Archive for May, 2009
San Jose Chiropractor Talks About Allergies, ADHD, and Pedicatric Chiropractic
Posted by: | CommentsYour San Jose Chiropractor believes strongly in pediatric chiropractic, and wants you to know about allergies, ADHD, and chiropractic care: You may have been told that chiropractors treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Well, that’s just not the case. Chiropractors don’t “treat” ADHD. But, nonetheless, chiropractic care can absolutely help children, and adults too, who suffer from it. The reason why chiropractic treatment is helpful is because ADHD is a neurological disorder. Chiropractic adjustments not only help to reduce nervous system disruptions in general, but an adjustment can be intentionally directed to stimulate under-active areas of the brain and calm over-active areas as well. Due to the fact that a chiropractic approach to ADHD is natural and drug-free, quite a few parents choose chiropractic care over the conventional medical practice of giving children Class 2 psychotropic drugs that have dramatic side effects including personality changes and permanent alterations in the brain. The vast majority of parents who’ve opted for chiropractic treatment for their children have observed amazing behavioral changes as a result.
Due to the differences between the ways in which boys and girls employ the left and right hemispheres of their brain, ADHD seems to afflict more boys than girls and, in addition, is often more conspicuous and easily observable in the behavior of boys rather than of girls. Some of the symptoms that are most pronounced include difficulty concentrating and sitting still, lack of ability to control impulsive thoughts and behaviors, easily distracted by noises and activities, chronic movement of fingers, hands, arms, feet, or legs.
Many children who manifest ADHD symptoms are hypersensitive to certain foods, such as dairy or gluten products, and sugars and artificial sweeteners. Additionally, they generally have a hypersensitive response to additives in foods, herbicides and pesticides used to grow non-organic fruits and vegetables, and laundry products such as detergents, fabric softeners, and other chemicals. Frequently, the removal of these environmental agencies can go a long way in easing ADHD symptoms.
Determining the presence of spinal anomalies and express responses to specific neurological tests are included in the comprehensive examination given by your San Jose Chiropractor.
You may be able to help your child to get his or her life back in balance through natural, safe chiropractic care. Before taking drastic pharmaceutical measures, if your child displays the symptoms of ADHD, call your chiropractor to make an appointment for a complete evaluation. Call today for the health of your child!
Dr. David Hoewisch Asks: Do You Know What's Worse for Your Health Than Eating Fast Food?
Posted by: | CommentsDr. Hoewisch is concerned about your overall health and wellness, which includes all that goes into your body. Are you ready for this? For years (and years) chiropractors like me, plus nutritionists and other health-conscious professionals have been advising men, women, and children to lay off the fast foods. Everyone is aware already of the artery-clogging, fat-producing effects of a fast food diet. So, tell you something you don’t know, right? Well, here it is: It’s not just the fast food, itself, that can shorten your life span, but the wrapper it comes in that is a risk to your health and longevity, as well!
Add to the growing list of chemicals showing up in human blood, chemicals called diPAPs. They’re found in the compounds that make food wrappers grease-proof. These chemicals are fairly new and scientists don’t know yet if they are harmful to human health. But diPAPs break down into another worrisome chemical, called PFOA (perfuorooctanoic acid), which is in a class of compounds called perflurochemicals, and may be carcinogenic.
PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate, another perflurochemical) are resistant to oil and water, which makes them perfect for use as fast food wrappers, and as liners on nonstick pans, microwave popcorn bags, and pizza boxes, not to mention carpets clothes, and electronics among many other applications. The problem is that these compounds end up in the environment, our food and our bodies.
“The take-home message is that some chemicals that make our lives easier, better and more satisfying end up in our bloodstream with unknown toxicological consequences,” said Scott Mabury, a chemist at the University of Toronto. “We should be smart enough to design chemicals that do what we want them to do without causing a chemical pollution problem.” Imagine that — designing chemicals that wouldn’t harm our bodies or pollute the environment. I wonder why no one has thought about that until now?
For the complete article, go tohttp://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/15/food-wrapper-chemical.html?campaign=w01-101-ae-0001
Your San Jose Chiropractor wants you to know that you could still have whiplash injuries even if you’ve only been in a minor auto accident. If you drive a big car and you’re in an accident if your car looks “uninjured,” it’s easy to think that you are not hurt, either. After all, isn’t that the purpose of driving a big vehicle? It’s for protection, right? Then you might find it a bit disturbing to learn that research has shown that occupants of vehicles, both large and compact, can be injured a lot more than might be expected from a minor auto accident. In fact, as far as your body goes, there’s truly no such thing as a “minor fender bender.”
Let’s face it. There are going to be repercussions when your body is compelled to stop suddenly and without warning. An emergency room attendant may hand you a clean bill of health because you haven’t sustained any broken bones, and you may be given a prescription for medication to relax the muscle spasms that you are surely experiencing due to the structural changes in your neck or lower back that you received from the impact. But, your problem could go from bad to much, much worse unless you’re treated for the injuries you’ve received. In fact, some individuals encounter problems years after a car accident due to the fact that they didn’t get the help they required in the first place.
Your San Jose Chiropractor absolutely knows what your body undergoes during an auto accident. Chiropractic therapies include treatment for soft tissue injuries and spinal bio-mechanics abnormalities. And
If you’ve been in a minor auto accident, although your car may not require much repair, no doubt, you do. Neck and back injuries are not only painful in the places in which they occur, but they can also cause pain, tingling, and numbness in your arms and hands and create headaches days, weeks, even months after an accident occurs.
chiropractic care will provide you with a drug-free, natural road back to feeling good again. It will go a long way in putting the trauma of your accident where it belongs – behind you. Furthermore, because your chiropractor has experience communicating effectively with insurance companies and lawyers, not only will you undergo less physical stress, but less emotional stress, as well!
Yoga for Round Bodies
Posted by: | CommentsHello, your San Jose Chiropractor here. I just read a great article about yoga for plus-size people. What a wonderful concept. I tell all my patients that “health begins right where you are today. You can’t wait for more time or less body weight.” However, up until now, yoga studios have not usually been purlieus for people of size. Striking a yoga pose has seemed to be an exclusive option for lithe, limber bodies. But, not anymore! Yoga classes for heavier people have been sprouting up all over the country with names like Buddha Body Yoga, MegaYoga, HeavyWeight Yoga, and Yoga for Round Bodies.
The ancient practice of yoga might be based on a philosophy of self-acceptance and non-competitiveness, but plus-size people usually feel too self-conscious to even try a yoga pose, much less try on a yoga philosophy. In addition, most yoga classes, even beginner courses, don’t address the needs of big bodies, says Michael Hayes, the owner of Buddha Body Yoga in New York. Poses considered standard for those who are fit or slim are often difficult or even impossible for heavier students.
So, if your body weight has been holding you back, and if you’ve been waiting for just the right moment to start getting healthy and fit, it looks like that moment has arrived. Check to see if there’s a yoga class for plus-size people in town. If not, maybe you can start one!
For the complete article go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/health/nutrition/14fitness.html?_r=1&em
Dr. David Hoewisch: If You Have Foot Pain, Take a Hike!
Posted by: | CommentsDr. Hoewisch wants to help you to get foot pain relief: I just read a great article in the New York Times about foot pain. Did you know that a huge number of people develop foot pain in their 60s? If you have foot pain and you’re 60 or over, you may already be painfully aware of this fact. But, the problem can actually start as early as the 20s and 30s.
Age related factors such as diabetes and circulation problems can contribute to foot pain. But, excessive weight, improper footwear, and a sedentary lifestyle can also be contributing factors, as well, and at any age. Obviously, proper footwear and regular exercise, then, can play a crucial role in preventing foot problems.
Amazingly, the average person walks the equivalent of three times around the Earth in a lifetime. So, it’s not surprising that in a recent survey for the American Podiatric Medical Association, 53 percent of respondents reported foot pain so severe that it hampered their daily function.
Being farthest from the heart, the feet can often be the first part of the body to manifest complications like poor circulation and loss of feeling, both of which can lead to poor wound healing and amputation. In addition, the most common foot conditions that occur with age are arthritic joints, thinning of the fat pads cushioning the soles, plantar fascitis (inflammation of the fibrous tissue along the sole), bunions (enlargement of the joint at the base of the big toe), poor circulation and fungal nails.
Excess weight simply adds to these problems. The force on your feet is about 120 percent of your weight. “Obesity puts a great amount of stress on all the supporting structures of the foot,” said Dr. Bart Gastwirth, a podiatrist at the University of Chicago.
“A lot of people think foot pain is part of the aging process and accept it, and function and walk with pain,” said Dr. Andrew Shapiro, a podiatrist in Valley Stream, N.Y. Though some foot problems are inevitable, their progress can be slowed. If you’d liked slow the progress down, here are a few questions and conditions that are important for you to address: 1) Do you have poor circulation? 2) Do your parents complain about their feet? 3) Do you have flat feet or high arches? Either puts feet at risk. 4) If you can bend back your thumb to touch your lower arm, the ligaments in your feet are probably stretchy, too, Dr. Gastwirth said. 5) Do your shoes fit? In the podiatric association’s survey, more than 34 percent of men said they could not remember the last time their feet were measured. 6) Do you wear high heels? “The high heel concentrates the force on the heel and the forefoot,” Dr. Gastwirth said. 7) Do your feet ever see the light of day? 8 ) Have you seen a podiatrist?
Believe it not, however, putting more mileage on your feet is the best way to exercise the muscles and keep them healthy. So, it’s important to lighten up, weight-wise, and wear shoes that are supportive and fit properly. And, if you’re experiencing foot pain, visit an experienced health care professional and find out why…before you walk too many more miles.
To view the original article, go to http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-footpain-ess.html
Your San Jose Chiropractor Can Help Your Scoliosis
Posted by: | CommentsYour San Jose Chiropractor wants you to know as much as you can about your scoliosis and how you can get the pain relief you need:
Scoliosis: An Introduction
A normal spine looks straight, without much deviation from one side to the other, when the body is viewed from behind.Scoliosis is an affliction that is often associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.This condition often gives the appearance of the patient leaning to one side but it should not be confused with poor posture. Scoliosis is a complicated deformity that is defined by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra frequently causing a characteristic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is caused by the vertebrae in the region of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their connected ribs posterior thus creating the symptomatic rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. The pulmonary and cardiac functions can be interfered with if the thoracic curve and rib rotation is more than 70 degrees. Frequently later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients, this amount of curve and subsequent cardiac and pulmonary changes can be life threatening.
Anatomy
The spine reveals four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral, all of which are observable from a side view of the trunk. In the lower spine there is a normal “C-shaped” curve called swayback or lordosis, while the thoracic curve in the chest vicinity has a “reverse C” called a kyphosis. Hyperlordosis is the term used to describe increased swayback, while increased kyphosis in the thoracic spine is called hyperkyphosis. Scoliosis changes regularly accompany diversions from normal on a side view. Postural exercises can eliminate some round back deformities that are simply due to unhealthy posture. A small number of individuals with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are associated with vertebral deformity. This class of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much harder to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.
Even a nonprofessional can help to identify a child or grownup with scoliosis just by observing the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in briefs, and observing the following:
- One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.
- One scapula (shoulder blade) may be more elevated or more prominent than the other.
- With the arms hanging loosely at the sides, there may be more room between the arm and the body on one side.
- One hip may appear to be raised or more pronounced than the other.
- The head is not in plumb with the pelvis.
- One side of the back appears more elevated than the other when the individual is analyzed from the rear and asked to flex forward until the the spine is horizontal.
Once scoliosis is suspected, the child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further assessment. your chiropractor would be happy to help.
The most prevailing class of scoliosis is, by far, Idiopathic, and even though there are many different roots and many types, Idiopathic Scoliosis accounts for about 85% of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is witnessed with equal prevalence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. This disorder can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent types, based upon the age of onset. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be due to genetic or hereditary influences as it commonly runs in families. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves increase in size and require treatment. As the term “Idiopathic Scoliosis” infers, this class of scoliosis more often than not happens when children are finishing their last major growth spurt. It is a good idea to have this age group viewed by a professional on a regular basis because young people are hesitant to let their body to be viewed by parents or other adults.
It is vital that if a scoliotic curve is found in a growing adolescent, the curves be monitored for any advancement by a periodic examination and on occasion standing x-rays. In ninety percent of instances, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, but increases in spinal deformity require evaluation to decide if a brace or other therapy is needed. In a small number of individuals, surgical treatment may be necessary.~Surgery may be necessary for a small number of individuals.
Brace therapy (orthosis) is recommended for newly-diagnosed conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis, as well as when an increase in scoliosis or kyphosis is observed in both juvenile and adolescent children. There are many styles of braces, all created to prevent curves from increasing through acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Braces will not usually make the spine entirely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing. Nevertheless, bracing is effectual in preventing curve progression in a very large percentage of skeletally-immature adolescents.
There is no simple resolution for scoliosis. Nearly all cases, even though frequently monitored, are not actively treated. Severe conditions are sometimes treated surgically, but the standard medical treatment for moderate conditions is a brace. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.
Besides bracing, many other methods have been used successfully such as specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It seems like the most beneficial results have been maintained with a multi-faceted approach to the treatment of this abnormality.
There are chiropractors, that have years of experience managing scoliosis cases.
