Is the Cold Affecting my Bones?

When the weather starts to take a turn South it seems like individuals living in the cold climate begin noticing more aches and pains.  Elderly start to use that famous one-liner, “A storm’s a brewin.” to describe their joint pain.  Not only are the elderly being affected though.  It seems like patients affected by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia are experiencing increased pain with the changing of the seasons.

When the barometric pressure changes it can cause swelling and pain in the joints.  This pain is caused by the swelling that affects the nerves that causes the pain.  The effect of this pain is stiffening joints that can affect a person’s life activities from day-to-day.

So when the cold weather rolls in, here are a few things you can do to help:

• Exercise.  Doing regular exercise help lubricate your joint so they move more easily.
• Drink plenty of fluid.  You should be drinking half your body weight in water every day.
• Supply your joints with healthy fats.  Omega-3’s are vital for the health of your joints.  Salmon, trout, nuts, avocado, olive oil, and a supplement high in the DHA for of Omega-3 works great.
• Get routine chiropractic adjustments.

When you receive an adjustment, the joints of your spine able to re-align into a normal position which will relieve pressure and tension and allow the surrounding muscles to relax and results in pain relief.  Getting adjustments regularly can help prevent the pain that occurs with “stuck” joints.  The philosophy of The Joint...the chiropractic place, is to make it convenient and affordable to get regular preventative and maintenance chiropractic care.

Headaches: What are the Different Types?

Headaches are no fun and are a big nuisance. Headaches can change your attitude and your day.  According to the National Headache Foundation, over 45 million Americans suffer from recurring headaches, and 28 million of these Americans suffer from migraines.  Children are even suffering from headaches at a 20 percent average.

There are a large range of headache types.  Actually there are 150 different kinds of headache categories that have been established.  These are the most common:

• Tension Headaches-also known as chronic daily headaches.  These are the most common headaches among adults and adolescents.  The muscle contraction can cause mild to moderate pain that lasts over a long period of time.
• Migraines-no one knows the exact cause of migraine headaches, but there is a theory that there are triggers that cause abnormal brain activity, which in turn causes changes with the blood vessels in the brain.  Some believe migraines are hereditary, but some cases are inherited.  Migraine pain can last from four hours to three days and can cause moderate to severe pain.  Sensitivity to smells and light is very common and can cause nausea and vomiting.  Pain has been described as throbbing and pounding.
• Sinus Headaches-is associated with pain in the cheekbones, forehead and bridge of the nose.  Pain seems worse when movement of the head occurs.  Sinus Headaches usually occur with other symptoms such as nasal drainage, fever, fullness in the ears and facial swelling.
• Cluster Headaches-these are the least common but most severe.  They can be described as a piercing, burning sensation that is constant.  The pain is commonly located behind one eye or the eye region and doesn’t change sides.  Pain can be so severe that the person can’t sit still and will pace or move around often.  The name comes from the headaches coming in clusters of one to three a day and can last two weeks to three months.  Headaches will then go away completely for months or years only to reoccur again.
• Mixed Headache Syndrome-also known as transformed migraines, these are a combination of migraines and tension headaches.  Adults and children can be affected.

Ways to help the headache process can be a pain-reliever, drink plenty of fluid, add a cold compress to the back of your head and neck, massage acupressure points, relax in a cold, dark room.  Ways to prevent getting headaches are to get plenty of rest, relax daily, exercise, get regular chiropractic adjustments, drink plenty of water, and eat healthy.

For Patients with Low Back Pain, is Chiropractic More Effective than Medical Treatment?

There have been many studies over the years that have shown the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of chiropractic treatment for back pain. Recently, a new study revealed more good news for Chiropractic: The study entitled "Tracking Low Back Problems in a Major Self-Insured Workforce: Toward Improvement in the Patient's Journey," showed the importance, efficacy and cost-saving benefits of turning to chiropractic early when it comes to low back pain. The study examined the total direct (medical, pharmaceutical) and indirect (lost productivity, absenteeism, workers compensation, short and long-term disability) cost outcomes associated with care for back problems reported by workers at a major self-insured heavy manufacturer in the U.S. The results were published in the June issue of The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

One of the things that are so impressive about this study is the size of population studied. The researchers tracked over 21,000 people between 2001 to 2009, individuals who reported back pain were identified as pursuing one of five different care approaches, from Information and Advice to Chiropractic to Complex Medical Management, based on their first six weeks of insurance claims. Those who sought Chiropractic were not only the least likely to turn to dangerous pharmaceuticals and costly surgery, the Chiropractic patients also averaged significantly lower total costs per episode. Early intervention was less costly over the long-run, as well. Those who received medical management actually had the highest costs.

The researchers concluded with this statement:

“Although employers and their occupational health personnel are not necessarily looking to test the accuracy or appropriateness of guidelines for Low Back Pain care per se, they are seeking to better manage the long-term total cost outcomes of their Low Back Pain employees/patients. Do guidelines hold much promise for advancing this objective? The bottom line answer from this study is an empirically based yes”.

What this means is that not only do we as individuals and families worry about the costs associated with treatment for back pain, so do employers and insurers. While it is true that low back pain is quite common and accounts for a large percentage of medical costs, it is also true that treating it doesn't have to cost a lot. Here at The Joint, we recognize the need for affordable and convenient chiropractic care to help with back and neck pain.

- Brad Hendricks, D.C.
  Chiropractic Physician

Drink Your Way to Better Health!

Water is the substance of life. The majority of people in Utah are dehydrated, and they don't even realize it. In fact, up to 80% of the people in Utah may be dehydrated. Before you assume that you are not in that group, because you don't feel thirsty, realize that thirst really has nothing to do with dehydration. You may also believe that you get enough water because you drink beverages that have water as an ingredient, such as coffee, tea, and sodas. Even though these beverages are made with water, when they are ingested, they actually cause us to lose water! You don't need other beverages - what you need is water.

Two-thirds of our bodies consist of water. Approximately 83% of our blood is water, 75% of our muscles are water, 22% of our bones are water, and 74% of our brains are water. Our brains even float around in water! With these percentages, it should be obvious as to why we require water to live in a high-altitude desert environment like Salt Lake City. The water in our bodies is lost every minute of every day - through sweat, tears, breathing and urination - and simply through our pores. You are losing water right now, at this very moment, and it needs to be replaced.

Dehydration affects more than just people outdoors in the sun, but the heat and aridity of Utah summers makes it an even more ubiquitous and serious problem for Salt Lake City residents. Some signs of dehydration include headaches, muscle aches and cramps, fibromyalgia and joint pain.  As we perform chiropractic adjustments, we encourage you to increase your water intake so that the cells of the body are able to get the nutrients they need to heal properly.  This happens best when you are well hydrated.  Oftentimes chiropractic adjustments for neck and back pain leads to detoxification and a flush of toxins that build up in our systems and therefore it is important to be drinking enough water to help your body eliminate those toxins.

By increasing your water intake to eight glasses per day, in about a week's time, you may notice that you have more energy, your mind is clearer, your skin is healthier, and your food digests easier, and you may even find that you lose weight!  A good rule of thumb is to also drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee or tea you have, as well as for every soda.  If you are exercising in the Utah heat it is important to drink even more water.  You can do your part in helping your body heal by getting regular chiropractic adjustments and by drinking more water.

~ Dr. Hendricks

Advice from a Chiropractor in Utah: Reducing Back Pain Through Exercise

Regular activity, fitness and exercise, are critical for the health and well-being of people of all ages. Research shows that everyone, young or old can benefit from regular exercise, either vigorous or moderate. Even very old adults can improve mobility and function and reduce back pain through physical activity. It should be a priority for everyone. Millions of people suffer from chronic illnesses, which can be significantly improved through activity. Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, chronic back pain and joint problems. People who are active outlive those who are inactive. Despite the well-known benefits, most Salt Lake City, Utah adults and children lead relatively sedentary lifestyles. They are not active enough, and back pain is just one of the many health consequences.

Say Goodbye to the Couch Potato!

A sedentary lifestyle is defined as engaging in no leisure-time physical activity (exercises, sports, physically active hobbies) in a two-week period. A lot of older people in Salt Lake City, Utah typically lead sedentary lifestyles. More than one-third of young people in grades 9-12 do not exercise regularly. The cost to the medical establishment is in the billions for treatments of diseases like heart disease and chronic back pain, and that cost could be reduced with exercise. Physical activity maintains muscle strength, joint structure, joint functioning, and bone health. Exercise has an effect on mental health as well, especially among young people. It increases the capacity for learning, increases self-esteem and reduces anxiety and stress. Sports can introduce skills such as teamwork, self-discipline, sportsmanship, leadership and socialization. Obesity has become a nationwide epidemic.

Regular activity, along with a nutritious diet that incorporates portion control, is the key to maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the effects of obesity like back pain and heart disease. Everyone must realize the benefits of physical activity for the mind and body. Then commit to a lifestyle that is active for the whole family, and don't forget the benefits of adding chiropractic treatment to enhance your healthy lifestyle in Salt Lake City, Utah. Let the doctors at The Joint Cottonwood work with you and your family on a preventative and maintenance chiropractic treatment plan.

What is the Big Deal about Chiropractic?

In my 25 years of practicing Chiropractic, I have notice much controversy both within and without
the chiropractic profession. There have been many attempts to define what exactly chiropractic is
and what it isn't. These opinions range on the spectrum from chiropractors being outright
“Quacks” all the way to being “Pseudo­MDs” and everything in between. There are those who
view chiropractors as the ideal Holistic Practitioners who should use any and all treatments and
therapies that can have a positive effect on health, and those who believe that chiropractors should
only treat to correct subluxations (defined as minor mal­positions of the bones of the spine) so that
the body can heal itself.

Over the years my own opinions have been somewhat tempered. I actually see the value in
multiple different definitions of chiropractic. The bottom line is that chiropractors are very well
educated with many hours of study in the basic sciences like anatomy, physiology, neurology,
microbiology, biochemistry, pathology, embryology, etc., with an emphasis on spinal neuro-
biology. Chiropractors are required to pass rigorous national and state board exams in order to
become licensed to practice in the U.S. Once licensed, chiropractors can, within reason, choose to
practice with any number of specialties, whether it be a general practice or a focus on nutrition,
sports medicine, rehabilitation or a subluxation based practice.

In my current practice with The Joint, I have chosen to focus on improving the health of the body and spine and reducing back pain and neck pain using straight forward chiropractic adjustments. In my opinion (and this is only my opinion) the joints of the body, especially the spine, need to move. There is a specific range of motion that is normal for each joint in your body and when that normal motion is disrupted by injury or stress or poor nutrition or a sedentary lifestyle, then your body's function diminishes and you are more prone to develop degenerative arthritis or other chronic health problems such as back pain or neck pain. So if you cannot bend over and touch your toes, or if you cannot turn your head to look over your shoulder without turning your whole body, then you may consider regular, preventive and maintenance chiropractic care to reduce or eliminate back pain and neck pain. The improvement in your quality of life and levels of energy can be significant if you regularly care for your spine by improving your mobility.

Most of us wouldn't consider it wise to stop brushing and flossing our teeth for fear that we would
end up with rotten teeth, and I believe that we should have that same fear of developing a stiff and
degenerated spine if we don't take care of it properly with regular chiropractic adjustments. Let the
experienced doctors at The Joint Salt Lake City or our Chiropractors in Cottonwood Heights assist you with regular spinal maintenance. ­ Make an appointment today!

Stretches and Exercises to help Low Back Pain - Salt Lake City, Utah

 As a Chiropractor, one of the questions that I frequently get asked is, “What can I do myself to relieve my back pain?” In addition to regular Chiropractic adjustments, I recommend that my patients incorporate a simple consistent stretching and exercise program to their daily routine.  These exercises are low tech and involve usually just body weight so you can avoid the expense and inconvenience of a gym membership.  

Here are a few of the exercises that would be good for anyone suffering from back pain:

1. Back Extension Press-up

This exercise is often used to relieve inflamed lumbar discs.  Lay on your stomach and then press up with your arms to extend your back. Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down.  If you cannot fully extend your arms, just go to your elbows or as far as you can.  Do 3 sets of 10.

2. Cat and Camel stretch   

This stretch encourages normal movement in the lumbar vertebrae and in the sacro-iliac (SI) joints.  Rock your pelvis back and forth for at least 1 minute, rest 1 minute, do 3 sets of 10.

3. Knee to Chest Stretch

Lie on your back and bring knees to chest one at a time and then both together.  Hold for a few seconds then rest.  Do 3 sets of 10.

4. Squats and Lunges

Both of these exercises will help strengthen your hip, legs, buttocks and core.  Be careful with your back position. Make sure you keep a flat back, and do not round your lower back. The movement should come from your hips and knees.  Do not let your knee bend more than 90º.  Try to tighten your abdominal muscles as you go down and up. Do 3 sets of 10.

5. Push ups

Pushups are a great full-body workout, and can be varied from easy to intense based on your fitness level.  These help your back due to the tightening of your core as you hold the push up position.  Do 3 sets of 10.

6. Planks

Planks are used to help strengthen the core, which includes your back and abdominal muscles.  The intensity can be adjusted for your fitness level.  For less intense exercise, you can rest on your knees.  The key is to hold your back and hips in a correct position: do not bend at the waist, and do not let your back sag.  Hold the position for as long as you can then rest.  Do 3 sets of 10.

Try adding these exercises to your daily routine and over time you will notice an increased strength in your abdominal and back muscles that will help reduce the pain and tension you may be feeling in your back.  Along with regular maintenance and preventive Chiropractic adjustments at The Joint Cottonwood Heights, you will start to notice less intense and less frequent back pain and your quality of life will improve because of it.

- by Dr. Brad Hendricks