choice like chiropractic may not only be able to get you out of pain quickly, but can also help you to avoid more serious problems in the future. The wear and tear on your body from misalignments can, overtime, create painful conditions that can, eventually, make surgery the only option. Don’t let that happen to you. See a chiropractor in your area today!

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I just read a very moving story in the news today about a man who’d had his prostate removed and, afterwards, spent every waking moment wishing that he had it back again. The gist of the story was, of course, that he’d waited “too long” to have his prostate checked and his condition had developed into a more serious problem making surgery unavoidable. But, as I read the story I began to think of the number of patients over the years who’ve come in to see me “too late.” Many came in for chiropractic treatment after back surgery, after neck fusion, after hip replacement, and after a regimen of pharmaceuticals that had caused unfortunate side effects. And, because their surgery had not only failed to relieve their pain, but had created more problems in its aftermath, many of them told me, “I only wish I’d come to see you sooner.”

Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical, drug-free approach to pain relief and musculoskeletal corrections. If you are experiencing pain, your body is telling you that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. A conservative treatment choice like chiropractic may not only be able to get you out of pain quickly, but can also help you to avoid more serious problems in the future. The wear and tear on your body from misalignments can, overtime, create painful conditions that can, eventually, make surgery the only option. Don’t let that happen to you. See a chiropractor in your area today!

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The 18-year study of weightlifting injuries, from dropped weights to pinched fingers, found that the increase in the popularity of this sport has led to an increase of trips to the hospital due lifting injuries. Although males sustained the largest proportion of weight training injuries over the study period, the increase in injuries in teenage girls was much higher than the increase in teenage boys, indicating that more girls are participating.

Most injuries happen, experts say, not because kids are lifting too much, but because they’re supervised too little. They offer these tips for newbie lifters:

• Never lift alone. It’s best to have a coach or trainer nearby at all times.

• Always use a spotter.

• Be sure to start slowly and build up to heavier weights.

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To investigate, Dr. Laurent Brondel of the European Center for Taste Sciences in Dijon, France, and colleagues looked at sleep, eating, and energy expenditure in 12 healthy young men across two 48-hour sessions.

Two days served as a control period, during which the study participants stuck to their normal routines but kept track of their sleep, eating and activities in a diary. During the second two-day period, the men went to bed at midnight and woke up at 8 a.m. on one day, and on the other day went to bed at 2 a.m. and woke up at 6 a.m. They were allowed to eat as much as they liked.

After the night of short sleep, the researchers found, the men took in 22 percent more calories, on average, than when they were allowed to sleep for eight hours. They ate more at breakfast and dinner, but not at lunch. The average calorie increase was about 560.

It's possible that people might eat more after a short sleep because mammals have evolved to store up calories in the summer, when nights are short and food is plentiful, Brondel and his colleague Dr. Damien Davenne of the University de Caen in Caen, France noted in an email to Reuters Health.

The findings make it clear that people need to do their best to get an adequate amount of sleep so their bodies can function properly, Brondel and Davenne add. "It is time to understand that sleep is not just losing time, besides the recovery processes that occur, there are many other functions (energy conservation, memory and so on) which are going on."

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As 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.

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