Depression

Posted on Tuesday May 14, 2013 by County Line Chiropractic

People suffering from depression, will have persistent sadness or pessimism. They have times of feeling helpless, hopeless, worthless, or guilty. Have difficulty concentrating or remembering things. They will lose interest in activities, have insomnia or oversleep. They can also have weight gain or loss and feelings of fatigue. They may also be irritable or anxious.

Scientific Research Shows…

The Journal of Vertebral Subluxation research published a study that shows that over 70% of the participants showed a “marked improvement” with treatment of the upper cervical misalignment. Fifteen participants were chosen based on a history of depression. An upper cervical misalignment was diagnosed using postural analysis as well as precise x-rays. Before treatment, a questionnaire was administered and scored called the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). The BDI-II is widely used in many clinics and hospitals in establishing clinical depression.

Each participant was given a tailor-made adjustment to the first bone in the neck. After two weeks, the BDI-II questionnaire was re-administered and 73% of the participants scored a marked improvement with their score, and 13% showing only a slight improvement. The rest showed no improvement or worsened.

Solution…

Depression can affect family and home life, as well as people’s performance at work. If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, encourage them to take action before it gets out of hand. An adjustment of their upper cervical spine may be a natural option for them. Call for a consultation and speak to one of the County Line physicians and start on the road back to health!

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Causes of Low Back Pain

Posted on Wednesday May 8, 2013 by County Line Chiropractic

 Your back is made up of…

Your back is made up of bones (the vertebrae, or spinal column, which protects your spinal cord) and muscles. The vertebrae are stacked like blocks; the spinal cord runs down the middle, and between the vertebrae nerves extend from the spinal cord to the left and right. The disks lie between the vertebrae and form spongy shock absorbers between each bone. Several layers of muscle cover the back, and ligaments and tendons support the vertebrae, supporting posture and giving the body flexibility. Back pain can be caused by problems with the muscles, the bones, or the nerves in the back.

Causes of Low Back Pain

Symptoms
Often, the cause of back pain is unknown. Back pain can be caused by a strain of the muscle. This type of back pain can vary; it can be dull or sharp and may get worse with sitting, standing, walking, or other movement. Lying down often helps. Muscle pain does not extend down your leg toward your foot. Sometimes the disk can bulge out, putting pressure on the nerve that is exiting between the vertebrae. Signs of a pinched nerve may include pain that radiates down your leg, numbness, or tingling. More rarely, it can cause problems with controlling your bowels or bladder. Signs of underlying disease requiring immediate medical attention include back pain accompanied by unexplained weight loss or fever. Arthritis or degeneration of the bony vertebrae can also cause back pain.

Diagnosis
Most back pain is uncomplicated and self-limited. If your pain does not get better in a few days or weeks, if you have fever or weight loss, or if you have signs of nerve involvement, you should call your County Line doctor. A medical history and physical examination will allow the doctor to make appropriate treatment recommendations. Imaging (x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI ], or computed tomography [CT]) is not recommended for uncomplicated low back pain. Imaging is used if you have had trauma, evidence of nerve involvement, sometimes for those older than 70 years, or if symptoms are very prolonged. It is also used if your doctor suspects another disease, such as infection or cancer.

Treatment
Many treatments are available for low back pain. Often exercises and physical therapy can help. Most benefit from chiropractic therapy and care. In extremely acute cases, medications are needed, including analgesics (painkillers) or medications that reduce inflammation. Surgery is not usually needed but may be considered if other therapies have failed.

Prevention
Exercise and good posture can maintain good back health. Your back and abdominal muscles work to maintain posture and need exercise. It is important to use proper technique with strenuous activities such as lifting heavy objects and shoveling snow. This includes bending your knees so you use your legs and buttocks as well as your back to lift, and turning your whole body so you don’t twist just your back.

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Chiropractic Care Can Treat the Musculoskeletal System

Posted on Monday April 29, 2013 by County Line Chiropractic

The musculoskeletal system is comprised of bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and bursae. Any of these components can be injured by trauma or affected by a number of diseases. Different diagnostic tests are available to diagnose musculoskeletal disorders, but the most important element of diagnosis is the doctor’s examination.

Common symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders include pain, weakness, stiffness, joint noises, and decreased range of motion. Inflammation can cause pain, swelling, warmth, tenderness, impaired function, and sometimes redness. Inflammation can result from many different musculoskeletal disorders, including autoimmune disorders and infections. Inflammation affects a joint; fluid may accumulate inside the joint, causing swelling and decreased range of motion.

At County Line, our doctors diagnose musculoskeletal disorders based on the symptoms, the results of a physical examination, imaging tests (X-ray and MRI), and other diagnostic procedures. The imaging and diagnostic procedures are necessary to help the doctor make or confirm a diagnosis.

Symptoms of Musculoskeletal Disorders

1. Pain
Pain is the chief symptom of most musculoskeletal disorders. The pain may be mild or severe, local or widespread. Although pain may be acute and short-lived, as is the case with most injuries, pain may be ongoing with chronic illnesses. Musculoskeletal pain can be caused by damage to bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bursae, or nerves. Injuries are the most common cause.

2. Difficulty Moving
A person may have difficulty moving all or part of the body. Moving may be difficult because of disorders that restrict joint motion or that produce weakness. Movement may also be limited when motion causes pain. Certain nervous system abnormalities interfere with movement without causing pain or weakness. For example, Parkinson’s disease causes muscle stiffness, tremor, and difficulty initiating movement.

3. Joint Stiffness
Stiffness is the feeling that motion of a joint is limited or difficult. The feeling is not caused by weakness or reluctance to move the joint due to pain. Some people with stiffness are capable of moving the joint through its full range of motion. Joint stiffness usually occurs or is worse immediately after awakening or resting.

4. Joint Noises
Joint noises, such as creaks and clicks, are common in many people, but they can also occur with specific problems of the joints. For example, the base of the kneecap may creak when it is damaged by osteoarthritis, and the jaw may click in a person who has temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).

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After Your First Adjustment

Posted on Tuesday April 23, 2013 by County Line Chiropractic

People who have never experienced chiropractic care often wonder and worry about how they will feel after their first adjustment. There is no need to fear: after an adjustment, your body is more in harmony, with hundreds of improvements occurring.

Your First Visit at a Chiropractor’s Office:

Chiropractic works with the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Chiropractors simply remove obstructions from the nerves, allowing the nerves to communicate better with all your body parts after an adjustment. This brings your body into harmony, correcting and improving many little maladies that you might not even have noticed prior to your care.

For some patients, it might have been years since their bodies felt this great; their nerves are finally communicating thanks to the clearing of these obstructions to proper nerve flow, which chiropractors call subluxations.  Chiropractic patients enjoy restored mobility and flexibility, some with very dramatic results. It is important to understand that despite this wonderful initial feeling, the vertebrae must be trained to function as nature intended. This may take several visits until the body returns to its natural state.

Other benefits abound. For example, your head will be more centered over your body and your hips and shoulders will be more level. This not only improves your looks, as good posture is more attractive and exudes confidence, but it also has the practical benefit of allowing you to walk more comfortably, as your joints have less stress upon them. This reduces wear and tear on these joints, helping to preserve them in good working order.

Everybody responds to chiropractic in their own unique way. There may be localized muscular soreness, much like the feeling you get after a session at the gym; this can be normal for some. Others experience a sense of wakefulness after their first adjustment. You may feel more awake as your brain has more blood flow, possibly increasing the sharpness of your vision.  You are improving right now!

Do you have any questions about adjustments or coming to your first chiropractic visit at County Line Chiropractors? Please feel free to contact us at: 1 (800) 811-1231.

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Your Chiropractor Can Save You from TMJ Disorder Pain

Posted on Monday April 1, 2013 by County Line Chiropractic

One of the most common dysfunctions that chiropractors treat is TMJ syndrome. TMJ is the abbreviation for temporomandibular joint, which connects your jawbone (mandible) to your skull (specifically, the temple, or temporal region.) These joints are located on each side of the head, just in front of the ear, and allow you to chew, swallow, breathe, and speak. TMJ dysfunction can cause pain or clicking in that area, and limit the jaw’s range of motion, which is always at least inconvenient but can also be incredibly disabling, considering how often most of us open our mouths! Up to 78% of the general public has some amount of TMJ dysfunction. Chiropractic and body alignment techniques can analyze the relationship between the skull, jaw, and spine to improve the symptoms and eradicate the cause of the problem.

TMJ Affects the Whole Body

It is difficult to pinpoint one specific cause for TMJ disorder. Possible causes occur as a combination, including arthritis and jaw injury. Misalignment or malocclusion of the teeth, bruxism (grinding one’s teeth), bridges, implants and other dental work have also been correlated with TMJ disorder. Gerald Smith, DDS, a specialist in this field, says that certain dental procedures, especially those requiring anesthesia and keeping the mouth stretched open for prolonged periods, are the cause of many TMJ problems. Poor posture as experienced by those working in front of computers, stress, lack of sleep, and poor diet are also correlated with this syndrome.

Symptoms include:

  • Jaw pain
  • Difficulty chewing or biting
  • A clicking, grating, or popping sensation when opening and closing the mouth
  • Dull, aching pain in the face
  • Earaches and headaches
  • Jaw locking

Make sure to avoid exaggerated joint movements, including biting into very large items like huge sandwiches or apples. Also try to avoid chewing hard items like candy, pretzels and nuts. People with TMJ dysfunction should also avoid gum and other substances or foods that require repetitive chewing.

Because spine and TMJ problems are often found together, many TMJ sufferers benefit from chiropractic care. Studies support this connection; for example, a 2009 study published in theJournal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics suggested that TMJ dysfunction plays a significant role in the restriction of hip motion in patients with chronic regional pain syndrome. The nerves that connect the brain to the TMJs exit the spinal cord in the upper cervical region. Misalignments of the first and second vertebral bones, also known as atlas and axis, are often the primary cause of the nerve pressure that eventually results in TMJ dysfunction and its associated symptoms. Chiropractic, by relieving pressure on the spine and cranial bones, often corrects the root cause of a TMJ problem. Many of the symptoms of TMJ dysfunction are also reduced by working on the TMJ directly, which, believe it or not, is considered an extremity adjustment, like working on a shoulder or knee.

The first priority is to relieve pain. If the pain does stem from the cervical spine or the TMJ, the chiropractors at County Line Chiropractic may use chiropractic spinal and extremity adjustments, as well as massage for the area. They may also recommend heat or ice to lessen pain, and special exercises to stretch or strengthen the area. Your chiropractor will work with you to determine the best course of action. The good news is that treating TMJ disorders with conservative chiropractic care typically helps patients avoid more aggressive approaches, such as strong medications or invasive surgeries.

If you feel you have or might be developing a TMJ disorder, give our team at County Line Chiropractic a call: 1-800-811-1231. We look forward to helping you!

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South Florida Physical Rehabilitation

Posted on Friday March 1, 2013 by County Line Chiropractic

South Florida Physical Rehabilitation

County Line Chiropractic Centers take a comprehensive approach to our clients’ health, including offering physical rehabilitation to complement other healthcare modalities. Physical rehabilitation therapy is an important part of wellness, especially after life-changing accidents, illnesses, or injuries. Our physical rehabilitation centers can help you ease back into your daily routine.

Our County Line Chiropractic physical rehabilitation center helps patients with a wide range of issues, including:

  • Athletic injuries
  • Work-related injuries
  • Motor vehicle accident injuries
  • Slip and fall accident injuries
  • Boating accident injuries
  • Spine pain, including low back and neck pain
  • Chronic pain
  • Arthritis
  • Post-operation rehabilitation

Physical therapy is a rewarding, physically exerting process towards recovery. Many patients receive physical therapy under their primary physician’s orders. Our physical therapists work within your doctor’s framework, teaching and training you in completing the exercises prescribed by your doctor. County Line’s physical therapists are skilled educators who teach you proper exercise and motion techniques that improve and condition muscles, restore range of motion, improve balance, coordination, and increase strength.

When you arrive for your first physical rehabilitation session you can expect one of our therapists to make a baseline evaluation of your muscle strength, mobility, and the state of your joints. Their aim is to help you return to your normal activities as best you can by using a variety of techniques, including manual therapy, postural and proprioception training, joint mobilization. As you continue to visit our facility, our therapists will work closely with you and your doctor, tailoring a self-care program of exercises to your needs and bringing you closer to a full recovery.

County Line Chiropractic Centers also offers chiropractic, massage, adjustments, and MRI services to help your body recover from injuries and strengthen over time. Physical rehabilitation exercises complement our chiropractors’ adjustments, making them more effective. Massage is also an important part of County Line’s physical rehabilitation program as it alleviates many chronic conditions, including neck, mid, and low back pain, arthritis, stress, bursitis, and fatigue, to name a few. These different techniques work harmoniously together to improve our patients’ quality of life.

The doctors and staff at County Line Chiropractic are proud to offer a wide range of complementary services to give their patients the best value for their time and money. County Line accepts all AUTO, PPO, POS, and some HMO insurances. Our values drive us to make these life-improving programs affordable for those who are experiencing financial challenges. We are committed to making wellness and good healthcare convenient and attainable for those who need it.

Please schedule an appointment with Melissa at 305.494.3715 or email her at Melissa@Countylinechiro.com.

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Chiropractic for Respiratory Health and Sinus Trouble

Posted on Tuesday January 29, 2013 by County Line Chiropractic

Chiropractic Care for Respiratory Health and Sinus Trouble

Do you wake up with a stuffy head and mucus in your throat or nose? You’re not alone. Roughly 29.6 million American adults were diagnosed with sinusitis in 2009. About 11.7 million Americans visited physicians’ offices and left with a diagnosis of chronic sinusitis. Chiropractic can help those with sinus trouble. Even though it’s not a treatment for sinus conditions, sufferers often find relief after chiropractic care.

How Chiropractic Care Relieves Sinus Trouble

You may be wondering how chiropractors can claim to relieve sinus trouble. Chiropractic is based on a holistic approach to health care. The idea is that chiropractic, by relieving stress on the nervous system and body structure, helps your body work more efficiently and strengthens your immune system- making it easier for your body to heal itself! Those suffering from sinus trouble can experience a decrease in pain and improved sinus drainage.

Chiropractors have, for many decades, observed the beneficial effects of spinal care on the nervous, immune, and respiratory system. Some clinical trials are beginning to show that chiropractic patients experience decreases in physical asthma symptoms and cortisol levels.

Children with Respiratory Problems

Children with respiratory problems may especially benefit from chiropractic care. In 2005, about one fourth of the 2.4 million hospitalizations for children under the age of 15 were for respiratory diseases. So many children seem to suffer from asthma. Doctors of chiropractic can help them by assessing their physical and neurological status, evaluating their lifestyle, diet and other elements in their lives that contribute to their suffering. Chiropractic’s aim is to restore normal functioning to the spine and nervous system; if a child’s asthma is affected by that, chiropractic could help.

Chiropractors pay careful attention to the role the spine and biomechanics play in relation to the systems in your body- to your whole health. You cannot affect one part of the body without affecting the whole. That is why anyone suffering from sinusitis, rhinitis, or other respiratory problems should see a chiropractor for a spinal check-up. In the case of asthma, for example, many patients with chronic bronchial problems are found to have an anterior dishing of the spine in the mid-scapular region. Spinal care can help your body function better, improve your resistance to disease, and enhance your well-being. Call one of our chiropractic offices today and schedule an appointment for wellness.

Sources:

American Chiropractic Association, “What is Causing the Asthma Epidemic?”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Children’s Respiratory Hospitalizations.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Sinus Conditions.”

Dynamic Chiropractic, “Chiropractors Really Do Treat Asthma?,” by Peter Fysh, DC, 3 July 1992.

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Stress Relief Through Chiropractic Care

Posted on Friday November 16, 2012 by County Line Chiropractic

Stress is all around us. Whether chemical, physical or emotional, we all deal with stress in our every day lives.  Most of the time stress is short-lived (hello, South Florida traffic), but stress becomes a real danger to us when it is long term.  Repeated stress over an extended period of time can cause long-lasting damage to our bodies.

Stress by the Numbers

According to the American Psychological Association’s 2011 study entitled “Stress in America,” 22 percent of participants reported extreme stress. Although this number is down from 32 percent in 2007, the study found that more adults report that their stress is increasing rather than decreasing with 39 percent reporting that their stress had increased over the past year and 44 percent reporting that their stress had increased over the past five years.

Stress and Chiropractic Care

As stress increases and lingers, your body and physical wellbeing will be affected. Stress will add pressure to your spine creating pinched nerves, which can lead to a multitude of health issues ranging from a weakened immune system to weight gain to even sleeping problems and irritability. Regular visits with your chiropractor can help.

Chiropractors work to restore balance to one’s body through adjustments. These adjustments relieve the body from subluxations or pinched nerves. Over time, the body learns to adapt and will be much better prepared to handle stress from such sources as chemical toxins, physical injuries and emotional stress caused by every day life.

Additional Tips for Reducing Stress

In addition to regular visits with a chiropractor, here are some more tips to help you manage daily stress:

  • Spend quality time with friends and family.
  • Meditate.
  • Exercise.
  • Make time for hobbies or activities that you love.
  • Reach out for support from loved ones or a professional.
  • Write in a journal.
  • Take a few moments each day to focus on breathing in and out.

Source:

American Phycology Association, “Stress in America: Our Health at Risk,” 11 January 2012

 

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Chiropractic for Whiplash and Neck Injuries

Posted on Monday October 22, 2012 by County Line Chiropractic

Chiropractic care is useful in treating day-to-day workplace injuries, but did you know it’s also known to be excellent treatment for traumatic neck injuries like whiplash? Whiplash, or cervical acceleration-deceleration system (CAD), is associated with auto accidents, especially with rear-end collisions, but can also be caused by falls from stools, horses, and by that 90’s invention, headbanging. Whatever the cause, chiropractic care can promote a speedy recovery and prevent chronic pain.

How Common Is Whiplash?

Neck sprains and strains are the most frequently reported injuries in U.S. insurance claims, which includes whiplash. For example, around 66 percent of all insurance claimants under bodily injury liability reported neck sprains and strains. About 25 percent of the total dollar amount spent on crash injuries is related to claims in which neck pain was the most serious injury, or a whopping $8.8 billion a year.

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash injury is a traumatic experience and a dramatic example of one type of subluxation. In whiplash, the lower neck is unexpectedly thrown very quickly in one direction (hyperextended) while the upper portion of the neck is rebounded in the opposite direction (flexion). This sudden, unnatural movement may result in stress, irritation or damage to the nerves, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and discs.

The initial phase of whiplash causes the neck to form a letter ‘S.’ This puts stress on the ligaments that connect the vertebra (annulus) and the connective tissue that holds the joints together (facet joint capsules). These facet joint capsules are rich with nerve endings and produce the synovial fluid which nourish and lubricate joints. This is a very sensitive area, and exactly what the chiropractors at Countyline Chiropractic deal with when adjusting subluxations.

Chiropractic effectiveness with whiplash sufferers has long been observed and reported in professional journals such as the Journal of Whiplash Related Disorders. We recommend that every accident victim be checked by a doctor of chiropractic for subluxations when it is safe to do so, as any accident may cause subluxations, structural misalignments and irritated or damaged nerves that require attention.

If you’ve experienced a car accident in the past and never sought help for that nagging pain in your neck, keep in mind that trauma or injury from many years ago may be responsible for seemingly unrelated health problems suffered today. Schedule your consultation in one of our South Florida offices and get to the bottom of your pain today!

Sources:

Journal of the American Chiropractic Association, “Whiplash and Chiropractic: New Horizons,” February 2000.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Q & A: Neck Injury, July 2012.

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Por qué debería volver si me siento bien?

Posted on Wednesday October 17, 2012 by County Line Chiropractic

Usted entró en nuestra oficina de quiropráctica sensación terrible y ahora experimenta las maravillas de la atención quiropráctica. Se siente así mucho mejor que usted apenas no puede programar una sesión de seguimiento. El tratamiento quiropráctico es una forma muy segura de tratamiento y manipulación espinal es muy eficaz en ayudar a los pacientes a recuperarse más rápidamente que la atención médica tradicional. Pero la atención es un proceso continuo; Si esperas hasta que sienta los síntomas nuevamente para hacer algo sobre su salud puede estar cometiendo un gran error.

Dolor de espalda y el cuello es un proceso continuo 

Degeneración espinal es causada por años de corregir subluxaciones o anomalías espinales que causan presión sobre los nervios y comprometer su integridad. Estos tardan mucho en formar y normalmente son causados por acciones cotidianas y repetitivas como la mala postura frente a un ordenador o con el teclado, levantar objetos pesados sin usar las rodillas y jardinería. Además, con la artritis, la obesidad, enfermedad de los órganos internos y estar bajo estrés psicológico pueden complicar el dolor de espalda y cuello.

Estas subluxaciones pueden tomar tiempo para sanar como lo hacen para convertirse en problemas crónicos. Cuanto antes de comenzar y mantener, quiropráctico, mejor para su cuerpo. Por otro lado, mientras más espere a dirección que el dolor, el tejido de cicatriz más construye arriba y estas anomalías más tiempo toman para resolver.

Con cuidado regular, los doctores en quiropráctica Countyline aseguran de que los nervios no están afectados a por subluxaciones vertebrales, manteniendo la línea de comunicación en su cuerpo libre de obstrucciones. De hecho, los usuarios regulares de la quiropráctica informen mejor salud física y emocional, menos estrés, menos consumo de drogas, más energía, vitalidad y vida disfrute. Ajustes regulares mantendrá el equilibrio de su cuerpo. Su mejor seguro de salud es mantenerte saludable con chequeos espinales periódicos. Llámenos hoy para su cita!

 

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